Rups Kiddo | Solo Exhibition
Opening Reception
February 11, 2023 | 4 PM
Space Encounters Gallery
Unit 7D, 7th Floor, Padilla Building, F. Ortigas Jr. Road, Ortigas Centre, 1605 Pasig
There’s something about the naked simplicity of the anthropomorphic Bearbrick created by Tatsuhiko Akashi that has captivated the art toy world. It is difficult to pin down its popularity but it could possibly be in its form and how wildly easy it is for the bricks to adapt different personalities from rock stars to fashion brands.
Rups Kiddo takes advantage of this and incorporates her own creation, SUGO, into the Bearbrick and what we get is an explosion of adventurous pastels against a backdrop of patterns and meta-interactions with the more popular iterations of the Bearbrick. It is a marriage of street art and hip culture and it all wonderfully makes sense mainly due to Rups Kiddo’s arresting attention to detail. Her strokes are refined and confident and precise. It is the precision that ultimately stands out because the details, no matter how small, are clearly executed as if digitally printed. You can be a few feet away and you can still appreciate the finer nuances.
Still, it’s the joyous artistry that wins you over. Sugo, with its double spectacles and unicorn horn, sees the world doubly colorful. Patterns on patterns. Pop culture on fashion culture. Magic on magic. Sugo is having the kind of cool life (and sneakers) that we wish we could all be living.
It is undeniable that Rups’ singular vision in this solo exhibition is ambitious as she plays around with the world’s most famous art toy. With a mix of child-like wonder, street sensibilities, and artistic precision, Rups Kiddo is able to create her own unique Brick Wonderland that will leave you starry-eyed and wanting more.
