Taiwanese comic artists, Yuzu and Peter Mann, were selected for the "2022 Kitakyushu Artist-in-Residence Program," which is a first-time collaboration between the Ministry of Culture (MOC) and the Kitakyushu City Government of Japan. Their one-month residency in the Japanese city will start on Nov. 7.
The two cartoonists will participate in events including the Kitakyushu Pop Culture Festival (KPF), live sketching activities, and the visit to the Kitakyushu Manga Museum along with other arts and cultural institutions. Furthermore, the pair will create five artworks inspired by local culture and give them to the city as gifts.
Graduated from the Faculty of Manga at Kyoto Seika University, Yuzu specializes in watercolor and ink painting. She was nominated for Best New Talent at the 10th Golden Comic Awards (GCA) in 2019 and her work "Invitation of Yama Part 1 (閻王帖上冊)" was one of the nominees for Comic of the Year at the 12th GCA in 2021. Yuzu plans to create a 10- to 20-page comic based on her experiences during the art residency.
Peter Mann previously worked in a motion graphics studio. He creates his works in various forms, including visual design, animation, and illustration. In recent years, he has attempted his own comics, publishing several digital creations. This year, the artist published the commercial comic book titled "BLA BLA SONG (芭樂歌)" and partnering with Taiwanese and Japanese musicians, released a comics soundtrack in both countries. The work "BLA BLA SONG" was also presented at the special exhibition of the 13th Golden Comic Awards. During the residency, Peter Mann will create a 24-page black and white comic. Featuring local landscapes and cuisine, his comic work is expected to depict traits of the city of Kitakyushu.
Noting that Taiwan's comic art community has long been influenced by Japanese comic culture, MOC said this is the first time to collaborate with Japan to organize the residency program for comic artists. The selected artists both have their distinctive styles and characteristics. It is believed that the collaboration will open up new possibilities for further exchange between the two nations. In addition, organized by the National Museum of Taiwan History, Taiwan Cultural Center in Japan, and Kitakyushu Manga Museum, an international exhibition about Taiwan’s book rental stores will be held at the Kitakyushu Manga Museum by the end of November. The resident artists will visit the exhibition and join in related events. It is hoped that the residency program will strengthen cultural exchanges and the collaborative relationship between Taiwan and Japan in the comic field.