The Buenos Aires International Book Fair is the largest of its kind in the Spanish speaking world. It is considered as one of the most important cultural and editorial events in Latin America, and as a meeting point for authors, editors, book sellers, distributors, teachers, librarians, scientists, and over 1,200,000 readers from around the world. Just as in last year's edition, the Fair will occupy the whole of the 45,000 sqm of La Rural exhibition complex, in its "Ocre", "Azul", "Verde", "Amarillo", "Rojo", "Blanco", and Nº 9 pavilions. The Fair features conferences, round-tables, talks with prestigious national and international intellectuals, book presentations, shows, activities for children and teenagers, events for specialists and publishing professionals, and book sales of literature in all languages.

The special activities this year include: a Book Reading Marathon; the 4th International Poetry Festival; the International Meeting "Thinking democracy"; a Story-telling meeting; free courses and workshops.

One of the outstanding features of the Fair is the participation of internationally renowned authors. Some of the intellectuals that have confirmed their presence this year are: Swedish writer Henning Mankell; Italian pedagogue Francesco Tonucci; Dominican writer Junot Díaz (winner of the Pulitzer Prize 2008); Argentine philosopher Néstor García Canclini; French writer Michel Lafon; Spaniard writer and journalist Juan José Millás, ansd American philosopher Judith Butler; among others.

There's a special sector for children between 4 and 12 years of age, with activities like story telling, a children's library, and a playground. For teenagers between 12 and 18, talks, conferences, courses and presentations, related this year to the "International Year of Astronomy"

On Thursday April 30th, the fair will stay open from 2 pm to 1 am, celebrating "The night of the city at the fair". On that date the entrance will be free after 8.30 pm.

Location: La Rural Exhibition Center, Ave. Santa Fe and Sarmiento, Palermo, Buenos Aires.
Dates: April 23th through May 11th, 2009
Opening hours:
Sunday to Thursday: 2 pm to 10 pm
Friday and Saturday: 2 pm to 11 pm
Thursday April 30th: 2 pm to 2 am
Entry fee:
Monday to Thursday: AR$ 10.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and May 1st (holiday): AR$ 13.
Children under 12, free (except May 1st).
Wednesday April 30th, after 9 pm: free.

For further information, visit the 35th International Buenos Aires Book Fair official website (in Spanish only).

The world famous Japanese artist and designer, Kenzo Takada, opened his art exhibition in Buenos Aires, the first one featuring his plastic work in Latin America, at the new art gallery Lordi Arte Contemporaneo, in San Telmo - Venezuela 617 - in a new turn of his artistic career.
This is his third art exhibition, composed of paintings, sculptures and collages, that have already been exhibited in Munich and Morocco.
His paintings, some of them in large dimensions, show in their majority women among pieces of cloth and stamps, colorful sculptures, figurines, an ode to the four seasons (four large paintings featuring different garments, according to every season), and even an homage to Buenos Aires with a painting featuring a couple dancing tango with the Obelisk in the background.
Kenzo's exhibition can be visited through July 10, 2009, Monday to Friday 11 am to 8 pm.