Editor’s Letter
Two year birthday, in 2020 and produced by mostly 20 year olds- there must be some significance there? HAPPY BIRTHDAY FARID! Two years on and the zine is still as strong as ever. There have been some forks in the road, and the path has never been easy. But, FARID is nothing if not resilient! We bring to you the most stunning issue to date. Not to mention, for the first time ever, FARID will be printed. So now, after two years, you can turn the pages as the designers imagined it. This issue is the most interesting yet. Throughout its pages you will bear witness to some of the most vibrant art that our generation has to offer. Provided by people across the country, the art is a showcase of what makes them who they are. Whether you are a poet, stylist, photographer or illustrator; art is something that is universally relatable. This issue is without a theme, because we want it to be a collection of what interests our contributors the most. Each piece of writing, each graphic and each steadily drawn cover has the capability to inspire its audience. Each ‘voice’ is as important as the next, so why would we limit that with a theme or strict style guidelines? We are officially half way through FARID’S yearly life cycle, and as such, it is only natural to get a little nostalgic. September kicked off the biggest year of my life to date, and FARID has been a huge part of that. For the first time in forever I was given a platform not only for myself, but one I could give to other people. No one in this world, no matter your race, sexuality, gender or creed should fall silent. There are too many instances in the world where people are forced into silence by their surroundings, and university can be no different. With one more issue of FARID this year, who knows where it could lead us. We have covered so many topics, and yet, there is still so much to talk about. One thing is for sure, our final issue of the year will be one to remember. The amount of work that goes into making a zine is unbelievable, and we could not get it done without our incredible team. Thank you for all your amazing work this year, it proves that our generation really can move mountains if we put our minds to it. Yours always,
Kieran Galpin Editor - in - Chief of FARID
Adelle Adrian Kaitlyn Anna Edina Balog Frankie Deverell-Jones Melody Kim Markus
SPECIAL THANKS
I T TA K E S A V I L L A G E
Kieran Galpin Troy Harrison Megan Smith Emma Castle Hannah Smith Emily Redman Esme Abbott Keely Liptrot
UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE UOG Student Union The OG Farid Team ISSUU Shannon Woodward Amy Galpin Laura Moss James Smith
The BirthdAY Issue.
Awards ceremonies have long been platforms used for bringing light to real world injustices and global issues. The deliverance of speeches, infused with bold and controversial statements, are undoubtedly going to cling to headlines. With ceremonies like the Oscars being known to draw in over 40 million views, it’s understandable why today’s most famous personalities are beginning to carefully consider what they could potentially dedicate their few minutes in the lime-light to.
the most notable speeches from this year’s 92nd Academy Awards was delivered by Joaquin Phoenix, who was awarded ‘Best Actor’ for his role in Joker. Phoenix directed his speech towards the issues surrounding the exploitation of our planet’s resources, particularly animals, and how we as a species are guilty of an ‘egocentric world view’. The acclamation in response to his emotional speech was abundant, while many viewers at home showed the effect of Phoenix’s words by taking to social media.
The gimmick of the acceptance speech is renowned for traditionally being a long and futile recital of admiration and personal thanks for family, colleagues and fellow competitors. However, our A-list celebrities seem to deviate further and further from this structure each year. One of
Tweets began to surface entailing the guilt and self-reflection individuals have undergone as a result of his powerful speech, even inspiring people to convert to veganism and make serious lifestyle changes. However, as shown by Ricky Gervais at the 2020 Golden Globes in January, it’s not always the acceptance
speeches that provide opportunity to critique social subject matters. As the host of the ceremony, Gervais naturally took a comical approach to his delivery, making clear that he wasn’t going to hold back and reminding the audience ‘this is my last year hosting’ in his opening lines. Gervais fixated mostly on the hypocrisies within Hollywood, referring to Jefferey Epstein, the lack of diversity
in the entertainment business and gruelling the contradictory moral standards of technology company, Apple. He criticised the company for promoting the message of ‘dignity and doing the right thing’ despite Apple running sweatshops in China. He proceeded to speak directly to the Apple representatives, with Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO in the audience, advising them not to use the ceremony as ‘a platform to make a political speech’ if they were to win an award. Similarly to Phoenix’s speech, Gervais’ opening monologue promptly started trending on social media, with other celebrities commending him on his unapologetic and critical discourse.
With social media dominating the modern world, the voices of these celebrities are able to echo through hashtags and trending pages, reaching an audience of many more millions within seconds. Prior to apps such as Instagram and Twitter, these ceremonies were one of the biggest opportunities for directing public attention towards pivotal messages, such as equality, political injustices and human rights. In times like these, it was often only the biggest and most outrageous gestures that could successfully translate into a ‘water cooler moment’ to be noticed and talked about amongst the public.
An example of this occurred almost fifty years ago, known now to be one of the most historically controversial statements made at an awards ceremony. Marlon Brando’s acceptance speech, or rather, the lack of, caused a great stir within the film industry during the 1973 Oscar’s ceremony.
In protest of Hollywood’s portrayal of Native American’s, Brando did not attend the ceremony, and rejected the award, instead sending Apache actress Sacheen Littlefeather to speak on his behalf, explaining as for why Brando could not accept his accolade. The audience reaction was one filled with both scorns and cheers for the bold statement, and it’s still regarded to this day as one of the most indelible acts of defiance against a ceremony itself and those who support the prejudices within the industry.
As is evident, there are many different approaches used by our beloved stars to get their messages heard at these ceremonies. Whether it be a lachrymose spiel, outrageous and critical statements or acts of bold defiance, each ceremony is sure to surge a multitude of memorable and impactful messages into the
media limelight. With the likes of Oprah, Halle Berry, Leonardo DiCaprio and countless more icons using these events as platforms to encourage and educate their audiences, the often-neglected issues of today are able to be brought to the fore of the public’s attention.
As Phoenix confessed, in relation to his position as a public figure, ‘the greatest gift that it’s given me, and many people in [this industry] is the opportunity to use our voice for the voiceless’. With this understanding, the future will surely welcome more well-needed preaches and social upbraiding from the most respected names in the media industries with the hopes to inspire progress and change across globe.
Everyone in their life has had the “sex talk” when they were younger. Whether it was via your primary school or your parents told you about the birds and the bees, sex is just a normal thing that most of the population experiences. Knowing this, Netflix decided to make a whole series about it, and no, Netflix is not making porn. Instead, Sex Education mixes the discovery of sex and the human body with high school drama. Think of it as High School Musical but with everyone being turned on all the time... that is not an analogy that I enjoy making.
storylines by interweaving the “devils tango” with an underlying emotion that is uncovered by the end of the episode or by the end of the season.
