Portraits by Jeffrey Pangputhipong

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PECKHAM

AIDAN

NATALIE CHUI speaks to the set designer about his “smash it together” style and why being original isn’t original anymore.

With his pastel pink hair and

Glasweigan accent, Aidan Zamiri stands out amongst a white graphic design studio, where he was just editing photos on an iMac. Despite moving to London a year and a half ago to attend Central Saint Martins, Zamiri is already making a name for himself as a set designer, though not to be boxed into one category, he regards himself as more of a “multidisciplinary designer”, working across photography, film and music. His sets are like mirrors of himself, full of colour, character and life, and often mesh together unexpected items, sourced from the streets of Peckham. His work has been published in Wonderland, Rollacoster and Urban Outfitters and he’s worked with fashion designer Roberta Aiener’s and indie band Dream Wife. On a Friday afternoon in his university, the charming Zamiri converses how his “DIY ” style came to be and how rewarding it is to not be “cool”.

Natalie Chui: Would you consider yourself more of a set designer? Aidan Zamiri: I mostly do set design because I always work in a three-dimensional way. I like an immediate product. So the fact that I work in a 3D space and build something to have right in front of me, gives me the most satisfaction. I’m extremely erratic, always running around, so the best way for me to work is to be building stuff and throwing stuff together. Set design helps to put the garments into context, and it becomes so complete. NC: What do you do set design for? AZ: I’m primarily based for fashion editorials or photography based work. Fashion editorials are particularly fun because you can suspend belief a little bit. You don’t need to focus on every detail; you can do it so it’s a bit of a façade and fake something that looks absolutely amazing just by a few

Photography by Becca Deains NO SUBSTANCE AidanZamiri.com

sneaky maneuvers. NC: That’s really interesting because when you look at fashion editorials and imagery, they’re there to inspire and draw people in. In your set design as you place a lot of “random” things together, what is the reason behind you doing so? AZ: When people try so hard to be original, its stupid, as there’s no point pushing being completely different all the time. Taking inspiration from other things and using it in your own way is how you create your best work. It’s annoying when people say, “Oh that’s been done before”, because who cares! Everything has been done before. As long as you’re able to do and think about it authentically, then that’s authentic. NC: So how do you create? AZ: Sometimes I’ll have an archive of images that I’ve always wanted to make, be given a brief and find that it fits the image. If I don’t have a budget for a shoot, I go out for a walk in Peckham, see what I can find and bring it home. Nine times out of ten, I will find something amazing. I’ll see the back of a chair, rip it off, nail it to something else and that’s made an interesting shape. I try to make it so it’s reflective of the clothes or it’s getting an idea across. NC: A lot of people would probably associate set design as something that has a lot of production. But in reality, you don’t really need to? AZ: I’ll come into a shoot and the stylists will have brought in three assistants, and for a set designer it’s just me. My main

philosophy is that I recycle as many set pieces as I can. And it doesn’t look the same in the next shoot because I’ll paint it, attach a carpet to it or break it in half. I normally find that if I’ve got something, and it’s a good shape or a good colour, it’ll come in useful again. You can make something look really impressive, and there’s not actually a lot in it. NC: How did you fall into set design? AZ: Last year, I was making a lot of work I didn’t like because I’d just moved to London and I didn’t know what I was supposed to be doing. I saw what other people on my course (BA Graphic Design) were doing and just felt that it wasn’t like my work. I tried to do a certain style of photography, and realised I don’t really like working technologically on a computer. I much prefer making with my hands. What ended up happening is my friend William, who’s a set designer, asked me to help construct Mary Benson’s fashion week presentation. I ended up assisting him, then Gary Card, whose main philosophy is that anything can look good, as long as you do a lot of it. Then I start doing work on my own. Anyone can do set design but its more the idea of understanding how you can use materials. NC: Do you feel like a lot of people in London feel constrained when working more creative jobs? AZ: God, definitely. I think I’m lucky that I’ve found an outlet that I’m passionate about. It’s so easy to come here

and feel constrained by what’s surrounding you. People have such set ideas about what’s ‘cool’ or ‘trendy’, which are such limiting and stifling words. On my first year, I found it so difficult to have a voice in terms of design, and to say something that I thought people wanted to hear. Trying to be “trendy” removes all the freedom in creativity. When I was making my portfolio in Glasgow, I wasn’t active on Tumblr and Instagr am, so I wasn’t concer ned with what would generate the most likes. This thirst for likes interferes with the creative process. When people make stuff with that in mind, its always contrived. Money is such a big factor for so many people. A lot of people think that if it looks cheap, then it’s bad. NC: T h e r e ’s t h i s i d e a o f “authenticity” and I feel that with so many ideas, nothing new is being generated. AZ: People have this formula in mind that they think, this is how to be “cool”. I really love everything Charles Jeffrey has done with Loverboy, but then people have thought, “Ok that’s how to do it”. Although it’s exciting, don’t do that because you think that’s the way it works. Nothing ever happens the same way. When I first started, I was just copying Gary, with using cardboard. Then I started experimenting and developing my own style. It’s about working on your own terms; instead of

