Art isn't created just to please our eyes; it also transfers ideas and provokes thought on social problems. Austrian cartoonist Gerhard Haderer has been producing satirical illustrations and cartoons for adults for decades now, highlighting the awful problems with society.
Gerhard Haderer had even faced the court for one of his brutally honest books, The Life of Jesus. It triggered violent reactions, because of the society problems discussed in it, in Europe, especially from the Catholic Church. The story culminated in 2005 when Haderer was convicted in Greece for insulting the religious community and was given a six-month suspended sentence in absentia. A few months later, however, this verdict was corrected on appeal, and Gerhard Haderer was acquitted.
The artist developed his realistic style when working as a graphic designer and illustrator for advertising agencies early in his career. It wasn't until a cancer operation in 1985 when Gerhard abandoned his commercial dreams and became a freelance caricaturist and satirical illustrator, mainly focusing on social issues. Scroll down to check out his unsettling and at times scary cartoons and vote for your favorites.
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this happens so much at live concerts, just put the damn phone down and enjoy the experience!
This I do not understand. I like reading books in paper but there is nothing wrong with electronic editions. If anything, they are more eco friendly. It is still the same activity just different medium.
Timeline: Catholic Church's sex abuse scandals https://www.cnn.com/2017/06/29/world/timeline-catholic-church-sexual-abuse-scandals/index.html
I'm not seeing this as a "fast food/obesity" thing, more like a CEO or corporate leader just greedily eating funds. Fat in wealth kind of thing
I immediately thought that the commando in the middle thinks in black and white, and reality is all sorts of colors.
I believe those are (probably very hungry) refugees fleeing to another country (USA?) and there lies overweight, over-indulged and seeming to be unaware of the the reality of the plight of others.
Germany is more like it... as Sissi stated. Except the mayhem under Merkels watch would make sharing with those masses a dangerous endeavor. Too bad they overinduldge but that doesn't gave a thing to do with an extremist religious culture that abuses and represses woman in the name of God.
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there are all colorful people in the sea, it means immigration from Africa through Mediterranean seas
It says: 'are we expecting guests?' it refers to the refugee situation, where European and I think in this case German or Austrian people on a vacation, don't want to share their wealth.
This is a really sad depiction, thousands of people desperately trying to flee poverty for a better life
But the sad reality is that little float can't support all of them.
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Skinny people wanting a better life where fat people sit around eating junk food
That was more my line of thinking. Sort of like the ppl gaping at the one man reading the newspaper.
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This reminds me the refugees who try to escape from the war in Syria and died in the Mediterranean Sea while they were on their way to Greece etc. They accepted to pass the sea with plastic boats because what they do is "illegal" and they had to escape illegally, so many of them died on their way because those s****y boats were not durable enough to carry them to their dreams.
Isn't there a place in life for both doing your own research (i.e., asking google), and asking other people? Does it immediately need to devolve into this single point?
Really, 46 downvotes for Liz for a suggestion ? More than the post itself got ? What is it, haters day ?
Is there anything wrong with communicating with other people on here to ask a question. Google translate is not always correct. And there might be people here who speak the language and know the correct answer. I am not saying google translate was wrong this time, since I do not use it. I use an app. But I often hear that it is not always correct!
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I see the refugee crisis in this drawing. People ignorant to their suffering on their own little island of comfort.
Any that can swim to Germany shall be granted freedom and a ham sandwich
Anyone who can swim to Germany shall be granted freedom and a ham sandwich
Could it possibly be that white people who have too much just ignore the poverty of the islands they visit in their all inclusive resorts?
Racist white people literally used mission work to open doors for resorts and vacations and this is the result worldwide. Vacationing right next to terrible matters. Like here building a wall yet we don’t even have reparations. Yet, holocaust survivors got reparations when it didn’t even happen here. Maybe that’s what it means
My interpretation is that us Americans go off for vacation where children are starving and poverty etc. are located.
“If we let you all on, there won’t be enough food or space for us.”
Tourists spending thousands of dollars in ‘paradise’ while poor locals trying to keep their heads above water
I think this depicts brown-skinned refugees swimming to the land of plenty.