Sour ce: Netflix, TVLine
Sex Education is a great show, but, you sometimes forget how crude the show is. As much as you are that you’re watching a show that has sex in the title, the spontaneous scenes that are usually at the start of the episodes sort of punch you in the gut. There is a sense of awkwardness in the television show that you shouldn’t really watch it with anyone and even if you watch it by yourself it’s almost like you want to take a shower. However, the sex in this show is used in a genius way, setting up different r Sou side rce: N etflix, Business In
Asa Butterfield is brilliant in the role of Otis, giving him a girlfriend in season two really gives his character a departure from an introverted, uptight, nerd. Instead, Otis has this swagger about him that gives him a sense of control around the school. People sort of rely on him for the whole sex clinic thing and rightly so. It sort of goes against the nerdy stereotype that is in a lot of 1980’s films. The character of Otis is treated as if he was an actual human being, they sort of go against the problem which I think some Netflix shows have in that there are no consequences. Sex Education, on the other hand, works in a cause and effect kind of way. No one here has that crutch that Netflix has given its shows. Instead, Otis learns responsibility leading to his coming of age near the end of the season.
Words by Troy Harrison Sex Education works in the theme of sexual assault, it loses its identity of a juvenile show about sex therapy and gains a sense of empowerment. Women are sort of alienated by each other and then liberated by each other, in a bonding session that’s reminiscent of the Breakfast Club, young women find an unlikely friendship that even John Hughes would be proud of. If you have seen season 2 you know what I’m talking about, but the power of Maeve helping Aimee onto the bus is probably better than most female-empowering scenes in pop culture. It was realistic, it wasn’t at all forced and it’s still one of the prominent storylines of the show that I remember after a week of initially watching it.
Sour ce: Netflix, TVLine
i Sou rce: Wik Netflix, Sex Education
The LGBT+ community is heavily highlighted in the series and rightly so, this is called Sex Education. Like the MeToo storyline of the series, the theme is handled with care, showing that all sexualities have reservations when “going all the way”.
Sou rce: iki Netflix nW , SexEducatio
The only complaint I have is about Principal Groff. Whoever created this show really hated their high school Head Master because, oh my God, they love to punish this character. There are honestly no redeeming qualities about him this season, the writers just like to dump on him time and time again, so maybe next season maybe we can humanise him just a little bit, Netflix? If you haven’t watched Sex Education yet I recommend you do. The show has cemented itself into this generation’s pop culture with its crude humour, challenging themes and lovable characters, and if you have watched it… “GO WASH YOUR HANDS, YOU DETTY PIGS”.
Dear Agony AJ, I am a final year student who has been with my boyfriend for three years, ever since Freshers in fact. We took a break over the summer to do “our own thing”, but ever since he came back he wants to “expand his horizons a little”. He has talked about threesomes, camming together and even experiment a little with toys. In all honesty, this scares the hell out of me. He is ‘bisexual’ but I have only ever been with him. I didn’t even branch out on our ‘break’. We have five months left at Uni, maybe this is a good time to call it quits? He has always been somewhat adventurous, but I am sorta vanilla. I love him so much and I don’t want to lose him. I don’t want this to be the thing that breaks us. Should I give him the space he needs? Do I join in? Or do I put my foot down and hope for the best? Thanks, Nervous girl
Dear Nervous Girl, Obviously, it sounds like that summer to “do your own thing” didn’t really work to your advantage. If he was off doing whatever, or whoever he wanted, what were you doing at the top of your ivory castle? From what I can understand, you’re both around the age of 21 and this is a crucial age for experimentation… for some. However, I have met many young women and men who are quite happy not to enlighten themselves sexually. In my opinion, they’re missing out on a whole lot of fun! You have multiple options in your arsenal. Firstly, get down and dirty. The advantage you have is to learn new sexual avenues with a person you’re comfortable with and have been having sex with (I hope) for the past three years. Trust me, you can get a lot done in five months. Toys and games are a great way to learn more about your partner and yourself! But don’t just be doing this for him! Your sexual awakening is more important than tips and tricks to satiate your man. Threesomes are a different topic entirely. Just like Samantha Jones said, “the only way to do a threesome is to be the guest star.” You don’t want all that vanilla ice cream to melt before its expiration date, by putting it too close to the flame. Start yourself off slowly if you prefer, by introducing your bedroom to a few toys and games that are comfortable for yourself. At the end of the day, toys and games are made for pleasure, not pain (unless that’s your kink).
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However, if you want to “put your foot down”, as you put it, there’s no telling in what his response will be. If this is a part of your relationship you’re truly uncomfortable with, it needs to be discussed openly and your feelings need to be heard. He will respond in one of two ways: firstly, if he knows you like he should from your years together he should come from a place of understanding and be willing to grow together. Or, he could see this is a dealbreaker and be looking
for something more; if this happens it’s not your job to stretch yourself further to become what he wants. You’ll find yourself someone who wants to bathe in vanilla ice cream. Before anything else, a grown-up conversation about the future of your relationship is in dire need. University is over in five months and if you’re already thinking of calling it quits, you need to work out your options. Just make sure you’re not doing anything just to make your man happy. Now is the time for you to work out exactly where your life is going, who you’re taking and how many nipple clamps you will need.
This is a question I keep catching myself pondering over the last few months and it’s something that divides opinions. My initial response would be ‘of course you can’, however after watching BBC3’s documentary ‘who are you calling fat?’ it really raised some different viewpoints I hadn’t previously thought about. I would recommend watching the series yourself, as each person involved has their own long and intimate opinion on the topic. But in short, half of the group believed that being body confident meant that you were happy with the way you looked and therefore shouldn’t want to change. However, the other parts of the group believed being body confident could mean accepting, and being happy, with the way you looked currently but wanting to change and strive for a better version of themselves. For me, this raised the question; Can I be body confident but still want to change how I look?
Whether it’s through going to the gym, trying to eat more healthily or grabbing a box of hair dye, we’ve all been at a point we want to change the way we appear. I’m guilty of joining the ‘new year, new me influx of gym goers, but I would hope that for most people the motivation to make these sort of changes stems from idea of self-improvement rather than self-loathing. Daily exercise and activity are proven to have overwhelming positive impacts on both physical and mental health and is an important part of looking after our own wellbeing. Exercising to improve your health will ultimately, in most cases, lead to a change in physical appearance to varying extent. Perhaps this is where the ideas become messy, as surely exercising to improve our health, mentally and physically, can only be seen as a good thing. Yet this also works parallel to changing the way our bodies look, suggesting how they were before wasn’t good enough. In a society where we are bombarded with so many different images, body shapes and opinions, it is clear to see how our perceptions of what is ‘healthy’ can so easily be warped.
