Upload
seven-shades-of-black
View
250
Download
1
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
The fourth issue of Seven Shades of Black includes interviews with Mr Scruff, Angie Wang, Shlohmo, Hideaki Hamada. Featuring Lane Coder, Flying Lotus, Karoliina Bärlund x R/H and many more!! www.facebook.com/7sobm
Citation preview
NO.4editor in chief / CREATIVE DIRECTOR
SPECIAL THANKS
CONTACT
FRONT COVER
SORAAN LATIF
For all the people who have supported
us from the moment we started this /
lola de la mata / Alex / Mike lawley /
Annelise for literally being a life saver
/ my design team you guys have been
amazing since day one
facebook.com/7sobm
7sobm.tumblr.com
ANGIE WANG
ROBERT JONES
ANNELISE SEALY
FLORENCE ARNOLD
MARCUS KUZVINZWA
DANIEL LEE HARVEY
SARAH TALLEY
ANONYMOUS
LILY MAY
NNEKA IDIKA
ALEX LEE
SORAAN LATIF
AARON NELSON
AUSTE KUZMICKAITE
KARISSA SPARKES
SORAAN LATIF
WRITERS
DESIGNERS
MUSIC - DANIEL LEE HARVEY
FASHION - ANNELISE SEALY
Editors
SHLOHMO INTERVIEW
FLYING LOTUS LIVE AT THE ROUNDHOUSE
MR SCRUFF INTERVIEW
MUSIC
MELANIE AUTHIER INTERVIEW
MICHAEL C. HSIUNG INTERVIEW
ANGIE WANG INTERVIEW
NANNA SOFIE RESEKE
ART & DESIGN
LANE CODER
HIDEAKI HAMADA INTERVIEW
PHOTOGRAPHY
KAROLIINA BÄRLUND X R/H
PSYCHEDELIC FASHION
PRE FALL 12' REVIEW
fashion
contents
006
022
076
130
058
062
084
040
090PSYCHEDELICFASHION
106
120
124
MELANIE AUTHIER
INTERVIEWED BY SARAH TALLEY
ecently Seven Shades of black had the opportunity
to interview the Canadian artist, Melanie Authier. With
an upcoming exhibition in Toronto, she’s answering
questions about her own creative process. Her large
and overpowering pieces exhibit the beautiful, and still
very potent, power of abstract art. Both evoking and
parting from her modernist predecessors, her pieces
command attention and respect. With intellectual
clarity and depth, her responses add a thoughtful
insight to the somewhat mysterious work she creates.R
Is there an artistic movement you identify with?
There is not one particular artistic movement that
I identify with? My work is obviously indebted to
the histories of abstraction but I don’t favour one
over another. My paintings bring together visual
contradictions into one imaginary space. Each
painting presents a brimming jostle of pictorial
oppositions. The work presents a perpetual play
between chaos and control, the synthetic and
the organic, the technological and the natural,
flatness and depth, the atmospheric and the
geological. Each work is submitted to a free-form
improvisation that draws upon an expansive
archive of expressionist and hard edge histories.
These heterogeneous forces mingle and co-exist
in a dynamic exchange that stretches the limits of
their points of reference. The goal of the work is to
conjoin a disparate, contrasted array of painterly
facture to create a work that is disjunctive, but
eventually resolves itself into a convincing, if
disorienting illusionism.
What mood are you hoping to create with your
work?
I think that the psychology / personality of
each painting varies. Mood is not always easily
controlled but it comes about out of the contrasting
elements in my work. The process of a painting
occurs as series of contrasts. Each mark attempts
to usurp the prominence of the previous idea.
Colour selection and the speed of my brush
strokes are determining factors when it comes
to creating a mood. The focus is to create a
painting out of a balancing act of contrasts. The
result approaches a Baroque sensibility. The re-
combination of varieties of pictorial facture reveal
elements of the irrational and the evocation of
unfathomable space.
You have done relatively large-scaled pieces,
what is the thought behind that?
I enjoy how large-scale paintings have the
capacity to confront and simultaneously envelop
the viewer. I think that they allow for a heightened
awareness of the viewer’s scale in relation to
the scale of forms in the work. This disparity
can create a sense of disorientation that I feel is
quite dynamic. That being said, I also enjoy the
intimacy that smaller works offer. Ultimately, it is
important to me that I continually paint on a range
of sizes because it forces me to recalibrate my
proportions and the scale of brush strokes, and in
general helps to keeps me on my toes creatively.
What do you think is the role of art in society?
If it has a ‘role’ it functions as a counterpoint to
everyday life. It is the sounding board upon
which we can reflect and contemplate the vital
importance of cultivating ideas. It has the
capacity to present an inner world in contrast,
or in relation to, our realities. Art is a sanctuary
for the imagination.
What are you hoping to say to those viewing
your work?
I am interested in the idea of infinite space and the
illusion of depth as expressed through an abstract
visual language. The goal for each painting
is to present the viewer with an improbable
environment. I do this by bringing together
visual contradictions. For example: the way in
which colour, texture, line and shape compete for
room within the canvas. Each work presents a
brimming jostle of oppositions that the viewer is
invited to bring into a certain order. That order is
potentially different for each person. People who
own my work will often express that they notice
forces at work in the painting over a prolonged
period of time.
How do your ideas come to you?
I tend to begin with an idea of the type of space
I am aiming to create. I never work from source
imagery or preliminary sketches but I will often
have a representational type of space in mind that
I then translate into abstraction. For example the
type of space one might encounter in landscape:
a cave, underwater terrain, cliff façade etc…
Every aspect of my work is filtered through the
language of abstraction, while utilizing strategies
of representation. This often means playing
with ideas of fore-ground, middle-ground and
background within the work.
Who are five contemporary artists you enjoy?
