Photo: Courtesy of Singapore Art Book Fair
Singapore Art Book Fair
Mark your calendars, art and literary lovers—Singapore Art Book Fair returns for its fourth run this Thursday at Gillman Barracks. As per usual, there will be lots of art books, lots of zines, and lots of fringe activities to keep you occupied over the long weekend, courtesy of artists, design studios, independent publishers and distributors from around the region. Organised by the good folks at Books Actually, the exhibitors include returning vendors—Singapore's Atelier Hoko, Holycrap and Supermama, Indonesia's Studio Geometry, South Korea's PRISMOf magazine—as well as new ones such as White Fungus magazine from Taiwan and Nobrow Press from UK. Here are some of the launches to look out for at SABF:
1. Rubbish FamZine No.6: An Emojious Odyssey of the Gluttonous Omnivores
Family art collective Holycrap's Rubbish FamZine first launched last week at magazine mecca MagCulture in London, but those of us here in Singapore can finally get our hands on it at SABF. The latest issue, inspired by Pann, Claire, Renn and Aira's culinary journeys, comes packaged in a zi char box, and a custom made RUBBISH plastic bag for takeaways.
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2. Virus: Nice to Meet You
Design studio Fable's Virus magazine sold out at last year's SABF. This year, you can get your hands on reprinted copies of that issue—which looked at nostalgia, memories and stories by cataloguing Rochor Centre—and their latest issue at the same time. Nice to Meet You takes a hard, poignant, necessary (and, as always, stylish) look at the topic of mental illness in Singapore within its pages; featuring contributions from local illustrators as well as those who have shared their own tales of mental health.
3. Trippin' Volume 1: Tokyo Edition
A labour of love by graphic designers Ella Zheng and Ryan Len, this guide to Tokyo is for those looking for off the beaten path recommendations from a couple who is into all things design-related (Think: A bookstore that only sells a rotating selection of one book per week). Look out for Trippin' at Supermama's booth at SABF.
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4. Let Us Discover Yet Again
Dedicated to the MacRitchie forest, with her new publication, Let Us Discover Yet Again, Pearlyn Sim "hopes to inspire readers to take a step back and (re)discover nature in Singapore."
5. An Anatomy of Singapore's Hawker Fare: Lunch & Dinner
A Singaporean artist and illustrator based in both Tokyo and Singapore, Junel Fujinuki's (aka My Paper Pigeon) ode to our local hawker culture continues with a Lunch & Dinner edition. As with the previous Breakfast issue, the zine is bursting with illustrations celebrating our nation's quirks, culinary and otherwise.
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6. SAND Magazine merch
Photo: Courtesy of SAND
SAND x Chirashi Bomb
True to the bi-annual publication's philosophy of fuelling both the consumer and creative, and the importance of shopping local, SAND Magazine's first series of collaborations puts the spotlight on Singaporean illustrators with merch you will want to cop immediately. Think: Tote bags designed by Chirashi Bomb to reflect the magazine's identity and the upcoming second issue, Fuel; and iron-on patches designed by UltraaViolets & Tee's by Alex, including a Tamagotchi-inspired patch that you definitely need in your life.
Singapore Art Book Fair 2017 is on from Thursday to Sunday, admission is free.
OPENING NIGHT
27 April, Thursday 19:00 - 22:00
FAIR DAYS
28 April, Friday 10:00 - 20:00
29 April, Saturday 10:00 - 20:00
30 April, Sunday 10:00 - 19:00
VENUE
7 Lock Road, Gillman Barracks
Singapore 108935
By Annabelle Fernandez