| 12.16.2019 - Toy Art Philippines brought they’re ‘A’ game to the second annual Toy Festival held once again at Secret Fresh’s Sixinch Gallery over the weekend that featured some of the up and coming toy customizers in the country as well as a plethora of awesome Art Toys and also apparel that slowly defines the community.
Besides the independent vendors and customizers there is also a special Artist Talk that features a video interview with Superplastic’s Huck Gee and Paul Budnitz. It was not only focusing on the designer toys. But to see the community beyond the social media, which is also a meet-up to get to know everyone. |
Among the highlights of the weekend is the Artist Talk and aside from the special video interview with Superplastic you get to hear Jan Calleja and Armand Kendrick of Area 41, Brian Dee of Wewoof Pack, and Epjay Pacheco share their start as toy customizers to venturing to their own creations and what the Art Toy scene meant to them as one of the best discussions since last year.
The impressive creatives in the event were also the other best part for this year as there have been more participants. It might not be crowded but slowly TAPh is building its niche market that not solely focus on one artist, but captures all aspect of the designer art toy scene that has been established in the US and Singapore to name a few countries that has grown its fair share of the market.
It’s not only the busiest part of the Ronac ART Center, Secret Fresh was also dropping bombs with the initial release for their signature apparel collaborations with Benign and Nagaraya for their respective shirts and hoodies. There was also the gallery side with a solo show and group shows that certainly cap off the weekend.
Featured Highlights:
• Toy Customizers
• Art Toy Sellers
• Custom Dunny Show
• Artist Talk
But the main narrative over the weekend is the Toy Art PH Toy Festival that definitely put a spotlight that there are up and coming talents that has been around in the industry long before even a local convention had decided to take the route in making the Art Toy scene part of their element.
There’s a Filipino saying “the more, the merrier” but in building a community that has been around it needs to be sustainable in a niche market not in a mass scale event that would become saturated and TAPh has certainly tapped that potential with the Toy Festival now on its second year, which progressively continues to grow that focus on the toy customizers that continues to sustain the interest on designer toys in the local scene. Besides that it doesn’t limit itself to the art toys, but also crossing into the street culture lifestyle that includes the apparel and sneakers that Secret Fresh has already established since its early days known as ‘Fresh Manila.’
In the Art Toy scene that is slowly being recognized as the 3D versions of the paintings and canvases that you see in galleries for contemporary art. There are still more work to be done in pushing for this interest to grow and it does take time as they say ‘you can’t rush art’ and that’s the beauty of it. You wait for the paint dry at the same time appreciating each one of these creatives as the event grows with them.
In case you missed it there will be a bigger one in 2020 with more featured guests’ artist as well as international toy designers too. Toy Art PH will be there to make sure this family will grow and cultivated the best talent in the country. For now, enjoy some the photos and highlights from the event.
Toy Art PH: Toy Festival 2019 was held on 14-15 December 2019 at the Sixinch Gallery in Ronac ART Center. For more details about the event follow Toy Art PH on Social Media Facebook and Instagram or email at: toyartph.info@gmail.com.
Be part of the community and join the Facebook Groups local community at Art Toys and Designer Vinyl Enthusiasts Philippines!
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