This zine is excerpted from the novel in progress by Valerie Leya You and published year 2024 in the Philippines about the production of too much things resulting to feeling incapable and useless.
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Popa Seafood is an illustrated pop-up zine combining the paper engineering of Popa Nota and the charming illustrations of Willwin Yang, a self-proclaimed mega foodie.
In this edition of Popa Seafood, we explore the three classic dishes of Malaysian Chinese seafood restaurants: Steamed lala clams, steamed fish, and the famous Chili Crab. These three dishes will be served in a unique dimensional format: open the zine and watch your meal pop up in front of your eyes!
Amid the jumbled feelings of longing, melancholy, affection, and heartbreak, as ambulance and police sirens blare while escorting crooked state officials, and despite the limited space and dying spirits, they still have the fire to shout, ‘LET’S GO,’ ‘COME ON,’ ‘LET’S DO THIS,’ ‘BEAT IT’ in their movement. This is what defines Dongker.
The central theme of Ceriwis Necis revolves around the tension between opposing powers and the imbalance of personal space. Rather than being expressed bluntly, each song offers a narrative filled with subtle yet recurring jabs.
Dongker aspires to be an egalitarian creative platform, inviting anyone with similar ambitions to elevate their personal space to an equal level while courageously challenging the powers governing any environment they reside in. This book pays homage to moments that are vulgar, insolent, chaotic, humorous, and sometimes vile or gross, as well as the occasional times where they touch those resonating with their authenticity.
This book and cassette release commemorate Dongker’s (a punk band from Bandung, Indonesia) debut album, Ceriwis Necis.
Supersonic Studio, a studio dedicated to indie music & also a zine maker, presents their totally biased guide to the indie music map of Seoul.
Diari Seorang Tailor peers into the culture of fashion-making during the 1960s–70s Pop Yeh Yeh heydays through the lens of a tailor, Rahman Sa’at. The speculative visual diary documents the tailoring business of the musician-turned-tailor who found his niche in dressing performers and musicians. As he chronicles his journey through historical events, his experiences highlight his key position as a tastemaker in Singapore’s entertainment industry and the interconnectedness of music and tailoring cultures. The diary draws upon real stories from conversations with practicing and retired tailors, fashion historical research, and features graphic styles of popular Malay entertainment magazines.
What Will Be, Will Be is a poignant, hilarious, and witty memoir by Vietnamese comic artist Phan, tracing his journey from a small-town boy enchanted by comics to a professional creator. Through his story, Phan reflects on the true cost of following a dream: Is passion enough to build a career, or does it demand even more? This heartfelt memoir captures both the challenges and joys of chasing what you love—a must-read for anyone pursuing a career in the arts.
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(1) Dodol Zine is a genre-based comics anthology. Its goal is to unite local artists to create visual narratives that explore various themes and voices. Named after the beloved Malaysian dessert, Dodol Zine is a rich and heartwarming treat, just like the confection it’s named after. The zine is Risograph printed, which utilizes halftone dots to bring vibrancy and texture to its pages.
For our first volume, the theme will be ”DIALOGUE“ and will feature 3 artists (Zhao Hong, Shin Chi & Sang Ngeoh) each from a different artistic background.
(2) This book, a collaboration with Ee Von, explores the potential of social housing through a photographic journey of Vienna’s communal spaces. Inspired by experiences in London and Vienna, it challenges the local stigma around affordable housing and encourages resource-sharing. With an interactive survey at the end, she invites readers to contribute ideas for better, more affordable housing solutions.
(3) This collaborative zine with QiXyuan, created with illustrative images, delves into the complexities of modern dating. Crafted outside her usual work norms, it explores how social media has expanded the possibilities of connecting with others—whether strangers or acquaintances—making the process of finding a partner more complicated as the abundance of choices leads to tougher decisions.
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(1) Islanders Issue 04 ABUNDANT ISLAND 「浮城自足」
(2) 《潮汐之間》
(1) Islanders Issue 04
Abundant Island
浮城自足
Economy that serves people
以人為本的後增長經濟發展模式
Still strolling around? Are you enjoying the slow pace of the island, or simply can’t find food because all restaurants are “closed for a few days”? Isn’t it surprising to find that so many businesses use such a vague expression? Let’s have a look at the other side of these “休息” (rest) signs and discuss what should be at the core of our economies.
