wander
lotta nieminen | malak el husseiny | filip hrivnak | susanne sundfør | amit shimoni | kwabs | julia seemann | caroline mackintosh | golshifteh farahani
issue two
october 2015
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table of contents 04 malak el husseiny Musician
08 lotta nieminen Graphic designer & Illustrator
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16 filip hrivnak Model
20 susanne sundfør Musician
24 amit shimoni Illustrator
30 kwabs Musician
38 julia seemann Fashion designer
44 caroline mackintosh
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Photographer
56 golshifteh farahani Actress
60 film review The Way He Looks by Daniel Ribeiro
62 street style Amsterdam, The Netherlands
letter from the editor Welcome to Wander, a publication dedicated to widening your horizons. I’m Isabela and I’m a trilingual American who has lived in three different countries. As a graphic designer, I love being around all kinds of creative people, but I get even more excited when I meet artists from around the world with different cultures and creative tastes. That is how Wander came to be. Through this medium, I want to introduce young American creatives to incredible international talents who have yet to reach the US mainstream. It is my greatest hope that you find inspiration here both artistically and culturally! Wander on,
Isabela
malak el husseiny Up-and-comer Malak el-Husseiny, 21, is one of the few female Arab singers in the region who sings in English. The Egyptian is best known for her sultry sound, which has been influenced by 1950s and 1960s pop culture, from fashion to music. Since signing to Subspace, an independent Egyptian record label, Husseiny has created a name for herself.
Tell us a little about yourself? Who is Malak El Husseiny? How did it all start? I’ve been singing for as long as I remember, music was always a big part of my life growing up so it was always the lifestyle I lead. I started writing music around 2 years ago when I was 17. I never knew it could be so liberating and therapeutic to pour myself into song writing, ever since I started it just became my escape. I never used to perform any of my originals though, I used to just write to express but never intended them to be for show. Only this past year have I been able to put myself out there for the world and it changed my life.
What was the first song you ever sang? How did it make you feel? 4
I honestly don’t remember, It was probably twinkle twinkle as soon as I began talking. The first song I ever performed in front of a big audience was Heaven by Bryan Adams when I was about 12. I was really scared and my voice was very shaky but when I was finished I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.
How would you describe your sound? I’m still trying to find my unique sound. I used to sing acoustic covers and wrote songs on my guitar, but now my original music is fully produced, and this supports my voice more than singing with just a guitar. My EP “Alters” sounds very cinematic, with strong drum sounds and mellow melodies, but I don’t intend to stick with this sound throughout my musical career. I’m still experimenting and enjoying wherever my musical inspiration takes me. This is evident in my single “Wild Summer Hearts.”
Who are your biggest musical influences? I have so many musical influences from different genres but I guess the legends of their time are The Beatles, Scorpions, Janis Joplin, and The Doors.
Which artist would you say resembles you the most? I’ve gotten Lana Del Rey more times than anyone else, but I don’t think I sound like her at all. Our voices are completely different. It could be because of the 1960s-inspired persona and my slight avante-guard music production, but that’s just a matter of similar taste.
What is Subspace, and how has it assisted your career? Subspace is an Egyptian record label formed by Aly Samaha. It’s the reason I started writing original songs, and the reason for all my success so far. Subspace first contacted me when I was 18, after participating in the Sing Egyptian Women competition in Cairo. It was starting up, and saw something in me that I was still doubtful of. We
signed a contract and began by artist development. I had to grow up very fast and ask myself questions that most people my age would ask after they’ve finished college, but here I was deciding what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I started making demo songs with Subspace producer and music director Teknyk, which was frustrating and difficult for someone who didn’t know their musical identity and or what to write about. After that, we started working on my sound and finding out what compliments me and what we should ditch. I then started coming up with a concept for my EP, and Subspace really helped me dig deep to express my vulnerability through my music. I started writing and working with producers on the music, and soon enough - after many ups and downs of working as an English-singing musician in Egypt - we began recording. Subpace released my EP at Virgin Megastore and on the internet (Itunes, Amazon, Spotify etc), and after that we started doing promotional live performances for the EP. Since then I’ve released a single under the label, and continue to work with it on many other projects.
Where have you performed? I’ve performed at TedXGUC, the AUC, Bikya Bookstore, the Cairo Opera House, the D-Caf Festival, Abdin Palace, O-Bar, Sing Egyptian Women, the Model U.N. closing ceremony, and many more.
What has been your biggest break so far in your music career? So far it’s been the hard work paying off slowly and steadily. The big break is yet to come.
I read that your favorite track on your EP is “Doors of Perception.” Why is that? “Doors Of Perception” means a lot to me. I was going through a tough time when I wrote that, and I had an epiphany about life and regained my inspiration. However, my favorite song would be “All We’ve Got” because we had so much fun working on it. Wander | Malak El Husseiny
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Being an English-singing musician in an Arab country, do you find it hard to be accepted or to move forward in your career? It’s definitely a setback on many levels, but I really found my niche market, and the amount of people who like to listen keep growing each day. So far I’ve been moving forward at a good pace, but I’m currently working on some Arabic songs as well to mix it up. I’m not limiting myself to only English.
What are some of the obstacles you have faced as a musician? Being able to self-assess and express when sometimes I don’t want to is my biggest obstacle, being a very private person. However, to keep doing this craft, I have to always be open and vulnerable so I can reach my audience at a personal level and always be honest in my art.
