We all have a unique imagination. We are always getting inspired by our surroundings, and formulating new ideas and thoughts that stem from our experiences. For an artist based out of Tel Aviv, Israel, he brings his imagination to life, influenced by his everyday experiences in his home country.
From parenting to the modern society around him, Asaf Hanuka creates satirical illustrations with a humorous twist. With thought-provoking themes and colorfully captivating art, Asaf invites us into his life and his imaginative inner mind.
His award-winning webcomic series ‘The Realist’ is much like a creative diary of imagery as the artist tries to make sense of politics, technology, and his daily anxieties. In an interview with Comics Alliance, he reveals that he’s “trained in getting across an abstract idea using an image.”
1. Entitled ‘A Second Chance To Win’ we see a father aiming to live out his dream through his son, evidently defeated by his own efforts.
2. ‘Likecoholic’ is a representation of how overpowering social media has become, and how strong the need for ‘likes’ is for people in modern day society.
3. In this image, we see a wife who is exhausted trying to reach out to her husband, while his mind is up in the air like a space cadet.
4. ‘Underworld’ shows the harsh reality behind the gifts given to children, as other children in the world are forced to work and produce them.
5. ‘Burp Man’ represents the heroism of fatherhood when it comes to saving the day and burping your child, something that many couples struggle with.
6. ‘Smile’ shows a father and daughter whose interaction is through captured photos, from her early years, until he’s on his deathbed. He watches her grow up behind his screen until the role is reversed when he sadly passes.
Itai Buenahora7. ‘Local Wonder’ shows his wife being glorified as Wonder Woman as she cleans the house. This represents the respect and gratitude that he has for his wife as she takes care of house responsibilities.
Itai Buenahora
8. ‘It’s Not A Bird’ represents the sad reality of the air strikes and bombs that are launched over Israeli neighborhoods. The title goes hand in hand with the young boy dressed as Superman, however, it’s not a bird, it’s not a plane, but a bomb.
9. ‘After The (Jewish) Holy Days’ represents the immense struggle of getting back into the work routine, after consecutive family gatherings, heavy food consumption, and all of the planning that goes behind holiday season.
10. ‘Under Your Nose’ depicts the reality of the surrounding warfare in Israeli neighborhoods that coincide with everyday life. As a father, he can’t help but stand and watch, hands full, as he aims to get home to his family.
11. ‘Monstext’ represents the heavy stress that can come with having a cellular device. The illustration shows him going from calm to a hulk-like mode, before finally settling back to reality.
12. ‘Parallel universe’ shows the reality of being a father, having to step up and let out the inner superhero inside of you when the time comes for heroics. Through the everyday challenges of fatherhood, sometimes you need to reach the next gear to persevere.
Itai Buenahora
