Alexyz

Alex Raphael "Alexyz" Fernandes (born Aleixo Fernandes; 24 October 1944), known mononymously as Alexyz, is an Indian cartoonist, former footballer, and adman based in Siolim, Goa. He initially gained prominence working for O Heraldo during the height of the Konkani language agitation and Goa's statehood struggle in the 1980s. Over the course of a career spanning more than five decades in cartooning, he has created over 40,000 cartoons, with his first one made for the Wadala parish magazine. He is the recipient of the Goa State Cultural Award, the state's highest art and culture award.

Early life Alex Raphael Fernandes He hailed from the town of Siolim, Goa, then part of Portuguese India. Alexyz attended Dr. Antonio Da Silva High School in Dadar, Bombay, for his secondary education. He graduated from St. Xavier's College in Bombay in 1969, receiving a degree in Sociology and Psychology. He then completed a postgraduate degree in Advertising and Public Relations from the same college. His upbringing in Bombay exposed him to tiatr (Goan musical theatre), as his uncle often entertained guests with renditions of popular Konkani songs by Kid Boxer. His mononym "Alexyz" was chosen, based on a lead character named Alexis Zorba played by Anthony Quinn in the 1964 film Zorba the Greek.

Career

1980s: Football career and sports cartoons Alexyz is a former footballer who participated as a member of the Bombay Juniors football team. However, he sustained a knee injury that ultimately led him to abandon his athletic career. Following this, he began creating sports-themed cartoons. He authored the book Sportoons (1982), considered India's first collection of sports-themed cartoons, marking his debut in published works. Alexyz then released his next book, Howzzat! Century of Cricket Cartoons (1987), the first collection of cricket-themed cartoons to be published in India. The inclusion of verses authored by the Australian cricketer Sir Don Bradman in this work led to its commendation by the curator of the Bradman Museum & International Cricket Hall of Fame in New South Wales, Australia. The museum currently displays three of Alexyz's artworks. Additionally, he presented an exhibition centered on cricket in Adelaide, Australia, with a special emphasis on Bradman. Alongside his published books, Alexyz was also active as a daily contributor for multiple newspapers located in Bombay, like The Indian Express, Mid-Day, The Free Press Journal, Sunday Observers, and Reader's Digest, as well as for newspapers in Goa.

Support by Mario Miranda and Sportoons Mario Miranda was a popular cartoonist who was Alexyz's contemporary. Miranda played a significant role in supporting and mentoring Alexyz, as the latter entered the field of cartooning. Miranda started working on cartoons shortly after completing his education, contrasting Alexyz, who took a more extended period, around eight years post-graduation, to discover his own potential. Miranda was a cartoonist at The Times of India in Bombay, a location in close proximity to the college where Alexyz studied. Miranda introduced Alexyz to Khalid A. H. Ansari, the co-founder of the Bombay-based newspaper Mid-Day. Alexyz soon developed a specialty in creating sports-themed cartoons, coining the term Sportoons, which became widely adopted. Miranda also introduced Alexyz to politician Erasmo de Sequeira, who was responsible for the operations of the Goan newspaper, Goa Monitor. Alexyz later joined the West Coast Times in Margao and subsequently became the inaugural cartoonist for the Goan newspaper O Heraldo during the 1980s.

2019–2023: Work on autobiography and later career , Alexyz was in the process of writing an autobiographical work, titled, 50 Funky Years of a Goan Cartoonist. He had scheduled the publication of the book to coincide with his 75th birthday in 2020. Over the course of his career, his portfolio consisted of thousands of cartoons, including his initial published piece in a parish magazine located in Wadala. For the autobiography, he intended to incorporate insights and commentary from members of the broader Goan diaspora. Throughout his career, he maintained close personal and professional relationships with several well-known Goan artists and professionals. These included the cartoonist Mario Miranda, the musician Emiliano da Cruz, and the photojournalist Joel D'Souza. who remains active in teaching at a school close to their residence in Siolim.