Born in 1967 in Pakistan, Patrick Chappatte is a Swiss cartoonist, comics reporter and pioneer of graphic journalism. Formerly an in-house cartoonist for ‘The New York Times’, he now contributes to publications such as ‘The Boston Globe’, France’s ‘Le Canard enchaîné’ and ‘La Tribune Dimanche’, and the Swiss newspapers ‘Le Temps’ and ‘NZZ am Sonntag’.

This artist combines the qualities of a political observer with those of a masterful illustrator. His cartoons and comics reportage constitute nuanced, precise, distilled commentary on world events. Instead of ridiculing well-known figures by grotesquely exaggerating their facial features, he zeroes in on the situation itself. “You don’t have to strike hard,” explains Chappatte, “you just have to aim accurately.”

Chappatte has spent decades advocating freedom of expression and democratic dialogue. In 2019, when the ‘The New York Times’ decided to stop publishing political cartoons, his essay on the importance of satire attracted worldwide attention.

Chappatte has also furthered the development of comics reportage as a journalistic format, travelling to Gaza, Nairobi, Central America, South Korea and Silicon Valley. With his wife, journalist Anne-F. Widmann, he created the illustrated series ‘Inside Death Row’ for ‘The New York Times’, addressing the debate on capital punishment. Chappatte has also realised international dialogue projects with cartoonists from conflict-ridden regions. As president of the Geneva-based Freedom Cartoonists Foundation, he promotes drawing as a tool for democracy, exchange and understanding.

Chappatte has won the Overseas Press Club of America’s Best Cartoon Award three times. In 2022, EPFL granted him an honorary doctorate. He has performed his show ‘Chappatte en scène’ in sold-out theatres.

The major retrospective at Cartoonmuseum Basel, this artist’s first in a museum, sheds light on all aspects of his commitment-driven oeuvre, with over 200 original drawings, digital cartoons and comics, along with large-format comics reportage and films.

Press conference: 11.11.2027, 11 am
Vernissage: 12.11.2027, 6.30 pm
Curator: Anette Gehrig