BALTIMORE- “Playthings”, a group exhibit of art influenced by the act of play, will be shown at the Metro Gallery during the month of May. The exhibition will include works by some of the most exciting young local artists: Dina Kelberman, Milana Braslavsky, Noel Freibert, Alex Worthington, Ryan Cecil Smith, Natalie Jenison, Nik Pence, Michael Gerkovich, Meghan Clay, and Giuliana Pinto. Showcasing a variety of media, the works included in “Playthings” iterate the importance of play within current art, and the centrality of toys within this discussion.

“Playthings” examines the elements of play that appear within art. Toys are the signifiers and embodiment of play, and their influence on us extends far beyond childhood. Across the world, toys are used as educational tools and instructional activities, but the child, who sees only the wonder and excitement of this play-prosthetic/device, is oblivious to the more utilitarian concerns and intentions. Toys offer/possess/release the magic of play. As with art, toys are the visual reproductions of reality as well as the manifestations of fantasy. They teach and reflect upon the reality of living through the trivialities of everyday and by the nonpresent wonders of the unreal. Whether a miniature plastic vacuum cleaner or a glittering magic wand, objects—both toy and art—have the ability to fulfill the desire for innocent play, to provide a catalyst for fun.

“Playthings” embraces act of play: through the thematic and visual influence of playthings, through the welcoming of physical interaction. The works included in this exhibition embody the both the spirit and the function of toys.  They imitate mundane necessities of life or they provide relief through alternative fantasy, and often these two binaries collide. Through the language of toys, “Playthings” presents a wonderland of invention, whimsy, and playfulness.