The Kuala Lumpur Illustration Fair (KLIF) 2025 is set to ignite the creative scene from 1-4 May 2025 at GMBB, Kuala Lumpur’s vibrant creative community mall. Now in its third year, KLIF returns bigger and bolder, spanning three floors of GMBB with an inspiring mix of artist booths, art rooms, gallery spaces, and interactive experiences. This year’s fair celebrates the boundless imagination of 180 artists from Malaysia, Southeast Asia, and beyond, showcasing a dynamic range of illustrations, live demos, talks, and workshops that bridge local talent with global creativity.

A Feast of Illustration and Innovation

KLIF 2025 transforms GMBB into a multi-level canvas, with exhibitions unfolding across the Ground Floor (ticketing and orientation), Level 1 (artist booths), and Level 2 (curated showcases).

In the fair Visitors can explore everything from hand-drawn art to digital works, zines, and art toys, with foreign artists’ sales supported by KLIF’s seamless payment system.

Additional Highlights include the Illustrator Wall, a stunning display of KLIF posters on KLIF website crafted by participating artists.

Meet the Artists: 180 Illustrators

KLIF 2025 proudly presents a diverse roster of 180 artists, each bringing their unique flair to the fair.

The full list includes:

Highlighted Artists

Among this incredible lineup, KLIF 2025 shines a spotlight on seven exceptional talents:

GMBB: Our Community Partner in Creativity

GMBB—Bukit Bintang’s iconic creative community mall and KLIF’s unwavering partner since its inception—continues to fuel artistic innovation as our venue partner. Renowned for its mission to elevate Malaysian creatives, GMBB’s vision aligns seamlessly with KLIF’s goal of nurturing and showcasing talent. Spanning nine floors of art studios, galleries, and event spaces, the mall has become a cornerstone of Kuala Lumpur’s creative scene, hosting over 100 tenants and landmark events like KLIF to empower artists, artisans, and cultural storytellers.

By dedicating three full floors of exhibition space to KLIF, GMBB ensures every creator’s voice resonates across Malaysia’s cultural landscape. This partnership has been instrumental in scaling KLIF’s impact, transforming the fair into a thriving platform where ideas converge and artistic journeys unfold. The mall’s vibrant ecosystem unites creatives nationwide, fostering collaboration among illustrators, designers, and visionaries while cultivating a dynamic community rooted in innovation. Here, creativity transcends individual expression—it becomes a collective force, weaving a rich tapestry of talent that elevates Malaysia’s artistic identity.

The Reflection Tunnel by Filamen x Enabling Academy (Yayasan Gamuda)

Located on the 3rd Floor, The Reflection Tunnel makes its debut at KLIF 2025, offering a groundbreaking immersive experience designed to challenge perceptions and champion neurodiversity, promoting empathy, understanding, and inclusion. A collaboration between Filamen and Enabling Academy (Yayasan Gamuda), this four-room installation guides visitors through a sensory journey of light, shadow, and reflection, urging them to confront societal biases and embrace inclusivity. By engaging sight, sound, and touch, the tunnel transforms abstract ideals of empathy into visceral understanding, aligning with KLIF’s mission to spark cultural dialogue and drive social change.

This initiative is rooted in Gamuda’s decade-long leadership in workplace inclusion. Since 2013, the organization has pioneered the hiring of autistic adults, expanding its neurodiversity advocacy in 2017 by mentoring partner companies to adopt inclusive practices. Enabling Academy, a pillar of this effort, empowers individuals with equal access to sustainable careers, ensuring their talents contribute to a more equitable society. Their partnership with Filamen bridges art and activism, creating a space where creativity fosters connection—a philosophy central to KLIF 2025’s vision of art as a catalyst for collective growth.

Yunnan Arts University: Bridging Tradition and Innovation

KLIF 2025 proudly deepens its collaboration with Yunnan Arts University, presenting an exclusive showcase of unique works by leading Chinese artists. Nestled in Yunnan—a region revered for its cultural heritage and artistic innovation—the university has carved a global reputation for bridging traditional craftsmanship with avant-garde digital art and contemporary design. Its visionary programs nurture artists who reimagine folkloric motifs through cutting-edge mediums, creating a dialogue between the past and the future.

This year’s exhibition highlights thought-provoking pieces, including Digital Fractal Art, which marries algorithmic precision with meditations on faith and desire, and Time Blackhole, an interactive video installation where audience choices warp spacetime, embodying Einstein’s relativity. The Tin Wave Sculpture juxtaposes ancient craftsmanship with the dynamism of youth, symbolizing cultural endurance through a weathered fisherman amidst molten waves. Equally provocative is Will There Be a Melting Knife?, a conceptual piece blending Zhuangzi’s philosophy with thermodynamics to interrogate modernity’s impact on tradition. Complementing these works, Yunnan’s academic leadership drives critical dialogues through conference topics like Zero Waste Fashion Design and Digitalization of Ethnic Costumes, exploring sustainability and technology’s role in preserving heritage. Together, these elements cement KLIF 2025 as a nexus of ideas—where timeless wisdom meets avant-garde experimentation, and art becomes a universal language for reimagining the future.

