JND Studios: Jean-Michel Basquiat 1/3
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On the one hand, it's great to see JND starting to really diversify their portfolio, however, it's disappointing that they're not giving their current customers / fans what they want.
This new direction has the potential to bring new people into their customer base, those not necessarily interested in movies or pop culture, but unfortunately this will be at the expense of their current customers (mostly). I also recognize that the old "cash cow" I.P's are falling out of favour, the movies are dreadful and there's a lot of talk about "Superhero fatigue" - so statue companies are anyway going to have to explore other subject matter......maybe JND would consider doing a Swimsuit Model line - or a Platinum Runway Model / Victoria's Secret line......that would get me spending all day long.
This new direction has the potential to bring new people into their customer base, those not necessarily interested in movies or pop culture, but unfortunately this will be at the expense of their current customers (mostly). I also recognize that the old "cash cow" I.P's are falling out of favour, the movies are dreadful and there's a lot of talk about "Superhero fatigue" - so statue companies are anyway going to have to explore other subject matter......maybe JND would consider doing a Swimsuit Model line - or a Platinum Runway Model / Victoria's Secret line......that would get me spending all day long.
newapelles
Freaked Out
Yeah, this is really strange. Basquiat has a lot of admirers in the fine art world, but most people have no idea who he is. Someone like Warhol would have been preferable, since he's a more recognizable figure. I'm not sure who this is going to appeal to. Would there even be a market for Basquiat in Asia? I guess they're counting on JND collectors to just purchase every one of their products.
Apparently, he's actually very popular over there:
3 Reasons Why Basquiat Is Taking The Asian Art Market By Storm
newapelles
Freaked Out
Interesting! Makes sense why they'd want to capitalize on his popularity then. I learn something new everyday
GaryPool
Super Freak
Anyone who is angry that they're doing something new over a comic-book character is a bit of a pratt. They haven't promised customers anything other than what they put up for pre-order.
sabin23
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This is a win-win.
A win for my wallet since I'm not getting this statue and puts off inevitably dropping another $2 - $5 Grand for JND's next statue in another few months.
Also a win because JND is diversifying their portfolio and makes we excited what other people/characters they might tackle in the future - musicians, sport athletes, etc.
You mentioned Runway/Swimsuit/VS model line? So many possibilites.
I agree - being angry doesn't make sense - but I can understand people being disappointed.
When someone like Blitzway, Sideshow or XM.....even Queen Studios, releases something out of left feild (Marilyn Monroe, Kurt Cobain, Michael Jackson....) it doesn't seem so bad, because they do a multi release - and there's (usually) something in there to keep the unwashed masses happy. However, with JND's release model, and the time in between releases - it might seem to some, to be a wasted opportunity.
In addition, JND has, in fact, dropped various hints about the "lines" they will produce (e.g. Lord of the Rings) and has also heavily indicated that certain, awaited characters would be released (Aquaman, Aragon and Geralt of Rivia to name a few) - so, while this isn't a promise as such - people's disappointment isn't coming from nowhere
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This could actually be a very interesting and successful line. I’m not necessarily a Basquait fan, but I think a high end 1/3 statue of him would appeal to art collectors. I could also see this line expanding to include other iconic artists like Picasso, Dali, Warhol and Van Gogh. We have a signed Dali giclee as well as a couple of signed Picasso lithos, so those could be great companion display pieces.
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Basquiat is arguably now more popular (aka known & valuable) than Warhol (world wide, which is the audience for limited collectibles at this point). Medicom did a couple 1/6 Warhol figs 20 (?) years ago and a Basquiat. HTF at this point, and spendy. This will sell.
GaryPool
Super Freak
I agree - being angry doesn't make sense - but I can understand people being disappointed.
When someone like Blitzway, Sideshow or XM.....even Queen Studios, releases something out of left feild (Marilyn Monroe, Kurt Cobain, Michael Jackson....) it doesn't seem so bad, because they do a multi release - and there's (usually) something in there to keep the unwashed masses happy. However, with JND's release model, and the time in between releases - it might seem to some, to be a wasted opportunity.
In addition, JND has, in fact, dropped various hints about the "lines" they will produce (e.g. Lord of the Rings) and has also heavily indicated that certain, awaited characters would be released (Aquaman, Aragon and Geralt of Rivia to name a few) - so, while this isn't a promise as such - people's disappointment isn't coming from nowhere
They have dropped hints of particular characters, not necessarily lines. It's implied they will, because of course you have JL WW and Superman, so therefore naturally there will be Batman, just as there was Bale Batman to Heath's Joker. Yet they release characters like Catwoman first, or Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad with no expectation of continuing that line etc.
