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but
still there’s far more to go...
 A
young and renowned
cartoonist, graphic designer and illustrator,
Abin Shrestha is a quintessential figure in Nepali
media arts. Moreover, renowned as cartoonist,
Abin’s cartoon gushes into the common psyche
of varied audience. Busy as a bee working for
several Nepali newspapers and magazines, this
art icon has paved a path for the youth who see
their career in arts and designing and stands
as a source of inspiration for all. It is said
that a picture speaks thousands words and cartoons
speaks even more. Find out what he speaks with
us about himself and his work.
Apart
from your daily hectic schedule you brought out
a book of cartoon collection and recently you
have developed your own website. What drives you
for all these? I have compiled my work on cartoons in
the book "Abin’s Cartoon Collection"
to reach out to more people and I hope it helps
the society. In this connection I have tried to
put my work on the internet also. Nepali cartoons
have not reached the internet as they should have.
We have a good access to cartoons of foreigners.
Whenever I see the cartoon of foreigners, and
compare their work with ours, I find that we too
are making as good cartoons as they are making.
So, to make it global I opted for it, www.abin.com.np.
What
changes do you find in the perspectives of general
public looking at a cartoonist in the past and
at present?
It’s very much satisfying. At the
time when I started things weren’t like
today. People used to look at a cartoonist as
a mere joker who makes fun out of everything.
Cartoonists were not a part of media or society.
Now things have changed a lot in these years of
democracy. Cartoonists are well accepted by general
readers to intellectuals. Every newspaper or magazine
has cartoons section portraying various aspects
of our thinking, trend and norms related to our
society, culture and politics. It is changing
slowly, but still there’s far more to go.
How
did you start your career in this field?
Actually, I had never imagined of becoming a cartoonist.
I used to be an artist in my school days. Teachers
and friends used to like my drawings and illustrations.
I used to draw for my friends. It was fun when
everyone would come to me and ask to draw a biology
sketch for their assignment in school. At the
very time I sent my work to Gorkhapatra when they
were looking for a cartoonist. I have around 10
cartoons published in the front-page of Gorkhapatra.
Later on, I joined Nepal Times daily for one year.
I used to get Rs.1500 monthly and it was around
twelve years ago. Then I worked in few weekly
newspapers before joining Himalaya Times daily.
After this, there was no looking back.
So
you didn’t join any formal class to learn
cartoon ?
It’s quite a different thing. You cannot
be a cartoonist just by attending formal classes.
Yes you can be a good illustrator, artist or painter.
To make cartoon, you have to have an open mind,
creativeness and an up-to-date information and
knowledge about the recent trends, news and happenings
and analyze it in your own way so that you can
make a clear presentation to the general readers.
I had a passion for drawing and it helped me to
make cartoons. And for concept, I think I am god-gifted!
(Laughs).
Computers
have been a part of everyone’s profession
and how are you making use of it?
Initially, I wasn’t that much into
computer stuffs. Later on, I felt the necessity
of computer to gear up the quality of my cartoons.
But I still prefer to use hands rather than computer.
I use computer to fill simple colours.
What
are the opportunities for younger generations?
There are lots of opportunities. Today, newspapers
don’t come out without cartoons. There still
is lack of good cartoonists. Cartoonist can now
survive making cartoons.
-
Kathmandu Infotiser
June, 2005 |
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Abin
hits earth and environment with cartoons
 Is
it possible to make a living just by drawing cartoons
in a country like Nepal where artists are yet to
be noticed in the society? A young cartoonist 'Abin',
Abindra Man Shrestha confidently retorts in the
positive saying yes, and informs that he has been
professionally engaged in this field and is satisfied.
Organized by Rastriya
Tewa Karyakram, a one-man cartoon show, 'The Earth,
Environment and Life' kicked off today at Nepal
Art Council Gallery, Kathmandu on the occasion
of the World Environment Day.
Around forty cartoons are on
display mainly on air, sound and water pollution;
environment policy, deforestation, city life,
garbage problem, urbanization beyond control,
conversation of heritage and others. Though the
whole collection is chained by the same topic,
each cartoon depicts the same problem in different
moods or perspective, leaving no space for monotony
and repetition. This is not only the exhibition
of art but more of his creativity and tendency
to raise awareness about environment problems,
hitting our city and the country at large. Of
the all cartoons, the ones with the Earth representing
the dish, entering the city with the empty belly
and returning with disease and Green property.
 All
cartoons are of the same size, drawn on white
paper with black ink using brush. The artist has
not let ugliness penetrate his cartoons yet his
creations do contain sense of humour, an essential
aspect to distinguish cartoons from other drawings,
He occasionally uses dialogue balloons but cartoon
sans caption can effectively covey a lot of things.
Neat and calm figures with unusual anatomy, expressing
his individuality, and trees, hills, garbage and
rivers in the background—Abin's cartoons can work
as the display board to teach the society. An
illustrative example in his cartoon depicting
tiger, rhino and other animals of the present-day
world with the creatures of the yesteryears such
as dinosaurous that no more exist in today's world.
In this busy world, people do
make mistakes and some mistakes are of the sort,
which is corrected only after someone pointed
it out. Like mirror, cartoons with humour give
the concerned sector a chance to overcome the
evil, says Abin. "My cartoons expose such
contaminations that need curing for the better
future."
He is successful to convey the
desires. But even today, the self-taught artist
feels he is still learning the art as it is something
like the more you work hard, the more things you
have still to learn.
He knows that cartoons saleable
but he does not intend to sell the present collection
as another exhibition.
-The
Kathmandu Post
June 6, 1997 |
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Abin's
Cartoon collection
 ABIN
Shrestha, a young talented cartoonist in Nepal,
has published "Abin's Cartoon Collection
Vol. 1". His cartoons are frequently seen
in the newspapers and magazines, but this is the
first book of cartoon collection he has published
to his credits. He also happens to be the designer
of this very magazine- Kathmandu Infotiser.
The winner of several prizes for his excellence
in creation of cartoons, Abin has a unique style
of presentation. His cartoons speak volumes about
the bizarre situations that we notice in our daily
activities here in Nepal. If you really want to
laugh your heart out, buy it. There are 104 hilarious
cartoons. This book can be taken as a big development
in the field of cartoon creation because there
are not more than a few such books. While this
can be an inspiration to other cartoonists, the
tyros in this field can learn many ideas from
this collection of cartoons.
This feat of a young and dynamic cartoonist Abin
is sure to give the cartoon creation sector of
Nepal a leap.
Published by Ashokman Singh for Humour and Satire
Society of Nepal, the book is priced at Rs. 280.
Presented in hard cover and with translations
in English, the price seems reasonable.
- Kathmandu
Infotiser
Sep, 2004 |
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