From wars to global warming, Plop & KanKr sketch the news at the Saint-Just-le-Martel Press Cartoon Center

Their drawings made the front page of “Le Monde”. The duo of designers are exhibiting 80 sketches in Haute-Vienne until August 14, 2024.

Saint-Just-le-Martel is the Mecca of caricature, press cartoons and humor. For more than forty years, an international fair is organized there, every autumn, with designers who come from the four corners of the world. The rest of the year, exhibitions are offered. Plop & KanKr are on display with From Earth to Mist !

From the war in Ukraine to the climate emergency, the exhibition invites visitors to discover these topics that are in the news through funny and impactful drawings. Plop & KanKr, aka Julie Besombes and Simon Baert, work together. Julie is illustrious, Simon is an author. “KanKr offers me themes in written form. We discuss them and choose what we start with”explains Plop.

“Afterwards, Julie draws the first sketches”, adds KanKr. Their works are published in the regional, national and international press (THE World, Siné Monthly, The weather, South-West Sunday…). From Tarn, where they are based, they produce on average one drawing per day on a news story. “We highlight the main subject, we add as many relevant details as possible”, says Plop.

Committed press cartoonists

Plop & KanKr combines both graphic and journalistic quality. The drawings chosen for this exhibition have all been published. They lead the visitor to take a step back and question this “catastrophe” news that overwhelms us every day. Committed press cartoonists, Plop & KanKr naturally joined Cartooning for Peace in 2020. This international network brings together nearly 320 cartoonists around the world who fight for respect for cultures and freedoms with humor.

In 2021, when Plantu left The worldthe daily looked for its replacements in this collective. Plop & KanKr were among the lucky ones. Also very involved with the youngest, they lead workshops and meetings in schools. A way of educating young people to appreciate the relevance of a press cartoon, whatever the level of controversy of the subject.

“From Earth to Mist ” by Plop & KanKr – International center of caricature, press cartoons and humor of Saint-Just-le-Martel (Haute-Vienne), Space Wolf, 7 road to the Water Castle – Until the 14th august 2024 – Full price :5 euros.