International book art exhibition

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Opening of the IBA in 1927 with Lord Mayor Karl Rothe (1), Adolf von Harnack (2) and Gerhart Hauptmann (3)

The International Book Art Exhibition (IBA) was an exhibition of book design in Leipzig . The first exhibition of this kind took place as a solo exhibition in 1927. During the time of the GDR , such exhibitions were held every six years.

The 1927 exhibition

After the International Book Trade and Graphics Exhibition ( Bugra ) in 1914, which included the entire area of ​​book production, the International Book Art Exhibition (IBA) came about in 1927 on the initiative of the Association of German Book Artists. It took place from June to September in the Grassimuseum , which at that time was still in its building on Königsplatz (today Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz ).

Hugo Steiner-Prag acted as chairman of the exhibition committee . Special supporters, so-called protectors of the exhibition, were Gerhart Hauptmann , Thomas Mann , Stefan Zweig , Ricarda Huch , Max Liebermann , Max Slevogt , Henry van de Velde and Adolf von Harnack .

A total of around 1100 artists from 21 countries showed over 20,000 works of book design and graphics. Were represented, for example, Ernst Barlach , Lovis Corinth , Raoul Dufy , Vladimir Faworski , Rockwell Kent , El Lissitzky , Emil Orlik and Maurice Utrillo . A 353-page catalog was published for the exhibition.

The International Book Art Exhibition gave important impetus to book design in many countries. A long-term collaboration or even a further exhibition was made impossible when the National Socialists came to power in 1933.

With the construction of the confectionery pavilion in the facilities of the Promenadenring, the exhibition had a lasting side effect for Leipzig.

The continuation in the GDR

On the initiative of publishers, book artists and the printing industry, there was again an International Book Art Exhibition (IBA) in Leipzig in 1959. Book designers from 34 countries showed their exhibits, including Fritz Cremer , Hans Erni , William Gropper, Lea Grundig , Gyula Hincz, Jean Lurçat , Frans Masereel , Giacomo Manzù , Pablo Picasso and José Venturelli.

The GDR apparently saw such exhibitions as an opportunity to improve its international reputation and so the International Book Art Exhibition (IBA) in Leipzig took place every six years until 1989, which was interrupted with the exhibition in 1982 instead of 1983. The 1977 exhibition attracted around 51,000 visitors, and in 1982 publishers and artists from around 80 countries were represented. The exhibitions were each accompanied by special exhibitions and international competition shows for graphics and illustration. With the construction of the new exhibition center on the market , they were located there from 1965. The Leipzig Book Fair also took place as part of the annual Leipzig Spring Fair , and from 1953 the award ceremony for the "Most Beautiful Book of the GDR" was also held.

See also

literature

  • Hans Baier: iba - world performance show of book art , in: Leipziger Blätter No. 1 (1982), pp. 32–35
  • Horst Riedel: Stadtlexikon Leipzig from A to Z . PRO LEIPZIG, Leipzig 2005, ISBN 3-936508-03-8 , pp. 264/265

Web links

Commons : International Book Art Exhibition  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. books wiki
  2. Leipzig papers