‘Becoming the Narrative’: Upcoming Panel to Explore Fan Art and Representation

'Becoming the Narrative': Upcoming Panel to Explore Fan Art and Representation

Anime and manga fans often do more than just follow stories - they actively participate in shaping them.

The University of Toledo will host a panel discussion, "Becoming the Narrative: Fan Art, Community and Representation," from 5 to 6 p.m. Monday, April 13, in Carlson Library Room 1005.

Serving as a complement to the "Your Manga, Your Way: A Campus Exhibition" on display through Friday, May 1, the event will bring together artists and scholars to explore how fandom fosters creativity, belonging and representation.

Panelists include Dr. April Conway, an English lecturer at the University of Michigan; Barry Whittaker, UToledo professor of graphic and interactive design; Christopher Pickett, UToledo professor of art; and Alice Nyburg, a UToledo graduate student in English.

Together, they will discuss the role of fan art in building community, how artists use familiar characters and visual styles to express their worldviews, and how fandom spaces allow individuals to imagine and create new narratives where they see themselves reflected.

For more information, visit the event website here.