Walking into This is Not a Toy, the newest exhibit being held at the Design Exchange, felt like a dream. Cute, silly toys covered the walls, the floors, the ceilings. Everything was brightly coloured with simplistic patterns, stripes and polka-dots. An animated video featuring adorable little clouds and raindrops dancing made my heart ache into another dimension.
Running from February 7th until May 19th, This is Not A Toy features a collection of contemporary sculptures, installations, and figurines created by renowned artists from across the globe. Curated by John Wee Tom, Design Exchange’s own Sarah Nickleson, and guest curated by Pharell Williams, the exhibit explores the concept of a toy as more than just an aesthetic idea- it becomes something carefully crafted, an artistic object and a symbol of contemporary culture.
Three of the main artists on display include Takashi Murakami, commonly referred to as the “Warhol from Japan”, Brian Donnelly (KAWS), and my personal favourite, FriendsWithYou. These three artists create some of the main sculptures and installations at the event, including Murakami’s Simple Things bedazzled sculpture, KAWS’ very recognizable smurf-like sculptures and vinyl prints, and “Cloudy”, an animated short film which you can also watch on FriendsWithYou’s online portfolio.
Other featured artists include DEVILROBOT, Misaki Kawai, Yoshitomo Nara, Kidrobot, and MediCom Toy Inc. There’s also a ridiculously-cute Magic Pony pop-up shop in the lower level of the Design Exchange filled with goodies by some of the artists at the exhibition as well as other well-known designers, so I definitely recommend bringing some extra spending money. It’s hard not to want to buy everything in there.
Some highlights of my visit included the playroom-esque area which features plush toys you can sit on, a monster who’s hair you can brush, and a giant screen playing Cloudy on a loop. I also really enjoyed looking at Kidrobot’s DUNNYs and Labbit’s, which are essentially customizable toy templates. The exhibit included over 500 of these, each of them completely unique.
This exhibit successfully showcases the current innovations of contemporary design as well as the incredible and completely awe-inspiring range of creativity of the human mind. Being surrounded by these things made me want to go out and create something different. With that being said, I strongly encourage you to check out the exhibit while it’s still here. You can purchase tickets at the door or online.
Apart from the regular event, the Design Exchange also hosts a treat for families once a month during the course of the exhibit. On February 9th, March 2nd, and April 13th, Family Sunday, an interactive play-date for parents and children alike, invites you to create your own accessories, face masks, and Kidrobot MUNNY’s. As with all the best events, there is also face painting, a photo booth, and guided tours. Best of all, it’s free with admission!
Fresh Print contributor Michael Nguyen accompanied me to the exhibit and shot some really great footage. Check out the video below!
