DDEAF Spring 2016 by DDEAF magazine

DETROIT DESIGN ENTERTAINMENT ART & FASHION

THREE DOLLARS

D DEAF

SPRING 2016 + ISSUE 3

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laude Debussy was an innovator, whose dream like music broke all the rules. For us, Debussy’s music evokes magical worlds of veiled exoticism and heavy perfumes layered in rich deep colors. His music completely ignored traditional rules, and created complex yet free-flowing rhythms. We get evocations of a kind of sleepy luscious color when we hear it. He used the whole tone scale a lot, which is a special series of notes with rich connotations. He was also fascinated by color in music, and tried to create it and experiment with it from early on. As he got older, his music became more radical. He bent harmony further and further, and his music took on an extremely floaty and disconnected character. It is all these Debussy-isms that have shaped the spring issue. Color, flow, rhythm and a dash of experimentation are all key to this issues success. Color with its own explosive language, flow being dangerous and unexpected and rhythm’s numerically controlled status. With every issue we like to experiment with fonts, colors, artists, graphic design, words and photos in unexpected ways. Our women’s feature of gestural fashion Illustrations from Don Kilpatrick were executed in a combination of watercolor wash and casein paint on Rives BFK printmaking paper, which provides a visually lush view of spring’s best dresses. Steven Sivak’s architectural combinations of materials in diverse abstract combinations command structural splendor, while the simple human form pushed in almost alphabetical shapes helped feature the mens accessories. The fascination with twins carries over from the winter issue into the mens fashion feature from photographer Boswell with an explosion of prints, graphic touches and color that wind up on top of a backdrop of abstract nature scenes. As we grow at DDEAF and experiment with many different forms in design we cannot help but to be influenced by the great Debussy and his veiled exoticism.

INTRODUCTION

Steven Sivak Architects and Constructors are a multi-disciplinary architectural and design firm

based in Ann Arbor. The firm has gained acclaim for its comprehensive integration of architecture, materials, careful composition and construction.

16 – A Spring Affair / DESIGN – McLenon+DuCharme

CONTENTS

8 – Steven Sivak / ARCHITECTURE – Jeff Newsom

Winter is over and we’re all about being bold and expressive through opposing elements. Subtle blush pinks mixed with impactful cobalt blues are easy to incorporate in any wardrobe or home and provide an interesting and unexpected color combination.

18 – Tina Givens / PROFILES – Andrea Zarczynski

Whimsical stitches artist brings design to Life: Designer, artist and businesswoman Tina Givens dreamed of

stitching before she knew how to operate a sewing machine. The Birmingham-based Tina Givens Design collection is defined by comfortable, hand-crafted pieces made form organic fabrics and materials meant for layering.

20 – Beverly Fishman / ART – Kim Fay

We talk to Beverly about her super-sized tablets that are vibrantly colored,

streamlined and glossy. How disease, cure and placebo relate to her work followed by the many myths and fantasies of what a working artists life looks like.

24 – James Rigato / NIBBLES & BITS – Jeff Newsom

DDEAF chats with James about the importance of his restaurant tribe, chefs and customers

embracing whole animal cookery and what it takes to make a successful restaurant work. We then head over to Seldon Standard to chat about all the other bits.

26 – Dressed / WOMENS FASHION – Don Kilpatrick III

The gestural fashion Illustrations executed in a combination of

watercolor wash and casein paint on Rives BFK printmaking paper, provide a visually lush view of spring’s best dresses.

32 – Bits & Pieces / ACCESSORIES – Matt LaVere

All the tactile details and deep rich tones of this seasons mens accessories add up

to an exciting varietyof goods that cater to every mans need to conquer the world.

40 – Seeing Double / MENS FASHION – Boswell

Twins have fascinated science & fashion for centuries.The bright colors and optical patterns of springs finest threads make for this thrown in a blender style shoot all the more exciting.

44 – Steven Yeun / ENTERTAINMENT – J. E. Park His icon status is ascending quickly but Troy native actor Steven

Yeun’s star continues to rise in Hollywood in many different ways.

CONTRIBUTORS

Don KILPATRICK III

Don Kilpatrick III moved to Detroit in 2007 to begin his career at the College for Creative Studies as a faculty member in the Illustration Department of which he has been the department chair since 2010. A successful freelance illustrator, Kilpatrick’s work has been featured in publications such as Fortune, the L.A. Times, and the Wall Street Journal. His illustration can be found on the Olympic medal for the XIX Winter Games in Salt Lake City. Additionally, he has exhibited his artwork in New York, Philadelphia, and Miami. The Butcher’s Daughter gallery hosted Kilpatrick’s first solo exhibition in November of 2012, and another solo exhibition in December of 2013, and most recently in January 2015 in New York City. P.30

ELIZABETH Royal

Elizabeth Royal calls a 1924 fixer upper on the East Side of Detroit home base and she takes a lot of photos.She spent five years in public and private school classrooms as an elementary school teacher but along the way she gained experience developing and creating content and layouts for print and web based media, managing multiple social media accounts, and copywriting and editing while doing freelance work alongside teaching. Elizabeth actively photographs street style and editorial photos and has worked in Seoul, Tokyo, Kyoto, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Denver. P.20

