Not all boys: This performance in Mumbai wants viewers to explore the fluidity of boyhood

A still from the Boys Will be Toys Performance by Humhu and Ankit

In a world where "boys will be boys" often serves as an all-encompassing justification for traditional notions of masculinity, what if we flipped the script? What if we strip away the labels society places on the concept of masculinity and what it means to be a boy? What if boyhood was not a static concept but a dynamic and evolving spectrum?

On September 29, Boys Will Be Toys, a ground-breaking multidisciplinary project by artists Humhu, Ankit Verma, and TITO, asks audiences to explore these questions through an immersive performance at Harkat Studios. This thought-provoking journey through photography, theatre, and audio-visual art, attempts to dismantle traditional ideas of masculinity and gender.

Femme Side of Boys Will Be Toys

"Boyhood seems to be defined to the T and set in stone by popular media," says Humhu in an interview with Sunday Mid-Day. "But, if we look closer, gender expression seems very fluid and volatile even within their constraints. Dualities like masculinity and femininity are like two sides of the same coin and it is hard to define exactly when and how one transitions into the other. Their conceptions differ majorly across various cultures and societies around the world. They also change drastically with time. For instance, in the first half of the 20th century the colour pink was associated with boys and blue with girls. But thanks to aggressive advertising campaigns of toy companies like Lego and Barbie dolls in the 60s, it completely switched and pink became a feminine colour and blue a masculine one," he continues.

This project emerged from a seemingly spontaneous moment of collaboration. "It all started quite randomly at my studio," shares Humhu. "The three of us got together and started shooting some pictures. As we collated them, we realised we had enough material for a cohesive photobook." This initial discovery laid the groundwork for a broader vision, leading to the incorporation of performance and audio-visual elements.

The photobook, a central component of the project, captures moments that explore traditional gender binaries. Humhu, who began his artistic journey in theatre before embracing visual arts, explains, "Each medium gave us a new canvas to play with these two binaries - Pink and Blue." Through still images, the photobook visually contrasts masculine and feminine representations, setting the stage for the more dynamic elements of the project.

Masc Side of Boys Will Be Toys

Ankit Verma, known for his bold experimentation, brings an added layer of depth to Boys Will Be Toys. "Pink has always been my favourite colour," he says. "I didn't even have to thank Barbie for making it acceptable as a ‘Manly' colour in the mainstream." This personal connection underscores his exploration of societal definitions of masculinity and the tug-of-war between traditional and
modern perceptions.

The project's unique blend of themes draws from an intriguing intersection of art and science. "As much as people like to demarcate and differentiate the arts and the sciences, if you look deeper, there are always parallels between the two. Especially when it comes to quantum physics, there's a mystical and abstract sense to it," Humhu notes. By marrying concepts from quantum physics with gender deconstruction, the performance explores how fluidity and probability apply to both fields. "Gender has been traditionally understood as a binary and as an absolute, pretty much like other dualities like yin and yang, rich and poor, master and slave etc. Quantum physics encourages us to look beyond the obvious and to think in terms of probabilities, much like how gender should be viewed beyond binary norms," he explains.

The performance at Harkat Studios will embody this complex interplay of art and science. Attendees can expect an immersive experience where the photobook, the audio-visual installation, and the live performance by Humhu and Vermacome together to challenge and redefine boyhood. "The theatrical element is more visceral, relying primarily on voice and movement," says Humhu. Ultimately, Boys Will Be Toys aims to expand our understanding of boyhood. "The one takeaway we want people to have is to reimagine boyhood in terms of a broad spectrum instead of confining it in set boundaries," Humhu concludes. "We want people to make the exploration of boyhood more playful and experimental."

Where: Harkat Studios, Mumbai
When: September 29,6 PM and 8 PM
price: Rs 300 onwards
To Book: insider.in