thinking, “This is cool because it was on Dazed”. Be introspective and say something you want to say. NC: People would argue that there isn’t any “longevity” to doing things on your own. AZ: As someone working in fashion, it becomes a lot less about ego. It’s frustrating but you have to leave your ego behind. I suppose you have to keep a balance. If you want to work for money, then do so. But if you’re a person that wants to say something, then it’s counterproductive to work in a way that’s following others. NC: If you never moved to London to study and stayed in Glasgow, would you still have this “do it yourself ” ethos? AZ: If I were in Glasgow, I’d probably be based in my famil y home and wouldn’t be around people, making stuff. Collaborating and working with others is so important, especially with people you respect. You can’t really find yourself by yourself. SEE HIS ‘THE MIDAS TOUCH’ COLLABORATION ON PAGE 3

PORTRAIT BY JEFFREY PANGPUTHIPONG

HACKNEY

KELLY

WORDS BY NATALIE CHUI

PORTRAIT BY

JEFFREY PANGPUTHIPONG

NATALIE CHUI meets UK singer and producer Kelly Lee Owens to discuss her ‘longer’ route to music and why there’s something wrong about ‘Doing it Yourself’

‘My name means warrior”, Kelly Lee Owens tells me thirty minutes into our

conversation. It’s a strong statement but one that is telling of Owen’s character. It’s a bank holiday morning and she greets me with such a strong sense of self-awareness, its equivalent to the caffeine in the black coffee she’s sipping. We meet inside Hoi Polloi, a restaurant steps away Sister Ray, the accompanying record store to the Ace Hotel where she works two days a week. When she isn’t at Sister Ray, the indie-electronica singer and producer is busy in the studio, set to drop her debut album this September. With two singles out, and four festivals to play this summer, thisis undoubtedly a busy period in her life. Owens music has been making sound waves for her unconventional musical style in which she fuses synths, electronica and pop together. At first chord, her music is fearless and almost intimidating, but fuelled with raw emotion and power, something Owens has learned to gain over the past few years. Currently, she is signed to record label Not On Label, and has taken a very “modest route”. Experiences with “decent” record labels that were wishy-washy over signing her has made Owens realise the inauthenticity within the music industry. “When someone is so genuinely interested in what you do, there’s this extra mile that they go and that is all that you can ask for.” Rather than sign a master rights deal, which is more typical, she’s signed a licensing deal, which allows her complete ownership over her master rights.

Owens controls all her music, a rarity in an industry that is subjected as transparent. Her creative control over her music led to her being asked to curate the soundtrack for the Alexander McQueen AW’16 show in London, an homecoming for the brand. The soundtrack, a chilling homage to 80’s New York composer Arthur Russell, set the tone for the show and proved that Owens’ step back into focusing entirely over her music does indeed pay off. Born in the humble coast of North Wales, Owens grew up in a tiny village where “everyone knows everyone else.” She was brought up in a family in which hard work was championed. “My mum never spoiled us, I don’t think she could afford to in a sense.” From a young age, Owens began working, starting as a waitress at fourteen. After meeting friends who were involved in the “2006/2007 indie scene”, Owens’ interest in music developed. “They would put on nights in Manchester and talk to me about the scene there. I was so intrigued by people just putting on shows of bands they wanted to see. They made it happen.” Initially starting out helping selling merchandise, Owens moved to Manchester after school and eventually came to London, where she gained work experience at XL Recordings and a job at Pure Groove, where she met Ghost Culture and Daniel Avery. Despite being in a choir back in Wales, which “immensely” helped her voice, Owens was still unsure of how to produce music. “I couldn’t read music or anything like that,” she recalls. “So I guess it took me a long time to figure out and gain the confidence to get to the point where I would write anything.” For Owens, it’s the creative process that really reflects the sound she produces. “I do genuinely sample a lot of music on my iPhone,” she tells me when we first meet as we discuss my methodology of recording our interview on a Dictaphone. Technology and social media, though the subject of major critique in society for developing antisocial behaviour and glamourising staggering high prices, is something that Owens uses to her advantage. “Technology is your friend, it’s allowed people like me to put music on Soundcloud.” Though she doesn’t receive an advance, her label finances all her recordings. Despite this, Owens is frank and acknowledges that lack of money, especially within London can be “bloody difficult”, yet there are still less limitations. “It’s a pool for meeting likeminded people.” London is a difficult place for an artist to work in, with rising rents and lack of governmental support for arts and culture, so it’s not an easy path, but as Owens comments “it never is though”. Even as we meet, Owens is clad in an outfit all directly bought from charity shops. “I’ve had two videos I’ve released, they might not be the best things I ever do but one of them is made from no money at all, second one was made from two hundred and fifty quid and we had so much fun,” she adds with a truthful nod. Owens is refreshingly bold, but with reason. A lot of her pathway to music

