Since the middle of the 20th century, mangas–Japanese comics–have become a significant phenomenon of contemporary Japanese culture and are gaining importance worldwide. Mio Wakita-Elis, Curator of the MAK Asia Collection, lets her personal biography and perspective flow into the exhibition and gives insights into her manga-influenced teenage years in the Greater Tokyo area during the 1980s and early 1990s. As an integral part of her daily life, mangas contributed to the development of her personality and enabled reflection on social issues such as feminism, consumerism, and globalization. A wide selection of mangas as well as images, music, and everyday objects, illustrate the way Japanese comics are fascinatingly intertwined with social topics and real-life concerns of their readers. The epilogue draws a connection to the year 2025 with short stories by Viennese women who tell us how mangas influence their biographies in today’s globalized world.

On the exhibition
Lilli Hollein, General Director, MAK
Mio Wakita-Elis, Curator of the exhibition and the MAK Asia Collection  
 
Welcoming remarks
Kiminori Iwama, Ambassador of Japan in Austria

Free admission to the opening

Kindly supported by SAKEGIRL