Matt LAVERE

Matt Lavere is a Grand Valley State graduate with a degree in photography. His work has been featured in HOUR Detroit and Alternative Press Magazine. Some of his clients include Bjond, Inc. and Specialized Bicycles. When he’s not behind a camera join him for an old fashioned or a polaroid portrait of yourself to showcase on his website. P.12

ARCHITECTURE 8

Birmingham Project

STEVENSIVAK

Tell us about your firm:

Steven Sivak Architects and Constructors is a multi-disciplinary architectural and design firm based in Ann Arbor. The firm has gained acclaim for its comprehensive integration of architecture, materials, careful composition and construction. The nature of the local market has forced us to adapt to a variety of different stylistic tendencies. We adapt to our environment but never change our focus on craft, materiality, the control of space and light, etc. Each project is both different from all others and on a deeper level, much the same. The uniqueness of each project is a result of the inherent differences that can be evoked from our clients, the sites, the history of the context and the budgets. Why do you frequently build your own projects?

Long before I even thought of becoming an architect, I tinkered with mechanical projects and took things apart. I was intrigued by the creative process of assembly. I learned to have respect for the mechanical engineers and skilled craftspeople that worked in this area. Soon after hanging the proverbial shingle, I watched one of the pre-eminent general contractors in the area botch up a project of mine. I then decided that I could do better then they and my clients would benefit as well. I see a continuum in the process from design to realization and especially between the working drawings and the finished project. Being involved with both disciplines makes us better architects and better constructors. At the end of the day, I don’t think that are many general contractors who could have built the concrete house more efficiently or more carefully than us- it is a Swiss watch that was completed on time and on budget. What is your design philosophy at SSAC?

This is a really difficult question to answer because we really don’t have a philosophy in the standard sense. The projects are different from each other just like our clients are different. We don’t sell product: we sell a sophisticated service. There are deeper aspects of the projects that unify them: Ideally, we want to take our clients on an explorative journey through modernism and find the place where the project exists. We want to work in all three dimensions manipulating the plan with surgical precision and the form with a sense of plastic possibility. Then we infuse a materiality to the project that solidifies the ideas in time and space. At the end of the day we want beauty- both for us as well as our clients/partners. What are your goals and aspirations?

I have so many untested architectural ideas that I want to explore with interested clients… and thus I have to say that my goal is to find these clients and for them to find me so that we can “get crackin’!” Specifically, we have only touched the surface of what can be done with cast-in-place concrete, we want to explore more in terms of residences that are designed for live:work situations, we want to move up in terms of scale- perhaps small civic structures like a library or post office and last but not least multi-family housing. Can you tell us about the Birmingham project?

It all started with the client’s desire to put an addition on an existing home. After many attempts by a variety of architects, the client and I determined that what was really needed was a new house. We tried to salvage the existing house but it just was an expensive compromise that did not solve the inherent design problems. I had always wanted to work with cast-in-place concrete and was delighted to find that my client had a mutual interest in the material. It had been my dream for over 10 years to really explore this material as my architectural heroes had all done. At the same time that we were heading into material experimentation, the client already had a very good idea about the basic organization of the home. We worked very hard to get to the essence of that and improve upon it. In this regard, the primary goal of the project was to create an environment to enhance daily activities, as well as to conceive a spatial frame for the display of the unique art and furniture collection that the client had amassed over decades of careful collecting.

In contrast to the surrounding Tudor and cottage like residences, the shell is natural poured concrete- all of it. Due to grade issues on the site, a plinth was created to hold and caress the home and allow the side-to-side grade issues to be mitigated. The main entrance, while not visible from

the street, is discreetly located inside an exterior court that is one of the most sublime spaces of the project. While the house appears to be dark and opaque from the exterior, the use of alternative lighting devices and controls washes the interior with the right kind of light- indirect: perfect for displaying art. Skylights, indirect natural and man-made lighting and large cuts to the skin on the rear provide for real drama on the interior. Carefully located windows frame views to the outside while affording large wall areas for the placement of art. The concealed natural and man-made lighting is what allows the exterior to be opaque and minimally perforated. I sometimes see the shell as a large blank mask; a hard and durable poker face for the private and sumptuous interior that is only revealed to those who are invited in. Designed with a loft aesthetic in mind, the second floor contains in addition the sumptuous Master Bedroom, three additional suites that are connected via a cantilevered balcony that surrounds the two-story rear dining room. The first floor is an open planned experiment of interconnecting spaces containing the Kitchen, Dining and Living Room spaces. Natural materials including Jet Mist granite, cast-in-place concrete, white Thasos marble, rift-sawn White Oak, stainless steel, black oxide finished steel cabinetry and Benjamin Moore Super White paint complement the architectural rigor of the interior environment. What’s your creative process?

