Young Ukrainian artist Maria Haiduk has triumphed at the 59th International Exhibition of Illustrators in Bologna, held during the Bologna Children's Book Fair.

This was announced on the fair's official website.

Maria, a student at the Lviv National Academy, received the award for her project "Killing Gods," which explores ecological issues and humanity's relationship with nature.

The jury praised her work for its balance of boldness and sensitivity, as well as the potential for further development.

She became the youngest awardee among the participants.

"I hope this victory draws more attention to the genocide humanity commits against nature. I am grateful to my mentors for their support," Maria wrote.

This year, the competition attracted 4374 illustrators from 89 countries, with a total of 21870 illustrations submitted. The finals featured 324 artists, including 5 female illustrators from Ukraine.

About the Bologna Illustrators Exhibition

In 2024, Ukrainian artists Polina Doroshenko and Oksana Domashich also won awards.

The Illustrators Exhibition, founded in 1967, showcases the latest trends in illustration each year.

Participants' works are published in the Illustrators Annual catalog, distributed through international bookstores.

The exhibition travels annually through museums and art galleries in Japan, Korea, China, and other countries.

This event takes place as part of the Bologna Children's Book Fair in Italy.