Lithuania is a guest of honour at the Leipzig Book Fair on 23-26 March, 2017, presenting two stands – the national stand and the stand dedicated to creativity.
The joint lecturer-student team of the Graphic Art Department of Vilnius Academy of Arts will introduce the unique to the Lithuanian language letter „ė”. This letter is not only significant in terms of choosing a suitable font for the written Lithuanian language but also as a feminine symbol being the last letter of many women’s surnames and some names.
reading ė
The creators of the stand will invite visitors to participate in creative activities and to experience the uniqueness of the „ė“ letter/sign. Visitors can do it in a number of different ways: by validating an ė-ticket, reading the „ė“ texts with their eyes covered by the ė-points (filters), by recognizing and understanding the absence of the dot on the letter „ė“ in the Lithuanian language which may change the meaning of the word, sentence or even content; and by watching the ė-videos portraying the features of the letter „ė“: the dot, the sound, the meaning and the relevance. The visitors of the fair will take part in the ė-lottery where they can win various ė-prizes, such as ė-cards, ė-books, ė-sweets etc.
lottery ė
Each activity reveals a new type of knowledge, emphasizes the unique significance of the sign and shows how a letter/sound/typography element may be firmly established in many fields of life.
printing ė
Apart from the activities, the guests will be introduced to the publications, illustrated books and fan zines created and accumulated by the Graphic Art Department students.
The Lithuanian audience had a chance to experience the exclusive nature of the „ė” creative sign and its identity in February, when a part of the project was presented at the Vilnius Book Fair. At the end of March, the „ė” creative project will surprise visitors as well as book and art lovers at the international Leipzig Book Fair by inviting everyone to experience, understand and master the freshly discovered and unique identity of the Lithuanian „ė”.
Project organizer: Graphic Art Department of Vilnius Academy of Arts
Project curators: Elena Grudzinskaitė and Agnė Dautartaitė-Krutulė
Project participants: Joelis Aškinis, Kamilė Krasauskaitė, Tomas Karolis Kucharskis, Laima Matuzonytė, Lauksminė Steponavičiūtė, Monika Šiliūnaitė, Gabrielė Vingraitė
Project has been created in cooperation with the Lithuanian Culture Institute
Project sponsors: UAB Libra Vitalis and UAB Heliopolis
We extend our sincere gratitude to the Vilnius Academy of Arts Publishing house and Printing house
Illustrations by Tomas Karolis Kucharskis
Photographs by Alda Eikevičiūtė
