quint magazine | issue 9

quint magazine | issue 9 | October - November 2011 | complimentary

Our NoteContributor HighlightsNews & Products

DesignOn Transmedia Storytelling and Design IsolationFeatured Artist: Christine BerrieFeatured Artist: Christopher StottFeatured Artist: Ariel ChiseaStudio Visit: Rhea ThiersteinFeatured Artist: Kate Busby

PhotographyBrian OldhamMasha Mel

Film & TheaterTheater in Dubai 2011I’m gonna love and tolerate the shit outta you

Fashion & BeautyPaint it BlackSwedish GardenHeatwaveB.BeautifulSneakers of the MonthPhioro Jewellery - Water Lily collection

MusicThe Black PresidentSziget FestivalHamdan Al AbriAlbum Review: Nils Frahm - FeltAlbum Review: A Winged Victory for the SullenBack to WaxMixtape

LiteratureNew YorkWithoutOf the Concept of EkphrasisThe Kitchen Slave - Day 3WoeWithin the Vicinity of Silent ServitudeReading List

EventsThe State: Social/Antisocial?Bunty LoopingThe Fridge Web LaunchSplash Fashion ShowEvent Listings

Last CallEmail Me Good Spam

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quint magazine | issue 9 | October-November 2011

Editor in Chief Zaina Shreidi [email protected] DirectorGyula Deák [email protected] Development ManagerShashank Parekh [email protected]

Designers Ritu AryaFashion Editor: Pratha SamyrajahPhotographers: Saty+Pratha, Lafi Aboud, Samar AlkhudhairiContributors Prank Moody, Trevor Bundus, Mohamed El Amin,Fares BouNassif, Wael X, Siham Salloum, Trainer Timmy, Nabil Rashid, Hiba Rasheed, Joe DeLorenzo, Ryan Bryle, Ashley Cadzow, Samar Alkhudhairi, Liam Demamiel, Mike Kirakossian

This production and its entire contents are protected by copyright. No use or reprint (including disclosure) may be made of all or any part of this publication in any manner or form whatsoever without the prior written consent of quint. Views expressed in quint magazine do not necessarily represent the opinions of the editors or parent company. quint is published by and a trademark of quint FZ LLC.

Circulation: 10,000Printed by:

GALADARI PRINTING & PUBLISHING LLC

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Contact [email protected] [email protected]

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www.quintdubai.comwww.quintmagazine.com

OUR NOTE

FIRST AND FOREMOST WE ARE SAD TO SAY GOODBYE TO STEVE. WE MISS YOU ALREADY...

SO, APPARENTLY IF YOU LOVE SOMETHING, YOU’LL KEEP DOING IT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU END UP WORKING DAYS ON END UNTIL RIDICULOUS HOURS.

ALTHOUGH, WE’VE REALISED THIS WHOLE MAGAZINE THING IS LENDING US SOME FUN OPPORTUNITIES. WE GOT TO MEET BUNTY AND SEE HER PERFORM AT TRAFFIC, SAW INCREDIBLY FLEXIBLE DANCERS HANGING FROM THE FRIDGE’S CEILING, ENJOYED AN ART CRAWL IN SERKAL AVENUE, AND OF COURSE OUR REGULAR QUINT @ THE FRIDGE EVENTS.

ALSO OUR WONDERFUL AND INCREDIBLY LUCKY MUSIC WRITER MOE IS IN LONDON WITH FELLOW WRITER PRANK, WHO WE MISSED TERRIBLY THIS ISSUE. MOE HAS ALREADY GOTTEN TO MEET IRON & WINE (AGAIN) AND WE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE STORIES THAT WILL DRIVE US MAD WITH JEALOUSY AS HE HEADS OFF TO ICELAND FOR THE ICELAND AIRWAVES FESTIVAL, WHERE HE’LL BE SEEING BJORK, AMONG MANY OTHERS.

WE ALSO REALISED THAT OCTOBER IS A HUGE MONTH FOR BIRTHDAYS, INCLUDING OUR QUINTERNS SAMAR AND RYAN, AND THE LOVELY DANA, AS WELL AS ONE GUY WHO HAPPENS TO PUT A LOT INTO QUINT MAGAZINE…

YES, THIS MONTH WE’RE CELEBRATING THE BIRTH OF THE PART-TIME ELVIS IMPERSONATOR, RETIRED RAPPER, TAKE OUT PIZZA AFICIONADO, ADIDAS SUPERSTAR COLLECTOR, DESIGNER EXTRAORDINAIRE, GYULA DEAK.

SO, HAPPY BIRTHDAY GYULA, AND THANKS FOR BEING SUCH A CREATIVE GENIUS AS WELL AS SOURCE OF HILARIOUS MOMENTS IN THE OFFICE.BOLDOG SZULINAPOT!

ZAINA SHREIDI & QUINT TEAMEDITOR IN CHIEF

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My name’s Mike Kirakossian, I’m twenty-three, a psychology student at the Lebanese University. I write, paint, and drink while doing that, I enjoy good music and a good book. (I’ve got an unpublished book)I’m a struggling soul here in Lebanon, just like all the other struggling souls out here. I talk about the common man in everyday life. My friends call me a poet; I believe we all are in a way or another. Cheers!

Imported intern. Working on a degree that specifies in studying humans and their consciousness. she also studies art and holds a long term serious relationship with her nikon. Soon to graduate she came for some experiential education on this side of the world to broaden her horizons.

SAMAR ALKHUDHAIRI

Hiba Rasheed eats, breathes and lives poetry. The Dubai-based Sudanese girl wrote her first short story at the age of five and began her poetic journey at the age of 11. She strongly believes in the power of the word and hopes to positively influence people through her poems. Hip hop-infused works of art like New York’s Def Jam Poets are her muses. She has recited her pieces in events like Pecha Kucha and the Adidas Def Jam Poetry Event. By daytime, she is a Research Manager at MediaSource – publisher of the Middle East & North Africa Media Guide. Although on hiatus these days, you can read her poems and thoughts in http://www.sudanesetruthseeker.blogspot.com or http://www.myspace.com/lyrikalnuisance

HIBA RASHEEDStill fresh out of the exam halls, with all his textbook knowledge and mighty student swag intact, Ryan Bryle is hell bent to conquer! Sadly he is still trying.

Indecisive by nature, Ryan dabbles on everything that has artsy-fartsy written on it. If he finds the time between gorging on books, penning ambiguous bizarr-o proselike things and tinkering with music, he will surely be somewhere without thirst. He really needs to sort his life out. Fact.

Saty + Pratha: Saty Namvar and Pratha Samyrajah are photographers based in London. They work primarily in the fields of fashion and advertising, but have a great affinity for documentary photography. They are curious about the way people live their lives, are generally optimistic, and try never to turn down travel-related work.

Liam is an Australian based university student with too much time on his hands. His diversions include pre-electric Dylan, playing out of tune and pretending he is Ziggy Stardust. He has written for a number of publications of questionable repute and works with Birds Love Fighting, an Australian independent music label.

For what Ashley lacks in age, he makes up for in passion and soul. Boasting over 2000 films in his collection, he has a soft spot for Tarintino films and anything with blood and guts. He is a ghost blogger for the Editor in Chief of a global magazine (though he can’t say whom) and spends his days reading up on the latest fashion trends, music and art. His life has been a whirlwind of chaos and he’s finally planting his feet in the ground.

Dana Dajani is an actor, writer and director. She is currently rounding up performers and designers for Dubai’s first professional, resident theater company. Those interested in collaborating should email: [email protected]

Growing up Nabil had one aim in life: to become a Ninja Turtle. Realizing it required grueling physical prowess to master nun-chucks, he took to writing instead. On walls, carpets, the occasional dog, and sleeping siblings. Today he resorts to notepads. Many say it has gone downhill since then. You can follow him here: twitter.com/heyMojo and at heyymojo.tumblr.com

ASHLEY CADZOW

MIKE KIRAKOSSIAN

SATY+PRATHA

RYAN BRYLE

LIAM DEMAMIEL

NABIL RASHID

DANA DAJANI

CONTRIBUTOR HIGHLIGHTS

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Bring a true painting experience to your iPad? Whaaaaat? Technology continues to boggle my mind. Painting with paints is a unique experience, but these geniuses wanted to create the opportunity for you to paint on the go, with a brush that feels like an analog brush on paper or canvas. Not only did they want you to be on the go – but to make sure it was truly portable, it is designed with a cap for transporting, and a rubber stylus nib on the end which also gives you the pen tool. This product is still at its design phase, so visit Sensu on kickstarter to assist with the production.

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A dose of sweet vanilla flavor with a hint of Sicilian lemon and grapefruit leaves you with a refreshing smile, all of that in one little tablet on the go, Lush’s tooth tabs are perfect for long flights and festival madness.

Spray cap stools, need I say more? These stools are created by Alex Garnett, manufactured by hand in GRP with a high gloss finish and different vinyl color nozzles. They’re also suitable for outdoor use, the best way to spruce up your yard parties! Check out how to order them on his website:

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Sensu

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These brightly colored rings, cast in washable crayon, come in a set of 8. Wearable art to make art with – How can you resist? Buy them here!

Feeling old school? Nostalgic for the good old eighties? This iPhone case sure does transform your little light smart phone to the throwback your mom had in the car! I’m back to the eighties! Back to the eighties oh yeah!

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Design a Mini Cabrio

www.quintmagazine.com/ MINIcabriodesigncompetition

The Internet has provided us with instant gratification when it comes to mail, we no longer have to wait weeks to hear from our friends across the world, and of course this is great, but the sad part is we seldom get snail mail. Even with magazines, we can order them to view on our iPads! Quarterly Co. introduces an interesting subscription service that provides you with that great feeling of actually getting snail mail, but with a twist of mystery that ups the anticipation! Quarterly Co. allows you to subscribe to your favorite cultural icons who will send you fun and interesting packages every three months. But wait, it gets better, not only are you somehow connected to this cultural icon, but they curate gifts that are personal and revealing of their character. For example you may receive a replica of your favorite musicians lucky pen that they wrote the lyrics to their first hit with. For more information on how to subscribe visit:

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Who doesn’t love the compact, incredibly well designed chic little sports car? The only way to make the MINI experience even cooler is to bestow upon it unique and awesome designs! And because we love you so, we’re giving all our amazing readers the chance to do just that. So what are you waiting for? Create your very own MINI decal design! Interested?Go to www.quintmagazine.com/MINIcabriodesigncompetition and download the line drawing of the MINI Cabrio. Make it original, and send it back to us by 25th of October to enter!

The winner will get their design foiled onto a MINI Cabrio, which will be presented at the upcoming MINI Festival on October 28th in Dubai (the region’s biggest MINI event) and driven all around town!

Drop us an email if you have any questions: [email protected]

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Razor BogoSOUL PRO HeadphonesAs of late, there are has been a huge array of cans that are backed by superstars and singers of all sizes and levels of fame (or infamy). But does this new bad boy have anything new to offer aside from being flashy albeit generic? Well it’s not. With style and studio-quality sounds coexisting, SOUL by Ludacris is here to change the game. Music snobs, your match might have just arrived.

iStyleoriginals is the essence of self expression that we all crave for in this new mobile social media world. It gives regular folks like us a unique way to tell people a little something about ourselves without being hmm.. iCreepy perchance? Bottom line, iLike and you should too.

The Brutal Simplicity of Thought by Sir Maurice Saatchi

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Smurfs Collectibles

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DESIGN

Let’s take a step away from design practice and talk a little about media studies, or the general realm of critical analysis, comparative arts, and the ideologies that spur thought and vitalise the field.

The idea of the singular message that I wrote about a few issues ago can be considered to be the central purpose of any design project, any designed entity. As I argued back then, this singular message combines pluralities through the formulation of a narrative style that allows for the integration of different ideas in order to fulfil the essential goal of the completed work. It is, fundamentally, a form of storytelling.

An advertising campaign, today, tends to encompass various media. Awareness campaigns stretch out across TV commercials, billboard ads, web banners, print advertisements, and posters, among other things. Corporate launch parties can also include event organisation and film productions. Animations could be a part of other designed creations. Overall, different mediums are used throughout a design project to deliver that singular message.

Except, for some reason, everything I’ve been reading about transmedia storytelling focuses on the integration of electronic/video games (let’s call it gaming) with film and books, animations sometimes, and that’s about it.

Yes, gaming does play a significant role in defining transmedia storytelling, but I can only find one medium (or area? entity?) through which clearly and comprehensively exists through transmedia.

Call it what you like: graphic design, communication design, innovation design, interaction design. It is persistently and intrinsically transmedial. And it is almost always storytelling.

Hemingway’s most famous non-novel would have to be his shortest short story: “For sale: baby shoes, never used.”Wired magazine ran an article about it, asking other established writers to do the same. Here are some of them, from the online (extended) article:“We kissed. She melted. Mop please!” – James Patrick Kelly“Longed for him. Got him. Shit.” – Margaret Atwood“Tick tock tick tock tick tick.” – Neal Stephenson“Bush told the truth. Hell froze.” – William Gibson

The point I’m trying to make? A story doesn’t have to an epic series, multi-volume, told in bits across a multitude of mediums work for its creation to classify as transmedial storytelling.

Those six letter words are true stories.Sit down. Try to imagine the width and breadth of each one of these. The possibilities.

Now imagine what stories designed projects can tell. And consider the numerous ways graphic design can tell them, and through

how many channels. And how each part of the puzzle could be composed using a different outlet.

Then tell me transmedia hasn’t existed long before Assassin’s Creed and The Matrix.

Most of the work done on the subject so far has centred around gaming. That peeves me. And the reason behind it? Yet again, a consistent disregard – avoidance – of academic graphic design theory. And I don’t blame the theoreticians.

Simply speaking, designers have wilfully isolated themselves from the scholarly and intellectual communities worldwide, keeping to themselves, safeguarding their processes and constructs from the non-designer.

It is clear to anyone who compares the two (and much many from both camps get offended by this) that the ‘graphic’ designer’s problem-solving process is almost identical to the engineer’s. Mind you, not entirely a clone, but pretty close. Yes, more creative and artistic, less scientific. But that’s the only difference. No? Really? Think about it.

However, the designer’s creative process – not the same as the more scientific or structural problem-solving system – is almost entirely like that of a painter, a filmmaker, a musician, a writer. It is inspired, it is visual, it is beyond rules. And it can learn from the other arts. But, more significantly, the other arts can learn from it.

Being, possibly accidentally, positioned as the middle-ground between the applied arts and the applied sciences, design is a field of its own and has been treated as such both by its practitioners and its observers. The issue today is that it can learn from others, and others need to learn from it.

Transmedia storytelling is an important future step. Conceived, or perpetuated, academically in the early nineties, it only picked up momentum in the mid-naughties (possibly with Henry Jenkins’ 2003 article of the same title). It tends to focus on character development, a very notable element of literary creation taken outside of the confines of its standard story form, and beyond the typical method of adaptation.

Maybe design cannot be considered a form of storytelling in the as yet vaguely defined transmedial story, due to its lack of characters. But a character is simply a driving force, a point of interest, in a story. So maybe even if the classification does not fit, a comparative study of the two can lead to impressively useful outcomes.

Or not. But if design continues to hide within its shadows, it can never find out. And it’s missing out on a lot.

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christine berrie

BATTERSEA CRANES - PERSONAL WORK

DESIGN

INTERVIEW BY SAMAR ALKHUDHAIRI

Christine Berrie is a Scottish illustrator based in Glasgow. Her work has been featured in several publications including Design Week, Communication Arts, Creative Review, Elephant Magazine, Hand to Eye and The Picture book. She is a freelance illustrator, her clients include Microsoft, the Guardian, Penguin, the New York times, New Scientist, Wallpaper, Time Out, and the Financial Times.

Enjoy her blog at: http://christineberrie.blogspot.com/ Is there any specific life experience that led you to your choice in pursuing illustration? How did you begin? When you went to Glasgow to study art, did you focus on a general art degree?

I’ve always been interested in drawing. When I was little, I had many boxes full of pencils, crayons, chalks, pens and all sorts of drawing materials and I drew pictures all the time. So when I left school it seemed like a natural step to go to Art School and pursue a career in the creative industries, and I had great encouragement and support from my parents and school teachers to proceed down this path.

I studied Visual Communication at Glasgow School of Art which is a 4 year course covering Graphic Design, Illustration and Photography. Due to my love of picture-making and drawing, I decided to specialise in illustration during my second year. After graduating, I then went on to the Royal College of Art in London where I completed an MA in illustration.

As a freelance illustrator, do you feel like you have enough time to create your own work?

I find it’s important to make time for personal work and sketchbook work where I can be more playful and allow images to evolve by being more experimental while incorporating a broader variety of materials. I’ll refer to and expand on my sketchbooks regularly and they have become central to my creative output. However, I often find that my personal projects and my commissions will overlap. Some of my assigned work is for clients that have approached me after seeing some of my personal work and are looking for something similar. I enjoy the fact that my own work feeds into my commissioned projects, and so far, I haven’t found it a problem balancing these two aspects. On the whole, I love creating images and I’m happy to do so whether it’s for personal work or commissions.

What inspires your personal work?

When I am considering making new images or looking for new ideas, I like to look back over my sketchbooks and scrapbooks to see if any of my collected pictures or sketches help to spark some creativity. I often find inspiration in my immediate environment and everyday random objects and pictures that I may come across in my daily life. Inspiration for new images can occur very unexpectedly. I am also very keen on travelling whenever the opportunity arises, and I love drawing streets, buildings or scenarios that I encounter whenever I get the chance to visit other countries.

I like to carry a camera with me everywhere and take snaps of anything that might come in useful for future commissions or for personal projects. I also draw a lot of inspiration from old books that I find in second-hand book shops and charity shops, such as engineering and mechanical reference books which have lots of interesting, detailed diagrams. I keep a lot of scrapbooks full of these pictures as well as photos, found imagery, sketches, scraps, typography and printed ephemera which I refer to on a regular basis for ideas.

On the whole, things that I find inspiring include: bric-a-brac, markets, vintage picture books, old buildings, Glasgow city centre, antique shops, vintage posters, old pictures and found scraps, tickets, labels, lettering etc., retro film posters, and art galleries.

FEATURED ARTIST

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CAMERA DRAWINGS LIMITED EDITION PRINT FOR MAGMA

DESIGN / CHRISTINE BERRIE

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DIANA CAMERACOMMISSION FOR CREATIVE REVIEW

Have you ever found yourself put in a position where you were assigned to a project you don’t particularly like? What do you do to get past that and still create something brilliant?

It doesn’t happen very often, but occasionally I will be approached to do a commission that is a quite different to work I have created in the past. However, this always helps to expand on my chosen subject matter and output so it’s usually beneficial to my self-initiated projects too.

On occasion, I have been asked to create imagery that is very unlike my usual style where the client is looking for something that doesn’t reflect my own approach. This can sometimes be overcome through compromise with the client where I will provide sketches to show how I would personally tackle the project. This can help the client to visualise the final outcome and give them confidence that I can approach the project a little differently and still create something successful. I don’t think there is any point in trying to force myself into a particular style that I’m uncomfortable with, which can result in work that looks awkward and clumsy.

What is your choice of medium? Do you typically work in small format, or large format?

Mainly, my images are created using graphite and colour pencils. I prefer using simple materials with a hand-rendered approach. Although most of my recent commissioned work has been created using pencil, I also enjoy collage work, combining found imagery and photos with blocks of colours and textures. A computer can also be very useful for tweaking or cropping into my images. However, I’ve always loved the simple process of drawing so I’ve never let computer processes take over the creation of my work. I prefer a more hands-on approach; drawing, collage and taking photos I usually work in small format as most of my images for commissions will be printed in a format no bigger than A3. However, I occasionally work on bigger drawings when creating images for exhibitions. My work for Designersblock: Illustrate in London consisted of a mural created from sections of large drawings, each over a metre wide. I also created a wall full of smaller drawings alongside the larger pieces. In total, I created over 60 drawings for the event, covering 200 square feet in total.

Can you describe the processes you go through when starting an illustration from start to finish?

When working on an illustration, I like to start sketching as soon as possible. The sketching process can help ideas to develop as

well as allowing images to evolve in quite an organic way. I also like to work on several different images at the one time rather than limiting myself to one piece of paper. I’ll move from one image to another and collate different aspects that seem to be working and adapt these in the final outcome. I enjoy working quite intuitively, allowing the project to expand and drawing several objects from various angles to find which viewpoints work best.

You say your drawings “ are about taking quite common, banal objects and striving to create interesting drawings of them,” what techniques do you use to add this layer of interesting? Would you say it’s the way you shade, your strokes, or color pallet?

My aim with my drawings is to incorporate lots of detail without allowing the images to become overworked. Colour is also very important to me and I have an enormous collection of various colour pencils so that I can always find the right shade for whatever I am working on. I like my images to have quite contrasting hues, allowing dark shades and black areas to be juxtaposed with brighter sections so that they really stand out. I also like my drawings to have a hand-rendered appearance to them without looking too polished, so I am happy for pencil lines and strokes to be visible, allowing them to depict the form and structure of the object.

What advice, if any would, you give to our readers who aspire to be an illustrator?

To be an illustrator and actually make a living out of it, you have to be very committed as it can take some time to start getting those initial commissions. Self-promotion is key to getting your work seen by as many people as possible. Send mailers out on a regular basis so that you are reminding clients and art directors that you are still out there. Also, an online portfolio is essential and a blog is great for showcasing recent work and personal projects. A decent portfolio book is also very important and you should aim to update it on a regular basis, just in case you get that phone call out of the blue from someone asking you to bring in some printed work examples.

If illustration is something you are passionate about and really want to do, then my main advice would be; don’t give up. All the hard work will be worth it.

Check out more of her work at www.christineberrie.com

LITTLE SHOP AWARDSDRAWINGS FOR LONDON MAGAZINE


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LINA STORES - PERSONAL WORK

LANGSIDE CAFE - FROM PERSONAL PROJECT: GLASGOW CAFES

UNIVERSITY CAFE - FROM PERSONAL PROJECT: GLASGOW CAFES

SCRABBLE SOULMATESCOMMISSION FOR THE GUARDIAN


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FIRE EXTINGUISHERSDRAWINGS FOR LONDON MAGAZINE

MICROCARSPERSONAL WORK


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BIRDSPERSONAL WORK


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EXIT SIGNIMAGE FOR 100 EUROS EXHIBITION IN AMSTERDAM

DESIGN

christopher stottINTERVIEW BY SAMAR ALKHUDHAIRI

With a background in photography and the appreciation for 18th century French still life master Jean-Baptiste-Siméon Chardin Chardin, 20th century American painter Wayne Theibaud, and Dutch Baroque painter Jan Vermeer. Christopher has developed a style of contemporary realism, focusing on object portraiture. He transforms banal objects of the past by practicing traditional “old masters” painting techniques, to feed the modern day eye.

Your paintings are brilliant, in fact the first time I saw them I was under the impression they were digital illustrations, which after learning about contemporary realism , it all began to make sense. Can you tell us about how you started painting? How you developed your style of contemporary realism?

I was always interested in painting and drawing. As a child, I took private art lessons, which focused heavily drawing skills. Later, studying art history, I always found myself interested in the still life paintings of the past, but found them out of touch with the modern world. It was the technique and skill of the artists that I found fascinating. In studio art classes I focused on photography, in a dark room, very hands-on, but I still participated in painting classes, finding myself gravitating toward the work of Wayne Thiebaud.

After learning about his work, I felt a connection on how painting can still be meaningful. It took several years to really learn how to paint. I found myself using a very traditional “old masters” style of painting, several layers, lots of glazes and building up the painting. But my subjects are something that can only be understood today.

How long does it typically take for you to finish one painting?

A painting can take anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks, dependingon complexity.

Prior to painting, you were working in the photography department. Did you used to be a photographer or did you just work within the photography department? Your bio mentions “being immersed in the rapidly changing and technical world of photography, he left to pursue the painting studio, where the digital world was shut out and the tradition of oil painting honored, ” what about the digital world made you feel like you couldn’t continue practicing traditional analogue photography?

I used to both be a photographer, and work in a photography lab. As a photographer I only ever used available light, I never worked in a studio setting. This made me understand natural light, and the way it falls on subjects. I use that understanding in my painting.

I was working in a photography department in an art college as it was making a transition from analog to digital. During this time, the analog (slow, patient, observant) style of working was giving way to the digital (fast, techno-centric, impatient) style of working. It was then that I decided to return to painting. Being in a dark room would be fun, if I ever had the chance again, but painting is king in my world now.

I’ve noticed the objects you are typically vintage, what is your creative process in selecting these objects? Do you typically work by setting up your object and the lighting, use photographs as references, or freestyle?

Having a real-world personal connection to the objects I paint is important. It’s important for any artist to have a real-world connection and understanding of their subject. The objects always come with a story, or a path that leads them to my studio. I have the objects need to be in the studio, some of them are found (those are the best ones) some of them are borrowed and some are gifts. I don’t set up the lighting, I use northern light, through a studio window. This is where my influence from Dutch masters comes in. I do use photographic reference for very difficult subjects, like the typewriters, and when I am very busy in the studio and have several pieces in the works.

FEATURED ARTIST

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DESIGN / CHRISTOPHER STOTT

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ariel chisea

Enjoy more of his work at fotosdealmanaque.com.arAnd contact Ariel at [email protected]

Ariel Chisea is an Argentinian art director, illustrator and part time artist based in Buenos Aires. With a background in advertising, graphic design and photography, Ariel has developed a passion for collecting old magazines and printed materials to create hand rendered collages.

FEATURED ARTIST

DESIGN

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DESIGN / ARIEL CHISEA

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INTERVIEW & PHOTOGRAPHY BY PRATHA SAMYRAJAH

Originally from Germany, Rhea grew up in the bu-colic coastal town of Bournemouth. Her childhood was spent making things with her hands, a trait she likely inherited from her civil engineer father with a knack for carpentry. And from her mother? A love and curiosity about animals. “Ours was the family that neighbours brought injured animals to,” she remembers. Childhood pets were made up of a coterie of rescued animals; a squirrel, a magpie and an amiable rabbit whom Rhea and her sister carried around in a basket. Let’s not forget the chinchilla and the vicious goose. “A lot of my work now is reminiscent of my child-hood,” she says. “I try not to be influenced by other artists or what’s been done, so I draw heavily from memories – feelings and atmospheres remem-bered from growing up.

Five years ago, Rhea became a Londoner, working as an intern for the then newly set-up SHOWstudio. Her affinity for SS collaborator Shona Heath was inevitable, Heath is a set designer and art director who is responsible for some of the most loved fashion editorials in recent history. After working for Heath for a rewarding and educational four years, Rhea set up shop on her own last year. To date, Rhea has been responsible for magical sets on projects as diverse as pop music videos and editori-als for British Vogue with renowned photographer Tim Walker.

Pratha: So, how did you come into being a set designer? Rhea: I was always creative and hated to choose one field over another, and this job really suits me because I never have to do the same thing twice. It is quite a magical job, but it’s ****ing hard work though. Really, really consuming. In order to get a really great picture, you have to push yourself quite far, further than what you are asked to do. When I worked with Shona I never really imagined that I’d do it myself because she’s so amazing and it is such hard work. I was asked to do a few jobs as a freelancer, and then one day it went quite well and I though to myself, ‘hmm, maybe I can do this.’

The hard work aside, sometimes, out of the whole crew, it seems like we [Rhea and her assistants] are the only ones enjoying our jobs – for example, yester-day we had to test wind-up toys racing on a track.

Could you take us through your process?Once I’m given a subject, I go away and do lots

RHEA THIERSTEIN, ART DIRECTOR AND SET DESIGNER- EXTRAORDINAIRE

QUINT INTERVIEWS RHEA THIERSTEIN ABOUT HER WORK, INSPIRATIONS, UPBRINGING, AND TAKING THE LEAPTO BEING HER OWN BRAND.

of research on everything I can find about that subject. Then I come up with an idea, trying to tick all the boxes that the client has asked for – and be creative at the same time. I’ve learned so many different things from Shona and also from having a photography background, so I am really comfort-able working digitally on Photoshop etc., and can design things quite easily. My creative process used to be to draw something and make it exactly how the drawing was, but that didn’t leave any room for happy accidents. Now, I work more organically – a lot of times I just start making things and get stuck in and see where things go from there. People say I have an eye for detail, but I’m not so sure about that, I don’t like things to be overly detailed … I just want it to feel real.

I wouldn’t be able to do it without my team as well, it would be impossible to physically do everything on my own. My team rotates and changes, but coin-cidentally the people that I work with end up being really well suited for the job at hand. It’s important to have people that you get on with too, so you can have a laugh while you’re working. I really want my job to not feel like a job. I try to make everything really fun for myself. My normality is not other people’s normality.

How much input do you have on a project?It’s different from job to job. Lately, people have been coming to me saying “how would you do it?” Generally I prefer when clients don’t come to me with something specific, or with a shopping list of things to do or make. I prefer coming up with ways to fill out a brief, having ownership of my.

Doesn’t everyone? How long does a set for a typi-cal editorial take to complete?Approximately two to three weeks, and it’s ridicu-lously full-on. And a lot of the time, I’ve got three or four jobs on at the same time. I’ve stopped doing last minute jobs because it’s really unpleasant when I don’t have enough time to be creative. For the Jessie J video, we did a solid three weeks of building and prep, as with the Tim Walker shoot in British Vogue [Rhea’s first solo set design project for Brit Vogue]. But any longer than two or three weeks and it starts to get painful, ha.

What’s your favourite part of it all?The day of the shoot. All the build-up, all the fear, all the ‘shit, how am I going to do that?’, it’s all been worked out. I really enjoy the actual shoot, and peo-ple can tell when you enjoy what you’re doing.

What’s your most memorable job to-date?I can think of two: The ice boat shot with Tim Walker in American Vogue. I had to climb to the top of a ladder and light a snow candle (how we acquired the candle is another story.), and when I shook it these giant snow flakes shot out of it and filled the room, it was so magical! I was on top of the ladder thinking, ‘I can’t believe this is my job.’ The other was the Jessie J video, a really fun day where everything goes well and everyone likes what you’ve done.

What kinds of things inspire you? Jungles, tropical places. I went traveling on my own to Thailand and it was brilliant being able to get lost in my own imagination. London is quite consuming, the kind of place where your atten-tion is always being taken … but there, I could completely disappear and daydream … and think. And that was really inspiring – being surrounded by – the wildlife, the fireflies, insects and fruit bats [a smile], and creatures.

The tiniest project you’ve ever worked on?In scale, marzipan beetles. I was obsessed with Jewel beetles and spent my birthday at the natural history museum one year poring over them, you can book a private view of their collection. Also, flower jellies [with Tim Walker] for Italian Vogue.

Largest project?The Selfridges windows. I was given a really open brief – ‘spring/summer’ – and I got the idea to do

giant wasps because I had just been on a shoot in the countryside for Tim and there was a wasp infestation in my room. The wasps for the windows were three meters tall and took about 10 days to get the shape right. There were seven of us working on them to get them done in time.

Also, the shoot with Tim [Walker] for W Magazine, a recent shoot that involved covering the halls of England’s Glemham Hall with giant blow-ups of classical paintings. We chose the paintings and had them blown up by a billboard printer who printed them for us on 1.5 meter strips. We worked from 7 am to 9 pm everyday to hang them without damag-ing the existing walls of the hall, and to have the paintings fit the moldings of the rooms perfectly. As hard as that was, sourcing the period costumes was even harder.

Weirdest project?Probably the wasps. I also made a five foot tall carrot hat. Recently I tried to sneak a dragon into a brief… but that didn’t go over so well [laughs].

Given the nature of your job, are you a hoarder?No! I don’t get too attached to things. Sometimes I see things that are really cool and it’ll give me an idea for something and I’ll think it could work for something in the future… but I won’t buy it unless I have a job to use it on. I do keep some things – the doll’s house from the Jessie J video, I still have that.

What lessons have you learned in the past year?Remembering to add VAT on the final bill! [cringing] And, just how to run a business – how to manage meetings and people, how to stick up for myself. Learning not to take shit, but not to be a diva either.

How much is London a part of who you are and what your work looks like?A lot! I feel really at home here and it is just really inspiring. Just everyday things, people you meet, the character of London, old buildings for example. I wouldn’t be anywhere else.

What’s it like to be a creative person working in London right now?It’s hard, harder than it was in previous years. In order to stand out, you have to be really ballsy and cutting edge because the creative industry is so saturated at the moment. There’s a lot more people who want to be creatives (photographers, design-ers, etc.) because they are drawn to the glamour. This is part of the reason why it’s hard for people to get paid, because there are just a lot of people. And it just becomes survival of the fittest.

What is your secret dream?To earn enough money in five years to retire and spend my time traveling in tropical places with jungles – such as Borneo.

Favourite Candy?White mice.

Rolling Stones or Beatles? Beatles!

Right, I should’ve guessed! Last question, do you have a magical London memory? Standing in the center of Oxford Street after finish-ing the Selfridges window, and watching the sun come up over the city.

For more information about Rhea’s work, please visit www.rheathierstein.com.

studio visit

DESIGN

1. Doll’s face prop from Jessie J’s Price Tag video2. Hundreds of hand-painted flowers used in an Italian Vogue editorial3. Doll house Rhea and her team created for the Jessie J video4. Who doesn’t love Freddy Mercury?5. A typical day’s to-do list6. A friendly fruit bat7. Research materials sit atop a chair designed for AnOther

Magazine editorial8. A lovely collection of eyeballs. As you do.9. Prep work for an ambitious McDonald’s tv advert

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PHOTOGRAPHY

kate busbyINTERVIEW BY SAMAR ALKHUDHAIRI

Full time photographer, painter, and writer, Kate jumps around between Kuwait City, London, and Barcelona, taking it all in, letting it all out. Kate is a resident artist at Mother Studios London and represented by Newtown Art, London. She uses many tools to express herself and her work is always eclectic and surprising, yet rife with feeling. Keep an eye out for her work in future exhibition Unexpected Journeys at Stour Space, London this November.

So tell me a little bit about yourself. Where are you from? How did you start your journey into the art world? Where did you go to school? What did you study?

I was born in 1984 and afterwards was almost immediately put up for adoption. A British couple took me on and called me Katherine Busby. I had no access to my Arab heritage, so I simply became Kate. Shortly after my adoptive parents’ divorce, I was sent to Catholic school and there my fascination with the Church’s dogma grew. I very much liked the idea of being a nun. I began to obsess with mentally orchestrating my initiation to the clergy – everything from what the priest and I would be wearing to the lighting of the church interiors. I think for most of the people who knew me it was quite a worrying time. But in 2002, I began a degree in English and French literature at Oxford and the history, pomp and circumstance of the university captured my imagination. I began writing more, doing crazy things like running across rooftops at dawn and collaborating with others on art projects. It was during that time that I started thinking about what it meant to make something, like a photograph, and experimenting with what a photograph could actually do.

I noticed you work in a variety of mediums included but not limited to ink, paint and of course cameras. What is your favorite medium?

I think there is a particular grace and an honour to painting that doesn’t quite exist in another other medium, or at least not in the same way. I battle with it and it takes a lot from me. I remember making one painting in Venice and mid-swing my hearing became muffled as if underwater and I couldn’t see straight. But it was a jubilant feeling, in spite of the dizziness, because I felt like I had managed to fight through the layers of doubt and defense mechanisms and really put something raw, something of myself on the paper. When I look at other people’s work, I also gravitate towards the medium. I’ll look at photos by Nan Goldin or Philip-Lorca diCorcia and be easily moved by how striking they are, but I’ve never been as speechless as before a painting by Alessandro Verdi or Oula Ayoubi.

It’s really interesting to see an artist working across so many mediums at once versus specializing in one domain. It must be overwhelming to think in so many different forms of working, writing, drawing, painting, and photographing. What is your creative process? How do you choose which medium you will work in? Do you choose the medium and then look for inspiration? Do you just spark up inspiration and go with whichever medium makes sense at the time?

I think so. I mean, I write compulsively. I would hardly say that everything I write is good, it’s mostly just a process that I find familiar and sometimes even beautiful if the words turn out in a way that’s pleasing. But I need that dialogue with myself; it doesn’t offer me answers to my questions but it orders my thoughts. With the other media, photography and such, it’s more of a conscious decision. I will often pick up a camera when I notice that there is a specific quality of light that I like, and that will spark my interest in taking photos of subjects submerged in it. With painting, it’s another thing entirely. It is a distinctly unsettling process, as if by starting a work I am actually engaging in something that I cannot control, and shouldn’t want to control, to a point. But if and when I find the beginnings of a hook in the midst of chaos, then my need to shape and control plays an important part once again.

What artists do you look up to? Why? What is it about their work that you like?

I think anyone who knows me well will certainly guess which artist comes to mind when I think of someone I particularly admire. But rather than talking about him, I’d prefer to mention the artists with whom I talk to on a regular basis, because their words and example mean so much to me. Sound artist Larry Achiampong, director Fyzal Boulifa, painter Anja Priska: each of them shows an unending dedication to their work, and even when they don’t think they’re doing work, they’re somehow preparing for the next piece. I love their obsession; I admire their curiosity about everything. I can also empathise with the times when ideas come slowly or projects don’t go as planned, you know, those moments of abject frustration where you just want to say “I give up, I’m not doing this anymore.” But then you’ll get intrigued and curious about something else and the whole process will start again.

If you could act as an outsider and view your work, what would you say about it?

I would say that it’s not immediately obvious what’s going on in my work, but that there’s something. Perhaps in the way a lot of my photos show torn up things, or the lighting makes the image all distorted or blurry. This sense of something ‘not quite there’ is definitely present in the painting as well.

You have recently transitioned to becoming a full time artist. How is that going so far? How was the transition? How did you know the time was right to become a full time artist?

It’s been interesting. Now I’m working full time on my practice, things are opening up that did not seem to before. I suppose I don’t really know if everything is going to work out as it were, but I am more ‘myself’ than I’ve ever been, more ‘on track’ if you like. For about a year I deliberated leaving my job and starting out on my own, and when in the end I took steps to doing so, I felt it was the right time. I knew it would take a long time to formalise my art practice, and that at 27 years old, I was probably already a bit behind. Then there was also the little matter of finding it increasingly difficult to wake up in the mornings and go to work… but still, the transition wasn’t straightforward. I found myself making bold decisions with nothing to back me up apart from my conviction that I wanted to make art. It was like staring into the void a bit. But I suppose it was also one of the first times that I really took responsibility for the direction in which my life was heading.

So you have a studio in London, a studio in Barcelona and a temporary working space in Kuwait City and move between all three cities. That must be very hectic and tiring. Why did you choose to have three different locations? And why did you choose London, Barcelona and Kuwait?

I travel a lot, possibly because I’m not sure that I have one place I call home. Since my parents’ divorce, I have been used to travelling, between houses, or homes, and as soon as I turned eighteen, that was it, I started travelling abroad by myself and never looked back. I hung out a lot in Paris, I felt so happy there during my university years. And I lived a bit in Los Angeles. But yes, currently, I have spaces in the three places you mentioned. Why? Well, London is where I was born. My main studio is there, and even though the city and I are enmeshed in a love-hate relationship, I have found my greatest friends there and they make me want to come back. Barcelona is greatly due to the fact that my heart is here, in every sense of the phrase. And Kuwait, well that’s a long story. But the short version is: my heritage lies in that country. It is still a great mystery to me.

We hear you will be in the exhibit Unexpected Journey’s at Stour Space in London this November. Can you tell us a little bit about more about this? With nine other artists, I have been commissioned to respond to a case study of a young woman who was trafficked into the United Kingdom. The project, in partnership with Patiko Baker’s Fort Project and London-based collective DEVELOPING COMMUNITIES, aims to raise awareness of issues surrounding immigrant status and the wider realm of undocumented victims of trafficking. I was drawn to the project primarily because I wanted to try and find a vocabulary to express this kind of forced transition, to examine what is lost and acquired. It is an incredibly delicate subject. I see the work that I am making in response to her account as a mediation between the words she is using to communicate her experience and the materials I am choosing to translate that communication. Her story then becomes our story, and that for me is a prospect both disturbing and enchanting.

Check out more of Kate’s work at: katebusby.carbonmade.com

FEATURED ARTIST

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PHOTOGRAPHY / KATE BUSBY

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PHOTOGRAPHY

brian oldhamONE DAY WHILE BROWSING THE WEB, BRIAN OLDHAM STUMBLED UPON ROSIE HARDY’S WEBSITE. BRIAN WAS SO INSPIRED HE DECIDED TO DELVE INTO THE WORLD OF PHOTOGRAPHY AND BEGIN A 365 DAY PROJECT OF SELF PORTRAITURE. CREATIVE, SELF- TAUGHT, AND VERY SKILLED BRIAN’S WORK PROVIDES THE VIEWER WITH A VERY DISTINCT EXPERIENCE OF OPTICAL ILLUSIONS THAT PUSH THE

VIEWERS THOUGHTS INTO A WORLD OF IMAGINATION.

INTERVIEW BY SAMAR ALKHUDHAIRI

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PHOTOGRAPHY / BRIAN OLDHAM

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I remember first looking at your work and thinking wow this is incredible, how does he do it! It was really surprising to learn that you had just started dabbling in photography. I’ve read that you’ve always liked art, and then just woke up one day with this idea to start the 365 day project. How did you dive in to the world of photography? Was it a plunge? Or had you been interested in photography and reading about new photographers and techniques for some time now?

It was definitely a plunge! I didn’t have any idea what I was doing, and I think that that just made it all the more exciting. I had never considered or even seen photography used as an art form until I saw Rosie Hardy’s conceptual work a couple of days prior to starting my project. I found her pictures so intriguing, and I had a really strong yearning to create images of my own, so I started my own 365 in hopes of improving through the project like she did!

Is your 365 day project is solely focused on self-portraiture? Why did you choose to focus on self-portraiture? I personally feel like shooting myself is the most difficult subject to shoot. Did you feel like it would be more challenging?

It started off being focused on self-portraiture frankly because I didn’t have anyone else to take pictures of! But looking back, I’m glad that I rarely took pictures of other people, just because I think that doing so many self-portraits really helped me to improve technically and creatively.

Like I mentioned before, I find self-portraiture very challenging, how do you go about capturing yourself? I’m sure you use tripods and such, but I’ve noticed some of your images are taken from heights that leave me questioning, “How on earth did he manage? This is amazing!” for example the image in the bathtub. Do you shoot in autofocus?

Yep, I use a tripod and remote, but I manually focus each shot! All of the crazy angles just come from putting my tripod up high and in odd places, like on boxes or wedged between boulders.

I love the optical illusions you create in your images. How do you go about doing these? Do you typically work by roughly planning your shoot with the idea that you will create these illusions or do you freestyle it and then do all the work when it comes to editing? Talking about editing, are you a fan of Lightroom?

Going into a shoot, I’ll usually have a general idea of what I want to create, and how I’m going to do it (whether it be later in Photoshop, or a simple set-up on location). When it comes to Lightroom, I’m afraid to say that I’ve never used it! I’m such a newbie when it comes to editing.

While we’re discussing Adobe, did you teach yourself how to edit images as well? Any pro tips for those of us trying to learn Adobe on our own? Any resources you’d like to share?

Yeah, I taught myself how to edit all of my photos! Most of it came from just playing around with all of the different tools and seeing what each of them did. I still have a pretty basic understanding of Photoshop, but I learned a lot of my manipulation techniques through trial and error and online tutorials… or by simply asking other photographers what their methods were! Phlearn.com has a lot of easy to understand tutorials that I’ve found pretty helpful.

How do you think your work has developed since day 1 of your project?

I like to think that I’ve come a long way since starting my project, but I still have so much to learn and so much improving to do! Just from practicing so often, I’ve gotten really comfortable with my camera and all of it’s settings, so I think that having a better understanding of the technical side of photography has helped me to improve the quality of my images.

How do you think your way of working has developed since day 1?

I’ve changed the way I do things quite a bit since the beginning! When I first started out, I only knew how to shoot in automatic mode, whereas now I only shoot in manual mode. I think my editing style has really changed, and I do a lot more to the image in Photoshop than what I was doing when I first started.

You seem to have really gained a great reputation in the online world; did you do anything to promote your work at all?

I wish I could say that there was some big secret, but I don’t think I’ve done anything! I feel really lucky to have gotten as much feedback and support as I have from the online community.

Are you a Nikon or Canon kinda guy?

I’m a Canon kind of guy… but not because I have anything against Nikon or think Canon is better; I’ve just always had a Canon camera. I think that they’re both great companies, and I really don’t see much difference between their products!

What’s your favorite lens to shoot with?

I love my 50mm! I hardly ever take it off.

So you have to shoot a new image everyday, do you ever have days when you’re left clueless and uninspired? If so, what do you do to work through the lack of creativity? Do you ever feel pressure that you have to create something so great because of all your followers?

All the time! I used to have the hardest time coming up with photo ideas because I began to feel like nothing was good enough to upload. I was feeling a lot of pressure from just knowing that people were going to see my photos, and that they might not meet their expectations. Since then, I’ve come to realize that everyone has their off days, and I consider any photo successful if I can learn from my mistakes.

Do you have any idea what kind of project you will do next, or if there will be another project?

I don’t think I will ever do another project like the 365 where I would be “forced” to take new pictures, but I can see myself creating projects of my own, like different series’ of photo concepts.

Do you see yourself continuing higher education in the arts? Maybe focusing on your career in photography?

I definitely see myself pursuing some kind of artistic career, but for now I’m undecided on what exactly it is I want to do.

View Brian’s amazing work athttp://www.flickr.com/photos/brian_oldham/

brian oldham


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PHOTOGRAPHY

masha melINTERVIEW BY SAMAR ALKHUDHAIRI

“My name is Masha Mel and I am a photographer based in London. My love of art & photography developed in Moscow where I grew up and where I studied at art college. I am a film lover and choose to shoot mostly with my old Russian 35mm camera. I embrace the imperfections of film and my images are usually soft and full of mood with strong crystal colours. I love to explore the beauty of the world and immortalise it in my frames.”

You mentioned you studied art in college, did you focus on photography? When did you first start shooting? What gotyou started?

I studied fashion photography for 2 years at London College of Fashion. It was a really interesting course where I was introduced to studios and different photographic equipment. During these 2 years I had lots of opportunity to experiment and I found myself and what I like to do. I started shooting on my old Zenit camera.

Were you always interested in fashion photography? How has your photography developed from when you started?

What I most like and always interested me about fashion photography is being able to create stories and depict beauty. The clothes and their details help to inspire me and to imagine a story for a shoot. For me, a successful photo contains an interesting subject combined with mood and feelings, which I feel I can achieve with fashion photography. I also love to work with a team of other creative people: stylist, designers, makeup etc.

What is your creative process? I understand you are inspired by different places, do you typically find a particular location and then begin working from there?

It always depends on the story. Once I found a wall, which inspired me to do a shoot based on Japanese street style. Or sometimes I have a story and I try to find a perfect location for it. Every different detail can inspire me and I can come up with great ideas. I always look around for inspiration!

I notice that you work with models a lot, how do you guide them to evoke the emotion you are aiming for?

When I work with young models, I think it is important to communicate really well with them. During the shoot I want to feel that the model and I connected through my camera. I always try to make them feel comfortable and happy.

I’ve read that you rarely shoot digital, with the exception when you are working in a studio. I guess for someone who typically shoots in film it’s not something you may think about but, do you ever get anxious that you can’t see your images until after the shoot? In other words are you ever concerned you may not have actually captured that special moment?

As I mentioned before, film is magic for me. If I have an idea in my head, I have this magic in me, which I then put through my camera onto film. I recently bought the Canon 5D Mk II and I want to explore that camera more. I think that for any artist there are always these thoughts ‘I could do more’ or ‘I could get a better side of that model’ and it doesn’t matter which camera you shoot.

Do you ever have phases where you feel you are lacking your creativity? What do you do to get out of that kind of funk?

Of course. Sometimes I have loads of ideas and some days my head is empty. The best way to get your creativity back is to look around, watch a film, go to the exhibitions and meet some new creative people.

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER

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PHOTOGRAPHY / MASHA MEL

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FILM & THEATER

Two months ago I moved to Dubai from Chicago, where theater is lifeblood and on any given night at least four or five productions are competing for your patronage. I took in as many live performances as I could before I left under the false impression that it might be two, even three months before I was able to indulge in another play. I am quite pleased to announce (and this doesn’t happen very often, so do take note): I was wrong!

I recently attended a performance in the Kilachand theater of DUCTAC, located in Mall of the Emirates, and much to my surprise the house was full—absolutely packed! The production featured a handful of impressive performances, and though the technical quality was a tad amateur, I found myself nonetheless surrounded by an excited audience, eager to be entertained. So for any and all of you theater addicts in Dubai, or for those curious, adventursome folk who’d dare to stray from the safety the cinema and witness an original “3D show”, here is a list of upcoming productions in Dubai through the end of 2011. See you there, and don’t forget to silence your cell phones!

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY Harolded as one of Pinter’s best performed works, those who enjoy absurdist antics and extreme mystery will enjoy this “comedy of menace” in which all time, language, and barriers disentigrate, and only tension is left, layered as thick as cake.

COMPANYDubai Drama Group

VENUEThe Jam Jar Gallery, Al Quoz

DATESThursday, 13 October @ 7:30pm Friday, 14 October @ 7:30pmSaturday, 15 October @ 7:30pmDoors open half an hour before showtime.

TICKETSEntrance by donation at the door. For reservations email: [email protected].

THE ODD COUPLENeil Simon’s Broadway classic about mismatched writer-roommates is a knee-slapping comedy that will have you joyfully reminscing about the days of your own cohabitation.

COMPANYBackstage Theatre Group

VENUEKilachand Studio, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates

DATESThursday, 17 November @ 7:30pm

Friday, 18 November @ 2:30pm & 7:30pm Saturday, 19 November @ 2:30pm & 7:30pm Doors open half an hour before showtime.

TICKETS50 Dhs/personFor reservations email: [email protected] or call the DUCTAC box office at 04 341 4777.For group rates email: [email protected].

NOISES OFFEver wanted to know what it’s like to be backstage during a performance? In this farce, English playwright Micheal Frayn gives audiences a taste of the hysterical behind-the-scenes thrills of putting on a production.

COMPANYTheatrics

VENUETBA

DATESFriday, 9 December *Saturday, 10 December **Showtimes still to be announced

TICKETSprice not yet listedPurchase tickets on Timeouttickets.com or by calling 800 4669.For inquiries email: [email protected]

ALMOST, MAINEApplying metaphors both literarally and visually, John Cariani builds a magical town of Almost, Maine. In a dozen whimsical, two-character vignettes, the inhabitants of Almost explore loss and love under the otherworldly Northern Lights.

COMPANYDrama Dubai’s Desert Players

VENUEKilachand Studio, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates

DATESThursday, 8 December @ 8pmFriday, 9 December @ 12pm & 8pmSaturday, 10 December @ 12pm & 8pmDoors open half an hour before showtime.

TICKETS100 Dhs/personTickets will be on sale at Timeouttickets.com or may be purchased by calling the DUCTAC Box Office at 04 341 4777.

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For group rates and reservations email:[email protected]

EXPERIMENTALWHAT ART THOU WEARING?Inspired by Shakespeare’s mooncalf, Caliban from The Tempest, those who enjoy the avant garde and a-typical performances should not miss this fashion show with a twist!

COMPANYStar Too

VENUEThe Fridge, Al Quoz

DATESThursday, 15 December @ 8pmFriday, 16 December @ 8pm Doors open half an hour before showtime.

TICKETS50 Dhs/personFor reservations contact the Fridge at 04 347 7793 or email: [email protected]. For group rates email: [email protected]

CLASSICALMACBETHWilliam Shakespeare’s Scottish play will be starring international actors Hugh Kennedy and Bashar Atiyat as Macduff and Macbeth, along with a stellar cast of local talent.

COMPANYAUS College of Arts and Sciences Performing Arts Programme

VENUEPerforming Arts Rotunda on the AUS Campus, Sharjah

DATES Tuesday, 13 December @ 7pmWednesday, 14 December @ 7pmThursday, 15 December @ 7pmFriday, 16 December @ 7pmDoors open half an hour before showtime.

TICKETS50Dhs/ personFor reservations call the Performing Arts Office at 06 515 2739 or email: [email protected]

MUSICAL THEATER SOUND OF MUSICAfter it’s record-breaking sell-out earlier this year, Roger and Hamerstien’s musical is back for round two of sing-a-long fun for the whole family!

COMPANYPopular Productions

VENUEFirst Group Theatre, Souk Madinat Jumeira

DATES Saturday, 12 November @ 7:30pmSunday, 13 November @ 7:30pmMonday, 14 November @ 7:30pmTuesday, 15 November @ 7:30pmWednesday, 16 November @ 3pm & 7:30pm Thursday, 17 November @ 7:30pm Friday, 18 November @ 2:30pm & 7:30pmDoors open half an hour before showtime TICKETS175 Dhs/personPurchase tickets on Timeouttickets.com or by calling 800 4669.Group discounts available on request at the Souk Madinat Jumeirah box office.

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWSBased on the century-old children’s literary classic by Kenneth Grahame, this theatrical adaptation deals with the very adult topics of greed, community and the value of one’s word in a light-hearted style that everyone can enjoy.

COMPANYDubai Drama Group VENUEKilachand Studio, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates

DATES15 December *16 December *17 December **Showtimes still to be announced

TICKETSprices not yet listedFor tickets call the DUCTAC Box Office at 04 341 4777 or email: [email protected].

Stay tuned for a Spring listing of Dubai’s theatrical productions in our January 2012 issue of quint magazine!

DANA DAJANI

FILM & THEATER

BACK IN THE DAY, MY LITTLE PONY WAS A CHILDISH SHOW WITH NO TRUE MEANING OR SPECIFIC STORY LINE (ALSO, THEY WERE TOY PONIES THAT TAUGHT EVERY GIRL THAT PLASTIC HAIR DOES NOT GROW BACK).

Now, in 2011, My Little Pony returned, winning the hearts of 6 year old girls (who one day wish to be a princess pony that eats rainbows for breakfast and shits sunshine). But that is not what we’re talking about today. Today, we’re talking about the other audience - the ones that you really wouldn’t want to see in a pink tutu and sparkly tiara. Today, we are talking about the men, aged 15 to 30 who religiously sit and watch My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. We’re talking about the “Bronies”. About 2 months ago, my friend called me up frantically, I’d never heard him so exited. He called me up to tell me about “The greatest show on earth”, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. He declared that I must watch this show and to get on to Youtube immediately! I was mildly horrified by this statement from my friend who is almost 20 and is the lead singer of a heavy metal band. After our phone call finished, I thought two things: A) This must be a legitimately good show, and B) This guy has to be high as a kite.

As I prayed for the latter, I loaded up the first episode online and scrolled through the comments and was surprised to see the reception.“This show is gansta” said one. “Well, this is about the gayest I’ve ever see- THIS IS AWESOME!” said another. And well, if someone who has Lil Wayne on his favorite list liked it, it must be good? I can honestly tell you, dear reader, that I did not leave my chair for 3 hours. Watching more and more and more My Little Pony, I was hooked! And to be quite frank, I had no idea why. I’m an avid fan of anything by Tarantino, Wes Craven and Rob Zombie. I have the entire box set of Saw. I’ve seen 54 of the 72 films hailed “Video Nasties” that have been banned around the world for excessive violence. Yet, I could not pull myself away from sparkles, happiness and magic flashing from the screen!

I did some research and came across the term “Brony” described as “Bros who like My Little Pony” and found that men aged 15 to 30 all over this planet were more obsessed than I with a show that was played on a children’s channel and was made by the creators of PowerPuff Girls. The pony boom came in late 2010 on the 4chan board “/b/” (infamous for posting illegal, immoral and generally taboo things). «We were going to make fun of it, but instead everybody got hooked. And then the first pony threads exploded.» Said Nanashi Tanaka in an interview with the New York Observer. Quite quickly, men from all over the world were posting thousands of ponies and pony related media on the board, filling the pages with bright colors and happiness, which is essentially the antichrist of the “/b/” board. And there, the war began. Haters fought back with spamming pornographic and sadomasochistic pictures (which I promise, would traumatize you for life) through the pages of the board. After a matter of minutes, the Bronies adopted a new, heartwarming slogan: “I’m gonna love and tolerate the shit outta you” and responded by posting more and more pony related media to fight against the twisted “/b/” lords. After time, “/b/” simply gave up, admitting defeat to love, sparkles and happiness. Sam Levine, long time fan, said “My Little Pony is the only group to take on 4chan and win. 4chan once took on the F.B.I. and won. So you might say that My Little Pony is more powerful than the F.B.I.” My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic was signed for another season which will be released soon, and I will admit, that I’m eagerly waiting along with hundreds of thousands of grown men across the globe for the season 2 premiere. There’s something that this can teach us all, dear readers: men aren’t allergic to bright flashing colors, sparkles and happiness. I’ve sat and read dozens of articles and scrolled through boards and YouTube clips only to find that no one has really found a reason why they watch it, but I’ve come to my own conclusion: that jerk doctor lied to me… cooties are real.

ASHLEY CADZOW

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PHOTOGRAPHY & ART DIRECTION: SATY + PRATHA STYLING: HOLLY CHAVES

MAKE-UP ARTIST: DEBBIE FINNEGAN USING MAC PRO COSMETICSHAIRSTYLIST: NORIKO TAKAYAMA

MODEL: ALBERTE, IMG MODEL MANAGEMENTCASTING: THE EYE CASTING

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FASHION & BEAUTY / PAINT IT BLACK

TOP-MARTINA SPETLOVA

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TOP AND SKIRT-MARTINA SPETLOVAJEWELRY-SAMMIE JO COXSON


SHIRT-MRS JONESBELT-STYLIST’S OWN

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TASSEL CAPE-MRS JONESHIGHWAISTED SHORTS-MRS JONESONE-SHOULDER TOP (WORN UNDER CAPE)-JAMES HOCKSHOES-DRIES VAN NOTEN


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TASSEL CAPE-MRS JONESHIGHWAISTED SHORTS-MRS JONESONE-SHOULDER TOP (WORN UNDER CAPE)-JAMES HOCKSHOES-DRIES VAN NOTEN


SHIRT AND TIGHTS-RACHEL FREIREJEWELRY-SAMMIE JO COXSON

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PARACHUTE DRESS-RACHEL FREIRE


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FASHION & BEAUTY

swedish gardenPHOTOGRAPHY & ART DIRECTION: SATY + PRATHA

STYLING: RICKARDO MATTOCKS-MAXWELLSTYLING ASSISTANT: RADINA PARTRICK

GROOMING: JUN SATOMODEL: MATTHIAS TRULSSON, ELITE MODEL MANAGEMENT

CASTING: THE EYE CASTINGSPECIAL THANKS TO THE KOHT-COPELANDS

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FASHION & BEAUTY / SWEDISH GARDEN

Previous page:Shirt by Aqua

This page:Coat-Ross WilliamsShirt-AquaMesh top- The Village GreenHat-Topman

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Shirt- Ross WilliamsJumper-The Village GreenLeggings-Radina PartrickBoots-Clarks


Shirt-Ross Williams

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Shirt-Beyond RetroJumper- AquaTrousers-TopmanBoots- Clarks


White shirt-Ross WilliamsDenim shirt-Beyond RetroShorts-The Village GreenLeggings- Radina PartrickBoots-Clarks

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Both jumpers- AquaTrousers-Topman


Shirt and jumper-AquaCombat trousers- Uniqlo

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Shirt- Ross WilliamsJumper-The Village GreenLeggings-Radina PartrickBoots-Clarks


Hooded Jacket- Radina PartrickShirts and shorts- The Village GreenSocks-stylist’s ownBoots- Clarks

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Mesh top-The Village GreenTrousers-TopmanBoots- Clarks


Jumper, trousers and shoes all by Topman

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Shorts-The Village Green

heatwavePOPSICLES AND PRINT-SCARVES, DRAW

OUT SUMMER INTO SEPTEMBER!

Photography & Art Direction: Saty + Pratha (www.satyandpratha.com)Styling: Danielle Webber

Hairstylist: Noriko TakayamaMake-up artist: Leah Bennett

Models: Shosheba Griffiths, Premier & Holly Nicholson, Models1

Casting: The Eye Casting

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FASHION & BEAUTY / HEATWAVE

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PRESENTS

FASHION & BEAUTY

MAKEUP: BASMA - B.BEAUTIFULNECKLACES: HIBA - SORIGINAPHOTOGRAPHY: LAFI ABOUDMODELS: DANA DAJANI, INGRID HADDAD, MIRAL TAMIMI, SHEREEN HINDIA

Bbeautiful make-up artistry and image consultancy founded by Basma Marsi is organizing their first event launching this year called B Fabulous, on October 15th from 6to 10pm at 4 Walls Art Gallery. The event will depict Bbeautiful’s mission to reinforce simple beauty in all women by enticing them to try out different looks to explore a new look.

