Contemporary Illustrations of Picture Books in Germany

Achievements of 13 important German men and women illustrators are represented at this exhibition which was conceived by the Goethe Institut, Munich and the Bildbuch Museum in Troisdorf. In addition to the internationally recognized and renowned artists the young artists are also represented by their works which reflect the most recent trends in Germany when illustrations of picture-book and children books are concerned. The exhibition visits Belgrade by courtesy of the Goethe Institut in Belgrade and it will be staged in the Museum of Applied Art in Belgrade, March 4 – 19 this year.

The following artist will exhibit their works: Jutta Bauer, Rotraut Susanne Berner, Nadia Bude, Klaus Ensikat, Wolf Erlbruch, Jackie Gleich, Nicholaus Heidelbach, Sybille Hein, Janosch, Caroline Kerr, Axel Schefler, Philip Wehter and Katja Wener. In order to offer the visitors closer contact with the artists, each of the artists was asked to select 5 works from books they liked most and to provide a short explanation of their decisions. This should make possible a direct and personal intercourse of the visitors with the authors. Both the text and the illustrations should reveal the personality and artistic technique of every participant in this endeavour.

The aim of the exhibition is to represent to foreign public the high level achieved in the art of illustrating picture and children books but also in different styles developed in this field in Germany. Techniques ranging from water colours, collages up to digital experiments encompass broadest palette of modern picture books art. Sometimes the attitude of the artist is naïve, sometimes skeptic, sometimes daring or more intellectually oriented. Some artists play with imaginary worlds and dreams, while others turn to joyful playing with reality. Expressive pictures and strong colouring are juxtaposed with subtle and tender tones of illustrations and this diversity gives a particular quality to this exhibition.