In contrast to classic, text-related illustration, contemporary illustrative art and graphics combine influences of comics, graffiti, architecture, fashion, set design of computer games and many other fields. Their sensitivity for the material, their high level of skills and the mix of analogue and digital techniques give a special progressiveness to illustrative art. No wonder that its influence on contemporary fine arts is growing.

The Main Exhibition of the festival, founded in 2006 by Berlin gallery owners Pascal Johanssen and Katja Kleiss, will feature style-defining works by 35 internationally renowned artists, who are of significant importance to the current international art-scene. As part of the main exhibition, the work of 20 emerging artists will be showcased, who were nominated for the “Young Illustrators Award” by an international board.

Three integral Section Exhibitions – Graphic Fashion, Digital Illustrative Visuals and Illustrative Objects, are dedicated to creative experiments between fine and applied art and design. Interdisciplinary artworks by international fashion designers, VJ-artists and artists creating pottery and animated movies will be presented within this context. Their relation to graphic and illustrative ways of expression creates a new design vocabulary and aesthetics.

The Illustrative will host panel disussions on the topic “Art vs. Commerce”. One of the subjects discussed by international artists, scholars, and other specialists is the perception of young art in the light of the hype about commercial art fairs and record breaking prices. This also poses the question of a contemporary identity of the artists.
The exciting support programme includes project spaces, workshops, events, and parties will bring Berlin-flair to Zurich, featuring the sub culture magazine VICE and others.

Illustrative 2008: from October 18 until 26 - opening on October 17th at Messehallen Zurich (Halle 9), Thurgauerstr. 11, 8050 Zurich-Oerlikon. Open daily from 11 until 20h. More information on www.illustrative.de.