The Real Toy Story

This March, to complement V&A's China Design Now exhibition, Liberty will exhibit The Real Toy Story, an extraordinary art installation by Michael Wolf that uses 20,000 plastic toys.

Through his photographs Hong Kong based photographer Michael Wolf chronicles the many different faces of China, contrasting the global face of Chinese society with the individuality and humanity of its people.

Over 75% of the world's toys are made in China and The Real Toy Story consists of thousands of plastic toys collected by Wolf, and shown alongside his sensitively observed portraits of the factory workers who have made them. Wolf thought up the idea for the installation in 2003 during a visit to the United States. As a surprise for his son, he bought a sack of second hand toys at the local charity store and distributed them on every available surface in his room. As he examined the toys closer he realised that every one was made in China. It was then the idea came to him to cover an entire wall with toys "made in China" next to portraits of the Chinese toyfactory workers.

In spring 2004, he returned to the United States, rented a van and travelled throughout California, visiting all the second hand shops along the way and hitting the flea markets at the weekends. Each toy had to have a face, and have been "made in China". After 30 days, 2000 miles, and hundreds of shops and flea markets later, Michael Wolf had collected approximately 20,000 toys which were packed and shipped to his studio in Hong Kong. There, he proceeded to sand down the back of each toy creating a flat, rough surface onto which he could secure strong magnets.

The idea was to cover a gallery or museum wall with thin metal sheets and attach the magnetised toys - the magnets allowed Wolf to move the toys around the walls and gave him flexibility in the way he manipulated the installation. Wolf then visited five toy factories in China where he photographed the workers producing the toys. These portraits are embedded in the installation, and add another level of meaning to the project, both as a homage to the individuals who create the majority of the world's plastic toys and as a comment on what this says about China's burgeoning economy and societal changes.

Alongside the installation is a collection of his photos - Architecture of Density - an exhibition of large scale photographs depicting high rise tower blocks in Hong Kong.

Liberty
Regent Street, London

Exhibition from March 11 to May 23 2008