Bologna Illustration Annual (First Issue)

Author: Bologna Illustration Exhibition Organizing Committee
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features: Illustration artists who pursue truth, goodness, and beauty throughout their lives see the world as pure, free, and full of fantasy in their hearts. Each unique and truly beautiful picture is the artist's love and heartfelt expression for this world and its children. As we savor these works, we a fairy tale, feeling transparent and filled with sincerity and love. The publication of the Chinese Simplified edition of The Bologna Illustration Annual brings us closer together. — He Jie, Vice President and Professor, Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, renowned designer artist
Bologna in Italy is like a giant magic bottle, from which countless imaginative stories, dreamy, colorful scenes, and wonderful, lively characters pour out each year, captivating billions of children worldwide, taking adults back to their youth, and making the elderly "return to childhood." I love illustrating children's themes because I can approach my readers with a pure heart, free from any constraints of the environment. Every time I browse The Bologna Illustration Annual, it brings me excitement and satisfaction. Outstanding children's illustration artists from around the world use their brushes, dipped in sincere emotions, to touch people's hearts. The artists abandon didactic methods, instead using a calm and imaginative visual language to move readers, conveying a message: kindness, courage, compassion, strength, and a full confidence in life. The publication of the Chinese Simplified edition of the complete Bologna Illustration Annual will undoubtedly be favored by those who appreciate it, its charm coming from the works' incredible creativity, which is precisely the "magic wand" most lacking in contemporary Chinese illustration art education. I hope more readers will love it and show respect for the artists and writers around the world who dedicate themselves to creating spiritual products for children, as they allow millions of children worldwide to have fantasies like Harry Potter; they also help adults living on this planet of constant wonders retain a touch of innocence. — Lü Jingren, Professor, Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, renowned book artist and illustration painter
To draw the most beautiful pictures for children is the duty of a children's illustration artist. Bologna gathers over 5,000 works by nearly a thousand artists each year, making it such a grand gathering! Each picture is filled with innocence and fantasy, and all techniques and colors have melted into a deep love for children, spreading through the world via "Bologna." Heartfelt congratulations on the publication of the Chinese Simplified edition of The Bologna Illustration Annual. — Wu Guanying, Professor, Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, renowned illustration artist
Excellent works of art and illustrations in children's books should appeal to children of all ages. The Bologna Illustration Annual introduces the trends in children's book art and illustration each year. Personally, I am truly delighted that this annual is published in China—it’s a wonderful feeling! After all, artistic exchange should not have political boundaries but should be shared by people worldwide. Like sports and music, outstanding works of art should also be globally shared, allowing people everywhere to appreciate them. I sincerely hope you will enjoy these diverse illustrations and that this book will inspire and motivate your creativity. I have a wish: more Chinese artists and illustrators can participate in future Bologna art exhibitions. I deeply understand that the talented artists and illustrators nurtured by this land have incredible potential, which could greatly enrich our art exhibitions and annual publications. Here, I actively encourage Chinese artists to submit their works. (www.bookfair.bolognafiere.it)
The Bologna Annual is a window for the global publishing industry, many world-renowned artists using participation in the Bologna exhibition as the starting point of their artistic careers. Some artists had not even published a book before. The publication of the Bologna Annual allows publishers, authors, booksellers, and art enthusiasts around the world to appreciate these outstanding works. The Bologna Illustration Annual is the official literary annual of the Bologna International Children's Book Fair and the development of illustration, published each year alongside the exhibition, featuring works by highly accomplished illustration artists. Each piece has unique creativity, technique, and artistic appeal, representing the trends and artistic standards of international illustration. It holds significant reference value for professionals in painting, design, book editing, and art enthusiasts.
The Chinese Simplified edition of The Bologna Illustration Annual will be published in three volumes, each containing four books. Volume 1 collects outstanding works from 1991 to 1994; Volume 2 features works from 1995 to 1998; and Volume 3 includes works from 1999 to 2002. Some works, though created over several years, have increasingly gained industry recognition and have become classic reference materials for illustration teaching in art schools and essential collections in libraries. We will collaborate with the Bologna Illustration Exhibition Organizing Committee and the annual editors to continue releasing related classic books and introduce outstanding Chinese illustrators and their works to the world.