art and things and music and things and stuff a
Screaming Ballerinas/Lauren Summer/ LED Throwies etc....
Hello, Thanks for taking the time to read the first ever edition of Art And Things Magazine. We don't want to take up too much space with an intro so the following is just a bit of background on where we came from and what's next. This magazine was born from the minds of arts promoters DIY WOMP. As with all WOMP activities the idea for AAT is to promote underground art, music, literature and culture in all it's forms whilst keeping it within reach of those who admire and create it. Hence, AAT magazine was born in a popular Portuguese chain restaurant a few months ago by three editors with nothing but promoting art (and free drink refills) on their minds. Since then people have come and gone, priorities have shifted, ideas have been tossed around but finally we’ve settled down and ended up with this magazine. This pilot issue has been put together by a few core people but we want contributions to future issues to be more and more reader based. We want to showcase talent of all kinds and that means not just articles about readers, but articles by readers. Too many ‘art’ magazines deem themselves cool and unapproachable. We’re sticking two fingers up to this elitist attitude and trying to make ourselves as approachable as possible. We've met some fantastic artists, musicians and promoters in the making of this issue, and we're always on the lookout for something new. So if you’re an aspiring artist, musician, writer or photographer, if you deserve a review, a mention or an interview, if you have absolutely anything to contribute or you just want to give us your 2 pence on this magazine, please get in touch, email AATmagazine@gmail.com.
contents. Screaming Ballerinas - 0.1 Polished pop band on a mission.
Pressures on a part time artist - 0.2 I’ll write this caption later. After some toast.
90 Free CDs - 0.3 Not just another gig.
Knee Deep -0.4 ‘It’s easy to put on exhibitions, so why not?’
Lauren Summers- 0.5 Butterflies, frames and origami, oh my!
List - 0.6 Hassles and hurdles.
Make/do - 0.7 Portable points of light to make and use.
Front Cover - LEDs on Gormley’s Resolution Layouts by Darren Luchman, Gemma Trickey, Dom Clifford and Sonny Malhotra ©AAT Magazine
Images by Sonny Malhotra
Screaming
Ballerinas London based quintet Screaming Ballerinas are a band on a mission. Formed two years ago (following front-woman Laura and guitarist Ollie working together on some songs) they are a focused, dedicated and remarkably well-organised party-pop band. Indeed, so great is their desire to succeed, that it even convinced their drummer Dave to move from Tamworth just to be in the band. Together with fellow members Stars (keyboards) and Ross (bass), they look well set to make serious inroads into your record collection over the next year.
Their sound is an uplifting blend of punk and pop, reminiscent of Blondie and the Pretenders, though remaining entirely their own. While the energy and feel of their music is very much a product of the surroundings they formed in. A self-styled ‘party band’ Screaming Ballerinas first gigs were house parties and self-promoted gigs and the good time atmosphere of these early gigs is evident. Not to mention the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the band instilling all members with an outward confidence in their songs, not found in many bands.
Despite this confidence and party atmosphere in which Screaming Ballerinas exist, there is still a very businesslike streak running through the band. When questioned on their feelings about the current state of the music industry, where it seems that every other week there is a ‘next big thing’, they are philosophical. They are in agreement that despite the ever changing ‘next big thing’ tag, there is an extremely good climate in music at present, singling out both Late of the Pier and the Mystery Jets as bands they particularly admire.
Additionally, Ollie is quick to point out that ‘we will set ourselves apart by doing something that nobody else is doing’. Screaming Ballerinas are also a refreshingly intelligent band, when considering the prospect of becoming the new darling of the mainstream press. Laura states in no uncertain terms that they will ‘have the songs to back it up’ and that they will use the press and the internet ‘as stepping stones’ in order to get their music to the audiences that matter. Their media savvyness and confidence aside, Screaming Ballerinas are a realistic band. Keyboard player Stars says 'there are a lot of new bands who have just rushed into it and become one hit wonders' and they are keen not to join them. A new management team has recently been installed and the band is eager to ensure that everyone who surrounds them is as excited about their music as they are. Not to mention ensuring their integrity as a band is kept well intact. This new team of people around Screaming Ballerinas are all pushing in the same direction and ultimately want the band’s music to be heard. Nevertheless, when it is heard the band themselves are determined for the quality to be perfect. In Laura’s own words they are ‘a polished pop band’ and as such want their CD’s - when they come out - to be ‘absolutely perfect’ and not rough demos, on which much of their pristine sound could well be lost. When discussing the plans and ideals of Screaming Ballerinas, it becomes apparent that they are held, with total confidence, by the entire band. From the talkative Laura, Stars and Ollie, to the more subdued rhythm section of Ross and Dave, there is a staunch belief that no one member is bigger than the band. They all arrived to this interview at different times, and though vocalist Laura answered most of the questions about the band's history herself, she was admirably determined to wait for the rest of the band before answering any questions regarding their future. Furthermore, these ideals are not only reserved for band politics, they also are prevalent in every aspect of their lives as a band. Screaming Ballerinas approach everything with a group mentality. From their social lives, to the excitement they feel about their music, and most importantly of all, their songwriting. Meeting Screaming Ballerinas was an enlightening experience. They are without doubt one of the most ambitious bands I have ever met, but also extremely honest and ethical. They profess to be nothing more than a pop band, but one that wants to do it their way. From playing their own gigs to knowing exactly what they want out of the next twelve months, they are totally their own band. With songs so effortlessly catchy, it is easy to feel the energy they emit as a band when watching them rehearse. The future is already looking extremely optimistic for Screaming Ballerinas and with the momentum they are already building up; it would be foolish to bet against them. myspace.com/screamingballerinas
By Jamie Fewery
PRESSURES on a part time
ARTIST
Wallace Stevens once said of attempting to write, to create art, to live, ‘a fantastic effort has failed’. Being creative isn’t easy. Those who think it is generally don’t understand or don’t try hard enough. Encumbered by day-to-day living, fatigued by unfulfilling jobs, it’s the lucky few creatives that experience the freedom to truly explore their own potential. Sitting down to write a song, to begin novel, to sketch out a masterpiece - to succeed finally is too much of a task, even for the greatest among us.
Kafka wrote Metamorphosis in a couple of nights. Think about that. He just sat down and did it. One of the most wellloved and important modern novels and it was created in a relevant flash. This would’ve been impossible if he’d been attempting perfection, surely? Perhaps we should all create in the way Kafka did. Without the luxury of time we can’t afford to be Michelangelo, there can be no sculpting, chipping, no sustained labour for years on end in search of perfection. But with that ethic, most of us would never produce anything.
Becket said “Fail Again, Fail Better”. If you want to create something then do it, finish it and move on. You might end up with rubbish. You probably will. But piece-by-piece we build upon our failures. Most of us might only find the time to make the most basic of contributions towards our creative portfolio each evening. Our day-to-day offerings might seem insignificant, but the key is to keep coming back. One night you might find you’ve written a surrealist classic.
Perhaps it’s impossible to achieve anything creatively, pinned down as we are by the demands of day-to-day life - without anyone to inflate us, without a momentum to pick up on, unknown, unrecognised. Where do we find it in us to create what we think we are capable of? Perhaps each time we set out to create we should accept failure as an inevitability and simply hope for a better failure than before.
Image by Sonny Malhotra 500 words one evening. One band practice a week. Don’t think, pick up the guitar, silence the inner critic, don’t pressure yourself to succeed, and crush the idea, allow it to all fall out of you, good and bad. Fail and fail again and then fail better.
And then come back and do it again. By Peter Bloxham
Photos by Sonny Malhotra
90 Free Cds The search for new, alternative music does not have to be swamped by hype: Josh Weller and Dan Mayfield explain their love of new music, originality and what 90 Free Cds is all about.
“There are loads of cool club nights in London, but you already have to have a deal or have a real buzz and be an established artist to lay those nights and then there is the other end which is a night where you to have to bring 100s of people or you have to pay the promoter” explains Josh Weller whilst sitting in a quiet café just off Brick Lane. He is half of the collective mind that is responsible for ‘90 Free Cds’ at 93 Feet East every first Monday of the month. Dan Mayfield is the other half of a night that in just over a year has put on the likes of Blah Blah Blah, Vincent Vincent and the Villains, Trouble Over Tokyo and promises much more. Maybe not the likes of ‘Blur’ and ‘Arcade Fire’ that Dan and Josh jokingly say they want to have play.
