1.12.2011

toys of the avant-garde

Ok,
before I even 
start talking about this
amazing exhibition catalog 
I bought today, 
just want to say, 
that the
marionette puppet 
above,
maybe the coolest thing 
have seen in a 
LONG 
time.

Pablo Picasso
"Horse"
1960

These images are from the exhibition
"Toys of the Avant-Garde".
It is on view at the Museo Picasso Malaga.
I saw that 
posted about it on 
and a few people have posted things 
they got off the web,
but I appear to be the first 
to shoot directly from the catalog,
(my specialty I guess)
which is so, so good.
The catalog, 
not me,
I am only so so these days....

"Ninth Gift by Friedrich Fröbel:
Coloured Rods and Large Tesserae"
19th century
This is my kinda toy.

"Reconstruction of Cut-outs for Noah's Ark"
Madrid
1932
These are so great.
I wish I could make my pictures bigger!
I need someone to rewrite this Blogger HTML for me....

Otto Morach
"La boite a joujoux: Pierrot"
1918
Otto Morach
"La boite a joujoux: Harlequin"
1918

Otto Morach
"La boite a joujoux: The Blue Doll"
1918


Sophie Taeuber-Arp
"Deramo"
1918
In my fantasy world, this guy owns the 
creature I love so much:
And let's just say he ain't using it for planting daisys....

Alma Siedhoff-Busher
"Two Wooden Dolls"
1924
These make me want to move to 
Sweden and become a lesbian.
And I mean that in the 
BEST 
possible way.

Paul Klee
"Untitled"
(Big Eared Clown)
1925
This guy, this guy I would listen to.
Paul Klee
"Untitled"
(Electric Spook)
1923

This cat, not so much.

Hanna Höch
"DaDa Dolls"
1916
These are SO much cooler than Tim Burton.
I hate Tim Burton.
There, I said it. 
Now the whole world can hate me.
DON'T 
get me started on him,
OR 
his "show" at MoMA.

Unknown Artist
(Vienna Workshops)
"Box with Puppets"
1920
I don't think you can see it in this pic so well,
but some kid 
scribbled all over the skulls head.
That kid was probably 
Tim Burton.
Idiot.

Minka Podhajska
"Series of Personifications of Childhood Misdeeds"
1930
These are my kinda peeps!

Minka Podhajska
"Series of Personifications of Childhood Misdeeds"
1930
Nara? 

Minka's great-grandaughter called and wants a
commission....

Minka Podhajska
"Set of Small Money Boxes"
1930
Time to make a deposit at the
Cubist Kitty Animal City Bank

Hermann Finsterlin
"Eight Assembled Objects"
1914
These look like Willy Wonka made them.
Everlasting Gobstoppers right?


I love me some Willy!


"The Hesitant Car"
nd
Are you kidding me?
That is the name of this toy?
SO great.

Hermann Finsterlin
"Set of Styles. Nine Basic Architechtures"
1922
These are cool.
I want to go back in time and be the 
lucky little rich kid 
who got these....

Alma Siedhoff-Busher
"Ball Games"
1924
I could use a set of these.

Bruno Taut
"Dandanah. The Fairy Place"
1919
Very glam, Bruno, soo glam....

Lyonel Feininger
"Toy Town"
1925
My mom would go nuts for these.
She has a huge collection of what she calls 
her "houses".
I should shoot those sometime....

Unknown Artist
"Sky-High Building Blocks"
1920s
This looks like something Mr. Anal Retentive would build.
(Me)

Luigi Veronesi
"Princess and Ballerina"
Puppets for "The Soldier's Tale"
by Igor Stravinsky
1942
I want to go back in time yet again and hang with Luigi
after a couple of doppios.
These are great, and he must have been too.
Luigi Veronesi
"Devils"
Puppets for "The Soldier's Tale"
by Igor Stravinsky
1942
Lucite cone leg cover?

Really? You are FREAKING ME OUT Luigi!

Ladisla Sutnar
"Steamroller"
1927
Back to basics.

Joaquin Torres-Garcia
"Figure"
1930
This is the dude that would be driving the above 
steamroller in my world.

Lyonel Feininger
"Untitled" (Four Figures and a Cat)
Characters from
"The Kin-der-Kids and Wee Willie Winkie's"
1944
Lyonel is back again with these Krazy Kats!

That Kat is pissed too.

Pablo Picasso
"Figure"
1935
There was sooooo
much more cool stuff in here!
I am jealous of anyone who saw this show!
It's headed to 
the
in the Spring.
Time for a road trip!

19 comments:

  1. !!!!!!

    dude.

    just got off my butt and ordered the catalogue.

    Joaquin Torres-Garcia actually put stuff into production, in NYC. the Aladdin Toy Company. Keep your eyes peeled.

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  2. incredible stuff. Your blog makes me so happy.

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  3. Holy Moly! Thanks. Gotta find this.

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  4. No on the Man Ray's, yes yes please on these, that steamroller driver really ought to be mine. I know I will be returning to this post again and again with my kids blocks, sand paper and felt tip markers in hand.

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  5. Wow! I am buying this book today!

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  6. LOVE... thanks! I'm buying the book as soon as I can too!

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  7. Right, I have had this book on my wish list for ages, now it moves to the trolley. Wow. Thanks to Ms Kickcan and Conkers for sending me this-a-way.

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  8. The exhibition is even better. I visited it two weeks ago in Malaga / Spain. Just stunning! Best, Antje

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  9. unbeleivable!! super weird, mega inspiring!
    thank you for sharing!

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  10. I have many pictures of Luigi Veronesi's puppets that I took in Milan 3 years ago...they're fantastic!don't know how to post them...will try to create a link if you're interested.

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  11. I smiled the whole way through. It's like GOOD medicine.

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  12. I've just posted the Lyonel Feininger on my blog with a link to your wonderful blog. Thank you so much for this.

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  13. Very lovely designs and images!

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  14. Great stuff, great aesthetics, thanks will link on my blog....

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  15. This is so great!!! why do I live so far away ;-( Thanks for sharing it.

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  16. Thanks so much for this sublime discovery!!! Dreaming with toys now!

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