the_verbose: ISSUE A by flowerila

ART + CULT ISSUE A

WINTER 2018

white space

verbose və:’bəʊs adj.

using or expressed in more words than are needed.

the_verbose

issue a : winter 2018 Being an anonymous publication, it’s fitting that our first issue (a) represent anonymity. This theme is explored throughout several carefully curated stories in over 100 pages of lives that were unknown to us until now. The_verbose aims to capture the art and culture of individuals and of great range in effort to decrease the distance between people and the pages. We search , we absorb, we ask, they tell, we write, we all indulge. We have to capture the spirit and history in poeple, document a few corners of the world’s chaos and creativity, even if it means more words less pictures. The_verbose is a self-published intimate collection of curated human experiences and serendipitous finds. It’s all fine print.

*all interviews were completed in 2017

who

ANGELA GLEASON creator

STEFANIA curator

ELAINE curator

LIQUIDBLOX digital

KIM curator

MAURO DIMASO printing

J&R FRYDENBERG printing

INK&MOVEMENTZIGORSASHAUNISEXANNAMODERNSOULANJABEYERBIGBORGPAULINEGERMAINFREELASTICABRUNOGARCASCAVOLINI

MELCHIORRIALESSANDRO&WOLFRAMORICCI

issue A : winter 2018

okuda san miguel

sasha unisex

giuseppe palmisano

street art sanctuaries from Spain

watercolor tattoos from Moscow

femme fetale: photographs from Bologna

nikola tamindzic

anna kรถvecses

solomon

fucking New York from NYC

geometric paintings from Cyprus

under the sun in Wadi Rum

samuel lerox

niklas ibach

diesel living

a millenial joyride from Paris

classical to electronic: a DJ from Berlin

space life and deserts from Milan

102

114

WORDON THE STREET

guest contributor

Taxis and Walnuts 82 marc torralba

felines, urbanwear + DJ sets from Barcelona

THE IN TERN ET OF THIN GS

guest contributor

elaine gilruth 98

TU RN IT UP maupal

stencil art + the pope from Rome

guest contributor

stefania casiraghi 110

SIDESTREET SPEL NDOR

guest contributor

112

trev the viking

122

a sailor & painter in Malta issue A : winter 2018

O04SSA okuda 01 spain street artist

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issue A : winter 2018

HAMBURG

MUNICH

2017

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STREET ART SANCTUARIES okuda san miguel From abandoned railways to a 16-story building in Kiev, Okuda San Miguel has been landscaping the world with art since 1997, taking low places to great heights. And as street art continues to dominate urban decor, this Spanish-bred talent is no stranger to the daring. His modernmeets-classic murals are the quintessential masterpieces that speak to his character and to his audiences with an emphasis on equality, cultural symbolism, and art in the most unexpected places. His most recognized work, Kaos Temple in Llanera, Spain, is a project that transformed the abandoned Santa Barbara church into a skateboarders’ sanctuary. Together with skate enthusiasts Church Brigade and RedBull, Okuda undertook his “personal Sistine Chapel.” MOROCCO 2016

He is no amateur when it comes scaffolding and ITALY

questionable territory to house his vibrant colours and

2016

signature geometric style. Experiential and energetic, it is this artist’s technique and his passion for street influenced material confronting themes of freedom and oppression that frame his talent and hard work. Okuda, a name he created as a child inspired by a Japanese comic, started out as a grafitti artist in the mid 90s before taking on street art in early 2004. In an interview last summer, we discovered a lot more about his work, and his ways. As he realizes his dreams everyday, he keeps his music close by. Catch him listening to bossa nova one day and electronica the next. You can find him watching The Fall, Avatar, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, Castillo Ambulante, Rainbow Thief or Holly Mountain by Jodorowsky in his down time. Want to take him to lunch? Seafood, avocado, fresh red tuna fish, green esparagus, juices with ginger and spinach will win his heart.

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I remember the biggest building that I completed was in Kiev last year where the people and the media made me feel like part of the change in the country, and the freedom, because they had just come from a revolution, and are still at war in some placesâ&#x20AC;Ś The infinite grey cement buildings and grey sky in Ukraine needs colour, happiness and freedom.

V_ With countless hours and wild heights, what do you think about when painting?

V_ How do you prepare for a project creatively and mechanically?

Okuda / I think about my iconography, my symbols, my patterns, and my own world when I am painting. I try to select which type of work is perfect for the new space. Now, I like to work off of photos of sculptures from classical art history like Mesopotamian or Renaissance, that I see in museums or on the streets in my travels. I try to insert some of this in my paintings; Figures from the past that come together with my modern pop art scenes.

Okuda / I used to start projects without final sketches. For example, I arrived at the church without sketches and just went inside and started to feel what I needed to do in each place. The amazing architecture was like a script for me. The technique normally is spray-painting over a latex primer or acrylic paint background for big spaces. I also use markers, stencils and masking tape in my smaller studio works.

ITALY 2015 issue A : winter 2018

FRANCE 2017

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V_ Born and raised in Spain. What do you

V_ What is one of your most memorable expe-

love most about your country?

riences working several stories high?

Okuda / I travel a lot and keep my home in Spain because I love the weather, the light and the colours in the streets,

Okuda / Maybe painting in the favelas in Brazil, Peru,

the funny and happy people, street life, nightlife, parties,

Mali, Cabo Verde or India because you can feel the

beaches, food of course, and the very talented artists

smiles of the children, and the incredible vibes from the

that are my friends, like SAN, Pantone, Spok, Remed,

poor people. Very special moments that I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t explain.

Nano4814, Aryz, Nuria More. And I remember the biggest building that I completed in Kiev last year, where the people and the media made me V_Do you believe art can be a source of moti-

feel like apart of the change in the country, and the free-

vation and influence for young people?

dom, because they had just come from a revolution, and are still at war in some places. The infinite grey cement

Okuda / About the new generation, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think they are

buildings and grey sky in Ukraine needs colour, happiness

going in a good way, because their values and motivations

and freedom.

are not good because of the shit that TV has shown them. V_ Your work in Kiev: an experience that left V_ Your work has been exhibited around the

you feeling apart of their freedom. How did

world. Any particular locations that were

the locals respond to your work in their city?

most significant to you?

Okuda / The locals in the beginning didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t trust in something different like my art, nor like painting this big space.

Okuda / I was excited to do my biggest murals or instal-

But in the end, I met very grateful people.

lations in public spaces in places like India, Hong Kong, Kiev, Moscow, or my fountain in Tennessee. But I need to go to Australia, hopefully soon. But the most inspirational countries to work are always in Africa, South America or Asia. I am also happy that I am starting to do gallery shows in USA and Asia.

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V_ Your work is symbolic, often evocative of modernity, existentialism and sub-surrealism. What is the role of colour in your work?

Okuda / Yes. I always try to combine the grey scale with the full colour palette in a harmonious way. The multi-colours symbolise the multicultural. I paint faces with geometric patterns to show that everyone is the same, putting all types of skin colours on the same level. And colour is a symbol of nature and life. The grey scale is the cement, the dust, the dead, and the material of classic sculptures.

V_ Do you recall any experiences where you had to start over or paint over your work, and how do you correct it? Okuda / Spray paint lets you correct everything in a second. It is very fast and sometimes from mistakes come interesting new directions. V_Do you recall the very first painting you completed as a street art? Okuda / I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know exactly. I started to paint graffiti in 1997, but street art maybe around 2004. Dream project? And what are some challenges for a street artist? Also, the greatest reward? Okuda / I am seeing my dreams realized every year. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know now about challenges but I never stop dreaming. The best reward is your own happiness, I need to create to be happy, and feel alive and believe me, that art is the meaning of my life.

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MADRID 2015 THE GIOCONDA, PARIS 2017

okudart.es @okudart

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S02MTA sasha 02 moscow tattoo artist

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes I am asked, what is the meaning of this or that tattoo. At once, I carry back to that day when it was made. I remember what the weather was on this day; an interior of the studio; a face of the master and what they were speaking about; what I was thinking in that moment.â&#x20AC;?

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Dating back to Neolithic times, a tattoo has long served the body as a sacred marking of one’s legend, status, passion, and cult followings. Once exclusive to female practice in ancient Egypt, tattoos were regarded as spiritual or royal, while also revealing of a woman’s status: dancer, prostitute, royal concubine (Smithsonian Magazine). Later associated with lewd acts, biker gangs, outlaws, prison hobbies, and worn as sleeves or trapezius murals, this personal affair with our bodies has continued to evolve. Today, in a world of hyper selfexpression, intellectual property laws, free-thinking millennials, and a savvy new wave of graphic designers, ink masters are at it tenfold. And together the artist and the individual can create something truly theirs, attributing to the lure and luxury of modern design skin deep.

One particular artist has carved out her niche in the crowd: a young Russian female tattoo artist holding her own, Sasha Unisex. A St. Lviv National Academy of Arts graduate, Sasha is first an artist, then a business woman. And while she expands her signature watercolour tattoo designs into t-shirts, prints, and accessories, she remains entirely committed to her work of authorship and social ethos.

No doubt, signors like Dr. Woo, Bang Bang, and their teams of tat connoisseurs have also tapped the art of watercolour tattoo design and product branding. But this artist exhibits a unique dimension of design and branding which she has been cultivating throughout Moscow’s subculture since 2011. Read on about the lady du jour, her style, her technique, and her.

“It is necessary to work hard to arrive at something special. But it is worth it.” With an Instagram littered with watercolour designs, prismatic and vibrant, Sasha’s artwork depicts nature in bazaar forms. Flying penguins. Perfectly shadowed aortas. Fox pilots. Rose gardens. These watercolour designs are then carefully transferred onto the skin as tattoos.

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SASHA

UNISEX V_Stereotypes with tattoos. What are your thoughts?

Sasha / Popular stereotype is that tattoos are made only in prisons or in the army. Surely it’s absolutely not true; and you also don’t have to be lazy to have a tattoo. One more popular delusion: the tattoo will blur if you gain weight. I’ve never faced such a problem. Another one: big tattoos ruin female beauty: quite subjective, but nevertheless that’s a delusion; now there are a lot of different styles of tattoos. And women choose for themselves like gentle flowers, fantastic birds and even lace as a tattoo design which only emphasises the femininity of the owner.

V_What solutions/products do you have to use to ensure results with the separation of color and precision of design? Sasha / The best way is to use bepanthen plus creme which you can find in all drug stores around the world. But I do not exclude the usage of special cream for healing a tattoo, which I’ve tried on myself. During the first three days of healing I use a special compress.

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V_Challenges starting your own business in Moscow? Sasha / Moscow is a big city with a huge amount of possibility; it’s engaging to start a business. And a business based on art is not an exception at all, that’s why it was quite easy for me and my team.

V_What was one of your most unsual or challenging requests for a tattoo? Sasha / The most unusual inquiries do happen, and at times impossible to realise. Often clients cannot adequately estimate the size. They want to put an entire plot with a huge number of details into 5cm of space, or on the contrary they might overestimate the area assumed for a tattoo. But no matter how difficult it is to come to an understanding with a customer, it is necessary to try to meet them halfway, to have flexibility so both parties should be ready to temporise, then an excellent job will be done and both will be satisfied.

location and size, and especially on the choice of needles and paints.There is a lot of scientific information on the Internet on what happens with skin during tattooing process, I would add that it is not that scary, but you should be sure before a visit that you don’t have blood or skin diseases and that you aren’t pregnant. If you often faint, you have to warn the tattooer about it too.

I teach my clients how to care for a tattoo step-by-step, and I also try to monitor the healing process. This is because it’s such an important part of my work, as a tattoo artist. If you are totally unfamiliar with this subject and know nothing about it, but nevertheless you decided to get a tattoo, the most important thing is to trust in professional. Study a portfolio and different feedback about his or her work as a tattoo artist and when you are absolutely sure that this tattoo artist is a professional, with no doubt trust his or her advice on tattoo

V_Is it true that some inks can be harmful to the blood stream? In this case, are the colors you use specifically tested to be used on humans for permanent art? Sasha / The biggest danger for tattoo fans are infections. But you are exposed to the same danger in a manicure salon or with a visit to the dentist. Therefore, modern tattoo artists pay much attention to their safety as to the client’s safety. All supplies are one off. As for tattoo pigments, I use special tattoo paints, and I only imitate the watercolor effect, transferring the sketch made with watercolors onto skin.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I always want to return to the cities where turning points in my life happened: to Lviv, to St. Petersburg, to Moscow, for nostalgia and meetings with old friends.â&#x20AC;?

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Sasha / My first tattoo is a black and white rose with a girl’s face, which I made when I was 23 years old. I have quite a lot tattoos with the image of flowers and animals, but I can’t choose my favourite or on the contrary my least favourite, as each of them are special and are apart of me. I don’t remember my skin without tattoos anymore, as if I had them always. Sometimes I am asked, what’s the meaning of this or that tattoo, at once I carry back to that day when it was made, I remember what the weather was this day, an interior of the studio, a face of the master and what we were speaking about, what I was thinking of in that moment.

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V_What is the greatest part of the city and the people where you live? Sasha / At the moment I live in Rome and I’m in love with this city! I admire how surprisingly nature intertwines with architecture here. Walking in the downtown feels like you move in time. Locals decorate their balconies with flowers, it looks like botanical gardens. Besides they are very friendly and love animals.

The biggest danger to tattoo fans are infections. But you are exposed to the same danger, in a manicure salon or when you visit a dentist.

sashaunisex.com @sashaunisex

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G01BP giuseppe palmisano 01 bologna photographer

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GIUSEPPE

PALMISANO

“The delicacy and harmony of the body, are my favourite traits in women.” In the case of female intimacy, the bare breasts and lace panties are secondary to the obscurely seductive, and at times sterile portraits from Giuseppe Palmisano. Palmisano seems to find just the right harmony between cumbrous props and wistful figures under the theme of love and abandonment. His work may require a journey through conceptual land, asking viewers to rethink the prop while tapping an emotional proximity to his subjects. No doubt, the young blood is as playful as he is morose in triggering an engaging perspective on the language of the body in its most unexpected positions, and places. The Bologna-born creative, both writer and photographer, isn’t shy about the challenges that come with being a young artist in Italy. Although at 28, he has already been spotted in over 20 magazines including Juxtapoz, Buzzfeed, Bored Panda, and racked up a nice IG audience. With his heart at home in Italy, and his eyes on New York, timing seems right to sneak a word in before he’s back on the go.

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Every day for me is a discovery of what I can do, with video, performances, or other ways to express myself. The city where I live, but only in the night, is a very peaceful place. Also the sea in the winter. V_ Hi. Lamps, plastic heads, mattresses, female nudity, roadsides and nature… Does your work have a common theme, and are your collections interconnected? GP / Hi, yes I think so. I’m trying to share my vision of female intimacy, but without telling a story, rather through an aesthetic or an unusual scenario. I gave my life to art, at any time I see the world through the lens of art, not only when I take a picture or I produce something.

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V_Women. Is there a pattern with the women you photograph? What is the magic in these portraits for you, and what do you find are the most cherished traits in women? GP / I work with all the women, but I prefer them without tattoos. I want to create a picture out of time, that’s the magic. The theme of ‘the abandoned’ is very present in my work, and also the theme of ‘the end of a love story.’ Delicacy and Harmony (of the bodies) are my favourite traits in women. And, a naked woman never seems hilarious, on the contrary, a man is too hard to put naked in a photo.

V_What are some technologies used in your photography work? Do you welcome emerging digital technology with regard to your craft? GP / I don’t have a digital camera. I bought an analogue one and I’m experimenting with that now, but I shoot with very different kinds of technologies as reflex, mirrorless, or as with this last period the iPhone ( I used the iPhone too much). .

V_ A memory when you laughed so hard? GP / I remember very well the day when I visited the big ship where my uncle worked. I laughed so hard at some stand up comedian’s show.

V_ Do you have any fears?

GP / In this period I’m too much of a hypochondriac. Everything about sickness scares me a lot, so death (and the dead) is one of my real fears. V_ Do you strive to have a social or cultural impact with your photography?

GP / I believe in the social and cultural impact of art. I use photography to meet people and create a kind of public art with my shows. Also, on the web I try to interact daily with my followers. V_ How much does the reaction of an audience impact how you feel about

“...I prefer to know the girl that I have to photograph the same day of the shooting. If there are too many people while I shoot, it is quite uncomfortable for me.”

your own work and your future projects?

GP / My artistic background comes from theatre. I was an actor, and the reaction of an audience is so important to know where you are going, and to suggest the direction ahead. I learned to work with the audience, but not for the audience. ITALY 2017

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ITALY 2017

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ITALY 2017

GIUSEPPE

PALMISANO

V_ You have exhibited around Italy, while having some great international coverage. Where would you like to showcase abroad?

GP / I hope so much. It is not easy for a young and Italian artist to go abroad. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m trying to go in the US. I dream of an exhibition in New York. People there are very interested in my work, and I feel something that calls me there. I hope. V_ What do you love most about your country, and what have been some challenges GP / I have loved the traditions of my country that have given me a lot of inspiration, but is not easy to work only with art here, like iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m doing now. People start to recognise your talent only when you have some international coverage. So I want to go showcase my work abroad and then maybe return here.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;I learned to work with the audience, but not for the audience.â&#x20AC;?

giuseppepalmisano.com @iosonopipo

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M05BC marc torralba 05 barcelona creative / marketing

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MARC

TORRALBA Barcelona. Felines, DJ Sets + Urbanwear For anyone new to the concept store scene, welcome. Customers walk into a carefully curated storefront for a unique, even unusual shopping experience. A concept store could go like this: You enter, light strikes you right as you peruse the denim bar before finding yourself looking at shaving kits and the next thing you know a barista brings you a macchiato and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re watching a live jazz band in the back of the store. You walk out having purchased the coffee mug (made in Sweden), the chair you sat in (Eames ottoman), a pair of socks (made in Japan) and maybe the drumsticks at checkout? The experience sold. Now imagine a concept store in Barcelona where you can shop local urbanwear, dance, water some plants, and adopt a cat. Real thing. Designer DJ and cat enthusiast Coyu had a wild vision he fervently pursued. Plush with raw plywood, an urban jungle and an array of feline themed clothing, the niche concept store welcomed a stylish crowd at the Suara Store official launch in November 2016. But while the mastermind Coyu was hitting the road and hustling his plan, right hand man Marc Torralba was building the brand. Marc was a particularly interesting find, as the head of communications and new projects behind Suara Store, the seasoned visionary tapped his own creative and marketing juices to bring Suara Store alive in Barcelonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s niche district, Born. Meet Marc. Seven hours of sleep on average. No regrets. Fan of Moby remixes. Zero superstitions.

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MARC

TORRALBA

V / How did you join forces with Suara, and what branding and marketing existed before you arrived? Marc / I knew about the Suara project before I landed at Suara. I had been working for ten years in press agencies in Barcelona and Madrid when Coyu (The Big Cat) proposed me to change my comfortable position to discover Suara’s universe. The Suara philosophy was totally authentic before I arrived. We are not talking about brand positioning, we are talking about real values inside the team, but they didn’t put it in a document and include them in the brand DNA. I extracted their philosophy, to give it a form and put it into communication tools. Suara is more than a fashion brand, I believe in this amazing project and I need to show their soul to the world. V / How did you discover Gaas, the designer, and decide on his work for the launch of Suara? Marc / Gaas is a multidisciplinary artist with a fascinating imagination. Suara is Gaas and Gaas is Suara, one of the most important mainstays of Suara. Coyu was the person who discovered Gaas. Coyu is an intuitive person and he knew that

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Gaas would be our art director when he saw his work. It’s a pleasure for me to work with Gaas, not only talking about designing and his art but also for the way he works and sees life. V / What is the audience in mind with regard to the Suara brand? (animal lovers, music lovers, fashionistas, locals, late twenties, mom?) Marc / Suara was created for young spirits, design lovers and music lovers but more importantly, we produce for conscious people looking for something different from fast fashion; People who know what they want to buy. We work with ethical production and sustainable materials. We are headed towards a demanding audience that appreciates special designs and we are proud to say that these type of people are around the world, for this reason we are also shipping worldwide.

V / How do you see art and culture has changed in the past 5-10 years? Marc / I like to see the world like a washing machine. It started slowly spinning a thousand years ago and with the passing

of time the rhythm it is faster and faster. Technology, like the internet is connecting the world and cultures. All artists have the possibility to show their art through the internet, but you will connect with people if your art stands out from the centre of this big data. Arts and cultures are mixing in quickly and trending. It’s amazing and a little stressful too. V / What are some of your favourite places in Barcelona, and what do you love the most about the city, the people and the culture? Marc / I love to travel and discover other cultures, but Barcelona is one of my favourite cities. In front of the Suara Store you can find the “Mercat del Born”, an old market. Ten years ago with it’s reformation, they discovered Roman ruins under the market. It’s amazing to visit this old market and find, with little imagination, how Romans lived thousands of years ago. Modernism is part of the recent history of the city and I love the philosophy because the art together with the nature are a perfect match.

We are out to show the world that they can find humour and graphic fashion with sustainable materials.

GAAS Suara artist @gaas_artwork

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above The Cat House @ the Suara Foundation

As a good Mediterranean man, I’m in love with our gastronomy and our wines; You could find many gastronomy jewels in the popular restaurants. My favourite paella is cooked at the Maians restaurant in the Barceloneta.

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V / Do you believe art has the power to influence society and has the power to create change? Do you hope to see the Suara Project impact social and creative circles? Marc / Absolutely, of course! Art is an important figure in culture and could help change minds and open eyes to creative people. It’s not a wish, it’s a reality. In Suara Foundation we are working to help street cats and we are also creating educational work. For example, we are preparing talks to schools about the importance of preserving nature with visits to the Suara Foundation. If we talk about Suara like a fashion brand, we expect that our way will work to inspire more fashion brands. Society still has the idea that sustainable fashion is boring, but we are out to show the world that they can find humour and graphic fashion with sustainable materials.

V / At Suara, if someone wants to adopt a cat, are they ready with vaccinations and already have names? What do they cost to adopt? Marc / At the Suara Foundation all the cats are vaccinated and we give them names, but the new family could change their name if they prefer. For the Suara Foundation one healthy cat could be more than 300€ in terms of veterinary care but we never demand pay for adoption, we accept donations to continue helping more cats. We study closely every cat character and family life style because we want to find the best relationship. V / How do the cats arrive at the adoption center? Marc / We are in contact with animal shelters from Barcelona. We try to help cats with problems, with veterinary needs and with a friendly spirit. First, they receive veterinary care, for example sterilisation, or if they have suffered damages they will receive correct treatment. When they are ok, they arrive to the foundation. They stay in a specialised quarantine room and when they are ready and prepared, we then open the door and let our new cats to have a relationship with the other cats of the foundation It’s a lengthy process but it’s necessary for the cats’ welfare.

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All time favorite film? Amelie.

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photo cred Sandra Blanquez

V / More about you. What was your childhood like & are there artists in your family? Marc / I was the only child in my family. I suppose that this fact helped me develop my imagination, the passion to observe quietly all around me, and to savour friendships, is like one of the best gifts you’ll have. I love the aesthetic in all the (friends) expressions and the aesthetic balance. I just remembered that I had a ying-yang pendant when I was eight years old. When I was a child I did not know the meaning of this important symbol! Also, my mother loves painting and crafts, and I inherited this passion too. I think that every person has an artist inside. It’s beautiful to express who we are.

V / One of your greatest experiences in life? Marc / Sorry, but I got married last month and it has eclipsed all the past experiences. But I must confess that I love music festivals and enjoy the energy created around a concert, it’s so exciting to feel the atmosphere. I still remember the energy around Benjamin Clementine at Vida Festival last year. V / Greatest professional accomplishment thus far? Marc / When I began to work in Suara this year. In the past, I have been fortunate to work with many Spanish designers and important international brands but one of my most satisfactory project was working with The Woolmark Company in the Campaign for wool. This campaign was successful in Spain and has an important

mission on the education of wool as a natural fiber that respects the environment. I know that in the near future Suara Store will be a greatest professional accomplishment. V / Some of your music faves, and music inspirations?

COYU Founder, Suara Foundation

Marc / I’m so eclectic! I’m in love with the surrealism, specifically with Salvador Dalí as an artist and character. The art of Alphonse Mucha. The fighter spirit of Vivienne Westwood. The aesthetic of Horst P. Horst. In the musical universe I’m more eclectic… In the same day I can listen songs of Yann Tiersen, Charles Aznavour, Soft Cell, Freddy Mercury, The Divine Comedy, Moby, Amy Winehouse or Coyu.

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MARC

TORRALBA

V / Speaking of music. How do you plan to create the club and dj scene at this location (particularly how do you recruit artists and what is the ambience you hope to create)? Marc / Nowadays we have vinyls of the Suara Label. In the future, we will do talks around the music and we will have a DJ table for public meetings to enjoy live music. V / Did you have any doubts or reservations about the Suara Store opening? Marc / Suara Store is an ambitious and risky project but we are convinced that it is so different than any other project, for this reason we are going to put a lot of effort into communication and quality products. We strongly believe that the Suara Project will be successful. In Suara Store you could buy ethic and sustainable fashion with an important design, load up on music and art and you can adopt a cat, too! We are thinking to explore more art spheres,

Suara Store will be an idea lab.

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We are sure that Suara Store will be a new meeting point for artists, cat lovers and music lovers in Barcelona.

Gaas facebook.com/gaasdesign @gaas-artwork

suara-store.com @suara-store

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N06NP nikola tamindzic 06 new york photographer

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FUCKING NEW YORK nikola tamindzic Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been over a year since my interview with the New York fashion photographer, and former Gawker editor. And since the launch of his titilating project, Fucking New York, Tamindzic has continued his craft while also touting the release of his art book which includes the full visual experience on your coffee table. While women pose in their most liberating physical positions, Nikola Tamindzic extracts the animal within orgasmic freedom and female sexuality on the streets of New York City.

Fucking New York is an art series of photographs and installations that capture the magnetism of human behavior beyond the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s architectural constraints. Limitless and totally relevant. Earlier last year the high profile art & fashion photographer gained a huge following with the showcase of Girls Girls Girls, an installation art show featuring the project Fucking New York. He recently announced the global tour of FNY and also released a book last month. This month we got to speak with the artist himself about how it all began. The Serbian native and NYC veteran touches upon his conceptual, technical and personal motivation behind the evolving project. On a Wednesday in November. 10pm in Rome. 4pm in New York. I called Nikola. As he prepared hot tea and I poured red wine the conversation unraveled in a stream of consciousness, fragments and tangents revolving around the building of Fucking New York.

issue A : winter 2018

NIKOLA Tamindzic

The women I shoot are truly collaborators — we talk a lot about their own sexuality, their desires, likes and dislikes, and try to incorporate as much of that into each shot V_What is about New York? So many of us can’t put down in words what keeps the pulse of this city so alive, and yet photos seem to captures every time. Would you say it’s one of the most adventurous and rewarding cities to photograph? What other cities in the world do you find compelling to photograph?

The way we who live here completely buy into the mythology as well — that each day is a snapshot from a movie, that “if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere”, that all the discomforts of NYC life are worth it — sounds like a dysfunctional romantic relationship with someone you mythologize, doesn’t it?

Nikola / Fuck if I know. What I mean is, every shot I make of NYC, within Fucking New York or not, is an attempt to crack the mystery. But yes — there’s an energy that is unlike anywhere else, and that makes it incredibly compelling. Then there’s the deep, deep mythology involved as well — the way NYC presents itself.

Fucking New York seems like a more sensible idea in this city than it would in many others. Other cities? They’re different, and it takes time, and actually living there and not just visiting, to find out their angle, past the tourist landmarks. For example, my feeling is Fucking Paris would involve courtyards rather than streets, and people crawling the walls and ceilings of their apartments.

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New York is the 20th century city like Paris is the 19th century city — and I think it would be great to live & create work in a city that’s shaping up to be the 21st century city. Which one would that be? Shanghai, maybe? I’m looking forward to finding out. V_Breasts. An integral part of the concept and women entirely. Was there a particular look you were after? And although the material dodges profanity it reaches for promiscuity and somehow remains shall we say, tasteful? Had you set limits within your shots for this project? Nikola / Lately I’ve been pushing in a more visceral direction, and no matter the amount of flesh or bodily fluids, the whole thing — to my eyes at least — stays tasteful. Marilyn Minter is a good example — no matter how close she pushes the camera to mouths, tongues and pubic hair, and then coats them in goo, it’s still firmly in the art camp. The profanity you mention is more in the intent, as far as I’m concerned — who the work is aimed at, and to what purpose. The women I shoot are truly collaborators — we talk a lot about their own sexuality, their desires, likes and dislikes, and try to incorporate as much of that into each shot — the action is never pushed on them, and there have been a few happy occasions where I had to play catch-up with what the model wanted to do. I think you can tell all this just by looking at the photos, by the level of comfort and abandon on display. Other than the premise of reacting to the city sexually, and feeling free to do so, we’re not enacting my personal fantasies — what’s happening in the frame comes from women being photographed, and their own sexuality, and that comes across — and that’s ultimately what makes it “tasteful” for me, or more precisely, ethically sound. issue A : winter 2018

NIKOLA Tamindzic

the_verbose

issue A : winter 2018

NIKOLA Tamindzic

NIKOLA

the_verbose

We all move to New York to pursue our dreams, to play in the highest leagues, to be the best in what we do, to be the king or queen of New York. To me, that’s such a human quest — doomed to failure, often hilarious, but also filled with dignity.

V_How did this project begin, creatively and motivationally? And I want to learn about the technical aspect that went into the look and feel of this collection.

at religious ecstacy or an orgasm. (There’s not much difference anyway.) Mouth open, exhaling, like something is about to be born. There is this goofy line from Sex and the City, “when you live in New York you’re in relationship with New York.” It’s very true. That’s where

Nikola / There was a reaction against the kind

Fucking New York started — if the city is your most important,

of work involved in fashion photography. I wanted

most intense relationship when you live here, what would sex

less big production — me, model, one assistant.

with it look like? It’s a relationship filled with an incredible

I wanted to focus on play, not technique, and I want-

energy. Good or bad.

ed to create a situation in which happy accidents occur, as opposed to super streamlined photoshoots with a large crews. Fashion productions are wonderful, but oftentimes the shoot really happens

V_What would screwing New York City actually look like? When you look back at your work, are you able to answer that question?

in pre-production. I knew this project needed to be shot in the streets, with a certain uncanny look. That

Nikola: The answer is in impossibility, in delusion involved.

cliche of New York nudes, ie. plopping glamourous

We all move to New York to pursue our dreams, to play in the

naked women on rooftops with the New York skyline

highest leagues, to be the best in what we do, to be the king

in the background… that whole thing, that couldn’t

or queen of New York. To me, that’s such a human quest —

happen.

doomed to failure, often hilarious, but also filled with dignity.

No easy signifiers of New York, no fire escapes, no

In the collection there are environments where the subjects

brick walls, no rooftops, no skylines. You almost

appears completely exposed, literally lying out on the street

never see the sky in Fucking New York. With

or near a phone booth, and then there are images of the

Manhattan in particular, there is a claustrophobia,

subject in crevices, tucked away, or indoors or in a place that

a feeling of being walled in. This brings about the

could be their home. Was this a conscious treatment? Nikola:

disparity between the size of the city, and limitations

Fucking New York is a purposefully rambling series, if you

of our own bodies. How does a person fuck a city?

will. It was always conceived as a book (so, let’s say, a 100

How do you wrap your arms — or indeed legs —

images), rather than a tight gallery presentation of 20 photos.

around a concept?

So I always aimed for a broad edit — mostly skewed towards public spaces, outdoors, and even indoor shots don’t register

Before Fucking New York officially started, I noticed

as homes to me, they feel like common spaces, like hotel

a certain commonality to the photos I kept making

hallways.

– photos depicting weird moments where sex and religion overlap — you’re not sure if you’re looking

issue A : winter 2018

NIKOLA Tamindzic

“I chose women who could fall into this story — who could make you feel like you’re witnessing a very private moment that just happens to be unfolding in public, with no spectators, and even if there were other people passing by, they wouldn’t care. 52

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V_About the role of women. The look you were after, can you elaborate? Nikola / Women in the series feel alone, have no connection with camera, not posing for observer’s pleasure. The camera shoots from the position of a random persom who just happened to be walking by, or looking out their office’s window. So I chose women who could fall into this story — who could make you feel like you’re witnessing a very private moment that just happens to be unfolding in public, with no spectators, and even if there were other people passing by, they wouldn’t care. Working closely with them, trying to tie in their personal fantasies and preferences was absolutely key — both to help them bring out something real from themselves, and for me to remaine surprised. If you know too much about what’s happening you tend to repeat yourself.

V _ Men in ths shoot... Nikola / I aimed to have as many different people in the shoot — a cross-section of New Yorkers. Most of the time, shooting fashion means shooting slim twenty-something white girls, and so bringing in diversity was really important to me. Originally, this included men, as well. You can just picture it — men, literally fucking the city, like in ancient fertility rituals. No matter how I tried, men wouldn’t be a part of it (usually with the same quote, “no one wants to see that shit.”) Initially I was quite disappointed, but then I came across this documentary called “Married to the Eiffel Tower”, about a community of people who fall in love with objects, fetishize and marry them. As it turns out, all members of this community were women — so maybe there’s something about fluidity of female sexuality that just lends itself well to Fucking New York, and male sexuality simply doesn’t work the way I figured it would. (pause. a shift in energy.)

NIKOLA

issue A : winter 2018

NIKOLA Tamindzic

NIKOLA

TAMINDZIC V_ At what age did you embark upon photography? What are some goals you have for yourself and your work at this point in your career?

Nikola / Photography appealed to me from an early age — my dad had a Nikon he took lots of family photos with — and I think there may have been a brief attempt to shoot film in mid ‘90s. But nothing happened until after I moved, and came across a Sony digital camera in an office I worked at — I remember it being a huge contraption that took 3 1/2 inch floppy disks. FLOPPY DISKS! So ancient. But that’s where the door opened — with digital — and there was so much joy to it, same joy millions of people have experienced with their cell phones over the past 10 years.

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“I grew up in Belgrade, lived through the happy ‘70s and ‘80s in Yugoslavia, and the thoroughly awful ‘90s in Serbia. After the NATO bombing of Belgrade in ’99, I decided that all of that was all quite interesting etc. but it may be time to just get the fuck out.”

nikolatamindzic.com @nikolatamindzic

issue A : winter 2018

A16CA 56

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anna 16 cyprus artist

issue A : winter 2018

ANNA Kövecses

It’s not everyday we hear about great

artists in Cyprus, let alone Cyprus.

But the Mediterranean treasure, rich in Neolithic history and exotic coastlines, is home to Anna Kövecses, a Hungarian artist and mother whose work and life captures the modern beauty of the ancient island. We discovered Anna’s work in an Instagram post about a Warby Parker store opening in North Carolina. And then we discovered Anna. Laced in stories, Anna is ethereal, full of soul, and adventurous, as she opens up about motherhood and being a professional artist in a place so geographically remote.

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So ev ...

ometimes I day-dream about quitting verything and starting a whole new life

V_ What are some of the most beautiful places in the world? And where would you like to explore? Anna / Right now the most beautiful place for me is our home, a small village on the Southern shore of Cyprus surrounded by gentle hills, hundred-year-old olive plantations and a white cliff trimmed stretch of deep blue sea. I won’t lie to you, it’s not always been the most beautiful place in my mind. We’ve spent days in much more picturesque spots of the world, but finally this village became the place where we found harmony and peace and I think the place that you can are calling home is always the most beautiful. Although, we have recently been playing with the idea of taking a year off from work and school, buying an old but strong sailing boat and crossing the Atlantic to explore South America.

issue A : winter 2018

ANNA Kövecses

ANNA V_ Anna, will you share with us about your art + design background and your career journey to today. Anna / I don’t really have a proper design background. I never went to any art school, just kind of figured things out myself after becoming a mama at the age of 20. I had no job and no profession so I got myself

Commissioned projects hardly ever

I am deeply inspired by my sur-

provide this opportunity but that’s

roundings at the moment: beautiful

fine. You have to set a line between

landscapes, Mediterranean villages,

yourself as an artist and your other

vibrant fruits, mamahood, pregnan-

self as an illustrator.

cy, cooking healthy dishes… these are all saturating my world and I’d

V_What is one goal you strive to achieve with every piece of work you complete (i.e. harmony, a balance of color, a sale, a personal story within each piece)?

love to pour them into paint jars and fill canvases with them. Ok, this is maybe too much, but you know, I’m pregnant and the hormones speak from me.

a couple of books and albums on

V_How do you define a piece of art as a “masterpiece” – and what is one of your favorite masterpieces?

art and design and made up some imaginary projects for myself so that I could practice. At the beginning I was more focused on graphic design and logo making, then I slowly shifted towards illustration and

Anna / I don’t know, I think a

started experimenting with imagi-

masterpiece can be anything really.

nary posters and book covers. Then

It’s very personal and subjective and

these early experiments became

even one person’s opinion changes

a bit popular on social media and

constantly over time. A masterpiece

suddenly I became a proper illustra-

Anna / I like working on stuff that

can be something accidental or not

tor with proper big clients.

makes me happy. I know it doesn’t

manmade even. But it is something

sound like the biggest revelation of

so perfect and full of beauty that

all times but I can’t really find bet-

changing any little detail of it would

ter suiting words. I love observing

destroy its charm immediately.

V_Your colors and shapes are distinct, and your style recognizable. How does an artist like yourself arrive at a particular style, and how do you see your work has evolved over the years? Anna / I think these early, self

everyday objects or happenings around me and translate them into

Right now my favorite masterpieces

something two dimensional in a sim-

are some beautifully minimal bronze

ple and effortless visual language.

age clay figures I recently saw at the

And It makes me very happy and

anthropological museum in Nicosia,

grateful that other people find plea-

an Italian movie from the 90’s called

sure in looking at the outcomes.

Mediterraneo, a drawing of a huge yellow camel my daughter did for

initiated, non-stressed and playful projects were the ones that let me find my voice as an artist and develop my “style”. However I don’t really believe in the “Find your

V_How much of your daily life is consumed with your art? And do you move throughout your life with an artistic lens?

twice every week which is so forgiving that turns out to be the perfect artesian loaf even if I break all rules in the recipe because of being

signature style and stick to it” type of approach. I constantly feel that

Anna / My work and my personal

miserably oblivious. And of course

I need to do something new that

life are pretty much blurred into

anything Matisse did.

wasn’t there before. I need the thrill

each other, with some cleaner and

of surprise and the feeling of flow

more organized morning hours

and excitement that comes with ex-

when my kids are at school. But still

perimenting and finding new forms

my everyday life is what fuels my

and colors and layers inside myself.

work and provides inspiration for new ideas.

me and the sourdough bread I bake

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“Getting love and appreciation from others is a basic need of every human being. We are viewing ourselves as reflections in other people’s eyes...”

issue A : winter 2018

ANNA Kรถvecses

She was pretty good at everything from painting romantic oil landscapes to knitting fancy sweaters and decorating her house in a communist plywood-meets-turkish delight oriental style. 62

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V_What is one of your greatest childhood memories? And did you grow up with artistic influences? Anna / I had a stormy childhood with lots of moving, divorced parents, frequent changing of schools, etc. Anyway, there was a period that is extremely kind to my heart. For a while we lived in a tiny village by the mountains where people still lived a life that was strongly dependent on nature. There was only one road running through the village and days could pass without seeing a car driving by. A handful of houses were scattered over rolling green hills and we got fresh eggs and milk every morning from our neighbors. Forests were abundant with berries and mushrooms and we spent our entire summer wandering around flower filled meadows. This period has strongly influenced the person I became and my love for nature and slow paced life.

The only person with an artistic vein in my family was my grandma. Anything she did held her creative touch. She was pretty good at everything from painting romantic oil landscapes to knitting fancy sweaters and decorating her house in a communist plywood-meets-turkish delight oriental style. She would also sing us opera excerpts while baking her famous strudels. Actually she was the first one to encourage me to step on the road to an artistic career. Although she probably pictured me becoming a ceramic artist like her great idol Margit Kovacs.

V_What is a personal challenge that you have overcome in your life? And has it impacted your approach to your artwork? Anna / Sometimes balancing work and life as an artist can be pretty challenging. On one hand itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fabulous thing to show your kids new perspectives of the world, to treat each dinner, each hand sewn cuddly toy or sand castle as a piece of art. But on the other hand, having to put down the paintbrush in the middle of the greatest creative flow to transform back into a mama and read the same picture book for the thousandth time can be sometimes a bit frustrating too. I like to look at these moments as lessons that teach me patience and tolerance and also as opportunities to step back and let my ideas and work mature in my head until I can get back to them and finish what was left abandoned.

V_If you were not an illustrator, what do imagine your life would be like otherwise? Anna / Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure I would have somehow ended up with a creative job. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sometimes day-dreaming about quitting everything and starting a whole new life as a baker or a seamstress or a travel book author.

issue A : winter 2018

ANNA Kövecses

“I wanted to explore two people sharing a still moment of reading their summer books silently beside each other. They are physically close, their bodies interlaced and face each other, but part of their minds are submerged in two different worlds, which I think reflects a calm and relaxed trust and harmony between the two of them and us. Nothing is really happening in the illustration and still you can feel emotions in the air.” NORTH CAROLINA 2017

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V_ Your project with Warby Parker in North Carolina, talk about how it bagan and what you enjoyed. Anna / I have worked with Warby Parker before and they have always been one of those rare but precious clients who gave me their trust and creative freedom. Our first collaboration was a design for one of their limited edition square cleaning cloths and our second collaboration (the mural for their North Carolina store) has been a sequel of this original cloth illustration. I wanted to explore two people sharing a still moment of reading their summer books silently besides each other. They are physically so close, their bodies interlace and face each other but part of their minds are submerged in two different worlds. Which I think reflects a calm and relaxed trust and harmony between the two of them and us, the viewers who are allowed to get a glimpse of this intimate moment. Nothing is really happening in the illustration and

still you can feel emotions in the air. Which I think is really exciting when combined with a busy shop location. V_ How much does the reaction of an audience impact your work? Anna / Of course it has an impact. Getting love and appreciation from others is a basic need of every human being. We are viewing ourselves as reflections in other people’s eyes. I would lie if I said that the opinions of others, numbers of my followers or positive comments under my instagram posts didn’t count to me at all. But the fact that this counts doesn’t mean that this is the only thing that counts. I’m not doing my work to gather “likes” but because I find pleasure in the very act of doing it. Getting positive feedback from the world encourages me to carry on and motivates me as a fuel. Making others happy through your work feels great.

V_ Where do you see yourself and your work in the future? Anna / I feel more and more that balancing an illustration career, a demanding family life and my own artistic projects is growing to be a bigger task than what I can handle. I will definitely have to shift weights between them, which is fine and I’m happy about it. It’s the kind of change that life brings along and you cannot really do much about it but go with the flow. I’m dreaming about using my maternity leave from commercial work as an excuse to explore myself more as an artist and reflect on this very special period of my life through painting, drawing and (maybe) children’s book making. This is a very utopist dream, I know and there’s a high chance it will be washed away by sleepless nights and roaring chaos but it’s a nice plan anyway.

annakovecses.tumblr.com @annakovecses

issue A : winter 2018

S19WRB soloman 19 wadi rum bedouin

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On an evening in April we arrived at the base camp of Wadi Rum where we parked our car, dropped off heavy luggage in a local home, and jumped into a jeep for a 20-minute ride into the desert. Just like that, we soon found ourselves among a small group of international travellers preparing for a homemade Bedouin dinner. While some sat with tea by the fire, and others wandered the sands, the host was cooking chicken and rice. Later that night at various points in the dark we all noted the silence, the chill, and stargazed under a blanket of infinite solar treasures. We also convinced our host to take us into the base camp to watch an important European soccer match. Neighbors joined, floor seating for all, the kindest of friends, cigarettes abound, Arabic commentators over the big screen. The next day, while touring the desert highlights (dunes, Lawrence legends, historic sites, rock structures and family businesses) our host stopped along the way for tea, conversation, and shade. It was in between these jeep rides and sand slides together with a brief back and forth on WhatsApp months later, that I began to catpure the lives of these magical tribes under the sun in Wadi Rum, particularly that of one of our hosts, Solomon. While the story is still unfolding, we thougtht to share the early work-

photo cred // Anthon Jackson

ings with the_verbose.

issue A : winter 2018

photo cred // Popova Tetiana

I feel free and the desert is like my kingdom and even with all the challenges I am proud to be a Bedouin.

People have lived in Rum for thousands of years, struggling to survive in its harsh environment. They have been hunters, pastoralists, farmers and traders, as Rum is close to national borders. Even the famous Nabateans once occupied Rum, leaving behind several structures, including a temple. Local people gained notoriety more recently when they joined the arab revolt forces under the leadership of king Faisal and fought along with Lawrence of Arabia during the Arab Revolt (1917/18) to fight the occupying Turkish and German armies. Lawrence himself makes many references to Wadi Rum in his book â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. The exploits of Lawrence have become part of local folklore.

Solomon / Wadi Rum Sky Virtually all the people living in and around Wadi Rum today are of Bedouin origin and, until recently, led nomadic lives, relying on their goat herds. They are resourceful, hospitable people who are largely responsible for developing Wadi Rum as a tourist destina-

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tion.Recognizing the unique natural and cultural history of Wadi Rum and the vital importance of tourism to the local economy, the government of Jordan declared Wadi Rum a protected area in 1998. With support from the World Bank they commissioned the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, a national NGO, to prepare a conservation plan and build a team of local people to manage the area. This team is now under the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority and is pioneering ways to restore and safeguard Rumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sensitive desert habitats from ever-increasing human pressure. Wadi Rum is a protected area covering 720 square kilometers of dramatic desert wilderness in the south of Jordan. Huge mountains of sandstone and granite emerge, sheer-sided, from wide sandy valleys to reach heights of 1700 meters and more. Narrow canyons and fissures cut deep into the mountains and many conceal ancient rock drawings etched by the peoples of the desert over millennia. Bedouin tribes still live among the mountains of Rum and their large goat-hair tents are a special feature of the landscape. Text in part by wadirum.jo Solomon / Solomon runs a camp called Wadi Rum Sky. He was born in the Wadi Rum desert in a Bedouin tent and became a Bedouin because he grew up in the desert between the Bedouin families.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The greatest memories when I was a child, are when we were having the food with our nappers and the old people were telling us stories...We have no ritual because we are muslim and I follow muslim styles. The beduoins sustain the skin of animals; they clean it first, and they use especially to keep them safe from the sun.â&#x20AC;&#x153;

wadirumsky.com @wadirumsky

issue A : winter 2018

the_verbose // word on the street

The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way To Live Well

by Meik Wiking icon by Mani Amini

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Danes are the happiest people in Europe according to the European Social Survey...â&#x20AC;?

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WO R D O N T H E S TR E E T

issue A : winter 2018

the_verbose // word on the street

M08RSA maupal 08 rome street artist

the_verbose

issue A : winter 2018

When something is on public domain, it is news. I strongly believe, there is a huge difference between art and decoration, vandalism and oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s propaganda (sometimes even just â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;art galleryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is propaganda). It is our duty to translate what we are looking at and collect it in the right box. To do so, we should use our own knowledge and conscience.

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Beyond the churches, the cacio e pepe and the Colosseum, there’s some fresh paint on the walls of Rome. From the heart of Vatican City to the corners of Testaccio, Pigneto and Ostiense, a current of social and political street art is penetrating the city as a modern backdrop to the ruins. Mauro Pallotta is one particular leading Italian force in the scene whose latest work, Tump and the Atomic Bomb #YesIcan, went up timely last Fall. The Roman native has been a front row observer and participant in the changes (and lack thereof) throughout the romance and distress of the eternal city. He is known for Super Pope, posted around the corner from St. Peter’s Basilica, and for his original acrylic spray and wool steel technique among his approaches to mixed mediums. Little did he know that his 2014 Super Pope would have paved the way for global expo-

sure. The mural, which depicts a heroic pop art version of Pope Francis, was an overnight success. The Vatican Communications tweeted the artwork and within hours upon his return to the site, hundreds of journalists awaited him. I first discovered Signor Pallotta, aka MauPal, on my morning routine through Borgo Pio when I walked by his stencil, Revolution, mice chasing a cat at the base of a wall. Curious about him and his artwork, I reached out to the artist to learn more about the man behind the murals. V / Upon the completion of Super Pope, did you anticipate the reaction and notoriety that this work has gained? And did the success of Super Pope impact your approach to your work, or your following works knowing there was a much larger audience?

