An archive of SGABF editions since 2018, the year in which the fair became independently organised and funded for the first time in five years. Besides our local exhibitors, SGABF has hosted exhibitors from Australia, China, France, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, USA, UK, and the United Arab Emirates, all of whom are listed below.
SINGAPORE ART BOOK FAIR 2023
For the third time, the 2023 Singapore Art Book Fair (SGABF2023) was held at the Singapore Art Museum at Tanjong Pagar Distripark from 14 – 16 Apr.
This edition hosted a total of 104 Exhibitors, as well as a series of artist talks, book launches, and workshops including a drawing workshop with Painter Kok Choon Choo, an artist born with visual impairment, in collaboration with Unseen Art Initiatives.
The fair also presented an installation by US-based artist Tricia Treacy titled Scaffolding, a collection of printed grids, patterns and geometric frameworks from our constructed and natural environments.
An expansion of the Zine Room in SGABF2022, the inaugural Cut Copy Paste was hosted at Temasek Polytechnic. The zine fair was curated by Shrub and brought together 47 local and international Zine Exhibitors.
#SGABF2023
This edition hosted a total of 104 Exhibitors, as well as a series of artist talks, book launches, and workshops including a drawing workshop with Painter Kok Choon Choo, an artist born with visual impairment, in collaboration with Unseen Art Initiatives.
The fair also presented an installation by US-based artist Tricia Treacy titled Scaffolding, a collection of printed grids, patterns and geometric frameworks from our constructed and natural environments.
An expansion of the Zine Room in SGABF2022, the inaugural Cut Copy Paste was hosted at Temasek Polytechnic. The zine fair was curated by Shrub and brought together 47 local and international Zine Exhibitors.
#SGABF2023
Singapore Art Book Fair 2023
EXHIBITOR MAP
EXHIBITOR LIST
C01 NUS Press / NANG Magazine [SG]
NUS Press publishes high-quality general non-fiction, as well as academic books and journals, in the humanities and social science disciplines. They are particularly attentive to the needs and priorities of researchers, writers and readers concerned with Singapore and Southeast Asia.NANG (est. 2016) is an independent print-only magazine which covers cinema cultures in the Asian world. The aim is to publish, issue-by-issue, a rich and profound collection of words and images on cinema, for knowledge, inspiration, and enjoyment. Each issue is helmed by guest editors and structured around a theme. Only 1,500 copies of each issue are produced, without reprints.
C02 NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore [SG]
NTU CCA Singapore is a national research centre of the Nanyang Technological University. The centre positions itself as a space for critical discourse and encourages new ways of thinking about Spaces of the Curatorial in Southeast Asia and beyond.C03 National Gallery Singapore | Singapore Art Museum [SG]
National Gallery Singapore is a visual arts institution which oversees the largest public collection of modern Singapore and Southeast Asian art. The Gallery publishes books on the visual arts of Singapore and Southeast Asia. Its core genres include exhibition catalogues, Southeast Asian art research, general titles and children’s books.Singapore Art Museum has built one of the world’s most important public collections of Southeast Asian contemporary artworks, with a growing component in international contemporary art. Publishing on contemporary Southeast Asian art-making and art-thinking, the SAM imprint comprises exhibition catalogues, artist monographs, research publications and general titles.
C04 Checkpoint Theatre x Feelers [SG]
Established in 2002, Checkpoint Theatre is a company of multi-disciplinary storytellers focused on creating and presenting original and contemporary content with strong writing, performance and direction, across different media and disciplines. With honesty and humour, head and heart, we produce and develop vibrant and important contemporary Asian stories that connect with, challenge, and inspire both local and international audiences.Feelers is a multidisciplinary artist-run label which produces artworks, experiences, and programmes through cross-disciplinary collaboration & experimentation. We also offer art, technology and writing services for brands and artist projects. We are housed within Potato Productions.
B05 Basheer Graphic Books [SG]
Specialised Bookstore for design books and magazines related to Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Design, Graphic Design, Animation, Product Design, Fashion Design, Art & Craft, Typography, and Photography.B06 Tara Books [IN]
Pushing the boundaries of the physical book in an age writing its obituary, Tara Books is a collective of writers, designers, and bookmakers, based in Chennai, south India. They publish illustrated books for children and adults, particularly known for their pioneering work with the rich traditions of Indian folk and tribal art, as well as their range of books made completely by hand. Contemporary design and experimenting with the form of the book is a Tara trademark, where narrative, art, and artisanship come together to create a unique cultural object.C07 (OFFCUT + ALL-BOOK-S) by Allegro Print [SG]
OFFCUT is an initiative by Allegro Print to reduce paper waste and repurpose waste paper from our print production process. Excess space within a print job is utilised to minimise actual offcuts in production, creating our own stationery designs. Inevitable paper waste is repurposed into refreshed stationery.ALL-BOOK-S is an online bookshop by Allegro Print that brings together an exclusive collection of books only printed by us.
C08 Further Reading & RJ Paper [ID & SG]
Further Reading is an independent multi-format publishing platform, as well as a production and distribution unit for the independent. They seek to engage in discourse within design practices by exploring the wider contexts through various programmed experiences, such as printed periodicals, residencies, pop ups, and online activities.RJ Paper is the trusted partner for thousands of designers, creators, artists and makers since 1987. For decades, their personal touch to customers and attention to materiality have positioned them right at the heart of creative communities and their projects.
C09 Studio SWELL & prypress [SG]
STUDIO SWELL is a design practice based in Singapore that delivers printed matter, analogue and digital concepts with an objective and honest approach. They work extensively within the arts and have been long time collaborators with various arts institutions, publishers and artists.Prypress is an independent publisher and project space, collaborating with artists and designers to produce limited edition zines, books, prints, multiples, objects and ephemera.
