BONIL CARTOONS

Introductory Label Text by Katie Knight

Pencil in hand, the contemporary Ecuadorian cartoonist Xavier Bonilla, or Bonil, uses humor to call out hypocrisy and injustice in national and international politics. He is a strong advocate of freedom of expression.  Having faced censorship and sanctions by the Ecuadorian government, Bonil continues to draw in spite of the government’s attempts to silence his voice.  In light of the attack in Paris, France this past January on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo where twelve were left dead, securing and sustaining freedom of speech becomes ever more important.

In the first and second floor hallways of the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center, students in the Art 373 Installation Art class have created several collaborative works inspired by Bonil’s cartoons.  In conjunction with the artist’s visit to WKU, these installations meditate on freedom of speech and expression, highlighting major themes found in Bonil’s work as well as within our own society.  

These images are examples of political cartoons drawn by the Ecuadorian artist Bonil (Xavier Bonilla). His work is published in El Universo, one of Ecuador’s largest daily newspapers. Bonil often speaks out against censorship, and has twice faced sanctions and jail time from the Ecuadorian government for his drawings. He still refuses to put down his pencil, and, as stated in his nomination for the international 2015 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression award, has therefore earned a reputation as “one of South America’s most fearless cartoonists.”