OF
THE
OBJ.ETC 00 / 2013 / uk £4.50 US $9.99 / AUS $13.50
CURATION
ARTS
OBJ ETC A CURATION OF THE ARTS
SUMMER 2012
ISSUE ZERO
OB . ET
.CON
TENTS 2 10 12 18 22 24 26 28 30 32 36 37 40 42
Meet Martel Art director Emma Lloyd teams up with photographer Etienne Laine for an Edie Sedgwick inspired shoot.
Spank Bank Exploring the world of pornography and the subsequent results it leaves, inspired by an episode of True Blood.
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When I Grow up OBJ.ETC attends Alternative Fashion Week and praises the creations of designer Curro Sanchez.
Victoria Cadisch OBJ.ETC’s latest obsession, Victoria Cadisch, contributes a self written narrative of how she found herself a home in this world of image manipulation. Thatcher’s Gold An interview with acoustic musician, Isobel Thatcher, on what life is like for a country born girl in the cut throat music scene of today. Lily Wedge Photography Talented photographer Lily Wedge elaboates her photography skills throughout our issue zero.
Sheep in East OBJ.ETC describes the appeal of the very trendy, East London and the people who frequent it.
Reality vs Fantasy Taking a different kind of approach at reviewing the film ‘Take Shelter’ by sharing experiences and emotions felt throughout viewing. The Accessorized Burger Ben Lifton makes his feelings blatantly clear when he describes his adventure to the Byron Burger restaurant.
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Easy Skanking A look into the glamorization of drug taking in contemporary music and cinema.
The Real Fresh Meat OBJ.ETC uses the newly featured British Tv series, ‘Fresh Meat’ to educate those unknowing, on how to get through freshers unscathed and without an unfortunate nickname.
Thapa Abstract photographer Benjamin Thapa talks about growing up and his style of work, featuring his shoot ‘Breath & Air’.
Groupies OBJ.ETC reports on how best to tackle those frustrating moments, when you’re expected evening of listening to pleasurable music, is interrupted by fakes and wannabes. Josh Chow A taster of this young aspiring photographer’s work in a series of three striking images.
DIRECTORS NOTES This is issue zero of OBJ.ETC, a quarterly culture
a good thing” and that is exactly the way we feel
magazine for the cutting-edge, creative people
here at OBJ.ETC! It is about feeling a certain way
in this world (hopefully you are one of them!) It is
about something and then saying how you truly
a curation of the arts, of artistic works and artists
feel about it. We may seem sarcastic and possi-
in our society. Just like the definition of the word
bly blunt at a first glance but once you scratch
object, our magazine aims to evoke a focus of
the surface to OBJ.ETC’s witty humour you get to
attention,
action.
see real people, real art and real life as it is really
This introductory issue was one of celebrating
is..SHIT..only kidding. Our small team of worka-
freedom of speech. As Herodotus once quoted
holics may come across like opinionated moan-
“It is clear, that not in one thing alone, but in
ers but we are just a bunch of creative people
many ways equality and freedom of speech are
searching for originality and maybe telling some
feeling,
thought
or
stories along the way. Focusing on up and coming artists, OBJ.ETC finds the strange, the weird and the wonderful, hidden in our society. With a quiet, crisp design juxtaposed by the harsh real tone HOLLY CARTER, EDITOR, OBJ.ETC MAGAZINE
of OBJ.ETC’s voice, there is a sense of mystery brought to our first issue, posing curiosity to our readers for the next.We have started by keeping you on your toes and we don’t plan on stopping.
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words. EMMA LLOYD //pictures. ETIENNE LAINE
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When photographer Etienne Laine joined forces with OBJ.ETC’s art director Emma Lloyd they set out creating a shoot that payed hom-
combination of digital and film, the end prod-
mage to the late Edie Sedgwick and drew in-
uct shows a series of intimate images captur-
pirstaion from dear Mr Warhols films. Using a
ing model; Lindsey Martel’s character and soul.