C10 ampulets X studios [SG]
Ampulets produces independent art and design projects. The projects explore the relationship between text and image, and hope to encourage a supportive community of creative folks in Singapore.C11 Theseus Chan [SG]
WERK Magazine is an avant-garde publication that has garnered international acclaim and is collected by galleries and museums. Conceived by Theseus Chan in 2000, the art publication is in its 30th edition.B12 Aaah House [SG]
Aaah is a travelling creative practice and experimental concept store that offers creative services, and curates design objects and experiences focused on raising the value of creativity for everyday life.C13 Daily Report [ID]
Created in 2018, Daily Report is a project by a bunch of design geeks outlining studio life as well as the highs and lows of working as creatives. Their zines include photos, illustrations and accounts of extraordinary events in our fairly ordinary lives.B14 Death of Typography + Huruf [SG & MY]
Death of Typography (DOT) is a young local type collective that practices, researches and explores type. DOT holds workshops to encourage type appreciation and exploration, as well as to further discourse of the local design scene amongst like-minded young designers. DOT is also a foundry hosting fonts by local designers.Huruf is a type and design collective that seeks to encourage awareness of and discourse on typography in Malaysia. Huruf has developed projects that investigate vernacular typography, local typographic heritage and multilingualism. Working at the intersection of design and pedagogy, Huruf organises events to facilitate knowledge exchange among type enthusiasts.
C15 Copyright/Reserved [ID]
Copyright/Reserved is a studio-based creative business and experimental design studio established in 2018, Bandung, Indonesia. The studio takes great pleasure to create quality branding and designs, and deliver the project in an engaging manner that is authentic and best highlights the client's skills, character, and expectations.C16 Almostfresh.co [SG]
AF is a brand that captures the “almost-moment”, reimagines and transforms them into fashion, design & art.B17 Aperture Brought Me Here [TH]
Aperture Brought Me Here is a co-independent photography zine publisher that investigates the relationship between photographic narrative and its conceptual documentary. Taking photography beyond itself and using communication design to inspire and visually convey an intended narrative without the influence of words, Aperture Brought Me Here showcases how readers can interact with photographs through the medium of books.B18 Annaarrrrrt Design [TW]
Annaarrrrrt Design is a digital record of the concept of "days" drawn in circles; of how soft and tender the days could be, of the days which are memorable, or even of days that are just no more than ordinary. Trying to portray the image the artist has in their mind about what they saw, heard or felt. These circles are the reflection of themselves.B19 Meantime [SG]
Meantime is an independent magazine documenting Singapore stories lost to time. Published annually, each issue uncovers our past through personal stories.B20 CHEAT CODE [SG]
The Cheats are fun and creative – it doesn’t follow the rules, it creates its own; it isn't something you should be embarrassed about because it's just harmless fun.Cheat Code is a creative space for a group of friends who enjoy design and art but are bounded by their daily 9 – 5. Creating zines, print matter, multiples, and objects, covering topics that range from daily life, personal encounters to interests.
B21 Geraldine Lim [SG]
Geraldine Lim is an artist based in Singapore who is interested in the psychological context of social alienation, the threats of the non-conforming, and the strange. Working primarily with soft sculpture and drawing, she explores ideas of the in-between and the transgressive within objects and forms. She enjoys combining influences from science fiction, fantasy and myths to create drawings of stills in her ideal phantasmic world and writing short stories of them.B22 Pik Gaand [TH]
Pik Gaand is a freelance illustrator from Bangkok, Thailand. In his daily life, he enjoys sketching and journaling things around him and random ideas that cross his mind. He appreciates all kinds of music and art, including accidental art. Pik Gaand believes that art should be for everyone. He tries to create work that is relatable so that even people with different interests and careers should be able to have fun with it.C23 Bedok Bandits [SG]
Not a collective but a super (not so) secret organization. They work and make art individually but have decided to unite and come together for this year’s art book fair. They are Mike, Ryan, Mengju, Xafiér, Michelle, Suzie, Rin, Wendy, Matisse, Project Coal... and they are the Bedok Bandits.C25 Grey Projects & Valiz Books [SG & NL]
Grey Projects is an art library for publication, curatorial & exchange activities.Valiz is a Netherlands-based, independent international publisher on contemporary art, theory, critique, design and urban affairs.
C26 cloud projects + Mynah Magazine [MY & SG]
cloud projects is a curatorial and publishing collective based in Kuala Lumpur. Working at the intersection of art, architecture, and history, they excavate knowledge networks and forge worlds of possibility.Mynah Magazine is a longform magazine about untold Singapore stories.
B27 LOST [SG/CN]
LOST is a magazine about self-discovery through travel that features real stories, personal reflections, and epiphanies from people around the world. It believes that travel is a state of mind and not about fancy hotels or tourist destinations, but about immersing oneself in someplace entirely foreign to feel extremely uncomfortable so that one can learn from it.C28 Thing Books [SG]
Thing Books (est. 2021) is an online shop for books, zines & things by artists.Dedicated to the promotion and understanding of the book as an artistic medium, Thing Books organises the annual Singapore Art Book Fair, and houses a catalogue of published print materials under the SG Art Book Library.
B29 Street Report [SG]
STREET REPORT is an ongoing project of accounts or statements describing in detail an event and situation(s) on the street by a Street Reporter, usually as the result of observation and inquiry. STREET REPORT was co-founded by Atelier HOKO, gideon-jamie, Faiz Bin Zohri, and Cathy Hang. Published by Temporary Press.C30 Temporary Press/Unit [SG]
Temporary Press is a small-scale publishing press producing content around art and design in collaboration with a small community of practitioners, educators, and researchers. Temporary Unit is an inconvenient bookshop and occasional workshop/exhibition space. Both are run by gideon-jamie, a design studio based in Singapore that develops critical responses through commissioned projects and independent work, in the form of writings, designs, ad-hoc exhibitions and workshops.B31 Atelier HOKO [SG]
Atelier HOKO (2002) is an independent research lab that focuses on the study of the growing disengagement between people, things and space. The atelier hopes to cultivate in people, an open-ness and ability to un-know, bringing about a heightened curiosity towards all phenomena by taking a fresh look at reality. Founded by Alvin Ho and Clara Koh.B32 THE INSTITUTE OF CRITICAL ZOOLOGISTS [SG]
The Institute of Critical Zoologists publishes books and presents exhibitions that documents environmental histories in the trash stratum.C33 THEBOOKSHOW [SG]
THEBOOKSHOW aims to become a mediator between the art world and the general public through the book medium. It acts as an avenue for artists to showcase self-published art books in exhibitions and art festivals in hopes to bring upon renewed perspectives of the medium.C34 Perimeter Editions [AU]
Perimeter Editions is the award-winning publishing imprint of Melbourne-based bookstore, Perimeter Books, and distribution house, Perimeter Distribution. Releasing more than 80 books since 2012, their focus rests on publishing autonomous books in close collaboration with photographers, artists, curators, and writers. Perimeter Editions’ publications exhibit sensitivity to content and form.C35 DECK Singapore [SG]
DECK is an arts organisation where all can gather through photography arts.DECK aims to be a leading platform that promotes visual literacy and champions diversity by showing all facets of contemporary arts and photography to the widest possible audience. DECK is the organiser of Singapore International Photography Festival (www.sipf.sg).
