Jon Kudelka, an award-winning Australian cartoonist, died in Hobart on Sunday at the age of 53. His passing was announced by his family, with his wife Margaret Kudelka confirming he was surrounded by family and friends in South Hobart. Kudelka had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer, in early 2022 and underwent treatment for two years.
Jon Kudelka, an award-winning Australian cartoonist, died in Hobart on Sunday at the age of 53.
Career Overview
Born in Burnie, Tasmania, in 1972, Kudelka's career as a cartoonist spanned over 30 years. He began his work with the Hobart Mercury in 1993, and his cartoons were also featured in national publications including The Australian, The Saturday Paper, and The Age. He contributed to The Australian for two decades.
Throughout his prolific career, Kudelka published approximately 10,000 cartoons, having sold his first at the age of nine.
Beyond political cartoons, Kudelka pursued life drawing and animation. He authored multiple books, including "101 Uses For A John Howard", "Kudelka And First Dog's Spiritual Journey", and "Hobart By Kudelka". Prior to his death, he contributed an article to The Saturday Paper titled "Lessons from political cartooning." He retired from daily cartooning following his diagnosis and treatment for glioblastoma.
Awards and Recognition
Kudelka received several prestigious awards for his significant contributions to cartooning:
- Walkley Awards: He won two Walkley Awards for best cartoon.
- The first was in 2008 for his work "Welcome to Brendan," which depicted the isolation of then-Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson.
- His second Walkley Award was in 2018 for "From the Heart," published in The Australian. This cartoon depicted Uluru as a fist with an upturned middle finger, captioned "Official Government Uluru Statement Response," and was recognized for its commentary on the Turnbull government's response to the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
- Museum of Australian Democracy's Cartoonist of the Year: He was recognized on two occasions, in 2010 and 2019.
- Other Awards: He also received Kennedy, Stanley, and News awards, further solidifying his standing in the industry.
Advocacy and Industry Influence
Kudelka engaged publicly with the role and responsibilities of editorial cartoonists. In 2023, he initiated a boycott of the Walkley Awards to protest the absence of a climate reporting category and the event's sponsorship by Ampol.
This action preceded significant changes within the industry, including the Australian Cartoonists’ Association establishing a new climate-change related cartoon award and the Walkley Foundation revising its sponsorship policies. Kudelka also contributed a cartoon to The Mercury on October 14, 2023, which encouraged voters to inform themselves during the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum.
Personal Life
Jon Kudelka is survived by his wife, Margaret, who is also an artist, and their teenage children, Kay and Oskar. He is also survived by his sister Liesl.
Together with his wife, he operated an art shop at Hobart's Salamanca Arts Centre. Kudelka's blog, which continues to address issues related to the Walkley Awards, also sells calendars featuring his work.