What do you think your “biggest break” or “greatest opportunity” has been so far in your musical career? My biggest break so far was being signed to Subspace and being given the opportunity to work with so many people that inspire me and start working on my EP. I’ve been really finding out a lot about myself and the music I want to create, It’s life changing.
What accomplishments do you hope to achieve with your music? I hope to become an influential, inspirational figure because there are so many people who give a bad name to the industry. I want to be one of the people who do good with their success and change people’s lives.
What are your set future plans? Nothing set, but a few projects that are still in the brainstorming phase. I intend to grow as a musician and explore different grounds with these projects.
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If you had to do anything other than singing what would that be? Well, I wouldn’t choose one thing because I’m into so many art forms. I love painting and fashion, so I would pursue these as a career. I will probably do that as soon as I get a kick start on my music career because I don’t need to choose just one path, it’s all creative expression for me.
I never knew it could be so liberating and therapeutic to pour myself into song writing, ever since I started it just became my escape.
Wander | Malak El Husseiny
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lotta nieminen Lotta Nieminen is an illustrator, graphic designer, and art director from Helsinki, Finland. She studied at the University of Art and Design Helsinki and the Rhode Island School of Design. She now runs her own New York-based studio and has given talks around the world. Her list of clients include the New York Times, Hermes, Volkswagen, and IBM.
Describe your path to becoming a graphic designer and illustrator. I started at the University of Art and Design at Helsinki and after my junior year, I did an exchange semester at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and had my hands in both illustration and graphic design. I had heard a lot of good things about the school and really wanted to go there. I had also always dreamt about going to New York and the fact that RISD was three hours from NY sealed the deal. For my exchange, I had to choose a major, and had a very hard time choosing between graphic design and illustration. To me, illustration was something I was interested in, but I never felt like it was my strong point. I was surrounded by people who were really concentrating on illustration and were amazing at it. Plus, in Helsinki you can’t even major in illustration, so I only studied design there. I ended up taking three illustration classes and one graphic design class. After my exchange semester, I returned to Helsinki, graduated, and got
a job as a graphic designer at a Finnish fashion magazine, Trendi. I had always been interested in magazine designs. Since there were two of us running the visuals of the magazine, I was doing a lot of art direction. It was a very great year and a half there. In Spring 2010, I decided to fulfill my dream that I had since studying at RISD, which was moving to New York. I started with a three month internship at Pentagram and now I’m at RoAndCo.
What inspires your work? Who/where do you look to for inspiration? Beautiful color combinations are one of my biggest influence and can be the whole starting point to a piece. I like to spot them, take a snapshot and then use them in my work. I like to draw my inspiration from things that aren’t from my own field: beautiful clothing, old paintings, African masks, interesting furniture, breathtaking architecture. I also think the fact that I work in both illustration and graphic design shows – when I illustrate, I like to get inspired by graphic design, and vice versa.
Wander | Lotta Nieminen
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You illustration work always has beautiful texture – what media do you usually work in? What is your process? The style I illustrate in started out as hand made collages, but has slowly become more and more digital. I fill shapes with patterns I have in a surface library I’ve collected by scanning grainy prints. Then I multiply them with each other and layers of color. Having the handmade texture in my illustrations is very important to me. I’ve always wanted to keep a tactile feel to my illustrations. I like it if people can’t quite figure out the technique at first glance.
Do you keep a sketchbook of your ideas? Unfortunately, not so much anymore. I doodle while making notes when on the phone with clients, but it doesn’t extend much beyond that. I do sketches for clients only if they want to see some, but I usually prefer to just start working directly on the final file.
What do you consider be the artistic highlights of your career thus far? I loved working on the window displays for French high fashion house Hermes, showcased in seven of their stores on the U.S. East Coast. Working on window displays had been a long time dream of mine, so when the opportunity presented itself, I was obviously ecstatic! What made the project even more fun was teaming up with Aux Armes Etc, a set design studio with whom I had previously worked with at RoAndCo. The brief was very open and the final visual world was the outcome of laid-back brainstorms over beers. Whenever I’m commissioned by a client or brand I’ve looked up to since being a student makes a project very special. For the same reason when The National, a New York band I’ve been a huge fan of for years, contacted me and asked if I could do a tote bag illustration for their upcoming tour, I thought it was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I’ve been really excited to have recently worked for mediums that are new to me. Those are the projects
I’ve come to realize that the things I want have more to do with the quality of life rather than work goals. that force me to take my illustration style and process to a new level. During the past year, I’ve illustrated for a hand-embroidered carpet and pillow, wine bottle labels and department store collateral. In the upcoming months I also have illustrations coming out in the form of a coffee tin and cup, as well as an animated ad.
Did you ever have any mentors along the way? I had some very influential teachers. One was Tapio Vapaasalo, who was the head of the graphic design department at the university in Helsinki—he just retired this year. I had him my first year and he was this father figure that helped me be certain that graphic design was really what I wanted to do. There is always this uncertainty at first when choosing your career path, when you ask yourself, “Is this it?” At RISD I took this editorial illustration class with Chris Buzelli and it was a much needed boost for my self-confidence. For the first time, I got some good, proper feedback on my illustration. I think the other students were intrigued with my work because my style was so different. After that, I started doing illustration just as seriously as I was already doing graphic design.
What does you work space look like? Do you have a studio space? Since going freelance, I have worked from Studiomates, a collaborative workspace of designWander | Lotta Nieminen
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ers, illustrators, bloggers, writers, and developers located in Dumbo, Brooklyn. It’s a great space with a beautiful view of the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges.
