Patrick Chappatte, Cartooning for change

Portrait of Patrick Chappatte by Chappatte

To some, political cartoonists are honest, bold, and could risk their safety to deliver strong messages exposing hypocrisy in circles of power. To others, their cartoons could be insulting or culturally offensive and even result in serious backlash. The audience is made to see through the eyes of the cartoonist.

Whether the artwork is about the war in Afghanistan, the Biden – Trump election, the US – China – Russia competition, the Covid virus, among other significant issues, Patrick Chappatte, a Swiss - Lebanese political cartoonist has made his mark for many years drawing cartoons notably for Le Temps, New York Times and Newsweek. In 2012, he becomes the first non-American person receiving the Thomas Nast Award, given by the Overseas Press Club of America for best cartoons on international affairs, to be followed with many awards for his contribution and commitment to freedom of the press and expression.

© Chappatte in NZZ am Sonntag, Zürich

His cartoon series on issues surrounding Covid, I find particularly relevant to the abnormality of life during the pandemic. My personal favourite is the cartoon called “More Vaccines”, in which Chappatte draws an executive from a pharmaceutical company saying to a woman from Africa holding an “Africa needs vaccines” paper: “A 3rd dose of the covid vaccine is recommended for people with a particular condition.” The woman asks: “Which condition?” He answers: “… Being rich.” The cartoonist hereby demonstrates the striking imbalance between wealthy and poor countries in accessing health and medicine.

© Chappatte in The New York Times

Another juxtaposition of the powerful and the weak, is a cartoon he published in The New York Times that shows an oversized billboard for a future Amazon supermarket next to a food stall and a closed books store. The grocer is looking confused at the billboard while his neighbouring shop owner wishes him: “Good luck.”

To Chappatte, political cartooning goes beyond the work desk; he travels extensively to meet people, and from those human experiences and the knowledge of their personal strife, he learns the subject of his cartoon.