Colouring Outside the Lines
Flemish Illustrators Making their Mark
In recent years, Flanders has seen the publication of a large number of high-quality illustrated books for children. There are various reasons for this. Some Flemish publishers have dared to take risks in the past few years, proving that there is a market for more unusual picture books. And so people abroad have become aware that there is huge variety and a great deal of talent in Flanders. Flemish illustrators of children's books have also won considerable international acclaim. Translations of illustrated children's books from Flanders are being published all the time.
Since it was founded in 2000, the VFL has always devoted attention to the illustrated children's book. Work subsidies mean that illustrators can take their time to work independently on original projects. However, the VFL wants to do more. It wants to show the publishing world that the illustrators who are already well known constitute only a part of a large, highly talented generation of artists. This is how the idea of a travelling exhibition and an accompanying book came about.
"The book and the exhibition ‘Colouring Outside the Lines' provide you with an introduction to Flanders' most artistic and individual illustrators. I think that in many of their books the illustrations and the text sleep in the same bedroom, but I also believe that the picture is often the stronger partner in the relationship. You'll see for yourself that a great many of the pictures are so strong that they conquer a space for themselves even without a story. This is applied art that is strong enough to enter into a dynamic dialogue with the viewer independently."
Marita Vermeulen, author of the book Colouring Outside the Lines.
An introduction to the 17 illustrators in the exhibition
