Highbrow Magazine - pop culture https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/pop-culture en Manou Marzban – An Artist for Our Times https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/21972-manou-marzban-artist-our-times <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/photography-art" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Photography &amp; Art</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Sat, 11/19/2022 - 16:50</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1manou.jpg?itok=fC8Lz1zb"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1manou.jpg?itok=fC8Lz1zb" width="480" height="278" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Every once in a while, someone arrives on the scene whose art and message become even larger than the individual himself. The Swiss-born Iranian-American artist Manou Marzban is just such a man.  </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Born in Switzerland in 1962 to a diplomat father, he was exposed at an early age to a diversity of people and cultures, giving him an invaluable global perspective. His expositions have drawn art enthusiasts in Berlin, Cannes, Nice, Paris, Monte Carlo, Baltimore, Geneva, Stockholm and London.  He has said he just wants to “entertain.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">But this lighthearted genius of pop culture wants to make people think as well. Every icon from our combined histories is fair game for deconstruction, from colorfully painted World War II Nazi helmets—“just a piece of  metal”—to cartoon renderings of historical figures from the Qajar dynasty. </span></span></p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2manou.jpg" style="height:320px; width:656px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Marzban’s vivid imagination holds supreme sway over every endeavor. He has said that if he analyzes an undertaking, he would never finish it.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Marzban believes that the ”nationalists” are a dying breed. In a hundred years, travel and communications worldwide will bring the human race closer together. The next generation will have far more understanding and compassion for one another. His mantra is “to live and let live, treat the world better, and challenge evil.”</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">With chaos, complexities, and challenges facing an uncertain world, Manou Marzban sounds like the King Arthur of our times.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Below is an interview Marzban recently conducted with <em>Highbrow Magazine</em>, discussing his perspective as an artist and his inspirations and philosophies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"> </span></span><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3manouart.jpg" style="height:339px; width:603px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Highbrow Magazine</strong>: You have said that in a hundred years, diversity is inevitable. Given the increasing rise of nationalism around the world, and growing racism, do you see political revolutions and upheavals more imminent in the future?</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"> <strong>Manou: </strong>Diversity is certainly inevitable. Why? One hundred years ago, very few people travelled, let alone got on an airplane. Today it is normal. In another hundred years, this exponential increase in travel, exposure, and communications will only grow, and slowly allow people to shed their xenophobic tendencies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">When people get to mix and understand each other on a human level...they tend to stop agitations. What we see today are the last kicks of a dying breed. The “nationalist.” And this breed exists in every country, every continent. Trump, Brexit, Putin are all results of this symptom. So yes, there will be upheavals. My message is to keep repeating “never again.” Conflicts can quickly take global dimensions. We don’t want that. History can repeat itself.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"> Of course, the concept of diversity can polarize people, especially those who feel marginalized . The media has become an agitator, waving the flames of extreme thinking, both on the right and the left. We have Nazis walking around again on the right, openly, and “woke” thinking has now gone beyond rationality on the left. Ultimately, our hope is in the next generations, who will have grown up in a global and digital world -- and have far more understanding and compassion for one another than my generation did.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"> </span></span><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/4manou.jpg" style="height:400px; width:601px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Highbrow Magazine</strong>: Your art provokes and delights. As an artist, do you think that deconstructing iconic objects, like the SS helmets in your 'Diversity Instead of Fascism' exhibition, can inspire your audience to take to the streets to make real change in their political climate? Can art do that?</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"> <strong>Manou: </strong>The first thing to do is to de-mask certain iconic objects, especially those that evoked fear, and see them for what they truly are. Once you understand that, it can help inspire new thinking. The German war helmets evoked such fear. Just the sight of them brought terror to millions. Now, that is insanely powerful symbolism. My thinking was simple: I will take this fearful symbol and cover it with messages that are in direct conflict to what it symbolizes. And that will dilute the message. What you are left with is just a helmet. Just a piece of metal. And perhaps that can inspire an audience to see the helmets of oppressive riot police and uniformed militias in the same light. Just a piece of metal. Nothing to fear.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"> </span></span><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/5manou.jpg" style="height:602px; width:446px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Highbrow Magazine</strong>: Will the current political climate continue to be your primary focus, or do you see your art as more transformational, evolving and changing in tune with your own artistic ambitions?