Seven come to mind, and in no particular order…
Thomas Helbig, Valerie Blass, Tomma Abts, Martin
Golland, Katharina Grosse, Luanne Martineau
David Altmejd.
Did you always know you wanted to be an artist?
Yes.
Do you think your style is changing over time?
I am continually trying to re-contextualize my
visual language from one painting to the next.
Yes, I do think the way that my work looks has
evolved –especially over the past 7 years. I only
ever work on one painting at a time and each
painting informs the next. I try to continually
create challenges for myself within my studio
practice and I think that this allows for new ideas
to develop.
Do you think growing up in Montreal, or your
surroundings now, have influenced your work?
Inevitably. –As a young art student I would often
go the Contemporary Art Museum of Montreal.
They have an excellent permanent collection of
Paintings by the Quebec art movement of the
“Automatistes”. Hard edge abstraction is also
well represented at that Museum -particularly
by Guido Molinari and Yves Gaucher. Until I was
old enough to travel to the United States and
to Europe these works were my first access to
experiencing abstract painting in the flesh, rather
than from a book or slide image.
Also the fact that Montreal is a multicultural city,
and that it is both French and English, allows for
a certain dynamism and energy that I enjoyed
while growing up there and that I continue to
enjoy when I visit.
Do you have any exhibitions planned for
the future?
Yes. I will be in a big group painting show “60
Painters” that opens this Spring in Toronto, ON.
For more information about new projects and
upcoming exhibitions please visit my website.
Melanie Authier's website
Michael C. Hsiung
i n t e rv i e w e d by A l e x l e e
eet Michael C. Hsiung, an LA-based artist who best characterizes himself by one large mustache,
a thin yellow protective skin and a herbivorous diet. His art, made distinctive by his peculiar style,
features whimsical caricatures, complimented by intricate line work and eclectic, fantasy-inspired
choice of subjects. Michael has kindly agreed to answer a few questions for Seven Shades of
Black, describing the origins of his artistic endeavors, the rise to relevancy within the art industry
and his involvement with the Human Pyramids Collective. But most importantly, Michael opens up
about his share of personal struggles that led him into finding his artistic muse. His story tells us
it’s never too late to discover what you really want to do in life, and that the ability to do what you
truly love for a living means so much more than anything else.M
Hi Michael. Now, you are from LA, an area that has
quite an eclectic art scene. Tell us about yourself,
your art and what it is like being an artist in the
LA art community
I'm a self taught illustrator/artist from Los
Angeles, CA. Umm, let's see: I'm sort of a mix
between hyper/neurotic/mellow/obsessive/weird,
haha. My art is, I guess some what a mixture
of the whimsical, fun, sad, and the awkward,
usually focusing on character dynamics. My
subject range from obese, hairy characters,
misunderstood mermen, bears, centaurs, hawk-
bird men to fictitious warriors. I pretty much
work with pen, paper, and sometimes ink on
paper. In terms of being involved with the LA art
community, strangely I wouldn't consider myself
directly involved but at the same time, I'd say
it's very accessible, open and exciting with tons
of solid artists.
What is the inspiration behind all the facial-hairy,
mermen extravaganza?
I think the inspiration behind the mermen was
and is a mixture of my interests with a splash of
the accidental. I think through sketching ideas
and shapes I sort of zoned out and came up
with a merman, which I felt was a great contrast
to all the mermaids out there. Eventually I came
up with my own storyline in my head which goes
something like: all the mermaids are always
out, trying to meet sailors because mermen
are highly undesirable due to their inclination
towards drinking and general lack of interest
in the female mermaid species. Through my
drawings of mermen, I've gotten to explore and
create more of their personality and mythos. It's
pretty fun.
How did your decision to go into art come about?
Has it always been a major part in your life?
While art has always been a major part of
my life (my sister Pearl is a painter, and I was
always drawing ‘till about college), I never really
thought about pursuing art, mainly because it
was something that Pearl was pursuing. So I
didn't really pursue that vocation, you know. I
didn't really find myself wanting to go into art until
years later, after I finished college in San Jose
as an English major. I was sort of drifting around
career-wise after being laid off from working as
a special ed aide for a high school. I was then
hired at a background investigation company, I
know sort of weird right? Well, I was pretty much
just working away thinking this was it, this was
my life. After two years there and getting out of
a bad relationship, my sister convinced me to
move back to Los Angeles, so I stayed with her
and her boyfriend Scott in their tiny apartment
in Koreatown. At this point I was sort of doodling
here and there, but didn't really start again ‘till
my first 3 months in LA. I was hanging out with
friends, including a buddy of mine whose art
career was just starting to take off. I'd go over
to his house to draw and then go out every
night drinking with them. Drawing was sort of
born out of my hangovers in the mornings, but it
was through Pearl's, her boyfriend's and my old
buddies' encouragement that I started drawing
more and more. It wasn't until about 2007 that I
decided to go for it full-time.
You have a very distinctive style; tell us how you
came to develop that certain style!
To be totally honest, I'm not entirely sure. But I
can guarantee that I always drew sort of bowling
pin-thumb bodies haha.
Take us back to when you first started out as an
artist. What were some of the worries and the
difficulties that you faced as a new artist in the
industry?
Oh there were tons of difficulties as well as
worries when I first started out, mainly because
I like, didn't know much about art techniques
and stuff like that, and that I oftentimes felt very
uncomfortable and unconfident about certain
things like painting or even showing my work to
amazing artists. It's great being your own boss
in a way, but it's a difficult living: keeping yourself
motivated, working, and, well, making sure your
account doesn't dive in the red every month. I
was lucky when I first started to get involved in
various projects and etc., through folks finding
me, but there are times when you have to figure
out how to generate your own work and income.
That's not too easy, especially these days.
Tell us a bit on what your creative process.