It's different to collecting Hot Toys or Inart for example, people are happy to drop hundreds of pounds on each character with the want and hope to finish a six character line. With £2000 statues I would say, based particularly on my own thinking towards it mostly, that people will splash this much money down because they particularly love that character regardless of there being an accompanying piece or not.
It's always been in JND's blood to do something different or left-field. Arthur Fleck instead of Joker in make-up for example. Arwen before a member of the Fellowship another.
But then throw into the mix characters like White Beard or Oh Dae-Su from Old Boy (which I can't believe they're making, and really hoping to get one), it's quite clear they like making different things and certainly now, but definitely early in their career, have never really wanted to be a company that does a line of characters. They, as their slogan goes, want your collection to 'stand apart', but also, I'd say they also want characters to stand apart.
People chastise them for sure over their cock-suredness, potential pretentiousness etc. but to honest, I think they've always angled themselves as their statues being Artist pieces, I think the response to fans in relation to Arwen; I think it was, that the overall statue will always be down to the particular artists interpretation shows how heavy they lean into their statues being artistic displays. The price point certainly reflects it.
And to be honest I wish I cottoned onto this sooner. I do love the Snyder DC characters, their design and from where they come from. But if I'd have known that they'd create characters like Oh Dae-Su, and niche projects like Basquiat, that have a lot more deeper meaning to me, I certainly would have chosen to miss out on some of the comic statues.
The artistic slant certainly interests me. And I think there is definitely a market that would want this. Certainly I've seen from a lot of rich Chinese and Korean custom collectors that show their unique pieces on Instagram, odd-ball characters and things you would not expect to see as a highly detailed 1/6 collectible are purchased.
Either way, this company isn't, nor has it ever been anything like other statue companies, and I don't mean it in a 'because they're so much better' way, but rather in an artistic vision of what the company is and produces. I certainly never have expected them to create lines, just characters. And I really can't see too many people complaining about such an issue when to complete some lines you'd need to drop 10k or so.
Time will tell if it works out, I hope it does!
Also, just as a further point, I do believe things are mentioned in Daniels updates for hints. I imagine when he makes them the plan is for that hint to be the next reveal, but I think clearly licensing comes down to a lot of it. For example, and you can tell because they weren't really pumped for The Batman, WB said to them from what I remember that he had to be released at a particular time. Then you have cases where Indiana Jones is greenlit etc. But I don't think they have ever promised to complete lines, just hinting at more characters or an intention to do more characters from a franchise.
EDIT: Actually, I just remembered that James did say he is doing Batman Affleck on the FB group. It's been said how much he loves DC but particularly Batman so there is the assumption and borderline promise of characters. But they purposefully don't and refuse to reveal a planned schedule. I've asked so many times
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Mose Harper
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Nice to see some thoughtful conversation about this.
Others have already echoed my feelings. Even though this isn't something I want,I see no negatives here, only positives.
Others have already echoed my feelings. Even though this isn't something I want,I see no negatives here, only positives.
I’ll be honest and say I’m definitely not educated enough to know who this artist is as fine art has never been for me. I never “get it” or understand it. So this doesn’t interest me in the slightest; but, I would say @GaryPool out my thoughts of this and JND into pretty good words that I wouldn’t have been able to articulate myself.
I am interested to see the reveal though as I do like JND as a company for the most part.
I am interested to see the reveal though as I do like JND as a company for the most part.
JacktheRipper
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That's really an amazing piece.
Too bad the effort was wasted on the subject matter...
I wasn’t familiar with the name as it’s not the sort of art I follow, but the execution here is really incredible.
In general, the idea of doing artists/creators at this scale and level of premium detail - where you end up surrounding them with miniaturized (but still large enough to appreciate the subtleties) recreations of their famous pieces - is actually genius.
Just spitballing, but as someone whose collecting is primarily focused on movies, I could see this concept translating really well to a directors series. They could be standing amongst highly-detailed recreations of the famous props from their filmography or on-set in the midst of filming an iconic scene, etc…
Anyway, sorry to derail, happy for those getting this and hope it does well enough for JND or other companies to branch out the format to other types of artists.
In general, the idea of doing artists/creators at this scale and level of premium detail - where you end up surrounding them with miniaturized (but still large enough to appreciate the subtleties) recreations of their famous pieces - is actually genius.
Just spitballing, but as someone whose collecting is primarily focused on movies, I could see this concept translating really well to a directors series. They could be standing amongst highly-detailed recreations of the famous props from their filmography or on-set in the midst of filming an iconic scene, etc…
Anyway, sorry to derail, happy for those getting this and hope it does well enough for JND or other companies to branch out the format to other types of artists.
Freakazoid!
Super Freak
I'd totally be on board for a director series. Especially George Lucas and Tim Burton would be on top of that list for me.
Hopefully this company will also make multiple David Bowie figures.
Hopefully this company will also make multiple David Bowie figures.
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