e r & e h t ar
17 0 2 R E B M E SEPT
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magazine
MUSIC | EVENTS | ART | LIFESTYLE
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On August 21st, 2017, most of North America stood still to witness the lunar eclipse: a rare cosmic event which has not been fully visible in our hemisphere for over a century. What did this mean exactly? Many people took to their tarot cards, crystals, and astrology blogs, while others simply requested the day off work to view the event through solar optical glasses and cereal boxes. Others even booked flights, or took road trips to place themselves in the ideal viewing location. Although we may not have reached a consensus on the perfect way to view this event, most can agree that aside from being strong symbol for one thing - change. It seemed everything, including the planetary alignments, was urging us to delve into the topic of change, which leads us to the theme of this month’s issue. Here, we take inspiring
editor’s note
a source of awe and beauty, eclipses have always been a
stories of transformation and growth - from an app that’s shaking the music scene, to a clothing brand encouraging us to shop eco-friendly - and we wholeheartedly accept the challenge of change this September. After all, the only thing constant is change.
xx Brooke & Lindsay
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table of contents
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photography + l o re nzo b e l a s s e n + b l a ke c raw fo rd
fashion
+ refo r m a ti o n
contributors
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editor’s note SEPTEMBER events music + vyb app
art
+ fo r th e g i rl s: fe m i n i s t rev i s i o n i s m
table of contents
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16 Spaceland Block Party UNION STATION
o f c u r t u m 19 20 pa
Trap Yoga Los Angeles
august events
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
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Glass Animals THE SHRINE
Fleet Foxes & Beach House
T R A c i s u 24 G m N I C n 29 a s l d a v i t s e f
HOLLYWOOD BOWL
33 rd Annual Abbot Kinney Festival VENICE
Mura Masa THE WILTERN
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s s k c um e s s u de a h r a ac
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music
VYB Hailing from sunny Orange County, Sam Naff is changing the music industry as we know it. This musician and recent college graduate has utilized his extensive knowledge and connections to make creatie bigger than himself and that something is Vyb. This live-streaming music app makes it possible for artists, fans, and friends to connect through music. Not only does the app forge connections, it also cuts out the middle-man, allowing musicians to easily and rapidly increase their following. Hear & There “vybed� with this idea, and we asked Sam some questions about the new venture. Get the inside scoop on this cutting-edge app below.
by brooke bierman
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hypothetical into something we can get on and enjoy. I think that’s been the best part about the whole experience: That I actually enjoy using that we’ve made. Maybe I’m biased haha. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN CREATING VYB? The biggest challenge so far was finding a solid team. I did a lot of solo research and logistics, but when it came down to actually making the product, it took a few tries to find people who were trustworthy and dependable. I couldn’t be happier with the team I have now. WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED FOR? The future, always! I got a whole lot more planned for my life besides Vyb. I’m playing my first few shows under the new alias “Young Edgar” next month! WHAT’S THE BEST WAY MUSICIANS/ARTISTS CAN USE VYB TO GROW THEIR NETWORK? So one of the great things about Vyb is the platform that we are built upon, called “the exponential exposure model” It’s this idea that you’re always streaming, even if you aren’t the DJ. So when I listen to throwback Queen Latifah, and you tune into me, your friends see that you’re live. And when your brother tunes into you, his friends see that he’s live, and so on. This leads to Queen Latifah getting a bunch of new fans that she never would’ve had before! The best way an artist can help their brand is to get their fans on Vyb! WHAT IS
YOUR PERSONAL FAVORITE TYPE OF MUSIC? That’s such a hard one for me right now, I’m really loving all the jazzy electronic stuff coming out of the Soundcloud jungle right now with people at Night Owl Collective and Ocean Jams. The electronic scene is constantly re-defining itself every few months. Also Lil B just dropped a new mixtape so you already know what the deal is on that. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO FOR FUN? If it’s not making music or listening to music, it’s probably skating or surfing! WHAT IS A LIFE? I dig it! I think that’s very much in line with that quintessential millennial mindset. We are living in a world of possibility, and while that’s very appealing and whimsical to hear, it’s also a challenge in some ways. It’s hard to make “the right choice” when you can technically try and be anything. “Following your passion” is the go-to life advice from anyone because having that love for something gives you the courage to make those bold decisions that help you reach your goals. I think a lot of people end up opting out of those decisions in lieu of something “safe”. I can only speak from experience: but “a life” for me is the culmination of all of those bold decisions. It’s the often unexpected places those choices will lead you. It’s the experiences you’ve had along the way, while chasing af ter something that makes you feel. Sign up for this rad app @ www.vyb-music.com x
