Kima Ten Years presented a selection of editions and ephemera from the past decade of the imprint, and is organized by longtime collaborator Wendy Yao.
In 2013, graphic designer Lauren Graycar established the publishing imprint Kima. Graycar’s background and experiences figure into the primary output of books, yet the editions may also take other forms—posters, postcards, clothing items, typefaces, washi tape, a wind chime, a short film, an enamel sign, a gilded folio, etc. All aspects of design, production, and distribution are handled by the designer. Editions are often between ten and thirty copies, and sold almost exclusively by mail order. Kima represents Graycar’s cultural history and her position within it, and includes references to regional craft cultures, visual languages of Eastern European typography, Chinese vernacular design, Constructivism, Cubo-Futurism, and other proto-industrial traditions from around the world.
Installation view, Kima Ten Years, Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, February 10–April 7, 2024. Photo: Jeff McLane / ICA LA.