Today, DECK is fundraising for its permanent home dedicated to photography arts. Support the #BUILDECK campaign at build.deck.sg. DECK (DECK Photography Art Centre Ltd. | UEN 201215478E) is a registered Charity and Institution of a Public Character in Singapore.
C36 目彔事物 Mulu Office [TW]
Mulu Office is an artist collective and independent publisher, founded by Liu Chao-tze and Zhou Junsheng in 2021. Making books, not limited in sense of publishing; publishing, not limited in form of books.B37 commune [JP]
Founded in Tokyo in 2009, "commune" began as a gallery and shop. In 2013, their independent press "commune press" was set up to further the founding mission to introduce great and promising artists to a global audience.B38 TING5 [TW]
TING5 is a graphic designer and illustrator based in Taiwan. Her work is inspired by what she observes daily, including posters, zines, pottery, screen printing, printmaking, etc.B39 YeP YeP [HK]
YeP YeP is an experimental fashion and art magazine published in Hong Kong featuring commissioned works by a wide range of emerging local creatives.B40 KAPUTT+ [SG]
KAPUTT is a collective focused on reconnecting and celebrating lived human experiences in a time of isolation through a plethora of mediums. KAPUTT returns with a brand new moniker of KAPUTT+, showcasing a new roster of guest artists from all over the globe!B41 Canned Aqua [SG]
CANNED AQUA is a collective formed by Afiqah (@artfiqah), Grace (@gracehong.party), Joyce (@stxdiolei) and Yolanda (@yolanda.pdf). From making sillies to exploring emotions, traditional illustration to digital typography, abstract forms to human portraits, and everything in between. Canned Aqua will be sure to quench your thirst for genuine and unique self-expression; CANNED AQUA, the best thing since sliced bread.C42 Binatang Press [ID]
Binatang Press! is a small-scale independent publisher based in Indonesia. They work mostly with independent creative communities around them, and their mission is to represent their non-mainstream collaborators and bring stories of what subculture is like in Indonesia to a wider audience. Focusing on arts and visual culture, they are all about honest expressions and encouraging collaborators to voice their observations and personal experiences. Binatang Press! is part of the creative consultancy, The 1984 – a place where collaborations, experiments and creative thinking happens everyday.C43 Grafis Nusantara [ID]
A platform dedicated to archiving vintage Indonesian labels and stickers – presenting the archipelago’s lavish visuals and their significance as knowledge and reference materials. Grafis Nusantara caters as a space to give Indonesian vintage visuals a chance to be appreciated. Furthermore, easy access to social media and digital archives opens up new opportunities to collect Indonesian graphic artefacts through social curation. Grafis Nusantara currently possesses 300+ artefacts in their collection and is set to broaden their collection in the near future.B44 Den publishing group [TH]
Independent publisher and shop from Chiang mai, Thailand.B45 Shrub [SG]
Shrub is a store specialising in independent artist products. Located in a former locksmith store at Golden Mile Tower, Shrub presents a melting pot of curated zines, prints, tees, and various odds and ends. Concurrently, the space is used as a base for people to come together, create, explore, discuss, and collaborate. In true D.I.Y spirit, the people at Shrub believe that being self-taught and learning from our peers is an invaluable and sacred gift.B46 Throwaway Goods [SG]
Throwaway Goods is an international collective of art school rejects consisting of Australian artist Aaron Grech, Singaporean artist Yun, and cartoonists highnunchicken. Putting out a series of zines, art books, and collectables that would definitely get an 'F' at any art school worth their salt, Throwaway Goods will defo fit right at home in your collection of weird and wacky art. No refunds.B47 Parking Lot Press [TH]
Pull up neighbours! Parking Lot Press is a group of young designers from Bangkok that love creating print-based projects. They are here to share their passion and culture through the power of prints and publications.C48 Your Local Newsstand [SG]
Your Local Newsstand is an independent publishing group based in Singapore specialising in producing and publishing photography based imprints. Their goal is to provide a platform for photographers to explore photography through the medium of zines and other printed matters. By merging, colliding and making zines and photography exist with and within each other, it is well in their motto to keep prints in your hands.B49 KULTRATED [SG]
KULTRATED is a collection of hard to find zines, graphic novels and some other extreme stuff from around the world.C50 ODD ONE OUT [HK]
ODD ONE OUT is the first gallery in Hong Kong dedicated to illustration, graphic arts & printmaking situated in Hong Kong. Opened in 2012, they have been exhibiting printmakers and illustrators around the world. Working as a bridge to develop the appreciation of printmaking and encourage Hong Kong artists to explore other possibilities. Since 2014, they have started editioning and publishing limited edition art prints and artist books by local artists who have not traditionally worked in print mediums.C51 Knuckles & Notch [SG]
Established in 2013, Knuckles & Notch is a creative studio and Risograph press known for their maniacally colourful and often bizarre aesthetic. Their productions aim to reflect the fantastical in their everyday lives and reinterpret the mundane through their brand of morbid humour. Their love for artmaking is rooted in the inimitable charm of the analogue medium. They believe in the unique quality of the hands-on process, where idiosyncrasies lead to greater relatability between creators and their audience. In that spirit, they continue to create through manual techniques such as Risograph, Silkscreen, Zine Making, and other tangible art mediums.C52 mad.rioska [IT]
Niccolo Guido Riosa graduated from the Milano Art Academy in painting, later he started working as a freelancer, dedicating himself to graphic illustration, murals and self-productions. His works often represent a satire of current society, in other cases instead he takes on a pop-surrealist style and represents dreamlike situations.C53 GOOD EGG BAD EGG [SG]
GOOD EGG BAD EGG is a collective of 6 artists that not only eat eggs for breakfast, but also draw!With themes ranging from the bright and adorable (like sunny-side up eggs) to the dark and scheming (like deviled eggs), the group seeks to stray from the mundane and explore fun characters, strange stories, and bizarre worlds in various styles and mediums. Freshly served up from their own unique breakfast platters, GOOD EGG BAD EGG is banding together to offer a delectable spread of printed matter such as zines, prints, and merchandise.
