Before words, there was image. The exposition at the Museum of Image and Sound (MIS) in São Paulo is telling the history of how comics evolved over the years. This museum, popularly known as MIS, has a special way of exhibiting things. A great part of the exhibitions are decorated and have spots that interact with the public. So, even though you don’t like comics very much, it’s worth a try.
First of all, I must say this attraction is free and it goes until May 26th. That being said, I will talk a little bit about how the exhibition is organized and what you are going to find in there. Therefore, this article is going to be divided over the three main floors, this way, you can do an imaginary map on your head.
Image Source: Carolina Rodrigues
First Floor
The first floor is just the introduction. What you will see right from the start is some sort of “cave”, which simulates the drawings from the ascentral humans. It has a lot of explanations and symbols telling the history of that times. But in addition to that, there are sounds and the texture on the walls that tries to create a special environment to involve you.
When you keep walking, you will find starts that are completed decorated with caricatures and cartoons. Actually, the way the history is disposed around the walls and the floor is really entertained, because you can’t stop looking.
Image Source: Carolina Rodrigues
Second Floor
The second floor is when the variety starts to show up. After the special section for the caricatures on the stares, you will find a hole space just for Europe, that talks about the magnitude of importance that comics has reached in the continent. It shows the presence of comics in children’s education, in universities and in publishing market.
After that, you will find a room just for Mangas, where animes fans will probably freak out. This space has samples of the most famous mangas in history, like Naruto, Bleach, Death Note and Knights of the Zodiac. The room is completed decorated, with umbrellas hanging on the walls with famous quotes and faces of the characters.
Image Source: Carolina Rodrigues
When you keep walking on the hall, you will get access to the Erotic Room. This place require an over 18 rule, so you can get in only if you are considered and “adult” or accompanied by a responsible person. However, this are not that explicit, the room is actually a bathroom where pictures and drawings of the comics erotic line are exposed.
Image Source: Carolina Rodrigues
Out of this spot, you will find a complete opposite comics line of drawing. In the other way of the hall, there a special place just for Mauricio de Souza and his master pieces with the brazilian comics “Turma da Mônica”. Since is directly to children and babies, the room has a big amount of colors and interactive scenarios, where you can find the firsts edictions of many comics that he made. Besides, is really nostalgic for those who lived the childhood along with Monica.
Image Source: Carolina Rodrigues
Third Floor
And now, the last floor. This one is my favorite, because it has a great amount of diversity in the sessions. For example, the first stop is the history of comics in Brazil, with examples like brazilian heroes and terror cacharacters. But not just that, a special stop was separated for the works of Ziraldo and the firsts magazines like “O Pasquim”, that used drawings as method of decoration.
Image Source: Carolina Rodrigues
Going down the hallway, there is the session of Latin and North America. The first and more decorated stop is Latin America that, of course, gives a great focus on Mafalda’s comics, that is very famous around the continent because of the little girl’s questions and reflexions of the world. This places has a big board where you can touch and move the pieces, and teach peace has a important fact about Mafalda.
Image Source: Carolina Rodrigues
And then, there is the North America stop. There are three paths that you can follow: Disney, Marvel and D.C. But connecting them, there is a hall that talks about the general phenomenon of comics on this continent, like Calvin and Herald, He-Man, G.I.Joe and many others.
Image Source: Carolina Rodrigues
If you choose to go to the left side, there is the Disney path. In there you can learn many curiosities about the characters evolvement, and get to see the beginning ideas of drawings of Mickey Mouse and his friends. This place is also an interactive area, where you can touch and move around some things.
Image Source: Carolina Rodrigues
Going the other way, on the right side, there is the superhero zone, with special rooms for Marvel and D.C. Both places are super decorated and have a particularly theme song, that reminds adventure and excitement. They show the history of the groups and have some comics exposed.
Image Source: Carolina Rodrigues
After that, there is the end. So don’t miss this incredible opportunity of visiting a culture exposure where you can get in touch with the things you like. Even though you are not that big fan of comics, i bet some parts you will get nostalgic about something.