I guess this debate centres
With this in mind it would be interesting, and perhaps around the interpretation important, for people to try and separate the ideas of exercising to ‘be and feel healthy’ rather than to ‘look of ‘self-improvement’ and healthy’. While this is a complex mindset to try and achieve, and is a lot easier said than done for a lot of whether someone that is people, I believe this is a starting point for a change in truly happy with themselves attitudes and something that should be encouraged. This could be through education, teaching kids the importance of exercise on their mental health, or feels any need to ‘improve’. celebrating the feeling of fulfilment after going for a walk rather than binge watching yet another Netflix series. Maybe, the point is, focus should be taken away from the changes made to the way we look and instead be focussed on positive changes we can make, in whichever way, to our health and mental wellbeing. In the meantime, no one can dispute that the importance, and positive impact, body confidence influencers have had on previously pretty toxic spaces such as Instagram. My current favourite is Chessie King, whose positive and authentic outlook on life is infectious. Watching her unfiltered and unedited videos, dancing in bikinis, I struggle not to smile at how liberated she is able to feel while sharing her confidence with the world. In a time where our body confidence and desire to fit social norms is constantly scrutinised, it is refreshing to see people like Chessie providing an image that we can relate to, and starting to make way for a space where we can be unapologetically happy with ourselves. I believe with all that said, body confidence is still a messy issue with no obvious correct viewpoint. I think that generally, yes, you can be body confident and still want to change the way you look. However, it is important for us all to check in with ourselves about where our need for change is coming from. It’s about ensuring it is from a place of self-improvement rather than insecurity and self-doubt. It should be seen as fine to want to better yourself and I think this is a key part of practising self-love. We should feel equally as comfortable loving our everyday selves and celebrating positive progress and changes.
Red Red Carpet Carpet Looks Looks
Words by Hannah Smith Award shows and premiers always spark our interest in fashion. People flock to their phones to discuss who’s best and worst dressed almost as though it is more important than the event itself. But, how can you blame us when we are blessed with so many showstoppers? I think it’s only fair to first talk about the love of all of our lives; Timothee Chalamet. He has been named one of the best dressed men in the world and is completely deserving of it. He somehow succeeds in pulling off casual and formal looks on the red carpet, making each and every one of his looks so exceptional. To name a few we have the pinstripe blazer suit giving us all the 1920’s vibes we need. The Alexander McQueen number was worn to the New York premiere of Little Women and I can’t stop admiring how this suave, retro-feeling suit has been made edgier with the chunky Tread boots.
timothee chalamet
Now, we can’t talk about Timothee Chalamet without mentioning our other national treasure, Saoirse Ronan. The Gucci gown she adorned on the Oscar’s red carpet was pieced together perfectly with her hair and makeup giving off a sense of class and confidence. One of my favourite red-carpet outfits of hers (and maybe of all time) has to be the custom Calvin Klein dress that just screams sultry mermaid. If Ariel was blonde and Irish, this is what she would look like. I think the emerald green is incredibly flattering and the dress is simplistic as well as being a huge statement piece. Once again, her hair and makeup make this outfit effortlessly beautiful.
No one can argue that satin isn’t sexy when Chalamet turned up to the premiere of The King in Venice wearing a Haider Ackermann suit. The tailoring? Sharp. The waist? Cinched. And the man? Would be hired as my personal stylist if I had that much money.
saoirse ronan
Maya Jama
At the 2020 BRIT Awards, wasn’t messing around when she showed up in a jaw dropping AloNuko LBD. People have likened it to Princess Diana’s iconic ‘revenge dress’ which just goes to show that a dress like this is totally timeless. Not to mention the fact that this stunner is potentially a revenge dress in its own right. I can’t hear the words ‘red carpet’ without this oldie but goldie springing to mind. Rihanna is a red-carpet icon, but I feel as though this dress is the cherry on top. It embodies so much elegance and makes her look like the regal queen she is. Also, we can’t ignore the endless number of memes that this Chinese couture dress created by Guo Pei gave us. Beauty and a sense of humour, what more could you want?
Call me old fashioned, but I wanted to appreciate the notion of a good suit. At the 2020 Academy Awards,
Brad Pitt
rihanna
However, on the subject of classics, someone that doesn’t follow fashion conventions is Billie Eilish. I love her Gucci outfit from the 2020 Academy Awards, the white makes all the eccentricities of her other accessories stand out. Alongside managing to pull new and unique outfits out of the bag every single time, she makes them all seem so cool and effortless. Speaking of which, did you see that slow-mo? So simple yet I’m so envious.
Tom Hanks
both and opted for a velvet jacket to put a spin on a classic. It may be my undying love for them both causing me to be biased here but I don’t think you can go wrong with such an ageless look.
billie eilish
W ORDS BY KEE LY LIPTRO T In the UK, the music industry is worth £5.2 billion. The growing industry has developed a cycle of introducing new talent for it to circle around the charts for two months. Out of all this talent, women make up just 21% of artists, 12% of songwriters and 2% of producers. The huge gender divide is not something many would notice; if anything, female artists might seem represented everywhere. Dua Lipa’s hits fill the silence of the radio, Billie Eilish is constantly being painted across the media, and Rita Ora somehow keeps returning to television competitions. Festivals have notoriously been judged on their female representation. In 2015, at electronic music festival, Creamfields, only five out of its 300 acts were female. With campaigns like KeyChange, and their 145 participating festivals, they have signed the pledge to create a 50:50 gender balance by 2022. You can slowly see the progression this campaign is making by bringing female industry professionals together and using workshops and collaborations to bring out the diversity the music industry needs.
