Chris Madden Cartoons

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The death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh – cartoon

April 15, 2021 by chrismadden

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, death and funeral cartoon

The death of Prince Philip cartoon.

A cartoon about the large amount of news coverage of the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, at the age of 99

Drawn: April 2021
Cartoon reference number: a921

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Coronavirus cartoon – holiday destinations without toilet facilities open

May 31, 2020 by chrismadden

coronavirus covid-19 holiday toilet cartoon

Covid-19 cartoon – the lack of toilet facilities at tourist destinations.

As the coronavirus lockdown is loosened (in May 2020) people visit tourist destinations and beauty spots in large numbers, pleased that at last they can go out, but when they reach their destination they discover that the public toilets are closed.

Original version drawn: May 2020
This version: August 2020
Cartoon reference number: a800b

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: coronavirus, covid-19

Are biofuels sustainable?

April 23, 2020 by chrismadden

Unsustainable biofuel cartoon

A cartoon about unsustainable biofuel use.

The cartoon shows a car driving through a huge biofuel plantation. The driver of the car is saying that the plantation is so large that the nearest filling station is an hour away at the other side.

How much land is needed to grow biofuels?
A cartoon about unsustainable energy, environmental impact, biodiesel, unsustainable and sustainable land use, energy consumption, transport, petrol, oil and gas substitutes.

Drawn: 2009

Cartoon reference number: env053c

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Burdened down by money worries

May 1, 2016 by chrismadden

man burdened down by financial problems

A man carrying a giant coin – burdened down by financial problems.
Also a metaphor for the burden of living within a society in which the acquisition of financial wealth is seen as a primary goal above all others.

The giant coin (here a British pound coin) is a symbol of finance in general, and of people’s dependence on the financial system.

A cartoon about money, finance, capital, capitalism, pursuit of wealth, the economy.
Ref a738

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Filed Under: Uncategorized

Contemporary baby name cartoon

April 9, 2016 by chrismadden

modern baby's names cartoon

A cartoon about modern baby names and old-fashioned baby names.

A cartoon about the trend for unusual and non-traditional names for babies.

The fashion for non-traditional names for babies may be a symptom of the current trend towards hyper individualism, which may mean that ‘ordinary’ names are viewed as being too conformist.
The trend may also be linked to the rise of celebrity culture where such names are more commonplace
Refa732

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Filed Under: Children, DOMESTIC, Uncategorized

Adult colouring book cartoon – the Henry Ford Colouring Book

December 16, 2015 by chrismadden

Cartoon - adult colouring book

Adult colouring book cartoon – the Henry Ford Colouring Book.

A cartoon showing an adult colouring book called Th Henry Ford Colouring Book.
There is a set of crayons or coloured pencils with the book. All of the colours are black.

A cartoon about the publishing phenomenon of colouring books aimed at the adult market.
Ref a707

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Filed Under: Uncategorized

The campaign to remove statues – white male privilege – cartoon

December 9, 2015 by chrismadden

Remove statues campaign cartoon

A cartoon inspired by the campaigns to remove statues of slave traders and imperialists from the public sphere (in 2015).

This cartoon is about the tendency for social grievances around issues such as race and gender to be directed towards people of higher privilege, so in western society almost all grievances are ultimately directed towards white men. Specifically middle-aged or old white men, as young people often have grievances directed towards older people (middle-aged men tend to be commoner targets than older men as they are often in higher positions of power or authority).

The cartoon was drawn in 2015, five years before the toppling of the statue of Edward Colston in Bristol in 2020. I expect the campaigns and protests to remove statues of other controversial figures such as Cecil Rhodes at Oriel College, Oxford University (Rhodes Must Fall) will now be given new momentum.

Drawn: 2015
Cartoon reference number: a805

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Filed Under: Social issues, Uncategorized Tagged With: woke

Floods Caused by Climate Change Cartoon

December 8, 2015 by chrismadden

Cartoon - floods and extreme weather events

Flooding caused by climate change

This cartoon was inspired by the “once every hundred years” floods that occurred in Cumbria in the UK twice in six years.

A cartoon about floods, flooding, extreme weather, climate change, global worming, the environment.

