She has pawssibly the most famous face in the world. She is petite—standing about five apples tall—and she’s a Scorpio who hails from London. Her full name is Kitty White, though you probably know her as Hello Kitty. The adorable Gijinka, essentially a humanized animal (in this case a Japanese bobtail cat), may be a perpetual third-grader, but this year marks the 45th anniversary of her creation by the Japanese animation company Sanrio.
In the years since, Hello Kitty, designed by Yuko Yamaguchi, has become a massive industry that’s even spawned a themed maternity hospital in Taiwan, a jewelry collaboration with Kimora Lee-Simmons, a suite of wines, and illustrated commercial passenger jets. The character was even named the cultural ambassador for Japanese tourism in China and Hong Kong in 2008.
Artists and designers, too, have taken inspiration from the cult of Kitty, and now, in honor of her 45th birthday, the Los Angeles-based Corey Helford Gallery has invited more than 100 artists to contribute to a group show dedicated to the beloved mouthless cat. Expect a Hello Kitty-shaped topiary, à la Jeff Koons’s living plant Puppy, a kaleidoscopic litter of Hello kittens, a neon-colored crocheted Kitty, a sassy Rococo-style Kitty, and much more.
See more works from the exhibition below.
Eric Joyner, Happy Garden. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Christybomb, Hello Kitty Confection (2019). Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Installation view of the “Hello Kitty® 45th Anniversary Group Show.” Courtesy of the artists and Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles.
Andrew Brandou, 767778. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Installation view of the “Hello Kitty® 45th Anniversary Group Show.” Courtesy of the artists and Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles.
Zoe Byland, Miss Kitty White. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Dena Seiferling, Hello Kitty Day Dream. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Tina Yu, Miss Kitty. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Kukula aka Nataly Abramovitch, Rocokitty (2019). Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Paul Frank, Kitty & Julius. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Okuda San Miguel, Hello Kitty Skull. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
ONCH, Hello Kitty x ONCH Coutoure (2019). Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Pogo, The Cat & the Girl. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Shelby & Sandy, Hello Kitty With Clouds. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Messy Desk, Hello Kitty Wonderland. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Installation view of the “Hello Kitty® 45th Anniversary Group Show.” Courtesy of the artists and Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles.
Installation view of the “Hello Kitty® 45th Anniversary Group Show.” Courtesy of the artists and Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles.
Pip & Pop, It’s a Lovely Day. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Victor Castillo, Who Is the Cutest Girl?. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Kozyndan, A Super Day in California!. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Installation view of the “Hello Kitty® 45th Anniversary Group Show.” Courtesy of the artists and Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles.
Installation view of the “Hello Kitty® 45th Anniversary Group Show.” Courtesy of the artists and Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles.
Risky, Risky Kitty. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Alex Yanes, Kitty Boom Boom. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Installation view of the “Hello Kitty® 45th Anniversary Group Show.” Courtesy of the artists and Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles.
La Belle Epoque, Dance with Hello Kitty. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Dilka Bear, Kittymoon. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Yang Cao, Liminal Kitty. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Bennett Slater, Good Morning Kitty. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Nate Frizzell, HELLO. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Installation view of the “Hello Kitty® 45th Anniversary Group Show.” Courtesy of the artists and Corey Helford Gallery, Los Angeles.
Chishi Morimura, Repose. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Jillian Evelyn, Uh Oh Hello Kitty. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
Mike Silkey, Man Disguises Cat as Hello Kitty. Courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery.
The “Hello Kitty: 45th Anniversary Group Show” is on view at Corey Helford Gallery, 571 S. Anderson Street, Los Angeles, California, June 29–August 3, 2019.