“Michael Leunig, 1945-2024: The Holy Fool”

The highly successful Australian cartoonist, Michael Leunig died just before Christmas 2024.  It has been said that his death has left a hole in the spiritual life of Australia and long time friend, David Tacey agrees.

Even though the metaphysical significance of Leunig’s work escapes many who have smiled and laughed at his cartoons for the last fifty-five years, Leunig was able to make the idea of a ‘spiritual quest’ popular and well known – (something that no other Australian artist has achieved!)  Some have only a vague impression that these cartoons have a spiritual leaning, but Tacey argues that Leunig’s work is of monumental significance, not only to Australia, but also to the modern world.

Leunig attends to the spiritual life in our time, and his work explores the problems of finding and nurturing the ‘spirit’ in a materialistic age.  Whereas our society is in a ‘dark night of the soul’, seemingly devoid of spiritual concern, Leunig sees the possibility of renewal and re-enchantment everywhere, especially in nature and human nature.