The Realist 2 Favorite 

Practitioner: 

Date: 

Feb 27 2015

Location: 

Israel

Asaf Hanuka is a cartoonist and illustrator based in Tel Aviv, Israel. His illustrations span the themes of technology, revolution, war, Judaism, and depictions of family life and the individual in modern day society. While also employed for commercial illustrations for companies like Nike, The Wall Street Journal, and New York Times, Hanuka has received several awards and acclaim for his work including the Society of illustrators Gold Medal and the Eisner Award nomination.

Where Asaf Hanuka's work intersects with artistic activism is in his depictions of the political tension in Israel, and of technology's effect on society. Hanuka's illustration, 'Likecoholic' is one strong example of this. The image has gained much attention for its stark accuracy of the ego's relationship with social media. A man is depicted intravenously attached his desktop with Facebook left open on the screen. He is gorged and choking on Facebook's signature thumbs up sign as the likes spurt out his body and all over the floor and into the wastebasket behind him. The depiction suggests our excess dependency on approval, as sustained through an addictive relationship to online interaction. Ultimately, 'Likecoholic' and Hanuka's other work challenges the viewer to reconsider their position in society through an ironic lens of self-reflection.

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