On opening day, the de Young Museum in San Francisco welcomes customers to the first large-scale comic exhibition in North America. “Comic Art“is a visual buffet for experts and new immigrants, placing visitors on the same plane as the panels they see in front of them. Fans and those curious can carefully study the original work of the ten featured comic artists on the exhibition: Tetsuya Chiba,,,,, Fujio Akatsuka,,,,, Lumiko Takahashi,,,,, Jiro Taniguchi,,,,, Marieshanzaki,,,,, Hirokohi Araki,,,,, Kazumi Yamashita,,,,, Gengoroh We promise,,,,, Fumi Yoshinagaand Eiichiro Oda. In addition, from Ito Junji, Agi Tadashi and Tite Cube As part of the exhibition’s exploration of different comic genres, scattered among 600 original artworks in the main gallery.
“‘Comic Art’ presents the power of Japanese contemporary art in a medium, especially among younger generations around the world,” said Tom Campbell, director and CEO of the San Francisco Museum of Fine Arts. Campbell reached out to Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere, the exhibition’s curator and Japanese art scholar, after he saw the British Museum’s “The Citi Exhibition: Manga” in 2019. As a fine arts museum, the de Young hosts collections from internationally renowed painters and sculptors, and crafting a manga exhibit challenged the museum to step out of its comfort zone.
“They have never been so intensively studying publishers, Japanese artists and Japanese agreements,” exhibition curator Rousmaniere said on the anime news network. “Japanese publishers are also not used to holding multiple publisher exhibitions abroad and provide them with a learning curve. They are worried about the conditions being suitable for Genga.”
Showing works from multiple artists is a challenge and risky to all concerned, similar to the Mobile Mountains bringing together works by famous publishers, e.g. Hakusen,,,,, futabasha,,,,, Cardochuan,,,,, Kodansha,,,,, Shinchosha,,,,, Shogakukanand Shueisha.
“In general, art museums think it is a real honor to hold a work of a living artist. However, publishers are not interested in it; they are interested in publishing works by comic artists. They don’t mind its display, but it is not their main work.
Indeed, the publisher’s representatives were pleased to see the crowded halls as guests exchanged excited expressions and placed them in front Jojo’s strange adventure Wall panels. To encourage continued interest and participation, the museum host Role Playing Day A run throughout the exhibition, on a selection of Saturdays. Many eagerly explained the comic panel to their friends or relatives and commented on impressive lines and visible ink strokes.
Similar to analyzing oil paintings, the simulated comic panel and Genga allow viewers to see editor notes, blue sketches, and explore the artistic behind the lines that make up the finished product. Rousmaniere points to the last panel Ashta has no Joewhich is one of the most famous images in Japan and presents details of the original page. “Chiba-sensei said he was embarrassed to remove all the whites, paper tears.” The work also attracted the audience’s explanation of Joe’s tender smile, while his chair fell down: “Is he dead or alive?” To this day, readers still discuss their views on the matter as enthusiastically as Mona Lisa’s smile.
Whether visitors are long-term fans or first exploring comics as an art form, the exhibition offers a new experience with each visit. “Comic Art” places the center stage of comic artists, while also teaching visitors how to read comics and follow the commands of each gallery’s paragraphs. Indeed, the exhibition’s impressive design goes out of its way to tell its own story and emphasizes the artist at every step. In comics, black frames and panels send out past or flashbacks, which is why the first room is decorated in black and adheres to the same guidelines that comics usually follow. Featured artists are listed in order of qualifications, from Tetsuya Chiba and Fujio Akatsuka,by Eiichiro Oda.
Drawing inspiration from the works on display, the designers created a “portal” for visitors to travel from one area to another. Alejandro Stein, a designer of “Comic Art”, told Ant that they explored the considerations and aspects to bring the gallery to life.
“What was most exciting for us was the introductory portal of design, and the idea came from [Rumiko Takahashi‘s] hairthe main character is in the shopping mall, passing through the portal, and was transported to this village in time and space. “The transition of each portal is carried out through layering, where it can transform forms to reflect the transformation between the artist’s world, for example from Gengoroh We promiseMask Fumi YoshinagaMizuno Yunoshin.
“We looked at predictions, i.e. moving graphics, creating a more immersive and engaging moment that highlights specific content in the page.” MarieshanzakiTheir gallery, they reference the architecture Tropical Romeincluding her paintings of Roman-like sculptures Osamu Tezuka. They explored other ideas, but couldn’t achieve them. To make fun of it in the environment, they considered changing the speech bubble of DIO’s famous “Muda Muda” to “Emergency Emergency Emergency Emergency Emergency” as the wall decoration is located above the emergency exit sign. Unfortunately, the design changes were not approved, so the comic panel remains the same.
“It’s not us that’s interesting about the exhibition. [the manga authors] Consider comics, but in the Americans’ perception of it. ” MarieshanzakiWhen asked about her thoughts on the exhibition in an interview with the Anime News Network. “In America, people think of comics as comics, like Marvel Comics and graphic novels. I hope by seeing my work and other authors’ work they realize that comics are a broader form of expression. ”
Currently, Yamazaki is studying Bath in Roman redcome to discuss her work on Young Museum. By sharing her expertise and experience as a writer, Yamazaki hopes to continue to expand people’s perceptions about the impact of comics as a global phenomenon.
The last area to take home is the importance of comicspiece There is only the “room” that contains the production process of the book used in the printed board. What’s more impressive is that the installation features are more impressive piece Chapters from 1 to 1110 are cut into and installed on the gallery wall. Masashi “Kinpachi” Okamoto Shueisha Comics – Art Heritage Project, want to show the world how to create comics with his background as the background Shueishaproduction department.
“These printed boards are discarded or recycled day after day,” Kimpatch explained to Ann. He clarified that the factory itself is a sector, not a publisher or author. “Many of these plates do not exist now, but we should archive for the future. If you want to study how comics are made, there is no real place.”
Overall, the “Manga Art” exhibition provides in-depth research into Japanese comics, putting comic artists at the forefront. The de Young Museum has launched a red carpet for guests (New and Regists New) to enter the world of contemporary Japanese art. Several comic artists, e.g. Gengoroh We promisetalks will be held at the museum later in the fall and winter. For those who want to revisit the museum without going bankrupt, Comic Fan Pass Unlimited entries awarded to the holder for the customer, a guest enters the museum until January 25, 2026.
Meanwhile, in the Dogpatch district of San Francisco, the Minnesota Street project is currently working with Shueisha Comic legacy. The gallery features new prints and convex works that are premiering worldwide. Hirohiko Araki’s Jojo’s strange adventure And bring Keiichi Tanami’s Tanami! akatsuka! First time in the United States. During the opening weekend of the exhibition, Araki quickly declined and commented that it was his first time in San Francisco. A major fan of Clint Eastwood, Araki spoke enthusiastically about the city’s significance in Eastwood’s career and planned to visit the locations of several director’s films. Both exhibitions will be on display until October 25, 2025 and will be free to the public.
