Forty-Four Magazine

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Simply

A wise One once said, Enjoy the little things Don’t mind the little stings Yes this is true, true, true Through, through, and through No one can deny a rising sun that sets too soon But true beauty is when She’s mimicked by the Moon! Griffin Andolfatto


Stolen

She had seen and heard too short a time, Her embryonic tissues a new addition to the universe, But a beating tragedy, She was being, Stolen, From, Belonging. Around her body - touching her skin, Was an evil character, Whose thoughts obstructed her blazing future, She could not apprehend the greatness of her loss. She would never again see, The faces of the ones who would have cared, Or hear the murmurs of her mothers thoughts, Who she would have loved most of all. She would not feel the warmth of the house’s fire, She would not live the life she would have, Five minutes ago, Before a faulty lock on a quaint house was unbolted. Sarah Dhananai


Design 44 magazine’s goal is to unite youth from around the world to collaborate and share memories/dreams/stories. We are here to inspire and to be inspired. We are here to provide our peers and our generation with a publication as well as a platform made specifically for us and about us. We write and showcase what we like to see, feel, hate, love and do. Most importantly, we are independent and student run, meaning that readers are not being sold or told to do anything. We are reflecting our lives in this magazine, to creatively cater information to our generation. Lastly, our goal - as individuals - is to also mature, grow, and learn throughout the process when we create content and a cohesive design for D44 magazine.


Hello and welcome to the re-birth of Forty-Four Magazine! Here at Forty-Four, our favourite pastimes include creating experimental digital greeting cards, indulging in meat lover’s pizza whilst watching our favourite Wes Anderson’s, and silently crying as the pressures of school and teenage-dom perpetually lead us to contemplate life as a hermit. Now that we’ve gotten to know one-another, we proudly present our first issue in over four years. The theme of this issue was developed through the articles of our writers and the opinions of our peers surrounding the concepts of politeness, rudeness, and superiority complexes, which gave way to the general concept of “Censorship”. Thanks to the socialmedia revolution, everything we do, say, snap, or gram has the potential to mark us for the rest of our lives, leaving us to install a permanent filter of “What will they think?” in our brains. Not only must we constantly censor ourselves or risk making a permanent mistake, but we must also navigate the censors around us that are not always as honest as they should be. This sense of distorted honesty is something we at Forty-Four believe needs to be unmasked and essentially uncensored. As the next generation of popular culture, it is up to us to define the standards of self-expression. With that being said, we leave you to enjoy issue six of Forty-Four Magazine!

JANE LAKES

MANON FRASER

ANNETTE CHEUNG

CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF

CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF

ART DIRECTOR



CULTURE

Censorship Films Music David Bowie Novel Review The Hipster Complex Zines

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CENSORSHIP “Censorship? This is Canada.”

That’s true. We’re one of the fairest, most open countries in the world. We have a reputation as polite, modest, people; our national motto is “peace, order, and good government”. Developing nations are still working on very challenging issues – dictatorships, clean drinking water and poverty. We, meanwhile, are lucky to be long past this stage, and in comparison, our own North American problems seem trivial. And yet, we still do have problems. Not censorship, or at least not the dictionary-definition of the word. Rather, we face a growing trend of self-censorship – the feeling (especially amongst young people) that we can’t say what we want to say. It’s as if we’ve become obsessed with carefully phrasing and sanitizing everything we say in fear of – god forbid – invoking reactions. The media has taught us that it’s easier just to stay quiet.

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act how you will, but only within our standards. And yet, where’s the line between a sense of decency and acting out just for shock value? Does Miley Cyrus act so outrageously because she wants to make a point that she doesn’t have to remain the little girl we want her to, or does she do it to make headlines? Crossing this invisible line of taboo seems like it’s done only for shock-value - abusing this right of expression for pure attention to no positive gain. It’s a constant struggle to find a balance between our own rights and freedoms, and keeping these freedoms from infringing upon the rights of others.

