zHumanoyd (baby), from the Boezels collection

The Boezels are a series of seventeen fuzzy toys designed for mentally challenged children. Sensorial stimulation in a relaxing environment has proven to have beneficial effects, encouraging the learning process and reducing anxiety. The recipients of these toys also participate actively in their creation, as Verdonck has established a workshop in the day care center De Wisselstroom, in the Netherlands. Suitable for all children, these abstract objects leave room for the imagination: they may be transformed into a range of characters that widens with individual interpretation, opening up countless possibilities for narrative.

Credit: Dorothy Cullman Purchase Fund