Animalistic Korea
Eddie Kang is a contemporary korean artist. His brightly colored paintings depict doodles of toys and animals rendered in the Asian “Animamix” style, which melds the languages of animation and comics. Kang received his BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. Early in his career, he caught the attention of curator Victoria Lu —who coined the term “Animamix” —and has since been included in a number of exhibitions she has organized. Among these are the inaugural Animamix Biennial at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Shanghai in 2007 and “Future Pass,” a collateral exhibition of the 2011 Venice Biennale. Kang’s playful paintings feature a cast of teddy bears, puppies, and dolls meant to serve as companions to city dwellers who feel isolated in an increasingly digital world. In addition to creating artworks, Kang has collaborated with fashion brands such as MCM and Paul Smith to create wearable goods that further circulate his characters.