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.

The Game

Whether it is establishing the framework, determining the playing field, coming to clear agreements, addressing offenders for their behaviour and course of action, or even worse: punishing them for unsporting conduct, it all sounds pretty severe and formal and is therefore mostly seen as a nuisance. Though still: playing together is fun, particularly if those who take part know and obey the rules. Rules are made to clarity and prevent things from getting out of hand in the heat of the moment. However more importantly: they can increase the enjoyment. In contrast to what is often believed, agreements and strict rules need not interfere with the pleasure or the creative process. Drawing the lines during the game and knowing the boundaries of the playing field, handling restrictions creatively and attempting to obtain the maximum out of yourself and the game, are things that toyists know all about. Actually, that’s what it is all about for them.

Current Events

Toyism is up to date. The movement effectively bridges the gap between high and low culture and seeks new ways to communicate with the public. This leads to an exciting search for the way in which the discussion about the social playing field by visual arts can be lifted to a higher level without losing sight of the clarity and purity of the intentions. Public participation is enforced in a playful way and generates joy in which all parties feel involved.

The Organization

Toyism is carried and propagated by a collective of internationally operating artists. The strict organizational form is the best guarantee for continuity and a guarantee for quality and global dimensions. Since the collective sticks to fixed rituals that are recorded in a secret manifesto, the ambitions can be realized on the cutting edge. Possible misunderstandings about the intentions of the movement are tackled beforehand.

The Mission

The social relevance that the toyists strive for is also the trademark of the movement. The similarities with other –isms and renewal/innovative movements include the search for alternatives and creative solutions for stalled social processes. In light of this, Toyism is an innovative movement that can force a strong positioning in the front line of contemporary visual arts. That not everyone has realized this, but it has to do with the conditioned viewing behaviour and frame of reference with which the movement is often (wrongly) confronted. That has everything to do with the emphasis in the ‘mission statement’ on the Homo Ludens. The importance of play is still not sufficiently recognized and taken seriously. The Toyists are able to remove that prejudice and break the stalemate with regard to conditioned thinking about the element of play in contemporary art. In addition, the game can be played by everyone. The democratic and universal content therefore gains importance and significance.

The Positioning

From an art-historical view, Toyism is in line with the group processes that have always played an important role in the visual arts, even in the years of progressive individualization that dominated art in the 1970s and 1980s. In search of art historical frameworks within which the work and ideas of the Toyists can be placed, references to Pop Art, New Image Painting, Keith Haring and Graffiti are inevitable. The toyists also represent the modern sense of life and make art accessible to everyone. They propagate the power of Art Unlimited by introducing their ideas and images to the general public via calendars, postcards, graphics and wall painting. In their work, the distinction between high and low culture pales. Art is for everyone; it does not discriminate and does not exclude anyone. Furthermore, there is a strong affinity with Environmental Art.

Synopsis

The crossovers are legion. This is characteristic of the multidisciplinary approach of the toyists. Presentation of visual arts has long ceased to be the exclusive right of museums and galleries. Art is everywhere and can be shown everywhere. The basic idea is to create a total experience. Anyone who wants to, can be part of Toyism. This invitation calls for a broad range and an artistic approach that is literally groundbreaking and therefore can infiltrate both the established art order and the global playing field.

Wim van der Beek

Writer/art critic
Independent curator of contemporary art 
Lecturer Art & Society