Today, we are more aware of biases and cliches when we travel or meet people and this is apparent in contemporary illustrations. I looked at older images in the Bridgeman archives and prejudices are particularly obvious in some of these illustrations and would not be acceptable anymore.
In some images from the past for instance, we can see European people having all their needs attended to by the local populations, and even being carried on chairs while travelling (see links below):
M le Myre de Vilers in Madagascar illustration from ‘Le Petit Journal’://www.bridgemanimages.com/en-US/meaulle/m-le-myre-de-vilers-in-madagascar-illustration-from-le-petit-journal-22th-october-1894-coloured/coloured-engraving/asset/217569
Voyage Au Pays De Kong: https://www.bridgemanimages.com/en-US/french-school/voyage-au-pays-de-kong-engraving/engraving/asset/2788923
Other times, the local traditions, dances and costumes are shown as a spectacle. The emphasis is on difference and the “other” is seen as a curiosity:
Sir Henry Morton Stanley watching a phalanx dance by Mazamboni’s warriors at Usiri, 1890: https://www.bridgemanimages.com/en-US/riou/sir-henry-morton-stanley-watching-a-phalanx-dance-by-mazamboni-s-warriors-at-usiri-1890-wood/wood-engraving/asset/441407
In all of the above, the illustrations are a reflection of the society as it was then. However, although the artist is not responsible for the situation they encounter, they have a responsibility to question themselves as to whether the situation is acceptable or not and to reflect this in their representations.
Even if, as mentioned above, we are more aware of prejudices, we can still be biased at times without realising it and it is important to always wonder about our approach.
We could for instance illustrate a famous holiday destination using cliches without trying to understand the place, and local people might not be impressed with the way we represent the area.
If we focus on what we have in common, the outcome will likely be more inclusive than if we only want to highlight differences.
In some of Jonathan Edwards’ sketches (https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/apr/29/my-travel-sketches-jonathan-edwards-some-drawings-remind-me-how-the-sun-felt-on-my-skin), he drew some women sitting in a cafe. The clothes that they are wearing indicate that the scene takes place in Japan but the idea is not to make us feel that we are different as people, and this is apparent when we look at the sketches.
A way to think about this might be to wonder how we would feel should the situation be reversed and someone created the same illustration about our culture, our tradition or habits. Would we be offended or would we feel that the illustration depicts us or the place that we live in in a fair and respectful way?
In summary, it is about respecting everyone and avoiding generalisation and cliche.
Catherine Roux Degree in Illustration 