Hong Kong cartoonist Zunzi urges world to look at protests

As the protests in Hong Kong intensify, one political cartoonist sees his work as an important way of recording the truth.

Wong Kei-Kwan, better known by his pen name, "Zunzi", has been covering Hong Kong politics through his satirical drawings since the 1980s. He recently showed a three-day exhibition of his work in Vancouver as a way of bringing attention to the crisis.

Zunzi studied fine arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong during the end of the cultural revolution, well aware of the political situation in China. After graduating, he worked as a journalist before become a cartoonist.

"I started to work in a newsroom and so I used two things,my art ability and [my] journalism togetherto become a cartoonist," he told Gloria Mackarenkothe host of CBC'sOn The Coast.

Of late, Zunzi is focused on the protests that have swept the city since June. Sparked by the introduction of an extradition bill that would have sent criminal suspects to mainland China, tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets.

Protests have turned violent, with tear gas, rubber bulletsand force. On Monday, police shot a protester anda man was set on fire.

Zunzi says there is a tightening of control around how political cartoonists can express themselves.

"There areless and less newspapers willing to carry the political cartoon," he said. "It's difficult for a young cartoonist to come out and voice their opinion, so they choose to use the internet. But on the internet they're limited to a different kind of audience."

Zunzi himself only works for two newspapersbut says since he's been working in the field for a long time, it would be difficult to censor him at this point.

"So they are quite tolerant with my work I guess," he said.

The political situation is so dire that the traditional weapons of satire and humour are difficult to employ in some situations.

After a protester was shot in the eye in August, Zunzisaid the reaction was astonishment that the police would use this kind of weapon directly against the protesters.

"For us cartoonists, we're always making fun of things. But in this situation, I really can't think of anything that is laughable," he said.

The protests have also deepened Zunzi's commitment to recording the news of the day as a historical record.

"I think a cartoonist can act as a historian in a way," he said, adding that the Chinese government is already attempting to whitewash what has happened and is happening in Hong Kong.

"[My]hope is that my cartoon can be used as a reference telling the true story of what has happened in Hong Kong."

Listen to the interview with political cartoonist Zunzi on CBC's On The Coast: