Turning pages into a playground
Pioneering author creates immersive exhibition that reflects his interactions with children, Wang Qian reports.
Red, yellow and blue dots dance across walls as children's laughter echoes through a pool of sun-hued balls. This is not a dreamscape but a corner of French artist Herve Tullet's Scribble Playground exhibition in Beijing.
As part of the 2025 Croisements Festival, the exhibition opened on June 21 and serves as a cultural exchange initiative between China and France. The event welcomes visitors to scribble on walls, tear installations, and become co-creators in Tullet's world, turning gallery rules upside down.
Known as the prince of children's books with over 80 publications under his belt, the 67-year-old author's work has been translated into dozens of languages and are beloved by young readers around the world. This is the first time the Chinese mainland has been graced by Tullet's exhibition.
"My books and exhibitions emerge from interactions with children — they 'bring me to space', so to speak. Each encounter adds layers, making the exhibition a living archive. I'm thrilled to share this journey," Tullet tells China Daily in an exclusive interview.
Curator Bai Tang describes the exhibition as "a constellation of mini workshops" where interaction trumps observation. "Why can't suns be blue? Must lines stay straight?" are pondering questions Tullet asks, hanging at the entrance and setting the tone for creative rebellion.