We listen to our clients as they describe their goals and desires and then we let that rattle us for a while why we begin to let those ideas take hold. We then begin to convert that into forms and relationships and try to forge that into something powerful and coherent. We start in plan, as that is how I was trained in Grave’s office, then we build models that do not necessarily correspond to the 2-d work and then we go back to drawing the model and then we start over again… It’s time consuming but I think the results speak for themselves. We have come to believe that the first 3 weeks of design are the most important part of the process. The fundamentals have to correct! Eventually, details and materials begin to suggest themselves and then we spend an enormous amount of time drawing the project in its entirety. We do that because we have to know how to build it and we would rather nail down the documents at a desk with time on our side as opposed to in the field when the stress level is much higher. The document set for the concrete house was 190 pages and there is no fluff… What residential projects are you working on?

Nearly ready to start construction on the Fountain Street Residence, which is a protypical live:work single-family residence in Ann Arbor. We are also doing research on two family row houses. If all goes correctly, we will start construction in the fall. Currently I am working as a CM consultant on a Sarasota modern home that was being assembled from poor documents (no names here!) by a very unqualified General Contractor. It’s forensic construction and is very challenging but it gives me the opportunity to see how things can go wrong and how they can be repaired. What is your dream project?

For our firm, the client and our relationship with that client, is what determines what a dream project is. For starters, any project which is the result of a client reviewing my history, background and projects and then actively decides that they wish to work with me. When this occurs, I am honored because it means that earlier work is being complimented with more work. Another aspect of a dream project is when the client and I get the costs and quality expectations correct. Each of the projects that I do are unique: they are prototypes and exact costing is difficult. However, with dream clients we can get to the ballpark easy and stay in that frame of mind without having the cost of everything be the guiding light. This is true regardless of the ultimate cost of the project.

What are your views on the Detroit architectural marketplace?

I may not be the best one to ask as this question but nonetheless, I see a collection of masterpieces that spread over 70 or 80 years of time. Inside of that period there appears to have been a heyday in Detroit that ended decades ago. More recently, there here have been some great architects who have completed some fantastic projects- Todd Williams, Rafael Moneo, Steven Holl, etc. Note that Cranbrook was the patron for each of those projects. The private sector has been MIA. Simultaneously however, the city/region has done a miserable job of supporting local talent or maybe the local talent had done a miserable job of making great architecture- not sure which way it is… Outside of Cranbrook, modern architecture in Detroit seems to be only pursued by “extreme” individuals. We know who we are! It is a position that deeply saddens me- Even popular magazines and movies display modern architecture but it is almost nowhere to be found in Detroit.

I frequently ask myself why is it that auto industry executives, who are always in search of progress, invention and creativity in their industry go house shopping, they more often than not purchase old classics- Tudors, Capes but more often the oversized contorted amalgamations that sprout up like weeds around Detroit? These are the clients who should be acting as the patrons for modern architecture… and this perhaps is one of the primary reasons why modern architecture has not flourished in Detroit.

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Giorgio Beverly Hills

You work on bringing in contemporary ideas into a lot of your work. What’s that like?

Umm…. it’s about moving ideas forward and bringing them into existence. After years and years of thinking and building, it’s really starting to be possible to push materials around, but also listening to them as well. Even though I have done plenty of beautifully detailed non-Modernist work, I am heart a Modernist. It is tied to where and when I was educated and my conviction that in Modernism, all is possiblethe rulebook is huge and there are opportunities for limitless exploration and material usage. I am also deeply interested in how abstract shapes can become places of dwelling. In order to pull this off, one needs to really understand the technology that allows for this approach- so it is a sort of circle from materials and methods back to design- one can’t design it if one can’t control it. Of all of your projects, what would you want to live in?

My house- a 50’ s Case-Study house done by two Ann Arbor architects who both worked for Mies- Twenty years of inhabiting this space and I am still in love! Modest, timeless materials, attention to detail, early passive solar thinking- a highly intelligent structure that I never get tired of! However, I only renovated it, the other guys created it! We notice that you work at a variety of scales- what’s up with that?

Well truth be told, scale is obvious to the viewer but not so much to the designer: problems are problems and while larger projects have more of them, small design problems get resolved down to a finer level. We once designed a tie bar and the drawings were done at 10x full size- the pencil case was drawn at 2x full size and most residential projects get resolved to ¼ full size. The design problem is what interests us, not the size. Who are your favorite architects and artists?

Donald Judd, Richard Serra, Tadao Ando, John Pawson, Herzog and de Meuron, Le Corbusier and James Turrell What are the most inspirational spots for you in the metro Detroit?

Cranbrook, Barton Hills, Nickel Arcade and Lafayette Coney Island- however I am convinced that there are many, many other places in Detroit that I would find inspirational I just don’t know about them and wish that I had a great tour guide to show me! Final words?

When done correctly, architecturally designed homes can be a source of immense pride, comfort, beauty and a host of other attributes for many, many decades. Clothing, decorative objects and cars are replaced regularly, relationships sour and yet that bond between a homeowner and their home can exist for near eternity. I believe that architecture is a long-term investment in one’s happiness; as to why only a small fraction of the population has had the interest to work with architects is beyond me.

