Donate
Help support WAR-TOYS with an online tax-deductible donation.
WAR-TOYS is a non-profit, fine art project and the culmination of fourteen years of independent work and artistic development. It began as a small study that I photographed for an exhibition in Zagreb in the immediate aftermath of the Croatian War of Independence. However, it’s only now that I’ve experienced enough to fully realize the potential of the project and the power of toys.
Play is as universal as war. It is an inherent ability that helps us organically find our place in the world and define what it means to be human. In the case of play therapy, it also has the power to restore humanity and help those affected by war find understanding and context for the events they’ve witnessed. When words fail, play becomes a means of communication and a mechanism for healing.
My goal for WAR-TOYS is to document unseen perspectives on war, communicated by children most affected by it. To achieve this, I must travel to areas of conflict and immerse myself in diverse communities, working with humanitarian organizations to identify, observe, and collaborate with local children. It will take more time and resources than most independent artists can bear.
I will be relying on the generous support of patrons and benefactors like you to complete the project. Donations and purchases will fund all stages of production, paying for expenses such as crew, travel, and locally available toys. Your support will make all of the difference. I'm truly grateful for any contribution, large or small.
-Brian McCarty
Purchase
Fifty unique folios were created to help fundraise for the continued production of the WAR-TOYS project. Each folio contains six signed and numbered 8x10 prints: three toy photographs from the initial month-long trip to the Middle East and the three corresponding children's drawings that each were based upon. Conceived and built by fellow artist and Grammy-award-winning package designer Hugh Brown, the folios are specially repurposed from surplus, French military medical kits. Their heavy steel cases have been filled with pieces from 7200 plastic army men, suspended in resin to form shelves for the archival prints. Each folio case is numbered with an engraved metal plate and is unique, inside and out. A Certificate of Authenticity is included.
$525
(including domestic shipping)
Art-Toys
Order a copy of the Art-Toys monograph signed by the author at a 15% discount off the cover price and shipping. Prefaced by renowned media critic Douglas Rushkoff, the hardcover book contains 240 pages of photographs and behind the scene narratives. An additional $30 will be invoiced for shipping outside of the US.
$40
(including domestic shipping)
Art-Toys Special Edition
The last remaining copies of the Art-Toys special edition monograph were held back to help fundraise for the WAR-TOYS project. Individually numbered from an edition of 600, the special edition features an alternate cover free of text and a vinyl slipcase. Each book is signed on the inside by artists: Attaboy, Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup, Hugh Brown, Luke Chueh, Lili Chin, Bob Dob, Frank Kozik, Joe Ledbetter, Patrick Ma, Mark Nagata, Craig Perkins, Mark Ryden, Greg “Craola” Simkins, Scott Tolleson, Michelle Valigura, Amanda Visell, Yoskay Yamamoto, and the author. An additional $40 will be invoiced for shipping outside of the US.
$175
(including domestic shipping)