Somerset House Celebrates All Things "CUTE" With New Exhibition
Commemorating Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary.
Somerset House is writing a love letter to all things CUTE with its newest exhibition.
Opening on January 24, the CUTE exhibition explores the presence of cuteness in pop culture and its undeniable pull on us. Somerset is bringing contemporary artists together from a variety of disciplines to navigate our relationship to the adorable aesthetic. In partnership with Sanrio, Somerset will also be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hello Kitty — the ultimate cute icon. Visitors will be able to immerse themselves in a dedicated plushie space, thanks to collector and fan Amy-Louise Allen, providing a feast for all of the senses. The themed room also features a Hello Kitty disco for added cuteness.
Cats play a central theme throughout the exhibition as Louis Wain’s Ginger Cat depicts a wide-eyed fluffy feline, joining slightly darker contemporary work. Seoul-based digital artist Ram Han examines how cuteness can be weaponized in her Save our souls series, which draws on the double-edged sword of subcultural media.
CUTE will be on display from January 25 until April 14 at the Somerset House. Explore some of the artwork in the gallery above.
