The latest BE@RBRICK from graffiti legend STASH is set to be released! To commemorate this, we conducted an email interview with STASH himself. He looked back on his past collaborations with Medicom Toy and shared his thoughts on the present and future projects.

The legendary graffiti artist "STASH." He began his graffiti career in his native New York in the 1980s and is a key figure who merged graffiti with street fashion through collaborations with famous brands and his own apparel brand, SUBWARE.

Medicom Toy and STASH have created numerous items, including figures, over the past 20 years. Their bond led to STASH designing the event logo for "MEDICOM TOY EXHIBITION '22" held in July 2022. He is also participating in "BE@RBRICK WORLD WIDE TOUR 3," which is scheduled to tour internationally.

To celebrate the release of "BE@RBRICK STASH "MEDICOM TOY" 100% & 400% / 1000%," announced at "MEDICOM TOY EXHIBITION '22," we conducted an email interview where he reflected on his memories with Medicom Toy and shared his recent activities, including ongoing projects.

STASH
Born in Long Island, New York, in 1967. In the early 1980s East Village scene, at just 17 years old, he exhibited his first canvas alongside pop art pioneers Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. While contemporary artists gravitated towards pop art, STASH remained committed to the subway, continuing to create on trains until 1987, when he produced his last underground work with Zephyr.

His early canvas works utilized collages of subway maps, characterized by bold outlines and clean shapes. In the late 1990s, he became a pioneer in incorporating graffiti elements into streetwear through collaborations with companies like Nike, Burton, MEDICOM TOY, and A Bathing Ape. This allowed his work to reach a wider audience beyond gallery visitors, playing a crucial role in the general acceptance of graffiti. He is now widely recognized as an innovator in the field of urban design, and STASH's passion for the urban environment is evident in his realistic works that perfectly capture urban motifs combined with the latest printing techniques.

— Please tell us about the theme of the main visual for "MEDICOM TOY EXHIBITION '22."

STASHWhen I was asked to create the visual, they mentioned they were thinking of Brooklyn, so I created a handwritten image that would allow people to visually experience that feeling.

— The first item you produced with Medicom Toy was "SPRAY KUBRICK" 20 years ago in 2002, which came in a small transparent spray case. Do you have any memorable experiences with Medicom Toy from that time?

STASHAll those memories left a strong impression on me. It was an early period where we were experimenting, taking risks, learning new techniques, exchanging ideas, sharing creativity, and most importantly, making new friends.

— This is a question about the past two and a half years during the pandemic. What were you doing during the stay-at-home period?

STASHI spent most of my time in my new studio, which I had just moved into a few months before the pandemic. I used this time to organize my archives and work on "SUBBLUEMINAL," my first self-published book, which was planned, published, and edited by my close friend, the artist Jahan Loh, and his wife Ting, who live in Singapore.

— What are your thoughts on participating in "BE@RBRICK WORLD WIDE TOUR 3"? What was the concept behind the BE@RBRICK you created this time?

STASHI love participating in the tour. It's my third consecutive time! What an honor. My BE@RBRICK this year is a Studio assistant BE@RBRICK.

— Please tell us about your recent activities, such as projects you've been working on or are currently involved in.

STASHI've been focusing mainly on painting, but apart from Subware, my early clothing label which I'm slowly re-releasing, I've been working with my close friend Albino Preto, and we are currently planning a book launch in Los Angeles with our friends at Modernica.

— Do you have any plans to visit Japan soon?

STASHI'm scheduled to go to Tokyo in mid-August for the release of a special project that started a year before COVID. I'm very happy to be releasing it in Tokyo! We will hold a photo show and an evening event to support the product launch. I can't reveal more details yet as I'm not permitted to disclose information at this time (as of the email interview), but I promise it's something you won't want to miss.

— Finally, do you have a message for Medicom Toy and your fans in Japan?

STASHBest from Brooklyn.