In 2013, I invited Rafael Barajas, "El Fisgón", to create an image that would include all of the elements common to his newspaper work, but diametrically inverting his point of view. Instead of producing a personal opinion about an issue of general interest, I asked him to forget about the reader as an interpreter of his work and, instead, to turn into a cartoon a recurring mental image that only he could interpret or that not even he could decipher.
I have repeated this collaboration with other political cartoonists in different places where I have had the opportunity to work. Most times I have shown these drawings as enlarged murals, but I have always attempted, unsuccessfully, to have the images published with no explanations on the newspaper where they usually publish their work.
In the case of Miguel Nogueras, an artist who let's say uses humour turning his back on political events, the premises of this project were reverted. He accepted to draw a caricature exposing his opinion of the Spanish political landscape at that time.
Other cartoonists with whom I have collaborated are Guy Body (New Zealand Herald), Charb (Charlie Hebdo), Frap (La Lettre à Lulu, Presse Océan), Martyn Turner (Irish Times), David Jiménez (El Tiempo, Ecuador), Xavier Bonilla "Bonil" (El Universo, Ecuador) y Rafa Carrasco (El Mercurio, Ecuador).
Acrylic on wall, different sizes.
Work in progress starting in 2013
In collaboration with different political cartoonists.
Produced by:
Arstpace, Auckland. New Zealand
Enjoy, Wellington, New Zealand
Bienal de Cuenca. Ecuador
Frac Pays de la Loire, Carquefou. France
Blueproject. Barcelona