Fat rich Americans not helping other nations unless there's something in it for them!
They aren’t American though, we know Americans can’t speak any language except English ;)
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Well instead of peopling fleeing you see people swimming towards them. My guess would be the rich get richer and fatter while others slowly drown
Why the downvotes? The artist did not say what this represents. This could be another interpretation. Though I thought of the immigrants too. This is just another interpretation. Though the "fat" part is not always the case. So I do not agree with the "fat" part. But no need to downvote another interpretation than your own!
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George Orwell- Animal Farm: ''Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which."
Not sure how many people knew this, but there is a forth monkey in this series. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil and do no evil.
I'm honestly tired of people, artists or not, claiming there's something "wrong" with today's society and the way we interact with technology. I'm sorry but if you want your kids to be "addicted" to technology, DON'T buy them a phone when they're six years old, suck it up and try PARENTING instead of shunning your kids away with digital toys and electronics.
Every time I see these kinds of things this is all I can think of raunisex_t...fef027.jpg 
I always think of Caveman Science Fiction: http://dresdencodak.com/2009/09/22/caveman-science-fiction/
Load More Replies... Lol,complaining about society and technology in a digital way.I am sure that all those artist never use computers,smartphones and social media.They should stop being hypocritical and blame the "society"
I didn't think about it as someone complaining, I thought it was just a reminder for myself to double check where I stand in these pictures. I thought they were interesting to scroll through.
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I love the mind of people who can tackle entire issues in a single image.
ya'll don't get the term, "satire" do you? Here you go. SATIRE: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. Illustrators can joke about the things they see using the their own medium. This illustrator does a funny job of poking at topical issues. Get a grip. If you enjoy your phone, keep enjoying it. Relax.
Honestly? STOP WITH THE SELFIE STICK! It’s so overdone, every satrical illustration has the selfie stick. And yes, I do watch tv, but I GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY TOO!
If you think it is all about watching tv then you totally missed the point.
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Such superb artwork - such grievously sad subjects. Thank you, Gerhard Haderer, for holding up the mirror.
Caricature is always about something worth criticising or at least about making a mockery of. Haderer is a great artist, I love all his work.
These are great satires & political art ideas! Despite what many on here are bitching about, these are fun.
I browsed through all of this looking for the voluptuous girl riding a giant crocodile, did I find the wrong article?
People SUCK! Knowing what's wrong, see it graphically illustrated is one thing. Realization and doing something about it is another. Denial is the factor in between.
It amazes me how some people find fault with everything. Do they think their negativity makes them superior by pretending to overlook someone else’s obvious talent? The “flat earth” mentality is an example of logic being tossed out and replacing it with ego driven nonsense.
Another series of illustrations about "what's wrong with today's society" that says all the same things as the previous artist. No new insights. Boring.
There is a balance. I see the zombie students walking around staring at their phones. I see the fear of original thinking. I see (as most can) the way people burble on about Harry Potter and its ilk like they have zero imagination. I guess it's easy to steal what is of little value.
In my time we had real community where people actually engaged culture, played and talked together. Oddly, now that I'm older I'm glad everyone is disconnected / dumbed-down because for those of us non-techno deebs, it's nice to have every space to myself....even when it's filled with "people"...
In my time we had real community where people actually engaged culture, played and talked together. Oddly, now that I'm older I'm glad everyone is disconnected / dumbed-down because for those of us non-techno deebs, it's nice to have every space to myself....even when it's filled with "people".
These are about loneliness and emptiness, not about technology per se. Our whole society has been set up to eliminate all kinds of real human interactions. Don't blame technology, blame societal morays of rugged individualism, personal shame, and mindless worship of money.
Not nice to see comments written without thinking, in the comments section of an article with pictures that are supposed to make you think...
This guy is so pretentious with his holier than thou attitude. Judging by the ratings on these images, it looks like the lot of Boredpanda's commenter demographic is an older generation of pseudo pretentious persons who are mad at younger people for existing. How dare the new generations continue to progress and leave you behind. I feel sorry for you guys who upvoted the selfie images because you will never be truly as pretentious as this artist. Ever. Even though you think you are lmao
Don't buy your children smartphones and don't let them watch TV. They are being manipulated! And you too, by the way.
