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PrintArts preview: Cartoon mecca
The month of October brings a slew of exhibitions by major players in the world of comics, including a Pulitzer Prize winner.
A self-portrait by Matt Groening, creator of "The Simpsons" and "Futurama."
Courtesy FOX
With the recent major Hollywood releases of Sin City, 300 and Watchmen (each based on a graphic novel of the same name), there’s a resurgence in the appeal of the comic-based narrative. And Columbus will be at the heart of this trend in October when it hosts some of the biggest names in the cartoon world, including a Pulitzer Prize winner and the creator of one of the most popular television shows ever made.
The speakers and exhibitions are either part of—or designed to coincide with—Ohio State University’s 2010 Festival of Cartoon Art, a triennial event taking place Oct. 14 through 17. Here are some highlights of what cartoon lovers can expect to see.
The greatest cartoon ever told
R. Crumb has translated the Bible’s book of Genesis into an unlikely art form: a cartoon. It took the renowned artist more than five years, but the finished product will be on display at the Columbus Museum of Art as more than 200 drawings. Each one, with up to eight panels, shows the first book of the Old Testament, word for word (that’s 50 chapters and nearly 40,000 words). Visitors can see the stories of Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark and Sodom and Gomorrah as detailed cartoon drawings that create a distinct imagery to accompany the text.
Crumb got his start working for Topps Company, which makes chewing gum and baseball cards, and he also illustrated cards for American Greetings. The artist is perhaps most known for his iconic “Keep on Truckin’ ” motifs, depicting four cartoon men swaggering along contently. He also is recognized for his Zap Comix, a staple of the Underground Comix movement in the late 1960s and early ’70s.
“He was not as interested in drawing superheroes and other commercial comics,” says Lisa Dent, associate curator of contemporary art at CMA. “He was using comics to talk about the social and political issues of the day.”
Although much of his early work was satirical—and often criticized for its sexualized depictions of women and stereotypical portrayals of African-Americans—The Book of Genesis: Illustrated (which made it onto the New York Times bestseller list) remains purely contextual, Dent says. Of the exhibit, she adds, “It’s a great way to look at a living artist in a different realm.”
The Bible Illuminated: R. Crumb’s Book of Genesis is on view from Oct. 8 through Jan. 16, 2011. Admission is $5, $4 for seniors 60 and older and students with school ID, $3 for students ages 6 to 17 and free for museum members and children 5 and younger.
A cartoon legend
When Time magazine named Art Spiegelman among its 100 most influential people in 2005, fellow graphic novelist Marjane Satrapi remarked that his work not only inspired her, but also “he is the reference for any cartoonist.”
Spiegelman, one of the true pioneers of cartoons and graphic novels, is perhaps most remembered for the Pulitzer Prize-winning Maus: A Survivor’s Tale, which chronicled his father’s experiences living in Poland and Auschwitz during the Holocaust, based on stories told to him by his father. Speigelman portrayed the Jews as mice and the Nazis as cats.
His work for the New Yorker—notably its cover in the immediate aftermath of 9/11—has earned him numerous accolades as well, and his experiences in Lower Manhattan that day inspired In the Shadow of No Towers, a graphic novel detailing the terrorist attacks. “He’s not only a revered figure as an artist, but he’s equally as important as a vocal advocate for cartoons as an art form,” says Wexner Center curator of film and video Dave Filipi. “He demands they be viewed as such.”
Spiegelman will speak at Mershon Auditorium Oct. 17 as part of the OSU Festival of Cartoon Art, and he’ll remain throughout the week as an artist-in-residence with Ohio State’s cartoon library. Speigelman also will receive $25,000 as part of the Wexner Center Residency Award, given to artists to support their work. Tickets to see him at Mershon are $4 for Wexner Center members, $6 for the general public and free for OSU students.
Springfield comes to Columbus
Matt Groening initially was tapped by producers of “The Tracey Ullman Show” in the mid 1980s to turn his comic strip, “Life in Hell,” into an animated cartoon for the variety show. But he decided, after learning that his ownership rights to the characters would be lost, to create new ones. “The Simpsons” was born. You may have heard of it.
