DS Artistry Labs Journal - Festival_of_Illustrated_Books

The International Festival of Illustrated Books in France

An adventure story: creation of a book, participation in the competition, 1st prize, travel to Soultz, exhibition, publication in a journal, and involvement in the following-year event.

The creation of the art book Silence took about three years to get it completed: from the development of images for illustrations to transferring them to 19 etchings on zinc, with 15-25 etched layers each, to the development of font and writing by hand the entire book, to creating book design, hand-made bindings, and to the printing of a small limited edition at the atelier of original graphic arts by Giorgio Upiglio.

Paolo Bellini, an art historian and critic who also published an article about this book in the journal L'occhio nel segnio, suggested presenting this edition at the International Festival of Illustrated Books in France, "Prix Robert Beltz". The result was the First Prize and the exhibition at the Association - l'Association des Amis de Robert Beltz, in Soultz. It was a great surprise and pleasure to receive the invitation from Hugues Hoohs, the president of the Association (love postcards and envelopes with postage stamps, signed by hand).

The train arrived at Bollwiller, the closest town, all the passengers got off the train, took their cars, and went in different directions. There was no public transportation, the train station was closed, nobody was around to ask for information, and the internet connection was dead on my phone. With a printed map in hand, the walk to Soultz-Haut-Rhin took about one hour and a half, through the camps and countryside roads.

This small medieval town in north-eastern France is charming with its narrow streets, 13-th century Church of Saint Maurice and Château de Buchenek castle, tiled roofs, interesting windows, and history on each corner.