Pony Friendship is Forever! mini exhibition
The much loved My Little Pony celebrated its 40 th anniversary in 2022. To mark the occasion, the museum Leikki is holding the delightful Pony Friendship is Forever! mini exhibition 4.10.2022-24.9.2023
The mini exhibition provides a glimpse into the history of My Little Pony as well as current MLP
phenomena, such as collecting the ponies and MLP merchandise, Mari Kasurinen’s superb pony sculptures and the community formed around the ponies through the brony culture.
Practical things to do at the exhibition include My Little Hobbyhorses and the giant ridable Twilight Sparkle pony. The sweet, unique My Little Leikki pony sculpture created by Mari Kasurinen for the museum puts the finishing touch to the exhibition!
Besides the exhibition, there is also a wonderful pony programme such as guided tours for adults, pony
meetings, pony themed birthday parties and the museum’s ponies’ parties. Unique pony-themed finds can
be made in the museum shop during the mini exhibition.
Pony art
The exhibition features wonderful pony sculptures by visual artist Mari Kasurinen (born 1984), internationally known for her “My Little Pop Icons” series of work. Also on display are the wizard pony My Little Harry Potter, the dark-speaking My Little Darth Vader and pony rappers My Little Jay-Z & My Little Kanye West, among others! In her sculptures, Kasurinen particularly explores personal branding, consumerism and the manifestation of diversity in popular culture.
Kasurinen’s My Little Pop Icons galloped into the international media limelight back in 2009, when they were picked up by the Huffington Post, Time.com, Wired, the Guardian, YLE, Vogue and StarWars.com among others.
Kasurinen’s sculptures have been displayed globally in galleries and art museums alike in Europe, the USA and Canada. Kasurinen featured at Art Basel in 2012-2013 and was represented by the prestigious Swiss art
gallery Galerie Gmurzynska in 2012-2015.
Bronies
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, an animated television series that started in 2010, gave rise to a new
appreciation of the ponies. A norm-breaking brony subculture, where for the first time also men were recognised as pony fans, formed around the series. The exhibition features brony culture items and fan art, Equestria Daily fan site and also the Crystal Fair 2014 pony icon commemorating the international pony gathering held in Helsinki
in 2014.
Collecting
MLP collectors are often adults who got to know the ponies and played with them as children. Collectors
acquire their ponies through various social media communities set up by fans and through various buy and sell sites.
There are many enthusiastic My Little Pony collectors in Finland. The exhibition provides a peek at the wonderful collections of a few Finnish collectors. These collections include rarities and customised ponies.
Photos @mybabyponies
My Little Leikki
The My Little Leikki sculpture designed and created by Mari Kasurinen first saw the light of day at the museum Leikki’s Ponies’ party!
The museum Leikki is the first museum in the world to have a My Little sculpture named after it!
Come and admire this delightful pony at the museum Leikki!
