5 up-and-coming artists to look out for in 2015
2015 has so far been a huge year for emerging artists and musicians. Jump on the hype train early and check out these five artists who are absolutely killing it this year.
2015 has so far been a huge year for emerging artists and musicians. Jump on the hype train early and check out these five artists who are absolutely killing it this year.
Source: YouTube Screengrab
London-based quartet BABEHEAVEN has only recently struck into the music scene – but what a bang they’ve made with their first single, Friday Sky. Lead Singer Nancy Anderson’s smooth soul vocals complement their ballad-like sound – dream-pop vibes meshed with trip-hop beats. Imagine the lovechild of The Durutti Column and Warpaint but with a 2015 spin on it.
Although we’ve only had a taster of BABEHEAVEN, we can be sure to expect big things from these Londoners this year. You can check out the music video for Friday Sky (directed by Raf Fellner, Tegen Williams and Frank Lebon) below:
Image via lilymercer.co.uk
With a career slowly beginning to blossom in his 30’s, Vic Spencer is a bit of a late bloomer in the Hip-Hop world. Hailing from Englewood, Chicago – the rapper is an emerging talent cited as the future of Chi-town’s rap scene despite fierce competition from his contemporaries born in the same city. That means you Lupe Fiasco, Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa.
Listening to his music is sometimes rather like a lottery draw. You can listen to a cocky yet deeply lyrical track like Relapse and then find something entirely different in The Writers. This ability to diversify his style is a hallmark of his experience and we can only wait to see how he progresses from here. But for now, let the track below do the talking.
Source: Photo by Nate Ryan/MPR
Careers can also blossom prematurely. Corbin (formerly known as Spooky Black) has already developed a large cult following since his breakout single, Without U from the mixtape Black Silk. He has been taking the R&B world by storm and he’s not even 18 yet. His matured vocals juxtapose a youthful face – yet his sincerity always manages to shine through with the tenderness of his subject matter. Girls. Depression. And an all-round feeling of dejectedness.
Corbin has transmogrified R&B and made it his own and into something that is darker, more visceral and original. Those of you who can lend a sympathetic ear to lyrics that discuss the pangs of adolescence and heartbreak, definitely give this boy a listen. Or even listen to his work just because it’s so damn beautiful.
Source: Youtube Screengrab
My aural senses are tingling. Something that sounds like Tame Impala? Check. An artist from New Zealand? Check. Jamiroquoai-esque pop-funk? Check. A contemporary revival of rhythmic 60s soul? Check. LEISURE has all these boxes ticked and more.
Their (or his? Or her? We don’t quite know yet) debut single, Got It Bad, was initially intended to have a couple hundred views on soundcloud. Now it’s on 200,000. There’s no surprise as to why what with that smooth bassline and catchy repetition of “Girl you think you got it bad?” LEISURE’s music is a nod to the early days of funk – nothing too complex, just plain, unparalleled grooviness. Sit back, relax and soak in the song below.
Image via soulculture.com
And last but not least on our list we have Ben Khan. A UK artist reminiscent of a cheerier Jai Paul tinged with nuances of a young Prince. After his first successful EP, 1992 – Khan returns to 2015 with his 1000 EP – a similar yet more evolved sound than his debut work.
Khan’s music resonates with all things synth and all things snare. The blues-sounding guitars compliment the electro-funk feel to his music. Khan is another artist that is boldly experimental yet equally unassuming. To put it plainly, he’s not trying too hard to be alternative and thus always manages to churn out absolute bangers. But the greatest thing? His songs are accessible to all kinds of musical palettes and moods. Bump the track below at a party, a pre-gym pump up, at a picnic on your stereo or even (and especially) in the shower.
Making art about food waste: Interview with artist Louiza Hamidi
For Louiza Hamidi, it is our conceptual exploration that reclaims moments as art. And she likes to make art about food waste.
For Louiza Hamidi, it is our conceptual exploration that reclaims moments as art. And she likes to make art about food waste.
I met Louiza Hamidi a few years ago when we studied together for our fine art degree, we have remained friends and collaborated on many works to varying degrees. Louiza and I collaborate on our pop up installation Food Waste Café, where we cook and serve food waste to visitors in a restaurant setting, but Louiza has been very busy with food waste since her degree. She has embarked on a food waste tour of England, exploring how food waste is managed in other cities, she has completed a half marathon fuelled by food waste and she has invested a great deal of time into collecting food waste from supermarkets and distributing it through Curb, an active food waste campaign operating on a pay as you feel basis.
With the new French law coming into effect requiring supermarkets to deal with food waste more responsibly; I speak to Louiza about what she’s doing and her thoughts on the current food waste situation.
How did you become interested in the issue of food waste?
I had been experimenting with different ideas around ‘sustainable living’ for years, becoming increasingly aware of my own consumption and critical of consumer culture. Foraging for food in bins was just the next step on the journey! I became very interested in the creative form of eating with one another, whilst simultaneously exploring the use of artistic processes as a tool for socio-political change.
How do supermarkets react with your requests for their food waste?
I am yet to collect from the bigger supermarkets but I do collect from local stores, community events and food banks. Requests can be a bit of a shock at first. I think people fear judgement, so sometimes owners or staff lie to me claiming they have zero waste. Once, I had been asking for food from an organization that told me multiple times that they didn’t have waste. Out of the blue, I received a call one-day saying that my request had not left their mind and that they had come to terms with the fact that they do have waste. She asked if I could come in and pick up the surplus that she now believed to exist! It was an amazing, amazing moment for me. We’d planted an idea, and been patient. We’d built trust and challenged pre-existing fear/shame about waste. It really confirmed that there is so much potential when stores say no, as it’s the invisible thought processes that continue out of our control that will make positive impact.
What is Curb?
Curb is solely a food waste campaign. We have a business plan that works toward putting itself out of business.
Curb recently faced the issue of turning up to an event with cooked food and being told they couldn’t serve it. Does Curb face these kinds of obstacles often?
This was the first time that we’d turned up and been told we couldn’t serve our food. This was not because of health and safety, or because the food was once deemed ‘waste’ but because there was confusion within the organization of the festival. It is a real-life problem that caterers who are charging prices for food at festivals, are going to need to cover their overheads. The caterer was just upset and fearful of other people sharing food as she saw us as competition. We were very understanding, compromised a great deal, but we were not going to let our beautiful food go to waste!
How do you deal with the legality of serving out of date food?
I just do it. I think there are times when corporate law has its place, and there are times when it doesn’t. I feel the issue of food waste is because we don’t listen to common law. We are people of the planet and there is food that is safe to eat being wasted, due to profiteering, constructed policies and beauty ideals. The bottom line of Curb is to disrupt this. However, in order to acquire and rescue the most food from being wasted, I have to compromise with the system at the moment and make sure there is no reason why food businesses can say that they ‘can’t’ give us their surplus. I abide by everything we need to in order to push forward our campaign – but I’m always honest about the contradictions and make sure I share these kinds of dilemmas with people in conversations.
Do you think the new laws in France are useful and will they be effective?
I think that the use and effectiveness that will come out of them is essentially getting food waste onto public and political agenda. I don’t think it will make much difference to the reality of food waste, as laws are very easy to get around if you’re a big corporation that makes lots of money and works with the government.
I think it’s excellent as a first step, but I find it so problematic! Distributing food waste to charities and non-profits is actually just moving the responsibility to those in the third sector. This has been hugely devastating for decades and is never a solution! It merely removes moral, social, ethical and environmental conscience away from those systems and institutions that cause it and on top of that, it passes on the weight, time, cost and conscience to those working with extreme effort to combat their mistakes. We need to get to the root, but I appreciate this kind of legislative change (whether truly enforced or not) is definitely the first step in the right direction.
And finally, how can we make changes to food waste in the UK or even globally?
As a human race, I think we need to rediscover our connection with food. I believe that we are only so wasteful because we have little to no respect for food. We are completely blinded by a construction of what food is – hidden away from all parts of the food chain and only exposed to food as a commodity to buy/sell. Most of us only experience food at the Retail part of the system.
If we could disrupt this idea individually and on a society level, we would have so much more respect for food. We need to become conscious of what is on our plate, where it comes from, how it grows, what it does to sustain life, how much value it has and what it means to share food with others… then I don’t think we would create policies, legislation or practices that puts colossal amounts of good food to waste!
This is what Pay As You Feel is all about for me. This is why Curb exists.
An interview with artist Hayv Kahraman
Iraqi-born artist Hayv Kahraman has blown away the world with her refined and virtuosic ability to tell a story. But what about her own story?
Iraqi-born artist Hayv Kahraman has blown away the world with her refined and virtuosic ability to tell a story. But what about her own story?