comes from Owens’ initiative to learn by herself and take the first step. She’s been branded as a “DIY” artist, a spirit in which she embodies but also holds some weariness to. “One thing I’ve realised is that there’s something about “DIY” which is wrong, in a sense of the title,” She addresses, looking at me directly in the eye. “If it wasn’t for other people, I wouldn’t be where I am. You’re never by yourself and it’s about being open to other people, but of course, you are the driving force.” Building this network of people who can support her has become a big part of her career and her music. In the music industry, where success stories of singers rising to stardom overnight are often idealised and aspired, Owens is in contrast, slowing down the process. “I didn’t rush anything even though I’m impatience in one sense, which is why I put out my two EP’s myself. I’m not going to wait around for someone to tell me that my work isn’t good enough. I feel it is and I’m going to put it out there.”

Kelly Lee Owens has EP’s “Lucid/Arthur” and “Uncertain” out, to listen to her music, visit NOBUDGET.com Her album is set to drop in September.

MANOR HOUSE

ROBERT

WORDS BY CAROLYN KANG

A freelance cinematographer, Robert Fox and Central Saint Martins BA Fashion A freelance cinematographer, Communication student, Robert Fox and Central Saint RYAN discuss Martins BASKELTON Fashion Communication student, how theRYAN pace SKELTON of the industry discuss how the pace of the in film are either stifling or industry in film are either stifling sparking creativity. or sparking creativity.

Recently graduated from BA Fine Art at Goldsmiths, University of London, Robert Fox states how art education has let him learn to stand for his own vision. He is currently producing contemporary films, posted onto his website and various social medias. Fox sits in his Manor House studio in a clean, white lab coat, the exact same one used in his most recent film “The Guest”. Details are important to Fox and it’s evident in his work. In his films, everything from the square inch of fabric used, right down to the sans serif lettered font of his notices, are all carefully arranged and designed at his studio. His penchant for symmetry, and band of brilliantly dressed characters

PORTRAIT BY RYAN SKELTON

have been recognised by an international performance arts centre in Glasglow. He was shortlisted as a part of The Turner Prize Public Program and has joined the creative production team, Maavven, to publish his films. Ryan Skelton: Do you think your profession allows you to have more time, in comparison to a lot of other industries? Robert Fox: There is definitely a lot of time where I feel like I’m not generating enough ideas. I’ve always felt that, even at art school, it was like this weird state of in between times where you think, ‘Should I be producing more work or should I be using this time more to my benefit?’ Upon reflection of my time studying, it was necessary to have this stillness of time, to think about things down to a tee. A lot happens in the thought process without you realising it, so it’s extremely necessary to go through periods where you don’t think you’re using your time to your advantage, but subconsciously are. RS: Has your opinion changed over the years of art school, in comparison to when you were

studying art? RF: When I was in the process of it, I somewhat saw myself as out of it as well. I never went in with the mindset of using it as a ‘tool’, and that it’s not my ‘be all’ and ‘end all’. Whereas, a lot of people get whipped up into the environment very much focused into the course. I saw it on a bit of an outer layer, that I was using to my advantage, but was never on track of everything that was happening. RS: In terms of the environment of the students you were with, do you think there was a divide of a different backgrounds and how they used that in their own work or not at all? RF: I’m not too sure, I think there was very much, like a sheath of the way in which, people worked at Goldsmiths but, I definitely think there has been connotations of churning out a certain type of person, everyone had an idealist certain position that they really celebrated. Maybe I’m speaking because I was entwined into a certain group of people who were in that sort of mentality, but I think people celebrated what their stance was, whether that was based on background or not. RS: It seems as though you have more of positive outlook on art education?

RF: Yes, a lot of people go into art school, thinking that they’re going to be spoon fed, which sets you up for disappointment. Goldsmiths is a perfect example, because a lot of people go there thinking of the name. “Here is a checklist of all the things I expect to be gratified with, from this experience”. The only time I really appreciated the learning was realising how much time and space you had to develop yourself. I realised during my first year you’re expected to really sell yourself and present yourself as a powerful being during group discussions. I didn’t really appreciate how important that was for me. That’s when it really hit me, when I was expected to produce work under pressure during my third year. However, people definitely close themselves off from this, because through this education, they think more about what they’re given rather than what they have. RS: We come from a background at Saint Martins where a lot of students come for the space, as it has been re-designed and of the name. People seem more wowed by the campus rather than looking at the graduates’ work. So, how much does money feed into your own practice? RF: I work in physical production so money is vital. It’s funny though because I’ve somehow managed to coin this way of working where I

think things look a lot more expensive than what they look like. I’m actually doing higher production, where I ’m being asked to replic ate the production values that have generated from those past films, it’s about doing something on a higher scale but not allowing it to look too much of a higher scale.

