Tony Auth, Grim Reminder, October 2, 2009, Ink on paper, H. 11 x W. 13 ½. Collection of the Tony Auth Archive.
As an intern at the Michener Art Museum for the summer, it has been a huge learning experience for me to work here and prepare for the newly installed Tony Auth exhibit, To Stir Inform and Inflame: The Art of Tony Auth. My job pertains to education and new media, which has allowed me to research a lot of Tony Auth’s work and consider how best to present it to young visitors. Auth’s work presents an interesting challenge for young viewers in that it discusses very significant and controversial topics in a medium which is most relevant to a very young audience. The innocence of the cartoon is something I think our society has assumed based on the prevalence of children’s shows and the Sunday paper, but historically the cartoon has been used as political propaganda, and understudies for major works of art. Tony Auth’s work effectively utilizes the cartoon as a tool for reconsidering current events and the general political atmosphere of our country, while using the simplified drawing techniques to satirize his figures. In looking at his work, what characters has he created that you especially appreciate? What makes them humorous or telling? Read More »
From the Intern’s Desk: Reflections on the Cartoons of Tony Auth
Tony Auth, Grim Reminder, October 2, 2009, Ink on paper, H. 11 x W. 13 ½. Collection of the Tony Auth Archive.
As an intern at the Michener Art Museum for the summer, it has been a huge learning experience for me to work here and prepare for the newly installed Tony Auth exhibit, To Stir Inform and Inflame: The Art of Tony Auth. My job pertains to education and new media, which has allowed me to research a lot of Tony Auth’s work and consider how best to present it to young visitors. Auth’s work presents an interesting challenge for young viewers in that it discusses very significant and controversial topics in a medium which is most relevant to a very young audience. The innocence of the cartoon is something I think our society has assumed based on the prevalence of children’s shows and the Sunday paper, but historically the cartoon has been used as political propaganda, and understudies for major works of art. Tony Auth’s work effectively utilizes the cartoon as a tool for reconsidering current events and the general political atmosphere of our country, while using the simplified drawing techniques to satirize his figures. In looking at his work, what characters has he created that you especially appreciate? What makes them humorous or telling? Read More »