Meet Martel
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words. ANTONIA FORMOSA // illustration. AMBER EHLER
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‘It’s not TV. It’s HBO’ - As the 1996 slogan suggests, the premium cable television network has always referred to themselves as the cream of the crop. Their shows range from nail bitters to laugh out loud hysterics to complete mind fucks but are always very well written and meticulous with their details. True Blood is a four year old show belonging to HBO that in no way becomes the exception. Don’t be fooled with their tweeniebob/twilight subject matter of Vampires, Werewolves and everything supernaturally related. True Blood takes an avant-garde approach with their story telling by creating a society where Vampires are free from an isolated life-style and use their open existence as a new way to tackle racism and prejudice. In the midst of their many central themes, there seems to still be time for those racy, borderline soft core porn scenes that HBO has now become so famous for. One might even call such scenes, smut as they leave nothing to the imagination with their explicit, in your face, nature. Interestingly enough I find myself covering my eyes in such moments, a feeling of invasion overcomes me as though I’m a fourteen year old boy, hiding in a tree with binoculars whilst peeping into my neighbours window, trying to catch a glimpse of the MILF. I become the peeping tom, intruding on these characters most intimate and special time together; so I cover my eyes and feel shame. The paradox lies within the enjoyment I garner from watching unadulterat-
BANK
SPANK
ed porn where complete satisfaction is brought to me from an unsimulated, erotic mess of camera work and bad lighting. So why does the act of the character Bill Compton, tearing off Sookie’s underwear and images of them consummating their love, make me feel so uncomfortable whilst actively watching videos made purely to satisfy ones sexual desires turns me on? Is it the actual act of love making that makes it so unbearable, maybe porn has twisted my perspective on sex to the extent that I am unable to watch these passionate minutes. Or rather maybe now living in an x-rated, cyber society I have come to closely associate sex scenes of other characters with my own personal experiences of self-gratification. This leaves me unable to disassociate the television screens suggestive context with the lewd and filthy images, forever ingrained in the box in my brain labelled The Spank Bank.
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words. BEN LIFTON //pictures. HEATHER BOHNENSTIEHL and AYAN MOHAMED
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words. BEN LIFTON //pictures. HEATHER BOHNENSTIEHL and AYAN MOHAMED
WHEN I GROW UP
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The daunting question for any pre teen in this country, is ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ I will always remember what I answered, and to this day I still hold on to the prospect of being a pop star. Realistically its understandable that this is a more then obscene idea, and I have no real ambition to fulfill this childhood dream. However, when we grow through puberty, the question arises again. Only this time, your vocabulary has developed, and we mimic that of what our parents shove down our throats and regurgitate the phrase ‘I want to be a marine biologist’. In its essence, studying dolphins and sea creatures is apparently what the majority of young teens want to do when they grow up.
However, it is one thing to say you want to do this, and another to actually fulfill the dream. Despite never actually wanting to study marine biology, for armature fashion designer Francisco Sanchez, the topic of marine biology was the catalyst for his latest collection. The Alternative Fashion Week was a gateway for young designers to juxtapose trends, offering passers-by in Shoreditch shopping mall a fashionable alternative to their weekday lunch break. Sanchez’s collection made for a stand out slot in the weeklong show. Unlike many of the other designers, Sanchez delivered six key looks, ranging from elaborate dresses to more leisurely oversized jumpers. The hand painted patterns on each garment mirror that of all his work, hence imprinting his own trademark on the fashion industry already. These bold prints stood out over the efforts of Kathryn Braby, who’s hand cut paper leaves attached by pins seemed no more challenging then that of a GCSE textiles assignment. However talented these young designers appear to the naive onlooker, it is a long way to the top of the game for the likes of Sanchez. Regardless of what dream he had as a child, the current ambition he currently holds on to seems to be unfolding in his favor, and is certainly a designer to be aware of in the future.
