Illustrative Berlin, the leading international festival for contemporary illustration and graphic design is taking place in Berlin until September 8. Over 200 artists, from all over the world, are brought together to exhibit their best personal art works. The idea is to showcase the whole spectrum of the field in one single curated exhibition. This year the festival focuses on the battle between art vs. crafts and technology vs. intension, as well as on highlighting the “young creators” from all over Europe.
Since its start in 2006, the Illustrative festival has become the biggest event of the year in the illustration and graphic design world. And it is all happening in Berlin, the heart of Europe and one of the most important centers of the European art world. Each year hundreds of artists, professionals and art lovers gather at this event to see the chosen paintings, drawings, sculptures, installations, animation and editioned works. Along the two biggest exhibitions, the Main Exhibition and the Nominees of the Young Illustrators Award exhibition, several shows and side events take place during the festival, including independent shows by universities, agencies and design collectives. 
The Directorhaus in Berlin, the heart of the festival
Illustrative, founded and curated by gallerists Pascal Johanssen and Katja Kleiss, has gained world-wide recognition as the premier contemporary art show. The annual festival showcases world renowned illustrators as well as the most prominent up-and-coming talents. Each year the curators try to push the boundaries, expanding the exhibitions into new innovative directions, always giving space and recognition to the more avant-garde artists of the visual arts.
As the Main exhibition shows the curated works of 30 “illustration stars” from around the world, with such high-quality artists and design collectives as Agata Nowicka and Bożka Rydlewska, it will be an experience on its own. Each year a competition is held to select the most promising, innovative and unique pieces of work, which will be shown at the “Young Illustrators Award” exhibition. Here you can enjoy works with new visual languages, three dimensional works and cutting-edge illustration.
Victor Castillo – is a Chilean painter currently residing in Los Angeles, California
This year’s guest country of the festival is Poland, and one of the biggest events is the Polish Illustration Focus exhibition. The Polish Illustration Focus – Where I come from, takes a closer look at the young talents emerging from the Eastern European country with a rich tradition in illustration and the renowned Polish Poster School, known to have influenced many artists around the world. 
Where I come from – exhibition showcasing Polish talent
The exhibition focuses on the visual influences and their traces in contemporary graphic art of the young artists in Poland. The title also refers to the constant battle of the artists’ own self image and their place in the art world, and how the modern art market reflects on their own artistic freedom. All together 31 artists are showcased at the exhibition which will be open till the 8th of September.
Alek Morawski a.k.a. Lis Kula- grafiki i rysuneczki , a Polish illustrator known to be the author of many Polish underground rap album covers
Paweł Jońca, a re-nowned Polish graphic and web designer
Agata Marszalek, a Polish poster designer, greatly influenced by her father, Grzegorz Marszałek – one of the artists from the Polish Poster School
Ada Buchholc, a young Polish illustrator and graphic designer
The festival is going on till the 8th of September, so if you are in Berlin make sure to pay a visit and enjoy the marvelous artworks and young talents showcased at the Direktorenhaus.
Illustrative Berlin
August 31st – September 8th 2013
daily 12am – 8pm
Direktorenhaus (Berlin-Mitte)
Peter Diamond, a Viennese illustrator and graphic artist
photo source: Illustrative e.V