Well, I used to just sit down and draw my mind
off, but nowadays I really have to get inspired
and/or work through ideas. But generally, after I
shower and all that stuff, I sit down, grab a piece
of paper, and start sketching away. Sometimes
I go through days or weeks where I am just
unhappy with what I'm drawing. When I do end
up drawing something I like, it comes to me more
subconsciously, like it'll be something I read or
saw that might give me an idea, but I only see
the connection after I've finished. In that sense,
I guess you could say my creative process is
chaotic, accidental, and organic at times, but
mostly just chaotic.
You seem to be a very prolific artist. Is it ever
trouble for you to come up with new ideas for
your work?
Oh man, I feel very un-prolific, especially when
compared to some of these talented folks out
there who are constantly putting out great works
and projects. I'd say the last two years have been
the hardest for me to come up with new ideas
for art work. Before I was drawing, I wasn't too
aware of what art was out there, and now that
I’m more connected, you start over-analyzing
and over-think ideas instead of just letting it out.
Sometimes when I get frustrated with drawing,
I try and draw the most fucked up things I can
think of. Doing so reminds me to have fun and to
sort of get back to that attitude of drawing what
I want, not what I think I want.
How did you became involved with the Human
Pyramids Artist Collective?
I mainly became involved with HP through a Flickr
friendship I had with one of their artists, Pacolli.
One day, she sent me an e-mail about coming
out to Los Angeles for an HP group show, so my
girlfriend Rachel and I offered to put her up. It
was through that show and etc. that I got to know
some of the folks, and I was invited to join the
collective. I was and am still really happy to be
a part of it. They rule!
As an artist, what is your ultimate goal?
My ultimate goal as an artist is really just being
able to keep making art as a living. Maybe throw
in health insurance, travel, and some more meals
in there, and I'm set.
Michael C. Hsiung's Flickr
Get daily your daily dose of Art & Design posts on facebook. Just click anywhere on this page andget transported to our central hubof insparation.
Lane coder wo r d s by li ly m ay
There’s something about landscape / environment
photographs that never really sparked an interest
for me. Maybe it’s because I have seen one too
many ‘landscape’ albums on Facebook, with
a few hundred of your typically bland shots
of a beach and occasionally the classic; long
exposure waterfall. But I have to admit; coming
across the very talented Lane Coder’s work was
a breath of fresh air for me!
Coder is no newbie to the photography world,
boasting an impressive list of magazines and
papers which he has had his work published
in; Vogue, Nylon, V and The New York Times to
mention a few. This is of course appropriately
accompanied by an equally as impressive list
of exhibitions held and awards received. Inspired
at the age of 19 by a friend, Coder discovered a
passion for photography and didn’t look back.
His passion shines through in his photographs.
Coder’s landscape / environment photography
skills are beautifully displayed and perfectly
executed in his series ‘Los Angeles 2003’.
Flawlessly composed, these images are extremely
strong and bold with clever use of lines and light.
The series’ images seem almost surreal without
the presence of any human subjects in what would
be their normal environments. Strangely enough
these images still feel close to home. The use
of muted colours gives Coders’ photographs an
almost vintage feeling to them, invoking emotions
of nostalgia in the viewer. Each image feels
relatable because it is suburban, each location
seems so distant but still some place you feel
you have been before. I think this creates a sort
of magic in each photo; the viewer already has
his or her own story behind each image. This is
what I believe a great photo should do, create
a connection between both photographer and
viewer and this is exactly what Lane Coder has
achieved with ‘Los Angeles 2003’. I take my hat
off to you sir.
Lane Coder's website
S h l o h m oi n t e rv i e w e d by D a n i e l L e e H a rv e y
Shlohmo is one of the most innovative and youngest producers to emerge from the L.A
beatscene. His sound envisions a dreamscape for us listeners to slip into when the rest of
reality gets overwhelming. His album Bad Vibes which was released in August 2011 has
impressed many reviewers and for me it’s a breath of fresh air. Every track is a component
of hip hop abstraction, the way he blends the moans of the guitar with the vocals and the
ambiance of nature is like the very creation of human DNA. It’s unique; there is no other
sound that comes close to it. When we hear a track with those elements, we instantly
know it one of Shlohmo’s and that in itself is something very difficult to do when there is
such a wave of beat makers all striving do the same thing. I got the chance to speak to
him to find out more...
First of all, where are you currently located and
what have you been up to?
I just moved to New York at the end of 2011 after
spending 3 years in San Francisco and Oakland.
So, when did your taste for producing actually
start?
Well, I played guitar and bass in bands when
I was real young, but I kinda fell off that by the
time I was in middle school. Something made
me want to start making rap beats when I was
like 14, so I'd take samples into GarageBand
and make really shitty beats. I did that for a few
years and then got into making house for a few
more years. I think by the time I was 17 or 18
I had more of an idea of how to use programs
and what I actually wanted to produce. But it's
still changing all the time.
Who would you consider to be your influences
in music?
Bob Dylan, Three 6 Mafia, M83, D'Angelo, Tom
Waits, Drake, Burial, Sly, Four Tet, GG Allin.
Your album ‘Bad Vibes’ is one of my favourite
music releases of 2011, what was your overall
concept when putting it together?
Thank you! The overall concept was kind of a
lack of one. The only real idea I had for it was
that I wanted to make it really personal; I wanted
to use my voice and play all the parts. Guitar;
bass; keys; record all the sounds and what not. I
happened to be really bummed out at the time so
I just let the music reflect that. After I got into that
mode of recording, the rest just kind of came out.
I know you released ‘Glue Stick’ as part of a
compilation, but ‘Tall Grass’ and ‘VOR/off’ were
only featured on the podcast you did for XLR8R.
Why have you been teasing us with those tracks
for such a long time? Do you have any intentions
on releasing them fully?