We thrive on controversy, obsess over it, pick it apart in the media and then, bored, move on. It’s freedom of the press vs. going too far. Freedom of expression vs respecting others. Freedom of speech vs beHowever, there are double standards through- ing afraid of the backlash. These lines have out our North American society, no matter become blurred by the way the media porhow many censors you sanitize. We hear a trays things; sometimes it seems like we common cry: “Speak up – be yourself- don’t just can’t win. Take this quote on the conlet them hold you back.” And yet, as soon as troversial Rob Ford, pulled from a post on we do, as soon as someone like Miley Cyrus the Typepad blog canadiancincinnatus: decides that she will not follow the unspoken rules that society dictates, we are outraged. On May 21st, right in the middle of three But why are we so offended? This is the mes- scandals swirling close to the White House, sage of hypocrisy that young people grow up Jon Stewart (the political comedian) led with: you are free to be yourself, to say and with an old clip of Councillor Ford talking


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about how “Orientals work like dogs.” Stewart wanted to show that Rob Ford is a fat, white racist, and the fact that Ford was suggesting that Toronto city council should support and reward these hardworking Canadians was ignored because he didn’t use the politically correct term: Asians. The fact that the clip is nearly ten years old didn’t matter either. It was essential to establish Ford as an uneducated, right-wing thug. Now, cue the crack cocaine scandal and all the jokes that a comedian can run with on that story. The line between (self)-censorship and freedom of speech is a tricky, intertwined sort of thing. Both of these words have their connotations: the word ‘censorship’ screams evil, while the phrase ‘freedom of speech’ depicts the ideal, utopian society. But one cannot come without the other. Too much freedom of speech and it’s inevitable that people start to get nervous. Take Malala Yousufzai, for instance. She was the 11 year old girl who wrote secret blog posts for the BBC, describing to us in detail what it is like for a young woman to live in a Taliban-run society. No one forced her to do this; she poured her heart into her speeches, insisting that all children have the right to education. And even after the Taliban sent Malala death threats, even after they shot her in the head, she came back stronger. She kept speaking out, despite the fact that it put her at incredible risk. She knew that what she had to say needed to be heard, and as a result, entire nations lifted their heads and listened. Meanwhile, over here in our safe, self-concerned countries, it feels like we are engrossed with our quest for moral superiority, obsessed with anyone who does not ‘fit in’, paranoid with remaining politically correct to the utmost degree. Do we take for granted this freedom of expression that we’ve earned? We are incredibly lucky, but sometimes it seems as if we treat this right à la a bank account in Switzerland, letting it sit dormant in order to keep it safe. This is not the path we want to take. Use it or lose it, but don’t abuse it. Of course, things are far different now than

“The line between self-censorship and freedom of speech is a tricky, interwined thing.” they were, say, 20 years ago. For example, it is hard for us to grasp just how young the internet really is; after all, there’s a reason we are called the iGeneration - we were born virtually alongside the internet. In theory it’s a wonderful thing, really: people can voice their opinions without fear of how their neighbours or teachers or peers will judge them; we can experience ideas from a different point of view. But at the same time, it’s made it incredibly easy for things to be blown out of proportion, to be Photoshopped, skewed, omitted, GIF’d out of context, and spread like wildfire. With this always in the back of our minds, it’s no wonder so many are afraid of the backlash. It’s a tough person who can navigate the internet without becoming offended or shaking their head in disgust at least a few times. In short, it’s a playground with no supervision - or, in some cases, supervision of the most bizarre and backwards kind. Petra Collins is a Toronto-born artist, writer, photographer, and proud feminist. On Instagram this past October, she posted a photo of herself from the waist down in a pair of modest underwear. Before long, Instagram had deleted her account – not 11


just the image, but the entire account. And the only difference from the millions (literally millions) of photos on Instagram hashtagged #bikini? Petra’s unshaven hairline that peeked out from her underwear. The photo did nothing to violate the site’s terms of use. No violence, nudity, or pornography; in fact, there was nothing traditionally ‘sexy’ about it. And yet, there are entire Instagram accounts dedicated to sexually glorifying the female body that go quietly unchecked. The fact that we are so offended by the human body in its natural state, the fact that it is actually taboo, shows just how sanitized and immature a society we really are. There is absolutely no rationalizing this. If we are this uncomfortable and disapproving of the human anatomy, something we all share, how can we expect people to feel comfortable in being heard and accepted without fear of society’s unpredictable reaction? And here’s where we tie back to censorship and freedom of speech – the only way to get out of this mindset is to resist. Petra knew she was crossing the line of what we deemed “acceptable”, but she had something to say. Petra refused to self-censor herself. And as she says in her Huffington Post article, “Even if society tries to silence you, keep on going, keep moving forward, keep creating revolutionary work, and keep this discourse alive.” Written by Kasia Cookson

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Forty-Four has hand-picked a collection of films for those days when you just don’t feel like fully engaging your brain. Here are some movies that you’ll be able to watch after a cram-sesh hangover, or if you’re in need of some material to procrastinate with.

Argo

FILMS

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Submarine

DUNE ARGO WADIJA SUBMARINE CANADIAN BACON LES TRIPLETTES DES BELVILLE THE ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND KINGS OF SUMMER MOONRISE KINGDOM THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL VELVET GOLDMINE CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG LEON (LE PROFESSIONAL)

Moonrise Kingdom

Think comfort, nostalgia, and social awkwardness.



MUSIC For the days when you’d rather not get out of bed.

Wake Owl // Candy / The Private World of Paradise Active Child// Hanging on / You Are All I See Lou Reed // Take a Walk on the Wild Side / Transformer Beck // Hollow Log // One Foot In the Grave Harlem// Friendly Ghost / Hippies Ugly Duckling// La Revolution / Taste the Secret Bon Iver // Lump Sum / For Emma Bjork // Joga / Homogenic Now, Now // Wolf / Threads Youth Lagoon // 17 / Year of Hibernation Mesita// Foreign Films / Cherry Blossoms Chet Faker ft. Kilo Kish// Melt Constantines and Feist// Islands in the Stream Poolside // Slow Down / Pacific Standard Time

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SOUND & VISION “I’m an instant star. Just add water and stir.” His face is a glowing sunset, smeared with grease, paint, and sweat. His voice resonates ice-cold echoes of electricity down my spine. Often hailed as the “messiah of glam,” he is an otherworldly prince from a surreal and faraway planet. The word chameleon doesn’t even begin to describe the divinity that is David Bowie. He has changed personas countless times, creating and playing countless characters and experimenting with different re-incarnations of himself and his musical style. His iconic style is insane and larger than life. He has played with androgyny, and was openly bisexual at a time when this was shocking and basically unheard of in mainstream culture. Glam rock is all about playing with/challenging gender roles, and not being afraid to appear feminine. Bowie boldly wore layers on layers of stage makeup and skintight jumpsuits- and he always did his own makeup. Bowie defies all genres- his music varies radically from album to album, crossing through all spectrums of music and

art, each phase sparking sub-genres along the way, like punk, new wave, goth rock, new romantic, and electronica. He is one of the most influential musicians of the twentieth century (not to mention, a gay icon), influencing everyone from Freddie Mercury and Morrissey, to modern day artists like Lady Gaga and Vampire Weekend. Actually, many of the musicians who he had originally been inspired by- the likes of Lou Reed and Iggy Pop- ended up being as heavily influenced by his music as he was by theirs, and even ended up collaborating with him. ”Ziggy played guitar,” they said, “but who is he?”A whimsical young singer-songwriter on acoustic guitar? The long-haired Man Who Sold the World, in thrifted floral dresses? The extra-terrestrial Ziggy Stardust? Aladdin Sane? The Thin White Duke? The Man Who fell to the Earth? A poet? An actor? An artist? A glam god? A Space Oddity? He is a myriad of creativity; a master of stagecraft; but most importantly, David Bowie is the pinnacle of glam rock.

