Speech Bubbles: Catalogue

Speech Bubbles: Comics in the Gallery Space Exhibition: March 2nd - 6th, 2015 Opening Reception: Monday March 2nd, 2015 6pm - 9pm Open Gallery 49 McCaul Street, Toronto

Written and Curated by Kate Murfin 1

Table of Contents: Curatorial Statement ………………………………….. pg. 3 A Brief History

………………………………….. pg. 4

Roy Liechtenstein is an Art Thief ……………………. pg. 6 The Vintage Collection ……………………………….. pg. 8 The Contemporary Collection ……………………….. pg. 9 Artists Featured ……………………………………….. pg. 10


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Curatorial Statement I have always been interested in comics and graphic novels from a very early age. From reading my mother’s old copies of Betty and Veronica, to today’s more popular The Walking Dead, I consider myself an active fan of the art form. From the fantastic worlds and various art styles, to the complex storylines and attention to detail, there is no doubt why comics make up a large portion of geek and popular culture. Yet, I have always had an appreciation of the art world and a respect for the institution as well. It is within the gallery space where one can learn about and appreciate the effort and concepts the artist has brought to life through paint or sculpture. It is also a place where history can be taught through visual mediums and where one can escape into a different world for a short part of their day. The gallery space is of the upmost importance to the curator. It is where they can group together like themes in artworks and display to the audiences that art is not just a subject in school; that it does have a place in society as an educational tool, as an aesthetic tool and as entertainment. But how do comics and graphic novels relate to all of this? Comics and graphic novels have been around for the better part of the century now. Originally used as propaganda and political statements, the medium has grown and evolved into a form of entertainment for people of all ages today. Bringing together contemporary comic works and earlier examples, the exhibition Speech Bubbles: Comics in the Art World presents the idea that comics and graphic novels can have a positive relationship with the institution and that the value and context of what is considered “low-art” can change considerably based on the setting. The exhibition asks a crucial question to the audience; “What happens to the value and context of the Comic when displayed in a gallery setting rather than a more traditionally bound publication?”

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A Brief History The history behind comics and graphic novels began with narrative art forms starting all the way back to prehistoric times. The first appearance of what would become the modern day comic was during the late 1800s. The very first comics were small strips of one or more panels that either discussed important issues that were going on politically at the time, or had odd, loveable characters that would go on a new adventure each week. The idea behind them was to inform the public (some of which were illiterate still), or to entertain children in attempt to get them reading more. In 1905, Little Nemo in Slumberland by Winsor McCay, was the first comic strip being run in a publication to have a occasionally consistent storyline. From there, comics grew as an art form. Throughout the early 20th century, comic characters like Little Orphan Annie, Popeye, Blondie and Dagwood, and even Mickey Mouse were all stars of their own strips. In 1933, Funnies on Parade began printing, reprinting strips from newspapers around America and the UK in their own monthly issues and thus becoming the catalyst to the long standing era of the comic book. In 1938 Detective Comics (DC for short) began printing of Action Comics, a monthly serial featuring the world’s first superhero: Superman. From there competitor Timely Comics introduced their own set of superhero comics in a monthly serial called Marvel Comics (in which Timely eventually changed their company name to). Although the main audiences for these Webcomic Artist Kate Beaton pokes fun at Historical Figures in Hark! A Vagrant, a web serial started in 2007.

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sorts of comics have always been children, as the audience grew, so did the maturity level of the comics written. Today we can see comics aimed towards people of all ages with various genres and interests being explored. With the introduction of Japanese and other Eastern comics (known as Manga or Manhwa) to the West in the late 80s and early 90s, styles in artwork now ranged from bright and colourful works of romance, to dark, gritty and grotesque. More recently, the rise of independent comics and web-based comics has grown in popularity. Works such as Kate Beaton’s humorous jabs at historical figures and events in her webcomic Hark! A Vagrant and Jess Fink’s deliciously erotic work of Victorian steam-punk fiction Chester 5000 are mere examples of the thousands of independent comics that have caught the attention of comic lovers today. There is not always a good side to comics though. Recently, political comics have been under fire for controversy. The focus has mainly to do with the recent attacks on French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. In his book The Art of Controversy, Victor Navasky discusses the use of controversial imagery to invoke reactions, claiming that political cartoons are a perfect example of this. Offensive material can spread much quicker if in a visual format, which is why things like the Charlie Hebdo incident is something worth discussion. Because cartoonists and comic artists are telling a narrative through a visual medium, it makes the narrative a lot easier to understand. The attacks on Charlie Hebdo ended in tragedy, and there have been other incidents where a cartoonist’s interpretation of a political or cultural situation has caused controversy. Perspective and personal history can effect the way in which someone engages with a comic, along with the subject matter.