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words. VICTORIA CADISCH //pictures. VICTORIA CADISCH
VICTORIA CADISCH
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Since I was really young I have always been interested in art. I grew up making things every day with my sister. We would draw pictures of people and sell them to our friends for 2p on the playground, and then at Christmas time we would sew small pieces of material together to make tree decorations. As I got older I started painting a lot and was inspired by surreal artists, in particular Salvador Dali. It was only when I discovered Flickr.com in 2007 that I realised that it was possible for me to create surreal images using a camera. I was amazed and excited by this online community of people, many of them my age or younger, who where uploading incredible and inspiring images which they had created with a camera and basic editing software. I new immediately that I had to try it! I got my first Canon DSLR camera for Christmas in 2008, along with Adobe Photoshop, and by this time my head was filled with a million ideas for photographs. I started out taking very basic images and getting a feel for how the camera worked and what it’s limitations were. Once I had figured out what I could do with natural lighting, I took simple images of my face and went to work manipulating the colours and textures. As I went on practicing editing, the most important thing I learnt was using layers. I could take a ton of different photographs and mould them all together, layer by layer, to make an image that would have been impossible to create just using a camera. I have come a long way since 2008 and I feel I have really developed a style that works well for me, informed by photographers such as Tim Walker, David LaChapelle and Rosie Hardy. I have also updated my camera and now shoot on a Canon 5D Mk II (his name is Albert and he is the love of my life!) I focus mainly on conceptual portraiture. I love working with the human face and body because it has the capacity to do and express so much! It’s a blank canvas and other people can relate to it. A lot of my work is self-portraiture because I am often portraying something personal to me, but also because it is practical- especially if I decide at 4 a.m to grab my camera and drive to some obscure lo-
cation! Sometimes I get a great image from a model, like my image ‘If you can be a bird,I can be a bird’, but even under strict direction, it can often be difficult to explain to someone something that is very personal and clear in your head. When I want to create an image I have a process I go about. I start with something that has inspired me- whether it be an emotion, a film, a song lyric, another piece of photography, a current affair or even just an amazing dress I found in a charity shop, then I brainstorm like crazy! I think about the colours I want to run through the image, what props and clothing I will need (if any), what angle I want to shoot from, what expressions I want to try, what body language I want to express and very importantly where I want to shoot it. I then do several sketches based on these ideas that I can take along with me when I go to the shoot. I am very lucky to live near the Peak District, which provides me with beautiful locations and all types of weather and light, and in February 2011 I decided that it would be a great idea to do a self-portrait in a river. Why not eh? I had the idea in the morning and was on location by 2 o clock. This time I had not done any preliminary sketches. I set up my tripod and camera, changed into a very thin white dress (which had belonged to my mum in the 80’s) took my shoes and socks off and jumped right in. Needless to say I then experienced the worst pain of my life. The water was so cold it took my breath away and burned my skin. The shoot went downhill from there as I could only bear to be in the water for several seconds at a time and just couldn’t get my camera to focus correctly. It was an absolute nightmare. Next time I got into water for my image ‘ Oh farewell to the land we know well’ I made sure it was later in the year and I had a plan! When I graduate from the Fine Art course at Sheffield Hallam next summer, I will be able to dedicate even more of my time to my photography and I am so excited. I would love to become involved with the fashion world and the dream is to be photographing for magazines such as Vogue or Dazed and Confused.
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words. BEN LIFTON //pictures. JAMIE ELLINGTON
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THATCHERS GOLD Isobel Thatcher, the homegrown talent form Wiltshire, speaks to us on the transition from minor pond to the giant ocean that is London.
The title track of you LP ‘Beautiful Boy’ has a brilliant hook, and is lightly produced. Any hidden motive behind the lyrics?
Despite coming from the county famous for their baked pastries and attitude of incestuous happenings, Isobel has managed to fight all odds, and break out of the rut so many ‘country bumpkins’ uphold. In 2011, Isobel enrolled in a music tech university to begin building her brand image to become a professional recording artist. For Isobel, music has always come naturally, and with the high reputation she upholds in her hometown Fovant in Wiltshire, landing herself in London has offered numerous opportunities for the young talent. With the release of her EP ‘Beautiful Boy last year, which includes her own original material, produced by Beautiful Boy: GoldenFox Productions Drink The Water & Change: Bob Shearn. The EP saw her website, Myspace page and Twitter accounts be inundated with positive feedback and future gig bookings.
Thank you! Beautiful Boy is actually the first song I ever wrote. I wrote it back in 2009 when I was just starting out my career. I actually wrote it about a guy I was working with at the time that had an uncanny resemblance to Taylor Lautner (cringe!) and I admittedly, had a crush on him! However, unlike the end of the song, we didn’t get together! I still enjoy playing the song though and enjoy the positive feedback it receives!
Looking at the commercial side of music, and ‘popular music’ as a whole, do you see yourself and your sound fitting into the likes of the UK Top 40?
What is your opinion of singers who make the transition from pirate radio vocalist, to critically acclaimed commercial recording artists?
Possibly. Despite my music being based around Soul & Blues, it also has elements of Pop in it. I always try and make sure my songs have catchy choruses and lyrics anyone can relate too. So maybe, because of that I may be able to reach the Top 40 like acoustic artists such as Ed Sheeran who are definitely a contrast to the usual stuff on it!