EISENBERG RESIDENCE 15

DESIGN LOVE MEANS NEVER HAVING TO EXPLAIN BEING BOLD

A Spring Affair McLenon+DuCharme

inter is over and we’re all about being bold and expressive through opposing elements. Subtle blush pinks mixed with impactful cobalt blues are easy to incorporate in any wardrobe or home and provide an interesting and unexpected color combination. Not feeling very colorful? We love visual statements made with heavy, dripping textures and sculptural forms. Try mixing organic figures with hard-angled structures. Introduce natural materials like wood to man-made clear plastics. It may seem unconventional, but great relationships can be found in the unlikeliest of pairings.

FEATURES: TEA TIME The freshly contemporary packaging is originally what drew us to sample Joseph Wesley’s tea collection. The robust and bold flavor profile of Black Tea No. 2 keeps us coming back for more. Detroiter Joseph Wesley injects his passion and knowledge of tea into each of his original blends. Single origin, picked by hand, and immaculately branded, what more can you ask for? You need Joseph Wesley Tea. Joseph Wesley Tea - Detroit Institute of Bagels, 1236 Michigan Ave, Detroit LUXE IN LEATHER We’re blushing over the dusty rose leather of Helen Amy Murray’s high-back floral motif chair. Layer upon layer of leather is hand-cut using an exacto knife making Helen’s designs highly labor intensive and truly original works of art. Her leather installations and custom furniture illustrates an impressive catalog that is definitely worth exploring. Sculpted Leather Chair - Helen Amy Murray, Helenamymurray.com FANTASTIC IN PLASTIC We’re longtime fans of incorporating clear, plasticine elements in design. It gives the eye a chance to rest while introducing a futuristic element and works well with every style of decor. The organic form of this unfinished wood burl encapsuled in a cube of clear resin creates an interesting juxtaposition of natural and man-made materials. Acrylic and Burlwood Side Table - Houzz, Houzz.com

HAPPY ACCIDENT We’ve had our noses on the Nasomatto line for a while now. The packaging alone is brilliantly architectural and the concept intriguing. Perfumer Alessandro Gualtieri’s concludes his collection with perhaps one of the most baffling brews to rock the fragrance world. Blamage is Gualtieri’s search for the perfect mistake. The scent is lacking in a single direction, it’s over-developed yet crude. It arouses the senses and confuses the palette. Blamage is the anti-perfume and it’s humorously radiant. Nasomatto Blamage Perfume - Lori Karbal, 560 N. Old Woodward Ave, Birmingham EAR CANDY Less is a bore. We’re all about making big statements with these larger-than-life rain Dusters from Los Angeles designer Annie Costello Brown. Her Matisse inspired designs are impactful, organic, and somehow classically contemporary. Also available in brass or silver but we’re definitely feeling these blues. Long Rain Dusters in Oxide Blue - ACB Jewels, Anniecostellobrown.com FLAME-N-WAX A contemporary approach to the traditional taper candle, we’re loving the sculptural impact of these Stalagmite-like candles from Ester & Erik. Group them together in a variety of sizes for a visually-powerful centerpiece. Available in a variety of colors, we’re favoring the usual pastel tones, offset by the striking cobalt blue. Ester & Erik Cone Candles - Nora, 4240 Cass Ave, Suite 109, Detroit

HOT LAVA Self-proclaimed pottery junkies, we just can’t get enough of the bubbling lava glazes so often seen in mid-century studio pottery but infrequently used today. With their bold forms and glazes inspired by volcanic rock, our hearts erupted when our eyes descended on Klein Reid’s Mihara collection. Klein Reid Mihara Collection - Hugh, 4240 Cass Ave, Detroit LOVE AND LASERS We’ve got a girl crush on Molly M. From her laser cut jewelry to her metallic geometric pillows, the entire collection is a must-have. Having studied architecture, Molly incorporates architectural forms in her work drawing inspiration from all over the world including Detroit’s own Guardian Building. Molly meticulously hand-places the leftover leather and fabric bits from her projects in radiant patterns to create her artwork. She’s one designer to have on your radar. Molly M Print - SCOUT, 508 S. Washington, Royal Oak WASHED UP When you’re spending a pretty penny on top quality beauty products, let’s face it, of course we want it to work well but it better look good on our shelf. Kevin Murphy’s graphically bold bottles show us that sometimes beauty is not only on the inside. With a natural shea butter and aloe vera base, Murphy’s Repair Me Rinse is like a tall glass of water for your hair all wrapped up in a brilliantly faceted little blue package. - Todd’s Room, 239 Pierce St, Birmingham

