AntiBody Magazine Issue 1 by Anti Body

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CONTENTS Interview with Becky May Cro

(Ar st) ……….…Page

4—13.

Interview with Simmie Verdi (model & Photographer) ………..Page 14—21

Interview with Peggy Soo (model) ………………………..Page 22—27 Interview with Beth Gadd (Ar

st) ………………………...Page

28—35

Interview with Chris Ensell (Photographer) …………..Page 36—41 Interview with Suzanne Carmina Plus Model (Model/ Singer) ………………………………………………………………………………………...……….Page

42—53

Interview with Beth Pi (R0CKfairie) Photography (Photographer) ……………………………………………………………………………..……..Page

54—57

Interview with Fetasia Latex (Clothing Designer) …. Page 58—63 Ar cle/Interview Focused Eleva on ………….… Page 64—67

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Interview with Yukidoll Photography (Photographer) …………….. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Page

68—77

Interview with Ki y the Boo (Model) ……………….…. Page 78—81 Interview with S J Walton (Photographer) …………..….. Page 82—87 Art Reviews ………………………………………………………………..…………..Page 88— 98 Upcoming shows of interest ……………………………… Page 99—103 Gallery ……………………………………………….…………………………………… Page 104—209

Thank you to everyone who’s got involved in this debut issue! Many thanks to the Becky May Cro , Simmie Verdi, Peggy Soo, Beth Gadd, Chris Ensell, Suranne Carmina Plus Model, Beth Pi , everyone at Fetasia Latex, Killer Heels Photography, Kirsty Reid, Emma Hawkins, Yukidoll Photography, Ki y the Boo, S J Walton, Cat Westgarth, Bee Lee, Eleanor Hollindrake, Extra Leg Room, Adam Ashley and Jasia Li le. A Personal thanks from the creator and editor to all her friends, family, and people who’ve supported her with star ng up An body Magazine.

Cover and layout design by Jasia Li le.

h p://an bodymag.wordpress.com/ Facebook page: Search ‘An Body Magazine’. Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)

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An interview with

Becky May Croft Interview by Jasia Li le.

What ini ally pulled you towards doing art? I felt like I needed to do it. I started when I was around 16/17, it was the last year of my A levels and I was going to do medicine, but a er messing up some of my AS Level exams, I didn’t get as good a grade I thought I would. I got really down about it all and ended up not really taking responsibility for my future and ended up staying at home, knocking off my lessons and just drawing all the me. Eventually my tutor turned round and said ‘Well look since you’ve dropped 2 science A levels, you might as well take one other AS to get you enough UCAS points to get into uni’. So I ended up doing 1 hour a week, it was originally meant to be a GCSE Art, but the tutor put it up to AS level cause she thought it was good enough. My main influences at the me were Giger and I think I’d discovered Munch and Van Gogh etc. I had to do it. I didn’t just decide this was what I was going to do. The more I did, the more I needed to do it and the more I realised it was good for me. I felt be er a er doing it and it was produc ve to concentrate on. Even so, I didn’t want to do a career in Art mainly because I didn’t think it was going to make me any money. My Dad was always sugges ng it was an idea, and sugges ng that I should go do Business studies instead. I ended up going onto do a BTEC art course with the idea that if I can get a Fine Art Degree, I can go into Art Therapy, and then I’m using art to help people and I’m earning some money from it. So that’s what kind of drew me to it in the first place.

Did you have any crea ve impulses when you were younger or did it just literally start happening when you were 16/17? I used to make loads of stuff when I was growing up, like when I was really li le. I’d write my own li le books, and illustrate them. I would always make random things out of paper and do paper mache stuff. I made houses for all the reams and reams of li le toys I had. So yeah I was always making bits of stuff, but they were never par cularly any good, I was never spo ed for being ar s c really.»

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But it was always something in the background. Yeah Tell us a li le about the themes you explore. The works are about exis ng in a physical body and how you perceive that. How different social and cultural doctrines influence the way you see yourself as a person, exis ng in a physical body and you use that as a vehicle to interact with the outside world, and the environment that’s around you. And how that’s the centre of everything, that’s your locus. When I talk about doctrine I’m on about how you go to school from a young age and you go to nursery, you might be taken to church, you go to work later on and it’s all housed in different ins tu ons, and these different ins tu ons perpetuate different ways of living and exis ng and it infringes upon you so much. It affects you right down to the physical ac ons that you do, from every minute to every second and I guess that’s what its about. I thought I’d focus on physicality more because I think the bodies is symbolic, especially in media now. It started off with just being about, being female, and most of my female friends having this bloody body image thing and sort of grew from there and a er a while I thought, this is a bit too narrow for this. It was more about how this body ideal culture is about being contained and not spilling out of these social boundaries, and it’s not, it’s about not trying to transgress the idea that the body is this whole and flawless thing. And I think the plaster pain ngs kind of relate to loss of ego and the skin being symbolic of that ego, of that iden ty as people wear clothes or make up or ta oo themselves, and that’s recognisable, that’s the that thing that makes you a recognisable person as soon as you transgress that, that symbolic boundary, it’s all innards and guts, and whatever, that’s the complete and u er loss of self and that’s why my pain ngs sort of depict internal organs and anatomy, that’s about ge ng rid of that self almost, that has been kind of condi oned, it’s about sort of breaking out of something that’s imposed on you. But I could ramble on about this for a really long me.

Where do you find your main inspira ons and influences come from? I’d say Orlan because I really enjoy the issues she tried to address through iden ty and her views on the body being a machine and being separate from the mind and she more-or-less said it was obsolete, which I kind of tried to challenge that, as I felt she was quite destruc ve in some of her views. And I sort of compare her with Kiki Smith, who celebrates the body and the internal and the external, and sort of tries to see it as a beau ful complex thing. I’m really into Expressionism, German expressionists in par cular; I really like Anselm Keifer’s work. But inspira on wise I get inspira on from literature as well, like Erich Fromm and Freud’s psychoanalysis stuff, and Bacon as well cause he’s very expressionis c in how he tries to render peoples states of mind. »

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What kind of ar st would you describe yourself as? Abstract expressionist, but I also dabble in ﬁgura ve stuﬀ as well.

How do you keep a constant ﬂow of ideas? Reading, looking at images, and I guess mee ng people, talking to people.

Would you say it’s easy to have a constant ﬂow of ideas or is it quite a struggle, so say ar sts block? It depends, I think a ques on of knowing yourself and knowing what gives you block and what doesn’t. Even if you do know what gives you block, it doesn’t mean you can necessarily stop those factors which give you it. Like for example, for me if I worked full me at a job for a li le while or if I’m working constantly to earn money, and stressing about that then my mental energies taken up by that and I can’t do art. But that doesn’t mean I can just not work, that’s not going to happen, loads of ar sts struggle with that, it’s one of the main things.

In a me of recession, everyone’s issue is earning money and when art faces massive cuts, what are you doing to try combat this issue? Struggling, like everyone else. I’m undertaking a teaching course, like a short term one to teach in the lifelong learning sector and maybe do workshops, have the conﬁdence to workshops anyway. And I work part me at a bar.

How do you find the local art scene for emerging ar sts? I think it’s difficult to find those kind of places because they’re not completely readily available, but I do have a lot of faith in a lot of places like East Street Arts and Pop up art space . They’re very suppor ve, and quite a promising environment for emerging ar sts to gain support from.

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How do you feel your art is received? Mixed really. It’s always a strong reac on. Either people are really into it and are like ‘Wow, this is so interes ng’ and it sparks debate, well that’s the usual response but then there’s always the ‘Oh I couldn’t live with that in my living room’ or its ‘too much, that’s too grotesque’. Like people seem to ﬁnd it too intense, but I guess at least it provokes discussion and it gain interest. I guess it’s quite hard hi ng subject ma er for people.

You’ve got an exhibi on at the moment at Artspace@Hillcrest, what are your current plans in terms of exhibi ons and crea ng art etc? I think I’m going to keep looking for further exhibi ons, like down south and abroad. I’ve just set up my studio and I’m going to use that as a good networking opportunity. I need to budget and organise the materials. I plan to make some more plaster pain ngs, because I think I can develop more into them. They’re becoming more sculptural, I’m actually re-plastering them three or four mes now, which I wasn’t doing so much before, I’m planning them a lot more than before, I s ll want to keep them spontaneous but I find if I use lighter colours they tend to become less busy, and I focus more on one specific figure in the pain ng. I’ve got the MA to keep me going with cri ques and to help. I’ve been dabbling in other bits, because I’m interested in the body, so muscle and flesh I’ve thought about maybe looking at muscle structure in different animals. And I’m interested in skulls and structure, internal structures of different living creatures, different en es. So I’m going to give that a li le go as well. »

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What are your aims and aspira ons for the future? Earn enough money to keep doing art and I hope more than anything, is to get to a posi on to create opportuni es for other ar sts to grow crea vely, for anybody. I don’t feel that we’re given the opportunity or the space to be crea ve in our culture. I think it’s really damaging to people. It’d be good to be famous, but I don’t know if I’ll get there.

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An interview with

SIMMIE VERDI Interview by Jasia Li le.

Hello Simmie! Let’s start off with a brief introduc on, you’re a young Cardiff based alterna ve model and photographer. You’ve been modelling for 2 years now, what do you feel you’ve accomplished in this me? I feel like I've accomplished a lot - I started off quite shy in front of the camera, and I had no confidence. Since then, I've got a few publica ons under my belt, a following of lovely supporters, I've made some wonderful friends and I've started to model for various designers, which I always love doing because I can ac vely promote their products as I'm a club photographer and meet hundreds of new people each week. Saying that, I s ll feel like I have a long way to go un l I become as successful as I wish to be! What inspired you to become a model? It wasn't so much inspira on as curiosity; I've always loved photography (my mother and her father were avid photographers), so that piqued my interest in modelling. You describe yourself as an alterna ve model, do you live the alterna ve lifestyle and would you ever cross into more high fashion modelling? I think it depends on what people think the 'alterna ve lifestyle' is! I'm not sure on that one, I think everyone lives their life in a different way, and it can't be labelled in the same way as a sense of style can be. I would love to do some high fashion modelling, I think my height (I'm 4'11') would be a problem for some high fashion projects, though! But if I could find the right project, and my height wasn't an issue, I'd be more than happy to do it! Have you found difficulty in being an alterna ve model? To be honest, not really! Obviously, you get the people who think that modelling is inane and meaningless; that's their opinion and I'll respect it as long as they return the favour and don't judge me on one part of my life. Apart from that, I've never had any sort of nega vity as a result of modelling.

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You’re also a photographer specialising in events, how long have you been doing this for and do you believe your modelling experience aids this? I have been specialising in events photography for just over two years- I feel that when I'm in a club photographing an event, my modelling experience doesn't really come into it. However, when I do portrait shots, I do use my own modelling experience to help my model feel more at ease.

What are your aims for the future in your modelling and photography? And where do you see yourself in 5 year’s me? I aim to start modelling for a lot more designers and I aim to bring a lot more versa lity and imagina on into my modelling por olio. Regarding my photography, I am aiming to open my own studio very soon, which will be above the salon/bou que that I'm planning on opening in Cardiﬀ at the end of 2012. So in ﬁve years' me, I see myself with a successful business and s ll doing what I love.

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What advice would you give to people who want to get into alterna ve modelling? Be yourself! For some reason, people think you need to have crazy dyed hair, lots of piercings and ta oos to be an alterna ve model. You don't. I think alterna ve modelling is about *real* women- not just pre y girls with piercings. Also, just go for it- modelling gave me so much conﬁdence, when I had none before.

