[Photo Sparks] How to use cartoons for social awareness: ‘funtoons’ at the Indian Cartoon Gallery

PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In this photo essay, we showcase the brilliant work of Ukrainian cartoonist Vladimir Kazanevski, whose work makes us stop in our tracks and think about the larger implications of the world we are creating!

In the earlier 75 posts, we brought you a wide range of creative photographs from an art fair, world music festival, painting fair, telecom expo, art museum, mobile showcase, math museum, social hackathon, bookstore, co-working space, sensorium, international design week, flower show, outdoor ads, startup roadshow, computer museum, startup T-shirts, business cards, art therapy, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, Vesak, jazz festival, modern art gallery, ecopreneurs, painter-poets, health activists, eNGOs and digital innovators.

Cartoons are a creative way of blending art, satire, caricature, political messaging, humour and provocative imagery. The Indian Institute of Cartoonists in Bangalore recently featured the ‘funtoons’ of award-winning cartoonist Vladimir Kazanevski. He was born in Ukraine in 1950, and entered the world of cartoons after switching from radio-physics.

Vladimir has won more than 400 awards from competitions in 50 countries. His works are well published and exhibited around the world, and he speaks at conferences on creativity and humour as well. Around 50 of his cartoons were on display in Bangalore this week. Here are photos of just 12 of them, which showcase his outstanding cross-cultural creativity.

Artists play an important role in raising social awareness about environmental and political issues; see for example our earlier photo essays on street art and political freedom. In this final photo showcase of 2015, YourStory salutes the work of artists around the planet who make our world a better place, and also bring a smile to our faces in the process!

The corporate rat race (1): slaves to computers?

What will monkeys and chimps do if humans cut down all the forests?

Faithful to the very end: the loyal dog.

Evolution of the human race – or back to square one?

The corporate rate race (2): are we willingly building our own cages?

In a nation of sheep, wily politicians surf and do as they please.

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil – quite easy when all of society is fast asleep.

‘Health’ bar?

The corporate rat race (3): are we losing our humanity in the process?

All animals – rats included – have feelings too.

If Noah were online, could he have uploaded his Ark?

Is technology (‘@’) taking over our personal lives?

Got a creative photograph to share? Email us at [email protected]!

See also the YourStory pocketbook ‘Proverbs and Quotes for Entrepreneurs: A World of Inspiration for Startups,’ accessible as apps for Apple and Android devices.