Figured Out: Toy Stories in Nature

An exhibition which will encourage visitors of all ages to relive their childhoods and embrace all things toys is coming to Warrington Museum and Art Gallery.

Chris Rose, who has worked with the likes of Disney, Sony, Lego, Hasbro and Mattel on advertising campaigns, is bringing his new show to his hometown.

With ‘Figured Out: Toy Stories in Nature’, the Culcheth photographer will share his love of toys and action figures and show how keeping a piece of his childhood alive has led to a high profile career.

Chris’s passion for toys began, aged six, when he started collecting Star Wars figures and imagining their backstories.

This led to lifelong pursuit of blending narrative and photography and crafting scenes that blur the line between fantasy and reality.

He said: “My connection (translation: obsession) with toys has been a constant throughout my life. I’ve collected Star Wars toys on and off since I was six years old and I always loved imagining the ‘backstories’ of the characters, wondering what happened once the main story had ended, or just making up my own tales for them.

“Walking and spending time outdoors around nature is also a big part of my life so toy photography feels like such a natural way of connecting these two great interests”

Since then, Chris has found a real flair and eye for this unique artform and what began as a hobby has led to opportunities all over the world.

As well as being headhunted for campaigns by the likes of Disney and Sony, his work has been exhibited as far as Cape Town and Shanghai.

He is also an active member of the ‘Stuck in Plastic’ community, where he shares his passion for toy photography with like-minded creatives.

But, despite global opportunities, what Chris likes nothing more is to shoot on location in and around the north west – preferring real world environments and natural lighting to bring his scenes to life – making this exhibition a celebration of both his art and the local landscapes that inspire it.

Chris added: “Ultimately, I think that my passion for photography is driven by the connection I can make with people.

“Witnessing surprised and delighted reactions to my work, seeing the expressions on people’s faces, and hearing about their own connections with these toys and their childhoods is so fulfilling and rewarding.

“Creating images is often a very private and personal process for me, yet the photos can evoke an emotional resonance in others that connects us.”