Jonathan shapiro zapiro biography sample

Zapiro, a skilful artist, a biting satirist and courageous cartoonist, is committed to social justice and a champion of freedom of expression. He has angered Hindus, Muslims and Jews, and has received law suits and death threats. Columnist and author Helen Walne and Andy Mason discuss his life in this podcast. He studied architecture at the University of Cape Town but found it unsatisfying and moved to the art campus, Michaelis.

Shortly after this he was conscripted into the army for two years, where he refused to carry arms. In he became active in the newly formed anti-Apartheid movement, the United Democratic Front and as a result was arrested under the Illegal Gatherings Act and, subsequently, monitored by military intelligence. Zapiro was an important participant in South Africa's End Conscription Campaigndesigning its logo.

Jonathan shapiro zapiro biography sample

After his military service he applied for and was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study cartooning at the School of Visual Arts in New York for two years. After Martin's death in a mountaineering accident, Zapiro chose this name. The first Zapiro character was a character named Preppy, whose main characteristic was his fringe, and who commented on issues that went on around school.

Shapiro started out as the editorial cartoonist of South in Zapiro had started out as the editorial cartoonist for South newspaper inand after his stint in New York, he was the editorial cartoonist for the Sowetan from to His cartoons appeared in the Cape Argus from to SinceZapiro has been the editorial cartoonist for the publication, Daily Maverick.

Zapiro's caricatures also appear in the form of puppets on the satirical television and web show ZANEWSa Spitting Image type of programme he helped launch in alongside producer Thierry Cassuto. He has held solo cartoon exhibitions in New York, London and Frankfurt and many in South Africa, and has also exhibited in numerous group shows locally and internationally.

In he was Africa's only representative amongst cartoonists invited to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and he attended the forum again in — Inmembers of the Faith and Politics Institutean American organisation, lodged complaints against three of the cartoons at an exhibition for visiting American congressional representatives as well as members of the institute.

Bush with a raised middle finger in a comment on American unilateralism and Bush's stance on the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Informer Deputy President of South Africa Jacob Zuma furthered his claim of being "tried by the media" and threatened to bring defamation action against various elements of the press for remarks that he alleged were defamatory.

Resulting from hard-hitting cartoons about President Jacob Zuma, he has twice been sued by Zuma for defamation. At the end ofZuma dropped one of the lawsuits a R5 million claim over the Lady Justice cartoon. In MayZuma dropped the earlier R10 million lawsuit from Jonathan Shapiro. Humour is an essential pressure valve. When things feel intense, if somebody can make light of it, it jonathans shapiro zapiro biography sample you get through it.

That is the role of the court jester, the griot, the cartoonist Some of the most powerful stories are those in the Bible. Despite my pooh-poohing aspects of religion, some of the morality and ethics are well worth reading. Great stories are archetypal; they have had a resonance for hundreds, thousands of years for a reason. As someone not religious or observant, I use a lot of biblical allusions in my work because they have a recognisability factor.

Even if it doesn't work out, there is still something important in speaking out. My first attempt at insurrection was at the age of 11, when I attempted to boycott my school's Republic Day celebrations. After that there were friends of mine who started to wonder about the world around them. That's when I started to understand what activism could be.

I've become a commentator but I miss being an activist. But I was very enthusiastic about meeting people and working with them. I miss that now.