Cosplay costumes in Mangasia at Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome

Installation shot of a series of cosplay costumes: (l-r) Jenny Fax Dress 1 from S/S 2012 Collection, Mikio Sakabe A/W 11-12 Costume, Jenny Fax Dress 2 from S/S 2012 Collection. In their ubiquity and abundance, comics influence and interact with every other cultural medium in Asia. Since first becoming popular, comics have provided a wellspring of compelling imagery and narratives ripe for adaptation. Comics have played a central role in the birth of cinema, animation, television, and the more recent boom in video games, smartphones and the digital revolution. Their striking characters and costume designs inspire innovators in the music and fashion industries, as well as communities of fans who recreate and re-invent these styles as cosplay.

This work features in Mangasia: Wonderlands of Asian Comics, a Barbican International Enterprises exhibition, curated by Paul Gravett. Mangasia presents a vivid journey through the art of Comics and visual storytelling across Asia. From its historical roots to the most recent digital innovations, the exhibition looks to popular Japanese ‘Manga’ and beyond, highlighting key creators, characters and publications.