From the March 9th issue of the New Yorker, In the Art part of the “Goings On About Town” section:
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Ed Koren’s new show, “Wet Ink.” includes the above lithograph and others from his “Bikes and Beasts” series, as well as drawings published in this magazine. It opens on March 5 at the Luise Ross gallery.
Though Koren is a great favorite of mine, it seems I haven’t posted any of his cartoons in this blog. But here’s my chance.
From Wikipedia:
Edward Benjamin “Ed” Koren (born 1935) is a writer and illustrator of children’s books and political cartoons, most notably in The New Yorker.
… Well known for his very hairy, very lovable characters, he got his artistic break in May 1962 when The New Yorker accepted one of his cartoons. It featured a sloppy-looking writer, cigarette dangling from his lips, sitting before a typewriter. Printed on his sweatshirt is one word: “Shakespeare.”
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That cartoon launched a lifetime freelance relationship between Koren and The New Yorker. The magazine has published thousands of his cartoons and illustrations, including dozens of full-color drawings published on the magazine’s cover.
A favorite of mine got chosen as the title cartoon for one of Koren’s books:
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In some of Koren’s cartoons, the humor comes from his creatures behaving just like ordinary people — for instance, this pair exchanging politeness formulas:
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It’s not all big furry creatures. Here’s a musical play on family:
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And sometimes little creatures, as in this allusion to the cliché breed like mice:
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And of course, sometimes just people (though Koren’s people tend to resemble his creatures), as in this writer seeking inspiration from the things around him:
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(Another vein of Koren’s cartooning gently mocks tourists and summer visitors in the part of Vermont he moved to years ago.)
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