But it is a toy.
This Is Not A Toy, is an upcoming exhibit at the Design Exchange in Toronto. The exhibit was curated by John Wee Tom and DX Associate Curator Sara Nickelson with Guest Curator Pharrell Williams. The exhibition explores the conceptual toy – a form made solely as an expression of an aesthetic, concept or idea – as an art and design object as well as a contemporary cultural signifier (or as Barthes would call them – second-order signs). It is the world’s first exhibition featuring a collection of contemporary sculptures, figurines and artworks created by artists including Takashi Murakami, KAWS, FriendsWithYou, Coarse, Huck Gee, and Frank Kozik.
But why Pharrell? Well besides the obvious celebrity draw to bring in the crowds to the DX. It seems that Williams is obsessed with designer toys and the ways they push the boundaries of art. And I couldn’t agree with him more. These vinyl toys “are not meant to be played with” and instead challenge expectations and explore the line between commercialism and contemporary art.
Tickets now available through the Design Exchange. The exhibit starts February 7th and will be on display until May 19th, 2014.