</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"> <strong>Manou: </strong>My art was never meant to be political. In fact, it’s been called “whimsical,” “fun,” but “thought-provoking.” I try to create a narrative in my pop art. I try to mix historical icons, political reflections, and popular culture all in one go. My desire is to entertain you. To make you think and ask questions. My Persian Qajar Streak series is playful. They are caricatures in bright colors, not the usual dour visions we see of classic Persian kings. My art features many mixtures of styles. Always transforming. From installations to videos. I will always try to evolve. As an artist, you can get recognition for just one particular form of creation...that boxes you in. But hey, we need to pay the bills too! So you do what you know sells. The key is to keep experimenting. Keep pushing your creative energy.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"> </span></span><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/6manou.jpg" style="height:439px; width:600px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Highbrow Magazine</strong>: You are a Swiss-born, Iranian-American artist and the son of a diplomat. How has your international outlook shaped your art?</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"> <strong>Manou: </strong>My very diverse personal background laid the foundation for my art. As a child, in various destinations, I tuned into American Forces TV. That meant early exposure to classic films of the 40s, 50s, as well as TV shows and cartoons from the 60s and 70s. I grew up with comic books and graphic novels like <em>Tintin</em> and <em>Asterix</em>.  I attended a British boarding school in the 70s, where hours of boredom meant having to ignite an active imagination. All that travel and international exposure meant no real roots but an amazing [exposure] at an early age to diverse people and cultures. My art tries to touch on these childhood experiences via cultural and historical references. And I guess that gives my art an international appeal. I certainly felt that, having done expos in many capitals across Europe.</span></span></p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/7manou.jpg" style="height:500px; width:470px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Highbrow Magazine</strong>: How did the Iranian revolution of 1979 shape your perspective as an artist?</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"> <strong>Manou</strong>: Prior to the revolution, I studied art like everyone else in school. I got my GSCEs and ‘A’ level art degrees earlier than most, and took my creativity for granted. Indeed, in boarding school, my doodles of teachers and students kept my classmates amused for hours. I had returned to Iran in 1977 – and loved it. But soon, the country was gripped in turmoil. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">When I was in Iran, an art teacher at the international school, Mr Minton, encouraged me to study art, because I was a “natural”: I could simply draw, like some can create music, effortlessly. I only fully realized that my creative talent is perhaps more than just making my friends giggle after I arrived in Washington DC in January 1979. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">In Washington, I declared to my father my intention to study art. That didn’t go down well. In fact, it didn’t go anywhere. Instead, I studied Communication and eventually, as the oldest son of a VIP father, I studied Business and entered the workforce....art was shelved. I believed that with the Iran-Iraq war, the desperate Persian diaspora trying to fit in anywhere they can outside of Iran, and the sheer uncertainty that naturally follows any revolution – how could I study art? I became a yuppie in the tech world. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">My father passed away in 2004. I started really exploring my creativity in 2009. By 2010, I had my first event, and by 2017, I had made an impact – especially with the Persian audience. My expos are usually entertaining events, not your classic art shows. I like to make people feel like they have attended a party. Maybe that’s a throwback to seeing my diplomat parents entertain almost nightly when I was a kid.</span></span></p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/8manou.jpg" style="height:546px; width:435px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Highbrow Magazine</strong>: Who are some of your favorite artists?</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"> <strong>Manou:</strong> This is a question I am often asked in interviews, which always makes me smile because I have no profound or impressive answers. Like many, I like Dali, Picasso, Warhol, Miro...who doesn’t?</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">But then, I am inspired by Sergio Argones, a <em>MAD Magazine</em> cartoonist. I never studied art or art techniques; I am 100 percent self-taught. Trial and error. I like so many different kinds of art, that it is impossible for me to say what or who is my favorite. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">I am influenced by film, TV, actors....I also have a degree in Film History from American University in Washington DC. I think film has influenced me more than anything. But I don’t have a favorite film. Too many great ones. An image is an image, a film is many images. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Having said all this, if there is one school of art I will subscribe to, it is the “enigmatism” approach. That is: plan nothing, let the creativity pour out, and discover the beauty of the unexpected. It’s all about storytelling, and emotional transfer. That, in essence, is the core of my art. My ‘Streaks’ series is exactly that. So, if there is one person I can tell you I find enthralling, it is the French artist Gérard Salomon.</span></span></p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/9manou.jpg" style="height:601px; width:450px" typeof="foaf:Image" /><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"> </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Highbrow Magazine</strong>: You have been compared to Banksy. What are your thoughts on this comparison?