Do you feel a responsibility to contribute to something bigger than yourself through your work? Yeah. I’m doing what I love and what I’m best at and if with that I can help other people feel as happy as I do about the work I make, it’s mainly a bonus. I’m responsible to think about the things I do and to challenge myself. My work is my way to touch other people’s lives. When you do something and you don’t feel grateful and appreciative about it, that’s not possible. You can make other people happy by being happy. So that’s the greatest responsibility I feel in my work.
Are you satisfied creatively? I am very satisfied creatively. I’ve come to realize that the things I want have more to do with the quality of life rather than work goals. I want to have time for myself and enjoy life. I feel so lucky to have found this thing I love, but I still don’t want it to be my everything. In terms of satisfaction and the future, my work goals are not as much the big picture because I’ve already reached some of my goals in making the big decision to move to NY to pursue my career. I’ve really been wanting to expand outside of print and I’ve been working with some new mediums. More recently I’ve done a label for a wine bottle, an illustration for a Helsinki-themed hand embroidered cushion, and carpet for the Finnish company Tikau.
What advice can you offer other artists and creatives? What really helped me when deciding to go fulltime freelance was that I had been doing it on the side of full-time jobs for quite a long time. Because of the financial safety of having a day job as a designer, I was able to freelance on only
work that I thought to be truly inspiring. This helped me develop my style without a rush and build a portfolio with work I was really proud of. One big advice regarding freelancing and presenting your work is a bit of a classic: what you have in your portfolio is what you’re going to get commissioned to do. A couple years ago, I did this personal project of a cityscape and posted it on my website. Soon after, my first building-related commission came in and now that’s what everybody wants from me. Now I’m trying to steer away from that and am drawing animals and plants. Having a profession on “both sides” has taught me a lot about that too: working as a designer who commissions and as an illustrator who gets commissioned. When I’m art directing, the only thing I see is what’s in someone’s portfolio. It rarely crosses my mind that this person would want to do something else than what’s presented in his or her portfolio.
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Wander | Lotta Nieminen 15
filip hrivnak The skyrocketing career of today’s most in-demand Slovak male model, Filip Hrivnak, is a story of overnight success: The ex-hockey player turned Versace boy and Mert & Marcus sweetheart has been modeling for only two years. Though his career has taken on global reach, his hometown remains the Slovak capital of Bratislava, where his agency Exit is based.
How did you start modeling? As a teenager, I never thought I would become a model and I definitely never planned for that. I mainly focused on hockey but when I got injured, I took a break from sports and decided to try my luck by contacting the model agency Exit. They signed me and a month later I was opening the Givenchy show and got booked for their look book. From that point on the avalanche of requests began. 16
What was your first big job? I definitely owe my career to Mert & Marcus. They booked me for my first big editorial in W magazine, called “Supernormal Supermodels.” We shot for 10 hours in London and I got to work with Kate Moss, who was very sweet. The next day I got booked for a Vogue Hommes International cover.
What do you consider your biggest professional success so far? I loved working with Steven
Klein and Lara Stone on the editorial “Love Machine,” in the February 2015 issue of W magazine. Lara is a genuine person and in many ways she’s not a typical model. I find her very feminine and beautiful. My biggest job yet was the last Versace campaign.
Did you have a chance to meet Donatella? Yes, I did and I really enjoyed her presence during the shoot. We didn’t discuss fashion at all. She just asked me questions about Slovakia and about the area where I’m from.
Have you always been aware of your appeal? I know this will sound very cocky, but girls always liked me, so I am guessing this is where my self-confidence came from.
How do you keep in shape? When I have spare time, I do all kinds of sports such as football, swimming and tennis.
Who is your professional icon? I would say the model Simon Nessman is my icon. At the beginning of my career, people nicknamed me “baby Nessman” and some people from the industry also said our personalities were similar. We share the same agency in New York and Milan. I met him once at a dinner and after meeting him in person I realized we
don’t look alike at all, although our character’s similarity is pretty true indeed.
Is there anything you would like to change about the modeling industry? I would appreciate it if the rates were equal for male and female modeling.
How do you feel about nudity? I am OK with underwear but I guess that’s my limit and everyone respects that. When shooting for E! with Steven Klein, he wanted me to take my briefs off but in the end he respected my decision. I don’t consider myself shy, but I like to keep certain boundaries.
gram for professional reasons and I personally like the fact that I can show who I really am outside the studio and off the runway. I don’t mind sharing parts of my personal life. Interestingly enough, I’ve received a few commercial “product placement” offers for my Instagram profile.
What do you consider the most common stereotype about male models? Most people outside our industry think all male models are gay. I find it funny because the vast majority of the male models I know are actually straight. From my experience I sense that clients also seem to prefer straight models.
Are you active on social media?
Is there any brand you would love to model for?
Nowadays it’s a must for a model to be active on Insta-
Calvin Klein! Thus far I have only walked his runway shows
and my dream is to become a CK underwear or fragrance model. I’m a big fan of the Calvin Klein clothing line too. I would also like to model for Hugo Boss.
Which city do you consider your favorite? I am definitely not a big-city boy. I’ve found that on my travels, Paris is my favorite place to work in, although the spirit of New York City is one of a kind. For my job I’ve already had to move from my hometown to Bratislava and I would consider moving to Prague, but I guess that’s the furthest I’d move.
