About artist: hey.Django

Alexey Krutko is a graphic designer who began drawing his cat Django, who, according to the artist, cured him of his fur allergy, in various roles as a way to reflect and take a break from work. The cat almost always has hollow, see-through slits instead of eyes, which for the artist is a quantum metaphor for the multiplicity and uncertainty of perspective, a multidirectional vision. Just as the cat Django helped the artist see cats in a new light, toys allow people to view popular culture, street culture, and childhood through a fresh lens. A user picture

Where do you live and work? How favorable are the conditions for your work?

I live in Chita. My wife and I run a marketing agency (graphic design, special projects), and I also manage an outdoor advertising company. Overall, I like it, though the distance from Moscow and expensive tickets are downsides.

When did you start working with toys?

Three years ago.

What did you do before that? Tell us about your creative journey.

I have been working in graphic design since 2009. Five years ago, I started my project hey.django, which involved drawing one cat in different roles. Now this project has grown into making toys.

How would you describe your work?

Design thinking and applied craftsmanship.

Tell us about your characters and platforms.

My character is based on a real cat that lived with me. I had had a severe cat allergy since childhood, but Django helped cure me of it. Just as Django helped me see the animal world differently, I try to show through my toys how we can view our often childhood passions, pop culture, and many other things in a new light, which I represent in my toys with the "transparent eyes" feature.

Have you ever collaborated with other artists? How did it go?

A year or two after I started hey.django, I began reaching out to different artists to collaborate, asking them to draw my cat in their style. Through these collaborations, I met many artists.

What do you like about designer toys?

The aesthetics, form, the meanings they carry, or their references to specific life stages, styles, films, creativity, or aspects of culture.

How do you assess the state of the Russian designer toy market? Who are your buyers?

The market is in its infancy. Most buyers are people in creative professions.

Do you collect designer toys? What do you look for in them?

Yes, I do. I look at the character itself, its story, and how it resonates with me.

Is there a community of toy designers in Russia? How would you describe it? Do you consider yourself part of it?

Yes, I am part of it. It is a group of enthusiasts laying the foundation for the future art toys scene in Russia.

Who, in your opinion, has had a significant influence on the development of designer toys in Russia?

Ilya Popov and Zak Mini Monster.

Why do you think designer toys came to Russia? Could it have not happened?

As with all fields, everything eventually comes to Russia, albeit slowly. I think it would have happened regardless, but modern technology has sped up the process – it happened faster.