Manga in spotlight at British Museum

London's British Museum is hosting an exhibition, Manga, that delves into the history of the popular art form, how it emerged in Japan and how it went on to become a global cultural phenomenon.

The art of manga, a Japanese word that can be translated as "pictures run riot", takes the form of comic books or graphic novels that have been popular in Japan for over 200 years and are now a multibillion-dollar industry.

The exhibition features high-profile loans from internationally famous manga artists, including Astro Boy and Princess Knight's Osamu Tezuka; Akira Toriyama, creator of the popular Dragon Ball series; and Akiko Higashumura, artist of Princess Jellyfish.

"Japanese manga has been translated into all languages all around the world, and what that means is we can engage with the story," said Tim Clark, curator and head of the Japanese section in the department of Asia at the British Museum.

"It's the pictures that grab our attention, but then it's the story that keeps us reading and turning the pages. It's the power of the storytelling. It creates a world for us, just between us and the manga book."

Held in the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery, the exhibition weaves the graphic novels' historical roots into a series of connected themes, ranging from understanding how to read manga and the world of publishing to exploring storytelling and manga's growing international reach and cultural influence.

Anime, gaming and manga fandom, which grew out of the original art form, are hugely popular in Japan and internationally, and Clark said one of the exhibition's messages is that manga is for everyone.

"When you come to the exhibition, explore all of the different subjects: sports manga, horror, sci-fi, love, history and some very difficult stories about disasters, for instance," he said. "It's about the emotional engagement and setting up a close relationship between what the manga artist has created and you the reader."

The British Museum itself stars in a manga that is included in the exhibition. Professor Munakata's British Museum Adventure by Hoshino Yukinobu is a mystery inspired by the objects of the museum.

Visitors can also view Shintomiza Kabuki Theatre Curtain, a 17-meterlong painting decorated with demons and ghosts that was created in 1880 by Japanese artist Kawanabe Kyosai. The museum said that due to the delicate nature of the painting, it will be the last time it will travel outside of Japan. Although Kyosai was not actually a manga artist, Clark said he helped create modern manga.

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(China Daily 05/24/2019 page1)