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HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE M US I C I N D USTRY? It was one of those things where my interests were always somewhat a l i g n e d w i t h t h e i n d u s t r y. I started writing music when I was a kid, playing Violin in a local orchestra. That quickly turned into playing drums, and forming some rock and metal bands in early high school. By senior year, I thought I was gonna be a superstar DJ. I still do! After getting fired from my first job as an EDM distributer called Beatport, I went to school for music at Chapman, while I worked in a few recording studios, and scored some student films. Everything I’ve always done has been working towards a future in music, so having a tangible set of goals to work towards with Vyb has been a dream. HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA TO CREATE VYB? My brother and I used to have the old school circle interface iPods, before touch screens. If we hit play on the same playlist, at the same time, we’d have our music sync’d up for when we went snowboarding. Reminiscing on the concept as an adult got the spark going, and the idea has taken off from there! EXPLAIN VYB. Vyb is a live streaming music service that lets you listen to music with your friends and family, no matter where they are in the world. It’s an easy way to stay connected with friends who live elsewhere, and a fun way to keep finding great new music to enjoy. When you tune into me on Vyb, our music is sync’d note for note, as if we were next to each other! We take the concept further through our patented “exponential exposure model,” helping independent artists gain the new fans their music deserves. HOW WAS TH E APP-MAKI NG PROCESS? It’s been crazy to grow this from something purely
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art
for the girls: Feminist Revisionism by alex rosas-maxemin
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It is rare when women are given proper recognition, and when they are, it often because they are influenced by men or their
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rt reflects the society and time it was created in. With that being said, why are there so few great female artists? Throughout history, men have dominated institutions from politics, business, and media, and the art world is no exception. Men hold the power to determine the art that will be successful because men are overwhelmingly the critics, curators and artists themselves. work coincides with a man’s agenda. The blatant marginalization of women in the art world is both relevant and telling of our culture. Especially with today’s political climate, it is important to look back and re-examine history through different lenses. In this case, the importance lays with confronting the gender imbalance of our patriarchal society’s past to inform the present and prove the future is female - maybe in some small way help break a glass ceiling somewhere.
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georgia o’keeffe
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wo of the most famous female artists in history are Georgia O’Keeffe and Frida Kahlo. The iconic painters knew each other and described themselves as kindred spirits. They openly supported each other creatively and exchanged enigmatic letters at the height of their careers in the 1930s. Although they are both respected and even considered iconic today, this was not at all the case during their lifetimes. The harsh truth is that their marriages to prominent male painters of their era was one of the main reasons for their success during their lifetimes, and I can’t help but wonder what other female talents were overlooked in history because they didn’t have such access. The women were far ahead of their time, paving the way for feminism in art of the twenty-first century, as they fought against the gender imbalance to simply have their voices be heard. Georgia O’Keeffe’s career is attached to her gender: she is described as the mother of modernism and her work is remembered as distinctively female due to her many paintings incorporating flowers. However, she did not intend for this legacy nor identify as a “female” artist. She was adamant that her purpose was to evoke emotion through abstraction and color as inspired by Wassily Kandinsky, a male Russian painter and art theorist.