Original version created: 1991

Cartoon reference number: env076c

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Filed Under: Climate Change cartoons, ENVIRONMENT, Floods, Uncategorized

The repatriation of artefacts from museum collections

May 15, 2015 by chrismadden

Museum repatriate artefacts cartoon

A cartoon dealing with the issue of the repatriation of cultural artefacts

The cartoon shows the issue of the repatriation of cultural artefacts from museum collections as one about cultural identity.

The inspiration behind the cartoon was the debate about the return of the Elgin Marbles or Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum to Greece – a debate that has sometimes been used by greek politicians to bolster Greek national identity (and their own careers?).
The cartoon also looks at grievance culture – the issue of identity generated through a sense of grievance.

A cartoon about ethnology, ethnography, enthographic or enthnological museum collections.

Ref a676

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Filed Under: Uncategorized

Neanderthal abstract cave art discovered

February 8, 2014 by chrismadden

Neanderthal abstract cave art cartoon

Cartoon about the discovery of Neanderthal abstract art in cave

An abstract design created by Neanderthal man has been discovered in a cave in Gibraltar

The art, in the form of stone engraving, is estimated to be about 40,000 years old.

a671

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Philosophy cartoons

February 22, 2013 by chrismadden

art cartoons

Welcome to my selection of cartoons about philosophy

To see my philosophy cartoons please click the image on the right, or the link below

Philosophy cartoons.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Environment Cartoons

January 28, 2013 by chrismadden

Environment Cartoons

Welcome to my selection of cartoons about the environment

To see my environment cartoons please click the image or click here

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Beatles Magical Mystery Tour cartoon

September 27, 2012 by chrismadden

beatles cartoon magical mystery tour

Beatles cartoon
Magical Mystery Tour

This cartoon conflates Magical Mystery Tour and Yellow Submarine, as the Beatles characters here are based on the Beatles characters from the animated film Yellow Submarine created by Heinz Edelmann

In the cartoon the coach from the Magical Mystery Tour has come to a stop at the top of a rainbow, which is a reference to the hippy psychedelic drug culture that was prevalent at the time of the two films. The Beatles are standing on the rainbow, with one of them asking “What did you put into the sat-nav John?”. Part of the joke in the cartoon is that sat-navs (GPDs) didn’t exist at the time. There’s also a double meaning it the phrase “What did you put into the…” as this can refer to putting hallucinogenic, pychotropic drugs such as LSD or other mind-altering drugs into such things as drinks, cakes etc.

Cartoon reference number: a391

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A cartoon about contemporary English usage

September 5, 2012 by chrismadden

not speaking proper english cartoon

English language cartoon – not speaking proper English

A cartoon about the way that the words ‘was like’ have replaced the word ‘said’ or ‘thought’.

A cartoon about linguistics, modern English, young people’s language, standard English, non-standard language, Queen’s English.
The use of the phrase “I was like” instead of “I said” or “I thought”
Cartoon drawn: 2012
Cartoon reference number: a373

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Punctuation cartoon. The invention of the question mark

September 2, 2012 by chrismadden

Punctuation cartoon

The invention of the question mark cartoon

A cartoon about punctuation, showing medieval monks or scribes writing manuscripts. One monk is saying to the other monk “I’ve just invented the question mark”. The second monk is answering “Why” (without a question mark, because up til then question marks didn’t exist).

Cartoon drawn: 2012
Cartoon reference number: a367

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Person wearing a snail shell as a hat

August 31, 2012 by chrismadden

snail shell hat illustration

Illustration of a person wearing a snail shell as a hat

This picture doesn’t mean anything specific. I just made it up. Having said that, it obviously has hidden unconscious meaning.
This hat may be a fashion item or a helmet.
It may imply that the wearer is a slow thinker, with a snail brain. Slow thinking isn’t necessarily a bad thing by the way – it might mean considered thinking rather than rash impulsive thinking. Maybe you were being rash to jump to the conclusion that slow thinking might be bad!
An illustration about thinking, unusual headgear, molluscs.

