After three years of Covid restrictions, we finally see each other again in and with Bologna. Everything is like the good old days, nothing has changed and at the same time everything is somehow different. Whether we, whether Bologna, whether the world has changed in these three years – I don’t know, but not only has the red carpet at the fair turned orange, but our topics of conversation have also become somehow more serious and sophisticated. Today we no longer talk about utopias and lofty ideas and goals that will one day make our world better and more ideal, today we talk about migrant children, the war in Europe and the destruction in Turkey and Syria – topics that not only did not remain unnoticed, but were also the focus at every moment.
The Mayor of Bologna, Matthew Lepore, announced that the cause of this year's book fair is "Preserving the freedom of books and that no one can take it away from us.", which was a kind of reference to the war in Ukraine. Elena Pacolli (director of exhibition activities) for her part highlighted some of the most important points of this edition - the exhibitions, the section dedicated to AI and women in business. She invited all guests to walk between the stands of the fair and, after two long digital years, to touch the books that have been created during this period. Last but not least, she congratulated all the Ukrainian publishers who managed to join the fair this year to make their voices heard.
And let us take you on a quick tour of the fair, which certainly cannot be covered either physically or mentally in one or four days.
This year, the country in focus is Greece, and as the Deputy Minister of Culture of Greece, Nikolas Yiatromanolakis, said: “I’m sure you all know that Greeks have been incredible storytellers for centuries – from Hellenistic poetry to today’s Nobel laureates. But what we want to show here this year is the present and future of our literature.”
I will not comment on the ABK stand, which is funded by the Ministry of Culture, I am tired of this windmill, I think you are tired too, and ABK is tired (at least it seems that way), and everyone else is tired of this "little thing". However, one thing impressed me compared to previous years - today most stands are more stripped down in terms of pomp, they are more serious, with less ostentation and more air in the exhibition space. At the same time, the tons of books flood you like a colorful wave and you start to blink in pictures and colors.
This time, exhibitions are popping up in every hall: the 2023 Illustrators' Exhibition, the 2022 Hans Christian Andersen Award winner - Susie Lee, 60 Years of Bologna, "Illustrated Ukraine", Ars in Fabula, Children Spectators (in which Tonka Uzu also participates), and even if you only tour the exhibitions in these four days, you won't be able to remember half of the names or works that will catch your attention.
On the second day of the fair, the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award was announced. Kaisa Ravin, Director General of the Swedish Arts Council, gave an opening speech, and the name of the laureate was presented by Katarina Barajas. We remind you that the Children's Books Foundation has been the nominating body for Bulgaria since 2016, and for the sixth consecutive year, Yulia Spiridonova has been nominated as the author, and the artists are Yasen Gyuzelev and Stella Dries. Here is who won the "little Nobel" this year: the American writer Lori Anderson!
And when I say that things somehow feel “like the old days”, I also remembered some Bologna traditions such as the wall of illustrators and the endless lines for interviews and portfolio reviews.
You can see more photos in our Facebook album, expect a video of the overall atmosphere of Bologna, which will specifically pay attention to the illustrator’s point of view, and we will see Bologna again in 2024.
Аrrivederci, Bologna!
Text and photos: Milena Radeva
(From the website “Bulgarian Illustration” we remind you that you can use our materials, with the explicit indication of the source.)
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