10 Feb Toy Excuse

Ovacık’s wooden toys designed with the motto “Toys are Bahane, the main thing is to play” can be seen in the exhibition. The toys to be exhibited are designed based on the history of Turkey; Eyüp toys produced in Istanbul, games played in Anatolia and anonymous play objects. Attention is drawn to pre-industrialized forms of play and the creative relationship children have with toys. The simple, moving, sounding playthings that children made by themselves or together with their elders, which are remembered, are the inspiration for this exhibition. The idea behind the exhibition underlines the act of consumer culture that directs children to acquire many and various toys rather than playing. The designer emphasizes that “by buying toys as an excuse to play, the (z)vast world of toys has taken over the culture of play”. Designed with this awareness, 6 wooden toys take their place in the exhibition. Among the toys in our memories, the pinwheel that is twirled between two fingers, fır fır fır made with buttons and rope, the wire circle made of wire and spun by children on the street, the toys named Canbaz, Drum with Handle, Devil’s Minaret from Eyüp Toys were selected and transformed into large-sized toys that can be played with physical movements. Toys made of wood and natural felt allow children -or adults- to explore, gain skills, change, transform and intervene in the play experience by disassembling, assembling, painting on the toy. These colorless, unpainted, neutral-shaped objects encourage and enable the player to use their creativity and, with their size, to play with bodily movements.

Industrial designer and academic (Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr.) Mine Ovacık’s exhibition “Oyuncak Bahane” opens at K2 Contemporary Art Center (Izmir) on Wednesday, February 10, 2016 at 18.00.

The fact that the exhibition is presented as a playground invites the viewer to participate, as toys can be played with in the exhibition space. The exhibition is open to the public until February 17, 2016.