Cartoons for Adults

I visited an exhibition called "Merch Art" yesterday, which was a display of the collection of Lawrence Banka and Judith Gordon of San Francisco. I was interested by the number of cartoonish pieces included in the collection. Though the pieces certainly had a playful quality, it was also obvious that they were not intended for children. This clarity in the design as being made for adults sparked some thoughts about why cartoon characters still so likeable to adults.

I believe it is the personalities of the characters, or what they stand for, that adults become a fan of. The character becomes a way of expressing a trait for others to see, such as through displaying it in the home with a decorative item or worn on clothing and handbags. They are designed to portray a character that fits into a specific culture that adults can relate to and enjoy.

The first set of characters that comes to mind is the Harajuku Girls created by celebrity Gwen Stefani. She has imprinted these characters on handbags, wallets, apparel, shoes, and even perfume bottles. These bottles are designed as much for aesthetic appeal as they are for function, as they look like miniature dolls. Each of the four characters has a name that reflects their distinct personality: Love, Angel, Music, Baby. The scents were also created to reflect the personalities as well.

It seems that cartoons, though seemingly childish, still appeal to adults because of our desire to express ourselves to others. For example, if a person carries her groceries in a canvas tote bag rather than a plastic bag, it says that she is a person who makes an effort to be environmentally friendly. That conclusion is reached through society associating canvas tote bags with the green movement. In the same sense, a person who wears a character on their shirt is expressing who they are through what that character stands for.

If you would like to visit the exhibition go to http://nelsongallery.ucdavis.edu/ for more information.

Photos from my visit: