Mini Gijinka exhibit on display at Richland Library

Prepare for non-human subjects to come alive during a mini-exhibition at Richland Library, and no, your eyes are not playing tricks on you.

Gijinka is on display through Feb. 15 in the Community Gallery at the Main location, 1431 Assembly St.

The mini-exhibition features several pieces from former Artist-in-Residence Margaret “Markie” Gaddis. She outfits the trend of Gijinka by creating human-like characters, which are based on non-human subjects. These subjects can range from inanimate objects and animals to brands or concepts.

Some of the materials that make up the costumes include EVA foam, resin, feathers, fairy lights, yarn, faux fur, foam clay, fabric and wig fibers. They come together to form the characters of Articuno (“Pokémon”), Team Mystic (“Pokémon GO”), Meeko (Disney's “Pocahontas”) and The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Eric Carle).

A South Carolina native, Markie is an artist, maker and costume designer. She has a particular passion for cosplay, anime and recreating movie characters. More recently, after attending an anime convention, Markie specializes in costume details, such as sculpting armor and using LED lights to create beautiful, intricate pieces.

Special to GoColumbia