Like many models, you have a Model Mayhem proﬁle, on which you’ve quoted Helmut Newton “I hate good taste. It’s the worst thing that can happen to a crea ve person.” What drew you to this quote? Ahh. Helmut Newton to me is one of the most iconic ar sts of all me. I adore his work, and I love the way he could take the female body and make it look like a complete work of art (even more so than it is already). I was drawn to that quote because I agree with it, 100%. Do you feel models and photographers alike can get stuck in ways of ‘good taste’ in aid of being able to sell their work, rather than being experimental and pushing the boundaries further? Not really. I expect that to sell their work and make money, they do create art that can be viewed as "good taste"- but this doesn't mean that they aren't being experimental or pushing boundaries in their personal projects.

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Earning money is always an issue for anyone but is par cularly diﬃcult in the crea ve world and everyone’s wish is to have ar s c freedoms along with a good wage. How do you aim to combat this issue? I already have plans to start designing my own latex clothing and expanding my jewellery/ clothes making so that I am able to sell these things in the bou que I'm opening next year. The premises will also be doubling as a photography studio and will be specialising in make-overs and spa-type treatments.

Image 1. Brenna Mack Photography. Image 2. Photography by Ki y Smith. Image 3. Photography by SimmieV Photography. Models: Hannah 'Bijou' Baron and Rachel Ward. Image 4. Photography by SimmieV Photography. Metros Cardiﬀ Events Image 5.Photography by SimmieV Photography. Model: Ryo Love Metros Cardiﬀ Events. Image 6. Brenna Mack Photography.

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An interview with

PEGGY SOO Interview by Jasia Li le.

What were your main influences on going into modelling? Ini ally I wanted to model because I thought it would be an exci ng hobby and didn’t really know much about the industry at all, I suppose many models you’ll interview will have wanted to model from an early age and very quickly list 10 main influences, I can’t do that. However, as I’ve developed as a model, I’ve found influences and inspira on from different sources, I adore the tease and subtle sexuality of actresses of the past, most notably like many modern pin up, I adore Marilyn Monroe, she brought such character to set and I try to do that too, I much prefer modern alterna ve modelling though, my favourite alterna ve model is Ulorin Vex, all of her work is fabulous and she was a big influence in my wan ng to model latex. Modelling, like anything crea ve has its own inspira ons, what are yours for your poses and generally when thinking up ideas for shoots? Most of my shoot ideas are quite simple, I’ll see an image online or in a magazine that will inspire me to think of a concept for a shoot, I’m really lucky In that I’ve made good friends with many people I’ve worked with and so can just tell them something so basic, that together we’ll develop and come up with something spectacular, such is life with ClickClickBang Photography, some mes we spend months planning every last detail but others, I just turn up at her house with a holdall of clothing I’ve been given to shoot and we’ll discuss it for minutes before we start shoo ng, working like that is always fun. You have quite a range of different styles in your por olio, but what is your favourite type of shoot to do? Generally, I adore modelling latex, it can be very versa le and can cover a variety of different genres, for instance I have modelled for Fetasia Latex on numerous occasions and their items are very classically inspired and suit being part of a ‘pin up’ or vintage styled shoot, whereas others I have worked for are more sexualised and fit in with the age old ideal that latex is kinky, I’m enjoying that latex is becoming much more socially accepted now and isn’t just something one would expect in the bedroom, it’s a great material to wear and it’s unbelievable what designers can do with it. When I began, I’d get told repeatedly that my figure was perfect for pin up work and whilst I enjoyed shoo ng in that genre, it soon got resome, I prefer doing concept shoots nowadays, working with Yukidoll Photography always sa sfies my hunger for this, »

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I recently shot with her and Alice Birchmore MUA for their Edward Scissorhands project and the images from that shoot are some of the best in my en re por olio. I’ve been told I have ‘awful sadness behind those eyes’ and though it may sound strange, I really enjoy doing shoots where raw emo on and a feeling of mourning is required, images from shoots like that are always quite something. Modelling has always been popular but with lots of sites around, for example ModelMayhem and Purestorm, there’s even more models around than ever offering TF work. You stand out with your unique look and alterna ve style, what’s been some of the low lights in your career and what advice would you give to perspec ve models to stand out from the crowd? You’re right, some mes I think too many, but then I remember when I started out and it was always intended to be nothing but a hobby for me, I’m incredibly lucky to get so much work for clothing companies, from what I’ve encountered, there’s a lot of girls who put far too much pressure on themselves and on the industry. I was on the verge of qui ng a er 7 months due to never having had a contract with a company and the next month, I got a call to do a shoot for a burlesque store, some mes it just takes me, my main piece of advice is to be pa ent, be polite, work hard and always keep a smile on your face. I’ve had some bad points whilst I’ve been modelling, most of the me I’ve managed to ignore it and get over it, but at mes it really has got the best of me, there will always be people trying to drag you down whatever career you enter, with this being an industry dominated by women, you have to have tough skin not only to deal with the rejec ons from photographers and designers (and trust me, there will be many a rejec on when you start out) but to also deal with the unpleasant comments you may get from fellow models and others in the industry, it is a tough world but it’s always worth it. There’s nothing I’ve enjoyed as much as I enjoy being part of this industry and I’ve met some of my best friends at photo-shoots or via networking. In terms of standing out in the crowd, I really have no idea how to advise on the ma er, it may be completely clichéd and may affect the work I’m offered by saying it but, I really don’t understand why so many people have me modelling for them, physically I’m not anything special or different to the other alterna ve models out there at the moment, I enjoy modelling and being on set and I work my best, I feel bad if the results aren’t the best they can be and I suppose photographers and designers pick up on that. Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)

My main piece of advice to budding models is to just have fun, enjoy what is an amazing hobby and if and when it becomes more than that, welcome it and try your best to remain yourself, don’t get carried away with what other people are doing or saying. You’ve worked with some stunning photographers, designers, make-up ar sts etc. and created some beau ful imagery together. What in your opinions has been the highlight of your career so far? There’s been quite a few to be honest, the few special working rela onships I have are an on-going highlight, as you say I’ve worked with some amazing people and I’m lucky enough that they seem to want to work with me me and me again, my first shoot with Sinderella Rockafella was amazing, I remember gushing about her when I’d only had about 3 shoots on an online forum so ge ng to actually model alongside her was an ambi on achieved, as was working with Pirate Photography, she rarely works with new models so I was over the moon and very exci ng when she agreed to shoot with me. Obviously as a history student, shoo ng in a museum was a highlight too, especially shoo ng in the archive sec on! A lot of alterna ve models try their hand at modelling for such sites as Suicide girls, what are your opinions of sites like this? I don’t really want to offend or upset anyone who submits photosets to such sites as Suicide Girls, so I’ll keep what I say to a minimum, before signing a contract for a site similar to this, read and re-read the terms and condi ons, get someone more experienced in the industry to explain anything you don’t understand and be absolutely posi vely sure you want to be part of it, everyone should always do what they’re happy with it, my rule is: if I wouldn’t be happy showing a photoset to my mum, I shouldn’t be doing it, that’s both in terms of what I sign up to and what I do on set. I’m part of a site which from the outside looking in, is some mes viewed as a site similar to the sites you’re referring to but it’s completely different (www.zivity.com), it’s a site where models and photographers can interact with their fans properly and all copyright remains with the photographer, the model has total control on what does and doesn’t get published to, there’s also no Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)

minimum requirements as per nudity, as I don’t do a lot of nude work and don’t intend to, Zivity is a great site for me, it doesn’t insist I submit nude sets but if and when I want to, I can do. Earning a living is a necessity in any walk of life and in modelling it’s just as compe other career, if not more in some areas. How do you combat this issue?

ve as any

Well, I don’t consider myself a full me model so I don’t do this for a living, it would be marvellous if I could but I just don’t see that as a realis c goal in the current climate, as you men oned earlier, there’s so many girls offering TF now that rather than paying a more experienced model, people would rather work on a TF basis with someone willing to do that. Luckily I’m a student so I get my main income from that and anything I earn from modelling is a nice extra, it buys me a new ou it every couple of months and some mes it gets me a chocolate bar, I model more for fun rather than money. You’re currently taking a bit of a hiatus, is there anyone you really want to work with once you’re available? I’m taking a bit of an unofficial hiatus, I’ve cut back on networking as it was taking up a lot of my me and as a result my university work had taken a back seat but in answer to your ques on, I’d love to work with Doralba Picerno, her fe sh work is beau ful. I’d also love to work with Allan Amato, Julian Kilsby and Al Overdrive, I’d kill to model for Jane Doe Latex. I’d always consider re ring my unofficial hiatus if Hurts needed a ta ooed girl for a future music video or if D&G needed someone to model alongside David Gandy at any point, I’d do that for free……aaah a girl can dream!

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What are your aims and ambi ons for the future? As I men oned in the previous answer, I’d love to model for certain companies such as Jane Doe Latex and What Ka e Did, I’m a big fan of Bibian Blue and Atsuko Kudo latex also and would love to shoot for them. My main ambi on is to be a cover model by the end of the year, from the day I started modelling, I’ve been working up to modelling on the cover of one of the main ta oo magazines, I won’t men on which two in par cular, let’s just wait and see. Anything else you’d like to say? I probably shouldn’t, I’ve go en into trouble more than a few mes for opening my mouth when I shouldn’t have done, professionalism is keeping quiet I’ve come to discover! Thank you for the ques ons, it’s been a pleasure answering them.

Image Credits Image 1. Yukidoll Photography. Make up by Alice Birchmore. Wearing Li le Rubber Cherry. Image 2. Pirate Photography. Image 3. Squodge Photography. Hair and Make up by Alessia Pedrosa. Image 4. ClickClickBang Photography. Make up by Maja S na. Wearing Oh My Honey. Image 5. YukiDoll Photography. Hair and make up by Alice Birchmore. Interview and layout by Jasia Li le.

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An interview with

Beth Gadd Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)

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To start, introduce yourself: My name is Beth Gadd, and I'm a Leeds based Visual Ar st specialising in sculpture. What are the themes and subjects do you explore in your artwork? I'm fascinated by social culture, and the ways in which we are influenced as groups. My work explores the darker side of this, looking at the ways in which the media makes us change who and what we are both in personality and appearance, for example body issues such as obesity and the obsession with size zero. Do you relate personally to your themes, and how would you like others to consider your art? Very much so. I think a great deal of us would struggle to admit we are affected by other peoples opinions but simply by wearing make up or making conscious decisions about my hairstyle I know I'm already trying to make myself more appealing and acceptable to others. I try to make this humorous though. Whilst I hope to make the audience think about the messages within my work, I try to achieve this with humour rather than by being preachy. You tend to play around with a variety of mediums but say you ‘favour’ more abject materials, what is it about these materials that you like and feel gets across your theme effec vely? I always make sure that the material used fits in with the imagery I'm using, so have found that materials such as latex and wax have been the most effec ve to use. When dealing with subject ma er such as the human body, depic ng skin or flesh this can immediately give an abject feel to a material. This can also provoke a strong reac on from the viewer, which in turn makes the piece memorable. Not necessarily successful, but memorable. It can also help to illustrate a point. Fat is pre y grim when you see it up close, so I don't think it would be right to pre fy it, it needs something cold and fleshy like wax to represent it. You’ve just completed a Fine Art degree, what are your plans next? At the moment I'm taking it a bit too easy whilst I consider what to do next. I'm working on ideas for a project exploring cosme c surgery and I'm hoping to have an exhibi on up and running early next year. I'm also beginning to think about studying for an MA Fine Art next year.

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Where and how does your crea ve process start? I tend to gain inspira on from things that ini ally irritate me, so a paper like the Daily Mail is always such a good place to start. There's such a focus on mental health these days, and yet so many people with the ability to communicate their thought to millions of people use this in such a nega ve way. But anyway, I'll find a subject that infuriates me and begin from there. I like to begin crea ng work from the off, so I'm constantly developing ideas alongside my research. It's important to me that I stay open minded throughout the process, as too much fixa on on one idea has in the past led to disaster. I really thrive from trying to be experimental, and straying away from more tradi onal processes. How do you go about your crea ve process, from ini al thoughts to comple on? Once I've chosen my subject ma er I'll begin my research. I prefer real life to theory, so will seek out anecdotes by those affected by the subject, though I will also see what the likes of Susie Orbach and Naomi Wolf have to say on the ma er. As already men oned, I find it important to begin crea ng alongside the research as this helps the project to develop. I always have lots of ideas buzzing around and need to get them out into the open. It's important to give yourself me for things to fail, in order that you have the me to turn them into successes and o en it's a process that you had not considered as much as another that is the most successful, and I always try things out on a smaller scale first. Knowing when the work is complete can be difficult but you have to trust yourself. You work mainly in 3D, sculpture and installa on, are their other areas you explore or would like to in future? I actually used to paint, so this is something I'd like to return to - as a means of relaxing a bit a er finishing my degree, and also to see how much my style has changed now. I've already being thinking about what materials I could use for this. Make up, juices from food, anything goes! Where do you find your main inspira ons and influences come from? I find I get much inspira on from older periods of art. I have looked at classical sculpture, in par cular the Venus de Milo, in depth for a previous work, and my degree show was inspired by a series of pain ngs by Degas. I guess I feel too close to contemporary art, I feel I can learn more from classical art. It feels almost like I'm providing a contemporary response to it.

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What are the ar sts that inspire you? There are so many. Helen Chadwick would be one of the main ones, discovering her work made me realise that I didn't have to be so tradi onal. I could use whatever I wanted to create art, and without taking it so seriously. Humour is important. Sarah Lucas as well. There can be such a nega ve response to the YBAs, but Lucas again uses humour. She also challenges gender conven ons within her work. Labels get handed out too easily and as a female ar st you only have to put the slightest no on of gender into your work and you're a feminist. Would either of these ar sts consider themselves feminist? I very much doubt it. Whilst I think he can be a bit too obvious, I have a lot of respect for Marc Quinn. I like the more tradi onal appearance of his work, and the way he puts ordinary and extraordinary people in the posi on as the Venus de Milo. What links do you see between these ar sts and your own work? I think certainly a touch in cheek approach, and also the considera on of the male too. It is not only women who are affected by social issues and pressures. The freedom with materials too. I think that o en the medium used can be more important than the imagery. If you could curate an exhibi on for your work and with any ar sts through me, who would you include and why? It would be quite a mix! I would put Degas' bathing women pain ngs with my own towel sculptures as they were such a massive influence. I would also include Sarah Lucas' bodily sculptures, par cularly the series using fruit and vegetables - they make you reconsider how you look at the human form which I think is so important. Jenny Saville, who has painted her own imperfect from and cosme c surgery opera ons, and also Kenneth Armitage - he is also a Leeds born ar st and his bronze figures are so abstract, I think they would be perfect. It would be a big celebra on of the human form! Where would you like to see yourself in 10 years me? And what are your aspira ons for the future? I would love to be in a posi on in which I am making enough money from selling my work to be able to prac ce full me, and buy a studio. So I need to knuckle down, work hard, and do my best to make it happen! Interview by Jasia Li le.

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CHRIS ENSELL PHOTOGRAPHY Music Photographer Interview by Jasia Li le

How long have you been doing photography? And what would you say was your major inﬂuence for star ng? It started for me whilst at art college in Leeds about 6 year ago, i'd not really considered photography professionally un l studying there. They encouraged us to not use digital and instead use 35mm, I think this made us understand the fundamentals of using a camera instead of relying on auto modes with DSLRs, it gave me a much be er understanding of photography in general and helped for me to create the kind of worked I wanted. My main inﬂuence was probably the Leeds music scene, there was so much going on at that me and there didn't seem to be anyone capturing it, that gave me a passion and drive to photograph more.

Where do your passions lie in your photography? I guess it's mainly music that I'm passionate about. Some people ask why on earth i'd want to spend my evenings sat on speakers in sweaty underground venues, but it's when I get home and look at the images that I know why I do it, I get a massive buzz from a picture that depicts the show.

If you had to cut down to only doing one area of photography, live music, portraiture, band promo, or weddings etc. what would you choose and why? I think it'd be portraiture, there's a lot more room for me to be crea ve within that ﬁeld and would enable to progress the furthest as a photographer. Ideally I'd like to open my own studio and have an incredibly talented team behind me crea ng the work we love, but that's for me to tell.

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What equipment do you use? I have a Canon 5d, several diﬀerent Canon lenses, Bowens ligh ng, Canon ﬂash guns, so boxes, umbrellas, triggers & stands. I recently bought a new Lowerpro backpack, I couldn't recommend there products more.

A large area of your work is live music photography, what drew you to this? Again I think it comes back to the Leeds music scene, there was so much going on and it was a great way to spends my evenings & weekends doing something. I'd look at other professionals and try to work out what made their work successful. I think looking at other professional photographers work is one of the best things that you can do, they're good for a reason, so working out what makes them good, can only improve your calibre of work. I'm a ﬁrm believer of inspira on is aspira on.

Your work has an amazing energy to it, have you ever had issues with the crowd or generally? In all fairness, no not really. I think you have to be aware that these shows are dangerous for a photographer, I have a lot of expensive gear and the last thing I'd want is for it to get smashed, with that in mind, you get wise to what's going on around you. I think to a

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degree people look out for you as well, which is a humbling thought.

Does your live music photography reflect your own personal taste in music? If so does this aid the crea ve process and enjoyment? Without a doubt yes, the bands I tend to photograph are all on my iPod, you'll o en see me in the pit singing along to the words. I think that listening to them in the first place gives you an idea for what kind of images they want, different styles of music require different styles of photos, I guess it's a case of customer research.

You’ve had your work in quite a few music magazines, what advice would you give to beginners in the live music photography sphere? Shoot, shoot, shoot. I can't stress this enough, everyone is looking for a quick entry into music photography, but I think having a vast por olio of your work lends itself very well for you in the market. I started out by going to shows, paying in, and seeing how far I can get without being booted oﬀ the stage, fortunately that doesn't happen anymore but it got me the shots that others weren't.

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What do you believe is your biggest achievement so far? I think being published is a pre y big deal, that's what I always wanted when star ng out, and that ﬁrst email I got from a magazine asking to shoot for them was a huge deal. I'm just grea ul to any bands that asks me to photograph them, it's an incredibly compe ve market and having regular clients is all I could ask for.

Have you tried using ﬁlm photography in live music situa ons? If not, would you consider it and why? I did when at college, but found that it wasn't an economical way of shoo ng. Film is far more expensive and me consuming and I feel I don't get quite the same results as with my digital equipment. Saying that, I may try some more shows in ﬁlm!

Photography is expensive, how do you fund your equipment and general crea vity? By any means possible, the majority of things I have were bought from summer jobs when at university in Leicester, my en re wage packet would go onto the new equipment, it was a scary thought of spending that much money but it's something I don't regret. These days any money made from shoots goes on new equipment or funding future shoots when i'm tes ng certain ideas and concepts.

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What are your aims for the future in your photography? What would you like to achieve in the next decade? My main goal would be to own a swanky urban studio with my girlfriend, she's also a photographer and I feel we make a great team. I'd ideally like to be photographing the rich & famous, but wouldn't give up my passion for music by any means.

For more of Chris Ensellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work visit: h p://www.chrisensell.com

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An interview with

Suzanne Carmina Plus

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Model

Interview by Jasia Li le.

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You began modelling a er being scouted by a famous plus sized model in America, what were your ini al thoughts? It was something I had always wanted to do, but I just didn’t see how a plus-sized gal living in the mid-West could get anywhere in the industry. My best friend heard on the radio that a famous mature plus model was holding an open cas ng; he took me, and I was given a ra ng of “very pre y – 4 stars” (whatever that means). I started training with an agency in Cleveland that taught modelling ‘old school’ on which I s ll rely today. I credit them with the professionalism I use in my career. The plus industry was s ll pre y new then and the only plus model I had to look up to was Emme (who, frankly, I’ve never been a fan of). But now, plus models are as young, fresh, sexy and drop-dead gorgeous as standard models.

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What in your experience are the main changes you’ve seen in the modelling world? What are the changing demands in a model these days? And are these for the be er or worse? There are many changes happening for the be er, some more quickly than others. I mean, three gorgeous plus models on the cover of Italian Vogue wearing couture last month?!? That’s concrete evidence of change right there. Once in a while a designer will use a plus model in a show, but I ﬁnd it tends to be a one-oﬀ or gimmick. I do see in some cases a desire to increase diversity and improve health, but look at the skeletal models who shocked Samantha Cameron at the last LFW! In the industry in general, the amount of self-promo ng even very successful models with great agents have to do is staggering. Facebook, Twi er, Model Mayhem, Star Now, personal websites… it’s hard to keep up some mes. Many of the top plus models from 5 – 10 years ago started out as standard models and a er ba ling ea ng disorders for years have gone to a more natural, healthy body shape. But now I think lots of top plus models have always been plus, which is an interes ng change.

With such diversity in the popula on with shapes, sizes and an aging popula on, there is a need for more varia on in models, do you believe this is beginning to happen? Yes, very slowly these changes are being effected. In some cases we can and do change the minds of the old guard, but it’s really the young up & coming designers, stylists and agents who are making the difference. Then again if you hit people in their wallets, you can get a response. Compare the Julien Macdonald of a few years ago who was very harsh on plus models and curvy women, with the Julien of today who sheepishly announced his support for plus fashion. Is it because he feels badly about his previous rants? Maybe, but I’m sure it’s to do with realizing plus women are a mul -billion pound business. Do you know companies will use models in their 20s to sell products aimed at mature women? Considering the massive por on of the popula on who is greying, this is pre y poor business prac ce. And how o en have we seen thin models in plus clothing adverts? Frankly I find it offensive.

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What are your opinions on living in the North of England? And do you believe that you need to move to or travel regularly to London to have an ac ve successful modelling career? Well I LOVE living in Yorkshire, and I live here by choice. But it does hurt my career, and the pull to move to London for both music and modelling is very hard to resist. I might have to give in like everyone else does – and don’t get me wrong, I’m very lucky to work on the London scene! I do believe that there’s so much talent in the North that we should celebrate it and do some great work together up here (like you and I did, Jasia!) But there is no ques on that a model that aspires for the top needs to live in, or frequently travel to London.

How different do you find modelling in different countries? I’ve only modelled seriously in the UK, but I know through my work as a diversity advocate that the French appear to be very closed-minded about using curvier models, while the Italian market seems more squeamish about models of colour. I have a lot of fans in Brazil!

You work for Models of Diversity, tell us a li le about this. Models of Diversity is a London-based non-proﬁt organiza on which advocates for more diversity in models, and demands that the fashion and marke ng industries recognise the beauty in women and men of all races, ages, shapes, sizes, abili es, genders and sexual orienta ons. Our mission is to change the face of fashion and modelling! We are a campaign founded to stand for equal rights and opportuni es within the modelling and fashion industry. MoD is now backed by the Bri sh Fashion Council and we’ve joined with Equali es Minister Lynne Featherstone for the government’s campaign on body conﬁdence.

