Portrait #16: Sergey Safonov

Today, we are redecoling for Russia! Some time ago we made an article on Maria and Ilya. In their top 3 was: Sergey Safonov, A designer Russian known for its creation: Moon Fox. It is therefore Sergey's turn to present his universe to us. Besides, he has a nice surprise in store for April 11. So monitors the networks and will see at the end of the article!

Moon Fox

When Did You Started Collecting Art toys ? What’s the First Art toy You Bough?

What Got Me Into toys IS Collecting Graphic Novels (Jimmy Corrigan and Book of Frank Still My Favorites), they combine Great Story Telling with Exceptional Character design. During one of my first trips to us in 2003 (12 Years, OMG) in Chicago Comics Book Store i've Discovered that shelf full of japanese and Hong Kong Imported toys. I was Immondately Captured by Characters and design Aesthetic that I learned in Those Books. My First Acquisition Right On The Spot Was Jimmy Corregan Figure by Presspop and That's How My Collection was started. Here’s the photos from the Store.

I APPRECIATE Both Artistic and Producer Talents that merged into a toy, so I am mission of collecting Everything that was produced by Critterbox who was, Hands Down, One of the Best Art-toy Producers of Our Time, Hiring Best Artists for the Job. So the list of the artists I admire is too to compile, highlights are Jim Woodring, Bubi at Yeung, Bxh, Nathan Jurevicius, Hiroshi Yoshii, Devilrobots, Reas and List Might Go On An on. My favorite producers are Andy woo of Crazy label (I Am Lucky He's Helping With My Projects), Super7, Medicomtoy and Coarse.

Speaking of Series or Platforms, Yes, I am a Be@rbricks Person.

When did you start collecting art toys ? What is the first art toy that you bought ?

I was interested in toys Thanks to the graphic novels that I was collecting (Jimmy Corrigan and Book of Frank remain my favorites) because they have superb stories with great characters. During my first trip to the United States in 2003 (12 years already!), I discovered, in a comic book store in Chicago, an overflowing shelf of toys imported from Japan and Hong Kong. I was immediately caught up in the characters and their aesthetics. My first immediate purchase was the Jimmy Corrigan figigan figurine from Presspop and that's how my collection started. This is a photo of the shop.

I appreciate both the know-how and the common work of an artist and a producer necessary for the realization of a Toyz. I launched the goal of collecting everything that was produced by Critterbox, which for me is one of the best producers of toys From our time, bringing together the best artists. The list of artists I admire is very long, my favorites being Jim Woodring, Bubi at Yeung, BXH, Nathan Jurevicius, Hiroshi Yoshii, Devilrobots, Reas ... The list could continue again and again. My favorite producer is Andy Woo from Crazy label (I was lucky to have received his help), Super7, Medicomtoy and Coarse.

Speaking of series or creation support, yes, I am a guy at Be@rbricks.

What’s Your Top 3? // What is your top 3?

1. One (Three Newly) of the Most Treasured toys In my collection are product produces by Critterbox for Tylenol, Ouch Twins and Wizardly Agitator. If my house is on fire they will be among the essentials I will take with me // Dans ma collection, les figurines que je chéris le plus sont produites par Crittertox pour la compagnie Tylenol : Ouch twins et Wizardly Agitator. Si ma maison brûlait, c'est ceux que j'emporterais avec moi :

2. BountyxHunter Mekaru Kun :

3. My Luno figure, a mascot of now closed toy store Lunohod-1 // Ma figurine Luno, mascotte du magasin de jouet Lunohod-1 qui est maintenant fermé.

Voici la collection entière de Sergey Safonov sur rotocasted

What’s your first or last creation on art toy ?

My first toy dated 2005 is Gooma, living seed of a fictional Gooma tree. It's the character of the book I am hoping to release some time during my lifetime :) I think I don't have a favorite. All of my characters are like a happy family to me. There's a story and a reason behind all of them, sometimes it's nostalgic, sometimes self-exploratory, sometimes it helping me to have a hard copy of the special time or person in my life.

The last one I did is Govra Pod. It's a figure and a USB case with s song about my character Govra performed by sludge-stoner band "Monteruma's Revenge".

I collect my favorite toy artists work, but inspiration comes from other places. I am finding it in my dreams (I am seeing a lot of them and they're pretty vivid), russian fairy tales, slavic mythology, soviet animators and children book illustrators, people around me and the fact I will die one day.

Quelle est ta première ou dernière création ?

Mon premier toy date de 2005. Il s'agit de Gooma, une graine vivante qui vient de l'arbre fictif Gooma. C'est le personnage d'un livre que j'espère pouvoir édité avant de mourir. Je ne pense pas avoir de favori. Tous mes personnages sont pour moi une famille. Il y a une histoire et une raison d'être derrière chacun d'entre eux, parfois quelque-chose de nostalgique, d'auto-critique, ou encore quelque-chose qui m'aide à garder en mémoire une personne ou un moment particulier de ma vie.

Le dernier que j'ai créé est Govra Pod. C'est une figurine munie d'une clé USB contenant la musique de mon personnage Govra, composée par le groupe de sludge métal "Monteruma's Revenge".

Je collectionne les travaux de mes artistes préférés mais l'inspiration vient d'ailleurs : Je la trouve dans mes rêves (qui sont nombreux et saisissants), dans des contes de fées russes, dans la mythologie slave, dans les dessins animés soviétiques, dans les livres d'illustrations pour enfants, grâce aux gens qui m'entourent et dans le fait qu'un jour on meurt.

Retrouvez Sergey Safonov sur son Flickr / Twitter / Instagram / Facebook

Si toi aussi tu veux faire partie de nos interviews, écris moi à cette adresse: lucie@old.artoyz.com

Notre page Facebook / Instagram / Twitter.

Save the date. April 11th is the «Reimagining MoonFox» show opening. ???? Tickets to Moscow s… http://t.co/m8ZddhsRIo pic.twitter.com/sxlyR9GM9K — Sergey Safonov (@SergeySafonov) 27 Mars 2015