In a previous interview, you’ve said ‘I will always be a tourist wherever I go.’ That was six years ago – how has that changed now? Do you believe that the older you get, the stronger your affinity for Iraq grows?
That hasn’t changed much and I think that feeling applies to Iraq as well. My relationship with Iraq, “my homeland” is problematic since I left at a young age and so I wasn’t able to establish a strong link to the culture and life at large. My parents on the other hand, have decades of memories to replay and that is something I have always wanted to have. Perhaps the yearning to create a stronger affinity with Iraq is more relevant in my life right now since I am a new mother. My daughter was born in the United States and having her learn her heritage is important to me.
What have been the reactions from Middle-Eastern women to your work? And what have been the reactions from Iraqi people to your work?
It was interesting seeing the different impressions people had during the opening of How Iraqi are you? Many Iraqi’s braved the NY cold to come see the show. They expressed an intimate relationship with the works as we shared the same memories – a collective memory, of war in a distant country that was once our home. They wanted me to add more paintings to the collection as they told me stories and idioms they remembered using back in the day. And there was a glimpse of pride in their voices as they saw their colloquial Arabic written on a canvas in a New York gallery. In terms of feedback from Middle Eastern women, so far they have been positive and many identify with the works.
Being of an Iraqi Kurdish background, you and/or your family must have experienced persecution from the Ba’ath party. In what way has that influenced your work?
Yes that’s correct. My parents were persecuted in many ways. My mom was interrogated once and my father was pressured to teach a certain way (he was a university professor). I only experienced this once in school during our “Wattania” class. This is a class introduced into Iraqi schools in 1978 by Saddam and the Ba’ath party. It taught the politics of Iraq and the region from the perspective of the Ba’ath party. One day the teacher handed out a test. One of the questions read: “circle the correct word; is Iraq a democracy or a dictatorship?” I was 9 or 10 years old then and didn’t know the difference between the words. Ironically I circled dictatorship and was called in after class, given an extensive lecture by the teacher on how I even dared to say that and of course hit with a ruler. I now understand that it wasn’t the teacher’s fault as she was pressured to do/act this way by the government. This memory has manifested into a work part of the series “How Iraqi are you”. (See attached image “Wattania Class”)
I myself have had a similar story to yours. Having fled Baghdad (as a result of Ba’ath persecution) with my family in 1997, I moved to London. Now I’m beginning to learn how to read and write Arabic. For your most recent exhibition, How Iraqi are you? You also had to relearn how to write Arabic yourself. Could you tell us about that?
The texts in the works of How Iraqi are you? are personal memories from growing up in Baghdad as well as tongue twisters, aphorisms, and stories of existing as a refugee in Sweden all in which are written in colloquial Arabic (Iraqi). The works are based on the 13th century Baghdadi illuminated manuscripts or more specifically “Maqamat al Hariri” that narrated the everyday life of an Iraqi at the time. I wanted to use that idea and think of it from the perspective of todays Iraqi immigrant. The process of writing the text in the works became somewhat performative for me and very much part of the work itself since I was actively relearning how to write. The calligraphy in the Maqamat is that of the “Naskh” which is a slightly looser type often written while being narrated and in the Koran. As I drew inspiration from that, I still didn’t want to copy blindly. I took my time to examine the original text in the manuscripts, each letter, the thickness of the stroke, the shape and the angle. I was re-learning how to write my language as well as read and speak my mother tongue. The tongue that I had/have grown to forget and not use anymore. The tongue I regret not have continued to learn. I look at these Arabic letters with estranged eyes now. I was exported and so was my language. But it’s also my fault for not having kept it alive. I was too busy learning the western language and training my eyes to adapt to English letters. I can now see these Arabic letters from the perspective of an American or a Swede and that terrifies me. It makes me want to reiterate them, paint them, write them, re-learn them and re-memorize them: recover them. I am on the search for recapturing my amputated mother tongue. At age 34 I am searching for my 9 year old self that spoke and wrote fluent Arabic.
I’ve shown How Iraqi Are You? to some of my family members who are also living in London. They found it really interesting how you managed to capture some very specific Baghdadi colloquialisms and sayings. Do you remember these sayings from your childhood or did you have to research them?
I’m glad you showed them to your family! I’m always in search for aphorisms and collective memories. This series has become somewhat of an archiving process for me so if you think of anything do share!
Back to your question, yes they are personal. I remember singing them, saying them and living them. Words like “Ummodach” (that translates to a swear word and is accompanied by a hand gesture) that is now appropriated in Swedish schools among kids of diverse ethnicities; this of course due to the large influx of Iraqi refugees in Sweden. Or political sayings that we used to sing as kids in school.
Are there any future projects from you that we can look forward to?
At this point I am still working on this series, collecting aphorisms and stories. I will be showing more works in Dubai in the fall and look forward to engaging with that side of the world.
All images obtained at the courtesy of the artist
Field Day 2015 Photo-diary
The long-awaited Field Day festival took place last weekend in Victoria park under rays of sunshine and musical promises that were fulfilled – for the most part. Starting on Saturday with a rowdy crowd that rushed its way from stage to stage to see the artists headlining, the smaller acts performed beyond expectations while some of the headliners were good, at best. The highlights of the festival were undoubtedly Kindness, Mac Demarco, and Patti Smith, whose music and stage presence uplifted the audience with carefree dancing and head-banging moves. Todd Terje’s brilliant performance was only magnified by The Olsens and Sink The Pink, London’s famous gay, drag and queer club kids, and FKA Twigs’ gig was a theatrical show that deserved to be seen on a bigger stage. Ultimately, this year’s Field Day Festival remains a success for music lovers, and one can only hope the future line-ups will be as excellent as this year’s.
Photos by Suzanne Zhang
Art and activism; French supermarkets and food waste in the UK
With the recent news of France’s new law prohibiting supermarkets from discarding edible food, there has been a sharp increase in discussion about food waste in the public eye.
With the recent news of France’s new law prohibiting supermarkets from discarding edible food, there has been a sharp increase in discussion about food waste in the public eye.
France’s new food waste law is certainly a step in the right direction regarding responsible management of waste by corporations; however, this triumph is only a small part of the way to go and is problematic in many ways. Though public perception may see this development as the supermarket waste problem solved, many UK supermarkets have been claiming for years that they send their food waste to charities. This may be a surprise to those celebrating the Tesco CEO’s only recent public commitment to do the same; Tesco are possibly just catching up with their competitors. Waitrose’s website for example states that food fit for consumption is donated to local charities. From my own experience of dumpster diving, I know for a fact that this is incredibly misleading at the very least. My friends and I have recovered over a tonne in a few months from supermarket bins in one town.
Another issue with the French law is that it doesn’t address the cause for so much waste, the problem is simply being redirected, the responsibility is being passed on. Many charities that gratefully accept donations of food are given much more than they can distribute, meaning they still have to throw it away and in addition they must pay for the waste disposal. It is also unlikely that charities will have an arrangement for anaerobic digestion and so the food ends up in landfill, a worse fate than before. Companies like FareShare in the UK accept food from supermarkets and distribute it to charities. However, Fareshare disposes of donated food after a certain time period of having received it regardless of its use by date.
With waste being wrapped in so many layers of secrecy, law and bureaucracy it can leave individuals feeling powerless and uncertain of how to make an impact or change but there are many artists and movements in the UK taking action within their community to get people talking and bring these issues to the public agenda.
Disco Soup is a food waste movement sweeping Europe, an unlikely combination of food waste, cooking and disco. Originating in Germany as Schnippel Disko organised by Slow Food Youth Deutschland, the movement has been going strong for a few years now, recently having grown to be very popular in France as Disco Soupe. At these events, participants peel and cut salvaged veg in a party environment to create a dish to eat. The movement carries with it no element of monetary exchange, no sense of entitlement but a whole lot of community atmosphere. It is free flowing, anyone can organise one; simply combine a venue, a DJ, food waste and lots of dance ready participants.
Another inspirational and devoted activist in food waste is Louiza Hamidi, an artist I lived with and collaborated with during our degree. We continue to work together with our pop up installation/participation Food Waste Café, where we cook and serve food waste to visitors in a restaurant setting but aside from that Louiza is incredibly active with food waste in her community. She now runs Curb, an active food waste campaign operating on a pay as you feel basis, investing a great deal of time into collecting food waste from supermarkets and distributing it to the public. Despite the legally questionable ground of distributing food that has passed its sell by date, she is persistence and challenges the logic and validity of these laws allowing such waste to continue.
