Izabela Kowalska-Wieczorek e la sua visione del mondo
Intervista in inglese di Francisco Punal Suarez
Esclusiva per Fany Blog
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Intervista in inglese di Francisco Punal Suarez
Esclusiva per Fany Blog
Izabela Kowalska-Wieczorek come dice Francisco è una farfalla dalle ali enormi che vola nel giardino dell'illustrazione e dell'umorismo grafico.Il suo lavoro artistico è caratterizzato da un disegno squisito, un adeguato uso del colore e l'affrontare temi di interesse sociale.Izabela è uno dei tanti esempi di una donna cartoonist preoccupata di ciò che accade nel mondo.Il suo sguardo conferma che l'intelligenza non è esclusiva degli uomini.È nata nel 1955 a Toruń, in Polonia ed ho avuto il piacere di incontrarla a Salsomaggiore in occasione dei World Humor Awards.Izabela ha accettato di rispondere a queste domande per Fany Blog
Grazie Izabela, grazie Francisco.
Fany
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| 1-Urziceni 2018_Still together_Izabela Kowalska-Wieczorek_Poland |
Izabela Kowalska-Wieczorek and her world view
By Francisco Punal Suarez
Exclusive for Fany Blog
Izabela Kowalska-Wieczorek is a butterfly with huge wings that flies in the garden of illustration and graphic humor.
His work is characterized by an exquisite drawing, an adequate use of color that addresses issues of social interest.
Izabela is one of the many examples of a caricaturist woman concerned about what happens in the world.
His look confirms that intelligence is not exclusive to men.
She was born in 1955 in Toruń, Poland .
In the years 1975-80 she studied at the Faculty of Painting, Graphics and Sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław, Poland. In 1980, she defended a diploma in graphics design.
Izabela painted, drew, created graphics and published illustrations and posters .
For many years she has illustrated children's books (about 40) and calendars (near 30), and since 2013 she is also a cartoonist.
She has individual exhibitions and participated in many international exhibitions and competitions, and she has won several awards and mentions.
Izabela has agreed to answer these questions for Fany Blog
Why do you like to draw?
It has always been easier for me to express emotions by drawing. I was always very shy and did not like to talk. Now, too. With cartoon contests can no words to "talk" to exchange views with people from almost all over the world - it is a fascinating, addictive like a drug.
Since when do you draw?
I draw from when I remember. My parents were graphic designers, my dad collaborated with local newspapers for which he made, among others, satirical drawings and caricatures. So I was growing surrounded by paints, pencils, piles of papers and drawings. When I was a small child my favorite activity was "correcting" the illustrations in the books, so my brother and I got a huge black board and a lot of chalk. I loved to draw.
My adventure with cartoons began when I decided to check in a different field than the children's illustration that I had been dealing with since graduating. It turned out that satirical drawing gives me much more opportunities for expression, and much more satisfaction than illustration.
What topics do you like to draw? Why?
All topics can be a challenge. I choose mainly those that touch me - all manifestations of human thoughtlessness, injustice or stupidity. My goal is a seemingly light, humorous drawings that startle or laugh and at the same time carry a deeper message that provokes reflection.
I also do not avoid lighter, humorous drawings ( I have been involved in humorous elements for more than 30 years in illustrations for children).
Because I use a labor-intensive traditional technique, I can not take up topics that require immediate response.
What techniques do you use to draw?
I use traditional techniques - ink (now mainly thin-cut) and acrylic paints on paper. When creating satirical drawings, I do not use a computer (which I recently bought to have contact with the world and take part in online cartoon competitions).
I admit that I am a computer ignorant.
When and where did you publish your first caricature?
I do not know which date can be considered the beginning, so I give a few.
During my education in a general secondary school (1970-74), I sometimes made humorous drawings for a daily newspaper.
In 1983, in catalog International Biennial of Humor and Satire in Arts Gabrovo'83, was published my satirical illustration "Well" (not a cartoon) , which received the prize of the Culture Committee of Bulgaria. Then I did not have time for contests, until 2013.
In 1985, my first children's book was published. Printing was a prize for winning the competition.
