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GRIPON SINGAPORE EXHIBITION presented by BLAXK by ActionCity with GRAPE BRAIN RAGE



PRESS RELEASE (22 November 2024, Singapore): As the space for pop culture, art and collectibles, BLAXK by ActionCity (BLAXK) is proud to present GRIPON SINGAPORE exhibition together with Japanese artist GRAPE BRAIN RAGE – his inaugural solo show in Singapore, marking the 20th anniversary of his brand!



GRAPE BRAIN RAGE (“RAGE”) is a renowned Japanese illustrator and toy designer best known for his visually-strong art creations, through reimagining horror-inspired troupes into adorable characters. His name and brand become synonymous with his style of artwork, which blends his character designs with an evoking twist of Japanese folklores, pop culture and rock aesthetics with distinctive manga-like illustrations.

Bringing these enigmatic creations to life through various mediums, the GRIPON SINGAPORE exhibition puts together a fascinating collection of hand-drawn illustrations, collectible art prints, exclusive art toys and other archival figures – celebrating RAGE’s captivating art which has created a strong following of collectors and fans worldwide.



Meet GRAPE BRAIN RAGE – Pop Culture Artist!


Best represented by his GRAPE BRAIN brand of signature bold artworks depicting a mix of otherworldly yet adorable characters, the artist RAGE is fascinated with the concept of paradoxes, and blends both western and Japanese influences into his art.

Inspired by Japanese mythologies and fables surrounding him since childhood, RAGE’s original inspiration lies in the colorful yet mysterious world of “Yōkai” – supernatural beings and mythical personalities. These folklores offer the artist the perfect blending of paradoxes, as the Yōkai are both deities and monsters – chilling yet charming, spooky yet inviting, unfathomable yet benevolent.



Among the Yōkai, the fable of ‘Nekomata’ in particular made a deep impression on RAGE. A unique and enigmatic two-tailed cat figure with eyes embedded in the palm of its hands, the Nekomata is also a symbolism of hidden truths. Through this theme of Nekomata and other Yōkai viewed through his unique worldview, RAGE created the below iconic whimsical characters which have mesmerised collectors worldwide.







HELL’S CAT “ONIGIRI”:
An elusive monster cat that is often spotted in graveyards late at night. According to witnesses, it is rumored to be a "hybrid Yōkai" that combines the characteristics of three Yōkai: Nekomata, Tenome and Futakuchi-onna.



EYES-IN-HAND GIRL “NIGIRU chan”
A mysterious girl who is a transfer student, and her true identity is a girl with eyes in her hands. Everything about her is a mystery, except that she is close to ONIGIRI.



GENIUS 2-MOUTHED BOY DOCTOR “NORI kun”
NIGIRU chan’s classmate, and also a genius young doctor who loves living things so much that he cannot understand the concept of death, and spends nights researching at graveyards in an attempt to revive dead creatures. Transformed by ONIGIRI's magic, NORI kun gained another gaping mouth at the back of his head.



6-LEGGED AXOLOTL “MACARONI”
NORI kun’s pet axolotl that was sold in a store, and had lost its front legs. By NORI kun's divine hand, the axolotl regenerated an extra leg each time, giving it six legs.



Featuring New Character Collaboration – “SHISHIKABA NENE chan” In an exclusive collaboration with BLAXK by ActionCity, RAGE set his sights on the world of Chinese horror folklores beyond Japanese mythologies!



Drawing inspiration from the legendary hopping vampire Jiangshi, RAGE introduces his newest character – UNDERWORLD GIRL “SHISHIKABA NENE chan”! Seeking friendship with NIGIRU chan and gang, NENE chan hops into the colorful world of GRAPEBRAIN with her spring-powered shoes, bringing another level of design aesthetics with her unique ethereal charms.

Featuring articulated arms and wrists with accessories, NENE chan cuts a striking figure with strong contrasting colors and quirky features including carnivorous braids, spring shoes and removable charm. NENE chan will make her 1st appearance at the GRIPON SINGAPORE exhibition, and open for preorders at the show.



Other Exclusive Collectibles & New Releases


Together with BLAXK by ActionCity, RAGE brings even more unique and exclusive artworks and collectibles to Singapore for the GRIPON SINGAPORE exhibition.



The artist’s hit designs – NIGIRU chan and ONIGIRI – are specially released in limited pieces in an exclusive red/ white/ gold colorway to celebrate the 20th anniversary exhibition in the Lion City, with a touch of Christmas charms for the upcoming festive season.

The classic sofubi (vinyl) figures for NIGIRU chan and ONIGIRI measure 6” and 4” respectively, and features articulated arms and wrists enabling various posing options.





New releases will also include 2 exciting GRAPE BRAIN blind box ranges available at the GRIPON SINGAPORE exhibition – HELL’s CAT ONIGIRI (ONIGIRI’S MYSTERIOUS LIFE) series, and Q NIGIRU chan series. Both series are making their first appearances in the market, capturing the unique charms of the characters in never-before-seen designs.



There will be other surprise drops and raffle of various other highly-limited GRAPE BRAIN releases, including the highly sought-after MOMOCHAN ALICE figure in collaboration with artist ABAO in a rare colorway, as well as the new ONIGIRI COMBO design, amidst others to keep the excitement pulsing for collectors at GRIPON SINGAPORE exhibition!





SEE THE WORLD THROUGH COVERED EYES!


RAGE has created a strong impact in the world of illustration and art toy design, not just through creating a strong visual style synonymous with his GRAPE BRAIN brand, but also blazing through with his authenticity steeped in his own blend of interpretation of things around us.

In a world of hidden truths and how appearances may not be what they are – humans or monsters – it is at times clearer to see things with covered eyes... or at least, with your “real” eyes.

With this message on introspection, jump into the kimokawaii world of GRAPE BRAIN RAGE in his inaugural GRIPON SINGAPORE exhibition which combines all formats of his artworks. The show welcomes you to a party of RAGE’s characters and creations, all bursting with adorable charms with otherworldly vibes!

This exhibition will be open to the public at BLAXK by ActionCity from Saturday, 23 November 2024!

Artist will be onsite at exhibition on 23 and 24 November 2024. Please follow @theblaxkspace for more information on the artist’s sessions.

Period: 23 November 2024 (Saturday) – 12 January 2025 (Sunday)

Venue / Address: BLAXK by ActionCity (107 North Bridge Rd, Funan, #01-03, Singapore 179097)
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