Valencian artist wins Book International Fair illustration competition
Illustrator Mar Hernández “Malota” signs the image of Liber 2024
The Valencia-based illustrator Mar Hernández, known as Malota, has won the Liber 2024 Illustration Competition with a colourful and lively design that will be the graphic image of this year’s International Book Fair, which will be held from 1 to 3 October at Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via venue.
Malota (Jaén, 1980) is one of the most internationally recognised creators in the field of illustration. She has published in media such as The New York Times, Wired Mag Japan, The New Yorker and Variety and has worked for various publishers, institutions and consumer brands throughout her career, which began more than 20 years ago.
Malota’s design for Liber 2024 stands out for its dynamism, use of colour (especially the fair’s corporate red) and geometric language true to his style. In the image, a character holds a variety of books that symbolise the international and plural character of the book. At the top of the illustration, an open book shows two people shaking hands to signal the professional sphere of the fair. It also seeks to convey “the power of the Spanish publishing industry that drives the business of reading and the dissemination of culture”, says Malota.
The jury chose Malota’s work from among the three proposals that competed in the last phase of the competition, where the illustrators Ana Pez and Joan Negres Color were also finalists. These three creators were commissioned to create a design for the graphic image of Liber 2024 after having passed the initial phase of the competition, to which 238 candidatures were submitted.
In organising this illustration competition, which is now in its fourth edition, Liber has benefited from the collaboration and advice of the Federation of Professional Illustrators’ Associations (FADIP) and its member organisations in Catalonia, Galicia, the Basque Country, the Valencian Community and Madrid. The members of the jury were Jesús González, representing the Spanish Ministry of Culture; José María Arizcun and Luis Zendrera, from the Liber 2024 Organising Committee; Xosé Ballesteros and Antonio M. Ávila, on behalf of the Federation of Publishers’ Guilds of Spain (FGEE) and Leire Hurtado, for Fira de Barcelona.
About Liber
Internationally recognised as one of the main trade fairs for the export, exhibition and promotion of Spanish-language publishing, this year Liber will bring together more than 350 publishers and companies who will present their bibliographic collections and new publications, as well as products and services related to the marketing and distribution of books. In addition, the fair includes an extensive programme of professional conferences to debate and reflect on the current situation of the sector linked to the book value chain.
Liber 2024 is organised by Fira de Barcelona and promoted by the Federation of Publishers’ Guilds of Spain (FGEE). It is sponsored by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and Sport, ICEX Exportación e Inversiones, CEDRO, Generalitat de Catalunya, Ajuntament de Barcelona and with the collaboration of Acción Cultural Española AC/E, Gremi d’Editors de Catalunya and l’Associació d’Editors en Llengua Catalana.
Barcelona, 9 April 2024
Image of Liber 2024 available here
Photo of Mar Hernández “Malota” here
Maria Dolores Herranz / Gloria Dilluvio
Press Office Fira de Barcelona – Liber 2024
Tel. +34 93 233 25 41 – 21 72
premsa@firabarcelona.com
Gerardo Miguel
Press Officer FGEE
Tel: +34 915765250
prensa@fge.es