JOHN DOLAN: JOHN AND GEORGE
By Abigail Yue Wang
New Shoreditch skyline collaborations at Howard Griffin Gallery, 17 July, 2014.
John Dolan used to be a name that was less welcome for east London. He’s a man with a turbulent former life, a man with a dog named George, a man who lives and breathes a city’s past and present by sitting on the street and talking to passers-by everyday. All of these have now formed the man into one of the most renowned street artists today’s east London could see. Howard Griffin Gallery presents new original works and prints by the artist, in which the artist explores his inner journey with his companion George. Including his portrayals of George, Dolan’s drawings are infused with honest energy. His work dreams in lands where creatures and doodles take over the skyline. Within the microcosm of Dolan’s cityscape, chaos and order are at war. The exhibition also marks the publication of the artist’s autobiography, which reveals his artistic life from survival to redemption.
FORAGE PRESS SESSION 01: THE SOUND AND THE VISUAL
In light of our latest issue entitled ‘The colour of sound’, we asked ourselves how the connection between audio and visual creativity could still find disparate ways to evolve and reinvent itself. The two mediums constantly merge, separate and merge again, the way two rivers eventually run together – inevitably, constantly and smoothly. It is in that mindset, then, that we discovered Tomi Lahdesmaki’s new baby, Forage Press, the creative collective that celebrates the union between audio and visual through creative pieces of work.
Lahdesmaki, the founder and creative force behind Forage Press, explains that his project was born out of his passion for creating visuals based on the music he loved. After observing that many creatives produce their work under the influence of audio materials, he decided to put forward the Forage Press project, which invites contributors around the globe to create a visual based article inspired by a musical subject of their choosing. The trick of Forage Press is to render the subconscious conscious – in this light, what is commonly referred to as ‘ways of working’ becomes a ‘creative thought process’. In doing so, Lahdesmaki forces us to re-think the ways in which we work with our surroundings, especially music, and re-invent the connection between audio and visual. How much of audio is poured into the visual, and vice-versa?
Forage Press’s brief is quite simple, in that regard: collaborators pick any musical subject as an inspiration (genre, band, song, album, era etc.), then produce an original series of images which reflect or reinvent the story of that subject. The outcome, then, is an odd and quirky collection of visual work that finds its roots in music. Complete creative freedom comes with its perks: amongst the pieces presented by Forage Press you will photographs, psychedelic images, digitally manipulated images and abstract illustrations, all accompanied by brief descriptions on the creative process behind the task. Touching, imaginative and at times deeply personal, it reminds us that everything is connected in life –the point is to know it and understand it.
Our advice? Listen to the audio piece while looking at the work of art -you’ll be put into the artist’s state of mind and the artworks will resonate with familiarity and stories.
Forage Press is hosting an exclusive evening in London on the 17th July 2014 to celebrate the collective, creative minds of more than 160 contributors who have produced 500 exclusive images for the project. The guest speakers will include Andrew Khosravani, Serena Katt, Clio Isadora, James Kirkup, Matt Grykowski and Charles WIlliams.
More info at foragepress
RICHARD LINKLATER’S BOYHOOD
By Abigail Yue Wang
Linklater’s latest film Boyhood questions what it means to grow up.
Whether you remember Richard Linklater as the man who rotoscoped existential conversations into animation (Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly), or the one who poked at the moral ambiguity of a murder by a pious priest (Bernie), or simply a man who made famous Matthew McConaughey’s “Alright alright alright” (Dazed and Confused), you should know by now, that this Hollywood one-of-a-kind is going to catch us off guard again whichever subject he picks next. Shortly after last year’s praised return of the voluble couple in Before Midnight, Linklater’s latest effort Boyhood is soon to arrive in Britain after a well-deserved Silver Bear for Best Director at Berlinale.
Boyhood is an anthology of a boy called Mason Jr. going into maturity, intermittently shot over twelve years, and it chronicles life events that rings a bell to everyone’s adolescence – divorce, house moving, peer pressure, hidden beer and virginity. Steadily filmed a few days every year, it pieces together every encounter, mistake and hindsight that eventually sculpt a six-year-old into a young adult. An inadvertent performance by Ellar Coltrane as Mason Jr. reminds us just how subtly life can be shaped by the smallest matters. And that’s all there is – small matters. There’s nothing out of the ordinary, yet every mentioning of the details feel like a giveaway. Linklater, as always, picks up nuances in the mundane, making the effortless moments ever so recognizable and truthful. For the young actor, growth in a motion picture is perhaps the most eidetic memo of all, where we witness Mason Jr. once as a languid teen, a nihilist at times, who grows up to be an articulate creative. What was thought of as improbable troubles of life could in hindsight, be treated with some levity and gratitude.
Here is a director who doesn’t take the transcendence of time as a given in this abridged media. For Linklater, time is an elastic craft; it could span 18 years for a couple to gallivant from the streets of Vienna to Paris and the Peloponnese in the Before trilogy (1995-2013), or 86 minutes for a real-time conversation in a claustrophobic motel room in Tape (2001). But watching twelve years brushing through so swiftly in three hours is more of a metaphor about time itself; its brevity sneaks up on us and before we realize it, credit roll is already halfway. It leaves you pensive and urged with the kind of strange attachment you get when you spend just enough hours with a character. You wish to not only see Mason Jr. off to college, but a long way after, because he bears a piece of youth that we once had in all of us.
It is nonetheless resonant to see all the adults leaving traces of age throughout the film as portrayed by Patricia Arquette, who plays the ardent mother, and father Ethan Hawke, who has weathered the timeline of Linklater’s career for twenty years. According to the director: “It is about a child going through boyhood as much as us adults stumbling through parenthood”. It knits footages of each year seamlessly without abrupt reminders. Footnotes of the Iraqi War, the Obama/McCain campaign and Harry Potter make unobtrusive marks over the years. Music also becomes a small commentary on everyone’s trace, in which a visceral resonance seethes through the soundtrack, from Coldplay’s Yellow to Vampire Weekend twelve years on.
Boyhood, in UK cinemas from 11 July.
