Consistency is a challenging thing to achieve in self-organising events, even more so for events in arts & culture, which is why I still made my way to KL Art Book Fair’s 5th edition over the weekend, despite feeling drained of energy. This made me slightly fearful with a pinch of dread, but from experience, there’s nothing a pair of wired earphones can’t solve. It also helped that I dropped by Donki (pre-site reset) to get some snacks, weaning myself into being around crowds.
Anyways, the last time I’ve attended was the first iteration in 2021. A lot of things changed (venue, scale, curation), but some stayed the same (energy, design). I don’t have a reliable source of comparison, so quite curious to hear from people who have steadily watched its growth. Went for a single day ticket. Don’t think I would’ve had enough energy for 3 days, commute and all. As a friend mentioned, in an ideal world we could have two-day tickets, but alas that’s another layer of logistics for a small team.
haul ! haul ! haul !
Serving Suggestion vol.03
by Further Reading Press
Due to contributing a tiny snippet, this was gifted to me. Prose about Puchong Lok Lok street (#childhoodlove)! Was feeling nostalgic about home when overseas.
activating people
by Klang River Festival
I really enjoy the social aspect of what they’re doing, and how they’re engaging with people through a space. It’s hopeful to know that it’s run by a youthful group, involving as many willing participants as possible.
Tending Apart
by New Naratif
A part of me that feels guilty for knowing so little about the area I claim home, and that fuels a part of me to yearn and understand. Solidarity is a tricky thing when the land is wet – but does it always have to be? When buying this, I had a go at their prototype card game.
Wet Pussy
by t.i.n.y. studio
I don’t tend to reach for meme-focused photo books, but the layout of it was intentional, and I could understand the author’s thoughts through it. Though perhaps, as with memes, it welcomes self-projection.
Bunny Hopping
by t.i.n.y. studio
Mesmerised by the textures through layering, feels like a fresh take on depicting the ephemeral quality of memories to me. The reflection of finding similar patterns between various countries from travel is also appreciated.
Reclaiming our Digital Land
by WEDOGOOD RISO
There’s an increase of attention towards our agency in digital spaces. I picked this up mainly as a reference point for others when conversation leads to it. In its pages are an easy primer for an average social media/internet user to explore alternative digital lorongs.
581, Tanjung Bungah
by Yee Hsean
Another banger zine by softdovestevens that hits right in the feels. A memory shared that felt like a memory lived. What moved me was the recipe inclusion right at the end of it. My great-grandmother had so many recipes that I wish were recorded, that I wish I could ask.
Plant, Gesture
by Amanda Gayle
Learned through conversation that this was made during idle bouts of a mundane routine job. Artists are everywhere – making as they live, living as they make. Got the grey cover which had a silver foil texture hehe. As each spread unfolds, two images side by side create a conversation, a question, an answer. Reminds me of Insta stories’ split collage view.
The Mind Palace Where Memories Roam and Wither Away
by Seerat
I’ve been looking a bit into memory and how that can translate into subjects of creation. Just like Seerat, my interest comes from the fear of forgetting. In this zine, she takes the narrative form of a jester, giving out advice in a memory palace.
Ithaca in the Cards + What Shall We Eat (bundle)
by Aaron Lim
Backed this on Kickstarter a while back, and coincidentally had the chance to pick up at KLABF. Met a friend while browsing at the booth, also learned that most of his audience come from USA or Japan, with not much response in the local market. I respect that people still create and find ways, but local support should be better. Haven’t had the chance to play it yet, but I’d love to.
Anatomy x KLABF
for myself
The identity design this year is attractive and interesting as it has been. You can tell it’s been designed by more or less the same team or people with similar influences, and there’s not much fault in that. I believe Where’s Gut helped with a new spin on KLABF’s 5th round. Bright and deep colours lay on top of each other, textured and clean, something formulaic with its grid yet rhythmic by not following it. Ultimately I like it lah, I’m not immune to cuteness, to miniatures…so I got it eek.
Mossery x KLABF
for min
Min’s old notebook was approaching its end, so I thought I’d purchase a gift for him. It was also convenient that Aisyah was working the booth at the time, feels easier to have a friendly chat when you’re a paying customer. I’m so glad Min loved the cover I picked out of all the different covers!! Reminded me of shaders and skins in different MMORPGs that he plays. New year, new notebook.
To my surprise, most of my haul were publications. I think if I were younger, it’d be mostly prints and stickers. I did get a print and omamori charm by Pearl Slug Studio as a gift, but that was it. Perhaps I went into it with the mindset as an art book fair that I didn’t pay much attention to the trinkets? Or perhaps it’s the adult money. There were multiple reel recaps showcasing the fair’s offerings and I didn’t even see most of them when I went around. That’s testament to the scale of variety of products perhaps, and that’s healthy. Also because I spent most of my time talking to friends, new people, vendors, strangers…
⋆˙⟡☆ ˗ˏˋ ☆ ˎˊ˗ ☆⟡˙⋆
Booths stationed closer to the stage have to manage (or battle) their conversations through booming speakers. Audio management has always been a tricky aspect to balance in open events, and it’s something you can’t aim to please everyone.
It’s how I wandered into a talk by ReformARTsi about their Seni Untuk Semua (SUS) [what a beautiful name, chuckle-worthy] initiative. A grassroots group of artists campaigning for “policy change & reforms in Malaysia’s arts & culture sector.” Focusing on areas of: “arts education, funding & artists’ rights.”. It seems their main public action is a change.org petition. I appreciate that their posts on social media tries to include 4 languages, with individual posts in Tamil. A multi-prong approach is important for any social issue, so this call towards the government brings me hope that there are people working towards this, though I wonder if there’s good steps to empower action at the artist’s level… There is a cowardly affect in me that stems from my uncertainty in the art world.
In conversation, someone asked my position in the arts and culture industry: I orbit its surroundings, creating graphics as a supporting actor. To then have to respond to the age old question: What is your boundary between art and graphic design? Well, it matters down to a certain point. Anyways, it made me aware about the question: what position do I want to be in the Malaysian arts industry as a graphic designer/visual communicator? Can I be?
⋆˙⟡☆ ˗ˏˋ ☆ ˎˊ˗ ☆⟡˙⋆
I felt fulfilled, despite not being able to do some of the programme. It’s taken a while for me to let go of FOMO, understanding that sometimes it’s okay to expend my energy up to a safe limit. It’ll be dangerous to go further. This time I did take a 11 hour sleep + a low energy day to recharge, which is quite standard all things considered!
Looking forward to what next year’s will look like, and how it aims to sustain the conversation of art book publishing.
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