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09/08/08

Text: Nik Mercer

From October 18 through October 26, Zürich will be home to Illustrative 2008, an art and design festival that sets out to "show free experimental works of illustrators and thus art from 'craftspeople' and artists working on commission whose artistic outputs normally are not found in an exhibition context." For the past three years, Illustrative has been bringing together such creatives in a meaningful and especially compelling manner... but this year may yield the best one yet!

Formed in 2006 by Berlin gallery owners Pascal Johanssen and Katja Kleiss, Illustrative continues to pool together internationally renowned artists who are of significant importance to the global art scene. This year's festival will feature thirty-five artists for the main exhibition and twenty emerging ones for the "Young Illustrators Award" (can't forget the little guys!)

The main event will be split into two parts: section exhibitions and a panel discussion. The section exhibitions revolve around three programs: Graphic Fashion, Digital Illustrative Visuals, and Illustrative Objects, each being "dedicated to creative experiments between fine and applied art and design." International fashion designers, VJ artists, potters, and animators will all be present, so know that a lack of variety will not be an issue! The panel's topic will be "Art vs. Commerce," always an intriguing topic of tension in the world of art.

If you're in Zürich or just need a wonderful excuse to hop across the Atlantic for the cold North in October, be certain to check out at least some portion of Illustrative 2008.

Illustrative 2008 homepage

Opening Reception: October 17, 2008