RED MAN: Where were you born?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: In Amsterdam, famous city and capital of the Netherlands. In 1946!

I have one elder sister 1938 and a brother 1942. I am the youngest one!

RED MAN: What was your childhood like? Are there any events related to art?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK:I was always very keen on drawing and received high scores. I was tested when I was 13 years old with a score of IQ 147! I never knew why?

RED MAN: When did you start drawing?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: So I started as a four year old kid. Visited the art school and became a professor in Dutch language (not in drawing!)

RED MAN: Have you ever studied at an art school?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: Yes I did for some years, but left for studying to be a teacher.

RED MAN: Did you start creating cartoon at that time?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: No, just paintings and sculptures till 1983.

                                                  peter zegel

RED MAN: We would like to know when you decided to become an artist? Is your family full of artistic atmosphere?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: Yes my brother is a painter too and my sister was a ceramist.

                                                   roland topor 

RED MAN: What do your family and friends think of your choice to "make a living through art"? To what extent do they support you?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK:They did not really support me, they were proud but not always happy. I was married when I was 18 years old and had a son who now 60 years old is being a tattooist.

RED MAN: What is your family background?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK:  My father was a police officer, my mother a housewife. My father died when he was 92, my mother died at the age of 96. I was married 3x and I have a son of my 1^st marriage.

RED MAN: When did you start creating international cartoon works and participating in international cartoon competitions? Did any special issues or events ignite your inspiration and start a new creative path?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK:  After an exhibition in 1983 a Dutch female cartoonist (Elly Holzhaus) came to me and said that there was a lot of humor in my artwork. Maybe good for me to start making cartoons also, besides my artwork. So I went to Knokke Heist where she won the prize of the public. There I met Bob Vincke from the Belgian Cartoon Association. Shortly after that I was invited as jury member in Skopje (by Vlado Jocic) and got the idea to organize a group in Holland and to create a Dutch international cartoon contest (which a did from 1984-2018) In the mean time I participated in many contests all over the world, especially for meeting cartoon colleagues. I only participate when I like the theme, no specialty.

RED MAN: We understand that your work appears to be ingeniously conceived, with a painting like artistic temperament and a very strong personal style, which is very distinctive. How did you develop your own style?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: Well in the first place I am a painter and I paint my cartoons. It is important to have a nice picture and a clear message that can be understood directly. No words, because a good cartoon is international language.

RED MAN: What is on your mind when you are painting?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: All kind of ideas and then to filter these ideas to have a simple painting with humor and a clear message.

RED MAN: What artists or works have influenced you in the process of forming your unique style? You can give an example; for example, show the two or three works that you think has had the greatest impact on you to everyone.

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: In the first place I can say that Roland Topor is a master I like. I do not work in his style, but I like his humor as well as Ralph Steadman and Miroslav Bartak.

RED MAN: When did the Netherlands cartoon originate? What are the representative cartoonists? You can tell us about them.

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: It all started in 1588 during the 80 year during war with Spain. It started with posters with comments and drawings with text. At the end of the eighteenth century there were many magazines with so-called illustrators/cartoonists. Albert Hahn was one of the pioneers. His works were comments on social ‘wrong’ situations. Just to name some others Dutch from the last century: Opland, Stefan Verwey, Tom Jansen.

RED MAN: Where do you think the world's cartoon originated from? When is the origin time?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: Well that is not clear. During visiting many countries, many persons claimed that the first cartoon ever made was in their country. I was told that in Egypt, in Romania, in Great Britain, Turkey, France, Germany, Italy and Cuba!

RED MAN: We know that the FECO is the largest international organization of cartoonists in the world. Can you briefly introduce how the FECO was founded? How did we get to where we are today step by step (with more and more countries participating, more and more people, and greater influence)? How will the FECO continue to develop in the future?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: It all started in 1985 with Holland, Belgium and Great Britain. (My, Bob Vincke and Les Lilley with Secretary Eric Parez from Knokke Heist). First it was called ECUN (European Cartoon Union) but Les Lilley told us that no British cartoonist wanted to be a member of a Union, so we changed the name in FECO (Federation of European Cartoon Organisations). After a request from Australia and Japan we changed the meaning of the name: Federation of Cartoon Organisations) and skipped the name Europe. Our most important task is to inform and protect cartoonist. So recently we made new rules for contests and we welcomed Fiji FECO! The future will be unclear because of the age of the members of the FECO Board; they are all over 65 years old, some over 75. We hope young cartoonist will take over FECO in the near future…..

RED MAN: You often serve as a judge for international comic competitions. Which region have you served as the judge for the most competitions? How do you select works? What are your standards? Please tell us the most interesting story from your experience as a judge.

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: 8x in Ankara, 7x in Porto, 10x in Beringen, 2x in Kruishoutem 1x Knokke Heist and many others. In total I have been a judge 72 times in all these years. For me it has been always very important that the cartoon ‘speaks’ directly, within 8 seconds it has to be understood. The selection is not always the same. Sometimes organizers made a pre-selection. The worst jury is Knokke Heist; as a jury member you just see one table with cartoons. Other members have seen other tables. I never saw all cartoons who participated.

Of course – after so many year with experience you see directly which cartoon is made by a certain cartoonist. Best way is to give points and have a final discussion with all jury members. Last time I was in Poland and the pre-selection kicked out all Russian cartoonists!

