Today, 11 August, the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre opens the international illustration exhibition “Pinocchio” in its main hall and staircase gallery. Renowned and acclaimed illustrators from around the world interpret Carlo Collodi’s timeless character, inviting visitors into a rich world of different cultures, artistic styles and imagination.
Curated by illustrator Viive Noor, the exhibition features original works by 55 illustrators, offering fresh and distinctive interpretations of one of the world’s most beloved children’s literature characters. Pinocchio, created by Carlo Collodi, has inspired artists for more than a century, and his story of growing up, courage, mistakes and self-discovery continues to resonate with generations. Pinocchio is one of the most translated and illustrated works of children’s literature in the world, offering artists endless possibilities for visual interpretation.
Countless books featuring Pinocchio’s adventures have been published, appearing in more than 260 languages and dialects. More than 80 million copies have been printed and distributed around the world. “The exhibition is a small tribute from the international community of illustrators to a great writer who enchanted us all in childhood with the adventures of his wooden puppet. Whether directly or indirectly,” says exhibition curator Viive Noor. “The artists were free to depict whatever resonated most strongly with their own feelings or memories. This could be a faithful interpretation of the text, a poetic flash of thought, or a flight of fancy only loosely connected to Collodi’s original text. Visit the exhibition with an open mind and join us on this journey. Adventures await,” she adds.
The international exhibition brings together a wide range of artistic approaches – delicate watercolours, detailed drawings, graphic compositions and contemporary illustration techniques form a diverse whole. The exhibition offers a rare opportunity to compare how the same literary classic is seen in 20 different countries and cultures.
The participating artists are:
Ali Boozari (Iran), Israel Barrón (Mexico), Ignasi Blanch (Spain), Antonio Boffa (Italy), Antonio Bonanno (Italy), Giuseppe Braghiroli (Italy), Andrea Calisi (Italy), João Vaz de Carvalho (Portugal), Carll Cneut (Belgium), Daniela Costa (Italy), Judith Clay (Germany), Alexander Daniloff (Ukraine), Katrin Ehrlich (Estonia), Manon Gauthier (Canada), Piet Grobler (South Africa), Stefanie Harjes (Germany), Kadri Ilves (Estonia), Martin Jarrie (France), Marius Jonutis (Lithuania), Kęstutis Kasparavičius (Lithuania), Hanna Karaleva (Belarus), Sahar Khaleghi (Iran), Kadi Kurema (Estonia), Anna Laur (Estonia), Anne Linnamägi (Estonia), Regina Lukk-Toompere (Estonia), Piret Mildeberg (Estonia), Jacqueline Molnár (Hungary), Lucija Mrzljak (Croatia), Daniela Iride Murgia (Italy), Gundega Muzikante (Latvia), Aleksejs Naumovs (Latvia), Piret Niinepuu-Kiik (Estonia), Viive Noor (Estonia), Sergio Olivotti (Italy), Anita Paegle (Latvia), Anna Paolini (Italy), Paweł Pawlak (Poland), Andreja Peklar (Slovenia), Matti Pikkujämsä (Finland), Natalie Pudalov (Israel), Tiina Reinsalu (Estonia), Lena Revenko (Israel), Liis Roden (Estonia), Kaia Rähn (Estonia), Ulla Saar (Estonia), Glenda Sburelin (Italy), Amir Shabanipour (Iran), Elina Sildre (Estonia), Marco Somà (Italy), Tàssies (Spain), Virpi Talvitie (Finland), Gita Treice (Latvia), Urmas Viik (Estonia) and Catherine Zarip (Estonia).
The international illustration exhibition invites visitors to discover how one and the same story can be brought to new life through the hands of different artists. The exhibition offers an experience for illustration enthusiasts, children’s literature lovers and anyone who wishes to encounter the story of Pinocchio in a new and surprising light. The exhibition is open until November 29th.
Illustration by Andreja Peklar
