POPprolific, otherwise known as artist Justin Alan Volpe, currently has some work up at a bit of a mini ten year retrospective titled Hard and Soft: The Many Layers of POP now at PIQ located at Grand Central Terminal (NYC). The show, which has been extended through the Christmas season, features works in resin, 1/6 scale figures, and needle felt. A few things caught our eye, like this Crom (Skeletor Colorway) done in resin and hand-painted in a very teeny edition of just six pieces. Volpe told me: "This is my debut vintage bootleg style 5.5" resin figure inspired by the Cimmerian diety of Robert E. Howard's Conan stories. This colorway pays tribute to, Skeletor." They run for $85 each (and he's got other colorways up on his site too).
BREATHING FIRE INTO MEN'S SOULS: Based in Brooklyn what really stood out to me from his offerings were his needle and felt sculptures which are 12"-14" in height and show a certain twist on action figures. While we often think of our heroes clad in armor and sporting an arsenal of weaponry there is something refreshing to see this type of character fashioned from fabrics that are more often related to homey throws and other pleasant to the touch wearables. So when he brings out his Beastgoon a double-take ensues. He's unique, one of one ($500), and based on Beastman from The Masters of the Universe. This is a perfect play on materials and their use, not to mention a sweet play on masculinity by way of materials.
About this figure (below) Volpe told me: "I didn't use any pattern to make the Beastgoon, he really just came directly from my brain. I produced him by stabbing the wool together into the shapes I pictured in my head. He's constructed around a wire frame, so that he can bend and pose a little. My wife calls it "action plush". -- This is GOFN approved! ;)
Being intrigued by these pieces in particular I asked the artist to describe them in a bit more detail: "I've been making needle felt sculptures for about six years now. The Needle Felted series inspired by Masters of the Universe is an ongoing project for me. It started a while ago with Battlepuss. Shortly after I made a stylized Prince Adam. I followed them up with a Cringor and Mantisaur (see below: I like the mounts). I started getting sidetracked with 1/6 scale commissions and miscellaneous art shows, so I do these pieces sporadically. I would love to do more of the MOTU characters in this style. If anyone out there wants to commission me for other characters, I'm taking commissions for next year."
Here are a few other examples that are not in the show, but will give you a better understanding of Volpe's work in this medium (more here as well):
This is contemporary art that plays on toy-making, or vice versa, I'm not sure and like it that way. It's new, it's now, it's on!
Go to PIQ for more.