Artists like these are part of the driving force for changes in law, attitude and practices regarding waste, if not ethical conduct entirely. Although the fight to stop waste has already been going for decades, now is an important time to focus on waste and artists who work with these issues are crucial to inspire and motivate others to take direct action in combating them. Despite any criticisms France's new law faces, it reflects that this is an issue the public care about, it means supermarkets are legally bound to do what they claim to do already and it is certainly a step in the right direction.
Interview with artist and filmmaker Anna Franceschini
For Anna Franceschini, film is more than just a medium. It’s a living, breathing form in itself – it’s modernity manifested behind a silver screen.
For Anna Franceschini, film is more than just a medium. It’s a living, breathing form in itself – it’s modernity manifested behind a silver screen.
Milan born and bred ‘documenter of the soul’ Anna Franceschini boasts an impressive résumé of exhibitions, awards, fellowships and residencies across the world on her belt. With her numerous accolades one must wonder that she’s certainly got the art of experimental s film to a T – metaphorically and literally (See: THE STUFFED SHIRT film of hers). When viewing a film of hers I was always intrigued as to the thought process that drove such exceptional ingenuity. I was lucky enough to interview her and find out.
Very briefly, for those who have not heard of your art before. What would you describe it as?
I work mainly in experimental film, art films, and experimental documentary. By ‘experimental documentary’ I mean something that is in between straight documentation, visual anthropology, surrealist films and everything that escapes the conventional definition of 'documentary' but has, somehow, a deep relationship with the observation of phenomena and performances that involve the production of moving images in real time.
Now you studied media and film extensively. But what initially inspired you to get into this field?
When I was a child, my parents allowed me to stay up late at night only if there was a good movie on television. We would go to the video shop together with my father, which was also a bit of a ritual. This helped me to develop a 'taste' in film, and visions in general quite early on. Also, my mother and father had always been very attentive towards the cultural offerings I was exposed to. This doesn't mean they prohibited me to watch this or read that thing. It was quite the opposite – I always had a lot of freedom, but they were always present. They were always explaining, contextualizing, and entertaining themselves and I with irony. They had been the first and most important trainers of both my eyes and mind. And now, the more I grow up, the more I realize how important and inspiring that was. I now have a different look towards things, to be autonomous in my thinking. This is what led me to be an artist and this is what they taught me.
Anna Franceschini, The player may not change his position, HD video, installation view at Spike Island, Bristol, UK, 2014
What aspect of your work do you think defines you? In other words, what do you think makes you a unique artist?
I never thought about myself in terms of uniqueness, but I would say that my aim is to focus on some inherent characteristics of the film language like: movement, montage and light. I'm also interested in cinema not only as a form of art or entertainment but also as a technique – an apparatus. Besides this, I'm interested in a sort of 'cinematic experience' that encompass different aspects of life and experience. Traveling by modern means of transport, taking a escalator, watching the effect of the wind, living in a urban landscape. Everything that belongs to modernity, historically intended, is somehow cinematic. It's not by chance that the first experiments with moving images and the beginning of the modern era are coexistent. Modernity is cinematic and cinema is modern. Which makes the term ‘seventh art’ a little obsolete now. But all this is occurring in a beautiful way though. Cinema is aging gracefully.
You are a very visual artist as well as a filmmaker. Would you consider your art to be a viewing experience for pure aesthetic purposes or something else?
It's a very crucial question and answering it is quite complicated. The esthetic experience it's way more than the mere experience of 'beauty', it involves perception, rational thinking, emotional reactions, all that concerns the self and the Other. I think art has been mainly based on the form rather than its contents – otherwise it turns purely informational. Jean-Luc Godard used the expression 'politique des formes' and I think it's a perfect synthesis for what art is.
Lastly, what’s your creative process like?
It usually starts when a thought meets something that belongs to the so-called ‘phenomenological reality.’ It's an encounter between my subjectivity (or some aspects of it), and what I consider the 'outside.' It’s based on a process of identifying which is often subconscious. Then I interiorize these ideas and rationalize them in order to achieve a result.
Anna Franceschini, Polistirene, video, still, 2007
Jo Peel's Cityscapes
Jo Peel's new show ‘Cityscapes’ is a collaborative show with Anaka and Ashes57 and opens today at Jealous Gallery Shoreditch.
Jo peel is a Yorkshire-born artist who creates expressive paintings and animations of architectural structures. Often lacking people, these are the types of buildings that often go unnoticed. Peel brings these fade-into-the-background buildings to the forefront. Buildings such as tube stations, pubs, cafes, and fishmongers all have been glorified and gilded by her brush. She paints the dull greys and blues of these semi-dilapidated structures interspersed with shocking oranges and blues to give them life.
BM - Your chosen subject matter is the often ignored buildings one sees in run-down areas, what attracts you to these typically ugly subjects?
JP - Well for a start I don’t really see them as ugly, but interesting and therefore quite beautiful. The buildings I chose always intrigue me and have some sort of human history attached.
I don’t necessarily seek out run-down areas, but places that help shape the identity of where I am.
BM - The paintings also often lack people, why is this?
JP - I think that as soon as you put a person into a painting, it becomes all about them and the building becomes a backdrop. By taking the people out of a scene, the eye is then drawn to the building and this can become the focus of the image.
BM - Would you say the buildings have been personified in your paintings? For me they feel like portraits in some way.
JP - When looking at a building I try to give them some sort of humanity and imagine the personality of the space, so I guess that yes, they are portraits of buildings, rather than direct representations.
BM - How do you choose which buildings to paint?
JP - I never find it difficult to choose what to paint. Wherever I am, I walk around a lot, looking at the buildings and taking loads of photos. Normally the buildings I choose have some sort of story, or speak about their environment. My work in East London in particular was a reaction to the redevelopment happening around me and how the landscape is changing.
BM - Do you sketch the buildings themselves and then paint from sketches or do you work from photographs?
JP - Sometimes I sketch from buildings directly, but more often I take photographs and use those to create the work. I often take lots of different photographs and then make up a composition to suit me that might not actually exist.
BM - The way you paint is very fluid and free, which contrasts with the rigid forms you depict, is this an intentional device?
JP - I’m not sure how intentional or thought out it was in the beginning, but I’ve found that depicting something as rigid and straight as a building without rulers and with freehand lines gives it more character and aligns it more with a portrait or the natural environment.
BM - Were these new works created specifically for this exhibition, and if so did you paint them with the other two artists in mind?
JP - The works on show at Jealous are a collection of works made over the last few years and are predominantly taken from East London and the surrounding area.
BM - What exciting things can we expect from you in the future?
JP - I’m currently working towards a major solo show in Sheffield documenting the two twinned Steel Cities of Pittsburgh and Sheffield. Alongside paintings, drawings and a large mural in the space I have been working on a documentary made in the two cities.
I want to explore further the narratives between cities that share parallel histories and understand how this affects the people, culture and the buildings.
Jo Peel's new show ‘Cityscapes’ is a collaborative show with Anka and Ashes57 and opens today at Jealous Gallery Shoreditch.
Graphic artist Ashes 57, creates monochrome drawings rooted in the urban landscape through print and original works on canvas. Anka Dabrowska responds to feelings of displacement and notions of the outsider common to city inhabitants, combining delicate pencil work with city-found ephemera. Painter, printer and animator Jo Peel captures moments that are at once familiar and yet distant from memory, which leaves the viewer questioning their existence. This group show will take visitors on a crawl through urban city life, drawing inspiration from intimate elements of the city as a landscape, dwelling place and cultural hub.
Jealous Gallery 53 Curtain Road, Shoreditch, London EC2A 3PT
HIGHLIGHTS : NOS PRIMAVERA SOUND 15
NOS Primavera Sound lived up to its promise of diversity and presented a stellar line of top acts, arguably the best so far.
Photos by João Gambino and Hugo Lima
Just back from NOS Primavera Sound 15, the Porto-based cousin of the Barcelona Primavera, one can report a stunning venue with liberal in-and-out policy, near bars and restaurants, which was not too packed, yet full of friendly faces. But what of the actual centrepiece, the music? NOS Primavera Sound lived up to its promise of diversity and presented a stellar line of top acts, arguably the best so far.
Thursday, 8.45pm: arriving just in time to catch the end of Canadian Mac DeMarco , watching "Chamber of Reflection" as the sun sank, beer in hand and full of expectation. Funny guy, DeMarco is, dirty-talking in between songs, but one should not be fooled by his bizarre rambles - the guy knows how to build his space.
Kicking off the more heavy beats of the weekend was Young Turk, FKA Twigs.
