CRUX
vol.one
MAGA
ZINE
C O N N E C T I N G C R E A T I V E M I N D S AND WORLDS
ss. 2011
I F E X P E R I M E N T S I N S P I R E , C A N T H E C L I M A X O F C R E A T I V I T Y B E F O U N D ?
vol.one ss. 2011
C OLOPHON CRUX
EDITOR IN CHIEF Eve Keskinen
ART DIRECTOR Elyse Moland
TEXT EDITORS Eve Keskinen Elyse Moland
EDITOR Ines Veselcic
EDITOR Tiffanni Trench
www.crux.com
CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS AND PRODUCERS
Thomas Anfield Odette Beja Rachel Etigson Charlotte Lokin Brontie Naylor-Jones Martijn Nekoui Emmi Ojala Louis Reith Marco Van Rijt Martin C. De Waal Isabelle Wenzel
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Hanah Chung Ivano Salonia Ana Rita Sousa Malou Tan
PRINTING Elco Extension Prinsengracht 384 1016 JB Amsterdam mail@elcobv.nl www.elcobv.n
A SPECIAL THANK YOU Frank Jurgen Wijlens Charlotte Lokin Anneloes Van Gaalen AMFI Independent Magazine Minor Staff
INTRODUCING CRUX Crux is a moment that is present in every creation. This moment is central to any process. We see fashion itself as a process, an ongoing experiment that contains its own crux. CRUX magazine is a tangible time capsule with pages that are spattered with evidence that inspiration can be multifaceted. The CRUX family and friends set out on a journey of creating experiments, capturing the zeitgeist, and locating the crux, all in the name of inspiration. By doing so, we explore the climax of creativity where something new and exciting is born.
Individuals who are not afraid of breaking rules, fooling around or failing
and what is currently in vogue, it is about collective mediums creating something that not only reflects but also surpasses time. OUR first issue of Crux is full of that jittery, creative energy which hopingly is contagious. We once read the quote “A fool is a man who never tried an experiment in his life.” This way of thinking inspired the formation of Vol. 1’s hypothesis. CRUX wants to know, are you a fool?
E V E K E S K I N E N / E LY S E M O L A N D
miserably form this issue. We believe fashion is not only about beautiful clothes
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P H O T O B Y H A N A H C H U N G C R U X M A G A Z I N E F E AT U R E : 2 = 1
2-3
H Y P O T H E S I S
4-5
INTRODUCTION
7 8-11
I N D E X
2-1
12-23
L E T E M P S D E L’ I N N O C E N C E
24-27
LOUIS REITH
28-35
THOMAS + HIS TOASTER
36-37
OUT OF THE BLUE
38-41
LOSE THE MEDIUM
42-53
S U S P E N D
54-61
3X
62-63
CAMOUFLAGE
64-65
INSIDE OUT
66-67
CONTRIBUTORS/ C O N T A C T
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21 RACHEL
Accessory Designer/ Graphics/Multimedia racheletigson.com
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ODETTE
Photographer/Illustrator/ Accessory Designer apachecollections.com
2 ARTISTS
making
1
f i nal creation
RAC H E L E T I G S O N A N D O D E T T E B E J A C O M B I N E T H E I R TA L E N T S . D O C U M E N T E D B Y P H OTO G RA P H E R H A N A H C H U N G . A N E X P E R I M E N T I S C R E AT E D T H AT E X A M I N E S T H E P RO C E S S O F D E S I G N A N D T H E S E A RC H F O R I N S P I RAT I O N .
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J E W E L R Y D E S I G N RA C H E L E T I G S O N / O D E T T E B E J A
INTERVIEW BY ELYSE MOLAND
WHAT WAS THE MOMENT THAT YOU
about creation. We worked well together and
WOULD DESCRIBE AS THE CRUX OF THIS
complemented each other’s process.
COLLABORATION?
O> The nature of this project was quite
R> We found the crux when our own visions
spontaneous and fast paced so there was no
for the piece came together and became one.
time to think of an approach, we just had to do
The moment when we met in the middle and
it and get it done.
said “yes, this is what we both envisioned”. It created a sense of excitement and a clear direction.
WHAT PREVIOUS SKILLS DO YOU
O> It all started coming together when we
FEEL HELPED YOU THE MOST IN THIS
found the pieces that we would use for the
COLLABORATION?
jewelry.
R> I have worked in wardrobe and styling for some time now, so I found my experience in that area to be helpful during the process of
WAS IT A CHALLENGE TO FIND A COMMON
the photo shoot.
INSPIRATION FOR APPROACHING THIS
O> Having experience in planning and styling
PROJECT?
photo shoots was definitely useful in this
R> Not at all! We were very open to each
collaboration. Being able to think on the spot
other’s ideas. Finding our focus was a very fun
and create something out of nothing was also
and exciting process.
a plus.
O> As individuals, we are all inspired by different things, but it was interesting to see
WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST INSPIRING?
that Rachel and I were both on the same page
R> I can find almost anything inspiring. For
in terms of inspiration. Finding a common
me it does not come directly from the fashion
inspiration was not a challenge for us.
industry but more so from everyday life. I find honest things the most inspiring for me. It is not always what it is that influences me but
WERE THERE NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCES
more the way I see it that I find most inspiring.
WITH YOUR APPROACH TO CREATING THAN
O> I am inspired by my friends, my family
YOUR FELLOW COLLABORATOR?
and everything that surrounds me. Culture in
R> Everyone has their own way of doing things
particular.
and I think that is one of the great things
“ I F I N D H O N E S T T H I N G S T H E M OS T I N S P I R I N G ”
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LE TEMPS DE L’INNOCENCE A rigid triangle of exaggerated formality: The black and white pictures of the church boy choir with tight collars and CRUX
seriousness beyond their years echoes an almost eeire sense of restraint. This sublime atmosphere reminds us of times when we behaved, and makes us think, maybe it’s time to reclaim our innocence or at least look like we have and button up.
