CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

Colin Christian makes art that titillates the mind.
By Nate Denver

When all else fails for an aspiring artist, there's always pornography. In 1992, Colin Christian and his wife, Sas, moved to the U.S. from England and founded Hotbox Inc. (hotboxdesigns.com), an anime-inspired latex clothing company. The Christians gained recognition when Penthouse photographer Philip Mond commissioned them to design costumes and sets for the follow-up to his porn smash Zazel. The film was never released, but the prestigious job led to work designing storefronts, clubs,  and restaurants. In 1998, after considerable success in the design world, Christian, then 34, decided he wanted to sculpt for a living.  Within two years, he mastered molding and fiberglass and began creating seven-foot-tall, anatomically correct sculptures of anime girls. His first major sale was to Nike CEO and sci-fi collector Mark Parker, who bought three pieces, including "Happy Sex Mobile Suit," a nine-foot armor-clad anime babe. Although Christian says he doesn't have a typical customer, his sculptures fetch upwards of $15,000, making them unattainable for most. "I can't afford to do it too cheap, unfortunately," he says. "It's expensive to produce, it's very labor intensive, and it's real hazardous shit." Luckily for fans, Christian plans to mass-produce a few smaller pieces. The "over-the-top aesthetic" of busty anime chicks continues to influence Christian, but recently he's been drawing inspiration from pinup models and sci-fi themes. He's also begun infusing silicone into his sculptures, which has added more texture and realism. His next undertaking is to start casting in bronze, using an elegant material and centuries-old technique to create futuristic cartoon females that will keep you salivating on your slacks. What would Rodin think?

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