RF: I guess it never really bogs me down. Obviously, we moan about it but never really give it too much thought. Maybe that it’s partly tied to the fact that I’m not sure where I’ll be in a year, I might be in London, I might not, so that feeling of longevity is not with me.

RS: How do you feel being an artist specifically in London?

RS: How would your life be if you had unlimited funds or a high income?

RF: I don’t see myself in one place ever. I don’t feel very comfortable in saying that I am a London based artist because I feel like there’s a sort of stigma attached to it. I want to be thrown into other places. I work in London physically, but produce music videos for LA. RS: How do you feel about the Internet, as it’s a free platform, has changed in many ways? Do you think it is a great medium to show your work? RF: It’s there because it’s there. I think it’s not beneficial to abruptly oppose digital culture. My work personally works well on the Internet, so I’m fond of playing with what it can do. On the flip side, the work of my friends works better off the Internet because their work is produced in an organic form. RS: You say you don’t feel dictated who you are by your surroundings, and we started this project as we feel rent prices dictates very much the way we work. Do you agree that in terms of accommodation in L ondon, it ’s becoming a problem?

RF: My goal is to be in a place where I can do what I want to do, but of the belief that striving without money really pushes you, which maybe couldn’t have occurred if you were cushioned. You need that strive, that friction to unearth things. It’s traumatic, but you have to go through trauma to produce your best work. h things. It’s traumatic, but you have to go through trauma to produce your best work. Visit vimeo.com/robertfox to see his works

HACKNEY WICK

UNITI

ENGLESIA , ALICE BETTINGER and MOLLY O’REILLY

PORTRAIT BY NATALIE CHUI

form the all-girl DJ group Uniti.

Fresh from the success of their debut performance at The Yard Theatre in Hackney Wick. SANJEEVA SURESH catches up with the girls at the location of their parties to discuss the music scene in London and just how they managed to pull off starting the group with invariably no budget.

Settling down with our way-too-expensive-for-too-little coffees from the

Crate Brewery. A DJ is spinning at 2PM and a lesbian couple is kissing openly surrounded by flannel-clad boys in skinny jeans. Uniti formed around the time that the #Icanbeboth hashtag, in reference to being able to enjoy clubbing yet still stand up for a good cause, was really getting in the media limelight, this hasthtag inspired the theme of their first party. Aiming to represent solidarity and independence as a woman and the ability to do whatever you want, is what they wish to achieve with their parties. Profit wasn’t even on their minds, Uniti explain. “We just wanted to do this nice thing for people and we use all of our profit for our show, even if we’re broke”, says Alice, one of the members of Uniti. The clubbing scene in London, has been in recent times, reduced less and less. Bars and clubs such as Dance Tunnel, which will open it’s doors for the last time in August, have been turned into fancy flats and restaurants in attempts from the government to “rebrand” and attract more money, defeating the heart of the communities these clubs brought together. Yet DJ group Uniti is part of a resurgence to bring back club nights into a city pushing them out and a music scene which segregates them. Coming from a range of different backgrounds, all three members of Uniti, feel that they contribute to the group in their own way. German-American Alice is the voice of reason for the group, whereas Englesia, who was born and brought up in California and Shanghai, is the most experienced DJ out of the group, having already hosted nights in both her home countries, and thus more accustomed to the nuisances of carrying out a performance. “Its all quite equal and shared, and I think its good that there’s three of us because if there’s two people with an opposing idea then the third person can be like ‘maybe we can do this’,” explains