Film stills courtesy of IFC Films
ART EVERYWHERE US
By Abigail Yue Wang
If you’re around Time Square in New York City next time, have a close look at this America’s most vivid forest of billboards; you may find an Edward Hopper painting or a Mapplethorpe photograph seated gracefully among the boards of sales. In fact, 58 of America’s finest art works will make their grand appearance in Time Square from 4 August, and that is only the start.
Art Everywhere US is a charitable campaign that will exhibit paintings and photography by America’s artistic legends in public spaces: billboards, bus shelters, subway platforms, shopping malls and more. Out of their usual habitats – galleries and museums, the most celebrated legacy of American art will soon become a truly shared treasure in its light of day. Voted by the public, the dynamic selection is luxuriated in wide range of styles and time periods. Featuring John Singleton Copley’s grisly depiction Watson and the Shark (1778), William Michael Harnett’s tranquil The Old Violin (1886) and more, classical paintings can now be enjoyed by us modern souls out in the open in the most economical fashion.
Contemporary gems will also uplift your communal journeys. From Mark Rothko’s Expressionism, to Edward Ruscha’s iconic “Hollywood” prints, to Cindy Sherman’s self-portraits, Art Everywhere is not only a nationwide celebration of American art, but more importantly, a public reminder of how art has addressed the American identity, witnessed the nation’s history and shaped its values. With support of five leading art museums in the US, Art Everywhere’s displays will invite everyone to reflect on America’s footprint and give thoughts to a nation’s artistic future.
Art Everywhere
ROOMS 14 PRESENTS: ELLIOT GROVE
Photography by Justina Suminaite
By Abigail Yue Wang
The making of Raindance Film Festival
One may find Elliot Grove a man of many juxtapositions: a Canadian film set designer who ventured to Britain initially out of aspiration in the property business; once a sixteen-year-old who tiptoed into a cinema despite being taught by his Amish upbringing that devils lived in movie theatres; a filmmaker who once lost all contact in his native Toronto is now running not just one, but two of the most prolific film events in Europe.
As the founder of Raindance Film Festival (since 1993) and British Independent Film Awards (since 1998), such upturns in reversed conditions have perhaps made the trademark of Elliot Grove’s career. He is no stranger to rejections; being turned down by government funding twenty-nine times, Raindance Film Festival was founded in the most forgettable fashion when London and the whole of Britain were elusive about its modest preference towards independent cinema. Two decades on, Raindance has voiced its competence by presenting emerging filmmakers and their career-defining debuts. From Pulp Fiction’s UK premiere to the inception of Christopher Nolan’s career (Memento premiere), perceptive as Raindance is, it is not known for shying away from controversies.
For Grove, to change the status quo in the current film distributing system is deemed to stir debates. Like the festival’s prolonged build-up, changes don’t happen over night, slowly but surely. Grove has now expanded his field from festivals to filmmaking education and lecturing, reassuring a can-do attitude in filmmaking that helps to shape it into a more democratic practice.
WE ENTER SACRED GROUND: INTERVIEW WITH SEED ANIMATION
As you sow, so shall you reap… It then comes without a doubt that Seed Animation, after having carefully planted its grain of creativity and character in the soil of the creative earth, finally sees itself as a magnificent, blooming plant –the kind that talks back at you and makes you laugh as it transports you into a world of wonders, colours and sounds. Meet Morgan Powell and Neil Kidney, the founders and creative director of the London-based animation company ‘Seed Animation’, for whom playing God within the illustration world is a daily task. Character design and behaviour, interior decoration, soundtrack and narratives are all meticulously designed by Seed Animation to convey entertaining shorts and adverts… Rooms Magazine speaks to the brains and muscles behind tomorrow’s cutting-edge animation.
Hi Morgan and Neil, how are you? Tell me more about Seed animation’s début…
M: We are doing very well thank you! Neil and I met at Teesside University and shared similar interests. We started Seed 10 years ago as a means to freely develop and create our own work: the name Seed symbolises an initial creative thought that has so much potential -it’s the potential that excites us.
Does talent necessarily need to be paired with technique and education?
M: I had previously studied Graphic Design, and we met on a Computer Animation Master’s Degree. I think talent combined with experience is a good pairing. Experience is wider than education alone, and you can be exposed to a great deal more than education if you are focused on what you want to achieve. With experience and exposure, you gain specific techniques along the way.
N: I studied Industrial Design and got into CGI as a way to visualise my designs, but ended up staying in the field for the animation -much more exciting and satisfying. We have an intern/work experience guy in at the moment and he has very little formal education in animation but he has a great talent and a keen eye for animation. He just practices at home. So no, talent does not always need to be paired with education.
Tell me more about Seed Animation, what is the general ethos of your company?
M: We believe in creating entertaining and engaging content. A lot of excited energy goes into what we do to craft the character and their situation. We create commercials, but we also have in house projects- short films and idents.
N: For me it’s about having fun, making people laugh. Most of our in-house work is based around this – silly ideas that make people laugh. Not necessarily the most commercial of content, but it keeps you sane if you are working on more reserved commercial work.
You speak about ‘distinctive character animation’… What makes your characters distinctive?
M: Well, there are two things that make a character distinctive- the design and its behaviour. We will always approach the design with empathy- the viewer has to engage with the character and feel emotion for them. That connection is key. Behaviour is based on observation and I would say that we generally treat ours with our observations of humour and quirk. Put those two together and we deliver distinctive, bold and engaging characters.
Growing up, what were your favourite cartoons and animation films?
N: Wile E Coyote. I think it has had a lot of subliminal influence on me, now that I think about it…
M: Care Bears for me. Just kidding. Battle of the Planets, Mask and Transformers, although I stopped liking them when I realised toy sales were taking priority over the content of the episodes.
What have been your favourite projects so far? You have had an impressive list of clients, featuring Ogilvy, Coke, Peregrine…
M: I really like being involved in the 3D character animation projects. They generally take much longer, but creating that world and everything in it- how the characters behave, how the backgrounds look, what is in the rooms etc. is all consuming. I get to play God.
It’s always nice to be associated with the big brands, but I’m usually sold on a great idea rather than a brand.
N: My favourite jobs are the one where the client trusts us to do what we do. The jobs always seem to turn out better than the heavily managed ones, and the process of the job is smoother and more relaxing. MTV Qoob Earthquake stands out for me.
What is your creative process when briefed with a project?
