A new beginning Turkish sign-maker wins grand prize in Japan’s largest cartoon contest
The 28th international cartoon award given by Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbun has gone to Turkish cartoon artist Mehmet Arslan (44), who earns his livelihood painting signs in Istanbul.

Arslan will receive the contest’s top award and prize money worth 2 million yen (approximately $18,00 at an awards ceremony to be held at the newspaper’s head office in Tokyo on Jan. 31. Another Turkish cartoon artist, Muharrem Kotbaş, was also awarded a special prize.

This year’s contest attracted 6,598 entries from 70 countries.

The Yomiuri Shimbun has organized an international cartoon contest every year since 1979 to discover unique new work and talent worldwide, coming to be known as the “Olympics of Humor.” Contest officials said this is the first time the grand prize has gone to a Turkish cartoonist.

This year’s prizewinning cartoons will be on display at Kawasaki City Museum in February, and a book of the selected collection of entries will be published soon.

Arslan, the champion of “Olympics of humor,” runs a small sign-making workshop in the Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul, where he also lives with his wife and two children. He has drawn cartoons for nearly 20 years and said this was his largest prize ever. “It is a great big surprise for me that my work was recognized in such an important international contest,” said Arslan. “I’m very encouraged for the sake of my future work. My efforts have eventually borne fruit. I will leave this award and my published cartoons to my children. This is more important to me then the money,” he said.

In his award-winning cartoon, Arslan satirized the excessive focus on America in the international community. He drew the national flags of some countries turning into American flags in the shape of a chameleon. “Nations are all becoming the same, absorbed by America,” he says. “My cartoon critiques U.S. hegemony and caricatures the fact that many countries are losing their originality and beliefs by following the United States,” added Arslan. Remembering last year’s cartoon crisis involving Denmark, Arslan said artists should freely criticize anything in life but that they should remain within the boundaries of respect towards others.

Arslan complains that he has to do other jobs -- such as making commercial signs - to provide for his family. He hopes that one day drawing cartoons will be enough for him to survive so he can focus on cartoons as art. “Anything in daily life can inspire me,” says Arslan. “I’m always thinking about the next cartoon, so I observe daily life. Political and social matters are great sources for me. I make notes of inspiring ideas and do quick rough drawings, even while I’m working,” he said.
ZAMAN