Bbeautiful has teamed up with other great image consultancy talents to organize an evening filled with pro-tips on how to look your best! Enjoy a free 10 minute hair consultant or a make over by Sephora make up artists. All vendors are raising funds for the Maria Cristina Foundation sponsored by Red Crescent, so keep in mind any purchases will contribute to educating poverty stricken communities in Bangladesh.

Remember to keep an eye out for Basma’s personal work! Four beautiful ladies will be modeling Basma’s make up art and accessorized in Soriginal jewelry designs. To find out more information about working with Basma contact her at [email protected]

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FASHION & BEAUTY

Nike Air Max ’97The Nike Air Max ’97. Go beautifully with Levi’s and a Schott bomber. Perfect for Italians. Got myself a gold pair in Al Ain Mall in AI Zone. You can get the limited edition all black ‘97s at the Al Ain Mall Nike Outlet – only in US8.

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Nike Air Maxim

Puma Suede Classic Eco Pack

66% lighter than the Air Max, the see-through-fabric Air Maxims come in the same colourways, and can be picked up in Bur Dubai S&S Sports Outlet.

The Puma Suede Classic Eco Pack. They’ve been dropped in the Puma at Dubai Mall. They’re in blue, red and green, like a fantastic peacock. They’re called Pack because they want you to buy all three. But they do look nice with pastel coloured jeans.

Adidas London

Nike Free 3.0V3 Men

An old school sneakerhead favourite. Whenever trainers like these are re-released, the get gobbled up in seconds. Unless you’re lucky enough to be in the UAE, where you can still get a pair in literally any Adi OG store.

They’re all over the place, and they’re some of the most comfortable and fly-est runners around. If you like running, wear them. If you like walking around malls, wear ‘em. If you don’t like doing either, you’ll most probably get diabetes. Good luck with that.

PS. Footlocker. There’s one in Debenhams in Ibn Battuta mall with select Adidas tees, and other brands you ain’t gonna find elsewhere. Fresh is the word. And they got baby Air Rifts and Air Max, if you got a baby.

water lily collectionFROM PHIORO JEWELLERY

Soon to be revealed at Opulence at Okku, Phioro’s latest collection Water Lily is sure to be extremely popular. This sophisticated bohemian collection is, like much of Clare’s work, clearly inspired by nature in an extremely innovative and artistic way.

The Water Lily collection represents the ideals of serenity and balance, much like the Japanese Water Gardens they were inspired by.

These designs are available in both Sterling silver and 18 carat gold, and feature freshwater button pearls that rest gently upon the curve of the design, resembling a glinting dew drop. Diamonds sparkle within the golden pieces, catching the light unexpectedly and refracting it back onto the pearls.

Available as a set, this collection is simply divine. Dress up with these beautiful pieces to add subtle elegance to your look.

Clare Pardoe launched Phioro in Dubai in December 2010. The designer and owner says, “I was fascinated with the Japanese ideal of peace, purifying, and Zen culture – I wanted to create a collection that embodied these qualities.”

A young but incredibly talented luxury jewellery house, Phioro is rising fast in the Middle East, with recent trips to New York Fashion Week to dress celebrities and stars with beautiful pieces.

The allure of exclusively commissioned pieces and limited edition jewellery is impossible to deny. Phioro considers its jewellery designs as objet d’art. As a limited edition, each piece is discreetly marked with its own number.

Water Lily will be unveiled on the 25th of October in Opulence at Okku in Monarch Hotel. Visit the Phioro website for more information www.phioro.com

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sentiomedia.comin case you had enough of the salesmen

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By the time these is in your hands, August the 2nd will have come and passed, and with it, Fela Kuti would’ve been 70 years old if he were still alive with us. One of the 5 of the most important musicians to ever grace this planet, Fela Kuti was the Bob Dylan meets Bob Marley of Africa. The most political based musicians the world has ever known, the man and his works were key factors that won his country its true freedom. No one lived up to his ideals and thoughts as Fela did. Time after time putting his life and the lives of all his loved ones on the line for his music and his voice to be heard and for it to make a difference. His trials and s tribulations make these so called “rockers” seem like tame pre-teen Barbie wielders. Beaten, prosecuted and jailed by Nigerian government for over 30 years. Arrogant, Outspoken, innovative, controversial, true to his values, supreme and invented his own genre; Afro beat; to spread the roots of his country worldwide. He defied the colonial powers ruling his home country, he despised those Nigerians who sold themselves for positions of power, he gave all his fortune to the poor people, he sang to ease their pain, he cooked for lines and lines of hungry country men and women, his house was open to anyone who needed a shelter, a roof upon their head and place to escape oppression. He dubbed his house a nation upon itself. He pissed off the government to the extent that they continuously raided his house, beat him to near death, killed his mother, destroyed all his recordings/master tapes and exiled him to Ghana. And before that time and time again he was sent to jail (where he was hailed as supreme ruler by the inmates). It’s said that Nigerian soldiers planted drugs on Fela and when he found out, swallowed

all the evidence. His feces were tested (possession at the time lead to life in jail) in the labs but the jail doctor was one of his main fans, and that lead to the result all being negative. And it’s that incident in particular that lead to his seminal record Expensive Shit , and why I to feature it. On to the music. This masterpiece of African music hosts merely 2 tracks. But my god, what brilliant tracks they are. The smoothest and grooviest funk you’ll ever hear (he makes P-Funk look like a boy band. I kid you not). Afro beat is characterized by its big band style; addictive, overpowering, fantastic and mind dazzling percussion and rhythm section, a quality evident in all African music. But the twist comes with the expensive use of western pop melodic elements without tarnishing his homeland’s own rich musical history. Every single instrument available at the time is thrown to create an aural sounds cape. Saxophones, trumpets, xylophones, koras, electronic guitars and keyboards, drums, upright bass, you name it and its there. The aggressive funk tones and the overly confident jazz tunes blend with the most magnificent call and response vocal work. this record will take you to Chicago where James Brown was spreading the Gospel of funk, to the 50’s where Duke Ellington was proclaiming that it don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got the swing, and right back to ancient Africa where the entire tribe gathered around the fire to hear tales of past heroes. It’s vital to understand why Fela made this music. His strongly refused the presence of colonialism and the discarding of his countries Yoruba roots. Expensive Shit is in heart, making a mockery of all those that persecuted and drove him away of his own homeland. The songs are a call

to arms, a rise against injustice. His melding of western instrumentation was not an attempt to move away from his heritage, but a way to create authentic African music. This is the same way he viewed Africa, this was his idealism. Using all possible means to remain to true to one’s heart. He wanted Africa to adapt, to be pure (this is most evident in Water No Get Enemy. He wants us all to be as pure and clean as water. To be needed and available when anyone needs us) and not simply wither away under other’s commands. Feta may have not played the music with African structures, but the spirit of his music was African to the boot. We shouldn’t forget Fela. No one can even begin to comprehend what he had to face against. Peace was just a lie he heard every morning, he never found understanding or love anywhere. It pained him that people just danced to his music instead of giving it the attention it desired. But he kept at it because that was the one way he could remain as close as human can come to a saint. This is a story of a man who gave all his life to the music, and got nothing back in return. His music was duplicated, fabricated and his message was lost. And that’s the saddest thing that could ever happen to anyone. He stood for everything good and whole and no one stood for him or by him. So please, do this great man justice and go spin his music. Hell, go ahead and download it even. Give it a listen. A “real” listen. Pass it by your friends. Tell them the story of his music and the story of his struggle. All Fela ever wanted was to see justice in the world around him. His utmost desire was a united Africa where everyone was treated as equals. The least thing we can do is spread the music and the word.

FELA KUTI. THE PRESIDENT OF AFRICA. THE NIGERIAN JAMES BROWN. THE KING OF AFRICAN BEAT. ALL NAMES THIS MAN WENT BY AND FOR A DAMN GOOD REASON.

FELA KUTIEXPENSIVE SHIT

MOHAMED EL AMIN

Dubai is pretty diverse, but can you imagine nearly 400,000 people in this city running around, screaming out songs, wandering the streets at all hours of the night, and camping out on anything flat and dry?

Yeah, we’d love it too. Who wouldn’t? Sziget is one of those experiences that takes you to another place – a happy place where work and mundane triviliaties fade away in the presence of awesome music and cheap food and general merriment.

We were treated to 59 venues and artist from 43 countries all proudly and joyously expressing themselves through art, music, and dance. Fun times, to say the least.

The performers included big names such as Prince, (yes, we got to see the PRINCE!), Flogging Molly, Rise Against, Interpol, Pulp, Motorhead, Hurts, Dorian Concept, Ben L’oncle Soul, La Roux, Kasabian, The Chemical Brothers, Judas Priest, Xiu Xiu, ColorStar, Crystal Castles, Deftones, Skunk Anansie, Dizzee Rascal, The Prodigy, Peter, Bjorn & John, Hadouken!, Kate Nash, Kaiser Chiefs, Lostprophets, The National, Kid Cudi, Gogol Bordello, Manic Street Preachers, White Lies, Marina & The Diamonds, and more. Much more.

But the greatest part of Sziget was that although there were tons of huge names there, the festival also brought us dozens of up and coming, underground bands – many of which we hadn’t heard of previously but are oh so glad we now know they exist.

Hungarian bands like Brains and Irie Mafia blew us away and easily gave the big names a run for their money as they laid down aural goodness with the skill and ease of the most professional acts we had the privilege to see.

All in all, it was incredible. Getting to see some of your favourite bands is always a once in a lifetime, utterly beautiful experience. And adding new favourite bands to that list is also something thrilling and rare.

So the moral of the story is – go to Sziget. At least once. Party with people from all over the world. Make new friends. Listen to music you know, music you love, and music you’ve never heard of but will spend the rest of your life making up for it. Run around an island filled with all forms of art and excitement at 5am with your best friend in one hand and a greasy yet damn delicious pizza in the other.

MUSIC FESTIVALS ARE PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS AWESOME. BUT SZIGET ISN’T JUST A MUSIC FESTIVAL. IT’S A WHOLE CITY OF MUSIC LOVERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, COMING TOGETHER TO PARTY TOGETHER FOR A WEEK. A CONSIDERABLY LARGE CITY AT THAT. THIS YEAR, THE SELF-DUBBED “GLOBAL VILLAGE” ATTRACTED 385,000 PEOPLE. SERIOUSLY. OH AND THEY HAILED FROM OVER 60 COUNTRIES.

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PURPLE RAIN PRINCE

CHEMICAL BROTHERS

BRAINS

BRAINS

MUSIC

KASABIAN

SKUNK ANANSIE PETER BJORN & JOHN

LA ROUX

PETER BJORN & JOHNZAGAR

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INTERPOL

PETER BJORN & JOHN

IRIE MAFIAKATE NASHKAISER CHIEFS

IRIE MAFIA

HAMDAN IS THE GUY THAT, WITHIN THE FIRST FEW NOTES, WILL SEND SHIVERS UP AND DOWN YOUR SPINE. HIS VOICE IS, NEEDLESS TO SAY, INCREDIBLE. BUT WHAT REALLY MAKES HAMDAN SUCH AN INCREDIBLE MUSICIAN IS HIS PASSION FOR MUSIC, AND EXPRESSION THROUGH MUSIC. EVERY PERFORMANCE IS AN INTIMATE EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE. WE AT QUINT ARE ALL HUGE FANS, AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INTRIGUED BY AND INTERESTED IN THE DOWN TO

EARTH AND INCREDIBLY FRIENDLY HAMDAN AL ABRI.

NOW ONE OF OUR FAVOURITE LOCAL MUSICIANS IS RELEASING AN EP AND WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING AMONG THE FIRST TO HEAR IT, AND PICK THE BRAIN OF ONE OF THE

MOST TALENTED GUYS WE KNOW.

INTERVIEW BY ZAINA SHREIDI

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I know labels are often constricting in music, and there are so many elements in your music that it’s actually hard to place you in a specific ‘genre’. So, what (or who) are some of your influences?

I just wanted to release music that I would enjoy listening to regardless of genre. My influences are far and wide; I just wanted to somehow reflect that in my music. Yasser Anderson is such an amazing producer (he produced Life, (Re)Birth and Falling), and when I was beginning to put my ideas down for the Ep, I was looking for a specific sound and when I heard his tracks I just knew I found what I was looking for. We both love all kinds of music and sounds and we just want to make music, free of genres.

You’ve been singing and making music since 16. How have your talent, skills, and taste developed or changed over time? Where you into a particular style of music previously or did you have a different perception of the music scene and your place in it?

I’m definitely more comfortable with my voice now (I remember I used to hate listening to recordings of my voice). I’m more confident with it now, I think I improved my vocal range as well. All I listened to at the time was Michael Jackson. I just thought he was the pinnacle as far as a vocalist, dancer, entertainer and artist and there was no point in listening to anything else. Later on I started getting into R&B and Hip Hop and I started a group with Dj Shero and one of our friends. It was an R&B/Hip Hop group doing commercial R&B covers and attempting to write tunes and at that point I thought that was that, we would get our music played on the radio and we would become famous. It was obviously far from the truth, we ended breaking up and I headed to Miami to study and that’s where my view and taste of music evolved.

Where do you get inspiration for your lyrics?

Just personal experiences or thoughts. It can also be about matters or things I want to bring to light.

Do you have a certain process that you go through when you write or compose? (Which comes first, the lyric or the note?)

It usually starts with a track or the beginnings of a composition and I write whatever I feel and then develop it with a melody and re-workings of the lyrics. Sometimes I use lyric ideas that I have already written down and sometimes I write from scratch. I always work with someone who does the composition: Julian Symes in Abri and now I’m working with Yasser Anderson. I tried my hand in composing on this Ep (The Yearning and co-produced Here with Rami Lakkis). Its something I would love to get into more, I still have a lot to learn though. Your music is incredibly moving and regularly induces goose bumps and shivers among your audience. I think it’s to do with how passionate you are when you sing and you really put on an incredible performance – whether at a small gig or a concert. But I’m sure the experience is different every time – can you tell me about some of your (personally) most notable performances?

I think one of the most notable performances for me was when I auditioned for the music club in my high school. At that point, my aspiration was to be a visual artist. During class (I was singing in class, it must have been math class... I hated math) a friend heard me sing and thought I had a good voice and told me I should audition for the music club. So I went to the audition and sang an acapella version of Michael Jackson’s You Are Not Alone. I guess it went well because from then on out all I wanted to be was a singer. There have been a few notable performances since then but nothing beats the very first one.

Did you ever have an “epiphany gig” where you really felt something happened or changed to you personally as a musician?

It could be the first gig that Julian and I did as Abri. We were finishing our first album Sunchild and we decided to start performing live. We didn’t even have a band at that time. There was a Speakeasy that was going on at the Old Country Club where people and bands could come and perform. Julian and I went on stage and did our original compositions. After our first song the crowd was dead silent for the longest time...We thought they hated it but then they started to applaud. At that point I just knew that performing original music would work, that Abri could go far, and it would be an even better experience with a full band setup.