M: I like to be absorbed by as much as a brief as possible. I like to sit with the client and take everything in- the nuances in their speech, their body language. A lot can be said that isn’t written, and that will give us a clearer angle to our approach. During the conversation, a visual will usually become clear, and from further discussion the idea will begin to develop.
I’ll then go and research the area of interest to strengthen my initial thoughts. We then illustrate a couple of ‘style frames’ that will give the client a clear visual direction to the film.
To what extent do you think it’s possible to mix traditional 2D hand-drawn animation and 3D? Which one appeals to you the more, and why?
M: We love mixing 2D and 3D, and we have done so on many occasion. I think there are different rules that govern both, but so long as you they aren’t broken it can be very successful. If I were to pick one I would say 3D, because the development of that world is both technical and creative.
N: I would say 3D, because I can’t draw (anymore)! Although when you’re stuck in the depths of technical wrangling on a job, sometimes you wish it was 2D so you could just draw yourself out of the problem.
Do you think there will be a difference between the generation that grew up with traditional 2D animation and the generation that is growing up with 3D animation?
M: What is exciting is that the lines between the two are blurring. Software for both is more readily available to our generation and there is a lot of exciting stuff happening in both 2D and 3D. Creatively, there is an appetite for variation, and with that comes invention and discovery, including merging of techniques. Creative discovery is amazing to be involved in.
Is there a definite quality to have in order to be a good animator and/or creative director?
N: Patience and passion. It takes a long time to produce work so you have to really want to do it… Again and again until you get it right. A piece of work is never straight forward, there are always different avenues to explore on the way, and most of the time you’ll have to try out quite a few options before finding what is right. An appetite for the small hours helps too!
M: For an animator, there is a great deal of observation required -observing the behaviour of people and animals, and then interpreting that in an artistic and exaggerated way.
As Creative Director it allows me to oversee the creation of everything including character design, animation, music and voice over and so I find it’s a very varied and interesting role.
I love the series of work you did with TODO, could you tell me more about that please?
M: The series is 4 years in the running and it’s always great to revisit when we get the nod. The characters have a global appeal as they were created for the Egyptian market, but the language barrier is irrelevant because their humour is accessible. Also, because there are so many characters, there is a group mentality, which can be very funny to watch.
N: We started the series totally in the TODO plasticine world, but the latest incarnation has seen them break the 4th wall and now they exist in the real world as actors in their own plasticine world! It’s great to see a long campaign like this constantly develop and keep pushing the boat out.
How important is the relationship between sound, colours and texture in the animation world?
M: Everything has to come together to create a believable and absorbing world. There are so many elements that need to come together to create a successful piece of animation. The art direction is key. Sound effects play a big part in accentuating action and helps to convey emotion.
N: I’m always amazed at how much the sound adds to the film. After spending months working on something with no sound, to suddenly watch it with music and sound effects always lifts it beyond what I thought it could be.
Are there any limitations and/or restrictions that you face in your job?
M: Sometimes budget can be a limitation. I have to be able to produce something for a specific budget. We tailor creative to suit a purse and sometimes an idea warrants a deeper world with more environments and more characters. If the budget is lower, these ideas become a fraction of the potential.
N: How late my wife lets me stay at work.
What is your dream collaboration?
N: A client that comes to us and gives us a pot of money to do what we want with – little or no constraints. It is a dream though!
M: I love collaboration with any creative, but I would have to say John Kricfalusi, who created Ren and Stimpy. His animation is ridiculous, and I love it.
What would you tell your younger self aged 15?
N: I’d need to write a book.
M: Enjoy your hair. Grow it long. Celebrate it… ‘Cos it’s not going to last.
TIME: TATTOO ART TODAY
By Abigail Yue Wang
We seem to be in a constant bargain with our bodies. Throughout humanity we have been tempted by interplays between the comfort and discomfort of our own skin. The body, perhaps our first nemesis in life, has spawned cultures of physical modification in history. Among them, tattoo culture may be one of the more painterly kinds. So where are we now within tattoo art? For this allegedly one of the oldest art forms discovered in archaeology, the answer is a more complex one than it seems.
Departed from its long tradition in Polynesian milieu, tattoo art traversed cultures and lands over five millenniums. Since its inception, used for talismanic or ritual purposes, ancient tattooing was anything but mere decoration; it confirmed that the body was tantamount to the mind – a worn value that is becoming estranged from our post-digital life. While it remained a discordant rarity in the West until the 19th century, tattoo art was only brought back to light in Europe by the Victorian gentry, who had their first taste in this mystical craft. The “curiosity” seekers in modern Europe welcomed tattoo art into the 20th century, where it saw its heyday from late 1950s to the present – a golden period often considered as the Tattoo Renaissance.
No longer a backdrop of burgeoning cultures, tattoo art has had its place in body politics and the emerging feminist movement from the 1960s, with many more dialogues to come. Contemporary tattoo sees its transition from classic fine lines and Americana to a new variety; not to forget neo-Japanese Irezumi (入れ墨), the modern revival of Japanese traditional full body suits, especially celebrated by the revered Horiyoshi III, whose work will also join the exhibition at Somerset House.
In partnership with Tattoo Life publication, the exhibition revels in works from over 70 tattoo artists worldwide. For tattoo enthusiasts, there surely will be a flavour to each their own. From Mister Cartoon’s signature L.A. street zests to the esoteric memento moris by Paul Booth, Time: Tattoo Art Today celebrates expertise that will keep you on pins and needles, if you let it. Apart from the originals, artists are also commissioned to each create a new piece within the theme of time, on any medium except the usual skin surface. It will be a rare chance to examine whether tattoo remains its quintessence as art, once removed from its principal form.
We are not short of solutions to our physical dwelling; dance is the release, medicine is the cure. By learning to co-exist with the body, we have come to tend it and tease it. To some, tattoo art is no longer mere body alteration nor decorative leisure, but an extended self. Time: Tattoo Art Today will present you a new glimpse into this subculture and the bodily myths.
