The Bremen Town Musicians
The jury of the 11th Notte di Fiaba illustration competition, chaired by Francesca Tancini and joined by Svjetlan Junaković, Eleonora Cumer, Matteo Gubellini, Matteo Rapanà, and Chiara Tomasi, has announced the winners and awarded special mentions. On Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at the Illustrators’ Survival Corner of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2025, the winners were presented. The event saw significant participation from young illustrators, both Italian and international, demonstrating the growing interest in this initiative.
Opere premiate
The jury of the 11th Notte di Fiaba illustration competition, chaired by Francesca Tancini and joined by Svjetlan Junaković, Eleonora Cumer, Matteo Gubellini, Matteo Rapanà, and Chiara Tomasi, has announced the winners and awarded special mentions. On Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at the Illustrators’ Survival Corner of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2025, the winners were presented. The event saw significant participation from young illustrators, both Italian and international, demonstrating the growing interest in this initiative.
Vittoria Zorzi's project stands out for its refined essentiality. The minimalist, deliberately stark line work gains intensity through a skillful use of color, which employs imaginative and surreal combinations, capable of creating an alienating yet fascinating visual universe. The calligraphic treatment, reminiscent of Japanese brush painting, lends fluidity and rhythm to the scenes, in perfect harmony with the story's tone. The illustrated narrative actively enlivens the text, bringing irony and lightness even to the plot's most static moments. The dynamic and promising storyboard foreshadows final illustrations of great visual impact.
Cristina Bini presents a mature and conscious work, marking a significant stylistic evolution. The characters, finally freed from a comic-book style, appear lively, authentic, and perfectly integrated into the story's atmosphere. The visual direction is well-calibrated: the framing follows a precise narrative rhythm, functional to the story's development. The use of mixed media is enriched with textures and nuances that give depth and warmth to the illustrations. The project stands out for its coherence and emotional intensity, displaying a now defined and recognizable stylistic identity.
Andra Calligaro's work impresses with its wealth of visual and cultural suggestions. References to the Brera Academy and Leonardo's Last Supper are naturally integrated into the narrative flow, adding depth and layering to the project. The fusion of human and animal characters is handled with grace and intelligence, never feeling forced, creating a coherent and visually harmonious universe. The chromatic choices denote great pictorial sensitivity, while the storyboard is lively, featuring effective perspective choices that shift the viewpoint and engage the reader in a dynamic and immersive experience.
Premio speciale
Jan Markovinovic establishes himself as a young voice of great artistic sensibility. The storyboard captivates with its dreamy, poetic, almost suspended tone, built with a limited but extremely evocative palette. Each illustration is imbued with delicate atmospheres, and the visual narrative becomes intimate and lyrical. The final illustrations, created with traditional techniques, confirm a solid mastery of the medium and a desire for formal exploration. This work reveals an authentic voice, capable of moving with essential yet profound means.
Menzioni speciali
Chiara offers a classic, refined, and poetic style. Her illustrative work harks back to great traditional artists like Ugo Fontana, with a delicacy that evokes intimate and familiar atmospheres. The visual storytelling is simple, yet sincere and touching, capable of conveying deep emotions without artifice. Her work makes sobriety a distinctive stylistic signature.
Giulia Ceccarani's project stands out for its use of a mixed-media and textural technique that shines with originality and poetry. The use of tissue paper and machine stitching creates a tactile and dynamic visual effect, imbuing the pieces with a sense of continuous movement. The decision to move away from digital in favor of artisanal craftsmanship lends authenticity and depth to the visual narrative. A bold and distinctive approach.
For the ability to create a personal and fresh visual language that speaks directly and joyfully to young children. The style is lively and playful, the colors bold yet balanced, and the perspectives unexpected and brilliant. Also noteworthy is the sensitive handling of night scenes, rendered legible and evocative through a skillful use of washes. This project seamlessly blends spontaneity with thoughtful execution.
Matteo captivates with his figurative minimalism: an essential yet expressive style that evokes deep emotions with just a few strokes. The storyboard is clear and well-structured, enriched by numerous visual references and fluid storytelling. The techniques used – watercolor and monotype – lend the illustrations a vibrant texture and a great lightness. The result is an elegant, recognizable, and already very mature style.
A brilliant and contemporary work that blends illustration, graphic design, and architectural influences into an original and recognizable visual language. The pieces are rich in surprising references, such as the busts of Elvis and Hendrix, which reveal an ironic and cultured perspective. The use of digital media is fully intentional, not imitative, and gives the narrative rhythm, structure, and character. A visually rich, intelligent, and unconventional approach.
A narratively powerful storyboard, capable of evoking emotion from the very first panel. The pencil work is masterful, and the characterization of the characters – especially the armadillo and the monkey – is intense and rich in detail. The compositional intelligence shines through in its ability to tell a story through absences, voids, and silences. A project full of nuances, demonstrating great talent in visual storytelling.
A project that impresses with its technical choices and scenic vision. The plasticine representation brings to life three-dimensional characters that appear to perform on a real stage, offering a theatrical and immersive visual experience. The work is striking for the coherence between concept and execution, with meticulous attention to detail in scene construction and an original, playful aesthetic.
Silvia's illustrations are distinguished by a poetic and symbolic language, where every visual element is imbued with meaning. Her use of color is particularly refined, effectively amplifying the emotional impact of her pieces. The visual narrative unfolds evocatively, employing subtle metaphors and intensely powerful imagery. It's a project that stands out for its depth and authenticity.
Scopri le edizioni passate del concorso
ll Notte di Fiaba Illustration Contest nasce nel 2014 su iniziativa di Enzo Bassetti, Presidente onorario di Notte di Fiaba, ed è ideato e progettato da Chiara Tomasi, Direttrice Artistica del Concorso, con il supporto del professor Livio Sossi, tra i più autorevoli studiosi europei di letteratura per l’infanzia e illustrazione.
