ISSUE II
AESTHETIC Contents 4. Our Girl 6. Rachel Becker 7. Nicholas Kristiansen 14. The Seamonsters 16. Chloe Hall Illustration 17. Rachel Becker 18. S/hell 19. a.roseabroad 22. Rachel Becker 24. Annie Munroe 25. Blackleaf 26. Lauren Beth Designs 27. Lukas Fraser 28. Trump's Dump 30. Kew Gardens 32. Honey Bear Clothing 33. Georgia Koch 34. Kate Bonney 36. Anthropocalypse 37. wander.collective
thanks Annie Munroe // Alia Rose // Anthropocalypse // Blackleaf // Chloe Hall // Georgia Koch // gooozee // Honey Bear Clothing // Kate Bonney // kurksfoetoes // Lily Stock // Lukas Fraser // natebowery // Our Girl // Rachel Becker // The Seamonsters // wander.collective
@ecoaesthetic // ecoaesthetic@hotmail.com
For people who don't know Our Girl, how would you best describe yourselves? Soph- We're Soph, Josh and Lauren and we're a 3 piece. Tell us a bit about your EP, 'Normally' Soph- We recorded it in one day in a rehearsal room in Brighton with our friend Steve Ansell who as well as playing in Blood Red Shoes is a really great producer! As we have recently learned‌ after the one day tracking, we had a series of late nights doing guitar overdubs until we couldn't stay awake anymore. Steve is a superhuman though, he prefers to work at nights and was bouncing off the walls on the way home at 5am. Do you think music could be used to help promote the environment to young people in any way? Josh- Definitely! Firstly I think your zine is a great idea, unique! The environment is really important to me and its becoming increasingly important of course with the political climate and with climate change for everybody to find ways of becoming an influence. Of course music and the arts have always been great ways of vocalising things, and I think finding interesting ways of combining music and the environment on a
national and local level are great and realistic ways of doing this. I saw that the forestry commission were putting on some shows in seven different forests this year and I think that this is an amazing idea! A great way to promote the beauty of our landscape and the respect it deserves while experiencing live music. It's an opportunity to support heritage and environmental charities that do great work. On a local level it's cool to have awareness and charity gigs where proceeds could be dedicated to a certain organisation, it could even be themed! For me, ambient and drone music are really reminiscent of natural landscapes so it could be cool to set up something that combine these things some day! I'll stop now.. Aside from supporting acts like The Japanese House, have you got any great music recommendations? Soph- I can't stop listening to Happyness' first album at the moment. And Marika Hackman is amazing. And Josh's band Breathe Panel! Josh- loads ! Land observations, Kyle Bobby Dunn, Sam Prekop, Forest Management, Julie Byrne, Sybille Baeir, Laraaji, Robbie Basho
Rachel Becker
Nicholas Kristiansen is a Norwegian fashion photographer currently located in London. We found out what influences his unique photography. What inspired you to get into photography? Well I guess I was inspired because I saw my dad take photos of me and my brothers during our childhood. I was in town with a friend and bought myself a single disposable camera at the age of 8, and then it all started. Do you have any favourite photographers? That's a really hard question because there are so many of them! I've got inspired by Oleg Dou, Michal Pudelka and Oktawian Gornik, just to name a few. Do you take any inspiration from Norway for your shots? Lots! Norway is beautiful in so many ways and has all sorts of landscapes. From the beautiful and big woods to the deep fjords and high mountains.
Your featured photography has a focus on the environment, why did you decide to incorporate this? I wanted to incorporate the environment to make a contrast for the portraits. It’s mainly for a project at university where environmentally sourced fabrics are the idea behind them. Finally, can you give us any tourist tips on Norway- we want to go! There are so many places to visit, and I haven't been around that much. But I remember a trip to Bergen, and crossing over Hardangervidda. We stopped to see Vøringsfossen, a beautiful waterfall. Next time I want to travel up north in Norway to see the beautiful northern lights!
We caught up with Sheffield band The Seamonsters to talk about indie music and the impact on the environment. So, who are The Seamonsters and what are you all about? The Seamonsters are an indie glitter band from Sheffield, driven by 80s inspired synths and angelic vocals. Who are your influences for the band? Pulp, Altered Images and Orange Juice along with more recent indie artists like Black Honey and The Wombats . Do you do anything to help out the environment as a band? We always lift share to band practice and we try to walk where possible but it can be tricky with equipment. We actually get a lot of our clothes from vintage shops as you can find so many interesting and unique items. Instagram: the_seamonsters Spotify: The Seamonsters Twitter: cmonstersmusic Facebook: The Seamonsters
Is there anything you'd like to see within music and the environment? I think bands talking about environmental issues more would be good, especially bands with big followings as they’ve got a big audience of people willing to listen to them and they could definitely use this to help. What's next for The Seamonsters? We've recently recorded and worked on new material so that'll hopefully be out some time this year, we're doing a few festivals and gigs this summer which we're super excited for and then hopefully going to plan some big things for September onwards!
