Immerse yourself in the history of the Oldenburg Children's and Young Adult Book Fair and in the fantastic book worlds of this year's KIBUM patron Cornelia Funke - this is what book and literature lovers can currently do in two exhibitions on campus.
Shortly after the end of the 50th KIBUM, fans of children's books and illustration, fantasy and poster art will get their money's worth in the library hall and foyer of the University Library (Uhlhornsweg 49-55). On the one hand, the exhibition "50 years of KIBUM" can be seen there until 12 December, and on the other, the exhibition "Cornelia Funke. Fantastic worlds in pictures and words". Admission is free in both cases.
The KIBUM exhibition was officially opened at the beginning of the week. It focuses on the history of Germany's largest non-commercial children's book fair, which is jointly organised by the city and the university. The team from the Oldenburg Research Centre for Children's and Young Adult Literature (OlFoKi) and the university library planned and curated the exhibition with the agency gwf from Hamburg. Among other things, past posters can be used to take a journey through 50 years of the fair.
Dragons, goblins, elves, ghosts and fantastic worlds between two book covers are the theme in the neighbouring library hall. The exhibition shows more than one hundred selected illustrations by the internationally most successful author of children's and young adult books, Cornelia Funke. Cover designs and book vignettes are waiting to be scrutinised.
The exhibition presents originals for "The Great Dragon Quest", Funke's first children's book from 1988, shows those from her friendship and adventure stories, spans the arc to the "Reckless" novels and for the first time presents original drawings for "The Colour of Revenge", her sequel to the Inkworld trilogy from 2023. Funke's virtuoso skills are expressed in many drawing techniques: in watercolour, oil pastel, acrylic, ink or graphite.
During KIBUM, the exhibition set a new visitor record in the Artothek rooms when more than 4,800 people visited it within ten days. The city and university were also completely satisfied with the 50th fair, which attracted more than 32,000 book fans this November.