Bathed in purple and blue, the little girl with the big big voice was on fine form. Twigs delivered a dark, erotic performance, her signature twists and twerks smooth and provocative as always. Although the light show was good, there was none of the usual theatrics, just a body and a voice, yet her ethereal style and depth of emotion was superior nonetheless.
Next The Juan McLean, presented the surprise of the day. I knew the DFA label and of course Nancy Whang, the American singer and musician who makes out half of the duo, beforehand. Whang, who is known for her work with LCD Soundsystem,
Soulwax, Shit Robot and Classixx's, comes highly recommended. The energy with which the duo presented an awesome hybrid of sound and style really got the crowd moving and grooving. The closing (in a big way) act Thursday was Caribou, a man who needs
little introduction. Known for his experimental style on record, Dan Snaith delivered a live set, in which he produced a liquid, bass-dominated electronic style. It resonated within, the world fading into a top quality visual backdrop. For me, this hypnotising performance reached a new level and showed Snaith's determination to continue to lead, to pioneer his psychedelic odyssey.
For us the rest of the weekend started with Patti Smith, performing her iconic debut album "Horses" on the 40th anniversary of its release in a hard-hitting mix of rock, dedications and old-school-kool. Sitting on a grass slope in the sun listening to the punk poet laureate we felt the presence of true legend and I for one fully understood the importance of the album and it's foresight of and influence on a variety of modern genres. Patti was in the building.
Possibly the greatest anticipation of the weekend was the phenomena, which is Jungle. From releasing their single "The Heat" in 2013 to being shortlisted for the Barclays Mercury Prize in 2014, Jungle has risen so fast to fame it is almost unfathomable.
Yet, seeing the vibe-collective with the psychedelic, uninhibited style live on Friday night it was clear that the hype, by no means, is unfounded. The group put on a spectacular, organic show full of collective energy in a mix of tribal wilderness, 1970s-style funk and mischievous bass. And the pure and contagious joy with which those on stage performed, built an unmatched connection with the crowd - standing still just wasn't an option.
It was a real shame that Jungle clashed with another highly anticipated act, Run the Jewels. As the former finished we made it to the last few minutes of the Hip-Hop act. The bit we caught was a dense and unyielding representation of dark electronic hip-hop. Yes, such a thing does exist and I would have liked to see more of what this interesting American duo has to offer.
And then there was Movement ...The undoubtedly biggest surprise of the weekend. The Sydney trio gave a fierce performance in a fusion of their own stuff and wellknown covers. Despite the youth of the Movement project, which is part of the Modular label,
something truly unique flickered through. Furthermore, the humbleness and gratitude the group demonstrated to the crowd was inspiring and definitely added to the experience. Musically, R&B and dance blurred in a dark, thick tone. The bass slow, lazy. The atmosphere loaded, transcendent. The sparse beats and unrelenting depth were complimented by exquisite vocals and controlled instrumental interference. Movement performed in a way, which made me lose myself, swaying with the rest of the transfixed crowd in an experience of smooth yet demanding and faceted beats and undeniably salacious undertones. It was hot. It was heavy. It was Movement.
End of a Century: Nineties Album Reviews in Pictures
Full of stunning illustrations, End of a Century is a tour de force that collects the work of the late John Matthew Charrosin Wrake (better known by his trading nickname ‘Run’) and his partnership with music bible NME.
Full of stunning illustrations, End of a Century is a tour de force that collects the work of the late John Matthew Charrosin Wrake (better known by his trading nickname ‘Run’) and his partnership with music bible NME.
The personal introduction, written by editor and friend Andrew Collins, discusses Run’s student life and his success as an artist and illustrator, giving us an insight into the mind of a man with ‘a style of his own’.
Designed by his widow, Lisa Wrake, End of a Century pays tribute to Run’s visualisations of nineties album reviews between 1988 and 2000, an exciting period in pop music history. Run embraced this and provided keenly satirical imagery that sat beautifully alongside album reviews in NME, providing a visual guide for music lovers.
Using a clever blend of collage and illustration, Run’s career as a graphic designer and animator has always been heavily influenced by music, from the visuals he created for the live shows of U2 and the Rolling Stones, to the videos he helped produce for the Gang of Four and Howie B. Drawing on influences such as Dada, Pop Art and early animation, Run had a unique gift for creating illustrations that stay with the reader for a long time. Some of the bands featured include: Julian Cope, Chemical Brothers, Joy Division, The Fall, Madonna, Kylie, Flaming Lips, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Manic Street Preachers, Pop Will Eat Itself, Blur, Belle & Sebastian, Public Enemy and Bowie.
End of a Century is published by Self Made Hero, retailing at £24.99 (208pp/ colour, hardback) and will be available in late June. To order a copy and for more information, visit: www.selfmadehero.com
IT’S THE LEAST I COULD DO – A forthcoming exhibition from Ben Oakley
Savvy gallery owner, businessman and artist Ben Oakley brings us an electrifying and ingenious exhibition at the Ben Oakley gallery. And this time it’s his own.
Savvy gallery owner, businessman and artist Ben Oakley brings us an electrifying and ingenious exhibition at the Ben Oakley gallery. And this time it’s his own.
IT’S THE LEAST I COULD DO, is the upcoming exhibition from Ben Oakley, the man who hosts regular exhibitions by local artists at his gallery. And with his more-than-generous contribution to contemporary art, providing us with his own work certainly is the least he could do.
With a background in antiques, he has developed a keen eye for (in his own words), ‘quality and craftsmanship.’ So expect an emphasis on textures, bold, unique compositions and a diverse range of mediums as well as themes.
The exhibition is formed of several different pieces that Ben Oakley has composed over the years from his own experiences. You’ll find wood beside enamel, beside concrete, beside prints – and no less than a medley of varied materials. You can assemble around the assemblage, ponder at the portholes or find yourself beside the figurines.
For those of you looking for something truly unique and truly personal, then just head on over to the Ben Oakley gallery in Greenwich – you will be pleasantly stunned.
June 20th – July 5th 2015
Preview Evening:
Friday, June 19th 2015
6:30 – 9:30pm
9 Turnpin Lane, Greenwich Market London SE10
Xavier Chassaing’s DRY LIGHTS
DRY LIGHTS: A new project released by French artist Xavier Chassaing, a member of the Antivj group, is an awe inspiring video piece of pure beauty but much more than that alone.
DRY LIGHTS: A new project released by French artist Xavier Chassaing, a member of the Antivj group, is an awe inspiring video piece of pure beauty but much more than that alone.
The group of European artists known as Antivj focus on lights’ influence on our perception, striving to create experiences, which challenge our senses.
DRY LIGHTS is a fully CG video piece taking us on a journey through a vast landscape of lights, a partly imagined world providing illusions with sharp realism. The film follows an elegantly and meticulously choreographed flow of energy in the form of pulsing and flickering lights through plants on dark waters and misty skies.
The work was inspired in 2013 by light installations at Proyecta Oaxaca Festival at the ethnobotanical garden in Mexico, where an hour long night walk through the gardens allows visitors to be engrossed in the light works. A central theme in Chassaing’s work is meditation and hypnosis, the manifestation and eventual productivity of dreams are elements he confesses to exploring however, the environment provided by these works leaves plenty of room for the audience to create their own narrative. Through the videos’ meditative nature, this narrative has potential to exist as a reflection of each individual viewer, making for a truly stimulating artwork on many complex levels.
Portrait Artists: from Threads to Acid Heads
With new technologies the art of portraiture has been completely redefined. I look at four interesting portrait artists of this new generation who have bent this change to their will.
With new technologies the art of portraiture has been completely redefined. I look at four interesting portrait artists of this new generation who have bent this change to their will.
Bryan Lewis Saunders
Image Credit: Huffingtonpost.it
“There’s a lot of truth in media,” says Bryan Lewis Saunders in an interview with the Guardian while discussing a self-portrait of him inhaling lighter fluid. As evident in the interview and from his works, Saunders is quite the avant-gardist. He gained notoriety for Under The Influence, an experiment he devised where he intoxicated himself with a variety of different drugs, and then composed a self-portrait for each one.
Whether it is acrylic paints or metallic crayons, the media he uses are always symbolic of the drug he had taken. From the pleasantly colourful Xanax to the frighteningly abstract bath salts, we get a sense of his emotions under the influence – all of them hermetic, isolated within his modest apartment in Tennessee. To Saunders, portraiture is more of an internal experience rather than a representation of the external.
Nikki Rosato
Image via Installation Magazine website
Over the years, we’ve seen portrait artist’s progress from using oil paints to all kinds of media in their work. Albrecht Dürer himself would be turning in his grave, scoffing with incredulity if he found out that artists of the future could compose a portrait from hand-cut road maps.
