Mugs & Bubbles Magazine - No. 1 - Summer 2013 by Mugs and Bubbles Magazine

No.1 // Summer 2013

Oliver Fritze

Lana

Fabio Astone

Ruth Shively

Scarlett Langdon Natasha Wong Martina Giammaria Hana Pesut Alexandra Bondi de Antoni

Julianna Swaney Lovisa Ingman Hiroko Nakajima Wirdou NicolĂĄs SantiĂąache

cover photo: alexandra bondi de antoni model: ilvie

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editorial

Dacă citiți aceste rânduri, probabil că vreți să știți care-i treaba cu Mugs & Bubbles. N-o să vă spun povestea cu începutul pentru că nu e mare lucru de povestit. Practic, ea a luat naștere acum multă vreme, când fiecare dintre noi, cei implicați, a început să îndrăgească arta și artiștii iar de câteva luni, de când lucrăm la acest proiect, îndrăgirea asta a căpătat o formă. Evit să merg pe cărarea lungilor discuții despre cât de mult înseamnă ei pentru noi și, în general, n-aș vrea să scriu foarte mult pe tema asta, mi-ar plăcea sa-i las pe ei să ajungă la voi prin căile pe care și-au propus să o facă. Pentru a nu se crea confuzie, materialele cu străini vor fi mereu în limba engleză, pentru că ne dorim ca și ei să le poată citi și împărtăși cu prietenii lor iar materialele cu români vor fi în limba română, cel puțin deocamdată. Așadar, Mugs & Bubbles este, de azi înainte, o revistă online cu focus pe artiști de toate felurile. O revistă necomplicată, ușor de înțeles și foarte ușor de îndrăgit. Acestea fiind spuse, aș vrea să vă mărturisesc că într-o zi ne-ar plăcea s-o răsfoim și să dormim cu ea sub pernă, dar până atunci, o să facem tot posibilul să vă doriți și voi asta. Să o iubiți atât de tare încât să vreți s-o iubiți și mai tare.

Amalia Dobre

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Who is Oliver Fritze

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( this is a text a friend wrote for my picto award biography: Oliver Fritze is a fashion photographer. He now lives in Paris, having relocated from his native town Meppen, in Germany. He got his first SLR camera when he was 14. At the age of 21 he left for Berlin, seeking to expand his mind and his photography. He then traveled to Italy, a country to which he had long been drawn, and worked at a photo studio in Vicenza. Finally, he came to France, spending a few months in Montpellier before moving to Paris to work as an assistant at the Rouchon Studios, and as a personal assistant to fashion photographers. He owes one of his favorite memories in studio to Nick Knight while shooting an album cover for the Rolling Stones. )

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At what point did you realize that you want to build a career in photography? On my 7th birthday I got a crime scene investigation kit for kids. I was able to find out whose fingerprints were on my glass of orange-juice. And then there was this plastic-camera. Small, but fully working! My father soon found out that I didn’t care much about who was drinking my juice, but that all the people in the street seemed suspicious to me, as I was pointing my little camera at them. It was him who gave me his old Zeiss Ikon Voigtländer SLR at the age of 14. That was one happy day!

spectator should have the possibility to participate in the capture, to decide how the story will go on, to make it her or his own fairy-tale. You are into fashion photography, where does that interest come from? I like girls and I like stories. The clothes are not the main aspect, but the focus is on storytelling. That doesn’t mean I couldn’t fall in love with some particular clothing. I like letting light shine through the garment and I like details. How would you describe your photography to someone who has never seen it? Fashion-photography light - No calories, but some sugar. I cut out faces and other distractive things to leave room for personal imagination. I’m trying today to get rid of all the technique I was curious to learn from great photographers back then, leaving space to daylight and casual life.

You won the last year’s edition of Prix Picto de la Jeune Photographie de Mode. How important is this prize to you? I like what I’m doing and I have fun shooting. It’s encouraging though, when there are other people liking the same things you like. I guess it’s good for clients to work with somebody confirmed by a jury of a professional photo award, even if they already like your images. It builds up confidence.

Name some photographers that inspire you and why? I have huge respect for a lot of people. The traditionals that learn and study photography, than assist and than develop their own thing. The landscape photographers that travel, take pictures of what they like, and then have the courage to look for somebody to buy them. It’s a tougher business than fashion-photography. The ex-somebodies - people who where already in fashion, in make-up, in modeling or styling, and now become photographers. If they are where they are today, you can be sure they had a long walk to get to that point. I might have less esteem for paparazzi and people taking pictures of celebrities. Or in elements in their images like skulls or dead birds.

What inspires you? Moments and details of real live. I can get lost thinking about situations happening around. Some of them end up telling stories in my head and I try to translate them in pictures. What does photography mean to you? It calms me down as it can stop time, it holds a very short moment in a frame. Today’s life is chaotic and many details just don’t get a chance to be admired. Once stuck in an image, I can look at it as long as I want. It’s über-important for me that a photography makes sense. I don’t want to ask myself why a girl has taken that uncomfortable position in front of an empty white background. I like to create a situation, put a girl inside it, telling her where she is, why she is there and how she feels. Then I take a few steps back to do my reportage.

