1 Day, 1 Magazine. Start to Finish,Scratch to Print.
cd-reviews • book-review comic • fashion shoots make up artists science
LIMITS OF TIME EXPRESSED IN ART
INSTANT COMMUNITY BEHIND THE SCENES PIMPED SHOES
1 Day, 1 Magazine. Start to
Finish.
Scratch to
Print.
32 34 44
04
Evolution, why not?
Limits of time expressed in art
Dance
Cams and hands
46 56 60
10
Comic in 24H
CD-reviews
Behind the scenes
Built[in]
62 71 74
28
Test-Kitchen
Instant communities
Y-dress
Pimped shoes
79 80 87
38
Content Book Review
Neo Soul LIFEline
Letter from the editor
Dragon Fly
COVER PHOTO BY Ben VANDENABEELE
48
Fashion shoots
66
Make-Me-Up
04 Cams and hands by Ben Vandenabeele
A variety of cameras, two pairs of hands and the photographer’s creativity… All of them coming together in a series of pictures. The cameras and the hands are to be seen as the two continuities in his pictures. His creativity found a way out in the use of the word ‘cam’, a free translation of the first continuity ‘cameras’, and his searching for several other words to place in front of it. The composition of these words is expressed in the frames Ben used to take the pictures and that in such a manner the words under it are superfluous and nothing more but a link to the photos.
For aesthetic and artistic reasons Ben decided to use beautiful hands to hold the cameras. Their beauty compensates for the functionality of the cameras. Through combining something beautiful with something ugly Ben strived for balanced and beautiful pictures. All the photos are imaging an expansion of the camera, making it extraordinary or just more classic. The main challenge here was to be creative and flexible enough to realise a good result in the setting that was prescribed through the instruction and the short amount of time that could be spend on it. Jennemie
SHOEcam
PhotographerBen Vandenabeele ModelMorgan & Lieze
PLASTICcam
NINJAcam
TRASHcam
STONEcam
VEGIcam
10
Built[in] designer Celine Lelouche
PhotographerELS VANOPSTAL ModelNATASHA MUA Jennefer Cleal
let it Shine
PhotographerERIK DUPONT ModelCEDRIC MuaJena Robinson
Digital printing, an art of its own
PhotographerFabio Giovacchini
Leaets Folders Manuals Catalogues Posters Annual Reports Magazines Brochures Art Books Anything you want!
zquadra
digital printing
Zquadra bvba Doorniksesteenweg 81 b | 8500 Kortrijk Tel.: +32 (0)56 21 03 16 | Fax: +32 (0)56 20 47 63 E-mail: info@zquadra.be | www.zquadra.be
28 Pimped shoes People with interests of all different kinds keep crossing our ways in the 24Hour Magazine project. Saartje Allosserie is a 25 year old woman who loves wearing pimped up shoes. We managed to get an interview with her. Can you describe what we need to understand of when talking about ‘pimping your shoes’ ?
When do you wear them?
It’s all about designing your own ‘All Star’ shoes, it makes them unique. You can put your name on it, paint it in your favourite colors, choose your own texture and everything. That is what I like about it so much. Nothing is standard. You can put elements of your own character and ideals in the design of your shoes and make it visible to the people around you. There are also series of shoes made by different artists. When making them they keep in mind a central theme and base their drawings on those ideas. An example of such a theme is your own environment. Then you can see a shoe painted in grafitti style, or it can be characterized by the music or common colors in your land, and so on.
A lot of people wear them at any moment, because they feel comfortable in it. In my opinion you can’t always wear them. For example when I’m dressed up, I wouldn’t put my All Stars on. There are other shoes that suit better with a dress. Also in some jobs you can’t wear them either, it’s like with tattoo’s and piercings. People just won’t take you as serious when you have piercings in your nose or All Stars on your feet. From this point of view I believe I have all the reasons not to complain about my job. I’m a lighting engineer and working in a office so it doesn’t matter at all doesn’t what I wear. But if people would say to me that I’m not ought to wear my ‘All Star’ shoes anymore, I wouldn’t really bother. I accept it that you can’t wear them all the time.
What do you like about it so much?
How did you come up to it?
Most of all I like the message the shoes can spread. Showing to the world what you stand for. In fact I love the concept of ‘All Star’ shoes, these are ideal to pimp. They represent some rock- or punkfeeling which is certainly my cup of tea. I like to wear those shoes with a jeans. They are very comfortable to wear, they’re like slippers, and you really feel at ease with those shoes. Nevertheless, I only have four pairs of them. I like the shoes, but you don’t have to buy too much shoes. First of all because it isn’t cheap, and secondly you need to have other shoes as well for different occasions.
