Filippo Lorenzin, an independent curator at London's Victoria and Albert Museum, and artist Marianna Benetti built a miniature art museum for their pet gerbils, Pandoro and Tiramisu, during lockdown. The couple spent four hours constructing the tiny gallery from cardboard, paper, and wood, featuring rodent-themed parodies of famous artworks including Gustav Klimt's *The Kiss*, Johannes Vermeer's *The Girl With the Pearl Earring*, Leonardo da Vinci's *Mona Lisa*, and Edvard Munch's *The Scream*. They filmed the gerbils exploring the space and shared the footage on Reddit, where it quickly went viral.
This story matters because it illustrates how the art world has adapted creatively during lockdown, with even pet owners finding whimsical ways to engage with art. The project's viral success also highlights the power of social media platforms like Reddit in amplifying lighthearted, community-driven art content, and it underscores the enduring appeal of art parody and miniature models as a form of cultural commentary and entertainment.