What Would Thomas Nast Do?
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In the early nineties, I spent countless hours digging through foreign publications, hunting for lessons and inspiration. I translated articles, wrote essays, and hoped my fellow Iranian artists would catch the spark I felt. I wanted them to see the magic tucked between the lines, the way Western cartoonists held power to account with nothing but ink and nerve.
But in Iran, we could not touch certain subjects…
Iranian cartoonist Nik Kowsar ponders the state of the art in North America and worldwide.
In 2001, when I traveled to North America to receive an award, I attended the joint convention of American and Canadian editorial cartoonists in Toronto. I was amazed to find over a hundred full-time cartoonists in one place…
Now, more than two decades later, I look at the editorial cartooning landscape in North America and feel a different kind of sadness. The number of full-time staff cartoonists has dwindled. It now seems easier to become a senator than to land a cartoonist’s job at a major newspaper.
If we want future generations to think critically, laugh at the powerful, and see through lies, we must defend the role of the cartoonist. Not just as an entertainer or a commentator, but as an essential irritant in any society that hopes to remain free.
The pen is still sharp. The question is whether we are still brave enough to use it.
feature image by Nik Kowsar
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