Osman Obaid is an award-winning Sudanese political cartoonist, illustrator and press editor based in Haugesund, Norway. He has worked in political and social cartooning since 2004, using visual satire to examine power, conflict, human rights, freedom of expression and social change.
His work has documented major political transformations in Sudan and the Arab region, including popular protests, censorship, war and displacement. Through direct visual metaphors and dark humour, he seeks to make complex political issues accessible while giving visibility to the experiences of ordinary people.
Professional Experience
I have published my work in and collaborated with a number of Sudanese, Arab, and Norwegian newspapers and media outlets, including Sawt Al-Umma, Al-jareeda, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, and Haugesunds Avis.
. His work has also appeared in international publications, exhibitions and platforms dedicated to editorial cartooning and freedom of expression.
He is also the author of Cartoon Memory 2008–2019, a visual archive containing more than 230 political cartoons.
Awards and Recognition
● Award of Excellence — World Press Freedom International Editorial Cartoon Competition, Canada, 2026
● Third Prize — Doha International Family Institute Cartoon Competition, Qatar, 2021
● Diploma — VI Bienal de Humor Luiz d’Oliveira Guimarães, Portugal, 2018
Selected Exhibitions and Participations
Tlatelolco International Political Cartoon Biennial, Mexico City, Mexico — 2026
Making Good Weather!, La Main sur l’Image, Paris, France — 2026
World Press Freedom International Editorial Cartoon Competition Exhibition, Canada — 2026
World Press Freedom Conference Exhibition — 2020
Olense Kartoenale, Belgium — 2020
Norwegian Cartoonist Gallery, Drøbak, Norway — 2020
VI Bienal de Humor Luiz d’Oliveira Guimarães, Portugal — 2018
Memberships and Professional Networks
Osman Obaid is a member of Cartooning for Peace and Cartoon Movement and is part of the international ICORN network.
Workshops and Community Work
Alongside his editorial work, Obaid has organised and delivered cartoon and visual-expression workshops for young people. His community projects use art to encourage creativity, dialogue, peacebuilding and freedom of expression.
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Rural Development from the University of Gezira, Sudan.
Interviews & Media
Haugesund kommune — 2025
Pennen som våpen mot urett
In this interview, Osman Obaid talks about his journey as a political cartoonist, from his early interest in drawing in Sudan to his life and work in Haugesund. He reflects on political satire, freedom of expression, and using the pen as a means of challenging injustice.
Ayin Network — February 25, 2020
Political Cartooning under Sudan’s Ingaz Regime
In this interview, Osman Obaid discusses his book documenting Sudan’s Ingaz era through 230 political cartoons, and reflects on his beginnings as a cartoonist, censorship, the challenges facing cartoonists in Sudan, and the role of political satire in confronting power.
Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) — 2023
Osman Obaid: Political Cartooning, Censorship and the Pursuit of Justice
In this interview, Osman Obaid reflects on his journey as a political cartoonist, the influence of social justice on his work, and his experiences with censorship and threats in Sudan. He discusses how political cartoons can challenge authority, expose injustice, and defend freedom of expression.