I’m an engineer Industrial Design and when I was a student we had a course ‘product design’ where we had to design an imaginary product for Nike. That’s how I discovered the Nike website, Nike ID, where you can pick your own colors for every part of a Nike shoe. That’s when I got fascinated of the world of pimping your shoes. All Star is a daughter organisation from the Nike one. Next to that I got my inspiration with a friend of mine who was totally in to old school. He had shoes with a design of Jerry sailor painted on it. Jerry Sailor is a well known designer of old school tattoos. Then I saw that there was a whole series of All Star shoes with
his paintings on. And I found a lot of other artists who made beautiful designs for All Star shoes. And that’s really how I came to pimping my All Stars. Last year I got my first pimped shoes. I wanted shoes with my (artist) name Allossa on it, a mix of my first and second name. I ordered them online, but they never got delivered. So I bought All Stars and wrote my name on it myself. What do you think about the idea to create your own designs for shoes? For me that’s the ultimate goal. But first of all I think it’s important to develop an individual style. Every artist has his own accents through which people can recognize their work. I need to find out what my own specificity is and use that in all my designs. It’s a searching exercise and still in progress. For now I’m working freelance during my free time. But I still have to learn a lot, I hope my friend can get me some new contacts for whom I can make some creations. And of course I’m hoping this way I’ll get some recognitions for what I’m doing. If you had to pimp up your shoes right now, how do you think they would look like? I’ve noticed that when I’m writing I have the tendency to use capitals. So I think I would try to do something with capitals. Others possibilities are my interests for graffiti and women’s faces. I like to look at faces who are extraordinary in some way, standard faces I don’t find fascinating. But those who are
different, unique and open about the things you really love in life. Those faces can get me really captivated. It may sound kind of strange I’m only interested in women’s and not in men’s faces and actually I don’t know myself where I get that fascination from, but I do know I truly respect such strong women. Women showing what they want and come up for themselves. For me, shoes are a manner to show yourself, and that’s my favourite thing about all those shoes. Bieke PhotographerEls Vanopstal
32 Evolution, why not ? Darwinism, creationism, shouldn’t it all be possible...
So if you want the ten-four on the difference in education comparing the United States and the European continent, we should refer to one of the hot and actual topics since 2005. Several states in the United States passed a law telling schools if the evolution theory is taught, Creationism is mandatory. Strange concept for a European, considering the fact the reputation of the general American citizen, they wouldn’t like to just be told something and be forced to comply. Freedom of speech and truth, still the First amendment of the United States’ constitution. So Americans really like their ‘Not being forced to think one way’. General statistics in the States mention a 40% of the population not wanting their children to be taught just the globally accepted scientific explanation for the way we look, where we come from, what we evolved into. The statement evolution didn’t happen or couldn’t happen without ‘intelligent design’ is a mandatory class if a American child wants to learn about Charles Darwin and his ‘species’. Does this apply the other way around? Let’s look at the facts before we go into each point of view. Charles Darwin’s ‘Origin of Species’, worked on for over 20 years before the first complete publication was a fact. All statements checked, rechecked, put up for debate and so forth. Presented to the British National science society, debated and laughed at. Actually stood corrected on several points which he corrected himself in further publications and even apologized to in public.
The Darwinists defend the ‘Origin of species’ as the closest answer to the evolution and how it is today. At least they try to separate the assumptions of the theories, based on laws. This basically leads to what Charles Darwin published on 24 November 1859. Hence ‘Darwinists’ assumptions were made, facts where researched, laws were written and a theory was formed. That’s the scientific way. This process is checked and rechecked (and still!) by people educated in this specific matter. The Holy Bible, book of Genesis. In this work people are trying to figure out how and what earth, mankind and all the rest comes from. We could say that these were early scientists. Probably not able to determine the right terminology, timing or cause, symbolism and divinity is used (used in common religions to define the yet indefinable). Religions, Catholic, Muslim or other, mostly have the same basic beliefs. A superior being created or intended the way we are, the way it was engineered. Because this is an rather easy explanation to the complex problems. This proves to be a good tool to convince average Joe to be one of the flock and comply. These differences are fine, and in the spirit of -live and let live-, every person is entitled to his own opinion and belief. When this changes every American should spontaneously have goose bumps, rise and revolt! This doesn’t seem to be the case… is this a result of some strong lobbying?
What I can see is the difference in education is emerging stronger than ever as a very good tool. In Europe classes like religion are separate classes . A history or science class is purely based on science. Governments don’t force schools to mix religion with science. Strict rules have been put in effect. When a student chooses not to adhere to a certain religion it’s prohibited for school to teach or even imply it to them. This is, according to the main European countries, a way to separate science from religion. Mainly the same way history taught us not to mix justice with religion. The religions traditionally try to enforce their point of view, how incorrect they can be sometimes. US education is apparently taking another direction by empowering the mix. A strange but not throughout supported philosophy. Especially in certain parts of the country. Strangely religious lobbyists seem to be very effective in convincing the right people. Could this be a result of controlling the average Joe? Having a big voting mass? Playing a bit of a strategic game, compared to the scientific approach, that is typically very pragmatic about theories and statements. Is it time to get the well founded, ‘smart approach’ type of science that we know, to the same level? Just focusing on winning the battle? Debates and arguments are sometimes –almost- cute to follow. A scientist will stay true to his findings, works
with evidence and facts. While religious lobbyists systematically attack some (admitted!) uncertainties and by doing so they try to undermine credibility of entire theories. Historically, educated people were the rich and religious ambassadors. This apparently evolved to the opposite, where universities and research centers take science to an entire other level. While religious leaders apparently stay stuck in their ‘good old’ beliefs. Could these differences be a result of the strong lobbying state of mind in the US? A system that can allow some strange decisions based on pure strong propaganda. European reactions are mostly laughter and disbelief that this can be true. Science got us this far, it’s always been a bumpy road to get to better places. Have religions never taken the wrong road? Shouldn’t we be very careful with passing laws that set trends towards future verdicts?
