Laxman rekhas, Rama Murthys and more...

How about getting these legendary cartoonists on a single canvas and you dive in to savour their collective, almost celestial grasp on everything whacky and humourous?
Well, the Indian Institute of Cartoonists almost did that, as its Golden Jubilee Cartoon Exhibition unfurled with creative relish at the Indian Cartoon Gallery, here on Monday.

The legends were all there, alive, kicking and framed on the four walls. So were the young stars, drawing attention through their acid wit on most things current, political, domestic, and newsy. 

The Institute couldn’t have found someone more apt than Janardhan Swami to unmask the show. For, Swami is a medley of art and politics, a Member of Parliament taking pride in his proven credential as a cartoonist. The gathered cartoonists loved him more as he spoke about how the tribe struggled to make money, why there’s a need to set up a separate institution for cartoonists’ welfare.

But what struck a chord was his confessed love for cartoons. “The art of cartooning is the treasured skill in me. I have been regularly contributing my caricatures to various magazines like Sudha, Taranga and many newspapers,” said the MP.

New cartoon gallery

The cartoonists had more reason to cheer as Ashok Kheny, Managing Director, NICE Ltd, announced his plan to build a Cartoon Gallery in Banashankari 3rd stage, modelled after the Nandi.

Sixty-five selected works of noted cartoonists from all over the country are on display at the exhibition. Besides works by the legends, the show also features works by Yesudasan, Unny, Toms, Gujjar, B V Panduranga Rao, Yathish Shettigar, Satish Acharya, Maya Kamath, Vijay Narain Seth and many more. The exhibition will be open to public till January 29 at The Indian Cartoon Gallery, No 1 Midford Gardens, Behind Big Kids Kemp, off MG Road. 

As Panduranga Rao put it, the show is a rare collation of 65 cartoons, 65 distinct styles and presentations under one roof. “From amateurs to legends, new-comers to professionals, the artists are all here.”

Since its inception, the Gallery has exhibited three duet exhibitions and 46 solo exhitibions, according to the Institute’s president, cartoonist V G Narendra.