Telling the City

Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania

Exhibition of illustrations

202401 11

Born in 1975 in Gdańsk, he grew up in Sopot and currently lives in Gdynia, thus becoming a 100% citizen of the coastal Tri-City. Adam graduated with honors from the Faculty of Painting and Graphic Arts at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk in 2000. For 11 best years of his life he worked as a visiting instructor at Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey, where he taught classes in graphic design and illustration at the Department of Graphic Design. Currently he’s a teaching assistant to Professor Tomasz Bogusławski in the Graphic Design Basics Studio at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk. He specializes mostly in book illustration and book design, and he’s the author of layout design and illustrations for over 20 children’s books, both fiction and non-fiction. On his good days, he likes to think that the best is yet to come; for the rest of the time, however, he leans toward the idea that the better tomorrow most likely was yesterday.

Adam Pękalski

Poland

Illustrator, poster artist, assistant professor at the Studio of Publishing Illustration at the University of Arts in Poznań. She graduated with honors from the University of Arts in Poznań. In 2016, she defended her master's degree in ethnology and cultural anthropology (UMK Torun), and in 2018 she completed her PhD in fine arts there. An instrumentalist musician by profession, a postgraduate educator. Coordinator and originator of the project "Bookcase - meetings with author's book", which promotes unpublished, author's books nationwide. Illustrates, creates posters and books. She runs art workshops with children. She co-works with various publishing houses (Dwa Siostry, Albus, Egmont, Babaryba) and for numerous cultural centers. In 2019, for a book for the youngest children, entitled "Chimney Sweeper / Baker", she received a distinction in the prestigious international BolognaRagazzi Award competition. Awarded GRAND JURY PRIZE at Ananas Illustration Contest during International Bookfair in Pekin. Laureate of government scholarship for young artists "Young Poland" 2020. Awarded a 3rd prize in 17th International Biennale of Poster in Mexico (2022).

Her wonderful illustrations can be considered as tiny works of art, and have been captivating children’s attention for more than 35 years. She has illustrated over 40 books that have been exhibited at book fairs in Bologna, Frankfurt, Prague, London, etc. She is the author of numerous other works of art – illustrations for children’s magazines, postcards, postage stamps and collection coins. Paegle’s illustrations embody a very special world of images, which goes parallel to the text, together with the text and beyond the text. It is a world in which rhythm, sound and tune coexist in a synergetic relationship – just as an orchestra. Today, Paegle works exclusively in watercolour which she layers gradually four to six times to create an intensity of colour overlain with very fine filigree. The intricate details of the pictures are designed to encourage readers to pause and reflect. The artist has regularly received acclaim and awards for her special, inimitable style.

Dominika Czerniak-Chojnacka

Poland

Anita Paegle

Latvia

An architect and illustrator who draws comics and illustrations, vizualising even the most complex messages with great skill. She has made illustrations for several children’s books. In 2017 she made her international debut – illustrations for poems by Julia Bird Now You Can Look (The Emma Press, 2017). Her comic strips have been published in magazines Kuš! and Benji Knewman, as well as exhibited in Latvia and internationally.

Anna Vaivare

Latvia

Painter, illustrator and professor of the Art Academy of Latvia. Spontaneous, emotional and rich in atmosphere, his paintings reflect the mood of an instant created by natural light and his illustrations render books similar to those on art.

A graduate of Vilnius Art Academy's painting department, shifted to book illustration after her second son's birth. Her international acclaim blossomed with "Happiness is a Fox" (text by Evelina Daciūtė), a book that not only became a national phenomenon but also marked the beginning of her widespread recognition. This captivating creation has been translated into more than 15 languages, showcasing Kiudulaitė's artistic prowess on a global scale. She has been honored with the Mildred Batchelder Award and the Global Lithuania Award for promoting Lithuania worldwide. Additionally, she has been selected twice for the IBBY International Honour List. Beyond her illustrative work, she runs workshops for children and masterclasses for professionals.

