"Changing aesthetics are part of Art of Manga, as well. Walking into a room dedicated to the work of Yamazaki Mari feels a bit out of place, with its projections of an archway, pillars, and statue reminiscent of Ancient Rome. Yamazaki was born in Tokyo, but lived many years in Italy; her manga Thermae Romae tells the story of a Roman architect who accidentally discovers a Japanese bathhouse."
"Fittingly, the artwork on display departs from the soft lines of other rooms, with Yamazaki's figures rendered in sharper, more sculptural detail - faces and bodies that look as if they've been carved from stone. The exhibit ends with a section with work from the Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage, and it's the most visually stimulating. Offering an array of artworks from already existing manga, it bursts with vibrant color."
"It's a striking contrast to the rest of the exhibition, and if there's any drawback to Art of Manga, it's that the traditionally black-and-white, two-dimensional panels of the genre begin to feel a bit repetitive. Some art is displayed as if jumping off the wall into the real world, but viewers would have benefited from pushing that approach further, with a more literal "stepping into the manga" experience."
Storylines unpack history, gender, sexuality, and identity, illustrating manga's emotional depth and thematic range. Tagame Gengoroh and My Brother's Husband signal shifting genre themes toward broader social concerns. Yamazaki Mari's room evokes Ancient Rome, reflecting her time in Italy and the premise of Thermae Romae, while figures are rendered in sharper, sculptural detail that resembles carved stone. The Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage section offers vibrant, dynamic prints that celebrate imagination and energy. Traditional black-and-white panels sometimes read as repetitive amid the colorful displays. A handscroll featuring One Piece characters pays homage to centuries-old Japanese storytelling with precise, vivid detail.
Read at Kqed
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]