STYLING AND ART DIRECTION EVE KESKINEN / TIFFANNI TRENCH PHOTO GRAPHY ANA RITA SOUSA / IVANO SALONIA MODEL RUBEN / ELITE MODEL MANAGEMENT AMSTERDAM M A K E - U P RO N N Y E LV E R S / H A I R
MILENA MARCZYNSKA
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S W E AT E R F I L I P P A K
P O LO S H I R T / N E C K L A C E C O S
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COLLAR COS
S W E AT E R S T Y L I S T S O W N
PA N T S C L U B M O N AC O
CRUX ^ S H I RT T E N U E D E N I M E S DRESS COS
S W E AT E R A R M A N I
COLLAR COS
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S H I RT AC N E
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S H I RT AC N E
S W E AT E R A M E R I C A N A P P A R E L
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^ A R T I W O R K LO U I S R E I T H
ou i s
ei t h
I n k , f i n e l i n e r a n d v i n t a g e b o o k p a p e r s , a r e t h e m e d i u m s o f choice which Louis Reith manifests in his dynamic works .
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turntable, but I asked a friend to record a loop on a MiniDisc so
HOW DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION?
I could listen to it. For years, I used old paper structures in my
I turn on the coffee machine, play my favorite song of
digital work to give solid colors more feeling. As if the image
the week, clean up my desk, organize my tools, stare
carries a certain history. But in the end I got tired of faking
out of the window till the sun goes down and then I start.
it with a computer, so I started working on them directly.
I really prefer working in the evening and at night. I guess I'm more focused around that time of the day.
YOUR WORK GIVES A SENSE OF PEACE AND BALANCE.
^ A R T W O R K LO U I S R E I T H
I N T E RV I E W B Y I N E S V E S E LC I C
DESCRIBE YOUR USUAL CREATIVE PROCESS?
WHAT DRIVES YOU TO CREATE THESE SPECIFIC Most of my works start with a theme and within this theme
COMPOSITIONS? WHILE WORKING ON THEM DO
I look for interesting words to transform into abstract
YOU EXPERIENCE THE SENSE OF TRANQUILITY?
compositions. When a piece doesn't consist of a word,
A person recently said to me: "You know what I like about your
it translates a certain environment like the mountain
work? It feels calming to just look at triangles, squares and
landscapes, an event or tool, like the guitar-shaped piece.
circles." I think it's because geometric shapes are so familiar to us, they give us a sense of peace. I guess it's my way of telling a
To experiment, I make personal pieces; I draw names
story, a story
of friends or do swaps with other artists.
without words. An escape
DURING THIS PROCESS, ARE YOU MORE GUIDED
from reality.
BY INTUITION OR RATIONAL THOUGHT?
I experience
Definitely by intuition. Sometimes when I'm not satisfied with
that sense of
the result, I add something to it, or combine it with a collage.
tranquility the
Other times I have big plans and stop when it feels right. I really
most while
like that way of working, not knowing what will come out.
drawing. Even more so than
DO IDEAS FORM SPONTANEOUSLY OR FROM
when I see
THE PROCESS OF IN-DEPTH RESEARCH?
the result,
Well, I find it really hard to start working spontaneously.
but that's
But once I'm at work, I try to be as free as possible.
probably pure concentration.
DOES YOUR WORK CARRY AN INTENDED MEANING OR IS IT LEFT OPEN FOR INTERPRETATION?
YOU ARE MOST INSPIRED WHEN TRAVELING BY
All my work carries a hidden message; the word it represents.
TRAIN OR BIKE. WHAT IS IT ABOUT TRAVELING
But because the legibility is gone, the image becomes abstract
THAT TRIGGERS THAT INSPIRATION?
and therefore it is open for interpretation. My work is about
Sitting on the train or riding my bike just gives me the
form and composition, it's not a game about guessing words.
peace to think about my work and the development of it. I sometimes wonder if the horizons in my work reflect
IS YOUR WORK EVER INFLUENCED BY CURRENT
my train travels through the Dutch country side.
SOCIAL OR POLITICAL CIRCUMSTANCES? Not really. It's more about dreams and nightmares.
HOW DID THE IDEA OF USING VINTAGE BOOK PAGES DEVELOP? I guess [what intrigues me] is their imperfection. It's the same reason why I prefer analog- over digital photography, or my love for lo-fi music. When I was 15-years-old I had an obsession with the noise at the end of records. I didn't have a
“ M Y WO R K I S A B O U T F O R M A N D C O M P OS I T I O N , I T ’ S N OT A G A M E A B O U T G U E S S I N G WO R DS . ”
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“LEFT TO HIS OWN DEVICES HE COULDN’T BUILD A TOASTER. HE COULD JUST
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ABOUT MAKE A SANDWICH AND THAT WAS IT.” THIS QUOTE FROM DOUGLAS
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4
ADAMS’ MOSTLY HARMLESS GOT ART STUDENT THOMAS THWAITES THINKING:
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COULD HE MAKE A SIMPLE HOUSEHOLD OBJECT LIKE A TOASTER, FROM SCRATCH?
