A Day Out: Printed Matter’s LA Art Book Fair 2025
On Friday, May 16, 2025, I went to my first LA Art Book Fair (LAABF), held at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena. Printed Matter, Inc. is a non-profit organization from New York with a mission to distribute and promote artists’ books and publications. They founded the NY art fair in 2006 and LA in 2013. As a newcomer in art publication, it was a great event to dip my feet in and discover an ocean of artists with unique styles and messages to share.
Shot on iPhone 14: LAABF Entrance Poster
Although the LAABF has been happening for more than a decade, the timing couldn’t have been better for me to attend. I’ve been immersed in my writer era lately and was on the hunt for some inspiration. The $5 admission was worth every penny, with more than 300 exhibitors showcasing their art publications. I couldn’t stop to see every exhibitor, but there were a couple that had my attention.
Colpa Press
San Francisco-based Colpa Press produces limited editions in collaboration with local artists, along with archival projects that spotlight local history and cultural ephemera. When I came across Colpa Press’ table, I found several books of rave flyers from 1991-1994 from cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Detroit, Paris, and the U.K.
Shot on iPhone 14: Los Angeles Rave Flyers 1991-1994 (book) | Courtesy of Victor Stapf
I bought the Los Angles edition (and regret not picking up the others) because the flyers are dope and like a time machine bound in a book. I was born in 1994 and unfortunately missed ‘90s LA rave culture firsthand, but my experience with LA rave culture two decades later gave me a deep sense of connection to it. The rave flyers also sparked inspiration for a fiction project I’m working on that’s influenced by rave culture and its music.
Killer Acid
Santa Cruz-based Killer Acid is a mixture of psychedelic, punk rock, and head shop art created by artist Rob Corradetti. I instantly recognized Corradetti’s style because it reminded me of John Holmstrom’s PUNK Magazine from the ‘70s punk scene in NY. I had recently watched CBGB (2013), a biopic about the famous NY club that put punk rock on the map, which mentions Holmstrom’s Punk, so I lit up when I recognized the similarities in the artwork.
I bought a sticker called “The Persistence of Cats.” It’s a cute play on Salvador Dalí’s The Persistence of Memory, a piece I loved back in my psychedelic days in early adulthood. Plus, I like cats, so it made me smile.
Shot on iPhone 14: The Persistence of Cats (sticker)
Colpa Press and Killer Acid caught my eye because I’m drawn to underground art and its bold refusal to follow the mainstream. Despite the stigmas surrounding them, both rave and punk cultures have a rebellious spirit with an undeniable power to create community through music.
Shot on iPhone 14: Otis Lab Press (bookmark)
LAABF was a vibe, a treat for my eyes and mind. It showed me that art is still alive and well, thanks to all the publications preserving it for the next generations. There’s so much talent and passion out there, and it definitely gave me a boost to keep working on my own art. I never know who it might reach or inspire.
Shot on iPhone 14: Mak Center for Art and Architecture at The Schindler House (bookmark)