B54 HAFI [SG]
HAFI is an illustrator, designer and visual artist currently based in Singapore. She makes visual interpretations through drawings that are rooted in ancestral memories. Her works dissect themes of identity and cultural narratives via image making. She runs an independent magazine on food and culture called SEASONINGS.B55 The Pickled Paper [HK]
Established in Hong Kong since 2021, THE PICKLED PAPER is an indie press of comics and zines with a focus on subcultures. Their mission is to preserve the print culture, a bit like pickling, but they don't really sell pickles.A56 RUBBISH FAMzine [SG]
RUBBISH FAMzine is an annual family zine started by art collective Holycrap.sg. Claire, the 48 yr old mom along with Renn, the 19 yr old son, Aira, the 16 yr old daughter & Pann, their 49 yr old dad decided together almost ten years ago to express their hearts & voices while sharing their views through printed pages. This is also their endeavor to compile precious memories & forgotten moments which the family have shared with each other. They have published 10 famzines to date and are currently working on their 11th.A57 Foreign Policy Design & Friends [SG]
Foreign Policy Design & Friends is a branding and design studio bureau.A58 Masala Noir [FR]
Masala Noir is a publishing house that specialises in visual archival compilations. A testament to the rich history of design and visual art, particularly in relation to countercultures and graphic movements that shaped the 20th century, Masala Noir features and curates a range of images from varying sources to showcase the ingenuity and creativity of these movements in order to provide readers with a unique glimpse into the past and the artistic movements that influenced our present.A59 Team Cook [SG]
Cooking up a storm are Gian and Astri who are advertisers by day, but secret chefs by night. Come hungry! Order some recipe books, stickers, random decoration objects and some groceries.A60 The Two Islands Club [SG]
The Two Islands Club is a group of artists and designers who were students from Rhode Island School of Design now based in Singapore. This eclectic collection of creatives, spanning different generations and nationalities, found common ground in their love for art and their shared experience from living in Providence, Rhode Island. From the smallest state in North America to the smallest city-state in Southeast Asia, The Two Islands Club is a community for its members to collaborate, offer critique, seek advice, and to share in the joys of their passion.A61 APOB PRESS [MY]
As a creative effort from Jeffry Lai and Ying Lii, APOB Press is a small self-publisher based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. APOB Press makes zines and prints limited-run publications. A-P-O-B stands for "A Piece of Book" which means one page, one story, one zine, and one book.A62 WILD PRESS [CN]
WILD PRESS is an independent publishing studio founded by two paper publishing fanciers. Chen Zeqiang is a graphic designer and Shiva is a cultural creative. They hope to present a diversity of life and inclination and try to explore the possibility of book design.A63 ASIAN_FOOD_DESIGN [JP]
ASIAN_FOOD_DESIGN is a zinemaker featuring Asian food illustrations. It was established by Takako Masuki, a graphic designer, based in Japan.A64 The Slow Press [SG]
The Slow Press (est. 2021) is an independent food magazine based in Singapore that is fixated on the rich stories behind what we eat. Through longform journalism, design, illustration, and photography, the magazine seeks to bring Singapore’s vibrant food heritage to the forefront in an introspective, yet quirky and fun way. Sip on it.A65 Plates Magazine [MY]
Plates Magazine is an independent food culture journal that seeks out underreported human stories that are hyperlocal yet globally relevant. There are no celebrity chefs or restaurant reviews. Instead, meatier issues, such as social justice and intangible cultures, are replated for readers to chew on and digest at their own pace. Each issue is themed after an everyday ingredient: Rice, Durian, Water and Seeds. Plates seeks to inspire tastemakers, perhaps on the verge of apathy, to wander beyond mainstream narratives. To wonder, whose voices are overlooked while exploring ways to create and hold space for them at the table.A66 Now & Again [SG]
Now & Again is an independent magazine that serves as a sort of sketchbook, where each edition reflects on the many ways of interpreting a simple theme through a mix of individual projects and collaborations — showcasing how multiple ideas can be interpreted from just one starting point.A67 Laskar NAFA [SG]
Laskar NAFA is an Indonesian student organisation based in Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). ‘Laskar’ comes from the Indonesian word for ‘troop’ — honour, resilience, determination, and persistency are the values that laid the foundation of Laskar, in hope of birthing troops of respectable and accomplished new generations of Indonesian arts practitioners. Since its inception in 2014, Laskar NAFA serves to promote interest in Indonesian heritage and culture as well as strengthening the bond between Indonesian students in NAFA.A68 Suburbia Projects [MY]
Suburbia Projects is an architectural book retailer, gallery space and publisher based in the suburbs of Petaling Jaya. It was founded in 2020 by architects, Naadiya Hani and Ashran Bahari, to fill the gaps of insightful and critical architectural texts in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.A69 Live Art Studio [SG]
Art Now - Live Art Studio brings together artists from around the world and promotes performance arts by facilitating festivals and events. The studio will be presenting books on performance arts as well as documents and prints of the studio's past events.This time, they specially launched new documents compiled during the pandemic in recent years, including online activities and realised live art.
