Q&A with Gary Ham (Wooper Looper for "Best Sofubi" for #DesignerToyAwards2013)
Wooper Looper was awarded "Best Sofubi" at the recent 2013 Designer Toy Awards, and TOYSREVIL had a Q&A with creator Gary Ham (seen below with a Wooper Looper cap made by Lana Crooks):
TOYSREVIL: Congrats on the win! Was it something you had imagined would happen?
GARY HAM: Thanks Andy! I was not expecting it at all. The finalists were all toys I gawk at from artists I highly respect, so yeah, tough to imagine Wooper bringing home the award.
TOYSREVIL: What are your thoughts on the win? And especially with regards to the term 'sofubi', which now is no longer just mentioned in reference to a 'Japanese' toy/product?
GARY HAM: It's an awesome feeling knowing something you worked long and hard on was recognized and appreciated by both the collectors and a panels of esteemed peers. The award does not belong to just me though. I share it with Chauskoskis who sculpted it and Ricky Wilson, AKA Velocitron who oversaw the manufacturing in Japan. Wooper had many design challenges and they figured them out to ensure Wooper was the best he could be.
GARY HAM: I think I know what you're getting at. All categories are debatable, but the sofubi category might be the most controversial because it may also be the least understood.
To me, Sofubi describes only the material used, which is a very high quality soft vinyl that captures detail amazingly. Sofubi is also primarily produced in Japan which I think is why most people think the term refers to only Japanese toys.
Another misconception seems to be that Sofubi is a specific type of design style such as kaiju or super insane detailed creatures. It just happens to be that most Kaiju and outlandish design derives from Japanese culture therefore is mostly produced in Japan using sofubi. At least that is how I see it. Does that even make sense?
TOYSREVIL: Makes perfect sense for me, Gary! What do you think it was about the Wooper Looper, which got you the award?
GARY HAM: I can't say for certain, but I think it might have been because Wooper Looper rides that fine line between cute and oddity that seems to appeal to a wide range of collectors.
TOYSREVIL: Congrats on the win! Was it something you had imagined would happen?
GARY HAM: Thanks Andy! I was not expecting it at all. The finalists were all toys I gawk at from artists I highly respect, so yeah, tough to imagine Wooper bringing home the award.
TOYSREVIL: What are your thoughts on the win? And especially with regards to the term 'sofubi', which now is no longer just mentioned in reference to a 'Japanese' toy/product?
GARY HAM: It's an awesome feeling knowing something you worked long and hard on was recognized and appreciated by both the collectors and a panels of esteemed peers. The award does not belong to just me though. I share it with Chauskoskis who sculpted it and Ricky Wilson, AKA Velocitron who oversaw the manufacturing in Japan. Wooper had many design challenges and they figured them out to ensure Wooper was the best he could be.
GARY HAM: I think I know what you're getting at. All categories are debatable, but the sofubi category might be the most controversial because it may also be the least understood.
To me, Sofubi describes only the material used, which is a very high quality soft vinyl that captures detail amazingly. Sofubi is also primarily produced in Japan which I think is why most people think the term refers to only Japanese toys.
Another misconception seems to be that Sofubi is a specific type of design style such as kaiju or super insane detailed creatures. It just happens to be that most Kaiju and outlandish design derives from Japanese culture therefore is mostly produced in Japan using sofubi. At least that is how I see it. Does that even make sense?
TOYSREVIL: Makes perfect sense for me, Gary! What do you think it was about the Wooper Looper, which got you the award?
GARY HAM: I can't say for certain, but I think it might have been because Wooper Looper rides that fine line between cute and oddity that seems to appeal to a wide range of collectors.