You can catch The Seamonsters at festivals including Mosfest and Tramlines in Sheffield. Image by Shelley Richmond
Instagram: chloehallillustration etsy.com/shop/chloehalluk casetify.com/chloehall
To be on Earth again. I’m tired of rushing and I’m tired of not breathing. Wondering where we are in such speed, such demand to get to. I want my feet in the dirt. And so I did it tonight, I stood out in my dirt driveway, a clearing in the trees. Balmy clouds low and dark, a light wind. Now and then a pulsing through my body, through my feet, feeling the Earth. The beat of time. Subtle, cyclical movements. The alive and the dead and the in between. The impermanence pulsing through everything that feels solid, heavy. Everything we need is already here, or on its way. And so I wonder, where are we rushing to, and why are we the only species paying rent to live on Earth? Pay, or be forgotten. Renting space on an Earth that asks nothing but cooperation in its cycles, only the grace to continue. [Maybe] there are just too many of us. Not enough space. Space is a now a resource, a luxury. Free, open, unregulated space, is now regulated to be so. The universe may be infinite but we live on a finite sphere—a globe, rock, planet of a certain size. There’s nowhere else to go. Mars is not our world. And so what are we willing to abandon, sacrifice, feel, release; for the possibility of a future we will not see? Which values have fallen from our grasp, what can we all agree on? Does it matter? Everyone hates sitting in traffic but can you really curse your neighbor when you are part of the horde? Is ‘everyone else’ really the problem? ‘Society’, who is that? An abstract entity to pin things on, our scapegoat. Or is it an active alive organism, of which we are all participating. [Non-action is still a form of participation.] Can we recognize that the evolution of human society has been a rocky experiment? Civilizations are built on trial and error. Such is life. There is no one that can truly rule the world alone. Waves always roll in. Waves on waves. Larger forces are at work. Nothing lasts forever…power can and will shift. In fact, it already has…we’re in the tilt. The scale grows heavy, heavy, to tip back into balance—not without motion, not without mess. There is inevitable pain to be felt. Growing pains and sacrifice…loss, doubt, and disillusionment. There is a new culture to cultivate, there is breath to breathe, time to slow it down. To be on Earth again. — Rachel Becker
A.roseabroad
Alia Rose is a model, traveller and photographer with shoots everywhere from a greenhouse in Seattle to an alley in Liverpool. Words by Alia. Zak Tyler- Taken in Liverpool, UK, at Sefton Park
Andrea David - Taken in Seattle,USA, at Volunteer Park Conservatory
Growing up in Seattle, I was lucky enough to wake up each morning to the view of Mount Rainier peeking through the skyline. I spent my childhood camping in the forests and running through the parks. Family dinners were moved outside in the garden as soon as the sun pulled through in the spring, and road trips didn't end until the very last days of summer. I'd walk home from school barefoot just to feel the ground beneath my toes.
But a quote from an old favorite book of mine defines my past and my present: "There are saltwater people, and freshwater people; then there are some who don't even know enough to fall in love with the water". The Pacific ocean runs through my veins, cold though the water may be. It's perhaps why I seek out water wherever I go. Julianna Horiuchi - Taken in Seattle, USA, at the Ballard Locks
My solo travels ran down the coast of New Zealand, crossed over to the islands of Thailand, took me to the shores of Lithuania and France, and finally found me searching for the black sands of Iceland. And now, I've landed in Liverpool. As amazing as this gritty, creative city is, it's made even more perfect to be able to walk down to the docks and watch the waves.
Rachel Becker
The richest are the doctors and the sickest are the poorest The guiltiest are men in suits who can afford corrupted lawyers The loggers are the soldiers at the front line of the war Who are fighting for a paycheck with corruption as the cause Capitalism is winning, but what’s the point of it all? If the earth gets sick then there will be no oceans left for yachts It seems a few deluded people might kill the human race off How silly that will be to have died for more money, if earth fights back they’ll swiftly learn that money burns too quickly A lack of $50,000 might only last one evening. - Annie Munroe
blackleaf Blackleaf embrace design, style and crafted functionality. With hand-picked ranges made for outdoor lifestyles, environmental policies are a key point when choosing premium brands to feature on their site.
