Looks Like A Return to Wonderful Whimsy
Is your inner child content? Do they find this happiness in a form of play? Play is an important part of how children learn, but what of us adults? There’s an image of growing up that for years has involved grown-ups setting aside their fun-loving, playful childlike minds in favour of more serious, more demure ones. But that is changing. Find out more about childhood ‘toys’ for adults here in Looks Like A Return to Wonderful Whimsy.
The inner child
You might hold on to your inner child through your own children, passing down traditions, nostalgic memories and the innocence, freedom and open-mindedness that seem to come so naturally to kids. A favourite Snoopy keyring or a Teletubbies mug still hangs around the house, releasing a spark of joy when glimpsed at.
The pop culture of our childhoods formed us. Maybe you grew up with Play School or Blue Peter, Sesame Street or the Muppets. Maybe you were a CBeebies baby. Those pieces of media are now filled with nostalgia for the people who, some long ago and some more recently, grew up on them.
Growing Pains
As you grew, you may have strayed from those pieces of media that shaped you – swapped themed backpacks for briefcases, picture books for journals. But it’s very likely you’ve still held them dear, even if in the very back of your mind. We hearken back to those times of play when thinking “outside of the box.” We feel a sense of security and safety with the characters of our childhoods.
Nowadays, many of us stay connected with our inner child through art, decor, and fashion. We pay homage to the characters of our childhoods in subtle – and not-so-subtle – ways.
Pop Sculpture: Leblon Delienne
Sculpting Snoopy’s head. p.40-41 ©Leblon Delienne, from Pop Sculpture, Flammarion
Juliette de Blegiers is the president of Leblon Delienne, a Normandy-based sculpture workshop that specialises in pop culture. Along with the stories of her colleagues and fellow artists, de Blegiers (with a foreword by journalist Élisabeth Quin and postface by writer Michael Bussi) chronicles the creations and artistic journeys of Leblon Delienne’s “Pop Sculptures” – and the characters they feature – in their new book “Pop Sculpture: Leblon Delienne.”
Written in French with English translations on each page, the coffee table book features many artists who bring a youthful creativity and openness to even high-end art and artistry.
“The world of imagination created during childhood comes surging back in the face of our figurines and sculptures.”
Marinette Auber, former Leblon Delienne Workshop manager, in “Pop Sculpture: Leblon Delienne.”
From Mickey and Minnie Mouse to Snoopy to Batman, Leblon Delienne’s sculptures reimagine and re-submit the characters of our childhoods for the adult – and perhaps more “demure” – space.
“It is very reassuring to have one of these characters nearby, because these icons transcend generations and traverse history. What makes pop culture irresistible is the mark that it leaves on successive generations. This enduring nature demonstrates the very essence of pop culture.”
Hélène Etzi, President of The Walt Disney Company France, in “Pop Sculpture: Leblon Delienne.”
From Snoopy to Mickey Mouse
Filled with splashy, colourful pages and large photos, “Pop Sculpture: Leblon Delienne” showcases the workshop’s artistry process, its history and many of the pieces it’s worked on with artists.
Artist and designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac’s “King Snoopy” is a sculpture of Charles Schulz’s Snoopy the dog wearing a cape made of more, smaller Snoopys and a crown featuring his pal Woodstock. Stylist Chantal Thomass’s Minnie Mouse sculpture features Thomass’ signature lipstick shade and an “excess of polka dots and beauty spots.” Street artist Jo Di Bona’s “Pop Kitty” paints Hello Kitty in a graffiti style (“This character is made of rock and roll, massive pop, wild strawberries, and walks in the forest,” Di Bona said).
Jo Di Bona & Pop Kitty. p.136 ©Leblon Delienne, from Pop Sculpture, Flammarion
Superheroes: toys with a purpose
Throughout the book is a genuine commitment to artistry from everyone involved in the process of making these sculptures. For example, some might look at a set of superhero-themed coat hooks and laugh it off as childish, but Constance Guisset, who designed these “Super Hangers,” explains the deeper meaning to them.
Even these small hangers, shaped like superhero capes in their basic but instantly recognisable colours (blue and red invoke Superman, for example) invite us to hang our hats in a whimsical way. Whimsy seems to be a common thread in these projects and in this reconnection with the inner child.
“Children, who have more imagination than us, don’t ask themselves any questions. In two seconds, … the superhero coat hangers are theirs. I hope that everyone thinks of their favorite superhero and heads towards the coat hanger, feeling both physically and internally like the hero of their own lives. That is also pop culture; it immediately speaks to us, which is impressive.”
