Mar 22

Mar 22 The "Illuminati By Nature" Toy Show @ Mothership Toy Gallery in Philly [Currently On Display]

I’m late to this, but there’s an exhibit/show on display in Philly that I really want to attend. Don’t look at me funny, but it’s at one of my favorite local galleries, the Mothership Toy Gallery. They are a gallery/shop that deals in designer toys (also known as “art toys.”). I’ve been a fan of the genre since I discovered it years ago, and Mothership Gallery was a chill place. Located in Fishtown, it’s a ways away from me (being near the airport), but I’m willing to get out there, if possible.

Why am I hype to get out there? I haven’t done too much in this age of COVID besides attending my twin brother’s private wedding ceremony and seeing his art adorning at the new Lucky Snake arcade at The Showboat casino in Atlantic City. I also went to the Conway The Machine concert at the TLA on South Street to see my guy, Lucky Seven, from Buffalo, tear it down. Mothership Gallery just opened a show yesterday (Monday, March 21) titled “Illuminati By Nature.” No, I’m not into any devil-worshipping shit, and I’ll never be on that type of time. I’m a devout Christian in real life, and I actually believe my infatuation with the Illuminati in hip-hop as an early 20-something sent me to the mental hospital a few times. I steer clear these days for a sound mind.

I can appreciate it such a show, though. According to the bill, it is 59 artists taking on "the all seeing eye" in the form of one-off or extremely limited edition art toys (67 all-seeing pyramids). This means that the figure(s) was/were more than likely sculpted and/or painted by the artists themselves. Anyways, Philadelphia is a big-time occult city. My late mother would take us into the city, and we’d visit occult shops. Sometimes we’d buy something. She ran Sunday school at church and her Bible was tattered from long nights of study. I never felt weird about going into such places. I think she was just trying to expose us to everything she could and show us not to be scared of it. Needless to say, an Illuminati art show isn’t out of the question for me.

Another reason I feel comfortable is because this Illuminati show is in what’s pretty much a big toy shop (in fact, the show’s available online to view, and you can purchase whatever piece that’s available from wherever). Toys can’t hurt me, plus I love them. Plus, many designer toys are spoofish, so I don’t think these are to be taken seriously. I’ve only been to Mothership Gallery once, but I really enjoyed myself. It was full of what the Chinese call “spiritual consumption.” According to a July 2020 report by Chinese state-run news outlet CGTN (formerly known as CCTV-9 and CCTV News), China’s designer toy market valuation is on its way to a whopping 76.3 billion yuan by 2024. Most of that growth will be spawned by young people’s love of their favorite pieces of intellectual property and their quest for spiritual connectedness. Intellectual property is the business play, but spiritual consumption is the energy. I interpret that holding a toy can take your mind off the stressors of life. The report’s writer wrote of one of her colleagues:

Jiayi showed me her collection of Pucky Babies, a mini-series designed by a Hong Kong-based artist that she purchased from POP MART stores. Every now and then, she spends a little time playing with them. She loved the toys because they offered her spiritual companionship.

That being said, I’m not scared of seeing it in person, but I’m probably not going to buy anything. I don’t necessarily want that energy in the crib year-round. There is one piece I want, though. It’s the latest iteration of the "Rich Boy Money's Calling" line of figures by Sanchez Designs. It is simply a visibly monied white kid rocking a suit with shorts, some sneakers and a chain whilst holding a money phone to his ear. There have been a few variations, but this one is the “Gold Chrome” edition of 10 (meaning there are only ten of them). Take a look below. You feel me , right?: