When opinion pieces are drawn

Graphic humor has historically been a great companion to the press. Good cartoons have proven to be as good spaces for opinion and reflection as articles written by journalists. Almost instantly, taking advantage of their visual appeal and great power of synthesis, they have portrayed the major issues of the day in an ironic or satirical manner, sometimes with a friendly tone, sometimes with harshness. They have mocked politicians and powerful figures, pointed out uncomfortable realities, denounced injustices and abuses of power. In short, they have portrayed the society of their time.

The exhibition "Ahir y avui, 100 ans d'humor grafic, " on view at the Miramar Cultural Centre in Sitges until July 20, is based on a premise as original as it is stimulating: to place some of today's jokes alongside those published decades ago and to confirm that, despite the passing of time, the major issues that concern citizens remain the same. Political corruption, the housing crisis, and the role of women in society are not issues specific to our time, but were already portrayed by comedians a century ago. This exhibition demonstrates this by comparing today's sarcastic perspective with that of a century ago.

The exhibition compares current jokes and jokes from decades ago with similar themes, at the Miramar Cultural Centre in Sitges.

Times change, but many of the concerns remain the same. This is the thesis of the exhibition's curators, Jesús Sánchez and Jordi Riera Pujal, who, based on a proposal from the Gin Foundation, selected 143 satirical cartoons by 62 authors and brought the graphic humor of today into dialogue with that of yesterday, creating a true social and political chronicle of some of the issues that have shaped current events over the last century.

Graphic humor has represented "a kind of collective therapy against a power that has often been exercised against the interests of the public," notes José Luis Martín, a cartoonist for La Vanguardia and director of the Gin Foundation. "If power couldn't be overthrown, satire represented the right to throw a tantrum," he adds.

The exhibition is divided into five thematic sections: politics and society, Catalonia, the international scene, women and feminism, and, finally, everyday humor. Most of the work on display is significantly enlarged reproductions to better appreciate the work of these artists, although it is also possible to see some originals. There are cartoons by classic authors such as Valentí Castanys, Apa, Gaietà Cornet, Junceda, and Opisso, who became known in magazines such as El Be Negre , ¡Cu-Cut!, and La Campana de Gràcia. The work of Forges, Gin, and Cesc also appears, along with authors who continue to work as cartoonists today: Kap, Puebla, Flavita Banana, Eneko, Manel Fontdevila, and JL Martín himself, providing a good indication of the variety of graphic styles and artistic registers of these columnists who write in images.

In this comparison, it's interesting to see how, despite the passage of time, situations such as criticism of Madrid's centralism, the role of judges, the economic crisis, access to healthcare, and administrative bureaucracy are repeated. Even the rise of the far right (comparing cartoons from 1908 and 2025) or the satire on the Millet family (in 1904 with Lluís Millet and in 2023 with Fèlix Millet).

Some of these images portray scenes from traditional culture, others are harsher. The conflict between Israel and Palestine creeps in from the past with a stark cartoon by Ricard Opisso, who draws, with his trademark flair, a scene reminiscent of the birth of Jesus, but with the stable replaced by a tent eerily surrounded by skeletons. Familiar faces also appear in these cartoons, such as Trump, Putin, and Pedro Sánchez, demonstrating that comedians who portray current events must also be good caricaturists if they want their satire to achieve its goal.