Author: vle

If you are a regular follower of internet culture, or perhaps a parent of a young child, you know that Peppa Pig has blown up over the past two years or so. The British children’s television character appears virtually everywhere–in TikToks, memes, apparel, and even Airpod cases. In some instances, parents reported their children adopting British accents after being exposed to the show. Although Peppa Pig has been airing since 2004, she has become more popular than ever in 2019.

Who is this enticing creature, and why is she so popular? According to one Washington Post journalist, Peppa “is a pig of the people” whose snappy pettiness distracts us from the chaotic world around us. Her witty jokes and childishness are perfectly memeable to fans of all ages. One particular iconic moment in Peppa’s filmography is an episode in which she calls her friend Suzy Sheep to ask her if she knows how to whistle, hoping for solidarity in being unable to whistle. Suzy, upon learning what whistling is, responds with a perfect pitch, leading to Peppa abruptly hanging up the phone, face shocked. Twitter memes in 2018 began co-opting Peppa as a symbol of pettiness, crowning Peppa as the queen of sass.

In the spring of 2018 in China, Peppa was censored and decried as having ties to “gangster behavior” and a threat to “Chinese characteristics” after first airing in 2015. Her episodes were removed from streaming sites. Teenagers embraced this rebelliousness, placing Peppa onto cars, watches, bags, tattoos, and more. However, in 2019, Peppa resurfaced in a movie about Chinese New Year, leading to positive speculation about Peppa’s future.

A humorous, relatable children’s character, it’s quite probable that the cute cartoon pig will remain a figure of independence and meme culture.

Sarah Agnone is a senior in the Stamp School of Art & Design. Her passions and talents span many topics, and she is currently working on projects focused on the interconnections of art and sustainability. She is inspired by the people around her– “The things that people have contributed or the ideas that change the world, I want to be a part of that. It’s an exciting and demanding time to be a designer; there’s so many solutions the world needs but it also seems that there’s so much potential around me.”

Sarah grew up and Phoenix, and eventually found her way to becoming an artist–her parents are doctors, so she says, “I never thought I’d go to art school… it didn’t occur to me.” However, she got her creative start in high school, painting and making jewelry to sell. Now, Sarah is proud of being a designer, and works with graphic, product, and systems design, and hopes to bring more meaning to people’s relationships to the physical objects around them. For her thesis project, Sarah is exploring fashion and creating a sustainable business model. “I’m trying to apply the idea of quality vs. quantity to my life, whether it’s in relationships, the way I buy things, etc.”

One of Sarah’s favorite projects she is working on is a series of sculptural coasters. “They’re sculptural pieces that function as coasters. I wanted to take an obsolete object and change perceptions of something that traditionally has just one use. Everyday things are exciting.” Her sculptural coasters are comprised of two shapes–circles and triangles, and are laser-cut pieces of light-emitting acrylic. Sarah says, “I prototyped for a long time to see which shapes and colors made the most consistently beautiful combinations.”

After graduation, Sarah wants to work in design consulting at a sustainable product design/industrial design firm, or enroll in a graduate program. She concludes that, “My goal is to keep learning and following my intuition and create projects that make a difference.”

Japanese contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama, at 90 years old, has captured the curiosity of the art world for decades. Her bright wigs and polka dot patterns are a staple of her style, which is influenced by feminism, minimalism, and pop art among other modern art movements. An artist working with sculpture, installation, performance, film, fashion, and other arts, Kusama’s versatility showcases her true creative abilities.

Kusama’s famous patterns stem from a childhood hallucinations of endless dots, which provided solace from her traumatic childhood. Her obsession with dots encourages viewers to absorb themselves in the environment, revelling in the overwhelming infiniteness of life.

Yayoi Kusama’s life experiences were not exactly pleasant. Born into an affluent family in Japan, her mother was unsupportive of her art and was physically abusive. Kusama’s father was involved in extramarital affairs, which led to her lifelong contempt for sexuality. During World War II, she was sent to a military factory producing parachutes as a teenager “in closed darkness.” After living in Tokyo and France for a period, then moved to the United States at 27 years old.

The artist’s mental illness is simultaneously a source of inspiration and frustration–Kusama was hospitalized many times and even attempted suicide in the 1960s-70s. Later, she returned to Japan and voluntarily checked herself into Seiwa Hospital for the Mentally Ill. She permanently resides there, and makes her work in a nearby studio. For her, art has become a creative escape.

Kusama continues to be a prolific artist, creating fantastical pumpkin sculptures, fashion collaborations with prominent designers, and Infinity Room museum installations, novels, among other endeavors.