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INTERVIEW WITH THOMAS THWAITES BY EVE KESKINEN
tHOMAS AND HIS tOAS TER
The self-proclaimed designer “of a more speculative sort”, bought the cheapest, most simple apparatus he could find and disassembled it. The toaster’s friendly appearance fooled him – it turned out to consist of more than 400 parts. The mission to acquire the materials wasn’t simple either since building the machine involved Thwaites extracting steel from a mine and making plastic out of potato starch. So, was the not-so-innocent toaster, symbol of our reliance, a success? Thwaites managed to build it and get it to work, but only for an instant before it ironically melted into an unidentifiable blob it once began as, because of uninsulated wires that he was unable to produce. Even though the originally £3 now £1187.54 toaster didn’t function perfectly, Thwaites definitely got his point across.
DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A DESIGNER IN THREE WORDS?
apart the toaster, I realized the soldering on the circuit
Aaahhmm.. that’s one. Exploratory, fringy, unsure.
board of this very cheap toaster had been done by hand. I used to imagine that there was a very high-tech
THE ARTS AND CRAFTS MOVEMENT ADVOCATED
factory with robots that would solder everything. On one
TRUTH TO MATERIAL AND CRAFTSMAN-LIKE
hand, I don’t think we can expect an honest product—it
QUALITY. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU AIMED
wouldn’t necessarily be something we liked. But on
FOR WITH YOUR TOASTER PROJECT?
the other hand, if you eat meat you have to accept
Not initially. I didn’t start off my project with that aim in
that there is bloodshed involved. I suppose I prefer the
mind, but as I went through the project and actually had to
unclenching take on things rather than covering it up.
start dealing with materials in their rawest form, I started thinking about that truth in materials and craftsman-
DOES THIS EXTEND TO OTHER PARTS OF
like qualities. Certainly the look of the toaster is very
YOUR LIFE TOO? DO YOU EAT ORGANIC?
much determined by the process I went through. For
I have tried to be a vegetarian before and failed. I guess
example, carving a wooden mold by hand obviously gives
I’m a flawed person, but then again we all are. I prefer
a distinctly different appearance from a mass produced
to have something raw to decide, rather than to have
object. It is a case of tools determining the final look.
something brushed under the carpet. That is how I
I think there is real potential for this kind of craft versions
feel at this particular moment, but if you ask me again
of mass produced objects. It would be much more
on Monday, I probably will have changed my mind.
interesting. I think that is something we will see with 3D-printing, small manufacturing and stuff like that.
HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK IT IS TO HAVE A PLAN? In the short term, it is very important. In the
DOES YOUR FASCINATION WITH THE “RAW”
long term, I don’t think you can have a plan.
REPRESENT AN APPRECIATION FOR HONESTY
You can have a vague plan that is flexible.
IN MATERIALS, PRODUCTS, IMAGES ETC.? Yes, that was definitely one of the points of the Toaster Project. To expose the stuff that is covered by these smooth plastic shells. You take apart any kind of electronic apparatus and there is a mass of solder. As I started taking
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WHY ARE YOU SO INTRIGUED BY TECHNOLOGY? YOU
in my imagination quite a few times before I actually
SPEAK ABOUT FLAWS WHICH YOU APPRECIATE. WHY
get around to making something. You can decide that
DO YOU CHOOSE TO WORK WITH TECHNOLOGY
something is rubbish in your head before trying it out.
SINCE IT’S BASED ON PRECISION AND PERFECTION? I don’t know. I suppose it is just something I’m into. I think
WHAT DID YOU LAST FAIL WITH? WHAT
it is something really important. I heard an argument the
WAS YOUR MOST RECENT FAILURE?
other day, saying that scientific knowledge is the only
PERSONAL OR PROFESSIONAL?
thing that is accumulative. Some people would like to
This is like a job interview; they always ask that sort
argue that there is progress in ethics and society but the
of question… I failed to get a job recently. They
speaker, a philosopher, who says it’s not true. That it is a
needed somebody to design something with mass
kind of Western myth, the progress towards a democratic
production but they said that they couldn’t see
goal. There is no intrinsic progress. But with science
evidence of that in my work. Which is fair enough.
and technology it is kind of accumulative, I’m not saying it’s a process towards a greater good, but I can say that
WHY DO WE FEAR FAILURE?
we do know more now than we did 200 years ago.
I suppose there is a divide in culture between Europe and America. If you are in this kind of business innovation
DID TECHNOLOGY AND HOW THINGS
world, it is good to fail. Americans are really good at
WORK INTEREST YOU AS A CHILD?
failing. They can start some kind of online start up and
Yes, I was very into computers and Technic Lego.
it can go bankrupt. That is seen as something really cool. At least they tried. In Europe, the saying goes
HOW DO YOU SEE THE WORLD IN 2040?
that we are more scared and disparaging at failure.
How many years is that?
I guess it is caused by our fear of embarrassment.
30 YEARS OR SO.
WHERE DO YOU LOOK FOR INSPIRATION?
I think the people living then won’t think of it as particularly
I went to the Victoria and Albert museum two days
futuristic. However when the world changes, it will be
ago. I think some of the objects in there are really
normal for those people living in that time. You never
inspiring. Just the amount of skill a person long dead
get to the future, which is something I realized the other
has put into making a cup is pretty inspiring.
day. No matter what kind of technological progress happens, by the time it actually filters through it is just subsumed by the rest of society. I remember thinking when I was little that when there are billboards with moving pictures on them, I will know I’m living in the future. Now that we have that, it is completely boring.
EVEN THOUGH YOU DIDN’T MANAGE TO BUILD A FUNCTIONAL TOASTER, IN THE END THE SUCCESS WAS ACTUALLY FOUND IN THE PROCESS OF DOING SO. LET’S TALK ABOUT FAILURE. HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK TRIAL AND ERROR IS IN YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS? In that project obviously it was very important. In my other projects, I can’t say it is so essential. I try and fail
WATCH FOR THWAITES’ BOOK: THE TOASTER PROJECT PUBLISHED BY PRINCETON ARCHITECTUREAL PRESS IN FALL 2011.
