The Museum of Modern Art in New York has announced a groundbreaking multiyear partnership with toy giant Mattel Inc., creating an innovative bridge between high art and popular culture. The collaboration will launch its first capsule collection on November 11, perfectly timed for the holiday shopping season, featuring seven unique products that transform iconic artworks from MoMA's permanent collection into collectible toys and games.
The standout piece of the collection is a Barbie doll wearing an elegant evening gown printed with Vincent van Gogh's masterpiece "The Starry Night" (1889). This artistic interpretation allows collectors to literally wear one of the world's most recognizable paintings. The collection also includes a Magic 8 Ball featuring details from Alma Woodsey Thomas's abstract work from around 1968, complete with art-inspired phrases like "Color Is Life!"
For car enthusiasts and design lovers, Mattel has created two Hot Wheels replicas of vehicles from MoMA's prestigious design collection: the sleek Jaguar E-Type Roadster and the innovative Citroën DS 23 Sedan. Both cars represent significant achievements in automotive design and are part of the museum's architecture and design department holdings.
The partnership extends to Little People Collector figurines representing two legendary artists. The Salvador Dalí figures capture the Surrealist master's iconic curled black mustache, with one wearing an outfit inspired by his famous painting "The Persistence of Memory" (1931). Similarly, the Claude Monet figurines showcase the Impressionist painter's distinctive full white beard, with one figure wearing clothing inspired by his renowned water lily paintings.
Rounding out the collection is a specially designed Uno card deck featuring details from six masterpieces in MoMA's collection. The cards showcase works by van Gogh's "Starry Night," Monet's "Water Lilies," Henri Matisse's "The Red Studio" (1911), Liubov Popova's "Objects from a Dyer's Shop" (1914), Sonia Delaunay's "Portuguese Market" (1915), and Piet Mondrian's "Broadway Boogie Woogie" (1942-43).
The products will be available through multiple channels, including MoMA's Design Stores in New York and Japan, the Design Store's website, and the Mattel Creations website. Beyond retail, the partnership includes Mattel providing financial support for MoMA's Samuel and Ronnie Heyman Family Art Lab, an interactive educational space designed for children and families on the museum's first floor.
Nick Karamanos, Mattel's senior vice president of entertainment partnerships, explained the company's strategic vision behind the collaboration. "We are currently reimagining our brands, which also include Fisher Price, American Girl, Thomas & Friends, and Barney, as collectible, design-led experiences," he stated. "Partnering with MoMA enables us to translate some of the world's most iconic artworks and artists into amazing expressions of culture, design, and storytelling that will resonate with collectors and fans for years to come."
MoMA's chief retail officer Jesse Goldstine emphasized the educational and cultural impact of the partnership. "By joining forces with Mattel Creations, we are inviting a generation of new audiences to experience the Museum's collection in ways that merge contemporary art with creative play and design innovation and allow them to spend time with artworks from the collection in new and interactive ways," Goldstine said.
The collaboration represents a significant shift in how major cultural institutions engage with popular culture and younger audiences. By transforming museum masterpieces into accessible, playful objects, MoMA and Mattel are creating new pathways for art appreciation and education that extend far beyond traditional museum walls.
