A Thousand Words

Political caricature plays a far more vital role in popular culture and the perception of current events in Egypt than it currently does in the West. Cartoons are given prime real estate in both state and independently owned newspapers, and the most respected satiric voices are household names. Since revered cartoonist Amr Selim founded the caricature department at a privately owned newspaper named Al-Dostour in 2005, political cartooning has enjoyed something of a renaissance. Selim took it upon himself to find the most talented voices among the new, younger generation of cartoonists, gave them jobs in the newspaper’s growing caricature department, and took on the role of mentor, honing their skills as commentators on — but also participants in — Egypt’s political situation, which at the time was beginning to show signs of the discontent that ultimately led to the protests of January 2011, and the ousting of President Hosni Mubarak. Pictured here are many of Egypt’s best-known caricaturists. Most are from the younger generation, but also pictured are some of the key members of older generations, whose work and mentorships paved the way for the new voices. Each cartoonist has a different background and a particular political standpoint; some work for daily newspapers, some distribute their work mainly online, some do both, but all of them are actively engaged in the course of their country’s future at a time when it is perhaps more in question than it has ever been, and are using a medium that resonates strongly with Egyptians.