Ed Tekeian

The Action Figure Project, Version #A, 2011

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As one of the nine artists selected for the first CSArt initiative by the Cambridge Center, I created 50 plastic action figures for the first group of CSArt shareholders. The program models creation and selling of art in the community-sustained agriculture model. It's been a great experience meeting the clients and working with the Cambridge Center staff.

The Idea

I proposed adapting my wood and metal sculptural forms to mass customization. To that end, I needed some level of dialogue with the 50 shareholders, to introduce myself and let them react and respond. I created a web-based marketing survey to convey my motivations as an artist and introduce my sense of humor. The results guided many of the artistic and design decisions along the way.

The Survey

Coming Soon

The Action Figures

In the end, the survey results drive ne to include aspects of Greek mythology, refer to the mid-1900s "retro" icons of robots and monsters and, most importantly, disinclude weapons. The action figures are handling tools and harnessing lightening. The exception is the series of squid creatures, inspired by HP Lovecraft and aspects of Star Wars, they include the skull of a recent meal.

The Packaging

The survey was the first part of the project, the packaging was the last. The action figures had to be packaged like consumer objects, but, without revealing the contents. The label on the packaging is based on inventory tracking in the meat packing industry. A QR code and URL on the label brings you to this page and the survey results.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Kate, Sasha and Zoe for design ideas, assistance, feedback, enthusiasm and one trip to the ER; Doug Kornfeld for many thoughts and ideas on the client survery; to Founder Collective for letting me build the MakerBot in their office. To Jack Kirby, an ongoing source of inspriation; to the first 50 CSArt shareholders for taking the risk.