Written and illustrated by Simone Badanic

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BOOK REVIEW MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME OR PECULIAR CHILDREN Ransom Riggs debut novel “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” has become one of my favorite books of all time. It centers around Jacob Potman, a 16 year old boy who grows up being told magical, and quite frankly unbelievable, stories from his grandfather. These stories tell of exactly the type of things I dreamed of as a child; flesh-eating monsters, a hawk that smokes a pipe, and children with peculiar abilities. These children levitate, possess extreme strength, or are invisible, and Jacob’s grandfather swears they were real. When Jacob’s grandfather dies – seemingly attacked by wild dogs – he leaves his grandson with one fantastically mysterious message, “Go to the island. Find the bird in the loop on Sept. 3, 1940, on the other side of the old man’s grave.” And Jacob is tossed into an adventure in the form of a photo scavenger hunt to find out the truth behind the stories he loved as a child, and now believed to be nothing but fantasy. What I loved so much about this book is the way that Riggs develops the world of the peculiar children. It is exactly the world that we all dreamed of as a child; a world of magical abilities and monsters and hero’s, of abandoned houses and orphanages and adven-

ture. Not only is it overwhelmingly nostalgic in the way that it took my young fantasies and turned them into a full blown novel, but it also features photographs that inspired the characters. Randsom Riggs is a found photo collector, searching through flea markets and second hand shops for the most interesting images of unknown people he can find. The characters created after these fantastic photos are so unique! They’re so interesting and beautiful that I can not wait to see who will be casted in the film version of the book which going to be directed by the very fitting Tim Burton (excitement!). To me, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is not a book of deep psychological meaning or one that possesses a moral question, and it does not need to be. It is a book with a beautiful storyline that takes me back to those times that I dreamt of being invisible, and throwing fire, and of saving those I love from danger. It creates a world of childhood fantasies accompanied by shockingly gorgeous photos from a time no one can recognize. This book, although not the most thought provoking of them all, transports you back to being a kid, and isn’t that a nice thing to do every once and a while? Written by Hannah Dubois

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THE HIPSTER COMPLEX

Spoken aloud in a room of people under the age of twenty-five, the word “hipster” can spark mixed reactions- anything from outrage to outrageous laughter. Unless you’ve been living in a locked closet for the past several years, you’ve undoubtedly heard, seen, or even been labeled as a “hipster.” Why is it that people feel the need to claim that they listened to, knew about, read, watched, and/or heard about something first and before anyone else? So many of us feel the constant need to be special- to feel superior to others through our tastes and “knowledge” instead of through our own personal actions and true character. We hide behind masks of names of bands that no one else has ever heard of, as if our own “unique” tastes are all that define us, intensely (and sometimes even scarily) defending a chosen band, sub-culture or genre, while distaining everyone who doesn’t know about, or like the same things as us, and resenting anyone who does, calling them inauthentic or copies, or even (gasp) “hipsters.” 22

In this age of prepackaged happiness and worldwide media that constantly bombards us with corporate ideas of what we should like, how we should act, and how we should think, we hold on to anything- any book, movie, band, or TV show that feels “real” or “special,” taking it as a divine connection- a sign that we are unique. We give the things that we like- like music, movies, books, etc- so much significance in our outlook of ourselves and others, growing so attached to them that having to share them with other people makes us defensive, sometimes as painful as having someone steal a part of the essence of our very being. Could it be that we are simply trying to satisfy our need for power- to fill the void, so to speak- with a false sense of superiority gained through obscure tastes? The root of the entire “Hipster complex” seems to boil down to basic human nature and primal instincts, which is kind of ironic, as these are often the very people that claim to be


so much more “enlightened” and “sophisticated” than others. This is something that most of us- if not all- are guilty of.That being said, the word “hipster” is a double edged sword. Having become so broad of a term as to describe virtually anyone, this is just the most recent of many ways to label and categorize individuals into groupsespecially creative individuals. I know that I for one, have been labeled as a “hipster” (or sometimes its equally derogatory cousin, “artsy”) countless times for appreciating things like art and older music, things that I am genuinely interested in and passionate about. According to Tumblr, the “most popular fashion trend of 2013” is #hipster, but it’s quite difficult to find a young person-or anyone, for that matter- who identifies as a “hipster,”and apparently denying being a hipster makes you into even more of one. So why has this “hipster” phenomenon become such an all-consuming adjective for our youth culture? This need to elevate

ourselves through name-dropping unknown band names, or ogling over indie movies in order to find satisfaction in ourselves and our social situation is simply another strange psychological side effect of human nature. The “hipster complex” is something we’re all guilty of, regardless of how many underground bands you can list off in chronological album name order, or international film festival flicks you managed to sneak into. Maybe, this whole “hipster” thing is something we need to stop making so complex. Maybe, we should instead find social satisfaction not by elevating tastes, but instead improving our characters. Maybe, the “hipster complex” isn’t all that complex after all.