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Still sh e was d e e m e d as j ust a flower painter and many went on to presume that her flowers were actually representations of the vulva. The idea that flowers are inherently feminine is ironic because flowers have both sex organs, yet despite her conviction and logic, her works were determined as the picture of femininity. She even created a body of work to counter this reputation as she painted phallic NYC skyscrapers, work which has often been overlooked. Critics, including her husband, Alfred Stieglitz, used gender subjectivity to simplify her artistic intentions to promote an easy narrative that would sell- she was a wholesome gal from New Mexico who painted flowers and landscapesno politics innuendos included. Stieglitz once wrote of O’Keeffe in 1915: “at last, a woman on paper”. As a result, the
and revolutionist, but her husband Diego Rivera was elevated to a powerful political platform while she was not taken seriously. Furthermore she was constantly enduring pain whether from a nearly fatal accident when she was younger or from her tumultuous marriage. As a result there is always a sense of despair and suffering in her portraits, but her gaze remains defiant and fierce. While so many women are depicted as the victim, Kahlo demonstrates that pain is an intrinsic part of life but does not define us, which makes her so inspiring. Female artists continue this effort and the works in museums that represent the female narrative is increasing but there is still much more change that needs to occur. Women should uplift one another and be reminded that we are the artists of our own lives. x
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fierce and complex individual she was is overshadowed by the myth of femininity. Frida Kahlo also struggled with the societal pressures that came with being a woman and her progressiveness was often overlooked. Kahlo is famous for her self-portraits that are a raw reflection of herself and consequently the raw experience of womankind. She deviated from the traditional depiction of fem ale beaut y an d painted real bodies, miscarriage, birth, and breastfeeding, which were unprecedented. In her personal life she smoked, boxed, won tequila challenges against men, crossdressed, and was openly bisexual. She was also a rebel
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Family-oriented, fun, and fiercely talented are just a few adjectives that describe filmmaker Lorenzo Belassen. Still in college, Lorenzo has already made a name for himself through his filmography, working
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LORENZO BELASSEN with industry leaders like Andrew Donoho to Louis the Child. Despite his budding prominence in the world of film, the young artist remains hard-working and down-to-earth. At the very beginning of his bright career, Lorenzo sits down with Hear & There, to talk art, music, and making the inevitable change from childhood to adulthood. by brooke bierman
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photography
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YO U ’ V E M A D E F I L M S F O R INDUSTRY LEADERS, INCLUDING LOUIS THE CHILD. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE EXPERIENCE MAKING A FILM? My favorite video experience was creating music video teasers for a band this summer -- it was a high-stress, but rewarding situation. I was working as a director’s assistant for Andrew Donoho this summer, and while on set, I was thrown a curveball to create three teasers for the band that would promote their video. I worked with a VFX editor on set and together, we came up the ideas then shot them in between takes of the actual music video going on. At the final minutes of the 1-day shoot, we finished the third teaser. WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WANTED TO WORK IN FILM? Middle school. That’s when I started making videos and really found myself enjoying the
process. I would often opt out of writing essays or book reports and try to convince my teachers to let me create videos instead -- in 7th grade, I made a 35 minute movie about Iwo Jima & WWII. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR AESTHETIC? Difficult to express, but I’d describe my aesthetic as colorful and playful. I try my best to build my own aesthetic. Growing up in an artistic household, I think some of my mom’s abstract paintings have rubbed off into the way I take photos. PAINT ME YOUR PERFECT GIG. Shooting for a lifestyle/athletic brand or even personally for an athlete would be a dream. Working side-by-side with my aunt to produce a feature
lorenzo belassen
film would also be dreamy. WHOSE WORK HAS INFLUENCED YOU THE MOST? My mom’s art & my brother’s. Since I was young, I was surrounded by my mom’s oil paintings, abstract & vibrant works of people/animals. My brother’s graphic design work has possibly influenced me in how I try to keep the frame simple & edit the photo so it pops. WHAT TOOLS OR RESOURCES DID YOU USE TO IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS? Honestly, my friends & peers. I’m someone who asks a lot of questions, so I’m very grateful for the advice and help they’ve given me, especially
when I was just starting. As I continue creating content for myself or for others, I will be sure to keep them close. WHAT’S THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED? “Fail faster.” ARE YOU MORE OF A DOG OR CAT PERSON? Dog. No question ‘bout it. WHICH OF YOUR WORKS ARE YOU ESPECIALLY PROUD OF? The works where I was thrown into the deep-end. Cool to reflect back on something that I was originally timid to do. WHAT IS A LIFE? I may be too young to answer this question insightfully, but I very much resonate with the idea of uncertainty. I’m uncertain about my future. Of course. What I will be doing post-grad, in two years, five years, ten... Not even sure if I will enjoy what I’m doing now in 10 years or if there’s another passion better suited for me that I haven’t even considered yet, which scares me since I’m someone who likes to plan things out. However, what I’m fully certain about in this moment is that I like to takes photos, make videos, brainstorm, read, write, etc. I’m passionate about collaborating with friends and creating something from scratch– idea to reality. That’s my life, that’s what I like in this moment, so for now, I’m going to continue full force on that. x
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blake crawford After only 21 years as a human, photographer Blake Crawford shares with us his impressive portfolio of moody images: depicting soft lighting, beautiful people, and deep colorful landscapes. With only three years of photography experience under his belt, this creative proves that he is quite ahead of the learning curve. by lindsay sunada
“My dad bought be me a Canon 6D DSLR camera as a high school graduation present, and I had no idea how to use it. Fast forward to a year later, and photography was my new obsession.” Furthermore, Crawford expresses his belief that everyone should seek a way to express themselves, even if they do not necessarily consider themselves to be “creative”.
