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| European Cartoonists on the EU | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Switzerland – Chapatte | Switzerland – Chapatte |
| Chappatte is a Lebanese-Swiss cartoonist who draws for the International New York Times and has taken a suitably lofty perspective in this cartoon. It is one of my favourites – concise, well composed and straight to the point. Leave Europe and Scotland leaves the UK. I wouldn’t blame them. Chappatte’s elegant, crosshatched style is polite but trenchant, a perfect political cartoon. | Chappatte is a Lebanese-Swiss cartoonist who draws for the International New York Times and has taken a suitably lofty perspective in this cartoon. It is one of my favourites – concise, well composed and straight to the point. Leave Europe and Scotland leaves the UK. I wouldn’t blame them. Chappatte’s elegant, crosshatched style is polite but trenchant, a perfect political cartoon. |
| Lithuania –Rytis Daukantas | Lithuania –Rytis Daukantas |
| A suitable cartoon to represent Lithuania’s leading cartoonist, who also happens to be a qualified architect. Here he is on home ground drawing the gleaming parliament building in Strasbourg and speculating on where the exit might be. Like a fetid belch from toad-faced Farage, “Brexit” is as ugly as the concept it encapsulates, followed closely by “Grexit” and “Spexit”. But “Portugexit” takes this linguistic mashup to a whole new level. “Lithuexit,” anyone? | A suitable cartoon to represent Lithuania’s leading cartoonist, who also happens to be a qualified architect. Here he is on home ground drawing the gleaming parliament building in Strasbourg and speculating on where the exit might be. Like a fetid belch from toad-faced Farage, “Brexit” is as ugly as the concept it encapsulates, followed closely by “Grexit” and “Spexit”. But “Portugexit” takes this linguistic mashup to a whole new level. “Lithuexit,” anyone? |
| Norway – Morten Morland | Norway – Morten Morland |
| Morland hails from Norway but is a political cartoonist on the Times and, I suspect, has to tailor his comments to their editorial line. Nevertheless his spiky, exuberant line and dramatic compositions bring his cartoons to life. I particularly love the crazed referendum horse at full gallop. It has a Picasso Guernica quality, kicking up the dust as it bowls Harriet Harman over the white cliffs, a demented Dave clutching a handful of mane. This blue horse should have been left in the stable, not that the Times would agree. | Morland hails from Norway but is a political cartoonist on the Times and, I suspect, has to tailor his comments to their editorial line. Nevertheless his spiky, exuberant line and dramatic compositions bring his cartoons to life. I particularly love the crazed referendum horse at full gallop. It has a Picasso Guernica quality, kicking up the dust as it bowls Harriet Harman over the white cliffs, a demented Dave clutching a handful of mane. This blue horse should have been left in the stable, not that the Times would agree. |
| Poland – Paweł Kuczyński | Poland – Paweł Kuczyński |
| Many years ago, as the cartoon editor of the New Statesman, a blessedly short-lived tenure, I accepted a cartoon from a Polish cartoonist for its strange, surreal quality. From then on, 50 increasingly odd and inscrutable images arrived each week on my desk from the said cartoonist. I haven’t learned my lesson. Is this the Russian Bear? Is an Estonian or Latvian goldfish being plucked from the EU water? I’m not sure, but I love this image. | Many years ago, as the cartoon editor of the New Statesman, a blessedly short-lived tenure, I accepted a cartoon from a Polish cartoonist for its strange, surreal quality. From then on, 50 increasingly odd and inscrutable images arrived each week on my desk from the said cartoonist. I haven’t learned my lesson. Is this the Russian Bear? Is an Estonian or Latvian goldfish being plucked from the EU water? I’m not sure, but I love this image. |
| Ireland – Martyn Turner | Ireland – Martyn Turner |
| Turner is an Englishman but has lived and cartooned in Ireland for years, and, for my money, is the best political cartoonist in the country. Talking of money, the euro’s problems have hit Ireland particularly hard, a fact not wasted on these political warriors. Turner’s pen-and-ink style is bold and chunky though the same can’t be said for this shield wall. I like the interplay between the speech bubbles, and the Irish premier’s blank spectacled bemusement. | Turner is an Englishman but has lived and cartooned in Ireland for years, and, for my money, is the best political cartoonist in the country. Talking of money, the euro’s problems have hit Ireland particularly hard, a fact not wasted on these political warriors. Turner’s pen-and-ink style is bold and chunky though the same can’t be said for this shield wall. I like the interplay between the speech bubbles, and the Irish premier’s blank spectacled bemusement. |