Vanessa Reed, founder of KeyChange, knows a lot about working at major music companies as she was CEO of the PRS Foundation for 11 years, funding new music and talent across the nation. She has now taken the role of president and CEO of New Music USA. The 30% gender pay gap is something Reed said has played a hugely important role and calls the lack of women in the business something from like another century. Reed has helped bring festivals like Oslo World to have a 60% female representation and Statement Festival, a woman-only festival launched in Stockholm in response to sexual assaults at other Swedish festivals. Punk act Frank Carter also works to dedicate his songs and setlists to women in his audiences, with songs just for women to crowd surf to create a sense of community and safety at his shows. When watching The Super Bowl, Demi Lovato was angelically singing the national anthem and two very impressive Latina women took over the half-time show to deliver an incredible performance. With the recent drop of the Reading and Leeds lineup, Radio DJ Annie Mac was appalled at their “blatant lack of want” to represent women in the music industry huge. Other music professionals like The 1975 are claiming to stop playing gender-biased festivals showing how this is more relevant than ever.
ONL Y 1 0 .4% O F GRAMMY N O M I N E E S F R O M 201 3-201 9 W E R E W O M E N . The Grammys is a huge part of the industry where artists are honored and celebrated but a new study from the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, “Inclusion in the Recording Studio,” finds that women are mostly absent from the Grammys. Only 10.4% of Grammy nominees from 2013 to 2019 were women, and for the first time in seven years, a woman was nominated for Producer of the Year (spoiler alert: she didn’t win). A success stories we’ve all heard about is Billie Eilish, who won five out the six awards she was nominated for, including the big four. Eilish is an artist we should all look up to at the very young age of 18. She has been praised for her talent that was created in a tiny bedroom and still is - no big studio with technology that looks like it was made for space exploration, just a laptop and a microphone. She now battles stereotypes with her statement style as she doesn’t allow the press and media to inappropriately sexualise her like many other female artists currently in the industry. The meaning of this article is to highlight the success women have had and the change that’s already started, but also to inspire and build future generations of women looking to venture into this fascinating and dynamic industry. Women need to work together and support each other to create the change needed to develop a gender balanced music industry. A start is to look at something as small as an Instagram account; @shesaid.so is an Instagram account set to build relationships and advertise marketing jobs across the UK and America. It’s so easy to get involved with and can perhaps turn into something bigger.
SMALL AND SIMPLE CHANGES IS WHAT CAN BUILD AN INDUSTRY OF REPRESENTATION AND RESPECT WHERE INCLUSIVITY IS KEY AND MUSIC IS AT THE HEART OF EVERY STEP.
BIRDS OF PREY As a long-standing fan of powerful female superheroes (and anti-heroes in this case) I was a little apprehensive about ‘Birds of Prey’. Sometimes, in a bid for an inclusive and just representation, storytelling gets lost in a feminist narrative. But, as the credits rolled in, I can wholeheartedly confess, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) is my new feminist icon. Beneath the blood curdling fight scenes, confetti shotguns and pet hyena’s, ‘Birds of Prey’ is a break-up story. Not unlike a scenario we have all been through once in our lives. You cut your hair, get a new hobby and inadvertently start a gang war - well, maybe not that last one. Harley’s messy breakup is something easily relatable to most of the audience, though I can almost certainly say I have never used canned cheese in my life. Adding that to the break up bucket list! Most of the film is Harley attempting to find out who she is without the Joker dictating her every action. Though, the film is narrated by Harley herself, so don’t expect a simple linear sequence to follow. She forgets to introduce characters frequently, prompting a flash back through events you have already witnessed, though just from alternative perspectives.
Harley herself says this isn’t just her story, though of course the focus tends to be on her in most scenes. Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) is another standout character that never fails to impress, thanks to her proficiency with a high kick, which she is later congratulated on by her team mates. Her fight scenes were some of the most brutal, kicking a man’s head through a car window jumps to mind, and that canary cry was every comic book nerds dream. But, she only used it once? Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), the alcoholic cop who “shaved her balls for this”, was the matriarch I never knew I wanted. She acted as the moral compass of the group, grounding us in a narrative that wasn’t strictly drug lords and gang violence. Though she was in considerably less scenes, Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is that friend in the group that doesn’t know she is hilarious. Her built up rage with people not knowing her name was a joke that didn’t get old. Finally, Cass (Ella Jay Basco) was the reason for the girls getting together, though she is far from the innocent damsel we are used to in such films. Her nasty mouth and quick fingers landed her in the centre of a huge gang war, that eventually led Harley teaching her how to steal. What a great role model she is! *nervously takes notes on how to steal from a supermarket*
You can’t talk about this film without mentioning the clothes that the ‘Birds’ sport. Harley’s looks are both stunning, and yet, strangely trash bag chique. I must have gained some sort of precognitive abilities, because I can already see gaggles of girls in caution tape jackets on Halloween. Canary never heard the phrase, “Take one thing off before you leave the house” because her jewellery looks like she fell on a Claire’s rack and said, “Fuck it, I’ll take it all”. Don’t get me wrong, this completely works for her character, though, she might have a little trouble with the metal detectors at the airport. The film contains an obvious feminist message that although prominent, is not shoved in the faces of the audience. This is not a redemption story for Harley, but a rehabilitation narrative. She goes from an abusive relationship, into a group which although diverse, support each other’s differences. Don’t tell anyone, but my inner stereotypical feminist relished each time a slimy man’s bones were broken.
Birds of Prey (and the rest of that ridiculously long name) is not a feminist film, it is a film about a dysfunctional sisterhood taking a stand against injustice. Okay, so that kind of makes it a feminist film… and I checked, it totally passes the Bechdel test. But, that shouldn’t turn anyone away from it. Margot Robbie is a brilliant depiction of Harley, but also a fantastic producer. She knows exactly why people love her character. She represents that crazy part in all of us, that part of us that tends to come out when we want to talk to a manager. Strap on some roller skates, collar your hyena and smudge your lipstick because Birds of Prey is one hell of a ride.
WORDS BY KIERAN GALPIN PSA: Drugs are illegal in the UK and many parts of the world. This article is not to encourage nor glamourize drug use which could lead to incarceration. FARID are not suggesting you use any form of illegal substance, whether that be medically or recreationally. The world of narcotics runs deep in almost every corner of the world. It has a long and corrupt history that destroys, supports and alters the course of many lives without a regard for social standing. But, we are not here to talk about the ins and outs of such a thing. In recent years, a drug craze, supposedly originating from Silicon Valley, has become just as popular as flavoured papers and rose quartz smoking pipes. No, I am not talking about the Vetements ‘snuff’ necklace, but the holistic practice of microdosing. Simply put, microdosing is the act of taking small dosage of hallucinogenic drugs in a bid to open your mind to a greater degree than normal. The list of supposed benefits is endless, with many believing it can help with anxiety, depression and even insomnia. But, before you dial your nearest dealer, it is important to know the facts when talking about such a taboo topic. Those that microdose do not take enough of the product to feel ‘high’, instead opting for one-tenth/onetwentieth of the standard recreational dose. The most common ‘drugs’ used in microdosing tend to be LSD, Cannabis and ‘Magic mushrooms’, though other drugs are used on occasion.
