Two People (Dwoje ludzi) is a typical picture book exploring different aspects of human relationships through metaphorical representations. The book was published in Korea five years before it appeared in the author's native Poland.
To some extent, it is paradoxical that for a long time one of the most prominent contemporary Polish illustrators published her books abroad. Chmielewska's art has been particularly popular in South Korea – this is where Nonjang publishing house released her auteur books, originally written in Polish, which included: On Wandering while Falling Asleep (O wędrowaniu przy zasypianiu), A Thought (Myśl), A Thinking Korean ABC (Myślący alfabet koreański), and A Thinking English ABC (Myślący alfabet angielski).
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Such was also the case with
Two People – a book which was published Korea in 2008, by Sakyejul publishing (the same house also published Chmielewska's
Blue Stick, Blue Box / Niebieska laseczka. Niebieska skrzyneczka). Five years later, the book, having gained an international following (in the meantime it had also appeared in Spain, among others), came out in Poland through the publisher Media Rodzina, which has also released her other books (including
Blumka's Diary / Pamiętnik Blumki about a girl from
Janusz Korczak's orphanage.)
When two people live together, things are easier for them because they are together, and things are harder for them because they are together.
– Iwona Chmielewska opens her book with this sentence.
In the words of the publisher, Two People is a typical picture book exploring different aspects of human relationships through metaphorical representations. It has no age restriction – it is suitable for children and adults alike.
Iwona Chmielewska's books have been awarded at some of the major illustration competitions worldwide.
In 2011, Chmielewska's A House of the Mind: Maum, with a text by Kim Hee-Kyung received the main prize in the Non Fiction category at the 2011 edition of the Bologna Ragazzi Award. Two years later, her book Eyes (also published in Korea – by Changbi) received an honourable mention in the Fiction category at the same competition.
Iwona Chmielewska
Two People (Dwoje ludzi)
Media Rodzina / Sakyejul
Warsaw, Poland 2014 / Paju, South Korea, 2008
32 / 40 pages
200x283 / 210x290 mm
ISBN: 978-83-7278-933-4 / 89-5828-295-9
ed. Mikołaj Gliński, translated (with edits) by AM, December 2015