The Australian Financial Review's David Rowe was named 2017 Political Cartoonist of the Year at the launch of Behind the Lines: The Year's Best Political Cartoons at The Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House.
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It was the third time he had won the award in its 14-year history. Mr Rowe said, "With the amount of great work that's come out this year - there was so much material - it was quite an honour to win this year."
The 25-year cartooning veteran said, "Everyone focused on Trump really" - there was always something coming from the US President to provide inspiration - but there were plenty of other people, incidents, scandals and events to draw on, too including Tony Abbott.
Among the other 27 cartoonists featured in the exhibition are The Canberra Times' David Pope, The Sydney Morning Herald's Cathy Wilcox, John Shakespeare and Alan Moir and The Age's Michael Leunig and Ron Tandberg.
Exhibition curator Holly Williams said this year's exhibition theme was Three-Ring Circus, reflecting the way the political world has been in 2017 both in Australia and overseas. Accordingly, the work of the 28 artists featured in the exhibition was divided into categories such as Monkey Business (scandals such as Sam Dastyari's Chinese donations and Sussan Ley's apartment), Global Ringmasters such as Donald Trump and Jugglers and Acrobats such as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull trying to manage his party factions as well as Human Cannonballs like Tony Abbott and Pauline Hanson, bursting back into the political scene.
Ms Williams said the cartoons of David Rowe - which received a special focus in the exhibition - showed "an unflinching gaze" and "scathing visions" looking at a range of issues such as politicians' dual citizenship.
She said that although times have been challenging for editorial cartoonists there was still great audience demand for their talents and the rise of online platforms meant their work could be disseminated in new ways.
Behind the Lines will be on at the Museum of Exhibition Democracy for about a year and is also touring around Australia.
Behind the Lines 2017: The Year's Best Political Cartoons is on at the Museum of Australian Democracy Old Parliament House. Open daily 9am until 5pm. Closed Christmas Day. Free after museum admission:$2 adults, $1 children (free for children under 5 years old) and concessions, $5 family. moadoph.gov.au.
