Sprawling over 7,000 square feet of exhibition space, the three-day Kuala Lumpur Art Book Fair (KLABF) 2023 will transform the Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) in Kampung Attap into a haven for readers, designers and art lovers alike, with international and local exhibitors from over 13 countries.

The biggest edition to date, KLABF 2023 brings together 52 international exhibitors hailing from China, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, The Netherlands and USA.  

Founded in 2021, the KLABF is an independent annual event celebrating contemporary art, design and printed matters led by LIE Design. Being the first-of-its-kind in Malaysia, the KLABF stands as a global platform for creative practitioners and the self-publishing community to unite, collaborate and explore design printworks in the realm of artistic endeavours while offering audiences a window to discover some of the world’s best indie publishers, artbook makers and artists, all within a single setting.

The KLABF 2023 introduces an exciting line-up, promising a captivating array of visual feasts:

Among the new additions are Ajim Juxta, an award-winning Malaysian visual artist and lyricist known for his creations exploring the topics of architecture, dystopia and mythology; Celebrated for his quirky character creations inspired by Malaysia’s multicultural context, artist cum designer, Radio Woon is set to be a highlight with his large eyes and weird-mouthed friends from the LALA Company. Also gracing the show is Grafis Nusantara, an Indonesian collective deeply committed to the preservation and reproduction of vintage label stickers across the archipelago, featuring some of the rarest collectibles within their digital archive; Singapore’s In Plain Words is an editorial studio that examines everyday life through food and design. Sojanggak from South Korea specialises in crafting books that encapsulate the beauty of visual culture and narratives from Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, Enya Lim, the youngest exhibitor at KLABF 2023, is a 10-year-old self-taught artist from Malaysia. Her endearing doodles had adorned a variety of canvases, including red packets, tote bags and t-shirts. In addition to an extensive range of art books, zines, magazines and limited-run imprints, visitors can also look forward to a series of book launches and talks, sharing sessions, hands-on workshops, exhibitions, etc.

To elevate the fair’s experience, KLABF has collaborated with Cahaya Create and G.F. Smith to curate an art installation that showcases a spectrum of multicoloured paper clouds!

KLABF 2023 will be at the Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) from Dec 8 to 10, 12pm to 8pm. The admission fee is RM 12 (excluding processing and handling fee); free entry for children under 12 years old. You may purchase the tickets via this link. For the complete programme list, visit official KLABF website or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

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