Can you picture yourself being a father and having a family? I feel totally ready for it and I hope by the time I turn 27 that I will have my own little soccer player.
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I would appreciate it if the rates were equal for male and female modeling.
Wander | Filip Hrivnak
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susanne sundfør
Readied with a very strong desire to feel free and a need for confirmation that she could do things exactly her own way, ‘Ten Love songs’ sees the gifted Susanne Sundfør delve into a very personal space and given the themes musically, the ambiguously titled album pulls Susanne closer to pop terrain than she has been before, whilst also maintaining the artistic freedom that has always characterised her stunning work.
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Ten Love Songs is close to release. How are you feeling about the record? I’m very pleased, especially as we’ve been waiting a year – it was actually done last March so it feels good that it’s finally out.
Having already listened to the album, Ten Love Songs aren’t really conventional love songs, are they? Well, I guess that’s why I thought it was an interesting title. We can summarise what’s conventional and that’s not always what you get. I like it.
It’s quite an emotional album but what began the process? Was it a lyric, a melody, a feeling? Well I think it’s a mixture of all of it. I had two songs long before the rest of the album, Accelerate and Trust Me, and I was trying to make a universe out of the two songs. I tried to continue making something similar both musically and thematically. I wrote Fade Away in a completely different direction and from there, I wanted to make songs that would fit in, in a way. And then I found the album title covers them all. With The Silicone Veil and The Brothel, I had titles before I started making most of the songs where as with with Ten Love Songs, the title came later.
The album is great, almost temperamental and unexpected in its tone, as is love itself. We very much enjoyed it. Thank you, thank you so much.
Released so far, we have Fade Away and Delirious – why these two? Well actually that’s a question for the label because I don’t really meddle with that. (Laughs) It’s for them to decide what is the best single because they probably know it better than me! I assume its because they are the most catchy songs on the album, if you can call them catchy. That’s why.
And what of their remixes, particularly that jumpin’ Richard X remix? I love all of them, I think they’re fantastic. I got some really good artists this time to do them. I’m a big fan of I Break Horses, so that was really cool.
Purely because the album feels quite cinematic, there are moments of tension and a lot movement in your sound – do you already have plans for the videos? Could it have been a visual album? I often start with a vague idea of a sound and I can think in visual terms. Like on Ten Love Songs, I was thinking a lot of statues, buildings and… weapons, in the beginning. And then it changed into more romantic visions.
So, ultimately, what is the difference between Ten Love Songs and previous Susanne Sundfor albums? Well I think this is probably a bit more direct both musically and lyrically and its more communicative and I guess the sound is quite different opposed to the last two albums, a bit more electronic. Maybe a bit more dynamic and dramatic.
Are there any of the tracks on there you would like to be chosen as a single? I guess the fun in a single release is that sometimes you get to make a music video so Wander | Susanne Sundfør 21
In Scandinavian music, culturally, they focus a lot on melody but there are a lot of different Scandinavian sounds. From bubblegum pop to black metal.
that’s why I thought Delirious was a good choice, because if we do make a video for it, it’s quite a scenic song so I think it’d make a great video.
What are you listening to at the moment? Well I’ve been listening a lot to more the LA music scene, so Jenny Lewis and Beck – I think both of their last albums were brilliant.
Indeed – we bloody love them both. Now, your tour starts in London (March 3rd) and the venue has already been upgraded… but where is weirdest place you’ve played a gig? I did a show once where there were about 15 people there and they were all over 60, that was very strange. They very sweet but it was a bit bizarre.
So, we’ve heard you’re a sucker for pop music but who? Any contemporaries? Right now I have to say, its quite fantastic but Just One of The Guys by Jenny Lewis. I think she’s my number one when it comes to good pop.
There’s been a lot of worldwide commercial chart success recently for multiple acts from your neck of the woods. What do you think it is that your side of Europe brings, musically? I think there is someone who has a theory about Swedish
music – it’s because of Abba and that we love pop songs. In Scandinavian music, culturally they focus a lot on melody. But there are a lot of different Scandinavian sounds from bubblegum pop to black metal. Americans and British people maybe think that Scandinavian music is pretty exotic.
Lastly, what are your plans for this coming year? Well right now, I’m focused on my tour – its going to be a long one and then after that, I’ll work on the next album.
There are multiple artists who you’ve worked with on this album (M83, Big Black Delta) but what is most important to you, as an artist when working with someone else? Well, chemistry is very important. I mean, I like a good argument, its good to work with people who are passionate about what they do. But I think understanding each other musically is the most important thing.
Wander | Susanne Sundfør 23
amit shimoni Amit Shimoni, 28, has created a strong following with his latest portfolio, “Hipstory.” The Israeli illustrator and designer recently graduated from the Department of Visual Communication at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, where Hipstory was born as his final project. In an effort to reimagine the great leaders of our history, Shimoni chose to depict them in our modern culture and time through illustrations.
Who is Shimoni, “the artist?” I am a young designer. Illustrating is my love. I think anything can be turned into an illustration, whether it is scenery or a feeling. I believe an illustration has a place anywhere, whether it is in the Louvre or on coasters. I also like working with graphic design and video clips.
What inspires your creativity? I see my creation process as a game of ping-pong with reality. I capture things that arouse thoughts and feelings within myself, and through my filters, I bring it back to the world as a drawing. I hope the final outcome will light something in [others], or at least give [them] something to contemplate about.
