An exhibition called “Art, Design, Culture: A History of Penguin by Design” is coming to Asia for the first time. Presented by Penguin China, the exhibition will pass through Beijing, Hangzhou, and Seoul in South Korea. Bibliophiles will get the opportunity to see hundreds of rare and original book jackets and artwork.
The event coincides with the Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF) from August 29 to September 2 at the gorgeous Temple Hotel Beijing – a former printing press with over 600 years of history.
The displays charts the evolution of book design and pays homage to Penguin Founder Allen Lane, who in 1935 started the “paperback revolution.” Alongside the main exhibition, “Art, Design, Culture” features author events, designer talks, and children’s activities. Kids will receive a free activity pack based on the books on display.
For Chinese-speaking families, there are two free children’s sessions: One on Sunday, September 2 and the other on Sunday, September 9. The former focuses on Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar, while the latter introduces young readers to Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit. Both start at 10am.
Expat families can look forward to the bilingual kids’ activity pack and the exhibition itself, which feature book jackets by famous designers, illustrators, and architects like David Pearson, Frank Gehry, Coralie Bickford-Smith, Jillian Tamaki, Yayoi Kusama, and more.
“Art, Design, Culture: A History of Penguin by Design”
September 2-13. Noon-9pm daily, noon-10pm on Thursdays. Gallery, The Temple Hotel Beijing, 23 Songzhusi, Shatan Beijie, Dongcheng District (137 1631 4717) 东城区沙滩北街23号东景缘