Cover Finnish artist and author Tove Jansson and her Moomin characters (Image: courtesy of Moomin Characters)
Finnish artist and author Tove Jansson and her Moomin characters (Image: courtesy of Moomin Characters)
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Celebrating their 80th anniversary, the Moomin stories are presented in a new Hong Kong exhibition that opened this month—here’s what to expect, and why the creatures aren’t just another ‘Labubu’ craze, according to the franchise’s managing director
Remember that hippo-like, round-nosed, white creature that once dominated the designs of stationery, school bags and storybooks in 1990s Hong Kong? Finnish artist and author Tove Jansson created a sensation in her home country when she released the first Moomin book back in 1945, offering readers solace and encouragement during the Second World War. Little did she know that her creations would one day travel to Asia, thanks to an anime series that premiered in Japan in 1990 and led to a subsequent boom in Hong Kong.
This year, the Moomins are back, and fans of the endearing characters are in for a treat this holiday season. The Beginning of The Moomins, a new exhibition, has taken over the Kai Tak Sports Park until January 4, 2026. Presented by Moomin Characters Oy, the showcase traces the origins of Jansson’s universe from her early pen-and-ink illustrations to contemporary interpretations. Featuring original artworks, immersive installations and newly commissioned tributes by creators from Hong Kong, Macau and Indonesia, The Beginning of The Moomins celebrates Jansson’s artistic legacy while exploring why these small, philosophical creatures continue to hold such universal appeal.
Above ‘The Beginning of the Moomins’ (Photo: courtesy of Trendic International Limited)
‘The Beginning of the Moomins’ (Photo: courtesy of Trendic International Limited)
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For Roleff Kråkström, chief executive of Moomin Characters Oy, the decision to bring this exhibition to Hong Kong was both symbolic and timely. “One of the key reasons to present the exhibition this year is that we are celebrating 80 years,” he says. “Tove Jansson wrote the first Moomin book, The Moomins and the Great Flood, in 1945 when Europe was in a state of disaster. Hundreds of thousands of people died of famine that year, and it’s almost incomprehensible for people today.”
In the aftermath of the Second World War, Jansson, then a young painter disillusioned by the climate of devastation, turned to storytelling as a means of hope. The result was a tale about a family who, despite hardship, carried on with kindness, curiosity and humour. “She told a story about a family who still carried the values of a pre-war world,” Kråkström says. “They minded their own business, took care of each other and sought happiness in small things—a picnic, a perfect dinner or a beautiful home.”
Above Tove Jansson (middle) with Moominhouse (Photo: courtesy of Per Olov Jansson and Moomin Characters)
Tove Jansson (middle) with Moominhouse (Photo: courtesy of Per Olov Jansson and Moomin Characters)
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Eighty years later, those values resonate strongly across the world, particularly in places of rapid change. “Today we have 220 million displaced persons around the globe who have lost their homes and are searching for safety or belonging,” Kråkström says, referring to people affected by climate crises, such as floods, fires and droughts, over the past 10 years. “The situation is different, but the emotions are the same. It’s not a particular aesthetic that makes people love the Moomins—it’s the notion of a roadmap to happiness through humane, middle-class values.”
He adds, on a separate note, “I think people here in Hong Kong are craving that same sense of hope. The city is in a constant state of change.”
To him, the Moomins are not merely a nostalgic cartoon franchise or another entertainment commodity, but a work of art. “Art is something people invest in, carry through generations and give to their children,” he says. “People relate to art in a completely different way from how they relate to entertainment or consumer products, because those are constantly being replaced by something new. People who are now hoarding Labubus understand that they’ll be gone in two years, whereas those who follow Picasso’s or Tove Jansson’s artistry do so for their entire lives. Jansson didn’t create her series for profit, while the core motive for every new product today is generating cash for shareholders.”
That philosophy underpins the structure of the Hong Kong exhibition, which mixes Jansson’s original line drawings with new works by Asian artists, offering cultural dialogues that stretch across eras and continents. “Art is intergenerational,” Kråkström says. “Every generation has its own entertainment, but art endures.”
Read more: Meet the man behind the Labubu madness: Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung
Above ‘The Moomins and the Great Flood Forest’ (Image: courtesy of Moomin Characters)
‘The Moomins and the Great Flood Forest’ (Image: courtesy of Moomin Characters)
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This commitment to authenticity extends to Moomin merchandise and global collaborations. “Everything is still approved here in Helsinki,” he explains. “Every product manufactured in Hong Kong, mainland China or elsewhere is reviewed for concept, design and distribution. All our annual storytelling themes are anchored in Tove’s original books. We let fans and artists be inspired, but we never use generated artwork. The essence must always stay true.”
That fidelity to Jansson’s creative spirit is matched by a strategy for keeping her universe alive. “The idea is not to worship ashes but to carry on the flame,” Kråkström says. “We detach ourselves from the physical pieces and focus on the values. If we only preserved what already exists, it would become enormously boring for our fans and for the artist communities.”
To that end, the company collaborates with leading talents across disciplines and generations. “We try to work with the best filmmakers, musicians, museum curators and editors in every culture,” Kråkström adds. “My job is to find the most interesting, dynamic, wild thinkers, which makes my life an absolute luxury because I only work with people smarter than myself.”
Above ‘The Moomins and the Great Flood Moominhouse’ (Image: courtesy of Moomin Characters)
‘The Moomins and the Great Flood Moominhouse’ (Image: courtesy of Moomin Characters)
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Among these collaborations is a major ongoing project with American studio Annapurna, founded by producer Megan Ellison, which is developing a Hollywood adaptation based on Jansson’s universe. “It takes five or six years to make a good film,” says Kråkström. “We are very excited about it because this is the first time we are working with an American company, and America remains central to global content production.”
Meanwhile, a new generation of musicians, publishers and designers continues to reinterpret the Moomin ideals in creative ways. Finnish composer Lauri Porra, great-grandson of celebrated composer Jean Sibelius and bassist of the rock band Stratovarius, recently composed an audio brand for Moomin—a fitting blend of heritage and modern energy.
For Kråkström, who had the rare privilege of meeting Jansson in her later years, her influence remains deeply personal. “The most important lesson from Tove is her radical acceptance,” he reflects. “She wrote about respecting everyone for who they are, but placing them where they belong. We are not all the same, but we should accept everyone as they are.”
Don’t miss: ‘Another World’ filmmakers Polly Yeung and Tommy Ng on how their collab felt like a ‘game of ping pong’
Above ‘The Beginning of the Moomins’ (Photo: courtesy of Trendic International Limited)
Above ‘The Beginning of the Moomins’ (Photo: courtesy of Trendic International Limited)
‘The Beginning of the Moomins’ (Photo: courtesy of Trendic International Limited)
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He also points out that Jansson was a pioneer of the “flexible family” long before the concept became mainstream. “She was the first author to write about a family structure that wasn’t just parents and children,” he says. “The war had destroyed families, and people had to learn to include others in their homes. Her stories reflected that openness.”
When he recalls meeting her, the memory is suffused with warmth and nostalgia. “I met Tove in early Europe, when we were all smoking cigarettes and drinking wine and having great fun,” he says with a laugh. “It was romantic, stimulating and exciting for a young man. I miss that Europe. That world doesn’t exist anymore.”
So what keeps the Moomins relevant in a world driven by digital media and fleeting entertainment? Kråkström sums it up simply: “Hope. We are all afraid—look around—but only if we are brave can we achieve something. And once we do, we can be generous, tolerant, accepting and kind.”
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Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