| Spain – KAP | Spain – KAP |
| The Spanish cartoonist KAP uses those handy EU flag stars to suggest shady dealings in Brussels. I like the furtive body language, bold brushstrokes and poster-like simplicity. Perhaps these are Ukip MEPs pocketing their expenses? Whatever the story, the Spanish, like the Irish and Greeks, have suffered from harsh austerity measures yet still seem to remain in the club. | The Spanish cartoonist KAP uses those handy EU flag stars to suggest shady dealings in Brussels. I like the furtive body language, bold brushstrokes and poster-like simplicity. Perhaps these are Ukip MEPs pocketing their expenses? Whatever the story, the Spanish, like the Irish and Greeks, have suffered from harsh austerity measures yet still seem to remain in the club. |
| United Kingdom – Chris Riddell: Send in the Clowns | United Kingdom – Chris Riddell: Send in the Clowns |
| A referendum promised by an insecure leader in an attempt to keep his critics quiet in the run up to the last election, this showdown has been coming for years. Now as the “bastards” who made John Major’s life a misery cheer on from their bath chairs, today’s rightwing clowns are having their moment in the limelight. Things are going to get nasty… | A referendum promised by an insecure leader in an attempt to keep his critics quiet in the run up to the last election, this showdown has been coming for years. Now as the “bastards” who made John Major’s life a misery cheer on from their bath chairs, today’s rightwing clowns are having their moment in the limelight. Things are going to get nasty… |
| Belgium – Karl Meersman | Belgium – Karl Meersman |
| Meersman is a great draughtsman, with a painter’s eye and a talent for eye-catching compositions. This cartoon has echoes of Hogarth’s famous “Profiles” drawing, a wallpaper of grotesques. Marching against this facial tide is the bearskin-wearing guardsman of Britain, stoic, expressionless and sticking out like a... well, a bearskin-wearing guardsman. Beautifully witty image from the country that brought us the great Herge. I love the two colour quality and the expressive pastel pencil. How about an “about turn, quick march, left, right, left, right...”? | Meersman is a great draughtsman, with a painter’s eye and a talent for eye-catching compositions. This cartoon has echoes of Hogarth’s famous “Profiles” drawing, a wallpaper of grotesques. Marching against this facial tide is the bearskin-wearing guardsman of Britain, stoic, expressionless and sticking out like a... well, a bearskin-wearing guardsman. Beautifully witty image from the country that brought us the great Herge. I love the two colour quality and the expressive pastel pencil. How about an “about turn, quick march, left, right, left, right...”? |
| The Netherlands – Tom Janssen: Funny Walks | The Netherlands – Tom Janssen: Funny Walks |
| Monty Python’s Ministry of Silly Walks lives! I love this cartoon from the Netherlands’ Tom Janssen for its graphic simplicity and bold style. Is it just me, or are there echoes of the goose step along this Brexit tightrope walk? We all know this isn’t going to end well. The Monty Python theme music should be playing in the background as Britain takes a tumble. This image sums up the absurdity of Cameron’s referendum gamble perfectly. Now for something completely different… | Monty Python’s Ministry of Silly Walks lives! I love this cartoon from the Netherlands’ Tom Janssen for its graphic simplicity and bold style. Is it just me, or are there echoes of the goose step along this Brexit tightrope walk? We all know this isn’t going to end well. The Monty Python theme music should be playing in the background as Britain takes a tumble. This image sums up the absurdity of Cameron’s referendum gamble perfectly. Now for something completely different… |
| France – Plantu | France – Plantu |
| Plantu, or Jean Plantureux to give him his full name, is France’s leading political cartoonist. He works for the left-of-centre Le Monde, where the political cartoon and the pocket cartoon merge into a front-page cartoon with a political theme. This is a great example, although only a French cartoonist could doubt Cameron would have any difficulty identifying his old chum Boris. Suitably Anglo-Saxon language, and that staple of prime ministerial office, the 18th-century footman – how the French see us! | Plantu, or Jean Plantureux to give him his full name, is France’s leading political cartoonist. He works for the left-of-centre Le Monde, where the political cartoon and the pocket cartoon merge into a front-page cartoon with a political theme. This is a great example, although only a French cartoonist could doubt Cameron would have any difficulty identifying his old chum Boris. Suitably Anglo-Saxon language, and that staple of prime ministerial office, the 18th-century footman – how the French see us! |