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ZINES

Don’t be afraid to ask the question currently lingering on the tip of your tongue: What, exactly, is a zine? Although the answer will vary depending on who you ask, zines can be boiled down to a couple of fundamental characteristics. Essentially, zines are selfpublished booklets that exist outside of the mainstream media. They can take many forms, resembling magazines, pamphlets, or little books. However, most zines still follow a similar format, consisting of several sheets of paper bound together, with photocopied or printed content. The text and images inside range across practically every medium: hand-drawn, typed, collaged, painted, and everything in between. Several magazines in circulation today, such as BUST, Bitch, and Dazed and Confused, first began as zines. Think of a topic—the more off-kilter or niche, the better. Now, consider this: somewhere on the planet, there’s probably a zine about it. You’ll find zines with subjects ranging from teaching in a cadaver lab (Photomill #2 by Liz Yerby), to the self-explanatory Kurt Cobain was Lactose Intolerant Conspiracy (by Kelli of The Pillow Problem). Sometimes, the subject matter of zines can be too specific, too controversial, or too bizarre for typical publication. This is just one reason why many zine makers choose to eschew commercial publication when sharing their opinions.

Some ‘zinesters’ prefer the handcrafted aesthetic and tangibility that is associated with the zine format. Others become zinesters by accident, never putting the label of ‘zine’ on their project until somebody else chooses to. Who knows? You may have already created your own zine without even realizing it. In the past nine decades or so, zines have grown up alongside the movements that they engineered. In the 1920s, fans of science fiction began to publish their own theories and stories, dubbing them ‘fanzines’. Soon the first zine community formed, as a network of writers started to exchange their work with each other via mail. Half a decade later, the punk movement that rippled across the United Kingdom and the USA turned to self-publishing in order to promote its burgeoning underground music scene. The word ‘punk’ actually came from a zine of the same name, which was published in 1975 by the amusingly named Legs McNeil. Soon, ‘punk’ was attributed to the entire subculture. However, until this point, the selection and scope of zines was nearly impossible to keep track of. This all changed in 1982 with Factsheet Five—a groundbreaking zine that reviewed thousands of other zines, and provided contact information for anybody who submitted their work. Zines swelled once more in the 25


1990s, when the feminist riot grrrl movement was at its peak. They were used as communication devices to spread information on subjects such as women’s rights, sexism, and music. Several bands, such as Bikini Kill and Le Tigre, were formed by their zine-making creators. The attention that this music brought meant that the women of such bands inadvertently became leaders of the riot grrrl scene. Since their formation over the past century or so, zines have been an invaluable resource for communication. As long as people continue to express themselves through media on their own terms, zine culture will survive. Simply put, zines are a way to manifest your interests and opinions into a physical product. Whether you choose to hide this zine in the darkest depths of your room or photocopy it to share with your friends is your choice. Due to their typically handmade construction, zines feel distinctly personal; the relationship between a zine, its creator, and the reader is a direct one. There is no interference of the outside media that filters the content that you see before you. With zines, there are no standards or rules when it comes to pouring your heart out onto paper. The option of total personal control means that “zines have an opportunity to be as creative as the artist or writer wants them to be,” says Brandy Fedoruk, co-founder of the Lowercase Reading Room, a Vancouver zine library.

