In a league of his own “You have invested 10 seconds to see my cartoon, for that I am rewarding you with a smile.” This is how the man who has been presenting his analysis of world events for the last six decades through his cartoons describes the relationship a cartoonist shares with his readers. Political cartoonist Ranan Lurie believes “the instant gratification” that the readers get from political cartoons and the entertainment provided by the touch of humour makes political cartoons the most powerful element in media. The stature he has acquired is perfect proof of the power of this medium. He was nominated for the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize by Cyprus and the United Nations has established an annual political cartoon contest named after him. Lurie was just 16 when his cartoon was first printed, and by the time he was 19 his book of cartoons had become a bestseller. Reminiscing about those days of becoming a “mini young celebrity”, he calls that time the most satisfied phase of his professional life. Though he confesses the later periods were more profitable. He compares the exhilaration of the beginning to the first time one has sex. “The first time you are so excited and it’s great.” He used to create fun cartoons as he neither had enough education nor the experience for analysis. However, he soon started being noticed by editors when his analysis and prediction related to political and economic issues started coming true. By the age of 22 he had become editor-in-chief of a weekly called Tavel. Though things were happening fast, Lurie was never apprehensive about the pace at which his career was moving. Instead, he says, he accumulated a lot of confidence. For him political cartoon is almost like science. The first thing he decides before creating a cartoon is what he wants to say to the readers. “The message is the most important thing and that’s my first decision. I build everything else around it.” While his cartoons depict his intelligence and analytical mind, his paintings represent his emotions. “As a cartoonist I am more regimented, but as an artist I am free,” he says. From childhood, Lurie had a knack for innovative ideas and his mother told him not to lose this innovative spirit. And he has followed his mother’s advice. He has been working on this one-of-a-kind art project, which he considers as the purpose of his life. “The reason behind this project is to unite the entire world — all languages, religions, cultures — into one under the Esperanto of art.” The birth of the concept took place in 1968 when he made a painting in his new home in Connecticut. “I felt the painting wanted to continue so I added more canvas, but it still wanted to go further.” So, he kept on with the painting and it travelled from the wall to the floor where he created the continuous pattern on his carpet. He said that the different materials, which he encounters as his painting travels further, are the main challenges for him. According to him, electronic equipment have been the most challenging and also the most rewarding materials of all. “The presence of television put up quite a challenge for me, but its reward was fascinating. It provided motion to my painting. I continued with a screen saver of the same pattern,” he shared with a satisfactory smile. Lurie made a conscious decision that once the number of publications printing his cartoons reached 1,000 he would devote his time to painting. This happened in 2002. So he took his innovative concept of art to another level by installing another continuous art at the UN building in New York which has now spread to Manhattan. He has named this global mission of his as Uniting Painting and has already established one in South Korea touching the DMZ. Now he wants to take this to the highest place in the earth — Mount Everest. He wants to install three of the original canvases from the UN building on the highest peak of the world. Right now he is in Nepal to explore the possibility of making this mission a reality. “This painting has to be there at the Everest in whatever way it is possible, but without harming the environment there,” Lurie said. His vision is that the paintings will be carried by international group of mountaineers who will also carry their national flags. The man on a mission feels strongly that what the world needs now is a group of leaders who know how to command peace and sustain it. “A craving for peace should be there,” he opined. His analytical mind is still at its best and he plans to start working again very soon. “I will be back with political cartoons with vengeance,” he said, his eyes lit up with excitement. An inventor, a successful political cartoonist, a globe-trotting artist and a paratrooper, Lurie, who lives a life full of adventure, finds peace at home. “The nicest thing is that basically I am a very satisfied family man.” Calling all Nepali cartoonists Every year I get lot of cartoons from all over the world for the UN’s annual cartoon contest. While some are okay, there are few diamonds that need to be polished. I would also like to encourage and invite Nepali political cartoonists to take part in the UN’s annual political cartoon contest. It is a great opportunity to create lots of echoes round the world. (Log on to www.lurieunawards.com) •On Obama being the President-elect of the US: An American eagle throwing a big egg (with Obama written on it) in the air. The cartoon will say, “It’s time for you to fly.” •On the global economic crisis: A doctor, who symbolises reality, checking a patient named ‘Wall Street’.