A new art exhibit in New York City, on display through July 26, showcases the works of eight artists inspired by anime and manga. The Nippon Club hosted a reception to celebrate the exhibition’s launch where the artists discussed their work. Azuki co-founder/ANN contributor Evan Minto spoke on the history of anime and manga’s global reach.
Minto’s speech traced the gradual evolution of international anime fandom from the first international releases of Toei films in the ’50s through the formation of the Cartoon/Fantasy Organization and other anime clubs in the ’80s, the Pokémon and Toonami boom of the late ’90s, the birth of streaming in the ’00s, all the way through to the medium’s increasingly mainstream popularity in the present. Why did the anime and manga industries become so successful? Minto says, “Anime and manga have succeeded on the world stage because Japanese creators unlock the true potential of anime and comics as a medium.” When he polled other fans on Twitter about what attracted them to anime and manga, almost everyone answered something along the lines of “stories I can’t find anywhere else.”
The artists in this exhibit have taken influence from anime and manga in wildly different directions. Seven of the eight artists are currently based in New York City (the exception, Reiner Heidorn, flew in from Germany). Still, many of them moved there from other parts of the world: Hiroki Otsuka, DRAGON76, and Naruki Kita from Japan, Jessica Luna from Italy, and June Kim from Korea.
DRAGON76 and Richard Ford III had paintings on display, but their most striking work can be found wandering the streets of NYC. A looping video showcased highlights of their elaborate murals and street art.
Otsuka showcased original Hokusai-inspired drawings and material from his drag queen-focused manga Backstage in New York, adapted this year into a live-action drama on Tokai TV.
Kim is also a comic artist. Her featured work, a comedic strip about trying to eat live abalone at a sushi restaurant, is inspired by foodie manga like Oishinbo.
Kita’s humorous paintings combine stylistic elements of Renaissance art, fan service manga, and Pokémon.
Heidorn’s paintings draw from his daughter’s anime fandom. As she’s grown up, so have the animal-eared girls in his art.
The Instagram-famous Luna showcased a wide range of artworks. Her older material is in black-and-white and inspired by more serious anime such as Satoshi Kon‘s work, but her recent work in color aims to recapture the childhood joy of watching Sailor Moon and Card Captor Sakura.
The most unexpected piece in the gallery is a collection of daxophone tongues designed by Daniel Fishkin. The anime inspiration isn’t obvious at first glance, but these designs are based on the Angels from Neon Genesis Evangelion! In a live musical performance, Fishkin explained how Evangelion opened his eyes to experimental art.
Those who want to check out the “Japan’s Anime Sweeping the World” exhibit in person can see it through July 26 at The Nippon Gallery at 145 West 57th St, 7th FL, New York, NY. There will also be an online exhibition from July 20 through August 8.
