Mum who couldn’t part with son’s teddies turns them into art

Pop artist Kat Vandal transforms ball pit balls, preloved toys, teddies and other memorabilia into what she calls ‘Happy Art’.

The French-born artist staged her first solo exhibition of ‘Dopamine’ installations in Berlin this Christmas, and now has her first London show at Omnide Gallery in Belsize Lane.

Tetris Magna is one of Kat Vandal’s dopamine art installations. (Image: Kat Vandal) “This idea started when I found myself struggling to part with my son’s
outgrown clothes, toys and drawings,” she said.

“So instead, I found joy in repurposing them into colourful works of art,  combining my love for recycling with the idea of holding on to precious memories of his childhood – while revisiting mine.”

Her creations are inspired by her formative years growing up in the 80’s and 90’s, and the street art of London where she has lived most of her adult life.

Kat Vandal started her Happy Art when she started repurposing her son’s old toys. (Image: Courtesy of Kat Vandal) She says her aim as an artist is “to provoke a dopamine rush” through universally uplifting symbols in bright colours, glitters, smileys, flowers, balloons and toys.

“My mission is to bring a smile to people’s faces and homes with mood lifting colours, lights, and objects that trigger deeper feelings through happy memories as you observe in detail – perhaps bringing back a lovely anecdote about your childhood,” she said.

And while these Happy artworks are a statement about waste, she says instead of focusing on the gloom around climate change and over-consumption with guilt-inducing messages, she prefers to raise awareness without adding to anxiety.Kat Vandal also does commissions for other people. (Image: Kat Vandal)

Kat also carries out commissions, creating personalised artwork from children’s toys, first clothes, drawings, quotes or favourite food.

She says the resulting pieces that she calls Childhood Legacy can be “a meaningful celebration of your child as they grow out of their primary years”.

Kat Vandal’s Happy Art runs at Omnide Gallery, Belsize Park from April 3 until May 29.