Spain is the Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair

The Guest of Honour Pavilion, the centrepiece of Spain’s programme at Frankfurt Book Fair is being created this year by the Spanish architecture and design studio ENORME from Madrid, together with the design team Vitamin.  The aim is for the fair’s visitors to become part of Spanish literature and culture for five days: across more than 2,000 sqm, the Guest of Honour Pavilion will offer not only books, readings and exchanges on topics related to the book trade, but also exciting insights into Spain’s creative industry. Thanks to artificial intelligence, the pavilion’s walls will fill up like the pages of an oversized book with words and text fragments heard during the fair, and words will morph into multihued worlds of colour. The pavilion will provide spaces for listening, reading, Interacting and relaxing, along with room for quiet reflection. Moreover, the pavilion’s programme will feature major writers of fiction, including Rosa Montero, Arturo Pérez Reverte, Elvira Lindo and Manuel Vilas. Star author Javier Cercas will join Daniel Gascón and José Carlos Llop to talk about The Past as Fiction” (19 October). In addition to the pavilion, visitors will be able to experience the Guest of Honour country every day of the fair throughout the fairgrounds More than 320 exhibitors from Spain will be present at the fair. In Hall 4 a number of commanidades autonomas will have their own stands: the Basque Country, Galicia, Catalonia and Valencia along with newcomers Asturias and Andalusia, In Hall 3.0. Spanish illustrators will be introducing themselves and the Valencia World Design Capital will put in an appearance at THE ARTS+ Spain will also be well represented at the agents centre (LitAg. Hall 4:2), where the country will have the third largest presence behind the United Kingdom and the United States.

Spain’s appearance this year as Guest of Honour will be distinguished by strong female voices. Young authors such as Cristina Morales, Elvira Sastre, Katixa Agirreand Elena Medel will reflect on the role of women, the significance of motherhood, and relationships in the 21st century. Paloma Chen, Nadia Halidand Margaryta Yakovenko will represent the new literary generation of authors from Asia and Europe, while Ada Salas, Angela Segovia and Raquel Lanseros will exemplify Spain’s new generation of poets. Maria Hesse, Núria Tamarit and Elisa McCausland will present graphic and ilustrated novels at the fair. Also planned is a tribute to Almudena Grandes.