Art in Barcelona: Japan Weekend

Apart from fine art, I love comics and nerd culture. My manga/anime/cosplay loving students momma invited me to go with them to Japan Weekend this past 10th March. I had never been to a cosplay event before and I loved this so much! The costumes were amazing and it was wonderful to see the enthusiasm of so many young people in a queer-friendly space.

When thinking about Japan, I think a lot about ukiyo-e prints. Unfortunately, there were only 3 stalls with prints and Japanese products that were not based on anime, k-pop or other nerdy references. But, that is my only complaint.

The cosplay catwalk was a highlight. People put some serious work into their costumes, weapons and presentations. I have been thinking about making some wearable sculptures using a techniques I used to create an installation a few years back and seeing some these kids has made me more determined to create.