Ha I don't know. I had some plans for them at
the time, but they all fell apart somehow and
now those tracks feel too old. I think they had
their place back then, but it would feel weird to
put them out now.
There are a lot of production gadgets available
now that have automated tools to make it that little
bit easier for an individual to create music. I read
somewhere you prefer to use basic equipment;
do you feel that you have more creative freedom
when sticking to the analogue?
I just feel like creativity comes from you, and not
the machine you’re using.
In the space of three years you have managed
to release so much material: several EPs and a
full length LP; a beat tape with a free selection of
unreleased treasures; a fair amount of remixes
and a new EP is coming up again. Where do you
find the time?
I actually feel really unproductive. If I could bring
myself to spend the amount of time necessary
for myself to feel productive, there would be like
five times the amount of material. But I'm far too
lazy for that shit.
What is your approach when playing live?
I just like to feel connected to the crowd. If they
want to dance and jump around and shit, then
that's what I wanna do too. If they wanna hang
their heads and listen, then that's where I'm at.
It's weird though because my music is really
all over the place, so I feel like I can't always
please everyone. There's always somebody
who would rather hear the mellow stuff when
I'm playin’ dance-y shit, and there's always cats
who wanna dance when I'm playin’ ‘Bad Vibes’.
I haven't quite found a balance yet.
I must congratulate you man for making ‘ Pretty
Boy Swag’ into a blissful anthem. I didn’t know such
a thing could be achieved. How do you approach
tracks like this and others you have remixed?
It's never a plan, it's just kinda like "I like this.
What if it sounded like this..."
You also released an EP in late December last
year, ‘Shlo-Fi’, under record label Error Broadcast.
It was originally one of your earlier digital EPs
from 2009, so what made you want to release a
physical copy of it?
Error Broadcast approached me and asked if
I wanted to put it out on vinyl. Even though it's
over two years old and some of the first music I
ever made as "Shlohmo", I still felt connected with
the songs and thought it was worthy of getting’ it
on wax. I also wanted to see my photos printed
big on the cover.
Quite recently, you did a remix of the DJ Khaled
track ‘I’m the One’, featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne
& Drake. Is this leading onto a project you have
in mind?
I just wanna produce for these cats.
In today’s circle, there are a lot of beat makers
starting up early. Do you have any words of advice
to give them?
Just do you. Doesn't matter what program you
use or any of that bullshit, as long as you have
the drive to do it, you'll keep doing it. Do it if it
makes you happy.
What music are you listening to at the moment
and who would you recommend our readers to
check out?
Honestly just Drake. But I've also been listening
to a lot of my friends' music. D33J, Groundislava,
Evenings, Salva, and Tomas Barfod. Then I've
also been revisiting all the old Three 6 Mafia and
hypnotized minds CD's that I found in my old
bedroom; Club Memphis + Underground vol. 1.
Last of all, if you were to be sent to an alien
civilisation in space to teach them about the
music that planet Earth can offer, and you were
only allowed to take 3 things with you (records or
musical figures), who would you select and why?
Just to fuck their heads up I'd bring Crunchy
Black, Gary Wilson, and Kool Keith. Then if they
were thinking about destroying Earth, they might
not. Or they might do it faster, I don’t know.
Shlohmo's facebook
F ly i n g l o t u sl i v e at t h e
r o u n d h o u s ewords by Marcus Kuzvinzwa and Soraan Latif
Photography by Tim Kantoch
Back In October the staff here at Seven
Shades of Black where lucky enough to
receive two tickets to see the one and only,
Flying Lotus at the Roundhouse in London.
The show was one of only a handful that
took place that year, in London, Paris & Los
Angeles. In collaboration with the visual
label ‘ANTIVJ’ who provided a stunning
backdrop to the show, Kutmah and Martyn
were supporting acts on the night.
It being our first time at Camden’s prestigious arts
and music venue, The Roundhouse and seeing
Flying Lotus (aka Fly Lo) real name Steve Ellison
live, our expectations where on point. The venue
itself is spacious and extravagantly designed in
a sleek and fashionable manner. A section was
reserved for Fly Lo merchandise including shirts
& stickers; the iconic Brainfeeder shirt was also
available on the night. ‘Flying Lotus' cufflinks
were also available (if you gave the kind sales
assistant the exact change) Inside the room.
Flying Lotus a L.A based experimental hip hop
producer, who prominence is highly recognized.
His most talked about 'Cosmogramma' is a
perfect example into the marvel that is that 'Fly
Lo' sound. The jazz based album touches on
multiple levels of musical technicality and finesse.
'Do The Astral Plane' being a crowd favourite
on the night.
Flying Lotus is the founder of the L.A based record
label 'Brainfeeder' which formed back 2008.
The label promotes the freedom of alternative
electronic artists to showcase their art; however
they want with no constraints. It holds some of
the most prestigious artists in the beat scene.
Including Samiyam, Tokimonsta ( interviewed
in issue three ), Mono/Poly and many others.
To start of the show the Dj/producer Kutmah
took the stage. Playing some of the hardest
bangers and slow jams I've ever heard and some
staff favorites. Samiyam's 'Kitties' and a couple
of Onra's to name a few. He also played a lot of
unreleased material that we hadn't heard before.
Some of which was by the artist Flako. 'Broken
Toy' and 'Lonely Town' from Flako's latest album
_ were played. 'Lonely Town' was highly loved by
the crowd, a fellow witness of the audible love
said 'it's make me feel like I'm drunk but I'm not.
Kinda of like I'm on a cloud but my feet are deep
in the soil & one with the earth' personally we
couldn't think of a more excellent interpretation.
The song features Dirg Gerner who does the
vocals of the song and as a listener you can feel
the chemistry to the song. As per every concert
there was the one fan that was a bit too inebriated
and took the stage for him and danced to his
hearts content.