PROFILES

TINAGIVENS esigner, artist and businesswoman Tina Givens dreamed of stitching before she knew how to operate a sewing machine. Born into a family of passionate creatives, she designed her first piece by age 6, then followed up with years of unique artistic expression that came to form a striking couture apparel and jewelry collection. The Birmingham-based Tina Givens Design collection is defined by comfortable, hand-crafted pieces - pants, tunics, dresses, jackets, slips and coats - made form organic fabrics and materials meant for layering. Artisan sewers and beaders produce all materials in the United States, and though Givens works with retailers’ seasonal buying schedules, she aims to introduce new pieces into stores each month. “I create - whether (with) cloth, paint or the computer,” Givens said. “My customer is a strong, independent woman. She loves to express herself and who she is as a woman. Whether she’s going through a sad part of her life, or expressing her joy, she is solid in who she is.” Her passion for design blossomed early, though Givens also later found herself attracted to the world of sales and marketing. She earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from York University and refined her skills working at leading ad agencies. In search of more creative pursuits, Givens then began producing creative stationery designs as the president, artist and designer of Cid Pear in Raleigh, NC. She licensed her art in the textile design and gift industries and then began conceptualizing sewing patterns for fashion-forward women in the craft industry. “I drifted off into my dream world where I decided to launch the apparel collections under my own name,” Givens said. “I was bombarded with women asking me to offer similar styles in sewing patterns.” Inspired by travel, film and early literature, Givens considers herself as a visual woman deeply connected to color, fashion and trends, be it for the home or gifts. She said that her couture collection serves as a constant source of happiness as it evolves with new pieces, silhouettes and construction. “I love fabrics and find inspiration in the texture and weave of anything organic,” Givens said. “I love leather and naturally faceted stones for jewelry. Coming from Africa and growing up in a multi-cultural family and environment, I always draw from that history.” The Tina Givens couture customer varies, from age 45 plus in layered linen looks to 30 plus in urban, body-conscious pieces. Sewing customers are generally ages 30 and older. Age aside, the designer hopes that every piece will offer a woman happiness, comfort and the opportunity to feel more beautiful and express her individuality. Givens has lived in Detroit for the past year and continues to travel across the country and abroad to Europe and Africa. Detroit women in particular have inspired Givens with their creative talent, be it in the automotive, film, fashion, music, culinary or similar industry. While sketching, the designer keeps silhouettes in mind. She refines ideas at her studio cutting table, planning for each piece to take its own journey to completion. With a vast collection of fabrics and organic materials at hand, she allows some designs to dictate fabric choice and vice versa. Editing, she said, remains the most vital part of the design process. Givens gravitates towards woven materials and solid, feather-weight cotton, silk and linen fabrics. She also enjoys using organic open-weave monk cloth, which when laundered, takes on a wrinkled softness. Sold primarily in boutiques across the country, the collection will offer an expanded retail arm this spring. Sewing patterns are already available worldwide through the website and independent fabric shops. Success as a licensed artist in the quilt and craft world has prompted Givens to launch local couture pop-up events this year throughout the Detroit area. Also to take a more direct customer approach, the mother of three will publish several e-books on nurturing female independence, individuality and self-expression. “The sewing business is amazing, and I am inspired by women all over the world to continue designing for them to make their clothes at home,” Givens said. “I am a believer in breaking all of the rules, I am always questioning the ‘why’ of how we do things. Find your voice, and don’t be afraid to evolve as you grow and nurture your creativity. Never give up, and be great at what you do.”

Visit tinagivens.com to view the Tina Givens couture line, sewtinagivens.com to find patterns and textile designs and tinagIvenscouture.com to browse new retail apparel collections. – Andrea Zarczynski

