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Józef Wilkoń (born in 1930) – prominent illustrator of books, painter, art historian. Graduated from the Painting Faculty at the ASP (Academy of Fine Arts) in Krakow and from Art History at the Jagiellonian |University. Author of illustrations for over one hundred books for children and adults. Also does stage design, designs tapestry. The main topic of his works are animals. In 2009 Arka, a Józef Wilkoń foundation, was established. Józef Wilkoń gained international fame, has repeatedly been awarded in Poland and abroad. Some of his awards: Gold Medal at the Biennial of Illustration in Bratyslava BIB (Slovakia 1969), Premio Grafico at the Bolonia Children’s Book Fair (Italy 1991), Gold Medal for Merit to Culture – Gloria Artis, awarded by the Ministry of Culture and National Herritage (2006) the TVP Kultura Award for the “Arka Wilkonia”/“Wilkoń’s Ark” exhibition in the Zachęta National Gallery of Art in Warszaw (2007), Commander’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (2010), Gold Sceptre – Złote Berło – Polish Culture Foundation award (2010).