Filipino cartoonist Kevin Raymundo bags Good Design Award in Japan for web series “Tarantadong Kalbo”
Filipino artist Kevin Raymundo, the man behind the popular web series “Tarantadong Kalbo,” was hailed as one of the winners of Japan’s Good Design Award as announced on October 7.
The Japan Institute of Design Promotion officially released the list of winners on Friday and Komiket, a non-profit organization that spearheads comics art markets and the publisher behind the Tarantadong Kalbo comic book, also announced the news on Facebook.
"Congratulations to Kevin Eric Raymundo (Tarantadong Kalbo) for being one of the 31 international GOOD DESIGN AWARD winners from 392 awarded works from outside Japan," Komiket wrote.
Raymundo joined 30 other winners from 392 awarded works from outside Japan for his “Tumindig” artwork that featured “fist people” bowing down, with only one glowing figure that is taking a stand.
The piece can be said to allude to the fist bump gesture used by former President Rodrigo Duterte and his allies and was used as a response of his critics against the “atrocities during the Duterte administration.”
Komiket described the artwork as a means to encourage people to register to vote in the national election after what the country has been through in the past administration with hopes to appeal to different generations worldwide.
“It’s artwork created to encourage voters to register to vote in national elections. Creators called for participation by creating derivative works from this artwork. The proceeds from merchandise sales were used for various support activities such as donating to the artists’ labor union,” Komiket wrote.
They also commended the work of Raymundo as it served as a symbol in the recently concluded national elections by “starting a movement, encouraging and inspiring many Filipinos to take a stand for truth, honesty and justice.”
The Good Design Award is a comprehensive design excellence recognition system in Japan since 1957.
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