Collette (@Balancingcannabis) is a small business owner from California with a refreshing take on the world of ‘drug’ use. Her Instagram is a spiritual hub of motivational quotes and funky cannabis related graphics, though her messaging is always the most prominent aspect of her business. I slid into her DM’s in the hopes of getting to the bottom of why microdosing is such an enormous trend. She “started microdosing with cannabis just last year” but has had 17 years of prior experience with the plant, before learning how to use it “with intention”. She started with “2.5mg of cannabis in the form of a gummie” though the amount of delivery methods is something Collette talks about frequently. “Each delivery method and the amount consumed has a different effect!” she continues, describing a sort of Russian roulette of relief that many microdosers describe. As previously mentioned, individuals that microdose choose to do so for a huge number of reasons, though Collette began to as a way of, “controlling her perfectionism and fear without getting high”. Something I am sure we can all relate to. But what benefit does this have, if not the escapism allure of recreational use? Users report a greater focus, increased productivity, and enriched creative ideas to name a few. When dancing or hiking Collette found herself less critical of her ‘performance’ describing moments of greater connection “to the present moment”.
This idea of spirituality is linked heavily to the world of microdosing, of being connected to a higher form of yourself. Collette calls her spirituality the “most important aspect of [her] entire existence”. “It is the foundation in which I have built my entire life, there is not a moment that passes I am not in connection to myself or to spirit” she continues, highlighting how the two are intertwined with one another. Cannabis, being a naturally occurring element, is both a medicine and spiritual gateway in many parts of the world. The sometimes-stereotyped Rastafarian people use the herb for meditation, as a way of connecting to god (Jah) and awakening themselves for reflection. A subsection of Hinduism also believes the God Shiva created cannabis to purify the elixir of life (Amrita). “Cannabis helps me feel more connected to everything and everyone” Collette believes, continuing to talk about the plant in a contrasting way to how the media and/or politicians would describe it. The Californian businesswoman has a practically poetic way of speaking about the plant. “Finding the profound simple beauty of the human experience” she illustrates, before adding “from moment to moment while maintaining a powerful alignment to the source”. Cannabis has been used as a medicine for centuries, dating back as far as ancient China where surgeon Hua Tuo used a combination of ground cannabis and wine as an anaesthetic. I can’t see the NHS using this anytime soon, but if it works then why the hell not! Even today, MDMA microdoses combined with therapy sessions are used to treat people suffering from PTSD. Just decades ago, so called ‘first world countries’ have used its ‘war on drugs’ as a way of discriminating against minorities in a bid for ‘justice’. Collette perfectly sums up the state of the world “We all know that life on our planet is a bit fucked right now” cough, she isn’t wrong. “We are waking up to see how old ways of control, structure, religion, government and systems are not working” she continues, touching on the idea of rebellion against the status quo. Drug use, whether that be cannabis or ‘harder’ substances, have been used through the decades as a form of rebellion. 80’s punk culture ushered in the age of sublime rebellion, fighting back against the oppression of ‘the man’ in a bid to reclaim
one’s own power. We have seen “people begin to claim sovereignty over their own being” Collette details about people’s exploration of themselves. With an exploration of yourself comes the opportunity to experiment with ideas and substances that may help with connecting to that part of yourself previously locked away. “People are hurting. We all have trauma. We need help,” are such powerful words spoken by Collette, they vibrate with a familiar energy that most of us can relate to. This is in no way an advocating for microdosing, as in the UK even cannabis is still illegal. What this is can be called a conscious exploration, since the idea of awakening is something that runs consistent through the microdosing movement. This isn’t a hippie fad, despite what appearances may seem, it is movement whose members are reclaiming their power, and with it their narrative. (Collette’s input was incredible, and as such, we will be publishing her entire Q&A to our website. Every word is worth reading).
WORDS BY: TROY HARRISON
Last year, the world was taken over by the superhero bug. ‘The Avengers’ took home the title of “highest grossing film”, DC Comics enjoyed their success of ‘Shazam!’, and America got to see DC’s biggest crossover yet with Crisis on Infinite Earths. However, the two giants had competition as the world was introduced to a super powered dysfunctional family...’ The Umbrella Academy’. With the show centering around the theme of family, super powers and stopping the end of the world (sounds like one of my family gatherings), the Netflix Original is about children who are born on October 1st 1989. However, the strange thing about their births were their mothers weren’t pregnant when October 1st begun. Fast Forward about 30 years later and Reginald Hargreaves (the billionaire that adopted them all) has raised them all to be sociopathic superheroes. After his death, the family is visited by the missing member, Number 5, who warns them about the upcoming apocalypse...that will be here in 8 days. The show has a badass soundtrack that makes you want tap your foot repeatedly through graphic scenes of murder, though you would expect nothing less since the show is written by My Chemical Romance lead singer Gerard Way. The result - a better soundtrack than the Guardians of the Galaxy Awesome Mix. Season 2 is greenlit and being filmed so I think its time that we speculate what could be in the Netflix phenomenon. Nothing is confirmed yet; Umbrella Academy is a closely guarded secret that not even the best journalists can get answers too. A few promotional photos like Christmas photos with all of the family in ugly jumpers have surfaced on social media, but apart from that no one knows anything. Enough talking though, it’s time to theorise.
Where Did They Go? At the end of the first season, the team isn’t successful with their mission of saving the world... in fact they’re the ones that bring the world to its gruesome end. Number 5 proposes that they go back to a much earlier point in history, literally buying themselves more time. The only question is...where? My guess is the 90’s because they all transformed into their younger selves but you can never be too sure when it comes to a show like this.
Do They Actually Save The World? A bit of a shock to find out that the heroes of the story didn’t save the world. Going into Season 2, this family of super powered assholes are trying to stop the apocalypse by “going back to the past and changing the outcome”, The quote said by 5 in the season finale could mean a number of things. “Umbrella Academy: Dallas”, the comic book that the season is supposedly based on goes into part of the origin of the children and the agency that features heavily in the first season. However, the comics don’t really follow the canon of the show. The question is, is the apocalypse just inevitable? Is the future of the television show hidden in its past?
