sylvanian picnic

I’ve never heard of them but Sylvanian Families are plastic toys popular in Japan and other countries. They were somewhat popular in the U.S. back in the 80’s. They’ve been reintroduced here, known as Calico Critters.

From the Sylvanian Families website:

Since 1985, Sylvanian Families has been loved by many people around the world. It is a nostalgic toy range that attracts people in different age groups. Based on three concepts, Nature, Family and Love, children can explore the power of imagination and learn to care and share with one another.

Sylvanian Families are there to help children acquire key social skills.

All of the families live in Sylvanian Village, where everyone enjoys the world of nature. Set around enjoying everyday lives in comfort our brand covers a range of activities in which they can explore different play patterns and create their own stories.

A London artist arranged the Sylvanian Families figurines in various tranquil scenes such as having a picnic, a day at the beach and the kids at school. Black-garbed terrorist figurines, MICE-IS, lurk ominously on the periphery. The cute innocent animals appear unaware of the threat.

The police deemed the exhibit to be “potentially inflammatory content”. If the artwork was displayed it would cost the organizers about $55,000 for security. It is the Passion for Freedom exhibition at London’s Mall Galleries.


sylvanian-beach

Artwork showing Sylvanian Families terrorised by Isis banned from free speech exhibition

The organisers of the not-for-profit organisation said: “To our shock the highlighted work was humorously mocking the despised terrorist organisation that causes suffering to many, not only in the Middle East, but also here, in Europe and the America,” adding that, in view of the decision, the word “uncensored” had been removed from all their publicity for the show.

The satire is not on Islamic State so much as on the west, living out our Sylvanian idyll, pretending this is not happening. The violence of the black-clad terrorists keeps interrupting domestic tranquility and public peace. Girls getting an education are about to be kidnapped. Violence is about to shatter a day at the beach. All that is missing from these funny yet grisly glimpses of our time is a scene of Sylvanian jihadis demolishing ancient temples.

Maybe the artist should add another tableau: MICE-IS lurking outside the windows of an art gallery.

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6 Comments | Leave a comment
  1. ancientwrrior says:

    Good grief, can’t have those MICE-IS lurking around in the back ground (EEK). Might cause someone to have a heart attack. Disturbing the idyllic pretend world of no evil is a definite no-no. Pretending that entities who mean you harm do not exist may lead one down the path of the Dodo bird (they no longer exist).

  2. Maynard says:

    WTF? ISIS shoots us in the head, so our leaders respond by stabbing us in the back. Madness!

  3. Cathode Rays says:

    “The police deemed the exhibit to be “potentially inflammatory content”. If the artwork was displayed it would cost the organizers about $55,000 for security.”

    Can you imagine what would have happened if police (or a city) had done something similar to “P*ss Christ?”

  4. Alain41 says:

    Guardian article reminds that UK police went about inquiring who purchased copies of the Charlie Hebdo magazine. If I was President, I’d send a cable to UK advising that we’ll be glad to send Pamela Geller and Michael Savage there to judge the offensiveness of the exhibit. Article also mentions that the exhibit was previously shown in May at the London’s Royal College of Art in an exhibit titled, Freedom Audit. Love the symbolism. You can’t have a Passion for Freedom, but you can Audit it. However, while you can’t view cuddly toy animals, you can still view the 8 ft. long, Great Wall of Vagina. Not sure what that has to do with Passion for Freedom, but okay then. The artist of the Sylvania exhibit is Mimsy. Her father is a Syrian Jew who left the Middle East to escape persecution. In the UK, his daughter is silenced. Improvement! There’s nothing that follows silencing is there?

    On a more TAM related note, since this is the UK, the Sylvania exhibit includes hedgehogs. They’re banning hedgehogs! To the Ramparts!

    http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/sep/26/sylvanian-families-isis-freedom-of-expression-exhibition

    • Piquerish says:

      Can’t send Savage, sorry. The righteous censorious British government commissars embrace Islamic lunatics but not Michael Savage on account of his, er, something or other to do with overly zealous use of Free Speech. He is actually Persona non Grata in England, officially. Now, then, pass me the seltzer, Lovie.

  5. Piquerish says:

    The word “Islam” means “submission;” you know, submission, as in SURRENDER! Now all of you SHUT UP and YIELD!

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