Molly, who is the only member of the group from London. Uniti’s focal message is to make sure there is acceptance in the clubbing scene after seeing how under-represented both the female and LGBT community were in the underground, electronic music club scene. According to the group, heterosexual men have been heavily dominating the experimental club scene and emerging female musicians don’t have the same platform as men do. “Its always guys on the lineup and then you’ll see a token girl a you’d be like ‘oh wow, she’s really good but I’ve never heard her before’,” says Alice. Molly apprises to me that women tend to get held in a corner despite being good at what they do. “The dance music scene is fun but there is something lacking and I’m not sure what that is. That’s something that we’re trying to achieve with Uniti because you’d expect London to be an experimental progressive space.” Englesia notes that the major difference in the clubbing scene in London to that of Shanghai is how much of a tight community is formed within certain spaces. An outsider to that certain space wouldn’t bother venturing into unknown territories because they feel they wouldn’t fit in. Their music and shows in turn are accessible to people of all backgrounds. “I think what we’re doing is a little different than that because we want everyone to be included, no matter how they look or how they dance or what kind of music they like, they should just come and have fun.” Fully encompassing the title they call themselves, Uniti is set to unite all kinds of people through experiences that’ll serve as memories for life. With Molly and Englesia both still being students, it was interesting to see how they balance studying with running and playing club nights. “I think the reality of finance doesn’t really hit you until you’re finished with university and realise, ‘Ok, I’m in the real world, I don’t have student loan’.” Says Molly, who currently still lives at home with her parents and doesn’t go to university. “Living in London is where everything is and where all your friends are. Yet, you want the privacy and the independence to not live at home. That’s the reality you have to face. Finding a job that pays well enough to live in London because rent is so high.” Engelsia took a rather conscientious tone to the question stating, “If you want to go out, you will probably spend at least a hundred pounds a night, to pay for drinks, travel and entry fees. But if you stay in and have a chilled night with your friends, it will be free unless you’re buying beer.” So just how far is one able to push themselves on a limited budget in this line of work? For Molly, she believes that it can either be a hindrance or push you to do better. “It wasn’t the fact that I didn’t have much money that was stopping me or pushing me from doing anything, it was just like, ‘I want to do this and I’m not going to really think about what’s stopping me,” she notes. Englesia, believes it has a lot to do with determination, “You really can’t do whatever you want if you don’t have any money, it’s a real pressure when you know you have zero pounds in your

bank account. You’re just forced to make the most of what you have.” The rise of unemployment rates and increasing education fees has stretched millennials’ finance to the limit. Jobs at any price are not enough to cover the funds. “I’ve been working on my music more and practicing DJ-ing because I can’t just faff around. I feel a lot of pressure when I don’t have money”. Anxiety has also emerged as one of the factors dominating the minds of millennials, with many citing financial limitations as one of the key causes. Yet, Uniti in turn, are harnessing limitations and really use, what can be very damaging pressure, into something that is pushing them to work even harder at what they love. What does the future hold for Uniti? In September they will be performing for a charity event and all the proceeds will be going to a charity supporting women’s refuge. They would like to see themselves progressing from more than just a club night and have their message be a movement that resonates with people.

Visit NOBUDGET.com and soundcloud.com/uniti to listen to Uniti

HIGHGATE

DOM

WORDS BY CAROLYN KANG

Dom Sebastian is a multi-

talented creative who recently switched this year from studying a degree in graphic design to textile design at Central Saint Martins. The last time we were in touch, he was twenty years old and was living in East London’s Whitechapel. Sebastian already had a large presence on Tumblr when launched his first clothing collection, ‘Jurassic Marble’. His work comprised of pixelated video screens and pastel toned still life images of fruit, honing a nostalgic and cyber aesthetic. His work includes a range of disciplines from photography to fashion, graphic design and fine art. From fashion brands to musicians, Sebastian has collaborated with footwear label Camper, Italian fashion house Fendi and up-and-coming musicians such as Hucci, Empress of, and Bewilderbeast’s, designing their album covers. Yet, when we meet to interview, Sebastian is no longer living in the east and has moved further out to suburban area of Highgate in North London, where he now has his own studio space.

PORTRAIT BY JEFFREY PANGPUTHIPONG

Carolyn Kang : For the last two years, you have built a solid set of photography work for your personal portfolio. For example, you have been commissioned as a photographer to produce editorial work for Dazed and Garage Magazine. How did you balance your universit y ’s work and independent projects? Dom Sebastian: During my foundation year, I experimented with various range of disciplines from photography to textile designs. After I did a week project about ‘White Space’, I remembered I started to get into photogr aphy through experimentation. That ’s when I used my tiny student accommodation room to set a small studio set for myself. I didn’t have a lot of space and time to work on that project.

All the briefs lasted a day to a week and I wanted to develop my ideas further even though project ended.

student halls and finding a flat further out in North London? Do you work differently after you moved into Highgate?

CK: You’ve been absent around your website and social media strangely for a while. Have you lost interest to produce more still life photographs?

DS: Highgate is not too far from King’s Cross. I mean it is at zone 3 but its about 20 minutes away. I think you have to move further out, if you want more studio space. It’s calmer to live there and I have a studio in my flat where I can focus better. I still come to King’s cross and use the photography studio to take my final photographs but I like to experiment with different medium back in my flat.