WE ENTER SACRED GROUND: MUMMU
Sitting atop a mountain of creativity and character is Mummu, the trendy East-London based animation company whose work aims to transform informative and educational stories into magnificent moving masterpieces. Inspired by the Babylonian God of craftsmanship and technical skill, Mummu is the creative studio founded by university friends Sam Atkins and Karl Hammond with the goal of motivating and inspiring people through moving images. With clients from the likes of Mosaic Films and Barclays, Mummu’s success is measured by its quality and style, which transpire naturally through their carefully designed characters and narratives. Rooms Magazine spoke to the founders and creative directors, Sam and Karl, about new technologies and the importance of sound, colours and textures.
Hello Sam and Karl! Could you tell us how did everything start for you?
Hello, we started Mummu 4 years ago as friends who wanted to share a studio and collaborate; we didn’t set out to create a company but over the first year it evolved and then Mummu was born.
I know you both studied Animation and Illustration at Kingston University, how did that shape the idea of Mummu?
The Kingston course has a great focus on traditional drawing skills and has some really great tutors; we joined the course as Illustrators and learnt about the magic and possibilities of animation when we were there. I think a lot of people join the course now specifically for the animation side. I think the illustration background has helped us mould a distinctive body of work.
Tell me more about Mummu, what is the general ethos of your company?
We are a company, but on the inside we are a creative studio that enjoys working hard, collaborating with lots of talented people and working together as a team where everyone’s opinion counts. We enjoy giving meaning to stories that have the opportunity to change people, their feelings, thoughts, ideas and actions.
How did you come up with the logo and the name Mummu? It sounds and looks like an adorable monster, which I guess completely fits an animation company!
Mummu is the Babylonian god of craftsmanship and technical skill, so we thought it was an interesting name. But we liked the sound of it and the look of it as a word more than anything else. Since we formed, we’ve discovered that Mummu means a few different things around the world, like Granny in Finnish. We wanted a logo that retained a bit of mysticism: it reads Mummu at the top, but it also looks like a footprint or a bit like Bart Simpson!
Growing up, what were your favourite cartoons and animation films?
Banana Man, Pingu, Fraggle Rock, Danger Mouse, Turtles & Transformers!!!
What have been your favourite projects so far? You have had an impressive list of clients, featuring Barclay’s and Facebook….
‘Seeking Refuge’ is a great project we made with Mosaic Films in aid of National Refugee week. It was one of five animations aired on the BBC and the series went on to win a Children’s BAFTA. We’ve just finished two of our most favourite projects in a while, but we can’t talk about them yet!
What is your creative process when briefed with a project?
The most important thing for us is to sit down together and discuss the brief as a team, make sure we understand what the client wants and then work out the best way for us to approach the treatment or pitch.
The animation film genre is starting to gain recognition in the art world, especially amongst adults. What do you think of recent successes like ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ (dir. Wes Anderson) and/or ‘Panique au village’ (dir. Vincent Patar, Stéphane Aubier)?
We thought ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’ was amazing because it was beautifully made, extremely funny and made in Britain! No one in the studio has watched ‘Panique au village’ yet but it’s on our list!
Is there a definite quality to have in order to be a good animator and/or creative director?
You need to be curious, to find out how things are made and what new skills you need to learn to keep developing your work. To be interested you need to be passionate, that’s what drives you.
How do traditional skills underpin and help hone new digital technologies in the animation world?
Although the technologies keep evolving the main principles of animation don’t. You can study some of the best animation by watching old Disney movies and by reading the ‘Animators Survival Guide’ written by Richard Williams, who directed the animation in ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’.
What is a day in your life?
Start early, use our new coffee machine, browse our favourite blogs for inspiration, design/animate/create some cool stuff, get some lunch from Hoxton Street (usually jerk chicken) reload on the coffee, continue making cool stuff and aim to leave on time.
How important is the relationship between sound, colours and texture in the animation world?
Very important! When they all work together well it can be the key to wonderful work, but used without proper consideration they can all be the downfall of work with great potential.
What makes a new talent stand out?
Confidence in their work and the way they talk about it -be bold enough to stand out.
You work a lot for advertising agencies; do you wish to give a chance to film and TV one day? Also, how do you choose projects?
We love short form and the time scales involved on production, it gives you the opportunity to work on more projects and we love the pace of working on short content. I think it takes a lot more time to develop ideas for film and TV, but if we have a great idea that translates into a film or TV series then we would try and pursue it.
How do you remain inspired?
Inspiration is life outside work, bikes, kids or just having fun during weekends. We all feel that working in a small studio means you need to be inspired by the people around you and feed off each other’s ideas.
What is the most exciting thing you’ve drawn?
Recently… Vikings, bikers, anamorphic animals and football gifs!
What are your future plans for the company?
We are in the process of growing our team, new people bring new skills and means we can keep our studio output fresh and exciting!
CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS DEGREE SHOW – RECAP
By Abigail Yue Wang
It is the time of year when new talents are crowding the town so suddenly like the blossoms in your English garden, that is, if you’re lucky enough to own a garden in London. It is officially graduation season, and I was certainly lucky enough to have witnessed some unmissable young artistry at last week’s Central Saint Martins Degree Show 2014.
When walking into the darkened room of BA Graphic Design (Moving Image), a space furnished with flickering screens, it was a delicious anticipation and quite a decidophobic moment to pick one headphone from many showing films. I reached for Becca Hyman’s documentary The Bull & The Bass out of the lure of analogue images, and it was a good move. The film is a personal repertoire of the filmmaker’s own grandfather, who wended life from being a RAF soldier to a jazz bassist and then a father. With found 16mm home footages and narration of the bassist’s daughter, the murky remembrance is as revived as the recordings. The film is luxuriated in archive images, kaleidoscopic accounts of a father’s many past lives. In resonance with the poetic legacy of Black Audio Film Collective, Hyman pieced together the filmstrips through a flatbed editor, a film-editing machine of the golden days – for those who hasn’t had the good fortune to see its grace. For this very process, the editing of The Bull & The Bass is more like a handful of puzzles to be taped and composed. Past reminders shine through new fingerprints in which memories are as intact as a fresh reel and sporadic as the bass notes in the soundtrack.
