HISTORY OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLIVE CARTOONS CONTEST AND REASONS FOR THE TRANSITION FROM COLOR CARTOONS TO BLACK & WHITE CARTOONS
The Olive Cartoons Contest and Exhibition was started in 2007 upon the suggestion of the Cyprus Turkish Cartoonists Association to the Kyrenia Municipality. Kyrenia Turkish Municipality was established in 1958, and the Cyprus Turkish Cartoonists Association was established in 1986.
23 years ago, Kyrenia Municipality started to organize an Olive Festival in the village, historically known as "Temploz" and now called "Zeytinlik", near Kyrenia city, in order to keep the Olive tree and Olive product alive. The purpose of the Olive Festival was to preserve and preserve the Olive tree and its products, which have been produced in Cyprus for thousands of years and are a source of income for many families. The unplanned urbanization and reinforced concrete construction that began to occur in the Turkish Cypriot Community since the 1980s caused the Olive tree, an important product, to decline.
As a result of faulty zoning plans, construction companies and private individuals have built houses in areas where Olives are produced, which has led to a decrease in Olive trees and Olive production. The Turkish Cypriot Community, which used to export Olive oil abroad, is importing Olives and Olive oil from abroad due to faulty policies. In order to draw attention to these problems, the Olive Cartoons Contest, which has been organized since 2007, aims to protect the Olive tree and increase Olive production. In addition, it aims to criticize the contradictions and wrong policies regarding Olive production through cartoon art and convey them to the masses.
In line with these purposes, the "National Olive Cartoons Contest" was organized in 2007. This event was organized as the "International Olive Cartoons Contest" between 200 8 –2009 and 2014 – 2019. In line with the intense demand from cartoonists in various countries of the world, a new arrangement was made for the "International Olive Cartoons Contest" as of 2020. The name of the event was changed to "International Olive Humor Festival – International Cartoon Contest" in order to include "Free" themed cartoons in the scope of the contest.
In order to eliminate the problems, corruption, virtual and technological problems experienced in World Cartoon Art and international cartoon contests after the 1990s, the following issues have been the basic principles while organizing the National – International Olive Cartoon Contests since 2007:
1 – Original cartoons sent to the contest by mail will be accepted.
2 – International Selection Committee Members will be invited to Kyrenia. Transportation, hotel and food expenses will be covered.
3 – Similar, imitation and stolen cartoons sent to the contest will be submitted for objection. Works selected by International Selection Committee Members will also be submitted for objection. Objections will be taken into consideration. Similar, imitation and stolen cartoons will be cancelled before the final results are announced.
4 – The cartoonists who win the first three awards in the competition will be invited to the award ceremony. Transportation, hotel and food expenses will be covered.
We hosted more than 60 cartoonists who served as International Selection Committee Members and more than 50 cartoonists who won awards in the "National - International Olive Cartoons Contests" held in Kyrenia between 2007 – 2009 and 2014 – 2024 (except for 2020 – 2021 due to Covid –19 quarantine conditions).
Following the decision taken by the Organizing Committee of the International Olive Humor Festival on 22.02.2024, it was announced that only cartoons prepared in Black and White colors will be accepted to the International Cartoon Contest. The reasons for this decision are as follows:
1 – After the development of computer technology, from the 1990s to the present day, World Cartoon Art has been facing major problems. After the initial, development and maturation periods, cartoon art, which was produced and reflected only with Black and White colors, plain, practical, deformed and exaggerated lines, has deviated from its essence.
2 – People who are not cartoonists, who do not know the essence of cartooning, who copy other people's ideas and quips using advanced computer programs – or Artificial Intelligence technology – and who produce drawings have taken control of the art of cartooning.
3 – Art products such as illustrations, paintings, photographs, abstract and surrealist paintings are converted into drawings with computer programs and presented as "cartoons". Since intense colors are used in such productions, "line" and "quips" cannot be understood.
4 – Many selection committee members working in international cartoon contests ignore simple, practical, deformed, exaggerated and understandable cartoons produced in Black and White. Illustrations, paintings, photographs, abstract and surrealist style colored and pseudo – cartoons prepared with computer programs are taken into consideration.
Due to these problems, we requested cartoons prepared in Black and White (Gray tones are not accepted), with simple, practical, deformed and exaggerated lines for the International Cartoon Contest and we received positive responses.
And the result... After many years, we once again experienced the magnificence and impact of cartoons produced only in Black and White. We perceived the quips and subjects reflected with simple, practical, deformed, exaggerated lines.
Dear authorities: Thank you very much for exhibiting the cartoons that won awards in the "13th International Cartoon Contest" organized by the Girne Municipality and the Cyprus Turkish Cartoonists Association in the city of Kyrenia, Cyprus, at the Gabrovo – Humor and Satire Museum. I extend my greetings to everyone who contributed and to those who will watch this exhibition.
Huseyin Cakmak
Cyprus Turkish Cartoonists Association
Secretary General.
International Olive Humor Festival
Organizing Committee Member.
24 October 2024
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