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I started working with them as a model and volunteer in April 2010, and I’m now the head PA to the Co-Founder. I love my work! We see ﬁrst-hand how people have been deeply damaged by the impossible beauty standards in the media, and how having posi ve role models can really change lives. The best part of my job is ge ng fan le ers from all around the world, thanking me for inspiring them with my work and my personal story. This means more to me than I can express! We strongly believe that mature, pe te, disabled, and plussized people of all races and colour deserve to be treated fairly in the industry.

How do you feel programs such as America’s Next Top Model etc. eﬀect the work you do with Models of Diversity? Honestly, I never watched ANTM un l very recently, because I can’t stand ca y drama. Bu I watched cycle 10 which Whitney (a plus model) won. I wanted to see not only what makes a plus model good, but also what makes her rise to the top over more conven onal models. Well now I’m hooked! I can’t believe I’ve been missing out on all the free lessons Tyra and her team give in the show. Having only watched cycles 10 – 13, I’ve already seen Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)

two plus, a transgendered and a burn-vic m model. Pre y impressive! I know Tyra makes an effort to support unique models of all stripes, which I really admire. Cycle 13 (all models under 5’7”) has blown me away so far, I hear words coming out of Tyra’s mouth that could have come from MoD’s mission statement! And you know, the MoD campaign was started in 2008 when Angel Sinclair, a former model, appeared on Gok Wan’s ‘Miss Naked Beauty’. Angel was struck by the great variety of beau ful women par cipa ng in the event, and how this contrasted with the narrow range we see in the fashion industry. That’s when she decided with Sally Williams, her Co-Founder and fellow model, to promote models that reflect the wonderful diversity in society. So shows like Gok, BBC’s Britain’s Missing Top Model, and ANTM can really make a difference. Everyone has their ideal beauty, who is yours? You mean like a certain trait, or a certain person? I do think self confidence and kindness make you beau ful, that goes without saying. In terms of someone out there, Nigella Lawson for sure. What a stunner in every way!

If you ran your own modelling agency what would you specifically look for in applicants? I’d seek out models with a unique look, with a spark of something different. An ability to learn and a desire to improve is also a huge plus. I think I’d be really good at finding models with poten al, or ‘diamonds in the ruff’ because that’s what I was. I was rated pre y poorly as a model at the start and very few people believed in me. My agent saw something in me others didn’t, took the me to guide and cul vate me, and now those who discounted me are clamouring to work with me now!

You’re a classically trained singer also, how do you balance the me between the two? Well in theory they don’t ever have to conﬂict, as either way I’m on a stage and portraying a character. But in terms of ming it can get tricky. Right now my modelling career is really taking oﬀ, but I always carve out me to sing as it feeds my soul in a way nothing else does. I have some pre y severe health problems so in both cases, I’m trying to get as much as I can out of this damaged instrument.

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What was your driving force for singing? I prac cally came out of the womb singing, I can’t remember a me when music wasn’t a daily, integral part of my life. My family is very musical so I literally cannot imagine a life without studying, prac cing, singing, listening to, analysing or enjoying music. I need it like I need oxygen! Does the performance in opera have any impact or give any inspira on to your modelling? Yes, I use the sense of drama, stage presence and posture to help me sell the look or product or garment. I see modelling and opera singing as very similar, I’m using my body to portray a story. Models o en have to speak about a product or give interviews, and between all the years on the stage and in academia, public speaking comes really easily to me. However, I was very surprised to ﬁnd out that all my stage and dance training was a detriment to my cat walk, my coach really had to train that out of me. I was ‘sashaying’ around the catwalk too much if you know what I mean, and I’m s ll working on it.

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What aids your crea ve process? I’m a thinker, so I think about and prac ce how I want to portray a look or aria. And then I turn my brain off! Once I’ve done the research or training, I find a calm, quiet mind & body is where crea ve ideas pop up. But my main source of inspira on is collabora on. I run a theatre company and my partner and I also have an ar s c produc on company, so being surrounded by models, singers, photographers, dancers, stylists, instrumentalists, scholars, actors, graphic ar sts, painters, clothing designers, etc etc etc all day is so inspira onal to me. So let’s end on the future, what are your aims for the next few years? Well I have one big goal, and I hope to be the plus model who can pull it off, but I’ll applaud anyone who manages – I want to see plus models in couture. Not retail, or commercial. I want to see a real big plus model wearing the most cu ng-edge fashion in Vogue, or in Fashion Week in the UK. For me personally? I want to make my por olio ever more diverse. I’ve now become addicted to magazine publica ons and tear sheets! I have a few coming out this month, which is my favourite part of modelling. So I’d love to be in lots and lots of publica ons! And as the Models of Diversity campaign is going from strength to strength with an interna onal profile, I can’t even guess where the future will take me… Thanks for the interview and good luck with this great new venture!

For more of Suzanne Carmina Plus Model’s work visitwww.carminaplusmodel.com www.urbanitychic.com/2011/07/the-spotlight/models/spotlight-interview-carmina-plus-model/ carminaplusmodel@yahoo.com

Image credits: Image 1. Photography by Alessandro Capocce Image 2. Photography by Magic Image 3. Photography by Tony Jackson Image 4. Diva 1: tear sheet from Diva magazine July 2011, photo by Diana Thompson

Image 5. Photography by Jasia Li le aka Wednesday Li le Photography Image 6. Photography by Laura Knight Image 7. Photography by James Lyon Image 8. Photography by J Clitheroe

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Beth Pitt (R0CKfairie) Photography “I am a photographer of people”

So, tell us a li le about what you do? How would you categorise yourself as a photographer? My work has always been quite varied, so I struggle to categorize myself. The only thing that I can say is I am a photographer of people, whether it be portraits, music, events etc. I've always been fascinated by people and diﬀerent looks and styles, plus it's makes a more fun shoot to have a conversa on with my subject.

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What area of photography do you prefer? My biggest love has to be portraits, especially the surreal side of portraiture whenever I can. I think you have more scope to be crea ve and go a bit crazy with portraits, whereas everything else you need to be a bit more professional.

What ini ally got you into photography? I'll be honest, I discovered that if you took photos at gigs then you were allowed to get in for free, and that's why I started. A er a couple of gigs though I realised that I loved the thrill of trying to get that perfect shot within a couple of songs, and that made me look into other photographer's work and really start looking at photography as a career. I have a friend who is a fantas c photographer, and being a compe ve person I always told myself that I need to work un l I'm be er at photography than her, I'm s ll not there yet.

You’re a photography student currently, would you recommend others to take a photography course or degree to learn photography over being self-taught? I just finished my course actually! I think it completely depends on the person. I've seen some fantas c self-taught photographers, but for me I really needed it. I don't think I realised how li le I knew about photography un l I started. The course gave me the technical knowledge that I desperately needed, and gave me a different approach to my work. Before I just focused on how I wanted my work to look, but the course taught me the importance of looking at other's work, finding what you like and not like about them, finding out how they did it and this helps to improve your work and be more cri cal about what you create. It also improved my crea vity, being able to think outside the box was something I never did before I started college.

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What are your aims and ambi ons for the future? Well currently my sights are set on promo ng myself as a freelance photographer, and get myself out as a selfemployed business. It's s ll in its very early stages but I'm really op mis c about my future. I think my ideal would be working for a magazine either doing regular music work or model work, but I'm realis c about my sights at the moment and know I need a lot of work before I get to a good magazine standard.

Are there any shoots, people, bands etc. you’d love to get a chance to work with? Oh so many. I was trying my hardest to work Download Fes val this year just because I would love to shoot for Serj Tankian (System of a Down), I think Cannibal Corspe have always been one of the bands I'd love to shoot as well. People-wise, I'd love to work with Kat Von D or Dita Von Tease, they're both beau ful meet them and have them in my por olio. Gok Wan would also be amazing to work with.

Gig photography features quite a lot in your por olio, there’s a large debate in live photography over whether or not to use flash, and the answer is purely down to personal opinion. Where do you lie on this debate? I've always used flash at gigs, but I've recently been converted to stop. I always used flash before because you get clearer shots, and more to the point it's a lot easier to use flash, but I've found if you can master not using it then you can capture more of the atmosphere and it seems a lot more raw and vivid. I think flash loses a lot of the detail, you lose the sense of movement and the light.

Do you have any inten ons of focusing on a par cular area of photography in future? And are there any areas that you want to explore? At the moment I'm looking more into a horror theme of photography. I've been interested in horror for a few years and have got to a point where I think my knowledge of Photoshop and make-up can stop it from looking cheesy. There's very li le horror photography that isn't incredibly cliché, so this is my new challenge.

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So far what would you say your best experience in photography has been so far? My best are probably the shoots when I've had the most fun. These have to be the space-hopper shoot and my zombie shoot, as they took the most work to arrange and sort out, with the best results, and we had a lot of fun shoo ng. The zombie shoot was fantas c though, I was so worried about ge ng enough people to show up and the fact I couldn't ﬁnd a make-up ar st, but in the end I'm really proud of the photos I got out of it and everyone involved got really into it and made brilliant models despite most of them having no experience at all. I think I'm always happiest with the shoots that I expect to go completely wrong.

For more of Beth’s work visitFlickr: h p://www.ﬂickr.com/r0ckfairie/ Facebook page: Search ‘Beth Pi (R0CKfairie) Photography’

Interview by Jasia Li le. Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)

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FETASIA LATEX Interview by Jasia Li le.

We’ll start off with beginnings, introduce yourselves and tell us what your role is Leafie: My alias is Leafie and I‘m the designer, I do admin, and contact models and photographers. Dix: I take the drawings, figure out how to design them and then create them into dresses. How long have you been working with latex? Leafie: Very nearly a year now. What were your influences in star ng out in latex clothing? Leafie: Mainly because you (Dix) bought me a cat suit Dix: Yeah, I bought you a cat suit and you said ‘this is quite funky and I’m too small so needed one to fit , if I do you a drawing will you make me a dress out of it for me?’ and from there we went to find out where to get the rubber from and even glue in larger quan es, cause you can do starter kits and stuff. But to do it on any kind of scale you need to research it up. And its kind of grown from there. Leafie: Elise asked you to make her one, for the Leeds Student Union. She wasn’t going to be a model, she was just going to it and said can you make me this dress and gave him a drawing and he made it and as soon as we got there (October me) someone from the Gothic Society spo ed her in it and said ‘You. You’re going on stage.’ And everyone was like ‘Ooh! Latex! Make us some!’ so it went on from there. What inspires your designs now? Leafie: Really vintage inspired, instead of going down the whole … Dix: Slu yLeafie: Yes, Slu y, Fe shy image it usually has. We want to make it so it can be worn during the

day. Cause he made me one and I was walking round Headingly and loads of people were saying ‘Oh you look really good’, so I thought, maybe you can wear it during the day. But I wanted it to stand out from everybody else, so, pin up, vintage, frills and things like that. To make it pre y instead of fe sh or sleazy. You’ve started quite recently and are shoo ng up quite quickly with fans and interest, so where would you like to see yourself in a year’s me? Leafie: Not shivering in the park! The website fully loaded, how we want it, so more accessories. Dix: We’ve actually pushed as much as we can to get as much of a range onto the website as quickly as possible rather than say releasing a collec on at a me, we’ve just been steadily uploading. So in a year’s me I would hope, we’d have everything on there that we wanted. We’re virtually there on accessories, and we both have a few custom pieces we want to do as well. Leafie: It’d really be good as well for some sort of celebrity to pick up on it and say make us that. I’d love to make something for Ka e Perry. That’d be lovely. You do also work on commission, so rela ng to what we were just talking about; is there anyone in par cular you’d want to design clothes for? Ka e Perry… Leafie: Yeah, because I know she likes wearing latex, but it just seems to be a lot of latex shi dresses with different pa erns on. They just all look the same. Dix: She’s kind of the complete opposite to Lady Gaga. Leafie: Yeah, Lady Gaga goes mad Dix: Whereas Katy Perry looks more ordinary.

