Recently, local cartoonist Rodrigo de Matos received an honorable mention at the 23rd Sejong International Cartoon Contest SICACO 2014, held in Seoul, South Korea. The cartoon, which appeared in the Macau Daily Times newspaper, reflects on the challenges of protecting cultural heritage in Asia, showing a bulldozer with teeth about to devour a traditional Chinese pagoda.
A long time collaborator and now full-time journalist with our sister publication Ponto Final, this is not the first time Rodrigo has received accolades for his work. In 2013, he won the Press Cartoon Europe Grand Prize, for a work he created for Portuguese weekly Expresso, depicting the harsh realities of the economic crisis in Portugal. He also took third prize in the World Press Freedom International Editorial Cartoon Competition, held in Canada, for a cartoon published in the Times.
And this year looks like being another exciting year for the cartoonist, as two of his cartoons have been listed in the Top 50 entries of the Press Cartoon Europe 2015 awards.
“It’s important for any professional to have their work recognised. These are important international contests, which makes it even more special because I have the chance to be out there representing my country, Portugal, and the place that is my home, Macau. It’s an honour, more than anything,” comments Rodrigo.
Both of his cartoons at this year’s Press Cartoon Europe were published by Expresso, in Portugal.
“One is about the problems in Ukraine. It shows the country’s attempt to get closer to the European Union and the big obstacle from its powerful neighbour Russia. The other one is a sports allegory of the situation in the Gaza strip. I thought of a ballistic tennis match between Israel and Hamas, with a bomb instead of a ball and the people being used as the net. The UN appears as the referee, only watching and not intervening. I called this one “Palestennis”.

As for what makes a really effective satirical cartoon, he notes: “The most important thing is that it must be based on a good idea, journalistically speaking, and a relevant reflection on what’s going on in the world or the area we’re working in. And it has to cause a similar (but not necessarily the same) reflection for the reader. Apart from that, it should also be funny, and, if it’s well drawn, even better.”
The beginning of this year brought satirical cartoons into the spot light very dramatically with the tragic killing of editors, journalists and cartoonists at the French paper Charlie Hebdo.
“I felt very sad for the people who died in such a cowardly attack, and like many other cartoonists, I also felt a revolt within, compelling me to express this in cartoon form,” reflects Rodrigo. “I drew four cartoons about the attacks in a few days, and many of my fellow cartoonists around the world did the same. That’s how we work: by reacting to whatever we find is not right in our society and offering our views to the readers to make them think about it. Shaking and waking up minds is probably our most noble role.”
