‘SOFB BOY’ is a vinyl interpretation of an original wooden sculpture by Taku Obata, which was digitized for a ‘virtual’ museum project with airline ANA in 2016. This edition, launched in late 2017 by Unbox Industries, has since been released in different colors and finishes. The very first version is the one we offer here; it is black and flesh-colored. Being the first edition and the closest visually to his original wooden sculptures, this version is the most sought-after today. With nine points of articulation, it is also a technically advanced edition, and one can't help but see it as a true revival of toy design more than a decade after the golden age of the movement. • Vinyl sculpture measuring 30 x 16 x 10 cm • Comes with its original box • The piece you are purchasing is the one shown in our photos Taku Obata (born 1980, Saitama, Japan) is both an artist and a breakdancer, a dual background that fuels his entire practice. Trained in traditional Japanese woodcarving, he became known for his monumental sculptures of B-boys, carved from a single tree trunk using ancestral techniques and then painted in vivid colors. Exhibited in the United States, Asia, and Europe, his sculptures have gained him international recognition and are now part of major collections such as the Dean Collection (Swizz Beatz & Alicia Keys) and that of singer The Weeknd. In 2019, Obata was invited as artist-in-residence at the City & Guilds of London Art School, a pivotal experience in his career. It was during this time that he further developed a body of work on canvas and paper, later presented in a major exhibition in London. These two-dimensional pieces extend his sculptural universe and translate his exploration of the body and movement into a different temporality. Today, Taku Obata stands as a unique figure in contemporary urban art: rooted in Japanese street culture, he is also widely known for his collectible figurines, sought after around the world. — If you are based in the Paris area, you can pick up the piece directly from our gallery located in the 11th arrondissement. Otherwise, we ship in Europe. Our works are carefully packaged and protected and are shipped with insurance and tracking. Text and photos copyright CHENUS LONGHI.