Modern reading opens up more options than just perusing through a hardback Camus full of paragraphs and decent point size. New storytelling could now be customised, interactive or simply digital. Kyung-Hee Baek from MA Communication Design proposes a way for classic novels to join the blissful age of new reading. Her printed representation of Hermann Hesse’s classic coming-of-age novel Demian is gracefully divided into 8 volumes of bewildering design. Separate voices come to light through rearranged texts, the graphic and the word occupy the space ever more lyrically. Submerged in astrological symbols and cut-out art, the geometric abstraction within pages certainly finds its way into Hesse’s psychoanalytic theme. As I held the slightly textured books in my hands, they felt cosy yet venerated. The cryptic motif guards the runes of Hesse’s spiritual ideals, but with a modern agenda. Who wouldn’t love classic books with exciting design and radical new vision? Only this time, the retro hue is not from collecting dust on the shelf. After all, printed literature deserves a little bit more love since reading is not yet a lost virtue.
Unlike other exhibiting space at the degree show, BA Ceramic Design divided its display into several intimate rooms. The lighting effect plus the proximity to the ceramics puts a very affectionate taste in the air, making me somehow serene but timid, although, the work by Will Krause made a slightly different case. His upper body portraits sat in certain politeness, rugged but unrushed, addressing the many faces of anonymity. With bold shaping and remaining traces of artistic process, down to each clothing detail, Krause is not sparing in the slightest at his audacious mark making. It might take a second look to make a note of the poise from the sombre tint, but once you did, you may begin to catch sight of that poignant presence under the painted everyman skin.
In case you haven’t looked around, ‘biomaterial’ is a hot word in fashion and design. Central Saint Martins has a fond affinity with biodesign over the years, just look for the tub-grown jackets from Suzanne Lee – researcher on bio-based materials at CSM and founder of BioCouture. This year at MA Textile Futures, Zuzana Gombošová tackles the micro organic matters even further by building a ‘biological printer’ that is programmed to control the growth of micro-organisms. Subtitled “How can nurturing inform making in the age of biomaterials?” Invisible Resources looks into the potential manufacturing of bacterial cellulose in a calculated method. The results are vastly different in textures, colour and shape. It joins the dialogue between the manmade and the organics: whether our “constant efforts to control nature” can indeed alter its volatility.
To summon up Jiamin Liu’s work is not an easy task. Having had a taste in most formats of animation, she’s not your usual seen-one-seen-them-all type of girl. This year, at the studio-turned-disco semi-loft of Saint Martins, one of the best-hidden sites for the most spirited bunch, MA Character Animation celebrated its grand annual finale. Among the flamboyant round of screenings, Jiamin Liu has managed to transfix us with her nearly monochromatic film Animate. A surrealist fusion of cut-out art and stop motion, starring herself, Liu demonstrates what it is like to clash the worlds of an animator and the character. And clash it is. Strawberry dreams, open heart and splintered head all caused by an animated boy refusing to settle in one world. But make no mistake, for the faint-hearted there’s nothing grisly to keep away from; the ever-moving greyscale has turned all horror into kinetic delight. Presenting one’s own creative process as the final piece could risk criticism of self-serving. But in this case, we found ourselves happily startled for all her overt “self-interest”. Already making several appearances in Liu’s previous films is her bob hair alter ego, who has been a consistently enjoyable persona to watch and hopefully soon a familiar one for all of us.
VODAFONE CALLS FOR SKATE REVOLUTION
By Abigail Yue Wang
There is always a first time for everything and it is the ‘Firsts’ that keep the world an intriguing place.
‘Firsts’ is a global collaboration initiated by Vodafone to help creative communities experience something new for the first time. In Budapest, young skateboarding enthusiast Balazs debuts his short film Take Back the City, which revives the city’s skateboarding scene, only this time, in the daring spirit of ‘Firsts’.The production is assisted by Vodafone’s cloud service that allows photos and videos to be stored instantly via wireless Internet. With no more worries about hard drive storage, cameras can now reach every possible street; details of Budapest become the playground for the zestful skateboards. The Cloud offers more flexibility for filming and sharing than ever before, and the art of urban exploration becomes truly limitless because of the instant technology.
AVIS UNLOCKS THE WORLD IN GRAYSCALE
By Abigail Yue Wang
“A local car rental company” might be its label, but Avis’ latest campaign will demonstrate what it means to “Unlock the World”. Its recent TV spot starts with a man unlocking his hire car in a car park, and as soon one car beeps, all the others follow. Shot in sleek black-and-white, the lens travels around the globe from snow land to summer’s beach; a sounding beep can be heard from cars in every location, echoing each other. As a company that provides express convenience for travellers to reach over 5,000 destinations, Avis understands that adventures have no boundaries; a swift journey should be as easy as a click on the car key. Engines are only as good if you take the plunge and drive, and the world awaits.
THE WRITER’S SELECTION: AITOR THROUP AND GEOFFREY MANN
My favourite artist in ROOMS 13: Aitor Throup and Geoffrey Mann
This is a hard choice, but I think that my favourite artist from ROOMS 13 has to be Aitor Throup, the cover artist, although I may be a little biased since I was the one who interviewed him — a kind of soft exchange of wisdom (on his part) and enthusiastic comments (on my part) in his atelier, over the distant sounds of soulful indie electronics.
Not only does his work possess a strong sense of narrative, but it also successfully weaves in practice, form and textures in a delicate, sophisticated way. Throup’s refusal to adhere to any conventions that might compromise independent, authentic thoughts is an inspiration to all creative people, and his holistic take on his ‘creations’ is extremely refreshing. Unconsciously drawing from traditions and values of the East, his work is defined by a humble, loyal voice that I find fascinating. It also helps, of course, that he has just been appointed Damon Albarn’s new creative director, and that he gave me a copy of his ‘Design Manifesto’ on my way out… Aitor has also been appointed G-Star RAW Creative Consultant and Creative Director of Kasabian’s new album 48:13
Another of my favourite artists in ROOMS 13 is Geoffrey Mann. I’m amazed at his study of narratives and emotional connections, and his art is absurdly innovative, especially the way he looks at sound and motion. His artworks resemble objects from a paused scene in a whimsical, fantastic world in which gravity, time and sound have been stretched out into a warped vision. I think Heike Dempster described this as Mann’s ‘materialising moments in time’, which is undoubtedly fitting. Dempster does a great job at distilling the essence of his work, and her feature asks all the right questions at the right moment. Mann delivers an honest study on form and technique, as evidently shown through his intelligent use of glass, ceramics, silver, resin, wood and video installations, all channelled for their disparate effects on motion. Mann’s work is a real treat on the eyes and in the mind, and rightfully challenges the way we view everyday objects and reality.
