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| https://www.doodlebender.com/auctions/rare-candy-a-pokemon-gallery-charity-auction/items/ all 151 |
151 original Pokemon, 151 different artists, Wow! I heard some buzz about this project from John B, and now the news has been picked up by Kotaku. If you're in San Jose, you can swing by the Umpqua Bank and check the project out in person. The pictures featured on the Kotaku page look great! There is much variety and characterization. The simple designs of Pokemon are a great palette for these artists to play with. And there's clearly some love for the little monsters themselves.
Now, I never played Pokemon, and have only a passing familiarity with the show. My favs were Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Koffing and PsyDuck. I thought Charmander was lame as hell, so it was really great that he was the one who kept evolving. And Meowth is such a strange name, even if it makes sense. Yes, those opinions are what qualifies for a 'passing familiarity' with Pokemon. Pokemon nerdity goes deep. Hell, Pokemon is practically the perfect economic science of Nerdness, what with the "Gotta catch 'em all" tagline.
But despite how painfully consumeristic this franchise is, and how sad I feel when I think about that - this art show redeems it. Viewing the 151 images, these pictures really come across to me as a labor of love. Which is how it should be, if I do say so myself. And I do. Isn't visual art great? Describe, compel, renew. <--- that's a quote from this Propagandhi song. regarding Music, but I like to think that it applies to visual art. And maybe video games :)
Anyhow, I forgot the best part: The pictures are being auctioned off for a really cool charity: Canines for disabled kids. A match made in heaven, as the saying goes. You can buy yourself a print of some sweet Pokemon art, thus treating yourself to some joy from your own childhood -- While at the same time, your purchase contributes to the pairing of a service dog with a child in need - an incredible and amazing animal-human coupling. How much more true to the 'man's best friend' idea can you get-- than a service dog?
It's an auction, so somebody will be walking away with each of these pictures. You should definitely check out, and if you have any money left after contributing to Shadow of the Eternals, you should put some down on a Pokemon Print!
-D
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| But don't bid on this one - this one's mine! |
That's a pretty sweet auction, both in terms of what's being auctioning off and where the proceeds are going. I also *love* that the Pokemon used are from the first Red/Blue editions as opposed to the 2nd, 3rd, X generation of Pokemon, which I never liked as much as I felt they stopped looking like plausible creatures.
ReplyDeleteTo note, the Charmander painting is pretty bad-ass, I was a little saddened by the look of Bulbasaur (It's the one I started out with) but as a whole, I love the variety of styles and mediums that are used. I may just have to bid near the end so I don't get my hopes up if prices end up sky rocketing.
I know what you mean about Bulbasaur - on the one hand, it's totally original- nothing like any of the other drawings. On the other hand, it's hideous.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of skyrocketing prices, Psyduck is already out of my price range.