Cagle: Lars Vilks is not a cartoonist

From Daryl Cagle:

Vilks is a ?conceptual artist? who had been known for building towers made of sticks before he took up the Prophet Muhammad-dog theme. Vilks studied art history and didn?t train as an artist, as is clear to anyone who sees his terrible drawings. His most famous Muhammad dog drawing looks like he drew it in five seconds, on a napkin, with his eyes closed, and both hands behind his back.

Unlike cartoonists who seek to have their work published, Vilks shopped around for galleries that were willing to hang his scribble on their wall ? when one gallery agreed, the drawing made the news, and the art show was cancelled, but the news was enough to give Vilks new fame as the Prophet Muhammad dog ?cartoonist?.

Yes, Daryl is probably right on technical definitions, but Lars as been presented to the public as a cartoonist for so many years, that for all intents and purposes, he is one.

5 thoughts on “Cagle: Lars Vilks is not a cartoonist

  1. Freedom of speech is not predicated on whether you pass Daryl’s “draw the lumberjack” test. In fact it’s not predicated on anything. That’s the point.

    But the recent issue of The Cartoonist is no better. In a cover story that led w/ “Je Suis Charlie” the four page story paid homage to cartoonists who died for depicting mohammed. (lower case intended) Instead the NCS reprinted images of the Pope holding a condom and an ISIS beheading. But not the smoking gun images. The NCS is not Charlie.

  2. Lars Vilks is a cartoonist. Is Cagle envious? Or does he resent Vilks’s skyrocketing notoriety (which may cause him his life at some point.) How arrogant.

  3. I’ve been told, numerous times, that EVERYBODY is an artist because ANYBODY can make art… So I guess everybody is a cartoonist, too? That makes about as much sense.

    Really, the question that needs to be asked is this one: What does he call HIMSELF? If he calls himself a Conceptual Artist, then that is what he is – what the media calls him is outside of his control…

  4. Alan hasn’t posted anything about this, but I’ve heard that Hagar the Horrible has been banned in Ecuador for being sexist. Does anyone have any details?

Comments are closed.

Top