Curated by Sarah Webb.
This installation celebrated the much-loved picture books of children’s author Chris Haughton, who has written and illustrated a wide array of works aimed at younger readers, including Shh! We Have a Plan and Don’t Worry Little Crab.
This interactive exhibition took visitors into the world of the story A Bit Lost, where they helped Little Owl find her Mum, collecting cutouts of many other animal characters from Haughton’s various works along the way. A particular success with younger visitors to the museum, this installation had something for all to enjoy, due to its beautifully-coloured illustrations and interactive elements.
Curated by award-winning writer Sarah Webb, this installation was praised for its inclusion of children’s picture books, as these kinds of books, in the words of founding MoLI Director Simon O’Connor: “picture books are almost always our first experiences with literature.”
Chris Haughton is one of the most exciting names in picturebooks working today. He describes himself as an illustrator/writer, as for him the pictures always come first. Born in Dublin in 1978, he studied design at the National College of Art and Design and for many years worked as a freelance designer and illustrator while also travelling extensively, particularly in Asia. An advocate for fair trade, he set up Node, a rug company run by local crafts people in Kathmandu, Nepal. Many of the rugs are based on his own designs. He has also designed an app, Hat Monkey, and has created animations about climate change.
Haughton has published six highly acclaimed picturebooks to date, each featuring strong colours, striking artwork and mainly animal characters. His debut, A Bit Lost was first published in South Korea in 2009 by Borim Press in board book format. It went on to be published throughout the world and has won many Irish and international awards.
