Independent Leeds Magazine Issue 01 - December 2015 www.independentleeds.co.uk Free
Your Friendly Neighbourhood Social Club Beer - Music - Crisps - Fun - Etc 33 Queens Road | Hyde Park | Leeds | LS6 1NY
Sunday 13 December Shopping + Cowtown
Thursday 11 February
Thursday 10 March
Sunday 13 December
Friday 19 February
Tuesday 12 April
Thurs 17 December
Sunday 21 February
Sunday 17 April
Tuesday 19 January
Lera Lynn
Friday 26 February Ryley Walker w/ Danny Thompson
Tuesday 26 April
Wednesday 27 January
Saturday 5 March
Turin Brakes
Wednesday 4 May Phil Cook & The Guitar Heels
Saturday 30 November
Monday 7 March
Saturday 28 May
Lucero
Rocket From The Tombs Mik Artistik’s Ego Trip
They Might Be Giants (Sold Out) The Beat
Shearwater C Duncan
The Coral
Field Music Liima
Damien Jurado Shonen Knife
The Wedding Present
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Issue 01 December 2015
Welcome to Independent Leeds
We’re extremely excited for Independent Leeds to go from pixels to paper in our first issue of the Independent Leeds Magazine. As well as taking on independent music, food and entertainment, in issue one, we take inspiration from The British Art Show being in town, delving into the underbelly of the thriving independent art scene.
Contents Collectively Leeds
The Cover’s Story Every issue we will be asking a different Leedsbased artist to produce our cover image. Their only brief is to give us their visual take on what an independent Leeds means to them. This issue saw illustrator, Thom Milson take on the challenge. To see more of his work visit www.thommilson.com
4-7
Painting the Town Green
9-10
Eat, Sleep, Breathe under Creativity’s Eaves: Art Hostel
13-14
Quality Coffee and Quirky Man Caves
16-17
What Does an Ice Cream Company Do in Winter?
20-21
Revolution’s Brewing
22-23
Contributors
Moments in Time The Leeds (DIY ) Art Scene
25-28
Editor Louise Fletcher
Taking the Driving Seat: A new way of creative living
30-31
Writers: Steph Pullen Louise Fletcher John Slemensek John Barran Jed Skinner Raf Bogan
Calloused (and painted) Hands of Leeds
33-35
Faces of the Places
36-37
Digger’s Island Disc Marko “Afro” Crossley
40-41
Actor - A Letter of Response
42-43
Thought Bubble: Street Style
44-45
Photography: John Slemensek Kirsty Garland Declan Creffield Tom Horton Illustrations: Thom Milson
Delve deeper into the independent scene in Leeds at www.independentleeds.co.uk Twitter: IndependntLeeds Facebook: IndependentLeeds Instagram: independentleeds
Emporium State of Mind Words by Raf Bogan
Stronger Together Words by Jed Skinner
Collectively Leeds
The British Art Show and consequential Unfold events have shone a spotlight onto the Leeds creative scene. However, art in Leeds has always been an ever thriving and evolving beast, which organisations, creatives and enthusiastic by standers nurture into an exciting cultural hub all year round.
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Emporium State of Mind Raf Bogan, founder of &/or Emporium is one of the passionate people in the city creating platforms and outputs for artists. Whilst excitedly exploring one of Leeds’ biggest and possibly weirdest emporiums, Leeds Discovery Centre, Raf explained his reasons for becoming heavily involved in Leeds art scene. Whatever field you’re in, whether you’re an artist, maker, producer, performer or musician, it’s extremely tough getting your foot in the door. I’m trying to do it myself at the moment and it’s undoubtedly very testing. Being able to help artists and provide a platform for them to promote their work is super important to me. I get a real buzz when an &/or Emporium event is fruitful for those involved, be it generating a bit of cash through selling work, getting new commissions, or meeting people they might go on to collaborate with. Makers make, they’ll always be doing their thing, but any genuine help they can get along the way can only be a positive thing. It’s important to have channels where you can express yourself as an artist without worrying about getting ripped
off, where it’s all about promoting your creative practice and trying to generate income through it. What’s become apparent to me is that art seems to be devalued and falls to the bottom of the pile, especially when larger institutions or organisations with big financial backing are involved. So often you’ll hear about exploitative behavior. The classic lines of “it’ll look great on your portfolio”, or “it’ll be really good exposure for you” just don’t cut it for me. Every artist has their own personal style and aesthetic that is unique to them, if you want to use their professional services then it needs to be treated with the same respect as any other type of job. However, the current energy surrounding Leeds and the creative scene here is super inspiring. There’s a spotlight on the city at the moment, with people taking a real interest in its cultural offerings. It’s great to see artists responding to that as well. There’s a bunch of incredible art organisations, collectives, artistled galleries and studios who are totally pushing at the boundaries, putting on high quality exhibitions and events. Everyone is supporting
Photography by John Slemensek
