Nathalie De Santis

In Mr. Dollars, Nathalie De Santis transforms an imposing, large-scale Playmobil figure, complete with a helmet and its iconic ‘C-shaped’ hands, into a powerful pop-art object completely enveloped in dynamic street-art splatters and mists of color. This central figure, anchored by a prominent green dollar sign spray-painted directly onto its chest, stands upon a meticulously crafted pedestal of actual collaged US currency, grounding the piece in a tangible and literal layer of capital.

Stylistically, the sculpture bridges pop culture nostalgia with a raw, urban energy, avoiding the passive treatment of the toy form by actively using the vibrant, chaotic color application to recontextualize the figure as a commentary on global capitalism. De Santis expertly contrasts the polished plastic aesthetic with spontaneous textures and layered paint application, resulting in a work that blurs the boundaries between childhood play, corporate commercialism, and a sophisticated conceptual exploration of value and wealth.