London is packed full of rock nights, DJ nights, alternative nights, disco nights, indie nights, indie disco nights but 90 Free Cds promises something genuinely refreshing and original. It gives up and coming bands a chance to play a good venue, in front of a decent crowd without the pressure of having to bring a coach load of people. In Dan’s own words it is a “chance for them to build that fan base they need to play elsewhere; it provides a stepping-stone.” This is something that the pair genuinely believe in, and the fact that the evening is free really emphasises how important it is to give new artists a platform upon which they can perform. “The best way to do it was to leave money out of it,” exclaims Josh, “about 95… no, 93% of people are surprised that we don’t make any money on it.” The funding for the night comes out of their own pockets and goes towards the free limited edition cds with artwork by James Shedden, which is a particularly endearing aspect as it gives people something tangible to go home with… and otherwise there would be no pun! “Exactly” laugh Josh and Dan, “If we’d had the night at café 1001 it would be a very different story as we simply don’t have enough money to make 1001 cds every month!”
Miss Sills As the artists that play there are not necessarily well established I wondered how it felt when Josh and Dan’s night does become a stepping-stone to something much greater: the unified response is “well it feels great, but we couldn’t get them to play here again!” The growing success of artists that have played here shows Dan and Josh’s eye for new talent but what is more fun for them is to put on bands that are enthusiastic “To Josh and I its not just another gig, its our gig and its great when artists treat it as something different.” When asked if anything new was in store for the future or if any changes had occurred in past months they laughed in unison: “More people come!” Apparently, Dan informs me, “they tried to open a sister night in Nottingham.” But to Josh and Dan it is a hobby that they love, they could push it further but for now they seem to be sitting back and enjoying the adventure of finding new bands: “93% of the bands that we put on are ones that we have found through our own searching.” And finally, as Dan and Josh were itching to ask us about what we did, Josh left with some words of wisdom to anyone interested in setting up similar nights: “Don’t try and change the world. Don’t try and be cool. People can always tell when you are pretending.” 90 Free CDS, every 1st monday of the month @ 93 Feet East, Brick Lane. myspace.com/90freecds By Lauren Down
Matthew Sawyer and the Ghosts
Knee Deep in Cement Knee Deep in Cement are a prodigious, fresh faced and exciting cabal of photographers from London. Josh, Sam and James all left the Brit School last year, and despite frequently bunking photography in pursuit of alternative entertainment, they each developed a love for the art and subsequently formed their collective. As a group they are unassuming, but so clearly excited about the attention being paid to their art.
James Sam and Josh
Prior to the formation of the group it was only Josh who had exhibited his work. Last year his photography was projected onto the stage at Kilburn’s The Good Ship, at a Dockers MC gig. Soon after came their first exhibition as a group, on March 10th 2008 at The Miller in London Bridge. The event combined music with art and Knee Deep in Cement supplemented their first exhibition with performances from Sam and James. Events such as these were also the inspiration to form the Knee Deep in Cement collective. Friends of the trio were often holding event nights and Josh says they thought “it’s easy to put on exhibitions so why not?”
The three members of Knee Deep in Cement each have their own inspirations behind their work, however the common factor for all of them is the desire to express emotion in their photography. Josh talks passionately about his interest in capturing scenes from “the typical British work-
ing classes” and his obsession with the potential “honesty and ordinariness of a photo of an aging boxer putting something in the microwave” His fervor for this project comes from his family’s history and highlights his nature as a photographer who plans his work. In contrast Sam
the group to new levels. Josh plans to attend Chelsea College of Art to study graphics, James intends to travel through China and send photos back for exhibitions and Sam will either travel or study. Either way, with this expansion of horizons, the potential for Knee Deep in
and James both describe themselves as “out of pocket” photographers, both of them carrying their cameras with them, searching for scenes that stir their emotions.
Cement to progress is endless.