DS: Oh, I’m still taking photos and collaborating with other artists but not releasing any content on the website at the moment. I’ve been more focused on the projects I received from my (textile design) course recently. During my first year, when I was specialising in graphic design, I think I was more actively involved with my personal work. I didn’t really like the project briefs I received and found it very restrictive. I think that’s how my interest drifted off from there. After I changed my degree to textiles, I think they (my tutors) became more accepting with experimentations. CK: I’ve heard the briefs were quite restrictive and also there were lots of ‘rules’ you had to follow. What were the ‘rules’ to be more exact? DS: The brief were super specific. For example, we had to produce our visuals and layout for a publication. It feels like everything needs to fit into a frame. I wasn’t expecting every brief to be very client based. For my course, I think wanted more creative freedom to create an idea from scratch. CK: How does it feel moving out from

CK: How did you start selling your clothing line, ‘Jurassic Marble’? DS: Before I sold it online, I couldn’t find any clothes I liked to wear that were affordable. So I started to design my own clothes by printing it on caps, t-shirts, shorts and sweatshirt so I could wear it everyday. My friends were interested in wearing what I designed, so I created a website to sell my own clothes. CK: Is it expensive to set your still life at the studio? DS: Well, it really depends on what kind of props I am using for the shoot. When I worked with Garage Magazine, I used £150 pounds to buy a Bonsai tree. Luckily, that was a commissioned work so I got paid for that editorial shoot. Also, the shoot I will be doing with Camper will be produced within the given budget. I have discussed if the budget they are offering me is part of

payment. Most of the projects I have collaborated were solely funded by me. Budget for a shoot is rarely discussed. CS: What are your strategies to find cheaper objects to put on your still life? Do you think you can produce a high quality work with a limited budget? DS: I think you can do really good work within a low budget. You have to spend time looking for interesting objects that can compromise price and quality. When I used to live at Whitechapel, I’d just walk down to Brick Lane and start search for props for my shoot. I mean, if you have a good budget on your hands, you can get all the equipment and props that you exactly need. But as a student I’m not too bothered by how much money I spend when I produce my work. Buying a handful of plastic flowers and fruits from a local market in Brick Lane was actually much cheaper to buy from Sainsburys and I really like when my photos looked much better than I planned. CK: Do you think it is important to have education for arts today? DS: Although it’s expensive, I think it’s definitely important to get a degree in university. Having a studio space, time to develop your work is truly a luxury. For me, I feel really comfortable working in an environment, where I can fully push myself without any restrictions.

DECK DESIGN WITH FORMAT SKATEBOARDS, SEPTEMBER 2015 DOMSEBASTIAN.COM

BETHNAL GREEN

HIND

Fashion designer Hind Matar sits down with NATALIE CHUI to discuss starting your own fashion label and the differences in education inside and outside university.

PORTRAIT BY CAROLYN KANG

A s opposed to most aspiring

fashion designers choosing to study at a fashion orientated university to pursue their careers, Hind Matar came to fashion through more unconventional means. Born and brought up between Bahrain and America, Matar initially studied a bachelor’s degree in economics and philosophy at university due to her parents’ weariness about pursing fashion professionally. Yet, her lifelong desire to work in the fashion industry, took her across waters to London. She began her career in fashion in styling, interning at The Face, Matar then undertook a graduate diploma at Central Saint Martins. She debuted her SS’14 collection and opened her ready-to-wear line, Matar Studio. Inspired by her varied background, Matar Studio presents femininity and an artisanal quality through rich tex-

tures, stemming from her Arabic identity. When I meet Matar, it’s in her new Bethnal Green studio and home and she’s clad in purple tights with kohl rimmed around her eyelids. Whilst sitting next to her sewing machines and in front of a wall decorated with mood boards, Matar discusses why, in the certain context, money is not an ends or beginning to any means and how taking the first step leads to a bounty of opportunity. Natalie Chui: Did you feel that to go into fashion design, you needed to grasp an education in it?

Hind Matar: I think it’s a mixture of learning from people and academically. I think there’s a certain knowledge you need to attain from university and it helps a lot, but a lot of it has to come with your own perseverance and trying to educate yourself as well. Not everything is going to come from school.

NC: So why did you feel to come to London for fashion rather than the states? HD: There was an amazing scene in London at the time. So when my sister and I came here after university, there was the whole electro-clash scene. People were really dressing up and not caring about anything. There was a sense of freedom and expression that I felt, was really gravitating. Once we got into that world, it really made me become more passionate about clothing and how you can express yourself through clothes. I come from an Arab background and when I was young, I lived in the states, which is a very open environment and very free, then had to go back to Bahrain. So there’s this whole idea of east versus west, of being free and feeling more conservative. So clothes were a way to express myself. NC: How did you feel your experience academically studying fashion differ from your experiences interning? HM: I think the academic aspect helped me discover a way of working and a methodology, in terms of research and collating it together and translating it into something tangible. But the internships really helped honed my skills, technically. I interned with two different designers (Yang Li and Bernard Wilhem) who had

completely different aesthetics, so it was interesting to expose myself to. NC: At what point did you decide to start your own line? HM: After I finished at Central Saint Martins, I was interning with Yang, and at some point had the conviction that it was time for me to start and didn’t want to wait any longer, so I launched. London is a great place, at least in the beginning, as it’s got an amazing support system. The BFC (British Fashion Council) are supporting a lot of emerging designers. NC: When you started your line what were some of the difficulties you faced starting out? HM: Planning and time frames, specifically not knowing how long things really take. Also, securing a sales showroom in Paris. All these things are very new, so you don’t really know whom to work with. All these different aspects that are way up and beyond the fashion design aspect that you have to think about and plan. In the beginning, you are more rushed to do things and you realise if you really want stronger results, it requires a lot of planning early on. It’s a learning experience and as you go along seasons by seasons, things improve. As you go one you realise what sells and what doesn’t. NC: Why do you feel as if there’s the idea that you can only produce good

