Stuffed animals, cats and doll dresses: the culture of adorableness takes over London

Soft stuffed animals, sweet kittens and cute characters from literature or video game are exhibited in a sample in London which explores how the culture of cuteness, which can be as endearing as it is sinister, is expanding at a dizzying pace in today’s world.

‘CUTE’, presented to the press this Wednesday, brings together the work of around fifty artists, historical objects and an area dedicated to the friendly cat Hello Kitty, created by the Japanese Yuko Shimizu just 50 years ago.

To celebrate this anniversary, the Sanrio brand, also responsible for ‘cuties’ such as Chococat or Cinnamoroll, sponsors part of the exhibition, which openly encourages visitors to post charming photos on social networks.

Armor against the world

With this vocation to go viral, Somerset House invited several influential influencers passionate about things to the opening of the exhibition, which will open to the public between Thursday and April 14. ‘kawaii’, the movement that emerged in Tokyo for a delicious and innocent femininity.

Ruby Jameson, an 18-year-old genetics student, attends accompanied by several colleagues, all dressed in elaborate doll dresses or accessories inspired by fantasy figures such as Pokémon or Japanese manga and anime.

“Dressing like this makes me feel safe, it is my armor against the world”Jameson, who was wearing a white and red checkered outfit, red patent leather shoes with long socks and a wrap-around white jacket, told EFE.

Despite the tenderness that a feline’s big eyes can inspire or how attractive a pink world full of stuffed animals is for some, the culture of ‘cute’ “also has a dark, enervating and even divisive side”acknowledged the curator of the exhibition, Claire Catterall.

The dark side

With five sections and several interactive installations, the exhibition tries to reveal the power of this aesthetic “morally ambiguous and sometimes paradoxical”, that while giving comfort in a hostile world “You can change it and subvert the norm.”

“Adorable is without a doubt the most outstanding aesthetic of our time,” Catterall stated in the presentation.

“As it saturates our digital age, cuteness nourishes and attracts us in a way that suggests it hides something more than its harmless appearance might suggest.”he declared.

In the ‘Crybaby’ section it is analyzed – through, for example, the dolls ‘Susie Sad Eyes’- how the culture of the adorable awakens our vulnerable part, while in ‘Play with me’ The satisfaction of connecting with our childish side is examined.

The most sinister side is manifested through ‘monstrous’ creations, such as robotic pets, toys like Furbys or characters like the bloody Gloomy Bear.

Through the propaganda of extremist groups or the advertisements of some multinationals, it is demonstrated how ‘nice’ can also be used as ‘sugar pill’ to make us swallow unpleasant realities.

‘Hypersonic’ explores how in the post-internet era the most futuristic elements of ‘cute’ can be a critique of consumer capitalism.

Along with an installation by British artist Hannah Diamond inspired by children’s sleepovers, the exhibition also recreates a cozy Hello Kitty disco and a room to experiment with video games.