KATHMANDU: The Embassy of Israel in Nepal organized and facilitated a visit by three prominent Israeli caricaturists—Nissim Hezkiyau (Nusko), Prof. Itamar Daube and Uri Fink—to Nepal from September 28 to 30 as part of an artistic and cultural exchange initiative between Israel and Nepal.
As part of the visit, an Israeli-Nepali cartoon exhibition was held in Kathmandu on September 28 under the theme “Highest and Lowest on Earth.” The exhibition featured works by Israeli and Nepali cartoonists exploring the theme through caricature and cartoons. The Israeli section was coordinated by Hezkiyau, while the Nepali section was led by Rajesh KC and Rabi Mishra of the Cartoonist Club of Nepal.
The exhibition also featured a live caricature session in which the visiting Israeli artists created portraits of guests. The session was warmly received, with many attendees taking the opportunity to have their caricatures drawn and keeping them as mementos.
Welcoming the artists and guests, Janan Bebar, Chargé d’Affaires a.i., said the exhibition brought together “two remarkable points on our planet”—the Dead Sea, the lowest place on Earth, and Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth.
“Cultural events such as this offer a wonderful opportunity to bring our peoples even closer through art, creativity and human connection,” Bebar said. She added that cartoon art has a unique way of looking at the world and can encourage people to think, smile and view familiar things from different perspectives.
Hezkiyau said he was pleased to participate in the exhibition in Nepal, describing it as a unique experience in a “lovely and friendly country.”
During their visit, the Israeli artists also met and interacted with Nepali cartoonists affiliated with the Cartoonist Club of Nepal. They shared their experiences and creative approaches and discussed possibilities for future collaboration.
The visiting artists also conducted lectures and interactive sessions for students of journalism and mass communication at Tribhuvan University and Dibyabhumi Multiple College. Their sessions covered topics including “The Notion of Motion,” “Everyone Can Make Comics Workshop” and “On the Face of Caricature Portrait.”
Through the exhibition, interactions and lectures, the artists shared their experiences and insights into caricature, comics and visual communication. The visit provided an opportunity for creative exchange and helped strengthen artistic and cultural ties between Israel and Nepal.
About the Israeli Artists
Nissim Hezkiyau (Nusko) has served as the artistic director of Animix, the International Festival of Animation, Comics and Caricature in Tel Aviv, since 2001.
Prof. Itamar Daube is a professor at Shenkar College, where he teaches visual communication, animation and game design. He is an editorial caricaturist for Yedioth Ahronoth and has contributed artwork to various forms of media, including print, television and gaming, since 2010.
Uri Fink is the creator of the popular Israeli comic series Zbeng and has served as chairman of the Israeli Cartoonists and Comics Artists Association since 2021. He is also a daily political cartoonist for the Maariv newspaper.
Comment