What does Flying Dog Brewery and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas have in common? Why, Ralph Steadman, of course. The British illustrator is known for his political satire cartoons as well as his many collaborations with Hunter S. Thompson. In an interview with Independent, Steadman commented:
“I’m not sure why I seem to court friendship with these people when I’m as straight as a die myself. I suppose in a strange kind of way some of my drawings are junkie drawings – not all of them: sometimes I get a bit elegant – but a lot of my work does look as if I’m on something.” A short pause. “I suppose what I’m actually on is a frightening, paranoiac fear of life, and I exorcise that fear by drawing.”
In a recent video by the Economist, Steadman shared his studio and his process. Contrary to his prior work using cartoons for political commentary, Steadman states in the interview: “I’m not really interested in politicians at the moment. I much prefer extinct birds.”
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