Loading ...Egyptian Cartoonists: Revolutionaries for the Future
By Ruqyah Sweidan/Arab America Contributing Writer
Artistic expression is a powerful component of humanity. Entertainment, beauty, and functionalism are some of the most common purposes of art. However, art can also be used as a powerful tool to send a message. It is essential for people to be able to express their feelings and share the problems they see through art. During the Arab Spring, cartoons were pivotal in raising awareness among the people of Egypt about the need for change. This article will talk about the rise, struggles, and accomplishments of Egyptian cartoonists.
Prominent Egyptian Cartoonists
The Egyptian Revolution of 2011 was marked by the activism of so many people and in different sectors. In Media, there was a cartoonist known as Andeel who had been making cartoons since the age of seventeen. Throughout his career, Andeel has had to fight censorship from the powers he criticized in his drawings. He worked for various newspapers until he co-founded the quarterly comics magazine “Tok-Tok”. Through this platform, he was free to express ideas about topics that are considered political and social taboos. Andeel also created a space within the company for new artists, different styles, and visionary futures. Now, a decade after the start of the Egyptian revolution, the magazine stands as a symbol of the people’s spirit.
Another prominent Egyptian artist is Doaa el-Adl. Her creative critical depictions of political and social concerns have gained her recognition as a cartoonist activist. She’s addressed issues such as government corruption and women’s rights. El-Adl was also the first woman to receive the Egyptian Journalists’ Syndicate’s Journalistic Distinction award for caricature in 2009 and was named to the BBC’s 100 Hundred Women of 2016 honorees. El-Adl’s work is meant to advocate for those who are unseen. As a woman in Egypt who had experienced mistreatment, el-Adl wanted her art to be the platform for others to finally be heard.
Keeping Cartoons Alive
By around 2018, many daily newspapers no longer featured political cartoons. This was due to the calming atmosphere and the peoples’ desire to return to normalcy. Hence, cartoonists could not find as many jobs with newspapers. In response to these dire conditions, cartoonist Mohamed Abla turned the ground floor of his home into a cartoon museum. It is the first of its kind in Egypt, and he holds the largest caricature collections in the country. The images are a series of political, social, and economic pieces with contributions by artists from the early twentieth century to the present. Abla views this institution as the most honorable mission of his life, to preserve peoples’ depictions of freedom, hope, and resilience.
In 2019, the Egyptian Caricature Association organized one of the last events to take place before the pandemic. It was an international competition that was hosted in the Goethe-Institut Egypt. The competition featured entries from over two hundred Arab and foreign cartoonists. The event attracted cartoon lovers who wanted to see the works of some of the world’s best cartoonists. These artists were tasked with creating their own portrayals of Alexander Saroukhan. He is known as the “Father of Egyptian Cartoons,” having been among the first political cartoonists in Egypt. The artists were free to interpret Saroukhan’s best traits, his humor, or what he stood for. His influence continues to this day both at home and across the Arab world.
Future of Cartoonists
To sum up, Egyptian cartoonists played a significant role in shaping the revolution and the state of the country today. Each of these artists felt passion and dedication to bringing different issues to light. And they did so while acknowledging the dangers of the backlash from the governmental regime and the conservative public. They continue to accept this risk every day because of how important the work is in continually changing Egypt.
The revolution is still happening gradually, according to Andeel, in contrast to what Westerners may perceive to be an overnight sensation. Hence, cartoons will continue appearing in magazines, social media, and sketchbooks. One day, the cartoonists hope that they will become a part of the mainstream.
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