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China Cartoon Festival

The Inaugural of APACA (Asian and Pacific Association for
Cartoonists and Animators )

August 2009

China recently hosted cartoonists and Animators from around the world to attend the Inaugural of APACA (Asian and Pacific Association for Cartoonists and Animators).

Nigar Nazar was invited as a founding member and a Jury member for the International Comic Contest, whereas Numair went as a Jury member for the animation entries.

Professionals from Europe, America, Australia and Asia came together to attend the convention and workshops besides the inaugural to the huge factory space given by the Chinese government for APACA and Chinese to be used for studios, galleries store rooms and guest rooms by International professionals.

It was a week long convention where one learned so much through workshops and interaction besides the high class entries that was received from around the world.

Chairperson of APACA Dr. John Lent ( in centre ) with Mr. Luiyu Wang General Secretary along with the International Jury members and the plan of the Centre for Cartoonists as displayed by Michelle.

Nigar Nazar standing in the factory which is to be the future Centre for Cartoonists of Asia and around the world.

Numair Abbas (Nimmer) Jury member from Pakistan for Animation and Nigar Nazar.

South Asian Cartoonists’ Congress in Nepal

14th-15th November 2008

Congregation of Cartoonists of different ages and from different climes is a rare sight in our part of the world, however this did happen on the 14th and 15th of November in Kathmandu, Nepal. ‘Himal South Asian” Journal of Kathmandu hosted a Cartoon Congress for cartoonists. Almost all thirty six (36) selected cartoonists from five South Asian countries — the host Nepal, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka attended the Congress. Among the invitees were two of us lady cartoonists — almost an endangered species — Manjula Padmanabhan from India and I from Pakistan. Representing Pakistan were also Muhammad Zahoor from Peshawar, ,Sabir Nazar from Lahore and Rafique Ahmad,Fieca from Karachi.

A special exhibition of the works of the famous and now deceased Indian cartoonist Abu Abraham was put on display at the congress. Of particular interest was a sketch of The White House with a caption that read “Nixon lied here .Jan 1969-Aug 1974”. Another one depicting the Indian Elections showed a ballot box that read: ”Cast your vote here ,Vote your caste here”.

Nigar Nazar in front of one of the several temples in Kathmandu. There is a temple at every 100 yards in Pattan. It is routine to get up and worship at the nearby temple before going to work; the number of gods are more than the population they say.

Cartoonists. From Right to Left: (TK Sujith (from Kerala India) Sabir Nazar,Feica,Zahoor Sudheernath,(from Kerala,India)and Nigar in Yala Maya, the location of the Congress organized by the journal “Himal Southasia”

All cartoonists had the option to draw a live cartoon. Nigar did one with a happy Gogi carrying a bundle of books on her head as compared to the not so happy village woman carrying a pitcher of water on the head.

From Left to Right: Nigar Nazar (Islamabad), Mrs. Sudhir, Cartoonist Sudhir (India), Art Historian Mark Bryant (UK), Feica (Karachi), Malik Sajjad (Kashmir), Zahoor (Peshawar), Tanmoy (Bangladesh)

With world famous cartoonist Lurie (USA) who was pleased to meet a woman cartoonist from Pakistan. He is flanked by Fieca and Nigar with Sabir in the background.

Interview at CTV

Interview at Sursaagar

Event at Gallery Street

Noor Center Event, Toronto, Canada

Members from the audience taking keen interest in the Gogi books and greeting cards put on display.

Members of Noor Centre asking questions during the break from Nigar Nazar.

Audience at Noor Center listening to Ms. Nigar Nazar.

Lecture at York University, Toronto, Canada

Nigar Nazar who is on a visit to Toronto was invited to give a lecture with a visual presentation to the students of Community Arts Practicum at The York University. Introduced as Pakistan’s first woman cartoonist, Nigar was asked to give a presentation of how she took her work of entertaining through cartoons for the Print Media to that of serving the community as an Art Activist.Her books on Environment, Disaster Management and “Nanhey Doctor”, a children’s book for UNICEF on Health and Hygiene for children was passed around among the students as well as her delightful book Gogi’s Desi Baby Record Book.

International Activities

A women conference was held in Colombo on the international women day in March (From 7 to 9) to further the campaign ''We Can". This campaign was sponsored by Oxfam to deter violence against women. Nigar Nazar of Gogi Studios was nominated to attend the conference, to display and demonstrate cartoons on women issues. Delegates came in large numbers from Nepal, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. Here the host country is seen launching the opening ceremony with a cultural program.