ART

BEVERLYFISHMAN he formality and energy of an exhibition opening is lovely and entertaining. I usually hit it en masse to quickly view the work and catch up with friends. But it’s a studio visit, which unveils an artist’s process, I enjoy the most. Through sketched-out thoughts pinned to walls, littered tabletops and floors, I can see ideas forming into a body of work. I also get to know the person behind the art, as artists discussing their work are revealing hidden corners of themselves. It may not be initially as clear as other forms of communication, but it’s honest and a helluva lot more compelling and insightful. Super-sized tablets, vibrantly colored, streamlined and glossy, demanded my attention the second I entered Beverly Fishman’s studio. Art is a vehicle to generate a sensation--peace, horror; high, low. These forms read stark and clinical. Beverly’s pills resemble regularly prescribed medications. Doctors brandish prescription pads as quickly as Western gunslingers their pistols. As the battle between the swollen pockets of Big Pharma and the American waistline expands, her work is more relevant than ever. What about art contributing to healing? When I have a bad day, I run to the DIA to bask in the glow of a favorite painting. I always feel better after looking at it. Is it the more reverent environment, the image, or a combination that makes just the right cocktail? If I stand in front of something that looks like Xanax, will it relieve my anxiety? If a man contemplates a pill that looks like Viagra, is his lover in for it later? Acknowledgement may come quickly, but more likely from intensive effort. Beverly is passionately devoted to her practice as well as her role as a mentor to other artists. In relating her journey to freshly minted art makers, and those of us who’ve been around a bit, she delivers truth pills with no sugar coating to choke them down. Her disciplined time in the studio combined with dedication to her vision has resulted in success any artist dreams about. If you get up every morning and get to work, you can live your life as a working artist. A prescription taken as directed. You said your work begins with the cell as the symbol of self. What does that mean? That is how my work started in the late ‘80’s. I was interested in identity, and what it meant to an individual in my contemporary moment. I thus felt compelled to engage with my role as an artist during the AIDS crisis in NYC. Close friends and acquaintances were dying, ravaged and then destroyed by an “invisible” virus. I was not interested in what we looked like externally, but rather how we tested for HIV. I thought of cells and viruses as powerful components of the self. I have continued over several decades to return to the cell as a site for investigation. How does disease, cure and placebo relate to your work? In the late ‘80’s and ‘90’s I was interested in disease. I used cellular and biological images—which I appropriated from medical texts with a color copier and then rendered more abstract—as forms through which to image new configurations of the self as a combination of genetic and biological elements. In the 2000s, I turned from disease to the “cure”—science and medicine. I created glowing resin pills that explored the pharmaceutical as an ideal, raising questions about our stereotypes of “sickness” and “health” “normal” and “abnormal”. I also made abstract modular paintings that envisioned human identity as a combination of scanned bodily readouts—molecules, helixes, EKG and EEG patterns, DNA codes, neuron spike readouts, and sound waves—and morphed commercial elements, such as pharmaceuticals, circuit boards, Bar codes, and QR codes. Although I believe that medicine and the pharmaceutical industry do much more good than harm, the more I researched, the more I became alarmed by the over-prescribing of medicines, and the power of Big Pharma to expand and colonize ever-new areas of our bodies and minds. Recent research on “placebo effect” suggests that, like the ritual of medicine, colors and forms can affect us on a physiological level, helping us to heal and prosper. Thus the formal elements of painting can affect us like a drug; and the drug industry should become more open to other avenues of healing. Despite some visual alterations, your pills are immediately identifiable if you take them. You’ve said what you take is part of your identity. Can you explain that relationship? The pharmaceuticals in my work often remain identifiable because I want the viewer to be personally engaged. If you identify a form as Valium, or Klonopin, or Viagra, or Fosamax, then you might see my work as speaking to you directly: saying something about your inner, rather than your outer self. I want my work to undermine the notion that “biology is destiny”. Biology is not destiny because we are constantly tweaking and changing our natures through what we eat, what we buy and how we medicate ourselves. Regarding women in art: How are we doing? Do we still need voices like Guerrilla Girls? Who were your mentors and how did they impact you and your work? If you look at the statistics, women do not do as well as men in the art world. In art schools, there are far more women than men, yet when you look at the exhibition record in major art centers like New York and Los Angeles, men far outnumber women. Women are just as brilliant artists as men, but until we have the same opportunities, we still need the Guerrilla Girls, as well as more women—and more supportive men—in all areas of the art world. I was very lucky to have worked with the feminist artist Ree Morton in my undergraduate program at Philadelphia College of Art. She made a lasting impression on me. Then, while doing my MFA at Yale, I met Judy Pfaff and Elizabeth Murray. I was blown away by the power and importance of their work, and their examples showed me that anything was possible if you just channeled your ambition into your work. There are many myths and fantasies about what a working artist’s life looks like. What’s your reality? I get up early and I work every day, balancing my own artistic practice and research in the studio with mentoring 15 graduate students at Cranbrook Academy of Art. I also work hard on the business side of my art, and despite what is basically doing three full time jobs simultaneously, I also try to have a personal life with my wonderful husband. This, needless to say, is a challenging juggling act, and there seems never to be enough time for my own studio practice. What’s the overall message you’re trying to get across? My most recent series of works are polychrome reliefs that I paint with urethane automobile colors. They explore the phenomenology of spectatorship in the context of painting’s history, as well as the concrete historical conditions that undergird the multi-billion dollar global drug production industry. The work employs scale shifts and chromatic juxtapositions to turn tiny commodities into large signs and corporate logos that promise health, beauty, pleasure and the transcendence of death. Through this series, I hope to explore our contemporary global condition in which drugs construct and contest identity. But I am also interested in the long history of painting— painting as a sign, color, painting and technology, fetish finish, object, etc.,—in short, painting’s long history as both an abstract and a representational practice. Anything else you’d like to add? I wish I had more time in the day and more energy to get everything I want accomplished! – Kim Fay

Upcoming exhibitions: Western Project at JAUS – New Works by Daniel Brice, Beverly Fishman, Dion Johnson, John Schlue, and Wayne White. March 19 - April 30, 2016. “Another Day in Paradise” solo exhibition. Abroms// Engel Institute for the Visual Arts, Birmingham, Alabama. January 20 - March 18, 2017. www.Beverlyfishmanstudio.com

UNTITLED OPIOID ADDICTION 2016

NEW CIRCLE UNTITLED DEPRESSION 2016

PILLBOX #2 2013

PHARMAKO SERIES DAY

#2 PHARMAKO SERIES NIGHT

NIBBLES & BITS

JAMESRIGATO

Lily

MABELGREY IS MABELGREY & THAT IS ON PURPOSE

ALL (his) FAVORITES Jeff Newsom

ames Rigato has been on tv, received numerous prestigious awards and named his restaurant in Hazel Park after a ghost. But none of that compares to filling a restaurant and feeding people aggressively different seasonal and locally sourced plates of food with well made drink. With the help of sous chef Sam Stanisz, barman Paul Fradeneck and a knowledgeable wait staff, the tribe at MG create a diverse menu every night which lends to making sure that each time you eat at MG it is radically different. Original NES

