ART for The World's 'Playgrounds & Toys 2000–2025' Donates Collection to Benaki Museum, Athens
The Benaki Museum in Athens will host 'Playgrounds & Toys 2000–2025' from 30 October 2025 to 11 January 2026, featuring over 60 creations from 50 artists, celebrating the donation of this collection. This initiative, launched by Adelina von Fürstenberg’s ART for The World in 1996, highlights the importance of cultural rights. Featured works include Alfredo Jaar's Nikinu System (2000) and Vito Acconci's Klein Bottle Playground (2000), among others. Many of these designs have been implemented worldwide with institutional backing. Noteworthy installations comprise Pip Horne and Shirazeh Houshiary's Untitled (2004) in London and Chen Zhen's trampoline (2009) in Shenzhen. The timeline begins with Maria Papadimitriou's Fiteiro Cultural (1998–2003) in post-earthquake Athens.
Key facts
- 'Playgrounds & Toys 2000–2025' runs 30 October 2025 – 11 January 2026 at Benaki Museum / Pireos 138, Athens
- The show marks the donation of the project's collection to the Benaki Museum
- ART for The World was established in 1996 by curator Adelina von Fürstenberg
- More than 50 artists and architects contributed over 60 models and drawings across 25 years
- Playgrounds are designed at 1:15 scale, toys at 1:1 scale, using cheap and readily available materials
- Chen Zhen's Danser la Musique was installed at Yitian Holiday Plaza, Shenzhen, in 2009 and at Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art in 2013
- Edgar Soares's Goooooaaal!!! editions commissioned by SESC São Paulo went to Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Pakistan, Nigeria, Cambodia and Afghanistan
- Maria Papadimitriou fabricated Fabiana de Barros's Fiteiro Cultural in Athens in 2001 with Greek ministry of culture support
Entities
Artists
- Adelina von Fürstenberg
- Alfredo Jaar
- Vito Acconci
- Maria-Carmen Perlingeiro
- Nari Ward
- Sergio Augusto
- Vivan Sundaram
- Liliana Moro
- Alberto Biagetti
- Pip Horne
- Shirazeh Houshiary
- Chen Zhen
- Joseph Kosuth
- Romi Khosla
- Martand Khosla
- Edgar Soares
- Andreas Angelidakis
- Stefano Boccalini
- Maria Papadimitriou
- Fabiana de Barros
- Stephanie Bailey
- Edgard Soares
- Vivianne van Singer
- Marta dell'Angelo
- Luigi Tripaldi
- Paolo Canevari
- Pietro Capogrosso
- Luca Pancrazzi
- Lauda
- Donegani
- Atelier Biagetti
- George Manginis
- Carlo Alberto Bucci
Institutions
- ART for The World
- Benaki Museum
- Benaki Museum / Pireos 138
- Gloucester Primary School
- Museum of Old and New Art
- Deepalaya School
- Deepalaya School Orphanage
- SESC São Paulo
- John Kirakossian School
- Greek ministry of culture
- United Nations
- ArtReview
- Art for the World
- Benaki Toy Museum
- Benaki Pireos
- UN Refugee Commission
- Artribune
Locations
- Athens
- Greece
- London
- United Kingdom
- Peckham
- Shenzhen
- China
- Hobart
- Australia
- New Delhi
- India
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Tanzania
- Sierra Leone
- Pakistan
- Nigeria
- Cambodia
- Afghanistan
- Yerevan
- Armenia
- Siena
- Florence
- Geneva
- Benaki Pireos 138
- Benaki Toy Museum