Best piece of advice you have ever received about photography? Do what you really like to do in photography, without considering commercial exploitation. You will love your images and be able to sell them with a good feeling.

What makes a good photo? When you leave a part of the story untold. The

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teenage stereotype Interview by Amalia Dobre

Fabio was born in Sardinia in 1982. He graduated Film History and Critique from Sapienza University in Rome. While studying for his degree, he discovered the passion for photography. After that, he moved to London where he worked as a photographer assistant. He came back to Italy and started to collaborate with modelling agencies from Milan and Rome, continuing to work on personal projects such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is where I leave youâ&#x20AC;? and fashion editorials. He was published in 0_100 editions, Girls on Film, Up and coming style, No Cigar Magazine, Posi+tive Magazine. He started to take digital photos and then he experienced the analog photography. His photography is inspired by cinema, certain aesthetics from the past, Nouvelle Vague and British music. With every picture, Fabio is trying to tell a story. 16

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alexandra bondi de antoni

Interview by Amalia Dobre

“I hate overproduced and retouched images, I think it is way more interesting to see the persons behind the clothes, not just see them as ‘clothes racks’. I also often hear people saying that my images are very raw.” 26

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mugs & bubbles Hi Alexandra, can you tell us a bit about yourself ? Hello Mugs & Bubbles, my name is Alexandra, I am a 23-year-old photographer from Vienna. Currently I live in Paris but slip my time between those two cities. I like unique horns.

Also I have a certain fascination for the – what one can probably call – the trash culture we are living in. Favourite thing to do on a rainy day. Cuddle up in my bed with some tea and cookies, watching documentaries and reading all day. Then, in the evening, maybe cooking dinner with some friends.

If someone asks you to describe your work, what would you say? My favourite subjects are the people around me. Whenever I do like someone I want him or her to be close to me. That is quite difficult as a lot of my friends and family are not in the city I live. So, when I finally meet them it’s usually not for long. That is probably the reason why I want to be near them. In such moments, my camera is just there with me. This is for my personal work. For the fashion stuff, I try to transfer this closeness to the whole editorial assembly. I hate overproduced and retouched images, I think it is way more interesting to see the persons behind the clothes, not just see them as ‘clothes racks’. I also often hear people saying that my images are very raw.

What does photography mean to you? Photography is fun. It’s a good way to remember events and go back to them. It’s a great way to express a mood or feeling when words are not enough. If you could go back in time and teach yourself something that would have made your career as a photographer easier, what would it be? I started to see photography as more than a hobby only 18 months ago when I graduated the University of the Arts in London. So it’s all very fresh and I am still learning and experimenting. I cannot really think of something as I find myself in the build up process and never want to stop learning.

What is one lasting impression you want to leave with your photos? Oh, that’s a hard question. I started photography less than 2 years ago. I see myself at the beginning and I still try to figure out what I am and what I stand for as a photographer. I still experiment a lot. I love trying different things in order to find my voice. What I can already say is that – for me – closeness is one of the most important aspects in an image. But ask me again in a few years.

Give us your favourite happy song to put us in a good mood. Right now it would be ‘Warm in the winter’ by Glass Candy. Do you have any advice for aspiring photographers? Never stop looking and always keep learning.

Four things you used to do in the past and you don’t do anymore. Horseback riding, eating fish (when I was younger, I ate fish, but I had a food poising from it. Now, I can’t eat it anymore), watching soap operas (I had a time a few years ago, when I was really hoocked on a German soap opera. I was sick and had to stay in bed for more that 2 weeks. They are so addictive. Now if I see them by chance, I always think how stupid they actually are), stay in on a Friday or Saturday night

Recommend us an artist we should feature in our magazine? Katharina Hüttler huettler.com because I really like her illustrations. You have some interesting photos with your grandmother, too. When did you first start taking pictures of her? My granny’s name is Gerti. The pictures are part of a series that I started almost a year ago. When I was a little girl, I didn’t get to see her too much as she took care of my sick granddad until his death. We were not close at that time, but now by taking these pictures, I finally got to develop a good relationship with her.

What other passions do you have? I have recently started a project with my friend Jovana Reisinger. We founded a publishing house called Kleine Schwester Verlag. Kleine Schwester means little sister and our goal is to publish a small magazine every month. The idea is that each issue will look completely different form one another: different size, content, font, paper quality. We ask people to contribute and also use it as a platform to show our work, to experiment and to find out what works and what doesn’t (facebook.com/ KleineSchwesterVerlag).

It seems like she enjoys it. Yes, it was great fun. I really enjoyed the intimacy created between us by taking the images. I was really happy about the trust she gave me stripping down right in front of me. Her body might have got old, but her face still tells a story filled with grace, beauty and life.

