After years of presenting his bunny-suited Felipe character in murals, gallery shows and commercial properties around town, Juan Muniz has taken the androgynous cartoon figure three-dimensional—a toy ready for its close-up.
Juan Muniz started out selling his pieces for $20 a pop at First Friday. Now, his works go for as much as $2,000.
Holding a bouquet of multicolored balloon grenades, the vinyl Felipe is a warm, even cuddly nod to the dark humor in life with his protruding belly, expressionless face, childlike shape and history of acting out our common trials and tribulations.
It was only a matter of time before Felipe made the transition. Muniz, who launched his career at Downtown’s First Friday 10 years ago—where he sold all 30 paintings in one evening—moved into gallery exhibits, here and in LA and eventually into commercial properties on the Strip, including Holsteins and Sugar Factory. He even brought Felipe into the charity realm in marketing for Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation and AFAN’s AIDS Walk.
Happy Panda Toys in Downtown’s Arts Factory will host the launch, releasing 30 of the new Felipe toys, aptly titled “Uh-oh.”
Juan Muniz Toy Launch August 14, 5-7 p.m. Happy Panda Toys inside the Arts Factory, 702-516-3432.
