MARCH RADNESS STRIKES
THIS IS NOT A TOY STORE!

AUSTRALIA’S TOY-ART COMMUNITY UNITES FOR FOUR EPIC GROUP SHOWS

World-first toy-art retail concept This is Not a Toy Store is going all out this March with four consecutive group shows kicking off each Friday of the month.

Dubbed ‘March Radness’, the series of group shows sees independent toy-based artists from all around Australia tackle blank base sculpts from internationally acclaimed artists Trash Talk Toys, Hints and Spices, and Sank Toys, as well as a resin recreation of the classic Masters of the Universe ‘Battle Cat’ from 1982.

March Radness kicks off on March 4 with The Samuel Burger Show, in collaboration with Trash Talk Toys. The acclaimed soft vinyl artist – originally from Hong Kong, now based in Melbourne, Australia – has graciously allowed artists access to his coveted ‘Samuel Burger’ sculpt, giving them free reign to modify it as they so desire.

Continuing with the soft vinyl theme, March 11 sees the launch of The Pretty Sofubi Suity-Chan Show, in collaboration with Adelaide-based artist Shane Haddy, aka Hints and Spices. For his contribution, Shane has provided artists with an assortment of colours of his mermaid-inspired ‘Suity-Chan’ sofubi – each of which has been authentically pulled in Japan, like the traditional soft vinyl toys that inspired Shane.

Things take a slight detour on March 18 with the launch of The Battle Cat Project at Lobos Collectables, Australia’s premier toy and collectables retailer. 40 Australian artists have customised resin castings of He-Man’s faithful Battle Cat from the original Masters of the Universe toyline – itself a redeco of a tiger created for Mattel’s Big Jim toyline in 1976. Like 2021’s Landspeeder Project that preceded it, which saw 36 different reinterpretations of Kenner’s beloved Star Wars Landspeeder from 1978, The Battle Cat Project makes its grand debut at Lobo’s Collectables from March 18-20, before transitioning to the official Masters of the Universe: Remastered  exhibition, hosted by Radio Velvet in partnership with Mattel at St. Collins Lane, from March 25-27.

March Radness ends with a bang with the launch of ‘Somewhere Beneath the Sea’, a custom art show in collaboration with revered Chinese art toy maker Sank Toys. For this show, 20 acclaimed Australian artists have been bestowed one of two of Sank Toys’ most desirable sculpts – The Boy and Backpack Boy – and entrusted to put their own spin on these highly collectable works, giving each a unique Australian flavour.

Each March Radness event kicks off with a Friday night launch party from 6pm at This is Not a Store, located at 265 Little Collins Street, Melbourne CBD – with the exception of The Battle Cat Project which will be hosted at Lobos Collectables, located at 310 St. Georges Road, Thornbury. Admission is free and open to the public, with works available for purchase on a first-come-first-served basis.

For additional information or interview requests, find us on instagram @thisisnotatoystore or email us at atoystorethisisnot@gmail.com

About This is Not a Toy Store:

This is Not a Toy Store is a collective venture between independent toy-based artists from around Australia, led by Cipta Croft-Cusworth of GGNW Toys, Liam Alkamrailki of ZNG Toys, A.J. Dinsdale of Kayo Co and Fletcher Andersen of Irikanji Toys. The first of its kind retail concept, gives local consumers a chance to purchase works directly from artists, including the likes of Wendy Olsen, Dave Behrens and Sekure D.

This is Not a Toy Store is proudly supported by the Melbourne CBD revival program with the assistance of Martin Ginnane of Ginnane & Associates and Richard Jenkins of Plan 1 Management and Consultancy.