Taiwanese artists A ee mi and Saitemiss will participate in the 2023 MoCCA Arts Festival, Manhattan’s largest independent comics and cartoon festival, on April 1-2, followed by an artist talk at the New York Public Library on April 3.
Thanks to the support of the Taipei Cultural Center in New York, Taiwanese comic artists and illustrators have presented the “Taiwan Comics” table at the MoCCA Arts Festival since 2017 to introduce their innovative and diverse works to an international audience. A ee mi and Saitemiss will represent Taiwan among the 500+ creators featured at this year’s edition of the prestigious festival in New York City.
The two artists will also participate in an English-language artist talk program at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library to discuss their craft, works, and zine creations.
Saitemiss’ artwork often features the theme of love, and her gleaming protagonists brim with vivid emotions. She will be presenting her latest zines, titled “Year End,” and “Before Evolution,” along with other creations.
A ee mi’s creations have become well-known for their use of bold graphics and bright, fluorescent colors to express her feelings and views on social issues. In addition to a collection of zines, the English version of A ee mi’s comic book, “Platonic Love (紅配綠),” will also make its debut at the Festival. The LGBTQ+-themed work was nominated for Best Comic Strip Collection at Taiwan’s Golden Comic Awards in 2019.
The MoCCA Arts Festival, which has been organized by the New York-based Society of Illustrators since 2002, draws over 7,000 attendees annually. With exhibiting artists displaying their work, award-winners speaking about their careers and artistic processes, and other featured artists conducting demos, lectures, and panels, the Festival celebrates all genres of illustration through exhibitions and programs.
The 2023 MoCCA Arts Festival
Taiwan Comics: A ee mi x Saitemiss (Table 256)
Date and Time: April 1 from 11:00 am-7:00 pm and April 2 from 11:00 am-6:00 pm
Location:
• The Exhibitor Hall: the Metropolitan Pavilion (125 W 18th St, New York, NY 10011)
• Programming: the SVA Flatiron Gallery (133 W 21st St, New York, NY 10011)
For more information, please visit: https://www.moccafest.org
Artist Talk
Taiwan Comics: A ee mi and Saitemiss’ Adventure in Illustration
Date and Time: April 3, 2023, from 6:30-7:30 pm
Location: Room 303 at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL) (455 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016)
Registration is required. To register, please visit: https://www.nypl.org/events/programs/2023/04/03/taiwan-comics-ee-mi-and-saitemisss-adventure-illustration
About A ee mi
A ee mi is an illustrator and cartoonist who received an MFA degree in Illustration Practice at the Maryland Institute College of Art and is now based in Taiwan. She makes use of psychedelic retro styles, bright colors, and comics that empathize with people’s lives to create therapeutic works on social media. Through the main characters in her comics, “meow meow bug” and “lazy lazy dog,” A ee mi attempts to explore the meaning of love, life, and existence.
A ee mi has participated in various art exhibitions in Taiwan and New York, and she has dedicated herself to creating comics and Zines. Her recent Riso Zine, “Emoland,” was published in 2021.
Follow the artist on Instagram @e.e___c.
About Saitemiss (A.K.A. Jhong Yi-Ting, 低級失誤/鍾逸婷)
Saitemiss is the moniker for the Taiwan-based freelance illustrator Jhong Yi-Ting. Her illustrations, influenced by the Japanese ACG subculture in the 1980s, often feature gender fluid characterization, desaturated colors, and fantasy styles that capture her characters’ fleeting emotions.
Saitemiss’ works have appeared in TIME and Banana Magazine, as well as on ads for Amazon Music and It's Nice That, the renowned platform spotlighting creative practitioners based in London. She also designed the key vision for the Flag Raising Ceremony for Taiwan’s 2022 National Day. Moreover, Saitemiss is known for her collaborations with musicians due to her work designing concert posters for Khruangbin and album covers for Taiwanese pop band Sunset Rollercoaster (落日飛車).
Follow the artist on Instagram @saitemiss.