2020 has been a year of change for the world. Even as COVID-19 rages on, the role of the TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR (TABF), as a platform in the art publishing scene, is that of utilizing the experiences and connections built up until now, and creating a space where people can discover new artbooks and meet like-minded people in the new virtual realm. In this age of experimentation, we promise not to lose sight of the DIY spirit or our sense of humor as we invite you to join us at the VIRTUAL ART BOOK FAIR (VABF), an online event featuring an array of experiences to give you a multi-faceted look at art books and their many charms.

Approximately 230 different exhibitors will prepare booths for perusal at VABF, which will take place in a virtual space inspired by the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo. We will connect with visitors digitally: offering exhibitor booths, lectures, talk shows, signing events, and more features that capture the allure of all types of printed media. We will also be returning with the Guest Country series, directing our focus this year on the Netherlands. As part of the program, we plan on unraveling Dutch publishing culture through various exhibits – one among them centering around the talented recipients of the country’s 2019 Best Dutch Book Design Award. Another is the Dutch Artists’ Books: Then and Now exhibit, revolving around interviews with frontrunning designers and artists such as Irma Boom, Karel Martens, Ruth van Beek, and more: featuring printed media by the above artists/designers as well as the books that inspired them.

While we intend on keeping the elements that have defined the TOKYO ART BOOK FAIR as a physical event in years past, we also consider this to be an era of experimentation. We promise not to lose sight of our DIY spirit or our sense of humor as we test out new possibilities, and we prepared a variety of exciting events, exhibitions, and features to give you a multi-layered, multi-faceted experience of the art books.