“I believe that everyone has a fire burning inside of them. If you work to express your own version of creativity, you will find yourself feeling more liberated than ever.” He takes this positive approach one step further, by applying his bold attitude about art towards life. “You can do whatever you want - literally. You can spend [your time] it in comfort, wondering what could have been. Or, you can take risks, chase your dreams, and venture out into the exciting arena that is life.”
In closing, Crawford reminds p e ople to love th emselves throughout the trying process of pursuing a creative life. “I try not to constantly compare myself to others. True improvement and success doesn’t come from picking yourself apart, it comes from loving yourself everyday.” x
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photography
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“You can do whatever you wantliterally. You can spend [your time] in comfort, wondering what could have been. Or, you can take risks, chase your dreams, and venture out into the exciting arena that is life.�
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featuredfashion photographer
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the sustainable fashion brand you should shop ASAP by conchita widjojo
@alanna_planet // wearing vintage Reformation shorts
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Calling all LA fashion girls, your new favorite It-brand has arrived, and it gets better every week. Reformation, is an eco-friendly store most would know, created in 2009 by mastermind Yael Alflalo. Headquartered in Downtown Los Angeles, Reformation is known for its standards of sustainability and transparency while maintaining its high-quality taste for up-and-coming trends, while striving
fashion
towards change in the fast-paced world of fashion.
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As Reformation is currently amidst one of its biggest annual sales, it is only appropriate to relay the details on what makes this label stand out. This brand is known for selling extremely versatile pieces, that you can style from warm summer days to the “winter” of chilly breezes in Los Angeles. From basic tees, to their recently launched line of denim, and beautiful patterned dresses, this place has it all. Reformation also just opened a vintage store located on Melrose Avenue right next to the infamous Carrera Cafe, with unique flashback finds you won’t encounter anywhere else. Although these sustainable and sweatshop-free stores do tend to be more on the expensive side, they reflect the product’s higher quality and fair compensation for seamstresses and workers. Why not splurge and do good for the rest of the community as well as the environment? And I say “splurge” because, well, it’s inevitable that you don’t. Once you purchase one thing, you’re bound to purchase another. It also does not help that new arrivals drop every week. Thankfully, it is also somewhat reasonably priced because they provide a wide array of especially adorable dresses that will be sure to impress if you attend a wedding
reception or brunch with your boyfriend’s grandmother. Neither are in my life, so let’s not linger here. In the last year, especially around the November 2016 election, Reformation teamed up with organizations such as Planned Parenthood, the Environmental Defense Fund, or the American Civil Liberties Union to launch a collection of Action Tees, each one going at $50. For each purchase, Reformation will donate $30 to a respective organization depending on the tee itself, promoting feminist, environmental, and immigration slogans as a way of fighting back against discrimination. It is an extremely great cause to support, especially in a modern world of mass consumerism, because it can empower a woman to stand up for what she believes in with a simple fashion statement. FYI, the tees are still on sale: Meow Tee, Getting Started Tee, Meryl Tee, Winter Tee, Trees Tee. Change in this crazy world of ours should be imminent, so take it one step at a time starting with the fashion industry, the second largest contaminant of our earth’s clean air and waters. Finally, a purchase we can feel good about. x
@alanna_planet // wearing the Audrey Dress in the color Linda
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@alanna_planet // wearing the Cher Dress in Silver
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Advertisements? Contact: hearandtheremag@gmail.com
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cofounders lindsay sunada, brooke bierman, julia marzovilla editor in chief lindsay sunada editors brooke bierman, jamie cohen words brooke bierman, alex rosas-maxemin, conchita widjojo, lindsay sunada layouts zoĂŤ mccrum social media avery vernon-moore photos lorenzo belassen, blake crawford, lindsay sunada featured creatives lorenzo belassen, blake crawford, sam naff, avery vernon-moore
questions/submissions hearandtheremag@gmail.com Hear & There copyright 2017. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission from the publishers. The views expressed in Hear & There are not necessarily those of the contributors, editors, or publishers. Thank You.
contributors
thanks vyb
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@averyvm