So I hope that this counts as the "non-art" portion of this project. I can't remember the website I got this off of and therefore can not remember if it is sold by Sanrio or not, I'll see if I can find it again. It is one of those toys that immediately make me think that it's adorable, until I realize it's about cooking food with faces on it. Then I feel like I'm cooking something alive. But aside from thinking about it disturbingly like that, it made me think about what I read in the "Cuties in Japan" article in which she identifies the cute things that exist in Japan. This toy is one of those cute things that while it has appendages, they are small and rounded. the objects are rounded and that's whta makes them cute. Then it made me think about how the Japanese can incorporate cute into other aspects of their lives, including food. The article suggested that cute can be found in bakeries and sweet shops but apparently cute can also be found in regular cooking food. Kinda like the Fisher-Price kitchens we sell for children here. But I think this toy would be sold to anyone of any age and wasn't meant specifically for children.
Again, some good comments, especially regarding the slightly disquieting element. Even more disturbing when one realizes that this is a nabe (pot), and so all the cute little things are going to be boiled (alive?).
ReplyDelete-Mizenko
I picked a picture kinda like this! yay!
ReplyDeleteI think it's kinda funny how anything can be turned into some cute to look at, even if 5 seconds later it'll be eaten and sitting in your stomach...
You description is great, that's right that concerning these things, it doesn't matter to be a child or not. I would feel bad to eat them as it is so funny, but when it is done, I won't mind anymore. I feel like these images kind of fits into my cliches of the cute things in Japan, or the possible importance of the kawai in the everyday life.
ReplyDelete