The ultimate verdict should lie in the middle, prevent people being forced into things. But above all keep people alert and sharp to indifference, which is the biggest danger to modern society. And in the end we can all go along to get along. Sam PhotographerFabio Giovacchini ModelNoémie Debacker
35 Limits of time expressed in art. Art by Wannes Lecompte Can you tell us something about yourself? What kind of painter are you? Taking a abstract expressionistic perspective I take a painting as an area, and whenever working on one I’m trying to explore the borders of that area. The borders define what the work will be like. People always say as a painter you have to take a position, I do that literally. So if I am about to make a painting I choose a position somewhere in the room and I paint from where I stand. For example I’m sitting on the ground throwing stones, covered with paint, to the plane. Another one is me using a stick with a brush fixed on it, if I’m sitting on the right side of the painting I use it to reach the left side. A painting is inevitably the result of the position from which it has been created. What’s your contribution to our 24Hour Magazine project? From the very beginning I was really excited about the 24Hour Magazine project because a lot of my work is based on the idea of ‘limits’, one of the core ideas in your project too. It’s actually an idea that has kept me busy for a while now, how much time is needed to make a painting. As a painter I’m constantly questioning myself, how do I make an image. I search for different means to make an image and looking back on it the most important question is whether the result is actually a painting. Next to taking a position I always use a certain procedure to work, the subject of my paintings lies in the execution
and illustration of that procedure. For this 24Hour Magazine project I made a series of 9 paintings where I use time to determine my position and procedure. How would you explain the link between your work and the concept of the 24Hour Magazine project? It’s all about the limits of time, how can you bring time and the format of the area together. Time as a figuratively concept, the format being literally and bringing those two together in a painting. To realize the expression of that idea I used a chronometer and timed how many seconds were needed to make a painting, format 40 on 39. For example the third painting I was working on for 214 seconds. The result of working with this procedure is a painting standing on itself, being autonomous art and, in this case, expressing the limits of time in between the borders of the area used. Time painted in a format, bringing the figuratively and literally together. The nine paintings that resulted from working with a chronometer also show the progress in realizing that idea. Jennemie
People always say as a painter you have to take a position, I do that literally.
38 Dragon Fly by Katrijn Michiels
Photographer assistantSerge Van Cauwenbergh StylistJULIE MOTOI ModelsDAPHNÉ, JOOST, VALERIE en SIMON MuaJULIE MOTOI CLOTHING CREDITSHELENA VERSTRAETE
CLOTHING CREDITSHELENA VERSTRAETE & LE MONDE DUMAS
PHOTOGRAPHERSErik Dupont & Stijn Swinnen
PhotographerErik Dupont choreographer & DancerNatasha Henry MuaJennefer Cleal
46 COMICTOM PEETERS PLOTMATHIAS HIMPE
LOVE & HAPPINESS THE NATURAL LIFE STYLE DRINK
Fashion shoots by Phil Tubbax
StylistSara Roces Buelga ModelsCarolina, Marlene MuaAllison Inskens
StylistMelissa De Guglielmo, Sylvie GĂŠrard ModelsSofia, Carole, Sylvie MuaJena Robinson & Sara Roces Buelga
StylistNora Mehyaaui ModelsDaphne, Sarah MuaJena Robinson & Allison Inskens
StylistMADEMOISELLE JEAN ModelMORGANE MuaJennefer Cleal Shoes provided byMlle Franรงois
56 CD-reviews
Chicago’s Tortoise emerge with the nuanced and primed “Beacons Of Ancestorship”--their first album of new material since 2004’s “It’s All Around You.” Their sixth album expands an already impressive repertoire to include industrial funk and prog-rock treatments. Tortoise’s five contributors’ range of alter ego projects, from experimental jazz (Isotope 217) and abstract indie-rock (The Sea and Cake) to post-punk (Eleventh Dream Day), unite in profuse and teeming variations of aural texture and pattern.
Tortoise: “Beacons Of Ancestorship” 4 stars PLAYLIST PARTNERS: Medeski Martin & Wood, Young Gods, Rinocerose. SOUND SYNOPSIS: Chicago supergroup bending genres with more than a single beat. LINKS: www.trts.com (Tortoise); www.thrilljockey.com (label).
If the flex and functions of the band’s sound emanate from a cerebral mix of tight jazzinflected interplay; then, the true heart and soul of Tortoise’s sound is John McEntire’s esteemed and inventive rhythms. As a mixer and producer par excellence, McEntire’s talents spiced efforts from frequent collaborations from the electro-lounge pop of Stereolab to the avant-garage forays of The Fiery Furnaces. Here, with aid from Dan Bitney and John Herndon, McEntire’s percussions pump the room; whether the Middle Eastern and electro-beats collage of “Gigantes” or the near samba reggae cadence of “Northern Something.” These tracks convey a more conventional adherence to forthright, unabashedly almighty beats more direct than the complicated syncopation and rhythmic warp of past efforts. The base camp for Tortoise’s creative ascension is always McEntire’s robust master-grooving, with a respectful nod to the bass play of both Bitney and Doug McCombs--especially with the effusive “Prepare Your Coffin.” This is not to say that Tortoise have abandoned their chosen
