AOI World Illustration Awards Exhibition

Returning to Somerset House for a fourth year, the AOI World Illustration Awards Exhibition, this year for the first time in partnership with the Directory of Illustration, presents highlights from this year’s shortlist of contemporary illustration, entered by emerging and established talent to the Association of Illustrators’ (AOI) annual competition.

The shortlist reflects that the Awards have gone global and includes illustration from across the world, recognizing the exceptional work produced by illustrators internationally and promoting illustration as an essential contributor to global visual culture.

The exhibition will feature a unique range of work from the UK to USA, and South Korea to France, covering a wide breadth of practice, including books, design and editorial, to reflect the diverse disciplines within the industry.

This year’s winning work was chosen by a panel of esteemed international judges from all aspects of the industry including commissioners, publishers and artists, such as Head of Print at Adam and Eve DDB, Daniel Moorey, and Chris Paul, Creative Director at Candlewick Press in the USA.

Featured artists include war-zone documenting editorial illustrator Olivier Kugler with his portraits of Syrian refugees, Aad Goudappel's simple black on pink image depicting the complicated autistic mind, Malika Favre’s Film Noir-inspired posters for the BAFTA’s 2015, and Pieter van Eenogge’s poignant “When we pollute the ocean we pollute ourselves” for the Surfrider Foundation.

16 category winners have been chosen, from which two overall award winners will be announced in October in the classification of Professional illustration, which is open to all practicing professionals, and New Talent, which is open to students and recent graduates.

Also featured are Grahame Baker-Smith’s colourful “Alice In Wonderland” 150th anniversary stamps commissioned by Royal Mail; Jean Julien’s anecdotal observations for “Eurostar #BetterCloser Campaign” and Andrew Rae’s psychedelic graphic novel “Moonhead”.

On display will be original artwork and, whenever possible, also the work in it’s original context or published form.