Urban Vinyl Research Paper

There's a movement under foot. It's a blend of art and toys and it's struck a chord with toy collectors and art lovers alike. It's Urban Vinyl and this is a brief history for those who'd like to learn a little more about this art movement in the making.

First, to understand Urban Vinyl, one must throw aside their conventional ideas of what makes a great toy. Sure, design of the piece plays a big part in the making of both. But the big difference is that Urban Vinyl is original from the start. This is true art, not a replication of another form. For example, more than likely, you base how much you like your Gonzo action figure on how much it looks like the actual Gonzo. In order to appreciate Urban Vinyl you enjoy it for what it is. There
It all starts in Hong Kong with a man named Michael Lau. It was the late nineties and Lau was showing paintings in galleries and working in advertising. He was employed by a music group named Anidoze to create the cover art for an upcoming album. Instead of a 2-D design he created an original action figure and photographed it. He had been making original figures for a while for friends and family, and decided to create one for the cover, showing a broader audience his style. It received a very warm response and led to the first official Urban Vinyl line, The Gardeners. These were 12 inch vinyl figures that represented a modern positive lifestyle. No violence or drugs, but tattooed, pierced, and wearing clothes that the urbanites were wearing at the time. They struck a very strong chord with everyone who saw them in the local galleries were they were shown. This marriage of toy and art was beautiful in so many ways. The toy collector could appreciate it because now something they love had been raised to a new level, thereby gaining more respect; while the art lovers could dig the new medium on many levels [representations of our plastic throw away society, people just being molds, and graffiti coming to life to name a few] Lau also created 6 inch figures that were sold to patrons of the galleries. These 6 inch figures were made in very limited number and have been known to reach thousands of dollars in price in some