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My Impressions of the Incognito Dunny

yunseung Rim formed his twelveDot Studio as an encompassing name to create an assortment of works under, but it has since become synonymous with his APO Frog (2013) creations. Originally begun as his graduation piece for the Korea National University of Arts , twelveDot’s Project aftr. is a narrative art project, telling the tale of frogs that have survived the apocalypse by evolving into human-like bipeds.Continuing these sculptural explorations as a fun aside, twelveDot introduced his 12″ tall Apocalypse Frog and 5″ tall APO Frog designs to the public in 2013. These hand-painted resin versions were met with such demand that twelveDot opted to self-produce the smaller APO Frog as ABS plastic renditions in 2014.And these APO Frogs have since continued to capture the public’s attention, consistently selling out in color scheme after color scheme. A fact that was recognized in 2015 when twelveDot won the designation Break Through Artist from the Designer Toy Awards — a title that was accompanied with the possibility to have his own Dunny design produced by Kidrobot

Becoming the third artist to have a 5″ Dunny released, twelveDot’s design is titled Incognito (2016). An apt title considering this Dunny depicts a sly little bug adorned in parts to disguise it as an APO Frog. Employing minimal paint applications to convey the mandibles, eyes, and soft underside of the insect, the addition of a wing element to the backside is just as sleek in execution. But, of course, what really makes this piece shine is the soft vinyl helmet that, along with the tips of the bug’s antenna, create the illusion of the APO Frog‘s profile. And the stylized hand accessories it holds masterfully completes the work.



Editions of the Incognito Dunny [show]

Editions of the Incognito Dunny [hide]

Made in two versions, there is the 1000 copy regular edition that depicts a chocolate chip colored insect blending in with the APO Frogs by adorning mint tinted elements. And then there’s the Designer Toy Awards exclusive firefly version, which was released at New York Comic Con , limited to 150 pieces, and features glow-in-the-dark frog parts.Both editions perfectly capture twelveDot’s sculptural aesthetic, but they likewise encapsulate the essence of his art. His APO Frog series is imbued with a sense of irony on various levels for the audience to contemplate, the most obvious layer of which is that one of the most fragile creatures in earth’s ecosystem, frogs, survive a manmade apocalypse by evolving into more humanoid forms. And a similar ironic element is in these Incognito pieces, with the lowly bug donning the appearance of their predator, taking on the likeness of frogs, in order to survive. And, for me, it’s that aspect that truly makes them memorable works of art.

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