What is a “Hipstory?” “Hipstory” started when I reflected on the Israeli culture and leaders in the past, and compared them to those of today. Google a photo of Theodor Herzl, the founder of the Israeli nation, and you will find about two appropriate photos. Now, Google a random 18-year-old guy from Beijing and you will find tons of photos of him in all different outfits, but not the same for Chinese
Communist revolutionary, Mao Zedong. I started by depicting and illustrating the Israeli generation of founding fathers. I often find myself imagining a world where some of these leaders are less interested in influencing lives and more focused on their own persona. After the success of the Israeli series, I thought people would identify with this notion and these kinds of illustrations all over the world. I put hints in any character to its history, ideology and background. It takes an average of ten days to make one hipster-style portrait. But it really depends. Kennedy was so easy because he is affiliated with today’s culture, and Margaret Thatcher was more difficult with her serious tones and approach.
What does “Hipstory” mean to you? In our time and culture, big ideologies are lost. We have grown tired or perhaps too smart to follow big systems of absolute ideas and beliefs. Have we lost something in this process? With nothing to hold on to, we are becoming global beings, focused more on our individual selves and less on society and ideology. Imagine Gandhi obsessing about his looks and not about releasing India from the British rule, or
Abraham Lincoln searching for a hip bar instead of abolishing slavery. Although all of these great leaders were part of a collective identity, they were all still unique and innovative in their own ways. “Hipstory” wishes not to criticize, but to shed new light on the way we think of ourselves and the figures who inspire us.
How have you felt about the recent international attention? You can’t believe the reaction—it was amazing, the young and the old were inspired. They had their own perspective of the series. Everyone had something to connect with. I do affordable art. I exhibit mostly in small galleries and pubs, and I sell copies of the illustrations online.
Do you have a favorite hipster illustration? My favorite is probably Lincoln. After all, he was my first and he is the oldest. He is so detached from the hipster scene, and even by his looks you can see that he is not related to this whole thing at all. To tell you the truth, I think even some hipsters today are detached from their identity, yet they keep it anyway.
Would you call yourself a “hipster?” Does any hipster say about himself that he is a hipster? Whether or not I want to be, I Wander | Amit Shimoni 25
am a part of a generation that is concerned more about being unique and creative than about other ideologies, such as those the great leaders were concerned about. I am no better than anyone. I don’t think that being hipster is negative, but will let my audience reflect and decide.
So who is Amit, “the person?” I like [spending time with] friends, travelling, and my lovely dog, Adam. Recently, I started to find great interest in history. Reading on all these great “Hipstory” leaders before I started illustrating really got me curious.
If you could be anything in an artist’s toolkit, it would be…? Imagination.
What is your advice for aspiring artists? Use the Internet.
What’s next for you? I plan to include more local figures from countries such as France, Germany and India. There are great leaders all over the world. I just need to “hipsterize” them.
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With nothing to hold on to, we are becoming global beings, focused more on our individual selves and less on society and ideology.
Wander | Amit Shimoni 27
kwabs
Kwabs is South London’s latest soul stirrer, blending powerful vocals with electronic beats seamlessly. With MOBO picking up on him as a rising star, we think it’s about time everyone sits down and listens to the 24-year-old crooner who studied at London’s prestigious Royal Academy of Music. You know you’re in a good place when Guardian
writers are calling you “the new Seal.” His EP Wrong or Right, produced by Vienna’s legendary Sohn, has a chilling Saturday night appeal and had an immediate 10,000 streams in its first 24 hours online. With his newly-dropped Walk EP currently doing the rounds, we caught up with Kwabs and talked just about everything.
What was it that always nagged at you about that early music you were making? Why did you feel so in need of a change of style? For me, I think I find making music most exciting when it’s in that area between what some say is the “reverential” sound of my voice and a backdrop that is far more contemporary. I wanted to bring something to the table which turned that combination of voice and music into something you didn’t necessarily expect to hear.
Hey, Kwabs! So, you just got nominated for a MOBO Award. How does it feel?
Did you feel like pop music was the last unexplored frontier for you?
Yes! I hadn’t expected it but when I saw that people were talking about the nominations, I thought, “Hold on... I might be in for a chance here”. It was like an early Christmas present. I’m just really glad to be in the same category as other artists that I love; it feels like a really good team of people.
Exactly. I could have explored a more traditional path for a short time, but I would have lost my mind because it just wasn’t anything I was interested in. The further along I get with this whole process, the more I realize that that would’ve been the wrong path to take. Every now and again someone makes a reference to someone who is doing that — and doing it much better than I ever could at this particular stage! — and I find myself gritting my teeth and having to hold back the temptation to say “Just because I have this voice does not mean I’m going to do something that you expect.”
What was your first encounter with music? I genuinely can’t remember! But it was almost certainly my first form of self-expression as a kid. I’d sooner have started singing than throw a tantrum.
What did you grow up listening to? In my early childhood it was all about pop and R’n’B – what was in the charts really. Then I fell in love with guitar bands while I was in secondary school and eventually Jazz and soul in my late teens. I think I saw something exciting in most music at some point.
Was there a particular moment growing up that you realised music was what you wanted to do on a serious level? We used to have singing assemblies at school, and I really took my chance to shine. Even when there’s like 100 people sitting with me, I was belting out at the top of my lungs. But it took until teachers started paying attention for me to kind of take it seriously, I’ll be honest. 32
It must be pretty gratifying to have done things your own way and still receive a good deal of success and appreciation for it. Absolutely! I think there’s a gap out there that’s looking to be filled by artists who want to navigate that space between obscurity and being visible, and making some kind of journey towards the mainstream.