each other, sharing ideas and getting inspiration from one another. In a political climate where the cultural agenda is being neglected, cuts occurring left right and centre and funding increasingly hard to come by, it’s really important that these independent organisations stick by each other. I view my role within Leeds’ cultural scene to be that of a facilitator. Or maybe even a match-maker! Whenever possible I’m trying to hook up different artists who I think would work well with one another. If I see an open call or opportunity, a pot of funding or a job vacancy, my brain’s instantly thinking about who it might be applicable to, or who it could benefit. My approach has always been focused towards the power of collaboration. Concentrating on an individual can certainly have its benefits, but I’m more interested in bringing together groups of artists, makers, and working together to curate spaces that encourage some form of creative exchange; the sharing of ideas, buying and selling of artwork and forging of new collaborations I started &/or Emporium in an attempt to try and realise some of the visions I had. There’s a wealth of incredible artistic talent and indeed creative output in Leeds. Everywhere you look there are exciting new designers, painters and illustrators cropping up, quirky little art collectives, beautifully produced exhibitions and innovative visual and sound installations happening. I wanted &/or Emporium to act as a meeting place for all of
these different art forms, a platform for emerging talent to showcase their work and a network for like-minded people to integrate. My background is more in performance and theatre and I’ve never been any good at art. I can’t draw to save my life! I think because of that I’m not too judgmental or biased when people make submissions. If I think it can work well at a particular event then I’ll get them on board. It’s a big learning curve for myself as well, the more I’m getting stuck into the art scene the more I’m learning about different mediums and processes. I’m like a kid in a sweetshop whenever I go into an artist’s studio or workshop, fiddling with everything and asking a million questions.
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Photo supplied by Leeds Music Hub
“Strength in Numbers” Of course, Raf is only one of the many people in the city bringing creative talent together and it isn’t just kept within the art scene. More and more people are coming together to work collaboratively, creating unique projects that wouldn’t materialise otherwise. HOARD collective and Leeds Music Hub explain why two, ten or even twenty heads can be better than one. Bess Martin is an artist affiliated with Leeds’ HOARD collective, who create unique, personal artworks out of hoarded objects and artefacts and thinks that collaboration in Leeds is a trend that we can expect to see getting bigger. “Leeds is amazing for its honest, open and advice-driven art scene. Everyone is out to help everyone else up the proverbial ladder. If you find someone with a similar practice to yours, you tend to stick close and help each other out as opposed to seeing them as competition. “It’s about strength in numbers against boundaries. Artists constantly have to jump through hoops and individually you may not be able to tackle them all”. “Many artist groups in Leeds are also facilitators of the arts. These groups will hold exhibitions and opportunities not just for themselves but for other artists too. There’s a general feeling of ‘let’s scratch each others backs’, and a wonderful, supportive attitude to all things creative”. Collaboration is central to the idea of making music and was critical to Kate Zezulka, founder of Leeds Music Hub, who set up the organisation in 2012.
Based in Headingley, the Hub provides a focal point for local music and tuition in the community. Some of the musicians involved include members of Leeds bands Post War Glamour Girls, Department M, Sky Larkin and Menace Beach. Kate says that keeping the existing local music scene close to the project was key. “I wanted to create a space which really valued the grassroots side of the music scene and could support the individual artists and musicians who contributed to it, to help bridge gaps between disparate subcultures of music.I wanted to encourage collaboration, create flexible, relevant employment for Leeds’ musicians, and offer opportunities for local people to engage with what I think is a really exciting part of the city’s activity”. “I wonder whether this has always been going on, really, it’s only replicating the idea of a democratic band structure. Maybe we’re all just more aware of it or more conscious about what we’re trying to achieve. Or maybe it is just heightened contrast to the very large-scale projects which have arrived in Leeds, like the Arena and Trinity Leeds, and also to the much more isolated way of operating in life in general, these days”. “Lots of local musicians have pitched in with their ideas for events and series that they want to run and be involved in. That’s such a nice thing – that they feel strongly enough about what the Hub is, and what it can do, that they want to throw their lot in with us in that way. In turn, the Hub can help facilitate these new parts of life in Leeds for the artistic community”. Ultimately, whatever skills and talents you bring to the pot, the success of a collective boils down to being able to combine talents to work more effectively with sometimes more rewarding outcomes.
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Words by Louise Fletcher Photography by John Slemensek
Painting the Town Green
Recently celebrating their 10th anniversary with a suitably arty party, Seagulls Reuse practice and promote the reuse of unwanted paint, reducing environmentally harmful waste and creating opportunities for local people. The paint is processed, blended and redistributed through two paint stores in Leeds, not only saving customers’ money but creating training and volunteer opportunities. Seagulls supports their volunteers with a friendly, inclusive and supportive atmosphere; teaching invaluable skills, improving confidence, employability, and having bucket loads of fun in the process.
