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Mark Dion's 'The Curiosity Shop' and 'Toys'R'U.S.' Exhibitions in New York Explore Nostalgia and Consumer Culture

exhibition · 2026-04-22

In late 2005, Mark Dion showcased two exhibitions in New York. At the Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, 'The Curiosity Shop' presented a sealed wooden structure reminiscent of an antique store, packed with categorized items such as ceramic animals and various tools. This installation featured a desk equipped with a magnifying light and a drawing illustrating shelves labeled by the senses, critiquing the engagement with the unreal, in line with Heisenberg's principle of observation. Meanwhile, at Skarstedt Fine Art, 'Toys'R'U.S. (When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth)' transformed a child's bedroom into a display of dinosaur-themed merchandise, accompanied by a TV screening dinosaur trailers. Both exhibitions opened on November 19, 2005, with 'The Curiosity Shop' concluding on January 14, 2006, and 'Toys'R'U.S.' on December 21, 2005.

Key facts

  • Mark Dion exhibited 'The Curiosity Shop' at Tanya Bonakdar Gallery from November 19, 2005, to January 14, 2006.
  • 'Toys'R'U.S. (When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth)' was on view at Skarstedt Fine Art from November 19 to December 21, 2005.
  • The Curiosity Shop is a sealed wooden structure built in Rhode Island, featuring categorized antiques and curiosities.
  • A drawing in the gallery labeled shelves with senses (Vision, Hearing, etc.) and elements (Air, Earth, etc.).
  • Inside the shop, a bookshelf displayed plaster casts of body parts like Mouth/Chin and Ear.
  • The Toys'R'U.S. installation included a child's bedroom with dinosaur-themed products, a TV playing movie trailers, and a coloring book page.
  • Dion critiques consumer culture and simulations, referencing Jean Baudrillard and Heisenberg's observation principle.
  • The artist emphasizes how signifiers, such as dinosaur toys or Barney, replace real knowledge and are shaped by capitalism.

Entities

Artists

  • Mark Dion
  • Carl Freedman
  • Jean Baudrillard

Institutions

  • Tanya Bonakdar Gallery
  • Skarstedt Fine Art
  • Museum of Natural History

Locations

  • New York
  • New York, NY
  • United States
  • Rhode Island

Sources