oeuvre of voltaic pulsation and taut, genrebending musicianship. The tracks “Minors” and “Charteroak Foundation” would fit nicely into the Tortoise canon of buoyant but cool restraint alongside past offferings, such as “On The Chin” or “Six Pack.” “Beacons Of Ancestorship” finds a band at the peak of their potential not content to bow down to their discography. Perhaps, the eight minute plus journey “High Class Slim Came Floatin’ In” illustrates the band’s sonic adventurousness best with a Wakemanesque fuzzy, 70’s-rock synth throughout, interspersed with drum ‘n’ bass tints, all-thewhile maintaining their own brand of resolute jazz. Tortoise and “Beacons...” might be too abstruse to be the soundtrack to sell the latest European auto, but, just maybe, could be the perfect accompaniment to a quantum physicist locked in a troublesome equation. D.S. Christlieb
The Bats: “The Guilty Office” 3 1/2 stars PLAYLIST PARTNERS: XTC, The Shins, and The Chills. SOUND SYNOPSIS: Kiwi pop shines like daisies at a stuffy garden party. Links: homepages.paradise.net. nz/thebats (The Bats); www.parasol.com/labels/ hiddenagenda (Hidden Agenda)
Nothing about the New Zealand plum-pop veterans The Bats’ latest sampler, “The Guilty Office,” screams “look at me, look at me!” Yet, in the unadorned harmonies, guileless melodies, and temperate pacing; The Bats create a kind of comfortable lyrical connection to lead singer and guitarist Robert Scott’s quiet pessimism amidst his everyday elation. When Scott sings “I really like it when we speak,” from “Broken Path,” his sarcasm is not flippant but measured. In addition, the violin and harp are a welcome emotional amplification to songs, like “Castle Lights” and “Crimson Enemy,” when Scott’s vocals downtrend to a weary sameness. Furthermore, the guitars are more ebullient and less grungy here than with other efforts like 1992’s “Fear Of God” and 1993’s “Silverbeet”; think Robert Buck’s warm, almost bell-like sound from 10,000 Maniacs. Further lighter touches, such as Malcolm Grant’s easy brush work drumming on “Like Water In Your Hands” and “Two Lines,” also embue “The Guilty Office” with a sonic fabric still mostly pastel but now enlivened by darker shades. When Scott sings alone and taxed “and the sun will shine on our backs as we make our way to the guilty office” (“The Guilty Office”)-he has never been more heartbreaking and vulnerable. With that thread-bare performance and the unapologetically optimistic “The Orchard;” he is moving precisely the direction this listener wants The Bats to travel. Yet, the bedrock upon which The Bats have built their house of shimmering pop since 1982 remains their sturdy, unfaltering melodies and the earthy harmonies between
Scott and guitarist Kaye Woodward. “Satellites” exhibits this Luna-like tuneful repose but also typifies the downside to this well-worn approach: familiarity. Tracks such as “Countersign” are so predictable and static they seem as though they might fall over from their own indifference. I do not suggest anyone listen to The Bats’ entire catalogue without a speedball or 5 or 10 energy drinks. The Bats are not for most of the BPM-addicted younger classes. But, if one can find the beauty in fine-crafted and patient songwriting, unveiling its graces occasionally and slowly; “The Guilty Office” is rewarding in the way a mediocre but still spectacular sunset reveals itself most Summer days. D.S. Christlieb
Sonic Youth: “The Eternal” 4 1/2 stars PLAYLIST PARTNERS: Helmet, Fugazi, Velvet Underground. SOUND SYNOPSIS: Cartoon rockers return to Metropolis to kick ass. Links: www.sonicyouth.com (Sonic Youth); matadorrecords.com (Matador)
Sonic Youth’s sixteenth original LP, and its first on indie stalwart Matador, marks a grand reprisal of the controlled chaos of their early work with expansive layers of dissonance, walloping rhythm assaults, and druggeddown tempos. Power players Kim Gordon (bass) and Steve Shelley (drums) whip up the frenzy amid whatever fey goings-on occur in the forefront. Listen to “What We Know” and its sinewy bass and drums--ever throttling toward a primal, uncoiled crescendo--for a blast of this sonic intensity. The more experimental-noise aspects of SY do not disappoint here either. From Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo’s feedback-fueled, angular guitar shredding in “Anti-Orgasm” to the piercing discord of Gordon’s bad trip, “Massage The History.” While SY’s latest efforts like “Rather Ripped” and “Sonic Nurse” indulged their affected artsiness; “The Eternal” plays more to the snotty teenagers with unfettered attitude and a slumming deathwish they once were. Gordon and Moore still wear the arrogance of ignorance in spades. Their initial modus operandi of arrangement and lyrical personas have remained consistent and unchallenged. Gordon ever the come-hither sex kitten with the track “Calming The Snake”; wailing in distressed heat “oh, oh, oh...” calming herself just enough to bring together an alluring chorus. And Moore’s Beatnik vocals tied to the primary melody like a dog to a speeding car. This is as it should be and has been, though a little unfettered vocal liberation might be a nice departure. When they sing together, as in “Leaky Lifeboat (For Gregory Corso),” it’s a treat that may leave you just a tad slimy.
Musically, the same juxtaposition of tuneful tempestuousness with a minimal structural palate remains, as seen with “Poison Arrow.” No matter--SY are simply much more economical in their bombast. The track “Sacred Trickster,”--I dare say--almost had me moving a toe or two whilst it bludgeoned my eardrums. “The Eternal” has Sonic Youth atop the heap of audio artisans. A return to the bruising rhythm and primal potency brands “The Eternal” with a iron to the fire. If this were to be their last LP--put it in a time capsule and seal it in for our uninitiated descendants. D.S. Christlieb
