Creativity and satire collide at election-themed cartoon exhibition in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: In preparation for the forthcoming general elections, the Chief Electoral Office of Karnataka held a state-level workshop and exhibition on cartoon-making in front of Vidhana Soudha on Sunday.

Manoj Kumar Meena, the chief electoral officer, inaugurated the event and appreciated the cartoons, which showcased artists from across the state reimagining reality with humor. Over 100 cartoonists, both professional and amateur, participated in the event, along with art students and schoolchildren.

The front of the Legislative House was filled with an air of mockery and satire as the cartoonists used their imagination to depict politics on their canvases.

While the majority of cartoonists DH spoke to began cartooning in their childhood, some pursued art as a hobby and tried cartooning for the first time at this event.

Badarinath Purohit, a cartoonist who runs Shree Art Foundation in Koppal, painted blindfolded voters who fall for the electoral facade of false promises. He said that voters get carried away by petty offers from politicians, who turn a blind eye towards bringing out actual change in society. 

Bengaluru-based cartoonists Shivan and Vinod Acharya, sitting next to each other and exchanging paints and brushes, displayed uniquely imagined political caricatures reflecting their creative genius. Shivan’s cartoon depicted a farmer whose muscles grow only if he chooses the right representative, while Vinod illustrated how choosing the right leader can lead humanity towards a ladder, climbing to the fruits of its benefits.

Standing out among the seasoned cartoonists was Mangala, a 10-year-old girl from Malleswaram, who depicted the significance of voting, drawing inspiration from her father who sat beside her, nurturing her budding imagination.

R Ramachandran, Special Commissioner of the Electoral Office, P N Vastrad, SVEEP nodal officer, Surya Sen, IFS and Jadiyappa Gedlagatti from the information department were present.