I don’t have a huge amount of respect for that. Being in the music industry, I know how hard is to ‘get out there’ but I don’t think you need to break the law! I honestly believe you get out what you put in, so by gigging and building up a fan base the legal way is much better and much more respectful!
Would you ever front a band? Or if the tables were turned, would you pull a Geri Haliwell, and go solo? I have dabbled in bands and enjoy doing it, especially Blues! I work occasionally with covers bands which is always fun, but I’m definitely more keen on my Solo work! And as for pulling a Geri Halliwell (had to think who she was for a moment) I’m sure it would depend on the band I was in and how much I enjoyed it! I would ideally enjoy doing both.
Your honest opinion of Nicki Minaj? A bit of a joke really!‌.. I respect her for trying to be different, but not musically at all. Not much else to say on that! Was moving from a small village to London a shock in regards to music scene? I can imagine the sheer amount of vocalists like yourself wanting to make it in the industry being overwhelming and somewhat competitive, and not to mention bitchy?
It is massively competitive! I have always found music competitive, but when I came to London, I found it hard to get any support at all from my contemporary’s, whereas back in the South-West I would at least have support from friends if possible! I found this quite disheartening and quite bitchy! Even though I am trying to make it and it is my job, I still really enjoy supporting other people and seeing as many live gigs as possible! You have to in order to keep grounded and a check on reality!
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pictures. LILY WEDGE
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LILY WEDGE PHOTOGRAPHY
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words. HOLLY CARTER //pictures. LILLY WEDGE
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SHEEP IN THE EAST Whether you work in media, an artist, play in an alternative band, design your own jewellery range or you’re just another new age hipster, then you will know East London is the place to be. Brick Lane, the street where you used to eat your cheap curry, is now crammed from pavement to pavement with the cool kids on the block, probably looking for an underground rave despite it being 11am. They are an easily discernible bunch, chilling on the street corner wearing their oversized Panasonic headphones, updating their blog in a café while sitting on torn leather couches or riding about on personalized wheelie bikes. You may also notice that most of these trendsetters in East London are blind, or faking blindness due to the thick-rimmed glasses that seem to have spread like a skin disease over the new retro population. Although I must say one thing that is noble about journeying out to the East, there are no rules. A limitless playground for the uninhibited. Don’t fret about whether your sheepskin boots match your burgundy coat, like you might when your off to lunch in Chelsea
lets say, because anything you throw together whilst hanging on the streets of Shoreditch, is fashionable. If truth be told, the more ridiculous your outfit, the more fashionable you become. All you need to do is look like you’ve jumped into an 80 years olds closet, then been thrown into a shredding machine and you have perfected the ‘modern vintage chic.’ You may even feel like you have jumped into a time machine that has transported you back to the swinging sixties. That is until of course, you look a bit closer and notice that no one is actually speaking to each other. They are all communicating via their iPhones, then your brought back to the harsh reality of technology in 2012. So, if you can’t play an instrument but fancy being in a band, or can’t be bothered to wash your t-shirt before you leave the house this morning, or you just feel like getting crazy drunk in broad daylight, I suggest you join the Sheep in East, they are actually a lot of fun.
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words. ANOTONIA FORMOSA
REALITY
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When we are home alone, sitting at our desks whilst, staring into our computer screen’s long into the wee hours of the morning, the silence becomes so loud and deafening that we sometimes hear certain rumblings and movements that may or may not be entirely real. At this point we start to question the capabilities of our hearing or whether our anxieties have started to manifest themselves in the form of heart paralysing creaks, either that or there’s an axe murder running around the house out for our blood. Once we’ve deducted that we are alone and not in danger of being decapitated, we contemplate on the tricks our mind can skilfully play on us and the philosophical question of what reality is. Curtis LaForche, is faced with these questions when his anxieties of the role of patriarchy exhibit themselves as apocalyptic night terrors that leave him gasping for breath and inexplicably shaken to the point of involuntary self-harm. As an avid film lover, one becomes accustomed to certain techniques of the employment of nondiegetic sound to portray sensations of suspense and anticipation which with time one becomes indifferent to. However in ‘Take Shelter’ one may need to pay more attention to the direc
V
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tors clues when trying to deduce whether Curtis has in fact found himself, in the middle of a harrowing storm or is rather dreaming. We feel for Curtis because we have also been in situations where reality has been confused with fantasy, though maybe not to the catastrophic level that Curtis has. One may drive themselves crazy trying to figure out whether those sounds coming from the basement are a fabrication or whether those feelings of a lost loved one’s presence are just a manufacture from our grief. When Curtis is given the ultimatum to either open the tornado shelter’s doors himself or to loose his family for good, there is a profound, poignant sadness within the tiny shelter as we watch a man conflicted between what his ears have deceived him into believing and what is really happening. We are heartbroken for his inability to correlate with his surroundings as we know in his head space the world is a very different place. How can his reality be so different to his families, how can we sitting in our very secure home be feeling so anxious for our own well-being? The answer does not lie so conspicuously but is buried deep within our psyche which we will only obtain in fragments over a number of years.