MP / I absolutely didn’t expect having such success with this image. The Super Pope was a spontaneous street art event. Before sticking it to the wall, I even had some reservations about doing it: I was depicting the Pope, illegally, not far away from the Vatican city. It could be potentially dangerous for me as a person and for my career as an artist. After the mural, I haven’t changed the way I create street art, nor my media expectations. However, it is true that from 2014, my art pieces gained worldwide visibility. I am glad about it, because it means that the message of my work is universally readable.

issue A : winter 2018

the_verbose // word on the street

MAUPAL V_ Tell me about your background, so we may better understand some of your work. What was growing up in Rome like, and do you remember certain events as a child? MP / Growing up in the core centre of Rome has been a key element to my education and childhood. When you grow up surrounded by art pieces and historical ruins, you develop an aaesthetical inclination naturally. When I was 8, I realised that Art could be for me the language to use if I wanted to express myself, and so I started drawing my relatives’ portraits. However, I come from a very “common” family, and I don’t have any artists in my genealogic tree. V_ When did you decide to pursue your education at the Academy of Fine Arts? As a child, my parents supported me drawing and playing with colours. Yet, when they realized that I wanted to pursue a career as an artist, they tried to stop me. They didn’t mean to be mean with me, but to prevent me from being economically frustrated. V_ As an artist, have you ever found yourself overwhelmed with ways to express your work and your messages? Having a strong political and social emphasis throughout your work, do you find it imperative to consider your audience? MP / My aim is to express complex political and social affairs in a simple way. My

wish is to make simple art that it is able to explain complex plots. In other words, I try to let people “read” the news via my artwork. To do so, my brush stroke is light, fun, ironic, and I use Pop symbols and oxymorons. These are my means to let the audience think about what is surrounding us, and let them be involved with it. I hope and believe, that using Pop art, simple colours and brief concepts, I can make it easy to understand the message for an audience with no interest in politics. V_What are some of your favorite places to visit in Rome?

MP / They are too many to list here. I tell you just a couple of my favourites: the Pantheon, Santa Sabila al Oranges Garden and Sant Clemente in Laterano. This very basilica allows you perceiving the historical stratification I mentioned before. V _ As a native, having spent time around the world and being so committed to your city, and your country, what do you think has changed the most in the last five years about Italian culture? And how do you think art can retain the beauty of Roman culture and the authenticity of Italy?

MP / I believe that Italy is culturally too much linked to its ancient time. That said, every change is slower here than in the other Eastern countries. In a way, my job aims to push a quicker “progress” to the society. With “progress”, I mean awareness, modernization to an equal social structure of society and of public services. V _ What is it about street art that makes news today? Do you think there is a line of differentiation between street as propaganda, as vandalism, art, education, communication? What are your thoughts in general about street art around the world as it continue to expand with a cult following? MP / Globalization flattenedd social classes. I have internet on my mobile and so does the migrant beside me. That is a simple example, but it makes me feel like I am not that distant from him/her. We share something we use in a day-to-day routine and this makes us feel closer to one other. Turning art into something urban made it available to everybody and owned by everyone. Thanks to some artists such as Banksy, who face political and social themes, street art has been accepted as something that concerns us all.

ROME 2015 76

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;Globalization flattenedd social classes. I have internet on my mobile and so does the migrant beside me. That is a simple example, but it makes me feel like I am not that distant from him or her.â&#x20AC;?

issue A : winter 2018

the_verbose

issue A : winter 2018

the_verbose // / word on the street

“When something is on public domain, it is news. I strongly believe there is a huge difference between art and decoration, vandalism and one’s propaganda (sometimes even just ‘art gallery’ is propaganda). It is our duty to translate what we are looking at and collect it in the right box. To do so, we should use our own knowledge and conscience.”

LONDON 2014

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V_ Who are some of your favourite street artists? MP / My favourite stencil artist is Banksy, and a muralist Borondo. They are very different to each other and to me. V_ How do you choose where to post your street art? You have pieces all around Rome, talk about selecting the final location. MP / I believe the right moment is more important than the right place. Let’s think about my Santa Claus depicted as a soldier in a battledress. But, it is true that I do care about finding the perfect location. Before fixing anything on wall, I look around to find the right match, and I don’t do any art if I don’t find the right home for my piece. The message comes first, than the place.

V_ Pasolini, and Hitchcock, and the Queen of England are among many icons you have portrayed. Can these figures live on through artwork? What other great international figures have you thought about depicting in street art?

ROME 2015

MP / The intellectual Pasolini himself is so surprising and fresh that his thoughts do still shock nowadays. He is so concrete and contemporary. I believe Pasolini can be compared only with himself, but he can be depicted and promoted by everyone. Art is a way to do it. Referring to my next art pieces, I can guarantee I will touch some other internationally recognized icons, but I can’t tell you who!

mauropallotta.com @ maupal.artist

issue A : winter 2018

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CURATED BY TAXIS & WALNUTS

chad hasegawa hawaii street art / painter @chadhasegawa

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koralie paris illustrator / street artist @realkoralie

shok-1 london aerosol x-ray street art @shok-1

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Himalayan Salt Lamp Improves air, sleep, allergies, energy and season affective disorder icon by Anuar Zhumaev

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T H E I N T E RN E T O F T HI N G S

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S10PCT 86

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samuel 10 paris creative technologist

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Most emotionally intelligent consumers are very aware of their environment when making a purchase decision, online and in-person. Because of increased sensories? Probably. More acute Pavlovian response to marketing? Maybe. With regard to all contributing factors, this heightened awareness gives brands a congenial opportunity to connect with people on a new emotional level: full on experiential. It is precisely a creative technologist who can claim responsibility for these very experiences between humans and products. And when creativity enters, technology adapts if the right talent is in place. Born in a room of young techies tasked to provide some entertainment for a work party, the project then called ‘Interactive Runner’ went from a warehouse in 2015 (enter Kinect software and gaming engine Unity3D) to music festival popup store (enter Fête de la musique) to Cannes Lion installation (enter RFID bracelet) to its most recent dream project realized: a video game in Webgl (Web Graphics Library associated with 2D-3D rendering). With a screen tap console the user, a flying geometric furball, orbits at galactic speed through a neon milky way which reacts to the beat of your movements creating a personalized soundtrack. Follow? Dodge the moon rocks and rack up those glow rings to collect points: It’s called the Pursuit of Sound

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Samuel Leroux is the millennial magic behind this joyride at Paris-based Biborg, a creative agency dedicated to experiential design. It’s here where imagination comes to life and an A-team of developers patrol the pixels and the psyche, paving the tech turf for innovative human experiences. So we interviewed Samuel, to take our own joyride through the mind of a creative technologist. V_ Start from the beginning: what was the purpose and the plan? Where did you imagine users engaging with the game? (office, bar, backseat of a car, in line, in bed, the bathroom?)

SAMUEL / The project Pursuit of Sound began in February 2015. It was not called ‘Pursuit of Sound’, it was just called ‘Interactive Runner’. It had been designed for a party with our clients. We wanted to propose a physical and interactive experience to enjoy the party a little bit more and to show what we were doing in the lab at Biborg. We decided to make a game, a runner, where you control the player with your hips and the goal being to avoid obstacles and catch items in order to increase your score.

SAMUEL

We worked with Kinect for the body detection and Unity3D, a game engine. We displayed the game on a Clear Channel screen. The type of game was not revolutionary because it was simply a runner, but with the body control, the experience was more interesting and more original for users.

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After the success of Interactive Runner, we decided to deploy the game in a popup store for the “Fête de la Musique” in Paris. The idea was just to make something interactive with people in the street. We adapted the game for this event by adding a music layer and renamed the project ‘Pursuit of Sound’. With this update, users could control the sound and create their own track with different samples and combinations. When you catch an item, you always increase your score and at the same time you enrich the music. The aim is also to go as far as you can and have the best score. The music was composed by ÖLF. We worked together directly to create different combinations. We connected Unity with Ableton (professional DJ software) in MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) and the game worked like a MIDI controller for Ableton. For this event, we covered a popup store with stickers of the game and we displayed

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the game through a video projection directly on the window of this popup store. There were more than 500 games played. It was also interesting for us to see how the people interacted directly with the installation and to have feedback in real time. It was new for us to work on a physical installation.

Following the “Fête de la Musique”, we redesigned the game at Cannes Lions. In addition to the redesign, we changed the music and worked with Stereoplane, a French composer in Paris and we added the possibility to save your score with your name thanks to the RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) bracelet from the festival. We commercialized the game for the first time for OnePlus, a Chinese smartphone manufacturer. It was deployed for a stand in the Geek’s Live event and O2 Tour in the UK. We redesigned the game once more in order to fit with the One Plus design.

At the same time, during the Cannes Lions and One plus events, we started exploring a new technology that we had been interested in for a long time : WebGL. Following some tests and experimentation we thought it was a good opportunity to fully realize the game in order to allow players to play anywhere and to share this project all over the world. This was the beginning of Pursuit of Sound in Webgl.

V_How does your team measure the impact, or effectiveness of a project like this? How are users encouraged to share their music?

V_ As the creative technologist, was the outcome aligned with your vision? Samuel / Yes, the outcome was aligned with the initial vision. The aim was to have a game that works and looks like the original version. It was mainly a technical challenge to have a good performance with the same effects. The main creative and conceptual aspects were developed on the previous project - it was only an adaptation with some updates. We just had to find a good solution to control the game with a keyboard, mobile Google Cardboard.

