The Blogtoonist

My toon for a United Nations' Cartoon Exhibition

2012-02-06T11:17:00.000-08:00

This cartoon was included in a Human Rights cartoon exhibition at the UN Headquarters in 2007 and has subsequently travelled to Belgium, France, Austria and Switzerland in 2008. View the works by the other cartoonists at the United Nations' website.

Computers Then and Now

2012-02-05T10:20:00.001-08:00

Designed for Dictators

2012-01-18T21:45:00.000-08:00

Rodel Tapaya at Singapore's ArtStage2012

2012-01-12T21:57:00.000-08:00

I spent one morning with my University fraternity brother Rodel Tapaya at the ArtStage Singapore 2012 galleries (Marina Bay Sands). Rodel won the recently concluded Singapore Art Museum's Signature Art Prize 2011. Magical thinking is always inherent in his excellent oeuvre. Experience more of his magic here.

I Have A Needling Suspicion That Cats Can Do Things Like This:

2012-01-11T10:25:00.000-08:00

Kim Jong-Il

2011-12-19T13:13:00.000-08:00

This cartoon made it to The New York Times Weekly Roundup of Cartoons from Around the World.

The Disabled EURO

2011-12-07T21:08:00.000-08:00

My Toon in The New York Times' Weekly Roundup of World Cartoons.

With the Help of the Khmer Rouge

2011-11-28T23:36:00.000-08:00

This is an illustration that accompanied Straits Times Defence writer Robert Karniol's piece, recounting his experience running away from the Vietnam People's Army(VPA) through the jungles of Cambodia and into the Thai border with the help of his hosts, the Khmer Rouge.

The EURO as seen from Spain

2011-11-22T11:44:00.000-08:00

View this and my other cartoons at The New York Times website.

Pacific Diptych: New Paintings

2011-10-28T10:50:00.000-07:00

Pacific Diptych

Miel and Jose Tence Ruiz

Artesan Gallery + Studio

Opens 8^th November 2011

Ends 29^th November 2011

Two Asians, two Filipinos whose names sound neither particularly Asian nor Filipino, Miel and Tence Ruiz, hold an exhibit about traversing : Traversing the Pacific Ocean with their imaginations, traversing their identities which are patently migratory, traversing from imperial present to colonial past, traversing between homeland and adopted city state, traversing to be again together in a congress of re-examined icons.

Miel and Tence Ruiz paint bridges between themselves, this pacific diptych where they cross freely into mingled imaginings wrapped around itinerant heroes and transnational blunders. Their latest paintings reference the present while mirroring the colonial, the invasive and the mysterious. They dwell on global Filipinos such as Jose Rizal and David Medalla, unfurling their roots and retracing their trajectories, possibly extrapolating their teleologies. Their show proposes itineraries that have been both well trod yet underexplored.

Pacific Diptych opens a figurative wormhole between two friends, Miel and Tence Ruiz, parted by geography but bundled together by deep memory and will be part of the larger voyage that comprises the Filipino Art Trek in Singapore in November 2011. Their exposition opens on November 8, 2011 at Artesan Gallery+ Studio, 793 Bukit Timah Road, #02-01 Singapore 269765.

Philippine Art Trek V Schedule of Art Openings in Singapore

2011-10-23T06:18:00.000-07:00

Killer Drones

2011-10-15T06:14:00.000-07:00

Review/Opinion page illustration, The Straits Times, September 2011

Who will be the Republican Nominee for the US Presidential Election?

2011-10-14T10:54:00.000-07:00

This is my "Punchlines" cartoon column in The Straits Times today, October 15, 2011.

The EURO

2011-10-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

You can also view this and my other cartoons at The New York Times website.

Obama 2012

2011-10-01T21:24:00.000-07:00

You can also view this and my other cartoons at The New York Times website.

Ocean of Forms by Rabindranath Tagore

2011-09-30T03:58:00.000-07:00

I dive down into the depth of the ocean of forms,
hoping to gain the perfect pearl of the formless.
No more sailing from harbor to harbor with this my weather-beaten boat.
The days are long passed when my sport was to be tossed on waves.
And now I am eager to die into the deathless.
Into the audience hall by the fathomless abyss
where swells up the music of toneless strings
I shall take this harp of my life.
I shall tune it to the notes of forever,
and when it has sobbed out its last utterance,
lay down my silent harp at the feet of the silent.

From "The Gitanjali: Song Offerings". This is the reason why Tagore is one of my favourite poet-philisophers. This is reminiscent of WB Yeats, too.

