Broken Frontier

This month, as part of the China Now festival of Chinese culture across the U.K., the London College of Communication, part of the University of the Arts London , plays host to Manhua – China Comics Now, Britain’s first exhibition of contemporary Chinese comics. Curated by noted British comics historian Paul Gravett, it runs from March 7 to April 11 2008 and attendance is free. Further details, along with information on special events linked to the exhibition, can be found on Paul’s website here.

Broken Frontier took a trip to London’s Elephant & Castle to check out the event and also spoke to British-based Chinese comic creator Yishan Li. The promotional art to the right is by Benjamin Le Soir and pre-publicity for the exhibition reads as follows:

Manhua are the powerful narrative art form of comics and graphic novels in China and are poised to become the next global cross-media phenomenon, spinning off into films, television, animation, games, toys and more. The exhibition explores 19th Century Picture Story Traditions, the Modern Manhua Masters, Hong Kong’s New Wave movement and China’s Next Generation of artists. With over 200 pieces of artwork and printed matter, this free exhibition presents the quality, diversity and individuality of recent and current Chinese comics from the last twenty-five years.

As consumers, comics fans in the U.S. and the U.K. can largely be forgiven for their jaded outlook. With the all-encompassing, and endlessly recycled, super-hero genre dominating the market in both countries it’s easy to forget sometimes just how much scope comics can (and should) have. You will encounter few better examples of this than the current exhibition of Chinese Manhua at the London College of Communication that, in terms of both style and content, provides a display of strikingly diverse material.

The exhibition comprises both original artwork and rare Chinese publications with the majority of the contemporary artwork displayed in loosely themed categories (Fantasy, Histories, Romance, Legends, Rebellion and Humor among others). This allows for a fascinating juxtaposition of genres - from populist martial arts and traditional mythological heroes to stark political commentary and comics with an underground vibe, all the way through to humorous Transformers-style Hong Kong buildings and beyond. (At this point older British comics fans may find themselves looking at the mixture of styles and subject matter and wistfully remembering a time when a similar variety of material was prevalent on the shelves of any high street newsagent…)

Directly highlighting the power of comics as a medium for disseminating ideas and philosophies, Manhua has been used as both state propaganda (during the Cultural Revolution) and more recently, through the work of underground creators, as a medium for expressing their feelings about modern China. This history of the form is also well represented with a selection of archive lianhuanhua (palm-sized "graphic novels" that originated in the early part of the Twentieth Century) that range from the political and ideological to blatantly pirated Tintin knock-offs! As an interesting comparison, visitors will note a more political element to some of the contemporary work displayed in the Histories, Rebellion and City Life sections of the exhibition.

Later this month two very special associated events will also be held at the London College of Communication. On Wednesday 19 March comics creators Chihoi Lee and Hok Tak Yeung will be present for a Hong Kong Comics Evening demonstrating their drawing techniques and discussing both their work and the current independent Chinese comics scene. They will be joined by fellow Hong Kong cartoonist Mr. Clement and curator Paul Gravett. Tuesday 25 March sees a Chinese Comics Study Day looking at the "traditions and revolutions" of Manhua, the "great masters and innovators" of the medium and Manhua in all its forms; from the traditional to the mass-market. A whole host of creators will be in attendance. More information on both these free events can be found here.

If you’re anything like me, the chances are the artists featured in the exhibition will be largely unfamiliar to you... but I guarantee you’ll leave the galleries with a determination to find out more about their work! Manhua – China Comics Now is a worthy and fascinating show, with an intelligent and accessible layout that will reward any comics fan who makes the trip. If you’re in the London area over the next month, make sure you grab this unique opportunity to check out another culture’s approach to graphic storytelling.

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Broken Frontier was also fortunate enough to have a quick chat with Yishan Li, a UK-based Chinese comics creator involved in the exhibition as both a contributor and a guest at some of the associated events. Amongst Yishan’s current work is the upcoming CutieB and the monthly manga page for Cosmopolitan’s teen counterpart CosmoGirl. Yishan talks below about Manhua, her work and the exhibition’s aims...

