Slow Journalism in an Accelerated Age

Join V&A Illustration Awards 2013 winner George Butler as he explores his role as a illustrator in the world immediate news and AI, what can we learn from the Golden age of illustration, and why is it important, now more than ever to slow down in order to value of human presence, judgement and creativity in understanding the world. This talk will discuss George’s time in Ukraine, Syria, Turkey and Iraq, the people he met there, and how personal testimonies are vital for understanding the world’s most complex problems. It will shine a light on the history of reportage and why it is still important, discussing the failing of the media agency and how drawing can offer an alternative, touching on its future in a world of generative AI. Discover these theories through individual drawings, animations and portraits of people George has met and sat with.

Illustrator and artist-reporter George Butler reports from conflict zones, climate hotspots and humanitarian crises, using pen, ink and watercolour to tell deeply human stories that go beyond the headlines. Over two decades he has documented frontline experiences from Afghanistan, Yemen, Iraq, Nepal, Ukraine, Syria and Angola, focusing not on spectacle but on meaning, dignity and identity. In an era shaped by generative AI, Butler argues that creativity, empathy and human connection are not diminished but clarified—and that these same qualities, when applied in business, build trust, sharpen insight and lead to more ethical, resilient decision-making. George is the co-founder of ACTION SYRIA - a charity dedicated to ensuring Syrians have access to medical care and education. 

The V&A Illustration Awards 2026 will be displayed in Galleries 88a and 90 from 2 July to 4 October 2026. 

Generously supported by The Linder Foundation and the Moira Gemmill Memorial fund.