TOYSREVIL @ "Coming Full Circle" Solo Show by Lester Lim @ BLAXK at Action City (Opens July 16)
I've had the opportunity to visit the "Coming Full Circle" Exhibition on Thursday, and these are my snapped images and impressions, along with the Press Release for the event and artist Lester Lim (of Gagatree). I will attempt to delve deeper into select pieces, and you can CLICK HERE to check them out, cheers.
"Coming Full Circle" Exhibition by @lesdoublewood will be open to the public at BLAXK by ActionCity (@theblaxkspace) from Saturday, 16 July 2022 to Sunday, 11 September 2022.
Below: Seen on display at the storefront as well were the debut of 3 X 400% JELILOs! And while those are not for sale, they'll give you an idea of what to look out for in the future...!)
PRESS: Local entrepreneur-turned-artist Lesdoublewood launches Coming Full Circle Exhibition with The Art Of Jelilo Artbook, presented by BLAXK by ActionCity
Singapore, 14 July 2022 – As the space for pop culture, art and collectibles to champion local art talents, BLAXK by ActionCity is proud to present Coming Full Circle Exhibition with the launch of The Art Of Jelilo artbook by homegrown artist and toy designer Lesdoublewood. Lesdoublewood is a well-established name in the local creative industry, spanning a decade of award-winning career in the advertising field before giving up his successful business to make the courageous leap into focusing on his one true calling – art and toy design.
PRESS: Besides being one of the founders of the local art collective, gagatree, best known for their popular Winter Garden paper sculptures sold in Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) New York back in 2006 and the recently-launched art toy series OBOT, Lesdoublewood is also best represented by his signature creation – Jelilo. Inspired by the beauty and unique flair of the jellyfish, Jelilo is the artist’s charming rendition of the ocean’s quiet resident, showcasing a soft bodied creature with an edgy, steampunk style.
PRESS: With the strong appeal and a worldwide collector’s interest of the unassuming yet eye- catching Jelilo, BLAXK by ActionCity started the planning of this exhibition with Lesdoublewood within a few months from the gallery’s incorporation in September 2021. The Coming Full Circle Exhibition is Lesdoublewood’s debut event, celebrating the art world of Jelilo through launching his inaugural artbook The Art Of Jelilo as well as the event- exclusive Jelilo F22 Squadron collectible – which fans and collectors have been anxiously waiting for with abated breath.
A Paean To Creative Courage
PRESS: As the exhibition title suggests, Lesdoublewood has come full circle in his career where he has returned to his first love – art. From a humble vintage movie poster painter, to running a successful design agency, to his daring venture into the art toy world, Lesdoublewood’s creative journey is nothing short of inspiring, and he is finally seeing his dream come true with the launch of his jellyfish-fighter creation – Jelilo:
Beneath the ocean's waves, past the sunlit teeming waters near the surface, down to a place where the pressure would crush a human, lives a bloom of tiny jellyfishes – Jelilo, always in fear of the bigger mysterious predators around them.
These attacks from predators have deprived the Jelilo tribe of having the freedom to explore the ocean. However, on one of the rare nights when they were out scouring for food, something shiny caught their eye. They saw a pile of discarded military suits. Since jellyfish are made up of 95% water, it was not difficult for them to fit into these suits. Summoning their courage, the Jelilo tribe put on the armour, which are still operating in perfect conditions to their amazement. A blinding white light flashed over them. They realised that their destiny has changed forever, as they did not have to fear anymore.
PRESS: From a dot in Lesdoublewood’s imagination, the irrepressibly charming and inspiring Jelilo was borne of the creator’s love for jellyfish and dislike of bullies. Jelilo’s perfectly arranged tentacles blossom like the petals of a sunflower, while his inquisitive expression peeks through his rivetted hull, alluding to a story behind that tough exterior. The story of Jelilo sends out the powerful message that we can be bigger than our fears. It mirrors the life journey of Lesdoublewood who rose from a struggling graphic artist to a multi-award- winning Creative Director and self-starter entrepreneur, and eventually plucked up the courage to leave it all behind to answer his true calling.
(Below: Upcoming unpainted prototypes of vinyl collectibles to be produced by BLAXK @ Action City (I will delve deeper not them in another bog-feature, cheers)
PRESS: As an art toy, Jelilo became a reality in 2019 when Lesdoublewood connected with Hong Kong-based art toy manufacturer ZCWO to produce the first figures. Since then, more than 10 designs of Jelilo have been released to the market, with each variant being consistently sought after by collectors. To many of these fans, Jelilo is a relatable symbol of hope and courage for people seeking to break out of their trapped existence and overcome the odds to fulfil their true destiny.
As shared by Lesdoublewood: “I fell in love with drawing the moment I was able to hold a pen. I discovered painting not long after that and have been exploring the medium ever since. Art gives me strength to address issues close to heart, inspiring the creation of Jelilo to share positive messages to victims of bully. Jelilo gives me the platform to show that when the weak stay together, they are strong. In real life context, the armour adorned by Jelilo further represents victims’ confidence to confront everyday challenges in real life brought by bullies. Jelilo is the perfect mascot of me – the darker the ocean becomes, the brighter a jellyfish will glow.”
