In January we launched a cartoon competition, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, in the six countries that make up the Western Balkans: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro North Macedonia and Serbia.

Out of a total of 186 submissions from 95 artists, a jury of journalism and comic professionals selected 44 works for a cartoon exhibition on media freedom. You can see all the submissions (and more info on the jury members) on our project page.The jury was also tasked with picking a winner and a runner-up. They decided to award first prize to Dušan Petričić from Serbia, with a caricature of Serbian president Vučić. The jury was impressed by the style and execution of the cartoon and the fact that the artist needed no words to convey a clear message. The cartoon also has universal appeal; if you do not know who Vučić is, you will most likely still understand the visual message.

The winning cartoon by Dušan Petričić

Second place was awarded to Armend Ajredini from North Macedonia. Armend is an editorial illustrator for Gazeta, a publication in Kosovo. The jury complimented his clear style. They were also happy to see journalists presented not as victims, but as professionals that can alter the status qua with the work that they do.

The cartoon that won second place, by Armend Ajredini

Although not part of the official awards, the jury also decided to give a special mention to Anastasija Visekruna, a 16-year old artist Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although the message in the image might not be as straightforward as in the winning cartoons, the visual intrigued the judges and sparked debate about the meaning of the drawing. The goal of a cartoonist is to create an interesting image that will make people think; in that, Anastasija certainly succeeded.

A special mention was awarded to this cartoon by Anastasija Visekruna

The exhibition is on display in the six countries of the Western Balkans in April and May. Here below are some impressions of the exhibitions.

Podgorica - Montenegro

Podgorica - Montenegro

 

Skopje - North Macedonia

 

Belgrade - Serbia

Belgrade - Serbia

Western Balkans cartoon competition & exhibition

The European Cartoon Award has announced a shortlist of 16 cartoons that are in there running to be crowned the best cartoon to be published in European media in the past year with the accompanying prize money of 10,000 euro! Scroll down to see the 16 cartoons.

The works of the 16 finalists were selected from over 400 entries coming from more than 25 countries, European and beyond, by a Jury composed of award-winning cartoonists, journalists, and experts. The shortlist includes several contributors to Cartoon Movement and we are especially proud the list includes two cartoons that were published on Cartoon Movement.

Niels Bo Bojesen, Danish cartoonist and Chair of the Panel of Judges:

During the lengthy process of selection, it has been rewarding to witness the variety and mastery of the many submissions, ranging from sheer poetry to stark and striking statements - and anything in between. As always it is difficult - and sometimes painful - to have to choose from an even field, but recognising the shared capacity of the members of the Jury, I am confident we have been able to help shine a light on the high level of current European editorial cartooning.

The 16 nominees are Angel Boligán (Mexico), António Antunes (Portugal), Ben Jennings (United Kingdom), Cláudio Antônio Gomes (Brazil), Cristina Sampaio (Portugal), Emad Hajjaj (Jordan), Harry Burton (Ireland), Marco De Angelis (Italy), Marilena Nardi (Italy), Mihai Gabriel Boboc (Romania), Patrick Chappatte (Switzerland), Plop & KanKr (France), Raimundo Rucke Souza (Brazil), Sinisa Pismestrovic (Austria), Tjeerd Royaards (The Netherlands), Víctor Solís (Mexico).

The prize winners will be announced on September 14, during Cartoons Day in The Hague, The Netherlands.

Patrick Chappatte (Der Spiegel)

Mihai Gabriel Boboc (FirstNews.ro)

Marilena Nardi (Domani)

Plop & KanKr (Le Monde)

António Antunes (Expresso)

Angel Boligán (Sciences Humaines)

Ben Jennings (The Economist)

Cláudio Antônio Gomes (MUNDIARIO)

Emad Hajjaj (Cartoon Movement)

Marco De Angelis (Buduàr)

Cristina Sampaio (Público)

Harry Burton (Irish Examiner)

Víctor Solís (EFEVerde)

Raimundo Rucke Souza (Cartoon Movement)

Tjeerd Royaards (Trouw)

Sinisa Pismestrovic (Kleine Zeitung)

We are supporting a new project by Brazilian cartoonist and CM member Thiago Lucas. The aim of the Itinerant Cartoon is to show the importance of political cartoons through a series of exhibitions in public and private schools, colleges and universities.

The exhibition includes several cartoons that have a QR code, which shows the viewer an animated version of the cartoon:

On July 14, our exhibition Framing the War was opened in the Sound and Vision media museum in The Hague by the director of Sound and Vision and the mayor of  The Hague. Framing the War shows 100 days of war in Ukraine with about 125 photos of the Dutch press agency ANP and 75 international cartoons from Cartoon Movement.

In the photos posted below, we'll try to give you an impression of the exhibition, but we highly recommend that, if you're in the area, you go see the exhibition for yourself. It will be on display until September 4. More information here.

Photos by Cartoon Movement and by Rob Hogeslag.