Zachęta – National Gallery of Art

artists: Edgar Bąk, Maciek Blaźniak , Katarzyna Bogucka , Iwona Chmielewska , Agata Dudek , Emilia Dziubak, Małgorzata Gurowska , Monika Hanulak , Marta Ignerska , Agata Królak , Patryk Mogilnicki, Anna Niemierko, Ola Płocińska, Dawid Ryski
curators: Magda Kłos-Podsiadło, Ewa Solarz
organisers: Zachęta — National Gallery of Art, The Book Institute
cooperation on the part of Zachęta: Katarzyna Kołodziej, Jacek Świdziński
exhibition Design: Lech Rowiński, Marta Rowińska / Beton

For almost ten years now Polish illustration has been enjoying a boom period. We can see this especially in the market for children’s books. A great number of talented artists, and also their diversity and ingenuity, supported by open-minded publishers have meant that we have ever more outstanding books to choose from.

We know that reading to children is important. But are we also aware of the fact that the pictures accompanying the text also have great power? Or that the illustrator or graphic designer of a book is its creator on an equal footing with the author of the text?

At the exhibition, we present the works of 14 illustrators and graphic designers. Amongst these are artists who are already well-known in Poland and abroad, winners of national and international awards. There are those in whom we see a great potential and count on the further developments of their careers. However, each of them treats the child as a partner, as a sensitive reader of their visual language. Each of them tells their story through pictures. Thanks to them are created books which are for children their first contact with art.

The exhibition composed of three parts is designed to engage the youngest viewers, to stimulate their creativity so that they will themselves feel like artists. In the first part, children will get to know what an illustration is and will have the chance themselves to have a go at being illustrators. In the second, they will enter the world of a book in which illustrations form the scenography of an interactive labyrinth. The third part is a great reading room, where we come face-to-face with illustrators and their works. Children visiting the exhibition will be able to make use of a creative notebook with tasks that will help them to reinforce their knowledge about illustrations and uncover the secrets hidden in the exhibition.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a rich programme of workshops directed both at children and adults. Through this we will present the concept of the illustrated book and its great educational potential.