Budapest-based illustrator Zsolt Vidák creates lovely, detailed urban graphics that make Budapest look just as colourful and lovable as we see it. Now, he has developed an earlier work, and the result is the 'Streets of Budapest', recently published by Lampion Könyvek, honouring Budapest's 150th birthday celebrated this year.
The colourful, bilingual album is reminiscent of one of our favourite childhood reads, Richard Scarry’s Busy, Busy Town, except the colourful illustrations feature characters engaged in everyday or even very odd activities in well-known places in our capital.
The amusing little differences add a touch of surrealism to the overall picture, such as the Statue of Liberty holding paprika or the mixed-up lettering on the signs. The book makes us adults turn the pages with enthusiasm while also serving as a fun little project for our little ones. The bilingual text below the pictures urges us to get a closer look at the graphics, but there are also plenty of amusing or quirky details to keep the reader’s attention.
Zsolt Vidák’s book is therefore not only about the built heritage but also about the people behind these wonderful houses. For every city is only as special as the people who live in it. This people-oriented approach is the subject of this charming album, which was personally signed by the author at the book launch on 6 October.
