Ten acclaimed illustrators will showcase their works, deliver talks and hold book signings at the Taiwan Pavilion during the 2018 Bologna Children’s Book Fair March 26-29 in Italy, fostering awareness of the nation’s artistic culture at one of the world’s leading publishing events.
Themed Library of Fantastic, the pavilion organized by Taipei Book Fair Foundation will spotlight the artists’ creations among a total 429 books from 37 publishers. It will also shed light on Taiwan’s literary pedigree by projecting images on a 12-meter-long wall of 59 homegrown works that have featured in the fair’s prestigious Illustrators Exhibition since 1989.
Of the 10 attending Taiwan artists, five have had their works selected for inclusion in this year’s exhibition. Creations by Lin Lian-en, Liu Hsu-kung, Liu Yun-zhu, Tu Tse-wei and Cindy Wume are among 77 chosen out of more than 15,000 submissions from around the world.
Two members of the Taiwan delegation have also been invited to speak at the event. On March 27, Page Tsou, winner of the fair’s International Award for Illustration in 2011, will be one of the presenters at the Children’s Books on Art, Architecture and Design conference.
The next day, Jimmy Liao, a prolific author and illustrator whose publications have been translated into more than a dozen languages, is set to become the first Taiwan talent to offer a master class at the event. His 50-minute talk on creating children’s books for adult readers is scheduled to take place in the Illustrators Survival Corner section of the show.
According to the Ministry of Culture, the fair offers a great opportunity for Taiwan illustrators and publishing companies to exchange knowledge and explore business opportunities. The government will continue to support local talents through organizing matchmaking sessions and seminars at major international events, the MOC said.
Launched in 1963, the fair features a variety of exhibitions, seminars and workshops, as well as a licensing event to facilitate the development of products based on established brands and intellectual property. This year’s edition is expected to feature 1,390 publishers from 100 countries and territories and attract more than 26,000 visitors. (CPY-E)
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