Samuel / To measure the impact, we use Google analytics to analyse visits and to see what works and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work; we can see who speaks about the game and we read user feedback on social networks. To receive feedback, we have requested votes on different award websites : FWA, Awwwards and css DesignAward. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an opportunity to receive feedback from users and especially from professionals.

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“Children are already able to use a phone to play games when they are only 3 years of age. It’s a primitive usage but they are able to interact. Their relationships with technology and the internet will be very interesting over the next 20 years.”

SAMUEL

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V_What is something that blows your mind everyday? Does anything scare you?

V_ What technologies were utilized to implement the design, audio, and motion graphics?

Samuel /

Time. I want more time to test to prototype and to learn different technologies. Not very scare but surprised by the speed to use technologies for the next generation, children are already able to use a phone to play games when they are only 3 years, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a primitive usage but they are able to interact. Their relationships with technologies and internet will be very interesting in the next 20 years. For my generation I was born at the beginning of internet, I follow its building but for this generation they had directly a developed internet a world where all is connect.

V_ What are your daily news sources? Samuel / I use Twitter, Facebook and VK very often. I also developed a platform with a chrome extension to share links inside the agency, classified by tags and categories. It allows us to have a collaborative monitoring of the news.

We used web technologies to realize this project with different javascript libraries : ThreeJS for WebGL, BodyMoving and TweenMax for animation, HowlerJS for audio, etc. There were five of us working on this project, Mathilde Jacon for the concepts, she has designed the look of the game and interfaces; Jeremy Devoos worked on the shaders and animations for the player and particles; Nicolas Mathis created the 3D models; Karine Miloudi worked on the copywriting and I worked on the technical part of the game : the engine, interfaces, animations, 3D integration and sound.

V_ How many people were involved in the making of this? Samuel / We have different people who punctually help us on different parts of the project. When the project is experimental, we always try to involve different people in the agency.

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SAMUEL V_ For those new to the terms UX /UI - will you provide us with your best description and what makes great UX/UI?

Samuel / In my opinion, UI is what you see between you and the machine. It’s visually what your interface looks like. UX, is the comfort. You are able to find what you want, the organization is efficient, the interactions with the machine are simple and the service given by the machine is clear and easy to understand. According to me, UX has to be logical and simple to use and to understand for your target. You have to be able to know why you choose to click, why you choose to swipe, why you place this button here, why you choose this wording… And if you are not able to use what is better you can prototype to test the best solution directly on users Before you begin your UX strategy, the most important thing is to identify and to know your audience in order to give them the best possible answers. V_ How much of your daily life is consumed with your profession? Are you constantly

Samuel / A lot of my time is consumed with my work - I am constantly thinking and creating outside of work. I’m really passionate about my job and I have to always be aware of what is new, how the things work anhow to mix technology in order to imagine new interactions and new concepts. At home, I try to work on personal projects I have in my mind but it’s not always easy to have the time. V_ Have advancements in UX and interactive design made life more interesting?

Samuel / The advancements in UX and interactive design have made life more interesting and obviously more comfortable. It

allows us to have the best interfaces, to reduce the friction and the understanding between the humans and technology.

thinking and creating outside of work?

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The more efficient the UX and the UI, the easier it is to understand the service and users are more satisfied by the service. UX

and UI are the first feelings with your product before the service is rendered. V_And do you believe experiential design has the power to impact decision making?

Samuel / Yes, experiential design has the power to impact decision making. An experience and a design are a vector of emotion. When you are able to share an emotion with a user you directly impact his decision. At Biborg we are experiencing continuously, it’s in our DNA. V_How much of user experience is non-verbal?

Samuel / Most of our clients are in entertainment so their audience needs to interact, to play, to be surprised in order to live a real experience. The non-verbal user experiences are the interactions, the user transposes a thought / a decision directly through an interaction. An interaction can be a click, a swipe, a body movement, a displacement, a facial movement…And now you can also interact with your thoughts wearing a neuronal headset. The electrical signal is generated by your thoughts are directly analysed to create defined interactions on an interface.

And now you can also interact with your thoughts wearing a neuronal headset. The electrical signal is generated by your thoughts are directly analysed to create defined interactions on an interface.

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V_ When planning a project, do you approach the project as a user yourself? Do your own emotional preferences influence the overall experience?

Samuel / We used web technologies to realize this project with different javascript libraries : ThreeJS for WebGL, BodyMoving and TweenMax for animation, HowlerJS for audio, etc. There were five of us working on this project, Mathilde Jacon for the concepts, she has designed the look of the game and interfaces; Jeremy Devoos worked on the shaders and animations for the player and particles; Nicolas Mathis created the 3D models; Karine Miloudi worked on the copywriting and I worked on the technical part of the game : the engine, interfaces, animations, 3D integration and sound. We have different people who punctually help us on different parts of the project. When the project is experimental, we always try to involve different people in the agency.

V_ When you are not working, where can we find you? Also, what were you doing leading up to Biborg?

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Samuel / (You can find me) in Nantes, Paris or London; at the cinema, playing rugby, drinking beers with friendsâ&#x20AC;Ś I have been graduated for 1 year and I am at Biborg for over 3 years. (Previously) I did internships at startups and agencies. I also realized websites during my studies at HETIC, especially through datavisualization with Eurosport for the FIFA world cup in 2014.

V_ How was your experience on this project different from previous UX projects you’ve worked on? Did you learn new things along the way?

Samuel / The experience of this project was different than a classic project because we had no client brief. So, it was completely free and without any restrictions. We decided what we wanted to do. Usually, I work on prototype, conception, I test new technologies so it was a prototype ++ nearby a production. It was a project with a new technology so it was sometimes difficult because we had to learn a lot and we didn’t know when we started a feature if it was possible or not. When you discover a new technology along the project, you depend of what you are able to realize. When I developed a feature maybe the next week I have to redevelop this feature with my last discovers. In this case, during the development, the project has changed a lot. For example, at the beginning, I used 3D models for mountains, finally I realized it was better to generate directly with code and algorithm for terrain generation my own model. It was more flexible, I could random the mountains and animate them. This example shows that, with differents technical methods, you can improve the design and the experience. It’s really important to test and learn in order to improve your project, especially when it’s an experimental project. Yes I learnt new things on this project, it was my first WebGL project so I learnt this technology, I also learnt in conception, UX, UI, Shaders, Game design, sound design, etc.

biborg.com @samyetscooby

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CURATED BY ELAINE GILRUTH

@NOWNESS new york lvmh group nowness.com

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@HLZBLZ los angeles lawn alabanza-barcena hlzblz.com

@HOBOPEEBA moscow kristina makeeva ipai.ru

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Miroslava Duma CEO, Founder Future Tech Lab ftlab.com icon by Lluisa Iborra

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A disruptive movement of innovators bridging together fashion and science to create a sustainable future.â&#x20AC;?

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T UR N IT UP

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N09BDJ niklas 09 berlin dj

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The Blues and Beauty of a Young Berlin DJ. Black Tea and Porridge for breakfast, and some Kid Cudi in the buds. This is the story of one of Berlin’s novel music talents. Earlier this year, 22-year old Stuttgart born Niklas Ibach produced what is now on nearly every radio station throughout Europe, The Blues feat. Dan Reeder. But it isn’t only the old soul vocals and introspective vibes that make the multi-instrumentalist interesting. The Berlin-based DJ represents a wide range of backgrounds and fuses his childhood, inspirations, and everyday life into an avant-garde approach to electronic music.

Somewhere between his love for Pulp Fiction, Blow, the Godfather and The White Book by Rafael Horizon, Niklas finds narrative. And between his childhood piano days and the ambient of jazz and opera, he finds soul. And over the years frequenting Rocker 33 and chasing giants like Alle Farben and Wankelmut, he has found his vibe. The culture enthusiast and vinyl junkie made a grand debut last fall with “Hungry” which went far from unnoticed. After an in depth exchange with the artist on his life, views, and habits, we learns that not only does he have few regrets, “Negative experiences are just as important as the good ones...” but he’s also the king of collaboration on and off music.

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W th

When I was a kid I wanted to become he boss of Mercedes Benz.

V_ Before your music career and Berlin, did you have other career aspirations? Niklas / When I was a kid I wanted to become the boss of Mercedes Benz. I always liked that idea and thought this could be cool, but I was very young back then. Besides that childish dream, I never had a real career aspiration. Music and sports have always been a part of me and at some point I knew it was going to be music and I am very happy with that.

saeed kakavand

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NIKLAS V_ What was the magic moment when you began to recognize your work as successful?

V_What are some of your bad habits? Niklas / I get nervous and tired if something doesn’t work the

V_What do you love the most about the city, people, the culture? Niklas / In general I love all

way I want it to. Especially when I’m

different parts of Berlin: Especially

Niklas / That‘s a tough question.

making music. Sometimes I am a

in Kreuzberg, you’ll always find a

Of course, from the beginning on

really impatient person. Everything

beautiful spot close to the water-

I had goals in my mind. I thought

has to be done quickly. But I think

front of Landwehrkanal. Most of all,

after achieving them I would be

I’m improving myself to be more

I appreciate Berlin for its diversity of

happy and successful. But these

laid back in those situations. At the

people and cultures.

goals kept getting bigger. It’s so

moment I like to party, if it’s a bad

easy to lose an objective point of

habit or not - I don’t know yet.

view.

You can be yourself and won’t be judged for physical characteristics, fashion, sexual orientation or profes-

I tend to measure my success on

sion. You are one of thousands and

the achievement of my next goal.

you can do whatever you want.

Success became clear to me when

That’s something I really enjoy and

I realized that a lot of my friends go

appreciate a lot. Especially subcul-

to university or work. They follow

tures are highly developed in Berlin.

a regular daily routine. That feels

They are often separated, but in

strange sometimes because I know

Berlin they are deeply connected

that I haven’t chosen the safest

to the society and the everyday life.

path.