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Leaﬁe: Cause I’ve got one in my head now for Miss Mischief that I want to do that sort of stretches us a li le more, it’s more of a concept piece. Miss Mischief has a sort of rock chick style, and I’d love to get her in something more not quite renaissance but a period piece, it’d make her look fabulous, cause I think she’d look brilliant at it, cause she changes her image all the me. Whatever she’s wearing she can … Dix: She works to whatever she’s wearing Leaﬁe: she’s really good at that.

we went to the SkinTwo Ball in February so I had to have something. So for those who haven’t worn latex before, how would you describe it?

Leafie: Warm, s cky. It’s not always s cky. Dix: It’s kind of a shock pu ng it on. Leafie: It’s cold to start off with. Dix: But as soon as you get it up to body heat, it’s almost like… well if it’s well designed you shouldn’t actually know you’ve got it on. So when you are designing do you have Leafie: It’s like a second skin, you don’t know you’re specific models or people in mind, not the wearing it. All the models, well some of them want to commission pieces, the general range? start wearing it and they’re like ‘Oh I don’t know’ then Leafie: Some mes we just draw a design and then think they put it on and they’re like ‘It’s really comfortable!’ who’d look best in that for whatever style it is. Like we’ve Dix: We’ve never come across anyone who’s said they just done the design with Elise and Peggy Soo, and we haven’t worn latex and they wouldn’t like it, and then said Elise is shorter, this red dress would look be er on tried it and actually liked it. It’s people who haven’t tried her. But Last year, the shoot with Lily Stark, we took one it who seem dead set against it, ‘Oh no you wouldn’t look at her hair and thought she’d look fabulous in catch me doing that, Oh no! What? I’d look like a shrink metallic green, and that dress that we’ve done that’s wrapped piece of fruit!’ Most prejudice comes from called Lily, was designed within two minutes, like straight actually not wearing latex. off. So some mes we do take inspira on from the Leafie: Thigh boots and a whip is the general impression model. people get when you say rubber. I mean I’ve worn it round Morrisons. I mean the women were shocked but You name your designs usually women’s names, they the men were impressed. obviously relate to people you know, what is the reason Dix: I dunno, something’s has associa ons with them and behind this? I suppose rubber, and I guess fe sh wear in general. You don’t think stylish day wear do you Leafie: It’s just because I think it’s easier to remember, like if it was a code, people would be ‘What's that?’ or ‘is Leafie: That’s because nobody does it, and that’s why we do. it a straight skirt? I can’t remember’ but if you can Dix: I’m trying to think of a parallel. I guess, like tweed, if associate the designs with certain people, you can remember what it looks like. And also the dress we’ve just you wear Tweed you’re old and have a walking s ck. If you wear Latex, then you’re a pervert, or incredibly done, it’s very 60s, hippy style, and I thought ‘well who kinky. It seems quite strange. was out in the 60s?’ And I thought ‘Marianne Faithfull’ and that’s where the name comes from. It just depends… Leafie: I think people should give it a chance. Once you get it on, it’s really comfortable and lovely. Dix: It’s either the influences, or the first one to model them. The big gold long one is Freya. Leafie: Like the one Lolita wore, that’s called ‘Coraline’ because it’s really influenced by the film. As soon as I saw the bu ons I thought straight away it had to be called Coraline. Do you yourselves wear Latex? Leafie: Yeah, well you don’t do you (Dix) Dix: I am of an age! No I have a latex tailcoat I made, as

Let’s get onto some latex poli cs! Latex is being seen more these days on the catwalks and being worn by popular celebri es but is s ll seen by many as fe sh and to some even sleazy, what would you say on to these thoughts? Leaﬁe: Just try it Dix: As a material to make clothes out of it’s more versa le than any of the other ones but there are certain »

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things you can’t do with it, but there are so many other things you can. So from that point of view you can get more out of a latex garment than one which has been woven. Leafie: I’d say to people who hadn’t even touched it, just come and have a look, have a feel of it, have a sniff of it. It’s not as weird as you think. Dix: Yeah, it really isn’t weird. Leafie: Just give it a chance, especially our vintage pieces. Dix: The thing is if you haven’t tried it, you won’t know, even people who tried it ini ally with a bit of trepida on to it have liked it. It’s not horrible and smelly, which I think a lot of people expect it to be.

summer day in 3 jumpers, you just wouldn’t do it and similarly you wouldn’t go out in a full latex evening gown because you’d just melt. Leaﬁe: It just depends on the material and the circumstances. Dix: It’s choosing what you’re wearing, for where you’re going and the circumstances.

So on this who would you describe as your audience?

Dix: It’s really odd Leaﬁe: Your mum, she says things like ‘Oh it’s gorgeous!’ and its not just cause its his mum because we have a few older people who like it. Dix: It was an eye-opener for me, the amount of middle There are some fears of it being very sweaty. aged to slightly older who actually wear it and quite a Dix: That’s the other thing, it depends on what you wear, few people came to SkinTwo during the day. And so I and what you’re doing of course. A full dress in latex, you would’ve thought that would’ve been our ideal wouldn’t wear to a nightclub, but a summers day or a audience, but having said that we’ve got fans from age cooler day it’d keep you nice and warm. But 11 to 80.

obviously under photography lights, or at a busy nightclub it’d be warm. There again, it’s just choosing what you wear, you wouldn’t go out on a Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)

Are there any fashion designers who par cularly inspire you? Leafie: Vivienne Westwood. I like the really outlandish stuff, I’m different, I’m in my 60s, she’s old she doesn’t care, I like that I can wear what I want. Mary Quant, obviously for the 60s influences. Dix: I’d go for Jean Claude Gaul er. He’s a god. Leafie: The 1930s, black and white films. I’m really inspired by Hollywood stuff, like up to the 50s. Do you work solely on your latex works? If not, do you aim to do so in the future?

Image Credits: Image 1. Photographer: SMP. Model: Miss Mischief. MUA: Jayne Riot Image 2. Photographer: Tiﬀany Ann. Model: Miss Mischief. MUA: Jayne Riot Image 3. Photographer: Clickclickbang . Model: SINderella. MUA. Jolene Smyth MUA Image 4. Photographer: Jasia Li le aka Wednesday Li le Photography. Models: The Fetasia Latex team. Image 5. Photographer: Jasia Li le aka Wednesday Li le Photography. Models: The Fetasia Latex team.

For more of Fetasia Latex’s work please visit:

Leafie: No I work in bakers shop. Dix: I work full me in engineering. I find it gives me I deas and thoughts of how to make the drawing physically into the dress, how to piece it together. Leafie: Yes definitely, we’d like to open up a shop, ini ally in Leeds.

h p://www.fetasialatex.com/

So let’s end on the future, what are your aims for it? Leaﬁe: Eventually get a shop, for long term aims. Dix: Short term have a bit of a rest. Leaﬁe: The photos really spur you on. Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)

FOCUSED ELEVATION Images by Andrew R Macdonald/Killer Heels Photography featuring model Kirsty Reid. Words by Emma Hawkins.

Latex-clad beau es, ta ooed pin-ups and stunning models are all featured in the por olio of Sco sh photographer Andrew R Macdonald. But although photography has been a life-long passion for him, it has only been in the last 12 months that Andrew, based in Aberdeen, has seen it step up a gear, promp ng him to set up Killer Heels Photography. “It’s been a pre y good year so far what with numerous latex fashion shoots, drama c make-up portraits, a couple of book covers and a commission for a CD cover. It’s sure been fun,” Andrew says. In fact he is now ﬁnding himself in the enviable posi on of having to turn work down. He explains: “I know what I want out of a photo shoot; I want to push myself as a photographer and I’m always looking to do something be er next me round whether it’s a studio shoot or in an unusual loca on. It’s about being happy with the quality of the work not the quan ty.”

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Model Kirsty, also from Aberdeen, has worked with Andrew on a number of occasions She says: “It’s so hard to get any shoots out of the ordinary in the Aberdeen area so ﬁnding a photographer like Andrew was a blessing as he is willing to push things a li le and thinks outside the box. It was his idea to do the li shoot and I can safely say I have never done a shoot like it before! “You can really tell that Andrew enjoys what he does and he is always thinking of new ideas.” According to Andrew he gets his ideas from a variety of sources whether it’s a passing comment in a conversa on, a scene from a movie or book or just something random. “I enjoy the level of control and input in trying to reproduce the image I have in my head, into a medium for others to see and experience. How cool would it be if you could download or print your dreams?” So what is Andrew planning next? “Well I’m doing a shoot in a Victorian theatre and I’m also looking to create a rather corrupt interpreta on of Alice at the Mad Ha er’s party,” he says with a big grin on his face.

* Visit website www.killerheelsphotography.org or h p:// www.facebook.com/pages/Killer-HeelsPhotography/227279690619220

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An interview with

Yuki-Doll Photography Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)

To begin with tell us a li le about yourself… My names Sara, and I go by the alias YukiDoll, I’m 20 years old and a student photographer. Your style tends to be dark, Victorian inspired, creepy and Tim Burton inspired in places, even doing your final major project inspired by his work. So, what would you say your main influences are? I am inspired by various things; most of my biggest inspira on comes from cinema, wri en word, music and of course other photographers... my favourites being Eugenio Recuenco, Tim Walker and Joel-Peter Witkin. On your ModelMayhem profile, you say you’re into expressionist film and surrealism, give us a li le insight into whom and your a rac on to them. One of my old tutors introduced me to The Cabinet of Dr Caligari a few years ago and it was one of the most inspiring, fascina ng things I had ever seen (and it subsequently became an instant favourite) I absolutely adore the distorted sets and shadows in »

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expressionist film, the works of Fritz Lang are also a favourite of mine. I enjoy pop-surrealism mostly; the works of Mark Ryden, Ray Caesar and Trevor Brown have always influenced me. A lot of prepara on goes into your shoots with set designs, to help create your inspiring and beau ful photos. With your ar s c talents would you consider yourself an ar st and not just a photographer? I do some mes feel a bit disconnected from other photographers because I am not Interested in just capturing reality in the way a lot of photographers do; I prefer to create new and alternate reali es. The world depresses me so this is my way of escaping. So, in that sense I guess I would class myself as more of an ar st. If pressed where would you categorise yourself in the photography world, par cularly genre wise? And why so? I think that I’m somewhere in between fashion and fine art, although I have been swaying more to fashion lately as it's something I can see a future in as opposed to fine art.

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Your first love is the studio but also work occasionally on loca on, finding stunning derelict buildings, curious dated rooms, and baron scenes. What draws you to such loca ons, and what do you generally look for in loca ons? I've always been drawn to abandoned houses and buildings, especially ones with lots of history, in my spare me I do some urban explora on and I find it quite surreally peaceful wandering around these buildings trying to imagine all the things the walls must have seen. My favourite loca ons are always historic manor houses and similar with beau ful architecture and interiors, I’m always contac ng such places in hope that they'll let me shoot there, I love baroque and rococo architecture and my dream loca on would be Versailles.