Will Allison Get Her Voice Back? I really should have put a spoiler warning at the start of this article but I feel like you know about the show if you’ve made it this far. Basically, Allison (Number 3) gets her vocal chords severed by her sister. That wouldn’t be a huge obstacle but Allison’s main power comes from her voice... which means that her vocal cord damage is detrimental to her character. Some of Allison’s best scenes is after she’s had the surgery that renders her a mute, but it is a little bit tedious waiting for her to write whatever she thinks down on that small notepad. Fingers crossed that she gets her power back, as she’s basically the level head of the family.
Klaus’ Powers Everyone fell in love with the drug addict/ comic relief of the show, Klaus Hargreeves. As funny as he is, Klaus was basically the recon guy when it came to missions, his powers rendered him borderline useless on the battlefield. However, I think the writers on the show felt guilty for this because in one of the last fights of the show he gained a sort of telekinesis.
I think this will be used heavily in the second season because the budget will be a lot bigger, but could result in his personality changing. This will highlight Klaus’ obstacle of recovery, temptation and greed instead of the benefits of the mission.
The Others On October 1st 1989, 43 children were born on the same day...Reginald only got hold of 7. So, where are the others? We have some details on new characters on the show, however, it’s not clear if they are children or not. One thing is for sure, it would emphasise the fact that the Umbrella Academy isn’t as special as they think. In the words of the best Disney villain “when everyone’s super, no one will be”. For the answers to these questions, we’re just going to have to wait and see what goes down later in the year. I for one can’t wait for the Academy to return. If you’ve read this and haven’t seen the show (well, that’s bold of you) the first season is still on Netflix for you to watch with your friends and family.
THE REAL IS
WORDS BY ESME ABBOTT
Hysteria over the coronavirus is spreading faster than the actual virus itself. Some view the virus as a biochemical conspiracy linked to the popular movie and video game, Resident Evil, others believe it’s some kind of karma for eating exotic animals. Both are untrue and both trivialise a disaster that is affecting the lives of millions, from the infected and the quarantined, and from medical practitioners risking their lives to Asians in developed countries who are facing an onslaught of racism and xenophobia. Restaurants and hotels are denying access to Chinese customers, Asian students are being dismissed from schools and in Sydney, one man died after he collapsed from a heart condition and no-one provided CPR for fear of the virus. Such hysteria and panic are not uncommon and unfortunately, the demonization of minorities that come with them aren’t uncommon either. In the 1800s in San Francisco, fears over cholera and smallpox became racialised as city officials targeted Chinese people from Chinatown to be quarantined and put through forced vaccination programmes while white people were free to move around and spread the disease. Similarly, in the 1980s the spread of HIV led to the demonization and criminalisation of homosexuality, and HIV is still being used to attack minorities as officials of Trump’s administration are using it to justify the separation of families at the border. Looking at the past it’s clear that viruses and diseases spark panic and xenophobia and this hasn’t been helped by the rise of media and fake news. Fact-checkers are currently working overtime to try and tackle the hoaxes and disinformation that’s spreading. Some of it comes from a place of fear and misunderstanding, some of it comes from malicious racism. The most important thing is to double-check your facts and know that if you live in England, the likelihood of catching the coronavirus is slim. Those that have died from the coronavirus so far tend to have been older people or those with already compromised immune systems. So, if you’re a healthy person with easy access to medical care and live in Europe, you’re unlikely to be affected.
Please note there’s no mention of race when it comes to the likelihood of catching the virus because it’s irrelevant; unlike a lot of people, viruses aren’t racist. What you’re much more likely to catch is influenza, which kills up to 650,000 people every year, with 3-5 million severe cases. The only reason the media has been able to sensationalise the coronavirus is that it doesn’t have any known counter-measures. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s more dangerous, especially to healthy people who take healthy precautions. Just like with any other disease, the best way to protect yourself is to wash your hands, keep them out of your eyes, nose and mouth, cough or sneeze into your sleeve or tissue (not your hands) and look after yourself and your body. All these things help stop the spread of disease, what doesn’t help stop the spread of disease is racism. Moving away from Asian individuals on public transport or covering your mouth around them does nothing but make them feel uncomfortable and reveal your aversive racism. A lot of online attacks have been spurred by the idea that the disease originated from infected bats being eaten in Wuhan but this is an embellished story. Most of the original cases were individuals who either worked at or visited a seafood market in Wuhan, but no bats were sold there. The genome for the coronavirus in humans is very similar to the ones carried by bats but it’s likely another animal played host between us. The idea that coronavirus came from eating bat soup was accompanied with a video of a Chinese woman eating the meal and the story was sensationalised because it helped to “create a narrative that appealed to a western audience’s racist fascination with Chinese appetites” according to Guardian writer, Wong. There’s a latent sentiment in the west that the Chinese are barbaric and dirty for their traditions and many are exploiting the coronavirus as some kind of proof of this. But who are we to recoil at their exotic meat markets when so many of us actively endorse factory farming and the torture and slaughter of sentient animals? The Chinese are ridiculed for eating dogs because we have chosen to domesticate them, but studies have shown that pigs are more intelligent than dogs and our countries subsidise the mass slaughter of them.
There’s a lesson here to be learnt from Shirley Jackson’s short story, The Lottery, which is that our worst traditions and actions are so familiar to us that we often do not question the morality of them. There are things that we do that the Chinese think are atrocious and disturbing and there are traditions of theirs that many westerners believe are atrocious and disturbing but that does not give anyone the right to weaponize a virus as ammunition for their xenophobic attacks. It’s okay to be scared or worried about a virus that’s been declared as a global health emergency, but it’s important to know that a global health emergency doesn’t necessarily mean we have a pandemic on our hands. It’s just a formal declaration to get countries to collaborate to develop a treatment or vaccine and aid those countries with weaker health systems that may not be able to deal with an outbreak very well. Nevertheless, outbreaks like this can be scary and devastating and the media hasn’t done much to distil this fear but fear and panic are never justifications for racism, prejudice or xenophobia. There are have been more cases of prejudice and racism in the name of the coronavirus in wealthy nations than cases of the actual virus. Asian businesses are suffering, children are being bullied in school halls and the media is rife with cruel and inconsiderate racist memes suggesting that China is somehow to blame for the virus and all Asians should pay the price. This means that for many English citizens, the coronavirus poses more of a threat as fuel for racist attacks than it does as a disease.
