Purdue Galleries presents political cartoonist Ward Sutton exhibition
Ward Sutton has been an editorial cartoonist for The Boston Globe since 2008. He is known for his satire and experimentation with size and format, often crafting multi-panel cartoons that read like graphic novels. His acclaimed work spans notable publications such as The New Yorker, GQ, The New York Times, and Rolling Stone. Sutton has received prestigious awards for his work, including the Herblock Prize (2018) and the Berryman Award (2022).
In addition to his editorial cartoons, Sutton is also known for his satirical character Stan Kelly, a parody of a conservative editorial cartoonist for The Onion. Through this alter ego, Sutton critiques not only politics but also the art of cartooning itself.
Sutton’s work spans a variety of media, from political commentary to posters for Broadway and animations for HBO, reflecting his deep engagement with social critique and cultural satire.
Stephen Colbert, host of The Late Show, said, “Ward Sutton’s satire doesn’t just bite, it maims. He’s the perfect cartoonist for our discordant times.”
“Drawing Lines: The Political Art of Ward Sutton” offers Purdue students and the surrounding community the chance to engage with the work of one of the most influential cartoonists of the 21st century. Visitors will explore Sutton's powerful commentary on political resistance and social change through this collection of original works.
The exhibition will be open to the public from Oct. 14 to Oct. 25 in the Patti and Rusty Rueff West Gallery and is co-sponsored by the John Martinson Honors College in conjunction with Purdue University Galleries.
An in-gallery interview with the artist, conducted by Professors Anish Vanaik and Dwaine Jenellegy, will be held on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 5 p.m.
About the Galleries
All Purdue Galleries exhibitions and events are free and open to the public. For class and group visits, contact Erika Kvam at Purdue Galleries at 765-494-3061. For more information, visit http://www.purdue.edu/galleries or follow @PurdueGalleries on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About Purdue University
Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitch Daniels School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.
Media Contact: Steve Hustedt, shustedt@purdue.edu