On February 23 the nation’s best cartoonists flocked to Kyiv for a conference called Protection of Free Creative Work of Ukraine’s Cartoonists. As suggested by its title, the conference, although timed to coincide with Homeland Defenders’ Day, addressed ways to protect cartoonists (who are essentially journalists working for the print media) from their homeland. With the help of the international community, which is mostly concentrated in the United States, CRN/International, an organization to protect cartoonists’ rights, was established in the US eleven years ago. Its Ukrainian affiliate, Mytets [Artist], was created in 2002 with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation. Its president, world famous cartoonist Volodymyr Kazanevsky, presided over the conference at the National Union of Journalists. Of the cartoonists themselves, Lukyanchenko, Vozniuk, Smal, Kapusta, Skazhenyk, Sereda, Kustovsky, and many others were present. A single issue dominated the conference: Ukraine is professing its course toward Europe and recognition of democratic principles, while such a trivial attribute of a free society as political caricatures is virtually nonexistent in Ukrainian newspapers and periodicals. Although several years ago the situation in this sphere was tolerable, now there is an absolute taboo on cartoons portraying the nation’s top officials, even ministers and lawmakers, lest they should take offense.
To quote one of the conference participants, “If those in power keep their record clean, criticism would no doubt be milder. Otherwise it becomes ever more stinging. Yet it is unacceptable for both journalists and cartoonists to be prevented from freely depicting the situation in their country. Public opinion and the media, which should keep those in power in our European-minded country in check, have been turned into mouthpieces of those in power and not of their critics. In the West cartoonists have been dubbed the dogs of democracy. But in Ukraine they have been long muzzled.”
Granted, the situation in Ukraine is nothing like that in the Arab countries the likes of Iran. But this is no reason to be overjoyed. Nikahang Kowsar, one of the sharpest Iranian cartoonists, barely escaped jail in his home country. Despite being an artist, Kowsar formerly won the title of Iran’s best journalist. Assisted by CRN/International, he has managed to emigrate and gone into hiding in Canada with his family.
The situation in Ukraine is midway between that in the East and West. Although they have been spared blatant harassment, political cartoons in Ukrainian press are as rare as elephants in the taiga.
Kazanevsky has urged cartoonists and the media to solve their conflicts through his organization (www.cartoon-cnr.com/ukr.htm). Now every artist has someone to complain to.
Cartoon copyright was another problem addressed by the conference. Unauthorized reprints of cartoons are commonplace in Ukraine, with many works used in advertising without the artists’ permission.
As a positive example Kazanevsky mentioned St. Petersburg artist Mykola Vorontsov, who is paid $100 apiece for his caricatures appearing on the cover of a prominent weekly. He also posts his sketches on his Web site, sometimes before the weekly comes off the presses. One of his cartoons was pirated before it appeared on the cover of the weekly. He subsequently recovered his fee and moral damages in court. Essentially, these are signs of a civilized approach.
Although Ukrainian cartoons are very professional — consider for example the unparalleled sketches by Anatoly Kazansky appearing in Day, which remain relevant for years — it is a shame there are few new names.
As for the works by contemporary cartoonists, it would be good to find a golden mean between sharpness and quality, since it is not always the most dangerous works that are better.
