Toys R Pretext

Solo Exhibition, Izmir, 2016

“Toys are pretext, playing is tremendous”
“Oyuncak bahane, oyun oynamak şahane”

Toys are tools for playing, and kids as well as adults should be able to freely discover how to interact with them in creative ways. Kids must be free to assemble and disassemble toys, paint them, draw on them, and interfere with them in every way possible.   

The collection of six sustainable and interactive Wooden Toys were displayed in Miné’s solo exhibition, called Toys R Pretext -Oyuncak Bahane- in K2, Contemporary Art Centre (10-17 February 2016).

The exhibition was interactive, where the audience was allowed to touch and play with the toys. Within this concept, for one weekend, a playing workshop was held with kids in the exhibition hall. The kids were encouraged to discover different ways to play with these toys, supported by Miné’s free-flowing guidance during this event where not only kids but also adults voluntarily participated.

Check the Catalogue of the exhibition

Curated by Mine Ovacık
Hosted by K2

Playing Workshop Participants: 
Bartu Barutçuoğlu, Çınar Ege Dörtbaş, Efe Karadayılmaz, Kerem Uluç Demir, Yiğit Günşeber

Special thanks to Çınar Ege Dörtbaş (9) and Bartu Barutçuoğlu (9) for their support during the toy design development process by playing with them, asking questions and sharing their ideas about them with their drawings

Prototype Production by Özgür Korkmaz
Felts made by Ayfer Güleç
Graphic Design by Emre Yıldız
Photography by Esra Yurdakonar