BROKEN FRONTIER: What are your earliest childhood memories of reading comics (particularly Manhua comics)?

YISHAN LI: I read Manhua (or more accurately — Lian Huan Hua) as soon as I could read. Lianhuanhua is a kind of palm picture book which started to gain popularity in China in the 50s; most of them are historical and propaganda stories. As soon as I could read, Lianhuanhua was the first choice, because there weren’t many children’s picture books at that time in China. Now I think back, I did learn a lot from these Lianhuanhua books and the artists of these books are just amazing!

BF: When did you first consider comics as a career and how did you break into the industry?

YL: I first broke into the industry when I was about 19 while in China. I was still a high school student at that time and luckily enough, a manga studio agreed to let me work there in my spare time, after the studio manager saw my passion for drawing. Then I got published in some Chinese comic magazines. But it is not until after I graduated from my Business Masters degree in the UK that I realized I could work in comics as a career path. I had the choice to go to a normal office to work as a junior from 9 to 5 but then, hey, why not do something I really enjoy and make money from it?!

BF: Your work has crossed over a lot of genres (as anyone taking a look at your website can quickly see). What are your influences and what genres do you feel most comfortable working in?

YL: I have mostly been influenced by Japanese manga because the first time I read so many manga books in secondary school! I think I am most comfortable with girly stories — not such a fan of war or sci-fi subjects. In the end, I am a girly girl and love fashion! It is much easier for me to draw something I am familiar with.

BF: Of all your body of work what are you most proud of?

YL: It has to be CutieB (pictured below right). It is going to be published the end of this month by French publisher Dargaud in France. Actually I am never really that happy with my work because when I improve I just cannot stand the work I did a few months before…and CutieB is my latest completed work. That’s one of the reasons I like it most. And also I see myself in the main character.

BF: How did your involvement with the China Now Manhua exhibition come about and what do you hope the exhibition achieves?

YL: When Paul [Gravett – the exhibition curator] mentioned the idea of a Chinese Manhua exhibition to me last year, I got really excited and wanted to help straight away! I know a lot of great Manhua artists in China and I think it will be a shame if people here in the West cannot see them. I feel it is part of my responsibility to introduce them to comic lovers here and I will be chilled to see they love these artists too. Manhua is a great media form to convey the ideas of another society because drawings are universally easier understood than only text. So I really hope this exhibition can make some great Chinese artists known to the British public and introduce more people to Chinese culture.

BF: What can a Western audience, unfamiliar to Chinese comics, expect to see at the exhibition that makes Manhua unique and exciting as a genre (or style) of comics?

YL: People probably will realise it is hard to tell what is a Chinese comic just by looking at the pictures. Actually, Chinese comics are so diverse in styles. They have been influenced by European, American, Japanese comics and yet carried on some traditions from traditional Chinese drawings. For individual artists, they have their own preference. It is only easier to tell which one is Chinese Manhua when it comes to the story. Chinese artists do have their own way to look at the world.

BF: What can you tell us about the special "live" event you’re involved with as part of the exhibition?

YL: I was doing the demonstration using a Wacom tablet to show how to do artwork digitally. I have been drawing everything digitally (no paper or ink involved) for two years and I would love to show people another option.

BF: What projects are you currently working on? What next for Yishan Li?

YL: I am currently working on the second book of Contes du Boudoir Hante (published by Delcourt, France) and CutieB (Dargaud, France) and also a couple of manga "How To" books. This year I will be in a few comic festivals in the UK, Belgium and France. Bristol ComicExpo  will be the first one to come (in May). If you are interested in what I am doing, please check out my website: www.liyishan.com

Manhua – China Comics Now runs until April 11 at the London College of Communication. Full details of the exhibition and opening times here. Admission free.