The Unusual Peeps Museum Exhibit You've Probably Never Heard Of
Peeps are probably one of the most polarizing candies on the market. People either seem to love or hate these sweet, brightly colorful marshmallow puffs that come molded in chick or rabbit shapes and get heavily promoted leading up to the Easter holiday, then mostly vanish from shelves the rest of the year.
Some individuals loathe them to such a degree that they have used a media platform to publicly voice their displeasure. An editorial in "The Guardian" opened with the headline "Sorry, but Peeps are disgusting." The writer went on to proclaim their utter disdain for the confection, opining that biting into one essentially resembled chewing on "pink slime."
The controversial topic has stirred debate on the Reddit thread r/AskAnAmerican, where a curious Redditor from England posed this question to American contributors: "Why does everyone hate Peeps?" Several Redditors replied that it was their ultra sweetness that offended most people's taste buds, while others echoed "The Guardian" editorial's viewpoint on its gross texture. Still, there were persons who expressed their love for Peeps or at least said that they felt the hate was a bit extreme and unwarranted.
Art is another area that can evoke strong critiques and opinions, so perhaps Peeps are a fitting subject for a gallery. The Racine Art Museum in Racine, Wisconsin, certainly believes as much, having held its 13th annual International Peeps Exhibition this spring.
Peeps as a form of art
The Racine Art Museum's exhibit was established as a competition in which entrants create a work of art that must be crafted out of Peeps or is Peeps-themed. According to ABC 7 Chicago, the 2022 competition received 162 entries that were showcased during the exhibit. Selected winners each year are awarded the coveted Golden Peep.
The Peeps-centric art covers wide-ranging topics and themes, with entries celebrating the transition of the seasons through depictions of activities such as Peeps camping. There are animatronic Peeps as well. As with a lot of art, the exhibit can also delve into the political. This year, there was an entire section devoted to the war in Ukraine.
One drawback of having art that appears edible is that you run the risk of losing part of an exhibit to museum-goers who aren't sure what's the art and what's a snack from the museum. While the art entered into the competition does feature Peeps, the confections are painted and glued, so eating them is not recommended. Yet pieces or whole Peeps tend to disappear anyway.