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Bahraini toymaker Abdulla BinHindi who has been shining a light on the island’s rich heritage and culture through his fun figurines, has done it again with another ‘purr-fect’ toy, writes Mai Al-Khatib Camille.
The talented Toyio designer toy brand founder has created a captivating cat character to keep visitors of an exhibition entertained.
“MetaCat emerged from a collaboration between Northwestern University in Qatar and Toyio,”said the architect, designer and artist who is also the co-founder of Shepherd Studio. “It was conceived as a mascot for their tech and metaverse-focused exhibition entitled MetaWhat?”
The Media Majlis at Northwestern University’s seventh exhibition started on August 23 and will run until December 7, giving people a chance to meet a life-sized 1.5m MetaCat sculpture as well as enjoy the 10cm and 25cm toys.
“The reception has been overwhelmingly positive,” he told GulfWeekly. “Visitors have enjoyed the playful essence of MetaCat. I envisioned an immersive character that would captivate them throughout the event. Whether through intricate illustrations or tangible toys and sculptures, MetaCat adds a whimsical dimension to an otherwise tech-centric theme.”
According to Abdulla, the MetaCat toys have been meticulously crafted from high-grade casted resin. The sculpture, on the other hand, is fabricated out of 3D printed resin.
“The creation process spans approximately two months, reflecting our commitment to precision and quality,” he explained. “All the physical creations come from a digitally sculpted 3D-model. MetaCat remains an exclusive piece for the MetaWhat? exhibition at Northwestern University and is not available for sale.”
Meanwhile, his other designer toys, including the Karak Monster modelled after one of the most popular caffeinated beverages in the kingdom and his thobe-wearing fish, named Hammour, have thrived.
“Hammour has been exceptionally well-received,” he said. “As for my other pieces, they’ve garnered such demand that they’re all sold out.”
As reported previously in the GulfWeekly, Abdulla’s first collection, Tasty Terrors, was inspired by memories linked to specific foods he enjoyed whilst growing up, such as the Karak Monster, the monstrous Meeno and the bootlegging breakfast band Shak and Shuka.
He was even working on a brand new toy at the beginning of August, inspired by the ancient Dilmun bull head – one of the most popular artefacts of the ancient civilisation to be discovered in Bahrain. The suggested names that he received so far on social media included Bulmun and Dil-Thor. Meanwhile, the bull head prototype, currently measuring 15cm in height, can be printed with any design on top, and the maker is hoping to see lots of personalisation and potential official collaborations.
“There are several intriguing projects in the pipeline, along with some promising collaborations and partnerships that I’m eager to unveil when the time comes,” he added.
For details, follow @abdulla.binhindi on Instagram.
