Endangered Species

2008 was the year of Chuckboy. Can 2009 be a repeat year for the Brooklyn based urban vinyl designer?
by Christian Ghigliotty

From the front window pane of myplasticheart , a collectors paradise in the Lower East Side, Charles Hui (aka Chuckboy) stands arms crossed, hunkering over the glass shelving that houses many of the designs that has influenced his own work. He is pensive, donning a blue zip-up hoodie from another collectible store you may have heard of, Kid Robot . Despite the success and acclaim he received in 2008 for his work, he really is still just a kid at heart, admiring the collectibles as if he were the proud owner of them all. “I think creating a toy starts with a really great idea and design, either in your head or on paper…coming up with something great, then cleaning it up and finalizing it…if it hits people in the way it looks and feels, that’s when it’s successful.”

Chuckboy’s work thus far has done just that. His highly successful three inch Reindeer Dunny took Santa’s little helper and turned him on his antlers, shoved a ball gag in his mouth, a harness around his torso and handed him a mean little bullwhip to so some damage with. The design helped inspire a Kid Robot produced claymation video , that showed this Dunny doesn’t take shit from anyone. “It was a surprise…I was in shock.” The toy was a hit both in the U.S and abroad, moving UK based company Crystled to bling out the Reindeer Dunny using sparkling Crystallized Swarovski Elements.

ChuckBoy Interview at My Plastic Heart toy shop

His love for biotechnology and model building come to form in his interpretation of the daruma for the Dreams to Dreams Custom vinyl show which took place in December of last year. Prototype DCTO Mark 1 —painted in a shiny chrome, metal rivets running up and down layers that encase a smirking visage—resembles the helmet of a Russian space suit or space bound escape pod. Along with forty-one other choice artists his work was on display and for sale at the Japanese American National Museum from December 2008 to January 2009.

From April 10th-May 10th he was part of myplacticheart’s mixed media show using the Chinese Zodiac as inspiration for work. Born in the year of the monkey Chuckboy created three four inch models that look like a new genetically engineered species of primate, housed in glass tanks as if they were in cryopreservation. Coming up on May 21st Kid Robot is releasing its Dunny Endangered! series and Chuckboy it at it again, this time unleashing a Lion Dunny.

Walking in the Lower East Side a teenager recognizes Chuckboy and tells him that he’s a big fan. Chuckboy’s all “awww shucks” about it and thanks him but the kid wants more. He asks him to draw him something, anything. His dad pulls out some paper from a pocket somewhere and Chuckboy goes to work. Within minutes the kid has a Chuckboy original, a skull and bones piece that he says isn’t much and Chuckboy is apologetic. Nonetheless the kid is happy.

“It’s really a surreal for me. You do a couple of designs and nobody sees your face, and then all of a sudden people in the street are seeing your face for the first time and taking your picture…I hope it’s a sign of things to come.”

Looks like 2009 is starting to look a lot like 2008. For most people that wouldn’t be a good thing. For Chuckboy, it’s where he wants to be.

ChuckBoy’s Photo Shoot