A keen sense of observation and sympathy for ordinary working people are the traits that have bought together three artists, who describe the poor working conditions of people from all walks of life with a humorous touch, attracting fans who are both amused and saddened by their satirical, but realistic work.
Nisin (寧欣), also known as “Stupid Sheep” (蠢羊), said she is an energetic participant in social movements and was actively involved in the Sunflower movement — protesters who occupied the main chamber of the legislature in Taipei last year over the haste of lawmakers’ review of the cross-strait service trade agreement.
“I think I am the first comic artist to be manhandled [by police when the Executive Yuan was occupied by protesters last year],” Nisin said.
Photo courtesy of People 2
She came to sympathize with the predicament of police officers after several confrontations with them, and she decided to depict the little-known hardships that police officers and firefighters face after six firefighters were killed in a fire at an illegal bowling alley in Taoyuan in January.
One cartoon depicts overworked police officers who cannot have a day off even when they have already worked 200 hours overtime, while another depicts thankless members of the public who feel that firefighters are not doing their jobs properly, she said.
Police officers and firefighters are depicted as pigeons — a common icon — in her satirical cartoons, which have resonated with law enforcement and fire service personnel, who remain silent even when oppressed and overworked, she said, adding that she hopes to improve the public’s perception of police officers and firefighters by shedding some light on their predicament.
Medical intern and artist Nikumon said he accidentally joined the art world by sharing his portrayals of doctors’ day-to-day lives after he realized the doctor-patient relationship had become polarized.
“I feel a sense of social responsibility and I want to offer more help to those in the medical field,” he said.
He spends two to three hours after work every day creating his comic strips, which feature doctors having to work prolonged two-day shifts and earning NT$398 for performing an appendectomy — not enough to pay for a decent late-night snack, he said.
He hopes that the public would sympathize with medical personnel after reading his comics.
Senior illustrator “People 2” (人2) said he knows all too well the toil and distress suffered by those working in service industries and that he has drawn inspiration from a series of part-time positions — working at a fast food restaurant, a barbeque diner and a delivery business.
He portrays the versatility of convenience store clerks, who have to master many skills — sales, inventory, documentation, cleaning, cooking and accounting — in addition to dealing with difficult customers who shout abuse at them.
“There are people who thank the clerk for their service [after reading my comics] and I am very pleased about that,” he said.
A discerning observer of interpersonal relationships, he said he would keep portraying the hardships and poor conditions that ordinary people face at work.
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