“Caricature … the art of society in drawing reality”

The Arab Cultural Center in “Abu Rummaneh” hosted yesterday a symposium entitled “Caricature … the art of society in drawing reality” with the participation of  the caricaturist Abdel Hadi al- Shamaa and journalist and critic Saad Al Qasim.

 Participants in the symposium asserted that the art of caricature, which has been an essential type of art that deals with particular social or political issues in a critical way, has declined.

Caricaturist Abdel Hadi al- Shamaa spoke about the decline of this art as a result of the wide spread of internet and the decrease of news papers editions, but he reckons that this type of art will take another form. “The misunderstanding of caricature paintings is another reason for this decline,” he added.

Shamaa also spoke about the importance of this art as it depicts reality ironically. “The artist, in general, seeks to change reality… Caricature artists are very few because this art is a talent from God.”

Critic Saad Al-Qasim, pointed out that this art is “controversial”, posing the following question: “Does it serve a social or political point of view, and should it be clear or should it depend on symbols?”

Al-Qassem, in addition, talked about the leading Syrian experience in caricature, referring to several titles that included caricatures in journalism and artwork as well as local and regional caricatures.

Nada Haj Khidr