What do you prefer about studio work? I like the studio because of how much control you have, studio ligh ng gives you much more op ons than shoo ng on loca on, and I love building sets because of the inﬁnite possibili es (given the me and resources)

On average, how long do your shoots last? It depends, I’m a fairly fast shooter once I know the shots I need to get, and on shoot days it's usually hair, makeup and clothes that takes the longest. On some of the Tim Burton shoots for my FMP I only needed around half an hour to actually shoot the images, but the other prepara ons took a couple of hours. I'd say usually about 4 hours with everything else included.

What equipment do you use? I had a Canon EOS 350d up un l about 2 months ago when I invested in a Canon EOS 7d which I’m s ll ge ng to grips with! The 350d was a perfect entry level camera and I couldn't recommend it more to people wan ng to start out. Lens wise I use a Sigma 24mm f/1.8, Sigma 10-20mm and a Lensbaby Muse with plas c and glass op cs and i also own a whole load of ﬁlm cameras. If I’m shoo ng on loca on I prefer to use available light, so I don't own any ﬂash guns, and I’m currently saving towards my own ligh ng kit.

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The Lensbaby lenses feature heavily in your work, how do you feel it aids your voice and crea vity? I'm a huge Lensbaby fan, I love the dreamy quality it gives which is hard to replicate in post produc on. The way I use my Lensbaby seems to be a lot more subtle than other lensbaby users, I think just slight blurring on the edges can be beau ful!

There is a delicacy between dark and eerie, and roman cism with your work and you choose models to capture that perfectly. What do you look for in possible models? Allison Harvard from ANTM cycle 12 is my dream model, I love models with doll-like quali es (Lily Cole, Gemma Ward, Jessica Stam...) but they're quite a rare breed. Peggy Soo who i regularly work with has an adorable china doll face though! Mostly, I like models to be reliable and easy to get on with if I like someone I tend to work with them frequently.

Do you have an overall theme or subject with your photography? I'd say the obvious: pre y ladies in pre y clothes. Of course, it's much deeper than that, I have an aﬃnity with bygone eras (speciﬁcally Victorian - 1930s) and I think my work o en nods to that. I'm also fascinated by the early methods of photography and I’m looking into learning more about them, I’m currently looking into workshops on wet plate collodion as this is something I’m seriously interested in, although only me will tell if I have the pa ence for such precise and complex work.

Having an on-going educa on in photography, how do you feel this aids you? Would you recommend others wan ng to go into photography to pursue knowledge through educa on over self-taught? I think it depends on the person, it was a natural progression for me, studying has given me the me and space to hone my skills and prepare myself for ge ng a business together/freelancing (I haven't decided which I’ll do yet) Photography isn't really something you can learn in a classroom, you learn more by actually going out and doing it so for some people (also considering the rise in tui on fees) it wouldn't really be necessary to do a degree. A lot of very successful photographers are self taught!

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Let’s end our interview on the future, what are your aims for it and where do you see yourself in 5 years’ me? This has always been a hard one for me, since I’ve been passionate about photography for such a long me I o en thought I’d be happy just owning my own studio with regular business; but recently I’ve had tutors telling me I could do so much more and really make it in photography. I'm currently at a stage where I need to start making some decisions, I have a year le of my educa on and deciding which route to take is proving to be a hard one.

Image Credits: Image 1: Model: Lexi Sexx. Clothing: Lovechild Boudoir & Pearls and Swine Image 2: Model:Tanya Townley. Make-up: Alice Birchmore. Clothing: Laura Ruxton Image 3: Model :Li le Soﬁ .Make-up: Alice Birchmore. Clothing :Laura Ruxton Image 4: Model: Adelina Le Shay. Make-up: Alice Birchmore. Clothing: Lovechild Boudoir Image 5: Model: Bam Bam Blue. Make-up: Alice Birchmore. Clothing: Lovechild Boudoir Image 6: Model: Biomechanina. Image 7: Model: Ruby Henderson. Make-up: Alice Birchmore. Clothing: Falcieri Designs

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Interview by Jasia Li le.

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KITTY THE BOO Interview by Jasia Li le

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You began modelling a er being invited to join Faint Fascina ons and doing a few shoots, tell us a bit about your me star ng out and your experiences . For me, being invited to join FF was the start of a whole other side of me that I didn't know existed. I was very body conscious and afraid that people would laugh at me when I told them I had started modelling, but only at ﬁrst - the more shoots I did the more conﬁdence I gained, and the more friends I made too! I've not come across many people in the industry who I haven't go en along with, there's been no horror stories, and only a few shoots when there just hasn't been a really rapport with the photographer. I've been very lucky with the people I've met so far!

How long have you been modelling for now and how do you think you’ve developed since then? I have been modelling around 2 and a half years, but I started off very slowly. I had a few shoots here and there but it was all very sporadic; it's only in the past 6 months that I've began trying to get myself a name in the industry and get myself out there more. I've found that as soon as I applied myself more opportuni es keep cropping up - just shows what you can accomplish with a li le effort! I think my style has definitely developed, although I like to try different things on each shoot, I think I'm ge ng my own definite 'look', and of course my confidence and posing has come on leaps and bounds.

You’re mainly an alterna ve model but would like to branch out into catwalk, what success have you found with is? And how do you expect it enhance your modelling work? I expect catwalk will enhance my modelling because I'm very much into the performing arts, and catwalk to me is very much a performance piece. Your job is to show oﬀ the garment, but it's not as easy as just standing there and looking pre y, you have to move with it and really get into a character if you want to sell the piece to the audience. I'm next going to be on the catwalk and Slap & Tickle in Leeds on 13th August wearing a design from Fetasia Latex, and I'm extremely excited to be a part of the show!

So far your modelling career has branched into Gothic, fe sh, and alterna ve in general, and your appearance follows this. Would you say you live an alterna ve lifestyle? I'd say I live an en rely boring life! I like to get in from work, do some housework, and se le down with a good book! Although saying that I am very much into my music, and Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)

you could say my tastes in media in general are alterna ve. Around the house I'm happy slobbing about in t-shirt and jeans, much to my partner's distress, I fear. I do like to try and keep an alterna ve look even when I'm just si ng around recovering from a heavy night out, but some mes I fail and end up in jogging bo oms.. Don't tell anyone..!

In some of your photos we no ce you have some striking ta oos, being an ar st myself, what made you choose renaissance art? A far cry from the normal alterna ve scene. I chose the pieces for my backpiece purely based on my reac on when I first saw them. I have always known I was going to get ta oos, not least because my dad's covered in them, but un l my early teens I had no idea what I wanted, really. I knew I loved Ancient Egypt (something which will soon be evident when I get my first sleeve started!), but I had no fixed plans. Then while researching a school project aged 13 for Art I came across the works of Bo celli, and his Madonna and the Five Angels just made me gasp. I just find his work so beau ful and I knew as soon as I saw it that I wanted it on my skin. I have two pieces by Bo celli with plans for more!

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What other plans do you have in rela on to your appearance to aid your alterna ve modelling career progress? I plan on keeping my hairdresser busy! I have stuck with very 'normal' hair colours throughout my modelling: plum, black, brown, red... But I recently had bright purple, which was something I used to love before I started modelling, and although I didn't get to shoot whilst it was vibrant, it did make me realise that it can change my en re look just by having something a li le diďŹ&#x20AC;erent going on with my hair. I plan on ge ng a couple of piercings, but to be honest, I think there are a lot of girls out there who look beau ful covered in piercings, but I just don't think it would suit me! My labret is enough! I do plan on MANY more ta oos, though, with plans for two full sleeves, a thigh piece, another piece on my ribs, and work on my calves. The only thing I haven't planned for is a chest piece!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years me? And where would you like to see yourself then? I see myself hopefully having completed a degree, something which I haven't previously been able to do due to ill health, and building my career in modelling. I would love to model part me properly, rather than just every now and then, and maybe with a view (if I'm successful enough!) full me with full agency representa on. I would like to be happy, healthy, and s ll having tons of fun modelling. And hopefully married if my partner ever gets round to asking me!!

Image 1. Photography by Black Orchard Photography Image 2. Photography by Brian McGowan Image 3.Photography by BIGRADART PHOTOGRAPHY, Edi ng by JEZEBEL HAYZE

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S J WALTON PHOTOGRAPHY Interview by Jasia Li le When did you ini ally get into photography and what were your main inspira ons? I first started as a photographer when I was at university, so I was maybe 18, a li le late In comparison to some. My father bought me a NIkon F55 and I didn't want to stop using it, i spent most of my wages on 35mm and the processing but it was worth it. I never really had any influences at the me, I guess I was just inspired by things around me, the countryside of Cumbria, where I was studying, is beyond beau ful. Though nowadays I love nu-wave, lo-fi photographers such a Rosie Hardy ( beau ful conceptual ar st) and Steve Ska e (my epitome of emo ve photography).

What are your main passions in photography and what inﬂuences these? I adore portraiture, it's the only true photographic genre that is completely unique. With people being ever changing subjects it means everyone i work with is diﬀerent, from size zero models to a week old baby. My own personal desire to be working with people pushes me to be ever more crea ve and abstract with the faces that grace my lens.

Are you driven by your audience in your work or your own crea vity, or even both? I suppose a mixture of both. I would never like to be considered a sell-out but I appreciate the need to sell my photography to keep what I do, on a professional level, viable. So I would create images that are more 'consumer friendly' than personal. But on the other side I do get clients reques ng to work with because of my por olio so it allows me to drive my crea vity and give them a piece of my imagina on.

How much does your subject inﬂuence what you do? quite heavily indeed, any good photographer should give you the same answer. You have to see how best to photograph your subject whether it be a portrait or landscape, low angle images don't really work on plus sized models even if you love the empowering symbolism so you have to be willing to change ideas and adapt to get the best from your subject.

What advice would you give to other photographers who want to set themselves up as a business? Be wary, there are many wannabes out there. Lots of people with expensive DSLR cameras and lots of high brand equipment don't mean anything if they can't compose an image or light it correctly. Working for free as a beginner sounds worrying, but some mes you have to bend before you break through. I spent many years photographing landscapes and selling the images cheaply just to cover costs and other mes I would work for free if I thought the job oﬀered poten al paid work in the future. Either way I Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)

Your photography tends to be black and white or muted tones, is this generally your preference? mostly yes, I'm not too much of a fan of saturated colour I feel it looks to much like a snap in the street and depending on where a photograph is taken too many colours can be distrac ng from the subject. Whereas a thought through colour format I.e. Black and White or colorised tones or muted colours makes the image look more heavily stylised and more professional.

Do you ﬁnd there’s a calling for black and white photography generally in your work? With weddings and portraiture there is always people who love black and White photographs, they say they love the meless look of it, which makes me laugh as the purpose of any photograph should date and become memory, this is why we take them, to keep hold of those memories that we'd otherwise forget. Monotone images are more ﬂa ering to the skin tone and more focused on the emo on of the subject, which in my work of emo ve photography is key.

Photoshop is a large discussion point in the photography world, with views varying from believing it’s over used and an excuse for poor skill with photography technique, to it being an aid for pushing the photos that extra step. Where do you stand on these points? a good photographer uses photoshop to improve his/her images. A bad photographer uses photoshop to save his/her images. I agree with the ﬁrst statement, I can use it quite heavily in my work but ﬁrstly I'm very skill full in using it so my images aren't overcooked or degraded and secondly I use it to combine my photography and »

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my other love of graphic design together to create an illustra on of mixed media.

Where you self-taught or have a formal educa on/appren ceship in photography? Ini ally I was self taught, I read books and books and more books, looked through hundreds of websites to generate a bank ligh ng techniques that I subsequently tried out with my models. But over me I decided to work for studios where I gained more experience in ligh ng, composi on and just as importantly, the business of photography.

Where would you like your photography to go, what are your aims and aspira ons for the future? My aims are always high! I would love to travel abroad more there are some phenomenal people I would love to photograph, I want to try and capture them in a totally unique way, something that would make people stop and ques on it. I saw an image of David Beckham once and though I recognised him I adored the abstract way in how he'd been photographed, it made me read more about the ar cle. I would love people to see 'celebri es' in a new light, show the world that they aren't all one trick ponies, we have a human side, which is no diďŹ&#x20AC;erent from you or I.

For more of SJ Waltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photography visit: h p://www.sjwaltonphotography.co.uk/

Image 1. Model Cara Franco. Image 2. Model Miss Ingwer. Image 3. Model Miss Ingwer.

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Impressions Gallery

Words by Cat Westgarth

Studio exhibi on: Gentlemen of Bradford The objec ve of Gentlemen of Bradford is to demonstrate how fashion and image can be interconnected with forms of male iden ty. The idea is inspired by the book Gentlemen of BaCongo, about the stylish and smartly dressed dandies of the Congo, who use fashion to represent their dis nc ve personali es. It is shot by rising star photographer Paul Floyd Blake (winner of the 2009 Na onal Portrait Gallery Taylor Wessing Award). Blake, like Ballard, calls himself a documentary photographer. He has previously chronicled the lives of Bradfordians in a mission to grasp how environment links to sense of self.

The collec on is arranged in a higgledypiggledy manner, appearing like pictures of a day trip with friends pinned upon a fridge. They depict 6 teenage lads; Mohammed, Ramzan, Mohammed, Ali, Bailey and Hasam, caught on camera during their day-to-day ac vi es including weight li ing and snooker playing. Outside, one basks in his Lady Gaga glasses. Another young man models his expensive looking cardigan in a vogue-esque shoot. They yearn to be treated as individuals and are considered so here. Each gentleman is photographed in a diﬀerent loca on, in diﬀerent clothes to his predecessor. In accompanying quotes scru nizing their thoughts about fashion and individuality, one deplores the unsightly blazers they are forced to wear at school. (He complains they contradict the schools message that all kids are unique and diverse.) At a me when Bradford has received its fair share of bad press, it’s hard not to be charmed by the casual and joyous tone these pictures evoke. The exhibi on con nues un l 27th August 2011.

Visit: h p://www.impressions-gallery.com/news/ news.php?id=62 h p://art.yorkshire.com/ar sts/paul-ﬂoydblake h p://art.yorkshire.com/exhibi ons/ gentlemen-of-bradford

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Impressions Gallery

Words by Cat Westgarth

The Prospect of Immortality Murray Ballard Art’s allegedly two biggest themes are sex and death. Murray Ballard reflects on one of them, but this me it comes with a technical twist. Alone, without the QR transcript (available at the entrance), the pictures are baffling. There’s a sleeping bag held upright in a steel case. A chest draped with medical pumps on a living room floor. A dummy rests on a sheet over pebbles outside a suburban house. Then, there’s a lone picture of an elderly man Robert E nger. He’s relaxing on a sofa, Zimmerframe at the ready, reading a book en tled ‘Exceeding orders’. Followed by this, we see a tank labelled refrigerated liquid nitrogen. A pump from it leads through a darkened doorway into a huge Ikea-size warehouse and suddenly, we’ve entered the secret world of cryonics.

The only way cryonics had previously been represented to me was in The Simpsons and Aus n Powers (i.e. not in the best light). I considered it a scien st’s daydream, an imagina ve narra ve arc in a 1950’s sci-ﬁ novel. But heaven’s no child. Cryonics is real! And happening. So, if you’re wondering what the hell I’m talking about or only have a slight grasp of the facts, here’s the lowdown.

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Cryonics is a prac ce intended to extend lifespan. Pa ents are cooled on moment of death to liquid nitrogen temperature (196 ⁰c) so as to avoid ssue damage. They are next bundled to either Detroit, Sco sDale, Arizona (The Alcor Life Extension Founda on), or Russia if you fancy it, where they are pickled inside a sleeping bag and stored in a thermos flask called a Dewar. Those involved are confident that future scien fic procedures will be able to revive and restore the pa ents to youth and good health. As Robert E nger, in his original book, The Prospect of Immortality (1962) explained ‘‘Temporary death’ is like ‘having another period under aesthesia in hospital’. The pa ent, a er feeling a bit groggy and going for a long piss, will be in the body of their choice, subject to their contract. He ‘will have the physique of Charles Atlas if he wants it.’ Yes, I’ve always wondered how it would feel to have a sack and willy to swing about or the body of a lobster. The pa ent will then be educated and integrated into society. E nger declares today “a frozen pa ent will probably have to wait anywhere between 50 to 150 years”. As cryonic.org claims, this is based on the current development of nanotechnology — the manipula on of individual atoms or molecules. Scien sts hope it will eventually build or repair virtually any physical object, including human cells and biological ssue, as well as cellular and organic damage caused by disease and aging. Even Robert A. Freitas, author of three-volume text Nanomedicine has publicly stated, "I would not be surprised if the first cryonics revival was a empted by 2040-2050." But what are the philosophical implica ons of bringing someone back from the dead? Aaron Drake is Alcor’s Medical Response Director, pictured kneeling next to a quilted canoe, actually an ice bath to stop ‘cell death’. He relays a remarkable theory on how many deaths a person undertakes un l they are well and truly wiped out. There are 3. Clinical death is when the heart stops bea ng but can be revived. Legal death is when the heart can no longer be re-started. Then there’s theore cal death as Drake explains, “We really believe that the memory, the iden ty, the personality of the brain is more like that of hard-drive on a computer. It doesn’t go away once you’ve turned it off...they may be able to be turned on at some point in the future.” Funnily enough robot butlers and flying skateboards are not enough consola on for the loss of loving someone you know so as of July 1, 2011, there are 78 Pets in Cryostasis and 51 Pet Tissue/DNA Samples. 200 people are preserved worldwide with 1000 more signed up. With the Cryonics ins tute claiming the cost will only set you back $28,000, what’s not to love?

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By reading the QR Code Transcrip on (or you can use their smartphone-ac vated QR tags) the meanings behind the pictures are revealed. The medical box full of pumps is used to wash out the pa ents’ blood and replace it with cryoprotec ve fluids. (Frozen blood equals ssue damage; an ache you hardly need upon awakening.) We are introduced to prospec ve pa ents. Margaret Kiseleva clutches a photograph of her mother Ludmila. Her explana on for her mother’s cryonic freezing is sweet. ‘If there are people on the earth that are worthy to live in the future, then it is my mother.’ The transcript of Maria Camacho’s statement, reads like a poem. Clearly an ambi ous lady she wishes ‘to be a common god’. She is ‘scared of death, loving life’, and is willing to try anything to avoid it. Trying to escape me, she ar culates she will be able to live hundreds and hundreds of years ‘through the aeons, me might find me, undying eyes looking at the world’. Good luck there. My favourite photographs are when Ballard pinpoints the fine details of such an adventure. There are flowers kept in containers for the ‘dead’ to receive upon awakening. (Wouldn’t they be be er

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being made of plas c?) One has a note reading “For Rosie...We hope to see you again.” Presumably they’ve booked the family cket.

Another is the image of the DNA archive in the home of David and Ellen Styles of Maccelesfield in Cheshire (it’s not just deluded/ curious delete-where-you-like Americans but us too!) I like the immediacy of the four hand-wri en labelled jars. Each has a name e.g. David Styles, and then what it is – a Cheek Swab for the DNA archive. They are a ‘safety net’. The idea is if you’re blown up in an airplane crash, your clone could be implanted with memories from your journal and filing draw. The Styles believe “people cannot tell the difference between a real memory and an implanted one”, which would make me feel like a shadow of a human being. The couple op mis cally argue “there’s no down side to it...we’d like to be able to say at least we tried”. Oooh fiddles cks, my mind is (I’m almost embarrassed to admit) star ng to change. One thing that does detract me is how the bodies are treated in ‘suspension’. We move on to Russia, where Ballard has taken pictures of duffle body bags in sparse cold looking rundown buildings. They look odd, as if they’ve just been discarded by the Russian Mafia, a long way from the spotless surroundings in Arizona. Though can we really be too me culous about this when the alterna ve is a wooden box in the dirt?

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There’s a lot going against it. Can you really rely on these guys to implant the right memories? What if you accidently woke up as Jeffery Archer? Wouldn’t the irresis ble shot to the head render the whole process pointless? Perhaps science will make a breakthrough. Maybe it will become commonplace. You’ll get 5% off your first preserva on when you buy a McDonalds Quarter-Pounder. Those on benefits will get an extra £20 a week for cryonic allowances. Jeremy Kyle will be recording shows such as ‘Did you have an affair whilst I was temporarily dead?’ while child birth will become old-fashioned and eventually illegal. Un l then we are only at the mercy of our curiosity. The cryonics word is s ll shrouded in secrecy. Ballard admits he had to be objec ve in his photographic documenta on - one false move and he would have been black listed. In fact, as his old university tutor notes, he is the first known photographer to have been given such an opportunity to thoroughly inves gate this li le known world. He first thought about taking up the subject in his second year at Brighton, and went full steam ahead in his third. As well as visi ng Peacehaven, he was awarded a grant to visit the USA 5 mes and Russia 3. His use of a large format field camera (so large a tripod is needed) and his admission that each picture was processed at £8 meant, in his words, that it ‘focused the mind...it forces you to do most of your ‘edi ng’ at the me rather than later on a computer screen.’ Ballard calls Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)

himself a documentary photographer, ‘with only occasional direc on for composi onal purposes.’ He is also objec ve with his photographic technique, calling his pictures ‘democra c images’. By avoiding using selec ve focus, the whole image is sharp and all components are awarded equal importance. About the prospect of cryonic preserva on, Ballard is undecided. Perhaps a ‘sleep’ in a cold duﬄe-bag will be the ul mate way of showing his dedica on to the subject. As one cryonist said to him – “you’ll need to be cryonically preserved in order to ﬁnish your photography project.” Always on the look-out for new members. The ques on for me it not how or even when, but why? In a mid-life crisis, clearly a Rolls Royse is no longer enough to cleanse the soul of thwarted aspira ons. If you can’t do everything this me around, there’s always the next. For me, if you want to chase immortality, it comes from what you do in the me you’ve got rather than how long you can extend that me. So, thank you very much Mr Ballard. There’s nothing like being reminded of your own fading mortality to give you a kick up the arse.

Fascina ng fact n⁰ 1: ‘The pa ents’ head is stored at the bo om [during long term storage, so] should disaster occur, their feet would be the first to suffer exposure, then their head the last.’ Liquid nitrogen is refilled on a weekly basis and does not need electricity to operate. Fascina ng fact n⁰ 2: A neuro-pa ent is a person who only has their head cryonically preserved. Fascina ng fact n⁰ 3: Peacehaven has the UK’s only decapita on facility.

Visit www.impressions-gallery.com for more informa on. Please give your support to Arts Council England, a registered charity who funds the Impressions Gallery. For the curious, have a read of the books on the side-table. All photos are the copyright of Impressions Gallery The exhibi on ﬁnishes on 17th September.