Fjallraven Re-Kanken · Crafted from recycled bottles · Key environmental policies including waste and animal rights · ‘Save the Arctic Fox’ campaigns
Northcore Flask · Made from fast-growing bamboo · Minimal waste policies · Reusable and BPA free
Passenger Parcs and Rec Tee · Plant a tree for every order · Support the plastic project · Knope would approve
etsy.com/uk/shop/laurenbethdesigns
Lukas Fraser
Whether we like it or not, that strong and stable Brexit is dallying our way, and whether we like it or not, Theresa May is taking charge with the 25 year plan in taking control of our environment. While we can assume there will be no loss in fields of wheat, what should we expect from the post-Brexit climate of the UK? The new year brought about a re-branding of the Tory government, but many questioned the efforts behind a largely unclear 25 year plan in looking after our environment. May knows some of the most important aspects for under 40s is the environment, including banning the sale of ivory and increasing renewable electricity; and she also knows the under 40s voted decisively for Corbyn. As someone who advocates fox hunting, something abhorrent to the young voter so eluded to Tory policies, how much of her plan is all talk, and what is real action? There needs to be more to attaining the young vote than mentioning David Attenborough. Whilst we commend the new 5p levy on bottles, and Michael Gove has assured a new post-EU environmental body, what else is taking place now, rather than in 25 years time? Ben Stafford of WWF said "We are not really clear what legislation there will be to implement this plan" and Stephanie Hilborne of The Wildlife Trusts said "There are fantastic words and ambitions for land and sea that raise the spirits- but the lack of legal underpinning is a fundamental flaw"; two important quotes worth noting.
Aside from the new environmental body, we need to ensure our government will be held accountable for the environment. Currently, the EU provides a dense framework making our government responsible for obligations, and set many standards including air and water. Greener UK have said there are "serious concerns" regarding the cooperation between the UK and European Union after Brexit, and has mentioned the lack of willpower aimed towards maintaining high standards. Already, an MEP has spilt the news that the UK is no longer working effectively with the EU- a real challenge for the country, is this a case of what's to come? Environmental standards are worth fighting for, and so is a strong government framework to implement this. Gove is highly engaged and effective so far, but we need to hold the government to account for their future actions.
Kew gardens Not only is the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew a beautiful place to visit and take stunning pictures like these by Lily Stock, it's also run by DEFRA and holds internationally important botanical research. Kew has three strategic priorities in science.
1. To document and conduct research into global plant and fungal diversity and its uses for humanity. Plants and fungi are critical in finding many solutions to global challenges such as climate change, disease and habitat destruction. We need to know what and where the plants are, what they do, how their function and their role within human life.
2. To curate and provide data-rich evidence from Kew's unrivalled collections as a global asset for scientific research. Kew's collections provide data-rich evidence for addressing the key scientific questions in plant and fungal science. Research will lead to reliable scientific evidence to inform UK and global policy and management.
Instagram: lily_stock
3. To disseminate our scientific knowledge of plants and fungi, maximising its impact in science, education, conservation policy and management. Kew ensures they reach maximum impact in these areas through communication, along with enhancing their education and training to improve core skills of biodiversity science with progressive and engaging messages about their research with relevance to people's lives.
Honey bear clothing With slogan tees inspired by music and a percentage of profits heading towards animal charities, Honey Bear Clothing’s tops and pins showcase the very ethos of Aesthetic. etsy.com/uk/shop/honeybearclothing
@amyjanedennett
@dannymartin__
Georgia Koch
Hello, I guess I should start by introducing myself. My name is Kate Bonney (AKA @yung35mm), I'm a British teenager taking photos of my friends and places I visit using an old film camera, crashing around to bands at my local gig venues and trying to make sense of Brexit and what it means to be a teenager in the digital age. I am currently studying at school and am hoping to explore the rest of the world outside my small town. Growing up around beautiful places has been my greatest inspiration, nature and travel has largely been the subject of my work because of this. I could never be apart from plants, they seem to have taken over every corner of my room. Music has also hugely influenced my work, the mood of my pictures usually reflects the music that I was listening to at that time, my recent photos seem to have a dreamy Mac Demarco/Velvet Underground feel; it's cool to look back on. I get asked a lot why I'm using "such an outdated camera", I guess that's partly down to flicking through old albums from my parents' youth. For me,using 35mm is so much more special than snapping thousands of photos on an iPhone then discarding it for the newest model; think about how many cameras and phones people have discarded over the years and how much damage that's caused to the environment when you could simply keep one; why change something that was so great. I think if people can start to reduce their carelessness in the small things like having excess technology, it can change their attitude towards the environment, I hope to portray this through my pictures by showing the beauty of the natural world through a medium which is much more considered and less harmful than the latest iPhone.
Anthropo alypse
Stef at Anthropocalypse used college material from old books and tabloid magazines to create simple scenes that give each picture a voice, using pop culture language that viewers can immediately relate to and perhaps even sympathise with. The images really say it all!
Wander. collective We teamed with wander.collective to discover three top new photographers to feature in Aesthetic. Here are our winners.
@gooozee
wander.collective aim to discover and show case new photographers to give them an outlook to promote their work. Instagram.com/wander.collective
@natebowery
@kurksfoetoes