Cartoon reference number: a361

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Filed Under: ANIMALS, Insects - creepy crawlies, Uncategorized

Desert mirage cartoon – an hourglass pouring sand into the desert

August 30, 2012 by chrismadden

hourglass creating desert cartoon

Desert mirage cartoon – an hour glass pouring sand into the desert, creating the desert

Cartoon of a man crawling through a desert, seeing a mirage

There may be a meaning to this cartoon related to global warming. Perhaps the hourglass, which is an illusion, represents the concept of climate change denial (where man made climate change is said to be an illusion). However, despite the fact that man made climate change is said to be an illusion the deserts are still getting bigger (and the polar caps smaller).

Cartoon reference number: a360

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Filed Under: Climate Change cartoons, ENVIRONMENT, Other environment cartoons, Uncategorized

Cave man cartoon – the first celebrity chef

August 30, 2012 by chrismadden

stone age celebrity chef cartoon

Cave men cartoon – the invention of cooking

A joke about stone age or prehistoric man and celebrity chefs

A cartoon about celebrity culture

Cartoon reference number: a359

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Filed Under: Cooking and kitchens, Uncategorized

Press regulation cartoon. Media corruption

August 27, 2012 by chrismadden

press regulation cartoon - who reports on the reporters

A cartoon about press regulation or media corruption.
And possibly about government and business interference with the media.

The headline on the newspaper reads “Who reports on the reporters?”
Should the press be self regulating or should they be controlled? And by whom?
In a police state, press control would be a bad thing – but what about in a democracy?

The cartoon may be used to illustrate the Lord Justice Leveson inquiry into the press which is investigating media activity (especially linked to phone hacking).

The cartoon shows a person looking out through a panel in a newspaper. The meaning is meant to be slightly ambiguous. Is he on the inside or the outside of the press? He looks a bit like a spy. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Are the regulators good or bad? It depends on the country or regime under which they operate.

Cartoon reference number: a351

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Illustration – origami horse leaping out of a book

August 23, 2012 by chrismadden

origami horse illustration

Illustration: origami horse leaping out of a book

A young girl riding on the back of an origami horse

The origami horse in this illustration represents the horses depicted in children’s fiction aimed at young girls. The horse is made out of folded paper that represents the pages of children’s fiction.
The way that the child is riding off on the horse (almost flying) represents the flights of fancy and fantasy created by fiction and literature, and the sense of adventure and escapism.

Cartoon reference number: a347

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Filed Under: ANIMALS, Children, Uncategorized

Cartoon: the popular press and serious news

August 23, 2012 by chrismadden

popular news hiding important news cartoon

Cartoon: press manipulation of news

A cartoon showing the popular tabloid press overshadowing and obscuring serious news stories and reporting.

The public cannot see the important news stories because they are hidden behind the trivia of the pop press.

This cartoon isn’t so much a criticism of the popular tabloid press as an observation of how things are. I usually find myself reading the ‘human interest’ stories in newspapers when I think that I really ought to be reading more weighty articles. It’s what we find interesting.

Cartoon reference number: a345

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Filed Under: Politics, Uncategorized

Optical illusion. Old hag or young woman?

July 26, 2012 by chrismadden

optical illusion - old hag or young woman

Optical illusion cartoon. Do you see a young woman or an old hag?

This illustration is an updated version of the classic optical illusion or ambiguous image of an old hag or a young woman

The drawing is an example of ambiguous visual information that can flip from one interpretation to another.

My own feeling is that it’s normal to see the image as being of a beautiful young woman first. The old hag is only seen after a bit of searching. There are several possible reasons for this. One is that people (especially men?) have a tendency to notice beautiful young women more than ugly old hags. Another is that the image of the old hag is more exaggerated and less naturalistic than that of the young woman.
I’ve tried to make the old hag more easily distinguishable by giving the two people in the image mirrors so that you can tell which direction they are facing.

Cartoon reference number: a320

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Shard cartoon. Modern architecture cartoon

June 29, 2012 by chrismadden

architecture shard salt cellar cartoon

Shard cartoon. Modern architecture cartoon

This cartoon was drawn at the time of the building of the Shard (architect- Renzo Piano) in London

Cartoon showing architects in their office looking out at a cityscape that includes modern architecture and modern buildings.

