Hot Wheels(R) and Gallery 1988 Present Pop Surrealist Exhibit Showcasing Artwork...

Tue Apr 1, 2008 6:00pm EDT

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Hot Wheels(R) and Gallery 1988 Present Pop Surrealist Exhibit Showcasing Artwork Inspired by Classic Toy Brands

Exhibit Features More Than 200 Pieces of Artwork, Including
Customized 1:18 Scale Hot Wheels(R) Volkswagen Buses to Benefit the
Children Affected by AIDS Foundation
LOS ANGELES--(Business Wire)--
TOYS, a pop surrealist exhibit featuring a collection of artwork
inspired by classic toy brands, opens today and includes a collection
of artwork that pays tribute to the 40th anniversary of Hot Wheels(R)
cars. More than 40 of the most famous pop surrealist artists from
around the globe created customized 1:18 scale Hot Wheels(R)
Volkswagen buses. Along with the Hot Wheels(R) inspired pieces, the
exhibit also features canvas paintings and other artwork inspired by
generations of children's classic toys.

"Gallery 1988 has partnered with many notable artists and has
hosted several exhibits focused on pop culture, but I've been
completely blown-away by the level of creativity these artists have
reached with the customized Hot Wheels VW buses," said Jensen Karp,
director of the Los Angeles Gallery 1988. "We're pleased to be
exhibiting an artwork collection that pays tribute to Hot Wheels'
heritage and the brand's incredible 40-year milestone."

More than 40 of the most notable artists, including Greg Simkins,
Jon Burgerman and Bwana Spoons, were given white, 1:18 scale die-cast
Hot Wheels(R) Volkswagen buses to customize for the exhibit. Each
Volkswagen bus will be individually displayed and priced between $300
and $5,500.

A portion of the proceeds from the custom-designed Hot Wheels(R)
VW buses, provided by Volkswagen, will be donated to the Children
Affected by AIDS Foundation. In addition to the customized VW buses,
original artwork inspired by the 40th anniversary of Hot Wheels(R),
created by artists like David Horvath and husband/wife team, Brandt
Peters and Kathie Olivias, also will be showcased at the exhibit.

"This exhibit exemplifies how the magic of toys not only inspire
us at a young age, but remain a form of inspiration in our adult
years," said Richard Dickson, senior vice president, Marketing, Media
& Entertainment Worldwide, Mattel Brands. "Mattel is home to some of
the most popular and beloved toy brands and we're honored to have the
40th anniversary of Hot Wheels commemorated through this one-of-kind
custom art form."

"Since 1968, Hot Wheels has inspired automotive trends and
revolutionized the toy industry by delivering speed, power,
performance and attitude with every die-cast car," said Tim Kilpin, GM
and senior vice president, Boys & Entertainment, Mattel Brands. "As we
celebrate our 40th anniversary, we're extremely proud that the brand
continues to bring excitement and inspiration to Hot Wheels fans of
all ages."

TOYS will be open to the public until April 25, 2008. For Gallery
1988 location and showroom hours, please visit www.gallery1988.com.

About the Hot Wheels(R) Brand

Hot Wheels(R) cars revolutionized boys' toys in 1968 with an
original line of super-fast, customized cars built for speed, power,
performance and attitude. Now, 40 years later, Hot Wheels(R) is a
global lifestyle brand that represents the coolest cars imaginable in
scales from miniature to full-size. Hot Wheels(R) cars are also
popular collectibles for adults and each year, introduces a new
line-up of innovative vehicles, track sets and playsets.

For information on Hot Wheels(R) and its 40th anniversary
activities, cruise over to www.hotwheels.com/40th.

About Gallery 1988

Gallery 1988 has quickly become one of the world's most talked
about art galleries. Opened in 2004, the gallery has established a
reputation as the place to see amazing artwork and be seen. Openings
at the gallery have seen upwards of 1500 people attending in one
night, including celebrities such as Jessica Alba, Nicole Richie, Good
Charlotte, DJ AM, Paul Wall, She Wants Revenge, Samuel L. Jackson,
Jonah Hill, Linkin Park and Joss Whedon admiring the walls. An art
show from 2007, "Crazy 4 Cult" received worldwide press (faced by the
show's hosts filmmakers Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier) and 1,000,000
website hits on the day of the opening reception. The gallery has been
featured in dozens of magazines including US Weekly, Jutxapoz, JANE,
COMPLEX, The Los Angeles Times, FHM, The Washington Post, and The
National Post. The gallery has also received press from the G4
network, KTLA, KTTV, CNN.com, MSNBC.com, KROQ, Power 106 and
publications in the United Kingdom, Japan, Sweden, Germany and Italy.
The gallery has also created unprecedented partnerships with
corporations like The Walt Disney Company, Capcom and Mattel to
produce art shows inspired by their products and history. During these
shows, Gallery 1988 has helped nurture and create a collective of
artists who call 1988 their "homebase," allowing collectors to
purchase affordable artwork from art stars on the rise, before their
price range skyrockets. In 2007, Gallery 1988 opened its second
location in San Francisco, creating another groundbreaking venue for
emerging young artists and ambitious collectors to meet.

About Mattel

Mattel, Inc., (NYSE:MAT) (www.mattel.com) is the worldwide leader
in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products.
The Mattel family is comprised of such best-selling brands as
Barbie(R), the most popular fashion doll ever introduced, Hot
Wheels(R), Matchbox(R), American Girl(R), Radica(R) and Tyco(R) R/C,
as well as Fisher-Price(R) brands, including Little People(R), Power
Wheels(R) and a wide array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. Mattel
is recognized as one of 2008's "100 Best Companies to Work For" by
FORTUNE Magazine and among the 100 Most Trustworthy U.S. Companies by
Forbes Magazine. Committed to ethical manufacturing sustainable
business practices, Mattel marked a 10-year milestone in 2007 for its
Global Manufacturing Principles. With worldwide headquarters in El
Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs more than 30,000 people in 43
countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations.
Mattel's vision is to be the world's premier toy brands -- today and
tomorrow.

About Volkswagen of America

Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in
Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG,
headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world's
largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest
automaker. Volkswagen sells the Rabbit, New Beetle, New Beetle
convertible, GTI, Jetta, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon, Eos, and Touareg
through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. Visit Volkswagen
of America online at vw.com.

About Children Affected by AIDS Foundation

Worldwide there are more than 40 million people infected with HIV
and more than 15 million children orphaned by AIDS. The number of
children affected by AIDS in the U.S. alone is currently estimated at
nearly 125,000. The Children Affected by AIDS Foundation was founded
in Los Angeles in 1993 by Joe Cristina, a Mattel, Inc. executive whose
desire to help children was inspired by the outpouring of support he
received when he disclosed his own HIV-positive status. The Children
Affected by AIDS Foundation is the only organization solely devoted to
providing social, educational, recreational and other critical support
programs to vulnerable children impacted by HIV/AIDS in the U.S. and
other countries. CAAF accomplishes its mission domestically and abroad
through four programs including domestic grant making, domestic
initiatives, international grant making and international initiatives.

Gallery 1988
Jensen Karp
323-937-7088
Gallery1988@aol.com
or
GolinHarris
Marlene Esqueda
213-438-8734
mesqueda@golinharris.com
or
Mattel
Michele Sturdivant
310-252-4374
michele.sturdivant@mattel.com
or
Volkswagen of America
Mya Walters
310-664-4954
mya.walters@vw.com