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Roy Liechtenstein is an Art Thief: Appropriation of Comics in the Contemporary Art World. Comics appear in the art world all the time. Used as a source material, artists might take a comic and position it as a set piece into the background of their painting, or as a prop within their photography. It’s not uncommon to see this done with a number of other art forms; embroidery used in a traditional painting, the pop Oh Jeff… I Love You, Too… But…, Roy Lichtenstein, 1964

art of the 1960s through to the

80s, a comic panel repurposed and resized to become its own artwork. Roy Liechtenstein was an American pop artists well known for bright colours and bold imagery. He was also known to be an avid fan of the comic arts. Taking inspiration from the American comic industry, he painted large panels in the styles of comics of the time, making commentaries on popular culture through motifs such as the crying woman or the unrequited love scene. Although he did use source imagery from actual comic books, Critics and fellow artists often claiming Liechtenstein to be an art thief more than an actual artist for this very reason, he often had to alter the original image quite a lot in order to get it to his liking. Though he never once gave credit to the artists the source imagery had come from, making him a target for critical backlash from the comic industries. There are several artists today who use comics as an inspiration or basis to their work in the contemporary art world. Lucy MacKenzie’s Untitled (2004) was a work that directly used a

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panel from an erotica comic book series whose author/artist was never credited for. There are artists like Mike Myers and Nick DiGenova, who use comics, video games and other geek culture as a basis to their work while still giving some credit to the source material. Whether they use the source material directly, or take elements from the sources depends on the artist. The question is: Can we consider appropriation of comics a good or bad thing? On the one hand, we rarely see comics mixed in with contemporary art pieces, on the other, credit to original artists are rare to come by. The context of a comic and its value

Untitled, Lucy Mackenzie, 2004

changes when it is displayed in an institutionalized space. Artworks appropriating the comic also change the comics meaning. Appropriation brings up a large discussion on the ideals behind intellectual and creative property (and in the cases of cultural appropriation, cultural property). This could lead to legal battles and copyright infringements, accusations of theft and plagiarism, among other discourses. Ultimately the decision is up to the viewer of the artwork; whether they believe the artist’s intentions were simply to pay homage, or if they really were too lazy to come up with their own ideas.

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The Vintage Collection Graciously donated to the exhibition by Dollina MacMillan Birch in honour of the late Charles Kelly Birch. Collected over a lifetime, these comics are part of a private collection that displays a wonderful variety of Marvel comics from throughout the eras. Kelly Birch was a comic fanatic and had been collecting them since he was a young boy. Displayed in this case is only a fraction of the collection, but the variety here shows just how beloved these collector’s items were and the various rarities of the comic world. The choice to display a variety of vintage comics next to the more contemporary artworks

The Invincible Iron Man, Issue 1, Marvel Comics Group

offers the audience a chance to reflect on the value of comic art and shows several evolutions in style, economics, and mediums. From the growing price due to inflation in Canada’s economy, to the ever-changing styles of artists’ pen work and more, we can compare and contrast what makes each of these pieces integral to the history and evolution of the comic industry. What makes a comic book valuable? Is it the year in which it was originally printed? The artist or artists who contributed to it? How pristine the condition of the book is? Or is it the act of placing it in plastic or under glass to keep on display that gives the sense that this object is of value? The vintage comics in the Birch Collection have only ever been read once, then placed

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back in their plastic and sealed. From a collector’s point of view this gives the books more value, as they are free from distinguishing marks and kept in good condition, perfect to sell or trade. From an institutional standpoint, this preservation and now the displaying of these works, brings a different value; giving an archival quality to the works. The comics are not displayed here as comics anymore but rather as art objects; to be engaged with as one might engage with an artifact in a museum or ephemera in a gallery. These comics have ceased to exist as their original intention, having now become artifacts for an institutionalized gaze.