Where you interested in music as a kid? What kind of music did you grow up listening to?

My Dad is a musician; he plays a few instruments like the accordion and composes his own music. The music he makes is called Taarab. It’s East African music that’s very Arabic and Indian influenced. So I grew up listening to his music, he was always recording and playing his music in the house. He even let my brother, sister and I sing a hook on one of his songs. Even though he was into Taarab he would also listen to and play a lot of western music. He loves Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, Peter Tosh and UB40. I also had a cousin who stayed with us for a while and he loved reggae music, he would drop and pick us up from school and he would always have music playing in the car: Bob Marley and The Wailers, Alpha Blondy, Black Uhuru, Burning Spear, Aswad. I loved all of it. Then we got the satellite dish and I was introduced to MTV. I watched everything from Yo!!MTV Raps to Alternative Nation. Who are some of your favourite artists? What are you listening to these days?

Radiohead, Bjork, David Bowie, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Iggy Pop, Beck, The Doors, The Beatles, The Zombies, The Velvet Underground, The Roots, Prince, Bob Marley, Bilal, D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, Fela Kuti. Recently I have been listening to Shabazz Palaces, Flying Lotus, Clams Casino, Sade, Frank Ocean, Little Dragon, Jay Electronica, Shafiq Husayn from Sa-Ra Creative Partners. Yasser recently introduced me to Mara TK.

Do other artistic disciplines influence your personal work? If so, which ones and how so?

I love visual art. Before music came along I wanted to be an artist and I went to Miami to study visual arts. I just love all of it: painting, drawing, photography, videography, animation, sculpture, graffiti. Its very inspirational to see a work of art especially up close so you can see the brush strokes and mixture of color and craftsmanship. I always wonder where the artist got his/her inspiration from, or what was the state of mind and being of the artist when he/she created a certain piece. Have you performed outside the UAE, and where? Where would you like to perform? (any particular city/venue)

Yea, I performed in India, UK, Bahrain, Maldives with Abri. I would love to do a tour in Europe, Japan, North and South America but the ultimate would be doing a free gig in Zanzibar (my parents’ homeland).

When you’re performing, how do you connect with your audience? Do you perform in a particular way depending on the crowd?

When I perform I give it a hundred and ten percent. I really give it my all and get lost in the music and lyrics. The best scenario would be the audience loving the performance and music and getting into it with me, we would feed off each other’s energies. But if the audience for whatever reason is not feeling the performance I just get lost in the performance alone or with the

people I’m playing with. I enjoy performing and I want people to love my music but I don’t compromise my music performance or music to please the crowd. It doesn’t work like that for me.

I’ve heard you do some amazing covers, is it difficult to take on another musician’s work and do it your own way? How do you choose the covers you play? (favourite songs, popular demand, similar style?)

When Julian and I first started Abri we were very cautious about doing covers. We didn’t want to be considered a cover band cause its easy to fall into that trap here. We wanted to concentrate on our original songs. And we also thought that if you are not going to transform or do your own take of a cover then there is no point. Nowadays I perform songs that people would not necessarily expect me to do like Massive Attack’s Teardrop or Bjork’s Hunter and I try to change up popular covers. I think the worst thing for a band to do is play the cover song note for note.

Do you play any instruments, and if so which ones?

Unfortunately, I don’t play any instruments. I tried to learn the guitar for a moment but I just don’t have the patience for it. Now, when I record my ideas down on my laptop, I sing what I think the bass, or guitar or drums would be doing in the song and I get someone who plays the said instrument to re-play it for me, or I just use the vocals. It’s a pretty tedious process but it works. I would like to create a whole song just using my vocals, I know it’s been done before, I will just have to do something completely out there. What would be your dream collaboration?

I would love to work with Jack White from The White Stripes. Not only am I a fan of his music, but I love the fact that he records all his music the old fashioned way: record it on tape using vintage amps, microphones and mixers. There is something so timeless about the vintage sound. We would make a classic soul album with a twist.

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I’ve noticed some interesting world music elements in your songs, especially in The Yearning. Can you tell us more about that? What kind of drums were used, etc?

The Yearning is the first song that I have ever produced from start to finish. I heard the melody in my head and I quickly recorded it on my phone. I started messing around with the drum kits and the synths on Garageband on my Macbook, I laid down the melody on the track and they fit really well. I was really experimenting with harmonies as far as vocals and I wanted to see how far I could take it, adding vocals and subtracting. I wanted to make a song that wasn’t the conventional verse-chorus-verse-chorus format, a song that would set a mood and then bring you in. As far as the drums, I want to make them sound almost like a ceremony or ritual was happening (I could picture the Native Americans and Africans dancing into a trance round the bonfire at night) so I really wanted a big sound for the drums. When I went with the guys from Abri to do a New Year’s gig in the Maldives I chilled out with a few locals there just sitting outside and talking and after the night was done they gave me a congo drum as a present. I was really touched by the gesture. I decided to use it for The Yearning, it was the sound I was looking for. Do you feel a need to speak for your culture or country through your music? Is it a privilege, duty, pleasure, or pressure?

I would love to have UAE’s culture and musicality seep into my music naturally. I don’t want to force it and end up making it sound contrived. I think it’s an absolute privilege to be called a UAE national artist or Dubai born artist. I show the world the multi-cultural aspect of Dubai and that there is more to Dubai then just skyscrapers and tourism. There is also a burgeoning music scene. I love going to different countries and people having no idea what to expect from a UAE artist/band.

Have Arabic or Middle Eastern styles of music influenced you? (lyrically or musically)

I love listening to Arabic and Middle Eastern music. I may not fully understand the lyrics but it’s just the way the music is played and sung: beautiful. Arabic singers have so much soul, and the singing technique is so unique. I would love to work with a Middle Eastern group of musicians one day and see what we come up with.

There is a melancholic undertone to some of your songs, is that really there or do you think it’s just a perception?

I have always been attracted to music that has a sense of melancholy to it. It’s one of the reasons why I love Radiohead. Not that I don’t like happy or positive songs, I do. I’m just more drawn to the rawness of true melancholy. And it was also what I was feeling when I was working on the Ep.

What were some of the things you were thinking about as you wrote this EP? Any themes or emotions that you felt were really present throughout?

I started writing the material last year. A lot was happening in my life and in the world in general in 2010. I think its safe to say that last year was not a good year for many people and I was beginning to question and really get deep into the true meaning of life, love and death. Making the Ep was a therapeutic way of dealing with things and documenting my being, emotionally and mentally at the very moment for myself and for the people who are willing to listen and relate to it.

Tell us about your personal day-to-day experiences with music – what are some of the little things during the day that influence you or drive you to a lyrical/musical state of mind?

I love singing in the car. It’s a good way to give my vocals a workout. I also love singing in the bathroom while taking a shower, great acoustics. Lyrics or melodies come to me at the most unexpected places and moments, so I always record whatever comes to me on my phone and then I go back to it later and see if it still sounds good. I love listening to new music, it inspires me. I love laying down vocals alone, that way I can feel comfortable trying different things.

I read recently that people are more moved to write when they’re depressed, lonely, or generally in a negative mental state. Do you think that’s true? Do you feel that you write more when you are in a particular state of mind?

Most of the time, I personally feel more inspired when I’m depressed or when I’m going through a rough time in my life. For some reason it helps. The music is not always depressing though. I guess it’s a way of getting my thoughts and emotions off my chest. I sometimes create music when I’m inspired regardless of mood. Do you feel that writing lyrics, and penning poetry are essentially the same? Do you write poetry, prose, etc or do you only write lyrics?

I think a poet is an artist of words. I don’t consider myself a poet. I write whatever I feel, I try to let the words come out naturally. I don’t necessarily think my lyrics are poems but words are definitely important to me. If people read my lyrics and think its poetry then that’s amazing.

What are your plans going forward? Do you plan on staying in the UAE, the Middle East, or will you be going off to some of the thriving musical capitals around the world?

I definitely want to perform outside of Dubai, do as many gigs as I can, see the world and get inspired. Dubai is my hometown and my family is here, so it will always be my base but I want to go and stay in places for a little while if it helps me to create music.

Make sure to check out Hamdan’s upcoming release for five songs so beautiful they will leave completely and utterly mystified. The release party will take place on the 26th of October in The Music Room, Majestic Hotel.

For information about upcoming gigs, go to his Facebook page: hamdanABRI

MUSIC

Album: FeltReleased: October 10, 2011Label: Erased Records

MOHAMED EL AMIN

There is an inescapable wave of new neo classical composers rising in Europe. Calling back to the works of Steve Reich, Philip Glass and Arvo Part, these musicians blend the classical motifs with an organic sensibility in their work. And you couldn’t find a finer example than Berlin-based Nils Frahm. Taught at the hands of Tchaikovsky’s student Nahum Brodski, Nils’ exhibits all the attributes of a prodigy, pairing technical prowess with a nigh infinite imagination.

Case and point, Felt. The artist’s sixth record in as many years is an intriguing and deeply reflective recording. Aiming to find a means to play his piano (without disturbing the neighbors), Nils placed a piece of felt on the strings, and pairing it with butterfly like pressure to play the instrument, creating sounds that were barely louder than whisper. Captivated by the sounds, he added microphones on the strings, capturing the tone of the hammers as they hit the strings, adding an unusual percussion quality to the compositions.

The end result? A sound that is both overwhelming and intimate. The execution is ethereal, but what makes this wondrous 43mins such a resonating experience, is how human it is. While others might approach their work with an overly polished fashion, Nils invites you into his studio to be immersed in the melodies. There are several portions in the record where his breathing is audible; almost merging with fluttering bells, stretching the acoustic nature of the piano itself beyond simple harmony.

Felt is a wholly unique recording brimming with pieces that are nothing short of shimmering in both scope and execution. Nils has managed to unravel a fascinating format that did not simply alter the way the compositions were performed, but is an entirely new format to explore the music as it is being performed. There is no “gimmick” in this, simply beauty.

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Album: A Winged Victory for the SullenReleased: September 12, 2011Label: Erased Records

MOHAMED EL AMIN

Album art is and will always be the most important aspect of a record. An album cover should never be “just a picture”, it should attempt to express the sounds, mood and direction a musician or band attempt to reach and emulate in their music. You should always judge a record by its cover, and if I had to judge AWVftS by its own, I must say it’s otherworldly, which just happens to be exactly what you will hear.

Founding member Adam Wiltzie of ambient/drone gods Stars of the Lids collaborates with pianist Dustin O’Halloran to create a withdrawn meld of soft piano soliloquies paired with refined yet overwhelming driving ambient swells. The greatest success of the record is its ability to exuberate a defining organic sound culminated by the use of strings and field recordings.

There is such distinct sense of serenity, akin to floating in the sea, the achingly bleak atmospheric soundtrack is held at bay, the beautiful piano arrangements, neither overpowering the other but consistently tugging at each other in a balanced display. No better examples can be found than the trifecta of ‘Requiem for the Static King Part 2’, ‘Minuet for a Cheap Piano’ and ‘Steep Hills of Vicodin Tears’, where the understated work of O’Halloran evolves into enigmatic sensual set pieces as Wilzie’s brooding drone hovers alongside it in an absolute majestic display of pure distilled bliss.

The glimmering sensation evoked the most is, while the music does have its instances of melancholy, tranquility, a state of contentment that is at times limited within the genre. The music brims with personal moments that allow you to lose yourself in the melodies whilst remaining in the forefront, never becoming ‘background music’ as some ambient records do. The music is wrought with sincerity and emotion crafted with a staggering degree of musicianship.

Expect this to feature in many top l0 of the year articles, including mine.

MUSIC

back to wax

LIAM DEMAMIEL

A weedy postman knocks on my door visibly panting, just having schlepped a small but heavy package through my jungle-esque front yard. The box is plastered with ‘Fragile - Please Handle With Care’ stickers. He isn’t concerned. He throws it down on the front step and asks for my signature. There is no attempt at small talk. It is too hot and he is not getting payed enough. The only reaction I can elicit is a disinterested grunt when I sarcastically wish him a good afternoon. I pick up the box and drag it inside.

For the past few years many music listeners have steadily drifted back to buying music in physical form, most notably vinyl. The box just delivered has come all the way from Nashville and from the Willy Wonka of vinyl himself – Jack White. Mr White, creative spark behind acts such as The White Stripes and The Dead Weather, is on a self-imposed mission to bring vinyl back; and no one is complaining. Just as wacky as Mr Wonka’s lickable wallpaper and everlasting gobstoppers are Mr White’s tri-coloured vinyls and triple-decker records. What the postman has just delivered to me is a bit more mundane but nevertheless still exciting. I place a 45 on my turntable and flick the switch. I feel the guitar crunch and the bass drum thump. The artwork is vivid and beautiful to handle. I get up and switch sides; music is an interactive experience again.

Somewhere along the line music became less about the art and more about the consumption. The record was killed by the compact disc and the compact disc by the digital download. Who needed to go to the record store when you could sit at home and get music with a simple few clicks; you didn’t even have to pay

for it. The focus shifted from experiencing a full-length coherent album to picking and choosing a song here and a song there. This apathy towards the art of music had toxic consequences – the decline of the independent record store, major labels shifting focus to the promotion of fads and the constant pressure on artists to produce hits without being given the space to organically develop and mature (Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot comes to mind).

But mentalities seem to be shifting, albeit slowly. Business is booming at my neighbourhood record store and the dusty compact discs have to coexist with the increasing numbers of vinyl releases. A questionable move only a few years ago, seemingly every artist is releasing on vinyl. The ever-multiplying numbers of independent labels are championing the cause, learning from the failures of the majors in catering to the music buying public. Indeed the consumer has the best of both worlds; buy your vinyl and get the digital download too. You can still enjoy your artist on the go without having to haul around a turntable, but you can also have a tangible and engaged musical experience.

There is nothing like the ritual of vinyl: flicking through piles of the stuff at a store or flea market, stalking down a limited pressing off an auction site, the pops and hisses and cracks, reading the liner notes and feeling the art as it was intended to be. The compact disc is utilitarian, ugly and plastic. The MP3 is illusory, a line of code on an iPod and cold to the ear. There is always the possibility that vinyl may just be another fad, driven by this generations oft reviled hipster mentality. But there is no denying the musical experience of putting needle to wax.

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mixtapeQUINT UPBEAT

1. THE BLACK LIPS – BAD KIDS 2. BORN RUFFIANS – WHAT TO SAY ( BOYS LIKE US REMIX)3. CYRSTAL FIGHTERS – AT HOME4. EMPIRE OF THE SUN – WALKING ON A DREAM 5. FOSTER THE PEOPLE – HOUDINI 6. IDA MARIA – I LIKE YOU SO MUCH BETTER WHEN YOURE NAKED 7. ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI – CONTACT HIGH 8. MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS – I AM NOT A ROBOT ( FOOLS GOLD REMIX)

SAMAR ALKHUDHAIRI

LITERATURE

I have always wondered what made New York special!Its abstract cohesion or doors of freedom?I am going on this mental journey to a place I can only envisionNot the tall buildings or fashion iconsBut the soulfulness of the street’s wisdomMetamorphosis, from slavery to kingdomThe heart of NYC beatsWith the echoes of past battlefieldsBlack Panthers and Malcolm X’s shouts of synergismRacial activism has given Lady Liberty her magnetismDistinct,This melting pot of racesBeautiful faces chase away urban monotonyMesh of cultures meditate over the words of Def Jam poetryMos Def in the blockIndoctrinating the elements of hiphopVirtuosity is unlockedJuxtaposing verses and word-play(s) to the musicals of BroadwayI am entrancedMy horizons expand Amidst the artistry and cultural vibrancyPhysically present nowBut my psyche is somewhereGrooving to the rhythm of New York City

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NABIL RASHID

way out on a defeated desert road,somewhere smack in the middle of nowhere,a lonely camel-crossing signpost reaches for the sky.

but little does that signpost know,there are no more wandering wild camels.None.

these deserts are deserted.

yet that signpost still stubbornly stands tall.braving the heat,shrugging off rust,willing things to change.because it has to.

or else…it has no reason for being.

and that’s no way a signpost should ever feel.

