CO PLAY: An Awesome New Space For Pop-Art And Art-Toy Lovers

There's a new creative hub in town offering a unique experience for artists, art lovers and toy collectors alike.

Described as a first-of-its-kind communal habitat bringing together creative talents, collectors and the public, CO PLAY officially launched on 23 Jun at Level 3, Plaza Singapura.

This new arts space spotlights local pop art and culture through an extensive collection of designer art and collectibles across various mediums, aiming to create an accessible and immersive arts experience for everyone.

Here's why we think you'll love CO PLAY and what it has to offer:

Watch artists-in-residence, such as (from top) Eric Chew, Yang Ovo and Rex Lee, in their element via their studio booths. | IMAGES: NICHOLAS YONG AND SIM DING EN

1. Witness artists work their magic IRL

CO PLAY's artist village boasts a robust roster of local artists-in-residence with their own studio booths. You'll get to see these artists at work as they bring their creations to life, interact with them face-to-face, and even request custom works or personalised pieces from them.

2. Your experience there will keep changing

The roster of artists-in-residence changes periodically, meaning you'll get to observe and interact with new and different creatives. Currently, the roster of artists-in-residence is as follows:

IMAGES COURTESY OF CO PLAY

Eric Chew (@sapientoystudio), the creator of the vinyl toy Chewthulhu, is also the founder of SapienToyStudio.

IMAGES COURTESY OF CO PLAY

Illustrator and sculptor Jeremy Tanavit (@Tanavit23) enjoys creating art that juxtaposes the fierce and the cute.

IMAGES COURTESY OF CO PLAY

Accomplished ink illustrator Rex Lee (@my_spacecats) once ran a cartoon column in Lianhe Zaobao and was recently featured on BBC news for his participation in the global ink-art initiative Inktober.

IMAGES COURTESY OF CO PLAY

Multi-award winning artist Yang Ovo (@yang__ovo) is also the founder of product design company Gagatree.

IMAGES COURTESY OF CO PLAY (LEFT) AND SIM DING EN

An award-winning adman turned toy designer and artist, Lester Lim (@lesdoublewood) is best represented by his signature creation - Jelilo, which was inspired by the beauty and unique flair of jellyfish.

IMAGES COURTESY OF CO PLAY AND SIM DING EN (TOP RIGHT)

As an urban visual artist and lover of street culture, Toby Tan (@tobyato) works with brands like Uniqlo and ASICS to create bold and Asian-inspired artworks that reflect his heritage and boyish personality.

Proto Toyz is a platform for artists to turn their 2D works into 3D collectibles. | IMAGE: SIM DING EN

3. It's a centre for creation and collaboration

CO PLAY also serves as a platform for artists and illustrators to "level up" or explore taking their 2D works further. Proto Toyz, for instance, is an initiative by CO PLAY in partnership with artist Taketo Kobayashi (@humanoise) to create bespoke artworks and collectibles that contain features and details that would not have existed or been seen as 2D drawings - talk about bringing art to life!

Catch a showcase of Distort Monsters' works at CO PLAY.| IMAGE COURTESY OF CO PLAY

4. Be introduced to the works of overseas artists

Did we mention that CO PLAY also plays host to overseas artists? For instance, you can expect to see works by Distort Monsters (@distortmonsters) from the Philippines, Benzilla (@benzilla__) from Thailand, and Daytoner (@day_toner) from Canadian studio Purearts (@pureartsofficial).

Birdzilla is the product of a joint effort between local artist Jeremy Tanavit and Thai artist Benzilla. | IMAGE COURTESY OF COPLAY

In addition, you can look forward to collaborations between these overseas artists and local creatives. For instance, Benzilla collaborated with CO PLAY artist-in-residence Jeremy Tanavit to launch a new designer art-toy "BIRDZILLA", blending Tanavit's Pitohui character with Benzilla's signature "LOOOK" design.

Snag rare finds at CO PLAY's weekly collectors' bazaar. | IMAGE: CO PLAY

5. It's paradise for art-toy collectors and budding artists

Love collecting art-toys? You're in luck. Every Saturday from 4 pm to 8 pm, CO PLAY hosts an on-site collectors' bazaar, where collectors set up stalls to sell both pre-loved and mint vintage toys, as well as designer figures and rare collectibles.

Unleash your artistic talents at the many workshops available here. | IMAGE: NICHOLAS YONG

And if you're an aspiring artist, you'll want to check out the myriad "live" workshops conducted by artists, running the gamut from illustration and painting to pottery, where you're invited to let your creative juices flow as you produce your very own art pieces.

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