MUSEUM MONDAYS
BY: BRITTNEY SPROULE
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| Photo by Brittney Sproule |
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In order to kick off the February break right, I decided to make my way to the
Design Exchange (DX) for the very first time on Friday and check out their current exhibition
This Is Not A Toy. This exhibit opened February 7th and was curated by DX curators John Wee Tom and Sara Nickleson, as well as guest curator
Pharrell Williams.
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| KAWS "Chums," Photo by Brittney Sproule |
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To give you an idea of the inspiration behind the exhibition, here is a sample of the introductory text from the exhibition pamphlet. Regardless of whether or not you actually see the exhibit, I think this introduction raises some interesting points to ponder regarding the way accepted notions of art, object, and commodity overlap and intertwine to essentially create whole new genres, or at least ways of thinking, in terms of artistic inspiration and design:
"This Is Not A Toy
was conceived as a presentation of the design and art toy as a unique medium for artistic expression. The title of the exhibition is inspired by the ubiquitous disclaimer found on product packaging and René Magritte's Ceci N'est Pas Un Pipie, one of the most infulential paintings of the 20th century that promotes the commonplace object as a work of art." (Design Exchange, 2014)
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| Bill McMullen, "Ad-At Giant" (Adidas Stripes), Photo by Brittney Sproule |
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Among the artists featured in the exhibition were
KAWS,
Takashi Murakami,
Kidrobot,
Misaki Kawai and many more. Of course, one of the draws of this particular exhibition is its guest curator, musician
Pharrell Williams. According to the DX exhibition pamphlet brief, Williams' involvement with the art world was spawned by his fascination with the art toy. Apart from his commissioning of toys and paintings for his own personal collection as well as his creative collaborations with prominent toy artists, Williams' "penchant for the cross-pollination of creativity" in his own business ventures (music, fashion, design, art) also made him a suitable candidate for the job.
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| Takashi Murakami and Pharrell Williams, "The Simple Things," Photo by Brittney Sproule |
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I don't want to give away too much about the exhibition, as I highly recommend you go check it out for yourself, but I will share with you a few thoughts that crossed my mind both during and after my visit.
Perhaps my favourite aspect of this exhibition is the ability of the artworks to embody meaning-- whether it be a commentary on consumerism, society, a particular emotion, etc. -- while at the same time, still retaining a whimsical, fantastical, play-like personality, even if the subject matter is quite dark. This gives the viewer the opportunity to engage with the work on as many levels as they'd like. In other words, one could easily go to this exhibit just to see the beautifully decorated and crafted art toys and simply appreciate them for solely aesthetic reasons, coming away with a feel-good vibe. Kids must certainly have a blast running from case to case, examining all the brightly coloured, sometimes larger-than-life, usually completely adorable toys that function much like tantalizing confections.
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| Frank Kozik, "Happy Labbit," Photo by Brittney Sproule |
However, it is also possible for a viewer to look far beyond the aesthetic allure of these beautifully crafted objects and become inspired to formulate their own interpretation of what exactly these objects are trying to say beyond their cutesy surface. One cannot help but be lured in by the adorable facade of the majority of these objects and discover that indeed, these are not "just toys." Upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that the way these objects are designed, painted, and arranged are for very specific reasons and/or due to very specific artistic interpretations/collaborations that embody a particular message. Thus, the initial nostalgia-inducing, dream-like quality of these innocent toys functions as a very effective hook for engaging audiences with a new contemporary art form/medium.
As such, I think this is a wonderful opportunity for visitors to avoid the intimidation or perhaps even confusion that can often accompany a contemporary art gallery visit, and have the chance to formulate a personal connection with seemingly familiar objects (i.e. toys) but in a context they may have never considered before.
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| Misaki Kawai, Photo by Brittney Sproule |
I now leave you with one of my personal favourite works from the exhibit and one of the most unique interactives I think I have ever seen! These are two hair sculptures by Misaki Kawai, complete with attached combs for viewers to groom and style the creatures to their liking. These two sculptures, along with Kawai's other works in the exhibit, added a wonderful tactile dimension to the exhibition, which is an experience so often lacking in contemporary museums and galleries.
Enjoy!