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work with support and high backing? HM: Obviously money helps but I think skills and creativity can present themselves even if you don’t have these advantages, you’ll be capable of showing people what you can do. Actually, I think when designers are struggling early on; they get a lot more creative. So I don’t think it always goes hand in hand. Even designers I’ve been following and really respect, sometimes I see earlier in their career when they didn’t have the backing, and they were doing much better work. It varies and isn’t always the case but support is really important, in terms of the speed of how things can happen. NC: Did you find that meeting people helps a lot as well? HM: Absolutely, contacts just happen immediately. To be honest, half of getting where you want to get is through people. It plays a huge role, because you can easily meet people through word and mouth. It just becomes this interworking. If you’re going to isolate yourself, you can produce good work but I think these things happen a lot more through relationships you cultivate. NC: Sometimes when you’re the most restricted you create the best work? HM: To be honest, even what I did when I was in Central Saint Martins, it’s probably the strongest work I’ve done. When you’re a student, your life is completely different as to when you start your own label. I think as

a student, you’re not too caught up with the whole idea of selling so your mind is a lot freer and you can tap into your imagination. You can go into a much more interesting direction. Whereas, when you’re facing the real world and it’s all about numbers, you kind of have to balance things more, so maybe you don’t go to the extreme. Extremes are what bring out the best because you’re not scared and can go really far with your creativity and it can produce a lot more unique and interesting results than when you have to deal with numbers because then commerciality and viability play a big role. Obviously its great to feel successful, but its also nice to focus on something and go for it. NC: Do you think your background in economics helped you when you started your line? HM: Absolutely, it gives you a great foundation. My company is quite small and I’m handling a lot of the business aspects. Luckily, at a very recent time I’ve managed to secure some investors so I think this comes from my economic background. It gives you a better understanding of how to do pitches. NC: Do you feel that having your experiences really helped you hone your identity? HM: Absolutely, I think for sure. With styling, you’re creating a whole look. I’m currently thinking about shoes and have received great feedback on the jewellery I’ve done

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so far. So my background in styling really helps me to think of complete looks and be more playful in design. NC: A lot of design students limit themselves in terms of materials, have you ever had a brief that really challenged you? HM: To be honest, I go wild with fabrics. It’s hard for me to narrow things down! I love mixing a lot of different fabrics together as it creates a very interesting narrative. It ’s

challenging at the same time, because you’re dealing with different weights. In Arab culture, there’s a sense of simplicity of twisting things around. That whole idea is appearing more and more in my work. It’s like working with simple ideas and turning them into something more sophisticated. I would say with me, I go with the maximum. I never try to put that limitation on myself. When it comes to costing, it can be very expensive and limiting. As I’m going ahead I’m realising I need to put a limit as its not always feasible. To me, when I start a collection, fabrics play a huge role in how they design formulates you. When you put something on, it’s the sensation and it’s the fabrics that really come to play.

NEW CROSS

RICCARDO

MATLAKAS

Self-proclaimed ‘visual philosopher’, Riccardo Matlakas and Central Saint Martins BA Fashion Communication student, RYAN SKELTON discuss why artists don’t always need a blank, white canvas or a quiet stage to become a performer or a painter.

Born in Naples, Italy,

Riccardo Matlakas is now currently based in New Cross, L ondon. His background broadens to the fields of painting, performance and installation. After completing his Master degree in classical sculpture back in Naples, Matlakas moved to London and undertook a Masters degree in Social Sculpture at Oxford Brookes University. Through his Masters, he discovered a new way of working involving the participation and sensibilisation from the audience, environment and eco-system. His works has been displayed inexhibitions and performance events worldwide including: Biennale of young artists in Moscow, Gwangju Biennale in South Korea, The Museum of Palestine in Cape Town and the Institute of Palestine in South Africa in 2015.

