Play and make-believe shape the way children grow and learn as they become members of society. For centuries, play has taught youngsters skills that have helped them form the way they see the world and their place in it. Toys are the catalyst to this knowledge, in the sense that they are a tool for acting on a child’s need and desire to be a grown-up. In this collection of ten sculptures developed from my research in the Library Company’s collections, online, and at antique stores as the Visual Cultural Program summer intern, Artist in Residence Jesse Lentz represents popular toys from the period between 1850 and 1950. Each unique piece is based on one or a combination of different toys that existed during the decade represented, as well as the artist’s imagination. The individual sculptures, in materials and aesthetics, mirror the era of the toy that inspired them.
Curated by Jesse Lentz, 2012.