60 Behind the scenes 24 hours of fun, stress, energy drinks, flies ...
Photographersvarious, including Davy Vissers
62 Test-Kitchen MJ, Wimbledon and Grand Marnier cupcakes with strawberry buttercream The last twenty-four hours have been a crazy pop cultural roller coaster. After wallowing in an endless rotation of Jackson Five singles and seriously epic music videos, I’ve come up for air to do some baking. And what better way to escape a pop-induced funk than baking cupcakes? My cake of choice was a butter cake spiked with Grand Marnier. I matched it up with a classic buttercream made with strawberries. Let’s say the buttercream icing is the “Rock With You” of the combo: sweet and fluffy, the roller skates, smoke machines and disco of desserts. Then, think of the cake as the “Wanna Be Starting Something” of the pair. That song was my jammy joint – it makes me want to put on a zipper jacket, break in some of those white and red stiff-leather Nikes and make a mix tape with my sister. The song seems bubbly and innocuous at first, but then you listen to the lyrics and are like, “WTF?” For the cake, the hit of booze is your little WTF moment: a little dark, a cupcake for grownups. Alright, I’ll admit the analogy was a stretch, so let’s talk about strawberries instead. June rolled around and earlier this week, I started seeing Wimbledon on the tube. All the snooty tennis snobs on the grounds hogging down strawberries and cream always remind me that it’s time to buy the sweetest strawberries of the year. For this recipe I decided to compare two types of buttercream: Italian meringue versus Swiss meringue. I had previously done
a comparison of American butter icing (butter and powdered sugar) and Swiss meringue buttercream; the meringue being my clear favorite. After buying the excellent baking book, CakeLove (a cookbook from Warren Brown’s famed CakeLove bakery in DC), I decided to finally try Italian meringue buttercream. I had never tried it before because, frankly, it is kind of a pain in the neck to make. With Swiss buttercream – shall we call it the Federer of icings? – you heat and whisk sugar and egg whites together, then add butter. Simple elegance (Federer). Let’s say Italian buttercream is more like the icing Nadal: it seems like an unnecessary amount of effort, but completely thrilling in the end. (He’s injured and skipping Wimbledon this year, but work with me here.) You have to make a sugar syrup, heat it to softball stage, and add it to already whipped egg whites. Timing is of the essence. (And the tennis analogy was even more of a stretch, so I promise I will stop now.) I prefer the Italian buttercream, but I guarantee, either one will be killing it. Go simple and use a spatula or butter knife to spread the icing, top with a beautiful little local strawberry, enjoy the June weather, blast “I Want You Back”, tune in to Wimbledon, and have your cake and eat it too.
Grand Marnier cake adapted from CakeLove Makes 24 cupcakes or 2 9-inch cake rounds Ingredients: 7 ounces (200 g) AP flour 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 13 ounces (375 g) caster sugar (extra fine sugar) 8 ounces (225 g) butter 4 large eggs ½ cup (150 ml) whole milk ½ cup (150 ml) heavy cream 1 tablespoon (25 ml) vanilla extract 2 tablespoons (50 ml) Grand Marnier 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin tins with cupcake paper, then spray surface with a little nonstick cooking spray. If making a large cake, line the bottom with parchment paper (don’t grease the sides). 2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside 3. Combine the milk, cream, vanilla and Grand Marnier in a measuring pitcher. Set aside. 4. With the paddle attachment on a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for about 3 minutes on medium speed. 5. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. When all eggs are added, continue mixing on medium for about 3 minutes. 6. Lower the speed to low. Alternate adding
the flour and the milk mixture in 2-3 additions, starting and ending with the flour. 7. Spoon out into the muffin tins. Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. (For a large cake, bake for 25 minutes.) Check with a skewer to make sure there are only crumbs clinging to it, not batter. Cool on a baking rack to room temperature while you prepare the icing. Strawberry Italian Meringue Buttercream The key here is that you have a candy thermometer – it is essential that the sugar syrup come to 245 degrees F (118 degrees C), otherwise the icing will be too soft. For either of these icings, make sure to serve at room temperature; just like butter, it hardens up and becomes unappetizing straight out of the fridge. Ingredients 4 large egg whites 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons fine sugar (7-1/2 ounces, 200 g) ¼ cup water (50 ml) 12 ounces butter, (350 g) at room temperature 1 cup strawberries (250 ml) pureed (will have about ½ cup, or 125 ml of puree) 1. Prepare the egg whites in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Don’t start mixing just yet – you will be making the sugar syrup first because that takes longer. 2. In a small saucepan, add the 1 cup of sugar and pour the water over it. On low
heat, tilt the pan gently until the sugar and water start combining (don’t stir it!). 3. When the sugar has mostly dissolved (you will see it becoming less and less gritty), raise the heat to medium-high. 4. Wait for the mixture to come to a rapid boil, then cover immediately for exactly 2 minutes. 5. In the meantime, start beating the egg whites on high speed. 6. Uncover the sugar mixture after the 2 minutes. Continue tilting around the pan – you are going to bring the mixture to 245 degrees F (118 C, use a candy thermometer). 7. As the sugar mixture approaches 245 F (118 C), add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar to the egg whites. 8. As soon as the syrup reaches 245, immediately remove from heat, and with the mixer running, slowly pour the syrup into the egg whites. Try not to get any on the side of the bowl because it will just harden there. 9. Continue mixing at medium-high speed for 5-7 minutes, until the mixture has cooled to room temperature. 10. Lower the speed to medium. Add the butter one tablespoon at a time until it is fully incorporated. If it starts looking curdled, don’t worry, continue beating the daylights out of it and it will come back together, I promise. (Beat it? Okay, I couldn’t resist.) 11. Add 1/3 cup of the strawberry puree and beat until incorporated. 12. And now you ice. Strawberry Swiss Meringue
Buttercream In this recipe, you will also need a thermometer to make sure the egg mixture comes to 140 degrees F. This has a tendency to separate during the butter addition stage. Don’t panic: just keep beating the mixture and it will come together after a while. (It’s actually amazing to watch.) Again, serve this at room temperature. You can store it in the fridge before icing a cake, but if you do, take it for a quick whirl in the stand mixer before you start icing. Ingredients 4 large egg whites ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar ½ cup sugar (100 g) 2 tablespoons (50 ml) water 12 ounces butter, (350 g) at room temperature 1 cup strawberries (250 ml) pureed (will have about ½ cup, or 125 ml of puree) 1. Prepare a large saucepan that will fit your mixer bowl filled with water. Heat until it is simmering. Keep it over about medium heat. 2. Combine the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and water in the mixer bowl. Have a thermometer handy for when you will have to take its temperature. 3. Set the mixer bowl in the simmering water. Use a whisk to whisk the mixture constantly until it starts becoming foamy. (Make sure you don’t stop whisking, otherwise the eggs will start curdling and cooking). When the foam seems thick (I describe it as latte-like foam), remove from heat and take its temperature. You should bring it to 140 degrees F. If it’s
not at 140 yet, continue heating and whisking (make sure to wash off the thermometer for measuring again later and preventing contamination.) 4. Remove to your mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on high for 5 minutes, until it is at room temperature. 5. Add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Again, if it starts looking curdled, don’t worry, just continue beating the tar out of it and believe me, it will magically come together again. 6. Add 1/3 cup of the strawberry puree and beat until combined. 7. Start icing! Sheryl
PHOTOGRAPHerSheryl Cababa
Tiny Holland strawberries
Dreamy cloud of egg whites as they are whipping (this is for the Swiss meringue, but the Italian meringue should look the same).
