The Economist, Baltimore animator and satirist visits Fresno

World-renowned cartoonist, Kevin Kallaugher, more commonly known as Kal, attended the San Joaquin Valley Town Hall at the William Saroyan Theater in Downtown Fresno, Nov. 15. Kal spoke on the importance of consistent activism in the political arena, and the role of satire in regards to cartooning.

Feather staffers, along with honor students from numerous Central Valley schools, participated in the merit scholar student program, where they were given the opportunity to speak and ask questions to Kallaugher.

Kal is the editorial cartoonist for the magazine The Economist and The Baltimore Sun. His artistic talent was soon recognized after drawing caricatures on the streets, resulting in his recruitment by The Economist to be their first resident cartoonist in 145 years. His work has been showcased in more than 100 publications worldwide, making him one of the most famous cartoonists of his generation.

A collection of his work, Daggers Drawn: 35 Years of Kal Cartoons in The Economist, was published in 2013. Kal has lectured at TED Talks, Harvard, Pixar and Google. His insight stresses the importance of current events, politics and the willingness to laugh in light of heavy issues.

Kallaugher believes the goal of a political cartoonist is not to make people laugh, but instead to draw their attention to the issue being raised.

“If someone tells you something, that’s one thing, but if you see a picture of something you remember it a little bit better,” Kallaugher said. “A good illustration tells a story within it. It’s not just a single flat image; it can give you emotion. It can give you perspective and you can be engaged with it in a way that’s very powerful. A good cartoon can be a magical experience; it’s got its own special power.”

A good illustration tells a story within it. It’s not just a single flat image; it can give you emotion. It can give you perspective and you can be engaged with it in a way that’s very powerful. A good cartoon can be a magical experience; it’s got its own special power. — Kevin Kallaugher

While many cartoonists are moving more towards a digital approach to drawing cartoons, Kallaugher still prefers the original pencil and paper methods he has used for decades. However, he realizes the potential of the digital world brings to cartooning.

“I do both original drawings and digital drawings. Primarily, I like to work with pencils and pens,” Kallaugher said. “When you have a pencil on paper, there is friction involved. It’s grabbing the surface of the paper as it goes across it. When you are working with a stylus on a computer, or on an iPad, or even just your finger, it’s basically plastic on glass, so it’s skating. You know the difference between walking and skating, one has more control than the other.”

During the open mic session, Feather journalist Mariana Fikse, ‘18, asked Kallaugher if satire ever crosses the line of what is appropriate in a sensitive situation.

“You have to find your own barometer and what works for you,” Kallaugher said. “Having said that, because my cartoons go to many audiences; it means that every single cartoon I do is going to tick someone off. You just can’t get past that. There are certain norms that I’m aware of, and I don’t want to do cartoons that are deemed to be racist, sexist, and I want to make sure they’re journalistically sound.”

Kal believes that his cartoons are especially relevant in this tense political climate. His work is often based around caricatures, where certain features of a person are enlarged or exaggerated to give it a unique look or personality. He uses politicians like Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Kim Jong Un and Mikhail Gorbachev.

Kallaugher urges the younger generation to take advantage of their freedoms and be active in their community.

“We are at a very interesting time in our history,” Kallaugher said. “Today, America is having an important conversation about their future, your future. For people like me, I lived my life and I wanted to give you guys a better country than you have right now, but in order to make the country a better place for you, you have to work for it.

“If the smart people and the capable people like yourself don’t make an effort to try to make the country better,” Kal continued,  “other people will step in your place and maybe not take it in the direction that you want. When you can, contribute to the dialogue that’s going on.”

Kallaugher left his audience with a message of hope for the future. He emphasized that even in the midst of tragedy, laughter and good will prevail over evil.

For more SJV Town Hall articles, read: President Vicente Fox of Mexico presents at SJV Town Hall. For more articles, read Zoology and AP biology visit Monterey Bay Aquarium.

These authors can be reached via email: Mariana Fikse and Cate Vander Kooi.