Museum of Oddities
Vladimir Cobweb – The Curator –
Collector of strange and wonderful things, Vladimir is unfortunately not the most organised of souls.
His Museum of Oddities is a place of wonderment and reflection for the citizens of Retropolis.
The small detail that some of the item’s annotations are a little wide of the mark factually doesn’t seem to have bothered anyone.
Figure : Vinyl, ABS, Rubber, Lead, Glass, Copper, Boxwood, Polymer clay, Steel.
Museum : Vintage wooden scale building model, Gold, Silk, Mahogany, Polymer clay, ABS, MDF, Found objects, Toy parts from the artist’s childhood toy collection.
Building 24″ tall by 11″ wide.
For the “Postcard from New Yorkshire” show at MPH in New York, opening 12th October.
(Click on photos to enlarge..)
A departure for me in size and subject matter. Exploring the locations in Retropolis city as well as its people.
This piece is also a sort of “Meta” representation of my artistic career and influences to date.. Read on for illumination….
Museum Interior Explained.
A Reference to my “DTA best customiser” Award.
B Parts of toys I owned and loved as a child. Heads from Micronauts toys and a figure from Zoids.
C Cthulhu idol. Representing my interest and love of H.P.Lovecraft.
D Derelict Juggernaut spaceship from Alien ( and Prometheus) Alien was to me what Star Wars seems to be to everyone else..
E Raygun from “Bucky O’Hare”. Representing my love of cartoon action figures.
F Qee arm. Qee was my entry level drug for the designer toy world.
G Egyptian relics. Represent my general interest and love of historical artefacts and esoteric sculpture.
H Hand of Tetsujin 28. I love 1960’s/ 1970’s Japanese robots. Especially the Mazinger Z school of design.
I Retro styled electrical items… Love them!
J Pac Gentleman.
K The leg of a Gundam ( Zaku) Mech suit. Another japanese robot influence on me.
L Seed pod. My love of nature and it’s wonderful organic forms.
M Gwin by October toys. My first production designer toy..
N A Mace head representing my work with Games Workshop. My first professional work in the toy and games industry when I was 16. (1986).
O Vintage style camera.. My love of old mechanical objects style again.
P Representing my interest in collecting replica weapons.
Q The tentacle of “Bella DeLaMere”. Both a direct link to one of my favourite toy designs and a nod to my interest in tentacles n general as a thematic device.
R Representing my growing skull collection.
S Moustache! My good luck totem.
T A mask as a nod to my time working in the theatre and the time I spent on stage.
U Bubo. A nod to Ray Harryhausen. A big influence on me and my work.
V Vampire teeth. My love of camp horror in the Hammer Films tradition.
W A deep sea diving helmet and a reference to “The First Men in the Moon”. I love early Science Fiction stories such as those written my H. G Wells. And another Ray Harryhausen reference.
X Nod to those crazy “Biggest ball of twine” type exhibits..
Y An old key in reference to my interest in Kipple. Items which once had a use but no longer do. It is from these items I create find my raw materials.