WORDS & PORTRAIT BY RYAN SKELTON & CAROLYN KANG

Ryan Skelton: What is your inspiration behind your performances and mural paintings? Riccardo Matlakas: My work is centred on themes of: Crisis of human identity, Consciousness / Unconsciousness, Communication / Consumerism, Sensations, Criticism of a sick world and Dreaming as a refuge. For me, the crowded masses of humanity contain power, fear, desire for pleasure and constraints. RS: What kind of performance do you create? RM: ‘Heimat Obstruction’ is a series of actions/performance made in public spaces, where I just perform spontaneously. Art can be made in any context and be performed and showed in public spaces, without the support of any institution, going straight to the audience. This approach witnesses lots of planning and strategies before the action can be made. The context is very important for the kind of action I deliver. I’ve been performing ‘Heimat Obstruction’ in Europe, Korea, China, Japan and Russia.

The London Art Wall in Shoreditch, London, is a large 4-panel advertising wall used by multinational advertisers for product launches, as well a popular painting venue, for acclaimed international artists. It is viewed by over a million people a month (both foot and vehicle traffic)

RS: Do you have time to do what you really want to do? RM: Time is never enough when the mission is to go beyond what you conceive as yourself. So my answer would be no, I don’t have time and I ’m a full time artist. As Foucault said, there are a thousand things to do, to invent, to forge… RS: What is your relationship like with money? Money is something that we need, to spend and also earn. It’s a great reward to receive but I’m not obsessed with how much I earn. I’m saying, whatever comes in our pocket will be just enough, always for our basic needs. It will come whenever we have motivation for the work we’re doing. Artists aren’t slaves of money. Even better if our aim is selfless and at disposal of everyone else, art is generous and grows. When you work in synergy, money will channel towards you, without thinking. I usually don’t check my bank account and find that sometimes very helpful so I feel I can spend whatever I want (of course reasonably). I don’t put monetary value for my work. If I want to develop an idea, I will make it happen with whatever resources I have on my hands. RS: How does money affect your practice? Are there specific examples where it has helped or degraded a specific project you have done? Usually lack of money can even bring artists to find better ideas. Restriction of choice can lead you to a style that you might develop and discover new realms. When I have a good budget to spend,

I prefer paying people, for example, regarding my performance practice. Rather than buying “stuff ” although my other practice painting requests a fair amount of cash. Of course if I had a larger amount of money, my practice would definitely explore the field of science and new technologies in connection with performance art. RS: Do you have money to live on independent terms in being able to do what you want to do? RM: I myself don’t own anything, money just filters through me when I need it. Sometimes in larger amount sometimes seemingly not even enough for a coffee, but I fulfilled many of the projects I wanted to, independently. RS: You have once been a student and lecturer in various universities in the UK, Italy and Korea, what are your thoughts on art education today? Do you feel it has changed over the years? RM: Art education has changed indeed but essentially deeply remains the same. It remains a humanitarian practice, containing all subjects existing and not existing yet. I can see nowadays all other subjects are getting closer and closer to art. Every other field is inspired by art and creativity and vice versa, this feeling of subjects feeding each other is a sensation I have seen clearer over the years, disciplines getting closer to art and art exploring other disciplines as a platform. I feel the essential change is that art teaching and existence is getting inevitably closer

to its essence. And I see its ultimate essence to have no tangible form. RS: How has living in London affected your practice? RM: It’s affected many aspects; even leisure can be very expensive. Shops are different so the materials I used to use are and each country I visit actually changes my practice slightly, a different context has a different energy, so what I create actually is channelled in that particular frequency. Living in London changed my practice in terms of understanding that I have to be myself, follow my heart since there is so many artists living here, so the only way to step out of the crowd, is being your true self and I think this is one of the most beautiful opportunities human being has. RS: Has lack of funds pushed you more or deprived you in your work? RM: It’s dragged me down many times, but by persisting, I could see that things move on! I am very curious so any obstacle can actually be beneficial. The only obstacle art can have is mind self-sabotage. Actually, not having money made me start my street action, which now is a priority in my practice. Working in the streets liberates me from the politics of institution. I also noticed that some organizations are particularly focused on artists whose work is very similar or follow a specific line, even art organisations tends to homologate circles of artists. RS: You need money to produce a high quality of work, do you agree?

RM: I don’t think so. RS: Is London supportive of struggling or upcoming artists without much funds backing them? RM: There are specific schemes for artists but they’re very competitive and very often those who can write proposals in advance and can articulate well, get the funds. However, there’s a poor understanding that many artists work in different ways, so the system doesn’t work for a wider variety of characters, but again, the system wants to homologate the way art is proposed, made, styled, presented. In my opinion, artists in London who can prove years of experience should receive basic income in order to unfold their own potential and not be conditioned by the external financial worlds. RS: What does it mean to be an artist today? RM: The role of the artist in society is changing, drastically. Every field, business, company, organisation, educational building, all the jobs existing should include at least an artist in the role of who has no experience in that particular sector but that can bring a fresh input to it. The role of art is not merely a commercial role, I believe artists should be considered more as scientists collaborators because artists and scientists have a lot in common.

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