I like most of my works

Once the jury have announced their verdict in the result of awarding you with Satyrykon Grand Prix, there could have been heard voices saying that the awarded work’s ‘polite’ and in line with the current worldview in Poland. It’s absurd as the jury was international, although it does suggest that being a satirist seems to be a rough way to make a living. Even though the message is clear, there’s still space for misunderstandings…

Well, that’s surprising for me. I haven’t heard any such comments. But am I to defend myself or explain anything? The moment I decide the drawing is complete and I release it to the world is like with grown-up child – it starts its independent life. I have some requests, expectations and hopes related to it but I don’t have much influence on its fate. It lives its own life and the audience will read it in their own way and will interpret it through their own, individual experiences…

You’ve been taking part in Satyrykon for years. You’ve gained a group of loyal fans, we’ve always seen your works at exhibitions and they’ve been nominated for awards a lot of times, just about to win the prize. And out of a sudden: Grand Prix. Have you counted much on this work of yours? Why do you think it’s won?

Honestly, I like most of my works. And I wish all the best to all of them, so I greatly enjoy this success. On the other hand, it’s always a kind of surprise that out of hundreds of various ideas for a graphic anecdote, an honourable Jury notices, appreciates and chooses exactly this drawing! I’ve sent some other works of mine for this year’s Satyrykon and kept my fingers crossed for them.

There’s a meeting of sacrum and profane in “Exhibitionist (unofficial title  )”. It might decide of this drawing’s power.

Should a satirical drawing be funny? A lot of people think it’s enough if it provokes some thought, and humour’s just added value. I’m asking as it seems to me it is your biggest power. We’ve been hearing for years at post-competition exhibitions that this years’ Satyrykon is somehow not much funny. This year jurors also admitted they burst in laughter seeing only few cartoons out of thousands viewed in total.

I think it’s a real craft to make somebody laugh at a drawing and I admire cartoonists who can do it. I wish I could draw that way. Unfortunately, not everything I find amusing is so for others. It also happens that some topic is moving and intriguing for me so much that I want to tell about it, although it doesn’t rely on a simple joke and rather tends to be pretext for some reflection.

I thinks cartoonists need to throw the ideas that come to their heads out of them. It’s of less importance whether these ideas are funny or more reflexive ones. When the appealing idea for a drawing comes to my mind, I just draw it. Only when I’m sending it, for example, for Satyrykon, I need to consider which category to put it into: a joke or satire.