University Of Maryland Art Gallery Presents Manhua + Manga

An exhibition on rare Chinese and Japanese comics from the 1930s and 1940s.

For Immediate Release

March 11, 2016

Contact: Taras W. Matla, tmatla@umd.edu, 301-405-1474

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND ART GALLERY PRESENTS MANHUA + MANGA

Exhibition of rare Chinese and Japanese comics from the 1930s and 1940s.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – From March 30 through April 30, 2016 (Maryland Day 2016), the University of Maryland Art Gallery presents Manhua + Manga, an exhibition that explores the development of cartoons and comics in China and Japan before, during and after the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945).

“This exhibition presents the two mediums as separate and distinct, but also draws attention to various transcultural flows between the two,” says Madeline L. Gent, the exhibition curator. “In the gallery, the viewer is standing in a figurative East China Sea. From there, they can examine the work of each country as well as grasp the cultural proximity between the two.”

Both China and Japan share a long and complex history of artistic and cultural exchange. The relationship between the mediums of Japan’s manga and China’s manhua—commonly translated into English as “cartoon” or “comic”— illustrates and expands upon that history during an extremely tumultuous and contentious period.

“We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of numerous lenders in making this extraordinary archival material available for students, faculty, staff and surrounding community here in College Park," said Taras W. Matla, the gallery’s assistant director. "This collaboration is a great example of the strength of the collegial relationships among the art institutions in the Big Ten and beyond.”

This exhibition is organized by the University of Maryland Art Gallery and is curated by Madeline L. Gent, who is a graduate assistant and Department of Art History and Archeology doctoral candidate. Lending institutions and partners include: Gordon W. Prange Collection, University Libraries, University of Maryland; Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum, The Ohio State University; Colgate University Libraries Special Collections and University Archives, Colgate University; University of Michigan Library, University of Michigan; and Huang Yao Foundation.

An opening reception for Manhua + Manga will be held on Wednesday, March 30, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the University of Maryland Art Gallery, 2202 Art-Sociology Bldg., College Park, MD 20742. For more information, please call 301-405-2763 or email artgallery@umd.edu. Admission is free and open to the public.

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About the University of Maryland Art Gallery

Established in 1965, the University of Maryland Art Gallery is part of the College of Arts and Humanities and the flagship visual arts venue at the University of Maryland. The gallery is located at 2202 Parren J. Mitchell Art-Sociology Building, College Park, Maryland. Gallery hours: Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The gallery is closed Saturday and Sunday, major holidays, and on days that home sports events are held at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium. Admission is free and open to the public. The gallery’s office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office is closed on Saturday and Sunday, and major holidays. For general information, please call 301-405-2763 or visit the website at www.artgallery.umd.edu.

About the University of Maryland

The University of Maryland is the state's flagship university and one of the nation's preeminent public research universities. A global leader in research, entrepreneurship and innovation, the university is home to more than 37,000 students, 9,000 faculty and staff, and 250 academic programs. Its faculty includes three Nobel laureates, three Pulitzer Prize winners, 47 members of the national academies and scores of Fulbright scholars. The institution has a $1.8 billion operating budget, secures $500 million annually in external research funding and recently completed a $1 billion fundraising campaign. For more information about the University of Maryland, visit www.umd.edu.