Foundation News

As Facebook has become more active at moderating political speech, it has had trouble dealing with satire.

SAN FRANCISCO — Since 2013, Matt Bors has made a living as a left-leaning cartoonist on the internet. His site, The Nib, runs cartoons from him and other contributors that regularly skewer right-wing movements and conservatives with political commentary steeped in irony.

Herb Block (aka Herblock) (1909-2001), legendary cartoonist for the Washington Post and four-time Pulitzer Prize winner, probably never met Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), but he did admire this artist and his art. He also admired, learned from, and drew upon work by other fine artists. How do we know? To explore this interesting aspect of Herblock’s work, let’s first ask what could the focused, forthright cartoonist possibly have in common with a global star of fine art who pioneered the early abstract style of Cubism?

Join curator Sara W. Duke of the Prints & Photographs Division, to learn how to access the Library's online collection of 20th-century political cartoons. She will also discuss strategies for exploring the work of Herbert L. Block, the editorial cartoonist known as a Herblock, who, during the course of his 72-year career, drew his opinion on events such as the Great Depression, World War II, the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal, gun control and global warming.

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Virginia-based cartoonist Joe Sutliff met Lewis three years ago at the ceremony for the Herblock Prize for editorial cartooning, immediately after the congressman delivered the event’s annual lecture at the Library of Congress. Sutliff identified himself as “a small-time political cartoonist” and said: “I don’t do that much” of influence. But Sutliff says Lewis “looked at me with that [inspiring] look and said: ‘But you do something. Thank you for what you do. Now go do some more.’ ”

Art in Action Exhibition: Herb Block Foundation's Marcela Brane & Sarah Alex

Summary

Drawings by the renowned cartoonist provided vital inspiration for the Library of Congress exhibition "Art in Action: Herblock and Fellow Artists Respond to Their Times." The show thematically paired his political cartoons with artists' prints, drawings and posters as a powerful way of exploring the role of artists in reflecting history, culture and society.

NEW YORK, NY – March 16, 2020 – The Herblock Award for Editorial Cartoon: Sponsored by The Herb Block Foundation, the Editorial Cartoon category celebrates the legacy of four-time Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist Herb Block and his remarkable contribution to American history and free expression. The three teen artists who will receive $1,000 scholarships for their outstanding drawings, illustrations, or animations offering commentary on current events or political topics are: Gina Bae, Palo Alto, CA; Steve Dou, San Jose, CA; Yarlhin Lopez, New York, NY.

The Herblock Prize & Lecture event at the Library of Congress on April 6, 2020 has been cancelled.

Due to the closing of the Library of Congress and concerns over coronavirus The Herb Block Foundation decided that it is in everyone's best interest to cancel the event.

We will let you know if this event will be rescheduled or if we will see you in 2021.

Take care,

Michael de Adder discusses winning the Herblock Prize.

An artist from Moncton has won a prestigious American award for excellence in editorial cartooning on Wednesday. 

Cartoonist Michael de Adder is this year's winner of the Herblock Prize, which was created in 2004 to support editorial cartooning "as an essential tool for preserving the rights of the American people through freedom of speech and the right of expression."

"I still don't know what to think," de Adder said Thursday. "I'm kind of blown away."

HALIFAX, N.S. - A picture may be worth a thousand words, but it doesn't hurt if it comes with the occasional cash prize and trophy.

Halifax artist Michael de Adder, whose work appears in The Chronicle Herald and other SaltWire Network publications, the Toronto Star and Ottawa Hill Times, is clearing room on his shelf for the 2020 Herblock Prize, a major U.S. award for editorial cartooning. He is also the first Canadian cartoonist to win the prize.

For Immediate Release

WASHINGTON, DC, Wednesday March 4, 2020 – Michael de Adder is the 2020 Herblock Prize winner for editorial cartooning.

A week ago, Patrick Chappatte wrote on his blog that he was a freshly ousted contract contributor to the New York Times, which as of July 1 would cease running political cartoons in its international edition, thus bringing it “into line” with the domestic newspaper.

CNN anchor Jake Tapper told The Daily Beast that the Times has driven “just one more nail in the coffin of what is a struggling art form,” while cartoonists have called the decision “devastating,” “spineless,” and “chickenshit.”

Janis Goodman and Peter Winant join WETA Around Town host Robert Aubry Davis to discuss the exhibit Art in Action, featuring drawings by Herblock.