The epic characters of Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as those from Indian my-thologies, depicted in comic books have made it big in the US. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (Lacma) has become the first major museum in the world to showcase the mythological artworks of various artists. Based on comic book series, they tell tales of valour and romance of these ancient heroes and heroines.
The Lacma is presenting Heroes and Villains: The Battle for Good in India’s Comics. The exhibition has 53 paintings — all derived from comic books based on Indian epics and mythologies. It has already begun, and will be open for viewing up to February 7, 2010.
The event seeks to assess the legacy of India’s divine heroes and heroines in contemporary South Asian culture.
Artworks on characters from comic books — Devi (based on Mahabharata) and Ramayana 3392 AD (based on Ramayana) — are the major attractions. The artists having their works on display, include Jeevan J Kang, Mukesh Singh and Saumin Patel.
Sharad Devarajan, chief executive officer of Liquid Comics, publisher of the comic books, said in a statement, “This historic show is an incredible validation of the creative renaissance we are seeing in today’s Indian entertainment industry …”
Suresh Seetharaman, president of Liquid Comics, said, “If art is an expression of time, then India has come of age. It is a treasure trove of creative content waiting to be tapped. I am positive this exhibition will throw open the doors to the rest of the world to explore one of India’s many untapped resources.”
Lacma museum curator Julie Romain said, “This is the first exhibition of Indian comics at a major museum. Here, at Lacma, we have the unique opportunity to consider this contemporary art form in relation to our extensive historical collections of South and South-East Asian art.”
Comments