Heating the egg whites and sugar over a bain-marie for Swiss meringue buttercream
Finished cupcake
Adding the butter
66 Make-Me-Up by Katrijn Michiels / make-up by Julie Motoi
ModelMORGANE
ModelLIEZE
ModelVALERIE
71 The call for a sense of community: instant communities Today we are living in a globalizing and internationalising world, several calls for a dialogical way to handle the challenges that go with it are coming up. Our society is composed of a plurality of worldviews that can’t be reduced to each other. No values and norms can be placed in a hierarchical order because none are better than the others. As such no certainties are left and that’s confusing for us as individuals to form our identities. We need to find a way to create a sense of community today, a comfort zone to feel safe and to develop our identities. Globalization is referred to as the increased compression of space and time. This means on a world scale the distance between geographical locations and time differences is rapidly decreasing. Due to technical revolutions people are much more connected to others all over the world. Cross-border flows of people are daily news, transnational institutions are being realized. There’s a rapid communication and information exchange and new cultural spaces are developing with people’s social identities going beyond territorial borders. Examples of negative consequences of the fast pacing world are socially excluded and culturally alienated people who live isolated from one another. But for our societies to develop it’s necessary for everyone living in it to integrate on both a social-economic and a social-cultural level. It’s all about acquiring the necessary skills and the will to be a part of a society. For that to happen it’s necessary to create a space of intimacy and involvement where people can communicate. The communication eventually
will make it possible for people to create a sense of belongingness and community. We have to stay in touch with the people around us. We can’t just go with the flow of globalization For a sense of community to be realized we need to critically reflect on our own values and norms. An attitude of basic trust and respect for the people around us is most important to realize all of this. We need be aware that all of us are sufficiently equal to participate in a dialogue, we are all human in nature, but we are too diverse to ignore the necessity of the dialogue. Passing by the importance of the dialogue is only sustainable if the various cultures in our societies are not in contact, but that’s not the case. As such we need to recognize the importance of common reference points and stop living next to each other. The central idea of an ‘instant community’ is to connect people with common interests, to make it possible for people to share their opinions, to discuss issues of the day. All of this situated on a both local and global level. It’s all about bringing back a sense of community that seems to be lost in the fast pacing and multicultural world we live in. In this perspective dialogue refers to the continuous communicative interchange through which we get a better understanding of the world, the others and ourselves.
The ideas of a globalizing world, in which economic functions of the cities are worldwide, should be united with local community and culture. That culture should be dynamic and redefine itself constantly in face of it’s environment. Instant communities are great examples of new cultural spaces being, they can contribute to the development of a sense of community. People coming together and participate in a dialogue as equally valued participants and in such a way they are redefining their on cultural environments. Important to remember is to learn and act on both a local and global level, to search for a balance between the need for belongingness and the chances to explore the world. Jennemie
PHOTOGRAPHerSTIJN SWINNEN
74 Y-dress Sales Manager, Kobe Lecompte, provides insight into Aleksandra Paszkowska ‘clothes-shaking’. Aleksandra Paszkowska is a fashion designer who’s sole purpose is to make clothes more practical and more useful. Her clothes are created so that one garment can be worn or used in many different ways. For example, you can be wearing a pullover and the next minute, after ‘clothes-shaking’, you’re wearing a dress. She makes the clothes in such a way that many people with different sizes can wear one and the same garment. You just move some buttons or a zipper, and it still looks as beautiful as before. She originally studied design in Sweden but finished with studying fashion. She is a woman who goes to parties every night, according to her sales manager, Kobe Lecompte, and that is where much of her inspiration comes from. She observes people and sees the practical problems they are confronted with: like a pullover you take off, you drop it somewhere and then forget it. Therefore she wants to think of a solution for those problems. With some logical thinking she creates fantastic clothes as a solution for those practical problems. Also her clothes are accessible to everyone just because they are so simple and logic. As such, communication with people and logical reasoning are the magical instruments Paszkowska is using to conjure her unique designs. The manager also mentioned she lived in the city for a while, which is sometimes a source of inspiration as well. Imagine you are going to a full dress party. To get there you have to take a bus first, and it’s not very comfortable to sit on a bus in a very chique promdress.