In 1986-my first professional cover for magazine was published
In 2013, for the first time, I participated in the cartoons competition as a cartoonist, and both satirical drawings were included in the Eurokartoenale catalog "The bicycle".
Where do you currently publish?
My satirical drawings are published on websites and in online magazines such as the "e-GAG" or "Aneddotica Magazine", my cartoons are to appear in the quarterly magazine "Epigrama".
What is a work day like for you? Do you dedicate yourself exclusively to illustration?
Now I'm retired and satirical drawings are my favorite pastime.I would like to create cartoons all the time, but unfortunately I still have a lot of other duties that make day too short.
My biggest problem is escaping TIME.
Does the Polish female cartoonist have facilities to publish her works?
I have never tried to publish my cartoons in the Polish press.
In Poland, there are several names of female cartoonists in various press titles. Unfortunately, I do not know these women personally and I do not know if they have problems with publishing. I only know that this is usually their additional occupation. They are illustrators, teachers, etc.
In Poland, satirical press drawing is mainly the domain of men.
Does the Polish press dedicate the space it deserves to the cartoon or not? What is the difference with the previous political system?
Currently in Poland there is something to criticize but no where. All the old satirical newspapers fell for financial reasons in the period of political and economic changes after 1983. The last satirical magazine "Szpilki", which was created before World War II, ceased to exist in 1995.
There were attempts to revive the satirical newspaper at a high level, but all titles ended their lives after a short time, or were absorbed into magazines with a broader themes. They turned into "satirical corners," meaning pages devoted to satire. The place in the Polish press for cartoonists has clearly shrunk. For most satirical cartoonists, publishing on websites and online magazines remained.
In the previous political system (from World War II until mid-1983), most of people lived poorly, so political satire flourished. Censorship fought criticism of the ruling partyts, but cartoonists smuggled in drawings prohibited content, to the delight of readers.Polish cartoonists have always been active in public life. They helped to survive the crises by ridiculing stupid decisions, making the mob laugh and warn the leaders of the consequences of their abuse.During martial law (1981-83) they printed satirical drawings, caricatures and newspapers mocking the ruling party on home manual duplicating machines. The prison was threatened for such actions. They were loved and hated. Now nobody remembers their achievements in hard times.There is no subsidy for the press with this type of profile. It is a sad reality.
Why is humor and satire important in society?
Cartoonists convey important content through an image that is permanently memorable.
They warn against the effects of all abuses, restrictions, addictions, make us laugh and force us to reflect at the same time.
With their drawings, thanks to the simplicity of the image, humor and sometimes even bluntness, with their message they reach a wide audience.
Satire and humor is a kind of safety valve that discharges social tensions and often protects against frustration in hopeless situations.
I can not imagine a world without cartoonists.
Izabela Kowalska-Wieczorek (Poland)
Prizes and honourable mentions 2013- 2018:
2013- Olense Kartoenale "Clean surface water", Olen, Belgium - Special Prize For The Best Polish Entry /”Summer”/
2014- Tuba Satyrica, Toruń - Grand Prix /”Kite”, „Dragon”, „Winner”/
2014 - Olive Cartoon Contest, Cyprus - 1st prize /”Defender”/
2014- "Smiling Cat" Cartoon Web Contest "Crow"– special mention /”Crow & Fox”/
2014- Kutno Station- competition for satirical illustrating the poems of Jeremi Przybora, Kutno- 2 prize /”Atumnal man”, „Cheerful rain”/
2015- PortoCartoon "Light", Porto, Portugal - 2nd prize /”Safe light”/
