Titillating Toys Exhibition

Paddington-based artist Nick Stathopoulos showcased his playful take on porn last Tuesday night with the opening of his latest exhibition Toy Porn 2.

The three-time Archibald finalist has lovingly painted his collection of retro toys, bringing the likes of Tin Tin and Astroboy to the art gallery.

“It’s a lot of robots and things that I grew up with like TV shows I watched as a child,” said Mr Stathopoulos.

He notes Gerry Anderson shows like Thunderbirds as being one of his all-time favourites as a child and adult alike.

“Thunderbirds is a perennial favourite with everyone I think.”

As a self-taught artist, Mr Stathopoulos said: “The process is a very classical approach to a very contemporary pop art subject.”

Toy Porn 2, like many of his other paintings, are hyperrealist works painted with acrylic and oil on canvas.

“They’re incredibly detailed. The process is very laborious and there’s no airbrushing involved,” said Mr Stathopoulos.

“[They’re] a million times more detailed because this time some of them have been worked with under magnification.”

The provocative title for the exhibition was inspired by a friend who told Mr Stathopoulos he was “looking at some toy porn” one day.

When asked to explain his friend said: “Do you know hardware porn? You know where tradies go through catalogues of tools and they get off on it? I’m going through some toy catalogues.”

Mr Stathopolous said the phrase described his exhibition perfectly “because it’s [about] this intense love and appreciation of toys”.

The first Toy Porn show exhibited in 2009 at NG Art Gallery and was well received by many.

This time round, curator and owner of NG Art Gallery, Nicky Grinsberg is hoping for more of the same.

Ms Grinsberg said half a dozen paintings were sold before the show had even opened.

“Nick’s very talented…there’s such originality in his work and they’re beautifully composed.”

When asked why she thought the last show was so popular Ms Grinsberg said: “It’s a revisiting of your past but put in a rather unusual contemporary context.

“It’s rediscovering the child within and the programs you used to love like Lost in Space and Batman and Robin.

“They’re very much a part of our lives growing up and the interest is still here.”

Mr Stathopolous agreed.

“There’s a nostalgia factor,” he said.

“People have grown up with these images…so I think people resonate with them.”

Toy Porn 2 will exhibit from July 26 to August 13 at NG Art Gallery, Chippendale.