TOY PORN 3 – NICK STATHOPOULOS

Nick Stathopoulos is obsessed with toys, and the paintings in Toy Porn 3 reflect this. The exhibition is a testament to fixation and intensity and focuses on characters which are part of the modern zeitgeist.

They leap off the walls as if standing on a toddler’s shelf waiting to be fondled. The bold lines and vibrant colours of the portraits stir emotions of envy, awe and temptation.

Featuring popular cultural tropes such as Felix the Cat, Astroboy and the cast of Toy Story, the images are tour guides for a journey into childhood.

Most poignant is When Somebody Loved Me, a portrayal of a broken Jessie from Toy Story. The doll, bruised and brutalised, stares with a stony expression in her crystallised blue eyes, begging for understanding and compassion.

Toy Porn 3 is a symphony of colour and strength which resonates with a society of narcissism and nostalgia. (LR)

Until Oct 12, NG Art Gallery, 3 Little Queen Street, Chippendale, Free, ngart.com.au