Artist in Review: Chandler Shekhar Guera

I wrote this piece as part of a Learning Activity I did for Open Colleges.

Here is what I had to say.

30526a – Learning Activity 07: Research an Emerging Designer

by Colleen Sedgwick

I chose Indian editorial cartoonist, illustrator and graphic designer Chandler Shekhar Guera[1].  While he also trained as a graphic designer, it is his cartoons that are the real 'stand out' to me (as I also hope to become a cartoonist myself).

Born on the 30^th August, 1965, in Moga, Punjab, India, he obtained a degree in science through Multani Mai College at Patiala (in 1986), before studying the Applied Arts through The College of Art at New Delhi (in 1990).

His awards and honours are many, as seen on his website[2], and on Wikipedia:

1.      Upon graduation, he secured four University Colors and Gold Medals in Cartooning and Sketching:

2.      1982: as a student of 11^th, he was honored by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Balram Jakhar.

3.      1989: honored by the PM, Rajiv Gandhi;

4.      1990: by The President, Giani Zail Singh and in 1992 with the Best Cartoonist Award by the PM, P. V. Narasimha Rao,during 1st Bab Jagjeevan Ram Memorial All India Art Exhibition.

5.      1996: awarded for the Excellence in Cartooning at 20thMatri Shree Media Awards, by the Delhi CM, Sahib Singh Verma.

6.      1997: represented India at the 3rd Asian Cartoon and Art Exhibition conducted by The Japan Foundation at Tokyo,

7.      2002: awarded by The Saitama's Humor Photo Contest, Japan.

8.      2011: honored at Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya Memorial 7th Annual Award for Journalism (Cartoonist).

He also coordinated Kargil Kartoons in 1999, contributed to Future Lens in 2002, published the 2005 Calender for the Productivity Council[3]; and showed his support for the victims of the attack on Charlie Hebdo[4].

Here are two examples of his work.

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[1]    Wikipedia (2015): Shekhar Gurera in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shekhar_Gurera, accessed 13/03/15 at 04:31:19

[2]    Gurera, Shekhar (2012): 'Profile of the Cartoonist Shekhar Gurera' in http://shekhargurera1.tripod.com/profile.htm, accessed 13/03/15 at 04:53:36;

[3]    Guera, Shekhar (2005): 'A Chain of Cartoons for the NPC, 2005' in http://www.readwhere.com/read/161470/g4u-MEDIA/Cartoons-for-the-NPC-2005#page/1/2; accessed 13/03/15 at 05:02:31;

[4]    Quadri, Altaf (2015): 'Photo of the day' in Yahoo Celbrity (Philipines), https://ph.celebrity.yahoo.com/photos/photo-of-the-day-slideshow-slideshow/indian-cartoonists-draw-cartoons-show-solidarity-victims-attack-photo-131936024.html', accessed 13/03/15 at 05:07:21

Why I chose this artist?

I did it in honour of Diwali (or Deepavali) which is due to happen on November the 7th this year.  I have many Indian friends who are very witty, intelligent and fun to be around.  They are also fairly generous and inclusive.

I haven't taken part in any of these celebrations, but my brother has (as his workplace employed many Indian and Hindi-speaking persons).   From what he told me, he enjoyed it immensely.

Oh, and I love cartoons too 😎

Anyway, this is one such artist I am inspired by.

cheers

Colleen 👳