Why There Are Giant, Colorful Meerkats In Natick

NATICK, MA — If you see a big group of multicolored meerkats standing in the Natick Mall, they're not waiting for a store to open.

The exhibit "Meerkat Meetup" opened last week outside the Neiman Marcus store featuring a gaggle of plastic meerkat sculptures. The exhibit was designed by the Milan-based Cracking Art group, and is meant as a comment on disposable culture.

"The choice of regenerated and regenerable plastic for its aesthetic appeal shows acceptance of the inevitability of our world becoming increasingly artificial," Cracking Art says. "The artworks are designed to inspire a community-wide conversation about the importance and the environmental impact of regeneration while leaving a potent artistic trace in the communities we live in."

Appropriately, the meerkats have been traveling to malls across the U.S. in recent months to spark "a community-wide conversation about caring for our environment and each other," according to Natick Mall owner Brookfield Properties.

The meerkats will be on display through March 30 at the Natick Mall.