This solo show, held between April and July 2018 at Centro Cultural de España (Cultural Centre of Spain) in Santiago, Chile, was inspired by episode 283 of the globally renowned anime Dragon Ball Z. For this occasion, I created two paintings of similar proportions but different sizes (20×30 cm and 200×300 cm), presenting a literal depiction of two stills from the referenced episode. The smaller painting captured the intimacy of the still, while the larger format highlighted the epic scope of the scene. Both works explored the visual power and cultural significance of this iconic anime moment.
The researcher and art theorist Diego Maureira contributed to the exhibition by writing the text “Genkidama (元気玉)” (Spirit Bomb), which was printed on 12 different postcards. Rather than focusing solely on the technical or artistic aspects of the paintings, Maureira delved into the narrative and cultural context of Dragon Ball Z. His text explained the epic journey of Goku and the conceptual parallels between the Genkidama (Spirit Bomb) and the atomic bombs that devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. This connection underscored the tension between destruction and unity—themes deeply embedded in both the anime and historical events.
The exhibition aimed to bridge the worlds of contemporary art and Japanese animation, inviting viewers to reflect on the influence of post-war globalisation and mass media culture on Chilean society. By referencing Dragon Ball Z, a pivotal part of Chilean and Latin American pop culture during the 1990s and 2000s, the exhibition recontextualised anime as a universal yet deeply localised language. It explored how such imagery has become part of a shared cultural heritage, transcending its foreign origins.
“The Genkidama is a concentration of energy invoked with arms raised, gathering the strength of animals, plants, and all kinds of living beings. Without a doubt, it is the most powerful technique in existence. Goku uses it for the first time against Vegeta, who later becomes an indispensable ally. However, the only time the Genkidama is fully effective is against Kid Buu, an ungovernable pink character—created by a sorcerer named Bibidi—capable of confronting even the gods of the otherworld. The Super Genkidama, with which Goku defeats Kid Buu, is an immense sphere of energy with an incandescent glow, reminiscent of the one that destroys Tokyo in the film Akira or the nuclear bombs that obliterated two Japanese cities at the end of the Second World War.”
Excerpt from “Genkidama (元気玉)”, written by Diego Maureira for the exhibition.
Santiago de Chile, March 2018.
Excerpt of the episode from which the images were obtained (Spanish latin audio). / Extracto del capítulo desde el cual se obtuvieron las imágenes (audio latino).
Flyer for the opening night made by the artist / Flyer para la inauguración hecho por el artista.
Esta obra, exhibida desde abril hasta julio del 2018 en el Centro Cultural de España (Santiago de Chile), está basada en el capítulo número 283 de la serie de animación japonesa Dragon Ball Z. Para esta ocasión presenté dos pinturas de similares proporciones pero de diferentes tamaños (20×30 cm y 200×300 cm) en donde se representa el traspaso literal de dos stills del mencionado capítulo de la serie.
El investigador y teórico del arte Diego Maureira escribe el texto “Genkidama (元気玉)”, el cual fue entregado a los asistentes en postales de 12 diseños distintos. Como en la pintura, lejos de referenciar aspectos artísticos competentes a la obra, Maureira en su texto explicó la épica de Dragon Ball Z.
-Marco Arias
“La genkidama es una concentración de energía que se invoca con los brazos alzados y que recoge la fuerza de animales, plantas y toda clase de seres vivos. Esta es sin duda la técnica más poderosa que existe. Gokú la utiliza por primera vez contra Vegeta, quien más tarde se vuelve un aliado indispensable. Pero la única ocasión en que la genkidama es totalmente efectiva es contra Kid Buu, un ingobernable personaje de color rosa –creado por un hechicero llamado Bibidi–, capaz de enfrentarse incluso a los dioses del otro mundo. La super genkidama con que Gokú derrota a Kid Buu es una inmensa esfera de energía, de un brillo incandescente, similar a la que destruye Tokio en la película Akira, o a las bombas nucleares que pulverizaron dos ciudades niponas cuando finalizaba la segunda guerra mundial”.
Extracto del texto “Genkidama (元気玉), escrito por Diego Maureira para la exhibición.
Santiago de Chile, marzo del 2018.
Postal “Genkidama"… by HELLOGOODBYE on Scribd
Still used for painting #1 / Captura de video usada para pintura #1.
Still used for painting #2 / Captura de video usada para pintura #2.
The painting at the gallery / La pintura en la galería (Image by: Felipe Carmona).
Publication showing a collection of Instagram posts made by different people who visited the exhibition. / Post de Instagram que recopila algunas de las fotos subidas a redes sociales por el público de la exposición.