Aditi Anand, an Indian student from the city of Karnal in Haryana who graduated from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in Cambridge this summer, has been named as the winner of the prestigious Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum’s 2024 Illustration Awards in the Emerging Illustrator category.
The 25-year-old won the £3,000 prize from 2,000 entries for ‘Marigolds’ – inspired by flower markets in India. The winning illustrations tell the story of a mother teaching her child to make marigold garlands for sale. The judges admired the use of colour, evoking both the flowers' alluring beauty and the contrast of flower sellers' dank working conditions and reality of child labour.
Now on display at the V&A Design Museum in London until September next year, Anand hopes her illustrations offer people a window into a world that may be very different from their own. After completing her Master’s in Children’s Book Illustration at ARU, the young artist is embarking on the next phase of her career.
She said: “I am extremely thrilled to have won the V&A Illustration Award for ‘Marigolds’ and I am deeply honoured that the V&A has shown such respect for this theme by providing it with a platform and displaying it in the museum. I hope it offers readers a window into a world that may be very different from their own.
“This achievement would not have been possible without the remarkable Children’s Book Illustration team at Anglia Ruskin, and I am endlessly grateful for the support of my tutors and peers throughout my MA. Their guidance has been instrumental in shaping my visual language and uncovering my appreciation for stories that address difficult themes and possess strong emotional depth. I was consistently encouraged to experiment and embrace mistakes, free from judgment.”
After initially studying for a business degree, Anand has no regrets about her change of direction: “During my Bachelor's degree in commerce and business, I discovered a creative outlet by working for the college magazine, which led me to develop an interest in books and publishing. I found great joy in reading picture books, and their powerful ability to convey ideas inspired me to explore children's book illustration. Switching fields has been the best decision I've ever made!
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“I’m excited to further develop the books from my MA course with my brilliant agent, Neil Dunnicliffe, and to find the perfect home for them. I hope to see them in bookstores someday and, eventually, in the hands of young readers."
The V&A Illustration Awards is a free, biennial competition celebrating excellence in illustration and contemporary practice, and judged by a panel of prominent illustrators and industry experts.