Odds are the toys you loved as a child are gone. Either your parents still have them, someone threw them away or they magically disappeared. Now that you’re grown up though, if you want to relive those memories, a new Mattel art show will let you do just that.
Mattel has teamed with Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles for an official show that’s being billed as “an art tribute to 70 years of toys.” It opens at 7 p.m. August 14 at Gallery 1988 West in Los Angeles and remains on display through September 5.
“The idea of the show came about when I got to thinking how toys are in their own right an art form,” said artist Dave Perillo, who curated the show. “Especially now, from the way people collect them to exclusives at Comic Cons and how artists have even gotten into designing toys. I thought this would a great/different idea for a tribute art show, since so many of these pop culture art shows focus on movies and television. Toys are yet another thing for myself that sparks nostalgia and inspiration, plus I’m a big time collector.”
Perillo has recruited a huge group of artists, including Anthony Petrie, Brad Hill, Nan Lawson, 100% Soft, Rich Pellegrino, Glen Brogan, Ian Glaubinger, Jason Edmiston and Tom Whalen and to take their favorite Mattel toys into art. There are pieces based on Masters of the Universe, Barbie, Hot Wheels, M.U.S.C.L.E, Food Fighters, Magic 8-Ball, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, Dino Riders, Fisher Price and more. Many are poster prints but some art original paintings, drawings and sculptures.
Here is just a small sampling of pieces in the show. For more information (and more art) visit Gallery1988.com as well as @Galleries1988.
Top image: Glen Brogan