Anthony Garner, a famous cartoonist, delivered on Wednesday a presentation about the role of a cartoonist in modern journalism. Addressing an audience of journalism students, he highlighted how political cartoons serve as an important tool for criticising and expression, especially in times when freedom of speech faces difficult times even being in a democratic country.
“Freedom of speech is the foundation of my work. It allows me to analyze current events and express my perspective through my cartoons,” he stated. “However, in recent years, this freedom has come under threat, making my job more difficult but also more necessary than ever.”
The cartoonist explained the differences between gag cartoons (humorous illustrations without political relevance) and political cartoons, which reflect on social, economic, and political issues. He explained how his work criticises all political parties, including left-wing, right-wing, and centric ideologies.
Throughout his career, he has faced criticism and even threats for his work, particularly when addressing controversial topics about politics.
“When you criticize the right, you receive threats, but when you criticize the left, there is not such a reaction,” he explained. “Yet, my duty as a journalist is to remain independent and challenge every viewpoint with fairness and freedom.”
Using examples from his works, he showed how simple a cartoon must be, and said that everyone should understand what that cartoon means with a simple glance.
“A powerful cartoon needs no words. It should speak for itself,” he explained.
The event also included an interactive session where the class were engaged to create their own cartoons with the theme: advantages and disadvantages of social media. After everyone finished their drawings, the class took a photo with the cartoonist and thanked him for sharing his experience in the journalism world.
*Aquesta notícia ha estat escrita per Pau Rodríguez en el marc de l’assignatura Spoken English for Journalism.
