= 07 September 2024 =

Weekly Single Page of Cartoonmag / No 18

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NO:18 , Saturday, 07 September 2024

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MAY OUR GOD JUDGES YOU…

Abbas Naaseri / It doesn’t matter how others judge this writing; what matters is that in a moment of complete honesty, we evaluate the topic of judging.

Judging panels are typically composed of several cartoonists—three, five, seven, or more. With such diverse teams, it's impossible to say that personal preferences don't influence the outcomes. A change in the composition of judges can often lead to different results. However, this doesn't mean we should always protest the final decisions.

Sometimes, it's more important to reflect on our work than trial the judges. If, during the production of our cartoons, we focus on avoiding similarities, employing good techniques, and effectively communicating our message, we can succeed no matter who is on the judging panel.

However, adhering to one very important condition is necessary.

Fulfilling this condition requires the serious determination of the festival’s directors and organizers. A good artwork can only succeed if the panel of judges is chosen correctly—judges who are up-to-date, actively working, viewing, and participating in the current world of cartoon art.

Today, several issues in selecting judges have made it very difficult for participants. One issue is choosing cartoonists as judges who have not worked in cartoons for years, who have not followed the art, and who are completely out of touch with it. In today’s world, if we stay away from the internet and the world of cartoons for even a week, we will miss hundreds of newly produced cartoons. This is the biggest flaw in failing to recognize the produced works and identify similarities in cartoon judging. So, how can an artist who has not produced or reviewed any new cartoons in years make the right choices? Meanwhile, we have many veteran artists who are still actively involved in the cartoon world and are thriving.

The second, very strange issue that has emerged in recent years is the presence of individuals who are not cartoonists at all but appear on judging panels. These individuals either hold positions in festival secretariats or are involved in the festival’s publicity and promotion. How can someone who has never sat behind paper and colors, never stared at paper for hours, never experienced the difficulties of idea generation, and never put a pen to paper, participate in judging the works of real artists?

Aside from these issues, event directors and organizers should even review the judges and results of previous international festivals to be able to select the best among real judges.

My message is directed to the directors and organizers of festivals: This is the big condition—cartoonists do not spend day and night creating cartoons only for their efforts to be wasted due to the wrong selection of judging panels. Cartoonists follow the conditions for producing good works, so you too should adhere to the conditions for selecting the right judging teams. This is how artists’ trust in you and the art of cartooning will grow. May your chosen panel judge our work, and may our God judges you.

So, please choose wisely and let the world of cartoons rejoice in your pleasant fragrance.

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