</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"> <strong>Manou:</strong> That is stretching it! I must say I was a bit surprised when that happened. First, I don’t paint on walls; secondly, I am not shrouded in mystery. Google knows where I am. But nonetheless, I am of course honored. I guess the reason was more [because] of the messages we both try to convey -- that is, to live and let live, treat people equally, treat the world better, and always challenge evil. We are at a historical crossroads now: We can put our lot with the people on this planet who want to heal and mean well, or fall on the side of skullduggery. I have hope for sure -- hope in our children and their children.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><em><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>For more information about the artist, visit: <a href="https://www.manouart.com/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Manou Art</a>.</strong></span></span></em></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Author Bio:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>Sandra Bertrand is</em> Highbrow Magazine’s <em>chief art critic.</em></strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>--All images are courtesy of the artist</em>.</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/manou-marzban" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">manou marzban</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/manou-art" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">manou art</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/pop-culture" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">pop culture</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/paintings" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">paintings</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/contemporary-artists" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">contemporary artists</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/pop-art" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">pop art</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/contemporary-art" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Contemporary art</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/artists" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">artists</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/iranian-american-artists" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">iranian american artists</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Sandra Bertrand</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">All images courtesy of Manou Marzban</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">In Slider</div></div></div> Sat, 19 Nov 2022 21:50:23 +0000 tara 11471 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/21972-manou-marzban-artist-our-times#comments How South Korea, Japan, and Other Countries Came to Dominate the Pop Culture Landscape https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/19773-how-south-korea-japan-and-other-countries-came-dominate-pop-culture-landscape <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/media" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Media</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Fri, 04/22/2022 - 10:27</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1foreignmedia.jpg?itok=rFdpKh1i"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1foreignmedia.jpg?itok=rFdpKh1i" width="480" height="320" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Hollywood is the center of the entertainment universe. The majority of the world’s most popular television, film, and music is created in one city in California, but the content produced is enjoyed worldwide. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Americans are spoiled when it comes to media – the majority of the media content that is out there is made first and foremost for English-speaking/ American audiences. Media created in foreign countries doesn’t often push its way onto the global stage of pop culture on the same scale as Western productions.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">However, the past several years have shown some interesting foreign media gaining viral and international recognition, trumping even the blockbuster films annually broadcast around the world.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2foreignmedia_pixabay.jpg" style="height:607px; width:417px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The most notable example of this is Netflix’s original series <em>Squid Game</em>. For the unacquainted, <em>Squid Game</em> is a South Korean thriller series released as a Netflix exclusive show in September 2021. The show was an instant hit, with <a href="https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/netflix-biggest-shows-and-movies-ranked-according-to-netflix/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">Netflix statistics indicating within the first 28 days of its release that Netflix users had collectively watched the show for 1.65 billion hours, making it the channel’s most watched show</a>. The show was all over the internet, sparking memes and discussion over its dark themes.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">It’s hard to recall such a cultural phenomenon. With media becoming more and more diverse and plentiful, and split up between so many different platforms, it’s easy to miss out on some of the most popular shows. I’m too young to remember the day when there wasn’t an almost infinite span of film and TV at my fingertips, but if office satires are anything to go by, there was once a day when network TV ruled, and people would talk about popular television shows by the watercooler. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">But I digress, the point is it is impressive that any TV show achieves that level of cultural relevance now,  and it’s made all the more interesting by the fact that one of the most notable shows to achieve this reign is foreign. However, <em>Squid Game</em> isn’t the only popular foreign show on Netflix; <a href="https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/netflix-biggest-shows-and-movies-ranked-according-to-netflix/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">in fact, number three on the same list was the Spanish crime drama <em>Money Heist</em>”</a>. A number of the noteworthy shows listed in Netflix’s statistics are foreign, <em>Lupin</em> (French), <em>Who Killed Sarah</em> (Mexican), and <em>Queen of Flow</em> (Colombian). </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3foreignmedia.jpg" style="height:600px; width:405px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">It’s not as if foreign TV shows have suddenly sprung up in the U.S. Japanese anime has a long history of viewership in the U.S. However, anime is also growing in leaps and bounds. Netflix has started purchasing anime to be released as <em>Netflix Originals</em> with the anime adaptation of <em>Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure’s 6th</em> part <em>Stone Ocean</em>, <em>Komi Can’t Communicate</em> and countless other anime that are being released in Japan and the U.S simultaneously. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Japanese media often has staggered releases, with Western localizations of anime, manga, and games sometimes coming years after their initial Japanese debut. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBsd7d215fs" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">Netflix’s 2020 year in review video </a>stated there was 100% growth in anime viewership on the platform.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">There is an increasing Western market for foreign media, and Asian media in particular is doing exceptionally well. <a href="https://www.comicsbeat.com/report-graphic-novel-sales-were-up-65-in-2021/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">Manga (Japanese graphic novels) not only outsold but dominated the comic and graphic novel market in 2021, holding over three-quarters of the market share -- with traditional superhero graphic novels and comics taking under 6.5%. </a></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">While the Avengers may have defeated Thanos, it seems their next fight is to maintain relevance against <em>Demon Slayer’s</em> Tanjiro, and <em>Jujutsu Kaisen’s</em> Yuji.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/4foreignmedia_koreadotnet.jpg" style="height:327px; width:603px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">South Korea is also making strides into the American media landscape. Aside from the Korean dramas that have been making their way onto Netflix, Korean Pop music has also been gaining popularity among American audiences.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">BTS is the 7-man Korean group with the most international name recognition. The closest Western equivalent to BTS and K-Pop groups would be the boy bands of the 1990s. Like the Backstreet Boys and N-Sync, groups like BTS have high-production-value shows, with lots of complicated choreography, and are built around the personalities of the performers who are all primarily singers and dancers. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrolli/2018/08/17/bts-sell-out-first-u-s-stadium-show-in-minutes/?sh=4c379756413c" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">Back in 2018</a><u>,</u> BTS became the first Korean group to have an album top the Billboard 200, and a song from the same year, “Fake Love,” debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. For something more recent, a set of<a href="https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/bts-sells-out-4-las-vegas-shows-before-public-sale/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank"> four concerts set in Las Vegas in April </a>sold out before tickets were open to purchase for the general public. </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/5foreignmedia.jpg" style="height:400px; width:600px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The tickets for all 65,000 seats of Allegiant Stadium were bought up by members of the BTS Global Official Fanclub ARMY. <a href="https://www.usbtsarmy.com/tutorials/bts-global-official-fanclub" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" target="_blank">Members of this group pay a yearly fee</a> for opportunities to get early access to content, purchase exclusive merchandise, and can apply to attend exclusive BTS events, just to name a few of the perks listed on their website.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">While K-Pop and anime are all the rage, it is important to include the critical success of foreign films of late. In 2020 the Korean film <em>Parasite</em> became the first foreign-language film to win the Best Picture award at the Oscars. This year, the Japanese film <em>Drive My Car</em> has been nominated for the prestigious award.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">The growth of foreign media’s popularity poses many interesting questions as to the future shape of media in the U.S. and worldwide. While platforms like Netflix seem content to purchase and serve as a distributor for foreign content, how will American media producers, especially in fields in which they are lagging behind foreigners, try to appeal to domestic audiences? How will questions of media representation be perceived with art created in different nations and different local contexts? How will Western fandoms of foreign works play into accusations of cultural appropriation, insensitivity, and other controversial topics regarding race and culture exceptionally relevant in Western nations? </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Perhaps the dispersion of culture this way will contribute to the erosion of national borders in our increasingly connected world, helping to, as the internet started, form a true global community. Exactly how the media landscape of tomorrow will unfold before us remains to be seen. In the meantime, the increasing access to and popularity of new storytelling – both foreign and domestic --  is an exciting prospect for media consumers.  </span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Author Bio:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>Garrett Hartman is a contributing writer at </em>Highbrow Magazine<em>. He is a California State University, Chico, student double-majoring in media arts design technology and Journalism/PR. A lover of pop culture, Garret enjoys a wide array of film, television, video games, and literature. However, as a drummer in a rock band and an alt-rock enthusiast, music holds a special place in his heart.</em></strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>For Highbrow Magazine</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Image Sources:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>--<a href="https://pixabay.com/illustrations/character-anime-manga-cartoon-5615466/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Pixabay</a> (Creative Commons)</em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>--Korea.net (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Korea_KPOP_World_Festival_13.jpg" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Korean Culture and Information Service</a>, Wikimedia, Creative Commons)</em></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/squid-game" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">squid game</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/foreign-films" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">foreign films</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/drive-my-car" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">drive my car</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/anime" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">anime</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/manga" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">manga</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/money-heist" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">money heist</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tv-shows" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">tv shows</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/films" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">films</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/pop-culture" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">pop culture</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/korean-films" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">korean films</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/japanese-films" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">japanese films</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/media" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Media</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/streaming-movies" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">streaming movies</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Garrett Hartman</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">In Slider</div></div></div> Fri, 22 Apr 2022 14:27:11 +0000 tara 11058 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/19773-how-south-korea-japan-and-other-countries-came-dominate-pop-culture-landscape#comments Donald Topp and the Art of Skewering Pop Culture Icons https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/11120-donald-topp-and-art-skewering-pop-culture-icons <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/photography-art" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Photography &amp; Art</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Mon, 12/21/2020 - 11:20</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1donaldtopp.jpg?itok=Ffs6j_I1"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1donaldtopp.jpg?itok=Ffs6j_I1" width="480" height="480" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p>Donald Topp is a silkscreen artist from Madison, Wisconsin. His work playfully skewers commercial pop culture, while honoring icons whose works have pushed boundaries.</p> <p><br /> As Topp explains, “I play off the nostalgia of a recognizable image, but make it into an avatar of a much deeper message.”<br /> <br /> Topp uses mixed media with screen printing in overlapping layers on paper and board. Images are hand-pulled with mixed-media application in each print, with predetermined sizes and ink selections for different bodies of work.</p> <p> </p> <p> In the last few years, Topp’s tattooed <em>Disney Princesses</em> and <em>Sesame Street</em> characters have gone viral to the point that his pieces have been pinned over a million times on Pinterest.</p> <p> </p> <p>This is Topp’s first exhibition at <a href="https://gallery30south.com/" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">Gallery 30 South</a>.</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2donaldtopp.jpg" style="height:600px; width:450px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3donaldtopp.jpg" style="height:600px; width:600px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/4donaldtopp.jpg" style="height:600px; width:447px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/5donaldtopp.jpg" style="height:600px; width:600px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Highbrow Magazine</strong></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/donald-topp" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Donald Topp</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/gallery-30-south" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Gallery 30 South</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/pop-culture" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">pop culture</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/pop-art" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">pop art</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/contemporary-new-art" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">contemporary new art</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">The Editors</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">All images courtesy of Gallery 30 South</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Mon, 21 Dec 2020 16:20:44 +0000 tara 10065 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/11120-donald-topp-and-art-skewering-pop-culture-icons#comments