FANTASY
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words. BEN LIFTON //illustrations. REBECCA BARNETT
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THE ACCESSOR
When venturing out for a meal, you subconsciously create a list of requirements that should be met to satisfy your eating experience and one by one tick them off. 1. Am I going to get a substantial portion of food for the amount of money I’m parting with? 2. What will the food actually taste like? 3. Will the restaurant be a place were I feel inclined to tip, despite the fact thatmy waiter did not make eye contact all night? These are definitely the type of questions that should be running through ones brain when visiting Byron Burgers. The way they promote themselves to be the home of the ‘proper burger,’ seems somewhat ambitious when you’re presented with what is frankly a pathetic excuse for a supposedly satisfactory meal. A bun that has been bathed in too much flour, filled with a ‘handmade’ burger, though this seems doubtful and then garnished with one lettuce leaf and slice of tomato. Not forgetting the complimentary gherkin that comes on the side of your plate which is merely an attempt to give the impression of overcrowding, so that they can’t be accused of serving nouvelle cuisine which in essence, is a big white plate with not a lot on it. What tips off the whole experience, is the fact that you have to pay for your side of chips. Even though you can even choose macaroni cheese instead of chips, the utter notion of having to pay a further £3.95 for something you would expect to be included in the price is simply ludicrous. A burger and chips should never be separated. They’re like a moth to a flame, Jack and Jill, George Michael and AIDS. So charging for the two separately was never going to be a popular choice. It’s a shame that there is so much hype around the brand of Byron but if you don’t have the money to spend on an overly accessorized burger, then you’d be better off going to Burger King.
RIZED BURGER
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words. HOLLY CARTER //pictures. MATTHEW CRAIG
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EASY SKANKING Its Sunday lunchtime and as you prize your red glazed eyes open to look around the room, you’re instantly privy to the kind of night you had even though you have no recollection of it. You’re not in your bedroom, instead you’re in a room that looks like it’s been invaded by a pack of starving, ferocious wolves who’ve devoured endless packs of Malteasers, Doritos and even a KFC family bucket, like it was their prey. Suddenly shame and regret waves over your body as you realize the giant wolves from twilight were not actually in the room last night. The truth is, it was you and the four other mates lying lifelessly next to you on the couch, who had polished off the copious amounts of junk food. You look down and see your orange stained cheesy Dorito fingers. This is when the reality sinks in and the stoneover kicks in. The mouth is too dry to talk and there is no drink in sight
apart from the beer bottle with endless blunts floating about. Sudden panic strikes when you can’t remember if you needed to be somewhere this morning. ‘Paranoid Pete’ as you like to call him, has completely taken over and has taken up a permanent residence in your head. You
ing the ganja, Kurt Cobain writing lyrics about dumbing his mind or Snoop Dogg rapping about getting high with his bitches, cannabis is a drug we cannot escape from. Wiz Khalifa, a more recent addition to the mainstream rapping scene, gained a number 10 spot on the Billboard charts
wake up the rest of the stoner crew from their snooze with a nudge, because you’ve decided in the 30 seconds that you’ve been awake, that its time to light up the first spliff of the day. Marijuana is the most popular worldwide recreational drug and the production and trafficking, make up the world’s largest drug market. Howard Marks, writer of the book ‘Mr Nice,’ is described by the press as the “most sophisticated drugs baron of all time.” In 1995 after serving only seven years of his twenty five year sentence at America’s toughest federal penitentiary, Marks writes his autobiography with enthusiasm and wit, describing his wild cannabis driven former lifestyle. He was linked to the IRA, MI6, CIA and the Mafia and at his peak was responsible for smuggling up to 30 tonnes of Cannabis. “Mr Nice” went on to become a best-selling autobiography and in 2010 was released as a film starring the charismatic Rhys Ifans as Howard Marks. Not only is the film Industry glamourising cannabis but weed as it is more commonly known, is a current theme within the music industry too. Whether Bob Marley is singing about smok-
