Six illustrators from Taiwan were chosen for inclusion in the Illustrators Exhibition, which was held from Mar. 21 through 24 concurrently with the 59th edition of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF).
The Illustrators Exhibition showcases a broad selection of artists from around the world, and each year, an international jury of experts selects from thousands of artworks that will be part of the showcase and presented in the heart of the book fair.
A total of 3,873 illustrators from 92 countries and regions of the world submitted 19,365 pieces of artwork to this year’s event, and six Taiwanese illustrators were selected. The winners include Ballboss (Chou I-hsien) (周宜賢), Huang Yi-wen (黃一文), Lin Lian-en (林廉恩), Page Tsou (鄒駿昇), Chen Yin-ju (陳盈儒) and Yu Chih-chu (游智珺).
In addition, 35 publishers participated in this year’s Taiwan Pavilion, exhibiting 225 books. Artist Page Tsou, a five-time finalist in the Bologna Illustration Exhibition, curated the exhibition under the theme of "Beyond Books, Stories Ahead." Inspired by Taiwan's unique bazaar, it captures the elements of the arched pedestrian arcade which is commonly found in Taiwan and visitors will be able to experience Taiwanese local life.
Taiwan's representative to Italy, Lee Sing-ying (李新穎), attended the opening of the book fair and congratulated the winners of last year's awards as well as the selected illustrators for this year’s exhibition. With the continuous support of government agencies and the private publishing industry, he believes that the rich cultural content and charm of Taiwanese creations will continue to shine on the international stage.
The Bologna Children's Book Fair is the world’s leading professional event dedicated to the children's publishing industry attracting over 1,400 exhibitors and around 30,000 visitors from around 80 countries. The Bologna Children’s Book Fair is an industry-leading event that has succeeded in bringing together a unique and diverse global audience thanks to 59 years of experience.
(Photo courtesy of Taiwan Creative Content Agency & Taipei Book Fair Foundation)