Tokebi
Guatemalan artist, illustrator and professor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bernal Aguilar (born 1981), also known as Tokebi (stylized as TOKEBI) is a Guatemalan digital artist, illustrator, and university professor, best known for incorporating skulls, bright neon colors, and a kitsch aesthetic into his work.[1][2] Tokebi gained recognition when the Grammy-winning heavy metal band Mastodon personally selected him to design their merchandise for the 2019 European Tour.[3] Tokebi is especially popular among rock bands, rappers and DJs,[4] and is seen as one of the international ambassadors of the Guatemalan lowbrow movement.[3]
1981 (age 44–45)
Tokebi | |
|---|---|
Tokebi design used by heavy metal band Mastodon | |
| Born | Bernal Aguilar 1981 (age 44–45) Guatemala |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Known for | Psychedelic skull illustrations, Album artwork for international bands (e.g., Mastodon), Lowbrow art movement, NFT digital art |
| Movement | Lowbrow |
| Website | www |
Career
Tokebi's artistic career began in 2010 on the streets of Hongdae, Seoul, where he sold his pieces on prints and t-shirts, gaining recognition in local media for thriving as a foreigner.[5][2] He adopted the name Tokebi while living in South Korea, inspired by the dokkaebi (goblins) of Korean mythology, mischievous figures who reward good people and trick the wicked.[6] In 2014, Tokebi with a group of local and international artists founded and participated in several artistic collective exhibitions with the aim of uniting international and Korean artists called Nothing Serious I and Nothing Serious II respectively, in Seoul, South Korea.[3] However, most of his work is related to the music industry, especially in the indie, rock, hip hop and electronic music scene, working with bands like Grammy winner Mastodon,[4] Calcium, and local bands in United States, Australia, Europe, among others. Tokebi is currently a professor at Universidad del Istmo in Guatemala,[3] and his artistic career expanded into the world of non-fungible assets (NFTs), becoming the first artist in Guatemala to launch an NFT while being supported by Polygon blockchain.[7] In 2022, the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Guatemala enlisted Tokebi in the National Artist Registry.[8]