By Danielle Smith
Managing Editor
The Manhattan Beach Art Center’s newest exhibition “Toyetic” boasts a small collection of sculptures and sketches by three artists who draw inspiration from the toy industry.
“Toyetic” is a playful exhibit featuring a variety of three-dimensional toys and whimsical caricatures created by artists Chuck Hohng, Ross Bofanti and John Quinn. The pieces combine in “Toyetic” to compose a satirical yet highly interpretative collection. Although the pieces are reminiscent of childhood toys, they address certain aspects of social reality including gender, sexuality and domesticity.
Hohng is a Los Angeles-based artist who creates teddy bear sculptures using soft materials, while Bofanti works primarily with concrete and mixed media to create toy-like sculptures. Quinn is the Director of Character Art for The Walt Disney Company, and his character sketches and sculptures are featured in “Toyetic.”
The one-room gallery space of the Manhattan Beach Art Center hosts the artwork while a small adjacent room is set aside as a studio space for Hohng. On weekends, Hohng works to create large-scale, teddy-bear-inspired sculptures in the studio space. Visitors of “Toyetic” are welcome to watch him work and ask questions regarding his artwork.
Although it features artwork from three different artists, “Toyetic” is an extremely cohesive exhibit as the central theme of the toy industry is evident in each individual piece. In addition, the curator’s choice to mix the different artists’ pieces, rather than separate them into groups, creates a natural and uninterrupted flow within the exhibit.
Hohng’s decision to make his teddy bear sculptures faceless removes the familiar cuddly nature of the bears. Although the subject matter is seemingly mundane, Hohng successfully transforms a common childhood toy into a commentary on preconceived ideas by adding thought-provoking titles such as “Domesticated” for a collection of teddy bears created using shower curtains.
Bofanti’s use of unconventional materials including concrete and fake fur to create his toy-like sculptures is extremely striking. One such piece, “Black Horse,” appears to be an innocent toy at first glance, but upon closer inspection it is rough and heavy, unlike traditional stuffed animals, making it almost disturbing.
Many of the sketches on display by Quinn depict caricatures of people waiting in line for drinks at Starbucks. Quinn transforms an everyday activity into a satirical scene by exaggerating certain aspects of the people’s physical appearances, effectively making the Starbucks patrons themselves into cartoon characters.
The unique choice to paint the walls of the gallery dark blue complements the whimsical nature of the art on display as the contrast draws attention to the darker meaning behind many of the pieces. The toy industry is usually associated with bright, happy colors and this deviation from the expected further adds to the intrigue of the artwork.
“Toyetic” is a playful exhibit that effectively brings together artwork inspired by the toy industry. The works on display by Hohng, Bofanti and Quinn each stand alone as fascinating pieces of art and the layout of the exhibit complements the artwork wonderfully.
“Toyetic” is on display at the Manhattan Beach Art Center, located at 1560 Manhattan Beach Blvd, Manhattan Beach, until Apr. 1. Admission to the exhibit is free.
Leave a Reply