V_Where were you when you first heard your song Hungry on the radio, and how did you react? Niklas / In my car on the way

This is one of the reasons it never

V_Before hitting the club, do you have a routine or a ritual to warm up? Niklas / The last 5

gets boring.

home. I was in a very good mood,

moment I try to assess the mood of

turned up the volume and smoked

the audience and think of the first

V_When you’re mixing and producing music, what goes through your mind? Do you have visuals that motivate your rhythm? Niklas / No. I always

a cigarette.

two songs I’m going to play.

play and play and play. If a chord

V_What was your experience like working with different artists such as Anna Leyne and Möwe or Dotan? Niklas / So far I have

V_ What are some of your favourite places in Berlin? Niklas / I can’t really tell what are

happens automatically. The art is

my favourite places in Berlin. Berlin

quasi to be able to imagine ‘the

only had positive experiences in

is such a creative and constantly

dress’.

working with other artists. To com-

evolving city with so much to dis-

plement each other and of course

cover. In general, for me it depends

to benefit from one another is a big

a lot on the people, who are creat-

plus. For me it doesn’t matter so

ing/visiting those places.

minutes before I hit the DJ desk I always want to be on my own. In that

or a melody sounds good, the rest

imagine a picture behind the music,

more of a good vibe between us,

V_What is one of the greatest challenges in your life at the moment? Or any challenges with having a music career? Niklas / Life itself is the greatest

which counts. If it fits, it fits.

struggle.

much who stands in front of me, it’s

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to hear a melody and the ability to

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The last 5 minutes before I hit the DJ desk I always want to be on my own. In that moment I try to assess the mood of the audience and think of the first two songs Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to play.

photo from Melt Festival / cred IG: @niklasibach

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photo from Loft Club, Mannheim, Germany / cred IG: @niklasibach

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You can be yourself and won’t be judged for physical characteristics, fashion, sexual orientation or profession. You are one of thousands and you can do whatever you want. That’s something I really enjoy and appreciate a lot.

V_Dream collab? Niklas / That would be Giorgio Moroder. V_A sneak peak into a day in you life? Niklas / I am more of a night person. When I get up, usually around noon, I start my day with a black tea, responding to e-mails and working on the To do’s I get from my management. In the afternoon I like to do sports or taking a walk. Whilst and in between I hear a lot of music. Sometimes I spend the whole day searching for new music, my vinyl record collection is growing everyday and of course I work on improving my mixing techniques as vinyl DJ. In general, I think it is essential for a musician, to know as much as possible about music. Since I was little, I am used to listening to Jazz, Classic and the latest music likewise. At night, I start producing music. Remixes, running orders, singles ect.

V_The DJ look. Where do you like to shop for clothes or do you spend time on your image before a performance? Niklas / To be honest I do not have a favourite store or brand. It’s not so much of importance to me.

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photo cred : saeed kakavand

V_Do you live by yourself? Niklas / No, I moved to Berlin with a good friend. We have a shared flat in Neukölln. From March on I’ll have a brand new music studio in Kreuzberg. Really looking forward to it.

V_Do you believe your music has the power to inspire and and influence listeners? Niklas / Of course! Or at least, I hope so ;) Music has an influence that you can’t draw yourself away from. Something happens, subconsciously or consciously. If good or bad is another question ;)

V_What is one of your best memories growing up? Niklas / Imagination. Everything was possible, the whole world was a playground.

V_What are some of the technologies you use to mix your sound? Niklas / I use Ableton as a music program but I still have analog hardware. Among others I use a Korg Vocoder Synth, a Roland 303 and a MC 303 for the drums.

V_How do you know when a track is complete, and what are your goals when you are making a new song? Niklas / I never know. I often I think it’s done and afterwards I think the opposite. It’s very important to let go at some point and say: ‘’Okay, that’s it!’’. Sometimes doubts or possible improvements would cause negative energy or a damage to the original sound.

V_What is next for you in your music career? Niklas / To make lasting steps with my team.

niklasibach.com @niklasibach

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CURATED BY STEFANIA CASIRAGHI

louis berry liverpool indie rock / alt rock louisberryofficial.com

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bonzai dublin electronic bonzaibonzaibonzai.com

klara lewis sweden electro klaralewis.com

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SAKS POTTS Barbara Potts & Cathrine Saks sakspotts.com Icon by Scott Witthoft

“Unavoidable of the year”

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DIESEL

LIVING Space Life Meets Desert Modernism

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Bronze Astronauts. Aged Jute. Egyptian Cobras. 3-D Studded Wood Tiles + Cosmic Dinnerware. Meet space life and Desert Modernism. And we’re talking about interior design. Earlier this year, the Italian denim heavyweight Diesel took a dip into home decor with their friends at Fuorisalone, an esoteric tangent from Milan’s Furniture Design Fair (Salone del Mobile). We tracked down the Diesel Living pop-up store off a sidestreet near Piazza Duomo. Through a wearied 1930s-era archway and to the back across the gravel, a narrow wooden door greeted the curious. Sunlit and sparkling, you could hear a pin drop. There were few visitors, but every object and arrangement was bursting at the seams with a rock chic invitation to stay and indulge. Sultry, extravagant, hedonistic and 5-star functionality, the Diesel Palazzo was the quintessential hybrid between affluent design and the unforgiving DNA of Diesel’s main man, Renzo Rosso. But the jean sequence doesn’t stop at this industrial love nest. Italian forces Deisel and Scavolini together with Australia’s Euroluce continued the design affair with their Pretty Vacancy hotel. Also, displayed during Milan’s Design Week, the California-desert inspired hotel shows off its functional maximalism with a lineup of materials and colors evocative of a 1960s roadtrip. Again, we’re talking about interior design.It’s no surprise that we aren’t over it yet. Get in.

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ITALY 2017

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ITALY 2017

DIESEL

LIVING

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;This year, we are interpreting our first hotel concept. Step up to the reception and check in to a cozier world of hospitality, where domestic comfort welcomes you with the glamour of a fabulous roadside hideaway amid the heat of the desert, and utilitarian details blend with hedonistic abandon.â&#x20AC;? it.diesel.com/it/living @dieselliving

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T07MS trevor 07 malta sailor / marine biologist

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It was’t until after I met Trevor, that I realised how difficult it was to meet Trevor. Unless you are strolling along Malta’s Ta’Xbiex on a summer weekday, or reeling up sails off the Filfa, meeting “the Viking” as his mates call him, could be a long shot. I consider myself among the fortunate to have discovered this artist and marine researcher having now learned of his great beauty and experiences over months of careful exchanges. For over 30 years Trevor has been working as an engineer and researcher in the Maltese Archipelago. Malta, home to some of the world’s most intricate and complex history, topography and marine life - it holds the second highest number of UNESCO sites - can only fully be realised through the eyes of the natives and locals. Up by 7am and bedside with a red by 9pm, Trevor’s passion for sea and the vastness of life comes out over our brief exhanges in person, via email, and written letters. An avid painter, a Mozart aficionado and a light eater, Trev the Viking sets a great example of how to live large by small and with “the wonder of it all, to stay in this beautiful place.” Trevor left school at age 15 and has had a varied and somewhat unconventional career. At 20, he was studying ship building and marine technology. Predominantly self-taught throughout his life, he was initially trained in stain glass window production, having renovated a number of windows in churches throughout his career. He spent three years in electro technology with installations of 240-440 volt systems.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;I came to Malta as a chief engineer and mine sweeper to overhaul the engines and engineering systems.â&#x20AC;?

V_How is your work different today from when you first began? T_The tech has changed but it is still a lot of hard work, and I think the more I realise that I know nothing of what really is.

V_What are some marine technologies that you work with? T_ Some of the technology is still very traditional and basic but it works. Now with some of the new camera and sound recording systems which are just amazing and improving all the time, much of the things that help with some aspects of our interest are solar powered with a high-tech link for data analysis.

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V_How dramatic does marine life and your research change with the seasons and the time of day?

T_What I have learned is that because there is such change within the environment, generally, I think that to get reasonably reliable data, if possible, any study should be done over as long a time as possible.

V_ What is your favorite marine animal? T_Most definitely the cuttlefish. It’s just a total miracle. Very often they will interact with you until they get really angry with the situation and just disappear, leaving you knowing that you have just spent a few moments with one of the most intelligent creatures in the ocean. Just magic. Apart from the Dolphins and the Whales there are millions of them (cuttlefish).

V_Has your work in Malta ever overlapped with the influx of migrant arrivals? Have you encountered stories or the journeys of those

“I have not long ago came back from Thailand where I was asked to go and teach the beautiful people of Thailand to sail a lovely teak replica of a 100-foot traditional fishing schooner for the king of Thailand’s birthday parade. For me it was a life changing experience and I am awaiting my return.

arriving from Northern Africa or further East?

T_I have seen with sadness the results of this situation.

V_You are a painter. How and where did you begin to paint, and what are some of the inspirations in your paintings?

T_When I was away on the fishing boat, I used to paint water colour pictures and send them to my daughter Denise, basically based on what was around us wherever we were. I generally only paint seascape pictures so I think it mostly comes from within and what I have seen and experienced.

V_What is one of your greatest memories at sea?

T_Being on the sea, fishing at night and seeing the sea totally on fire with the most beautiful iridescent greens; and when you go into a head sea and the wave explodes in the most beautiful show of nature’s very own light.

Trevor Malta

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“I have learned well that the oceans are just so beautiful but command the greatest respect; you lose this respect at your peril - even the storms and the gales have their beauty, some terrifying to be in, but wow, the immense power and wonder of it all is just amazing.” - Trevor “The Viking”

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theverbose.com

2017. Born in California and cultivated between Rome and Dubai, the_verbose is a magazine project in the making: interviewing people along the way about their art and culture. We ask, you tell. Interested in pitching your story? Need a place to let your inner journalist out? The door is open: hello@theverbose.com