If the Island of Misfit Toys were actually located in California it would be called Sunvale…read moreVillage. Along this stretch of dirt road is a unique desert village. You won't find people dwelling here. This is a home for discarded toys, called "smalls." In this roadside "community for the small," abandoned toys gain new lives and identities.
Sunvale Village is a community for the small, is an actual place, established in May 2017. Each inhabitant has adopted a new identity and many have changed their name to reflect their new philosophies of life.
The site-specific installation of Sunvale Village is a playful commentary on significant contemporary issues such as the environment, gentrification of communities and ownership, and politics.
Individual sculptural pieces are assembled with mixed media junk, all materials scavenged from abandoned refuse or illegal dump sites. The characters of Sunvale Village have also been recovered from the desert, toys left behind and are play companions in the ongoing story. As of August 2020, there are over 90 smalls living in the village. And they even have their own fight song:
"We, a small community of diverse and little creatures, hereby declare our united stance on the significance of small. Let it be known, though our stature is slight, our concepts and actions are no less important than others. From here on, the small will be considered as having a valuable role within the laws of nature, and vital to nature's continuum".
"We, as a small community will celebrate the minutiae, the micro, the humble, and the things often overlooked, ignored or considered less important. We will stand united against the over-inflated, the bombastic, the supersized, and situations that are unfair in disproportional largeness".
One of the most bizarre roadsides you may ever find. An A-OK seems to fit them best. Don't go out of your way, but I would say don't drive by either. I added this listing after arriving home, so the locator may be off.