The Central Saint Martins Museum and Study Collection is delighted to announce the acquisition the archive of cartoonist and writer Mel Calman (1931-1994).
Melville (Mel) Calman was best known for his ‘Little Man’ cartoons featured in the Daily Express, The Sunday Telegraph, The Observer, The Sunday Times and The Times. Calman studied illustration at St Martins School of Art before becoming a freelance cartoonist in 1956. He varied career included being the resident cartoonist on BBC’s Tonight programme and designing adverts for Shell. Later in his life he championed his medium and co-founded the Cartoon Arts Trust, the organisation behind the Cartoon Museum in London.
The ‘Little Man’ character was, like Calman, at times prone to depression and it’s Calman’s ability to find humour in otherwise dark scenarios that makes Little Man so appealing. His wry take on modern life makes this sometimes introspective character have wide resonances in his brave discussion of inner turmoil and strife.
Calman had a great interest in psychology which shines through in his work, with references to the human condition and analysis in his stripe cartoons and ‘Dr Calman’s Psychoanalysis Book’, published in 1981.
The archive of Calman’s work includes sketches, mock-ups and hand drawn dummies for books and cartoons as well as the finished article. The collection gives a great insight into his working method, with his use of rough coloured pencil in combination with his delicate but confident line drawings. Deceptively simple, Calman’s cartoons capture the character and mood of ‘Little Man’ in a few deft strokes on his pen.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to Calman’s daughter, Stephanie Calman, for this generous donation. Mel Calman’s thoughtful and humorous work is a very welcome addition to the CSM collection. They’re a huge hit with the Museum staff and will no doubt delight future generations for years to come.
– Sarah Campbell, Contemporary Curator, Central Saint Martins Museum and Study Collection
All images courtesy of Stephanie Calman