The Contemporary Collection A small section of a larger collection of contemporary and classic comics, the pieces in this collection are from the curator’s own collection. These works represent the work of today’s comic artists including James Jean, Jhonen Vasquez and classic comic artist David Lloyd. The collection started in late 2005 and has accumulated over the years. In this collection Fables: Legends in Exile Cover Art, James Jean, 2002

are more contemporary, easier

to find works such as graphic novels and trade paperbacks. When placed next to their vintage counterparts, there is a timeline formed that better displays this sense of evolution within comics. The pages of these books are lying open, where one can engage with the text and panels of the actual comic rather than just the cover art. As an

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audience, we engage with art differently depending on the way it is displayed. Does opening a comic and allowing the audience to engage with the panel structures and dialogue of the actual narrative remove the art object status? Is it no longer an archival work if we can read the narrative as it was intended? There is a stark contrast between the contemporary collection and the vintage comics; the level of engagement changes depending on the way the comic is displayed and how a viewer reacts to the artwork. While you may look at the cover of Captain America for a shorter time than you would take to read the pages of V for Vendetta, there is still a level of engagement needed to understand both in context. How does the use of panels shift our perceived notions of the art object? We are used to seeing artworks as singular panels, each with a different image or narrative. When we are forced to stop and engage with a work composed of many panels, reading the narrative panel by panel, it changes our ideas of what is considered an art object and how we perceive it.

The Artists Featured Colton Thomas Gilson: The political and social commentaries of Colton Gilson’s comics are an intriguing throwback to comic’s political roots as well as sci-fi, horror and film noir of the mid1900s. Featured in various magazines, the sharp lines and bold blacks of Gilson’s comics offer humorous what-if situations while also pointing out flaws in social and political issues. Wacky Tobaccy (2014) states a very strong social message about the sex appeal of smoking, and parodies this by acknowledging the disturbing imagery printed on Wacky Tobaccy, Colton Thomas Gilson, 2014

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cigarette cartons while making a comment on the Hollywood notion that smoking makes you look cooler. Spiraling (2014) looks at the contemporary stereotypes of hipsters and the duality and contrivances behind the lifestyle, poking fun at how the subculture has defined itself over the last few years. Thinly veiled references to film and commentary on today’s subcultures make this comic a contemporary critique of the mass production of society. Finally, You Have the Right to Remain Silent (2015) is a piece drawn specifically for the Speech Bubbles exhibition. Experimenting with the conventions of comic book page layouts and panels, the lack of dialogue save for the one last speech bubble gives the piece a sense of silence, portraying the narrative strictly through a visual medium. This playing with panels and dialogue is often found in more contemporary comics, allowing the reader to impose their own interpretations onto the work. Lauren Simpson: Lauren’s work is inspired by punk rock, horror, sci-fi and the dark humour of other comic artists such as Jhonen Vasquez and Roman Dirge. Using mostly traditional materials such as inks and watercolours, Simpson tends to use lyrics, poems and stories as the focus of her comics. Nice Legs, Shame about The Face (2012) turns the tables on sexism by delivering a punch line that throws the title back into the protagonist’s face. Inspired by the lyrics to punk band The Monk’s 1979 hit song of the same name, the comic reads as a humorous social commentary on sexism and the media’s idea of beauty standards. Eye Spy with My Little Fly (2014/15) uses a story told by a friend of Simpson’s as a darker, twisted take on a traditional

Nice Legs, Shame about the Face, Lauren Simpson, 2012

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nursery rhyme. Delving more into the horror genre, Simpson’s take on urban legends and fear is expressed through disturbing imagery and rough lines. Each panel evokes the idea of fear in the reader through gory detail and exquisite ink work. Caroline MacEachen: The Book of Vio Pages 5 - 7 (2014) is a fantasy work done as a coping method for mental illness. MacEachen’s use of colder colours and the striking lines of her characters show the progression and process of an individual slowly recovering from depression. As a method to help with the expression of feelings due to her autism inhibiting her from doing so, MacEachen’s visual work reflects her need to communicate and her struggles with mental health and disability. The hooded figure stays silent throughout the three pages displayed, allowing the reader to mentally pause and take in the situation while also allowing for interpretation of the character. The use of white space also allows for the reader to reflect on the events of the story, as well as mimic the feelings of emptiness one may feel when during depression. The fantastical elements of the comic could represent a need to escape from the real world, a retreat into her own mind or into a safe place in which MacEachen now shares with the reader. This breaking down of her barriers and inviting the reader to The Book of Vio: Page 4, Caroline MacEachen, 2014

engage with her subconscious allows for a sort of

dialogue to form between the writer/artist and the reader.

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