The 5th Book Art Triennial exhibition “O imago!”

What can be surprising about the 5th iteration of the traditional Lithuanian book art exhibition? New names, mastered drawing technique, professional execution, colour combinations? What is mesmerising in the display of the Lithuanian illustration triennial, which presents works by 40 contemporary illustrators created in the recent 4 years? We invite you to seek answers to these questions by viewing the exhibition, leafing through its catalogue and taking note of the award winners.

This year’s illustration triennial is somewhat revamped, sporting not just a new name, O imago!, but also a new image created by the illustrators Ieva Babilaitė, Rasa Jančiauskaitė and Aušra Kiudulaitė, who go by the collective name of Group O!. The exhibition features a display of the results of this group’s workshops with audiences of diverse age groups.

What other novelties are to be found here? Most of the works are made using the computer, thus their quality undoubtedly depends on the printing (just as in the case of book illustrations), while high-resolution digital print radiates perfect graphic nuances and colour combinations. Handmade illustrations are even more stunning – they are works of superior artistry, and their professional execution delivers a feast of visual pleasure. The exhibition vividly demonstrates that present-day illustration seeks signs of contemporaneity: new ways of expression, suggestion, unconventional composition, and so on.

The changes in the exhibition have been inspired by a desire to make it relevant, vibrant, and dynamic, as well as to break the previously entrenched and already somewhat outdated format: the show is still not a curated one, as it remains open call-based, but the selection has become slightly stricter. The aim was to select only the works that tell something new – with the imagery, line, mood, style, or characters. The contest acts as an incentive in this triennial, and a jury comprised of art critics, artists, book designers and other experts was brought together to evaluate it. The jury has awarded the artists who have enriched Lithuanian book illustration art with innovations in recent years with three triennial prizes, the Algirdas Steponavičius prize, a special mention and three diplomas. All of the triennial’s award winners create the contemporary Lithuanian illustration discourse – well-known and new names, professional illustrations, and good books shape the face of today’s Lithuanian illustration, thus we invite you to take a close look at it.

Jolita Liškevičienė

* Group O! will hold a workshop during the opening

Artists: Dovilė Bagdonaitė, Birutė Bikelytė, Patricija Bliuj-Stodulska, Inga Dagilė, Greta Duobienė, Lina Eitmantytė-Valužienė, Vaiva Frančiakaitė, Eglė Gelažiūtė-Petrauskienė, Jokūbas Griška, Viltė Haisch, Lina Itagaki, Vaiva Jalo, Kamilė Jankauskaitė, Simona Jurčiukonytė, Agnė Kananaitienė, Kęstutis Kasparavičius, Lena Klyukina, Eglė Kuckaitė, Greta Alice Liekytė, Indrė Lubytė, Marija Marcelionytė-Paliukė, Kristina Norvilaitė, Vanda Padimanskaitė, Evelina Paukštytė, Vidas Poškus, Jūratė Račinskaitė, Emilija Railaitė, Tania Rex, Deimantė Rybakovienė, Ugnė Rudinskaitė, Ula Rugevičiūtė Rugytė, Elena Selena, Ula Šimulynaitė, Ūla Šveikauskaitė, Reda Tomingas, Laura Tulaitė, Monika Vaicenavičienė, Kotryna Zylė, Kornelija Žalpytė, Marta Žuravskaja