Trash and treasure found at Elgin festival
Usually, children don't clamor to play with old or broken toys.
But the boxes of unused toys found Saturday at Elgin's FoxFireFest had children finding a new use for items like water guns that don't shoot, a motorized car that broke down and the plastic barn that no longer houses plastic animals.
The Trashformer sculpture in Festival Park, let's children "flesh out" a humanlike shape with old toys and household items. The torso consists of a battery-powered convertible car, while two vacuum cleaners create the legs and Supersoakers make up the arms. A construction helmet provides the head.
The artwork is the brainchild of Batavia-based artist Joe Gagnepain IV.
"The larger concept is trying to show a more constructive use for old toys instead of them ending up in a landfill," said Brian Von Jacobs, an assistant helping Gagnepain fasten items to the sculpture. "This shows how it can be turned into art."
Local children, like 9-year-old Matthem Schultz from Elgin, donated unused toys to the project. Matthew and his siblings, William, 7, and Amanda, 5, gave away a battery-operated Thomas the Tank Engine.
"The thing doesn't move anymore," said Matthew, who contributed to the sculpture's chest. "It must have been dropped too many times years ago."
Once completed, the Trashformer likely will be displayed throughout Elgin, including at The Center and Gail Borden Library.
The Trashformer is not the only artwork that can be found at the festival, which includes the Walkabout Theatre and Art & Soul on the Fox, the art show that is one of the main attractions.
The festival continues Sunday in Festival Park in downtown Elgin from noon to 7:30 p.m. Admission is $5 and children under five are free.
For more information visit cityofelgin.org.
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