Too Opinionated Interview: Danny Casale

Viral digital creator/artist and Forbes 30 Under 30 winner Danny Casale (aka Coolman Coffeedan) has set the art world on fire with the launch of his first global institutional exhibition, “Dumb Dreams and Messy Hands" from V/Collective in partnership with chi K11 Art Museum (B3 K11 Art Mall, 300 Huaihai Road Central, Huangpu District, Shanghai), which launched on July 7 and will run through October 7. The launch bolstered more than 1,300 VIP guests and media in attendants, shattering chi K11 Art Museum's record for the largest exhibition opening in the museum's history by double. The four chapters of Danny's show feature 43 of his most representative short films from 2017 along with sculptures of his star characters, inviting the audience to become Spesh, Iggy and the artist himself, and to immerse themselves in? the adventures of Coolman Coffeedan's world. 

Unlike most artists with an academic background, Casale chose to become a Youtuber instead of pursuing a traditional career in film and television after graduating from film school. Although his first animation, Snakes Have Legs, became an overnight sensation, Casale's dream of becoming a people's artist had started when he was just a kid in Long Island. He rode the wave of the Internet to share his doodles with the world, creating vivid animals and humans with plots, and sounds, giving them real-life experiences and whimsy about the world. The individuality of his signature characters, Spesh and Blue Dude, reflect the human beings they embody.

As Casale's first global institutional exhibition, the theme of “Dumb Dreams and Messy Hands" hints at the growth trajectory of the artist while reminding us of the importance of putting thought into action and staying true to ourselves.