The Toy Box: From Pop to Present - Exhibition - Barnsley UK

It's really REALLY rare to see a toy art exhibition in the UK, so when an organisation from outside the traditional toy art world picks up the mantel and puts together an exhibition that includes toy art - it's great news. The Toy Box: From Pop to Present is an exhibition which is being held in a beautiful gallery space at The Civic in Barnsley in the UK. I got involved a month or so ago and after an initial chat was asked to make some suggestions for inclusion in a couple of the cabinet spaces.

The suggestions I put forward were Doktor A (he's based about 60 or so miles from Barnsley, which in toy art terms is local) and Okedoki, and I got some real enthusiasm back very quickly from the staff organising the exhibition (Thanks go to Jason White for his infectious enthusiasm). It would appear that there was a real love for the toy art scene and I was more than happy to take down the Okedoki Benny the Dreamer box set and Doktor A organized a couple of pieces of his own to send along for inclusion.

So to the exhibition which I went to see yesterday, and you will see as usual I took MANY photographs for you to take a look at. The space is wonderful, really well lit with natural light and some supplementary lighting as well - all done very tastefully and with maximum respect and appreciation for the work on display. I have been to a lot of gallery spaces in many venues and in many countries around the world and this space is now in my top 5 gallery spaces. I won't spend the next half an hour listing the pieces on display, hopefully the pictures will do that job - and I am sure that if your reading this then many of you will know much more about some of these pieces than I ever will!

OK so the first thing I need to point out is that THIS IS NOT A TOY ART EXHIBITION - it's an exhibition that happens to feature toy art to illustrate the exhibitions purpose. This is the point where I let the gallery staff and their team share their vision for the exhibition and the purpose of the exhibits in the gallery space for this exhibition. "The Toy Box: From Pop to Present is a new exhibition, exclusive to The Gallery@ The Civic, exploring the use of toys in the world of contemporary art and design. By using British Pop Art of the 1950s and 1960s as a starting point and the movements it inspired, the exhibition will showcase paintings, prints, photography, fashion and sculpture from around the world. The Toy Box also takes a look at how toy companies have collaborated with artists to create collectable art toys, such as Urban Vinyl." A great explanation of what you can come to expect from this fantastic exhibit.

For me, this is one of the most inspiring and relaxing exhibitions I have been to see for a long time. The fact that it includes toy art is an absolute bonus. I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak at the WHATSHISNAME 120cm POPek a few days before the exhibition opening, and to see the enthusiasm in the assistant curators eyes as he showed me this piece told me everything I needed to know even before the exhibition was live. The art included in the exhibition which isn't toy art is also stunning with names like Eduardo Paolozzi, Anne-Sophie Cochevelou and Paul McCarthy exhibiting their work.

Our friends at Collect and Display have a Pop Up shop in the entrance area of the main venue as well, which is getting some attention before visitors even enter the gallery space - a VERY clever idea which is being well managed by the staff at the venue to good effect. Additionally the exhibition has a real focus on engagement with people of all ages. It's a safe creative space to take your kids, and they are included rather than excluded - which is always a good sign as it's encouraging future artists and future collectors. This exhibition runs 29th July 2017 – 23rd September 2017.