November 18, Pozirk. Although twice as many artists have participated this year in the ART PRADMOVA contest and exhibition of young book illustrators and designers, most of them would not disclose their identities for fear of politically-motivated reprisals, the contest’s curator Nasta Kviatkova said.
The exhibition is part of the Belarusian intellectual book festival PRADMOVA taking place in Warsaw on November 15–18.
Organizer Pavieł Barkoŭski, who represents the opposition United Transitional Cabinet, said the idea of the contest was floated in 2019, when it became clear that Belarusian book illustration business needed support.
On the one hand, there were talented artists, but on the other, the market was limited, he said.
The grand prize was awarded to artist S for illustrations for the book “Сон у поўню” (A Full Moon Dream). None of the laureates could come to Warsaw, but they could watch the awards ceremony online, Kviatkova said.
A year ago, the grand prize went to Volha Prankievič, who worked at the Belarusian State Museum of Folk Architecture and Rural Lifestyle in 2019–2021.
