by HAZATUL SYIMA HARON / Pics source: Miros

CALLING all art and cartoon lovers in Malaysia, especially those in Kelantan. 

Make your way to the Balai Seni Lukis Kelantan (Kelantan Art Gallery) in Kota Baru and learn a lesson or two on road safety and high-level artworks in the form of cartoon drawings.

The International Cartoon Exhibition on Road Safety themed “Towards Safer Roads” took off this week at the state art gallery, showcasing more than 60 artworks from Aug 1 till Sept 30, 2022.

The exhibition is held following an international cartoon contest themed “Towards Safer Roads”, organised in 2021 by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) and Balai Kartun Rossem (BKR) or Rossem Cartoon House. BKR is based in Kota Baru, Kelantan.

Rossem says it’s interesting to see how cartoonists from different parts of the world creatively express their views on road safety

The contest attracted more than 300 cartoonists from 51 countries in all five continents. In total, Miros and BKR received about 800 artworks.

First place went to Seyran Caferli from Azerbaijan; second to Saman Ahmadi from Iran; and Izabela Kowalska-Wieczorek from Poland was third. Meanwhile, Musa Gumus from Turkey, Bahram Arjomandnia from Iran and Pheno from Malaysia received consolation prizes.

The winning entries were selected based on message delivery as well as creativity. The messages are expressed in humorous and creative manners, yet embedded with elements of criticism and cynicism too.

The road-safety messages range from seatbelt safety, the danger of drink driving, the bad implications of excessive speeding, the importance of using pedestrian crossing, to the danger of using a mobile phone while driving.  

“These are high-level and intellectual kind of artworks in the form of cartoon drawings. And I’m really pleased that these world-class cartoons are being displayed here in the Kelantan Art Gallery,” said BKR manager and owner Rosedi Semail, better known as Rossem, Malaysia’s very own popular cartoonist. 

“It’s interesting to see how cartoonists from different parts of the world creatively expressed their views on road safety, in order to make roads safer for everyone,” he said. “Each and everyone of them, through his or her artwork, contributes to road safety.” 

For a duration of two months, these artworks by the world’s most renowned cartoonists are displayed on 2ft x 3ft canvas prints in Kota Baru, Kelantan. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to enjoy them!