The Lakes International Comic Art Festival has announced its three comic exhibitions taking place during and around its annual gathering in Kendal (15th – 17th October 2021), which includes a major retrospective of the work of Guardian cartoonist Martin Rowson.
The Festival will also host Here and Now, an exhibition featuring the work of several major Czech comic creators, including Vojtěch Mašek, Lucie Lomová, Jaromir 99 and Toy Box, produced in partnership with the Czech Literary Centre, who are also supporting supporting two international artists’ residencies in association with LICAF with Katerina Cupova and Stepanka Jislova and the attendance at the festival of three other creators, Vaclav Slajch, Lucie Lomova and Marek Rubec.
The Festival is also delighted to be working in partnership with the British Council, Komiket in the Philippines, and alongside climate change communications specialists Creative Concern, to host an exhibition of work by British and Philippines creators on the theme ‘10 Years to Save the World’, a project attracting attention worldwide that explores climate change through art, science and digital technology. The project has an urgent message: we have ten years to make the big changes required to save our planet, it’s as simple as that.
“I’ve been cartooning for nearly 40 years, and I must have produced about 15,000 to 16,000 images through that time,” says Martin Rowson. “Bless them, the Lakes is putting on a retrospective of my work from the past 40 years, 90 images, which I hope will make you laugh, make you think, make you flinch, make you do all sorts of stuff… but I’ve had fun doing it, and I hope you’ll have fun looking at them as well.”
“Martin Rowson has been a regular guest of the Festival several times,” notes Festival Director Julie Tait, “and we’re delighted Cross Lanes will host this major retrospective of his work.”
“Kendal is just one town where we know what climate change can bring down on a community,” she continues, “so the 10 Years to Save the World project is as relevant here as it is in the Philippines, and all around the world.”
• Tickets are on sale now for this physical event from the Festival web site
• The Lakes International Comic Art Festival – back 15th to 17th October 2021 – is online at: www.comicartfestival.com | Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast: www.comicartpodcast.uk | Twitter: @comicartfestpod | Facebook: @ComicArtPodcast | Instagram: @ComicArtPodcast | Virtual Comics Clock Tower: licafclocktower.com
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EXHIBITION INFORMATION
WHAT A FUR CUP
The Political Cartoons and Comics of Martin Rowson
Cross Lanes Project, Cross Lane, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 5LB
15th October – 5th November 2021
For nearly 40 years Martin Rowson has been the scourge of the political establishment, focusing his unflinching eye and scurrilous wit on those in power. His cartoons for the Guardian, Daily Mirror, Independent, New Statesman and many more, draw from an encyclopaedic knowledge of western culture and combine with a breath-taking talent for image making.
His comics, including The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman and The Communist Manifesto take apparently challenging texts and make them accessible and enlightening for a whole new generation of readers.
What a Fur Cup will feature some of Rowson’s most powerful political cartoons, caricatures and comics and present an entertaining journey through the past forty years of politics and celebrity.
HERE & NOW – Contemporary Czech Comics
Brewery Art Centre – Foyer & Sugar Store Gallery
14th – 18th October 2021
This remarkable exhibition celebrates the diverse range of subjects, styles, and approaches in Czech comics today and is curated by Dr. Pavel Kořínek. The show celebrates the work of ten leading Czech artists and features their comics so far, plus newly-commissioned work reflecting the last 18 months.
Featured artists include Vojtěch Mašek, Lucie Lomová, Jaromir 99 and Toy Box
10 Years to Save the World
Kendal: 11th – 25th October 2021, The Wildman Street Gallery, Kendal
Manchester: 1st – 12th November, SeeSaw, 86 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 6NG | 9.00am – 5.00pm, Monday – Friday
‘Ten Years to Save the World’ is one of the creative commissions supported by the British Council exploring climate change through art, science and digital technology. The project has an urgent message: we have ten years to make the big changes required to save our planet, it’s as simple as that.
The commission will demonstrate the power of the comics medium to stimulate climate change action through the creation of a comic art digital anthology. Aimed at 18 to 24 year olds, the project brings together two comic art festivals – The Lakes International Comic Art Festival in the UK and Komiket in the Philippines, working alongside climate change communications specialists Creative Concern.
Ten leading comic artists, with a diverse range of styles and approaches are developing new creative work in response to the climate crisis. Their work has been informed and shaped by young people from both countries who took part in online discussions to develop the brief for the artists.
The comic art anthology will be launched in the Philippines on September 25 and in the UK at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival in Kendal October 15 – 17.
In addition to the public exhibition of the work in Kendal, the exhibition will also run in Manchester later in 2021, and other venues to be confirmed.
• 10 Years to Save the World online: www.10yearstosavetheworld.com
Festival Guests in 2021
Announced guests for October 2021 in Kendal, in alphabetical order, include: Charlie Adlard, Steven Appleby, Yomi Ayeni, Sayra Begum, Abbigayle Bircham, Maria Björklund, Boulet, Neill Cameron, Kate Charlesworth, Chris Condon, Danny Christie, Darren Cullen, Darryl Cunningham, Kateřina Čupová, Dagsson, Oliver East, Manuele Fior, Simon Hanselmann, Marc Jackson, Nicola Jennings, Štěpánka Jislová, Michael Lark (Virtual Appearance), Jeff Lemire (Virtual Appearance), Michael Lightfoot, Mike Luckovich, Lucie Lomová, Jul Maroh, Dave McKean, Lou McKeever (aka BlueLou), Luke McGarry, Steve McGarry, Ziki Nelson, Wang Ning (Virtual Appearance), Jacob Phillips, Sean Phillips, Kate Prior, David A. Roach (Virtual Appearance), Miles Ross, Martin Rowson, Marek Rubec, Greg Rucka (Virtual Appearance), Václav Šlajch, Matt Smith, Rachael Smith, Lucy Sullivan, Jack Teagle, Ann Telnaes, Clarice Tudor, the VIZ team, Steve Yeowell and Zoom Rockman
• Profiles of all LICAF LIVE guests feature here on the official Festival web site
Comics Clock Tower Exhibitors 2021
Exhibitors include: 1826 Comic, Art-Bubble, B7 Media (and B7 Comics), Big Brown Eyes Collective, Bruno Stahl, Cast Iron Books, Catfood Comics, Cathy Brett, The Cartoonists Club of Great Britain, Centrala, Chris Askham, CoCo Comics, Colleen Douglas, Conundrum Press, Cutaway Comics, E Merlin Murray, the Etherington Brothers, Gold Lion Comics, Gustaffo Vargas, Hocus Pocus, Ian Sharman, Joe Latham, Kate Mia White, Kev F Sutherland, Knockabout, Lancaster University, Lewis Campbell, Madzines, Martin Simpson, Matt Simmons, Matt Smith! (Smith vs Smith), Mereida, Metaphrog, Mister Hope, Moonsquid Ink, Myriad Editions, Nona Gallery, Norm Konyu, Olivia Sullivan, Peter Morey, Pitteville Press, Roger Langridge, Ronny Worsey and Brian Gorman, Schnumn, SelfMadeHero, Soaring Penguin Press, Turnaround and Woodland Creatures
• The Lakes International Comic Art Festival – back 15th to 17th October 2021 – is online at: www.comicartfestival.com | Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast: www.comicartpodcast.uk | Twitter: @comicartfestpod | Facebook: @ComicArtPodcast | Instagram: @ComicArtPodcast | Virtual Comics Clock Tower: licafclocktower.com
• Want to receive news about the Lakes International Comic Art Festival? Then sign up for their newsletter now