CGD23

The long-awaited, large-format picture book Já, chobotnice (I, Octopus) by Magdalena Rutová came out on the very last day of 2022 and immediately became the hit of the season in children’s literature. The detailed, full-page color illustrations about the heroine who comedically, with an animal’s perspective, comments on our contemporary world are not only illustrative (i.e. expanding and commenting on the text), but are also a wonderful addition to the entire ‘puzzle book’ genre, where readers search for things on the page. Right after this narrative book which launched Magdalena’s year, she worked on the dynamic comics illustrations for Čavargoš (Wanderer) – a new edition of the legendary original story by Roma author Tera Fabiánová (Kher publishers) – and Petr Váša’s children’s book Rajčaťáci a Banáni (The Tomatoes and Bananas, Host publishers) which was illustrated with a great sense for portrait work and insight into everyday environments. And finally, towards the end of the year, there was the non-fiction book Život sochy v Praze (The Life of a Sculpture in Prague), edited by Marie Foltýnová with the Prague City Gallery publishers, where Magdalena rendered diverse motifs and both historical and contemporary themes with a candid sense for irony. Apart from her illustrations, Magdalena’s art project for children called Fridays for lino is also exceptional. She makes use of her immense talent and expertise in the field, a fact regularly confirmed by the audience’s continuing interest, as well as the assessment of expert critics (the BOOK ME prize published on facebook for the book of the year, and the Zlatá stuha award for Já, chobotnice in two categories).

In the sphere of applied illustration, Magdalena Rutová is even more extraordinary: just see the linocut for the Johannes Cyder company (with wonderful graphic production by Hynek Štětka) or the portraits in the Bibion edition series. She regularly publishes her work on her website, facebook and Instagram, and keeps her Linostock linocut bank regularly updated. This year, her illustrations were given a solo exhibition in Paris, Nantes and at the FIK Festival in Ústí nad Labem. Magdalena Rutová’s work is unique in both the Czech and European context – it is original, lively and self-confident while remaining understandable for both children and an adult audience.

Tereza Horváthová