One of the modern buildings looks like a salt cellar.
The architects realise that the builders have taken their salt cellar by mistake, instead of the architectural model.
A cartoon about the trend in modern architecture for oddly shaped buildings. Such unconventionally shaped buildings include the ‘Gherkin‘ and the Shard of Glass. Not to mention Anish Kapoor’s Orbit tower and City Hall.
Soon cities like London will end up looking as though they are full of modernist architecture in the form of giant kitchen utensils (the cheese grater) and cruet sets or condiment sets (salt cellars and pepper pots).

Cartoon reference number: a309

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Soldier firing a water pistol

June 25, 2012 by chrismadden

soldier with water pistol illustration

Soldier firing a water pistol ‘street art’ illustration

This cartoon has a number of meanings.

One is that the games that children play are more serious than some people would like to think. Play is a preparation for adulthood, so playing with toy guns is in some ways an actual preparation for using real guns in adult life.
The soldier is using a toy water gun to highlight the link between childhood play and adult aggression.
The illustration is definitely not a simple interpretation of the feminist phrase toys for the boys – an expression that I take strong exception to as it misinterprets the nature of play and attempts to trivialise and infantilise the male personality.
While I was drawing this picture it occurred to me that it had something of a piece of Banksy artwork to it, in both its subject matter and its style, so I checked that I wasn’t just unconsciously copying a piece of Banksy graffiti, and as far as I can tell there is no equivalent Banksy picture. By the way, I’ve drawn in this style and on this type of subject for more years than I wish to remember, so there’s no question of Banksy plagiarism involved here!
A cartoon about the nature of play, toy guns, warfare, male aggression, toy weapons, water cannon, male psyche, psychology of warfare, the military mind.

Cartoon reference number: a305

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Margaret Thatcher cartoon – Margaret Thatcher as lion at Nelson’s Column

February 6, 2012 by chrismadden

Margaret Thatcher caricature - Nelson's Column

Caricature – Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher cartoon

A cartoon of Margaret Thatcher as a lion under Nelson’s Column.
The cartoon includes several references to political issues of the Thatcher era.

The cartoon was commissioned by Pluto Press
Cartoon reference number: a489

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A peace dove emerging from a bomb

December 24, 2011 by chrismadden

war and peace dove and bomb

Cartoon showing the dove of peace emerging or hatching from a bomb.

Artwork showing the dove of peace.

An anti-war illustration showing a peace dove emerging from a bomb.
The symbolism in the cartoon is that peace can follow the violence of war.

Cartoon drawn: 2011
Cartoon reference: dove1
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Filed Under: Uncategorized

Roald Amundsen cartoon. Robert Falcon Scott cartoon

October 21, 2011 by chrismadden

Scott of the Antarctic cartoon: Scott reaches the South Pole after Amundsen

Roald Amundsen cartoon
Robert Falcon Scott cartoon
Antarctica cartoon

A cartoon related to the expeditions to the South Pole between Amundsen and Scott. Often portrayed as a race between Scott and Amundsen, Scott insisted that his purpose was more of a scientific survey than a race against Amundsen. Amundsen however saw it as a race, and was determined to reach the South Pole first.
In the cartoon Amundsen has had time to build a snowman at the South Pole, holding a message to Scott reading “Roald Amundsen was here”

A cartoon about Captain Robert Falcon Scott of the Antarctic, Roald Amundsen, Antarctica, heroic era of Antarctic exploration, polar exploration.
Drawn: 2011
Cartoon reference number: rfs002

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Filed Under: MORE, Uncategorized

An expedition to the South Pole – cartoon

October 21, 2011 by chrismadden

The race to pull the first piano to the South Pole - cartoon

Cartoon: the race to the South Pole

An explorer/adventurer pulling an upright piano to the South Pole as a feat of endurance. As he approaches the pole he sees that someone pulling a grand piano is about to beat him.
This is a cartoon about the modern trend towards pointless achievement-related activities. The cartoon is a comment on modern day record breaking stunts and celebrity driven entertainment related television scheduling

A cartoon about the North Pole, the South Pole, Antarctica, polar exploration, the Arctic, goal-related tasks, stunts, adventure, pointless achievement, competitiveness, goal setting

Cartoon drawn: 2011
Cartoon reference number: pia001
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Filed Under: MORE, Uncategorized

Art cartoons

February 23, 2011 by chrismadden

art cartoons

Welcome to my selection of cartoons about art

To see my art cartoons please click the image on the right, or the link below

Art cartoons.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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