Small presses in Singapore

Nelson Ng is an authority on independent magazine publishing in Asia, so when he offered to write a report from the Singapore Art Book Fair I jumped at the chance. He attended the fair with his travel magazine Lost, and in the following post he shares his thoughts on some of the most interesting magazines he saw across three days at Singapore Art Museum, from 25 to 27 October.

You may already have read his report from Hong Kong Art Book Fair, which we published earlier this year. I loved the glimpse that post gave of an event I wouldn’t otherwise have seen, but there was just one problem – he’s very modest, so he didn’t include his own magazine in the roundup. This time I asked him to include Lost in the mix, so I hope you’ll enjoy seeing that, plus some other favourites from the fair.

Lost is a magazine about self-discovery through travel. It features real stories, personal reflections and epiphanies from people around the world. It believes that travel isn’t about fancy hotels or tourist destinations, but about immersing oneself in someplace entirely foreign, to feel uncomfortable so that one can learn from it. It believes that travel is a state of mind.

We’re in our 10th issue now, and for the most part, we’ve stayed consistent in format and tone, sticking to the idea of personal travels and epiphanies, and presenting travellers’ stories in the most emotional and inspiring way possible. The latest issue has many personal stories about nature, and how we reconsider our relationship with it as we travel. One of our readers who was at the fair told me that he enjoys our magazine because it has a calming effect on him, and we hope others feel the same way too.
lostmagazine.org

Neutral Colors is a Japanese independent publisher and bookbinding company, and it’s also the name of the magazine it publishes. The three are organically connected, with a small group of people coming together to handle everything from printing and binding to distribution. One of the magazine’s most unique features is its combination of offset printing with Risograph printing, creating a beautiful colour palette in a production that must be painstaking to create.

I think there’s something special about this magazine; when the editor-in-chief himself takes part in printing and binding the magazine by hand it changes their relationship to the magazine, redefining what independent publishing actually is. This idea was inspired by his travels to India, where he witnessed books being made by hand from start to finish. It gives the magazine a special handmade quality, and every page feels like a work of art.
neutral-colors.com

There’s a good chance you’ve heard of Rubbish Famzine, which manages to be both a cute family hobby and a world-renowned arts project. Created by Pann (dad), Claire (mum), Renn (son) and Aira (daughter), Rubbish has been publishing for more than a decade, and the 12th issue, titled, The Insatiable Beasts Devours Tokyoto Again, documents the family’s long-awaited return to Tokyo. It consists of nine booklets and 700 pages in total, complete with stickers, a packet of instant ramen, a pair of chopsticks, a napkin, 21 bookmarks and a guitar pick, all contained within an ‘old’ box featuring the family’s fan-art, Ramen Rider.

Every issue of Rubbish Famzine is a surprise, with the family totally reinventing it every time, and I love the fact that it comes in all shapes and forms, and always goes beyond the standard magazine format. It makes for a tactile and layered experience, especially the pack of instant ramen in this latest issue, which makes me wonder if I should cook it and have a taste…
instagram.com/holycrap.sg

A lovely, peaceful project, Science of the Secondary takes an inquisitive approach to look again at the everyday, with founders Alvin Ho and Clara Koh investigating the things and practices that can become so familiar we often overlook them. Every issue puts the spotlight on a different familiar object, with apples, teacups, clocks, windows, and even eggs taking centre stage.

They have remained consistent in their quiet observations since the first issue, and I like the fact that they’ve persisted in the same silent but curious approach, creating a magazine that eases readers into an almost meditative state while considering these quotidian objects.
atelierhoko.com/category/science-of-the-secondary

Serving as a sort of sketchbook for creative ideas, Now & Again reflects on the many different ways of interpreting a simple theme. Combining different projects and collaborations, it’s a demonstration that multiple ideas can be interpreted from just one starting point. Reading the magazine really does feel like flipping through a sketchbook, with ‘Post-Its’ appearing on many pages, akin to artists’ notes. I like how the content feels organic and more like the floating thoughts of artists, as opposed to the conventions of a formal magazine.
nowagainmag.com