CUTE

WHAT? Cute 

WHERE? Somerset House, Embankment Galleries, South Wing, WC2R 1LA

WHEN? Now until 14th April 

WHY GO? For a sweet treat.  If you worship the cult of Hello Kitty, you will love this cute exhibition which aims to unravel exactly what is ‘cute’ and how ‘cuteness’ in culture has evolved over the ages.  And it’s not ALL about soft furry toys, it also reveals a darker commercial side.

The dictionary defines cute as ‘appealing in a pretty endearing way’, and contemporary artists are constantly exploring opportunities to make cuteness commercial.  Amongst the stacks of exhibits and memorabilia are endless nods to brands that have captured kids imagination over the years from My Little Pony to Care Bears.

In Victorian days, it was all about adorable kittens, from artists like Harry Pointer and later, Louis Wain famed for his psychedelic cats; today it’s more likely to be defined through emojis and internet memes, video games and doe-eyed Japanese animations. 

The phenomenal power of manga influenced aesthetics has inspired a whole new world of cute digital artworks and visitors can interact with screens and play games along the way.  

This sugary sweet exhibition is one overwhelming pink mash-up that will make you long to lie down in a dark room afterwards. 

And yet it’s utterly impossible to pass the seductive gift shop without purchasing an irresistible Hello Kitty souvenir for someone you adore.  After all, it is her 50th birthday and wow, this is some celebratory party!

IN THE KNOW Delve into the darker side of how cuteness can be exploited.  Watch The Power Of Cute on the Somerset House video channel.  Specially created to accompany the exhibition, it makes some pretty powerful assumptions that cute is not always quite what it seems!  Maybe one to watch without the toddlers in tow.