FARES BOUNASSIF

LITERATURE

But I do it too. My characters are all visually inclined, or at least the main ones are. Maybe it comes from my background, but Walt Whitman (to my knowledge) wasn’t a graphicist (I just made that word up; much nicer than graphic designer/artist/etc) or a painter or visual artist.Now to be fair, I haven’t read enough of Whitman to know, and what I have read was a long time ago (he didn’t really make much of an impression on me. then again, neither did Shakespeare), so I can’t judiciously say if his work is inclined towards the ekphratic or not.

What I’m calling the ekphratic, or what is known as the concept of ekphrasis, has apparently not made it into the dictionaries yet. It is loosely defined as the complex relationship between visual art and what I will summarise into general literature, or literary work.

I don’t know what the course will delve into. Not really anyway. It doesn’t start till November, and it’s only for six weeks. But it should be interesting, especially with my personal inclinations towards the subject.

The works of Whitman, Melville, Elizabeth Bishop, Robert Lowell, Frank O’Hara and others will be part of the course. I can’t see how the Beat generation doesn’t feature at all in the list mentioned here, but I’ve read enough of those to not really care to focus on them. The Beats (and postmodern/pseudo-postmodern writings of people like Easton Ellis) were among the early influences to my writing, the first to get me to prefer (what I now know as) ekphratic literature over standard non-overlapping texts.The question that I’m concerning myself with right now is, however, does ekphratic writing fall under the sometimes broad umbrella of cross-media, or a variation thereof? Cross-media concentrates on using different mediums to tell the same story (with the most obvious example being Assassin’s Creed – game, novel, movie, comic book, graphic novel, animated movie), and that the story is incomplete without those divergent media.

In that sense, the sense of incompleteness without full form, ekphrasis allows the writer to bring two mediums together for the telling of one story. Yes, he or she only uses poetry or prose to tell

it, and thus a singular medium, but does it not edge on the cross-medial when without knowledge of the visual work produced by others the story cannot be told?

Maybe. But that’s not really cross-media, and I know it’s not.

So they’re calling it ekphrasis. I still don’t know who coined the term (or why). It seems to have come from Greek (sounds Greek too), but finding reliable sources for this material has proven rather difficult. Still, what it is seems verifiable, and the concept itself does exist.

But I ramble. Ekphrasis is a common literary art. It seems to have been present in other art forms and has developed through musical and audio/visual channels, but I would prefer to cocoon it in the realm of the verbal, be that spoken or written, since it can carry the strongest significance when such placed.It is not a quotation. It is not a reference. Also, not a description. It is a subtlety, a sense of recognition, a case on insinuation where the person with the pen (pencil, or keyboard) brings together a reflection on visuals and a static entity of language. Simply, when there is only a hint of the work without actual evidencing of it: an allusion.

Or maybe not. I cannot know yet – if I did, the course would be of no significance to me and I wouldn’t be overloading myself by taking it.

Traditional, classical, pre-contemporary American literature has always fascinated me. At least in the sense that reading it was never a successful venture for me, and I find myself discouraged after the first fifty pages. This should change from hereon.

The American and Ekphrasis.Interesting subject matter, I would assume. Ponder it.

Till then, look for the ekphratic in the books you read. Send me some on Twitter if they’re good – I’m always on the lookout!

I JUST SIGNED UP FOR A COURSE ENTITLED VISUAL ART AND THE AMERICAN POET. IT’S FOR MY GRADUATE STUDIES, OR AT LEAST I DECIDED IT IS. CURIOUS STUFF, THAT IS – THE STUFF AMERICAN WRITERS OBSESS ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR LITTLE DIVERSIONS FROM THE STORY.

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The kitchen of a restaurant is incredibly different from that of a home. There are no colours, no flowers, no pictures hanging on the fridge, no personalized mugs and most importantly, no windows. In a space so large, a space where some people spend almost every waking hour of their day, no windows feels unnatural and rather uncomfortable. I can’t help but equate the confined and choked up space to that of a jail cell. Add two timed meals a day, served in big silver containers in large quantities, and the resemblance is uncanny.

An additional harsh reality is the stark difference between a kitchen and the restaurant that it serves. While the aesthetics seen by the customers are made to reflect comfort, coziness and luxury, the machine running the whole show couldn’t be further away. I am not suggesting that coloured carpets be installed in kitchens, just highlighting an obvious observation.

The truth of the matter is that you either work excep-tionally hard, throwing yourself completely and utterly into every task, or you don’t do it at all. The already intense physical labour of a kitchen doubles in difficulty and pain if one is not fully invested in the success of every final outcome; without the drive, your body will have the victory it begs for and you are guaranteed not to make it through the day. On that account, whenever I feel powerless, and I feel my body failing me, I con-jure up all the willpower, determination and whatever impressive strengths I possess and I refocus. I’ll also start talking to myself in my head. I am, indeed, losing my mind.

On a sadder note – I walked home in tears, again. Whether it’s my emotions getting the best of me or my physical exhaustion playing mind tricks, I can’t be sure. I’m tempted to think it’s a harsh concoction of the two.

IT GOT A LITTLE BETTER, EXCEPT IT GOT SO MUCH LONELIER. THAT WAS MY MOST PRONOUNCED FEELING OF THE DAY; PURE AND UTTER LONELINESS, WHILE SURROUNDED BY IMPERSONAL CHAOS.

TREVOR BUNDUS

With Enough speed even we can Overcome gravity,Driving ‘round in circles with no direction and no aim.Yet, what goes up must come down right?And We both know this vehicle’s short on gas

With Enough pity we can right the wOrld wrongShooting off our mouths in to a press room microphoneBut, isn’t every joke a discreet half truth?When we all read the marks on the Wall

ShoW Enough interest and yOu might get what you wantCrying to your mother has never really changed the thingBut inside each man does a small child dwell?For hopefully we know we’ll grow up one day.

ThroW Enough mOney and you’ll sure cure this painAn incoherent balance sheet proves the vulture’ the sameStill, isn’t it true that everyone is scared?The worlds came to an end and I never prepared!

LITERATURE

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The counterfeiting angular form transcends from the post-romantic apes of war. Such a courageous entity supplies the fountains of reality in this barbaric informative semi-salient befavored modernity.Hail the beggars of constant tides, solitude such a woeful apprentice mining its confabulated jewels off the heart of a contaminated cave. What inner cave does a weasel harvest its intrinsic crops from? Is it the same talented compilement of our collective post-rhetoric ambiguous years?

Sadly, all the commotion built throughout trillions of seconds are uncharted, demoded, and uncategorized. We all share a common denominator; we are gathered here awaiting simple death.

While the spirit of white liquor debunks my soul; I sit solemnly pondering within the vicinity of silent servitude, hoisting common affairs with a light satisfaction of faction’d agendas.

We all are collapsing the tiny notes of our bursting fragmented endorphins. Whence, the austerity of garments disintegrated solicitly with the initiation of holistic sentimental tides, thus revealing the true nature of instrumental consciousness.

It is I, but a lonesome soul who have ventured from within the depth of feeble time; an incarnation of some phantasmal cosmic existence. I have been traversing the seven oceans of non-existence, reaching the clear boundaries of void!

Hence voidness begot sensation, sensation flared experience, and experience fermented my conscious plains. I attained shape, where my

function aims to cannibalize all dull, and purposeless dreams which adulterate your young and vibrant minds of ruthless shelved carrions or to be accurate your senseless caravans of repulsive flesh.

A soulless bird sings his joyous words, amid a storm of flirtatious songs.In the west a vision unveils like all the rest, superficial in its rays dancing abode disgrace. With all the feathered angels hanging in mid air, my festering tunes avail a lifelong reckoning of rosemary downfall and pestilent razor sharp harps.

Alas! All the upsurges of bewildered wilderment, a saint of some steady; heavy mandala springs ethereal lights from within his glistening straw self.

Beware the scary scarecrow nestling on the hunch of that flairy frightening ogre we call flesh. A grimace grin defining vengeance, hustling to a grandeur of fame..

What pierces my terrain of thought?

Is it the trodding of some grand-orgasmic conjecture in plot?Dear guardians of patriarchal nature, suckle onto the orchestrating sanctuaries of plain matter. Engulf in the deep prosperous worship of the shell! Yet truly and quite sadly, you’re missing out on the true essential seed! The ontological shelf of our existing soul!

As I sip my spirited faith, I come to realize that the world is veridically connected; copulation aims at grasping its essences from within the depth of inter-subjugated time.

LITERATURE

READING LISTEVERY YEAR, I GO ON A BENDER. I COLLECT A FEW BOOKS ABOUT BOOKS, AND I READ THROUGH THEM. THIS YEAR, I’VE ONLY READ FOUR, BUT I’VE INSISTED ON GIVING MYSELF A DIVERSE ENOUGH VIEW OF THE DIFFERENT OPINIONS JUST SO THAT I MAY BE EXPOSED TO MORE. THE IDEA IS SIMPLE: FICTION IS THE BASIS OF LITERARY CRITICISM, AND CRITICISM (AS ONE PARTICULARLY FRUSTRATING CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN SCHOLAR ARGUES) BRINGS VALUE TO ART. SO, AS HOST TO THE PARASITES THAT INFUSE ME, I COLLECTED THOSE FOUR BOOKS BY GREAT MINDS IN FICTION AND DROPPED THE LAST ONE I COULDN’T FIND: PAUL AUSTER’S ‘WHY WRITE’.INSTEAD, I ADDED A FIFTH BOOK THAT I THINK BRINGS THOUGHT TO EVERYONE’S MIND UPON READING. IT’S SHORT, TOO.

FARES BOUNASSIF

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ART OF THE NOVELMilan Kundera

A living literary talent like no other, Kundera seems to make it on my list very frequently. I enjoy his dark, Kafkaesque prose and his intriguing approach to literature. So, it would make sense for his analysis of the novel as an entity and form to make it on my list of primary sources for understanding long-form writing. Scrutinising writers and texts as diverse as Cervantes, Tolstoy, and his own (among many others), Kundera brings to light his own comprehension of the text as a question without a singular answer. Moving from one point to the next at whim, exercising diverse form in the presentation of his ideas, and building on a structuralist approach and a deconstruction of the history of the novel and the applications therein, in classic Kundera style, this book will make you think. Even if you don’t aspire to write books.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY ON WRITINGErnest Hemingway

Genius or arrogant hack, this man has defined a very articulate trend in twentieth century [American] fiction that has spread to become an icon and beacon of creative writing among most; the conciseness of language is the basis of everything Hemingway and most of the second half of his century. Whether you consider his opinions and approaches valid or not is not the point: a man who (apparently – I didn’t know) repeatedly proclaimed it bad luck to talk about writing, who was self-destructive (at least by reputation), and who never allowed himself to produce imperfect fiction (whether he succeeded or not is open to debate), his off-hand and intentional thoughts on the craft are valuable to most, if viewed with a critical eye: William Faulkner rarely agreed with his ways.

NOVELISTS AND NOVELS: A COLLECTION OF CRITICAL ESSAYSHarold Bloom

Somebody who has an opinion on every writer under the sun, and whose opinion is usually well-founded and expressive, based on deep study and calculated criticism, his work having passed me by was a discomforting misfortune. I corrected it, and these essays definitely do bring together a meticulous overview of American and English literature at its best. Bringing into solid contrast descriptions of Faulkner and Hemingway, and into light the joyfully dark work of Emily Brönte, while consistently combining the value of older literature (Dickens) with more contemporary work (Philip Roth). You will, undoubtedly, not agree with all he has to say – some of it might even irritate you – but there is an eloquence, or at least a convincing charm, through which he transforms his almost insults into simple criticism. An opinionated man with a lot to say and someone worth listening to.

NOTES FROM UNDERGROUNDFyodor Dostoevsky

Possibly one of my favourite short books in circulation today, and very much an inspiration of mine in everything I write, this hundred-odd page rant of a madman brings to the fore my most cherished of Dostoyevsky’s themes, styles, ideas, and characters. It also tends to summarise the state of the novel and the importance of convincing, real, tangible, and dynamic character portraits to making a story shine through. Granted, it would not be easy for a book like this to be so powerful and enduring, which is also what makes it more stunning that it is still, for anyone who has read it, the best work of nineteenth century Russian fiction ever written. Its first words: “I am a sick man.... I am a spiteful man. I am an unattractive man.”

FAULKS ON FICTIONSebastian Faulks

I haven’t read much for Faulks (one book?), although he is a writer to be admired (I’ve skimmed through more than just one of his texts). Here, he analyses the timeline of the British novel, and cultural manifestations. Although not a direct attempt at studying creative writing, it does (implicitly) bring about the ever present and interesting question of why novels matter and how they matter more. Except he does it differently than the others (and he would, too): he does not care to write of the people behind the stories, choosing instead to assess the characters and how they have become real in our collective memories: Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, Mr. Darcy, and many others. Maybe he was just trying to be a literary critic and did not do it so well, but at least we get a taste of something different from someone different.

the state: social/antisocial?Scrambling through the interwebz searching for events to fulfill my very first task assigned at quint, event listings, I stumbled upon Third Line Gallery’s opening exhibition, THE STATE: SOCIAL/ANTISOCIAL? Clicking away to find more information about the exhibit, the curator, and the types of works that were going to be showcased, I froze. Youssef Nabil? No way. He’s one of my favorite photographers, his Egyptian cinematography influenced, hand-colored silver gelatin photographs that look like dream like paintings, work I can spend endless hours admiring. All my worries about meeting friends in this city, quickly vanished, who needs friends when I could just go to the galleries and hang out with Youssef ? As I continued to navigate and figure out how to get to this magical place, I find out Banksy’s work will also be showcased as part of this exhibition. BANKSY! Youssef Nabil & Banksy in the same exhibit goodbye Boston South End galleries, hello Al Quoz!

So now for the details...The Third Line invited Rami Farook, curator and owner of Traffic to curate a show to kick start the new Fall season. Soon after it was decided the show would take place in both The Third Line and Traffic. THE STATE: SOCIAL/ANTISOCIAL? is to “question and discuss the state of the contemporary environment through artistic representations depicting social behavior, ecology and psychology.”

Your quick Rami Farook Cheat Sheet Fairly young Emirati director and owner of Traffic gallery, curator, artist and some call him an art collector - although if you ask him he would say - “ I think we’re all collectors, think about it, isn’t there something you collect?” Rami is also known as a design entrepreneur. He grew up in Dubai and studied a mixture in marketing management, psychology and Islamic studies. Did he study art? “I took a few three day courses back in 2007 and 2010, but it all came very instinctively.” When asked how he got to where he was today, he describes the process as something that came instinctively through emotion and impulse.