Well the emerging talent that is Nikki Rosato manages just that. She encapsulates the fragility of being human through these irregular sequences of road maps, formed on the shape of a body. She creates her pieces by using a Stanley knife to cut away all the landmasses between the roads – leaving behind an intricate system of blood vessels, pumping transport links and points of interests that lead to nowhere.
Image courtesy of Kehinde Wiley Studio
Kehinde Wiley
In the past, the idea of subverting artistic tradition is a bold notion. And to repaint artistic history is an even bolder one. But Kehinde Wiley successfully attempts to do both. When not travelling the world looking for artistic subjects, he’ll be spending his time in his New York studio, acutely detailing monumental paintings.
His subjects? Almost always African Americans. Where does he find them? On the streets of New York, with a camera crew and an attractive woman so as not to incite suspicion. He usually looks for alpha male characters, and paints them in a heroic way – akin to the style of the Old Masters. With the end result, we can discern an intense smorgasbord of different qualities and themes, leaving no surprise as to why he is one of the most prolific portrait artists of this century.
Image via Kumi Yamashita website
Kumi Yamashita
Kumi Yamashita maintains a virtuosic control of light and dark values in all of her pieces. But one particular body of work, Constellation, is like no other. These are constructed by hammering thousands of small nails across a white wooden panel and running one single black sewing thread across all these nails to form an image.
On her site, she describes these portraits as consisting of ‘three simple materials that, when combined, produce the portraits.’ And yet despite such simple ingredients – the portraits look exceedingly meticulous and you are left marveling at how one single thread can represent not only expression but emotion too.
Lesley Hilling : A Silent Way
An interview with artist Lesley Hilling ahead of her new show In A Silent Way in collaboration with Anders Knutsson.
Lesley Hilling is a contemporary artist who utilizes reclaimed antique wood to create her intricate and alluring sculptures. All of her materials have past lives, some of the objects she has included in her work include: bowling balls, lenses, saw blades, syringes, chess pieces, mirrors, and photographs. Each of these objects bring a new dialogue to the already complex plethora of interweaving stories present.
In 2013 Hilling created the character Joseph Boshier, and attributed her new exhibition to the fictional architect. The tragic story of fame, failure, and disgrace was believed by many, and can be read about in depth here: http://www.josephboshier.co.uk
BM – your work is very haptic and tactile, not only in the way it is produced, but also in the way it invites touch. Is this something you allow or would you rather the work is viewed only by the eyes?
LH – I go for that on purpose, and I’d like it to happen a lot more. I think that’s something quite important.
BM – In the Boshier exhibition there were little doors with things behind, often people think they aren’t allowed to touch an artwork. Does a lot of the detail go unseen because of this?
LH – When I did the Boshier show I was actively encouraging people to explore the works. It was about ‘what lies behind’ etcetera.
BM – That resonates nicely with the alter ego you’ve created.
LH – Yes, I think so, it was intended as another layer. Having people looking at them closely is a really important element. I started putting magnifying glasses and lenses in as well, so that as you moved around, the photographs inside became distorted. It’s all to do with memory, and how the memory distorts.
BM – How much of the aesthetic of your work is dictated by the original appearance of the materials, do you use existing joints and cuts or do you make them all yourself?
LH – I cut all of the joints myself. I think the work has two different sides, there are the pieces that are all antique wood jointed together, and there are the larger Joseph Boshier pieces. The Boshier ones are a cladded substructure. If it all goes horribly wrong I can just re-clad. So it’s only really the colour or the texture that dictates how the piece would come out, rather than the shape.
The Boshier pieces are a lie, whereas the others are quite truthful.
BM – Something very obvious in your work is your love of balance, both with colour and also with the precariousness each piece suggests. Is this something you do intentionally or is it something that happens more instinctually? A lot of the pieces look like they shouldn’t be able to stand unaided.
LH – That’s right and I love that. It’s amazing how they do stand. I think its about 40% me and 60% something else, I’m not quite sure what. It’s a bit dangerous. The bigger pieces are in sections, so when we’re photographing them or moving them and they are not in their complete form, they can fall over. The top section will balance the piece perfectly when in position, but the piece isn’t balanced without it and is liable to fall.
BM – Is the process of creating artworks for you cathartic or do you find it stressful?
LH – Both. Its interesting, because at the end of the Boshier documentary Derval reads out the last entry in his diary, and it says “My art has seen me through”, which does suggest how cathartic it has been, and I think it’s true. I can be one hell of a nasty, bad-tempered person if it’s not going well. My partner Nel knows when things aren’t going well.
BM – Your work gives off a very ‘mad scientist’ kind of vibe, do you think there are elements of that in your character? This seems to be what you have written about the Joseph Boshier alter ego. How akin are the two of you?
LH – Not at all. I’m so modern and young. I’m very up-to-date with things. I’m certainly not mad, I’m a bit reclusive maybe. (Laughs)
BM – A lot of artists are, I think you have to be.
LH – I’ve been with Nel for 32 years this year, so I’ve always had someone around, coming home from work or pottering about the house. She’s creative too, and we’re part of Brixton Housing Co-Op, which is the LGBT community. I know everyone around here, and there are loads of artists and poets. It’s full of creative people. So although I’m reclusive I still have a network of friends around me.
The Joseph Boshier character was a real recluse - his story was about guilt, loss and longing. Emotions that are important to me and my work. Maybe that’s why they have that Mad Scientist look about them.
BM – What do you think the connection is between the LGBT community and the arts community? Do you think its because artists are quite liberal and free?
LH – Maybe liberal, but also maybe damaged. A lot of people who do art are damaged in some way. We’re all a bit damaged I guess. Now it’s quite open to be a lesbian or a gay man but when we were young it was really difficult to come out. Years before that it was illegal. I think all that feeds into people wanting to have a creative outlet. There is definitely that correlation between artists and queers.
BM – Do you believe in the ‘Tortured Artist’ dialectic?
LH – I don’t know, I’ve never really thought about it. A lot of artists have emotional baggage they are working out in the art and it makes it that much more interesting. Also I think people who can create convincing political work and those who come from cultures where they experience oppression, bring so much more to the work.
BM – Maybe the past experience of hardship is what differentiates a good piece of artwork from a good piece of craft?
LH – If you have all of that going into it, it really does help.
BM – Do you think there is still a disparity between women and men in the art world?
LH – I suppose there is, there is in the world isn’t there? Not so much in the west these days though. I think there are so many great women out there doing really great work.
BM – You are using what some would call a traditionally ‘masculine medium’, do you think that’s why you chose a male pseudonym?
LH – Actually I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be a man. My dad was always doing woodwork and things, he built a boat in the front garden. So as a child I was always doing that with him. I’ve always had that interest. When people who don’t know me see the work that do assume I’m a man because Lesley can also be a man’s name.
BM – How much did you have to get into the Boshier mindset whilst creating the work, did it have any adverse effects? Did you start thinking like him? And did you create the works for that show or were they existing works?
LH – Yeah a lot of them were already existing, and I think that’s why it worked. I borrowed a lot of previously sold work so it was a bit like a retrospective. I don’t think I could have made the pieces specifically for the show. Joseph came out of the work, the work couldn’t have come from him.
BM – In your opinion, is the whole story, and the reactions from the press and the public part of the artwork itself, or is that all just auxiliary and a means of publicizing the show?
LH – Yes, it was part of it. The story was like another layer on top of all of that wood. The success of making up a story like that is dependent upon the reaction. In a way I felt it was slightly flawed, because so many people left thinking Joseph Boshier really existed. I wanted people to leave the show doubting.
BM – Did anyone come out of the woodwork genuinely claiming to have known him?
LH – Yes, we had someone claiming to have heard of him. A magazine also wrote an article and I don’t think they realized he didn’t exist.
BM – What has been the single piece of artwork or exhibition that has affected you in the most profound way?
LH – Chris Ofili, his work when he won the turner prize. I really love soul and black culture. I felt his work was saying “OK you can do anything” and I found that so inspiring.
Lesley Hilling's new show In A Silent Way is a collaborative show with Anders Knutsson and is on at :
The Knight Webb Gallery, 54 Atlantic Road, Brixton SW98PZ
6-27 June
Dark Creatures and Peculiar Beasts: Inside the Mind of Artist Carisa Swenson
Carisa is an expert in formulating her dreams into reality, giving her audience a glimpse into an alternate world where perverted animal forms are brought grotesquely to life.
