Do you enjoy comics? Do you also enjoy Filipino culture? If you do, well the Cartoon Art Museum (CAM) has you covered with their Pinoy Power! Exhibit Featuring Filipino comics and comic-art from the Philippines to the USA. I was lucky enough to see the Pinoy Power! Exhibit, and attend their Filipino Komiks Marketplace held in conjunction with the exhibition. The Marketplace included many talented artists, publishers and booksellers. Read on to check out my coverage of the exhibit and marketplace!
Why Pinoy Power! Exhibit and Event Matters (to me)
Being Filipino, and now recently minted Filipino American, the exhibit and concurring event meant a lot to me. I’ve been a supporter to the CAM for around 10 years now, and a volunteer for about half that time. Seeing the CAM cover so many talented comic art, comic artists, from the likes of Mike Dringenberg, (comic artist from Neil Gaiman’s Sandman series), Erik Larsen (creator of Savage Dragon) to name a few of my favorites, has been amazing. Naturally, I had hoped (dreamed of) seeing a Filipino themed comic art exhibit held at the CAM as well. Also, having the CAM be a venue to learn about Filipino comic artists, and their work would means so much to me. I’m happy to say that, based on all my interactions with visitors at the exhibit and attendees at the event, my feelings were very much shared by everyone I encountered there.
Tayo na sa Cartoon Art Museum!
(Let’s go to the Cartoon Art Museum!)
While I was still dreaming about such an exhibit, the people behind the scenes at the CAM had been planning this event for quite some time. By the way, I was also in the know, so you won’t believe how excited I was. Huge thanks to Andrew Farago (Curator) and Summerlea Kashar (Executive Director) who put up with my persistent inquiries (Filipino’s would call this “kulit”) about this event. Also, many thanks to both as well for all their hard work putting together this exhibit and the concurring marketplace together. Maraming salamat sa inyo (thank you very much to you both)!
Pinoy Power! Exhibit
The Pinoy Power! Exhibit is a two-part exhibit. The first part looks back at the first wave comic book artists who immigrated from the Philippines to the United States in the 1970s. Pinoy Power! shines a spotlight on several artists from that time, including legendary artists: Alex Niño, Alfredo Alcala, and Nestor Redondo. The Pinoy Power! Exhibit showcases a great collection of their comic art and history.
The second half of the exhibit celebrates contemporary Filipino voices including Donna Almendrala, Lynda Barry, Martin Cendreda, Trinidad Escobar, Tintin Pantoja, and Bong Redila. It was co-curated by graphic novelist Rina Ayuyang. Check out some photos from the second half of the exhibit below. The photos were taken during the exhibit’s special reception night.
For me, it was great to learn about these artists, and see original pieces from their portfolios in person. It was also very meaningful to learn about their personal history. It was very much an extraordinary experience. The Filipino comic fan in me was taking this all in. And I was very grateful to have seen that many other visitors and attendees were doing the same.
As of the publication of this post, the Pinoy Power! Exhibit will remain on display until the end of April 2024. If you have a chance, do check it out in person at the Cartoon Art Museum.
Filipino Komiks Marketplace
The Filipino Komiks Marketplace was a concurring event with the Pinoy Power! Exhibit that was also held at the Cartoon Art Musem on March 23, 2024. This event featured Bay Area cartoonists, illustrators, and publishers presented in conjunction with the above exhibition. I enjoyed the event so much that I created a video to share some of that experience with you! Check it out below.
Included in the video in order of appearance are Rina Ayuyang, Amanda Castillo, Kristian Kabuay, Lily Prijoles (Arkipelago Books), Trinidad Escobar, Bong Redila, Christina Newhard (Sari-Sari Storybooks), and Lawrence and Diego Iriarte (Lumpia with a Vengeance & Kid Heroes Productions).
I was very grateful to have been able to highlight some of the Bay Area cartoonists, illustrators, and publishers that attended the Filipino Komiks Martketplace. I hope you enoyed watching it, and also hope you check out their work as well.
Maraming Salamat!
(Thank you so much!)
That’s a wrap folks! I hope you enjoyed my coverage above, and huge thanks to the Cartoon Art Museum for allowing me to cover the exhibit and event. It was such a great exhibit and experience. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be part of it.
If you enjoyed reading this post please be sure to like, and follow us here at SKKAW.BLOG (IG: @skkaw) for more geek and pop-culture goodness.
Leave a Reply