When it came to Flying Lotus’ set we were
wondering where he was going to grace the
stage. As the visuals started the mad scientist
emerged from den and graced us with the first
song of the night Flying Lotus, SpaceApe, &
Kode 9 – Kyron. Being part of the ear splitting
screams of joy for his arrival this pretty much
summed up the atmosphere of the show.
Part one written by Marcus Kuzvinzwa.
Before Flying Lotus took to the stage fellow Dj
& producer and label artist Martyn’s took his
place upon the podium and gave us a taste of
what he had to offer. His set was fragmented
between styles and genres, crossing and
blending between abstracted sluggish white
noise, Chicago house and the rhythmic pounding
of Detroit influenced techno. It was all done within
the context of the night; it wasn’t dis-coordinated
or cornered into sections where each part of his
sets could be labeled as “techno” or “house”
. He managed to weave the different genres
together by the use of the glitchy sound that is
recognisable to the Brainfeeder label. Earlier
in the month Martyn released his latest album
Ghost People on Brainfeeder label. It was no
surprise that he played a couple of the thumping
techno track on the night from the album such
as,"Horror Vacui" and my personal favourite from
his album,"Popgun".
I must admit I was slightly surprised at how well
his tracks were being received. This wasn’t the
usual type of crowd that I had been used to
when I have been at an event playing techno or
deep house. Even when he dropped in a more
aggressive sounding dubstep track it wasn’t
turning people away from the dance floors, this
is full credit to the way Martyn mixed. After he
was finished the main man took to the stage
himself along with a visual feast.
The visuals that came on during Flying Lotus’
set were nothing short of specular. While Kutmah
and Martyn had only a few spotlights shone on
them during their respective sets, which was not
a bad thing by any means, the visual artists at
AntiVJ truly put on a show that pleased the eye
when Flying Lotus came on the stage.
As we have all probably witnessed the visual side
of live events seem to be all but ignored during
events. They all seem to lack the basic principles
of combing music and visual arts together. This
is something that was most certainly addressed
by AntiVJ, a European based group who have
an already impressive cv showing off their visual
talents at Nuits Sonores and Mapping Festival
among numerous other projects. As Flying Lotus
mixed and cut into through his set the visuals
would change in sync with the blissful tracks he
played. Whether it was the cosmos at easing in at
the start of the set, abstract visual lines carving
into the stage or the fantastically sophisticated
patterns and shapes gliding across the scene,
it was a joy to witness.
As amazing as the visuals are nothing was going
to detract too much attention from Flying Lotus.
He was hiding behind the triangular podium
that was put in place especially for him waiting
to pounce. Grinning throughout the duration of
his performance ehe first track he played was
his rework of Lil Wayne’s “I feel like dying”, It
didn’t take much longer after that for the crowd
to start moving frantically. He showed off his
typically deep catalogue of record from Tyler the
Creator’s “Yonkers”, The Rolling Stones’ “Paint it
black” towards the end of the show and even a
dubstep remix of Waka Flocka Flame's "Hard in
Da Paint”. Of course the majority of his set was
constructed out of tracks that he crafted, the likes
of “Kill your co-worker”, “Zodic Shit” all featured
and of course “Astral plane” got a suitably huge
reaction from the already buzzing crowd.
Mixing in with all the usual tracks you expect to
be featured in his set including of course other
label mates like Tokimonsta was the intricate
and sophisticated jazz influenced sounds that
would slow down the pace of the evening before
the pace would pick up again. My personal
favourite of the evening was when he laid down
his remix of Mr Oizo’s “Stunt” which was one
of the few tracks I knew the second it hit the
speakers. The only downside to the evening
was that his set was cut short for some reason,
due to a technical hitch. He more than made up
for this though spending a good half hour at the
very least speaking to the fans, taking pictures
and promising to listen to music that was being
handed his way.
Give your ears a break with Music of today with our Daily classics post on Facebook. Just click anwhere on the page and be inspired by the past.
ANGIE WANGINTERVIEWED BY SARAH TALLEY
ngie Wang, an illustrator out of Portland, agreed to
answer some questions about her pieces. A unique
force within the world of illustration, her work unties
popular cultures and styles with a sense of fantasy
and mythology. Her use of strong colors and fluid
lines create a movement that is immediately striking.
With an honest critique of the art world at large
and a humble explanation of her own illustrations,
Angie’s words and thoughts seem to enhance the
already moving visual scenes she creates.A
Your illustrations appear to have a narrative
aspect, what do they mean to you?
My Ancient Greek professor once told me that
writing is temporal and art is spatial. So, he
said, the upside of writing is narrative and the
downside is that it isn't as present and immediate
as art is. On the other hand, the upside of art
is its immediacy and the downside is its static
nature. But he went on to talk about a part in
the Iliad describing Achilles' shield where the
art has a narrative nature, like writing, and that
resonated with me--it reminded me of the fairy
tale illustrations I loved as a kid.
Does pop culture influence your illustrations?
I really like the idea of a community drawn
together by shared enthusiasm. I'm a fangirl at
heart, so when I admire something a lot and it has
a lot of cultural currency, I like to do something
about it. Which, for me, usually means drawing it.
How does your use of color play into your work?
That was a practical necessity at first. When
I worked with black and white, I balanced
compositions using the visual weights of patterns
and textures, but when I moved into color (never
having learned color theory) I just couldn't make
"normal" palettes work. I wasn't able to balance
muted colors or pastels against the black lines, so
everything I'd ever figured out about composition
had been thrown off--until I finally realized that
the only way I could get my sense of composition
back was by using highly saturated colors that
could hold their own. Basically, the colors I use
are the only way the picture looks right to my eyes.
