No support for visual artists in Iceland
“The soul that lives in the paper is the reason books are still selling, even though we have long had the technology that makes them unnecessary on a shelf. There is pleasure in this tangible thing,” says Bergrún Íris Sævarsdóttir, illustrator and author, in the latest episode of Augnablik í iðnaði.
Illustrator and author Bergrún Íris Sævarsdóttir has recently been teaching creative writing at the Iðan Education Centre to great acclaim. The ability to write and present text and imagery in a creative way is becoming increasingly important in people's jobs as technology advances at an ever-faster pace. “I think we are returning to our creative nature,” she says. “Creativity at work is what prevents us from burning out, and I even think this is a mental health issue.”
Children want more pictures
Bergrún Íris has written and illustrated numerous children's books and educational materials, for which she has received awards and recognition. Her first book, Vinur minn, vindurinn (My Friend, the Wind), was published by Bókabeitan in 2014. The publishing of children's and young adult books is becoming increasingly vibrant, and Bergrún Íris says that a new generation of children's book authors who address contemporary issues, along with government support, are crucial. However, more could be done to support Icelandic illustrators. “I would like to see Icelandic book publishers think further ahead. What do children want? They want many more pictures. There is no support for illustrators in Iceland. They have no fund to apply to, they can't apply for an artist's stipend, they can't apply to funds for visual artists or writers. I would like to see a special fund designated for illustrators. If we look at which books are by far the most popular among children in Iceland, it's Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Syrpa. Why aren't we meeting this need in Icelandic publishing?”
Visual literacy is important
Bergrún Íris says the lack of support for Icelandic illustrators negatively affects children's visual literacy, which has rarely been more important in a world awash with fake news, videos, and information. “I can get really worked up over mass-produced books where the drawings are obviously produced in a Chinese illustrator factory and have no soul! Books overly decorated with glitter, bright colours, and huge eyes, like the Bratz dolls. I find this unsettling. The more homes these kinds of books find their way into, the more we are diluting the visual literacy and taste of our children. I want more quality material on more bookshelves in Iceland. So that our children are literate in what is an advertisement and what is not, so that they are literate in social media and all this visual material that is in front of them. What has been changed, what should I believe? We must maintain a certain level of professionalism in the field.”