“Zines have an opportunity to be as creative as the artist or writer wants them to be” -Brandy Fedoruk

However, all zines share a few common personality traits. They are fueled by the desire to connect—whether you are publishing your anarchist manifesto, or simply telling stories about your life. Zines are also driven by passion. To put it simply, you wouldn’t bother to create a painstakingly handmade booklet about something you aren’t invested in. Creating even the simplest zines requires dedication and patience, plus plenty of personal motivation. However, the act of hand-making a product “helps us connect with what it is we The content that you’ll find inside zines is are creating,” says Fedoruk. often unfiltered, intimate and opinionated. Dana Putnam, part of the Vancouver Pub- Zines became an influential medium for sharlic Library’s Zine Committee, agrees that ing information nearly a century ago. Since “zines can be a source of information, in- then, however, communication has been forspiration, and solace for those who strug- ever altered by the internet. To some defengle to ‘fit in’, as well as for those who are sive zinesters, websites are often viewed as disillusioned with the establishment.” The ‘competition’ for zines; however, these forms independent nature of zines allows them to of expression should not be pitted against represent “diversity in style, content, and each other. Putnam agrees, stating that “a subject matter unparalleled elsewhere,” says zine is just not the same as a blog. Just as a Putnam. Broad categories of zines range from blog is not the same as Facebook, LiveJournal, self-confessional ‘perzines’ (personal zines) Twitter, Instagram, etc. They are all commuto comics, travel, media critique, and even nication platforms with different qualities, vibes, and relationship results.” It’s undenizines about making zines. able that the digital world has infiltrated the 26


an existing scene of zine culture, remember zine scene, but zines are still physical objects that zines, fundamentally, do not have rules. that exist as unique entity. If you choose to create your own, don’t feel obligated to conform to any pre-existing Knowing the ins and outs of zine culture is standards; experiment until you find what one thing, but actually obtaining zines is style works best for what you want to create. another matter. Purchasing one can set you The flexibility of the zine format means back anywhere from zero dollars, to around that it’s impossible to go wrong when test$15 for a larger-sized specimen made from ing the waters of self-expression. Zines, quality materials. Most zines hover around whether they are intimately personal, or the $2-$7 price range. In decades past, zines filled with fiction, are a labour of love. They were usually obtained through ‘distros’, or are formed from an urge to create, rather distributors, often run out of small store- than for profit. The connection between fronts or a person’s home. Many distros used a zine and its audience, even if that audimail-order catalogs to send out their prod- ence is just its creator, is valuable, substanucts, but now most have expanded to offer tial, and sincere—just like zines themselves. their selections online. Local and independently-run comic-book stores, record shops, and bookstores are your best bet when hunting down zines. If, ultimately, obtaining zines where you live seems like a Herculean task, just remember: the internet is your friend. Although there is

Written and Illustrated by Hailey Mah

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ART

30 Under 30 Female Photographers Munumental Charlotte Kouo

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30 UNDER 30 WOMEN PHOTOGRAPHERS

In photography, the traditional place for women is in front of the lens. Visit a modern photography tradeshow like Photokina in Cologne, and most of the visitors you see swarming past are male, with their photography gadgets slung round their necks; whilst the models posing at each booth waiting for you to take their picture on new, state-of-the-art cameras, are predominantly young and female. You could say this is a picture of photography convention: as it has always been, and as it still is now. Look at any advertisement for a new camera, you will usually see the kit beheld by a male hand, with the image of a young woman visible through the lens or emblazoned onto the glass itself, as though the camera were always meant to be a male eye, gazing out onto a world of female subjects. Photography, whether we like to admit it or not, is by and large a male-dominated arena, where the ‘looking’ is a masculine act, and the subject is feminine, playing the role of ‘lookedat’ and admired mainly for their outward appearance. Photography, then, has been a mirror for conventional gender roles in western society. What is it like, then, to be a female photographer, to be a woman who has seized hold of an instru-

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ment of which she traditionally remains in front, and to use her eye to view the world, rather than use it to throw back a soft, muted glance into the receiving end of a male gaze? It may sound primitive to talk of the female photographer in such a way, but as the photographers of Photoboite’s 30 UNDER 30 women will undoubtedly profess, resistance – or discrimination, even subtle – can be common even today. We will each have our own stories of how being a woman has hindered, or even unfairly aided, our pursuit of this profession. Female self-portraiture is a genre unto itself; and with the advent of digital cameras, access to computer processing, and photo-sharing, more and more everyday women have taken up the pursuit of picturing themselves, in images which on one hand perpetuate the notion of the feminised subject, and on the other hand, defy the rules of traditional positioning by pulling the strings to their own visual representation. Whichever work you enjoy most of these women in 30 UNDER 30, see it as you will, but sustain an open mind, take your time in relishing the imagery and bearing in mind the different experiences of every artist involved. Written by Matthew Hong


