Judith Vanistendael "Atan von den Kykladen" (Atan of the Cyclades)
Book Fair
begin 23.03.2024, 16:00
end 23.03.2024, 17:30
location Leipzig
Flemish comic artist Judith Vanistendael will be making a guest appearance at the German Museum of Books and Writing with her new comic "Atan von den Kykladen" (Atan of the Cyclades) as part of the 2024 Leipzig Book Fair, which will feature the Netherlands and Flanders as guests of honour. She will be talking to Dutch comics expert Gert Jan Pos about drawing and writing. Afterwards there will be a guided tour of the exhibition "Nice to meet me. Comic and Autobiography. Netherlands/Flanders" led by its curator Gert Jan Pos.
Atan lived about five thousand years ago in the Cyclades, a group of Greek islands. The quiet, introverted boy has a remarkable talent for modelling clay. His parents send him to the island of Naxos, where he is to train as a sculptor. Here the boy is forced to give up his creativity and focus on dexterity and technique until his master realises that Atan's muse must not be silenced.
Comic artist and author Judith Vanistendael drew the inspiration for this story from a small Cycladean statue in the Louvre. Atan's story is not only that of an artist exploring his craft but also that of a boy seeking his place in the world. It is a touching, intimate story, the first illustrated by Vanistendael with drawings that are fully digital but preserve the graceful, flowing style typical of this artist. "Atan von den Kykladen" (Atan of the Cyclades) is the latest translated work by Flemish comic book author Judith Vanistendael, published in Germany by Reprodukt.
Photo: © Daphne Titeca
Judith Vanistendael, born in Leuven, Belgium, in 1974, studied art in Berlin, Ghent and Seville and comic creation at the LUCA School of Arts in Brussels, where she is now a lecturer. The Flemish comic book author also illustrates children's books. Her graphic novel "Penelopes zwei Leben" (The Two Lives of Penelope) (Reprodukt, 2022) and the picture book "Rund ums Quadrat" (Around the Square) (Beltz, 2023) are the most recent of her works to be published in the German language.
Gert Jan Pos (Rotterdam) is an author, photographer, lecturer and curator of the exhibition "Nice to Meet Me." on display at the German Museum of Books and Writing as part of the 2024 Leipzig Book Fair, which will feature the Netherlands and Flanders as guests of honour.
Information and contact
The event will be held in German.
Venue: Lecture room, German National Library in Leipzig
Duration: 90 minutes
Costs: Free admission
Booking: Registration not required
Cloakroom info: You will need one- or two-Euro coins to store your bags and backpacks in the lockers.
Accessibility: The area in which the event will be taking place is barrier-free accessible.
Contact: dbsm-info@dnb.de or Phone +49 341 2271-524
Address and getting here
German National Library
German Museum of Books and Writing
Deutscher Platz 1
04103 Leipzig
Getting here
We advise you to use public transport.
1 / By public transport
By rail
From the main railway station, take S-Bahn S1 in the direction of Riesa, S2 in the direction of Markkleeberg-Gaschwitz, S3 in the direction of Stötteritz or S5/S5X in the direction of Zwickau. Journey time approx. 7 minutes, get off at “Leipzig MDR”. Exit onto Semmelweisstraße, then turn right and continue for 400 m to the intersection at Straße des 18. Oktober.
Alternatively, take tram line 16 from platform 2 in front of the main railway station (in the direction of Lößnig) and get off at “Deutsche Nationalbibliothek”. Journey time approx. 11 minutes.
By air
From Leipzig/Halle airport, take S-Bahn S5/S5X in the direction of Zwickau. Journey time approx. 30 minutes, get off at “Leipzig MDR”. Exit onto Semmelweisstraße, then turn right and continue for 400 m to the intersection at Straße des 18. Oktober.
2 / By car
Approaching from the north
Take the A9 to the Schkeuditzer Kreuz intersection, continue on the A14 towards Dresden and take the Leipzig-Mitte (city centre) exit; continue on the B2 towards Leipzig city centre as far as the intersection at Prager Straße/Semmelweisstraße (follow the signs for “Deutsche Nationalbibliothek”).
Approaching from the south and east
Take the A9 or A14, change to the A38 and continue to the Leipzig-Süd exit; change to the B2 and continue to the Südvorstadt exit; turn right into Kurt-Eisner-Straße and continue to the German National Library.
3 / Accessibility
The German National Library in Leipzig has disabled parking spaces right in front of the building. The entrance for disabled visitors is signposted. The reading rooms and cafeteria are accessible by lift.
Last changes:
08.02.2024