With a background in design and illustration, Carisa Swenson discovered her passion for sculpture after studying with renowned doll artist Wendy Froud (the creator of ‘Yoda’ from the Star Wars franchise). Swenson creates intricate and disturbingly wonderful art dolls that tread a fine line between eerie and cute, asking the viewer to question preconceived notions and even to consider wider social issues at play. Influenced by a variety of sources including the stop motion works of Ray Harryhausen and the Brothers Quay, Carisa is an expert in formulating her dreams into reality, giving her audience a glimpse into an alternate world where perverted animal forms are brought grotesquely to life.
Hi Carisa, can you tell us a bit about what you do as an artist?
Hello, and thank you for this opportunity!
I create sculptures and one of kind art dolls based upon creatures both real and imagined. Most of my dolls are a combination of either Magic Sculpt or Creative Paperclay for the head and limbs, with a wire and fabric body. All are painted with acrylics.
How important is the incorporation of mythology and fairy tale in your work?
Both have been and continue to be a tremendous influence in my work, as I grew up in a household filled with books on Greek, Roman, Norse and Egyptian mythology. My father was a high school English teacher who taught classical mythology, and much of my childhood was spent pouring through his books memorizing the different gods, goddesses and most importantly the fantastical creatures that inhabited them. Not to mention the rather raunchy exploits of the deities…
While many of my pieces are not outright interpretations of these tales, the influence of mythological archetypes and magical creatures is there.
Let’s talk about your use of mixed media. Where do you find the materials that are used in your work and how much does that influence the final piece?
More often than not, the final sculpted piece and costuming tend to work together. Most of my material is sourced from local fabric, vintage bead and art stores; and when beginning a piece, I have a general idea or feel for the personality or character. This often changes during the sculpting stage. I’ve found it’s better not to force a concept onto a piece that is taking quite a different path. Though I may have a specific textile or color palette in mind, once the sculpting phase of the piece is completed the final expression or attitude of the sculpture ultimately determines what costume and colors a doll will be sporting.
Where do you come up with the ideas for your creatures?
Where there is not a pen or piece of paper to be had! I’ve found that physical activity and leaving my studio allows my thoughts a sense of freedom. Running and taking walks through parks or forests clears my head and provides me with a source of ideas, often effortlessly. Of course, remembering them once I get home is another thing! I also find that going to museums creates an almost meditative atmosphere and allows my mind to wander, to pick up new concepts and ideas as well as break through creative blocks.
Your work often has an eerie quality that seems to pervert the traditional idea of a ‘cute’ animal or doll. To what extent do you think this impacts upon the audience and how important is it for you to play with ideas of culture and society in your work?
I’ve always appreciated the notion of pairing traditionally “cute” animals with a disturbing truth. The book and especially the animated film “Watership Down” certainly speaks to that and not surprisingly has been a huge influence on me since a child. Because I grew up having to live with all the stereotypes our society projects onto female children, and which was in my nature to subvert, I build a sense of unease in my mice, rabbits and other “storybook sweet” creatures. A rabbit will resist and fight just as viciously as any other creature when it must.
Growing older, I’ve found that the desire to incorporate issues into my work, such as how humans treat the environment and wildlife; gender, gender expression and the suppression of, as well as bodily autonomy is becoming more insistent. There is a climate of anti-science, anti-reason, and a persistence of holding fast to tradition right now in the United States that is distressing and I expect that these issues will be explored within my sculptures and dolls in the coming months and years.
Do you have a favourite piece?
Yes. “The Mouse King”, a doll inspired by the Mouse King of The Nutcracker, and hairless mice used in lab experiments. This doll was my first serious attempt at using epoxy clay and a piece that I am truly proud of. Many of my pieces up to that point were sculpted in an air-drying paper clay and had minimal detailing. Working with this new medium allowed me to get lost in the piece and discover a new sculpting style. It is also my first creation that felt much darker than any of my former pieces and allowed for a greater expression of my somewhat morose nature.
What, in your opinion, does ‘creativity’ mean?
Allowing yourself the freedom to let go of self-conscious thought and briefly transcend the mire of rationality to produce something which taps into your passion and joy.
What is the future of your artwork? What would you like to do that you have not already done?
There is still so much to do, and I have an ever-growing list of projects to accomplish! Right now, I’d like to explore the lives and worlds my creatures inhabit and allow them to have more of an existence then just sitting on shelves…whether that is through animation, puppets, or a book, I haven’t yet decided—there is much I have to explore within my stable of characters and personalities. Outside of my dolls, I would absolutely love to put my sculpting talents towards film or education, such as museum work.
What would your advice be to anyone interested in getting involved in the art world?
Having talent is wonderful and certainly helps, but you need more than that to achieve your goals. You need to be willing to sacrifice time on a consistent basis in order to improve—at the very least commit to devoting a half hour of your day to your craft. Be open to constructive criticism. I’ve noticed this concept has been lost as of late, and the idea of “constructive criticism” is now seen as just “criticism”. If you ask for someone’s opinion, try to let go of your ego and just LISTEN instead of defending your art. Often I see young artists ask for a critique, but what they really want to hear is that their art is brilliant.
You must actively pursue artistic avenues…expecting to only do your art and have galleries, publishers, etc stumble upon your work and propel you to stardom is unlikely. Many artists I know who have reached even a modicum of success have been toiling and working for years (10+) on their art (often not even fulltime)! Always be a professional in your communications and how you present yourself. Don’t take things personally. Get rejected? It’s going to happen. Not everyone is going to like what you do. While it’s disappointing, sometimes it can work out for the better and push you in a new direction. Most importantly? Find your own voice. To be inspired by an artist’s work is one thing…copying their style is quite another. Don’t grab that low hanging fruit — make your art truly YOURS.
A glimpse of art, shock and social engagement
Social issues are explored with all manner of approaches by a wide range of artists. It is a subject of much importance and endless debate. Santiago Sierra, Petr Pavlensky and Paul Harfleet.
Social issues are explored with all manner of approaches by a wide range of artists. It is a subject of much importance and endless debate. Santiago Sierra’s controversial work sparks strong reactions of anger and offense whilst others such as Rikrit Tiravanit use more subtle ways to address issues. This article looks at some of those who go beyond audiences’ expectations and shock thresholds to deliver some truly thought provoking and outrageous works.
A huge part of contemporary art practice concerns itself with social change. Many argue that the purpose of art is to engage people with such issues. Joseph Beuys term social sculpture views the whole of society as an artwork, to which all members can contribute. Beuys believed that art has the potential to transform society;
‘Art is the only political power, the only revolutionary power, the only evolutionary power, the only power to free humankind form all repression’. (Beuys, 1973)
Santiago Sierra. Image via Lisson Gallery website
10 INCH LINE SHAVED ON THE HEADS OF TWO JUNKIES WHO RECEIVED A SHOT OF HEROIN AS PAYMENT, 302 Fortaleza Street. San Juan de Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico, October 2000
DVD projection (4:3 ratio)
Santiago Sierra. Image via Lisson Gallery website
Santiago Sierra: Dedicated to the Workers and Unemployed
Installation view
Santiago Sierra, «Laborers who cannot be payed, remunerated to remain in the interior of carton boxes», 2000
Eight people paid to remain inside cardboardboxes, 1999 | Courtesy: Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Zurich | Photography | © Santiago Sierra
Santiago Sierra’s work has criticized the institution of art. His work seemingly aims to expose capitalism by strongly critiquing its corporations’ unjust methods of production, confronting the audience by highlighting poor, unfair labour conditions and the extremities workers will endure by reproducing these same exploitative conditions, inflicted in the name of art. He has often employed underprivileged workers, prostitutes and drug addicts to perform pointless and laborious tasks, paying them the minimum amount possible to do so. He implicates the audience and attacks the desensitised numbness of the consumer who accepts the inevitable crimes that must take place in order for them to buy their commodity.
8 people paid to remain inside cardboard boxes would appear to unsuspecting audiences at first glance as minimalist sculptures, unaware of the excruciating labour, to which it refers. The worker here is put in a position of shame in which they have undignified conditions imposed upon them with no control over the work.
Sierra is criticised for always inflicting these conditions on others and not himself, however, considering his work aims to imitate the capitalist system, perhaps his role in this is to be the very system he excoriates. This reaction is not unexpected by the artist – when you put your name on the work it seems that you’re held responsible for the capitalist system itself.’ (Sierra 2004).
Image via ESCÁPIST(S)
Images via ESCÁPIST(S)
More recently, the Russian artist Petr Pavlensky is using his body as a performative means of highly political activism to oppose conditions implemented by the state, responding to escalating laws suppressing activism and banning the promotion of homosexuality
He was catapulted into the international public eye in 2013 after nailing his scrotum to the cobblestones in the Red Square, Moscow. After undressing and affixing himself, he continued to stare vacantly at his injury in the freezing temperatures. This figure represented someone of apathetic, disempowered political indifference. Pavlensky previously received attention by sewing his mouth shut in 2012 whilst holding a sign reading ‘Action of Pussy Riot was a replica of the famous action of Jesus Christ’. This form of silent protest is usually a passive statement, reaching people through the visual rather than volume but with the addition of self mutilation comes an aggressive passion and the spectacle is difficult to ignore.
