Durham’s Oriental Museum is currently hosting a major exhibition of Chinese manga artwork and Chinese culture more generally. It is Britain’s first ever exhibition of contemporary Chinese comics, entitled, “Manhua: China Comics Now,” and opened at the beginning of May. The work on display is a fascinating insight to 21^st century China through the art and stories of contemporary Chinese comics. The exhibition arrived in Durham after being on display at the London College of Communications and showcases work from China as well as Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Now comes the confession. I have no deep interest in manga, and what I knew about the subject could pretty much fill the back of a postage stamp in loopy writing. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that I didn’t have much interest in the subject until I saw the work on display at this exhibition. Most of it is pretty astounding. Museum curator Craig Barclay is in agreement. He said, “The artists featured in this exhibition are tackling subjects as diverse as Shakespeare and the terrible earthquakes of 2008. This show really demonstrates how powerful comics can be as a medium for expression and communication.”

For the non-expert at least, the portrayals of modern China as seen through the eyes of these young artists are illuminating. “Forget Sorrow,” by Belle Yang, is a sophisticated little story which weaves a potted personal biography with recent Chinese history in a way which is similar to Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis, which looked at Iran since the 1979 revolution. It provided a taste of her forthcoming work which will look at the Communist takeover in China, as told from the perspective of her grandfather. The author starts out as a rebellious young woman with no time or patience to listen to stories about China’s past, but is gradually absorbed by it as she witnesses the upheavals and student activism of her own world. Meanwhile, 5.12 China is a series looking at the May 12 earthquake by Coco Wang. Her work is reminiscent of stills from the film Howl’s Moving Castle by Japanese anime supremo Hayao Miyazaki, but encompasses tragedy: stories of teachers and pupils killed in the rubble, as well as the desperate attempts to save children by fire-fighters, woven into sparse, arresting tales.

Others deal with the theme of youth culture. One image, “Les Chiottes,” shows a young girl, jeans down, squatting, in a picture representing the seedy aftermath of a one night stand. Looking the viewer straight into the eyes, the realism and intense stare capture an almost photographic quality. “Green Hour also examines China’s rebellious youth, whilst “Summer That Year,” shows a runaway child. Inevitably, the examination of recent Chinese history and problems in society do not always endear these artists to the Chinese authorities. At the end of her piece we learn that Belle Yang eventually leaves for America, and she now describes herself as “an American writer who writes in English and thinks in Chinese.” But not all are controversial: “Jolin,” by Wang Peng, simply depicts an uncomfortable encounter as commuters are squeezed together on a metro – the setting is Chinese, though we could be in New York, London or Tokyo. Indeed, many of the images are accompanied by French prose, attesting to their increasing popularity in the European market. My favourite piece? “Supercrazyman and his world,” which is a reality-defying portrait of a cartoonist at work, and a knowing comment on the eccentric process and inspirations behind these creations.

Over two hundred pieces show the range and talent of Manhua artists, many of whom will be visiting the museum in the coming months to give talks and demonstrations of their craft. The exhibition runs until 27 September 2009. If you are still around in Durham this summer it is well worth the trek up to Elvet Hill for a viewing, or to check the website for further details about workshops and talks. It is free for Durham students.

Jennifer Thompson