On February 16, in the atrium of the National Library of Belarus, a republican exhibition of book graphics “ILLUSTRATIO. Variety of illustration techniques”.
The goal of the project is to draw public attention to the value of illustrations in printed editions, various graphic techniques for their creation, thanks to which books become unique and inimitable, to clearly demonstrate the high artistic level of illustration techniques and the best examples of national book publishing.
The dance theatre “Reflections” of the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics under the direction of Antonina Rutkovskaya started the event and gave it a unique creative atmosphere.
The Director General of the National Library of Belarus, Roman Mostulsky, said:
“Today we are opening an unusual exhibition dedicated to book design. This tradition lasts more than 500 years: the first engravings were placed in the books of the first printer Francysk Skaryna, facsimile editions of which can be seen in the exhibition. The Belarusian book is beautiful, and the illustrator plays an important role in this. The one who makes her appearance attractive and reveals the meaning that is not always visible behind the words."
Dean of the Art Faculty of the Belarusian State Academy of Arts, Anna Kononova, noted:
“Art historian, painter, graphic artist Vladimir Favorsky compared the book with an architectural monument and designated it as a spatial image of a literary work that develops over time. Continuing this thought, I would like to emphasize that the artist, when designing a book, organizes a kind of journey through it, as if through the interiors of a wonderful architectural structure. Nowhere is there such a temporary and colorful chord as in a book and in architecture. It is no coincidence that the exposition, along with famous masters, presents the works of students of two faculties of the Belarusian State Academy of Arts - the Faculty of Applied Arts Design and the Faculty of Arts."
One of the participants of the ILLUSTRATIO exhibition, head of the department of graphics of the Belarusian State Academy of Arts, Yuri Khilko, noted: “The exhibition provides a solid and professional presentation of graphic technologies and illustrations. Such exhibitions should be made a good tradition”.
The deputy chairman of the public association "Belarusian Union of Artists" for creative work, graphic artist Andrei Basalyga took part in the creation of a video master class on etching, one of the displayed in the exposition. The artist emphasized that the exhibition turned out to be scientific and research and even called it unique. Books, original illustrations, materials and tools for working in graphic techniques allow you to feel the miracle of creating a book, to look at it as a work of art.
In the exposition, viewers can see facsimile editions of the Belarusian pioneer printer Francisk Skaryna, "Mango" by Katsushik Hakusai, rare editions of French poetry, chromolithography of European fashion of the late 19th century. and etc.
The editions introduce not only the variety of existing techniques, but also the thematic and genre coverage of books.
Indeed, the main value of the exhibition is diversity. It also presents graphics by Belarusian artists: etchings, lithographs, linorite, woodwork, watercolours and sheets in other techniques. The works of the classics illustrate the works of Belarusian and world poets and writers, publications about the history of Belarus, collections of fairy tales for children, etc.
An etching machine, paints, scrapers, brushes, graders, cutters, lithographic stone and other exhibition materials will help to present the features of the artist's work during the process of creating an illustration. The exposition also includes scientific, popular science, educational publications devoted to illustration techniques.
The project is aimed at popularizing book art and includes meetings with illustrators, as well as interactive platforms from Belarusian graphic artists Vera Kovzanovich, Maria Dorozhko, Andrei Basalyga. Inspired by the examples of world illustration, you can try to create your own using modern technologies.
The project will run until August 9, 2021.
The exhibition end date is subject to change.
Admission is by library card or by the ticket of the library's social and cultural center.
For more info: (+375 17) 368 97 37.
