Ten students of the Faculty of Plastic Arts of the Academy of Music, Theater and Plastic Arts have drawn over 20 caricatures within the project “Problems of divided society reflected through caricature” that was launched on the initiative of the Embassy of Germany in Moldova. This project enabled young caricaturists to express their views on problems that divide Moldovan society, IPN reports.
In the opening of the exhibition, Germany’s Ambassador to Moldova Ulrike Knotz said that together with her colleagues from the Embassy she thought that ethnic diversity in Moldova is a wonderful theme for caricature. “I saw that in the public debates, which are many in number, the linguistic and ethnic diversity is perceived as a burden. In fact, this diversity represents an asset, a potential that should be realized and used intelligently, for everyone’s benefit. I’m glad that our project produced so good and suggestive results,” stated the German diplomat.
Ulrike Knotz noted that only the humans are able to laugh and this capacity is due to intelligence and the ability to see reality from different angles and to bring the world and oneself into question. “Caricature is the art of laughing. If this art is successful, it makes the observer maybe not a better person, but possibly a more critical, creative and sovereign person,” she said.
Caricaturist Alex Dimitrov said the theme of the exhibition was a delicate one, but the students who took part and who are of different nationalities showed ethical and political tact and wisdom and there was no split. “Though the theme was of a divided society, this theme united us. The students became friends, while caricature served not as a pretext for division, but as a bridge that united these students,” he stated.
According to Pavel Obreja, who drew two of the exhibited caricatures, the caricatures are a very good way of highlighting a problem by laugh. “Even if they are incompatible, the problem can be solved by laugh,” said the student. He addressed the linguistic problem of the national minorities that live in Moldova and that do not know the official language.