A70 Everything's Fine [PH]
Everything's Fine is a small independent press based in Manila, Philippines, focused on developing publishing practices which are kind and sustainable to authors and creators. Founded in 2019, Everything’s Fine produces books and projects that provoke critical thought and push the field of writing and publishing.A71 Gerimis Art [MY]
Gerimis Art is a collaborative artistic and archiving initiative that co-creates cultural content with Orang Asli artisans and contemporary artists. It is a collective of creatives from various backgrounds, from writers to designers to researchers, working primarily with Orang Asli who are already leading their own efforts in promoting and preserving their arts, culture, and traditions.A72 Mediabus / The Book Society [KR]
Mediabus is a small publishing house based in Seoul, Korea. It was founded in 2007 by independent curators with the collaboration of designers. Mediabus publishes zines & books, produces and distributes, organises exhibitions & events, directs a workshop, and carries out project or book commissions for companies & institutions.A73 Spector Books [DE]
Spector’s publishing practice is settled squarely in the intersection of art, theory, and design. Based in Leipzig, Germany, the publishing house explores the possibilities offered by an active exchange between all parties involved in the book production process: artists, authors, book designers, lithographers, printers, and bookbinders. The book as a medium is turned into a stage, a site of encounter for productive exchange. Finding innovative approaches to the medium today calls for a well-considered interplay between the content, design, and materiality of a book.A74 NEUTRAL COLORS [JP]
NEUTRAL COLORS is an independent publishing house that produces books in their own unique style, incorporating manual work into the printing process, such as Risograph and silk-screening. Handling the entire process from planning, editing, production, printing, binding, and sales, NEUTRAL COLOURS digs up talents who have not yet come out into the world and creates a unique publication through close communication with the artist.A75 PLANKTON [JP]
PLANKTON is a publishing label by artists for artists. By taking complete charge of the production process, each book is assembled with thought. Their aim is for art books to be acknowledged not just as a book but an art piece carefully constructed by artists.A76 Tall Poppy Press [AU]
Tall Poppy Press is an Australian publisher of photobooks. They aim to publish the best Australian artists' photography books, with a commitment to emerging artists' first books. Tall Poppy will be presenting 4 photobooks on climate change, human and nature and an anthology on photography exhibitions.A77 KIM SUNIK [KR]
Born in 1986, Sunik Kim is a photographer based in South Korea. He uses photography as a way to constantly remind himself “how to live today” and what he can achieve with his own artistic practice.A78 The Sandwich Club [SG]
The Sandwich Club is a group of interdisciplinary artists and practitioners bound by the love of book sandwiches. Together, they search for the freshest print ingredients to serve delicious layers of ingredients and publications with disparate ideas. The Sandwich Club intends to exchange thoughts, create conversation and collaborate with artists in discovering new recipes for juicy content.A79 MFYG Books [SG]
MFYG Books explores ideas of gender and feminism using fashion and pop-culture through magazine and paraphernalia.A80 林家夯 | Lin Jaihang [TW]
Lin Jaihang | 林家夯 is a Kaohsiung native who graduated from National Taiwan University of Arts, and is now a graphic designer, living in Taipei. Claiming to be “an ambiguous style photographer", from the perspective of a gay man, he documents an intimate and loving relationship with a male partner in a private rental.A81 sesamespace [JP]
sesamespace is founded by S and M, and based in Tokyo, Japan. Their work ranges from photography, visual work, collage, zines, drawing, video, feature stories, and installations.A82 DAMNSEL [SG]
Created by a team of local creatives passionate in fashion styling, fine arts and photography. DAMNSEL is their first ever publication, an elevated documentary that showcases Strength and Power in young women through their Style and Self-expression.A83 TRIPARTITE [SG]
3 dudes showcasing multiple creations!A84 phrawgcraft [SG]
Claire Boon, also @phrawgcraft online, designs out of a passion for self-expression and her enjoyment for maximalism. Armed with strong colours and music as her inspiration, Claire experiments out of the box to present design in a challenging but friendly manner to the youth of today. After taking six years to discover her personal style, Claire hopes to create works that bring a smile to faces and pass on the energy of unserious playfulness through posters, zines, and more.A85 Untitlebutgood [TH]
Untitlebutgood is founded by graphic design students from Thailand. Untitlebutgood is a melting pot of each member's contrasting styles that they constantly experiment with together to gain fresh results.A86 Creatures of Habit [SG]
Creatures of Habit (CoH) is a young art collective currently based in NTU, creating art books, zines, other forms of short-form publications, prints and also stickers. By working together with up-and-coming creators, CoH hopes to spotlight young local voices, especially those who aren't afraid to experiment with the zine format. Their works covers macro issues and current affairs such as LGBTQ+ in Singapore to micro subjects such as the little lives of neighbourhood cats.A87 Summer Summit [SG]
A collective of three friends looking down from the summit of escapism, seeking to dump their everyday ups and downs into their creative narratives — think Taylor Swift hunching over an iPad on the train after a stressful meeting at Jalan Besar. Summer Summit invites all into their collective daydream.A88 Variegated [SG]
Variegated is a Singapore-based collective keen on producing books, publications, and objects rooted in design, research, and learning. Taking cues from the foliar variegation of plants, the members work across multiple disciplines with collaborators from diverse backgrounds to make each project a unique, surprising endeavour.A89 Rambutan [SG]
A longing for nutritious togetherness and tender separateness through narratives of connection and disconnection.A90 Passo House [TH]
Passo House is a group of friends who love telling stories from ordinary subjects and making new perspectives from them through illustrations and printed works.A91 Humana x Jiaern [MY]
Vanissa and Jiaern are Kuala Lumpur-based graphic designer and illustrator. Vanissa tells stories through the lens of “Humana”, a character of her own creation that allows her to freely explore the creative fantasies living in her mind. Jiaern observes everyday life with her unique perspective, and translate her feelings into visual with sentimental touch.A92 Donespiracy [TH]
