Celdran wins 2023 Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize

Alba Gil Celdran is the winner of the 2023 Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize, Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand and the Margaret Mahy Estate have announced.

The judging panel praised the humour, detail, and sense of movement in Celdran’s illustrations of Mahy’s children’s book Seventeen Kings and Forty-Two Elephants. Said the judges: ‘Her clever use of the kings and the animals led us on a very exciting, very humorous and very vibrant adventure.’

Celdran is an art teacher based in Tāmaki Makaurau, and she said that dance inspired her illustrations: ‘All of the kings’ dance moves in my illustrations are actual jazz dance moves.’

As the winner, Celdran receives NZ$2000, as well as NZ$500 worth of books, while two runners-up—Grant MacDonald and Matthew Hock—each receive a book collection valued at NZ$250 and a mentoring session with Hachette.

More details are available on the prize website.

Category: Awards Local news