rmann
INTERVIEW WITH DAVID CATÁ
Spanish artist David Catá uses a peculiar canvas when it comes to his work: his own body. Treating it like an autobiographical diary, Catá uses his body to establish an emotional and physical link with those he love, and those who have marked his life. Life is, after all, about memories and time fading away, and by sewing portraits of his loved ones onto the palms of his hand, Catá reminds us of our very own condition as human beings: fragile, randomly stitched, and one day –gone without a trace. The only mark we leave on Earth is the one we leave in each other’s lives, and it is between this kindness and simplicity of being that Catá’s work finds its meaning. A music passionate and a multi-disciplinary artist, Catá talks to us about his obsession with oblivion. Have we existed at all, if no one remembers?
Hi David, how are you? Could you please tell us a little bit about yourself?
I consider myself a friendly and sensitive person… I grew up in a small town in Galicia, Spain and from a very early age I was interested on music and started studying at the Viveiro’s Conservaroty of Music.Eventually, I discovered painting and other mediums that let me express myself, such as sculpture and photography. I studied Fine Arts and photography, which was important. I think that training is essential –I have learnt to express myself better and learnt how to handle the medium in which I work thanks to these studies.
You also have an intermediate degree in accordion, how important is music to you? Have you ever considered making a career out of it?
Music is essential in my life. I was fascinated by it since childhood, and when I began my Art studies, I had to set it aside for 8 years, as I didn’t have time for both. Now I’m back on it and I intend to finish the two remaining years for me to achieve a professional diploma.
I know you are inspired by the evocation power of personal objects –do you believe that all Art is personal? How do you draw from such personal objects?
I think all art is personal as it starts from our own personal experiences and interests, no matter what kind of art you are doing. For example, I sewed portraits of loved ones into my own hands, and to do that I would make a drawing on the palm of my hand, and then, with needles and thread, I would sew. When I work with other objects I usually entwine them with other materials to create metaphors.
How much of ourselves do you think is necessary to put into our work?
99.9%
You use elements such as ice, thread, salt and dandelions, which are elements that slowly disappear over time. Tell us more about this contrast, about how your work concerns itself with delaying oblivion by using things that, eventually, will disappear…
Memory matters, the passage of time, oblivion, life’s ephemeral ways, and pain caused by the loss of a loved one are my main concerns. I always work with the same issues and these has become my obsession.
I always work with ephemeral elements, which I use to create metaphors of life. Through the use of elements that disappear into oblivion, I establish visual poems that express the emotions I have with memory. My work in general is a failed attempt to preserve people. I say failed because it’s impossible to preserve a memory forever, or people. Time ensures this does not happen and that’s why I use ephemeral materials.
I like the idea of you using thread in your work, as it is a nice symbol for time passing away… Do you think we live in fear of the future or the past?
I don’t think it’s fear of the past, maybe it’s longing or pain for memories. Even though I talk about memory in my projects, the emotions that I represent in my work allude to the present.
In Japanese culture, salt is a traditional symbol for purification and mourning, and is often used in funeral rituals. Is that something that you took into account?
Yes, it has that meaning, but the many times I have worked with salt I have used it for preservation purposes. Just like ice preserves matter and stops time for an instant, salt has an ability to retain. It’s widely used for preserving food, such as fish. Also, when salt comes in contact with a wound on the skin, it stings, which is a connotation that interests me.
Could you please tell us more about your recent project, where you sewed portraits of family and friends onto your own body? Why use your own body as a canvas?
This project is set as an autobiographical diary, where people who marked my life and are important for me are shown. So far, I’ve made portraits of my family, friends, teachers… The selection process is based on emotional matters.
I think using my body as a canvas is necessary for getting the idea I want to transmit. I’m talking about the links we establish with people in our lives, how they leave their print on us. By sewing on my body I establish an emotional and physical bond with these people.
Is the ritual of pain (in the sewing process) necessary to your themes of oblivion and memory?
Although it looks like a painful process, the sewing is done superficially and there’s almost no pain involved. When I talk about pain in my projects, I’m not referring to physical pain, but emotional pain.
The emotional aspects of pain are my concern.
The scars that these people leave on you… Are they a blessing or a curse?
I would define it as a bond of love and affection.
The hand-woven portraits eventually disappear and the flesh heals itself again… Is there a way to escape oblivion?
I think there isn’t. My works are frustrated attempts to preserve memories. Everything is ephemeral and its evocative power changes over time.
Tell us a bit more about ‘Dejame Volar, Vol II’…
“Déjame volar” is a developing project that talks about the ephemeral nature of life using dandelion seeds as metaphorical element. An important aspect of this work is that somehow I stopped working with my own body and started working on the body of others.
What are you currently working on? Any new projects coming up?
I currently have many new projects on my mind that I’ll gradually come out with. I’d also like to pick up other projects that have been somehow abandoned for different reasons and I think this is the right time to work on them. I’m currently working on a project entitled “Sonidos Ahogados” (Drowned Sounds) in which I mix my artistic work with music. I’m also working on a pictorial project called “Secuelas” (Sequels).
If you could live in any fantastical world, which one would it be?
In a fantasy movie or book, in which every moment has the ability to surprise me.
365PHOTOS BY MARCUS MØLLER BITSCH
Marcus MB’s photos are surreal portraits that look straight out of a child’s magic book. The self-taught Danish photographer recently embarked on a very long visual journey, 365photos, where he took a self-portrait everyday for a year. How do you reinvent yourself everyday? At the tender age of 21, Marcus does so through eerie photographs that act as an introduction to his dream worlds, allowing us to escape our everyday life too. Rooms Magazine caught up with the young photographer, who once went to the doctor only to be diagnosed with a case of ‘wild imagination’. Humorous, peaceful and calm, we talk to Marcus about his inspirations, his current book project and his dream collaboration with Tim Walker.
Hey Marcus, hope you’re doing well! Tell us a bit about yourself, I know you’re Danish but currently based in Australia?
