Exhibit Review

Portsmouth Museum of Art

SugiPOP

            My reaction as I was driving down the familiar Portsmouth NH streets, crossing beneath the now closed Memorial Bridge, was “Why am I going to an Anime exhibit?” Every time I channel surf past anime cartoons I cannot turn the channel faster and I cringe when I see a notebook with an anime cover. SugiPOP helped me understand this foreign art genre a little more. The contemporary art exhibit ranged from 1800 Japanese woodblock paintings to a gigantic pink blow up bunny that filled an entire room.

            One of the more informative areas was one that displayed 1800 woodblock Japanese art directly next to a display of the anime cartoon developmental process from sketch to finished comic. The comparison of the two demonstrated the roots of anime style.  A history that is often lost in viewing the comics and cartoons today. My favorite piece in this room was “The Appearance of a Concubine of the Bunka Era,” dated from 1888.

            The gallery continues to walk the viewer through history demonstrating the influence of American comics and one of my favorite aspects, the history of the Kamishibai storyteller. A Kamishibai storyteller would ride his/her bicycle around the streets of Tokyo from 1930-1950 with a portable theatre attached. On the street corners they would perform three plays for the children: humor, melodrama and adventure. During World War II, Kamishibai storytellers began to use their theatre as a propaganda tool and in the 50’s the trend began to die out largely because of television.

            The singular works of art had a dramatic range from graphic neon geometric design to muted pictorial landscapes. My emotions ranged from disgust to enthusiasm. Some of the works I enjoyed composed with fun exciting colors and designs.  However, other works I could not see past what seemed to me to be inappropriate paintings of young girls in sexual poses not far from pornography.  

            I will never gain adoration for anime, but SugiPOP helped to give me insight to the popular art. I look forward to seeing what the only year and a half old Portsmouth Museum of Art brings in next.