Toy Story
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Center of International Contemporary Art Vancouver 228 Abbott Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 1C8
“Toy Story,” 2024
(courtesy of the Gallery)
Toy Story is a group exhibition that explores the enchanting universe of toys as seen through the eyes of a diverse array of contemporary artists. The exhibition transforms toys from mere playthings into profound symbols of identity and societal observation.
As visitors wander through the exhibition, they are invited to journey back to their childhoods, to a time of simplicity, naivety, and unbridled imagination. Each artwork serves as a portal to the past, where toys are not just objects of amusement but carriers of deep, often unspoken narratives about memories, experience and the world we inhabit. The artists in Toy Story use the motif of toys to bridge together the nostalgia of youth and the complexities of life nowadays, challenging viewers to see beyond the surface and to question the norms, beliefs, and divisions that are shaped by our society along the way.
From the playful defiance in Sonny Assu’s Mia-moo (2021) to the detailed storytelling of Yinka Shonibare CBE RA’s Untitled (Dollhouse) (2002), Toy Story peels away the layers of significance imbued in these familiar objects. This exhibition is a testament to the power of toys as both mirrors and critics of the world, highlighting their ability to evoke a sense of purity and wonder while simultaneously commenting on deeper cultural and personal themes.
Toy Story will feature selected works by Sonny Assu, Zhao Bandi, Javier Calleja, Ryan Travis Christian, Derek Fordjour & Nick Lehane, Mehdi Ghadyanloo, Haroshi, KAWS, Mr., and Yinka Shonibare CBE RA. The exhibition invites viewers to reconnect with the child within, to view our surroundings with a sense of curiosity and openness, and to reconsider our preconceived notions and beliefs.
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