TEHRAN – Brazilian cartoonist and illustrator Cival Einstein regards the COVID-19 pandemic as the fight of David and Goliath, calling it a war that has forced people to change
“Nature deserves respect, the American imperialists and the Chinese have explored and hurt nature a lot, and she couldn’t take it and it is reacting this way. We are paying a high price for it,” he told the Tehran Times in an email interview on Monday.
Einstein is taking part in Iran’s We Defeat Coronavirus International Cartoon Contest with his submission based on Gulliver’s adventures portraying Gulliver as huge, but even the huge one cannot escape the coronavirus and has to stay at home.
Asked how he really sees the situation, and whether he considers it a good or a bad opportunity for art especially caricature, he said, “I believe art is a therapy, while it is educative and playful, it is like a school.”
He noted that caricature helps take off the masks of those who always used masks to deceive people.
“When the truth comes, it hurts some people. I think we will not know the world without creative expressions and art makes us reflect the reality,” he described.
Einstein also said that he believes his other artist friends are busy producing artworks on the theme of coronavirus, which is an accessible theme and refers to many interpretations.
“In this theme, we have a salad of subjects, such as politics, social life, history and facts, of course, I see it with a positive side,” he said.
Einstein added that he is filled with new ideas and is busy producing more works every day, while he is in home quarantine.
“I can see the pain of others and put it in the cartoon, this is very important for me, I pour all my feelings into the cartoons which are joy, sadness, creativity and hoping for better days to come,” he added.
Last updated April 7, 2020, a total number of people diagnosed with the coronavirus in Brazil has reached 12,232, of whom 566 have died and 127 recovered.
Einstein said that his country is also taking quarantine measurement as it is known worldwide, however, some accept and follow the rules and some don’t.
“In my country, some people have their beliefs and think this is a lie, they are the most diverse interpretations, some groups accuse other groups, saying that quarantine is the electoral stage, others believe in science, others in faith, and the governments of some states are doing what they can, but the virus is an invisible and fast enemy,” he explained.
Asked if he is satisfied with the policies of his country taken towards the combat against COVID-19, he answered that the cases of coronavirus infection and the death rates at the moment are low in his country compared with the United States, Italy, China, and other countries.
“No, I’m not happy with the policies. It could be better, they don’t give up their salaries to help people, it doesn’t make me happy, it could be better, maybe a few are working hard to fight this pandemic, but they are not many,” he said.
Einstein has participated in many festivals and cartoon contests in Iran and the world, winning a special prize in 2014 at the Macedonia cartoon competition, where he selected as a member of the jury in 2019.
He also received first prize at the Fourth International Graphic Humor Festival in Armenia in 2018.
“I will continue making cartoons. I believe art saves and irony softens the pain and laughter relaxes the soul,” he concluded.
RM/MMS
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