Exhibitions: My Reality: Contemporary Art and the Culture of Japanese Animation

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  My Reality: contemporary art and the culture of japanese animation
  Japanese animation, called anime, has attained almost cult status among young people worldwide during the past two decades, and is increasingly breaking into the mainstream. Presenting works of art from Asia and the West, My Reality explores how artists around the globe have been influenced by the culture of anime.
  
  American comic books and animated cartoons became popular among Japanese youth after World War II as part of a rebellion against the conventions of traditional society. In a counter-trend, Japanese anime became popular in the U.S. and elsewhere around the world, through the initially limited importation of Japanese comic books, called manga, and animated films.
  
  Anime presents technology as a positive force in contemporary society, often taking on a futuristic quality. The anime-influenced works in this exhibition—ranging from “survival” cars to inflatable bunnies—therefore feature such science-fiction elements as cyborgs, advanced technical devices, and a post-apocalyptic landscape. At the same time, many of the works explore social and economic themes such as gender roles, consumerism, and the pervasiveness of pop culture.