Ex Libris 2017: The Jungle Book and The Disney World

This year we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the English writer Rudyard Kipling's birth and because of that we have decided to dedicate this edition to his famous novel "The Jungle Book", that has been able to make children dream. We also have to remember that Disney is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, we are hoping that both of them will continue helping the new generations in developing their imagination, expecially the ones that worked on ex libris and on the short stories, creating their own key to its interpretation and interpretative proposal.

For the ones that are not very young anymore, we are sure that their memory is still active and passionate about literature.

For everyone Kipling's educational and pedagogical concept is still influential and has remained intact throughout times. Inspired by a true story, Kipling's novel is full of wonder and it can send the readers in another dimension, very different from everyday life, where talking animals are the main characters and good defeats evil, thing that is unlikely to happen in real life. In a era in which everyone is depressed, looking for fortunes, selfish, romantic, unsure and easily deceived, searching for a shelter in a fantasy realm and promoting creativity is actually very contemporary.

Now we come to the Ex libris: they have a propaedeutic component that may make it easier to love (and collect) both contemporary and past artworks, and give more visibility to the engravers of today, because the vitality of the Ex libris world is certainly superior to that of so called free graphics. The main feature of this year’s “The Echanted Woods” compared to the previous edition was that this time entry was free and extended to italian and foreign artists, rather than only being open to specially invited artists selected from the leading exponents of the genre. The number of works was considerable, though somewhat lacking compared to the past in distinguished foreign entries.

Invitations reached in Italy, Russia, Turkey and France, Belarus and Lithuania, Mexico, Kazakistan and China, India, Argentina and Japan, and the response was significant, though not always in accordance with the regulations of the competition. This is why significant works had to be excluded, irrespective of their appeal and content. Ex libris experts, who know all the artists who are active in every part of the world, will find various prestigious names here, but they will also have the surprise of seeing the work of engravers (and schools) who are (at last) approaching the world of Ex libris for the first time. Everyone else, who knows little or nothing about Ex libris and the art of engraving, will (we are sure) appreciate the creativity and variety of so many works inspired by fairy tales and myths, legends and dreams, collective or private as they may be.

The work of the Jury was not easy, setting out as it did to give priority to all the works which complied with the regulations. In complete freedom and with no preconceptions, we have named foreigners as winners.

We must end with a well deserved thank you to all the artists who chose to take part in this venture, in the hope that we will able to count on their precious cooperation again for the next edition of our competition.

Contest Winners

1st Prize Ex aequo:

2nd Prize Ex aequo:

3rd Prize Ex aequo:

4rt Prize Ex aequo:

Jury Special Prizes

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School Section: 
The Great of Tomorrow

This year again, the work of schools has been worthy of the highest consideration. As always, the Jury of "The Enchanted Woods" wishes to emphasize that the prizes were the schools as a whole, and not the individual young artists.

Particular thanks go to the trainers and teachers who have been able to infuse the art and culture of Ex Libris into their students, tomorrow's future artists.

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