Press kit 1.91 MB

PLAYMOBIL Fab.
From October 19, 2011 to February 12, 2012
Male figure 1994 © Photo: Olivier Pasqual
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Introduction
PLAYMOBIL Fab. Is the first exhibition in Switzerland devoted to this famous German line of toys. The
abbreviation “Fab” underscores the fabrication aspect that the museum has chosen to highlight in
this show.
Transformed into a factory, the mudac galleries reveal how this 3-inch figurine conquered the world,
colonizing several generations of children’s rooms. Featuring over 5000 figurines, the show draws a
detailed timeline from the initial concept for the toy and its manufacture since its introduction in
1974. In doing so, it showcases the spontaneously submitted children’s drawings received by the
firm, as well as the various phases launched by the engineering and design departments, up until the
final product’s actual creation and packaging. The presentation underscores the toys’ highly inventive
and clever design lines, and the graphic impact of both the object and its wrapping.
A greenhouse lined with myriads of PLAYMOBIL figurines will afford younger visitors a playroom in
which to let loose their imagination.
Knight 1974 © PLAYMOBIL
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Presentation
Introduced in 1974, the first PLAYMOBIL figurine revolutionized the toy world. Until then, toy figures
— made primarily of lead, paper, painted aluminum and plastic—tended to be frozen into a single
stance or motion, their feet molded to the base that kept them upright. Soldiers, cowboys, Native
Americans, football and rugby players, or cyclists all embodied a basically warring or sportsdominated world. Children would organize their armies or teams to reenact wars and matches, thus
reverting to key moments in history. By inventing a new figurine, Hans Beck was also inventing a new
way of playing. The background here is the oil crisis of the time, which forced firms such as the
German plastic toy and hobby firm geobra
Brandstätter, for which Hans Beck
designed, to come up with smaller-sized
and less expensive objects. Beck ‘s
unprecedented idea was to bring out a
small 3-inch figurine fitting into a child’s
hand, with articulated arms and legs and
accompanied by sets of accessories. Their
face illuminated by a slight smile and a
round-eyed gaze, these figurines took off
immediately with all children, enabling
them for the first time to make up their
own role-playing. Indeed, Beck himself
explained that the figures were meant to
offer an unending range of possibilities,
with deliberately neutral facial expressions
so that children could choose and make up
Sketch of Hans Beck © PLAYMOBIL
the various figurines’ character and mood…
These come alive in every child’s hand; they
can be changed around to their heart’s desire. Thanks to their fantastic power of imagination and the
variety of accessories at their disposal, children can thus create an infinite spectrum of situations.
The first play sets made available to the children were divided into three main themes: construction
workers, Native Americans and knights. These were colored red, yellow, green, blue or white, and
assigned recognizable attributes in the form of caps, ladders, shovels, brooms and rakes for the
workers; horses, feather headdress, spears and bracelets for the Native Americans; and swords,
capes and crowns for the knights. Over the years, they became equipped with a growing number of
further attributes.
Set of figurines dating from 1974 and 1994 © PLAYMOBIL
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Every PLAYMOBIL set receives a great deal of close attention, with much of the research work relying
for example on children’s drawings sent in on a daily basis. These provide PLAYMOBIL with a vision of
the world through children’s eyes, inspiring numerous new accessories and themes.
To date, 3’200 types of different figures have come into being; their production output comes to over
2.4 billion figures, making PLAYMOBIL one of today’s largest European toy manufacturers.
Exhibition contents
The exhibition comprises four parts:
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Entitled la vie de tous les jours (EVERYDAY LIFE), the first part uses a toy camping car to
showcase the various steps in conceiving and manufacturing a PLAYMOBIL object. It features
former models of the car, the ideas and drawings submitted by children, the sketches proposed
by the R & D Department, construction drawings, certain foam pre-models, steel molds for
various camping car parts and examples of the thermoplastic grains that represent the basic
PLAYMOBIL construction material. A second showcase follows the evolution of construction
and police play sets from the 1970s until present times; it is brought alive thanks to a miniature
freight train that runs through it non-stop.
Split open figurine © PLAYMOBIL
•
Voyage dans l’histoire [JOURNEY THROUGH HISTORY] invites viewers to follow the figurines
from the first three models (Native Americans, construction workers and knights) dating back
to 1974 until the most recent figures of the toy line: a family in bathing suits. The second
showcase traces the chronology of human civilization through sets of persons and architectural
models, from pre-history to our possible presence a new planet. Illustrating this section is a
series of preliminary sketches and split open figurines.
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Female figures 1976 © PLAYMOBIL
•
Nos amies les bêtes [OUR ANIMAL FRIENDS] divides all the species of animals manufactured
by the toy company into five themes: wild, domestic, exotic, aquatic and aerial. A second
showcase elaborates on the horse world, displaying all the PLAYMOBIL figures that fall under
that heading. By presenting the architectural models accompanying its animal figures, such as
modern farms, various types of zoos and veterinarian clinics, PLAYMOBIL Fab. underscores all
the precision and loyalty to realism that are the mainstays of the brand’s success story.
•
L’amour du détail [LOVE OF DETAIL] gives visitors an overview of many of the accessories
linked to the figurines. The exhibition’s innovative showcasing does full justice to the tiny
objects, displaying them in exact replicas of our surroundings. We are invited to stroll along a
shop-lined street whose store windows are overflowing with miniature toy elements.
Separate exhibition sectors cover this German toy line’s trademark graphic design and packaging.
