We all have our favourite toys from when we were kids - Star Wars AT AT Walker - but we don't remember any of them being as sinister as artist Ben Turnbull's creations. Taking toys from the seventies and eighties, Turnbull re-interprets our beloved pieces of plastic as statements about global politcs, war, and guns. Now, thanks to Eleven, large chunks of his impressive back catalogue are about to go on show in London. Ahead of the opening, we obtained a selection of the sculptures that will be on show.
Ben Turnbull, A.C.M.E, 1-22 October 2010, 37 Kingsway, London, WC2, Opening hours, Wednesday - Saturday 11am - 6pm
Superpower (2010)
Ben Turnbull
Superpower, 2010
Mixed media
43 x 25 ½ x 16 in / 110 x 65 x 40 cm
Edition of 2
Every Home Should Have One, (Derringer) (2009)
Ben Turnbull
Every Home Should Have One, (Derringer), 2009
Mixed media
7 x 7 x 4 in / 17 x 17 x 10 cm
Edition of 5
Kids Have Everything These Days (2009)
Ben Turnbull
Kids Have Everything These Days, 2009
Mixed Media
31 x 16 x 11 in / 78 x 41 x 28 cm
A.C.M.E. (2010)
Ben Turnbull
A.C.M.E., 2010
Screenprint on of 300gsm Somerset paper with embossed initials
23 ½ x 16 ½ in / 59 x 42 cm
Edition of 100
Crime Prevention Unit (2010)
Ben Turnbull
Crime Prevention Unit, 2010
Mixed media
60 x 60 x 62 in / 152 x 152 x 157 cm
Bring me the Head of Saddam Hussein (2008)
Ben Turnbull
Bring me the Head of Saddam Hussein, 2008
Mixed media
84 x 48 x 48 in / 214 x 122 x 122 cm
Kids Have Everything These Days (Grenade) (2010)
Ben Turnbull
Kids Have Everything These Days (Grenade), 2010
Mixed Media
23 x 11 x 10 in / 58 x 28 x 25 cm
Land of the Freeze (2008)
Ben Turnbull
Land of the Freeze, 2008
Mixed media
79 x 29 ½ x 10 in / 200 x 75 x 25 cm
The Empire Likes Black (2008)
Ben Turnbull
The Empire Likes Black, 2008
Wood, acrylic, vinyl, mixed media
14 x 52 x 7 in / 36 x 132 x 18 cm
Edition of 3
All images are courtesy of Eleven Fine Art, London.
