Toy artist is now a profession that is slowly starting to be noticed. They are known for their creativity in creating collectible toys with various characters. In Indonesia, there may not be as many toy artists as there are abroad. However, recently they have managed to steal attention through several exhibitions, one of which is Paskalis Kunang or also known as Mr. Kumkum.
Kunang, as he is known, started pursuing his profession as a toy artist full time in 2018. A graduate of the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design at Maranatha Christian University, he is known as an artist who often brings social issues into his work.
In his creative process, Kunang began by observing his surroundings to see if he felt any unease from what he saw. If he finds concerns, Kunang then writes them down in notes or sketches. Only then did he start choosing which ideas to create into an art toy.
Each Kunang work comes with a different meaning. However, almost all of them are dominated by dark colors. To get to know him better, the following are art toys made by Kunang which have been marketed widely.
The Silent Killer
Silent Killer is actually the name of Kunang's first solo exhibition in New York, United States in 2020. It was also one of the main works he displayed, namely a snake-shaped art toy dominated by black and yellow.
According to him, this is the right representation to describe Jakarta. A place where the weak will always lose to those with an evil nature. It feels like living in the coils of a snake that makes one unable to move.
The Cultists
In this work, Kunang conveys the message "when a cult develops, it will become a culture." He expressed this in an art toy that wears a robe with its head tilted upwards. The chain tied around the neck seems to indicate that the cult will be difficult to let go of.
Holy Grail
This work was created by Kunang in October 2021. Through "Holygrail" he tells about a phenomenon that begins with the question "why." Kunang questioned why anyone would be willing to sacrifice the comfort of their sleep for a cold night's queue to get a pair of rubber soles. This refers to the iconic Nike Jordan shoe brand.
Based on this phenomenon, Kunang concluded that it was like a cult that turned into a culture. He also created the Holygrail which seemed to resemble a shoe.
NUMB Killer
For the NUMB Killer work, Kunang painted a figure by toy artist Colus , named Numb Skull. In each part he presents patterns, details and uniqueness that are different from previous art toys.
This work, which was launched in April 2022, is a limited edition because only 20 pieces will be sold. The price for Kunang is set at USD 190 or the equivalent of IDR 2.85 million.
Megalobomb
Megalobomb is one of Kunang's phenomenal works which has a shark-like shape. This work was also exhibited in New York in 2020.
Megalobomb starts from the idea that long ago there was an idea to create a perfect world where every creature lived in harmony. However, one day a great white shark came along shattering that idea into pieces. Since that day the world lives in reality forever.
Those are five Paskalis Kunang art toy works that have succeeded in stealing attention at home and abroad. According to Kunang, to be able to reach the current stage requires a process that is not instant. For example, when his work was first uploaded to Instagram, it didn't immediately sell well or get a lot of attention. Consistency and determination to develop are the keys to Kunang's work becoming one that is coveted by the public.