I can has exhibishun: LOLcat art goes on display in London (pictures)

22 Jan 2013

Starting tomorrow, an exhibition in a London gallery will open up a world of feline-based artwork inspired by the cat-loving world that we call the internet.

No matter where you find yourself on the world wide web, you’re never more than a few clicks away from funny images and videos of cats. Other animals get their game, sure, but our feline friends definitely rule the roost.

LOLCat – Teh Exhibishun’ is a group art show exploring the phenomenon of LOLcats, from English photographer Harry Pointer’s carte de visite series of cats with amusing captions dating back to the 1870s, to our modern online obsession with cats and their memes.

Graphic designers, illustrators, photographers, animators, and writers have come together in an attempt to elevate the LOLcat phenomenon to a level where it can be considered ‘art’. It isn’t an easy feat, but it does come with plenty of fantastic, funny images.

LOLCat - Teh Exhibishun

‘Hail Lucipurr’ T-shirt by Delme Rosser

LOLCat - Teh Exhibishun

‘Jeezus Cat’ by Delme Rosser

LOLCat - Teh Exhibishun

‘Monorail Cat’ by Alex Piercy

LOLCat - Teh Exhibishun

‘Nyan Cat’ by Matt Harvey

LOLCat - Teh Exhibishun

‘Nyan Cat in Sydney’ by Matt Harvey

LOLCat - Teh Exhibishun

John Owen’s typographic illustration of ‘Wiliam’s Internet Haikuette’ by Lisa Glass (detail)

LOLCat - Teh Exhibishun

‘Soon’ by Daniel Gray

LOLCat - Teh Exhibishun

‘Rainbow Cat’ by Jimmy Turrell

LOLCat - Teh Exhibishun

‘Le Chat Noir’ by Mark Milic

‘LOLCat Teh Exhibishun’ opens tomorrow, 23 January, at The Framers Gallery in London and runs until 15 February, and 50pc of all proceeds will go to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. The exhibition is curated by Jenny Theolin of Soapbox & Sons and sponsored by Artefact Picture Framers.

Elaine Burke is the host of For Tech’s Sake, a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network. She was previously the editor of Silicon Republic.

editorial@siliconrepublic.com