Now in its 22nd season, the show, depicting a family of dysfunctional yellow Springfield-dwellers, has spawned nearly 500 episodes, a recent feature film and countless video games. It also is the longest-running sitcom in the history of television. Additionally, Groening created “Futurama,” an animated cartoon set in the robot-filled 31st century, which spanned five seasons on Fox from 1999 to 2003 (an unaired sixth season began running on Comedy Central this summer).
Appearing in town with Groening will be colleague and fellow cartoonist Tom Gammill, who’s been a writer for “The Simpsons” since 1998. Before that, he worked on “Seinfeld” and “The Late Show with David Letterman,” plus he wrote for the original cast of “Saturday Night Live” just out of college.
Gammill, whose slapstick and self-deprecating “Learn to Draw with Tom Gammill” sketches can be found on YouTube, also is a published cartoonist, the creator of the comic strip “The Doozies.” He and Groening will take the stage together at Mershon as part of OSU’s cartoon festival and give a conversation-style presentation. Gammill says one of the many things he finds impressive about Groening is that, aside from his popular television shows, “He’s also been a cartoonist for over 30 years,” he says, referring to “Life in Hell,” which depicts a wide range of characters, mostly made to resemble rabbits. “When that started, it was pretty revolutionary.”
Gammill says he plans to include the comic in the discussion, as well as a number of other topics. “I hope to ask him questions he hasn’t been asked,” he says, adding he wants to dig up some old clips of work by Groening and others to show. The event, which is open to the public, will take place Oct. 16 at 7 pm. Admission is free, though tickets are required. Contact the Wexner Center ticket office for information at 292-3535.
Carnivores claim the conservatory
The Franklin Park Conservatory prides itself on its captivating depictions of flora, in all its wondrous forms. Savage Gardens, on view through Nov. 14, shows off the predatory side of the plant kingdom.
With villainous Venus’ flytraps, treacherous trumpet pitchers, seductive sundews and more, the conservatory hopes to lure its unsuspecting victims into a dynamic ecosystem, which features live plants and sculptures.
The exhibition also showcases cartoons relating to carnivorous plants, including one by Dispatch cartoonist Jeff Stahler, who has roots at Columbus Monthly and the defunct Citizen-Journal. Stahler created a cartoon specifically for the exhibit, and 16 versions of it will be on display, each with a different caption submitted by his readers.
FPC curators also tapped Ohio State University’s Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum (host to this year’s cartoon festival) to try to find carnivorous plant-themed cartoons. Though it seemed like an oddly specific request, they were surprised by how much they were able to find in the cartoon library’s archives. “We turned up a lot of it,” says FPC spokeswoman Lori Kingston. She adds that people tend to think carnivorous plants are found in faraway, exotic lands, but “there are a whole lot of them that are native to this country.”
Also included in the display is a juried art exhibit and larger-than-life sculptures– made by local design company Tork Inc.– not to mention one of a giant, functioning Venus’ flytrap that actually closes its mouth with visitors inside. “Kids love it,” Kingston says.
Conservatory admission is $11, $9 for seniors and students with ID, $6 for children ages 3 to 17 and free for members and children 2 and younger.
More on the festival
This month’s 10th triennial OSU cartoon festival will be a little bit more open to the public, says festival coordinator Jenny Robb, associate curator and assistant professor of the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. “In the past, you had to register for the entire festival in order to be able to attend any of the scheduled events,” she says, adding that this year the Spiegelman and Groening presentations don’t require registration.
For hardcore fans who want to take part in the festival, a $125 fee is charged and space limited to 275 participants, although Robb says Mershon’s capacity will dictate how many can attend the Spiegelman and Groening programs. The fee gets festival-goers access to special events and presentations by a slew of other high-profile cartoonists, including Roz Chast, longtime New Yorker contributor; Dave Kellett, creator of “Sheldon”; James Sturm, author of The Golem’s Mighty Swing, and many more. For more information on the festival, visit cartoons.osu.edu/fca2010.
Ben Zenitsky is an assistant editor for Columbus Monthly.
