Illustrative is the leading international forum for contemporary illustration and graphic arts. Every year at two different creative cities around the world, the exhibition displays an inspiring collection of current illustrative und graphical art with over 600 works from more than 60 artists.

Over the course of two weeks, the festival celebrates the illustrative arts, presents new talents and trends, exchanges ideas, marvels at progressive technologies, and rediscovers forgotten styles. Illustrative features an exclusive exhibition and shows works from 60 internationally recognised illustrators in addition to hosting conferences, a film program, and parties. Illustrative displays not only the quality and fantasy of the latest graphic arts but also shows how the visual effects of graphic design, illustration, book art, comics, concept art, and animation spill into and influence the field of art.

The exhibition is accompanied by the Young Illustrator Award. The exhibition highlighting the contest winners will display the most intuitive inclinations of the genre and is an exciting measure for new trends.

Established in Berlin in 2006, Illustrative has been held twice in Berlin (2006/2007), once in Paris (2007), and once in Zürich (2008). To guarantee the topicality of the exhibition, before every Illustrative the art works are reconsidered by a curatorial committee lead by Berlin-based curator Pascal Johanssen.

Voices of the Media

“Festival of images: Illustrative was held for the second time – and had already grown to a highly publicized festival”

(PAGE, 11 07, pg. 76)

“Avant-garde exhibition of the young graphic arts”

(German Late News Tagesschau vol. 24 August 2006)

“I was finally able to get into the event place, no matter how the line to the entrance was long. The main hall on the ground floor was illuminated with multi color light and seemed like some club.”

(shift Japan, 31 August 2007)

“Fantasy land of Illustrative: Perhaps it is its attractiveness, the pure thrill, that gives Illustrative 07 its appeal”

(artnet, 3 September 2007)

“Illustrative 07 is twice as big as the first, displays more than 200 works in various exhibits, and at the same time has spread throughout Europe: participating artists come from Scandinavia, England, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain, and France.

And this pluralism is received extraordinarily well at the exposition, as was seen in the reactions at the opening. Having to stand outside in the cold for half an hour to get into Villa Elisabeth was no reason to be upset; this year's exhibit is worth the wait.”
(Berliner Zeitung, 4 September 2007, pg. 27)

“Seismograph for innovative trends of illustrative and graphic art”
(ARTE TV, 3 September 2007)

Voices of the Media

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Illustrative 08 on 3Sat