Australian Comics come to China

In a China first, the Australian Comics Exhibition (ACE!) will arrive in Chengdu from 27 January 2024.

ACE! features works from 20 Australian artists, showcasing the diversity of Australian life and culture. The selected comics demonstrate the power of comics as a medium, covering themes such as adventure, loss and the nature of identity. ACE! will share Australian art with Chengdu, providing an opportunity for locals to learn more about comics and Australian life. Previous versions of ACE! have visited Poland, Germany and Thailand.

The exhibition will take place in Fangsuo Commune, Chengdu’s leading bookstore and cultural space. The exhibition launch program will feature workshops for art students and younger artists, providing an engaging and innovative experience for people in Chengdu. A full list of ACE! participating artists can be found here.

Two artists featured in the exhibition, Jakub Mazerant and Ben Mitchell, will travel to Chengdu to launch the exhibition.

Jakub Mazerant is the founder of IllustrateYourLife, a creative collaboration studio in Sydney. Jakub has spent over 20 years organising and curating art projects and events, one of which received two Guinness World Records. In 2023, Jakub was the recipient of the Comics Arts Awards of Australia Platinum Ledger.

Ben Mitchell is an illustrator and comic artist from New South Wales. He has exhibited works all over Australia, Europe, Asia and the United Kingdom. In 2020, he received a Bronze Ledger Award for his work in comics. He is also the designer of the ACE! mascot, Casey the Koala.

ACE! is created by IllustrateYourLife, an award-winning creative collaboration studio from Sydney founded by Jakub Mazerant.

ACE! is proudly supported by the Australian Consulate-General in Chengdu through its public diplomacy program, promoting Australian culture, art and artists overseas.

The exhibition will be open to the public free of charge from 27 January to the end of February 2024.