AMANDA MUSTARD

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VALENTINA CASTRO

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TAMARA JUILLEN

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EMAN MOHAMMED

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ANKA GUJABIDZE (RIGHT) DINA OGANOVA (LEFT)

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MUNUMENTAL

Pherra & Chey are multifunctional ceramic vases with a touch of elegance. They challenge conventional structures of plant containers. Inspired by landscapes and land formations, these spatial undulations in the land gave way to monumental visions for small scale tabletop products. More than just pretty vases, Pherra & Chey are ergonomical and easy to carry. They conform to the body and can move around. They may be held in various ways through the

compound curves in the forms. Not only can you can use them to hold plants (succulents and flowers), you can also use them to hold trinkets or edibles (fruits and candy). They fit in well indoors and outdoors. You can easily move them wherever there is sunlight. Pherra & Chey add a playful touch to your living environment both in its visual appeal and physical interaction.


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“I am Happy.” Charlotte Kouo This piece is about having a façade that most people can’t see past. When someone says they’re alright, sometimes they are not. Instead, they just patch all the wounds to make sure no one sees that they’re bleeding too much already; this is when they pull the ends of their lips to create a ‘smile.’ It’s a reminder so as to disable others from seeing their vulnerability. The grinning man has the Chinese character for hurt on top of his face, thus suggesting that his joy might not be authentic.

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“How Much Time Left.” Charlotte Kouo

“In the future, everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes.” -Andy Warhol. This piece aims to serve as a representation of pop art by combining the styles of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Pop art is all about daring to explore truths that are greater than we know; to bring attention to small things we do not appreciate. Our ignorance is due to the boundaries and walls we put up. Once we’re able to step outside of them, we will be able to realize the exquisiteness of our world and what it has to offer. But then the next question we have to ask, is how much time do we have left to realize the beauty of such things? What happens when your time to be appreciated as something valuable runs out? What happens when your fifteen minutes of fame runs out?

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FOOD

Apple, Cinnamon, and Blueberry Oatmeal Gyozas How-To Vancover Foodie: Good Eats

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CINNANMON APPLE & BLUEBERRY OATMEAL

BECAUSE YOU’RE MAMA WASN’T HOME TO MAKE BREAKFAST FOR YOU.

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MORNING MUSIC/ BLINDSIDED by BON IVER

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INGREDIENTS

1/2 CUP of OATMEAL 1 APPLE A HANDFUL OF BLUEBERRIES TBSP OF BROWN SUGAR 1/2 TBSP OF CINNAMON

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Put the oatmeal in a pot of hot water. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat. Cook until the oatmeal becomes thick. If desired, cover and let stand about 30 seconds before serving. This allows the oats to absorb any remaining liquid. While the oatmeal is cooking, use another small pot to start making the cinnamon apple sauce. Turn the heat high and add a little water to the apples. When the apples begin to simmer, turn down the heat to add in cinnamon and brown sugar. Stir gently. Finally, pour the cinnamon apple mixture and oatmeal into a bowl and add in blueberries.

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HOMEMADE GYOZAS A SIMPLE RECIPE FOR THOSE WHO SLACKED OFF IN HOME EC.

