Target (Alternate Colorway)

On Saturday, March 16th 2013, Munky King will debut the alternate color of our third major release, "Target". Based on previous releases, "Target (Alternate Colorway)" features the black gold and red colors I regularly use.
This version of "Target" is limited to 500 pieces.
There are also plans of having a limited edition print of the "Target" box art and a black & gold "Target" t-shirt to be available during the signing.


Release/Signing
Saturday, March 16, 2012 (1pm - 4pm)
 
Munky King
4505 W. Jefferson Blvd. Los Angeles CA 90016
www.munkyking.com

Crotch Talk - Year of the Snake

CROTCH TALK (YEAR OF THE SNAKE)

Acrylic and Ink on Panel

9" x 12"

2013

On February 2nd, 2013, Giant Robot hosted the "Year of the Snake" themed group show. As the name implies, February 2013 marks the year of the snake on the lunar calendar. 
Since the end of 2012, I've been looking for opportunities to try something different and create something a little more 'experimental'. Unfortunately I ran out of time, so I resorted to a series concept I've been holding onto for a while: the "Crotch Talk" series. 
"Crotch Talk" was going to be the sequel to "Head Space". Where "Head Space" is about the things inside my head, "Crotch Talk" would focus on my thoughts concerning sexuality. My original plan for "Crotch Talk (Snake)" was to incorporate something like the black mamba, or another venomous spitting snake. But for "Crotch Talk (Year of the Snake)", I thought painting the snake red and gold will be a nice nod to Chinese New Year. I guess I'll save the mamba for when I create the series to be displayed as a whole show.
I'm still not sure when I can bring this series to fruition, but I guess this as a preview of things to come.

Slow Poke (Hug)

SLOW POKE

Approx 2"-3"

Acrylic, Ink, and Magic Sculp on Resin Figure

2012

On December 15th, 2012, Toy Art Gallery hosted Blamo Toys 4th annual custom show. For this show Blamo invited over artists to customize their "Hug" figure.
For my contribution, I started by considering the design and the idea behind the "Hug". Rather than being warm and welcoming, I wanted to make my figure repulsive and unsettling. My initial ideas revolved around covering it with spikes, but as time ran short, my idea whittled down to one strategic "spike". Once I settled on this, I did my best to make it visually unappealing. I started by changing his expression from smiley to sad (as if he were saying 'will someone please hug me?'), and sculpted a stubby and unflattering erect penis (complete with testicles). I then painted him a light flesh tone, drew in a mess of public hairs, and added the words "Slow Poke" as abdominal tattoo. I finished by adding my signature bear head, coupled with the name of my brand "Unbearable", as a back tattoo.
On hindsight, I think it's odd that when customizing toys, I find myself leaning toward themes I don't usually approach in my paintings, specifically sexual themes. You can see it in my Bellicose Bunny custom, and my My Little Pony custom. I'm curious to see what I create in the future.

For Designer Con 2012, 15 other artists and I were invited to customize a Sucklord figure for the Suckadelic "Super Suck Up!". Limited to an edition of 50, each figure was assembled and painted by hand. The helmet and claw were sculpted and cast by George Gaspar of October Toys, and Sucklord designed the card backs. I ended up using Instagram to document most of steps I took while designing and creating the figure I call "Kuma Fett".

Kuma Fett Turnarounds 

When designing Kuma Fett, one of the first things I considered was how I would incorporate my brand onto the figure. One of the most intriguing things about Boba Fett was the fact that he was pretty much annonymous. He always wore a helmet, and I thought it would be fun to start by adding Luke Chueh style bear helmet for his head. We over sized the head to exaggerate the idea this was a helmet. We also added the signature dent on the head and that "mic/visor" piece signature to the original Kenner Boba Fett figure. And since Boba Fett is a notorious villain, I thought I'd add a bloody claw as inspired by my "Southpaw Series"

Helmet sculpted by George Gaspar of October Toys

 

Claw sculpted by George Gaspar of October Toys

 

Kuma Fett Card Back designed by Sucklord

Cavey (Decapitated)

Cavey’s American Cousins was a unique show featuring Cavey designs by US artists made into one-off plushes by Holly Stanway of A Little Stranger. Each plush is one of a kind and not to be repeated. They were available to buy via 7-day auctions which began on Saturday November 3rd and end on the night of the show.

Cavey designs by: 64 Colors • Beast Brothers • Camilla D’Errico • DrilOne • Frank Kozik • Chris Ryniak • Luke Chueh • Mochimochi • Onell Design • Scott Tolleson • Sket One •Angry Woebots

Inspired by my series of decapitated toys, I decided to give Cavey the decapitated treatment, an idea I found ironic since Cavey's don't have a necks. What makes this design especially fun is the fact that the finished product has a magnet hidden in the wound so you can easily reattach the head to the body!

Contributing artists were also asked to create a print to compliment their designs.

CAVEY (DECAPITATED)

11" x 14"

Acrylic and Ink on Panel

2012

Turning Japanese

On December 1st, 2012, I had my first major exhibition in Tokyo, Japan. "Turning Japanese" featured all new works inspired by his (mis)understanding of Japanese culture. Subjects range from Ritual Suicide, the Atom Bomb, Ramen, Kappa, Cosplay, Kawaii Culture, and more. 

THE BOMB

18" xG 18"

Acrylic and Ink on Wood Panel

2012

SOLD 

IT AIN'T EASY BEING GREEN
(THE KAPPA & KERMIT / YEARNING FOR THE WEST)

12" x 16"

Acrylic and Ink on Panel

2012

SEPPUKU

12" x 16"

Acrylic and Ink on Panel

2012

HARAKIRI (BLACK STOMACH)
切腹 (腹黒)

9" x 12"

Acrylic and Ink on Panel

2012

SOLD 

 

DOB (I WISH I WAS MURAKAMI / COSPLAY)

12" x 12"

Acrylic and Ink on Panel

2012

SOLD

KAMEN TRIKER (I WISH I WAS KAMEN RIDER / COSPLAY)

8" x 10"

Acrylic and Ink on Panel

2012

SOLD

 

RAMEN (INSTANT)

8" x 10"

Acrylic and Ink on Panel

2012

SOLD

 SOUTHPAW (KAWAII)

8" x 8"

Acrylic and Ink on Panel

2012

SOLD


If interested in any available paintings, please contact me at contact@lukechueh.com

Hell Lotus Custom

On November 3rd, 2012, Singapore based Mighty Jaxx hosted a custom art show revolving around the "Hell Lotus" toy. Hell Lotus was designed by Clogtwo and produced by Mighty Jaxx. The Hell Lotus Art Show celebrated the first Singaporean designed and produced original vinyl art toy, "The Hell Lotus". Forty two local and international artists were invited to contribute their own rendition or artworks inspired by the Hell Lotus design.

For this custom I choose to not mess with the original design. However, I thought it would be fun to add a sculpt of my signature bear head and have it rest in the Hell Lotus' left hand.

 I also shaved off the original lotus design that was sculpted on its back and painted a bear head in its place. Taking a note from American biker gangs, I treated the top and bottom "rockers" with my brand name "Unbearable" and location "Los Angeles". 

The patch on the left arm features the numbers "37". These are my two favorite numbers, probably because I was born on March (3) Seventh (7) 19-7-3.

As of this blog posting, my Hell Lotus custom is still available for purchase from Mighty Jaxx.