With several exhibitions behind their back, and a few more to come during the summer, Knee Deep in Cement are forging a strong foundation for their future as artists. Additionally they are proving that when young artists are given a platform, they can live up to any expectations. With this experience already behind them, is it exciting to hear that the future plans of each individual member have the potential to push
Despite the various developments taking place around the work of Knee Deep in Cement, the group remain calm and unfazed by the future. Whilst they agree that some sort of career from photography would be something they would all relish, Josh says “it is not something we are working 24/7 to get to” As such Josh, Sam and James are a breath of fresh air and a superb advert for youth art projects. Find Knee deep at myspace.com/kneedeepest By Jamie Fewery Portrait by Sonny Malhotra
Images by Sonny Malhotra
Lauren Summers Our first featured artist is Lauren Summers from Hemel Hempstead mostly and London sometimes. These pieces are a small representation of her extensive portfolio.
Lauren Summers is a 22 year old artist from Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire. These works represent her predominant medium of illustration, however she is currently studying for a Fine Art Foundation Degree at St. Martins in London. Lauren says her reason for this is “instead of a straightforward illustration course I thought it would wake my imagination up. But I think changing your surroundings does that as well”. Other work from Lauren has seen her try her hand at painting, print making, sculpture and metalwork and at the moment she says she is working with “pens, black ink, white paper, gold spray paint, paper, wood and glass”. Additionally she has just invested in video camera and intends to use it in her work soon, which will be a new experience for her. As an artist Lauren is constantly pushing herself and expanding her horizons. As such her Camden flat (where we went to photograph the featured pieces) is a testament to her commitment to working on new projects.
Lauren’s accomplishments this year have so far included graduating from St. Martins and the completion of a ‘living room’ installation project (pictured). The living room includes wallpaper, windows, furniture and a working clock, all made from paper. She says “the idea was from a dream I had as a child about my house being made of paper, and my family turning into paper dolls. Its kind of an indulgence on my part”. As for future plans, Lauren is confirmed to feature in several DIY WOMP galleries and will be looking to expand on her portfolio at every opportunity. If you wish to contact Lauren about her work, or find out where you can see more of it please email her at snoozepattern@hotmail. com. By Jamie Fewery
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Help us.... As we’ve no doubt already made you aware, AAT wants to be a magazine that anyone can contribute to. We’ll always need new, fresh artists to review and we need new, fresh reviewers, photographers and illustrators to do it. We will respond to every email we receive, provided its legible and doesn’t offer viagra. If you link us to your web-page, we will read your writing, link us to your flickr and we will peruse your photos and your illustrations. Link us to your myspace and we will listen to your music, probably while checking out someone else’s artwork. Send us links to your work, or send us an idea for a review or article to aatmagazine@gmail.com
Advertise.... We don’t just need readers and writers, we need advertisers. This magazine is distributed freely and relies on advertising to survive. Do you work with a company that would benefit from advertising directly to thousands* of artists and art lovers. Do you run a gallery? Have an exhibition coming up? Are you promoting a gig? Selling tickets, art supplies instruments or studio space? Put in an advert! This magazine isn’t for profit, we just want to make enough to cover printing costs, so the advertising costs are cheap and for a little more we’ll even design your advert for you, making sure it fits perfectly into the AAT feel. 1/4,1/2 and full pages available. Contact aatads@gmail.com for more information *Thousands is an estimation from 4000 copies printed and distributed freely in and around London and a free online release.
Thanks.... Thank you very much to the following people, without whom this magazine would never have got off the ground: Massive thanks to KKM Architects for sponsoring our first issue, all of Diy WOMP, Dom Clifford, Lauren Down, Darren Luchmun, Frances Bentley, the gallery/cafe/college/ dorm/uni/bar/bookshop/friend where you picked this up. Thanks for stocking us. Also, thanks to John Good printers, We’ll save thanking our families for the second issue.
Cheers, Jamie, Sonny and Peter.
