Announcing the "Packaging Manga Art" Exhibition

You can package an object in paper, cloth, wood, or plastic.
You can package it in a box, frame, or in a room.
You can package it in colors, shapes, or text.
You can package it in sound, light, and with emotion.
You can package it on a network and encrypt it.
You can hold an object in your hand.
You can hold it firmly, softly, or barely hold on to it at all.
You can hold it while you laugh. You can hold it with pride.
You can package the past and the present. You can package it for the future.

"Transforming manga into art that deserves to be passed down."

In March 2021, we launched Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage with the vision of passing down the art of manga to future generations.

The aim is to use the best materials and techniques available today to create and deliver uncompromising works of art that have been curated by the manga artists and the publishers. Sales certificates tied to blockchain NFTs are issued with each work, which guarantee authenticity and record provenance. We also are actively collaborating with museums, universities, and other public institutions, as well as collectors and researchers in Japan and abroad to understand how best to preserve original manga illustrations.

Our endeavors have been well received, and we have sold more than 1,500 art works to date. We have also garnered several awards, including the Gmund Award, the Tokyo ADC Award, and the Hiromu Hara Award. In addition, TANAAMI!! AKATSUKA!! by Keiichi Tanaami and Fujio Akatsuka has been acquired by the New York Public Library. And on November 24, we just opened our first permanent gallery in Azabudai Hills, Tokyo.

How can we best package and enhance the value of manga art? By brainstorming and working with many stakeholders, we were able to produce numerous original creations, from boxes to package prints, along with frames and gallery spaces that display the artworks. When we considered creating a focused display of these packaged creations, we were reminded of the touch of a wide range of materials, as well as the smiles on the faces of the people we met.

Up until now, only the manga art collectors have been able to experience these packaged creations. Our aim in this display is to give visitors the opportunity to appreciate the individual object’s textures and aura, something that cannot be successfully conveyed through photography.

○Exhibition Overview

Title: Packaging Manga Art: Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage, Paper, and Processing
Period: December 4 (Mon)–December 27 (Wed), 2023, 11:00 am–6:00 pm. Closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Venue: Takeo Mihoncho Honten
3-18-3 Kanda-Nishikicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-0054
Phone: 03-3292-3669
Admission: Free
Sponsors: Shueisha Inc., and Takeo Co., Ltd.

Exhibition Page :https://www.takeo.co.jp/exhibition/mihoncho/detail/20231204.html