Words by Cat Westgarth

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Words & imagery by Bee Lee Review of ‘Jean-Marc Bustamante’ show at Henry Moore Ins tute, Leeds. 21st April 2011 - 26th June 2011

With the first review of this columnists virgin career, I was in dire need of a subject ma er; something that is rather surprisingly hard to find in a world filled with the trite excesses and arrogant and ill-advised forays into the art world. There was very li le that provoked my interest, be it posi ve or nega ve, that would allow me to get past the first most crucial sentence. And then I arrived at an exhibi on that I knew I could write about. One that I found slightly endearing at first, but ul mately le with a feeling of being patronized and pushed out in my a empt to understand what in the hell the ar sts was trying to achieve. The gallery in ques on, the Henry Moore Ins tute, was sadly underused in this par cular exhibi on of Jean-Marc Bustamante's exhibi on, tritely tled “Dead Calm”. The kind of calm and dead silence I received when asking other gallery visitors what they thought of the sum of the ar st’s endeavors. As you first enter what you hope to be an intelligent and thought provoking commentary on the dire and imploding world around each of us (however crass that may actually sound), you are greeted with a set of large scale aesthe c constructs, ie. Pictures, set s ffly upon the white walls of the ins tute that do very li le to distract the public from their somewhat blind love affair with the painted picture. In fact, a handful of visitors to the gallery whom I witnessed myself were quite disappointed that they hadn’t actually arrived to witness glorious pain ngs of untold beauty. But merely moments in me and memory captured in a vain hope of crea ng something deep and meaningful out of the normal and usual. The photographs themselves, both on the wall and set into what rather pla tudinous-ly resemble cardboard boxes, le me personally with a great sense of being under whelmed. As though I vaguely understood what the ar st was trying to say, but his approach and insensi ve “Throwing together” of simple and substandard pieces le me with a feeling of complete aliena on from the ar sts. I no longer wanted to understand, the boredom and closed mindedness having set in at the discovery of

what the ar st deemed “‘Bac à sable II’, or a “Sand Pit”, set rather incongruously in the middle of the floor like a cavity in the earth. The room at large not having been u lized to its full poten al, I found the sandpit jarring, adding very li le to the overall theme of the ar st’s work. The ar sts a empts to provide a commentary on the solitary and silent, a somewhat naïve sugges on of the morbid beyond the camera lens could have, some would argue, been enhanced by his slapdash, disjointed a empts to display what overall was quite a disappoin ng collec on of pieces. But on a more personal note, I found myself distracted not by the work, as each new sensory experience and sugges on of representaon took my focus away from the work at hand, but how in fact the pieces could have been displayed most effecvely. This wasn’t even my job, but I felt somewhat le out of the private experience the ar st had with his work, and felt as though I were merely mentally cura ng an ar st’s private musings. Evidently a creature of normality, Bustamante’s brief was clear; to convey an “extraordinary ordinariness that allows us see its subject, the natural and the built worlds around us, in a new way. Whether object or image, Bustamante's works operate as holes in our percep on. The exhibi on's tle, Dead Calm, derives from the ar st's predilec on for the fine days of summer, and links to the idea of a final res ng place. Despite their coolness and apparent detachment, the exhibi on and accompanying text suggest that these works bring us close to something morbid; to the cemetery or tomb. Empty spaces - photographs of the abandoned breeze-block building foundaons of summer villas and pools, boxes or frames - have in ma ons which go beyond the purely aesthe c.” Pardon my need to borrow an explana on for the Henry Moore website itself, but when endeavoring to explain what exactly I was looking at, I found it difficult to come up with anything other than “a waste of me”. What I saw in the gallery itself, despite how well explained the ins tute deem it, and how deep and meaningful they like to believe that it was, was nothing more than the derelic on and wil ng trees that could be seen if one took a moment to just look out of the window. Take a moment right now to do so. I’ll just sit here, twiddling my thumbs and humming a jaunty tune. “Doo do da doo do do doo. Da doo da doo doo. Da doo da doo doo da da doo do do”

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Words by Cat Westgarth

The Na onal Media Museum The Lives of Great Photographers

What makes a photographer great? Their personality? Adding something new and memorable to the story of photography? Both, this exhibi on argues. It infuses informed commentary on the experimental beginnings of photography in the mid-19th century to the work of 20th century icons such as Bill Brandt and Tony Ray-Jones along with fascina ng insights into their backgrounds, iden es and inspira ons. Each ar st is presented alongside 3 or 4 par cularly notable pictures. There is also, for those interested in the technical side, relics of equipment. Most cap va ng to me is the wet plate collodion camera from 1860 - not to be taken on holiday. Noteworthy photos for me include the incredibly detailed landscapes of Fay Godwin. Her moody black and white images deliver an emo onal depth she so obviously associated with the Bri sh countryside. We learn she was a keen environmentalist, became president of the Ramblers’ Associa on and campaigned against the destruc on of the countryside in addi on to championing the ‘right to roam’. The contextualisa on of the photographs makes them all the more poignant and rewarding to hear of her passion for the subject. Another favourite is Eadweard Muybridge’s images of people and animals in mo on. Next to his Horse in Mo on pictures, the accompanying paragraph tells how Muybridge’s inven ve idea created an iconic image in photography. ‘Muybridge developed a system of 12 electrically tripped cameras. These were placed in regular intervals alongside the racetrack and as the horse galloped passed it trigged each camera...” Thus an accurate portrayal of the running horse was caught and changed the way ar sts drew horses forever. Another excep onal addi on includes Robert Capa’s ambiguous Spanish Civil war image of a dying man. Did he capture the ﬁrst person to be murdered on camera or was it a set-up to gain notoriety?

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There are even snippets from Tony Ray-Jones’s notebook, a man who caught the ‘swinging’ six es on celluloid. A selected page from 1965 – 1969 reads; Approach – be more aggressive take simpler pictures, don’t take boring pictures… This exhibi on is an enthralling lesson in photography. It should be of interest to budding photographers and anyone who is remotely interested in the concep on of great art.

Creator: Ainslie Ellis. Contact sheet of portraits of Tony Ray-Jones c. 1970. © Na onal Media Museum/SSPL courtesy of Anna Ray-Jones

On un l 4th September 2011 Gallery One, Free Admission Visit www.na onalmediamuseum.org.uk/GreatPhotographers

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Leeds Art Gallery

Words by Cat Westgarth

ARTIST ROOMS: Damien Hirst Leeds lad Damien Hirst’s long overdue perspec ve in his home town has finally arrived. Since he first enthralled the art scene with his beasts in formaldehyde, countless discussions, programmes and books have been dedicated to his work. It is then compelling to finally see the work in the jellied flesh. With his speciality in death, the two most outstanding pieces are what Hirst does best: his installa ons. First is the startlingly original ‘Away from the Flock’. A dead lamb never looked so graceful. The other is his recrea on of the No ng Hill restaurant Pharmacy which is laced with hanging skeletons and pill designed wallpaper. With work cherry picked from over 20 years, some from private collec ons and the sheer variety in mediums from sculpture to collage to pain ng, this show is worth the hype.

© Damien Hirst. All rights reserved, DACS 2009 Showing un l 30 October 2011 Free Admission 0113 247 8256 www.leeds.gov.uk/artgallery Situated on The Headrow, Leeds, next to the Central Library and Town Hall.

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PAM BROADHURST

PRESENT

THEIR

... JESS CALVERT ... JENNIE

HOLLIE HARKIN ... CAT

SQUARE ART

GALLERY, THORNTON

L E G

NIGHT THURS 25th AUGUST

BUT, ON ALL

THROUGH

SALLY WILFORD

OPENING

7 – 9 PM

WESTGARTH ...

AT SOUTH

CRAWFORD ...

EXHIBITION

AUGUST!

O M South Square Centre, South Square, Thornton, Bradford, BD13 3LD 01274 834747 info@southsquarecentre.co.uk www.southsquarecentre.co.uk

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Extra Leg Room are pleased to host their second exhibi on at South Square Gallery following their successful debut last summer. They are a group of 5 emerging ar sts from the West Yorkshire area who met during their art degree at Bradford College. The show consists of a variety of artwork including print, paint, tex les and ceramics. The event opens a dialogue about the human condi on, exploring themes such as the sublime, self-representa on, poverty, ‘madness’/ normality and male iden ty. The name Extra Leg Room comes from an adver sing leaﬂet extolling the spacious comforts of ﬁrst class travel. Join the ar sts as they stretch their legs for a second me. Pam Broadhurst Jennie Crawford Hollie Harkin Cat Westgarth Sally Wilford Contact: South Square Centre, South Square, Thornton, Bradford, BD13 3LD 01274 834747 info@southsquarecentre.co.uk www.southsquarecentre.co.uk

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A selec on of work by Cat Westgarth. For more work please visit the show at South Square!

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Exhibi on at South Square, Thornton

Edge of the Moor Black Edge Farm lies at the edge of Thornton Moor. In the past, farmers here kept ca le and a few sheep, un l the land was acquired and the farms fell into ruin. My work celebrates the harsh life of the Thornton Moor farmers and dwellers and the beauty of the open land; sublime indiﬀerence of nature to man’s predicament. Exhibi on in Unit 9 (oﬀ the café), South Square, Thornton, 3rd – 30th September 2011 Jennie Crawford, Thornton jennie@maltkiln.co.uk Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)

Photography by Adam Ashley

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Photography by Adam Ashley

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Photography by Jasia Li le AK

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A Wednesday Li le Photography

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Photography by Adam Ashley

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Photography by Adam Ashley

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Interested

Contributing?

Writers.Ar sts.Poets.Designers.Sculptors.Models.Illustrators.Photographers.Etc.

An Body magazine runs off your submissions, we are a none profit online magazine and so accept submissions and in exchange give free online publicity and exposure through our magazine and/or via our blog/website/facebook page/pdfs etc. At the moment we’re looking for an assortment of submissions, from reviews on art/ music/events/etc. to ar cles on similar topics, event photos, artwork, photography, and interviews with people of interest etc. We are constantly looking for ar sts, models, photographers, people with crea ve talent to interview, so get in touch! Currently we’re looking for regular writers to submit and work with. Next submission deadline: 21st October 2011 At the moment we are only an online magazine and thus cannot provide a hard copy of the magazine, we are though happy to send through a print quality PDF through. General info -Include your contact details -A brief introduc on of yourself and your work, what you want to do or are sugges ng (e.g. you want to write a review of a local art show) -Include all credits, so with photos-photographer, model, make up ar st, clothing designer, hair stylist, loca on etc., with ar sts work please include tle, medium, name etc. -An URL to your website (flickr, blogspot, wordpress etc. welcome)-Wri en work

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What we’re looking for - Fine ar sts, ar sts of all areas, illustrators, photographers, videographers, models, writers, designers (clothes, jewellry, graphics, etc.) to interview - Writers, to do interviews, reviews and ar cles - Images, photos, artwork with brief statement or a few sentences about work. (We aim to use the magazine also as a form of exhibi on and way to promote your work) - Musicians, bands etc. to interview and promote - Event photos and reviews - Cover art/photos/etc. -Got some ideas? Send them through to an bodymag@gmail.com Image speciﬁca ons -Simply named so they can easily be matched to the ar cle/review/interview -High resolu on photos only - JPG ﬁles preferable. -When submi ng photos you must have copyright of them, or wri en permission (model release form etc.) to have rights to the photos.

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