Selected from 600 Works! Hungary's Cutting-Edge Illustrations Gather in Tokyo – "Budapest Illustration Festival in Tokyo"

The Liszt Institute Hungarian Cultural Centre (Azabu Juban, Tokyo) will hold a special exhibition introducing contemporary Hungarian illustration art, "Budapest Illustration Festival in Tokyo," from April 15 (Wednesday) to June 30 (Tuesday). This exhibition is a touring exhibition showcasing award-winning works from the Budapest Illustration Festival (commonly known as Billufest), Hungary's largest illustration event. Furthermore, two special exhibitions (V4 Match Label Exhibition and a constellation-themed exhibition) will be held concurrently during the period. Illustration, which can share stories and ideas beyond words and borders, now plays an important role in global cultural exchange. This exhibition will introduce cutting-edge works of contemporary Hungary, as well as expressions deeply connected to Japanese culture, providing an experience of cultural exchange between Japan and Hungary, so please come and see it.

### What is the Budapest Illustration Festival (commonly known as Billufest)? Billufest is Hungary's largest open-call exhibition and exhibition series that introduces Hungarian illustration art. Held biennially since 2019, it features a wide range of artists, from young talents to renowned creators. Works from diverse fields such as literary illustrations, children's books, scientific illustrations, and silent books are exhibited, promoting Hungarian illustration culture to the world.

### Highlight ① "Hungary's Cutting Edge" Selected from 600 Works This exhibition will primarily feature award-winning works from "Billufest," Hungary's largest illustration event. Billufest is known as a large-scale exhibition comprising over 600 works, and this Tokyo exhibition will carefully select and display particularly highly acclaimed award-winning pieces from among them. "Silent Books," in particular, are globally attracting attention as a new form of expression that tells stories solely through images, and are highly regarded as works that can share narratives across countries and languages. You can experience the rich expressive world of contemporary Hungarian illustration art, where the fresh sensibility of young artists and the solid technique of experienced creators coexist.

### Highlight ② "Kamishibai" Connecting Japan and Hungary This exhibition will also introduce kamishibai works by Chimota Publishing, a children's book publisher in Budapest.

Kamishibai is a storytelling expression born in Japan, characterized by the story unfolding like a stage show as pictures are shown one by one. In Hungary, this Japanese culture has developed in its unique way, being introduced as a new expression that fuses children's literature and illustration. Kamishibai, which transforms reading picture books into an experience, is a culture that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike.