Creating YEODA with Yeo Hon Beng
Conceptualized by Yeo Hon Beng of Detention Barracks and sculpted by Daniel Yu, this incarnation of YEODA stands at a diminutive 2+" tall, the relative height to 3 3/4" tall action figures from Kenner's Star Wars action figures, and was sized deliberately so.
In place of the Jedi Master's iconic head with outstretched ears, there is a hand-gesture synonymous with "ALOHA!" And that is intentional, on the part of creator Hon Beng, who is big on on "hand gestures" (Hon Beng is also a seasoned arts theater practitioner, so the discipline rings true), and as well in promoting "peace" and "positivity", paralleled to the "hang loose" and laid-back "chillout" spirit, which is at odds with the hustle-n-grind urban lives we dwell in.
"The shaka sign, sometimes known as "hang loose", is a gesture often associated with Hawaii and surf culture. It consists of extending the thumb and smallest finger while holding the three middle fingers curled, and gesturing in salutation while presenting the front or back of the hand; the hand may be rotated back and forth for emphasis. The shaka sign was adopted from local Hawaiian culture by visiting surfers in the 1960s, and its use has spread around the world especially in Puerto Rico because surf culture is very popular there swell."
(Header card hand drawn by Hon Beng)
"Hawaiians use the shaka to convey the "Aloha Spirit", a concept of friendship, understanding, compassion, and solidarity among the various ethnic cultures that reside within Hawaii, lacking a direct semantic to literal translation. The shaka can also be used to express "howzit?", "thanks, eh?", and "all right!" Drivers will often use it on the road to communicate distant greetings and gratitude." (Wiki)
(Figure lit from below)
While possessing no articulation, the sculpt is immensely detailed - par for course of sculptor Daniel - who is by now known for his deft skills and eye for details. And it is as well somewhat serendipity that the figure is named "YEO-da", similar to Hon Beng's surname "Yeo", and as well hs Instagram nick "@yeonardo". The "hologram"-isque translucent resin cast gives it that semblance of "enlightenment" giving the figure a heightened depth of story, IMHO.
(Above: Seen at STGCC 2014)
Hon Beng shares that he did not own any SW-action figures as a child, and this figure is in a sense a homage to the notion of "play", and not necessarily as a comeback to the past.
Released in STGCC last year, where I purchased mine from, folks currently interested in scoring one for themselves are to email Hon Beng direct at "yeonardo [at] gmail.com" for details and costs - tell him TOYSREVIL sent you, and he'll sort you out.
Meanwhile there are plans in motion to upsize the figure to 1/6th-scale, and I would be looking forward top seeing developments of that!
