Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki and Steve Rolston
When you’re a kid who doesn’t quite fit in, the art world can be a mysterious and alluring creature. A lot of people go through that phase where you become entranced by Warhol, where you blunder into some art students somewhere and they capture your imagination. You never thought such a thing existed.
The new title from Minx Books captures that moment in life — even the title “Emiko Superstar” is an Andy Warhol reference — the Superstars were his inner coterie of hangers-on who found their way into his films and parties. They were the attraction as much as his work — in many ways, they were his work. Author Mariko Tamaki understands that very often the way young people become interested in art is through the appearance of their local art scene and cache of cool that accompanies the more outrageous in recent art history.
Emiko is a teenage girl trying to get through the summer in with a babysitting job when two significant events coincide that will change her school vacation. One is that she is handed an invite to a performance art club called The Factory (like Warhol’s hangout and studio) — the other is that she blunders upon her employer’s secret diary. The allure of the scene at The Factory proves too much for Emiko and the diary becomes her key to performance superstardom.
Tamaki — a veteran of the Toronto art scene — is able to investigate the real issues of such worlds in a way that walks the appropriate line of being realistic without discouraging. The thrill of belonging to an enthusiastic, no-holds-barred creative tribe is well presented, but so is the unnecessary competitive side, the egos, creative dishonesty and laziness and, most important, the occasional incidence of sleazy older guys who just want to insinuate control over creative young gals.
Tamaki also slyly points out the fascination of the counter culture with the middle class world they turn their back on — they want to understand why they don’t fit in and Emiko’s monologue’s offer some insight to that world. Tamaki does her job by giving back a little — she obviously crossed worlds and “Emiko Superstar” is like a little dispatch from that other dimension, a little reassurance if you’re that kid that doesn’t fit in to go with your instincts, be curious and open, but just watch your back — the art world’s no less devious than the suburbs, but it can be a lot more interesting.
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