M+ Explores Fantastical “Myths and Monsters,” Including Godzilla, in New Exhibit
The Hong Kong museum’s latest puts a fantastical eye on the legacy of Asian mythmaking
Asian visual traditions are culturally everywhere, but they have been building for a long time, as attested to by the new Hong Kong show “Myths and Monsters: The Art of Fantasy in Asia” at the M+ Museum. The journey that leads through anime, manga, and contemporary avatars begins over 200 years ago with Tibetan Buddhist scrolls, ukiyo-e woodblock prints, and Chinese shadow puppets. In between, make room for everyone’s favorite postwar architecture-ravaging giant reptile, Godzilla.
The show unfurls across four themed sections. “Spirits Among Us: Fantasy in the 1800s,” which examines the roots of Asian fantasy traditions, is followed by “Strange Realities: Surrealism and Asia,” which looks at how Asian artists living in Paris within the same post-World War I-era environment that fostered Giorgio de Chirico, Salvador Dalí, and René Magritte themselves developed surrealist styles that reflected their own backgrounds.
““Godzilla’ to ‘Ghost in the Shell’: Fantasy Meets Pop Culture,” the next unit, follows the cinematic and animation developments that evolved from the same background. Finally, “New Mythologies: Asian Fantasy Goes Global” considers the high and pop cross-media contemporary cultural permutations.
“M+ is committed to presenting exhibitions that connect Asia’s cultural heritage with global conversations. ‘The exhibition offers fresh insights into the region’s creative contributions to global cultural history and their enduring influence on new generations,” says M+Museum Director Suhanya Raffel, adding, “As AI-generated imagery, virtual avatars, gaming, and cinematic universes saturate everyday life, this timely presentation illuminates how artists in Asia use fantasy to address socio-political realities across time.”
More than 400 works in total will be on display, with a list of events and enticing, “Myths and Monsters”-inspired merchandise. The gift shop offerings look especially fun, with tie-ins themed around Godzilla.
“Myths and Monsters: The Art of Fantasy in Asia” runs Oct 17, 2026–Apr 4, 2027 at M+ in Hong Kong.