To date seagulls reuse has: Saved and reused over 738 tons of paint diverting it away from landfill. That’s enough paint to redecorate every room in 15,000 back-to-back terraced houses or paint the Eiffel Tower around 13 times. £376,000 has been saved a year by customers who bought their paint, proving quality reclaimed paint doesn’t need to cost the earth. Seagulls Reuse work with 40 volunteers per year who give over 10,000 hours of their time between them. To help celebrate this colourful, community-centric social enterprise, we take a look at the accidental art being created by their expert paint mixers on a daily basis.
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Words and Photography by John Slemensek
Eat, Sleep, Breathe under Creativity’s Eaves
At the moment Leeds seems to be having its Renaissance. There’s an atmosphere of something amazing bubbling under the surface and it’s starting to burst through. It’s easy, when you’re amongst it all, to simply take it for granted. But when you take the time to step back, you really have time to appreciate what the city is home to. Leeds is overrun with creative thinkers and doers. Although transient and fluid in how they work, using the whole city as a canvas, they effect the physical landscape around them, bringing the city alive. As we put a microscope to this creative cosmos, our eye was drawn to the entity East Street Arts, a contemporary arts organisation working across the UK and EU. At home in Leeds, their mission is ‘to support artists to create work that brings lasting change to our everyday lives.’ And their most recent, and arguably greatest project to date, is the emergence of the Art Hostel, marrying two great needs within Leeds, supplying cheap city centre accommodation, as well as opening a gateway into the city’s cultural underbelly. The idea has been developed over two years of discussion between directors of East Street Arts, who are inspired by how other European cities host visitors and used their experiences to pull together the best parts of this, all with East Street Arts unique twist. The Art Hostel will become a resident on Kirkgate, Leeds’ oldest street. Housed within a 200 year old building, the hostel looks like it is straight out of a Wes Anderson film.
But although the history and exterior of the building maybe beautiful, the project is a huge undertaking, builders are working fast to bring the characteristic building back from the brink, so that artists can be let loose, giving the hostel a new burst of life. As you would expect from a hostel completely created by artists, each bedroom will be uniquely designed to be contemporary and comfortable, while a project space hosts a programme of artist events and installations, linking back out into the creative scene of the city. A number of the rooms have been sponsored by local companies who want to support the project. There’s also been sponsorship from individuals who’ve commissioned artists to look at the local history of the area. This research focuses along the riverfront where Leeds Riverside Mission were based, supporting boatmen and their families through the provision of education, clean space, laundries and general needs. A mass of artwork and design will be housed at the hostel and so far we’ve heard rumours of alternative tourist offices, pop up food socials and mirrors that reveal David Bowie singing to you as you brush your teeth! Although much of the plans for the Art Hostel are being kept under wraps, we’re excited that the oldest part of the city centre is now home to the most forward thinking idea in Leeds. We can’t wait to see what happens when the doors open. 13
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Words by Louise Fletcher Photography by John Slemensek
Quality Coffee and Quirky Man Caves
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Just as Batman has his bat cave, Maude Coffee Roasters have the arches of Leeds. Both unassuming exteriors, which once inside, house something a little unexpected. Ok, so Maude definitely aren’t fighting crime from beneath the rail tracks, (well not that we know of ) but they are crafting the base of quality cuppas for an army of coffee connoisseurs. Without as much as a sign outside, it’s easy to overlook the arches as nothing more than storage spaces. But when one of Maude’s founders, Matt Van Elkan cheerily popped his head out to meet us, it’s safe to say we were soon trying to subtly scoop our chins off the floor as we ogled the space within. Behind the metal doors is a cross between a science lab, coffee shop and the friend’s flat which everyone ends up hanging out at. Full of interesting pieces of equipment, noises sporadically erupting from machinery and the low rumble of a train occasionally going over-head, the set up seemed like one of the coolest lairs in Leeds. With so many exciting pieces of equipment, it was hard to stick to the socially accepted rule of look, don’t touch. Instead of running the risk of inadvertently breaking an integral piece of kit, we plumped for asking Matt about the science behind all his tech. However, it turns out that the science of a good roast starts well before the beans even arrive at their door; “There are a multitude of variables which we have to consider, like where the coffee is grown, what’s within the soil, moisture content, the altitude it’s grown at, the genetic varietals. There are lots of things at farm level that we take into consideration. Even the rainfall you get within a six week period will reflect on how that coffee is going to taste.” Once the beans arrive in Leeds, a systematic decision on how to best bring out the beans characteristics needs to be made; “We consider all the farm factors and make a judgement on what temperature we need to start and end the roast at and how quickly we transfer energy from the roaster to the beans. We want to reveal the true nature of the coffee, without masking it with anything.”
