Onward, Taipei MoCA Unveils Anime Aesthetics

Want to see an exhibition without having to be too formal and serious, but still stimulate your brain? The cross-year special exhibition from this weekend onward by the Taipei Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA), covering 2009–2010, is very likely to meet these expectations.

Starting with the cherry bag, Takashi Murakami’s collaborations with Louis Vuitton have sparked debate over whether they are art or commerce — the answer varies, but the influence of anime aesthetics is unmistakable. We often say anime is a subculture, but this powerful subculture has long leapt into the ranks of mainstream culture in this visual era of image communication. Taipei MoCA's cross-year exhibition, titled “Visual Assault: Anime Offensive,” invites 150 internationally renowned artists from 30 countries. In collaboration with the Power Station of Art (Shanghai), Today Art Museum (Beijing), and Guangdong Museum of Art, it simultaneously presents an international biennale themed “Anime Aesthetics,” curated by renowned curator Lu Rongzhi. With its witty and vivid presentation, the exhibition showcases the current development of anime aesthetics, bringing delight, surprise, and stimulation to visitors.

Iconic figures such as Takashi Murakami are essential, with Yoshitomo Nara and Yayoi Kusama also making appearances. The exhibition also features Indian fashion-art duo T&T, the highly talked-about Chinese artist Chen Zhiguang, Patrick Bergeron who worked on the art design of "The Lord of the Rings," American artist Alan Beck known for his popular stick-figure vs. Windows animation online, Maya Lin, the designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the U.S., German artist Hannes Hoelzl who collaborated with the band Pet Shop Boys, Taiwanese artist Yang Maolin famous for his mythological anime characters, and many more — totaling 150 artists. They present works in a wide variety of themes, media, and techniques including paintings, sculptures, animations, and interactive installations. Curator Lin Yujie noted that the highlight of this exhibition is not just the presence of many “star” artists, but more importantly, its global scope highlighting how anime aesthetics transcend borders, ethnicities, genders, and even subject matter, deeply embedding themselves in everyday life and emerging in contemporary art creation.

The exhibition also includes 99 animated shorts from the UK, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Canada, France, and other countries — with diverse themes that provide great mental stimulation. Even if you focus solely on animation during your visit, you can still enjoy a high-quality and refined afternoon. Taipei MoCA has put much thought into the screening spaces for the animation section. Animation is meant to be enjoyed noisily to create the right atmosphere; watching with headphones is too dull, while playing sound out loud might disturb others. The first-floor screening screens are embedded in “hair curler”-shaped sound-absorbing foam, adding visual charm while reducing noise. Each screen, positioned at different heights and angles, also has a “rating effect” — more mature content is placed higher so children won’t be able to see it.

The best way to directly experience the creativity of the artworks and the venue is to be there in person and immerse yourself fully. Discovering interesting pieces is an exciting adventure. “Visual Assault: Anime Offensive” will be on display at Taipei MoCA from December 5 to January 31, 2010. In addition to the main exhibition, there are also events engaging the “ears,” “touch,” “smell,” and “taste,” some of which extend beyond the museum itself. For more details, please visit the Taipei Museum of Contemporary Art website.

Further Reading: Visit Nara Yoshitomo in Aomori (provided by Tripass Attractions)