Last but not least, on view at the mudac is a plastic injection machine from the
Dietenhofen production site: visitors are welcome to take home with them one of
the mice it spews forth non-stop. A screening of newsreels and commercials from
1976 until the present time puts a final touch to the exhibition.
PLAYMOBIL packaging 1975 © PLAYMOBIL
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Key dates
1974
Creation of three male figures—construction workers, Native
Americans and knights—in five colors (red, green, blue,
yellow, and white).
The horse is the first PLAYMOBIL animal; it goes with the
Native Americans and knights.
Gradual widening of the range of accessories.
1976
First female figurine.
The figure’s femininity derives from its slightly rounded
attire. Different topped by variously-shaped hats can be
applied.
1978
Introduction of PLAYMOBIL Color: white figurines that the
children can color with special felt-tip pens into their own
customized versions.
Native American 1974 © PLAYMOBIL
1979
Construction in Dietenhofen of a totally automated
warehouse, the first of its kind and able to store up to 12,000
pallets.
1980
Existence of 320 million PLAYMOBIL figures in the world.
1981
Girl and boy child PLAYMOBIL figures come into being; 2.2
inches tall, they boast the same functions as the adult figures.
1982
Rotation of the figurines’ hands enabled, granting them a
better grasp of the accessories.
1983
Launching of a glow-in-the-dark PLAYMOBIL figure in the
form of a ghost.
1984
PLAYMOBIL celebrates its tenth anniversary.
A baby PLAYMOBIL figure 1.4 inches high joins the family.
Production output reaches 500 million figurines since 1974.
Color PLAYMOBIL 1978 © PLAYMOBIL
1986
Several male PLAYMOBIL
figures put on a tummy; for
instance, the pirate captain and the clown.
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1987
The PLAYMOBIL figures can now wear shoes or go barefoot;
the men wear suit jackets and the women long skirts.
1988
The Research and Development Department expands, with
fifty employees and designers working on new products
projects.
1989
Addition of a new theme—the Victorian Age—brings new
color to the PLAYMOBIL sets: pink packaging meant to appeal
more to little girls.
1990
Launching of a PLAYMOBIL 1.2.3 series, a program targeting
toddlers aged 18 months to three years.
Knight 1997 © PLAYMOBIL
1994
PLAYMOBIL celebrates
its 20th anniversary.
Over
21
million
PLAYMOBIL sets sold.
Introduction of the PLAYMOBIL “Special figure” set, i.e. one
figurine and its accessories, available in 12 different figurine
versions.
2001
A plane and an airport join the product line.
2004
PLAYMOBIL celebrates its 30th anniversary.
2006
In honor of the World Football Cup, PLAYMOBIL player
figures are endowed with articulated feet.
2009
PLAYMOBIL figures change into swimming costumes enjoy
their leisure time.
2011
Since its creation, PLAYMOBIL has produced over 650
different figures, bringing its total output to around 2.4
billion.
SE
Horsebackrider 2002 © PLAYMOBIL
Horsebackrider 2002 © PLAYMOBIL
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Practical information
Press conference
Tuesday October 18th at 10am.
Opening reception
Tuesday October 18th at 4pm. Contests for youngsters, with
many prizes to be won!
Brochure
A brochure with a Collector PLAYMOBIL insert accompanies
the exhibition. Essays by Susanne Hilpert and Valérie Studer.
Bilingual French/English. 60 pages
Guided tour for teachers
Tuesday November 1st at 12:30pm. Activities program focusing
on oral expression.
PLAYMOBIL-related workshops
Wednesday October 26th/10 to 11 am, as of age 4
Saturday October 29th /4 to 5pm as of age 6
Sunday November 13th/4 to 5pm as of age 6
Wednesday November 16th/4 to 5pm, as of age 6
Saturday November 26th/4 to 5pm, as of age 6
Wednesday December 14th/4 to 5pm, as of age 6
Wednesday January 25th/4 to 5pm
Exhibition dates
From 19 October 2011 thru 12 February 2012
Opening hours
Tuesdays thru Sundays: 11am to 6pm
December 24th: 11am to 4pm; December 25th: closed;
December 31st: 11am to 4pm; January 1st: closed.
Illustrations
A CD-ROM with pictures of the exhibition is available upon
request. Pictures can also be downloaded from our Internet
site at www.mudac.ch. Click on “presse “. Login: presse2011;
password: images2011. For our information, kindly include an
email address in your request.
Press contacts
Susanne Hilpert Stuber or Claire Favre Maxwell, mudac
Curators
Tel.
E-mail:
021 315 25 30
susanne.hilpert-stuber@lausanne.ch
claire.favre-maxwell@lausanne.ch
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Address
mudac, Musée de design et d'arts appliqués contemporains
Pl. de la Cathédrale 6, CH - 1005 Lausanne
T. +41 21 315 25 30, F. +41 21 315 25 39
info@mudac.ch; www.mudac.ch
Concept and realization
Susanne Hilpert Stuber, curator, mudac
Assisted by Valérie Studer and
Chantal Prod’Hom
Exhibition design
Adrien Rovero
Graphic design
Aurèle Sack
Acknowledgements
Birgit Gladen, PLAYMOBIL Germany
Gisela Kupiak, PLAYMOBIL Germany
Bernhard Kober, PLAYMOBIL Germany
Béatrice Salmon, Director, and Dorothée Charles, Curator of
the Toy Department at the Musée Les Arts Décoratifs, Paris
Wendy Loten, Canada, for the loan of her film Making Stuff
Partners
Media partners
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