in October 2011 for his ‘Young, Wild and Free’ hit, in which he explicitly expresses his feelings for the drug with ‘so what we smoke weed.’ Considering just over 44 years ago, Jim Morrison was forced to change his lyrics from ‘Girl we couldn’t get much higher’ to appease the suits on the Ed Sullivan Show, reveals just how much the media’s perception to open drug taking has changed. This all impacts the highly opinionated debate to legalize cannabis in the UK. Cannabis Law Reform (CLEAR) is Britain’s newest political party, representing millions of Cannabis users in Britain. They describe the prohibition of cannabis as “unjust, undemocratic and has no basis in evidence or science.” So until CLEAR make a break through into the legalization of weed, I suggest you put your dream of becoming the next high profile, worldwide bad ass drugs baron, on hold and take a trip to Amsterdam to get your legal high. It’s probably not worth getting five years in prison or an unlimited fine, along with piling on the pounds, losing your job and waking up everyday for the rest of your life with a stoneover.
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words. BEN LIFTON
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THE REAL FRESH MEAT Moving to university is just like ripping off a plaster; you might as well just get on with it. Most people’s concept of university is that it’s where you meet the best people of your life, who will have the same agendas and opinions as you. If you’re not so lucky, this is merely a myth. You have been dreading the day you leave your ‘best friend’ behind, because they’re the only one who really gets you, right? Fact of the matter is, you’re secretly glad to see the back of them, and are gagging to experience freshers week where you’ll really come into your own and make your mark on the university as a hero. The awkward conversations you feel obliged to make with these new strangers will soon become a comical memory and a frequent topic of conversation once you’ve settled in. “So what A Levels did you take?” If it were a colour, this question would be beige. But it is a nifty icebreaker and does spark off potential conversation, however awkward and irrelevant it may seem at the time. Whatever you say and the way you act, will be judged whether you like it or not. It’s said we judge someone within seven seconds of meeting them; that’s not a lot of time to make your first impressions. Just make sure your hands aren’t sweaty, that
you don’t stumble on your words and that you think carefully about your choice in footwear; because you can always sum up a strangers personality by looking at their shoes. So give yourself a higher chance of gaining ‘kudos’ and think twice before opting for the comfy crocks or loafers with a pair of jazzy socks and turned up skinny jeans. If your trying to preempt what it will be like when you move into your halls, then it could be in your interest to invest in Channel 4’s comedy drama “Fresh Meat.” As clichéd and predictable as it is, the series encapsulates everything that you could possibly image would happen. Think of it as a test run before you’re potentially labeled as ‘that girl,’ who over dosed on coke and ended up in hospital for 5 days after throwing herself around the kitchen and chewing on her lip until it was raw. Your always going to come across people who you don’t get along with, but not talking about people behind their backs in the first month, will stop you appearing like the bitch. By acting absolutely nothing like your real self for as long as possible will stop people thinking you’re a complete nerd. And finally, think twice before declaring your undying love for folk music, because there’s simply no probable way of reclaiming respect once you’ve done this.
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words. EMMA LLOYD //pictures. BENJAMIN THAPA
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BENJAMIN THAPA
-In 3 words how would you sum up your style of work? Playful, Abstract, Imperfect. -Which artists inspire your work in music fashion and art? Sixth June, Gareth Pugh, Nick Knight.
Prior to the release of the first edition of OBJ.ECT magazine featuring Thapa’s shoot ‘Breath and Air’, we caught up with him to see what the boy’s about. Where did you grow up and do you think that has had anything to do with your style of work? I grew up in hilly Sheffield. My house was right at the edge of peak district. I spent allot of time climbing trees and playing in the woods. As a child, I would love to dream up my own imaginary worlds and get totally lost in them. I don’t think I like the idea of trying to rationalise the way that I work, there’s always a danger in over thinking. But I guess I do believe that the things we experience in life can’t help but shape the way we see. I suppose in that respect some of my fascination with dreams and fantasy come from those times I spent imagining as a child.
