Crossing Visions Ⅲ　AniMate。ANIME in Japanese and Korean Contemporary Art

“Crossing Visions” is a series of exhibitions that introduce new trends in contemporary art arising out of interdisciplinary practice with different genres such as film, animation, comics, fashion and architecture.  This exhibition features seven individual artists and one duo in Japan and Korea who take reference from comics and animation.

In recent years, those artists who have grown up with comics and animation are literally “animating” the contemporary art scenes in Japan and Korea.  Unlike the 60s when Pop Art appropriated comics as the iconic symbol of popular culture, in the 90s, comics and animation became a part of everyday life in both Japan and Korea, producing new expressions by young artists for whom comics played a crucial part of their experiences of growing up.

The variant approaches in their works include: the making of a new character by taking references from existing comics, utilization of expressive techniques that are specific to comics such as framing and narrative, and application of the techniques of animation.  The works by each artist are shown in vitrines like the frames in comics.  As the title of the exhibition series, “Crossing Visions” may suggest, the exhibited pieces cross the borders between the gallery space and other spaces in the museum.  “AniMate。” is a coinage based on ‘animation’ and ‘mate.’  In “Japan-Korea Friendship Year 2005”, we hope this exhibition provides an opportunity for people of the two countries to stimulate and form friendship with each other by means of art inspired by ANIME a cultural feature that is common to contemporary art in both countries.