Dragon Ninja

Born and raised in Queens, NYC, AW177 is a Chinese-American self-taught artist/designer with a bright and vivid style influenced by Chinese culture, Asian motifs, graffiti and technical illustration. He takes these concepts and mixes them together to create a colorful and festive, yet powerful and emotional feel to his work, whether in printed or graphical form to customized vinyl art toys. The artist name AW177 is an amalgamation of initials of his real name along w/ numerals that hold a special meaning to him. The same can be said with his artwork – an amalgamation of different mediums, subjects and ideas that work together to form pieces of unique art that have special and powerful meanings. Mickey Mouse has been a significant figure in the designer toy world, inspiring numerous art toy collaborations that reinterpret the beloved Disney character in unique and artistic ways. These collectibles range from stylized vinyl figures to high-end sculptures, blending pop culture nostalgia with contemporary art and streetwear influences. Medicom Toy has produced multiple Mickey Mouse-themed BE@RBRICK figures, featuring classic, modern, and experimental designs. These range from vintage black-and-white Mickey to collaborations with streetwear brands like BAPE and fragment design. In collaboration with Disney, street artist KAWS created a now-iconic Companion Mickey, which reimagines Mickey Mouse in his signature “X” eyes and slouched posture, giving the character a melancholic and deconstructed look. Various artists, including Ron English and Sket One, have produced unofficial Mickey-inspired art toys that offer satirical, surreal, or edgy interpretations of the classic Disney icon.