Constance Guisset
Certainly, a return to the whimsical is a common thread throughout these projects. There is a somewhat childlike sense of imagination and possibility (plus, arguably, some naiveté) that we tend to lose as we grow older, but that many of these artists hold on to.
And, like plenty of our childhoods, many pieces of nostalgic media have always been family affairs.
“Thunderbirds” 60th Anniversary
In the 1960s, then-spouses Gerry and Sylvia Anderson created the show “Thunderbirds” with their technique “Supermarionation” (a combination of “super,” “marionette” and “animation”). Lauded for their advanced puppetry and to-scale special effects models, the show’s two series had a major impact on the people who grew up watching it.
For its sixtieth anniversary, two episodes of the show were restored and remastered. “Trapped in the Sky” and “Terror in New York City,” returned to cinemas last month to celebrate the milestone.
You may remember the show’s characters, Jeff Tracy and his sons, who flew the five “Thunderbird machines” for International Rescue. Also iconic was the theme song and its countdown: “Five, four, three, two, one – Thunderbirds Are Go!”
Now-adults who were raised on the show feel nostalgia and excitement at reliving those memories. If you had a favourite brother or a favourite Thunderbird, chances are that’s an opinion you still stand by.
“Even back in 1965, Dad and his amazing teams made each episode of Thunderbirds feel like a mini movie – huge stories, stunning models, and that unmistakable sense of adventure.”
Jamie Anderson, CEO of Anderson Entertainment
The program is sentimental for many, and its return to the big screen reflects the nostalgia of many pieces of media – for example, “The Muppet Show,” which will return in February as a Disney+ special for the original show’s fiftieth anniversary.
Also to celebrate the milestone, Dee Anderson (daughter of “Thunderbirds” creators Sylvia and Gerry Anderson) is spearheading the release of a beauty gift set inspired by Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward, the series’ glamorous field agent character.
Lady Penelope eau de Parfum and Limited Edition Gift Set.
The collection, which will release later this year, includes a “Lady P Secrets” Eau de Parfum and a gift set including the Pink Satin Finish Lipstick and Translucent Pressed Powder Compact. With a shiny gold-and-pink colour scheme, the limited-edition release invokes the “timeless glamour, sharp intellect, and unstoppable poise” of Lady Penelope – and allows former young fans to embody that “grown-up” charm themselves.
Teletubbies x Pop Mart and more
Although maintaining whimsy is, of course, not just for grown-ups. Earlier this month, London played host to a popular set of characters: the Teletubbies. On October 5, the “Teletubbies’ BIG FUN Red Double-Decker Bus Tour” took off on a tour of central London. Later in the day, the characters appeared for a photo op at Pop Mart on Oxford Street to promote the new Teletubbies “Say Hello” figurine keychains – yet another way for fans of all ages to pay homage to the characters of their childhoods.
Along with an appearance by Strawberry Shortcake at Borough Market that day, the event brought a childlike sense of fun and whimsy to the weekend for fans of all ages.
Snoopy gifts – Jewellery
Snoopy “Joe Cool” Brooch, from Tatty Devine’s “Tatty Devine X Peanuts” collection.
Cartoons do seem to bring up a lot of sentimentality; pretty impressive for a 2D bunny (“What’s up, doc?”), a bunch of puppets or what was initially just a drawing of a little dog.
To commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of Charles Schulz’s “Peanuts” comic strip, Tatty Devine has released a limited-time Tatty Devine X Peanuts collection, featuring handmade jewellery of classic characters Snoopy and Woodstock.
The collection includes necklaces, brooches and charms, consisting of returning pieces like the “Snoopy Love Heart Necklace” and new ones like the “Snoopy and Woodstock Bus Necklace” and “Snoopy Joe Cool Necklace” (pictured above).
Whether through what we wear, where we go, what we watch or how we fill our homes, the pop culture that raised us is very much alive. Maybe it’s how you feel young. Maybe its how you maintain your sense of whimsy, your creativity and your imagination. But it’s comforting to think that even after all these years, we can still catch a glimpse of Snoopy or Mickey Mouse and smile.
Learn more about these products and experiences: Pop Sculpture: Leblon Delienne, Thunderbirds sixtieth anniversary, Lady P – Secrets – Eau de Parfum, Lady P – 60th Anniversary Gift Set, Tatty Devine X Peanuts
If you enjoyed reading Looks Like A Return to Wonderful Whimsy, why not try Love The Magical Hotels That Bring Childhood Dreams to Life.
.Cent Magazine London. Luxury Mindset.
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