The Richmonds conquer Sydney Harbour
“Disarmingly low-key in his delivery, the audience hung on every word and flash bulbs went off the moment he put pen to paper”
into contact with the enormous upsurge of Chinese creative energy. Pran added to the session by talking about cartooning in India, but he did not have to go there - he lives there. His trip was the one he took coming to Sydney.
in the redraw Oliphant substituted the Star of David with a Swastika. It did not seem an intentional modification and did not change the message in the cartoon. While his cartoon may not have been politically correct, Oliphant explained how he thought it was something that should be said and he has always tried to draw cartoons that said what should be said. Politically correct or not.
The New York Times has labelled Pat Oliphant “the most influential cartoonist now working” and he was on a trip to Sydney, too. The cartooning legend was the ACA’s Guest of Honour for the 2009 Stanleys and he was the next to talk at the conference. Alan Moir guided him through a question and answer session and Oliphant told many stories about his long and distinguished career. “It was very interesting to meet Pat Oliphant, a very modest man with no modest talent,” Ward O’Neill said. “I waited four decades to meet him and it was well worth it.”
“Pat Oliphant’s interview by Alan Moir was particularly relevant to a political cartoonist and he re-connected me with what this profession is really all about.,” Sean Leahy said. “In other words, the courageous expression of the truth as the cartoonist sees it through strong visuals formed from a personal set of principles, leavened by great wit and humour. Oliphant is all of that in spades. His explanation of one cartoon which rattled cages was that ‘it needed to be said’.”
Oliphant was obviously very comfortable sharing details about his approach to cartooning. He said it was good talking with cartoonists as they understood what he was talking about and he did not have to explain himself.
At the end of two hours, Moir thanked Oliphant for his efforts and Oliphant thanked Moir for his questions, which he said were ”obviously well researched and intelligent.” He then addressed those in the room again and added, “He really knows his stuff. I could not have done this without his help.”
“It was great, not only to see Pat Oliphant but to have another editorial cartoonist big hitter in Alan Moir interview him,” said Peter Broelman. The seven-time NCS Editorial Cartoon Award winner, two-time Reuben Award winner and Pulitzer Prize winner even took to the whiteboard to redraw a cartoon that had attracted a bit of attention in America, a few months before. Storm troopers using a Star of David as a weapon in a cartoon about Israel will do that most days. However
“The powerful work from this master of the art was matched by his approachability and willingness to share observations,” Leahy commented. “Disarmingly low-key in his delivery, the audience hung on every word and flash bulbs went off the moment he put pen to paper.” A small stuff-up was discovered when the conference bags were about to be put together. While the contents had been gathered, everyone had forgotten the bags. In a flash
FROM PREVIOUS PAGE - Left to right: The execution might be different, but the message is the same. Pat Oliphant and his infamous cartoon www.cartoonists.org.au
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