CHAPTER 02
The
Creation.
1. THE BEGINNING
It began with a ball of clay.
Cats had always held a special place in André’s life.
Intelligent, independent, mysterious and occasionally ridiculous, they possessed a character unlike any other animal. Growing up surrounded by cats, André developed a lifelong fascination with their personalities.
After creating his first panther sculpture, that fascination took an unexpected turn.
One day, a small lump of clay, roughly the size of a tennis ball, began taking the shape of a cat’s head.
There was no grand plan. No sketches to follow. Just instinct.
Looking into the simple eye sockets of his unfinished creation, André felt something difficult to explain. A sudden spark of intuition.
A feeling that this little creature was meant to become something more.
So he kept going.
With his wife away for a week, André spent his days and nights sculpting, accompanied by dramatic classical music, a few glasses of wine and an imagination running wild.
By the end of that week,
a complete figure stood before him. And for a moment, they simply stared at each other...
2. THE IDENTITY
From Goldie
to Kinneko
Originally named Goldie, the character was born during André’s early years as an artist, when he worked under the name Guldhart.
Over five stages of evolution, the sculpture gradually found its own identity.
Its proportions, expression and personality changed, but the heart of the character remained.
Eventually, Goldie became Kinneko.
Goldie
Kinneko
Inspired by André’s fascination with Japanese culture, the character eventually received a new name.
A simple name for a character who would become anything but ordinary.
What began as an idea for a streetwear brand suddenly changed direction. Fashion faded into the background, and an entirely new artistic path opened.
Kinneko had become the beginning of Guldhjärta.
3. THE PERSONALITY
More than a character.
Over time, Kinneko began developing a personality of his own.
Carefree, curious, a little naive and perfectly content living in the moment. A character without the worries and expectations of everyday life.
People meeting André often notice the resemblance between artist and creation.