Mutilating his body as a metaphor for the condition of the social body is performative but imposing himself on public places is an installation that the audience has no choice but to passively consume, and the police have to choice to participate in, perhaps even unwillingly collaborate in, adding a depth to the work.
Addressing social issues through participation is the underlying concept of Paul Harfleets Pansy Project, an installation based series of works as a reaction to homophobic abuse. The project was a response to daily abuse in the streets, in a country considering itself to be accepting of homosexuality and diversity.
Placing flowers is a ritual upheld to communicate an accident or tragic event. Harfleet used this tool to mark the damaging seriousness of abuse. With the pansy carrying the weight of the insult directed at effeminate men and using it as an instrument, it is a universal signal for passersby. Stark titles such as Fucking Faggot! add a jarring and sobering context to the seemingly delicate act and associated sorrow of planting flowers, exuding confrontation.
Images via The Pansy Project
The criticism of many of these bold works is the element of shock tactic. It is critiqued as a shallow tool used to attract attention, but to truly consider this as a criticism one must ask if it is effective. If the aim of these works is to bring about social change, this strategy does indeed utilise shock to reach its intended audience; the large general public who can enable the change it seeks. In a climate where art is so entrenched in politics and social engagement, it is often discussed whether it is the responsibility of artists to address social issues. Petr Pavlensky himself believes “an artist has no right not to take a stand”, but in many cases, whether an artist accepts responsibility or not, there comes a point when their works’ impact on society may well be out of their hands.
Central Saint Martins’ Degree Show One: Art
Central Saint Martins’ final year art show boasted a colourful and eclectic mix of interdisciplinary art that is as fresh and cool as its students – exactly what the art world needs.
Central Saint Martins’ final year art show boasted a colourful and eclectic mix of interdisciplinary art that is as fresh and cool as its students – exactly what the art world needs.
With alumni including Hussein Chalayan, Yinka Shonibare and 2013 Turner Prize Winner Laure Prouvost, Central Saint Martins is a hub for raw, new talent that only seeks one thing – prove itself to the world. This year’s show, made up of works across BA Fine Art and MA Art & Science, Fine Art, Photography and MRes Art, continues to hone Central Saint Martins’ reputation when it comes to the creative energy it harbours.
CSM’s Degree Show One is unusual in its content, and a treat for the eyes when it comes to its form – paintings share the wall with installations, immersive experiences, and regular performances across the room that transport you to other worlds. Upon entering the show, one is greeted by giant sculptures that lead you to the main area, where a student recreated the atmosphere and setting of a nail salon bar. Working around that particular framework, she greets visitors with a smile before proceeding to glam up their nails, while the adjacent space is occupied by another student and his aquaponics water plants (a system of raising fish and plants in a symbiotic cycle) and cosy sofas where one can read books whilst waiting to get one’s nails done, or for a friend to bring beer, or anything – you decide. The beautiful part about CSM’s degree show is that it invites you in a manner that other works of art placed in certain institutions don’t. Here, it is never a question of ‘is this lost glove on the floor art?’ or ‘do you think we can touch this?’ or even ‘can we sit on this or is it part of the work?’, rather it is completely interactive and herein lies the fun aspect of art – art can be fun too, and we more often than not forget it too quickly.
The showstopper of the night was undoubtedly Alexis Marie Sera’s big rock-like installation at the back of the room, which made the entire university look like a meteorite landing platform. After walking around the massive structure and feeling like an ant, you climb up inside only to be confronted by three creatures covered in black oil, wailing, rummaging around, circling around and staring at you –frightening and claustrophobic. Paired with some foreboding sounds, the giant ball opens up at the top to reveal some light, while the creatures moan and wail even more –a fascinating and immersive take that aims to recreate the instance right before death occurs.
Another immersive piece that transformed space and relationship towards the audience is the artists’ massage station, set up by student Yao Wang. The décor of the space, which had been constructed in a white, minimalistic salon, greeted visitors with the distinct sanitised yet seducing smell of all health stations –dentists, hospital, doctors. The crowd watched gleefully while one lucky artist got his shoulders massaged, while the space next to it, which was made to look like its complete antithesis –dark, dimly lit by candles and oozing an aura of mysticism, gathered curious bystanders. The great thing about CSM’s show is that the students blend in with the visitors, and the pieces are transformed whenever someone interacts with them. There is no visible hierarchy, and all are simply happy to experience months of hard work put into everyone’s art.
Other pieces which transport the audience into different immersive worlds and settings use film as a medium, creating sensations rather than linear narratives, such as Henrietta Young’s video installation that places the visitor inside a surgical framework by surrounding him with freshly cut pieces of flesh. Upon entering the space, one is cornered by double projections that emphasize the waiting of a hospital room.
Central Saint Martins proves again that it is filled with fresh, raw energy and talent when it comes to art.
Images by Suzanne Zhang
Central Saint Martins - University of the Arts London | 27 May - 31 May 2015
NOS PRIMAVERA SOUND 15. Are you coming?
Just as summer is about to start, NOS Primavera Sound is preparing to kick off the Portuguese festival season.
Just as summer is about to start, NOS Primavera Sound is preparing to kick off the Portuguese festival season. Whilst less well-known than its cousin in Barcelona, NOS Primavera Sound manages a delicate balancing act of mainstream and alternative, distinguishing itself by variety of style. As well as a wide selection of internationally established artists, the festival boasts a significant representation of up-and-coming talent, from Portugal and abroad. With a lineup including acts ranging from Ariel Pink, Viet Cong and FKA Twigs to Patti Smith to Mac DeMarco to Jungle and Caribou, NOS Primavera Sound promises something for everyone.
Nestled by the Porto seaside, Parque da Cidade creates the ideal framework for the festival. Within the city, yet by the coast and with easy access and scenic surroundings the park itself is one of the main attractions of the event. Apart from the main stage and the Super Bock stage, All Tomorrow’s Parties commissions a stage responsible for the more experimental programming, in various musical styles and the Pitchfork stage, commissioned by Pitchfork Media will bring some of the emerging names of international alternative music.
Compared to many of its European competitors, NOS Primavera Sound, which runs for three days, promises great value at a relatively low price allowing for a great mix of people to gather together under the southern sun, sharing music and summer vibes. We are certainly excited to pack our bags and head off to NOS Primavera Sound 15.
All images via © NOS Primavera Sound
When: 4-6 June 2015
Where: Porto, Portugal
mahabis and the return of the slipper
mahabis, a brand whose mission to reinvent one of the greatest egalitarian types of footwear has trickled into a formidable brand of redesigning and redefining lifestyle… We interviewed founder Ankur Shah and learn more about the process and story behind.
We’ve all been there, walked out of the house blissfully unaware of the all too comfy slipper cradling each foot and the added disappointment when you, or your overly vigilant neighbour, notices. Assumed with warmth and wellbeing, few shoes have succeeded to rival the slipper. In fact, here is a shoe lacking any new means of contemporary design in a very long time, until now. Brought to you by mahabis, a brand whose mission to reinvent one of the greatest egalitarian types of footwear has trickled into a formidable brand of redesigning and redefining lifestyle, finally inviting us to slow down, to stop and to take pleasure in one of life’s greater comforts and downright necessities that is downtime.
mahabis appreciates that much of our time spent outside profoundly impacts how we enjoy our time inside and uses the slipper to skillfully bridge the two together. In recognising that tradition and modernity can go hand in hand, mahabis asked, why must we stick to tradition when the slipper could be used inside and out? And quite rightly so, for when winter turns to spring and beach days turn to bonfires, we forget that our small toes still need that little bit of extra warmth.
Gone are the days when sipping on your coffee in your slippers could only be encountered in your home, the mahabis shoe allows you to do this anywhere and everywhere and is quickly becoming the must-have, go to form of footwear. In a world that’s become so fast paced it is often easy to neglect life’s simplest means, means that are imperceptibly impacting our daily lives and wellbeing and mahabis does well to challenge that, by way of slipper. They’ve brought the inside out, they’ve invited the outside in and simultaneously combined it with a life of adventure, photography, style and culture, to produce a whole design philosophy that’s ready to take the world by storm and we here at ROOMS love it.
I caught up with mahabis founder Ankur Shah, to find out more.