一天中午，想逛逛島上有什麼好吃。
關門的店總是比開門的店多。
這間店中午關門，那間晚上才開，還有這間休息數天。
而其實，休息數天，到底是多少天？
來，幫忙顧店一下，看看你又會休息幾天？
(2) 《潮汐之間》以坪洲為背景，透過個人經歷與夢境的交織，進行以島上人物為背景的文學創作。那些不張揚的小事，如天后廟前沉睡的黃狗、飄落整座島嶼的木棉花絮和隔壁小孩的哭泣，在她的筆下化為生命的呼吸。人與天、天與地、地與海、海與人之間的循環往復，應運而生。《潮汐之間》一部富有詩意和哲思的散文，以坪洲這座島嶼出發，探討了個人與離島、人類與非人類島民、離島與城市、夢境與真實等諸多人生命題。
Crafting Communities Through Independent Publishing in Japan
In a globalizing and digital-first world, print media and Japan’s cultural traditions may seem like anomalies. This talk by sankaku explores how independent publishing bridges two worlds: makers, creatives, and practitioners in Japan who are blending traditional knowledge with contemporary practice, and global readers seeking a deeper understanding of Japan beyond stereotypes. Drawing on their volumes covering manufacturing in Tokyo, ramen culture, and religion in Japan, sankaku shares lessons from their publishing journey and reflects on the unique role and potential of indie print today.
About Sankaku
David is the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of sankaku, an independent print publication celebrating craft and the people behind it. Based in Tokyo, he brings years of experience collaborating with designers, buyers, and manufacturers in Japan’s traditional craft industry to share a richer, more nuanced perspective of Japan for a global audience.
Further Reading Print No.4: Learning Within, Learning Without—Modes of Design Enquiry
Further Reading Print fourth iteration looks into modes of learning not limited to pedagogical practices within formal design educational institutions, but also within communities and society at large. to spotlight self-organised, sporadic, spontaneous, and informal educational initiatives within the realm of creative practices. Though these initiatives are not limited to design as the sole discipline, they are crucial in informing design practice in general.
These initiatives are often catalysed by communities outside of the design world, such as artists, writers, researchers, academia, and others. From these convergences and intersectionalities, we observed how those initiatives gave way to the emergence of communities, discourses, artworks, objects, or even strategies.
(1)” Catish”
(2)”浮狸新聞 PU-RI DIARY”vol.1,2
(3)” LUCKY LETTER”
(4) Grimm’s fairy tale book series “SWEET PORRIDGE” / “THE THREE LANGUAGES”/ “SNOWDROP”
(1)”Catish”
by Yuko Koike
This is the record of the fictional language that the author named “Catish”.(Of course, just for fun.)
It comes from my imagination that if ancient people invented letters from the shape of their pet?
For example, the drawing of the book cover means “X”.
(2)”浮狸新聞 PU-RI DIARY”vol.1,2
Drawing by pu-ri, Designed by Yuko Koike
ZINE series with Ink brush painting. It was unveiled at Fukuoka Art Book Fair in June.
It’s a kind of picture diary, with things that vaguely occurred to me from each month.
“pu-ri” is the name of Yuko as a painter.
(3)”LUCKY LETTER”
by Zin Nagao
Collection of works by typeface designer Zin Nagao. Published to coincide with the exhibition ‘LUCKY LETTER’ at Ao-Hata Bookstore in Fukuoka.
The book contains typeface samples of four fonts newly created at the exhibition and includes a download code for each font.
(4) Grimm’s fairy tale book series
Typography and Graphics designed by Zin Nagao
“SWEET PORRIDGE”
As the story involves much porridge, a muddled typeface is produced and laid out to fill the pages.
“THE THREE LANGUAGES”
The story is tumultuous and fast-paced. To express this tempo in text only, the layout was un-formatted, with different typefaces for each sentence and word, and was improvised.
“SNOWDROP”
This tale has many exciting scenes. Zin used eye-piercing graphics and typography to create something far from the world-famous “Snow Drop” image.
Food as a Conversation Starter
Endlessly relatable and fundamentally universal, food has always been more than sustenance; it is a vehicle to trace stories, histories and cultural issues. With that in mind, what are the alternative uses of a “food book”? Can food be used to reframe historical narratives; spotlight underrepresented communities; or connect a diaspora? In an age of neverending food hacks, celebrity cookbooks and click-baits, why choose food as a central theme for a publication?
Join us for a conversation where the editors, publishers and writers of four Southeast Asian food publications will discuss the possibilities of food in print: as a vehicle for culture, history and identity; as a medium for exploring a diverse range of issues, and so much more.
