Cuban Michel Moro Wins Grand Prize at International Biennial of Graphic Humor

April 16, 2021

After an intense ten-day virtual effort, not without disagreements and enriched by the particular visions of its seven members, the jury of the XXII International Biennial of Graphic Humor issued its ruling and determined to unanimously award the Eduardo Abela Grand Prize to the body of work presented by Michel Moro Gómez.

The decision was adopted considering that it stands out among the total of works presented both for the content and originality of its ideas and for being executed with an exquisite and very personal craftsmanship, also recognized with awards in several of the competing categories.

Moro's works also took home First Prize in General Humor, First Prize in Humorous Comic Strip and Second Prize in Personal Caricature.

On the other hand, the Tomy Prize, an award that pays homage to the recognized cultivator of political humor on the Island, Tomás Sánchez, fell this time to Serbian artist Miroslav Jacovljev; and in that section the Brazilian received a mention.

Below is the list of award winners by category:

Humorous Photography

Mentions

- Jia Ruijun, China

–Rafael de Jesús González Bernal, Cuba

Third prize: Williams Cruz Perdomo, Cuba.

Second prize: Osvaldo Gutiérrez Gómez (Osval), Cuba.

First prize: Luc Descheemaeker (O-Sekoer), Belgium. For conceiving a hilarious scene in black and white, indebted to the most classic style of silent cinema.

Personal Caricature

Mentions:

–Martín Alejandro Falloca, Argentina.

–Juan Camilo Lopera Arroyave (Júcalo), Colombia.

–Mariam Avramescu, Romania.

–Yoemnis Batista del Toro (Deltoro), Cuba.

–Brady Izquierdo Rodríguez, Cuba.

Third prize: Víctor Vélez (Chubasco), Mexico.

Second prize: Michel Moro Gómez, Cuba.

First prize: Omar Alberto Figueroa Turcio, Colombia-Spain. For the originality of his style, technical excellence, and the ability to distort with absolute freedom without losing even a hint of similarity to the caricatured character.

Humorous Comic Strip

Mentions:

–Elham Khalili Mehr, Iran.

–Konstantin Kazanchev, Ukraine.

–Osvaldo Gutiérrez Gómez (Osval), Cuba.

Third prize: Vladimir Kazanevsky, Ukraine.

Second prize: Manuel Arriaga, Spain.

First prize: Michel Moro Gómez, Cuba. For an original comic strip of surrealist nature and impeccable craftsmanship.

General Humor

Mentions:

–Dariush Mehrdalan, Iran.

–Osvaldo Gutiérrez Gómez (Osval), Cuba.

–Ismael Lema Águila, Cuba.

–Reynaldo Hernández Valera, Cuba.

Third prize: Igor Vartchenko (Ivar), Cyprus.

Second prize: Valery Momot, Ukraine.

First prize: Michel Moro Gómez, Cuba. For an image of precious idea and excellent craftsmanship that translates in synthesis the situation of isolation of human beings, their families and all of society in the face of the COVID 19 pandemic.

Political Satire

Mentions:

–Oleksiy Kustovsky, Ukraine.

–Kursat Zaman, Turkey.

–Ricardo Bermúdez Rodríguez, Cuba.

Third prize: Bahram Arjomandnia, Iran.

Second prize: Vladimir Kazanevsky, Ukraine

First prize: Raúl Fernando Zuleta, Colombia. For a drawing that clearly shows the way in which all human beings are threatened by the pandemic that afflicts us and that does not distinguish professions, social status, or individualism.

The evaluation team, presided over by renowned graphic caricaturist Arístides Hernández (Ares), was made up of Lizza Donnelly (United States), Isel Chacón (Cuba), María Sao (Cuba), Massoud Shojai (Iran), Iván Lira (Venezuela) and Luis Reinier Enrique (Cuba).

As is customary, institutions and organizations awarded collateral prizes at the event:

-Centro Pablo Prize, to Brady Izquierdo, Cuba.

-Ministry of Culture Prize, to Brady Izquierdo, Cuba.

-Hermanos Saíz Association Prize, to Yoemnis Batista del Toro, Cuba.

-Ares Studio Prize, to Yanelys Rodríguez Escamuchero, Cuba.

-Museum of Humor Prize, to Osvaldo Gutiérrez Gómez (Osval), Cuba.

-Prize from the Ariguanabense project Barrio sin Berro, to Ismael Lema, Cuba.

-Prize from the humorous weekly Palante, to Osvaldo Gutiérrez Gómez (Osval), Cuba.

-Havana Club Internacional Prize, to Osvaldo Gutiérrez Gómez (Osval), Cuba.

-Union of Cuban Writers and Artists Prize, to Reinaldo Pagán, Cuba.