So she came up with a simple dress, in a crenoline tissue, which you can roll up to a small and light bag you can take with you. So when you feel like going to a party you just open up the ‘rolled-up-dress-bag’, put the crenoline dress on under the dress you’re wearing and it’ll look fancy immediately. You’re dressed up to go to a very fancy party looking like a princess in your fairytale dress. This is why her design is called ‘the instant princess dress’. Her creations are very accessible, and that is because it works for everyone. Her clientele are aged between 18 and 70 years old. But they are specifically pointing to young people, who like their clothes a lot. And that’s why they want to keep their prices low. They know young people are excited about their creations but don’t always have a lot of money to spend on clothes. So the prices are not too high but not too low either. The most expensive one is priced 238 euros, the cheapest garment in the store costs about 152 euros. At this moment they have two fashion stores in Belgium but they’re considering to raise some new stores. Paszkowska’s creations are known internationally as well. They are especially popular in Japan - where they are even showing and selling their creations on TV - and in Germany. The new collection for the winter of 2010 has already been finished and in august you will be able to admire those new designs in the fashion stores. The new collection for the summer of 2010 is just finished now and will soon be promoted in Berlin.
It’s typical to their organisation that they are always using the same models, the same ideas and concepts as a basis. This is different from a lot of other fashion organisations where designers have to come up with a total new collection every season. Different themes, different models, different clothes. The manager confesses to me that when he sees those other fashion designers’ creations, he feels the stress. Stress to come up with new ideas time after time. So how is the
new collection of Aleksandra Paszkowska a néw collection? They use the same ideas, who are very strong, and create dresses with new colors and new materials. Another thing they do is mixing up former ideas of creations. For example the idea of the instant princess dress adding up to the idea to wear a long dress you can transform into a skirt. So you get a instant crenoline dress that could be a crenoline skirt as well. That’s how they are mixing up all the little details of different creations into one new, equally great, creation. What else is new is that the next collection will contain items for men as well (up till now all the garments were women’s clothes). We asked the manager what he thinks about the creations of his fashion designer. He was totally enthousiastic and convinced that if he was a women, he would be wearing her dresses every day! Well now, men can be happy, the new collections contains already 3 to 4 creations for men. And there will be more. At this specific moment the team is discussing on how the bathing-trunks for man next year will look like. They are so fascinated that they just keep working on it. The manager believes they too are able to stay in the studio for 24 hours, just as we are doing. The manager can reveal to us that the collection for men will be full of colors and it’ll be accompanied with lot of gadgets from which they know men adore them. Think about a crazy print of a highway on your t-shirts so it looks like your stomach is divided into two pieces by an asphalt road. Paszlowska thinks of herself as a very com-
mon girl and that character of her is reflected in her work. They also want to underline this by using certain materials in their creations. For example they use a lot of the same clothing fabrics to make t-shirts of it but at the same time they are making very extraordinary creations out of it. Ironic isn’t it? The manager himself too says that it is all very ludicrous. Humour is something that plays an important role in the way they work in this organisation. For example their first store, he says, was a joke. They’ve called it Y-dress because Aleksandra was laughing with it herself: “why would we dress us?”, she thought. That’s the reason why you won’t find her creations in very distinguished stores. Their opinion is that when people come to visit their stores, they have to be able to laugh and experiment. The manager has noticed that people with a sense of humour are more prepared to buy clothes than other ones. What’s typical to this organisation is their specific working ethos. That is: their working floor, has to be a playground. When work starts to look too much like work, the manager tells me, they decide to stop. Work has to be fun. Bieke
PhotographerGuillaume Kayacan StylistMADEMOISELLE JEAN ModeLSophie Tran
79 Book Review A 24-hour journey through Elizabeth Strout’s, Olive Kitteridge
“Olive Kitteridge”, Elizabeth Strout’s 2009 Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction. First published in: 2008; several parts of the book have been published in magazines before. This edition: first edition, Pocket Books (Simon & Schuster UK Ltd), 2008, ISBN: 978-0-7434-6772-8 Cover design: Simon & Schuster art department, L. Gardiner; cover photography: Corbis (front), Getty Images (back).
Never one to surrender to anything or anyone, Olive Kitteridge has a presence and unpredictability which cannot go unnoticed. Simply by being herself, she demands to be seen and heard. In the sleepy coastal town of Crosby (Maine), the retired maths teacher struggles with getting older - the one thing she can’t avoid. In thirteen chapters serving as thirteen interwoven stories, Olive’s direct family and all sorts of Crosby inhabitants make an appearance as Olive throughout the years witnesses lifealtering experiences and tragedies involving her loved ones, fellow townsfolk - and at times, herself. The book kicks off with the story of Olive’s husband Henry Kitteridge, who’s trying to cope with his wife’s blunt attitude as well as the growing affection he feels for a young collegue. Other stories touch on subjects such as anorexia, traumatizing experiences, loss, love affairs, broken relationships and second chances. In every story, there is Olive. Her
impact on everyone’s lives varies from her being a minor yet noticable nuisance... to her trying her hardest to save someone’s life... to her being a traumatizing, overbearing parent. Olive Kitteridge is a hurricane, blasting through this novel’s pages, swirling through Crosby, Maine. But sometimes in that quiet coastal town, she is the eye of the storm; her compassion is a comfort, her presence a familiar part of everyone’s lives, for better or for worse. Olive is the perfect heroine because of her imperfections; she is so very human, so flawed and admirable at once. Olive reminds me a little of myself. Fiercely angry as I can be, loving and caring about others is what I am capable of just as much. Elizabeth Strout has, in my opinion, rightfully been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for this work, although at times there is some confusion. Strout has the tendency use of the same names for characters in different stories, but
her clear writing and narrative skills both help to quickly separate one Patty from the next, to keep apart a second Kevin from his predecessor.
