Dear Friends,
We are honored to present our ambitious cultural project — the Great Encyclopedia of Caricature.
This unique international initiative is devoted to one of the most powerful and enduring forms of artistic expression: caricature and satirical art. Spanning centuries of history and countless cultures, caricature reflects society with wit, intelligence, courage, and humanity. Yet despite its importance, no truly comprehensive global resource dedicated to this remarkable art form has ever existed.
The website cartoonia.ru is far more than an online archive. It is a living cultural institution in the making — an extensive and continually expanding encyclopedia designed to preserve the artistic, historical, and journalistic heritage of caricature for future generations. The project unites biographies of artists from around the world, rare books and memoirs, articles and interviews, historical satirical magazines, galleries of caricatures and illustrations, as well as contemporary news and research materials related to satire and graphic humor.
The Great Encyclopedia of Caricature is intended not only for artists, collectors, and researchers, but for everyone interested in culture, freedom of expression, visual history, humor, and the evolution of human thought. We believe that caricature is not merely entertainment; it is an essential cultural language that captures the spirit of its time with extraordinary clarity and artistic power.
Today, this large-scale encyclopedic endeavor requires additional support in order to continue developing at the level this vision deserves. There is an urgent need for the professional translation of important foreign books and articles into Russian, for the acquisition and preservation of rare archival and antiquarian materials, and for the expansion of the project’s technical and research capabilities. Our future plans also include organizing international caricature exhibitions and competitions, publishing thematic albums and books, and creating an international online journal devoted to satire and humor.
We believe that preserving cultural memory is a responsibility shared across generations. By supporting this project, patrons and partners become part of an important cultural mission dedicated to preserving and promoting one of humanity’s most vivid and intellectually rich artistic traditions.
We would be sincerely grateful for any proposals regarding sponsorship, patronage, partnership, publishing collaboration, media cooperation, or any other form of support.
With respect and gratitude,
Marat Valiakhmetov
Compiler and Editor-in-Chief
BEC
Marie Liss
Editor
BEC
e-mail: postmarat@gmail.com