Also Vladimir Kazanevsky (who lives in Ukraine) and Michael Zlatkovsky (who hates Poetin and is not allowed to publish his works in Russia!) I was glad to correct that. As jury member you have to know a lot. Sometimes you discover copies of other cartoonists (plagiarism)

RED MAN: We know that you are the President of the FECO. When did you assume this important position? What work did you do after taking on this position? We know that the work of the FECO is diverse and often involves dealing with cartoonists from around the world, which reduces your creative time. How do you coordinate the relationship between work and creation?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: I am very good in managing my time. I stopped in 1994 working as a teacher. Making only paintings, sculptures and cartoons, writing books and poetry. In the beginning there were selections and changing Presidents General, I have been 3x chosen as PG. The last 10 years there has been no changings in the board. So I am still PG. See last page of FECONEWS Magazine. It is important to have time and to make time for this all.

RED MAN: We know that the Netherlands art is very distinctive. How has the development of the Netherlands cartoon been? Are there many professional cartoonists in the Netherlands? How is their living condition?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: Yes there are many. Every newspaper has one or two cartoonists that produce daily works without any form of censorship. Most cartoonists are also illustrators for children books or designer to make a living. Just a few can live by cartooning!

RED MAN: Are there many cartoon publications, magazines, and newspapers in the Netherlands? How did they reach the hands of the readers?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK:Yes there are 28 newspapers and 33 magazines. You can buy them in the shops and also many persons are a so-called member of a newspaper. I receive every day two newspapers that are brought to my letterbox early in the morning! And monthly 3 magazines.

RED MAN: What is people's definition of cartoon? Do people like cartoon? Especially do schools and parents allow children to read cartoon?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: There is a great difference between cartoon en comics. Some people like cartoons without words, others like comic strips. It is a different world. A good cartoon makes you laugh or cry. It is always a message packed in humor. It can be political but also non-political (more social)

RED MAN: Are there many derivative products of cartoon in the Netherlands, and do cartoon images often appear on products? Do people like these products?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: Yes there are now and than. When comic figures become popular. I is just merchandise for children and some grown-ups! Not my piece of cake.

RED MAN: In the Netherlands, whether it is primary school, secondary school, or university, are there any specialized courses in cartoon? What are the ways people learn cartoon?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK:NO there are not. Some cartoonists give private lessons.

RED MAN: Is there a cartoon museum in the Netherlands? If so, please introduce the Cartoon Museum to your readers.

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: No there is no cartoon museums in Holland. There are 3 comic museums. In Groningen and Noordwijk. But also in Utrecht, Rotterdam and Haarlem, but these are just shops with some exhibitions.

RED MAN: As the President of the FECO, you must have visited many cartoon museums around the world. Could you please introduce the unique features of those cartoon museums? Which cartoon museum attracts you the most? What are its characteristics? In your mind, what do you think the best cartoon museum should look like?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: It the past in was Porto, only during the exhibitions. In the past I visited some as Cuba, Beringen, Kruishoutem (the best), Zemun, Skopje, Saint Just le Martel. Most are gone. Best are ST Just and ECC Kruishoutem, all with love for the real cartoon art.

RED MAN: What cultural heritage is there in the Netherlands? Do government departments and people attach great importance to these cultural heritages? What is people's understanding of these cultural heritages? What impact does cultural heritage have on you?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: We do have many Musea and the people visit them very often. It is from traditional art and modern art, they all are popular. Many people buy a so-called Museum card valid for one year for all Musea. The musea are supported by the state and even more by the National Lottery.

RED MAN: What have people done to protect these cultural heritages? (Specific measures and promotion methods.) What role has cartoons played in cultural heritage protection? What role do you think cartoons can play in the protection of cultural heritage in the future?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: See answer above. Just keep on making cartoons and comment society!

RED MAN: This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the world anti fascist movement. What is the understanding of the Netherlands youth towards the 80th anniversary of the victory of the world anti fascist movement? What educational measures does the Netherlands have in this regard? Have the Netherlands cartoonists produced any anti Fascist cartoon works over the past 80 years?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: Yes they did and always did. Even today they compare Putin Trump, Erdogan and some other leaders of being fascists!

RED MAN: Are there any commemorative facilities in the Netherlands for the victory of the anti fascist movement? What are the regular commemorative activities?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK:  Just many comments, some demonstrations and many cartoons pro and contra!

RED MAN: What other hobbies do you have in your life?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: Smoking cigars, travelling around the world, reading, watching tv, eating, loving my wife, organizing art fairs etc.

RED MAN: If you weren't an artist, what would you do?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: A criminal or a famous chess player! Criminality can be compared with creativity, that also counts for playing chess!

RED MAN: What do you want to say to people who like your work?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: I am happy, thank you all that I could make some many contacts all over the world (From South Korea till Cuba, Canada, all European countries and South Africa

RED MAN: What advice do you have for young cartoon artists who respect you and take you as an example? What would you say to your respected colleagues? What would you say to readers who like your work? What would you say to readers who don't understand humor? Besides, what advice do you give yourself? What advice do you give me?

PETER NIEUWENDIJK: You do not have to respect my nor my work, just like it or make joy thinking about it .People that do not have a sense of humor makes the world a big problem. It is important to pack your message in humor. And please go your own way, always!

RED MAN: Without a doubt, you have succeeded. I know you are happy with what you have done.

Lastly, thank you for your trust and support in our interview!