Creator Talks: Levon Gyulkhasyan
BOSTON COMICS ROUNDTABLE PRESENTS: Creator Talks, with Levon Gyulkhasyan on Jumbo Comics, A Tool for Building Communities
The Boston Comics Roundtable’s Creator Talk series will continue on Sunday September 20th with artist Levon Gyulkhasyan discussing the use of giant comic strips in public spaces. Held at the new Boston Comics Workspace at 561 Windsor St., Studio 306, the event is free and open to the public, though a suggested donation of $5 is welcome. The talk will begin at 2:00 pm and is sponsored by Ninth Art Press.
Comics need not only be on the page. There is a new dimension of comics in which giant comic strips are installed in public spaces. One such initiative, Jumbo Loop Comics, was spearheaded in part by Gyulkhasan and resulted in installations in many locations in Armenia and France. The large panels feature life size characters and act to engage those who behold them, giving a sense of involvement in the plot. The project also made paint and brushes accessible, encouraging passersby to color the strip and thereby become a participant, spreading awareness and enjoyment of comics. The giant strip can be wrapped around trees or poles, forming a ring, where the end of the story logically continues to the beginning, making it a never ending story.
Gyulkhasyan’s talk will cover the creation of these jumbo comics and how it affects communities, focusing on the process and challenges one may face.
About Levon Gyulkhasyan
One of the activists of comics development in Armenia, Gyulkhasyan was involved in works of the French Association pour la promotion de la bande dessinée en Arménie and a participant of exhibitions, workshops, and anthologies. In a team, he took part in 24-hour comics in Angouleme, France, which he then introduced in Armenia. He also was an initiator of Jumbo Loop Comics, seven of which were installed in public spaces in Armenia and France. With friends, Gyulkhasyan launched weekly comics making workshops using constraint as a means of advancing comic creation. After moving to the United States, he continues this activity in Boston.
When: Sunday September 20th at 2:00 PM
Where: 561 Windsor St., Studio 306, Somerville, MA