Aleksandra Najdovska

Aleksandra Najdovska (pseudonym: Bela Mačka) is a socio-political cartoonist, visual journalist, and fine artist from Demir Hisar, Republic of North Macedonia. With a background in classical and graphic arts, her work bridges fine art, journalism, and activism. She has collaborated with international platforms such as Deutsche Welle and participated in exhibitions including the World Gallery of Cartoons Skopje, where she was awarded multiple times as an outstanding cartoonist.

Working under the name Bela Mačka—a tribute to her great-great-grandmother Mitra and great-great-grandfather Kote—Aleksandra honors a legacy of resistance and sacrifice. In the years preceding the 1903 Ilinden Uprising, her ancestors risked their lives to aid the Macedonian liberation movement, enduring exile, imprisonment, and torture under Ottoman rule. Their story, rooted in the villages of Vardino and Murgashevo (now Demir Hisar), lives on through Aleksandra’s work, which seeks to give voice to the silenced and shed light on injustice.

Through editorial cartoons, comics, and visual essays, Bela Mačka uses her art to provoke thought, challenge power, and carry forward the spirit of resilience that runs through her bloodline.