Exhibition displaying finalists of Aydın Doğan Cartoon competition opens in Bodrum
BODRUM - Hürriyet Daily News
The jury members took a selfie during the ceremony at the Milta Bodrum Marina Osmanlı Tersanesi Kaymakamlık Art Gallery.
An exhibition displaying the 15 finalists of the 31st Aydın Doğan Cartoon Competition has opened in Bodrum with a ceremony including international jury members and 200 art enthusiasts.During the ceremony held on June 18, the selection committee members, which consist of prominent national and international names in the cartoon world, were given plaques as an appreciation sign for their efforts.
Aydın Doğan Foundation Executive Board Chair Candan Fetvacı thanked all jury members for their efforts and congratulated them for their choices.
The selection committee was headed by Liza Donnelly, who is an award-winning cartoonist and writer for the New Yorker Magazine and Forbes. The jury also consists of famous figures: Ercan Akyol, Latif Demirci, Selçuk Demirel, Piyale Madra and Tan Oral from Turkey; Dokhshid Ghodratipour from Iran; Moacir Knorr Gutterres from Brazil; Catherine Meurisse from France; Lichuan Xia from China and Anita O’Brien from England, who is the director of the London Cartoon Museum.
“[We are so] proud that the winner of the competition is from Turkey,” Fetvacı said.
Fetvacı also added it was important that awards went to several countries from around the world while Turkey, Iran, Brazil and Poland became the most laureated countries this year.
Leading Turkish cartoonist Oral said the cartoons provided people with a sense of hope even when they depict pessimistic ideas about the world.
He also added there was no difference between Turkish cartoonists and other world-known artists.
“They say that cartoons and humor are the conscience of society. We encounter products of art form that point to problems [while] still infusing hope in this difficult time in the world,” he said.
Turkish cartoonist Kürşat Zaman won first prize this year. The second prize of the contest went to Iranian artist Mojtaba Heidarpanah, and third prize went to Krzysztof Grzondziel, who was also last year’s winner.
A total of 814 cartoonists from 70 countries joined the competition with 2,556 pieces this year. The international committee, which gathered at Bodrum’s Işıl Club, evaluated 300 cartoons by 214 artists from 43 countries, which had already been chosen by the pre-selection committee.
The cartoons will be on display until June 26 at the Milta Bodrum Marina Osmanlı Tersanesi Kaymakamlık Art Gallery.
Workshop with childrenMeanwhile, the jury members came together with children on June 17 in the center of Bodrum to hold a drawing workshop with children.
During the colorful event, the professionals and amateurs drew cartoons together while jury members provided children with advice about drawing.
The jury members expressed their happiness in drawing side-by-side with the children after the workshop, saying minors have a very different imagination world.
Chinese cartoonist Xia said drawing gives children a chance to improve their imagination and observe and feel the world.
Fetvacı said they launched the event in order to help minors draw, think analytically and help develop their creativity.
An award ceremony is set to be held in Istanbul in September. It will have a “street festival” feel with children and youngsters being able to take part in drawing sessions.
