International Biennale of Contemporary Exlibris – Malbork 2027

The International Biennial of Contemporary Exlibris in Malbork is the oldest recurring event in Poland with a global reach dedicated to bookplates. It has been organised continuously since 1963, when the then director of the Museum, Henryk Raczyniewski, and the distinguished graphic artist Wojciech Jakubowski launched a competition for bookplates for the castle library. Over time, this endeavour has evolved into an international competition. Its high artistic standard, masterful craftsmanship and the variety of printmaking techniques featured in the works on display have made the bookplate exhibitions in Malbork some of the most important in the world. These extraordinary events are highly valued by artists, bibliophiles, collectors and enthusiasts of small-scale graphic art.

The Museum currently holds nearly 23,000 bookplates in its collection. This collection comprises works donated by artists who took part in post-competition exhibitions between 1963 and 2025.

The competition organised by the Museum is open to all and is addressed to both experienced graphic artists and students who have only just begun their venture into small-scale graphic art. A jury appointed by the Museum’s director assesses and selects works for the exhibition, as well as awarding prizes in accordance with the competition rules. Traditionally, honours and special prizes are also awarded, funded by institutions and private individuals, including the Association of Polish Artists and Designers, the Society of Polish Bibliophiles in Warsaw, the Mayor of Malbork, as well as the Henryk Feilhauer ‘Golden Burin’ Prize and the Wojciech Jakubowski Prize.

A bookplate is a decorative ownership mark that was placed on the inside of a book’s cover. Originally, it was intended to protect and mark the ownership of book collections. The oldest Polish examples date back to the early 16th century. The bookplate has evolved over time – from a practical sign to a graphic miniature of a purely artistic nature. In the past, bookplates attested to the owner’s high cultural standards, were a sign of care for books, and were also intended to protect them from theft or loss. Today, it is no longer necessary to label the origin of books, as they are no longer as expensive as they used to be five hundred years ago. This is why artists have transformed the ex-libris into a free art created for pleasure, to convey artistic content, while not being divorced from its addressee. An individual and often one-person art, the bookplate allows, first and foremost, for reflection and focus on a specific person. Hence the great value and importance of the bookplate for contemporary art. Today, library stamps have taken over the practical function, and bookplates have become a small work of art in their own right, sought after by collectors.

International Conferences of Bookplate Artists and Collectors have been held since 1992 and have been a regular feature of the Biennale ever since. The initiator of the entire project was the collection’s curator, Bogumiła Omieczyńska. The Malbork meetings provide an opportunity to forge personal contacts, exchange bookplates, supplement one’s own book collections with publications related to bookplates, and place orders for further works from artists. They also play a vital role in uniting the community of experts and enthusiasts of graphic miniatures.