Viborg Library Exhibition of Bibi Ehlers Art.
- Bibi McMurray
- Apr 10
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 12
Creatures and Monsters exhibition
Lars and I discussed options for an exhibition of the art. We didn't think a traditional gallery would accept the art and the demographic was wrong. Since Christmas Peace is a children's book we decided that Viborg library would be the perfect setting for the exhibition.
Initially the exhibition was going to contain framed art. This would have limited the potential and power of the illustrations. We decided to utilise museum style display boards. This way we could include a variety of illustrations and information including about the story of the illustrations and the newly published Christmas Peace. It also allowed us to display some of the illustrations didn't make it into the book and QR codes so viewers can go to our websites to further explore elements of the book and illustration.
I was also able to exhibit some of my private illustrations and discuss my personal art journey.
The exhibition was a success and ran for six weeks.
As an added extra, for any children viewers, I created a few illustrations for a quick side story. This story previewed the world before and after humans came to Viborg. How the world belonged to mythical creatures and how humans destroyed the monsters peace. The story continues to show a baby monster and its perspective about the current world of Viborg during the time of Christmas Peace 2024. The baby monsters mother dies and the baby must now fend for itself but it is invisible to humans and ends up dying of starvation in the cold winter in Viborg.
The little monster story was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's story of the Little Match Girl which was mentioned in Christmas Peace. I thought that the little monster story aligned well with the concept of a lonely cold child trying to survive in a world were she was ignored and left to die. It is a story I read as a child and made me cry then and still tears at my heart.
I created a folder for display during the exhibition of illustrations that didn't make it into the book or the exhibition. In it I added other relevant information about my creative processes, activities for children and prompts for teachers.
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