Say hello to Munny. Munny is a seven-inch, blank white, vinyl toy-figure with an over-sized head and movable joints made by KidRobot, a creator and retailer of limited edition toys. From September 30th to October 11th the Lawrence Arts Center will display 100 interpretations of the figure created by of some of the best artists and designers working in Kansas including our friends Jouvelt, Yuri Zupancic, Eric Dobbins, Scott Starrett, b. d. eek, Gabriel Dorsey, and Scott Stewart. The showcase, entitled “Munnys That Bring Happiness”, will join together artists of all backgrounds and mediums through the use of the same 3-D canvas, which should yield some interesting results.
The strange little creature has been customizable since the limited edition toys exploded into pop culture in the early 2000s. Several respected artists have already left their mark on Munny including : Shepard Fairy (OBEY), Gary Baseman, Frank Kozik, Tara McPherson, Michael Sieben and designer Marc Jacobs. The Museum of Modern Art in New York added some of the figures to its permanent collection and the upper crust have even fought over them at Christie’s auction house. The highest price paid for a Munny is $20,000.
So in summary, toys are now art and the opening reception for “Munnys That Bring You Happiness” is Saturday October 4th from 7 to 9 pm in Lawrence, Kansas at the Lawrence Arts Center. See you there.
posted by: Harold Johns III
Tags: art, Lawrence, munny, the rathaus, therathaus
