Open daily, 10am-4pm

42-44 Devonport Road, Tauranga

Anti-heroes: The Art of Conscious CARTOONISTS AND Comic Book CREATORS

23 February – 9 June 2019

 

Dylan Horrocks, Hicksville (pg 89), 1994

Curated by Craig McClure, this exhibition celebrates comic books and cartooning, and the powerfully empathetic way cartoonists have of representing the world.

This exhibition is the first installment of Mega World, the Tauranga Art Gallery's 2019 signature show, and features work by Ryan Heshka (CA), Dash Shaw (USA), Ron Regé Jr (USA), Tommi Parrish (AU), Tom Scott (NZ), Mardo El-Noor (NZ) and Dylan Horrocks (NZ). 

Comic books are famously known for their Amazonian warriors, supermen from Krypton and cave dwelling billionaire playboys; Superheroes who violently defend the world from mastermind criminals and world domination.

The artists in Anti-heroes resist this archetypical genre of comic books and use the medium to tell real human stories. Their characters are inspired by real people, human relationships and are often autobiographical.


Curator Talk: Craig McClure with Keeli McCarthy

When: Saturday 30 March, 10.30am
Where: Tauranga Art Gallery

Join Craig McClure, curator of Anti-heroes, as he discusses the world of comic books with US-based designer and editor Keeli McCarthy. McCarthy’s portfolio includes work for Fantagraphics and Walt Disney.

Entry is free but please register so we can manage numbers.


 

Dash Shaw, My Entire High School is Sinking into the Sea (poster detail), 2016

The comic book has been dominated by the superhero but as an art form it is a unique way of telling stories with both words and pictures simultaneously. 

Anti-heroes is a survey of works chosen by the curator that gives insight into the creators process, including original comic book pages, concept drawings, digital paintings and animation. Elements not usually seen by the audience are exposed and the craft of comic-book story-telling is revealed. 

The exhibition will also include the Australasian premiere of the instant cult classic animated film My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea, by Dash Shaw. The animation comes hot from the Toronto Film Festival and includes voice-overs with; Jason Schwartzman, Lena Dunham and Susan Sarandon. 

View the film trailer on the Tauranga Art Gallery youtube channel.

Cultural Partner: 


Artist Talk: Dash Shaw

When: Saturday 18 May, 10.30am
Where: Tauranga Art Gallery

Dash Shaw is a US comic book writer/artist and animator, whose most recent film animation, My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea, is showing as part of the Mega World exhibition; Anti-heroes. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from an international artist at the fore of comics and animation.

Entry is free but please register to help us manage numbers.
 


 

Principal Funder

Annual Strategic Partners