Ageless charm of toys
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Toy designer Lee “Coolrain” Chan-woo explains his works at the ongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, Thursday. / Courtesy of Art Toy Culture
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Toys are no longer simply for child’s play - many artists and designers are competing to make figurines, robots and other collectible items targeting passionate adults.
Art Toy Culture 2014 (ATC 2014), the first designer toy fair in Korea opened at Dongdaemun Design Plaza Art Hall 1, Thursday. Organized by Space Croft, a subsidiary of Gana Art Center, the event featured the works of 80 artists from Korea and other countries.
"These are toys, but not for children. These are a platform for artists," Park Geun-hyeong of Space Croft said.
"There is Comic-Con in the United States and Wonder Festival in Japan, but ATC is the first of its kind in Korea. We want to introduce what an art toy is and expand the market through this first event.’’
Korean toy designer Lee "Coolrain’’ Chan-woo presented a series of his figures from NBA players Derek Rose and Kobe Bryant to characters of mobile messenger Line at the ATC.
The designer said the awareness of toys as art has been increasing in Korea from when he first made designer toys about 10 years ago.
"I think this kind of fair will open up more opportunities for Korean toy designers and expand the market, hopefully internationally,’’ Lee said.
"There are not many exhibits centering on art toys around the globe. ATC can provide collaboration opportunities for Korean artists.’’
David Flores, art toy designer known for his vinyl toys and collaboration with Medicom Toy's BEARBRICK, was in Korea to introduce his works.
"Designing an art toy is similar to making an artistic figure or sculpture. It requires the same creative process as fine art,’’ said Flores, who plans to collaborate with Lee in the future.
Japanese toy designing team DEVILROBOTS introduced their famous square-shaped To-Fu Oyako. Koto Nishiyama, project manager of DEVILROBOTS, said adults who loved playing with toys now make their own designer toys and collect them for appreciation.
Everyday Mooonday, Seoul's first gallery dedicated to art toys and characters, also participated in the fair to promote its second exhibit. Japanese artist Akinori Oishi will present a variety of smiling figures at the gallery in Jamsil, southern Seoul, from May 9 to June 6.
The fair covered a variety of art toys besides vinyl figures. Pandora Doll brought bisque dolls handmade by designers, complete with delicate costumes, while DURT SK8TCH DECK introduced skateboards made from cardboard. Momot Toys displayed paper toys of famous Disney and Marvel characters.
The fair runs through Monday. Admission is 12,000 won for adults and 10,000 won for students. For more information, visit arttoyculture.com or call (02) 391-0013.