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When asked by Focus on the Coast to write about artist Michal Wisniowski, his May art show in Wilmington and the Aniwave Festival, which he founded, my curiosity was peaked. Not knowing much about anime, manga or aniwave, I had a lot to learn, since Wisniowski is an artist who focuses on Japanese pop-culture as subject matter.
Director of Aniwave, illustrator, graphic designer and editor of Coloring Stories for Conscious Children, Wisniowski's art has been featured in galleries both locally and across the United States. I was intrigued with the subject.
Born in Poland during the reign of communism, Wisniowski and his mother sought asylum in Germany and saw the Berlin Wall tumble, allowing them to again see relatives who remained in Poland. An unlikely move to Billings, Montana began his arduous adaptation to life in the U.S., school and eventually earning a BFA degree in 2003 from Rocky Mountain College where his majors were art and philosophy. After meeting and marrying a fellow college art student, Wisniowski relocated to North Carolina. "It was by chance that we chose North Carolina, thinking it would be easier to fly to Poland from the East Coast," he says. Finally settling in Wilmington after a year in Chapel Hill, Wisniowski set out to produce his art while working in art galleries in marketing, sales and graphic design and even as a security officer. "By necessity, an artist must be versatile," Wisniowski says. An interest in anime (Japanese animation), manga (Japanese comics) and video games began while living in Germany. "The field of anime and manga has become an international phenomenon over the past 15 years," he states. Appealing especially to high school and college students, anime tackles more mature subject matter, takes things more seriously and is a great vehicle for artistic expression, according to Wisniowski. When he came to North Carolina, a growing Wilmington anime/manga fan base was noted when attending festivals in other cities. In June 2007, Wisniowski founded Aniwave in Wilmington. The third Aniwave Festival will be held in October at The Artbox and will include an art show in conjunction with the film festival. The press release describing Wisniowski's upcoming Art Show in May states, "The art exhibition will feature paintings and mixed media works. Wisniowski is creating a new body of work that incorporates his signature anime influenced pop art style with new socio-political motifs." Wisniowski says that early in his career his focus primarily was on using traditional anime techniques of exaggeration, such as large expressive eyes in females. He credits the influence of Japanese anime creator, Yoshitoshi Abe, with compelling him to focus on creating artwork based on anime. Wisniowski's art then moved towards an expression of color and shape, as in his large-scale series Eye After Nobuhiro Watsuki. The art exhibition will be different and will focus on found objects and the philosophy of current events and the world. Incorporated into his new works will be the influences of politics, international events, video games, consumerism and anime. In the show's press release Wisniowski says, "While my interests are varied and many, they are now becoming one with the art I create." As a writer who gained a sneak preview of a few new creations, I know I won't miss this exhibition of Wisniowski's artistic, philosophical works. See you there!
From Memphis, TN, Smith is a retired RN who volunteers at Tileston Clinic. Involved in writing since the 9th grade, she is a clarinet player in the New Horizons Band, and also is interested in gardening, birds, reading and cooking. Quality time with her daughter, grandson and husband, Dave, are top priorities. |