Hi Ankur, tell me a little about yourself and the initial stages of mahabis.
I started my career as a criminal barrister, then meandered into a technology business which after selling that business left me with some time on my hands. That’s when I discovered this massive, but hidden world of slippers. A multi-billion dollar industry with a brand no one was excited about and a product set that was mundane and boring. I thought, hey, let’s try and change that. I was keen to build a lifestyle brand that encapsulated what life was all about, the downtime after the uptime.
And why slippers?
Slippers are an age-old product. They represent something so important. The idea of switching off. We spend billions on better performance, being faster, losing weight, getting stronger. But what about the things in life that let us tune-in whilst tuning out? Relaxing. Chilling out. I wanted to create a product that represented that, both aesthetically and functionally too. I hope we’re going some way to achieve that.
Briefly speak me through the design process of the mahabis slipper. Did the initial design change a lot?
Yes massively. If you saw the original ones you’d be amazed at how far we’ve come. We had the joy of iterating our designs with some of the best young designers in Europe. We played with 3d printing. Applied age-old manufacturing techniques. Whilst the journey was a roller coaster, it was also incredibly inspiring. We’ve incorporated a range of innovative techniques but have strived for a no-fuss, clean and minimal design. The trademark mahabis silhouette is something we have maintained throughout. For us the art of reduction was a hard fought right.
You are based in London but the shoes seem to adopt a very Scandinavian, minimalist approach. Has Scandinavia always been a source of inspiration along the journey?
It has, our slippers and soles are named after Scandinavian towns and cities. We love the quintessentially minimalist aesthetic that is associated with Scandinavian countries, but also the perception of lifestyle minimalism, that less is more. In every sense.
Who is your target audience?
The bit of you that wants to relax. And what amazed us was how broad the cross-section was that identified with that. We talk a lot about redesigning downtime. And we’ve found that people from all age groups, evenly split across the genders, and people from all around the world really connect with that sentiment.
As much as it is a footwear brand, mahabis seems to adopt a whole lifestyle, which is evident in the brand’s imagery and the assisting online blog that you have (which I love!) Do you like to travel yourself?
Definitely, we’ve been global from day one. Our obsession is with embedding ourselves in as many places as possible, I think we’ve had customers from over 90+ countries so far.
Some of our team are working in Ibiza as we speak! We’ve shifted some of the office there for a week, because we may or may not be working on a summer version…shhh, don’t tell anyone.
Your slippers have been extremely popular, had you expected the company to take off as quickly as it has?
We knew there was a market there - the challenge was executing on our vision - as we knew that if we could connect with people on the sentiments we so strongly believed in then we’d have a chance.
We surpassed the 10,000 pair mark after just a handful of months, putting us ahead of amazing brands like TOMs. We’re really excited about where it goes from here.
And what’s in store for the future? Do you see mahabis sticking to its origins as a footwear brand or expanding?
We’re working on so much fun stuff, we think you’re going to love it! We’ll be sure to keep you updated, but keep a close eye as things are coming really, really soon…
All images via © mahabis
The Directors we loved at this year’s Cannes festival
Here is a compilation of some of the most anticipated directors acknowledged this year.
Emmanuelle Bercot. Photo via www.notrecinema.com
This year’s Cannes film festival showcases the works of some remarkable directors and directorial debuts. As part of their ‘Director’s fortnight’ film list, the independent section running parallel to the festival, highlights the directorial talent in feature film, documentary and shorts. One of the most significant progresses has been the achievement of more female directors recognized for their work. Here is a compilation of some of the most anticipated directors acknowledged this year.
Standing Tall. Photo via www.screedaily.com Opens 13th May 2015
Emmanuelle Bercot
One of the many female star-directors pinned to be this year’s main attraction of the festival. Her French feature, Standing Tall has already received global attention and will be the festivals opening night selection. Bercot has already made a name for herself as a successful actress and with Standing Tall she has added successful director under her belt too. Bercot’s social realist drama tells the story of a troubled teenager Malony (Rod Paradot), who is ordered to straighten out his act by a judge. The film deals with issues of the governmental system that is designed to help kids like Malony collides with his changing personality and problems about family dysfunction. Young convincing Paradot debuts his acting for the first time and arguably steals the show in his emotional and unsettling performance alone. This film has already raised comparisons to the Dardeene brothers who have been acclaimed for their achievements in social realism drama, proving Standing Tall is in fact towering over the film selection at this years Cannes and due to be a success nationwide.
Philippe Garrel. Photo via doctorbcinema.wordpress.com
Philippe Garrel
In the Shadow of Women opens May 14th 2015 | Photo via blogs.indiewire.com
French director Garrel takes direction from 60’s new wave cinema in his infidelity drama, In the Shadow of Women. The film shot in black and white centers on the relationship between a documentary-making couple. It is a power balance dictated by the husband Pierre who begins an affair, leaving wife Manon ‘in the shadow.’ Garrel delivers a new take on romance articulating the strange ways we follow desire and lust. There is something to be said about the French acclaimed directors leading this years festival in that their style and their quality never fall short on delivering to the audience even more so in their native France.
A Tale of Love and Darkness opening date TBA | Photo: www.sandiegored.com
Natalie Portman
The Oscar-winning actress makes her directorial debut about the birth of the state of Israel in her film, A Tale of Love and Darkness. The Israeli-born star brings Amos Oz’s international bestseller to the big screen and tells the tale of a boy coming of age in the tumultuous period before and after Israel’s independence from British order. The film shows the complexity of the Arab-Israeli conflict that has rarely been touched upon in Hollywood before. Portman also stars in and wrote the screenplay adaptation of Oz’s work proving her potential behind the camera is just as impressive as in front.
Rick Famuyiwa. Photo via www.tribune.com.ng
Rick Famuyiwa
Famuyiwa introduces his new feature Dope debuting the multi-talented hip-hop artist A$AP Rocky as well as many other well-known names in the music industry. Dope has been making waves since its premiere at Sundance and has since gained a massive following. The film tells the story of young Malcolm (Shemeik Moore) surviving high school in the tough neighbourhood in Los Angeles. He gets invited to an underground party by chance which unfolds his adventure that could allow him to being accepted as cool or ‘dope’ by his peers but ultimately is a story about self-discovery and self-acceptance. Dope is a film for this generation loaded with 90’s hip-hop reference and cleverly stylised to be a fresh urban take on teenage-hood, it most certainly will have no trouble finding its audience once it is released worldwide.
Dope opens on June 19
Check out the full programme of films and directors exhibited at Cannes Film Festival 2015 and The Director Fortnight section
The MD Gallery, one you all need to see
Upon wandering the streets of London, if you’re lucky enough, you may discover a hidden gem within the heart of central. That gem is the Magda Danysz Gallery.
PURE EVIL Buddha
What started as an iconic street art project in Paris has spread to Shanghai, and now, London. And the progenitor behind this infectious spread of talent is Magda Danysz – an art dealer and owner of several art galleries, who curates the London Project herself.
Magda is no stranger to these transient artistic ventures. She oversaw the “Les Bains Douches” project in 2013 – by turning the dilapidated Les Bains nightclub in Paris into a hub of creativity. And in 2014, we saw the equivalent in Shanghai as the “Look Through” project that used the notable Bund18 building. And now, in 2015, this movement is plunged into London.
Located in Charlotte Street within Fitzrovia, the MD Gallery is a pop-up ‘100 day’ project that opened on the 14th of May. With a mission of aiming to be as dynamic as possible, we see a surplus of different talents and a site that is constantly evolving.
The gallery makes use of two very different spaces. Upstairs is quite the traditional floor –showcasing a mix of street art and photography. With household street artist names such as Blek Le Rat, Futura and L’Atlas, the gallery is no stranger to prestige.
The downstairs space is an area that they refer to as the ‘artists residency.’ And it’s exactly that. Providing a temporary home for artists of the original MD gallery (and also London artists too), it is certainly one of the most striking parts of the entire building.
One extremely intriguing aspect of this project was the resourcefulness of these resident artists. Remi Rough and YZ (pronounced ‘eyes’) both reused remnants of the old building to create their standalone pieces. Segments of the boarded up ceilings, wooden beams and other such withered parts of the gallery were used to make up their work. As the picture below shows, French artist YZ carved the wooden ceiling boards (that came with the derelict site) into archways, which formed the canvas for her tenderly poignant work.
Zhou Hongbin Aquarium
And this only to speak of the gallery and the artist’s ingenuity to date. We have yet to see what they will do with the solitary cinema on the bottom floor. But I speak for everybody who has witnessed this project when I say: we cannot wait.
Images courtesy of the Magda Danysz gallery