Very few cats are as famous as Hello Kitty, created in Japan, she turned into such a worldwide icon that her face appears on planes and trains. Now that her 45th anniversary is coming up, celebrations are starting to pop up around the globe, including a massive group exhibition in Los Angeles.
Okuda San Miguel’s “Hello Kitty Skull” will be one of the artworks featured in the exhibit. Photo courtesy of Okuda San Miguel/Corey Helford Gallery
The Hello Kitty® 45th Anniversary Group Show will open at LA’s Corey Helford Gallery on 29 June and feature over 100 international artists, all showcasing their personal interpretations and renditions of the iconic Hello Kitty, with her red bow and smiling eyes.
The exhibit will feature all kinds of artworks, like “Hello Kitty Cake Time” by David Connelly of DOSSHAUS. Photo courtesy of David Connelly/Corey Helford Gallery
The exhibition is sponsored by Sanrio, the Japanese company that owns Hello Kitty, precisely because it’s a pretty important anniversary— designer Yuko Shimizu created her most iconic character in 1974, making this “birthday” a nice rounded number worth celebrating.
“Magic Maker, Make Your Magic” by Brandi Milne will also be featured in the exhibit. Photo courtesy of Brandi Milne/Corey Helford Gallery
“[She] was created to inspire happiness,” said the staff of the Corey Helford Gallery in a statement. “[Now] Hello Kitty has grown to embody the values of Japanese culture through showing kindness, respect and the true meaning of friendship”. Hello Kitty has certainly influenced pop culture ever since her creation— with celebrities like Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin all appearing decked out in her merchandise, and it’s that influence this exhibition wants to celebrate.
This artwork by Kazuki Takamatsu is very aptly named “Hello Kitty 45th Anniversary”. Photo courtesy of Kazuki Takamatsu/Corey Helford Gallery
The exhibition will stay open until 3 August and will be open to visitors from Tuesday to Saturday. If you’d like to learn more about the Hello Kitty® 45th Anniversary Group Show or the Corey Helford Gallery, you can check the official website here.
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