Main Page «
Front Page «
Metro «
Business «
International «
Sports «
National «
Editorial «
Op-Ed «
Home «
Letters «

Archive «
Launch Supplement «
Special Supplements «

‘Know Thyself’ – it’s just a mirror is hanging on the wall. But it’s a cartoon, enabling a visitor to see themselves in the mirror — and know themselves, perhaps. The cartoonist is unknown. This is one of the 91 cartoons by 31 cartoonists at the exhibition hall. On the occasion of thirtieth founding anniversary of the monthly cartoon magazine Unmad, a five-day cartoon exhibition is being held at Drik Gallery in Dhanmondi from April 25.
   Almost all the cartoons displayed at the exhibition reflect the present socio-political situation of the country. They also highlight the environmental hazard and pathos of personal life.
   Just beside the entrance of the exhibition, one of Mehedi Haque’s works catches the attention of the visitors. He shows a street child riding on a toy cart and another child pushing him. They are running over the footpath when the commuters are subjected to traffic congestion on the main road.
   Another work of Mehedi shows some people with their eyes blindfolded are getting an idea of the shape of an elephant which represents democracy.
   Tariqul Islam ridicules the denial of the price hike by depicting a poor man forcibly shown laughing. In fact, two black fingers from two sides are stretching the mouth of the poor man.
   When the election is a prior demand in the country, Sadat’s cartoon of three cats, in different shapes, sizes and dresses begging votes from rats, reminds the visitors of the reality of the country’s vote politics.
   Manik-Ratan’s cartoon of the evolution of human beings creates laughter when he shows the image of Transformers, the latest block-buster Hollywood movie, as human’s ultimate transformation.
   Amid the dire crisis of electricity, Maruf Rahman’s index of the development of electricity by presenting candles, is very attractive and deserves special mention. He shows candles gradually melting down and the development line also coming down gradually.
   Some other cartoonists have also highlighted the crisis through their respective works. Kawsar Mahmud presents two people writing on the wall ‘Stop Load-shedding’ in the light of a hurricane-lamp. Abu indicates an arrow-sign to the ‘electricity development board’ with the light of a hurricane-lamp.
   The genie of Aladin’s lamp tells his master, ‘you do not need to rub the lamp three times, now you can give me just three miss-calls.’ Rafi has depicted this cartoon. Taufiq presents a person confused seeing the call-reduction advertisements of the cell-phone operators.
   On the inaugural day of the exhibition, the organisers arranged a prize giving ceremony. They awarded three young and promising cartoonists Mehedi Haque and jointly Manik-Ratan with the Unmad Cartoon Awards for this year.
   Editor and publisher of Unmad, Ahsan Habib said they have plans to arrange this sort of exhibition and to award the cartoonists regularly to encourage them.
   Jointly organised by Drik and Unmad, the exhibition is drawing a good number of visitors. It will remain open to all from 3:00pm to 8:00pm till April 29.