Interview with Cival Einstein
“People think better when they laugh”
Cival Einstein was born in 1982, in Fortaleza-Ceara, Brazil. He is cartoonist and caricaturist.
He published his work in several books (books of poetry, Para didactic books, reviews…). He exhibited his work in Brazil, Turkey, Iran, France, Portugal, Serbia & Montenegro, Romania and participated to several worldwide cartoon contests. You can reach him at einsteincival@gmail.com or einsteincartuuns@yahoo.com.br.
– How did you come to draw professionally?
I had different artistic phases. I started to illustrate books and worked in the advertisement field for periodicals.
– Which papers, magazines and Internet sites do you work for?
I illustrate books and collaborate with local companies. I also work with the online magazine Don Quichotte. I have some cartoon galleries on some sites specialized in the cartoon art.
– What is it in the political language that inspires you the most?
Social inequality, dictatorship, arrogance, intolerance and violence.
– Should there be any limitation to freedom of speech whatsoever?
I think that ethics in certain moments has its importance. The cartoon is an intelligent message but it is difficult to find the right equilibrium. We live in a world full of active dictators. Therefore, we must “shoot” the right targets, at the right moment. Courage is needed in such occasions.
– Is there, according to you, one single form of freedom of speech or are there several?
I think there are different ones. It really depends on how this freedom is used. Cartoonists have to denounce what they think is wrong through visual gestures and varied expressions.
– What do you think of the Holocaust cartoon contest arranged by the Iranian daily Hamshari in response to the caricatures of Mohammed published in various European dailies?
This contest was mainly a reply to the Muhammad caricatures in Denmark. I think that this event was the consequence of all the sufferings in Palestine.
– Have any of your drawings been censured? If yes, then why and under what circumstances?
I have only received anonymous threats via the Internet. But I haven’t been the victim of real censorship.
– Are you practicing self-censorship? Which are the most difficult topics to depict?
I do have self-censorship on specific issues dealing with religion and racism. These sorts of subjects require prudence and intelligence. Then only you will be able to affect the people who see your work.
– Do you think the drawing is a political power able to change people’s behaviour?
I don’t consider myself as political, but more as a defender of the truth. Our mission is to remind the necessity of equal rights between people. The cartoon medium is very original. It has the power to “print” ideas in the conscience of people.
– Do you think that the satirical drawer is an artist or rather a journalist, or even both?
The cartoonist is also a journalist when he seeks the elements of information that he will use in his graphic works.
-According to you, is the role of the drawer to make people laugh or to think?
I think that the force of the cartoon is to be a satire that makes think. People think better when they laugh.
– Which situation or person do you think is hardest to draw?
It really depends on each situation.
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You can see some of Cival’s works on these links :
http://www.caricatura.ro/cival.htm
http://www.syriacartoon.com/message/2006/message-070400601.html
http://www.irancartoon.com/120/occupation/Cival/index.htm
http://fabricarica.2it.com.br/?sec_cod=42&popup_cod=17
Interview and portrait by Benjamin Heine