I’ve read you grew up in foster care, and while you’ve said you had an overwhelmingly positive experience of that, your lyrics nevertheless contain a number of references to ideas of “escape” and “breaking free”. Was that intentional? Yes, definitely. I think what’s important to me — the message I want to get out there, if you will
— is that I want to be honest with myself about what I’ve been through. I would encourage everyone else to be as well. I don’t believe in masking yourself from reality, or building a wall around the truths of your own mind. I’ve had to be incredibly upfront about those things, and in a way put them out there in a manner that I can be entirely comfortable about. I just have to be honest with myself and everyone else on a day-to-day, minute-to-minute basis, just so I can keep sane.
That’s interesting, because you don’t normally hear those kinds of themes in this type of music. I mean you’ve got to be able to put that stuff into all sorts of musical frameworks, and I am a strong believer in the idea that the best songs are the ones where there is that conflict between the seriousness of the content and the feel of the Wander | Kwabs 33
music. If you can create something that you can both dance and cry to at the same time then you’ve really achieved something special.
When you started out, you got a lot of attention from your YouTube videos. So, social media has worked out great for you. Overall, though, do you think social media is more of a help or a hindrance in today’s music industry? It creates an interesting relationship between artists and fans where they have such a direct
If not like Seal, how would you personally describe your sound? I think it’s a sound that simultaneously looks backwards and forwards. Knowing where it comes from whilst keeping things moving and trying to carve a space in the future.
Your lyrics, they’re super-personal and really honest... I wear my heart on my sleeve, musically, but I think people don’t necessarily know that by listening to the songs. They’re emotive, so they’ll
I don’t believe in masking yourself from reality, or building a wall around the truths of your own mind. beeline to you. An interesting compromise is where, as an artist, you lie along the lines of giving your all to your fans all the time, and letting them know everything, and kind of keeping some stuff back.
You’ve been praised by Jessie Ware, India Arie, Laura Mvula, Emeli Sandé and Joss Stone, who’s your favourite fan and why? I’m pretty stoked that any one of those artists would be giving me any praise. India Arie has certainly given me the most words of wisdom. She’s checked in on me occasionally to see that things are still alright and she’s basically a pretty wonderful soul.
The Guardian referred to you as ‘the new Seal’, how do you feel about that? I’m less ready to entertain that comparison now than when I first started out because ultimately I’m only really looking to be myself. I think it’s really important as a new artist to forge my own path. Some comparisons (like the Seal one) are really flattering, others are a little less inspired! So I try not to worry too much about either type.
feel a story in there but I’ve never said anything explicitly and that’s really important because I want people to make their own judgments about what they mean and also have their own connections with it. I want people to feel whatever they feel about it, rather than feeling what I feel or trying to make a judgment about what I wrote it about.
What was it like working with SOHN? Really cool! He is a very deep, considered, intelligent guy, with a mass of musical ability and talent. It was really amazing to be party to that.
How did the collaboration come about? He’s been around for a while; I think myself and BANKS were probably two of the first people he’s worked with as like a writer to someone else’s project. Our teams just kind of set us up together, and it just worked.
Do you think working with him opened you up to a new audience? Yeah, I think his fans connected with my stuff and some of my fans connected with his. It seemed Wander | Kwabs 35
like a really good, really important partnership, actually—to unlock different sides of what I do. I think it’s all about taking two creative energies and making something new with them. Something new... I think that’s key!
nerve-wracking. It just takes practice and trial and error. And you make some mistakes sometimes.
What’s your favourite track from your EP Wrong Or Right? And why?
Not trusting that my fans love my material. Sometimes when I’m making a set list, I’m like, “I’m gonna put the biggest, fastest tunes in there. I’m going to play all of my new tunes.” But, actually, I think my fans remember the journey so they want to experience what you’ve done before and the songs that they love, as well as some new stuff to look forward to when it comes out.
They’re really all too special to me to judge but I think Wrong or Right marked a real step forward for me into knowing where production and my voice and song-writing really felt like they had come together in an exciting way. It was also my most dynamic release to date I think Sohn and I knew we were on to something.
Tell us a bit about your forthcoming album. How does it differ to your EPs, Wrong Or Right and Walk? I think the album sort of creates a broader picture of the music that I love. Whilst it’s keeping a sense of alternativeness in its identity, there will also be the bare bones of my musical heritage and what my voice does; some more classic moments because people need to hear that too.
You dropped a new remix of your hit Walk earlier this year, featuring Fetty Wap. Is hiphop an area you see yourself moving into more in future? I’m certainly open to it, but it has to be the absolute perfect opportunity for me to take it. It’s not something I think about too much right now, because it’s one of those things where, if the right opportunity comes up, I’ll know.
Your shows are forever selling out! Do you enjoy performing live, or do you stay nervous? I’ve definitely gone to different stages with it. At first, I was just experimenting. Now, though, I have to be aware of the fact that people might know some of the material and that they have different ambitions, requirements, desires, and you have to step up to the mark, which is quite 36
What would you say your biggest mistake has been?
What would you be if you weren’t a musician? I’d just find another way to reach people through art. Music therapy, maybe? I’m not sure that I could have ever really kept away from music’s path.
What’s your definition of success? Doing what I love and loving doing it. I want to make music for everyone and I want as many people to hear it as possible.
