Bologna Illustration Annual

Author: Bologna Illustration Exhibition Committee
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-20
Features: The illustration artists, who pursue truth, goodness, and beauty throughout their lives, see the world as pure, free, and full of fantasy. Each of their works, with diverse styles and profound beauty, reflects the artists' boundless love and heartfelt expressions for this world and, in particular, for children. As we savor these illustrations, we feel as if we are immersed in a fairy tale, our hearts as transparent as glass, filled only 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 Design Artist
The Bologna of Italy is like a giant magic bottle. Every year, countless imaginative stories, dreamlike visuals, and vivid characters pour out of it, captivating billions of children worldwide, while also taking adults back to their youth and reviving the innocence of the elderly. I love illustrating children's themes because it allows me to approach my readers with a pure heart, free from any constraints of the environment. Every time I flip through The Bologna Illustration Annual, it fills me with excitement and satisfaction. The outstanding children's illustrators from around the world use their brushes, dipped in heartfelt emotion, to touch the strings of our souls. The artists discard didactic approaches, instead using a calm and imaginative visual language to move readers, conveying a message: kindness, compassion, courage, resilience, and a deep faith in life. The publication of the Chinese Simplified edition of the complete The Bologna Illustration Annual is sure to be cherished by its readers. Its charm lies in the extraordinary creativity of the works, which is precisely what is most lacking in contemporary Chinese illustration art education. I hope more readers will come to love it and hold deep respect for the artists and writers around the world who dedicate themselves to creating spiritual products for children. They allow countless children worldwide to have the kind of imagination as Harry Potter, and they help adults living on this planet, where strange events unfold at every turn, to retain a touch of childlike innocence.
Lü Jingren, Professor, Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University, Renowned Book Artist and Illustrator
To draw the most beautiful pictures for children is the duty of a children's book illustrator. Every year, Bologna gathers nearly a thousand artists and their more than five thousand children's illustrations—what a grand gathering it is! Each of those illustrations, brimming with innocence and fantasy, is exquisite and uniquely styled, radiating the artists' eternal childlike hearts. Here, there is no trace of worldly ambition, and all techniques and colors have melted into a deep love for children, which is then spread worldwide through 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 Illustrator
Excellent artworks 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 overjoyed that this annual is being published in China—it’s truly a wonderful feeling! After all, artistic exchange should not be bound by politics but should be shared by people worldwide. Just as in sports and music, great art should be a global treasure, enjoyed by people everywhere. I sincerely hope you will love the diverse illustrations we have carefully selected and that this book will inspire and inspire your own creativity. I hold a wish: that more Chinese artists and illustrators will participate in future Bologna art exhibitions. I know that the talented artists and illustrators nurtured on this land possess extraordinary potential, which could greatly enrich our exhibitions and annual publications. Here, I actively encourage Chinese artists to submit their works.
The Bologna Annual is a window opened for the global publishing industry. Many world-renowned artists have used participating in the Bologna Exhibition as the starting point of their artistic careers. Some artists had not even published a single book before, but the Bologna Annual gave publishers, authors, booksellers, and art enthusiasts around the world the chance to appreciate these outstanding works.
Editor-in-Chief of The Bologna Illustration Annual