If there’s one unifying thing about children around the world it’s this: they love to play. Italian photographer Gabriele Galimberti’s latest project “Toy Stories,” captures this aspect of our young people’s lives through their prized possessions, artfully arranged around them in the places where they live. It’s an intimate and revealing look at the worlds diverse cultures as experienced by kids.
See Also Where Children Sleep: A Diverse World of Homes
In the 18 months Galimberti spent traveling around the world and creating the project, he learned a lot a about our different cultures and how they differ. He found kids in richer countries were more possessive with their toys and that it took more time before they would let him play with them (he’d usually play with the kids before arranging their toys). In poorer countries, he found kids more quick to interact and share even the small amount they had.
As it turned out, he didn’t just learn about kids, he also learned about parents. In the Middle East and Asia, he found parents would push their children to be photographed even if they weren’t initially comfortable with it. In South America, parents tended to have a laid back attitude about the affair – he says they were “really relaxed, and said I could do whatever I wanted as long as their child didn’t mind”.
Perhaps the most striking thing about the photographs is the great disparity in wealth between these kids… and yet it would be difficult to say who is happier. To see more in this beautiful series, see gabrielegalimberti.com, or see our article Grandma’s Home Cooking From Around the World for more of his work.
(Above: Maudy – Kalulushi, Zambia)
Orly – Brownsville, Texas
Alessia – Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy
Keynor – Cahuita, Costa Rica
Botlhe – Maun, Botswana
Arafa & Aisha – Bububu, Zanzibar
Noel – Dallas, Texas
Lucas – Sydney, Australia
Cun Zi Yi – Chongqing, China
Ralf – Riga, Latvia
Chiwa – Mchinji, Malawi
Kalesi – Viseisei, Fiji Islands
Naya – Managua, Nicaragua
Niko – Homer, Alaska
Watcharapom – Bangkok, Thailand
Tangawizi – Keekorok, Kenya
Via amusingplanet
It is amazing to the differences in the children depending on the area of the country that they are from. Demographics play a big role in the up bringing of the child and how much authority they give to the child in allowing you to photograph them. Great post.
It is amazing in my mind to understand what motivates kids to play and interact with toys. In this article it brings out the character of a child who can drive their imagination while their environment influences that imagination.
I think that children do have a great sense of imagination and as a toy specialist that makes the DP and his friends brand, I can tell you our research uses focus groups to find out exactly what a child will look for in a toy.
This is a good read simply for the fact that it allows us to get a worldly perspective. The funny thing is that many of these children had animals in their toy collections – something that most children seem to see as a friend.
Good article.