‘Toy Stories’, curated by Sarah Toohey and part of the ‘IOTA21 Indian Ocean Craft Triennial’, is a playful exhibition that delves into the history of handmade toys in Western Australia, presenting both historical and contemporary works made by hobbyists, toymakers and professional artists alike, over the past century.
From a scale model of the main street of a typical West Australian country town in the early 1970s to a mechanical rabbit, ‘Toy Stories’ celebrates their imagination and creativity and encapsulates their skill, optimism, humour, and unstoppable urge to play.
Cecile Williams, Escape to the Country, 2021, recycled cardboard, plastic milk bottles, wire, cable ties, pop sticks, foam core, electronics, 76 × 24 × 24cm. Photograph: Michael Hemmings. Courtesy the artist and Midland Junction Arts Centre, Western Australia
Ellen Norrish, Giant Floor Puzzle, 2021, paint on MDF. Photograph: Acorn Photo. Courtesy the artist and Midland Junction Arts Centre, Western Australia
Midland Junction Arts Centre
13 November, 2021 to 12 February, 2022
Western Australia