Aleksejs Naumovs

Latvia

Aušra Kiudulaitė

Lithuania

Gosia Kulik graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, Poland, with a painting diploma and a graphic book design supplementary diploma in 2012. She is author of picturebooks, graphic novels, book and editorial illustrations. She is interested in the narrative aspects of visual arts: relationships, tensions, and paradoxes that can be achieved between images, as well as between images and words. Twice qualified for the illustrators exhibition at the Bologna Children's Book Fair (in 2020 and in 2021).

Gosia Kulik

Poland

She is a Latvian much-loved book illustrator, she has also worked for the children’s periodicals, created the design of textbooks, and made a successful debut in animation. She stands out in the family of Latvian illustrators with her particular matted, fluffy looking colouring, windy motion and fantastic machines with a vintage touch. Diversity of intensions and expressive styles are characteristic of Muzikante’s imagination. She feels a text as personality, and her mission and task is understanding it, to delve deep into each of them, to make friends with each with them – and then carefully dress into the kind of clothes that will fit this “being” best. The illustrator of more than 40 children’s books has participated in many international exhibitions: Biennial of Illustration Bratislava, Golden Pen of Belgrade, Biennial of European Illustration in Japan etc.

A graduate of the Graphic Art Department MA and Art Therapy of Vilnius Academy of Art. A member of the Lithuanian Artists’ Union and the Lithuanian section of IBBY, lecturer of the graphics department of the Vilnius Academy of Arts. Ieva Babilaite has given over a dozen of solo shows and has participated in numerous group exhibitions in Lithuania and abroad. She leads creative workshops, educational sessions, curates’ exhibitions: "Paper tradition and experiment" and "IMAGO! (Book Art Exhibition)". She is a versatile artist and has illustrated many books for children and adults, several of which she is both author and illustrator. She tries to apply new forms of expression in her graphic work, paper object and to the illustration of children’s books. The artistic merit and originality of her work have been recognized by many awards and prizes.

Gundega Muzikante

Latvia

Ieva Babilaitė

Lithuania

An award-winning children's book artist and illustrator. In 2003 she graduated from Kaunas Art Institute with Graphic Arts Bachelor and in 2005 with Master’s degree from Vilnius Academy of Arts. She has illustrated 10 books. They are enjoyed by young readers in Lithuania and abroad. Inga later added new illustrations to the ones she created for the “Telling the City” exhibition and took part in the Bologna Children's Book Fair's 2024 Illustrators' Exhibition competition. The illustrations became the winners and will be displayed in the main exhibition.

Inga Dagilė

Lithuania

Born in 1985, graduated from the Mikołaj Kopernik University in Toruń and specialised in printing. At first she worked as an illustrator of children books. In 2013, she was awarded the Special Price of Nami island international illustration Concours for picture book illustrations (NiiiC) in Seoul and selected for the Bologna Illustrator Exhibition. In 2015 her book “Wytwórnik Kulinarny” created in cooperation with Szymon Tomiło got Special Mention Book&Seeds Bologna Ragazzi Award in Bologna. The same year she got gold medal in Satyrykon 2015 contest in Legnica. She also creates illustrations for various magazines, clothing labels and commercial clients. She made projects of few well known murals in Poland. She has store with posters made especially for home.

Kärt Einasto is an illustrator and graphic designer. She has designed sneakers, music records and books, painted street walls and illustrated children’s stories. Her style is powerful, playing with different shapes and colours. Her work is inspired by anime culture, nature and mythologies and sci-fi. She has illustrated our president’s Christmas card and has participated in many street art festivals. She has also participated in the Tiny Books project.

Katarzyna Bogucka

Poland

K2rte

Estonia

An artist and illustrator. She has studied printmaking at the Art Academy of Latvia. Her main focus is on book illustrations, however she also participates in other art projects. Ozola’s favorite technique is colored or black and white pastel pencils. Her book illustrations were published by Zvaigzne ABC, Jānis Roze apgāds and Liels un mazs.

Līva Ozola

Latvia

Graphic designer, illustrator, and children's book author, winner of international awards such as the Red Dot Design Award and IF Design, as well as Polish accolades, including the NCK Great Creator and the silver STGU statuette. He graduated with distinction in design from the Higher School of Art and Design in Łódź. For the past 13 years, he has been running the creative studio Ładne Halo in the same city. He creates illustrations for numerous Polish publishers and press illustrations. He also designs applications, visual identities, and websites. In interdisciplinary teams, he carries out innovative educational projects at the intersection of art, science, and technology.

An illustrator and a graphic designer. She has illustrated many children’s books, each of them is unique in style and technique. Her characters are funny, bizarre and absurd. Her illustrated books have gained international recognition. In 2022 her illustrations from book „Luukere Juhani juhtumised“ got chosen to Bologna Children’s Bookfair Illustrators Exhibition. Many of her books have won awards in the competition for the most beautiful children’s book in Estonia. She has participated in many group exhibitions in Estonia and abroad. Her illustrated books have also been chosen to The White Raven catalogue.

Maciek Blaźniak

Poland

Marja-Liisa Plats

Estonia

An illustrator and graphic artist. His works have been published by many publications around the world, including Lürzer's Archive where he became the very first Lithuanian artist to be included in the biennial list of the 200 best illustrators worldwide. With his twin sister, author Indrė Pavilonytė he illustrated and published nine children’s books. Martynas' creative world centres on nature at night and the fantastical creatures that live there. Martynas' storybook and mystical scenery bring to mind childhood fears and moods and the dark world of children's fantasies.

Martynas Pavilonis

Lithuania

An illustrator who has studied ceramics and printmaking at Estonian Academy of Arts. She mostly uses cut-out technique, mixing it with other media. Her work is playful, combining different surfaces, shapes and colours. Ragne has made illustrations for Estonian children's magazine Täheke and for literary magazine Värske Rõhk. She has participated in many group exhibitions and has had a solo exhibition.

A Lithuanian illustrator who is based in Tallinn. She is interested in animals, botany and femininity. She has illustrated many children’s books in Lithuania and made illustrations for Estonian children’s magazines Täheke and Hea Laps. Her book „Fotosintezė “ won an award for the most beautiful book in Lithuania in 2019. She mostly works digitally, but also uses acrylic, watercolour and coloured pencil.

Ragne Hoog

Estonia

Reda Tomingas

Estonia

An artist - illustrator, graphic designer, based in Vilnius, Lithuania. She is a graduate of the Department of Graphics (Bachelor and Master) of the Vilnius Academy of Arts. In collaboration with the country's writers, she has published several picture books as an illustrator. Simona is also an art teacher for preschool children. She leads creative workshops, educational activities for children at various events. Communication with the children is a big and important part of her creative process. Simona is a versatile artist who also creates with traditional graphic techniques. Various textures and many colors prevail in the works. Simona participates in group exhibitions and international projects.

She has illustrated many children’s books. Many of her books have received awards in the competition for the most beautiful children’s book in Estonia. Her works are outstanding for different characters. They surprise, make us laugh and her characters are relatable. She mostly works digitally but also experiments with different techniques. She has participated in many exhibitions in Estonia and abroad. She has made illustrations for magazines Täheke, Hea Laps and Pere ja Kodu. She has been nominated for Astrid Lindgren Memorial Prize and her book „Lift“ has been in The White Ravens catalogue.

Simona Jurčiukonytė

Lithuania

Ulla Saar

Estonia

Estonian Children's Literature Centre

March 5 - April 24, 2024

Latvian National Library

May 6 - June 6, 2024

The Baltic Sea Cultural Center in Gdańsk

11 October - 8 December, 2024

Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania

November 16, 2023 - January 11, 2024

Winter Evening in Riga

Anita Paegle

Urban Sequence

Maciek Blaźniak

Over the Gulf

Marja-Liisa Plats

Crowd

Katarzyna Bogucka

This Way, That Way

Aušra Kiudulaitė

The Joys of Winter

Anna Vaivare

Curatorial team

Dr Jolita Liškevičienė ( team lead, Lithuania);

Silvija Tretjakova (Latvia);

Anita Wincencjusz-Patyna (Poland);

Ulla Saar (Estonia)

Architect and designer

Povilas Vincentas Jankūnas

Exhibition idea

Justinas Vancevičius

Poster visual

City Jungle by Līva Ozola (Latvia)

Photographer

Eglė Marija Želvytė

Organizers

Event financed by

Partners

Main media partner