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MOOMIN PIECES Arabia’s Moomin range is available at skandium.com
The exhibition at the Festival Hall focuses heavily on Jansson’s life, featuring original illustrations and artworks as well as letters and personal items from her studio, displayed in an interactive world based on the Nordic landscape of the books. Several of the Moomin stories, such as Comet in Moominland (1946) and Moomin Midwinter (1957) were written against the backdrop of political and socio-economic change in Finland and heavily influenced by Tove’s relationships with family, friends and lovers which defi ned the narrative and character development. Written during a time of hardship and war, the tolerant world of Moominvalley offered a refuge from the harshness of reality. Jansson explored her art and own sexuality within the confi nes of this changing political landscape - and her friends, enemies, fears and hopes often found themselves manifested in the complex and emotional stories. Accompanying the Southbank’s exhibition is a pop-up Moomin store in the Festival Hall, selling the ever-popular Moomin homewares. Finish design company Arabia started manufacturing Moomin-themed children’s ceramics, using Jansson’s original illustrations, in the late 1950s, and a second launch in the 1990s kicked off a Moomin boom that has never really gone away. The high quality ceramics with their simple, practical shapes and the high-shine glaze of the colourful Moomin motifs make the pieces highly collectible – and the limited edition ranges particularly so.
The Moomin-themed Easter extravaganza at Kew Gardens is an exciting interactive trail exploring the hidden depths of the gardens, passing vibrant displays of fritillaries, camassias and tulips, and culminating at a magical Moomin Camp in the wild woodland of the Conservation Area. On the Moomin trail, children will be able to get creative at interactive points along the way and visitors might even snatch a glimpse of the Moomintrolls through the trees. Sophia Jansson, creative director of Moomin Characters and niece of Tove Jansson, said: “All of the inhabitants of Moominvalley possess a deep love and respect for nature, from the Hemulens who spend their time collecting plants or butterfl ies to the adventurous Snufkin, whose music is inspired by the landscape around him. So we couldn’t be happier to be working with the team at Kew to inspire a similar love of nature.” • Adventures in Moominland continues at the Royal Festival Hall until 23 April. Book tickets at southbankcentre.co.uk or call 020 7960 4200 • The Moomins Easter Adventure comes to Kew Gardens from 1 to 17 April. kew.org March / April 2017
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