MURDER OF THE CARICATURING ART
Our magazine always stood against all kinds of unfair and idiotic practices around us. The provocation for this write-up is the results of International Caricature Competition organized by Indian institute of Cartoonists.
Unfortunately, we happened to see those prize winning entries. It was a clear case of ‘murder’ of the caricature art form ! Undoubtedly, Rtd. Judge Mr. Venkatachalayya, artist Andani and cartoonist Keshav were responsible for this tragedy. What more can we expect when these three caricature illiterate persons become the judges !
A review of these prize winning works would turn their heads down.
Section- Manmohan Singh
First prize: Except for its detailed work, this one is not at all a perfect caricature.The nose is unnecessarily distorted so big. Why Gandhi specs? [ Is it Gandhism ? ha ha ha.. ] His bushy eyebrows are missing.
Second prize : Mr Manmohan Singh might fall flat if he happened to see this one ! What is the ‘hole’ thing between forehead and turban ?
Third prize : Here Mr Singh was butchered beyond recognition !
All those 3 consolation entries are realistic portraits !
Section - Sonia Gandhi
First, second and third prize winning entries should have been kept out of the competition itself for it’s realistic approach. All 3 are neat portraits!
These 3 consolation winning works are not perfect ones.
Now, what is a caricature after all ? A portrait ? No way ! Or is it just an
exaggeration face of a person ? Exaggeration of face is okay to some extent.
A perfect caricaturist would show the distorted face as well as something about
the person.
But judges here simply ignored all this . It’s a big humiliation for those who believed
in caricaturing.
IIC did a lot of valuable programmes so far. But now it lost it’s respect with this
blunder. Poor R V Deshapande, President of Congress has donated Rs3,50,000 as
the prize money. Sadly, the money was spent to hire realistic artists to murder this
great art !
PRAKASH SHETTY
Editor, Vaare Kore
Kannada humour monthly
[ The above article has appeared in VAARE KORE January issue ]
PRAKASH SHETTY
FREELANCE CARTOONIST
About Me
- PRAKASH SHETTY'S PUNCH
- Bangalore, Karnataka, India
- Here is a rare species called Prakash Shetty. Born on April Fools Day,1960.I was addicted to cartooning at the age of fifteen [ 1975 ] I started my funny career with a kannada magazine called Santhosha. Then switched on to a English daily - The Times Of Deccan. Later with Mungaru daily and finally served The Week. At present Iam seriously into funny business. Spot caricaturing at events..drawing huge cartoon murals... staff caricatures on 40ft wall...t-shirt cartoons...coloured family caricatures...recently Prakash Shetty PUNCH became instant hit on ETV. My last misadventure was VAARE KORE,a humour magazine in kannada language.Fun Gallery is my new baby. Call 9591979629 0r 080-28606030 email id- prakashetty@gmail.com
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ON THE SPOT-Prakash Shetty
MOODABIDRI-ALVAS NUDISIRI 2008
SHETTY IN DUBAI
2 comments:
super… I agree with you…
a caricature should reflect character of the personality
Dear Prakash,
That was a clincher of a fair comment.
In my turn, I had intimated the organisers my thinking on the results as follows :
....................................
My dear Sir,
Thanks for declaring the Contest results promptly.
But I am still confused about the message looked for to be conveyed through the following para in your letter:
Although most of the works had political comments included, it was decided that only the physical resemblance and the caricature part should be considered. The selected entries were decided exclusively for caricature and not the political comment.
Intrinsically political personalities, both. Their decisions, comprehensively political and holding massive sway over the destiny of the country. Being so, how can a cartoonist settle for an imbecile display of drawing talent alone foregoing precious avenues for projecting nuances of the political animal in them? What one gets to understand that the caricatures were evaluated for likeness with the political comment removed.
This does not appear to be proper way to judge.
Even be it so, this line of judgement ought to have been included in the contest announcement released to the press. The caricaturists would have smugly honed their drawing skills just for this !
This much I wanted to convey in my personal capacity alone, irrespective of what other participants' ideas on this :)
But, I accept the results in sportive spirit in its entirety.
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regards,
sajjive
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