Formed by a group of friends consisting of a monster maker, a visual designer, and an illustrator, Donespiracy takes inspiration from their everyday life, turning them into fun creative output with humour and imagination. Their work ranges from zines, stickers, paper goods, and stationery.A93 This Bakery [HK]
Fascinated by the power of imagination and freedom, the works of Eunice Lai (b. 1993, Hong Kong) often engaged in the creation and exploration of her own mystical world which one may not encounter in reality. Stories happen in forms including but not limited to comics, story-telling, illustrations, oil paintings and maybe soon animation. Lai received her BA(Hons) in Visual Arts from Hong Kong Baptist University in 2017 and studied in Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna as an exchange student in 2015-2016.A94 canwegrowup4ever [SG]
canwegrowup4ever is a collective of four artistically-inclined Singaporean youths who grew up together. Amidst the turmoil and confusion of change and adulting, they held onto one another, and every so often, daydream about their futures together. One day, as they were lazing around, they decided to make something for themselves for once, and take a step towards the future they so often dream about.A95 AKIRA NISHITAKE [JP]
Experimental comic artist Akira Nishitake expands the language of comics in various genres such as paintings, animation, typography, ceramics, character design and Augmented Reality. Nishitake has participated in exhibitions and art book fairs in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Taipei, Seoul, Shanghai, Wien, and Berlin, as well as solo shows in the Nanzuka and ondo galleries. He is the chief editor of CHOJIN CLUB, and currently residing in Matsuyama, Japan.A96 HOLE IN THE WALL [HK]
HOLE IN THE WALL is a creative duo who document the underground culture through live drawing and interviews. Started in Beijing by illustrators Jinna and Shui, they were largely inspired by the alternative music and art scene. Having since relocated to Tokyo and Hong Kong respectively, they continue to create zines and illustrations, hoping to capture people and places across the various cities they visit.A97 Robineggpie [KR]
Robineggpie is a narrative-based illustrator who tells the story of 33, the protagonist, through the medium of cartoons and using the technique of printmaking. Each episode has a picaresque composition, and each book centered on keywords such as birth ([Pear Drop], 2015), dream ([33, The Dream Anatomy], 2016), choice ([Pizza or Chicken?], 2022), faith ([Pizza Saver], 2022), and sin and punishment ([The heaven and the sinner], 2023).A98 Ediciones El Fuerte [AR]
Ediciones El Fuerte is a small self-publishing project from Buenos Aires, Argentina, that makes zines and posters using Risograph. Based on illustration, graphic stories, abstraction and concepts about science, travel, cosmos, cultures and obsessions, they make zines and books where analogue and handcraft are the main characters.A99 Stolen Books [PT]
Stolen Books is not a database of stolen or missing books, but an independent publisher based in Lisbon, Portugal. They steal (with the agreement of the authors) and publish works whose absence constitutes an offence to the international book market. Working with established names alongside up and coming talents, Stolen Books reproduces copies of visual projects, purposely designed for the book format.A100 Tiny Splendor [US]
Tiny Splendor Press publishes zines, art books & prints from artists all over the world primarily through Risograph printing. Through self-publishing, they hope to give a bigger audience to incredible artists in their communities in an accessible, approachable, and affordable way without compromising print quality. Based in L.A. and Berkeley, CA.A101 EXTRA CREDIT [US]
Extra Credit (EC) is an ongoing series of instructional books and zines by Jean Y. Kim. EC editions are explorations of book binding, creative coding and RISO printing processes. A computer science teacher by day, Jean uses zine-making as a way to play with topics related to first-generation cultural artifacts, pedagogy, and tasty treats.A102 Ivy Zheyu Chen / UPON [US]
UPON is a New York-based art and publishing studio founded by Ivy Zheyu Chen, with one simple brief — Explore Anything for Fun and Experience. With exposure at various art book fairs, their zines have been collected by institutions such as The Metropolitan Museum Library, Whitney Museum, Yale University Library, Jameel Arts Centre Dubai, and many more.A103 dotdotdot [HK]
dotdotdot is a design and Risograph printing studio based in Hong Kong. Through illustration, designs and prints, dotdotdot explores the creation of, and embodies their love in Risograph creation.A104 LINE PER INK STUDIO [TH]
LINE PER INK STUDIO is a graphic design and Risograph studio from Chiang Mai, Thailand. All the artwork that comes through LINE PER INK STUDIO are printed through Risograph with the colour selection that best outlines the artist’s character and artwork for the most exciting visual results.A105 scong [SG]
SCONG is a Singaporean illustrator by night who sees doodling as a creative outlet and pushback against the drudgery of his day job.SG ART BOOK DIALOGUE
SG Art Book Dialogue is a series of book launches, discussions & artist talks curated by and held at the Singapore Art Book Fair.
All programmes are held at The Engine Room at Singapore Art Museum, located beside the Exhibitor Hall
14 April 2023, Friday
5:00PM — 6:30PM
[WORKSHOP]
Drawing through Touch: Charcoal & Pastel Workshop
with Painter Kok Choon Choo
In collaboration with Unseen Art Initiatives
Drawing through Touch: Charcoal & Pastel Workshop
with Painter Kok Choon Choo
In collaboration with Unseen Art Initiatives
Participants will learn how to draw self-portraits and a portrait of fellow workshop participants, or work on a unique animal mascot as they explore and discover their facial features through touch or sight. They will learn forms of mark-making using pastels and charcoal.
Workshop Features
Suitable for beginners • All materials included • Language: Mandarin with English Translation
Kok Choon Choo (Choon) is a painter based in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
His works are inspired by the German Expressionism and Japanese Pop Culture - creating vivid characters that bring his ideas of the society across. Choon has been given awards for his paintings. He also works as an arts educator in Malaysia, regularly conducting workshops. He is a National Art Gallery Malaysia member, PPM (Malaysia Artists Society) and Persatuan Senilukis Rekacipta Negeri Johor (SERUPA). He graduated from the University of Tasmania (UTAS @ Hobart Campus) and has a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Art) in Painting 2001-CAA Academy of Art (Johor Bahru Campus).