Olive Kitteridge. An accomplisment, this book. An unforgettable force, this character. Karin Elizabeth
Strout balances the right amount of dialog and descriptive prose, using a suitable amount of humor to match the considerable tragedy described in each of the stories. The story which stands out most is “A Little Burst”, in which Olive is found stealing her new daughter-in-law’s clothing items and ruining a sweater in hopes of humbling her into insecurity. It was amusing and saddening at the same time. Her style to me is reminiscent of Alice Sebold’s writing, Sebold being an author who doesn’t shy away from describing life’s gruesome and dramatic events with such a blunt honesty, she makes reading about the most horrible situations bearable. Strout’s greatest strength is to evoke different emotions in one single moment. PhotographerKarin elizabeth
80 Neo Soul LIFEline Style for women who want to date Ben Harper Designed by Erika Horton
PhotographerGuillaume Kayacan ModelSophie Tran
PHOTOGRAPHYTUFFER HARRIS ModelsCHloe & natasha HENRY MuaJENNIFER CLEAL & JULIE MOTOI
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Letter from the editor -Tuffer- What can be done ahead of time and what must be done during the 24 hours?
From the first day Sam and I discussed the idea to the last hour of the 24H Day, there was a central question. What does 24 hours mean? What can be done ahead of time and what must be done during the 24 hours? There was certainly a huge amount of planning ahead of time. The 24H Team had to be arranged (all of who, like myself, volunteered their time), a location had to be secured, schedules had to be made and IT infrastructure had to be secured. So what is 24 Hours? What falls in the arbitrary bucket of 1440 minutes we allotted ourselves? All of the writing you read here, written during the 24H Day. All of the pictures you see, taken during the 24H Day. All layouts and designs and logos and fonts, created during the 24H Day. It was a monstrous task. Recipes were created in 24 hours. Books were read and reviewed in 24 hours. Dances were choreographed in 24 hours. A lot of energy drinks were consumed in 24 hours. You know hard work was going on when a room full of Belgians leave a keg of beer nearly untouched.
As I write this at hour 20 I know two things. I really wish I didn’t have to stop drinking coffee earlier this year, and this will not be the magazine that anyone on the 24H Team planned on, especially me. I envisioned 24Hour Magazine to be a lot of things, particularly a fashion and lifestyle magazine like all of my favorites. However, it turns out that 24Hour Magazine is just as the name indicates: making a magazine in 24 hours. It couldn’t pretend to be anything else because everything else takes months and, well you know, we had 24 hours. Teams had to be trusted to do what they do best and this didn’t lead to the magazine I expected but I hope you’ll find that it led to a pretty cool one. It also led to an insanely hectic pace and I apologize in advance to any contributors who we accidentally left off the list, misspelled their name or attributed incorrectly. We truly appreciated each and every one of you. Please, if this happened to you, blame the sleep-deprived haze. That said, it would be wrong not to thank one person in particular though. Sam
Mulkay heard me talk about this idea and ran with it. I am thrilled to have him as a cofounder and it never would have happened without him. I really should have written this letter at the start of the 24H Day. I have been thinking about this letter from the editor for weeks (“thinking” was allowed before the 24H Day!). None of my brilliant insights and clever comparisons ended up in this letter. I can barely remember my name right now. 2 hours 47 minutes til close and our design team is telling me I have to turn in this letter (like I said, let the teams do what they do best). Yet all that and I’m pretty sure I’d like to do this again (you listening, Seattle?). Until then, thank you Kortrijk, thank you Belgium, thank you contributors from around the world. 24Hour Magazine. Whose crazy idea was this? -Tuffer Harris Editor-in-Chief .Hour 21:18:50.
The 24HourMagazine Contributors We thank all the people who contributed to this project
Tuffer Harris Sam Mulkay Nico Verbrugge Jennemie Driesens Freek De Pauw Willem De Groef Frederik Degreve Valerie Henry Kevin Scarlet Stijn Swinnen
Els Van Opstal Phil Tubbax Lieze Messiaen Gee Kayakan Erik Dupont Fabio Giovacchini Katrijn Michiels Ben Vandenabeele Morgane Ball Ellen Deketele
Natasha Henry Chloe Henry Saartje Allosserie Gert Poppe Jennefer Cleal Bieke Van den Bon CĂŠdric NorrĂŠ Tom Peeters Davy Vissers Jena Robinson
Julie Motoi Ellen Deketele Erika Horton Valerie Colemants Simon Vandecasteele Daphné Lingier Joost van Duppen Stéphanie Desmet Matthias Himpe Kobe Lecompte
Wannes Lecompte Sem Dendoncker Wouter van Speybroeck Pieter Schaek Michael Vandekerckhove Hans Ameel Serge Van Cauwenbergh Karin Elizabeth Sheryl Cababa D.S. Christlieb
Wouter De Schryver Nick Leyers Lucile Dizier Sophie Tran Noémie Debacker Pieter Willlaert
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