Perler beads are one of the great lost arts of the nineties that millennials seem to have forgotten from their over-shared nostalgia lists. They were able to make a temporary comeback through a local art exhibit called Momoland on March 26 at Paragon 7 Studios. The exhibit was created by SCAD graduate, Monique Peterson (better known as Momo Unspoken) who utilizes these perler beads as fine art pieces, accessories and sculptures.
Self-described as a free-spirit made of colors and pixels, Momo first heard about SCAD from her high school graphics teacher. “I was obsessed for like two years. I memorized the website, virtual tour and book because I couldn’t come see it in person,” says Momo. It’s a familiar feeling that many students still experience today.
While attending SCAD, she was well-known and admired by many of her classmates. Many of those same people came to Momoland and were even part of her crew for that night. She found inspiration for her perler bead experimentation from one of her SCAD friends. After seeing him wear one in the hallways, she found a new medium to showcase her brand.
Graduating from SCAD has granted Momo the ability to travel and network with new people. Returning to Atlanta for Momoland, she has mixed feelings about the potential outcome of her exhibit. “It didn’t look or feel like the vision I originally had. But I was satisfied with the outcome because so many friends and others came out for it. It was really nice and you felt the love,” she says.
Though Momoland was a hit, not everything went as planned. The Blue Light Special segment was supposed to demonstrate how her pieces looked under special lights. It had to be canceled due to technical difficulties. The Pop-Up shop was supposed to sell some of her work but that part had to be skipped over due to unforeseen complications with the sales.
Despite the challenges at hand, the audience was treated with mesmerizing art, engaging live-statues and dope beats under trippy lighting. The images speak for themselves, though. Momoland is scheduled to have two more showings, one in New York and another in Tokyo.
One of the most important things she learned at SCAD was— Do it, because nobody else is going to do it for you. It’s clear to see that she’s taken that lesson to heart. She just released a new track from her upcoming EP and has more projects in store for the near future. Momo says, “My advice to current students would be to put your all into everything. Don’t sabotage yourself and be genuine.”