All pretty standard stuff for a roaster so far we guess but it’s when Matt whips out a refractometer to shine lasers through the coffee, the level leaps to another level and Matt admits they probably take a more scientific approach than most; “Every batch of coffee that we roast, we test. We cup the coffee and test it on a sensorial basis but then we also use refractometers and other methods to test things like the solubility.” From using all these processes together Matt builds up an elaborate web of knowledge about the bean and how it’s goes from a seedling to a coffee cup. As we sit with Matt for at least an hour, passionately speaking about getting the best coffee, trying new processes and why roasters should work directly with coffee farmers, it’s obvious that we can barely scratched the surface of what goes into this elaborate process in the time we have. But the most intriguing looking piece of kit in the room still hadn’t been mentioned. An imposing piece which looked like a mix between an hour glass and a complex set of test tubes, the contraption was an impressive sculpture in its own right; “That’s a cold brew dripper.” Matt explains, “They’re made in Taiwan and they slowly drip cold water over coffee over 12/13 hours to make a cold black coffee drink. We tend to test the coffee in that and then we brew it on a larger scale in beer tanks.” Just another string to Maude’s coffee bow, along with training, installing and supplying coffee for a variety of cafes and coffee shops in Leeds and further afield. Like everything else at Maude, from the processes, to the interior, the age of the talent behind it follows their surprising trend. At only 21 Matt has achieved a lot more than the average Joe and his comrade, Benjamin Peter-George Beagles isn’t much older. This mix of youthful enthusiasm and a mature wealth of knowledge and experience makes for an extremely exciting and innovative business. In all aspects it proves that we should take heed of the age old saying and never judge a book by its cover!
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Words by Louise Fletcher Photography by John Slemensek
What Does an Ice Cream Company Do in Winter?
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Stupid curiosities can take hold at any time, curiosities which you just can’t shift no matter how trivial it may be. This specific curiosity developed from a conversation recalling the ice cream van from student days. Come sun or snow storm, its chimes could be heard playing outside and as such, was rumoured to be giving out more than just sprinkles with its 99s. Its then it struck, aside from this dubious ice cream entrepreneur, what does a company who depend on selling frozen treats do when it gets cold? Do they up sticks and, like a flock of geese, migrate in a V formation in search of warmer climates? Or are there ice cream sellers across the country retraining for an alternative winter career? As you can tell, this niggle got out of hand and when most people would turn to Google to
resolve their conundrum, this was now so important, the only option was to get the answer straight from the ice cream maker’s mouth. So when an email landed in the mail box with a response from the directors of Northern Bloc, a calming reassurance set in. Unfortunately, there isn’t a tribe of Mr Whippy’s coasting around the Caribbean touting for business. However, there is a whole lot more to do in winter than you might think.Yes, their ice cream van and bicycle are in hibernation now festival season is over but, like music to our inquisitive ears, they let slip that this is the time they experiment with flavours… “A lot of what we do over winter is developing and building for spring,” explains Northern Bloc Director, Josh Lee. It’s at this point he notices that our eyes being drawn to a
black board on the office wall with potential flavour combinations scrawled all over. “Those are flavours we’re coming up with,” we’re informed and quickly reminded that they’re strictly top secret. As we visualise eating our way through the future menu, discussing the intricacies of picking flavour combinations, at first it doesn’t seem all that difficult; “We all sit down and come up with the flavours together. It’s normally based around our personal preferences and flavours which compliment that time of the year.” Josh states. Surely creating sell out flavours isn’t as easy as a brain storm and a foodie wish list? If it were we’d all be creating deliciously experimental ice cream. This was answered when Manolo walked out from the lab. A third generation ice cream maker from Italy, a previous winner of the world ice cream championships and so bashfully humble, you know he knows his stuff. Meeting Manolo proved that ice cream is in fact a bit of a scientific art form and, as Josh informed us, you can’t just throw in a punnet of strawberries in and hope for the best; “Because we use real fruit in our ice cream, like strawberry puree or bananas, how much water or sugar they have in the fruit affects the ice cream. “When you freeze the ice cream you think ‘oh that’s alright it’s frozen’, but what happens after you freeze it is another world. If you don’t have enough fat to water then they don’t bind and it separates in the pot. You could come back to find frozen water at the bottom and frozen fats at the top.”
This is where Manolo steps in to help avoid any culinary mishaps, as amongst all his other talents, he can add science genius to his CV. He’s so well versed in the molecular structure of ice cream that he lectured at the Gelato University in Italy and even spent ten years producing a natural fibre which recreates the texture of cream, solving ice cream issues for vegans everywhere. Its mind boggling that so much goes into the creation of your favourite scoop and it’s no wonder Northern Bloc use winter to stay three months ahead on their projects. Whilst the team experiment away, another big job is to pot the orders, something which the team do by hand until their sparkling new machine arrives. To say its winter, you’d be surprised at how many winter ice cream eaters there are devouring tubs at an alarming rate; “Although you might think we shut down, we’re as busy now as we were in part of the summer. There aren’t as many events but we’re in theatres and cinemas and with panto season, it’s really busy.” With flavours like Black Treacle and Parkin, they’re making whacking out a tub after September seem a lot more acceptable. But if you’re still not convinced, we’ll leave you with this thought. Russia’s one of the highest consumers of ice cream in the world, so if they can enjoy a scoop or two in their climate, then maybe we just need to man up?