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OUT CURATOR
INES VESELCIC
of the
blue OUT OF THE BLUE IS A CRUX PLATFORM THAT EXHIBITS CREATIVES IN A SPIRITED, EXCITING, AND CURIOUS WAY. LUCKILY WE WERE ABLE TO COLLABORATE WITH PHOTOGRAPHERS ISABELLE WENZEL AND MICHEL L. WITH COMPLETE CREATIVE FREEDOM THEY SURPRISE US AND OUR READERS
P H O T O G RA P H I S A B E L L E W E N Z E L / M I C H E L L
WITH THEIR VISION.
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DESCRIPTION BY: ISABELLE WENZEL. PLAY WITH ME: UNTIL NOW MICHEL WAS ASSISTING ME AND STANDING MODESTLY IN THE BACKGROUND OF MY WORK. IN THE PROJECT PLAY WITH ME, WE PICKUP THE TOPIC OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN A PARTNERSHIP. FOR CRUX MAGAZINE WE DECIDED TO DISPLAY OURSELVES IN ONE OF OUR FAVORITE FANCY DRESSES.
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LOSE
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the
medium “ S O M E T I M E S YO U A R E B L I N D E D B Y YO U R OW N E Y E S . ”
HANNES WALLRAFEN IS AN EXTRAORDINARY DUTCH PHOTOGRAPHER WHO LOST HIS EYESIGHT BECAUSE OF AN ILLNESS IN 2004. LOSING HIS MEDIUM CHALLENGED HIM TO THINK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF EYESIGHT IN ACTUALLY CREATING SOMETHING THAT STIMULATES IMAGINATION AND THE VISION. HE CALLS THIS VISUALIZATION “SEEING WITH YOUR EARS” WHICH HE BELIEVES CAN CREATE STRONG VISUAL INTENSITY BY THE MEANS OF SOUND.
WHAT IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN YOUR
When I was a photographer I was not including myself
PHOTOGRAPHY AND YOUR SOUND PIECES?
in my creations, it was more about observation. Now
Dealing with reality was important in my photography,
in my soundscapes I’m more present. I put more
the world in which I exist and the way I reacted on
of myself into the sound pieces by, for example,
that through my photos. You are able to make your
using my own voice. With photography it was about
own dream world with photography, but I’m always
the absence of the maker, and now [with this new
searching for the connection with reality. When I switched
medium] it’s about involving [the maker].
to sound installations that focus didn’t change.
H A N N E S
W A L L R A F E N
feels that the senses are more strongly connected with each other than we think. By exploring the world
location has a sound piece of five minutes, which
of hearing and touch, he came to discover how the
for people nowadays is quite a long time. It is a
interconnected senses can form an aesthetic without
challenge to get people in the right mood, to keep
actually seeing anything. Like Aristotle, Wallrafen
them engaged and wanting to listen. This is the
uses perception or sensitivity to produce beauty that
distinction between the two mediums: an image
is intuitive and not foremost observable by the eyes.
usually makes the viewer reflect on it after seeing it,
Wallrafen, unlike other photographers, proves the
while with sound the reaction is more immediate.
meaning of ‘visual’ is not only achieved by sight but also encompasses other definitions such as mental
TIME IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING IMPORTANT IN
images that can be more vivid than any physical image.
YOUR WORK. DO YOU THINK OUR SOCIETY’S PERCEPTION OF TIME IS TWISTED? Yes, in a way I do. A good example is when you look at the fiction movies from the 40’s. Most people nowadays start yawning because the time they used for a movie
HOW DO YOU CAPTURE A DECISIVE MOMENT
was much slower; it was more parallel to real time.
IN SOUND, LIKE YOU DID IN PHOTOGRAPHY?
Today, the kind of film language is faster and more
I don’t necessarily look for that moment anymore
rushed. We changed in our way of listening and seeing.
but I create it instead. The approach you take must
Time seems to be going at an accelerated speed.
be different because of the nature of the medium. If you look at a picture, you can receive information
THE WORK YOU DID WITH VPRO (DUTCH PUBLIC
quickly. With sound it is different — you make a deal
RADIO) WAS ABOUT MAKING STORIES IN ONE
with the listener. Getting someone to listen is tricky:
MINUTE. YOU WORKED WITH TRYING TO MAKE
it demands a lot of concentration from the listener.
THE DURATION OF ONE MINUTE FEEL LONGER. Yes, that is a good example of how you change time into
The difference in photography is that you put parallel
the opposite again. How you deal with the limitations
elements into the photograph itself. You can put
of one minute, but the time you use you stretch.
time into a picture, portraying what came before, and what will come after it. In sound you work
IN THESE ONE-MINUTE PIECES THERE IS ALWAYS AN
directly within that time, but then the art of creating
EDGE, A STRANGE TWIST, A KIND OF ANTI-CLIMAX.
sound starts and you start compressing time.
THEY POSSESS A CERTAIN AWKWARDNESS. WHY DO YOU PUT THESE TWISTS INTO YOUR WORK?
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEARING
You take somebody with you on a journey and you play
AND SEEING FOR THE SPECTATOR?
with the phenomenon of expectation. The story is going
I believe that people live in a faster pace. Currently,
a certain direction, and then suddenly it turns around.
I’m working on a project in Groningen (city in North
It takes a while for the listener to take that in and they
Holland) called Theresias, in which I’m trying to change
are left with a kind of question mark. So at the end,
the city into the city of the blind. I turned locations
they stay with a story that they keep in their mind.
into sound and called it “seeing with your ears” which
Sometimes, people tell me that they heard an audio
connected the city by an active sound walk. Each
story of mine a year ago and they can still reproduce it.
