The Centre for Research on Children’s and Young Adult Literature at the Faculty of Letters of the University of Wrocław has the honor to invite you to the 15th lecture
in the series “International Voices in Children’s Literature Studies”
DATE: 15 March 2023 TIME: 19.00 (CET)
VENUE: MS Teams
If you are interested in taking part in the lecture, please contact us by email by 12 March at the following address: elzbieta.jamrozstolarska@uwr.edu.pl
Dr. Anita Wincencjusz-Patyna
JUST WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES TODAY’S POLISH ILLUSTRATIONS (NOT) SO DIFFERENT, SO APPEALING
The lecture is a presentation on recent, award-winning Polish illustrations from books for children and young adults. The reference to the title of Richard Hamilton’s famous collage, “Just What Is It That Makes Today’s Homes So Different, So Appealing?”, is not only a mere, humorous reference but also an attempt to offer a more analytical approach toward the panoramic view of contemporary images in Polish books. Looking back at the tradition of Polish illustration, especially its golden period known as the Polish School of Illustration, will allow me to bring about exciting observations on a selection of the most interesting recent releases. Hamilton’s artwork was created in 1956, the year which may be perceived as a turning point in the post-war history of fine and applied arts in Poland. Graphic design in books addressed to young readers of that time featured an extreme variety of styles, techniques, approaches, and concepts of the role of illustrations and other art elements. Today’s illustrations seem to reflect this rich and highly varied heritage.
Dr. Wincencjusz-Patyna is an art historian and art critic who works as an Assistant Professor at The Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design in Wrocław, where she is Head of the Art History and Philosophy Department. She is an expert on book illustration and a curator of art exhibitions. She has collaborated with many cultural institutions in Poland and abroad. Dr. Wincencjusz-Patyna is a member of the Polish Section of IBBY, a jury member of the “Book of the Year” national contest (graphic section), and the president of the jury of “Dobre Strony” [Good Pages] and “Pióro Fredry” [Fredro’s Quill] book competitions in Wrocław. She is the author of books, chapters, and papers on illustration, as well as the main editor of Captains of Illustration: 100 Years of Children’s Books from Poland (2019)