LIST Hiccups and problems we’ve encountered while producing this first issue of AAT or ‘How I learned to stop worrying and love InDesign’
1. The price of Nandos All our meetings take place at the Nandos in Watford or the Nandos in Finchley Rd. And its getting pricey. And our notebooks are getting sticky. 2. Normal work The hassles of our regular jobs have been a constant annoyance and impediment to the progression of this magazine. Bloody arts council cuts. We lost our first layout man/graphic designer to societies demand that everyone should earn money, a setback that cost us months. Which brings us swiftly to our next problem.... 3. Graphic design(ers) The plumber of the art world. The Kings and Queens of broken promises. It will always be ready next week. We need you but when we need you most you hurt us. Then you promise you wont hurt us next time. And, like love-sick fools, we believe you. 4. Waiting for submissions ‘Yeah, we’ll definitely send you the scans/images/photos tomorrow’.... Will you bollocks. 5. Constantly delayed interviews ‘They’re definitely on for saturday.’ Are they bollocks.
5. Jamie’s I.T. skills ‘Sonny.... I can’t find that program... Is the fact that my hard drive broke and was replaced anything to do with it?’ But he is a dab hand with Excel. 6. Avoiding horrible art mag pitfalls We suddenly realize why so many magazines offer lots of pretty imagery with very little actual content or editorial. It’s not necessarily because they think it’s cool, think its the ‘in’ thing or think it’s the way magazines should be. It’s because its so easy. The number of times I’ve just wanted to stick a whole load of photos on a page, add a title, save it and run off for a pint is exactly equal to the number of layouts I’ve done. 7. Emmy the Great After canceling and canceling she gave us the coldest interview ever. We heard she wasn’t much of a fan of the media but we’re hardly the media. Give the tiny new magazine a break..... So, instead of printing an article with references to menstrual flows and a stick figure drawing of Ghenghis Khan on a napkin (not as good as it sounds) we cut it. But we still like her music. myspace.com/emmythegreat 8. Loosing an article at the last moment thanks to rapid self disassembly of a computer. When computers explode may sound like a rubbish channel 5 program but it’s a real pain when it happens. If you ever loose a vital piece of work just before a deadline you could do what I do. You could make a list.
By Sonny Malhotra Images and artwork by No-one
Make/do Caves, sticks, ash and ochre. Clay, iron, bronze and glass. Marble, chisels, gold and silver Paint, inks, brushes and canvas. Silver, lenses, shutters and light. Batteries, light emitting diodes, tape and neodymium magnets. Why not?
Words and images by Sonny Malhotra
You will need: 1x LED 1x CR2032 Battery 1x Neodymium Disc Magnet, at least 8mm diameter x 2mm thickness (up to 10mmx3mm is useful but pricier) 2x strips of packing tape, 20mm by 40 mm 1x piece of thin card 20mm by 15mm 1x piece of thin card 30mm by 10mm
Take the LED and slide the battery between the metal wires. The long wire on L.E.D must touch the POSITIVE (+) side on the battery. Slide the longer, thinner piece of card in-between the longer LED wire and the battery. This will act as your on/off switch, saving the battery for when you use your throwie. Take the shorter piece of card and attach it to the packing tape. Tape the fat piece of card to the battery on top of the long wire and the on/off switch and wrap the tape round, securing the wire on the other side of the battery. The fat piece of card is to stop tape sticking to the thin piece of card so it can be removed later. Place the magnet on the side of the battery that has the card, directly over the wire. This will help push the wire into contact with the battery when you remove the card switch. Secure with tape. Repeat till you’ve used all the lights, batteries and magnets you could lay your hands on. When you’re ready to use your ‘throwies’, pull the long thin piece of card out and throw the led at your metal surface of choice. You don’t have to just attach magnets to them. Use these wonderfully portable and versatile sources of light in any way you can. Karl Klar released 500 plastic fish with leds inside them in a pond only to have them slowly fished out by visitors equipped with magnet fishing rods. Remember to recycle the batteries properly and you can reuse the LED’s and magnets in your next batch. White leds last about two weeks at a decent brightness and coloured ones last about a week. Experiment and enjoy.
Email your pictures to AATmagazine@gmail.com Bits: LED’s and batteries: eBay Bulk orders 500+: hebeiltd.com.cn Magnets: emagnetsuk.com Thanks to graffitiresearchlab.com
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