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L O S E
T H E
M E D I U M
Most would name eyesight as their most valued sense and would be devastated if they were to lose it. Architect
TELLING STORIES WITH SOUND, IS THIS HOW
Peter Eisenmann agrees on the importance of vision in
YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK NOW?
current times: “What I’m trying to do is to question the
Space is crucial for me; the moment I leave a building
dominance of vision and this is a difficult thing because
space starts to act as a kind of warning signal.
most people judge by the visual image.” Industries that
Like traffic noise becomes crucial to survive.
use the visual medium are extremely popular: fine arts, fashion, graphic design, photography and film engage
I listen to how the echos bounce off the walls to get an
an increasing amount of people. But rarely does the
impression of the space. From that point of departure,
designer or artist think about his essential tool: eyesight.
I work with sounds and soundscapes that deal with that
In an age where we are confronted with hundreds of
kind of experiencing space. It allows me to experiment
images every day, we also make countless aesthetic
with the distortion that our senses sometimes create.
judgments. We take for granted that we are able to use our vision to distinguish good from bad, harmonious
I READ A BEAUTIFUL QUOTE OF YOURS:
from unbalanced, yellow from blue etc. What happens
“SOMETIMES YOU ARE BLINDED BY YOUR OWN
when you lose the medium?
EYES.” WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY THIS?
Beauty and aesthetics are inescapably linked, but if
Your eyes are an instrument that you are very
seeing isn’t the most important sense for a person
much influenced by. When I can’t see you, I’m not
working in the visual field, what then determines
misguided by your appearance. What is left for me,
beauty? Many philosophers and thinkers alike have
are your voices are what we are talking about.
investigated beauty and aesthetics. The famous 19th century philosopher Bosanquet described aesthetics
HOW HAS CHANGING YOUR FOCUS FROM SEEING
as “the philosophy of the beautiful”. Plato’s Philebus
TO HEARING CHANGED YOU AS AN ARTIST?
defines beauty as existing beyond time and space, it
Changing mediums obviously affected my work, which
being structured, symmetrical and exact. Aristotle argued
is evident when I look back to my photography. Back
beauty to be based on perception and he believed that
then I was 100 percent visually oriented. Even though I
there was no absolute beauty. Traditionally, beauty in the
incorporate some different mediums, like sound in my
Western culture is based on Pythagoras’ golden ratio of
photography, they always acted as supporting factors
1.618. Forms and shapes characterized by the golden ratio
of the image. After I lost my sight, I realized how many
are regarded as beautiful, mirroring nature’s balance of
qualities exist in those other senses. The sense of
symmetry and asymmetry.
hearing, touch, smell, taste and the sense of presence.
Although we don’t necessarily set out to create something commonly regarded as beautiful, people in the visual field are still concerned with making something that is pleasing to the eye. For a blind creative
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this requirement no longer matters, which can lead to fascinating solutions. Other senses that are often neglected become more important than eyesight. This turns passive looking into engaging, interactive use of other senses such as hearing and touch.
HOW DO YOU THINK FASHION CAN BENEFIT
TALKING ABOUT AESTHETIC AND THE
FROM INTEGRATING OTHER SENSES, INSTEAD
AESTHETIC OF SOUND: WHAT DO YOU
OF RELYING SO MUCH ON THE VISUAL?
CONSIDER THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SOUND?
For me fashion is about the touch and the
It is a crow, which I used in many of my sound
material. I love to touch different textures. I
pieces. It creates such beautiful distance for me:
always wear fabrics with an interesting feel.
the high frequency sound starts far, far away, eventually reaching you, and then soon disappearing
WHAT WOULD YOU DESCRIBE IS THE SIXTH SENSE?
again. It is not the fact that it is a crow, but the fact
It is the sense of being aware of presence. Being aware
that there is something creating that space.
of actually being. You can feel your surroundings if you are well concentrated. At times you can describe
ARE YOU OR YOUR WORK INFLUENCED FROM THE
it. Like when somebody is standing behind you.
DAYS WHEN YOU WERE STILL ABLE TO SEE? There are images inside my head. All the images and
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT IN A SPACE?
experiences are from when I was living strongly from
As I’m entering a building, my first interest goes into
my sight experience still affect my work. My dreams
the kind of acoustic of the interior. I hate spaces
are every night filled with sighted worlds which I can
that are made out of marble or stone, because the
really describe like photographs, like little films. But
space becomes like a swimming pool when lots of
when I sit here now awake, I cannot imagine it as a
people sit together. It is an example of architecture
picture. I imagine it as a description of the picture.
with too less attention on sound and the acoustic.
That is the difference for someone who is born blind: they are not able to tell how something looks like. They
I READ SOMEWHERE THAT PEOPLE WHO
can still visualize but from a different starting point.
LIVE IN WINDY COUNTRIES ARE MUCH
MORE IRRITATED THAN OTHER PEOPLE. That is an interest of mine: how people deal with space and the sounds they hold. I’m anxious of buildings that I don’t know from my seeing times. I have this anxiousness to experience, not only the technical aspects of the space
S O U N D
O F
T H E
C R O W
(like square meters), but the aesthetic of the building.
“IT IS NOT THE FACT THAT IT IS A CROW, BUT THE FACT THAT THERE IS SOMETHING CREATING THAT SPACE.”
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SUSPEND
REMOVING
CRUX
L E AV E S
ONE
THE
BOUNDARIES
LY I N G
STAGNANT,
OF
TIME,
SPACE,
SUSPENDED
AND
BETWEEN
GENDER,
THE
LINES.
