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Yi Pei takes home the Yusof Gajah Illustration Award! — Wizard Within at Selangor International Book Fair 2025
Connecting Heart and Mind
From 28th November until 7th December, Wizard Within participated in the Selangor International Book Fair 2025.
Under the theme of “Connecting Heart and Mind”, this year’s SIBF called on visitors to explore beyond the text and view books as mediums for bringing together cultures and communities across borders.
The Yusof Gajah Illustration Award is also held annually in conjunction with the book fair to honour the accomplished artist, Mohd Yusof Ismail, and inspire illustrators of all age groups to push the limits of their creativity and explore book-making.
Photo credit: https://www.instagram.com/sibfselangor/
Yusof Gajah Illustration Award
On 5th December, an award ceremony was held where our very own illustrator, Yi Pei, was awarded with the grand prize for the Adult category by Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, the Queen Consort of Selangor!
Out of 353 entries, Yi Pei’s work captured the heart of jurors and audiences that managed to view her illustrations up close as exhibited throughout the duration of the fair.
Yi Pei submitted three illustrations which told a story of a small riceball or tang yuan that is carried on an adventure by a bird where they eventually meet a pani puri and onde-onde at a dinner table.
At a glance, the story is as sweet and heartwarming as ginger syrup but the depth of Yi Pei’s work lies in the subtleties of her storytelling. Scattered throughout the three artworks are hints and iconographies of what it means to exist within a Malaysian space.
From the top-down view of the kitchen, intricate tiles and gates, to the very tablecloth of the dinner table — Yi Pei’s work evokes familiarity as well as a warm introduction to new audiences on the interiority of local realities.
It weaves a story on differences that is united despite looming threats and anxieties. The small tang yuan comes face to face with birds and a large cat and yet, their fears reap the great reward of diverse community as represented by the pani puri and onde-onde.
For aspiring illustrators, Yi Pei encourages all creators to begin from their own lived experiences. She applauds younger audiences that possess the courage to speak on issues that they feel are important and she believes that with continued earnestness in art, a more tolerant and accessible community can be achieved.
We sincerely thank SIBF, the Yusof Gajah Illustration Award, and everyone that visited our booth for the unforgettable 10-day experience.
