RACIST CARICATURE? in the eyes of the beholder

As a professional live party caricature and humorous illustrator for over ten years, I've drawn at every conceivable party event, fundraiser, and corporate venue. I actually think I've done more Bar Mitzvahs than the average Rabbi!
I'm taking a long time to say that over the years I've drawn thousands, if not millions of faces and that's not even counting what I've drawn on the subways of this city as the "Subwaysurfer" that you loyal readers are well familiar with if you follow this blog.

Caricature, by it's very nature, exaggerates, amplifies,stretches, squashes, and liquifies the facial features of the extended target. Webster defines the word, caricature, as a "loaded portrait" one that has "weight," and " "impact".

Some people find it difficult to receive that impact. From time to time, I've heard the words, "THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ME!" "YOU MQDE ME LOOK LIKE A WITCH!""MY NOSE ISN'T THAT BIG!"
I'm accustomed to hearing these remarks and totally understand them. Heck, I've even said them myself when I was caricatured for the first time by fellow artist, Kenly Dillard. My objection to the artists depiction was the same as most others. We all have a physical image of ourselves that we project onto the screen of our minds, and think every one else sees the same altered image objectively that we see in our imagination. This altered image we project onto our mind screen is crucial to our self esteem. We see ourselves as having chiseled features, soft curves, seductive eyes, where none exist. Most artists, even some caricature artists, and illustrators, are willing, for a price, to engage peoples fantasies and draw that "imaginary image".
And then there are some who aren't willing.
I'm one of THOSE artists. At least when it comes to drawing political editorial caricature.

EDITORIAL CARICATURE AIN'T PARTY CARICATURE

A distinction needs to be made between political editorial caricarture and party caricature.
PARTY CARICATURE is drawn in drawn in 2-5 minute time frames. Which necessitates that an artist uses a streamlined approach so that the maximum amount of party goers get drawn. The overall vibe is lighthearted and whimsical.

POLITICAL EDITORIAL
Is more illustrative. More time is given to the picture, and facial features and subtle nuances can be pushed squashed and pulled for effect.

BUT IS IT RACIST?
I've taken a while to get here, but wanted to set a tone for my answer. Recently, the above caricature featuring Sen Smith and Con Meeks has gotten a reaction out of some people, perhaps supporters, I'm unsure whether or not the politicians themselves feel this way, that my representations are racist.
I received a call from a reporter of a major Queens weekly, asking for my response to peoples response to the picture.

My reply can be summed up in my general approach to caricature.

MY APPROACH TO CARTOONING CARICATURE
First off let me say that no other artist has any control whatsoever of how their work is going to be received by the viewer. I do, however, have control over what I draw and know what my intent is.

It's not divisive, I can tell you that.

I'm an AFRICAN AMERICAN artist myself, and more than familiar with derogatory images and their power to incite, demoralize and ridicule. I did not depict anyone in Blackface, I seimply amplified facial features, of an Afrucan American man. Period. Because I am a caricature artist, I have a tendency to see things through a fun house mirror, so to speak. In other words, if you have a big fore head, it gets bigger, if you have a weak chin, it "goes into your neck" if you have large eyes, they become saucers, and your eyelashes, wings.

And if you have big lips

They become BIGGER.

It's not racial, some of us Bkack folk have big lips.

We do.

Perhaps it's the color, which is a darker gray, than the face, cases attentioned to be drawn, pun unintended, to them. In this case, I simply used a darker color to separate the lips color from the rest if the face. It could be argued that I could have used a lighter shade of gray, but, what's done is done.

I've seen JayZ in person.... trust me, some of do have big lips.

Beautiful full lips are a known, observable physical trait of African Aericans that vary in terms of shape and size.


If a person has a reaction to the way they are drawn, it might have more to do with thoughts they have internalized on what is racist and divisive.

For me, I'm being objective, making an observation, caricaturing it, and drawing a picture. That's all. Sen Smith seems to have, in my opinion, a lot of space, visually, between his nose and his top lip. It's long, comparatively speaking, compared to what caricature artists call "the average face prototype"

THE JOB OF EDITORIAL CARICATURE
Unlike a political columnist who can make his point in two or three paragraphs, I must make my visual point in a single panel, using the strongest images. Can I draw them humorously? Yes. Divisively? No. Keep in mind also, that the editorial artist, in some cases, acts as illustrator to the editor writing the copy. Although I have done cartoons on my own of political figures like former Sen Anthony Weiner, in most cases I am interpreting editorial copy, and coming up with the cartoon angle that I feel expresses visually the overall article. I am, since coming on board at the Wave, have increased the visibility of African Americans in my cartoons, many if which feature African Americans in prominent roles.

