Gisp! - 12.03.2005, Page 10

To many adults, comics are no more
than a long-forgotten childhood treat or a brief chuckle in the newspaper.
But across the world, the view is very different, as comics have transformed into books printed
on good quality paper in full colour as classic fiction. In lceland we've had just a taste of these,
thanks to the adventures of Tintin and Asterix, and the change in attitude is also evident from
a number of American comic heroes, who have been turned into popular films in recent years.
The French have a habit of intellectualising
about popular culture and recognising the genius behind it, and it is especially through French
cultural discussions that the comic has in the last few decades drawn more attention as a
recognised art form called bande dessinée (literally: 'drawn strip') or B.D. for short
- that has become a national passion.
After May 1968, France's left-wing, left bank intelligentsia
turned culture upside down and in this heady climate cartoonists enjoyed a new freedom to
introduce a great diversity of subjects and styles into the comics format. Critics theorised about
comics as a valid and autonomous medium, loaded with potential,
and christened it 'the 9th Art'. B.D. writers and artists became celebrities,
féted in the media and honoured by the art world.
From this background have emerged a number of sophisticated
and stimulating comics in many countries in the world, crafted by remarkable illustrators and
inventive writers, and targeted at not only the young but also at a discriminating readership.
In the hands of these artists, comics can become a surprisingly powerful fantasy medium which
combines the wit and nuance of carefully chosen text with
sumptuous, evocative illustration, blending the best of both the visual and the verbal into vivid,
involving narratives, where the power of prose and picture are multiplied.
Comics have for the past few decades enjoyed a quiet but growing following
in lceland, and a whole generation of artists has been dedicated to this art form,
‘the 9th Art’, working in the international context of the medium. In this international exhibition
at the Reykjavík Art Museum we celebrate comics as art, presenting some of the best and most
provocative work being carried out in the field. We also examine how comics have influenced
other art, especially through the work of Erró, one of many artists
who have sought inspiration and visual referenced in ‘the 9th Art’.
Enjoy.
EIRÍKUR ÞORLÁKSSON
Ðirector Reykjavik Art
Museum