Terry Anderson reports from the 32nd St Just-le-Martel cartoon festival, near Limoges in France.
I was making my eighth trip to the event.
(Ed adds: That’s probably more than Charles De Gaulle managed)
I was delighted to learn the main exhibition space has been named the Espace Loup after an artist who has given an enormous amount of time and support to the Salon over the years.
Alongside the collections of cartoons and caricatures from around the world my eye was caught by the sculptures and drawings to be viewed with 3-D glasses by Mougey.
Also, a huge collection of American press cartoons from the Daryl Cagle website, whimsical animal illustrations by Turcios and a large selection of great cartoons by Doaa Eladl.
Midweek, I took some time out in Limoges and fell upon yet more cartoon exhibitions. The Museé de la Resistance had a showing of cartoon strips by artists from the Malmö centre, all meditations on or responses to Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel Maus. Meanwhile at the Bibliothèque Francophone there was a hugely impressive retrospective on the Valérian and Laureline bandes dessineé.
During the second weekend the focus was firmly on cartooning in the USA and Middle East. Daryl Cagle won the prix de humour vaiche, with colleagues Pat Bagley, Bob Englehart and recent Pulitzer winner Steve Sack also honoured. After a debate about cartooning in Eqypt, Tunisia and the wider Arab world, the stage was packed for a photo in support of missing Syrian artist Akram Raslan. (Ed adds: There’s an update on Akram Raslan available from The Cartoonists’ Rights Network.)
St.Just-le-Martel is mon maison spirituelle. I know I’ll be back and I look forward to contributing something to its next decade of success.
Ed adds: Many thanks to Terry for the report.