Exhibition: Books, Tales & Tiny Worlds

Historical fairy tales come to life in contemporary miniature worlds
From 18 September to 23 October, Maastricht University Library is presenting the pop-up exhibition ‘Books, Tales & Tiny Worlds’. In this exhibition, historical fairy-tale books come together in a unique fusion with contemporary art, traditional craftsmanship and digital technology.

Artists Petra Poolen, Marjon Merckelbach-Hovens and Caroline Jansen drew inspiration from richly illustrated books from the Special Collections of Maastricht University Library. They created contemporary interpretations of three well-known fairy tales:

Hans Christian Andersen’s The Chinese Nightingale
Hans Christian Andersen’s *The Princess and the Pea*
The Magic Horse from One Thousand and One Nights

Using techniques such as embroidery, papermaking, textile printing, icon painting and miniature art, the artists explore the enduring expressive power of these stories. Their works touch on themes such as friendship, vulnerability, authenticity, power, human ambition and the responsible use of technology.

A central artwork is crowned with a 3D-printed crown, developed in collaboration with the Digital Labs at Maastricht University Library. This brings together traditional craftsmanship and digital techniques, creating space for new forms of creativity.

Practical information
Date: 18 September to 23 October 2026
Time: Monday to Friday, 08.30–19.00
Venue: Wellbeing Room, Inner City Library, Grote Looiersstraat 17, Maastricht
Admission: free Registration: not required

The exhibition is closed at weekends.