THE GUEST BY GARY BASEMAN FIGURINE (SMALL MODEL) (NUMBERED EDITION)
Designer: Gary Baseman
Sculptor: Raul Rubio
Finish: Glossy Porcelain
This piece is renowned designer Gary Baseman's contribution to The Guest series by Lladró Atelier, the brand's ideas lab, which invites leading artists from around the world to customise this unique character. The series includes collaborations by Tim Biskup, Devilrobots, Rolito, Paul Smith and Jaime Hayon, who created the initiative. The American painter and illustrator known for his cartoon imagery, with a twist. His work blends a darker moodier theme with a sense of whimsy, their apparent innocence contrasted with inherent creepiness.
Pop art is the name of the game for the artist behind Emmy-winning ABC/Disney cartoon series, Teacher’s Pet, and the artistic designer of the popular award-winning board game, Cranium.
His talent of using a cartoonish style to present gruesome content and thoughts, Gary Baseman’s The Guest seemingly has a cheerful cheeky demeanour at first glance. Look closer and you’ll see exposed brains peeking out of his hoodie. The motif on its hoodie is analogous to a celebratory bouquet of flowers in someone’s home. The personal nostalgic symbols continue with wallpaper-like repetition of the bouquet of flowers, finished off with what seems to be all-over-bleeding, making the viewer uncomfortable with what that means…