Hello! I’m very well, thank you. I’m sitting on the terrace with a good cup of coffee, and am looking at the mango trees thinking about when they will be ready to be picked. As you said, I’m currently based in Brisbane, Australia, where I’ll stay until the beginning of February to work and finance my travels. I’m working on writing/making a photo-book dealing with my adventures, thoughts, observations and my progression in the art world.
I read that you started photography after a knee injury, how did that go? Have you always been very creative?
The first knee injury came from a rugby tackling at school. After the knee injury, I suddenly had oceans of time since I couldn’t practice swimming or free diving for some time — which I used to do for hours each day. I asked myself “Marcus, what should you use all this time for?” I had thought about the 365days project before, but had tossed the idea away since I never had enough time for it, but the project was now accessible.
I’ve always been very creative by nature. As a kid I would always be seen with pencils and markers near me, trying to express the stories I had in my mind. I’ve never been good with words, and learned to read and write very late, so I’ve always used visuals to express myself. My imagination is very strong: I used to have heavy sleep problems during my childhood, due to haunting dreams and nightmares. My mom and I actually went to the doctor, and the only explanation the doctor had was: “Marcus, you just have a very developed imagination”. Not the exact diagnosis you would hope for as a 6-year-old kid.
Most of your photographs are portraits. Why the fascination?
I think humans are the most interesting to work with. I try to tell stories through my photos — stories interacting around the human being. I often choose to focus on the back of the model, to give it a more universal character and a beautiful anonymity. I want to give the viewers a possibility to put themselves in the model’s footsteps, and invite them into my little world to hear stories. The reason why I use self-portraiture so much is due to the fact that the models in my photos often don’t interact in a difficult way – modelling wise – which makes it easier if I just do it myself. I also use my personal work as a kind of self-therapy, to handle certain feelings/problems.
Your photographs are all very minimalistic. Could you tell us a bit more about your thought process when shooting?
Regarding my focus on minimalism, I find it the most beautiful, and I follow the idea that if the object does not help the final output, the object should not be there. My love for minimalism has always been very big.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
From very subtle things. It can be the colour of the apple I’m eating, the shape of a leaf on my way or a person’s face. When I get an idea or find something interesting, I sketch it on paper in one of my several notebooks so it is easier to remember. Also, I’ve recently started to read a lot of philosophy, which is triggering deeper thoughts and more inspiration. There will be many references to the books I read in my coming book, either in the form of statements or photo series.
Most of your photographs are manipulated, how heavily do you rely on technology to achieve the desired effect?
A lot of my earlier work is very manipulated, but I’ve recently started to cut down on digital manipulation all the while still trying to retain the same surreal feeling to it. It’s fun. I see it like a mystery or a puzzle to be solved… How to get from A to B, without any help from technology? It pushes your creativity, pushes you to see new ways of bringing the intended story to life. I love it, and it is something that can keep me awake for days.
Your recent project, 365 photos, gained quite some popularity when it came out. How difficult was it to be disciplined and take a good photo everyday for a year?
The biggest challenge has been, without a doubt, how to handle school, work, 365/photography and social life at the same time. I had problems on how to dispose of my time. My passion was photography, but I was imprisoned in the school system. I didn’t see any reasons as to why I should continue school and was very close to dropping out dozen of times. I graduated this summer with the feeling of having wasted my time. My parents were glad I did, since I would have something to fall back on if photography wouldn’t be enough. I had tons of ideas, but not time enough to realize them. I do always have a notebook close to me, if any ideas pop up. Ideas are often only there for a very short time, so it’s important you have resources to catch them.
What has been the most difficult shoot you’ve ever done?
Hmm… Tough one. It was a bit difficult back in my 365-project when I did the photo called Explosive Thoughts. Well, the photo itself wasn’t that difficult, but convincing myself that everything would be all right if I put fireworks on the top of my head was. Or the time when I swam under an ice block in the ocean to take a self-portrait.
I know you are currently working on a book, tell me more about it.
I left my home in Denmark the 11th of September, to begin a yearlong journey and book-project. The book will document my adventures, dreams, observations, development and my 1-year long travel on the other side of the world. It will be a 150+ pages art/photo book of photo series, statements, thoughts and stories. The whole project started out at as collaboration with one of my good friends, who is a writer, but it ended in Byron Bay, after 1 and half month in Australia. We decided to split up due to the fact that we had different goals and therefore different paths through the country. When you head off on such a big journey, it’s important that you don’t compromise, and live your own dream. I suddenly stood in Brisbane alone, and the project had changed and got much more personal. At the moment I’m working here in Brisbane, to finance my further travel. My current plan is to move from Brisbane in February and continue my travel up north. Afterwards I would like to go to New Zealand, Vanuatu, Fiji and end my travel in Japan or Taiwan.
What is your dream collaboration?
A dream would be to work with Tim Walker. Seeing his vivid personality, experiencing his way of working, following him on the set design and just talking to him… I think this is the person I would be able to learn the most from. I’m very fond of his views on the fashion and photography scene in general. It would be a dream.
If you could bring back any extinct object back to life, what would it be?
There are loads of objects I would love to bring back to life. But if I should choose right now, it would probably be a dinosaur. It would be a fun “prop” to work with.
Marcus Møller Bitsch’s first show will open on the 15th January 2014 in Lugarno, Switzerland.
LOWRY AND THE PAINTING OF MODERN LIFE
L.S. Lowry’s leading paintings of the industrial landscape will be the subject of a major exhibition at the Tate Britain, opening its doors today.
L.S. Lowry has made his name painting scenes of the industrial life of North West England. Long overdue, the exhibition Lowry and the painting Modern Life sheds some new light onto the tremendously big cultural bias in regards to art. Raw but above all modern, accurate and unique, Lowry’s paintings are a rich insight into the experiences of the working class in the 20th Century.
In a room filled with other Impressionists such as Camille Pissarro, Georges Seurat and Adolphe Valette, Lowry’s paintings highlight his style and how he drew from the French technique to adapt it to contemporary English urban life. Themes of repetition, dehumanization, class and collective nervous breakdown are explored through paintings of mills, workers and football matches. The mundane is rendered geometrical, gritty, melancholic, grey, and acts as a moral essay, at times grimly humorous. The Protest March (1959), for instance, is at times comical yet still a moral portrait of the devastating conditions induced by the effect and costs of industrialization.
