On 30 October 2024, the exhibition Sergio Ruzzier. True stories of cats, mice, foxes and chicks, curated by Matteo Pelliti and Alice Tavoni.
The author, one of the greatest contemporary illustrators and winner of the Andersen Prize 2023 in the ‘Protagonists of Children's Culture’ section, will exhibit the original plates of his most recent books published in Italy, ‘Diciassette fiocchi di neve’ (Topipittori, 2023 and in the original English ‘Up and Down’, Chronicle Books, 2022 ) and ‘La storia vera’ (Topipittori, 2024 in the original ‘The Real Story’, Abrams Appleseed 2023). Specifically, ‘Diciassette fiocchi di neve’ is the fourth volume dedicated to the Fox&Chick saga, finalist at the ‘Eisner Awards’ 2023 and winner of the ‘Premio Nati per Leggere, XV edition’.
Milanese by birth, after his beginnings on Linus strips and in Lupo Alberto Magazine, Ruzzier moved to the United States, establishing himself as an illustrator. After many years in New York, he returned to Italy, where he continued to write and draw picture books. In 2011, Maurice Sendak selected him for the exclusive Sendak Fellowship. Today he is a member of the Sendak Foundation and has recently translated Maurice Sendak's ‘Bombo-Lardo’, the last book published by the author during his lifetime, for Adelphi. In addition to the books published for Topipittori (Pillows and Kangaroos, A Boat Ride, The Party in the Fox&Chic series, A Letter for Leo, Two Mice, Stupid Book, Look Under the Bed if There's Poetry on Texts by Ruth Krauss), Ruzzier has also published in Italy, for the Pavia publishing house ‘La Grande Illusion’, Pretesti, Rimasugli and Una vita d'artista.
The artist's irony and poetry pervade the pastel colours of his landscapes, as do his unmistakable ink strokes. Thus, in a sequence of enchanting plates, an extravagant microcosm comes to life, where a wise fox is the best friend of an anarchic chick, and a lying mouse beguiles an inquisitive cat with his fibs - a true storyteller. A fantastic gallery of characters always in dialogue with each other, which retains something of the author's passion for the art of Giotto and Bosch, and which, presented in the prestigious rooms of Palazzo Lanfranchi, is enriched with new charm.
A journey through imagination that, if conceived for children, will also enchant the adult public.
At the same time as the exhibition opening, the latest book published in Italy, ‘La storia vera’ (Topipttori, 2024) will be presented, whose original plates will be displayed in a meeting with the author and the publisher and writer Giovanna Zoboli, moderated by Matteo Pelliti.
Exhibition curated by Matteo Pelliti and Alice Tavoni
Under the patronage of: Tuono Pettinato Foundation
With the collaboration of: Lucca Crea, Associazione VivaVoce Aps, Libreria Gli Anni in Tasca -
Pisa, Topipittori editore, La Grande Illusion editore
Special thanks to: Valerio Lo Bello, Teodosia Fasciano, Giulia Solano, Lia Remorini,
Giovanna Zoboli
It will be open from 30 October 2024 to 26 January 2025.