97 Pontiac Bonneville

Hazel Park & Parcel

Smoke & Mirrors

House Manhattan

Oda Mae Brown the Dobermann

BTZ Matte Product

Artist Tupac

88 Suzuki Intruder A part of the success of MG is James’s strong belief in whole animal cookery. Rigato says that “Chefs and customers together need to embrace WAC” its sustainable, cost effective and makes for a more inventive menu. It is these actions that make James and his tribe the hardest working team in town. He values his tribe for helping him with all the in and outs of what it takes to make his small restaurant interesting, delicious and successful. After all is said and done there is always another meal to grab and many of times for James it’s with fellow chef and friend Andy Hollyday of Seldon Standard. Share a meal, shoot the shit and have some laughs. Its that easy. Herewith, his other favorite things from the world of James Rigato

James + Sam @ Selde

Detroit Denim Jeans

D R E S S D

Illustrations Don Kilpatrick III

Junya Watanabe

Chloe

Max Mara

Cedric Charlier

Gucci

Simone Rocha

Bits & Pieces photography Matt LaVere

FROM EBLOW TO HAND: SHIRT BABY BLUE LINEN SHIRT BY CARL STERR $295. BAG OAXACAN DOME BACKPACK BY WILL LEATHER GOODS $ 395 32

FROM KNEES TO TOES: TROUSERS FATIGUE COTTON PANTS FROM CARL STERR $95. SOCKS CORGI COTTON POLKADOT SOCK FROM CARL STERR $30 BOOTS WOLVERINE BLUE SUEDE LACE UP BOOTS FROM CARL STERR $425

FROM FINGERS TO ELBOW: WATCH OYSTER PERPETUAL ROLEX BY LUCIDO JEWELRY $9050. JACKET NAVY GIMO RAINCOAT BY CARL STERR $795

FROM EBLOW TO FIST: SHIRT NSF TURNER INDIGO PATCH PULLOVER FROM FOUND OBJECTS $250. BRACLET BROWN LEATHER WRAP CUFF BY Z BALLERINI $65

The End... 39

SEEING DOUBLE

PHOTOGRAPHY BOSWELL

FENDI COAT $1050 - NEIMAN MARCUS PRINT TRUNKS $54 - FOUND OBJECTS ORLEY SWEATER $745 - NEIMANMARCUS JEANS $145 - CARL STERR ORANGE TURTLENECKSWEATER $295 - CARL STERR ORLEY KNIT PANT $695 MARCELO BURLON T-SHT $245 INCOTEX GREEN PANT $345 - NEIMANMARCUS ELECTRIC BLUE LINEN JACKET $3295 -CARL STERR

SANDRINE SHIRT $288 - FOUND OBJECTS PINSTRIPE LINEN PANT $325 - CARL STERR GUCCI PRINT JACKET $1620 TOM FORD JEANS $680 - NEIMAN MARCUS GUCCI SWEATER $995 CREAM PANT $325 - CARL STERR BURBERRY STRIPE SHIRT $295 NEIMAN MARCUS PRINT TRUNKS $54 FOUND OBJECTS

ENTERTAINMENT

STEVENYEUN

here exists no media void impregnable enough for one to escape the ratings juggernaut that is AMC television’s “The Walking Dead”. There have certainly been shows in the past that have earned a rabidly loyal following from their fan base’s adherents, but the fanaticism shown by The Walking Dead’s possesses a type of almost irrational zealousness that is quite difficult to find this far west of the Sunni Triangle. This television series has spawned a postprogram talk show (the surprisingly watchable “The Talking Dead”), multiple podcasts, international conventions and has even inspired a permanent amusement park attraction slated to open at Universal Studios Hollywood over the summer of 2016. Now nearing the conclusion of its sixth season, The Walking Dead has also proven to be one of the few programs to get consistently stronger with each passing season as well, constantly upping the ante with more drama and tension while pushing the boundaries of what a non-subscription cable television network is comfortable showing. In short, The Walking Dead has shown no signs of slowing down and, with Robert Kirkman’s comic book as source material, there is little reason to conclude that the show will do anything but continue its meteoric rise in both intensity and popularity. Included in the core ensemble of extraordinarilystrong characters that has formed the backbone of the show’s success is Troy, Michigan’s own Steven Yeun, as fan favorite Glenn Rhee. The uniqueness of Steven Yeun’s portrayal of Glenn Rhee appears grossly understated in the onslaught of Walking Dead reporting that permeates the internet on virtually every day during the duration of The Walking Dead season. The concept of an “every man”, a typically ordinary American male who comes to rise above and thrive within some incredibly challenging circumstances, is not necessarily all that uncommon, but having cast this “every man” role to an actor that shatters traditional ethnic stereotypes of an American Every Man still is. Yeun’s Glenn is earthy, affable, unfailingly trustworthy, resourceful and intelligent, though his backstory as a former pizza delivery boy hints that the pre-apocalypse Glenn may have been a bit of an under-achiever. There is no hint of the math wizard, erratic-driving, physically awkward (or conversely, super-human martial artist) or bespectacled brainiac that seems to pervade the roles more often allotted to Asian American actors. The fact that Yeun’s character is so beloved by The Walking Dead’s ardent fan base would make it a fair guess to assume that Glenn Rhee may very well open up a far wider range of roles to Asian-American thespians as well. Not to mention the effect it probably had on brightening the outlook of pizza delivery boys everywhere who are now basically begging for the onslaught of the zombie horde in order to improve their chances of hooking up with Lauren Cohan. If one is inclined to wonder how Steven Yeun portrayed Glenn Rhee so convincingly, it would be forgivable to conclude that, on paper at least, Steven Yeun practically is Glenn Rhee. Except for the hint of under-achiever part anyway. Born in Seoul, South Korea, in 1983, Steven and his family moved to North America when he was five years old. The Yeun family arrived in Troy after a year-long stay in Saskatchewan, Canada. Though Steven’s father had been an architect in Korea, Je Yeun was required to start from scratch once they landed in Michigan and through the drive and hard work that it usually takes an immigrant to muster, the family built a successful business in Detroit, the Golden Beauty Supply Store on 7 Mile Road. The Yeun family still operates that business today, and with the better part of his formative years spent acquiring certain personality traits familiar to this part of the country, Glenn’s blue collar “can do” sensibilities practically bleed out of Glenn on screen, at least when Glenn is not bleeding out other essential bodily fluids during the course of the story. The Detroit area is apparently such a part of Steven Yeun that it is alleged that, since he was unable to convincingly master the Georgian drawl, the Walking Dead’s producers decided to just give up and make the Glenn Rhee character hail from Michigan also. In 2001, Yeun graduated from Troy High School and went to Kalamazoo College, graduating in 2005 with a degree in Psychology. The internet alleges that while at Kalamazoo, Yeun made acquaintances with The Daily Show correspondent Jordan Klepper and it was through this relationship that Yeun’s acting bug bit. It is a plausible assertion,

