3 artists, 3 countries.

Discover a collection that joins three contemporary creatives from three countries, each using a distinctive art form to interpret their national traditions. Mark Sakura season with Japanese manga creator Momoko Sakura and celebrate the Year of the Dragon with Chinese artist Zeng Fanzhi and South Korean typographic designer Ahn Sang Soo.

ZENG FANZHI

Immerse yourself in the world of Zeng Fanzhi, one of China's most celebrated artists of our time. After graduating from the Hubei Institute of Fine Arts in 1991, Zeng has continued to mesmerize audiences worldwide with his technical mastery and his ability to conjure emotion from his subject matter. Based in Beijing, he has showcased his works in exhibitions around the world, solidifying his status as a true icon of Asian art.

In an exclusive collaboration for the Moleskine Asian Collection 2024, Zeng Fanzhi and Moleskine unveil the Year of the Dragon notebooks, featuring an intimate close-up of an original artwork by the artist, inspired by over 2000 years of traditional Chinese aesthetics and abstractions, and the contemporary exploration of the oil painting medium.

“This year is the Year of the Dragon and also my birth year. Dragon is a special presence in the 12 zodiacs of Chinese culture. It embodies the beauty of nature though it does not exist in reality. To me, it represents sensitivity, courage and vitality. ‘February 2, Dragon Raises its Head’ reflects my observations and feelings of nature, and also symbolises my faith in the infinite potential of human beings. I wish you all a happy Year of the Dragon.”
Zeng Fanzhi

AHN SANG SOO

Ahn Sang Soo is a talented visual designer and typographer who was awarded the Gutenberg Prize by Leipzig, Germany in 2007. He has participated in exhibitions in many countries and was invited to participate in the 2022 Tokyo Biennale. He established the independent design school PaTI (Paju Typography Institute) and currently serves as its principal.

His Limited Editions for Moleskine celebrate the Year of the Dragon through an innovative interpretation of the traditional Korean alphabet.

Letters are shadows of words,
My extension and my expansion.
Therefore,
I imagine with letters.
I resonate with letters.
I leave fossils of my thoughts with letters.

I attempt a conversation with letters.
I see the letters.
The letters see me.
The letters stand barefoot, never approaching.

Thoughts trapped in the letters,
Once again
Escape to the letters.

- Ahn Sang Soo

MOMOKO SAKURA

Manga creator Momoko Sakura is the author of the much-loved manga character Chibi Maruko-Chan. The series is based on Momoko's childhood with a heartwarming and often poignant story portraying the lives of 3rd grader Maruko along with her family and friends.

More than 32.5 million manga, including the digital version, have been issued, while the animation has been broadcast around the world. Three generations of Japanese and Asians have grown up watching, reading, and living with Chibi Maruko-Chan over the past 35 years.