The University of New South Wales Alumni Reception in Singapore

2011-09-26T07:12:00.000-07:00

The University of New South Wales Alumni Reception in Singapore

Guest of Honour: Professor Frederick Hilmer AO
President and Vice-Chancellor, UNSW

Thursday, 29 September 2011

Fullerton Hotel
1 Fullerton Square,
Singapore 049178

See you there, guys!

Mr Lee Kuan Yew

2011-09-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

I have done this sketch of Mr Lee KuanYew at the Istana last September 8, 2011, just a few short days before his 88th birthday. I am not happy with this sketch as I felt that I have not really "captured" the minute facets of his countenance. When doing sketches of faces, especially of historical figures, it is not really about capturing a likeness which is rather easy but it is more about capturing the essence of the subject. Essence being the sum total of the man: his joys and his triumphs, his sorrows and his pains. These are myriad, abstract and disparate concepts. A good portrait will try to distill all of these into one, compelling image. I have not been successful with this attempt.

Urban Sketching

2011-09-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

This is a sketch that I had done last month(August 6). Urban Sketchers Singapore have a mandate where only sketches done on site or in situ is considered a valid visual account. So it has always been imperative for us to take photos of the subject as well as the accompanying drawing to substantiate documentation: A photo of a drawing of a place.

It is this redundancy that somehow strengthens and expands the process of documentation that might delight the semioticians out there. The drawing becomes, in effect, an aide memoire or something that helps us remember. Remembering is the sad, soulful essence of nostalgia. The drawing part dichotomises the experience of the sketcher. He is there yet he is lost in his drawing. Drawing internalises that experience for him which makes for a vivid account of the place. "Been there, Drawn that" seems to be the dictum that we have to abide by. But we can never get tired of drawing the houses at Ann Siang Hill, for example. The morning, midday and afternoon sun yields different aspects of a particular place-- building cracks that reveal their wooden sinews inside, paint peeling off and falling like autumn leaves, alcoves pregnant with dust and the debris of memory forming little mountain-heaps by the roadside. Every visit is like a gift. And it shall always be like that for the Urban Sketchers-- for where there is light, we will be there, sketching that gift of light and shadows. (Miel, September 22. 2:05 AM)

Best cartoons from the World's top newspapers

2011-09-16T13:41:00.000-07:00

Every week, The New York Times selects 4 to 5 cartoons from the world's newspapers to be featured in their "Views of The World" column. Once in a while, my cartoons gets to be included in that selection. This is one of those instances:

Chinese Naval Ascendancy

2011-09-12T07:07:00.000-07:00

An illustration I did using Adobe Illustrator CS5. Took me 3 hours to combine all the elements together. Illustration was published in The Straits Times (September 05, 2011).

"Herbal Essence"

2011-09-11T01:52:00.000-07:00

Illustration for a commentary piece (The Straits Times, September 10,2011 issue) on the next teen drug fix called "Herbal Essence".

My Straits Times' "Punchlines" cartoon column on Obama's Job Creation Package

2011-09-09T13:23:00.000-07:00

This cartoon can also be viewed together with my other cartoons at The New York Times website.

Homestretch...

2011-09-06T08:18:00.000-07:00

Putting in the finishing touches to a 3.5' x 7' work on canvas:

Pagoda Street at 3:00 PM

2011-09-04T12:13:00.000-07:00

Smart Phones

2011-08-31T07:44:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favourite cartoons:

Masjid Sultan

2011-08-23T20:17:00.000-07:00

Or Sultan Mosque as it is also known, is located at Kampong Glam, the Malay and Arab Quarters during Raffles time. I would usually go there when I crave for my murtabak, tulang soup, Milo dinosaur, Teh Tarik and the purely unadulterated "uncle kopi". This time of the year is particularly special, this being the month of "Ramadan" or the Islamic month for fasting. The place is bustling, with "makan" shops and food hawkers getting ready for "buka puasa" or breaking fast, usually timed between 6 and 7 PM.

Pic of the Day#2

2011-08-22T21:31:00.000-07:00

Another blisteringly hot day:

Morgan Chua's new book on Madam Kwa Geok Choo

2011-08-21T03:48:00.000-07:00

My very good friend, Far Eastern Economic Review(defunct) Art Director and Editorial Cartoonist Morgan Chua's new book about Mrs Lee Kuan Yew is finally out. The amount of work invested into this book was painstaking as it was meticulously drawn. Morgan's research was so intrepid that he was able to draw from sources other than the National Archives and the National Library -- where he had spent a full 8 months earlier, reading up on the life of Madam Kwa and drawing the cartoons. Morgan's tribute in cartoon form starts off with Mrs Lee's childhood days growing up in Pasir Panjang and then moves on to tell us about the highlights in her life as an A-1 student in an all-boy's school to Wife, Mother and then Grandmother. The book is available at BooksActually.