Right now I'm influenced by Utagawa Kuniyoshi,
Micah Lidberg, Shimura Takako, Susumu
Katsumata, Jillian Tamaki, Uno Moralez, Hellen
Jo, Leonetto Capiello, and Eyvind Earle, I have
in the past been influenced by Arthur Rackham
and Henry J. Ford.
Is there a particular art movement you identify
with?
Not really. Maybe the indie comics community,
but I draw more from manga, editorial illustration,
fairy tale illustration, and video games than
anything else.
What is your process like when beginning a piece?
I usually start off with an idea like "bone flower" or
"polka-dotted wolf pelt" or "meteor" and work from
there, thinking, "What is the heart of this idea?"
The famous impressionist Paul Gauguin once
said that “all art is either plagiarism or revolution”,
do you agree with this assessment?
It's not how I think about art. I mean, when it
comes to reading, I'm interested in intertextuality
and how stories build off each other: fairy tale
remixes, fanfiction, borrowing, subverting.
Similarly, in art, I'm interested in playing with
the language of connotations and rich cultural
symbols--unicorns, Greek goddesses, fursuits,
sun, wolves, baseball, etc--and connotation-
rich compositions. So I feel like "plagiarism or
revolution" is a catchy but simplistic idea, lacking
in nuance.
What are you hoping to express or convey with
your illustrations?
I'm interested in conveying oppressive
environments, wistful or ambivalent feelings,
and bizarre happenings. The idea that resonates
the most for me is that this is the weird, cruel,
beautiful, unfair world you live in, and you have
to live in it.
How has your experience been moving within
the art world?
In the illustration world, it's been absolutely
wonderful. I've gotten to meet a lot of artists I
admire greatly, and I'm making a living doing
what I love.
You have three words to choose to describe
your artwork, what would those words be?
Intimate, claustrophobic, and inexplicable.
Has the psychedelic art scene influenced you
at while you were moulding your creative style?
Actually, not at all. A lot of the psychedelic
elements in my art come from editorial illustration--
when an editorial illustration is taken out of
its context, it suggests a completely bizarre
narrative. Why is this man putting his hand in a
tree made of smoke? Why does this person have
flowers coming out of every orifice? You know,
that sort of thing.
What's the story behind the girls that keep
appearing in your work?
Come to think of it, the most common expression
on their faces is a sort of confused sadness.
There are things they regret leaving behind, and
they're scared of the future.
As an artist do you have any areas in your work
that you would like to explore or develop in the
future?
I'm interested in tackling different forms of
perspective next. Oblique projection, isometric,
etc.
Do you have any shows coming up in the future?
I'm in a group show at Wieden + Kennedy in
February, but I'm not much of a show person, to
be honest. I like inexpensive open-edition prints,
mass-market books, people's enthusiasm driving
sales; not so much originals, limited editions,
scarcity driving sales, which I sort of feel like
the gallery thing is all about.
Angie Wang's website
m r s c r u f fi n t e rv i e w e d by R o b e rt J o n e s
ongevity in British music has become a seldom achievement as the industry crossed
into the digital world a decade or so ago. The mainstream now returning to a time akin
to the teen pop explosion of the sixties, the nation's recent music history has centred
upon label made groups or imported cross atlantic chart goliaths. Mr.Scruff has not only
proceeded to go against the grain of this trend for short lived careers, but also carved a
foothold in the consciousness of the general public in a fashion most subtle. Exceeding
twenty years worth of material, Mr.Scruff has acquired a cult following,of which religiously
attend his live sets that stretch onwards into the night for up to six hours. His work can be
appreciated in the everyday, be it the ever familiar likes of "Get A Move On" or the iconic
Mr.Scruff imagery which adorns tea brewing paraphernalia and more.
The world of Mr Scruff has left its mark on many
people without them necessarily knowing. Would
you prefer more immediate recognition rather
than a gentle nudge and someone's face lighting
up when they recognise your work?
A gentle nudge is fine. My approach to publicity
and awareness is to make my work easily
available to people online, if they want to hear
or find out about it. If you work hard and create
good art it will spread naturally by word of mouth,
which in the long term creates very loyal and
strong support.
How is the live set developing from previous tours?
My DJ sets always evolve. Each gig is different
as I prefer to be inspired by the atmosphere in
the venue, rather than plan the music in advance.
The only constant is the presentation; all night
DJ sets, lights down low, my visuals, and a nice
cup of tea.
What's the latest creation to be allowed out of
the Mr Scruff studio for our ears?
The latest single is 'Feel It!'; a kind of bottom
heavy, tough, moody and melancholy slow house
thing. Plus, I have recently done a soul/funk/jazz/
disco/house DJ mix for Southport Weekender,
alongside DJ Spinna.
Inspiration seems infinite for you; where does this
motivation to keep creating stem from?
Musically, there is so much new and old music to
inspire me. I get excited by the connections that are
made between different musical styles whilst DJ-
ing, and apply that same freewheeling approach
to my studio work. As well as music; life, humour,
family and friends are a constant inspiration.
Do you see any new artists that remind you of
how Mr Scruff started out many moons ago?
A few younger artists have a similar broad
approach to DJ-ing and production…Dusty from
Munich is one and Floating Points is fantastic,
although his music is a lot better than mine was
at his age!
Which album or track should we listen to for an
insight into your world?
Maybe one of my SoundCloud DJ sets would be
better, long 5-6 hour sessions that pull you in..
Making music, making a brew, or drawing?
Music. By a very long way.
Is there an obvious difference of importance
between song craft and studio craft for you, or
are they two sides of the same coin?
For me they are very similar. The writing and
production aspects of making music go hand in
hand for me, and I work on both at the same time.
HMV are soon to revive their stock of vinyl; where
is your favourite place to trawl through records
and find an undiscovered gem?
