The media and cartooning world underwent significant transformations from Jon Kudelka’s initial contributions to The Mercury in Hobart during the early 1990s to his final regular position at The Saturday Paper before his retirement in April 2025. This decision followed his diagnosis and treatment for glioblastoma. Throughout his career, Kudelka’s cartoons graced the pages of various publications, including The Australian and The Age, reaching audiences across the political spectrum and resisting the polarizing trends of contemporary Australian media.
The award-winning cartoonist passed away in Hobart on Sunday at the age of 53. Beyond his cartoons, Kudelka’s creative spirit thrived in his gallery at Salamanca Place, envisioned as a “retirement policy,” where his artistic talents were on full display.
The National Conscience
If cartoonists serve as the persistent voice of the national conscience, Kudelka’s voice was superficially quizzical yet searing in its conviction. His work often targeted hypocrisy, political grandstanding, and manipulation, as well as deep-seated social and political inequalities, through cartoons that were as beautiful as they were powerful.
In 2016, when Jackson Pollock’s Blue Poles was valued at A$350 million, Coalition Senator James Paterson suggested selling the painting for profit. Kudelka’s cartoon on this topic invited readers in with its seemingly sweet depiction of “suits” before skewering the reductive economic thinking with a punchline that exposed systemic violence, all while beautifully replicating the artwork.
Kudelka’s deep understanding of art was evident in his work. His first Walkley Award in 2008 for “Welcome to Brendan” was praised for its “wistful, beautiful drawing” that subtly conveyed the isolation of then Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson. A decade later, Kudelka won another Walkley for “From the Heart,” a cartoon that viscerally responded to the Turnbull government’s dismissal of the Uluru Statement from the Heart’s recommendations.
A Willingness to Think Publicly
Kudelka’s impact on Australian cartooning extends beyond his published works. His willingness to publicly reflect on the profession and the editorial cartoonists’ role in national discourse was profound. In a late 2022 interview, surrounded by his Tassie-inspired artwork, Kudelka discussed his career with openness, wit, and warmth.
His accidental leadership in a cartoonists’ boycott of the 2023 Walkleys highlighted his convictions. In a blog post, Kudelka explained his decision not to enter a cartoon that year due to the lack of a climate reporting category and the ongoing sponsorship by Ampol. He argued:
“Whether this sponsorship influences journos or not, people seeing a bunch of allegedly well-informed media types hobnobbing on a fossil fuel company’s dime makes people think well they must think this isn’t so bad so maybe it isn’t (spoiler alert: it is).”
This stance sparked conversations about the culture within cartooning and the history of the awards. As a result, the Australian Cartoonists’ Association introduced a new climate-change-related award, and the Walkley Foundation revised its sponsorship policy.
Reflecting on a Storied Career
In April 2025, Kudelka retired after over three decades of professional cartooning. He reflected in The Saturday Paper that being an Australian political cartoonist felt like “Sisyphus rolling a boulder up a hill every day.” He found greater happiness in taking his time “making things” without the pressure of daily deadlines.
Kudelka left us with two poignant self-portrait cartoons. In the first, he stares into the “abyss” for inspiration as a deadline looms. In the second, he searches for his pen in his studio, with a gentle phrase on the wall: “Not today.” This phrase encapsulates the honesty, humor, and satirical sharpness that defined his creative life.
Jon Kudelka’s legacy is one of artistic excellence and unwavering conviction. His work continues to inspire and provoke thought, inviting us to look beyond the surface and question the world around us.