"Excellence in Editorial Cartooning" Award, 2011

2011-08-18T06:20:00.000-07:00

This cartoon has won for me my third "Excellence in Editorial Cartooning" Award from the Society of Publisher's in Asia (SOPA). The Awarding ceremony/Gala dinner was held at the JW Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong last June 8, 2011.

My LONDON BURNING toon

2011-08-11T06:33:00.000-07:00

My take on the London riots recently. Cartoon can also be viewed at: http://www.caglecartoons.com/ and at The New York Times website

Pic of the Day

2011-08-06T05:49:00.000-07:00

A Roadside Scene along River Valley Road

The World's Forests

2011-08-01T02:48:00.000-07:00

This cartoon can also be viewed at The New York Times website.

A Caricature of Me by Don Low

2011-07-31T07:32:00.000-07:00

This very accurate depiction of me was done by my multitalented sketching kaki, Don Low. He's into Animation, Graphic Design, Painting, etc... His blog says it all: http://www.donlowillustration.com/blog/

Brain Drain

2011-07-18T06:55:00.000-07:00

This is an illustration for a Straits Times Review piece, 1997

Tiong Bahru Revisited Exhibition

2011-07-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

These are some of the sketches that I did for our second group show "Tiong Bahru Revisited" Exhibition. Also featured are the works of my sketching kakis Tia Boon Sim, Don Low and Paul Wang. The show is on until July 17, 2011. White Canvas Gallery, 78 Guan Chuan Street, #01-41, Singapore 160078

Arab Spring

2011-06-26T03:45:00.000-07:00

You can also view this cartoon at The New York Times website.

Extremism

2011-06-20T04:43:00.000-07:00

This illustration accompanied an article in The Straits Times' Review pages about religious extremism. The story is about self-styled preachers parroting the contents of the holy book out of context just so that they could essay forth a deadly agenda. I used a black ballpoint pen to draw this, then scanned/manipulated it in Adobe Photoshop.

Tombstones

2011-06-13T20:58:00.000-07:00

Heng Kim Song's New Book

2011-06-07T13:18:00.000-07:00

My very good friend Heng Kim Song had an exhibition cum book launch recently. His book "Heng On The World Again" came 13 years after the first compilation of his riveting cartoon commentaries. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs George Yeo, in his Foreword to the book, mentioned Heng's "unusual ability to look deep into a situation, into its very essence, and to to see the humor and irony of it".

PM Lee also commented that "While foreign policy is a serious matter, serious points can often be made most effectively with a sense of humour. Your (Heng's) work demonstrates this."

If you value good art and incisive political commentary, this book deserves to be on your bookshelves.

Flash Floods

2011-06-07T02:54:00.000-07:00

This cartoon was published a year ago. A similar occurrence happened earlier this week. Parts of Bukit Timah and the shopping district of Orchard Road were inundated by rainwater.

Mladic

2011-06-05T06:06:00.000-07:00

The Filipinos in Singapore

2011-06-02T13:45:00.000-07:00

This cartoon spread was done for a coffee table book about Filipinos in Singapore. "Singapinoys" is a contraction of the word "Singapore" and the colloquial term "Pinoys" to mean "Filipinos". So, "Singapinoys" collectively refers to Filipinos past and present who are residents/transients in the Island-Republic.

Voted for the first time in 20 years:)

2011-05-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

Doodles#3

2011-05-27T07:06:00.001-07:00

Doodles#2

2011-05-23T06:37:00.001-07:00

Asian Civilizations Museum Habitue

2011-05-20T16:36:00.000-07:00

Double-spread cartoon scene for the book "Chronicle of Singapore"

2011-05-16T07:26:00.000-07:00

After doing the cartoon mural for the National Museum of Singapore in May 2010, I was commissioned to do a cartoon spread along the same vein by Editions Didier Millet. You can view sample pages and entries from the book here.

