Pop-Art’s New Wave
You may know Warhol, but do you know BBJ? A Toronto small business specializing in candles, jewellery, and other funky retro items.
Pop-art became popular after the decline of abstract expressionist art. Pop-art pulls images from the world of pop-culture. Moving away from snobby-art themes of morality and mythology, pop-art celebrated commonalities in everyday life. Owing most of its momentum to marketing, pop-art is one of the most recognizable art styles.
BBJ, or Barbie’s Basement Jewellery, is the brainchild of Toronto based indie design duo Ange and Robin. They are driven to craft unique accessories, including candles and jewellery, sharing their love of pop-culture and all things fringe.
If you’re into designing your own pop-art, the majority of BBJ’s items are customizable! They’ve collaborated with artists and small businesses including roller derby teams, Christian publishers, and swingers groups. They partnered with CBC, AGO, YORK University, Pride Toronto, and Tim Burton’s exhibition at TIFF. They operate a side hustle as Trixie and Beever, designing installations and performances around Toronto.
Candles and Jewellery To Remember Icons
Browse through BBJ’s catalogue and you’ll find my personal favourite item: Pop-art candles. Like the ones your Catholic Italian mother would light throughout the month of November to respect the dead. BBJ’s candles honour pop-culture icons. Everyone from Charlie Chaplin to Freddie Mercury and Laura Palmer make the cut. At $20 they’re an inexpensive collectible item. If you’re into time-management over pyromania, pop-clocks might be for you. BBJ offers square, easy to read hand clocks with images of your favourite retro new wave bands from Madonna to Kiss.
Outside of candles and clocks, BBJ offers rings, cufflinks, buckles, magnets, knobs, and keychains. Ange and Robin teamed with Buddies In Bad Times Theatre, the longest running queer theatre in the world, producing an exclusive merch collection for the show. If you’re a pop culture aficionado you’ll definitely find something in BBJ’s collection. If you want to be your own Warhol, BBJ will happily make your art into a graphic tee. Visit them at https://bbj.ca/
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