And finally, how will we find you in ten years time? Still in South London, drinking Herbal Tea, singin’ licks…
julia seemann Fashion designer Julia Seemann (25) works and lives in Zurich, Switzerland. She graduated with honors from the Institute Of Fashion Design at the Academy Of Art And Design Basel in 2014. Julia’s work follows one main aesthetic vision: to combine reduced geometric forms with plain or rough fabrics and materials with the aim to create a feminine, sensual and elegant look with an edgy twist.
Writing to you from Central Saint Martins, it’s interesting to know what the similarities and differences are between our education… What was your course like — did you have a lot of focus on visual representation and marketing? How much of it was technical vs. creative process? We didn’t have a marketing course, but we got more educated about the direct confrontation in front of people and mentors. We had to do shoots though, so we did have to think about our representation of both the collection and the designer. It was always important for me to have good editorial shoots, as I knew it’s an important part of selling and presenting a collection on social media and the internet.
What would you say are the advantages of being a Zurich-based designer, as opposed to having your brand in a massive city like London or New York? It’s less stressful and hectic than in a busy city like New York, and you get a more objective perspective on things when working in such a
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relaxed atmosphere. Also, Zurich is located in the very centre of Europe, which is practical in terms of manufacturing — it’s next to Italy, for example.
What’s the story behind your collection? It’s mainly inspired by regular workwear and concrete art. I used different raw materials such as coated denim and patent leather, as to create feminine silhouettes with an egdy twist.
Could you tell us a bit more about the sourcing process for the models and stylists. We heard all of this went via internet? Yes, the whole show was crowdsourced, such as models, hair- and make up artist, photographers and stylists. It was great to see how all creative minds from different backgrounds came together to realise this project.
Which young fashion design graduate do you think is nailing denim design lately? I think Faustine Steinmetz, the way she works with denim and its materiality convinces me.
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caroline mackintosh
Caroline Mackintosh has created some of the most ethereally youthful photographs around. As a seasoned editorial shooter for Oyster Magazine, Vice, and other magazines, she effortlessly blends sexuality with warmth and poise. And though her editorial work is killer, her personal projects are getting her name out even more.
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Please tell us a bit about your background and how you came to be a photographer? My family has always been very into their wildlife. From a young age I would travel with them to the likes of Botswana, Zambia and Nambia. It was only natural for me to pick up my dad’s camera and start taking pictures of our expeditions! From then on my love for photography has only grown and expanded mainly towards people and landscapes, rather than animals. After school I did a year of Fine Art at Michaelis but then transferred to a degree in Property Studies, a decision I still question. Upon finishing my studies, I came full circle and pursued my career in photography. As cliche as it sounds I knew I could never have an office job, I have a hungry soul, I always need to meet new people and have an ever-changing environment to keep me stimulated.
What has been your favorite project to work on to date? It would have to be a recent project with Fani Segerman and Julia Campbell-Gillies at Steenbras Dam. It was such an amazing photogenic location, like no place on Earth… I felt like we were the only people for miles and we most likely were.
How would you describe your aesthetic? My photographs show the spontaneous need for the raw, wild and free youth of South Africa. I see my work as an extension of myself and the way I live my life, constantly playing with alluring beauty, nostalgia and the cheeky brash! This allows my work to hold a sense of honesty and freedom…
Is your approach different to fashion photography than it would be to capturing a moment on the street? The finest moments are the ones that aren’t contrived. So whatever I am shooting I try to keep this in mind. Even when giving direction I always try to let me subjects feel out the mood for the shoot themselves, allowing pure moments to manifest naturally.
How is your personal work different from your work for a client/brand/magazine? I would like to think that there is a consistent appearance and tone to my photography. However with commercial work there are always boundaries and expectations which will render the outcome. It really depends on the client and job.
not all glamorous but the hard work is humbling and teaches one etiquette.
What are your thoughts on the creative industry in South Africa? Do you find it to be competitive/supportive? I try not let myself worry too much about this, it’s likely to have a negative affect on your work. I like to believe that if you love what you do and produce great work, you can only receive good work in return. So I shoot what I love and and try to stay true to myself.
Do you have words that you live/work by? Spontaneity is the spice of life! For as long as I can remember my mother has been installing this belief in me and it’s something I really live by.
What are the positives to being young in South Africa now? I feel like in the last 3-4 years South Africa has really grown creatively both in JHB and Cape Town. I’m really excited to be a part of the youth of Cape Town today. Our city is still establishing itself creatively which means we play an integral part in moulding and building it. So many of my friends are doing such amazing creative things, we all feed off and push each other; as well as collaborate. My friend Laura, who is a writer down from Columbia, put it down so well the other day, “Cape Town is still on its way to becoming something great, and it’s this vibrant search for identity and expression that’s giving way to such a creative explosion”.
What have you learnt/how have you grown through working as a photographer’s assistant? I believe it’s something that every aspiring photographer should do, it not only speeds up the learning process but exposes you to different techniques as well as being able to “get your foot in the door”…Being an assistant is Wander | Caroline Mackintosh 45
golshifteh farahani The Patience Stone is a monologue performed brilliantly by Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani to her husband who is lying in a coma after being injured in war. The woman is unnamed, as is the country, and she is a symbol of all women who are forced to marry young, bear children, and deal with men fighting and killing each other.
Can you tell me about what drew you to this role? Before reading the film script, I had read the book a few years before like in 2009. As an actress, I thought, of course, I have to play this part. This is a woman fighting for her individuality. She has so many contradiction and so many contrasts. I really wanted to understand all that feeling and I wanted to understand it to play it well.
