Judges' comments

"Follow the white rabbit..." Oh, I meant to say, "Follow the yellow balloon!" In her graphic series, Sun Li invites us on a snowy journey. And so that we don't get lost, she offers a special guide—a yellow balloon. Together with it, we can rise into the air and leave no traces on the white surface of the earth. At first glance, I was captivated by how skillfully the artist inserts colored fragments into the black and white winter palette. They seem to glow, like pieces of stained glass.

Ekaterina Borodacheva

Nice dot work and solid color choices. But I think the structure of each image could be more considered—right now it feels like the primary subjects are just placed on top of a blank space. Even though it’s a snow scene series, finding a clearer way to frame or compose the elements could really elevate the overall impact.

Max Liu

Although the child returning home and the kitten do not appear in the illustrations, the footprints on the ground offer many clues and naturally guide the viewer’s gaze. In illustration 3, the distant landscape, and in illustration 5, the pine trees are rendered with a strong hand-drawn quality, creating a striking contrast with the linear patterns in the sky.

Moon Q

The series creates a poetic snowy world, where each scene balances between realism and stylization. The consistent use of orange balloons across the pieces ties the compositions together and hints at a hidden narrative. Snow, traces, and absence of characters create a sense of mystery and quiet melancholy. The soft textures, detailed objects, and limited but expressive palette suggest a careful storytelling approach.

Nadiia Zhelieznova

The intriguing aspect of this series is the absence of 'people' (the main character of a painting, in general terms). Aside from the trail of tracks left in the snow, where exactly did the protagonist go? The title reveals the answer: 'It's snowing. Let's go home!' The style is witty and humorous, and the artist switches between different 'homecoming with no one present' scenarios, leaving the reader's imagination wide open.

Yimin Wang

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