Transforming The Gallery Into Jelilo’s Marine World
PRESS: Lose yourself in the dreamy aquatic world of Jelilo in BLAXK by ActionCity, as the gallery transforms into a magical environment with surreal marine elements, drawing inspiration and energy from the endearing yet edgy Jelilo. The exhibition design and setup are also driven by themes of environment and sustainability, through the use of sustainable and recycled materials.
Starting with the prominent front-facing storefront’s giant glass mural designed by Lesdoublewood, the pop-art focus of this exhibition is also highlighted by fourteen large- scale original art paintings from Lesdoublewood. Beyond just canvas, these flatworks feature various medium including wood, acrylic and metal-cut pieces, highlighting the artist’s versatility.
PRESS: Another key highlight of the exhibition will be the complete collection showcase of previous Jelilo art toy releases, as well as upcoming editions yet to be revealed to the market. Be among the first to meet new characters such as lobster Rooobo and sea snail Bobosa, as these prototype figures will be unveiled for the very first time at the event – expanding the marine world of Jelilo beyond the eponymous jellyfish.
Heroes of the Exhibition: Event-Exclusive Jelilo F22 Squadron
PRESS: Drawing further buzz to the Coming Full Circle Exhibition, Lesdoublewood is partnering with BLAXK by ActionCity to release an exclusive and limited edition Jelilo figure at the exhibition – the highly anticipated Jelilo F22 Squadron variant:
PRESS: Equally adept at long-range attacks and close-range body combat, Jelilo’s biggest pilot trooper unit shields the other troopers from hostile fire. The frontline F22 Squadron operates like a pack of wolves to flush entrenched enemies and clear tight spaces. Their pointy metal guards fire petal-patterned blades like missile launchers. The added advantage of speed makes these sharpshooters formidable.
The Jelilo F-series Squadron design was launched online after more than 50 sketches and prototype revisions. All subsequent F-series releases have since sold out in the market – a clear indication of a strong heartening response from collectors. As the event-exclusive Jelilo collectible for this exhibition at BLAXK by ActionCity, this rare F22 Squadron colourway will be highly sought-after by both fans as well as general collectors.
Lesdoublewood’s Inaugural Artbook – The Art Of Jelilo
PRESS: Celebrating this key milestone for Lesdoublewood’s art world of Jelilo, BLAXK by ActionCity specially published the artbook The Art Of Jelilo together with the artist to showcase the talent, art and design behind this iconic character.
Lesdoublewood’s tribute book, which debuts at the exhibition, narrates the story of the creator’s journey as an artist and celebrates his collaboration with BLAXK by ActionCity. The book also invites readers to the world of Jelilo, introducing the different contingencies of the Squadron and their allies. Full of images, sketches, colours and inspiring nuggets, it is a veritable showcase of the application of Lesdoublewood’s artistic skills and creative thinking to various mediums.
PRESS: This also marks BLAXK by ActionCity’s inaugural foray into artbook collaboration with homegrown artists, highlighting the gallery’s commitment to intimately support the creative journeys of talents blazing the pop culture scene.
Cheong Zhaoyong, Group Brand Director, ActionCity said, “Since our launch last year, BLAXK has grown into a unique melting pot of interactions between artists, collectors and community. This collaboration and partnership with the immensely talented Lesdoublewood give us the opportunity to feature his iconic Jelilo artworks and creations to a wider audience. Beyond profiling this very deserving artist and what he stands for, Coming Full Circle Exhibition is momentous for us as we present Lesdoublewood’s inaugural artbook [Art Of Jelilo] with his Jelilo art toys and artworks – thus showcasing a complete convergence of art and pop collectible culture to our audience and the public.”
About BLAXK by ActionCity
BLAXK by ActionCity (BLAXK) is a space for all things pop culture, design and art. Set up by ActionCity in September 2021, BLAXK marks the 21st anniversary and growth milestone of the brand as the industry thought-leader spearheading the convergence of pop culture, art and collectibles in Singapore.
Beyond curating pop art collections through partnerships with world-class artists & brands, BLAXK inspires meaningful and deep connections between all who share a common love for pop art and collectibles through serving as a creative and interactive hub celebrating the vibrant growth of pop culture and community.
About Lesdoublewood
Lesdoublewood is a Singaporean artist and toy designer known for his quirky humour, exploration of colours and retro vibes. His creations echo his belief in standing up for peers and protecting the weak, and promoting the values of faith, courage and unity. At 16, Lesdoublewood honed his painting techniques at a vintage movie poster company before spending decades in the advertising industry. A multiple award winner, he shuttered his design agency Creaxis in 2020 to focus on art-toy design and grow gagatree, his other company that dabbles in art toys and design.
Before the launch of Jelilo, he had the serendipitous opportunity to work with the co- founder of ActionCity on the Art Toys Invasion exhibition at Raffles City in 2018, where he showcased his first art toy creation OBOT, a Gagatree team project that he helmed. A year later, Lesdoublewood collaborated with ActionCity and Looney Tunes to launch OBOT Sylvester, another Gagatree team endeavour. 2020 marked a milestone in the artist’s creative journey when he partnered with ZCWO and introduced Jelilo to the world online. His famous quip? "Life is a circle - we always return to where we first started."
