Are art, toys, and play really non-essential? Explore the stories, ideas, and artists behind the art toy movement.
Thursday 20th August
(Night of the Arts / Taiteiden yö)
18:00 - 21:00
Luckan Helsingfors
Yrjönkatu 27
00100 Helsinki
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Welcome to NON-ESSENTIAL: Art Toy Exhibition.
We live in a world that constantly reminds us what is important. Work. Productivity. Efficiency. Growth.The things that keep life moving.But this exhibition is about something else.It is about the things we often place to the side. The things we call hobbies, collections, toys, art, imagination, and play.The things we are told are non-essential.
Art toys sit at the intersection of art, design, storytelling, and collecting. They are objects, but they are also reflections of the people who create them and the people who live with them.Through the works in this exhibition, we invite you to explore the stories, ideas, and emotions that these objects carry.Perhaps you will discover something that reminds you of yourself.
And perhaps by the end, you may find yourself questioning whether these things were ever non-essential at all.
FEATURING WORK BY
Nigel Goh
Alex Markwith
Mainu Yinoot
Martín Acuña
Evelyn Virteve
Rck Cnd
Elias "Ilja" Erävalo
Shotgun Karaoke
Liisa Tuulikki
Yoshihito Suzuki
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WHAT TO EXPECT
Art Toy Exhibition
Explore a diverse collection of artworks from artists working across the worlds of art toys, sculpture, painting, sound, and street art.
Free Exhibition Zine
Pick up a complimentary zine that explores the art toy movement, the artists behind the exhibition, and the stories behind the works on display. Available while supplies last.
Hold Onto Your Joy
Take a moment to reflect and capture a photo with our interactive mirror installation.
Try Your Hand at Screen Printing
Create your own keepsake and experience a small part of the DIY spirit that helped shape the art toy movement.
Music by DJ Jope
Enjoy a curated soundtrack throughout the exhibition.
Sweet Treats by Matcha Life
Complimentary desserts will be available while supplies last.
Art. Play. Music. Connection.
Non-essential, perhaps. Human, undoubtedly.
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ABOUT ATOM TOYS STUDIOS
Atom Toys started in Finland in 2023 with a simple belief: art should belong to the people who love it. Not the institutions trying to define it and not the gatekeepers deciding what counts.
Our characters and stories are built around the idea of the void, the emptiness we all carry and the small joys that help fill it. Through designer art toys and handcrafted pieces, we explore childhood wonder, personal stories, and the moments that keep us going.
Every void deserves a little joy.