S T Y L I N G A N D A R T D I R E C T I O N E LY S E M O L A N D / I N E S V E S E LC I C P H O T O G RA P H Y
M A LO U
TAN
MAKE-UP
/
HAIR
ELBER
L E O N T I N E / F R E S H M O D E L M A N A G E M E N T A M S T E R DA M +
SANDER
G.
/
SKIN
MODEL
MANAGEMENT
FA RO
MAURICE
AMSTERDAM
43
CRUX
45
DRESS ELLIS BIEMANS
SHOES EPISODE
CRUX
47
D R E S S S H I RT / C H A RC OA L T R E N C H S A M A N T H A W I J S M A N
HEAD PIECE ELLIS BIEMANS
CRUX
49
J A C K E T N A D I N E WA G N E R
PA N T S S A M A N T H A W I J S M A N
CRUX B O D Y S U I T / S H O R T S D A P H N E VA N D E N H E U V E L
PA N T S S A M A N T H A W I J S M A N
51
B O L E R O D A P H N E VA N D E N H E U V E L
SHOES JEFFREY CAMPBELL
CRUX C LO T H E S D A P H N E VA N D E N H E U V E L
PA N T S A M E R I C A N A P PA R E L
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3
3 X I S A N E X P E R I M E N T D E V E L O P E D T O A N A LY Z E T H E M U LT I P L E W AY S I N W H I C H A C O M M O N I N S P I R AT I O N CAN BE INTERPRETED.
CRUX
HUSSEIN CHALAYAN COLLABORATION / EXPERIMENT
THREE X
I M A G E H U S S E I N C H A L AYA N T RA N S F O R M E R D R E S S
Three creative individuals are asked by CRUX to interpret one fashion masterpiece. Using the skills of their own domain they have come up with innovative and surprising outcomes. The chosen masterpiece is Hussein Chalayan’s Transformer dress, which represents a fascinating fusion of fashion and technology. The dress is gathered, shortened and finally transformed without any human assitance.
55
I N T E RV I E W B Y E V E K E S K I N E N
MARTIN C DE WAAL WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION OF HUSSEIN
mass media use it as a commodity.
CHALAYAN’S MASTERPIECE?
Sexuality, gender and race - and most often the forms of
First thing that came to mind is a song and
media between all of these things- feature in my work.
dance one man band (one person strapped with musical instruments to his body).
WHAT DESIGN ELEMENTS ARE INTERGRATED
What did you find inspiring in the dress?
IN THIS PIECE?
What inspired me was the Jules Verne aspect of
Combining the pop-culture icons Debbie Harry and
this particular piece. Technology that is ‘kind’ and
Blondie with fabric, curtains and dress tailoring from
almost romantic. I would call it old school future.
a different era makes the work backwards futuristic. Normally the image enhancement can’t be traced in my
IS THERE A COMMON TIE BETWEEN THE WAY YOU WORK
work, here I wanted to show two elements -in the dress
AND THE CHALAYAN DRESS?
and the squares painted on the wall- that are clearly
I photograph with film, play music with vinyl and
worked on by a computer: a computer from the 1800’s.
VJ with videotapes which is so outdated that I have to bring my own equipment to the venues where
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE CONCEPT BEHIND
I perform. Yet my work deals with the here and now.
YOUR INTERPRETATION? I bring you one of my usual preoccupations: the beautiful
CRUX
YOUR OTHER WORK ALSO DEALS WITH FASHION.
people. Narcissistic and perversely desirable. this strange
WHAT IS IT IN FASHION THAT INTERESTS YOU?
current creature is artificially poised and concocted as
The models in my photographs are typecasted to fit a
any ego-massaging representation of 18th or 19th century
certain idea that I want to portray. I frequently engage in
courtesan there she is at play against the backdrop of the
the notion of ‘identity’ and the way in which fashion and
lands she holds sway.
DEBBIE HARRY DOES THE PIANO
PHOTO & DRESS: MARTIN C DE WAAL / COMPUTER MANIPULATIONS: MENNO BARTELSE / MAKE-UP & HAIR: CIM AUGUST
“ I F R E Q U E N T LY E N G AG E I N T H E N OT I O N O F ‘ I D E N T I T Y ’ A N D T H E WAY I N W H I C H FA S H I O N A N D M A S S M E D I A US E I T A S A C O M M O D I T Y. ”
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CRUX
TRANSFORM 4
PHOTOGRAPHY MACRO VAN RIJT
I N T E RV I E W B Y E LY S E M O L A N D A N D M A RT I J N N E KO U I
MARCO VAN RIJT WHAT WAS YOUR STARTING POINT WITH THIS PROJECT?
uncommon beauty. I search for perfection which is never
My starting point was a feeling created by
too perfect. On the other hand, I still want it to stay natural
the dress, not the actual garment.
and maintain an authentic feeling. I always work with
I was very inspired by Francis Bacon’s movie
unique models, which is true also in this project. There
Love is the Devil. The way in which Bacon depicts
is something fascinating about him and I always look
emotions and their dualities is fascinating. I wanted
for models who give that feeling to me. This model can
to combine this way of experiencing an emotion
really move, he knows what to do with his body. He can
with expressing emotion through body language.
express himself through his body without sound or music.
YOUR CRUX MOMENT?
WHAT IS FASHION TO YOU?
I would have to say the emotion. I made photographs
What is fashion? This [experiment] can also be
portraying different expressions. My idea was a person
fashion, it is just the way how you see it. I think the
screaming and being calm at the same time.
way I photographed this guy, for me that’s fashion. People need to understand, that everything can be
ONE EMOTION IS CLEARLY DOMINATING
fashion. Fashion doesn’t require a piece of clothing.