I have no Ax to grind.
If some one thinks the toon is racist, it's in the eyes of the beholder,

SPEAKING OF ANTHONY WEINER...
A past cartoon featured Anthony Weiner, following the Twitter fiasco. Weiner, a Jewush Politician, s depicted with a large Nose. Is that to say, I'm making a statement about Jewish People?

NOPE I'm just making fun of Weiners facial features.

At the end of the day, as a CARICATURE cartoonist, I'm using making fun of their FACES. I've even made fun of mine.


SEE ANTHONY WEINER EDITORIAL CARICATURE HERE

FEEL FREE TO COPY DOWNLOAD AND SHARE THIS PIC IF YOU LIKE IT, JUST TELL PEOPLE WHERE YOU GOT IT.  IF YOU WANT TO USE IT ON YOUR BLOG YOU HAVE MY CONSENT! JUST CREDIT ME AS THE ARTIST AND GIVE ME A LINK

http://www.subwaysurfer.blogspot.com  

 Elgin Subwaysurfer Bolling

CARICATURE OF ME DRAWN BY ME. Folks, I'm African American, right now I'm built like a chocolate version of the pillsbury doughboy(but I'm losing!) I have large eyes full lips bigteeth with some spaces,a full nose, bug nostrils, and I'm full of enthusiasm! I've posted this in hopes of clarifying what CARICATURE IS as I express it. Your comments are welcome...and feel free to hire me,

WAVE NEWSPAPER SEN MALCOLM SMITH ,GREG MEEKS CARICATURE

HERE IS THE CARICATURE AND EDITORIAL COPY AS IT APPEARED IN THE WAVE NEWSPAPER WHEN THE CARTOON WAS INITIALLY INTRODUCED




Senator Malcolm Smith has been the subject of numerous Editorials Ive done for The Wave In the Past few weeks. In this episode, He's pictured here with Con Greg Meeks. Sen Smith is drawn here "milking" their Non Profit Cash Cow, "The New Direction Developement Corporation" I got this illo in just under deadline, because I had an difficult time drawing a believable looking cow! LOL! this is just another case of why it is SO important as an illustrator to be able to, quote, "DRAW ANYTHING". In a recent discussion with Fellow artist, Andere Jardine, he mentioned how if you asked the average artist to draw a "superhero action scene" they'd be able to draw it with ease, yet would be scratching their heads trying to render a man tying his shoes, or putting on his jacket. It's SO important to learn how to draw the "ordinary" and mundane things in life.

HERES THE EDITORIAL
All In The Political Family
It seems clear to us that the dual investigations centering on two of our local politicians, State Senator Malcolm Smith and Representative Gregory Meeks points out once again that non-profits should not be run by and for the benefit of politicians and their families. Take, for ex-ample, New Direction Local Development Corpo-ration. Founded in 2001 by the initiatives of Meeks and Smith, state papers show that Smith’s wife, Michelle, was a founding board member. Also on the initial board, papers show, was Cathy Green, the wife of Darryl Green, Smith’s former business partner. Green was convicted in 1999 of stealing $500,000 from city agencies and private firms that hired him as a consultant on affirmative action hiring practices. He was also a partner, along with former Congressman Floyd Flake, in the Aqueduct Enter-tainment Group, which was just awarded a $300 million “Racino” deal at the aging racetrack in Ozone Park. Flake, you will remember, was the political mentor of both Smith and Meeks. Records show that between 2001 and 2006 Smith helped funnel at least $56,000 to the char-ity through state earmarks. The largest chunk of money came to New Direction at the behest of Smith, $250,000 from the devel-oper of a cargo facility across Rockaway Turnpike from JFK Air-port. The deal to trade the right to build the facility in return for community development money was brokered by Smith, Meeks and City Councilman James Sanders Jr. Edwin Reed, who is listed as the treasurer of New Direction is also the head of the development arm of Flake’s church, the Greater Allen AME Church in Jamaica. Flake has become the power behind the scenes in Queens Democratic circles. His development group was recently given the keys to Aqueduct Racetrack to run a gambling Racino there. A week before Flake’s group got the nod, the min-ister was talking up Andrew Cuomo for governor. Shortly after the deal was made, Flake visited the governor in Albany and then declared that his mind was not made up and that he might back Paterson for a full term. Under the New Direction um-brella, Smith and Meeks started a charity for Katrina victims who had come to New York city. It collected some $30,000. It paid out less than $2,000. Now, federal investigators are looking for the missing money. They are also looking into New Direction and the connection between Meeks and Smith and the Aqueduct deal. Some non-profits that deserve a closer look are also closer to home. You’ll remember Democratic District Leader Geraldine Chapey’s Trinity Seniors organization. She ran a single van, providing rides for seniors to luncheons and events. For that, she took in more than $1.5 million in public money over a ten year period, both from city agencies and from local politicians who provided her with earmarked funds. Allow politicians to run their own non-profits, or to turn them over to family and cronies only provides the possibil-ity of corruption, and the practice should be stopped now.