Duration: 13 June 2024 to 16 February 2025
The pop-up Struwwelpeter. Book art and animations by Marianne R. Petit
Fold, push, pull: Picture books can be much more than a collection of printed letters and pictures on paper! The exhibition of Marianne R. Petit’s work demonstrates this in a literally outstanding way. The New York artist explores Struwwelpeter with three-dimensional book objects that combine modern technology, traditional book art and sequential storytelling. She works not only analogue with paper and scissors, but also digitally. These animations of the Struwwelpeter stories can also be seen.
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Since its first publication almost 180 years ago, Struwwelpeter has fascinated not only children but also artists all over the world. Petit’s works allow the movement Hoffmann created in the drawings to ‘pop’. And there is a great deal of movement in the original Struwwelpeter – from the chair-swinging ‘evil Friederich’ to the floating ‘flying Robert’.
Petit’s book art is part of the long tradition of moving picture books, which flourished at the end of the 19th century. In a time without film, television or computers, they offered fun for everyone. Lothar Meggendorfer (1847-1925) is regarded as the master of transforming picture books. His figures could be moved with cardboard strips. Meggendorfer also created a living Struwwelpeter in 1895. This pull-out picture book with its delicate mechanics can be admired in the exhibition, as can a ‘tunnel book’ from 1830, which opens up an astonishing perspective as a folding diorama.
It’s not just children who can create their own pop-up artworks in the exhibition. And then there is a mysterious rope. I wonder what pops up when you pull it? See for yourself!
Special thanks to Maddy Rosenberg and CENTRAL BOOKING, New York!
18. September 2024 to 12. Januar 2025
bambini – beatrice alemagna
‘The encounter between a child and a book is an adventure,’ says the renowned Italian-French illustrator and author Beatrice Alemagna. Many of her picture books tell of children’s everyday lives. But in her books, boring rainy days are transformed into exciting expeditions and the search for a present for mum leads to a wonderful ‘Fluffipuff’. The trilingual exhibition with original sketches, pictures, installations and lots of hands-on activities is a cooperation with the Institut français Frankfurt and the Istituto Italiano di Cultura Cologne on the occasion of the Book Fair Guest of Honour Italy.
Guided tours for children and/or adults are available by appointment in Italian, French and German from 10:00.