Rami has been curating shows for some time now, he mentioned the first “proper” show he curated was in Berlin and was called: Grey Borders, Grey Frontiers.

Some Behind the Scenes Questions

How did you come up with the concept of the exhibition? Where do you find your inspiration when curating?

“I’ve been working on a series of exhibitions that analyze the state of the world. Grey Borders, Grey Frontiers, the first exhibit I curated I mentioned earlier, inspired me. Grey Borders, Grey Frontiers was broken into five categories: transition, the state of the world, identity, and confusion, moderate Islam and public vs. private. Inspiration is embedded in you.”

CURATED BY RAMI FAROOK

Rami expressed his interest in social history, and with a background in psychology it seems to all come together. When asking Rami about the process in coming up with the exhibition in regards to correlating themes and pieces, he expressed he first came up with the theme of the exhibit and began to work from there. He mentioned it was a little bit of both choosing topics and searching for the work that connects and vice versa, works he felt he needed to incorporate and tie them into the theme. Rami also mentioned that he strongly believes art should be in the masses. In order to achieve this he keeps a journal. Rami’s inspiration to get into publishing has inspired him to create booklets for each of his exhibitions that educate the viewer. He incorporates text written by himself and others, from urban dictionary to articles from the New York Times, to complement the images. The journal then becomes part of the exhibit, for viewers to read and take home.

And back to my thoughts

In my opinion the exhibition was phenomenal. His goal was definitely met. I left The Third Line thinking about the human psyche and how the world acts as an environment that fosters our psyche. There were some strong pieces of artwork that questioned the average human’s narcissism. Although it wasn’t planned to organize the exhibition in two different venues, I see it as an accidental masterpiece. I really enjoyed the time I had in between one exhibit and the other to really let my mind continue wandering after looking at such strong pieces.

The pieces of art in Traffic were also very thought provoking although I personally felt a majority of these pieces were less introspective. In other words I felt the majority of these works boldly made a certain statement when viewing, where as a lot of the other pieces in The Third Line could come off as up for interpretation.

With the ideas revolving around the human psyche and how society plays a role still lingering in my mind from the evening before, I was able to really link the strong political and ecological pieces and have a bigger understanding of what I think Rami was trying to stimulate my mind with.

I recommend ditching the malls this weekend and heading over to The Third Line and Traffic. No one to go with? Well don’t worry you will meet so many great new artists that will speak to you and maybe if you’re lucky some of the works will leave you with your very own existential crisis and perhaps you will be inspired to conquer the world. One last note - I highly recommend picking up Vol. 1 and Vol.2 of The State on your way out so you can spread the knowledge and art with your friends who can’t make it.

Explore THE STATE: SOCIAL/ANTISOCIAL? The Third Line until Oct 20, 2011 Traffic until Oct 27, 2011

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bunty looping

One of the best parts of the experience was the chance to watch the incredible musician that performed on the opening night at of the exhibit at Traffic.

BUNTY LOOPING! Bunty is a very unique musician and visual artist. She creates her music on the spot through improvisation and experimentation, using different instruments to create unique sounds including “found instruments “ such as balloons to create distinct sounds and uses fx pedals to create loops. [The explanation is not as good as experiencing a quick clip on youtube to really understand how her music comes together, I recommend Thongs & Heels.]

Her stage was unique, lined with dolls, and a projector with a tinted color light. Her keyboard rested an iron board and her instruments consisted of a variety of music making gadgets from the color xylophone you played with as a kid, to tambourines.

The minute Bunty began performing I got chills. The room was filled with such a unique moving energy, a very distinct vibe that was very uplifting and freeing.

The crowd consisted of a range of people from kids around 3 or 4 years old to adults in their fifties. But taking a look around the room, everyone was connecting with the music and performance. I had never seen anything like this. The most amazing part is that you completely forget she is coming up with all of this as she is performing. Keep your eyes and ears out for Bunty Looping, her performances are something you must experience!

Keep your eye out in our next issue for an interview with Bunty Looping!

BY SAMAR ALKHUDHAIRI

the fridge web launchLast September 26 marked the website re-launch of our beloved visionary associates at The Fridge.

Their team, with the support from event partners Absolut and Peroni, went all-out for the occasion. A lovely evening soiree was organized to commemorate the special event and to share the delight with majority of the event industry and the local art scene’s in-crowd.

The humble and laid back atmosphere of The Fridge that I am usually accustomed to was relinquished temporarily with that of one that can compete with the fanciest venues around town.

The place was filled with lavish decorations and beautiful disturbances of all sorts; there were girls high-wired to ornate chandeliers which filled the roof spaces; Absolut artworks scattered and displayed beautifully around the bar and intricate audio visual masterpieces vamped up everything nicely for an all-around top-grade feel. The decorative arm chairs and sofas that were whipped out for the party would easily be my favourite. As one Mr. M would say - ‘it makes you feel like you’re in a rap video.’ – that and the comfort I felt lounging on them while I unknowingly sipped on my ‘girl drink’ was superb!

Of course, a creative gathering would not be complete without a stage, and at that, a mighty stage they proudly had. For the most part, wonderful and astounding acts such as The Wild Gauchos (a tango trio) and Shero & Ziryab (a duo who did flawless renditions of contemporary songs), made good use of the platform. These audio-visionaries blasted fine tunes all throughout as people mingled the great night away.

If you are reading this and know now that you’ve missed out on such a grand scale happening then I suggest dropping by the up and running site as soon as you can. And maybe in the future you’d be part of the ingenious merrymakings happening around Dubai.

Ah, there were alien women too if I remember right! Check it!

www.thefridgedubai.com

RYAN BRYLE

splash fashion show

We here at quint, recently had the honor of attending the Splash Rock ‘n’ Fashion show held at the Madinat, Dubai.

We saw a large mix of the pristine, the fabulous, the trendy, the chic and the underground fashionistas attending the event, it definitely was a sight to see!

The show was filled with vibrant colors and rock chic. We saw a throwback to the 80’s and 90’s with their retro inspired glam collection; fierce manes of hair, glitter and hairspray filled the runway while the women paraded the new fall/winter trends. The fashion was reserved enough to wear in the streets of Dubai, yet edgy enough to stand out in the crowd! Accessories like bass guitars, clear bags, retro speakers and Skull Candy headphones took the stage.We got a quite “90’s glam meets Glee” feel for the show and we loved every minute of it! The girls in outlandish teal and orange leggings with lengthy tank tops sashayed across the stage. The winter line then came through, we saw a lot of high-waisted belts against short dresses and lengthy fur coats.

There was a definite androgynous feel to the men’s line. Feminine handbags, multi-colored jewelery, cropped jackets and skirts were all shown down the runway.

The Rock ‘n’ Fashion show was an unforgettable night!

ASH CADZOW

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Event ListingsOctober 14 - February 20CARAVANAn exhibition that explores ideas of nostalgia, travel and reconstructing the past in a way that reveals the hazy divide between recorded history and myth.Barjeel Art Foundation

barjeelartfoundation.com

October 15 – November 1010am – 6pmBRAVE NEW WONDERLANDExhibition that enters the realm of childhood fantasy crossed with reality. It explores our ever-changing world and draws inspiration from recent global eventsThe Majlis GalleryAl Musalla Roundabout, Bastakiya, Bur Dubai+971 4 353 6233

themajlisgallery.com

October 18 - October 2410am – 7pm THE DUBAI SALEAn event that will feature over 60 lots of modern and contemporary Middle Eastern art, offering painting, sculpture, prints and photography that will be up for auction.Ayyam Art Center+971 4 323 6243

ayyamgallery.com

October 19 – January 28 10am – 8pmEMIRATI EXPRESSIONS 2011A display that will reflect on the ‘movement of thoughts’; particularly on Emirati cultural heritage, translated through an exhibition of photographs created mainly by Emirati artists.Manarat Al Saadiyat+971 2 673 5244

saadiyat.ae

October 19 – November 10MONDASEENAn innovative selection of works by the Syrian artist Monif Ajaj, generally inspired by his daily life in Damascus and his childhood in Al Jezireh.ArtSpace, Gate Village, DIFC+971 4 323 0820

artspace-dubai.com

October 22 – October 2510am – 7pmFESTIVAL OF INTERIOR DESIGNThe first-of-its-kind festival in the Dubai is a strategic initiative to highlight the key role of interior design in everybody’s lives and act as a platform to discuss the industry’s timely issues and also highlight the works of emerging talents and design firms in the region.+971 4 311 6300

foid.ae

October 22 – October 25 11am – 7pmINDEX 2011A large and diverse international design exhibition with over 900 exhibitors from 49 countries, representing hundreds of well-known international brands.Dubai World Trade Centre

indexexhibition.com indexexhibition.com

November 3 – November 26 10am – 9pm GO TO THE CORNER – MICHAEL COOPERThe first solo exhibition blocks by British artist Michael Cooper presents a series of almost 90 ceramic blocks that are at once ‘mass produced yet defiantly original’. thejamjar+9714 3417303

thejamjardubai.com

November 10 – January 1210am – 8pmPARERGONBabak Golkar’s first exhibition in the region, bring a unique and thought provoking challenges in architectural design and sculpture. The series is comprised of objects that resemble interrupted or deformed frames.The Third Line+971 4 341 1367

thethirdline.com

November 10 – January 1210am – 8pm DISCONNECTED An exhibition of real life images presents the raw emotion of the city of Karachi that has experienced a passage of unfortunate events in its recent history.The Third Line+971 4 341 1367

thethirdline.com

October 19 – November 10MONDASEENAn innovative selection of works by the Syrian artist Monif Ajaj, generally inspired by his daily life in Damascus and his childhood in Al Jezireh.ArtSpace, Gate Village, DIFC+971 4 323 0820

artspace-dubai.com

November 13 – January 5ZIAD DALLOUL The first solo exhibition in the UAE for renowned Syrian painter Ziad Dalloul - the subjects of his work involve stagnant, commonplace domestic objects which are placed on the foreground of landscapes depicting nature’s virility in some form.+971 4 346 9305

gagallery.com

EVENTS

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EVERY THURSDAY10pm onwardsDEEP CRATESFunk, hip hop, afrobeat, soul, boogie, and more. Great drink deals, free entry – a great, non-pretentious night out.Casa Latina, Ibis Hotel, Al Barsha

October 18 (third Tuesday of every month)9pm onwards

SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAYFree entry all night, free selected cocktails all night for ladies, Indie, Disco & Electro. Republique, The Address Hotel, Dubai Mall

October 26 – October 30

THE OFFICIAL CHICAGO BLUES BROTHERSNight packed with over 2 hours of the very best blues & soul music from both of The Blues Brothers movies – with plenty of laughs too!Madinat Theatre+971 4 366 6546

madinattheatre.com

October 26Doors open at 8pm, performances start at 10pm

HAMDAN AL-ABRI’S EP RELEASE PARTYLaunch of Hamdan Al-Abri’s EP, featuring special guests: URBAN (opening) and Dj Solo aka Wriggly Scott of Dented Records.The Music Room, Majestic Hotel.

facebook.com/hamdanABRI

November 37pm onwards

GAYATHRI’S CHAMPION OF BROKEN HEARTS – SINGLE AND MUSIC VIDEO LAUNCHTraffic, Al Quozfacebook.com/gayathrimusic

November 187pm onwards

Oil Baron’s BallEverybody Needs Somebody: Blues Brothers Tribute Show. Charity event for cancer patients.

Meydan Racecourse Dubai

email me good spam

FARES BOUNASSIF

WHEN YOUR EMAIL ENDS IN @MAGAZINE.COM, YOU SUDDENLY MAKE IT ONTO THE MAILING LISTS OF EVERY PR AGENCY AND EXECUTIVE IN THE CITY. IT’S FUNNY REALLY, HOW YOU SUDDENLY BEGIN GETTING THE MOST RANDOM EMAIL INVITATIONS, PRESS RELEASES, AND OTHER ‘SPAM’.

See it wouldn’t be spam if it was interesting. Let’s call it unsolicited mail. Publishers hate unsolicited mail, and I’m starting to, as a magazine writer. I can relate to their pain right now.

For those who don’t know, my email address [email protected].

I get mail reminding me of random non-quint related events, such as random product releases (on things that have nothing to do with creatives or quint’s sections) and store openings (of products and services that do not interest me or anyone at the magazine).

Granted, some of the stuff I get is fashion related (although I’ve never written a piece on fashion), or of some random new cutting edge ‘designed’ product (like – and, no, I didn’t get this one – a new lamp stand). To be fair, some of the stuff I did get could find a place in the magazine (if it was better designed, better presented, and less outdated), but what makes it not work is that it is not part of the ethos that the magazine functions through: it is too cliche, obvious, or known.

Now I can’t list the specifics of what I receive by mail, out of respect for those who send it.And this article is not an attempt to bash those who send the mail. Some of it does interest me on a personal level, and some bits even could relate to the magazine, just not to my role in it.

This piece is, instead, a request for those who do have ideas and

suggestions (i.e., the actual readers of this mag) to start sending them across.

True, I’m (we’re) always on the lookout for interesting stuff and we do find plenty (oftentimes we get things that can’t all run in one issue and we have to spread them across several), but it would be very cool to get a chance to discuss things that we didn’t notice, or maybe that we thought did not interest our readership. You live and you learn.

Again, the companies and their employees are just doing their job. The other day I emailed one woman back asking her to please stop sending me emails on things that do not relate to the magazine, and she ever so politely and promptly complied, and I greatly appreciated it. She was nice.

Others don’t really respond, since they’re not even aware of the bulk of emails they send out per day. I guess it comes with being such a big corporation with a huge batch of outgoing mail on a daily basis that most times it’s forgotten. And it is not unusual for random people to make it on mailing lists that they can never get out of, so I guess it’s understandable.

They have products, they need to give them exposure, and if the writer doesn’t write about them, at least he’d discuss them with friends and acquaintances who might find it intriguing. I get it.

There’s a lot out there, and most of it is too conventional, ordinary, for it to be something that you read quint for. But there’s also stuff that’s on the other side of the edge, the side we don’t normally explore, that could be exactly right for us without us recognising it.

And, trust me, it would still be better than some of the spam I get from companies and such.Then again, if it is a horrid idea, I might just write about the idea itself – with a screenshot of the email. So don’t over do it!

LAST CALL

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BE MINI.

THE REGION’S BIGGEST MINI EVENT!j 28th of October @ Dubai Autodrome, 11am till late

Racing Tuning Driving fun Urban arts Music

Hundreds of MINIs will be coming from all over the region to meet up not only for some stunning car attractions such as stunt shows, track drives, competitions, historic and accessories exhibits, but also for the coolest urban arts and lifestyle! Not to forget the best regional music artists performing such as leading Emirati hip-hop duo Desert Heat, DJ Shadia, Fatiniza, Beat Antenna and Dubai’s biggest music export Hamdan Al-Abri for a powerful blend of Soul, Jazz and R&B.

For more information on the event and ticket sale, please visit our MINI Facebook page.

facebook.com/MINI.MiddleEast

MEDIA PARTNERS: TICKET PARTNERS:

AG_234_MINI_Festival2011_Quint_29.7x21cm.indd 1 10/10/11 3:19 PM

Documents

quint magazine | issue 9