ANNOUNCEMENT OF ZUNAR’S CARTOON EXHIBITION IN LONDON/ PENGUMUMAN PAMERAN KARTUN ZUNAR DI LONDON

ANNOUNCEMENT OF ZUNAR’S CARTOON EXHIBITION IN LONDON

I would like to announce that I will be holding a month-long exhibition of political cartoons in London on next February with the theme “To Fight Through Cartoons”.

I will be displaying 80 of my works that touch on issues such as politics, corruption, abuse of power and violations of human rights in Malaysia. The focus would on the conspiracy against Anwar Ibrahim, the corruption in the Scorpene Scandal, the murder of Altantuya, the National Feedlot Corporation (NFL), issues surrounding the Prime Minister’s wife, BERSIH, Sarawak, to mention a few.

It will be organized by Article 19, an international NGO that fights for the freedom of expression and information, and is assisted by Malaysians in the United Kingdom who are affiliated under the Friends of Pakatan Rakyat.

The launching will be held on the 15th February 2012 at the venue of the exhibition, the Free Word Centre, 60 Farringdon Road. It will be inaugurated by the founder of Radio Free Sarawak and Sarawak Report, Clare Rewcastle Brown. The President of the National Association of Human Rights (Hakam), Malik Imtiaz Sarwar will also be giving a speech in the event.

According to the letter of invitation by the organizers, tickets for the event are limited and it is based on ‘first come, first served’. Tickets can be booked from now until the 3rd February 2012. The public, especially those living in the United Kingdom, can book the tickets through this link  http://article19zunar.eventbrite.com/   or email sonya@article19.org.

The theme "Fighting Through Cartoons" was selected based on the restraints and pressure from the Malaysian government that have been imposed on me and my political cartoons. In July 2010, the government banned seven of my cartoon books on the grounds that my books were detrimental to public order. Apart from that, my office in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur was often invaded by the authorities and my books taken.

The printers were threatened not to print my books or lose their printing license; as were bookshops across the country being warned not to sell my books. On the 24th September 2010, I was arrested and locked-up under the Sedition Act, but was then acquitted under the instruction of the court.

I am suing the government for what was in my view an unlawful arrest. The hearing of the case will be on the 18th January 2012 at the Kuala Lumpur court.

“To Fight Through Cartoons” will be my first solo exhibition throughout the 30 years I have cartooning. Prior to this, I have held two exhibitions with other artists in Bilbao, Spain at the end of last year.

Reference:

Rujukan:

* In July 2011, the Cartoonists Rights Network International (CRNI), USA had conferred the "Courage in Editorial Cartooning" award to Zunar.

* In October 2011, Zunar had participated in a three-month "Art and Censorship" program organized by the BilbaoArte/Fundacion BBK in Bilbao, Spain.


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PENGUMUMAN PAMERAN KARTUN ZUNAR DI LONDON


Adalah diumumkan saya akan mengadakan pameran kartun-kartun politik di London pada bulan Februari depan bertemakan "To Fight Through Cartoon" (Berjuang Melalui Kartun) dan akan berlangsung selama sebulan di situ.


Sebanyak 80 karya-karya kartun yang menyentuh isu politik, rasuah, penyalahgunaan kuasa serta pelanggaran hak asasi di Malaysia akan dipamerkan. Antara isu yang difokus ialah Konspirasi terhadap Anwar Ibrahim, IsuRasuah dalam skandal Scorpene, Isu pembunuhan Altantuya, Isu NFL, Isu isteri Perdana Menteri, Bersih, Sarawak dan sebagainya. Ia dianjurkan oleh sebuah NGO antarabangsa, Artikel 19 yang memperjuangkan kebebasan bersuara serta informasi dan dibantu oleh rakyat Malaysia di United Kingdom yang bergabung di bawah Rakan Pakatan Rakyat.


Majlis pelancaran akan diadakan di venue pameran tersebut iaitu di Free Word Centre, 60 Farringdon Road pada 15 Februari dan akan dirasmikan oleh pengasas Sarawak Report dan Radio Free Sarawak Clare Rewcastle Brown. Selain saya sendiri, turut berucap di majlis tersebut nanti ialah Presiden Persatuan Kebangsaan Hak Asasi Manusia (HAKAM), Malik Imtiaz Sarwar.


Menurut surat jemputan oleh pihak penganjur, tiket untuk majlis tersebut adalah terhad dan ia berdasarkan siapa dulu dia dapat dan boleh ditempah dari sekarang hingga 3 Februari. Kepada oarng ramai, terutama yang tinggaldi United Kingdom boleh menempah tiket melalui link ini http://article19zunar.eventbrite.com/ atau email kepada sonya@article19.org.


Tema "Berjuang Melalui Kartun"dipilih kerana kartun-kartun politik saya mendapat kekangan dan tekanan dari pemerintah Malaysia. Pada Julai 2010, kerajaan mengharamkan tujuh buku-buku kartun saya dengan alasan kandungannya menjejas ketenteraman awam. Selain tu, pejabat saya di Brickfeilds, Kuala Lumpur sering diserbu pihak berkuasa dan buku-buku saya selalu dirampas.


Kilang pencetak diugut agar tidak mencetak buku saya atau kehilangan lesen dan kedai-kedai di seluruh negara juga diberi amaran agar tidak menjual buku-buku saya. Pada September 2010, saya ditangkap dan dimasukkan ke dalam lokap di bawah Akta Hasutan namun dibebaskan atas arahan mahkamah.


Saya sekarang sedang menyaman kerajaan atas tangkapan tersebut yang pada pandangan saya salah dari segi undang-undang dan kes akan mula didengar pada 18 Januari depan di mahkamah Kuala Lumpur. To Fight Through Cartoon (Berjuang Melalui Kartun) adalah pameran solo saya pertama saya sepanjang 30 tahun berkarya. Sebelum ini pada akhir tahun lepas, saya juga mengadakan dua pameran bersama artis-artis yang lain di Bilbao, Sepanyol.

Rujukan:
* Pada Julai tahun lepas, Rangkaian Hak Asasi Kartunis Antarabangsa (CRNI) memberi anugerah "Courage in
Editorial Cartooning"(Keberanian Dalam Melukis Kartun Editorial) kepada Zunar.
* Pada Oktober tahun lepas, Zunar dipilih menyertai program tiga bulan "Seni dan Penapisan" anjuran Yayasan
BilbaoArte Sepanyol.