The competition’s theme
Since the beginning of the industrial revolution and especially since its globalisation, humanity has had to face multiple challenges. Inequality, violated rights, demography, migration, poverty, pandemics, wars, power struggles and national and international hegemonies, dictatorships, fanaticism, disinformation, ignorance, are all open issues that can produce global upheavals in a short time and change the course of human history. Since 24 February 2022, there has been the threat of a third world war, or worse, a nuclear war, as well as the return of ideological, economic and geopolitical conflicts between two antagonistic hegemonic blocs. This state of affairs jeopardises the survival, if not of humanity, at least of our societies and the cohesion of the European Union.
Press cartoonists wishing to participate in the 4th edition of the international political satire competition organised by the Librexpression Centre, were invited to illustrate this tragic situation.
Press cartoonists wishing to participate in the 4th edition of the international political satire competition organised by the Librexpression Centre, were invited to illustrate this tragic situation.
The competition results
281 of them, from 63 countries, submitted 490 works to the jury. The jury was composed of : Fabio Magnasciutti (Italian cartoonist), Marilena Nardi (Italian cartoonist), Tom Janssen (Dutch cartoonist), KAP (Jaume Capdevilla, Catalan cartoonist), Raffaella Spinazzi (Italian blogger) and chaired by Thierry Vissol (director of Libex). On the basis of four criteria: technique, originality, relevance and irony, the jury selected 55 works by artists from 30 countries, the 10 finalists and the 3 winners.
The exhibition
The exhibition of the 55 semi-finalist cartoons will be open to the public until 31 December, in the cloister of the San Benedetto monastery in Conversano (BA)- Italy. A color catalogue of the works exhibited, with an introduction to the theme of the competition: "Towards the End of Humanity?" is available to the public at the price of 10 euros.
The Award Ceremony
On Saturday 24 September, the last day of the Di Vagno Foundation's cultural festival, Lector In Fabula www.lectorinfabula.eu, in the presence of the Lord Mayor of Conversano, Giuseppe Lovascio, the director of the Apulia Region's Culture Department, Aldo Patruno, and the president of the Foundation, Daniela Mazzucca, in an intense and moving ceremony, the three winners of the fourth edition of the Libex 2022 international cartoon competition were awarded their prizes.
It was a moving ceremony because the theme of the competition, 'Towards the End of Humanity', and the works of the participating artists did not make people laugh, but their irony provoked intense emotion and reflection. Strong works addressing issues that cannot leave anyone indifferent: wars, atomic warfare, global warming, inequalities, all real and present threats to the survival of humanity.
After presenting the works of the ten finalists in the competition and asking the public to indicate their choice, Thierry Vissol, director of Librexpression and president of the jury, asked three members of the jury to present the winners and praise them. Siri Dokken, cartoonist from Norway, presented the work of Danish artist Niels Bojesen (third prize), Kap, cartoonist from Catalonia, presented the work of Portuguese artist Cristina Sampaio (second prize) and Marilena Nardi, cartoonist from Italy, presented the work of the winner, Indonesian artist Jitet Kustana.
The mayor of Conversano, Giuseppe Lovascio, and the president of the Foundation, Daniela Mazzucca, joined in their praise, emphasizing the importance of satirical press cartoons in raising public awareness and prompting critical reflection and, if possible, action to combat these scourges.
The three winners are:
Frist prize went to Jitet Kustana from Indonesia for his cartoon titled 'Sinking in the victims'.
Second prize went to Cristina Sampaio from Portugal, for her cartoon titled 'War'.
Third prize was received by Denmark's Niels Bo Bojesen for his cartoon titled "Extinction".
