The exhibition Joy, Sadness and Hope. 25 Bulgarian Children’s Book Illustrators was presented at the Bulgarian pavillion of the 61st Bologna Children’s Book Fair in April 2024. The selection was curated especially for the Fair and aroused keen interest among professionals and enthusiasts alike. The exhibition is accompanied by a printed and online catalogue, and was inspired by the magic of illustration to create worlds and heroes, to tell stories in a universal language.
The touring exhibition opened in Kazanlak on 10 September 2024 and includes work from: Alya Markova, Antonia Mechkueva, Vesselin Pramatarov, Vyara Boyadjieva, Denitza Mineva, Elitsa Serbinova, Iva Sasheva, Ina Hristova, Kalina Muhova, Katina Peeva, Kiril Zlatkov, Lilyana Dvoryanova, Lyuba Haleva, Martin Stanev, Miglena Papazova, Mila Yaneva-Tabakova, Mira Miroslavova, Penko Gelev, Siyana Zaharieva, Sotir Gelev, Sofia Popyordanova, Stella Dreis, Youlian Tabakov, Yana Kazakova and Yassen Grigorov.
Anton Staykov and Svoboda Tsekova are curators of the exhibition. The 25 selected contemporary Bulgarian illustrators of children’s books are from different generations and have a variety of professional experience behind them. “This selection is not a ranking, nor does it pretend to be comprehensive; rather, its goal is to draw the attention of the public and professionals to specific qualities and aspects of each artist’s work and to illuminate their approach to the literary text, the choice of medium, and compositional and narrative techniques – those achievements that formulate what we most generally call style,” the curators say. This exhibition was realised by the Association for Culture and Literature with the financial assistance of the Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria, the National Culture Fund, and the Culture Program of Sofia Municipality. It is accompanied by an online platform booksforkids.bg. After Kazanlak, the collection of illustrations will be presented in the Peyo Yavorov Regional Library in Burgas, where it will end its tour for the year.
Lyuben Zidarov Uncle Tom’s Cabin The original works of illustrators rarely make their way into the collections of state galleries in Bulgaria. Fortunately, the rich and well-ordered fund of Art Gallery Kazanlak holds those of Lyuben Zidarov, purchased from the artist in 1983. They were commissioned by the publishing house Narodna Mladezh (People’s Youth) for a 1979 edition of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin. A book which over the years became a classic for several generations of readers. Although the life of the illustration is first and foremost in the book, an encounter with the original is an unforgettable experience. It’s an opportunity, especially so for books from the period of developed socialism during which the printed reproduction would diverge vastly in quality from the original source image.