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Words by John Barran Photography by Declan Creffield
Revolution’s Brewing
For the past few decades, real ale has been perceived as an exclusive oddity for beard-stroking bores. Yet in recent times, new generations have embraced the quality of this intricate industry and reinvigorated brewing into a cool and essential world. Now modern bars and traditional boozers alike stock an array of intriguing craft beers and excellent local brews. The scene has changed from lone old obsessives sipping flat pints in tired pubs, to social young eccentrics supping rounded pints in vibrant bars. At the forefront of this movement are several breweries, new and old, which are producing a range of forward-thinking, tradition-respecting beers, nowhere more so than in Leeds. The likes of Ilkley, Ridgeside, Whippet, Burley Street, Golden Owl, Kirkstall, Sunbeam, WharfeBank, North Brewing Company, Northern Monk and Leeds Brewhouses are all creating drinks that the city has embraced and the nation has admired. The emergence of these breweries could be seen as a Yorkshire grit reaction to the recent cold closure of the famous Tetley Brewery. Sam Parker of cask ale specialist Whippet Brewing Company explains how the industry in Leeds adapted; “The void left by Tetley’s has been filled by around 15 breweries now and we are pleased to see us all flourishing,” he says. “There is plenty of competition but no one is really vying for the same area of the market and we certainly aren’t shy at recommending other Leeds breweries to our customers.” This healthy relationship between the breweries has helped one another expand and caused the output to diversify. For the Leeds public, the scene has been accompanied by a mix of fine places at which to sample these delights. Dozens of pubs, including the city’s oldest (Whitelock’s), its newest (Headrow House), and many in between, now line their bars with changing choices from local suppliers. Some of the brewers have opened their own to serve their offerings directly. Northern Monk’s Russell Bisset explains why bridging the gap between brewery and bar makes sense; “The idea was to showcase our beers in an environment that gives people the opportunity to experience our whole ethos.” The historical building with a cool industrial twist does indeed suit their produce, a range of constantly developing, powerfully flavoured drinks that personify the craft beer resurgence. Russell explains that these modern tasting ales are actually based on traditional recipes; “We take the
best of old and move forward,” he says. “There is a perception that British ales have low flavour but if you go back further to IPAs from the 1700s and to Russian imperial stouts, they are strong styles of beer.” Using these bases for interesting and seasonal additions, Northern Monk have quadrupled their audience and entered six countries whilst keeping its proud Leeds foundations. Interestingly, the original Leeds craft beer bar, is journeying the other way around. Long before the current craze, North Bar was already showcasing brews from around the world to the city and is now aptly about to enter the brewing market for the first time. North director, Christian Townsley tells how and why this came about; “We’ve been talking about brewing for over ten years but for one reason or another we didn’t make any major progress. Then a short time ago we started thinking seriously about it again, sourced kit and a site and worked incredibly hard to realise our dream.” North Brewing Company (officially a separate business to North Bar) hope to open before the end of this year and are aware of expectation; “Given the reputation North Bar has forged over the years and the place we have in the modern UK beer scene expectation will be high, we can’t put mediocre beer out there.” Fortunately they’ve an unequalled knowledge and experience of the market, having lived through years of change; “Since North Bar opened in 1997 the beer scene in the UK has changed beyond recognition,” says Christian. “The breweries offering a diverse range were few and far between. Now, thankfully, the bawdy sketches of busty barmaids on pump clips are pretty much a thing of the past.” So where next for the city’s micro-brewers, who are so far successfully challenging the massproduced giants with flavour and personality? Onwards and upwards, according to Sam Parker; “We are lucky that in general the Leeds beer buying public are a savvy bunch, demanding more from their pints than tasteless fizz. This means the Leeds market is wide open for any independent brewery selling a quality product.” With the breweries, the bars and the people all equally enthused, Leeds continues to lead the way to a future where talent, passion and character is rewarded and natural quality can triumph. This is a city whose glass will never run dry. We’ll drink to that.
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Words by Louise Fletcher Photography by John Slemensek
Moments in Time: The Leeds (DIY) Art Scene
Moments in Time is a roaming documentary of an art scene that has been shaped by the passionate individuals within it. Proclaimed as a uniquely ‘DIY’ scene, the documentary searches to see where these sparks and motivations come from and how they shape the scene in its entirety. “There’s a cultural landscape out there being built by people who are driven by pure passion for creating something, different, unique, and inspiring. Leeds culture would coming crashing down if it was not for countless people striving to build and build. My job is to tell their story, to shine a spotlight on those working behind the scenes to make this city special. I’m proud to be an artist amongst them and storytelling is my medium.” John Slemensek, A.K.A, BOKEHGO, established a link within the ‘grassroots’ art scene of Leeds as a founding member of art collective Woolgather, who put their stake into the scene by creating an art prize to welcome new audiences into contemporary art. They went on from this to develop Art Vend machines which allowed thousands of people to own their own piece of unique art. Determined to celebrate the scene that he has grown alongside John’s excited to see how the journey in film takes him.