Furthermore, it is not just those of Asian ethnicity that are suffering but other marginalised social groups such as the disabled, chronically ill and the poor. These groups tend not to be able to get to the shops as easily or buy in large quantities and therefore clearing shelves to stockpile can rob them of supplies. It’s important in times of global problems like this to be more sensitive and thoughtful of those around you. It can suck to be stopped from travelling or attending events, especially if you do not feel threatened by the virus or care about it. Regardless, there are many who have compromised immune systems or have to care for and be around those that do, such as care workers or adults who look after their elderly parents. Coronavirus also poses a significant threat to the poor and the homeless if they cannot afford healthcare or to take time off work to look after sick children or stay quarantined themselves. Viruses do not only have physical effects but socio-economic impacts and it’s important to consider these in times of emergencies. A global pandemic is not time to show off your racism or elitism, it’s a time to do as much as you can to take care of those around you.
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Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove. O no! it is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests and is never shaken; It is the star to every wand’ring bark, Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken. Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle’s compass come; Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom. If this be error and upon me prov’ d, I never writ, nor no man ever lov’ d.
We Real Cool We real cool. We Left school. We Lurk late. We Strike straight. We Sing sin. We Thin gin. We Jazz June. We Die soon.
I met a traveler from an antique land Who said: “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert . . . Near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed: And on the pedestal these words appear: ‘My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!’ Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right. - Rosa Parks
Because I could not stop for Death – He kindly stopped for me – The Carriage held but just Ourselves – And Immortality.
We slowly drove – He knew no haste And I had put away My labor and my leisure too, For His Civility –
We passed the School, where Children strove At Recess – in the Ring – We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain – We passed the Setting Sun –
Or rather – He passed Us – The Dews drew quivering and Chill – For only Gossamer, my Gown – My Tippet – only Tulle –
We paused before a House that seemed A Swelling of the Ground – The Roof was scarcely visible – The Cornice – in the Ground –
Since then – ‘tis Centuries – and yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses’ Heads Were toward Eternity –
Beneath the blossoms with a pot of wine, No friends at hand, so I poured alone; I raised my cup to invite the moon, Turned to my shadow, and we became three. Now the moon had never learned about drinking, And my shadow had merely followed my form, But I quickly made friends with the moon and my shadow; To find pleasure in life, make the most of the spring. Whenever I sang, the moon swayed with me; Whenever I danced, my shadow went wild. Drinking, we shared our enjoyment together; Drunk, then each went off on his own. But forever agreed on dispassionate revels, We promised to meet in the far Milky Way.
The Jabberwocky Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves,
One, two! One, two! And through and through
And the mome raths outgrabe.
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
He went galumphing back.
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
The frumious Bandersnatch!” O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!” He took his vorpal sword in hand;
He chortled in his joy.
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
So rested he by the Tumtum tree
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
And stood awhile in thought.
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood, And burbled as it came!
Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas
Having read Adam Kay’s global bestseller, This is Going to Hurt, earlier in the year, I was beyond excited to receive his new book in my stocking. *spoiler alert!* Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas is packed full to the brim with Kay’s stories from the obstetrics and gynaecology ward, which were deemed ‘too disgusting’ or ‘too Christmas-sy’ for his first book. It is a rollercoaster of a read, from stories that make you laugh out loud to ones that are downright disgusting, there’s genuine feeling of looking into the life of a doctor working on the wards. From stories of everyday tasks made unbearable by a struggling system to heart wrenching memories of things going wrong, Kay’s emotive diary entries gives all the feels throughout! The style is very much that of a diary and makes for a very relaxed read. It’s easy to quickly pick up if you don’t have long (although I then struggled to put it back down!)
A personal favourite story would definitely be the one about the patient that collapsed after deciding that dressing in tinfoil, mimicking a turkey, for the Christmas party was a good idea. Or the cringeworthy story of Kay setting off a musical tie rendition of jingle bells whilst delivering some tragic news. While there are so many more I would love to share, you have to read it for yourself to have the ultimate effect! Overall the book is hilarious and will have your belly aching with laughs, but it also proves as an emotional reminder as to how lucky we are to have the wonderful NHS. Kay also reminds us throughout of the sacrifice him and other NHS staff make, working long gruelling hours whilst we all enjoy festivities with our families. It’s entertaining, eye-opening and emotive in so many ways. This book is a definite must read!
Book review by Hannah Smith
Eleanor Oliphant may appear to be rather mundane. But as surface layers are scratched away, she’s revealed to be quite the opposite. Many people can relate to a life of routine, however, few are as consistent and content with such a lifestyle as Miss Oliphant. She’s had the same job for nine years, eats the same meals everyday and enjoys the same two bottles of vodka every weekend, alone.
Nevertheless, the world of social etiquette and ambition tend to elude her, leaving her to have moments of recognition for her loneliness. Eleanor slowly befriends Raymond, the IT guy from her office. The pair don’t share much in common and the friendship takes its time to develop but, in the end, proves to be the pinnacle thing that introduces warmth into Eleanor’s world.
The upsetting thing you realise when reading this book is that if you knew this person in real life, there’s a chance you wouldn’t bat an eyelid towards them. Her first impression gives the sense of someone who’s simply existing and not appreciating what the world has to offer her. Yet, following her story and sharing her encounters makes her become incredibly endearing. I found one of the most interesting aspects about her character is that despite the supposed downfalls in her life, such as the other girls at work excluding her from gossip and giggles, the lack of any sort of love life, and the underlying family issues, Eleanor always remains very true to who she feels she is. She doesn’t see herself as offbeat and strange like other people often do, which I think is quite an inspiring trait.
After witnessing this friendship blossom, you come to realise that had it never happened, Eleanor may never have branched out from her isolated habits. She represents the people in the world that need help but may not realise or never ask. I found this made her beautifully relatable by the end of the book, no matter what your opinion may have been of her at the beginning. The book also finishes with a twist that again, painting Eleanor Oliphant in a completely new light and unveiling a much deeper meaning to the overall story. There are hints of said twist throughout the book, however, Gail Honeyman manages to keep the truths cleverly concealed until the very end. Overall, I thought this book had a perfect balance of comedy, tragedy and authenticity about how life can sometimes be.