THE OTHER. WHY IS THAT? I want to show the image with the calm expression clearer as that is what shows on the outside. The transparent layer is the internal feeling – the repressed emotion.
“ FA S H I O N I S A B O U T C A P T U R I N G A M O M E N T FA S H I O N R E P R E S E N T S T H AT. ”
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY? I’m always searching for a specific feeling of beauty,
_
59
I N T E RV I E W B Y E LY S E M O L A N D
THOMAS ANFIELD IN YOUR WORDS, HOW DID YOU TRANSLATE THE
uniqueness no matter what it is. Even things you
CHALAYAN DRESS INTO THIS FINAL CREATION?
might see as negative, sloppiness for example may
I think the idea of transformation was the key, at first I
be your biggest blessing, got to go with the flow.
thought about something very modern almost futurist but then I thought “how can this old technology of painting
HOW DO YOU APPROACH A NEW PIECE?
express the idea of transformation?” I thought about
Usually with trepidation and fear, but with
the magic of taking base ingredients and transforming
undying faith, I don’t know in what however.
them into something beautiful so I decided to recreate the piece out of an old cardboard box fashioned on
WAS IT DIFFICULT BEING ASKED TO COMBINE YOUR
my ever faithful studio assistant - the dummy.
USUAL CREATIVE PROCESS WITH THIS CHOSEN MASTERPIECE?
DID YOU FIND IT DIFFICULT COMING FROM A
Yes, the work is already a piece of art about
NON-FASHION DESIGN BACKGROUND INTERPRETING
fashion, and I think it is very hard to make art
FASHION INTO YOUR MEDIUM?
about art, it took me many drawings and a few
Hmmm, no I’ve been painting dresses for years
sleepless nights to figure out a direction.
and art like fashion is part of all our lives it’s integral whether we know it or not.
DO YOU FEEL THAT PAINTING AND FASHION INFLUENCE EACH OTHER?
HAS THIS EXPERIENCE CHANGED YOUR OPINION
I hope so. When talking with some artists, it is weird
TOWARDS FASHION? DO YOU SEE IT IN A DIFFERENT
to notice that they are ignorant of art world stars that
LIGHT?
appear in fashion magazines. These magazines are a
No just one more experience where you stop and
very good place to learn of contemporary trends.
say “what a great idea, wish I thought of that.”
CRUX
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE VISION YOU HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS?
FOUND IN THE CHALAYAN DRESS AND THE
Painful, frustrating, underpaid, self doubting, foolhardy,
VISION YOU PORTRAYED IN THIS PIECE?
selfish, irresponsible and I wouldn’t change a thing. It
I think the previous answer fits here too! I did try
has taken me many years to realize your gift is your
to get at the idea of it at the end of the day it’s all smoke and mirrors, not false but an act of will.
DUMMY IN CARDBOARD CHALAYAN
PAINTING BY THOMAS ANFIELD
YOU STRIVE TO LET THE PAINTING’S
say “do more of those” so it has jump started a
OWN INNER LOGIC, ITS OWN INNER FORM, COME TO
new series of dummy paintings, Thanks Crux!
LIFE. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE LOGIC AND
Least enjoyable? What kind of a way
FORM OF THIS FINAL PIECE?
to think about life is that?
I went for a very traditional method where I recreated the piece in my studio and then I could paint
CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THE CRUX
directly from life without photography etc so in that
MOMENT WAS FOR YOU DURING THIS COLLABORATION?
way it’s a very direct lived experience of form.
WHAT WAS THE MOST AND LEAST ENJOYABLE MOMENTS DURING THIS COLLABORATION WITH CRUX? Just being asked was great , I don’t usually do commissions so it was a little nudge out of my comfort zone. It also caused my dealers to get excited and
“ T H E R E I S O N LY O N E M O M E N T A N D T H AT M O M E N T I S N OW. ”
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T E X T T I F FA N N I T R E N C H / E LY S E M O L A N D
C
A M O U F L
A G E
The coastal town of Turku Finland, is host to the stunning Logomo cafeteria designed by conceptual artist Tobias Rehberger and furniture company Artek. Logomo café takes interior design to new levels by blending the boundaries of art with a functional social environment. This collaboration utilizes dazzle paints, geometric patterns and strong features depicting an experiment with dimensions and colour. This exciting collaboration called Nothing Happens For a Reason plays with the conceptual side of Tobias’ art merging it with the furniture designed by Artek to create a sense of direction. The neon orange guides the eye from one side to another, making it an attractive feature throughout. The design aesthetic creates a continual flow, which connects the décor and space like pieces of a puzzle. By combining striking lines and contrasting colors with the airy vibe, this place has more edge than just the normal art gallery. T h i s i s n ’ t t h e f i r s t c o l l a b o r a t i o n b e t we e n Re h b e r g e r a n d A r t e k . T h e i r l a s t ve n t u r e w o n R e h b e r g e r a G o l d e n L i o n f o r b e s t a r t i s t a t t h e Ve n i c e B i e n n a l e i n 2 0 0 9 .
“I like the idea of creating a visual art project which is about not seeing something”. The painting method of battle ships in the WWI and WWII, called dazzle painting, in a way, perfectly represents this paradox. The sculpture I created for Turku is based on the same concept as the one in Venice. It applies a completely different pattern to the space, but despite its very different look, it should have the same dazzling effect.” says Rehberger. Dazzle painting seems to be a fixture for Tobias. As seen in Logomo and the retro inspired cafeteria in Venice, Tobias likes to challenge his audience with the things that can’t be seen. The impact of this collaboration is instantly felt by visiting customers. Logomo provokes a dynamic sensation that is not commonly experienced in other cafeterias. Experimentation with these design elements shifts the way similar spaces are executed and opens the mind to numerous possibilities. Not only do collaborations like this influence interior design but also integrate accessible art into the daily lives of the public.
