“Good day, Mr Turtle.”

“Do I seem more like a turtle than a tortoise to you?”

“It’s all the same to me. As far as I’m concerned, you could be Mrs Turtle. You could be both a turtle and a tortoise at the same time.”

This short dialogue from Rainbow Masquerade, the first of six original picture books by Alenka Spacal, is a direct ticket to the world of images created by the master illustrator’s agile fingers over the past fifteen years.

These fingers are conductors of the author’s rich knowledge of complex theories of the social structures of feminist and LGBTQ content in the visual arts, with the help of which she transcends the stereotypical gender binary and plays with gender roles. Conscious placement in space and time guides the author forward to the decomposition of contemporary phenomena, such as smartphone addiction, which is accompanied by the disappearance of classic forms of communication and use of leisure time. However, the author’s fingers do not depict the imposed chaos of everyday life; she channels her disciplined thought into clear and transparent images for the youngest readers, who have only just entered the chaos.

The creatures in Alenka Spacal’s picture books are not dependent on the expectations of their environment, yet their surroundings help them to recognise their place in the world. The author’s priceless approach to motivating children does not end with the publication of the picture book; she is also a superb storyteller, and she shares her creations in classical techniques with young people who are only just discovering the flexibility of their fingers.

Thus, the wonderful world of images created by the versatile master illustrator Alenka Spacal respects the cultural achievements of the development of the human community, warns against going astray, and opens up new dimensions of coexistence based on the respect/admiration of diversity and the cultivation of one’s own potential. Only a world like this can represent a home for children.

Curator: Samira Kentrić

Alenka Spacal (1975) is an illustrator, writer and storyteller. After completing a master’s degree in philosophy, she gained a doctorate in sociology from the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana. As a freelance artist, she works under the auspices of Bajalka, an institute for publishing and the art of storytelling. She has created six original picture books: I’m Not Interested! (2025), Plastelina and the Newspaper (2022), Little Beanie Belle Runs from the Bean Soup (2019), The Blue Bird’s Thoughts (2018), What’s Your Name? (2018) and Rainbow Masquerade (2013). Alenka Spacal tells children fairy tales accompanied by illustrations. She exhibits at solo and group exhibitions both in Slovenian and abroad, and has received numerous awards for her illustrations. More information is available on the website: www.bajalka.si.

The exhibition has been organised in cooperation with the Ljubljana Fine Artists Society.