Reviews
Reviews of current exhibitions and publications, investigating illustration as a discipline and its evolving place in the contemporary arts and wider industry.
REVIEW / Cloth Lullaby: The Woven Life of Louise Bourgeois
Amy Novesky’s nuanced text paired with Isabelle Arsenault’s rich illustrations are a stunning way of introducing children to the distinct visual vocabulary of French-born artist Louise Bourgeois. Review by Anna Ridley
MARTHA by ATAK
The new book ‘Martha’ by German illustrator Atak tells the tale of the extinction of North America’s native Passenger Pigeon – its shockingly rapid decline caused directly by humans. Boisterous artworks filled with roughly-painted backgrounds, intense complementary colours, scratchy crayons, and jarring shifts in scale and perspective all combine to create surreal landscapes and swirling skies.
World Illustration Awards 2016 Exhibition – Mini review
Currently on show at Sommerset House in London is the exhibition of winning work from the World Illustration Awards 2016. The WIA 2016 exhibition is elegantly presented and showcases the immense skill, innovation and depth of ideas of the winning illustrators.
BLACK AND WHITE
In this fascinating article, Ruth Wivell tackles the tricky subject of race in a reading of Dahlov Ipcar’s 1963 Black and White, a beautifully illustrated book for children inspired by the civil rights movement.
‘MEET ME AT THE BOTANICAL GARDEN – An Illustrated Journey through Lisbon & Porto’ by Laura Junger – REVIEW
Laura’s lively illustrations of gardens, lookouts, urban streets and people, combined with funny written observations and personal recommendations makes ‘Meet me at the Botanical garden – An Illustrated Journey through Lisbon & Porto’ a wonderful and sensitively illustrated record of her time in Portugal. Read the full review!
REVIEW – PICK ME UP
The illustration and graphic arts scene in London appears almost as hectic and diverse as the city itself. Illustrators Illustrated travelled to the UK to visit the 6th incarnation of PICK ME UP, a two-week festival of illustration and graphic arts held in late April and early May. Featuring international illustrators, studios, collectives and galleries and a public programme of talks and presentations, there was a lot to see and do, and now you can read the review!
STARK WIE EIN BÄR
Originally published in German, Stark Wie Ein Bär translates to Strong As A Bear, and is a delightful illustrated children’s book with playful artwork and clever pairings, by Cologne-based Katrin Stangl.
180 CREATIVE CAMP – REVIEW
Judith Carnaby from Illustrators Illustrated goes to Abrantes, Portgugal, as one of the 20 selected participants of the 180 CREATIVE CAMP 2014. Read her review of the camp and check out great work by some of the participating artists, illustrators, animators and publishers, all illustrated!
ARTHUR CARVALHO – ANIMATION WORKSHOP
Arthur Carvalho is a Brazilian freelance animator and illustrator, based in São Paulo, who creates hand-drawn, collage and digital animation and illustration for businesses and bands. Inspired by the world of skateboarding and rock and roll, as a teenager Arthur found an avenue for his love of drawing, creating fanzines and t-shirts for local skate shops. Now years later, his sketchbooks are filled with bizarre creatures, geometric patterns, skateboard adventures and blocky text, which he brings into his animation videos.
AVANTGARDE! Kunstbibliothek exhibition at Kulturforum Berlin
Judith Carnaby visits the the Kunstbibliothek’s fantastic major summer exhibition, AVANTGARDE!, currently showing at the Kulturforum Berlin.