Beyond KAWS: The Authentic World of Indie Art Toys

Chances are if you’ve come into contact with art toys it’s because of KAWS. Also known as designer toys, or urban vinyl, the art toy is designed by an artist and produced by small, boutique factories in a variety of materials and colorways. At least, that goes for the indie scene. For artists like KAWS, whose zombified Mickey Mouse-esque figures are enticing fare for the millennial art collector, the ability to mass produce his pieces significantly blurs the line between art and toy.