Timo Kirez
16 June 2026•Update: 16 June 2026
As part of Art Basel 2026, British artist Mason Storm is presenting his new sculpture “Toy Stories,” which depicts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sitting on children’s toys.
“Hero or villain? The image doesn’t decide -- you do,” reads a press release issued Tuesday by Galerie Gleis4, which represents the artist.
According to the gallery, the work had already been sold before it was unveiled to the public on Tuesday.
The buyer is reportedly a renowned art collection in Basel. The gallery did not disclose the purchase price but stated that it surpassed the artist’s previous record.
The artist himself told the television station Tele Basel about his work: “Children should never be victims of war.”
“This work is not about me. And ultimately, it’s not about the person depicted either. It’s about you, the viewers,” Storm added.
The artist had already caused a stir with his sculpture “Saint or Sinner,” which depicts US President Donald Trump in an orange jumpsuit attached to a cross.
The sculpture “Toy Stories” is on display on Basel’s Art Mile on Gerbergasse from Tuesday for two weeks.