Unseen Art Initiatives is a Singapore-based arts platform that aims to evoke and harness the creative potential of people through the arts. Through arts-based interventions and curating art exhibitions and cultural programmes, we enable collaborations between professional and emerging disabled artists across creative industries, schools, community organisations and public institutions. Our projects include Edible Art Club, an intercultural collaboration with Aung Mental Health (Myanmar), Move For?ward (Unseen: Inside Out) 2020 - 2022, which premiered at the National Gallery Singapore's Light to Night Festival, Unseen: Constellations (2014 - 2016), a mentorship programme for visually-impaired youth and Unseen: Shift Lab (2015) a collaborative project with Dialogue-in-the-Dark Malaysia and artists from Kuala Lumpur. Our platform also developed research for the pilot Touch Art Collection for the Singapore Art Museum and National Gallery Singapore, researching accessibility practices for visually-impaired museum patrons.
unseenart.myportfolio.com • @unseensg
Born with visual impairment, painter Kok Choon Choo fell in love with drawing and painting when he was a child. Choon has been painting for over a decade, exploring human portraits and character design. His images are often provocative and explore multi-faceted aspects of our human psyche. A highly skilled and versatile painter, he is inspired by German expressionism and Japanese Manga. The process invites participants to develop unique approaches to materials and their aesthetics.
Workshop Features
- Introduction of Choon’s art practice as a visually-impaired painter;
- Understanding different approaches to portraiture and character creation;
- Building confidence through exercises that help you explore different types of mark-making.
Suitable for beginners • All materials included • Language: Mandarin with English Translation
Kok Choon Choo (Choon) is a painter based in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
His works are inspired by the German Expressionism and Japanese Pop Culture - creating vivid characters that bring his ideas of the society across. Choon has been given awards for his paintings. He also works as an arts educator in Malaysia, regularly conducting workshops. He is a National Art Gallery Malaysia member, PPM (Malaysia Artists Society) and Persatuan Senilukis Rekacipta Negeri Johor (SERUPA). He graduated from the University of Tasmania (UTAS @ Hobart Campus) and has a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Art) in Painting 2001-CAA Academy of Art (Johor Bahru Campus).
Unseen Art Initiatives is a Singapore-based arts platform that aims to evoke and harness the creative potential of people through the arts. Through arts-based interventions and curating art exhibitions and cultural programmes, we enable collaborations between professional and emerging disabled artists across creative industries, schools, community organisations and public institutions. Our projects include Edible Art Club, an intercultural collaboration with Aung Mental Health (Myanmar), Move For?ward (Unseen: Inside Out) 2020 - 2022, which premiered at the National Gallery Singapore's Light to Night Festival, Unseen: Constellations (2014 - 2016), a mentorship programme for visually-impaired youth and Unseen: Shift Lab (2015) a collaborative project with Dialogue-in-the-Dark Malaysia and artists from Kuala Lumpur. Our platform also developed research for the pilot Touch Art Collection for the Singapore Art Museum and National Gallery Singapore, researching accessibility practices for visually-impaired museum patrons.
unseenart.myportfolio.com • @unseensg
15 April 2023, Saturday
2:00PM — 3:00PM
[ARTIST TALK]
The Book as a Stage; Spector Books’ Publishing Practice
Presented by Spector Books
Moderated by Melvin Tan
The Book as a Stage; Spector Books’ Publishing Practice
Presented by Spector Books
Moderated by Melvin Tan
Spector Books’ publishing practice is settled in the intersection of the arts, theory, design and architecture. Based in Leipzig, Germany we explore the possibilities offered by an active exchange between all parties involved in a book production process: artists, authors, designers, lithographers, printers and bookbinders. The book as medium is turned into a stage, a site of encounter for productive exchange. Finding innovative approaches to the medium today calls for a well considered interplay between the content, design, and materiality of a book.
Robert Stürzl
Editor and Head of Production, Spector Books
Robert Stürzl is an editor with a background in architecture and urban design at Spector Books in Leipzig, Germany. He first joined the publishing house in 2013, today he is responsible for the production department.
Melvin Tan
Creative Lead at Currency and Co-Founder of Hothouse
Melvin is the creative lead at Currency, a branding and strategy design studio. He is also a co-founder of Hothouse, a prototyping collective that explores the intersections of art, design, and architecture.
Robert Stürzl
Editor and Head of Production, Spector Books
Robert Stürzl is an editor with a background in architecture and urban design at Spector Books in Leipzig, Germany. He first joined the publishing house in 2013, today he is responsible for the production department.
Melvin Tan
Creative Lead at Currency and Co-Founder of Hothouse
Melvin is the creative lead at Currency, a branding and strategy design studio. He is also a co-founder of Hothouse, a prototyping collective that explores the intersections of art, design, and architecture.
3:30PM — 4:30PM
[BOOK LAUNCH]
By The Moon and The Tides
Presented by The Slow Press
By The Moon and The Tides
Presented by The Slow Press
What could a foraging Singapore look like? What did a foraging Singapore look like?
By The Moon and The Tides is an exploration and reimagining of Singapore's relationship with the practice of foraging, perhaps the oldest subsistence pattern of man. Following The Slow Press Vol. 5: BITTERSWEET, this risograph zine will exclusively be launched at SGABF2023.
The team behind the zine will be sharing our conversations with three foragers: self-taught urban forager Esmonde Luo, Syazwan of Wan's Ubin Journal, and Firdaus of Orang Laut SG, as well as our design and editorial processes.
Tan Aik
Editor-in-Chief, The Slow Press
Aik moonlights as a writer. In his role as Editor-in-Chief of The Slow Press, he explores the intersections between food and culture. In his free time, he plays RPGs and eats noodles.
Christy Chua
Founder and Editorial Director, The Slow Press
Christy is a consumer of good food and drinks. She runs the magazine's day-to-day, and sneaks around kitchens and wet markets, after which she translates her findings into the colourful food stories and wonderful parties that you see at The Slow Press.