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INGREDIENTS 1 CUP CABBAGE 2 CUPS MINCED PORK MEAT 1/3 CUP ONION 2 TSP GINGER 2 CLOVES of GARLIC 3 TBSP of SOY SAUCE PINCH of SALT PINCH of PEPPER A PACK of DUMPLING SKIN (find it in any T&T store)

LUNCH MUSIC/ HERE COMES THE SUN COVERED by YUNA

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Begin by mincing the cabbage, meat, onion, ginger, and garlic. Dump the ingredients into a large bowl and lightly fold everything together. Then use 1/2 TSP of your mix and place it onto the middle of one gyoza skin. Fold the gyoza in half, and holding the wrapper, make a pleat in the top part of the wrapper pinching it against the flat edge of the wrapper at the back (like shown in the picture top right). Make about 4 pleats. Heat up a non-stick frying pan on medium and lay a thin layer of seasame oil (or any oil of your choice) and fry until the bottom of the gyoza turns golden brown. Turn up the heat slightly and once most of the oil is evaporated pour in enough water to make a thin layer on the pan. Put a tight lid on and let the water evaporate and steam the gyoza. Recipe makes about 30 and takes around 1hr 30min to make.

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GOOD EATS VANCOUVERFOODIE PICKS

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JETHRO’S FINE GRUB

If you’re looking for some good eats in and around Vancouver, @vancouverfoodie is the girl to ask. Emma Choo is a nineteen-year-old student turned blogger who knows all the best diners and restaurants to choose when your taste buds are in need of some serious lovin’. Here are some of her hand-picked choices for Forty-Four Magazine. Follow her on instagram @vancouverfoodie to see more.


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NAAM BOWL at THE NAAM RESTAURANT

GREEN TEA MACARRON at SOIRETTE




LAKSA at BANANA LEAF RESTAURANT LATTE from MOJA CAFE

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TRAVEL

Photojournal: Japan Photojournal: Hong Kong

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JAPAN PHOTO-JOURNAL BY TERRY DAYNE-BEASLEY


Traveling through Japan was an incredibly enriching experience. Coming from such a young culture, here in Canada, it was fascinating to experience a culture which is on the forefront of innovation, but yet very ground in its history. The trip was a once in a lifetime kind of experience. From exploring the streets of Shibuya, to bathing in traditional hot springs, this trip was exponentially impactful and memorable. In 2011, four days after my ticket was purchased, I got news of a devastating earthquake that had struck off the coast of Japan; my heart sank. My three travel companions and I met with our chaperone, and the Lions Club (who the trip was through) and we decided to postpone the trip to the following year. On August 7th, 2012 I was Tokyo bound. Despite the devastation, only one-year prior, everything was remarkably orderly and clean. My host family was more gracious than I could have imagined, and made my trip even more meaningful. The people, the food, the language, and all of the new and extrordinary things have left a lasting impact on me and my life, and I can’t wait to go back.

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HONG KONG PHOTO-JOURNAL BY DEVONA LEAN


#41. Don’t waste your time, or time will waste you. The reason that this was on my list of 43 resolutions for 2013 was not solely because it is a lyric extracted from a Muse song. No, rather, it stemmed from a lust to teach and be taught, to love and be loved simultaneously. There’s no shortage of this right here at home, but there is nothing quite as electric as experiencing it in a foreign environment. Refer to #23 on the list, where I told myself in all caps to “Go out and be amazed by our world.” First stop? Let’s fly to Hong Kong. I hesitate to call my trip travelling – going home almost seems more appropirate. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as Canadian as the next poutine-eating, hockey-loving Mountie. But my family tree started in Hong Kong, and my family has made a habit of returning often. Yet, Hong Kong still awes me every time I set foot in this concrete city. Perhaps it is the immortal and ever-growing hustle-bustle; maybe it’s the density of great entertainment; or, it could be the juxtaposition of a young man in a crisp suit helping a soiled, elderly cart-pusher pick up cardboard that inspires me so profoundly. The only thing harder than counting all of Hong Kong’s city lights is to pinpoint a single thing I love most. Hong Kong is a feast for the senses – I stood numb sometimes, overwhelmed by the smells of an infinite food scene, the eclectic colours that embraced me, the harmony of helter-skelter lifestyles. The bottom line is that I’m a fiend for culture, and Hong Kong is certainly rich in that regard. I may have stood numb at times, but I stood proudly, soaking up the diverse vibe of a city which never sleeps.

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What did one four say to the other four? We are both fours.

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WWW. FORTYFOURMAGAZINE.CA

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