A selection of 90 cartoons drawn by some popular social and political cartoonists from Europe and Asia went on a week-long show here at the National Library premises from Tuesday evening.
The travelling exhibition is accompanied by three Turkish caricaturists arrived here as part of the celebration of 81 proclamation of Turkish Republic falling on Monday next. It is the second exhibition organised by the Turkish Embassy here. Last week the work of contemporary Turkish artists were shown here.
The cartoons have been selected by the Turkish Art Foundation named Aydin Dogan Foundation that holds their exhibition every year for the last 20 years. It represents the work of caricaturists from Turkey, People's China, France, Belgium, Russian Federation, Poland, Ukrain, Croatia, Bosnia and Romania.
Except for a very few that speak of political background, rest are a satire on the social life at large.
Some works, mostly of the Turkish cartoonists depict the public apathy towards the deterioration of the environments.
Most of the Russian and Romanian exhibits are political and represent life under authoritarian period, and most of those focus on the role of secret services making fun of their conduct.
The message is well represented by a drawing of a victim hanging with a high tree, and still ringed by Secret Service agents, who are also suspended in the air to guard the corpse.
Another cartoon has just the word 'Freedom' screaming out of red-blood background of the canvass, reflecting the natural human desire. The most hilarious of all is a an old monarch with his tiara and furs trying to fasten a seat belt to his throne, but is restricted by a formidable paunch.
Not all the works are hilarious. There are some those a sad commentary on the society. A polio-stricken girl in a wheel-chair amuses her by pulling a disabled child on wheels at the end of rope, and looks back with sympathy and pain reflected in her gaze at the toy.
Similarly, a bereaved matronly lady has built in a letter box in the tombstone of her late husband, while wiping her tears thrusts an enveloped in the already stuffed box. This is her effort to communicate with her loved one.
The liveliest part of the exhibition was the live display of their talent by the Turkish artists. And they were joined by two Pakistanis, one of which was Nazar Nigar of the Gogi Studios.
Nigar is said to be our first women cartoonist, but some say that the only one in the Muslim world. This may sound stretching the thing a bit far, but the talent and the speed she displayed, in her demonstration of the art, is commendable. Her works revolve around her concern for the environment.
The Turkish cartoonists accompanying the exhibition are Latif Demirci, Gurbuz Dogan Eksioglu and Tan Oral. The exhibition will be open to public viewing between 11 am to 5 pm from Wednesday to next Tuesday.