Thursday, June 28, 2012

Anti-war cartoons and a visit to In Flanders Fields

The In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres (Belgium)  reopened its doors on 11 June 2012. The ECC prepares an exhibition on WWI and war cartoons in 2014, so my visit to the museum last monday was an excellent start to feel the atmosphere of war and all the horrible things that brings along a war.

War horse...
I climbed the bell tower and had a superb
view over the region

Yes, I have an eye for caricatures. This one is exhibited
in the museum.

and this object too.

"The City of Peace Ypres and the In Flanders Fields Museum conserve the link with the war past. Because it is important for those who want to speak about peace and war today."


If there is one cartoon book, that shares this noble aim, it's "The Great Anti-War Cartoons" by Yoe Craig (Fantagraphics Books, USA, 2009, ISBN 978-1-60699-150-3).


"A collection of stunning artwork spanning the centuries and the globe, from titans of the art and cartooning world. Together, these cartoons provide a powerful testament to the old adage "The pen is mightier than the sword."
For centuries, cartoonists have used their pens to fight a war against war, translating images of violent conflict into symbols of protest. Noted comics historian Craig Yoe brings the greatest of these artists together in one place, presenting the ultimate collection of anti-war cartoons. Together, these cartoons provide a powerful testament to the old adage, “The pen is mightier than the sword,” and remind us that so often in the last couple of centuries, it was the editorial cartoonist who could say the things his fellow newspapermen and women only dreamed of, enlightening and rallying a nation against unjust aggression.
Readers of The Great Anti-War Cartoons will find stunning artwork in a variety of media and forms (pen-and-ink, wash, watercolor, woodcut — single images and sequential comic strips) from the hands of Francisco Goya to Art Young, from Robert Minor to Ron Cobb, and from Honoré Daumier to Robert Crumb, as well as page after page of provocative images from such titans as James Montgomery Flagg, C.D. Batchelor, Edmund Sullivan, Boardman Robinson, William Gropper, Maurice Becker, George Grosz, Gerald Scarfe, Bill Mauldin, Art Spiegelman and many more (see below for a complete list of contributors). The book also includes an Introduction by 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Muhammad Yunus and a Foreword by Library of Congress curator Sara W. Duke.
This book is neither ideological nor parochial: The cartoons range across the political spectrum from staunch conservative flag-wavers to radicals and hippies, and span two centuries and the entire globe (Australia, Russia, Poland, France...). But their message remains timeless and universal.
16 color and 96 black-and-white illustrations" (source: Amazon.com )

 





Learn more:
In Flanders Fields Museum
The Great Anti-War Cartoons - reviews on Fantagraphics Books (with PDF-excerpt)
Yoe Craig - pre publishing info (with some pics)


Sunday, June 17, 2012

Kamagurka presents Kamarama (Bruges Belgium 1.05 to 01.08.2012)

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to have a guided visit to the Kamarama exhibition in Bruges by the great Kamagurka (Luc Zeebroek, Nieuwpoort, Belgium, 1956)  himself .  In Belgium and abroad, Kamagurka the cartoonist is famous for his absurd and shocking cartoons (Humo, Hara Kiri, ... ).






In the exhibition we learn to know 'Kama' the artist and Kama the painter. I really was impressed by some very colorful paintings exhibited in the 'ateljee'. Visit the links below to learn more about Kamagurka.





For those who like the cartoons by Kamagurka there is the Holy Kama. (ISBN 978-90-5856-386-6, Stichting Kunstboek, 2011)

"It weighs a kilo. It contains no less than 896 pages. With almost as many cartoons. It comes in a hardback edition with gold foil. And each page is gilt-edged.
It belongs on every bedside table, in every hotel and motel room, in every toilet, at every brothel, at every airport, at every summit meeting between Frau Merkel and Monsieur Sarkozy, in every jail, in the White House, in every bar, in every museum, in the Vatican and on every pulpit: The Holy Kama. From Bruges to Beijing - and Beyond.
 
Holy, holy, holy cow, this book has turned out truly magnificent! The Holy Kama contains almost 900 pages with as many cartoons: the result of a strict selection of ten years's worth of tireless drawing. The criteria: translatability, timelessness and comic quality." (source: Kamagurka, Blog )
 






Sunday, June 3, 2012

The journey of larks, Life and Punctuation..?

From the UK we received three of the new 2nd edition books published by User design. As you'll notice this are not real 'cartoon books' as we know. But it's interesting to show the application of (funny) pictures and graphics to illustrate the play with English language in 'Punctuation..?' and 'The journey of larks'.

If you want to give an English teacher or your child that learns English, a small present, I think 'Punctuation..?' would pleasure him or her...

The books are available form all up-to-date bookshops, Waterstones, direct from the distributor and Amazon.


The journey of larks (ISBN: 978-0-9570712-0-9)


Book type
Picture book, word play and graphic communication schinanigans.

Description
The journey of larks is played with language, words, illustration
and typographic shenanigans:

A wince of dentists.
A lot of used car-dealers.
A watch of Swiss.
The wit and poetry of this charming collection of collectives, will be
gobbled up by anyone who enjoys word-play and graphic communication.

This book also makes an ideal gift, birthday present or special occasion
gesture.

Age suitability
12+.


Life (ISBN: 978-0-9570712-1-6)



Book type
Picture book (no text), coffee table.

Description
A picture-led book (no text) story about one day in the life of somebody.

This book also makes an ideal gift, birthday present or special occasion
gesture.

Age suitability
All ages.


Punctuation..? (ISBN: 978-0-9570712-2-3)



Book type
Informative, educational, fun.

Description
Punctuation..? explains the functions and correct uses of 21 of the most
used punctuation marks. It is humorous, fully illustrated using real life
scenarios and is for a wide age range (young to ageing) and intelligence
(emerging to expert).

This book also makes an ideal gift, birthday present or special occasion
gesture.

Age suitability
All ages, although especially for teenagers and people who do not like
to read and feel reading a book is boring.

Learn more:
userdesign self published books
www.userdesignillustrationandtypesetting.com