"We can’t just get rid of books." Umberto Eco’s quote could sum up the second edition of the international student competition BookVision. This year saw a significant (threefold) increase in the number of student entries as well as the involvement of more art universities and colleges from the Czech Republic and abroad. Students submitted a total of 108 works of art, from which the expert jury selected 62 works for a joint exhibition, as well as the award-winning works. Apart from Czech and Slovak art schools, students from Poland, Ukraine, Belgium, Switzerland, and Spain took part.

Even today the book appears to be a quite topical form for the younger generation, finding its place across disciplines, and is a suitable output for artists of various focus, as evidenced by the studios from where students register their works. In addition to the study branches focused on graphic design, drawing, and illustration, the participants’ study specialisations are much more diverse and include disciplines such as photography, painting, graphics, sculpture, video, and performance.

The focus of the competition is on the collective presentation of artist’s books and other artistic book output by an emerging generation with an international dimension, while at the same time ascertaining in some way the relevance of the artist’s book and the possible transition of the medium to a digital sphere. In this respect, however, the book as a physical object still seems to be the preferred form for the younger generation in the competition. Perhaps this is due to them being oversaturated by electronic devices whose functionality is conditioned by constant recharging and network connection, as well as the constant assault by ballast information and advertising messages, limitlessness. In this comparison, the (artist’s) book can be viewed almost as a therapeutic instrument, as the content of many of the submitted works suggests.

BookVision is organised with great pleasure by the Book Design Studio of the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, University of Ostrava. We thank all the participating students, their teachers, jurors, financial supporters, and all the fans of the competition.

BookVision 2023

May 24 – June 23 2023

Galerie Fakulty umění (GAFU)

Černá louka 3398, 702 00 Moravská Ostrava a Přívoz

Curator: Julie Kačerovská

Graphic design: Jakub Konvica

Technical solution: Marek Franz

Collaboration: Ivo Sumec

The exhibition is held under the auspices of the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, University of Ostrava

and is co-funded by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and the City of Ostrava.

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