Born in Bergen, Norway in 1981, Mari Kanstad Johnsen holds a BA in Visual Communication from KHIO (Oslo) and a MA in Storytelling from Konstfack (Stockholm). She lives and works in Oslo as an illustrator, artist and writer. Since graduating in 2010 she has illustrated 20 picture books—five of which she has also written—and two artist books.
Kanstad Johnsen has participated in several exhibitions in Norway and abroad, among others at the Norwegian Drawing Association Gallery (Tegnerforbundet), KODE, Fotokino and Le Signe. She also does editorial and commercial commissions and is represented by Heart Agency in London and New York. Her books have won several awards in Norway’s “Årets Vakreste Bøker” (the Year’s Most Beautiful Books). Jeg Rømmer (I’m Out of Here) won a special mention in the BolognaRagazzi Awards in 2017. ABC won a prize from the Norwegian Council of Culture and was nominated for the Brage Award. Vivaldi was on Flavorwire’s list of 20 most beautiful books of all times.
This invitation is supported by the Royal Norwegian Consulate General in Shanghai.
Related events
16 November, 13:00–15:00
Book Talk, Signing and Workshop: Creating Books for All Ages—Presentation of The Tunnel with Illustrator Mari Kanstad Johnsen, Gold Award Winner at Visuelt 2016
Event venue: Booth 1D02
Event host: Shanghai Literature & Art Publishing House & Arcadia Children's Book House
Exhibitors’ Event; Event in Chinese and English; open to all CCBF visitors
15 November, 13:30–14:30
Creative Talk: Listen to your Voice on Paper—Picture Book Co-Creation with Chinese and Norwegian Authors
Other speakers: Heimi (China), Picture Book Author; Yang Sifan (China), Picture Book Author; Svein Størksen (Norway), Founder and Publisher, Magikon Forlag; Mari Kanstad Johnsen (Norway), Illustrator, Writer and Artist; Kristin Roskifte (Norway), Illustrator and Picture Book Author; Bjørn Rune Lie (Norway), Illustrator
Event venue: Booth 5F01
Event host: Daylight Publishing House
Exhibitors’ event; Event in Chinese and English; Recommended for professional audiences
16 November, 10:00–12:30
Onsite Live Drawing Performance with Norwegian Artists Mari Kanstad Johnsen, Kristin Roskifte and Bjørn Rune Lie
Guests: Mari Kanstad Johnsen (Norway), Illustrator, Writer and Artist; Kristin Roskifte (Norway), Illustrator and Picture Book Author; Bjørn Rune Lie (Norway), Illustrator
Event venue: CCBF Illustrators Avenue (Hybrid Zone)
Event host: CCBF Illustrators Avenue
CCBF Official Event; Event in Chinese and English; open to all CCBF visitors
