When you think of “war toys,” you probably wouldn’t immediately think of art pairing social commentary with play, but that’s what War Toys, a nonprofit arts and media organization, is all about.
Founded by photographer Brian McCarty, the organization is “devoted to gathering and disseminating children’s firsthand accounts of war through art-therapy-based collaborations in the field.” Backed by a board of directors and advisors with ties to Hasbro, Mattel, Disney, Warner Bros., Super7, and more, War Toys seeks to develop programs to promote peace.
McCarty’s work will be showcased at the Photoville Festival in Brooklyn, New York City, June 3-18. The collection highlights War Toys efforts from 2011-2022 with kids from Ukraine, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. Each photo was created in collaboration with a child that shared their firsthand account of war. A selection of photos and the stories behind them can be viewed here.
During the exhibition, attendees can be on the lookout for miniature “Easter eggs” sprinkled throughout — little green army men and women that represent members of the press. War Toys is in the process of collaborating with toymakers to include new figures in packages of little green army men and other “generic” military toys to showcase the work of the boots-on-the-ground photojournalists that capture images of war in conflicts around the world.
According to War Toys, the organization is essentially giving toymakers new designs and paying for the molds to get these new figures made. War Toys hopes to have product in hand prior to opening a touring exhibit at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York in November.
To learn more about the War Toys mission and programs, visit wartoys.org.
Top Photo: Veronique de Viguerie prototype figure photographed in Ukraine. | Source: War Toys
