Zugan, Dead and Becky

By Mendi Kogosowski

In a small side street at the heart of Tel Aviv lies one of the city’s most fascinating art spaces: Urbanix, the first gallery in Israel exclusively dedicated to urban art and to vinyl toys.

The gallery promotes local and global artists who draw their inspiration from the urban space, graffiti, comics, hip-hop, pop art and street fashion. Urbanix was conceived and developed by husband and wife Kler and Amir Fogelman, who were exposed to these trends during travels around the world, and decided to bring them to Israel.

Dear Baby Clown, by KuKula

Urbanix is divided into three main sections, or themes. The first is an exhibition space, which displays changing exhibitions by selected artists, the latest being KuKula’s “Prozac for a Princess”. In her work, Israeli-born KuKula combines fantasy and princess motifs with contemporary elements, thus positioning her sexy, doll-like female figures in dark and dangerous situations. With that, the fantasy world is shattered, giving way to a pain, melancholy and fragility.

Wife, by KuKula

The gallery’s second theme is that of vinyl toys, with a collection of several hundred characters designed by various artists. These are not simply toys. Rather, they employ aesthetic values as well as narratives and subtexts.

I was introduced, for example, to the story of Zugan and his two apprentices, Dead and Becky, who collect evil souls in order to fuel the fires of hell. However, these fires are burning out of control and the three must battle them, while also trying to turn bad souls good in order for them to go up to heaven.

Smorkin’ Labbit blind box – which bunny is inside is a surprise

Other toys pay humorous homage to popular culture references: there are Simpsons characters, as well as a Smorkin’ Labbit (basically, a bunny with a bad habit, designed by Frank Kozik) with the letters REDRUM painted in red across his behind, among many others.

Your neighbor is evil gum chewer

More vinyl

The third theme is that of merchandise - clothes, shoes, accessories and so on - and boasts a strong local presence. Spoiled Bastard, for example, is a 24-year-old Israeli graphic and accessories designer, whose art is greatly influenced by life in bustling Tel Aviv.

Broken Fingaz, a trio of artists from Haifa (northern Israel), design party invitations and supplement them with graffiti and T-shirts, thus creating a complete urban artistic space that is fully understood only by those in the know.

Ghetto Youth, by Broken Fingaz

Spoiled Bastard shoes, on display

All photos taken by the author, with permission