Piccadilly Records in Manchester, Honest Jon's in
London, and Underground Solush'n in Glasgow
for new music. Kingbee Records in Manchester
and Crocodisc in Paris for second-hand records.
And finally; should 2012 happen to be the end
of civilisation, what is the plan for Mr Scruff and
one last hurrah?
A massive party!
Mr Scruffs Facebook
i n t e rv i e w e d by a n o n y m o u s
H i d e a k iH a m a d a
Let’s start with the basic question; at what age
did your interest in photography begin?
I started to shoot when I was in high school.
Shortly after my eldest son was born (2005),
I became more aware of shooting. Thereafter,
I got a medium form of a camera, Pentax67. It
changed my view of the photography.
After looking through your Flickr account and your
website I can infer that you have a preference for
film photography. Is there any particular reason
why this is?
Because for me I think it's important to shoot
by film. In film photography, you will certainly
experience a feeling of excitement while you
wait for your photos to develop. Perhaps you fear
that you may not have taken the photo skillfully.
Therefore, waiting to know if you succeeded or
not is inconvenient and troublesome. But this
waiting in time is necessary. That is to say, it is
a stance we take toward photography.
What kind of challenges do you face as a film
photographer in the digital age?
It's cost and time, but I think both of those things
are necessary for film photography.
In the descriptions of many of your photographs
you credit Kodak film. It seems as though Kodak
is moving to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy at the
end of the month. What sort of impact will the end
of Kodak have on your personal photography?
To be sure, I like Kodak, especially Portra's colors
and tones. However, I not only use Kodak, I often
use FUJIFILM. So Kodak's end will be not really
a bad thing. Rather, I worry about film's end.
Do you think that film photography will ever be
completely replaced by digital photography?
Maybe 100 years later. But now, don't you think
that eventually people look for colors and tones
like films in digital photographs.
What is your opinion on digital retouching?
You know, it's a merit of digital photography.
That's just the way of it.
The two boys you feature in your photographs,
have they always been willing models?
They sometimes hate to be models. They will
hate it more in the future. Therefore now is the
precious moment that cannot be replaced by
anything.
Are the boys your children? How old are they?
Yes, they are my sons. My eldest son is Haru, 6
years old, Mina is 4 years old.
In some of the photographs the boys themselves
are taking pictures. Do you teach them how to
take photos, or are they just playing?
I often tell them how to use their cameras. They
always enjoy shooting. Amazingly they carefully
think about composition! Here is Haru's Flickr.
Are you a photographer for fun and personal
projects, or is this your profession?
It's my personal project. But sometimes I take
pictures for my jobs.
Are you a self-taught photographer, or did you
have mentor/teacher?
Perfectly self-taught, but I always got many
inspirations from people who like photographs
around the world. There are so many things that
I learn from them.
You have a very identifiable style to your photos,
how did it develop into what it is today?
I have seen so many photographs. And finally
I found my own style, but it keeps changing
even now.
Do you have a favorite lens?
I like SMC Takumar 6x7 105mm F2.4. It's the
most-used lens in my works. It has great tone
and bokeh.
Hideaki Hamada's Flickr
Get daily your daily dose of Art & Design posts on facebook. Just click anywhere on this page andget transported to our central hubof insparation.
Karoliina Bärlund x R/HA Finnish tour de force for the photographer and design duo
written by Annelise Sealy
Karoliina Bärlund is a Finnish photographer
hailing from Helsinki. Having completed both
a BA in Photography at the University for the
Creative Arts and an MA in Fashion Photography
at the prestigious London College of Fashion,
she continues to pursue her dreams and aims
to better herself ‘day by day’. Inspiration comes
to her from the world around her; people; nature;
art; and music. See her next exhibition, shot in
Iceland, at Blackall Studios in London (opening
10th February).
Only a few seasons old, R/H is the brainchild of
Hanna Riiheläinen (R) and Emilia Hernesniemi
(H). Forming a friendship whilst studying at the
University of Art & Design in Helsinki, they each
went on separate career paths before reuniting
to form a design duo.
Inspired by the nature of the Nordic region and
a hint of what refer to as ‘black magic’, their
designs comprise of minimal silhouettes coupled
with a muted palette and intricate prints. The
use of unusual fine materials such as bamboo
jersey and ecological reindeer leather add to the
Finnish charm.
Karoliina Barlund's website
R/H's website
PSYCHEDELICFASHION Written by
Nneka Idika
he psychedelic movement is sure to conjure up
some pretty iconic imagery. Namely, Woodstock,
Pink Floyd, and the ever fashionable tie-dye
tee. These days, however, designers are doing
more with the major cultural influence than just
making tee shirts. This year, much more than
in recent years, the influence of pop art and
psychedelic culture can be seen, not only on
catwalks across the world, but across all mediums
of art and design.
The A/W ‘11 season saw the quiet integration
of psychedelic inspired furs on the runway
ranging from Missoni to Sonia Rykiel’s striking
textures and colours. The natural progression
of this can now be seen for the S/S ‘12 ranges.
Influenced by a long running trend in art and
music, designers like Manish Aurora and Jeremy
Scott are using prints and colours that evoke the
same whimsy seen throughout the 1960s and
70s. From metallic to patterns that have more
than just a splash of colour, this trend can be
seen as the realization of a cultural phenomenon
that never quite disappeared.
The main objective in the use of pop art inspired
T
pieces seems to be the juxtaposition of classic
trends like the A-line skirt and the collared shirt
with eye-catching patterns and fabric. This
melding of styles is not meant to distract the eye
but to subtly enhance what we see as a classic.
This inoffensive obtrusion into our psyche allows
us to see beyond the aesthetic value of a classic
and embrace that it can be redone with more
imagination than initially thought.