“I have no idea where it is going to lead, or what the final outcome is going to be. All I know is that I want to capture this moment. It’s a very exciting time for Leeds and there are countless great people within it. Although what I will capture will just be a slither, a mere glimpse at something so massive, the adventure is empowering. It’s time to welcome a national audience to hone in on Leeds.” Filming up until the New Year he’s determined to leave no stone unturned and is very much an exercise in inclusion. All independent galleries, collectives, studios, workshops, groups and individuals within the visual arts are welcomed to be featured. Already he’s been sighted at various events and projects with a GoPro strapped to his head and armed with a DSLR. Email: bokehgo@gmail.com to get involved
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Two Members of Precious Art Collective, Alex Gilmour (left) and Alex Milhouse-Smith in their studio at Assembly House.
Illustrator and muralist Nathan Evans in front of an artwork he made on the faรงade of Byron Street Studios.
Bobbi Abbey, illustrator and live-painter, creating a free standing portrait as part of Leeds Garden Party.
Dean Kemp, sculptor, in his studio at East Street Arts Patricks Studios.
Dorotop, audio and visual innovation artist, making a live Latin American vinyl set with bird mask, at North Bar.
Mike Winnard, illustrator and live-painter, creating artwork on-site at Leeds Garden Party.
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Words and Photography by John Slemensek
Taking the Driving Seat A new way of creative living
“We’re going to go where the opportunities take us”
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Annie Nelson and Chris Woodward, otherwise known as Artist Yoke are a duo of artists living in a van they’ve converted themselves. “It’s very difficult to live a life solely as an artist, how are you meant to survive, when you struggle to find work within the arts, and have to work to pay rent? The van allows us to play within the world, as we’re not having to pay so much money.” Now, the thought of living from a van will either fill you with jealous visions of freedom or with anxieties, wondering where on earth you would go to the loo. Everyone will have their own mental image of what living from a van looks like. We joined them on a trip to get a sneak peak of what it’s like for ourselves and discovered that
with a little bit of ingenious design, a lot fits in the back of a transit van. “Designing a space that two people could live, work and sleep in sprung up extravagant ideas like a bed that could be hoisted up to the roof on pulleys.” Explains Chris, “In essence we’ve gone for a traditional layout that sees two bench seats forming a double bed once a table has been lowered. We decided to raise two thirds of the floor space in the van to create a platform which has created loads of storage underneath for all our tools. There’s also a bike carrier mounted on the back doors so we can explore on two wheels wherever we land.”
As we travelled in the van there were deep debates, discussions and ideas. We were on the search for answers, but in fact, through a day of conversations, we discovered it only revealed more questions. How do you survive as an artist? How do you solidify your roles within society as an artist, and how do you progress this? But the duo have a refreshingly calm outlook on these potentially unnerving ideas. “We’ve no idea where it’s going to lead, what we’re going to do, where we’re going to go, how long our money will last. But, we got a home, so it’s kind of less scary.” Around all these questions, it soon became evident is that the van is a physical conduit of the result of a lot of hard work, skills, and ideals. It was born from frustrations of the nomadic life you already feel in renting property, and a situation where Chris and Annie had to move from a house (which was being sold) just as they were trying to make it feel like a home. The positive result is that they’ve now made their home, as well as a tool to travel whilst developing themselves and clever use of materials have helped keep the costs down; “We’ve made use of as many things we can get our hands on, the windows, roof-vent, gas hob, sink all came from an old camper van that we stripped out,” says Chris. “A lot of the wood has been reclaimed from a studio we made earlier in the year and, after coming across some old bits of copper
they quickly became a key feature. Annie’s growing collection of free tile samples still need a place.” As we sit together, sipping tea for the first time from their freshly installed kitchen unit, it soon dawns on us, here are two people who have taken control and are free to be the artists they wish to be. That is truly living the creative lifestyle. But there is still the question of toilet arrangements… “Nothing is as simple as the Bathroom,” they exclaim. “We don’t really have one. We do have a kindly donated porto-potty, formally only used for one live art performance and we purchased a solar shower, not as high tech as it sounds; a black back with a hose attached.” You can watch their journey and progression through their social channels, (@ artistYoke) as they feel it important to share the story, we will certainly be watching to see where they end up.