A review by Emily Redman
The bongs of Big Ben on Brexit Day seemed another world away when reading the opening night of Goodnight Mr. Tom. Usually, a story based on amidst the misery and gloom of the beginning of WWII would, on paper, struggle to prevail any sense of hope. But this story, adapted for theatre by David Wood, has captured the very essence of many British war children’s lives, and how evacuees may not just have survived, but thrived in their new homes. One of these evacuees was William (Lex Recine). He’s adorable, beautifully innocent and confused in a whirlwind of turmoil. His performance was utterly captivating; Recine is truly a brewing star. The relationship between Will and Mr. Tom (Jason Blackburn) unfolded by virtue of a powerful script and some exceptional acting, Without saying much, they bandaged each other’s trauma and pain generations apart but still managing to council each other through the harsh realities of life. The show deals with a variety of themes and issues, not exclusive to the war era, which makes the play relatable and evergreen. Director, Elizabeth Maisey, manages to keep the performance flowing in the intimate and snug settings: At Mr Tom’s rural home, London’s bomb shelters and the suffocating walls of Will’s God-fearing mother’s home. Rather cleverly, Mr Tom’s home has been situated in the West Country - highlighting the fact that not so long ago, this was the reality of many evacuees who were forced out of their homes and onto our doorstep.
The second act meandered a little - and there was some strange GCSE Drama-esque chanting in the second half. A bizarre interlude but thankfully a quick one. Sentimentality is often sickly, but it’s necessary in this performance - even if it is an almost certain tearjerker. Mr Tom struggles with the loss of his wife, even after 40 years, finding it almost impossible to confess where she is to William. As the two advance through the plot, Mr Tom manages to accept what happened to his beloved wife and finds a new purpose through William. ‘Caillou Caillau!’ Zach (Connor May) beams a light of energy onto the performance. He’s overbearing, teetering between annoying and amusing throughout. Yet, the audience are compelled to warm to him and his energy is mesmerising. The performance doesn’t shy away from the horrors of war, and the fairly merry plot runs into turbulence and tragedy along the way, but the Cheltenham Operatic and Drama Society has put on a show that challenges our idea of family. We’re shown that water is often a substance much thicker than blood, and in a time where love and acceptance was so sparse, Goodnight Mr Tom gives us a stunning glimpse of hope and happiness.
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Melody Kim Markus I am a third year Visual Communication student from the University of Gloucestershire, originally from Borneo, Malaysia. Ever since I was a kid I’ve always had an avid interest in art, constantly collaborting with friends making short comics based on our favourite whimisical early 2000s Japanese anime and cartoons. I draw most of my inspiration from popular contemporary visual artists such as James Jean and Lois van Baarle with a touch of artistic philosophy from Marina Abramovic. I have always found myself to be infatuated by the idea and narrative surrounding the idea of duality. Hence, naturally drawn to yin yang imagery and creepy cute aesthetics. Alternative pop culture and music has also been a big inspiration towards the subject of my art. I am constantly inspired by the authenticity, raw passion and ethereal quality that female artists such as Bjork, Grimes and Melanie Martinez present through their songs and identity. In prospects to the future, with my current educational background in both illustration and graphic design, I am keen to work in editorial illustration or as a concept artist.
LAURA MOSS I am a freelance fashion stylist and have worked in editorial, commercial and online promotional work. I also art direct for films and music videos. I got into fashion because I was influenced by the women in my family, especially my mum who worked in fashion for years, designing and making clothing. Colour Me Beautiful is a seasonal fashion update I have been going to since a young age and this is what sparked my passion in the fashion industry. Ever since I have been focused on making fashion styling my career and a job that I adore. I get my initial inspiration from creating mood boards, gathering different ideas together to work out what I’d like the final look to be like. I always find this helpful to present my ideas to my clients as well as organise my own thoughts. My key inspiration is Christian Dior, this is the designer and style of clothing that speaks to me the most. I feel very passionate about feminine clothing and how Dior was one of the many designers to change the face of fashion and how women were able to dress. The next thing I would like to do is to get back into working on music videos, I love the creativity that comes with this, although there is always a lack of funding, I find these shoots the most rewarding. There have been many highlights in my career so far. I have been lucky to meet the right people and now am signed to my agent. I would say that this, so far has been my biggest highlight because this has unlocked so many incredible opportunities. Another highlight would be styling James Morrison for Civilian Magazine, this was a big challenge as there was no budget and I had no assistance, but I am very happy with how the shoot turned out.
Y M A
N I P GAL
RAWS D Y M . @A
2020 Goal: To monetize my art, turning it into something that is not just profitable mentally, but also financially. My inspiration tends to come from music. I listen to music constantly, whether I am at home or out and about. Music frames my life and influences a lot of my choices, from what I wear to how I present myself to the world. Art is just another output for my love of music. Artists like Yungblud and Sam Tompkins exhibit such raw emotion when they perform, something that ties quite closely to my own art. Art in itself is a medium that allows me to explore my emotions better, to channel whatever I am feeling into something productive. Lately I’ve been walking and meditating a lot and that’s inspired me majorly because it gets me thinking, it gives me ideas and completely clears my mind allowing me to take in colours and my surroundings. Becoming more in touch with myself has allowed my art to go further than just emotion.
James Smith
Shannon woodward
MIL L IE M U XWO RT H Y I am primarily a portrait and fashion photographer, trying to work with other creatives to capture a sense of individuality and personal style. However in my more personal work I try to document the places I go and the people I meet along the way, more often than not, using film. I am currently study Editorial & Advertising photography, and I hope to one day have a career that enables me to travel whilst continuing to shoot for the fashion portfolio I have started to develop over the past few years.
S I GNS of LIF E
This series of images looks at areas affected by the Croatian War of Independence (1991-1995), how the locals have responded to it and the simple way of life it has encouraged. Focusing specifically on southern Croatia and western areas of Bosnia & Herzegovina, this project looks at the remnants of war that remain in the rural regions that were once a part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and the quiet, relaxed lifestyle that the Croatian people have adapted to, despite the recent memory of a devastating war zone. Images taken in the villages of Slano and Lopud, the city of Neum, and on the treacherous road across the Herzegovinian border. Taken on Canon 1000f, 35mm Kodak ColourPlus.
PLAY-
-LIST
dua lipa - physical
Happy two year birthday FARID! Here are the songs to kick off those celebrations. Drink responsibly and always take a selfie with the flash on. Here is to another two years of amazing content.
marina superstar
doja cat boss bitch
megan thee stallion, normani diamonds
justin bieber yummy
wheatusteenage dirtbag
lana del rey - cinnamon girl
pickle - on the drums
haim summer girl
mabel one shot
j hus dark vader
tlc no scrubs
rihanna pour it up
charlixcx boys
jo. bros.what a man gotta do
post malone - circles
booty 3000 - dizzy fae
josef loverboy
kim petras - icy
aurora the river
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