Jamie Png
Contributing Designer, The Slow Press
Jamie is a part-time photographer/designer and a full-time dugong wannabe. As the main designer of By The Moon and The Tides, she helped create a feast not only for the mind but also for the eyes, as The Slow Press always does.
By The Moon and The Tides is an exploration and reimagining of Singapore's relationship with the practice of foraging, perhaps the oldest subsistence pattern of man. Following The Slow Press Vol. 5: BITTERSWEET, this risograph zine will exclusively be launched at SGABF2023.
The team behind the zine will be sharing our conversations with three foragers: self-taught urban forager Esmonde Luo, Syazwan of Wan's Ubin Journal, and Firdaus of Orang Laut SG, as well as our design and editorial processes.
Tan Aik
Editor-in-Chief, The Slow Press
Aik moonlights as a writer. In his role as Editor-in-Chief of The Slow Press, he explores the intersections between food and culture. In his free time, he plays RPGs and eats noodles.
Christy Chua
Founder and Editorial Director, The Slow Press
Christy is a consumer of good food and drinks. She runs the magazine's day-to-day, and sneaks around kitchens and wet markets, after which she translates her findings into the colourful food stories and wonderful parties that you see at The Slow Press.
Jamie Png
Contributing Designer, The Slow Press
Jamie is a part-time photographer/designer and a full-time dugong wannabe. As the main designer of By The Moon and The Tides, she helped create a feast not only for the mind but also for the eyes, as The Slow Press always does.
5:00PM — 6:30PM
[WORKSHOP]
Drawing through Touch: Charcoal & Pastel Workshop
with Painter Kok Choon Choo
In collaboration with Unseen Art Initiatives
Drawing through Touch: Charcoal & Pastel Workshop
with Painter Kok Choon Choo
In collaboration with Unseen Art Initiatives
Participants will learn how to draw self-portraits and a portrait of fellow workshop participants, or work on a unique animal mascot as they explore and discover their facial features through touch or sight. They will learn forms of mark-making using pastels and charcoal.
Workshop Features
Suitable for beginners • All materials included • Language: Mandarin with English Translation
Kok Choon Choo (Choon) is a painter based in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
His works are inspired by the German Expressionism and Japanese Pop Culture - creating vivid characters that bring his ideas of the society across. Choon has been given awards for his paintings. He also works as an arts educator in Malaysia, regularly conducting workshops. He is a National Art Gallery Malaysia member, PPM (Malaysia Artists Society) and Persatuan Senilukis Rekacipta Negeri Johor (SERUPA). He graduated from the University of Tasmania (UTAS @ Hobart Campus) and has a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Art) in Painting 2001-CAA Academy of Art (Johor Bahru Campus).
Unseen Art Initiatives is a Singapore-based arts platform that aims to evoke and harness the creative potential of people through the arts. Through arts-based interventions and curating art exhibitions and cultural programmes, we enable collaborations between professional and emerging disabled artists across creative industries, schools, community organisations and public institutions. Our projects include Edible Art Club, an intercultural collaboration with Aung Mental Health (Myanmar), Move For?ward (Unseen: Inside Out) 2020 - 2022, which premiered at the National Gallery Singapore's Light to Night Festival, Unseen: Constellations (2014 - 2016), a mentorship programme for visually-impaired youth and Unseen: Shift Lab (2015) a collaborative project with Dialogue-in-the-Dark Malaysia and artists from Kuala Lumpur. Our platform also developed research for the pilot Touch Art Collection for the Singapore Art Museum and National Gallery Singapore, researching accessibility practices for visually-impaired museum patrons.
unseenart.myportfolio.com • @unseensg
Born with visual impairment, painter Kok Choon Choo fell in love with drawing and painting when he was a child. Choon has been painting for over a decade, exploring human portraits and character design. His images are often provocative and explore multi-faceted aspects of our human psyche. A highly skilled and versatile painter, he is inspired by German expressionism and Japanese Manga. The process invites participants to develop unique approaches to materials and their aesthetics.
Workshop Features
- Introduction of Choon’s art practice as a visually-impaired painter;
- Understanding different approaches to portraiture and character creation;
- Building confidence through exercises that help you explore different types of mark-making.
Suitable for beginners • All materials included • Language: Mandarin with English Translation
Kok Choon Choo (Choon) is a painter based in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
His works are inspired by the German Expressionism and Japanese Pop Culture - creating vivid characters that bring his ideas of the society across. Choon has been given awards for his paintings. He also works as an arts educator in Malaysia, regularly conducting workshops. He is a National Art Gallery Malaysia member, PPM (Malaysia Artists Society) and Persatuan Senilukis Rekacipta Negeri Johor (SERUPA). He graduated from the University of Tasmania (UTAS @ Hobart Campus) and has a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Art) in Painting 2001-CAA Academy of Art (Johor Bahru Campus).
Unseen Art Initiatives is a Singapore-based arts platform that aims to evoke and harness the creative potential of people through the arts. Through arts-based interventions and curating art exhibitions and cultural programmes, we enable collaborations between professional and emerging disabled artists across creative industries, schools, community organisations and public institutions. Our projects include Edible Art Club, an intercultural collaboration with Aung Mental Health (Myanmar), Move For?ward (Unseen: Inside Out) 2020 - 2022, which premiered at the National Gallery Singapore's Light to Night Festival, Unseen: Constellations (2014 - 2016), a mentorship programme for visually-impaired youth and Unseen: Shift Lab (2015) a collaborative project with Dialogue-in-the-Dark Malaysia and artists from Kuala Lumpur. Our platform also developed research for the pilot Touch Art Collection for the Singapore Art Museum and National Gallery Singapore, researching accessibility practices for visually-impaired museum patrons.
unseenart.myportfolio.com • @unseensg
© Singapore Art Book Fair 2024. All rights reserved.
For further enquiries, please contact us at info@singaporeartbookfair.org.
Singapore Art Book Fair is organised by
For further enquiries, please contact us at info@singaporeartbookfair.org.
Singapore Art Book Fair is organised by