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KRINK Craig Costello - BE@RBRICK

Craig Costello, also known as "KR," is a popular artist known for his dripping graffiti and his own ink brand called KRINK. As Medicom Toy continues to expand its BE@BRICK collection of figures, a figure inspired by KR's style is rumored to be released by the company. This figure is simply titled "BE@RBRICK Krink 1000%."

Background to the KRINK x collaboration

Medicom Toy's BE@RBRICK collaboration began with the creation of a BE@RBRICK figure set released in June 2019. As of early 2021, only one unique design inspired by KR's style has been produced, although several different sizes have been released.

Planning and launching the collaboration

After Medicom Toy announced the collaboration on its official blog, customers were able to pre-order the KRINK BE@RBRICK set, which was scheduled to be released in the following weeks. This set included a 100% and 400% figure. In October 2020, a 1000% version of the figure was also released.

BE@RBRICK Krink 1000%

This BE@RBRICK figure features a black and silver color scheme, giving it a simple yet visually appealing design. The upper body and upper body are silver and quickly begin to fade to black as the silver color begins to flow down the figure's legs. It almost looks as if the figure was painted by KR himself, as the flowing ink is one of the most defining features of his style.

Aside from its design, this figure stands out for its imposing size. As a 1000% BE@RBRICK figure, this giant work of art stands over 60 cm tall, making it an ideal centerpiece for any collection. That said, this massive figure still has all the classic BE@RBRICK features, such as a pair of rounded ears, a small nose, and articulated limbs that can be moved into different positions.

Product Name: BE@RBRICK Krink 1000%
Manufacturer: Medicom Toy
Features: Painted and articulated plastic figure
Height (approx.): 700 mm

KRINK Craig Costello - BE@RBRICK, near Japan, figurine

About KR

Craig Costello, often nicknamed KR, was born in the 1980s in Queens, New York, where he grew up surrounded by other graffiti artists and skate culture. The local graffiti scene had recently shifted from trains to the streets, forcing artists to be more creative with techniques and materials. Although KR moved to San Francisco in the 1990s, he brought this innovation and freedom with him. KR chose to continue practicing on the streets, even though the San Francisco graffiti scene primarily used parking lots and other designated areas. Eventually, through his extensive experimentation, he created his own ink. He called this ink “KRINK” and brought it with him when he returned to New York. Today, KR collaborates with companies like Nike to create unique, limited-edition products based on his drip graffiti style.

About KRINK

KRINK, the ink KR created to create his unique graffiti, was created in response to the changing needs of graffiti artists at the time. Since graffiti venues in New York City shifted from trains to the streets, many artists had to abandon homemade markers for commercially made paint markers for greater mobility. That said, these markers still had their problems, which inspired KR to create his own ink while in San Francisco. After returning to New York, he began bottling and selling KRINK with the help of the newly opened Alife store, which was becoming a favorite spot for young, emerging artists. More than a decade later, KRINK now ships to countries around the world.

Other important works by KR

Although KR is known for his drip graffiti and KRINK brand, his collaborations with various companies have also become very popular. Here are some of these collaborations.

Mini Cooper S by KRINK

This collaboration between KRINK and car manufacturer Mini took place in 2009 and involved covering a Mini Cooper S with KR's KRINK. The jet black Mini Cooper S is the perfect backdrop for KRINK's classic silver color and provides an incredible contrast that highlights the long drops found on everything from the roof to the windows and even the headlights.

KRINK and Modernica

Modernica is a furniture company that has collaborated with KR several times to create chairs, tables, and other types of furniture featuring KR's signature graffiti style. In the past, KR helped paint a set of five Modernica chairs. These black fiberglass chairs were later exhibited at the HVW8 gallery in Los Angeles.

Associated figures

Fans of modern artists and BE@RBRICK figures will be pleased to know that Medicom Toy has collaborated with numerous artists from around the world to enrich the company's popular line. Examples include Andy Warhol's None Utamaro, Fantasy None Kōsuke Kawamura's None Hideout , and many more. Those interested in collecting all of these figures will discover an impressive variety of styles, from fine art to graphic design and graffiti.