CRUX
CAMOUFLAGE
63
^ P H O T O S B O S T RA N D E N
FRENCH
ARTIST
JR
HAS
BIG
PLANS
FOR
THE
GLOBAL
S T R E E T- A R T
SCENE:
S U P E R - S I Z E D P E R S O N A L E X P R E S S I O N . Y O U M AY N O T PAY AT T E N T I O N T O T H E H U N D R E D S O F F A C E S A N D S T R A N G E R S Y O U PA S S O N T H E S T R E E T, B U T M AY B E
T E X T B Y: B RO N T I E N AY LO R- J O N E S P H OTO G RA P H Y B Y E LY S E M O L A N D
Y O U W O U L D S T O P A N D L O O K I F T H E I R FA C E W E R E P L A S T E R E D O N A B I L L B O A R D .
CRUX
Thought to be one of the biggest global art
Other previous projects that have had a profound
movements ever created, JR and the Inside
aim and message include Face2Face in 2007, when
Out project are seeking the help of numerous
JR took pictures of Palestinians and Israelis with
collaborators to expand the movement to a truly
the same occupations and posted them along the
monumental scale. Anyone across the globe,
wall that divides Israel from the West Bank. JR also
artistically inclined or otherwise, can upload a
visited places that have been affected by crime.
photograph, which will be returned to them as a
By taking photos of people who live there, he told a
billboard-size poster. The collaborator is free to
story that wouldn’t have been otherwise covered by
paste it anywhere: on the sides of buildings, roofs or
mainstream media outlets. By doing this, JR and his
fences, for example. JR believes this is a chance for
supporters attract media back to the site and allow
people to show a piece of who they are, or post a
the communities to reclaim their towns and start
picture of someone they care about and share them
afresh.
with the world. Now, at age twenty-eight, JR is the youngest The Inside Out project does not mark JR’s first
person to receive a TED.com prize, an award
foray into changing the world’s landscape. Prior
which has been presented to the likes of Jamie
to the creation of the project the self-proclaimed
Oliver, Bill Clinton and Bono. The grand prize is
“photograffeur” - a title that combines his passion
$100,000 and “one wish to change the world”.
for photography with a past filled with illegally
JR’s wish is “for people to take a stand and show
covering many of France’s empty surfaces with
what you care about by participating in a global
graffiti portraits – had covered Kenyan shanty
art project, and together we’ll turn the world inside
towns’ rooftops with photos of the faces of
out.” Upon getting the call from TED to inform
women who lived there and plastered eyes along
him he would be receiving the prize, JR thought
the river Seine. However, JR wanted his artistic
it was initially a hoax. He has since embraced
endeavours to reach out and involve a much
the honour and will be using the prize money
wider audience. The artist’s dream is to have “as
to help Inside Out expand its reach and make it
many different people as possible, in as many
bigger and more successful than his previous
different locations to post pictures in as many
projects. Following the prestigious award, JR has
countries as they are able.” Though the scope
gained help from sponsors such as the Sundance
of his idea is grand, his end goal is not: “I don’t
Film Festival founders to make a film about the
want to change the world, art isn’t meant to
project, and Google to publish the photos online.
change the world,” he says, “but rather change perceptions and, in turn, change energy, which is
With all these new-found resources and assistance,
what will allow people to change
JR’s dreams of making Inside Out and global street
the world themselves.”
art a phenomenon are closer than ever.
ELYSE MOLAND ART DIRECTOR TIFFANNI TRENCH EDITOR
INES VESELCIC EDITOR EVE KESKINEN EDITOR IN CHIEF
CRUX TURNS
INSIDE
OUT
“ W H E R E W I L L YO U R P H OTO B E S E E N ? W W W. I N S I D E O U T P RO J E C T. N E T
65
HANAH CHUNG is a multi-talented fashion photographer from Vancouver, Canada. She loves finding intriguing ways to capture the ordinary and the extraordinary. In this issue, Hanah experimented with the uncontrollable element of water to create a haunting atmosphere. opheliasfuneral.blogspot.com Canadian based oil painter THOMAS
MARTIN C. DE WAAL
ANFIELD started his
is a Dutch artist known
career as a graffiti artist before communicating his work through visual and performance art. Not one normally to do commissions, Crux’s 3X gave Thomas a little push to come out of his comfort zone.
for his controversial
CONTRI BUTORS
work which often involves the artist himself. Hot topics serve as attention grabbers for the underlying motivation behind his work: to make people less quick to judge. For this issue
thomasanfield.com
of Crux, De Waal reinterpreted Hussein Chalayan’s Transformer Dress with an installation. mcdewaal.com Fashion photographer MARCO VAN
RIJT has produced photo shoots for many online magazines including Glamcult and U+Mag. His photography style has a sharp edge which gives his images a crisp, clean look. Marco believes that “pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.”
CRUX
marcovanrijt.com
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C O N TA C T
ELLISBIEMANS.COM EVE KESKINEN EPISODE
EDITOR IN CHIEF / TEXT EDITOR
EPISODE.EU
KESKINEN.EVE@GMAIL.COM
FILIPPA K
ELYSE MOLAND
FILIPPA-K.COM
ART DIRECTOR / TEXT EDITOR EMOLAND@RYERSON.CA
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INES VESELCIC EDITOR
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IVY_INES@HOTMAIL.COM
SAMANTHAWIJSMAN.COM TIFFANNI TRENCH TENUE DE NÎMES - AMS, NL
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TIFFANNITRENCH@GMAIL.COM
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CRUX