Written by Roos Giethoorn / Graphic Design Festival 2010 publication #2

On a Friday night a group of white designer toys, with body types alike, gathered in the Valkenbergpark, waiting patiently for the morning to come. These characters, from a far away planet of bookshelves and showcases, were send on a blind date by they’re creators Loulou & Tummie to meet up with some artists that would change their personalities forever. 

This night, they had their first confrontation with the native inhabitants of the city of Breda and got some serious ass wooping. When the dust settled down, some toys were left with a minor headache. After they got their act together they continued on their mission.

Early in the morning they met up with Dutch designers, illustrators and graffiti artists named Staynice, Collin van der Sluijs en Rutger Termohlen, Hedof, Loulou & Tummie, Darrin Umbooh, Bobby Pola, Lennard Schuurmans, Superoturbo, Louis Reith, Graphic Surgery en Zenk One.  After their makeover the toys felt pretty good and were now standing tall next to the established statues that had been present in the park for ages.

With some new found confident the toys planned to stay in Breda for the next 3 weeks. But they had no idea they were in for yet another surprise attack. This time things got really nasty… Heads were rolling all over the park. Bruised and battered they were found. The kind people of Electron took them in and gave them shelter until they felt ready to head back home.

When the peace returned the designer toys debated if the attack should be taken personally since the other residents of the park were left alone. Was it because they were standing out in the crowd by their looks that refer to the icons of a youth oriented popular culture? We’re they intimidated by these new kids on the block? Do people have more respect for the conventional sculptures or did those sculptures become transparent over time to the users of this public space? These questions will always remain unanswered.

More important, Loulou & Tummie have put these toys onto a pedestal, which might be the next step in the evolution of the designer ‘toys’. 

Copyright 2010 Roos Giethoorn