as soon after graduation, Yeun followed Klepper’s path and moved to Chicago. Yeun first honed his comedic skills performing in the Asian-American sketch comedy act Stir Friday Night!, eventually working his way onto the legendary Second City Troupe before moving to Los Angeles with the hope of making it big in the later part of 2009. Once Steven Yeun’s boots hit the ground on the sunset coast, things happened rather quickly. Within eight months, his face first reached a nationwide audience during The Big Bang Theory’s third season episode “The Staircase Implementation” where he played Sebastian, Sheldon Cooper’s first roommate. Barely two weeks after Yeun’s small screen debut however, he was in Atlanta beginning production on what has become the most successful scripted television series in cable television history, arguably sitting atop the peak of a collection of stories that has ushered in a new golden era of television that has given the American population yet another compelling reason to enthusiastically embrace our sedentary lifestyles for sixteen Sunday nights per year. With a background in comedy, it can be difficult imagining Yeun eventually thriving in an action role as convincingly as Steven has. When the series first started, Steven was often the source of the show’s few light-hearted moments. After Glenn’s confrontation with Merle in Season three however, that mirth seemed to have been stomped out of him by The Governor’s sociopathic henchman. His onscreen persona then morphed into a sort of single-minded protector, making his wife Maggie almost his sole reason for being, but, after the death of Scott Wilson’s Herschel Green character, later episodes have him sliding into more of a “moral center” role on the program and, as Walking Dead fans in general (and comic book readers in particular) know, this can prove to be a rather precarious position to find oneself in within the confines of The Walking Dead universe. Whatever happens on The Walking Dead though, fans of Steven Yeun have every reason to believe that his work ethic, relatability, flexibility and talent will serve him well during a post-Walking Dead career if ever he needed one. According to IMDb, he is currently developing a film with Radar Pictures, “Aquariums of Pyongyang” an adaptation of Kang Chol-Hwan’s memoirs about life within the North Korean gulag system, arguably one of the few real life institutions capable of producing more actual gore and horror than the writers of The Walking Dead could in a fictional setting. At 32 years of age, Steven Yeun is still a young talent with an incredible springboard to his resume. What actor would not want the second line of his filmography to include the most successful television show in cable television history in a role that he used to help propel the series to where it is today, and not one that just took him along for the ride? With that high of a stepping stone on his resume, it is hard to imagine not seeing Steven Yeun’s influence stamped indelibly upon the surface of the nation’s entertainment industry in some form for decades to come. – J. E. Park

CREDITS: Cover: Illustration / Don Kilpatrick lll Fashion / Chloe @ Neiman Marcus Contents: 18/ Photo Elizabeth Royal 20/24 Photo Boswell Architecture: 8/ Photos courtesy of Steven Sivak Profile: 18/ Photo Elizabeth Royal Art: 21/ Portrait Boswell-photos courtsey of PD Rearick Nibbles&Bits: 24/ Photos Boswell Womens Fashion: 26/ Junya Watanabe @ Linda Dresner 29/ Cedric Charlier @ Linda Dresner 31/ Simone Rocha @ Tender Birmingham Mens Fashion: 40 / grooming Johnny 6 salon - Set Design Brian Fata Entertainment: 44/ Digital Art Jermey Martin

A VA I L A B L E A T

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