MANILA, PHILIPPINES – January is truly shaping to be the month of firsts, as the kumu Drop Shop unveils the first artist collaboration for kumu merchandise. The Garapata x kumu collection is set to go live on January 21, 2021, Thursday, 6PM – 8PM, exclusively on the kumu Drop Shop.
The Garapata x kumu collection comes hot in the heels of last week’s kumu Drop Shop launch, which featured classic kumu apparel and was sold out in 20 minutes.
Dex Fernandez, the artist behind Garapata, has his distinct style in surreal, street-style pop art. Back in 2020, he created this amazing art piece of Karlito immersed in the Garapata universe; the art was meant to commemorate the Pinoy livestreaming app’s 2nd anniversary. He explains the quirky narrative behind the image, which now makes up the Garapata x kumu collection: “Karlito, in one of his adventures, got into a portal and came to the world of Garapata; [this happened] through the head of a hybrid called Cyborg GaraKarlito. Together, they explored the vastness of Garapata land, and met with a party of more hybrids – Garapata of all colors, kinds, shapes, and sizes!”
This hybridization of Garapata and kumu captures the fun, whimsical, and inclusive spirit of the Kumunity, which prides itself in accepting and celebrating each other’s uniqueness. Dex shares this sentiment wholeheartedly, and expressed his excitement to see the collection come to life, “It’s an honor to work with the first local live streaming app.”, he says. “Karlito characterizes the humbleness of being Filipino; but also, [he’s] fun to be with. Garapata can relate to that. So it’s nice to see both characters in one picture.”
The Garapata x kumu collection is a limited edition collection, available exclusively on kumu Drop Shop, which can be found under Shopkumu. To keep up with all the latest updates and finds, follow the handle @shopkumuph on Instagram, and Facebook. Plus, check back at the kumu blog for more exciting news on the Kumunity.
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Dex Fernandez, Creator of Garapata, is a Filipino artist known for his contemporary, pop-culture surrealist vision. His most iconic character, Garapata, has been seen all over the country, and across the world through his urban murals, stickers and other creative collaborations. Fun, humorous and sometimes satirical, Garapata embodies the resilience of the Filipino people, alongside a spirit of exploration and wonder. Throughout his artistic career, Dex’s works have been featured all over the world, including the Fine Art Work Centre in Provincetown, Massachusetts, USA; Ping Pong Art Space in Taiwan; Art Center Ongoing in Tokyo, Japan; The Singapore Art Museum, and so much more.
kumu is a powerful social media platform that brings the voices of Filipinos from all over the globe at the forefront. Aside from presenting users real-time earning opportunities as a live streamer, chances to win cash in various game shows, and engagement in campaigns, kumu also fosters communities that ignite relevant discussions among Filipinos.
