Culture

Kasing Lung’s Monsters: Beyond Labubu’s Smile

Discover Kasing Lung art beyond Labubu—an ugly-cute bestiary where folklore, fine painting, and pop collaboration collide, reshaping designer-toy culture.

Por: Angela Leon Cervera
Kasing Lung art
The Monsters. Photo: @kasinglung

Kasing Lung art is more than a mischievous grin on Labubu’s striped face. The Hong Kong–born, Belgium-raised illustrator-turned-painter has forged an entire cosmos where Nordic folktales tango with kawaii audacity. His creations feel both familiar and startling, inviting seasoned collectors and curious newcomers into a world that blurs gallery walls and toy shelves.

 

Yet the real magic hides in the backstory. Lung’s third-culture childhood, sketching monsters instead of gaming, seeded a lifelong love of storytelling. Today his canvases, books, and vinyl figures share one heartbeat: narrative depth that turns plastic into poetry.

Kasing Lung art
The Monsters. Photo: @kasinglung

How Did Kasing Lung’s Early Life Shape His Monsters?

  • Moved from Hong Kong to the Netherlands at seven; fairy-tale forests replaced neon skylines.
  • Absorbed European folklore—think trolls, sprites, and snow-dusted myths—then remixed them with Cantonese whimsy.
  • Won Belgium’s National Illustration Prize, proving that cross-cultural imagination holds global sway.
  • Published My Little Planet (2013) and Lizzy Wil Danssen (2014), honing character-driven plots long before vinyl fame.
  • This formative cocktail birthed “The Monsters,” a story-first universe where every creature carries a purpose.
Kasing Lung art
The Monsters. Photo: @kasinglung
Kasing Lung art
The Monsters. Photo: @kasinglung

Why Does Labubu Still Define Kasing Lung’s Art Universe?

Labubu is the gateway—and the decoy. The snaggle-toothed elf embodies Lung’s “ugly-cute” credo, pairing sweetness with a hint of bite. Yet Labubu is only one citizen among many:

 

  • Zimomo – tail-swishing leader of the Labubu elves, named by Lung’s daughter, Yaya.
  • Tycoco – a vegetarian skeleton who subverts spooky clichés.
  • Spooky – moonlit snow-doll, equal parts eerie and endearing.
  • Pato – mouse-eared dreamer starring in Pato and the Girl (2016).

Each monster arrives with lore, emotions, and hidden nods to Lung’s family life. Fans connect not just through design but through shared feelings of joy, mischief, and quiet fear. That resonance pushes figures to vanish at Art Basel in minutes and spike on resale markets.

What Sets Kasing Lung’s Paintings Apart from Designer Toys?

Canvas grants Lung deeper range. In shows like “THIS IS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE” (2020), “−＋” (2022), and “Everybody Knows” (2024), brushstrokes roar with emotion:

 

  • Vivid acrylic storms question climate anxiety and tech dependence.
  • Three-metre masterpieces underline scale and ambition beyond pocket-sized vinyl.
  • Symbolic titles—LOOP! and RUN!—echo musical rhythms that guide his process.
  • Mentored by Takashi Murakami, Lung now straddles designer-toy stalls and blue-chip fairs, proving that pop creatures can converse with contemporary-art heavyweights.

The boundary between “high” and “low” culture melts, replaced by a playground where collectors swap Birkin bags for Labubu plushies without blinking.

Kasing Lung art
The Monsters. Photo: @kasinglung

Kasing Lung demolishes silos. He welds folklore to futurism, painting to plastic, and tenderness to cheeky grit. His monsters—ugly, cute, and infinitely relatable—invite us to see art as lifestyle, not luxury. Follow the grin; a rich narrative forest lies beyond.

Quick Answers for Curious Collectors

  • Why is Labubu called “ugly-cute”? The design mixes jagged teeth and wide eyes, balancing menace with charm.
  • Are Lung’s paintings for sale? Yes. Kaikai Kiki Gallery and major art fairs handle limited, often sold-out releases.
  • How many monsters exist so far? Dozens, with new faces emerging whenever Lung drafts another bedtime myth.
  • Does Lung still illustrate books? He plans to publish more picture-books once toy schedules allow. Narrative remains core.
  • What drives secondary-market prices? Scarcity, storytelling depth, and crossover appeal to both art and fashion scenes.

RELATED POSTS

Receive the latest news

Subscribe To Our Magazine

Luster Magazine

Digital Magazine

Ingresa los siguientes datos y comienza a disfrutar de nuestra revista digital.