Playing against patriarchy
2020
This research is about toys and feminism, based on an analysis of philosopher Serge Chaumier. The scenario of playing with a toy is mostly determined by the accessories it comes with. The first part of the research focuses on accessories sold with girl’s toys that are often very realistic miniatures of real objects: brushes, kitchen tools, domestic objects. This doesn’t help the imagination to expand outside of the domestic circle. Conversely, toys that are advertised for boys have very different materialities and shapes, often to do with external environments. New accessories are created, that merge the gendered shapes and materialities together, blurring the existing barriers. These hybrids break the realism, and could be played both with Barbies and Transformers, allowing the different figurines to be played with in new ways.
The second part of the research focuses on toy soldiers, a game targeted towards boys. These figurines instill imagery of battle and war. Girls have dolls, boys have soldiers. Parody of these soldiers, the faux soldiers hold dolls’ accessories: objects related to the domestic arena, often associated with unrewarded actions, such as cleaning and cooking. This contrast reveals the absurdity of gender roles in toys. It aims to blur the barriers and open new possibilities for children.
Existing 3D models have been used to compose these models.
Playing against patriarchy
2020
This research is about toys and feminism, based on an analysis of philosopher Serge Chaumier. The scenario of playing with a toy is mostly determined by the accessories it comes with. The first part of the research focuses on accessories sold with girl’s toys that are often very realistic miniatures of real objects: brushes, kitchen tools, domestic objects. This doesn’t help the imagination to expand outside of the domestic circle. Conversely, toys that are advertised for boys have very different materialities and shapes, often to do with external environments. New accessories are created, that merge the gendered shapes and materialities together, blurring the existing barriers. These hybrids break the realism, and could be played both with Barbies and Transformers, allowing the different figurines to be played with in new ways.
The second part of the research focuses on toy soldiers, a game targeted towards boys. These figurines instill imagery of battle and war. Girls have dolls, boys have soldiers. Parody of these soldiers, the faux soldiers hold dolls’ accessories: objects related to the domestic arena, often associated with unrewarded actions, such as cleaning and cooking. This contrast reveals the absurdity of gender roles in toys. It aims to blur the barriers and open new possibilities for children.
Existing 3D models have been used to compose these models.