-Wheres your favourite place to spend time in London? The underground, I love to people watch. - Addiction? Art magazines. - Red, white or rose wine? White or rose, red never ends well. -Dip dye hair, yey or neigh? Yey… I like anything a bit out of the box. Although I must say it can go very wrong. end.
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words. ANOTONIA FORMOSA //pictures. ROB JARVIS
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HEREIN LIES THE GIG-GOERS GUIDE TO DEALING WITH GROUPIES As an avid gig-goer, I have experienced a variation of front row fans, specifically groupies. These girls are made of special stuff, not your regular sugar, spice and everything nice. They have a resilience that will endure any obstacle between them and a musician’s dick. You can see it ingrained in their eyeballs while they lick their lips, floating juicy, pink dicks. The performance flies over their heads and all they’re thinking about is how much eye contact do they need to convey to the artists that they are ready to get down on their knees. These girls are over-exuberant, dressed like dolls and obviously drunk. You notice them instantaneously as they push and shove while flipping their hair in your face for a spot at the front. They laugh and smile obnoxiously at every moment of audience interaction, while downing their drinks and throwing the empties behind their backs. One needs to be fierce with these creatures, if you show an ounce of fragility you will loose your place. For every shove you receive you must give back twice as hard, whereby making a statement that you will not be pushed around, literally and metaphorically speaking. On the other side of the spectrum, the newest front row species to evolve are the no dancing bloggers, who take up shop at the farthest corners of the front with their SLR’s and journals, furiously taking notes about the performance which are to be uploaded later on. They stand stoic and expressionless without giving you an inch of the deserved space one needs when dancing around, which makes you want to throw up your arms in frustration and scream in their excessively focused faces, to fucking dance. When you begin to feel sympathy and try to interact with them hoping they’ll let loose
with you and enjoy the moment, push those feelings aside. These fans are robots, they have no emotion and are incapable of spontaneity, in fact they will not appreciate your good intentions when you accidentally mess up their train of thought. Though if this moment of raw, pulsating music is all about business, it would make more sense to observe from a far to have a wider perspective of the show. Ignore these creatures and continue to shake your body. Lastly you’ll find those button pushing enthusiasts who stand together while silently judging each other by the sizes of their cameras, these are the pretentious photographers. They feed off of the importance their lenses give them, as though looking through that glass entitles them to all of those best specific spots within the venue. However they do not stand there for the amount of time it takes for a flash to go off, they take up a permanent residence in front of you, vehemently clicking away as though it is a concert at the O2 with the deceased Kurt Cobain and not an intimate gig with undiscovered artists. Dealing with these snobs is tricky because they are often much taller than you and have the dirtiest looks. One may either move to a different spot or take on the persona of the groupie and try your damnedest to get in a picture, sometimes this will piss of said photographer to the point of their exit wherein you then shall revel in your cunning tactics and fist pump the night away. The front row is meant for those who are madly in love with the music and know all the lyrics, for those music lovers who want to connect with others purely from the vibes coming out of the speakers and should not be tainted with wannabes, thus it is upon you to expel these creatures.
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pictures. JOSH CHOW
OBJ.ETC
JOSH
CHOW
“
Each photo is a snap shot of random daily happenings. A cut-off mannequin’s head floating in Regents Canal, Gas holder structures in Bethnal Green, Obscure geometry from an uncertain origin. Each describe a shape of reality, the odd and the strange.
”
MAS . THEAD EDITORIAL
CONTRIBUTORS
EDITOR Holly Carter
WRITERS Ben Lifton Emma Lloyd Holly Carter Victoria Cadisch Antonia Formosa
AssoCIATE EDITOR Ben Lifton Creative DirectorS Emma Lloyd Production MANAGER Matthew Craig & Ben Lifton Features Editor Antonia Formosa
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Photographers Heather Bohnenstiehl Victoria Cadisch Josh Chow Matthew Craig Ben Lifton Jamie Ellington Rob Jarvis Etienne Laine Ayan Mohamed Benjamin Thapa Camille Lierre Lily Wedge ILLUSTRATORS Rebecca Barnett Amber Ehler Ben Lifton Stylists Ben Lifton Emma Lloyd Curro Sanchez Isobel Thatcher
O E OBJ.ETC magazine is published bi-annually by OBJ.ETC MEDIA, as part of University of the Arts London and London College of Communication. All rights reserved. Reproduction without sufficiant permissions is strictly prohibited.
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