Old Pals

Political cartoons are an art form that has always fascinated me. Even the prominent artists behind them will not know fame like many other successful artists of other mediums. To be a poignant political cartoonist inherently means to call into question many of the power structures and ideals which catering to is often a prerequisite for mainstream popularity. Because of this, and their usually quick-to-produce nature, they offer, in my opinion, some of the most raw glimpses into society through time that we have. By exploring past cartoons and drawing the connections between the problems they sought to address in their time, it is possible to clearly highlight the unchanging nature of our battle against agents of state violence and capital through time. The flags, uniforms and settings change, but with just a few subtle alterations, an image can be just as true for two moments separated by decades and thousands of miles.

"Old Pals"

This image is based on a Swiss cartoon published in 1956. The original version depicted Hitler as the Devil congratulating the Klan on stoking racism in America. In my rendition, I have replaced Hitler with our current president, Donald Trump, and the Klansmen's robes have been changed to reflect the flag of Israel. Nazi Germany, contrary to how it is often discussed, was not an abnormality, but a reflection of the white supremacist and colonial worldviews that were all too common place in Europe and America. Zionism, rather than a movement of "self determination of Jewish people in a Jewish state," is that same reflection of the supremacist and colonial beliefs that still permeate through our societies today, only this time given a Jewish outer shell.

(Original signed A.M. Clay, possibly Alexander Clay)