Post #406339 by Rum Demon on Sat, Sep 6, 2008 12:47 PM

Meet King Mushooka!

Yay! We're always trying to rope our talented arteeste friends here in Portland into creating new designs for us in exchange for various jujus and mojos. None of them really understood what we were getting at and wandered off with all of their juicy untikified talent. Until NOW! Some of our seeds landed in fertile soil and two, yes TWO said friends eventually came back with their own original sculpts, ready to be cast as Rum Demons. One is still in the early stages, but Mike Wellins' King Mushooka stands forth, ready to show that HE is the richest man in the jungle.

#1 is up on the bay now. Have a look:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190249364111&_trksid=p3907.m32&_trkparms=tab%3DSelling

It's yet another terribly complex little creation, loaded with hidden details. You see, King Mushooka is a cargo cultist, reveling in the cast-offs of a world at war. So. We're only making 30.

Let's let Mike himself explain:

This sculpture is of King Mushooka, the most revered Kings of the Koopa Ki tribe. The Koopa Ki tribe was one of the fiercest tribes of headhunters to inhabit the countless unnamed islands of the South Pacific. The Koopa Ki we’re one of a few primitive tribes to exhibit traits of what is referred to as a cargo cult which dates back to the early 1800s. Cargo cults are any primitive people who have had no contact with modern societies. When these tribes encounter modern people they ultimately assume that the encounter is a mystical and godly visitation. Usually, these visitations we’re brief which added to the mystery of the experience. Often allied forces would stop to get water, meet up with refueling vehicles or perhaps dump unused or exhausted equipment. These tribes, still rooted in the Stone Age, assume that these advanced technologies, like canned food, lighters, radios, and flashlights were mystical and ultimately worshipped them as sacred objects as well as revering their deliverers as Gods. The Koopa Ki had a brief encounter with US troops in WWII. Military personnel in the South Pacific were combing every island looking for enemy bases and installations, strategic locations or strategic materials for the war effort. The most famous cargo cult story included a tiny island in New Guinea. A military plane landed briefly to make repairs. Repairs we’re made, tribe’s people met the solders, traded some items before the plane quickly flew off. The natives, so impressed with this visitation, and seeing other planes flying over from time to time, built their own airplane out of natural materials. The idea wasn’t for their plane to actually fly, but in their limited understanding of planes and confusing them with birds, instead set up their plane in hopes that other planes would see their “decoy” and come down to visit again. Mike Wellins 43, is an artist, filmmaker and commercial director living in Portland, Oregon. His art has been seen at the MET, in NYC, and other various shows and galleries over the years. Wellins was also the curator and contributed to a gallery show of sculpture and art entitled the “The Museum of Unnatural History.” Wellins has made over 100 films both animated and live action, including three feature projects. He also published a text book on animation as well. Wellins work can be seen at Freakybuttrue.com