It is not a conventional movie. There are very few words. It feels poetic and you are
simply the entire movie. How hard was it to have all of this on your shoulders? That is the reason that I was motivated to do this part. But, it was very difficult because of course, it is, not a monologue, but dialogue with herself and the universe. The partner is mostly not there. I saw the camera as my partner. I needed something as my partner and I was alone with this camera. The amount of monologue is enormous. I had to learn 3040 pages in a language which was not my mother tongue.
French and Italian are close, but they are different. It was difficult, but it was also great.
You worked there for many years as an actress, correct?
She feels to me like an everywoman--women who live in these war torn countries, women who don’t have as many rights as men, she is a very kind of symbolic character. Do you agree with that?
Now, you can’t live there or work there because of some of the work that you’ve done. Am I right in that understanding?
As a symbol of a woman, I would agree. But, she is not an Afghani woman. Yes, it’s really true that we all have something in common with this woman. That’s what makes it international and that’s what makes it a symbol of all women. We all have stories to tell and secrets. Or fear sometimes, especially in societies with a huge pressure of religion on the society. There are many places like that and we have so much in common with that woman. We have the same sexual problems, like sexual pleasure. This woman for the first times realizes that she can have the sexual pleasure. Her body is not just for suffering, but also for pleasure. She starts to understand herself and become mature. She is true to her soul and her mind and her body, which she had ignored before.
Yes.
Yes, exactly. I’ve been living outside of Iran for five years and I don’t know if I can go back now. Of course everyone can, but I don’t know what the circumstance would be.
Is your family safe? Are there any issues related to that? No. My family is all back there. But, all my problems started when we released Body of Lies. When I went back to Iran, the authorities wanted to know about it. The film is set against the backdrop of the CIA and the corporations. As a woman, it became impossible to work there or live there.
You worked in Iran? Is that your home country? I was born there, but I don’t live there anymore. Wander | Golshifteh Farahani 57
I saw that you had a film in the US recently with Sienna Miller called Just Like a Woman. Did you make that awhile ago? I made that before The Patience Stone. That was two years ago.
Are you making mostly movies with western directors now? Yes. I’m with French directors. I’m working with Jon Stewart of The Daily Show on his movie. I’m working with actors like Gael Garcia Bernal. I’m working with actors all over the planet. I really like working with them.
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This is a moment in our history where things are happening in the Arab world for women. They are active parts of these revolutions. When the new governments come in, women are not getting as many rights as they had hoped. Do you feel that the character in this movie, though it is set in Afghanistan, is a parable for what women are going through now? Yes, but the book was written before the Arab Spring. This problem of women, this horrible pressure from the regime and society on women, I think that this problem will go on. Nothing is going to change until women and men are equal. It is a problem that has been going on for centuries. Everywhere, they are fighting to get
out of it. But, there has been 1,000 years of trying to control women and people are trying to change it. It has been started and that makes me happy.
What do you want people to be thinking about when they come out of your movie? I would love if they experience a moment that opens a new door in their lives that never existed before. If they would have a great moment of truth, being joyful even if they are suffering. It just takes a moment of truth and truth is the only beautiful and holy thing, I think. So, just a moment lets you know it exists.
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film review: the way he looks Part of what makes this Brazilian coming-of-age drama so winning is the way it declines to make a big deal out of what is arguably a big deal. “The Way He Looks” (its Portuguese title is “Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho” which translates to roughly to “Today I Want To Go Back By Myself,” which makes total sense when you see the movie) is a teen coming of age story, not unusual…it’s a gay teen coming of age story, a little more unusual but not entirely unexpected…it’s a gay teen coming of age story in which the teen is blind—OK, that is unusual and kind of a big deal.
Only not. From its languid opening scene, in which teens Leo (Ghilherme Lobo) and Giovana (Tess Amorim) talk about how the summer’s about to end, and tentatively tease each other about experiencing their first kiss, the first feature written and directed by Daniel Ribeiro establishes a tone that tells the viewer this movie isn’t going to be about big things that happen in a kid’s life, but that it’s just going to be a movie about a kid’s life. We don’t even glom on to the fact that Leo is blind until the end of the scene, and Ribeiro’s sense of guileless not-quite-misdirection refuses to create the impression that a romance between Giovana and Leo would be a given under different circumstances. The way circumstances become different is that Leo is teamed up on a class project with Gabriel, a handsome sighted peer who’s got a near-unquenchable curiosity about how Leo lives, to the extent that he becomes eager to learn Braille, and then quickly frustrated by its perceived complexity. Rather than frame the narrative as one of painful and/or liberating epiphanies, Ribeiro structures the movie as a relaxed line of grace notes, many of them charming (Gabriel teaching Leo dance steps to the songs of Belle and Sebastian, Leo asking his game, kindly father for tips in im-
proving his face-shaving) and some painful (Leo’s emerging new self creates not entirely unpredictable troubles for him among bigoted classmates). “The Way He Looks” is a modest and good-hearted film that leaves a clean impression: you’re glad to have spent time with the people in it, for sure. But if you’re someone whose own specific circumstanc-
es are substantively different from those of the characters, the sense of a pleasant visit is pretty much it. I can’t complain about that too much, and surely it’s a sign of social progress that a film has been made that’s both so kindly and so matter-of-fact, so unashamedly in tune to where its characters begin and where they’re likely to be going.
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amsterdam street style
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