Origins in Miami: Seeds of a Playful Universe (2002–2004)

Samuel Albert Borkson and Arturo Sandoval III came from sunny, vibrant places. Borkson came from Florida and Sandoval came from Havana. It seems only natural that their artistic collaboration would radiate warmth and optimism. They met in Miami and began simply by playing together, finding joy in fun experiments that would soon evolve into art. In 2002, the two officially founded the art collective FriendsWithYou in Miami, built on a shared mission: to spread “Magic, Luck, and Friendship” through their creation. This motto wasn't just a slogan – it was a guiding philosophy that would shape an entire whimsical universe of characters and experiences.

In its earliest incarnation, FriendsWithYou operated more like a toy workshop than a traditional studio. Borkson and Sandoval handcrafted a line of plush designer toys, cuddly little creatures unlike any found in stores. These first eight “friends,” introduced as Plush Series 1, were imaginatively said to be tiny microbes magnified a billionfold, living in our very breath and the corners of our minds where wishes form. Each character had a name and a power: Malfi, Mr. TTT, Red Flyer, Barby, King Albino, Albino Squid, Poppings, and Shoebaca were more than cute plush dolls. They came with booklet tags describing their unique personalities and abilities, as if modern-day spirit totems. In the world of early 2000s designer toys and urban vinyl, these Miami-born figures stood out for being at once endearingly cute and bizarre, lovingly hand-made in limited numbers, and imbued with an animistic sense of life and purpose. “We make magical toys that help the everyday person cope with the daily routines of their lives,” the duo proclaimed on their website in those days– signaling that, from the very start, their art was meant to comfort and connect.

By 2003–2004, the “friends” had multiplied from plush toys into immersive art environments. FriendsWithYou's studio became a laboratory of play, crafting not only objects but experiences. Their first local exhibitions in Miami were like stepping into modern rituals. In “Get Lucky” (2004), a multi-room installation at The Box art space, they created altars shaped like pyramids and cones, attended by a furry monster guide called the Fur Liaison, inviting visitors on a symbolic journey to “realize the significant effect we can pose on the world... to achieve happiness.”​. This early installation already hinted at the collective's future direction: blending the language of spiritual ceremonies with a playful, almost comic twist: a temple of play where bright colors and friendly creatures replaced solemn priests and dogma. Get Lucky and other early works established a key principle for FriendsWithYou: art should be an inclusive adventure, a shared experience that could alter one's state of mind towards joy.