Above: Display at Japan House pulled from elements of “Gonzo’s Underground Mix Vol.7,” Yumura Teruhiko, 2021
Heta-uma literally translates as ‘bad-good,’ though the English ‘bad-nice’ was sometimes preferred in period Japanese publications. ‘Awful but amazing’ may give a better idea of what it’s about. It refers generally to things that look like they were dashed off or slapped together, but actually took sensibility and perhaps even real skill and care to produce.”
“‘So Bad that It’s Good:’ The Japanese Graphic Art of Heta-uma,” Ryan Holmberg, Japan House
Ambling down High Kensington Street, gazing into shop windows, the interior of Japan House appeared strikingly bright and sleek, completely uncluttered. Tasteful displays of contemporary Japanese porcelain, pottery and sensuous teapots arranged with the precise placement of objects according to feng shui principles, promoting harmony and balance in individuals.
Then, Gonzo and friends, almost life-size, disrupting the surrounding calm. A chaotic scene so in contrast with the serene elegance, one felt forced to enter and accept Gonzo’s invitation to go underground, which was where we found the temporary exhibition: “WAVE: Currents in Japanese Graphic Arts.”
One of our favorite things about traveling is bumping into something unexpectedly different. I have never considered myself a fan of comics, cartoons or manga as forms of art, particularly loathing the cutesy doe-eyed girls found in anime.
But this diverse exhibition enlarged my own eyes with new-found respect. It was downright enjoyable. Framing the illustrations individually directs attention on the skill and imagination of the creators. The lines between commercial and fine art blurred.
The exhibition made the world seem smaller. East-West styles remix continually, unconfined by international boundaries. These works bear the imprint of the ebb and flow of these exchanges. Cultural influences roam as freely as waves on the ocean, no passport checks and no tariffs.
Postcards from Barton Springs 