The manifestations of the trend range from Jean
Charles de Castelbajac’s use of cartoonish prints,
to Henry Holland’s gingham and Dalmatian print
inspired creations. Like the counterculture of the
1960s, these designs seek to take the ordinary
and transform it into something that is thought
provoking and interesting. This can range from
the mild and understated to the outlandish and
iridescent artistry reminiscent of Warhol’s Factory.
Meadham Kirchhoff’s Spring 2012 ready to wear
collection is a prime example of the striking and
animated fixtures that bring to mind an almost
Alice in Wonderland delicacy and innocence,
coupled with an underlying maturity. No two
looks are alike as the pop aspect takes hold
and inspires these looks. From multi-coloured
and multi-layered skirts to bejewelled hot pants
paired with bright tights, Kirchhoff brings to mind
a Candyland game board that is aesthetically
daring but wonderfully executed.
The use of pop art and psychedelic inspired
design isn’t necessarily something that has stuck
around exclusively because of its use in art and
exposure in popular culture. Psychedelic culture
is a child of an absurdist version of reality and
counterculture that has manifested itself in high
fashion. The decision not to reign in fashion
as a never-ending cycle of ‘been there done
that’ moments is one of the reasons that pop
art inspired looks may remain on the scene for
seasons to come.
PRE FALL '12REVIEW Written by
Florence Arnold
P‘Pre-Fall’ is like the little brother to the main runway
shows that everyone knows and loves: ‘Spring/
Summer’ and ‘Autumn/Winter’. Much like its little
sister ‘Resort’, ‘Pre-Fall’ has been quietly growing
over the past couple of years into a fully-fledged
member of the fashion show family.
No longer dismissed as just a made-up time of
the year concocted to ensure the fashion world
keeps on coming up with yet more goods - ok
well maybe a little bit, this December ‘Pre-Fall’
2012 gave us some mouth-watering pieces good
enough to rival the big dogs…
Key trends to look out for this include coats (lots
of them), preferably in wool, felt or, for the more
daring, neoprene. Sporty layering was also a
strong theme, a styling tool somewhat necessary
at this time of year, with toggles, zips and visible
seams all making an appearance.
Shapes, structures and materials for a more lady-
like silhouette included jersey draping, pleating,
cinched in waists, lace, leather and A-line skirts.
Colour palettes consisted predominantly of
greys, pewters, charcoals and marls. These
more subdued tones were mixed in with orange
tones in fizzy sorbets and salmons, veering
to rusts and brick. Pops of neon yellow were
interspersed with greens in bottle or jade. Sand,
taupe and the firm favourite - camel, also cropped
up in many collections again.
Highlights came from Proenza Schouler, Philip Lim
3.1, Theyskens’ Theory, Helmut Lang, Thakoon,
Burberry Prorsum and Calvin Klein Collection.
They delivered us a medley of clothes that will
sit nicely in that tricky sartorial time between the
end of summer and early autumn.
Thakoon came up with a typically well-tailored
collection that was feminine but thankfully not
overly girly. Memorable pieces included a rather
fabulous textured, collarless Mongolian wool coat
with oversized fuzzy pockets and a two-tone
marl and black wool blazer nipped in neatly at
the waist.
The continuation of the waist as a focal point was
evident in many designers’ offerings this season,
resulting in some sophisticated and flattering
tailored pieces. Burberry Prorsum showed tweed
30s pencil skirts and double breasted coats,
which were a true British Heritage triumph, along
with some classic chic from across the pond via
Calvin Klein Collection.
Francisco Costa revealed a beautiful selection
of structured and subtle garments including a
pleated, heather A-line dress-coat with cinched
waists and plenty of scope for workwear/daywear
through to a selection of laser cut dresses perfect
for an autumnal evening cocktail.
Moving on to some sporty separates, Proenza
Schouler triumphed with their alpine-inspired
outerwear, including the aforementioned
neoprene jackets with matching skirts. Toggles
abound, with even the dresses for after hours
après-hike receiving the rain-mac feel. Don’t
let this put you off though, as there were many
wearable pieces here, most notably the thick
ribbed polo necks and slim peg-leg trousers in
bright cobalt blue, combined with quilted jackets
and matching bags - sure to get the fashionistas
squealing with delight.
And if alpine’s your bag take a trip to Narcisco
Rodriguez for some ski-wear inspired roll-necks
and slim leather pants, matched with oversized
removable fur sleeves that would make a real
talking point on the mountainside.
Continuing down the more casual route were
newcomers to the Pre-Fall market; Theyskens’
Theory. Olivier Theyskens’ fans will be pleased
to note that the collection was just as slick as
his previous offerings; sporty but with a touch of
gothic glamour. It felt like a collection you could
slip on for a stroll in the autumn evening sunshine.
Take for example the leather backpacks teamed
with elegant noir blazers, or the sweeping high-
necked dresses. Covetable and cool – always
a winning combination.
And last but certainly not least, a worthy mention
for Helmut Lang. Lang can always be relied
upon to provide some chic and understated
pieces that will have you wishing for an apartment
in Brooklyn and an unlimited clothing budget.
Clever jersey draping and a rather unexpected
brush with colour provided a backdrop to their
statement leather jackets, in moss, emerald and
pale mint green.
So yes, we may never know what Pre-Fall really
means, but in the meantime we can borrow their
clothes like an annoying little sister.
Nanna Sofie Reseke
This was taken during christmas two years ago, when I was staying at my grandparents’ old house, this was the bed I slept in. It was the last time my family and I spend our christmas together in that house.
This was taken during christmas two years ago, when I was staying at my grandparents’ old house, this was the bed I slept in. It was the last time my family and I spend our christmas together in that house.
I finished it in one night because I could not sleep.
I finished it in one night because I could not sleep.
I never really figured that camera out. So many pictures always ended up looking like this.
Get daily your daily dose of Art & Design posts on facebook. Just click anywhere on this page andget transported to our central hubof insparation.