Looking at the latest shirts above remind of a conversation with Sebastien aka SuperDeux.  We were discussing how far a concept can go and what end product can be made from a well executed design.  On shirts, I’ve always appreciated what can be done to Mishka’s Bear Mop logo.  Above are four new shirts which will be released at Xlarge retailers this Friday.  My pick would have to be the top two, the neon signed and half tone comic strip design.  What do you all think?

Image Source: X-Large

I’m not sure how Gallery Hanahou concocted this idea, but I think its brilliant.  Invite 30 plus artists from a variety of medium to kick their habits and draft their best work using only a 2B pencil and paper.  Personally, I’m a bit of a voyeur when it comes to sketchbooks, so I’m excited to pay a visit to Gallery Hanahou.  The opening reception is next Thursday, October 16th from 6-8pm.  The show will continue on through November 20th.  Make sure to rsvp here if you plan on attending.

Image/text Source:
Gallery Hanahou
611 Broadway, Suite 730
NYC 10012
646-486-6586

Many thanks to Anna of Gallery Hanahou, I was offered a chance to meet Sebastien Roux aka SUPERDEUX this past Thursday. Who in fact is SUPERDEUX? Read the below bio as provided by Gallery Hanahou. If you like what you read, make the leap for a quick recap of our chit chat and some pics.

About SUPERDEUX www.superdeux.com

SUPERDEUX, aka Sebastien Roux, was born and raised in the south of France, worked and studied in Paris, and currently resides in Lille, France.

With his distinctive brand of lifestyle art, SUPERDEUX has spent the past ten years hopping the gap between the art and commercial worlds, producing slick motion graphics, funky characters, and pop-tastic logos for major brands such as MTV and Sony, while at the same time developing his own popular series of vinyl toys and drawing crowds to gallery shows across Europe.

SUPERDEUX’s work has been featured in books and magazines in France, Germany, Hong Kong, Australia, the US, Canada, and he has worked in collaboration with talented forces including Phunk Studio, 123Klan, Stardust, Genevieve Gauckler, Bill Mc Mullen, Staple Design, Interspectacular and Pictoplasma to pursue his goal of exploring various mediums of communicating his particular urban sensibility.

Exhibits:
“ACID” solo show at Artoys (Lyon, 2007)
“Pop’n Flop’n” at La Condition Publique (Roubaix, 2006)
“Make feet beautiful” at the Artazart Gallery (Paris, 2005)
“Tag the System PARIS” Espace Beaurepaire (Paris, 2005)
“PAPERBAG” at the Madame Edgar Gallery (Montreal, 2005)
“Stickerthrow!” at the KCDC skate shop/gallery (NY, 2005)
“Tag the System NYC” at the Showroom (NY, 2005)

Featured In:
Books: Mascotte 2 by Delicatessen (Happy Book, 2006), Vinyl Will Kill by Jeremyville (IDN, 2004), Logos Around Europe (Index Book Publishing, 2004), Pictoplasma Books 1 & 2 (DGV 2002, 2004)
Magazines: IDN Magazine, Computer Arts, MUSE, BUTTER, Playtimes, Territory Mag, and more

Image/text Source: Gallery Hanahou

So tell me about your brand, SUPERDEUX. How did the name come about?
Back in 1999, I was into grafitti. I was a grafitti artist and I was using the number 2 often. Deux in French means 2. Therefore SUPERDEUX.

How did you get started in urban vinyl? Was it through working with Tristan Eaton?
No, I was actually doing vinyl toys way before that. One day we were talking, Tristan was working with Kidrobot at the time. I contact him, we exchanged email and started from there.

With the Kidrobot Dunnys, I’ve noticed some artists have their work featured numerous times whether its a numeric series, a specialized themed series or an 8 inch. How does that work? Do you get invited by Kidrobot or do you propose an idea for the on-going work?
The client, Kidrobot, would invite me.

Your recent French series release is quite appealing. Actually, I’d like to point out a certain member on the Kidrobot forum, djkrush, is trying to amass an army of your SUPERDEUX dunnys. I believe he has 50 or so now. As an on/off collector myself, I notice this is a trend within each series. With yours being a fan favorite, would you be willing to do an 8 inch of the recent French release?
Yeah, I would like that. I will talk to Paul about that.

By the way, the 123Klan Dunny looks very similar to yours. Did you have any influence?
Yes, the 123Klan Dunny was a collaboration effort. (For those of you that attended the show, you could’ve met Klor. She’s one half of 123Klan).

I read music is a big influence on your artwork… is there a particular genre?
Yeah a lot. I’m more into electro music… Ed Banger Records. Artists such as Kavinsky.

Oh Kavinsky! I saw him at Coney Island along with SebastiAn and the Rapture opening up for Daft Punk. That was a such a great show. Do you see yourself doing a collaboration with Ed Banger Records anytime in the future?
I’m actually doing a collaboration with Arcade Mode. They are close with Ed Banger. But Pedro (Busy P of Ed Banger Records) has his own vision on toys and he is working with Medicom mostly. Therefore, a collaboration with Ed Banger Records is not possible.

Sebastien, my last question to you is do you have any advice for new and upcoming artists?
Develop a concept and really dig deep into it. Think of everything you can do with your character design. And if its a good toy, you can end up with a good t-shirt. From there it can become a pattern for a clothing line and so forth. The possibilities are endless once you have developed that concept.

Thank you very much for your time Sebastien.

For those of you that copped the French Series Dunnys today, you’re probably familiar with Sebastien Roux aka SUPERDEUX. Next Thursday, February 28, you’ll have a chance to meet him if you come out to Gallery Hanahou in Soho. Gallery Hanahou will be curating his first solo show in America entitled, My World is Flat. And if you happen to miss the opening reception, you can always stop by anytime before April 2nd. Don’t miss out on this event. It’s not often that SUPERDEUX has a show outside of France. More specific info can be found on the back as provided by Gallery Hanahou.

Image/info Source: Gallery Hanahou

Gallery Hanahou
611 Broadway, Suite 730
NYC 10012
646.486.6586
info@galleryhanahou.com

MY WORLD IS FLAT
selected works by SUPERDEUX February 28 – April 2 2008
** opening reception **
February 28, 6-9pm Pop-character artist SUPERDEUX makes a super splash with MY WORLD IS FLAT, his first solo show in New York!

There is nothing 2-D about this multi-media exhibit, which will feature custom editions of the artist’s popular STEREOTYPE toy series, along with limited-edition prints, wall stickers, plush cushions and other new work!

SUPERDEUX himself will be flying in for the opening on the 28th – come join us!

Just a reminder that the French Dunny Series comes out this Thursday, 2.21.08. Above is a mock case layout provided by a Kidrobot boardmember, TiredChildren. If this were the actual case layout I’d be receiving post-Thursday, I’d have no problems. I started copping dunnys by the cases because I fell into the “completist” trap. This leads to an army of ones I couldn’t resell. So my dilemma is strategy. Do I just log onto KR and buy like ten blind boxes or take my chances and buy a whole case (or 2) of twenty-five? Or do I hunt the individual pieces I like on any of the other online vendors. Clearly this is a pick my poison type of deal. Best of luck to all collectors worldwide this Thursday!

Image Source: Kidrobot via TiredChildren

Above are is a definitive shot of the French Series that is coming to Kidrobot and other Dunny stockists in February. Here is another excuse to spend more money. Much like the Azteca or LA series, 25 pieces will complete a case. If this series piques your interest, start saving. On a side note, I didn’t like the series 4 Koa, but this clear one is definitely an eye opener. Make the leap for more pics.

Image Source: Kidrobot