One of the most anticipated events at every Bologna Children’s Book Fair is The Illustrators Exhibition. An annual event since 1967, this exhibition showcases the latest trends in illustration and promotes a wealth of talented artists from around the world, including new and emerging illustrators. Becoming a winner or a finalist in this prestigious exhibition comes with many rewards and benefits which I have expanded on in this post.
In 2022 as many as 3,873 artists from 92 countries and territories (2021: 3,235 participants from 68 countries) have submitted their works for the 56th instalment of The Illustrators Exhibition. This number of submissions was a record in all history of the Bologna Book Fair’s Exhibition!
This year the international Jury of accomplished artists, illustrators and children’s book publishing professionals has shortlisted 318 finalists and 78 illustrations by artists from 29 countries and territories worldwide. With just 2% of submissions making it to the winners’ list this is one of the most competitive processes in its field.
Check out all 2022 winners and finalists of The Illustrators Exhibition here; this digital exhibition won’t be there for much longer so catch it while you can before it’s taken offline to give way to the next year’s instalment. Below, you’ll find a sample of my 2022 favourites from the winners and finalists cohorts (I often find work amongst the ‘finalists’ that I would much rather see as ‘winners’). It is a subjective selection of the artworks that grabbed my attention. Some transported me in time and space, provoking a moment of nostalgia. Others made me smile or sent me to Google to investigate the depicted subject or the respective artist’s other work. My favourite winning entries in The Illustrators Exhibition of 2021 can be found here.
According to one of the Jury members, an accomplished French artist Barroux, it is “Harmony” that first catches his eye when judging the composition, technique or innovativeness of an illustration. “It’s like music: if the elements don’t combine well, you can feel it right away”, he said. Indulge in the diversity of ‘harmonies’ from every corner of the world in the works presented below. I would love to hear from you in the comments as to your top three!
In addition to the annual Illustrators Exhibition, another major annual Bologna Children’s Book Fair event is the most revered award in the industry, the Bologna Ragazzi Award for illustrated children’s books. Check out my other posts featuring the past winning or honourable mention books of the Bologna Ragazzi Award here.
2022 Bologna Winning Illustrators
Na Eun Kyung – South KoreaTorrent Daniel – SpainLee Soon Ok – South KoreaVal Elena – SpainDoroshenko Polina – UkraineAmoli Mona – IranBaba Koohi Mohammad – IranHabibi Rad Sana – IranSadeghian Noushin – IranGuardiola Marcos – SpainRosas Moncada Gina – ColombiaJosso Emilie – FranceParis Ramon – VenezuelaRuotolo Flavia – ItalyMijangos Amanda – Mexico
2022 Bologna Finalists Illustrators
Europe
De Kinder Jan – Belgium – “The Seagulls”Hristova Ina Baba – Bulgaria – “Cooking In Her Home”Vrca Hana – Croatia – “The Jungle and the Mist”Mrzljak Luciija – CroatiaHirou Paola – France – “Isabel letham was the first australian to surf, with the legendary duke kahanamoku”Jourdan Mickael – France – “Premier Bonjour”Valasse Bruno – France – “A nest of her own”Stangl Katrin – Germany – “Couple”Bandiera Beatrice – Italy – “Non Cie Niente”Barengo Monica – Italy – “Molto Lontano Da Qui”Borso Beatrice – Italy – “Come Ogni Giorno”Carozzi Nicolo – Italy – “Aspettando Un Amico”De Campora Francesca – Italy – “Ora Vai”Gasparri Maria Gabriella – Italy – “The Longest Man”Godina Ciria Carolina – Spain – “The Light”Garayoa Sandra – Spain – CasaRilova Sandra – Spain – “Rapunzel”Harper Becki – United Kingdom – “Please only make essential journeys”Semykina Victoria – Russia – “Museo”Yulia Sidneva – Russia – “Cat And Mouse”Kendel Anna And Varvara – Russia – “Together with nature”Fadeeva Olga – Russia – “While you are reading”Gzhelskaya Julia – Russia – “Rurik,Sineu And Truvor”
Asia
Chen Feifei – China – “Marching Under The Moon”Lee Qingyue – China – “Grandma Weaves Cloth”Liu Chang – China – “Sometimes He Waits”Sun Jun – China – “A Dispute”Wang Xiaoxiao – China – “Memories in the Snow”Wu Wanxin – China – “How to Sit on the Butterfly Stool”Yang Bo – China – “I Heard the Train”Zhou Shirui – China – “Arrividerci – 1”Safakhoo Nooshin – Iran – “Zahak killed his father”Alaei Amir – Iran – “The Kite Story”Goldouzian Alireza – Iran – “Jarchis”Dalvand Reza – Iran – “The right to be protected”Najafi Fereshteh – Iran – “The Girl And The Stars”Hoshino Ayuko – Japan – “Four children at school classroom with hands up”Iwasaki Chisa – Japan – “Midnight Noodles”Sabu Sachie – Japan – “Deep In The Forest”Watanabe Michio – Japan – “Animals in the toolbox/elephant”Go Hey Jin – South Korea – “Elephant morning in nature”Ro Hyeyeong – South Korea – “Childhood”Kim Jiyoung Kim – South Korea – “Paparo Zoo”Ji Hyerim – South Korea – “Terrifyingly huge wave engulfed the lower village”Chen Yi Ting – Taipei – “Before the start”
Natalia Bragaru is a respected authority in children's literature and fosters a deep-seated love for reading across diverse languages and cultures. Her personal library collection, boasting over 1000 picture books, mirrors her enduring passion and expertise in the genre. With her insightful reviews and stories about authors and illustrators, Natalia illuminates the multicultural world of children's literature, captivating and educating young readers and adults alike.