People, there are options between saying nothing and going nuclear
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So you share his opinions that some things are wrong, yet you area allowed to write it very boringly but he can't draw them in humorous ways? Why?
Load More Replies... I'm honestly tired of people, artists or not, claiming there's something "wrong" with today's society and the way we interact with technology. I'm sorry but if you want your kids to be "addicted" to technology, DON'T buy them a phone when they're six years old, suck it up and try PARENTING instead of shunning your kids away with digital toys and electronics.
Every time I see these kinds of things this is all I can think of raunisex_t...fef027.jpg
I always think of Caveman Science Fiction: http://dresdencodak.com/2009/09/22/caveman-science-fiction/
Load More Replies... Lol,complaining about society and technology in a digital way.I am sure that all those artist never use computers,smartphones and social media.They should stop being hypocritical and blame the "society"
I didn't think about it as someone complaining, I thought it was just a reminder for myself to double check where I stand in these pictures. I thought they were interesting to scroll through.
Load More Replies... I love the mind of people who can tackle entire issues in a single image.
ya'll don't get the term, "satire" do you? Here you go. SATIRE: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. Illustrators can joke about the things they see using the their own medium. This illustrator does a funny job of poking at topical issues. Get a grip. If you enjoy your phone, keep enjoying it. Relax.
Honestly? STOP WITH THE SELFIE STICK! It’s so overdone, every satrical illustration has the selfie stick. And yes, I do watch tv, but I GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY TOO!
If you think it is all about watching tv then you totally missed the point.
Load More Replies... Such superb artwork - such grievously sad subjects. Thank you, Gerhard Haderer, for holding up the mirror.
Caricature is always about something worth criticising or at least about making a mockery of. Haderer is a great artist, I love all his work.
These are great satires & political art ideas! Despite what many on here are bitching about, these are fun.
I browsed through all of this looking for the voluptuous girl riding a giant crocodile, did I find the wrong article?
People SUCK! Knowing what's wrong, see it graphically illustrated is one thing. Realization and doing something about it is another. Denial is the factor in between.
It amazes me how some people find fault with everything. Do they think their negativity makes them superior by pretending to overlook someone else’s obvious talent? The “flat earth” mentality is an example of logic being tossed out and replacing it with ego driven nonsense.
Another series of illustrations about "what's wrong with today's society" that says all the same things as the previous artist. No new insights. Boring.
There is a balance. I see the zombie students walking around staring at their phones. I see the fear of original thinking. I see (as most can) the way people burble on about Harry Potter and its ilk like they have zero imagination. I guess it's easy to steal what is of little value.
In my time we had real community where people actually engaged culture, played and talked together. Oddly, now that I'm older I'm glad everyone is disconnected / dumbed-down because for those of us non-techno deebs, it's nice to have every space to myself....even when it's filled with "people"...
In my time we had real community where people actually engaged culture, played and talked together. Oddly, now that I'm older I'm glad everyone is disconnected / dumbed-down because for those of us non-techno deebs, it's nice to have every space to myself....even when it's filled with "people".
These are about loneliness and emptiness, not about technology per se. Our whole society has been set up to eliminate all kinds of real human interactions. Don't blame technology, blame societal morays of rugged individualism, personal shame, and mindless worship of money.
Not nice to see comments written without thinking, in the comments section of an article with pictures that are supposed to make you think...
This guy is so pretentious with his holier than thou attitude. Judging by the ratings on these images, it looks like the lot of Boredpanda's commenter demographic is an older generation of pseudo pretentious persons who are mad at younger people for existing. How dare the new generations continue to progress and leave you behind. I feel sorry for you guys who upvoted the selfie images because you will never be truly as pretentious as this artist. Ever. Even though you think you are lmao
Don't buy your children smartphones and don't let them watch TV. They are being manipulated! And you too, by the way.
People, there are options between saying nothing and going nuclear
Load More Replies... So you share his opinions that some things are wrong, yet you area allowed to write it very boringly but he can't draw them in humorous ways? Why?
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