Andi Miranti brings together all the characters from his three-book series on the adventures of Ned Dickens into this fun-filled activity book. “Ned Dickens Guide to Just About Every Fun Thing” contains activities, games, stories, and drawings, all filled with your favorite characters, inventions, places, and ideas from the book series! It also includes the author’s story “The Drawing Evolution of Andi Miranti”, which tells about his journey of growth as an individual, as an artist and as someone with autism.
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The theme of our inaugural issue is “Deflection.” This concept delves into the moments when football intersects with unexpected elements, creating something entirely new and surprising. In today’s ever-evolving landscape, football is no longer just a sport; it’s a canvas where culture, technology, art, and social movements collide, leading to outcomes we could never have anticipated. “Deflection” explores these intriguing junctures—where the ball changes course, so to speak—resulting in a fusion of influences that reshapes the game in ways we never imagined possible. This theme highlights the unpredictability of football’s journey in the contemporary world, where the sport continually deflects off various cultural and social currents, leading to astonishing and groundbreaking transformations.
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This talk reflects on the thinking that shapes our culture and the journey of five distinct designers, each with a unique vision, coming together to form a cohesive team.
Under the name kongsi—meaning “”sharing”” in Malay—we’ve created a platform that celebrates individuality within collaboration. In the daily grind of client projects and tight deadlines, it’s easy to lose touch with our creative instincts. This initiative is our way of reconnecting with our personal styles, each of us bringing a new layer to the collective.
We’ll share how we unite our distinct personalities, styles, and ideas into one shared vision, where every voice matters. It’s a process shaped by both challenges and creative breakthroughs, reminding us why creating for ourselves, as much as for others, is essential.
About Kongsi Design: Five Personalities • Five Designers • Five Creations • One Team
We are a team of five, united by a name that embodies the spirit of sharing—” kongsi ” in Malay.
As graphic designers, we’re constantly juggling client projects, deadlines, and tight briefs. Each of us has a creative side that’s eager to break free! Sometimes, we lose touch with our instincts and personal style, forgetting the joy of creating just for ourselves.
This self-initiated platform gives us the freedom to express who we are, each bringing a unique personality, style, and perspective. Together, we’re excited to explore endless possibilities, blend our viewpoints, and create a distinct collective voice. Most importantly, we’re here to have fun! 🙂
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The Tanah-Air book captures the essence of the Klang River Festival 2023, reflecting on the deep connection between humans, land, and water. Divided into three thematic parts—Air, Tanah, and Tanah-Air—the book explores the cultural, ecological, and philosophical significance of the Klang River and its surrounding environment through explorative pieces of research, prose, and poetry.
Each section highlights the complexities of our relationship with nature, our role as stewards of this land, and the shared identity forged by these elements. The book seeks to inspire reflection on the intricate balance of these forces and our responsibility to nurture and protect them.
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What goes behind the making of an indie publication in Malaysia? ‘Do judge this book by its cover’ is a not-so-short presentation introducing ‘Making Malaysia: Navigating Narratives’; a debut publication by R+, the research arm of GDP Architects.
In the first issue of Making Malaysia, the editors dived deep with case studies, lengthy interviews and analytical breakdowns of six contemporary cultural practitioners in Malaysia: BEHATI, a fashion label; Layar Lucida, a film production studio; Ejin Sha, a graphic designer and visual artist; 33.3, a creative and branding agency; No-To-Scale*, an art and spatial design agency; and Sharmin Parameswaran, an independent curator.
This presentation does not intend to be a shameless hard-sell (although if you feel so inclined to purchase the book, please do) but instead a candid sharing session of the hurdles that the R+ team have gone through in order to produce this document, as new publishers, without losing their original purpose and intent.
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- ALL BOOK LAUNCH WILL BE HELD ON KLSCAH Main Stage.
12PM – 8.00PM
The Maple™ Exhibition by RJ Paper is a celebration of a paper range beloved by the local creative community for itsquality & versatility: Maple™ – a truly uncoated paper range by the creatives for creatives. Explore a curated selection ofoutstanding works produced with this exceptional material and learn why Maple™ remains the paper of choice for alltypes of print projects. RJ Paper is grateful to share The Maple™ Exhibition with you at KLABF.
Supported by:
KL Art Book Fair, Institut Seni Lukis Malaysia (MIA), The One Academy, UCSI University
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- EXHIBITION WILL BE HELD AT XIAO EN ROOM, GROUND FLOOR, KLSCAH.