DistantNews
Support us
Cartoonist Arkas comments on how phones capture disaster, not tragedy
🇬🇷 Greece /Culture & Society

Cartoonist Arkas comments on how phones capture disaster, not tragedy

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Cartoonist Arkas uses a drawing to comment on the limitations of mobile phone cameras in capturing human suffering.
  • The cartoon depicts a phone recording a devastating flood, highlighting the difference between documenting destruction and conveying tragedy.
  • Arkas's work suggests that while phones can record the visual impact of disasters, they fail to capture the emotional depth of the human experience.

A new cartoon by the Greek artist Arkas uses a powerful image to comment on the way disasters are consumed through the lens of mobile phones. The drawing centers on a smartphone screen, which acts as a frame for a biblical-scale flood.

The scene within the phone's screen shows a village being overwhelmed by a torrent of water and mud. Houses are severely damaged, and the landscape is devastated. This visual depicts the raw destruction wrought by the disaster.

Above the image, Arkas writes, "Mobile phones can record the disaster. Not the tragedy." This simple yet profound statement separates the visual evidence of destruction from the profound human suffering that lies beneath.

Arkas's work suggests that while mobile phone cameras can capture the scale of damage, flooded streets, ruined homes, and the sheer magnitude of loss, they cannot convey the fear, grief, pain, and lasting consequences experienced by those affected. The cartoon serves as a poignant reminder of the gap between digital documentation and genuine human empathy.

Mobile phones can record the disaster. Not the tragedy.

— ArkasCaption accompanying the cartoon
About this summary

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog