Not just another book about toys, Toygiants is simply stunning photographic exploration of toy figures, vintage and modern. Toygiants shows in exquisite detail the elements of design that imbue toys and figures with life and contribute to their timeless appeal, as well as their eerie realism, by photographing them up- close as large- scale portraits and together in masterful compositions. Not frozen in time as tiny plastic effigies rather, the artists have managed, through brilliant use of angles and lighting to breathe life into their subjects creating nuanced portraits and vibrant tableaux vivant. Each page is enthralling. Alongside Batman and Superman, Godzilla and Astroboy Blythe and Barbie are real life figures of good and evil- Che Guevara poses next to Abraham Lincoln, George Bush is juxtaposed with Osama Bin Laden, and other towering figures from history. The visual dioramas range from the humorous to the overtly political and provocative. The project TOYGIANTS is the product of several years of collaborative work between Daniel and Geo Fuchs and Selim Varol. Daniel and Geo Fuchs have worked together for over 15 years on photo-artistic projects, the most recent being Conserving, Famous Eyes and STASI – Secret Rooms. Their work is shown in exhibitions and art museums around the world. Selim Varol has collected toys for over 20 years and is the owner of one of Europe’s largest collections.