Colombo Women Conference 2006

A blank canvas was erected for participants to record their statements and be the signatories to the "We Can" campaign. Nigar is penning her statement through her mouth piece character 'Gogi': "Beware the power of a woman with the pen."

Nigar was on the jury of the international Aydan Dogan Vakfi Cartoon Competition. This was held in Antalya, Turkey. There were twelve jury members who came from Russia, United States, Iran, France and Pakistan. Pakistan was invited for the first time to be on the jury of this international cartoon competition. In this photograph are the three winning entries. The first prize went to a Turkish cartoonist (currently living in NewYork), second to a Chinese cartoonist and third to a German woman cartoonist.

A demonstration in cartooning was given by Nigar Nazar at the Bozeman Orving School. This was prior to the presentation that was made at the Bozeman University in Montana. The children at the Bozeman Orving School learnt the basics of drawing cartoons and having fun with changing the whole look of an expression with a few simple lines. 

Nigar Nazar met up with the United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Romania, Ms. Soknan Han Jung and had a presentation of her work to UNDP and UNICEF staff members.

The prototype version of Nigar's book "The Garbage Monster" is ready .The title cover and inside page can be seen below .Nigar decided to increase the number of pages by putting in a board game she designed on Ecology.

"Profile of a Pakistani Cartoonist"

Interview of Nigar Nazar will be broadcast on "UO Today", a University of Oregon community program:
on Wednesday, November 6, 2002 at 8.00pm on Channel 23

Nigar,Thank you so much for your splendid presentation. You had those teens in the palm of your hand. My friend, Eve, said your presentation was her favorite part of the Comic Art & Anime Festival. The way you made the faces change so much by so little. Your talent is not little at all. You are an entertaining and informing person.

Thank you again. I will let Jan Eliot know that I got to meet you. I hope to see you again, while you are in Eugene.
Take care.

Maura Scanlon & the Teen Council

The League of Women Voters of Lane County invited Nigar Nazar to be a guest speaker at their Lane County Membership luncheon on September 19. This was held at the Doubletree Hotel in Springfield.More than 100 men and women were present. .Nigar talked about her work with a slide show and drew cartoons on the overhead projector.She talked about Pakistan in general and women in particular highlighting their participation in nation building and the coming election.

KMTVR News telecast an interview,they took on this occasion with Nigar Nazar in the 5'oclock news broadcast.

Characters from the "Villikon Chronicles"striking a pose with cartoonist Nigar Nazar.Characters from various science fiction novels and comics featured at the Comic Convention in San Deigo held in August ,2002.

Gogi is featured in the big canvas called "Building a world of Readers, Artists and Dreamer" for editor of Witty World, Phil Yeh.Cartoonists were invited to draw and sign their work for this board intended to be exhibited internationally.

The extensive hall at the Comic Convention in San Deigo,one of the eight or more halls.Many an interesting seminar was held here.With the multi -media facilities and large screens at regular intervals audience at the back of the hall could enjoy the discussions,drawings or film clips that were projected.

My favorite seminar was "Quick -Draw" where 4 famous cartoonists including Sergio Aragones and Michael Scott did on the spot drawings, caricatures and amused the audience with their great sense of humour.

Two Manga characters flanking Cartoonist Nigar Nazar at the Comic Convention in San Diego.One was surrounded by several comic characters .It was great fun to be walking through the 300,000 square foot exhibit hall and come across comic characters from the Super Hero comics to characters from Science fiction books to characters from Star Wars movies and a personification of Jesus Christ himself,a remarkable resemblance. LOOK OUT FOR MORE PHOTOS OF THE CONVENTION ON THE WEBSITE.

Sergio Aragones the living legend and famous cartoonist of Mad Magazine creator of the popular wordless mini cartoons that would adorn the margins of the pages in Mad magazine seen with Nigar Nazar .He is holding the 2002 Gogi Calendar .Sergio won the WILL EISNER HALL OF FAME AWARD FOR 2002 COMIC -CON. Sergio constantly had fans standing in long queues at his booth to get an autograph on a T-shirt ,book or the Mad Magazine.

Gogi Studios is represented in the Comic Con Festival held in San Diego, California from August 1-5, 2002. Cartoonist Nigar Nazar will be present in person at the booth of Imagination International where she would have a display of Gogi Comics and demonstrations of drawing cartoons from time to time during the convention. She would be the first Pakistani cartoonist to be represented at the nationwide and international Comic Convention, an event that is held annually in U.S.A..

One could see characters from comics in the Convention (San Diego). Here a young man is dressed as Jesus. He had a striking resemblance with the one portrayed in the comics; the jesture of the hand further enhanced the personality.