ArtPage x A4A Gallery: Cross-Cultural Artistry

At Level 4F, KLIF 2025 proudly bridges Malaysian creativity and global excellence with ArtPage x A4A Gallery, presenting a special exhibition by celebrated Chinese artist Lin Wenjun (Junc). Renowned for his boundary-pushing visual narratives, Lin’s work epitomizes the transformative power of cross-cultural dialogue, captivating audiences with bold storytelling and a universal visual language that transcends borders.

ArtPage—a global digital arts platform and content development pioneer—has championed creative innovation since 2006. Its flagship initiative, leeviART, unites elite Chinese CG artists, spearheading international projects like the “Share One Planet” CG Art Elite Invitational Competition (featuring 300+ global artists) and partnerships with 25+ organizations across 100+ exhibitions and competitions (2006–2015). Through two decades of collaboration with digital creators, ArtPage has honed a visionary lens for unique artistry, expanding into publishing, film, gaming, retail, and iconic licenses, to name a few:

• Rechild by Zenshen (Malaysia)
• Ghost by Lin Wenjun (China)
• Psychopomp by Barlow (US)
• Expedition: 2359 A.D. (China’s acclaimed sci-fi series)

In 2023, ArtPage further solidified its leadership by co-hosting the Yunnan Digital Arts & CG Exhibition and Summit Forum with the Yunnan Provincial Museum and Yunnan Arts University. This legacy of collaboration mirrors KLIF’s mission, merging global innovation with local creativity to redefine the future of artistic expression.

Tonton Malaysia: Amplifying Creativity Nationwide

KLIF 2025 is proud to partner with Tonton Malaysia, the nation’s leading video streaming platform, to elevate the fair and celebrate Malaysia’s booming creative economy. This collaboration merges KLIF’s artistic vision with Tonton’s nationwide influence, ensuring illustrators, creators, and audiences alike experience the fair’s vibrant energy—both on-ground and online.

Under Media Prima Digital, Tonton boasts millions of monthly viewers and a diverse catalog spanning local hits like Ejen Ali, blockbuster films, and live events. In a highlight of this collaboration, Ejen Ali, the Malaysia’s most beloved animated hero, will make a special appearance at KLIF 2025. Visitors can expect an immersive on-ground activation inspired by the series, offering a family-friendly interactive experience that merges art, storytelling, and technology, underscoring Tonton’s commitment to bridging entertainment and creative innovation.

Together with KLIF and host venue GMBB, Tonton Malaysia will help bring the vibrant world of illustration to life, setting this year’s KLIF to be a key cultural event for illustrators, creators, and the wider public, showcasing the vibrancy and potential of Malaysia’s growing creative economy.

Taipei Corners in Kuala Lumpur

KLIF is excited to welcome the Taipei Cultural and Creative Industry Development Project, guided by the Department of Cultural Affairs, Taipei City Government, as an official partner for the Kuala Lumpur Illustration Fair (KLIF) 2025.

Through their Taipei corners initiative, this dynamic program empowers Taiwanese creative talents to shine on the global stage. By offering policy support, business consultation, workshops, and industry matchmaking, they boost Taipei’s cultural and creative sector while fostering international exchange. With a track record of showcasing Taiwanese brands in cities like Beijing, Tokyo, Bangkok, and Hong Kong, they’re now bringing their vibrant energy to KLIF!

This year, the Taipei Pavilion features 10 outstanding Taiwanese illustration and IP brands, showcasing pop-up retail, interactive workshops, and face-to-face engagement.

It’s a fantastic opportunity for cultural dialogue and market exploration, bridging Taipei’s creativity with Malaysia’s art scene.

KLIF Vision: Painting the Future Together

This year, we aspire to welcome 10,000 attendees to KLIF 2025—a milestone that would reflect the soaring passion for illustration and visual storytelling in Malaysia and beyond. While we strive toward this goal, our greatest hope is to spark connections: between artists and audiences, tradition and innovation, and local creativity and global perspectives. With partners like GMBB, Tonton Malaysia, Yunnan Arts University, and the China Cultural & Creative Industry Development Project, KLIF 2025 is poised to ignite a new chapter of cultural exchange and artistic discovery. Whether you’re a seasoned creator, a curious newcomer, or simply a lover of art, join us in celebrating the boundless potential of imagination. Together, let’s paint a future where creativity knows no limits.