A FANTASTIC FUSION: If you have been paying attention to these pages over the past few weeks you may have noticed another Kickstarter related to The World Of Tim Burton, the Hot Toys release connected to the ongoing traveling exhibition. However, here is another exciting opportunity to support the creation of two new pieces from lauded Hong Kong based artist, Michael Lau! This adjacent World of Tim Burton x Michael Lau Kickstarter is a fascinating journey that pairs two disparate creative minds in a fusion that is bold and new. This is your opportunity to own a pair of new vinyl figures that are individually numbered and limited edition!
Lau (b. 1970) was invited to create these new figures to commemorate this momentous occasion in Hong Kong, celebrating three decades of Burton's (b. 1958) work! I asked Lau about his inspiration for the work and he shared:
“I have great respect for Tim Burton. We are both creators of characters. His work inspires me a lot. I’m very honoured to have been invited to participate in this project, where I can reinterpret Burton’s character with a ‘Michael Lau’ twist, and recreate my own character adding Burton’s essence. I like the synergy a lot. It’s my dream that my own character can appear in Tim Burton’s movies. It’s still a dream to me but now I feel like I’m 1 step closer, and I’ll always wait for Tim’s nod.”
Balloon Boy (2009) is the first of the two specially created figures for the exhibition and this special crowdfunding opportunity. He will be strictly limited to only 500 sets (400 of which will be available for this Kickstarter). If you are aware of Lau's work, the "Godfather of Urban Vinyl" is highly collectable, and often sells out rather quickly. Balloon Boy will be 12" in height.
Maxx & BB are a pair that breathe new life into the extended Tim Burton universe by bringing a brilliant stroke of a younger artist's vision into the mix. The characters are signatures in Lau's world. The larger Maxx figure (he's a gardener) is a 6" vinyl figure with his trusty long-nosed canine-like companion by his side. Lau has really paid special attention to the legacy of the director's work here. They are strictly set to the same numbers as Balloon Boy. A pledge of $477 (USD) gets you both limited edition figures. And as the Kickstarter rolls into its final month, the figures themselves are due to be shipped in February, so unlike many other similar crowd-raisers this one will turn around very quickly, another reason to check this out right here.
Additional Bonus: All backers’ names will also be featured in a mosaic wall in the exhibition venue as a special thanks for their participation. This is an opportunity to support creativity at its best. For tickets and more information about the exhibition The World of Tim Burton at ArtisTree (Hong Kong) visit this link. We leave you with a video for the project! Enjoy + Support.