Digital display attracts new generation
Games, murder mysteries and animated cartoons are all part of a new exhibition hoping to draw younger crowds.
Machine a` Bulles, French for digital speech bubbles, combines the world of cartoons with digital art and animation.
‘‘Artists have taken the comic art form into the digital age and into the digital world,’’ said Isabelle Poff-Pencole from Alliance Franc¸ aise, the group behind the exhibit at Square Edge Community Arts.
The digital comic art display features 25 games, stories and VR experiences.
The comic culture in France produced the renowned Tintin and Asterix and Obelix comics, but also covers a range of styles and genres including romance, crime, vampires and adventure stories.
‘‘There are three major countries [producing comic art], the US, France and Japan. But the variety of what is being created in France is far more diverse than anywhere else,’’ said Poff-Pencole.
The artistic style of comic art is varied, with some produced in black and white and others featuring full colour miniature ‘‘real art’’ paintings. The exhibit is for all ages and schools in the region will be visiting.
Poff-Pencole believes teenagers who are into gaming will be drawn to the digital art.
She is hoping the exhibition inspires the next generation to consider digital art as a career choice. ‘‘The whole digital art industry is going to need new talent ... And we’d like to create a passion for it in New Zealand amongst young people.
‘‘It’s a big industry with a lot of money in it. And they need the new generation. And they need new people to take it further... It’s an industry that is by sustained artists.
‘‘The traditional art form still exists, of course, but there are new art forms as well.’’
To participate in the exhibition, download the QR codes located on each art panel in Square Edge.
Most games are free, with some costing $1 to $2.
All 25 have been downloaded by Alliance Francaise and are available in its community library (room 107), where they also have a VR for public use.
The library is open Tuesday to Friday from 10am–2pm and 3pm–7pm.