An Encounter with "Giant Monsters" on an Ordinary Afternoon in Taipei

On a hot, ordinary midsummer afternoon in July, StickerHD had an extraordinary encounter with a young artist, Yu Des, at a coffee shop near our Taipei office.

This cheerful young man, currently pursuing advanced art studies at the University of the Arts London (UAL), was temporarily unable to return to the UK due to the pandemic. However, that didn't stop his creative journey.

Yu Des, who has loved tokusatsu films (Editor's note: live-action films or dramas that use a massive amount of special effects) since childhood, experienced a sudden burst of inspiration during his quarantine. He immediately began researching resin casting online. From sculpting clay, making molds, casting, to painting the final figures and conceiving the backstories—he handled everything entirely on his own. Thus, the giant retro-style monster Nontus and his little sidekick, Little Peters, were born.

"My love for toys started when I was a child. The creation of Nontus and Little Peters was heavily influenced by Devilman and Ultraman Taro. I always thought characters with horns on their heads looked so unique and cool! So, I casually sketched a monster one day, spent a month researching toy factories and gathering data, and slowly brought Nontus and Little Peters to life." — Yu Des

To capture the nostalgic hologram card effect that you could buy at childhood corner stores, Yu Des specially approached StickerHD to print dazzling Diamond Stickers for Giant Monster Nontus and Little Peters. The waterproof, sunproof, and fade-resistant material, combined with the sparkling diamond texture and Yu Des's artwork, instantly brings back that pure sense of joy we all felt when getting a beautiful sticker after school.

As an editor who also went through overseas return quarantine this year but spent the entire 14 days playing Nintendo Switch, I can't help but admire him. Perhaps the quarantine life of a talented artist is just that unpretentious, pure, and routine?

In fact, Yu Des, whose academic background has always focused heavily on painting, is deeply reflective and uncompromising about his work. He constantly records his life experiences and perspectives on current events onto the canvas with his brush and paint. Not only does Yu Des not mind touching upon political topics—which some artists shy away from—but he also avoids imposing his own views on the audience.

"Currently, what interests me the most is the relationship between nature and humanity—human emotions, desires, bodies, expressions, and how humans interact or connect with the natural environment. This also includes the cultural characteristics of Taiwan." — Yu Des

"Before I start creating, I first figure out what elements or concepts the piece should contain. Then, I begin painting in a state where 'thoughts and ideas emerge naturally,' presenting the most organic and harmonious feeling." — Yu Des

"Honestly, I'm someone who is curious about everything. For instance, the 'beauty' of Taiwan's culture and natural landscapes is something you can't find in any other country. These are things I gradually discovered as I grew up." — Yu Des

This has been the driving force behind Yu Des's creations over the years. He hopes that through his paintings, more people can appreciate the beauty of his homeland. However, given that everyone grows up with different backgrounds and environments, Yu Des hopes his artwork serves not only as a medium to express his youthful journey but also brings a unique, individual feeling to each viewer.

When mentioning an incident where his exhibition in the UK was boycotted by Chinese international students due to political themes in his work, Yu Des simply smiled and said lightheartedly, "I'm just truthfully describing a part of my life in my artwork." While he doesn't intentionally provoke or target anyone, you can deeply feel his commitment to authentic self-expression through conversations with him.

Just like Taiwanese artist Yao Jui-chung’s bold exhibition "Republic of Cynics" this year—which fearlessly stirred topics of politics, sexual liberation, and religious beliefs—Yu Des hopes to be an artist who bravely expresses himself without fearing any topic, rather than creating simply to market or cater to the commercial market.

Yu Des will return to London this autumn to continue his studies. Before leaving, he is scheduled to hold a joint exhibition titled "Unnatural Nature" with his friends from August 27 to August 31 on the 3rd floor of the Petit Ruelle art space. If you have the chance to visit in person, we believe you will feel that purest sense of artistic dedication through his work.

The waterproof, sunproof, and fade-resistant Diamond Stickers reflect a brilliant, dazzling rainbow glow at different angles. Not only do they make the artwork more gorgeous and eye-catching, but they also perfectly recreate that nostalgic, flashy childhood monster card effect!

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