On Tuesday 31 March, the jury on the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award held its last and decisive meeting. The jury chair Boel Westin announced then the 2020 ALMA laureate: Baek Heena.
Baek Heena is one of Korea’s most recognized picture book artists. With a background in film animation, her unique visual style features handmade miniature figurines and environments painstakingly lighted and photographed. She has published thirteen picture books that are popular throughout Asia, a number of which have been translated. One of her most successful books, Cloud Bread, was published in English in 2011.
The citation of the jury: With exquisite feeling for materials, looks and gestures, Baek Heena’s filmic picture books stage stories about solitude and solidarity. In her evocative miniature worlds, cloud bread and sorbet moons, animals, bath fairies and people converge. Her work is a doorway to the marvellous: sensuous, dizzying and sharp.
The 240 candidates from 67 countries nominated to the 2020 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award were presented by the jury at the Frankfurt Book Fair on October 17.The announcement event, traditionally planned at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, was held at the Astrid Lindgren’s home at Dalagatan 46 in Stockholm.