Mickey Malice

Los Angeles based artist Josh Mayhem's lifelong habit of collecting children's playthings has fueled his passion for transforming said toys into objects d'art. Among his best-known pieces are those constituting his “Blown Away” series, in which mass-produced forms are covered in strands of resin and layers of acrylic paint to create gravity-defying drips that give the impression of the work being deconstructed by a strong wind. The popularity of this aesthetic has led to Mayhem winning the Custom of the Year (Fan) award at the 2019 Designer Toys Awards, multiple releases with the many of the worlds top designer toy artists and producers, participating in TRASHed: Art of Recycling at Coachella Festival, and solo exhibitions at Clutter Gallery in Beacon NY, Bruce Lurie Gallery in Los Angeles CA (as well as an artist residency) , PIQ Grand Central Terminal in NYC, and The Crown Collection Gallery in both Denver and Los Angeles. In the process of creating his coveted sculptural works, Josh Mayhem uses gallery-quality canvases as drop cloths. As each becomes decorated with an accumulation of colorful drips, patterns begin to emerge in the artist's mind. Augmenting each one with coatings of synthetic resin and additional paint splashes, these works 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. Josh Mayhem presents “The Askew Rangers” - Heavily armed creatures from the forest of the future battling for supremacy in a world where survival of the fittest is the only law of the jungle. This custom series displays vibrant colors and crisp lines utilizing simple paint foundations as complimentary backdrops to an overwhelming display of weaponry and accessories. A recycling element is seen as an underlying tone in this collection. Pieces of scrap metal, wires from vintage electronics and weaponry accessories from the creator's massive collection of vintage action figures serve as a reminder of the rooted toy history and originality each individual piece holds. Every Askew Ranger has some form of a working component to it including working lights, spring loaded and moveable devices, and removable elements that evoke the versatility of an action figure with the visual aesthetic of a vinyl toy.