Vicky Kitanov (14 works by) (a.k.a. Victoria Louese Kitanov )
Born: Established: 18 Sep 1958 ;
Gender: Female
Newspaper copy regarding the controversy surrounding the HarperCollins (1997) re-worked editions (by Anna Fienberg and Kitanov) of May Gibbs classics.AGT 26/4/05 See URL and also refs below: http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:zYWjjwaUrf4J:www.noz.com.au/gibbs.html+vicky+kitanov&hl=en&start=3 "Bondingpot and Relatingpiey" by Brook Turner, Stay in Touch, Sydney Morning Herald, 16/06/97 "Trouble in Gumnut Land" by Lindsay Foyle and Michelle Gunn, The Australian, 16/06/97 "Storm in a Gumnut" by Elizabeth Fortescue, The Daily Telegraph, 21/06/97 "May's Magic 'Vandalised'" by Sue Hicks, The Mosman Daily, 26/06/97 "Passion over May Gibbs retelling unprecedented" Letter by Anna Fienberg, The Australian, 26/06/97 "What next? The 'retelling' of Henry Lawson?" Letter by Lindsay Foyle, The Australian, 27/06/97 "Literary treasures need protection" Letter by Steve Panozzo, The Australian, 30/06/97 Children's book illustrator. Have emailed TGON re Kitanov's eligibility as BAL author.AGT 14/4/05 TGON reply - yes for BAL.[Hi Amanda. I asked Kerry White about Vicki Kitanov and she replied that Kitanov's book is a "new work, with adaptation referrring to the illustrations only".So she is eligible for BAL.Best wishes.Terry.]26/4/05

BiographyHistory

The colourful imagery of freelance illustrator Vicky Kitanov has contributed to the work of numerous children's authors including that of May Gibbs (q.v.). Having 'always admired' the work of Gibbs, Kitanov became the 'approved re-illustrator' of Gibbs' work when Ten Little Gumnuts was published by Angus and Robertson in 1990.

Kitanov later wrote and illustrated The Gumnuts' Year (1993), a work 'based' on characters that were orginally 'created' by Gibbs. This work contains the acknowledgment that Kitanov 'works with the full cooperation of the May Gibbs' copyright owners'.

In 1997, Kitanov's association with the adaptation of Gibbs' material aroused debate when HarperCollins published re-worked editions of May Gibbs' classics. Re-written by Anna Fienberg (q.v.) and re-illustrated by Kitanov, the HarperCollins series called 'The World of May Gibbs' re-told and updated the orginal Gibbs' stories which were now aimed at the readership of a new generation. But controversy surrounded the decision to tamper with Gibbs' iconic work which is regarded as an important part of Australia's literary heritage.