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Words by John Barran Photography by John Slemensek
Calloused (and painted) Hands of Leeds From hunter gatherers to dotcom telecommuters, the history of work in the first world has become less hands-on-deck and more arse-on-seat. However, there’s been a reaction from countercultures, for a return to manual and creative skills which has seeped into the mainstream. This has resulted in a renewed respect for practical professions, a demand for individual designs and a desire for natural materials. Leeds has an abundance of creatives in these industries doing things their way, with passion, talent and hard graft, providing our necessities and realising our visions. Charles Hunt, a Leeds Met (now Becketts) graphic design graduate has been involved in the look of influential city outlets and describes this popularity as a positive trend; “At the moment, hands-on is trendy, and I don’t mean that in a negative way. The kind of places that have sprung up in Leeds over the last few years have a very handson aesthetic; Belgrave, The Brunswick, Headrow House, The Social and Colours May Vary all have very unique styles with huge consideration of the subject and on the individuals making the art and design work.” It’s the work he did at these venues which gave him enough faith in what he was doing to quit the day job, build a studio, and set up TNL Collective, a collaborative crew of practical artists. Since then, he hasn’t looked back. Charles admits that this change in his working lifestyle provides huge job satisfaction, but that doesn’t mean an easy life. “Doing this means I’m not able to shut off,” he says. “I see everything as a potential project. What I like about the current style is that materials are recycled and they have that hand-finished appeal,” he continues. “There is no falsity, no sugar coating, what you see is what you get, good quality and well considered.” Leeds illustrator Bobbi Abbey agrees; “There seems to be a lot of independent businesses successfully thriving off the authenticity of things created by hand,” he says. Like Charles, who grew up in a family of practical workers, Bobbi’s ability appears ingrained; “I would always be drawing as a kid. I have never thought of it as training, just something I’ve always loved to do.” From there his work has developed naturally into what we see today, illustrations and murals for music and events that are visually arresting whilst cleverly representing their subject.
For those of us clocking in and out of a daily profession, it can be difficult to imagine the routine of these self-employed, creative-makers and the reality requires utmost dedication and discipline; “There are days when I don’t leave the house and work intensely to the point where I go a bit crazy.” Although he also has a space to escape to at Assembly House Studios in Armley, an artist-led building, invaluable to the livelihood and sanity of start-ups and independents. Andy Keir of Curiosity Allotment has a small workshop based in Byron Street Mills from which to design and make furniture, fixtures, shop or bar fits and set builds. “It’s my favourite place to be!” he enthuses, citing his background and education as foundations for the required mentality to succeed; “I studied contemporary art and then worked as a display co-ordinator at Urban Outfitters. Both encouraged me to think outside the box and practice new disciplines, which explains my DIY attitude.” Their ethos is shared throughout Leeds, where independents have crafted a community that utilise one another’s skills for the collective good. “Leeds has been very good to me and I’ve always had plenty of work,” confirms Andy. “I mostly build for small independents but I would say there’s one big job every month.” Bobbi agrees; “The work is definitely there, and if there are times when it’s not, I think it’s important to keep creating anyway to keep the flow constant.” Although, as a word of warning for anyone hoping to enter the market without the optimum ability, effort and invention, Charles adds; “The competition is fierce. It all depends on how confident you are with your work.” As the city moves quickly forward, these craftsmen have not only kept apace, but also adapted and thrived with old-fashioned ethics and modern minds. “This city is growing so fast and the development always brings new opportunities and projects,” says Andy, whilst Charles confirms; “Leeds is full of potential. There are some really creative and industrious people here and the independent shops, traders and workers seem stronger than ever.” Indeed, these three and more like them are living proof that in Leeds there will always be a demand for calloused hands. Build it and they will come. Or, as Charles puts it; “If you’re willing to work on it, or build it from scratch, anything is possible.” A mantra fit for this city.
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Face of the Places
“Faces of the Places” is a photographic project by Tom Horton of West Yorkshire Cameras.
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“Faces of the Places celebrates the people fronting independent businesses around Leeds. As a small business owner myself I started this project to showcase others in a similar position as myself. Whether they are owners or staff members, I aim for this to be a celebration of the people behind the places that make this city what it is.”
David, Cafe Columbiana
Vic, MKI
Heather, Mad Elizabeth
Ismit, Next One Leather
Val, Northern Acoustic
Kay, Roots & Fruits
Jules, Portare
Lisa, Ultimate Skin
Ruth, Red Tattoo
Tom, The Hive
Tom, The Tradtional Shaving Co.
