Philatelists collect stamps, sneakerheads collect kicks and hoarders — well, they collect just about anything.
These days, one of the most sought-after and coolest things to collect is the Munny — a customizable blank figurine from toy giant Kidrobot, a company famous for its conceptual playthings and collaborations with contemporary artists, designers and mainstream corporations.
“I know somebody who’s really famous — but I can’t tell you his name — who has a subscription to our company,” says Paul Budnitz, founder and creator of Kidrobot. “He gets one of everything we make. I think he has the largest collection ever — which is thousands and thousands and thousands of toys.
“He keeps them in an air-conditioned warehouse in Oregon,” Budnitz says.
Priced from $9.95, Munny loving isn’t only for the super-rich. Munny collectors and customizers come from all walks of life and have formed an urban art subculture in local and online communities.
“I would say collectors could range from punk to hip-hop, urban and artistic people who are into graffiti — sneaker freakers, people who are into design and fashion in a hip-hop context,” says Penelope Griffin, an artist from Newark who creates elaborately painted Munny designs.
“The first one I worked on was around the Puerto Rican Day Parade,” Griffin says. “I did her in Puerto Rican gear, the Puerto Rican flag and everything around her just screamed Boricua. Her name was Anita, and she needed a partner, so this is Bernardo — I kind of named them after ‘West Side Story.’ ”
The first-ever Munnyworld exhibit opens today and runs through Sunday at Eloquent Delinquents Gallery (41 Wooster St.). Kidrobot fans will be able to view and have a chance to purchase one-of-a-kind Munny dolls customized by 60 international artists — including designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, sneaker artist Dave White and street artist Koralie.
“Munny is all about creativity,” Budnitz says. “It’s about being able to do anything you want with it — you don’t have to be good, you don’t have to be professional, you can just make something beautiful if you want to.”