Osama

2011-05-12T05:03:00.000-07:00

View this cartoon at The New York Times website: https://www.nytsyn.com/cartoons/cartoons?start_date=1901-01-01&search_id=75165#588185

Cartoons used in National Education

2011-05-08T11:53:00.000-07:00

The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC) in tandem with Primary and Secondary schools in the US, uses cartoons as a teaching tool for students. In this lesson about the recent political upheaval in Egypt, the work of 'The Economist' cartoonist Kevin "Kal" Kallaugher and yours truly were used as points for discussion.

Museum Guardian

2011-05-07T21:04:00.000-07:00

National Museum, The Philippines

2011-05-07T18:14:00.000-07:00

IDOLISM Art Show at Curious Teepee

2011-05-04T16:28:00.000-07:00

Opening Launch: Thursday 5th May 2011, 7.30pm to 9.30pm

A tweed jacket, lobster claw heels, four little white stitches, a red gown…Iconography that has been etched into our psyche wittingly (and unwittingly) through the delirious world of fashion.

For this exhibition, illustrators draw inspiration from these objects of desire and their inventors, creating original artworks in the process. Using different mediums, participating artists includeMindflyer, Mr B, Fleecircus, Sokkuan, Cherie The Mrr, Eeshaun, AnnGee, SanSan, Noreen, Fei,Miel, Annie Tan, Twisstii and Mriz Sidah just to name a few. With varying backgrounds and styles, from political cartoons, to abstract surrealism, several take their first foray into fashion as subject matter.

With the inaugural Singapore Men’s Fashion Week just past and the upcoming Audi Fashion Festival this May, A Curious Teepee and OIC aim to convey another side of fashion, as seen through the eyes and hands of an artist.

All artworks are on display and available for sale till Sunday 22nd May at A Curious Teepee,12pm to 9pm daily.

Painting on a Rainy Saturday

2011-04-16T00:13:00.001-07:00

Doodles#1

2011-04-13T07:28:00.000-07:00

Liquid City 2 Anthology nominated for an Eisner Award

2011-04-07T20:47:00.000-07:00

According to our good friend Sonny Liew (Singapore's "Young Artist Awardee, 2010), the comic book "Liquid City 2" for which he edited together with comics historian/academic Lim Cheng Tju, has been nominated for the prestigious 'Eisner Award' for 'Best Anthology'.

My work "SIGNS" is included in this anthology:

Please read The Reader's Digest review here: http://www.rdasia.com/liquid-city-redux

And the Time magazine review here: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2042224,00.html

My Toon in The New York Times

2011-04-03T02:43:00.000-07:00

https://www.nytsyn.com/cartoons/cartoons?channel_id=185#576794

Bedeviled By Nuclear Power

2011-03-29T10:36:00.000-07:00

Illustration for a commentary piece on the hazards and benefits of Nuclear Energy Use. The Straits Times Comments and Analysis Page/ March 28, 2011 (Wash Pencil on A4 paper and enhanced in Photoshop).

Heng Kim Song's Political Cartoons at The Arts House

2011-03-27T19:08:00.000-07:00

My good friend Heng and I rarely get to have coffee together like we used to but we do communicate silently through the cartoons that we produce everyday. And it was a welcome respite last Saturday to pull myself away from the gazillion things that preoccupies me and visit him at his "Meet the Artist" session at the Arts House. This is his second solo exhibition.

It is a rare visual treat for everybody to view Heng's cartoons in a fora like the Arts House. It is rarer still to view his excellent take on Asian and Global affairs in a single collection like this one. It is a veritable panorama of incisive visual commentary on the blistering issues of our time-- so please visit the Arts House today. Exhibition runs until tomorrow, Tuesday, March 29, 2011.

This photo was taken by one of our friends too, Mat Tocang. You can view his cartoons and caricatures here: http://tocangku.multiply.com/

The Moon and The Earth

2011-03-23T05:11:00.000-07:00

The Super Moon (Moon at Perigee) event that occurred recently has given us an almost 'intimate' view of its bony countenance. Exactly what the Earth has been turning into because of extensive environmental abuse and degradation. My cartoon above was published in The International Herald Tribune, July 20, 2009.

My Illustration that was used for a Washington Post cover

2011-03-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

This was published in February 2006. Illustration was done with Adobe Illustrator 2.0.

Libya's Gaddafi

2011-03-09T04:49:00.000-08:00

An illustration for the Commentary page of The Straits Times (March 10, 2011 issue)

A Fan Mail

2011-03-07T06:15:00.000-08:00

Dear Miel,

I am your newest admirer, perhaps. Your cartoon of the Statue of Liberty holding up a computer with its light shining out to the world captured perfectly the role America has played in the new cry for freedom and liberty sweeping the Arab World. It was the American invented internet, Web, Facebook & Twitter that has opened the eyes of the oppressed world of the freedoms, opportunities and human potential already existing in the free, democratic countries of the world. Your cartoon appeared in the Rapid City Journal of South Dakota, USA.

