For the second art show in the new Listening Room Gallery, gallertist Petie Bogen-Garrett Presents, One Trick Pony, featuring the mixed media “Otaku” paintings of VCU faculty artist Matthew Damian Ritchie.
- When: February 3 – March 8, 2010
- Where: Ashland Coffee and Tea
An Artist’s Reception will be held on Valentine’s Day: Sunday, February 14 from 3:30pm to 6pm. Open to the public.
Artist’s Statement
Matthew Damian Ritchie: The work I do deals with my limited understanding of culture and the influence that Japanese culture and subcultures have had on me as an artist. For the longest time my works only hinted at this Japanese anime and manga theme, but I have learned to embrace that quality in my pieces and focus it rather than dismiss the presence. Though this type of work has totally infiltrated all institutions whether it is grade school or universities, it’s easy to dismiss this as being trivial or even juvenile. Currently my interests are associated with otaku culture and other subcultures that emerged from being an otaku. When explaining what “otaku” is, the best description would be “like a Star Trek ‘Trekkie’” but for anime. The first association that people have when they think of “Trekkies” is people all dressed up in costume. This is much like “cosplay”, but is its anime counterpart. Cosplay interests me in the fact that it is totally independent to the individual who is trying to portray his or her favorite character. This to emergence in this subculture interests me and helps fuel my art practice by letting myself understand the world around myself but through a more juvenile approach.
