DREAMS FOR BREAKFAST

Concept

Introduction
Although Toyism has been around since 1992, the social impact and importance is only now beginning to get recognized. This has everything to do with the prevailing zeitgeist and the realization that Toyism contains instruments that can give visual arts an anchoring point in broad social sections.

I PLAY, THEREFORE I AM
LUDO ERGO SUM

The foundation of the innovative, collaborative art movement Toyism in 1992 was originated as a counter-movement to post-modern individualism. Since then it has progressed steadily, as the longest running fine art movement.

In a basement of Emmen, Holland, Toyism founder Dejo wrote a revolutionary manifesto against the age of the ego. This pioneering concept remains confidential to all except the ‘Toyist’ artists, who each takes up a pseudonym after a letter of the alphabet not already used by another Toyist and signs all works with it accordingly. The anonymous collective consists of 20 members as of 2021, from America, China, Peru, South Africa, Malaysia, Thailand, Romania, Iceland, Germany and the Netherlands.

The distinctive characteristic of Toyism is to infuse the fun of children into adult appealing art. Toyists are considered ‘fathers’ producing ‘offspring’ with the manifesto known as ‘Moeder’ (Dutch for ‘mother’). Thus, their figurative works bear a strong playful resemblance. Each Toyist portrays a different idea of ‘being human’ and by doing so contributes a new dimension to the movement.

In Toyism, a narrative that provokes personal reflection on the part of the viewer is essential. Toyism works are nothing if not bizarre but recognizable imageries drawn from reality, the surreal, and fantasy. The intense play of lines, shapes, dots and colors is intended to help open the viewer's mind to critical thinking about the human condition in the present day world.