Master of all arts: Antonio Mingote

It is said that a picture speaks more than thousand words. It simply states that through a picture one can give more effective message but what happens when words and picture are equally effective?  Answer is magic. Mingote created such magic through his art. Antonio Mingote was a cartoonist, a journalist, an author, a theater person, and director of an animation film, an actor and what not.  Antonio Mingote like bigwig artist has contributed to Spanish artworks by all means.

Don Antonio Mingote Barrachina took birth on 17 January 1919. Antonio Mingote, popularly known as Mingote spent his childhood days in Daroca, Catalayud, Teruel and Zaragoza. Antonio Mingote took admission to study Philosophy and Arts at the University of Zaragoza, which he left in 1944 to settle in Madrid.

 In 1946, Antonio Mingote began his professional career with the then most popular weekly graphic humor magazine “La Codorniz”. After joining Antonio Mingote soon published his first novel, “Las palmeras de carton”. Antonio Mingote also edited the humorous magazine called “Don José”. In 1953, Antonio Mingote started working in “ABC news” the oldest and third largest (in Spain) Spanish newspaper. He was famous for his satirical and ironic stands which reflected from his cartoons.

Antonio Mingote designed sets and costumes for the musical comedy show “Ven y ven Eslava”; he did not stop here, he was also the artistic director for the 2002 animated film “Puerta del tiempo”.  “La Venganza de don Mendo” was very famous show in Spain, scenery and costumes of the show were brainchilds of Antonio Mingote.

Cartoon related to the 1962 NASA expeditions By Antonio Mingote

Antonio Mingote art work beautifully captured centuries of change in Spanish society, living habits. His cartoons were critical but they were not skeptical. Antonio Mingote used more ink and stronger lines in his cartoons to give kind of impact the message demanded as noted down by his art critics. Antonio Mingote employed sharper outlines with clearer strokes to portray exact character. Antonio Mingote was master of words as well as lines. Throughout his lifetime he achieved numerous awards like Gold Medal of the Círculo de Bellas Artes de Madrid, Knight's Cross of the Order of Isabella la Católica, National Journalism Award, Gold Medal for Merit in Work, Quevedos Spanish-American Prize for graphic humour Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts.   Antonio Mingote passed away in 2012 leaving legacy of not only cartoons but creative artwork.

Kari Soumalainen: A fine Finnish cartoonist

 If a person has very good experience, in depth knowledge and knows the art of convincing his opinions then that person most likely to be taken seriously than others.  Power centers seek comfort level to that person and avoid conflict; if power centers fail to do this then they just try to shut him/her up.  When Finish cartoonist Kari Soumalainen, exposed The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics then USSR did every possible thing to silence his art.

Kari Soumalainen started to work for the newspaper called Helsingin Sanomat in 1951. This newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat was under political censorship by the Russian authorities, prompted by the paper's strong advocacy of greater Finnish freedoms and even outright independence. Kari Soumalainen was famous for comments on the social happenings by skillfully using stereotypes and letting people feel mighty things as common by his cartoons. He tried to reduce power distance by cartoons. For an example USSR who was dominant world power, considered as the second world that used to bully Finland in her policies. Kari Soumalainen in many of his cartoons showed fallacy in USSR approach toward small region like Finland.  TIME magazine praised this Kari Soumalainen‘s effort by commenting following thing for an article dedicated to his work,`( Kari Soumalainen ‘s cartoons) set Finland's political leaders to quaking in their boots, and delighted his countrymen by seeing Red with a sharp satiric eye.’ . Kari Soumalainen when got commended for this work he said that it was his duty to be an anti-communist.

After the fall of the Soviet Union, Finland was beginning a new era in its history without any restrictions from the east specially USSR.  Kari criticized very strongly on the decision to open doors to immigrants and war refugees, Somalis in particular (he drew them in a fashion that left little doubt of his opinions concerning blacks in general and Somalis in particular).

Kari Soumalainen‘s cartoons changed the way people looked at the political parties in Finland. Urho Kaleva Kekkonen, Finnish politician who served as Prime Minister of Finland; was his favorite model to draw cartoon on.  Kari Soumalainen man of principles stopped drawing cartoons on him when Urho Kaleva Kekkonen became president in 1956 by abiding "unwritten law" forbidding caricaturing the president.

(translation)You can no longer travel safely in this city. Context is missing. You can spot two of Kari's signature cartoons right corner, walking on the street.

In his professional career, Kari Soumalainen left the main stream publication for ideological difference with their editorial line. Kari Soumalainen started working for local publication. Kari Suomalainen also wrote crime stories. He authored a book which features three short stories about inspector Wilson that were published in the Finnish pulp magazine, Lukemista Kaikille. Later Kari Suomalainen’s cartoons became monotonous and old fashioned as per his critics. However Kari Suomalainen was brilliant in peak professional time, he has set moral, ideological guidelines for future Finnish artists. Not only Finland but world will remember his contribution to Finnish patriotism. 

Jean Plantureux: A Peace Loving Cartoonist

Decision making plays very important role in a life. Many eminent personalities in the world took different profession in their early phase and changed it after realizing their talent and achieved remarkable position.  Jean Plantureux famous cartoonists from France also chose medical line on his parent’s advice. Later he changed by recognizing an art within him; he became a cartoonist.  Now today he has 3 postal stamps designed for charity, PhD theses on his work done, cartoons published by UNESCO and number of exhibitions around the world.

Jean Plantureux working on cartoons

Jean Plantureux after leaving the medical course, took admission in `Institut Saint-Luc’ an arts school in Brussels, Belgium for a drawing course. Jean Plantureux , also known by professional name 'Plantu', took a course of three years in the art school but could complete only three months due to money problem. Jean Plantureux (Plantu) discovered his passion and liking for political satirical cartoons in this period. Plantu approached several papers to give him a job, finally he got job in `Le Monde’, a French newspaper.  

Jean Plantureux's first cartoon

Jean Plantureux’s (Plantu) first professional published drawing was a peace dove having a question make in its beak. That picture was in the context of Vietnam War and peace talks that were on hold at the time. Jean Plantureux always advocated peace through his cartoons.  Mr. Plantu is a strong advocate of the freedom of speech but he says when my cartoon might led to burning places and danger to many lives then I must think before publishing.

1991 was the peak point of Jean Plantureux’s career when he did which many cartoonists can only dream of.  Mostly editorial cartoons create controversies and fights, but by Jean Plantureux’s cartoon, commenting and advocating peace for Israel and Lebanon, created history.  Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli foreign affairs minister Shimon Peres both signed on cartoon drew by Jean Plantureux. From then peace talks began smoothly.

‘The Political Significance of the Cartoons of Plantu (1972-2000)’ is a French thesis paper written on Jean Plantureux cartoons.  French postal service came up with 3 postal stamps designed by Jean Plantureux. French postal department wanted to raise money for Médecins Sans Frontières, an international humanitarian organization; so they published 3 stamps designed by Jean Plantureux.  It worked well.

Now after achieving so much in cartooning, Jean Plantureux wants to take his art to the every loop and corner of the world.  Jean Plantureux took an initiative to arrange first international conference of news cartoonists to help cartoonists all over the world to work better.

Man can be understood by his beliefs.  Jean Plantureux said in one of his interviews that we cartoonists should show the reader that we respect their beliefs. I think cartoonists should stop thinking they can be anarchists - they should think of themselves as drawing journalists and be aware of their responsibilities.  I admire provocateurs but you've got to be clever and know how far you can go. This is enough to know the greatness of Jean Plantureux.