They Rule They Roll

Even though they are overthurned, they will always return to their place...

The Roly-poly toy is designed to never lose balance, always returning to its center. These toys adopt the contours of world leaders with a satirical edge. They are 3D sculpted and painted after being printed in resin. The absurdity of the scene highlights political instability, suggesting that the actions and decisions of leaders tip the balance of the world. The concept is to place these figures on the ground, disrupting the viewer’s movement, akin to navigating a child’s playroom.

Inspired by Honoré Daumier’s satirical busts of bankers, these Roly-poly toys capture the subversive and critical spirit of his work. By drawing from this artistic tradition, the pieces adopt a critical lens, offering commentary on power relations and contemporary social dynamics. Much like Daumier’s sculptures critiqued the excesses of financial capitalism in his era, these Roly-poly toys deliver a similar message, urging the viewer to reflect on the systems that govern our society.

How were they sculpted?

After analyzing the shape of the Roly-poly toy, a basic body was first modeled using the Nomad digital 3D modeling application. Uniform clothing—including jackets, shirts, and ties—was then sculpted and painted in different colors to distinguish them. Various heads were designed to caricature and model these autocratic leaders.

The figures represent several heads of state: President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, former U.S. President Donald Trump and Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un of North Korea. After individually modeling the heads in Nomad, they were 3D printed in resin, cleaned with alcohol, and cured under UV light. The heads were painted with acrylics, with their gazes directed upwards. Next, work focused on the lower part of the piece.