2015- Olense Kartoenale "Energy, yesterday, today, tomorrow", Belgium - 4th prize /”Time for memories”/
2015- Sicaco "Primitive and modern life", Seoul, South Korea - Gold Prize /”New tradition”/
2015 - Drawn Humor Competition Seeing of Unseeing, Slovakia – special mention /”Love”, „New eyes”/
2015 - Noticartun "Consumption is happines the world?", Colombia – special mention /”Excess kills”/
2016 - Satyrykon "Zło", Legnica - Special Award of the Museum of Caricature in Warsaw /”Family life”/
2016- The First International Animal Cartoon Contest 2016- "Zoological Garden", Belgrade, Serbia - 1st prize + author's website /”Favorite”/
2016- 12th International Cartoon Festival Solin 2016- "Archeology", Solin, Croatia- Grand Prix /”Art of cavemen”/
2016- 14th International Cartoon Drawing Contest-Carpik 2016, Niemodlin- 2nd prize of Agricultural Market Agency of the Regional Branch in Opole. /”Carp revenge”/
2016- Sejong International Cartoon Contest "Trauma + Healing", Seoul, South Korea. - Theme Prize /”Way to feel better”/
2017- 1st International Slowcity Cartoon Contest, Seferihisar, Turkey - Special Award /”In harmony with nature”/
2017- 19th PortoCartoon World Festival- "Tourism", Porto, Portugal – special mention /”Happy holiday”/
2017- 25th International Satire & Humor Contest Studio d'Arte Andromeda- "Culture", Trento, Italy – special mention /”Mixed up”/
2017-"Kite & wind", Rome, Italy- honorable mention /”Kite and the wind”/
2017- 2nd World Humor Award- "Artificial Culture", Salsomaggiore, Italy- Excellent Trophy /”Welcome to the virtual world”/
2017- 19th Antiwar Cartoon Salon International Contest „Kragujevac 2017”, Serbia- Grand Prix /”First aid for peace”/
2017- The Power of Your Brain International Call for Submission- Hyperkreeytiv , Philippines- prize- author's website /”Erruption”/
2017- 26th Sejong International Cartoon Contest Sicaco 2017 „Success & Failure”,Seoul, Korea- Theme Prize /”(Un) successful catch”,”Short success”/
2017- HumoDEVA -”Winter”- 12th HumoDEVA International Cartoon Contest- "Winter" , Romania - Excellency Prize- Special Honor Diploma & Personal Gallery on BestCARTOONS.net /”Dream”/
2018 - 20th PortoCartoon World Festival- "Clean the planet", Porto ,Portugal – special mention /”Blue sky”/
2018 - 4th International Competition Of Caricature and Graphic Humor NOTICARTUN COLOMBIA 2018- „Woman” (Colombia)- honorable mention / „Guardian”/
2018 - 1st International Union of World Cartoonists Cartoon Contest - „Cartoon contests”, Turkey – group of 5 winners /”Show”/
2018- - 12th International Zagreb Car Cartoon Exhibit- „Towing service”, Zagreb, Croatia - Grand Prix /”Ambulance”/
2018 - 26th Sejong International Cartoon Contest Sicaco 2018 - "Con x De + Struction", Seoul, Korea - Grand Prize
/"Construction after destruction"/
2018 - 12th International Cartoon Contest Urziceni 2018- " Together 100", Urziceni, Romania - Gold Prize /"Still together"/
2018 - 1st International CAIROCATURE Cartoon Contest- Egypt 2018- "The outsider", Cairo, Egypt - 2nd prize /" Mismatched"/
2018 - The World Humour Festival „Dictatorship of Money”, Calarasi, Romania – Excelence Prize /”Slaves of money”/
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| 2-The World Humor Festival Romania 2018_Slaves of money_ Izabela Kowalska-Wieczorek_ Poland |
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| 3-Cairocature 2018_ Mismatched_ Izabela Kowalska-Wieczorek_ Poland |
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| 4-Zagreb 2018_ Ambulance_Izabela Kowalska-Wieczorek_ Poland |
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| 5-PortoCartoon 2017- Happy holiday_ Izabela Kowalska-Wieczorek_ Poland |
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| 6-Olive 2014 - Defender_Izabela Kowalska-Wieczorek_ Poland |
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| 7-Satyrykon 2016 - Family life_ Izabela Kowalska-Wieczorek_ Poland |
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| 8-Sinaloa 2016 - Dirty money_ Izabela Kowalska-Wieczorek_ Poland |
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| 25th Olense Kartoenale 2013, Olen, Belgium |