Record Store for Mice Created in Sweden

Category: Human Interest

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. pun / pʌn / (n) – a playful use of a word in such a way that it suggests two or more meanings
    Example:

    The seafood restaurant “Thai Tanic” is a pun on Thai food and the movie “Titanic.”


  2. minuscule / ˈmɪn əˌskyul / (adj) – very small
    Example:

    The painter captured even the most minuscule details of the dress.


  3. the wee hours of the night / ðə wi ˈaʊ ərz ʌv ðə naɪt / (idiom) – the time from midnight until very early morning
    Example:

    They watched movies until the wee hours of the night.


  4. whereabouts / ˈhwɛər əˌbaʊts / (n) – the location of a person or thing
    Example:

    The police are tracking the suspect’s whereabouts.


  5. pedestrian / pəˈdɛs tri ən / (n) – a person who travels on foot
    Example:

    The drunk driver almost hit a group of pedestrians.


Article

Read the text below.

A tiny record store for mice has been built in Lund, Sweden.


Called Ricotta Records, the store features an array of mouse-themed records in its display window. The records are by “mouse artists” such as Tailor Swiss, Niki Fromaj, and Lady Gouda, whose names are puns on types of cheese and American singers Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, and Lady Gaga.


The new minuscule installation was made by a group of artists called AnonyMouse. People have responded positively to the installation, and AnonyMouse even invited its fans to submit more ideas for artists and albums that would suit the record store’s theme.


Ricotta Records is just one of the group’s masterpieces scattered around Sweden. AnonyMouse began creating miniatures in 2016 and has completed over 20 projects since then.  They include a barbershop, a homeless shelter, an Italian bistro, a five-star hotel, and even an amusement park. Before the record store was revealed, AnonyMouse also installed a tiny drugstore called Cicada Pharmacy within the same area.


The team assembles its projects in the wee hours of the night to avoid being seen by many. The miniatures’ exact locations are never revealed, but AnonyMouse updates its Instagram with photos of new installations. Fans of the collective search for the miniatures’ whereabouts using the photos as clues.


For its projects, AnonyMouse takes inspiration from children’s book authors Beatrix Potter and Astrid Lindgren, as well as filmmakers Don Bluth and Walt Disney. The team said that it aims to bring a bit of magic to children and other pedestrians who happen to pass by their creations.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• What do you think AnonyMouse is gaining from creating these installations (e.g. popularity, entertainment)? Discuss.
• Would you like to see the group’s miniature installations in person? Why or why not?

Discussion B

• If you were to create your own public art installation, what would it be? Discuss.
• Where do you think would be a good place to put up your art installation? Discuss.