Everyone loves a good laugh, especially when they can relate to its subject: laughing at common experiences, annoyances or injustices makes difficult situations more bearable and can help take the sting out of them. It makes it easier to recognise that our problems are not unique. Cartoons and caricatures about corruption, fraud and other unscrupulous activities work well for just that reason: those who have experienced corruption can relate directly, while those who have not can appreciate the humour and increase their awareness of the issue. TI Moldova organises a cartoon exhibit each year on April Fools Day to highlight corruption. Anti-corruption cartoons also feature in their monthly informational bulletin and on their website at: www.transparency.md/Gallery/index.htm.

Political cartoonists Alex Dimitrov and Ion Matu of Moldova share their experiences

TI: Why did you decide to draw about corruption?

AD: Everything connected with peoples’ lives is interesting to cartoonists. The theme of corruption is no exception, especially in Moldova where it is very prevalent. I am deeply concerned about this theme as a citizen, because corruption interferes with the normal development of a community.

IM: The existence of the phenomenon of corruption in most societies, on one hand, and the cooperation offered by Transparency International Moldova on the other, led me to draw about corruption. Factors such as inspiration, talent and the fact that I never want to be indifferent about what happens in our society motivated me to start drawing cartoons generally.

TI: Corruption is not usually seen as funny. How can humour help to fight it?

AD: In my view, the purpose of cartoons is not to fight corruption, but rather to be educational and in doing so, to make people less tolerant of corruption.

IM: I think that cartoons play an important role in fighting corruption by sensitising both the public and officials on this issue. If cartoons are really well done, they offer an ironic and critical dimension to corruption, which is very important.

TI: Have you personally had experience with corruption that motivates you to draw about it?

AD: Like other parents, I have been indirectly forced to pay bribes as a contribution to the “school fund” - gifts and hospitality - at my son’s school.

TI: Where do you publish your cartoons? Do you submit them to newspapers or magazines, and if so, have they ever been rejected for political reasons?

AD: I mainly publish my cartoons in the opposition newspapers because the official press is not interested in publishing them. If cartoons about corruption do show up in the official press - rarely - they are very neutral, not concrete.

IM: My cartoons have been published in different mass media, both newspapers including Post – Scriptum, Literatura si Arta, Jurnal de Chisinau, Timpul, Vocea Poporului, Faclia, Dreptul - and magazines - Chiparus, Pardon - which are very much appreciated by readers in the Republic of Moldova.

TI: Have you ever been asked not to print a specific cartoon?

AD: Sometimes editors refused to publish my cartoons, saying that they are too rigid. This meant I was targeting high level officials too directly or openly. But the actual persons involved in the political corruption I drew about have never tried to exert pressure on me

IM: I have never been forced not to publish a cartoon by either state officials, or by a newspaper or magazine.

TI: Do cartoons, through the use of humour, have a greater ability to sensitise people to corruption?

AD: Caricature always has a certain resonance in the developed community. It is very popular among different segments of the population, and also among political leaders – Helmut Kohl, for example. Unfortunately, here in Moldova caricature is valued only by a small circle of cultured people, while other parts of the population do not have access to the information. In the countryside (which is most of the territory) people can buy only the official, government press, where caricatures are not printed.

IM: Cartoons represent a way of presenting reality in a different way, more ironic, with satire and humour.

TI: Do you know of any cartoons that have changed public opinion - that got public officials or others to change their behaviour?

AD: In Moldova, caricature cannot influence the decisions of public officials due to their complete disregard for public opinion, and for caricature in particular. Our population is deeply disappointed in the authorities: they are untalented, worthless and corrupted.

However, sometimes our officials react to cartoons on their own. For example, one of my anti-corruption cartoons was placed on a TI Moldova billboard, coincidentally opposite of the house of a former mayor. The billboard mysteriously disappeared almost as soon as it was put up.

BIOGRAPHIES

Alex Dimitrov has been a professional cartoonist since 1995. He graduated with a degree in philosophy from the State University of Kishinev. His cartoons have appeared in the majority of Moldovan national publications and on a number of websites: www.un.org/russian/av/radio/latenews.htm,www.ifes.md, www.e-democracy.md, www.transparency.md, www.anekdot.ru, www.caricatura.ru.

Ion Matu began to submit caricatures for publication while working as a policeman. His first cartoons were published in 1978 in the newspaper Literatura si Arta. His work has appeared in exhibits in Belgium, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. A talented and passionate artist, he has contributed over 1,500 caricatures to TI Moldova.

Are you an artist? Have you been motivated to take action because of a political cartoon or caricature? Want to share your work or experience with the anti-corruption movement? Has the use of humour affected your view of corruption? Send responses to: aporoznuk@transparency.org. We may feature them in a future edition of Transparency Watch.