Kate, Fresco 37
FILM & VINTAGE CAMERA SPECIALISTS open 7 days a week, late night thursday wycameras.com // sales@wycameras.com // 0113 246 0868 unit 2, corn exchange, leeds, LS1 7BR
Words by Steph Pullen Photography by Kirsty Garland
Digger’s Island Disc: Marko “Afro” Crossley
Digger’s Island Disc explores the collections of Leeds’ most prolific vinyl slingers and groove bringers. We challenge them to present to us the bare essentials from their collections and explain to us why they couldn’t live without them. This first instalment comes from vinyl DJ, Marko “Afro” Crossley. We met up with him at the highly anticipated new hang out, Hyde Park Book Club, just before they opened their doors to the public. A cosy little café come bar, with great books, food, fresh produce and impressive roster of DJs. Marko rolled up to the venue with about 30+ records and proceeded to struggle and squirm as he whittled them down to his “essentials”. It took some time and a good deal of coaxing but we got there in the end, this is what ensued…
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The Velvet Underground and Nico. The Velvet Underground. Andy Warhol, the famous Velvet Underground album with Nico. I’ve picked this because I remember going to HMV and buying it on CD when I was about 16 and seeing it and just thinking, I need that. I didn’t know much about it but I saw it (banana) and thought, that looks like something I would like. I didn’t have it off for about two or three years. When I was 16, I would just buy one and rinse it. I used to know it inside out, I don’t listen to it that much now but I always go back to it. If I’m going through the racks to put something on,
that always comes out. It’s what got me delving a bit deeper into 60s stuff and that was when I started going a bit… West! It’s a famous album but it’s not really commercial, I don’t think I could play heroin on a weekend anywhere. I’ve just got good memories of this because it’s what kind of started getting me a bit obsessed with the 60s. It’s nasty, horrible – some of it’s quite disturbing. It’s just weird, it’s a weird record! Love. Forever Changes. Probably, my favourite album of all time. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it, it’s perfect. For years I was convinced that Arthur Lee was white. He sounds like a white man because I think it’s really strange music for a black man to be making around that time. Does that make sense? They’re great songs but you wouldn’t get that being released today. I think that it’s pretty much a perfect album, from start to finish. I can leave it on and then just start again. There’s not many albums, if you’re honest that there’s not one song that you don’t love on it. Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood. Nancy and Lee. Obviously everyone knows Nancy Sinatra. I only actually discovered this album two / three years ago. But it’s another one that’s just great from start to finish and it’s quite funny. He’s got
a really deep voice and kinda looks like me, he’s my style icon. I especially want a white turtle neck with cream jeans. This one is a good mix of country come psychy stuff. It’s one of those that you could imagine being on a Tarantino film, it’s definitely that kinda vibe. It’s not very upbeat but doesn’t matter when you’re listening to it. It’s like a complete piece of work. It’s good. Serge Gainsbourg. Histoire de Melody Nelson. I don’t speak much French, I have no idea what he’s saying. None at all, I did Spanish at school. But Serge Gainsbourg is cool as… you like. I was gonna swear then but my mum will tell me off. It’s just so groovy! I like breakbeat stuff. I’ve worked in weird bars over the years so I’ve got a quite varied background in music. Around about the time I was 18 I was into disco and things like that and hip hop. That’s where I get my breakbeats influence but I was also always listening to the 60s stuff and the first time that I heard that album, I just thought it was like a hip hop beat with 60s music and really cool, French vocals. It’s pretty much like that all the way through. It’s a love album for Jane Birkin and she plays Melodie Nelson. They were obviously doin’ it, those two. To be honest, it doesn’t really matter that it’s in French because I’m terrible with lyrics anyway. I don’t really listen to lyrics at all.
I’ve always been in bands and I’ve always written music and the lyrics have always been more of an afterthought for me. If it sounds good then I’m not two bothered about what you’re saying. The Doors. L.A. Woman I absolutely rinsed this in my early 20s, I’m surprised it even still plays. The Doors are probably the coolest band of all time. It’s all about the organ and Jim Morrison. It’s quite jazzy this album and it’s raw. I think it was pretty much all recorded live. I THINK it was all done in one session. I just love his voice and Ray Manzereck’s organ, it’s groovy. I think its early 70s… 71 so it’s not even really a flower power record but to me, it is. I think that’s the kind of period that I’d most like to be living in, when it’s just coming out of the 60s and into the early 70s and everyone’s getting slightly hairier and flarier. I basically live my life around 71 / 72. For more muso chat from this self-identifying, hairy flarey Leeds based DJ, visit independentleeds. co.uk to check out the uncut version of this interview.
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Words by Steph Pullen Photography by John Slemensek
Actor – A Letter of response.
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You may have heard about Actor - alias of Louisa Osborn, collaborating producer Chris Mulligan and drummer Ste Anderson, all formally of much loved Leeds band The Witch Hunt. Actor’s sound is murky, alternative and progressive. They are producing their own brand of good pop music, for a generation lost in a sea of laziness and mediocrity that swamps the charts. The drums are intense and tribal, perfectly
pitted behind Louisa’s ethereal and at the same time howling vocals. The clean, sophisticated production sets a moody and caustic atmosphere. Art-pop perfection. We recently put some questions to the band in order to get an insight into what makes them “tick” and were delighted when Louisa came back to us in whimsical fashion with this lovely handwritten note, a letter in response.
Photography by John Slemensek
Street Style: Thought Bubble Festival 2015
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David - Judge Shimura
Kate - Link from Legend of Zelda
Susie & Ryan - Queen & Lui
Sarah - Green Ivy
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CHAPTER HALL
B R EWERY | REFEC TORY | C HA P T ER HA LL Showcasing 20 draft beers and an extensive selection of bottles from the North and beyond
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