Canadian illustrator Jillian Tamaki has created a psychedelic poster for this year’s East London Comic Arts Festival, which will move to two new venues and introduce masterclasses aimed at professionals for this its fourth edition.
Slime with eyes, a scribbling goblin, a keen reader legs akimbo, a tempura prawn: there’s nothing understated about Canadian illustrator Jillian Tamaki’s surreal poster for the fourth edition of East London Comic Arts Fair. Tamaki was recently awarded this year’s Printz Honor for her book This One Summer, written by Mariko Tamaki, which was also the first graphic novel to receive the prestigious Caldecott Honor, an annual prize that awards the most distinguished American picture book for children. Tamaki will join the Nobrow-run festival as artist-in-residence for 2015, and will be joined by speakers Brecht Vandenbroucke, Henning Wagenbreth, Arnal Ballester, Michael Deforge, Daniela Olejnikova, plus more than 100 other exhibitors, from individual illustrators to international publishing houses.
As anyone who came to last year’s fair will well know, ELCAF’s popularity has grown far beyond just the creative community. To keep up with demand it’s upped its capacity this year, spreading the festival over two sites, Hackney’s The Laundry and neighbouring studios Space. An additional exhibition of work by the Brighton-based Spanish artist Ricardo Cavolo will also run at the satellite location of NOW gallery in Greenwich. Cavolo’s installation will include vibrant flags, which nod to the changing nature of London boroughs. This year will also see the introduction a new series of Masterclasses, aimed at professionals and run in collaboration with the House of Illustration.
ELCAF
20-21 June 2015
The Laundry/Space, London
elcaf.co.uk