The First Exposition, Creative Women and the Art of the Comics was held at the Bogota International Book Fair in April, 2006.

Liza, while unable to physically attend the exposition, was selected as the representative of the United States. Her work was on display. The Exposition will travel to many countries, coming to the United States in May of 2008.

1º Exposition Creative Women and the Art of the Comics

by Guiomar Cuesta

For many years, the poet Guiomar Cuesta and the caricaturists Adriana Mosquera (Nani), two women from Colombia, have investigates and research all over to find professional women in the fields of caricature and graphic humour.

They wanted to respond in their quest to the question that everyone asks when they assist to any exposition of caricatures, that is well summarized by the editors of the Mexican Magazine La Piztola, a review for the divulgation of humour, in one of their editorials under the title: Women and Caricature, as follows:

One could say that women in caricature are light fleeing stars, they pass thru and illuminate the sky, are noticed, dazzle, and then vanish as quickly as they came. And is not for lack of talent. Notable cases of humor, technique and drawing are known of women caricaturists. Thus the question: Why so few women caricaturists, if sometimes their humor is as keen or better than that of men? And why those that start in this profession give up so soon?

Us women are and have been the object of humor, but not the subject of same. Thus, female graphic humorists are so unusual, such a rare bird, never recognized, and even less acknowledged in the history of this art.

As organizers of this event, we sent a Convocation on December 16, 2005; and have received as of March 2006, 40 answers from female humor artists. Thirty three of them did comply with the basis of the Convocation from twenty different nations of the world.

The Exposition praises and points out professional women in the art of caricature, who are presently active, publishing regularly in a newspaper or magazine, with regular and continuous publication, as well as those that have received outstanding prices for their work.

The years in their profession expand from 38, for instance the Colombian Consuelo Lago, and the Cuban Miriam Alonso, to the youngest the chilean, Francisca Salomón, with just two years publishing in the Santiago´s newspapers.

We can now proudly state, after organizing this event, that the presence of woment caricaturists is outstanding. Thirty professionals from around the world is a number to be respected. And, when this compact group of such excellence and at the same time variety happens there is no doubt, in any one´s mind about our content.

But this is not new at present when three outstanding women lead their countries in Chile, Liberia and Germany. The New York Times (January 19), states this to be still a rare accomplishment, but recognizes,as well, the women who are now in a position of leadership in these nations represent the must independent and able group of female leaders, never before present.

The exposition inaugurates on Sunday, April 23rd.at 4 pm. with a round table about ¿Do women caricaturists exist? It is headed by the poet Guiomar Cuesta and the newspaper lady Gloria Cecilia Gómez. Present at the round table: Adriana Mosquera –Nani- Consuelo Lago, Martha Elena Hoyos and Elena Ospina from Colombia. from Argentina, Ana von Rebeur; from Ecuador, Vilma Vargas, an from Venezuela, Rayma Suprani. The Catalogue of the exposition has been prepared and published by the Humor Graphic Program of the Universidad Alcalá de Henares of Spain.

An Itinerant Exposition
As soon as other entities found out about this event, and the fact that we had been able to gather such a good number od Women Caricaturists, requested us to participate in different events in their respective countries with our Exposition. So, the exposition Creative Women and the Art of the comics, will then be presented in:

Feria Internacional del Libro de Bogotá, Colombia, april 22 to may 7, 2006.
Feria Internacional del Libro de Lima, Perú, julio 20 to 30, 2006. The special Invitation is for the recognize argentinian cartoons, Maitena, who is in our Exposition.

Museo Rayo. Roldanillo, Valle del Cauca, Colombia, 16 de julio a fines de agosto 2006.
Por confirmar, Guayaquil y Quito, Ecuador, en august y september, 2006.
Programa de Humor Gráfico, Fundación General Universidad de Alcalá, España, october, 2006.

Museo de Impresa, Portugal, noviembre, 2006.
Feria Internacional del Libro de Guadalajara, México, dicember 2006.
Bienal de Humor, San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba, april, 2007.
Por confirmar, Bienal Humoralia, Lleida, España, october, 2007.
Bienal de Arte, Centro Cultural, Georgia, Estados Unidos, may, 2008.

1º Exposition
Creative Women and the Art of the comics

List of Participants by Country of Origin:

Argentina:
Maitena Burundarena
Marlene Pohle
Ana von Rebeur
Patricia Rodelli
María Claudia Re
Mariana Weschler

2. Brasil:
Pryscila Vieira

3. Chile:
Francisca Salomón

4. Colombia:
Consuelo Lago
Elena Ospina
Adriana Mosquera
Martha Elena Hoyos
Martha Montoya

5. Cuba:
Miriam Alonso
6. Ecuador:
Vilma Vargas

7. España:
María José Mosquera
Lola Sánchez

8. Estados Unidos:
Liza Donnelly

9. Francia:
Veronique Deiss

10. Grecia:
Efi Xenou

11. Irán:
Sepideh Anjomrooz

12. Italia:
Marilena Nardi

13. Japón:
Toshiko Nishida

14. México:
Martha Barragán
Cintia Bolio
Araceli Sollano
Maricruz Gallut

15. Perú:
Marisa Godínez

16. Rep. de Macedonia:
Natasa Kostovska

17. Rep. Checa:
Marie Plotená

18. Rumania:
Irina Iosip

19. Uruguay:
Raquel Orzuj

20. Venezuela:
Rayma Suprani

Bogotá, April 4, 2006