With more than 90 works depicting working-class life by an artist that has been rejected by art institutions but lauded by public, this show is the final recognition for Lowry’s talent.
Lowry and the Painting of Modern Life is at Tate Britain, 26 June-20 October.
Photos by Alexandra Uhart
CHAPLIN
We Enter Sacred Ground: Sound Tracking
In a quest to uncover London’s alternative creative hub, Rooms caught up with the bands behind the freshest emerging sounds in our ever bustling music scene. Meet the artists…Chaplin
On melancholy, Charlie Chaplin and upcoming gigs… Suzanne Zhang talks to the South East London band Chaplin about their music and their influences.
Hello Chaplin! How are you doing? Could you tell us a bit about yourself? I hear you two are childhood friends above all. How did you guys start?
Hi Suzanne, thanks we’re well, only a bit cold – can’t believe that it is still snowing here at the end of March… Crazy!
Childhood friends, indeed. We’ve known each other for a really long time. I taught Dali how to tie his shoe laces when he was 4 or 5… That might give you an understanding of our friendship.
Looking back we started making music together in early 2000. Lots of songs, gigs, travels, break-ups. Later we decided to start a project with only the two of us. That was the beginning of Chaplin in 2011.
What is behind the name Chaplin? Is it a reference to Charlie Chaplin’s hats? You guys are often seen wearing bowler hats on your pictures.
There is quite an interesting story to that…Back in 2011 when we recorded our first EP we were looking for a band name and just couldn’t come up with anything (as Dave Grohl said in his keynote speech at SXSW) ‘finding a good band name is still the fuckin’ hardest part…’ Luckily our good friend Foy who recorded the EP with us said like from out of nowhere: ‘Why don’t you just call yourselves Chaplin?!’
He was right! At that time we were both reading Charlie Chaplin’s autobiography and the influence this book had on us and on the decisions we made at that time was huge.
We sold our belongings, emptied our flats and drove with our music equipment to London to start from scratch. That was definitely the second hardest bit after finding a good band name – or at least after finding a band name…
Your music seems to combine electronic pop and soul with melancholic and sentimental tones. Who are your major influences? I hear a lot of Depeche Mode and Radiohead inspiration!
We both grew up with a wild mix of influences. One of the reasons is our background. Dali’s parents are from the former Yugoslav Republic and I was born in Romania so we both grew up listening to some crazy, melancholic Balkan music while finding our own taste.
Depeche Mode and Radiohead are for sure major influences, but also people like Gil Scott-Heron, Stevie Wonder and John Frusciante just to name a few. It’s also not only the music that inspires us, it’s a lot about the personality, the story behind the music and the approach. That’s why Charlie Chaplin is a major influence as well.
You also take inspiration from artists with a softer tone, such as Yann Tiersen or Foy Vance. Are you willing to use xylophones, accordions and violins etc as well, as part of your tracks?
Sure! We’re open to everything when it comes to instruments and sounds, but picking the right ones is a different story. So whenever it feels like a song needs an accordion for example I’m sure we’re gonna use it.
Your music is extremely haunting, sentimental, and somewhat sad, even? In your Livingroom Session 1, you croon incessantly “My mother said ‘there will be days like these’, when my love is all over the floor”. Do you take inspiration from your own lives when writing the lyrics? Do you believe an artist should draw inspiration from their own presence or project experiences onto the world?
Music is a beautiful thing. What I love about it is that it feels/sounds different to you than it sounds to me. You know what I mean? We might feel the same if we listen to a song but… maybe we do not. I wouldn’t say that our music sounds sad. For me it sounds melancholic. That’s a very common feeling in music from Southeast Europe. It is really hard to explain if you haven’t grown up with it but there’s a good album by Goran Bregovic called ‘Tales and songs from weddings and funerals’. Title says everything, doesn’t it?
You played at the launch party of our issue 7, prior to releasing your 5-track EP, Momentaufnahme (translates as ‘snapshot in time’). It seems you are doing well overall; your video clip Controversy has even been featured on German television. Are you working on any new and exciting projects at the moment or just focusing on the ‘living room sessions’? (Livingroom session 2 Williamsburg came out on the 25.03.2013)
Oh yes, the launch party… that was good fun! Thanks for reminding me.
Last year was great and also this year things are going really well since we got back from our studio in Austria. We’re getting good feedback on the new recordings so we’re quite excited about the upcoming months.
We’ve got a couple of things we’re working on at the moment. First of all we’re planning to have some people around for our next “Living Room Session“ which is planned for the second half of April. It will be limited to 16 because of the size of our living room and another bit more technical thing…we’re gonna do the session through headphones so people will have to bring their own headphones to be able to listen to what we play. We’re quite excited about that to be honest.
At the same time we’re working on our live set to go on tour and play more frequently in the second half of the year.
Can we expect any live shows soon? I know you had some dates in the UK some time ago, but do you have anything soon?
The next gig will be in our living room and then we’re playing at the Strongroom Bar in Shoreditch on the 8th of May.
I know you guys decide the visuals of your video clips. How would you perform your music in a live setting? Would you include visuals or some other kind of medium to accompany the music?
We’re thinking about that quite a lot at the moment and to be honest I don’t know yet. Ask me in a month’s time and I might have an answer…so I’d better go now and do some work!
And finally, what is your favorite Charlie Chaplin film?
That’s a tough one………..
The Great Dictator (Dali)
City Lights (Pippo)
Photography by Juste Suminaite
ALUNAGEORGE : ATTRACTINGFLIES
AlunaGeorge’s brand new single takes us on a revisited tour of fairy tales.
British electronic duo from London and sensation of the moment AlunaGeorge’s new single Attracting Flies craftily combines alternative R&B with electronic, while still taking influences from the futuristic pop genre. Sugar sweet vocals by Aluna Francis blend over a sensual and fresh beat by George Reid, over sharp and grim visuals of our favorite fairy tales. It’s an addictive, sharply executed videoclip that shows George Reid extracting a pill – and not a pea – from beneath the princess’ mattress, as well as three bulky leathered-up black men eating soup in The Three Bears’ house. It’s easy to get lost in the beat when the music clip is this good.