Off Limits Toys TM - Weapons for Kids

Toy Store

Off Limits Toy Store transforms a traditional gallery space into a branded toy store selling “inappropriate” toys for children such as musical instruments modelled after adult-only objects such as guns, sex toys, cigarettes, and alcohol. The store appears to cater to children’s curiosity offering them not only toys, but access to the adult world we claim to protect them from.

Marketing as an Art Form

At the core of this work is an exploration of marketing as a powerful cultural tool. Marketing is not just about selling, it’s about storytelling, context creation, and value framing. In today’s world, everyone engages in some form of marketing, from personal branding on social media to the political narratives crafted by governments and corporations. It has become the language through which we relate to each other and to the world. By treating marketing itself as an art form, the project highlights how influence works not only through manipulation, but through emotional resonance, framing, and the projection of ideals. When used intentionally, marketing can open spaces for discussion, imagination, and even resistance.

Store's Values and Vision

The marketing within this project is intentionally ambiguous, simultaneously sincere and satirical. The company presents itself as one that “finally listens to children,” built around values of radical transparency, anti-censorship, generational dialogue, and the belief that children should be given the tools to confront the world as it is, not as we idealize it. Role-play becomes a form of education, a space where taboos can be met with guidance rather than avoidance. In an era where children often educate themselves online, raised by algorithmic content rather than human conversation, the work invites a reflection on who we think children are, what we project onto them and how their imitating behaviour reflects the reality we are responsible for creating.