Aislin

Christopher Terry Mosher, who draws under the pen name Aislin, is a Canadian political cartoonist born on November 11, 1942. His distinctive drawings have graced publications such as Punch, The Atlantic Monthly, Harper's, and The New York Times, in addition to his long-standing role at The Montreal Gazette. Mosher's career began after graduating from the École des Beaux-arts in 1967, a period marked by significant political shifts in Canada and Quebec. He has been noted for his ability to capture the essence of these events, including the October Crisis and the election of the Parti Québécois. As of 2020, he had authored 51 books.

Mosher's artistic journey included early work drawing portraits of American tourists in Quebec City. He transitioned to political cartooning, acknowledging a steep learning curve due to a lack of historical resources on the subject. He joined The Montreal Star in 1969 before moving to The Montreal Gazette in 1972. His work has evolved with technology, now focusing on how cartoons appear on digital screens. Beyond his illustration work, Mosher has been involved in other ventures, notably providing original artwork for the board game Trivial Pursuit and the logo for Paragraphe Bookstore. A 2003 documentary, "Nothing Sacred," explored his career alongside fellow cartoonist Serge Chapleau.

Christopher Terry Mosher, operating under the pseudonym Aislin, was born in Ottawa on November 11, 1942. His artistic education culminated in a degree from the École des Beaux-arts in 1967, an institution he famously gained admission to by submitting a forged high-school diploma, an act he later described as his most successful piece of work. During his student years, Mosher honed his drawing skills by creating portraits of tourists in Quebec City. Upon graduation, he chose to pursue political cartooning over painting. Despite admitting to a limited initial understanding of the field and facing challenges due to the scarcity of literature on Canadian political cartooning, Mosher adapted swiftly. He secured a position as the official cartoonist for The Montreal Star in 1969, later transitioning to The Montreal Gazette in 1972, where he has remained a prominent voice.

Mosher's career coincided with a pivotal era in Canadian and Quebecois political history. He began drawing during periods of significant change, including the leadership transition in the Liberal Party of Canada and the turbulent October Crisis of 1970, which saw the invocation of the War Measures Act. The subsequent election of the sovereigntist Parti Québécois in 1976 further shaped the political landscape. These events provided Mosher with a rich and varied source of material for his cartoons. One of his most recognized works depicts René Lévesque, the newly elected Premier of Quebec, offering a valium to an anxious Anglophone community, capturing the prevailing sentiment of the time. His first published cartoon appeared in Saturday Night magazine in September 1967, followed by his debut in a newspaper, The Montreal Star, in December of the same year. Since then, he has produced over 13,000 editorial cartoons.

As the digital age progressed, Aislin's approach to his craft evolved. He shifted his focus from creating cartoons for print to considering their appearance on screens, adapting his technique for the virtual format. Beyond his newspaper work, Mosher has engaged in various creative collaborations. He notably declined a share of the profits from the board game Trivial Pursuit, opting instead for a cash payment of $1,000 for his original artwork. He also contributed a cartoon for the logo of the Montreal bookstore, Paragraphe Bookstore. His artistic contributions have been celebrated in multiple exhibitions, including showcases at the McCord Museum, which presented retrospectives of his work spanning decades and exploring themes of societal change, Quebec and Canadian politics, Montreal's urban life, and its political leaders.

Aislin's significant contributions to political commentary have earned him numerous accolades. He is a recipient of two National Newspaper Awards and multiple international prizes for caricature. In 1985, he was inducted into the Canadian News Hall of Fame at a young age. Further honors include being appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2002 and receiving honorary doctorates from McGill University and Concordia University. He was also inducted into the Canadian Cartoonist's Hall of Fame and received Queen Elizabeth II's Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals. Mosher's work has also been the subject of public discussion and occasional controversy, including a notable censure in the House of Commons and debates surrounding specific cartoons addressing social and political issues.