Tag: Charlie Hebdo

Global Cartooning: A forum in Caen

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A gathering of 35 cartoonists from 16 countries took place from September 11-13th in Caen, France at the Caen Memorial Museum, and I was honored to be among the invited to participate in the events and public debates. It was a wonderful event and many conversations were had about the role of political cartooning in a world run by the internet.
Here is a video from France 3, who asked the Spanish cartoonist Kap and myself to draw and discuss the immigration crisis.
Over the course of the three days, we debated the limits of free speech and the importance of understanding one another globally. Many were in agreement that just because we have free speech does not mean we have to use it to its limits in every case.

Live Drawing The Golden Globes After Tragedy

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I often draw political events and awards shows on television. It seems to be something I enjoy and people enjoy seeing my quick sketches.  I have done it for a few years now for The New Yorker, BET, Theatermania, Fusion and Medium.  This time I did it for myself and my own personal audience….as I wasn’t even sure I could do it at all. The Golden Globes this year followed an incredible tragedy: it was so close to the deaths of the four cartoonists of Charlie Hebdo in Paris, and I was in such a fog about that, and still very sad. It seemed odd to being doing something so frivolous. But I decided–or imagined–that the four irreverent cartoonists who were killed would approve of my lampooning Hollywood. They would have done a much more forceful job of it than I, but that’s neither here nor there.

Above and below are the results.  I have a feeling that cartoonists were on people’s minds as they watched the Golden Globes (some actors commented on the tragedy), because my work got more attention than usual.  Cartoonists are being thought of.  It’s nice, I hope it lasts, but for better reasons.  Cartoonists are a wonderful asset to our society, I must admit.  I like cartoonists: they are, generally speaking,  good people. And we provide a much needed service.

My tweet drawings for the Golden Globes got a shout out on twitter from @NBC, and Retweeted and favorited by thousands of others.  The following day, my drawings were shown on the Today Show, I was profiled in People and also on USA Today.  Quite something.

It seems that people like cartoons, no matter whether they are hard hitting or silly. We all need to laugh.

 

The Dove Of Peace As Cartoonist

dove as cartoonistI don’t see my pen as a gun. It is tempting to draw it as such, a pen or pencil is pointed, and cartoons can be very sharp  and sometimes hurtful. A gun can be a symbol of defiance and power, so can a pen.  But can we think of power another way?  Not as something that hurts or kills or maims, but something that persuades, talks, helps and cares.

A pencil and pen can be just that.

 

 

Revenging The Deaths Of The French Cartoonists

Charlie hebdo deaths2My heart goes out to the families of the cartoonist and others who were killed in the senseless violence at the offices of Charlie Hebdo. Cartoons are incredibly powerful, and it is the responsibility of the cartoonist to use her power for good. The cartoonists who were killed did just that in their own way; it is a provocative way, but that is their right.  I mourn the loss of these cartoonists as champions of freedom of expression.  My solution to revenge their killing is to draw for peace at every opportunity.