A personal exhibition by illustrator Amanda Mijangos, titled “Learn to Look, Learn to Speak,” is open at the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre until December 2. The exhibition is part of the 7th Tallinn Illustrations Triennial, taking place at the Estonian Museum of Architecture from November 3 to December 3.
Amanda Mijangos (born in 1986) is a Mexican artist who was awarded the main prize at the 2020 Tallinn Illustrations Triennial by an international jury. It has become a tradition that during the international illustrations triennial in Tallinn, the centre showcases the exhibition by the winner from the previous triennial.
“Every country has its own understanding of a good children’s book and good illustration, but sometimes books in some regions become too monotonous and similar for me. In Latin America, illustration art strongly relies on national roots, and regardless of how modern an artist’s style may be, there is always a sense of the country’s atmosphere. The same applies to Amanda Mijangos’ work. Her reliance on the Mayan heritage, transforming it into a contemporary visual language while still maintaining its roots, is very charming to me,” describes the curator of the exhibition, Viive Noor.
Mijangos graduated from architecture school and furthered her studies in illustration at the San Carlos Academy in Mexico and Argentina. She has illustrated literature and poetry books for people of all ages, collaborating with both Mexican and international publishers. Some of these books have been listed in the IBBY Honor List, White Ravens catalog, and the Venezuela Book Bank. Her works were featured in the illustration exhibition at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in 2019 and 2022. In addition to the main prize at the Tallinn Illustrations Triennial, Amanda Mijangos has been recognized with the 2nd place at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival Illustration Exhibition (UAE, 2022), the Golden Apple at the Bratislava Illustration Biennial (Slovakia, 2021), and as the winner in the 8th Iberoamerica Illustra catalog (2017). Amanda Mijangos’ colorful exhibition paintings can be admired in the Children’s Literature Centre until December 2 during opening hours from Monday to Friday, 10 am to 6 pm, and on Saturdays from 11 am to 4 pm.
Illustration by Amanda Mijangos