Thank you for expressing my deep feelings about the power of communications to bring light into the darkness filling the space with truth and hope and dreams. You have "said" this in the most simple and honest way in a language understood by all the peoples of the world.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Les Evjen
Fairburn [Black Hills]
South Dakota
USA

The People Power President

2011-02-23T17:46:00.000-08:00

Remembering the February 25, 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution that propelled President Corazon Aquino into power. That's us with then Malaya newspaper editor Joe Burgos (next to Cory) at the Malacanang Palace. We were young, idealistic journalists from the defunct Philippines Daily Express newspaper. And 25 years hence , my ever generous friend Ambeth Ocampo (to my left) became the eminent Philippine Historian/Esteemed Academic that he is now-- and yours truly, still draws for a living :)

The US and IRAN

2011-02-23T02:56:00.000-08:00

Illustration done in Illustrator CS.

Illustration about the Perilous Fiscal Reforms in Japan

2011-02-16T06:16:00.000-08:00

This was published on March 4, 2010, The Straits Times Comments and Analysis Page.

Illustration for an article on Arms Trafficking in Thailand

2011-02-13T06:49:00.000-08:00

Orchard Road Pasar Malam

2011-02-09T06:43:00.000-08:00

A cover illustration for The Straits Times' Life! Section (October 5, 2008 issue). I love drawing crowds like this. I love the small details and I like to show how each character in this setup interact with each other. This was done in a day.

Uncovering The Anonimity of Web Presences

2011-01-30T23:40:00.000-08:00

An illustration I did for a commentary piece in The Straits Times Review pages, November 2010.

Sergio Aragones and I

2011-01-24T16:07:00.000-08:00

That's me in my touristy and cheapo $10 polo shirt from Chinatown--with fellow National Cartoonists' Society(NCS) pal Sergio Aragones; Cancun, Mexico; 2002.

Toxic Dollar

2011-01-04T23:14:00.001-08:00

An illustration for The Straits Times Review Page

rhacoporus rizali

2010-12-29T20:10:00.000-08:00

One of the seven works in progress for a two-man show with Jose Tence Ruiz. November 2011. Artesan Gallery, Singapore. This piece hopes to dissect the metaphors surrounding the Life and Death of Dr Jose Protacio Rizal. Dr Rizal's marker is located at the mouth of the Singapore River, next to the Asian Civilizations Museum.

Political Prisoners in China

2010-11-13T22:50:00.000-08:00

Illustration I did for The Straits Times.

Warming Up for a Two-Man Show next year

2010-11-11T20:03:00.000-08:00

The painting that you see here was presented to the heir of S. Rajaratnam (Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister, 1980-1985), at a ceremony held last year at the Arts House (Old Parliament, Singapore).

One of the Two Cats We Have

2010-11-01T20:22:00.000-07:00

Colour Sketch of my wife done for the OIC Nov2010 Portrait Day Poster

2010-10-29T06:24:00.000-07:00

Tribute to the Dean of Philippine Cartooning: Larry Alcala (1926- 2002)

2010-09-29T06:34:00.000-07:00

Male Nude study in Tempera based on 5-minute sketches

2010-09-20T03:47:00.000-07:00

Quick sketching results for 5 minute poses- OIC nude sketching session, September 19, 2010

2010-09-20T03:45:00.000-07:00

Kim Jong Il

2010-09-12T00:53:00.000-07:00

US Immigration Policy

2010-09-09T23:59:00.000-07:00

Illustration done in Illustrator CS

2010-09-06T06:05:00.001-07:00

Study for a Painting

2010-09-03T21:50:00.000-07:00

State of the Philippines

2010-09-03T21:24:00.000-07:00

VivoCity Sketches (August 23)

2010-08-31T04:34:00.000-07:00

Sketching Trip to Malacca(August 28-29)

2010-08-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

Cartoon Mural for the National Museum of Singapore

2010-07-12T01:39:00.000-07:00

Obama Crossing The Rubicon

2010-06-24T03:34:00.000-07:00

Obama's Oil Spiel

2010-06-20T01:50:00.000-07:00

Cartoon Interview I did with Malaysian cartoonist Lat:

2010-06-17T05:22:00.000-07:00