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mugs & bubbles Tell me about this photo shoot with Ilvie. The shoot with Ilvie was a lot of fun, too. I think it was one of the hottest days in Vienna and we shoot an autumn editorial. She was wearing coats and had to stand in the sun all day, but she was really professional. In the end, we all jumped into the pool together. The editorial was published in Material Girl Magazine last September and it was also my first full printed editorial ever. I was so excited when I held the magazine in my hands. The styling had been made by Kira Stachowitch, editor in chief of INDIE Magazine and Material Girl Magazine and hair and make-up by Patrick Glatthaar. It was a great team and a fun day! And I think you can see that fun in the pictures as well.

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hiroko nakajima Interview by Amalia Dobre

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Can you tell us a bit about you? I studied fashion design at Central Saint Martins both BA and MA and I started my own label since the graduation in 2012. I specialized in knitwear, and my interest is in surrealism.

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Why did you choose London? I always liked fashion in Europe and London has always been a lively place for me, an interesting mixture between traditional and avantgarde. And why knitwear design? I find it fascinating how a string can be transformed into three-dimensional shapes. It can create organic shapes which somehow you feel familiar with. What was the first article of clothing you have ever designed? The very first piece was a simple gray dress that pops out from a small pouch. Do you prefer sketching designs or actually constructing them? Definitely constructing. How do you balance creativity and commerce? Very difficult. I guess making garments commercial is one of the last steps in designing. Do you feel thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a significant interest for young designers at the moment? I think so. As always. What does fashion mean to you? Magic.

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How do you spot trends and draw inspiration? I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t intentionally spot trends. Inspiration often comes from what I see and how I feel. Do you have a specific research process when you start a collection? I try to get sources from different mediums to be able to visualize the idea better. On your website it is announced that you will be presenting a new collection for SS13 at London Fashion Week and more information will be updated soon. Can you tell us more about that? I already presented my SS13 collection with Vauxhall Fashion Scout last year. I have been working on different projects since than, but I will come back to produce my new collection for the next fashion week in September. What matters to you most as a fashion designer? To make people curious. Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work do you admire most? Too many to name! Who would you most like to see wearing your clothes? Someone who has a creative mind. What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers? Have an exciting life!

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Unde se termină Lana și unde începe Lana Bălana? Dacă străbați jocurile de cuvinte, de care se folosește pentru a voala un răspuns, ajungi la ea, și mai departe e doar ce vrea să-ți arate... businessul ei.

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Ce mai faci, Lana? Foarte bine!

O amintire recentă. Am o memorie super-selectivă (prefer să spun asta decât să recunosc că nu am o memorie prea bună) așa că amintirea recentă este ce am mâncat la micul dejun. Pâine prăjită cu unt.

Ce-ţi place să faci când nu faci haine? ∞

Ce citești în perioada asta? Citesc în italiană câteva cărţi, în paralel. Dar și pe diagonală.

Locul tău preferat... nu trebuie să fie neapărat un oraș, sat etc, poate fi un fotoliu. Apropos de fotoliu, în curând chiar va fi un fotoliu locul meu preferat! Trebuie doar să urmăriţi noua colaborare cu photoliu.com

Un gând neobișnuit. Un gând neobișnuit este un gând obișnuit dar cu care nu s-a obișnuit încă nimeni? Nu am așa ceva!

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Ce mai face Lana? Lana face foarte bine, aproape a învăţat să meargă singură, fără să fie ţinută de mână.

tică rămâne, însă, cea cu pictorii și artiștii foarte cunoscuţi și de mult trecuţi în altă lume. Cu ei nu știu niciodată dacă sunt mulţumiţi sau nu să stea pe o capă Lana, pe o fustă sau pe o geacă sport cu fermoar.

Cu fiecare colecţie pare că se conturează și mai bine brandul Lana. De la tine cum se vede? De la mine încă nu se vede clar, pentru că sunt în vârful ‘muntelui’ și dacă mă uit în jos e ceaţă. Dar sper că de departe muntele se vede mai bine de către alţii.

Prin ce treci, de la idee și până când vezi imaginile din shooting-ul colecţiei? Datorită oamenilor cu care colaborez pentru a face schiţele mele să ajungă ceva real, chiar și pe mine mă surprinde cum sar (destul de fidel) imaginile 2D la imagini 3D în doar câteva săptămâni.

Cum stabilești cu ce artiști vrei să colaborezi? Le vezi mai întâi operele și îţi vin idei sau invers, mai întâi îţi vin ideile și apoi îi cauţi? În proiectele mele nu prea există reguli și reţete și legat de artiști nu știu niciodată care a fost oul și care găina. Câteva exemple sunt Adrian Preda și Irina Broboană care m-au intrigat vizual, lucru pe care am sperat să îl fac și eu, la rândul meu, prin colaborarea cu ei. Cea mai nejustă colaborare artis-

Cum s-a ajuns la Moja by Lana? La Moja by Lana s-a ajuns destul de simplu: ei au propus colaborarea, producţia, etc. iar eu a trebuit ‘să fac pe’ designerul. Lucru care mi-a convenit pentru că m-am putut concentra exclusiv pe creaţie și nu a trebuit să fac eu restul muncii, care de obicei e cel mai greu lucru (eu considerând partea de creaţie drept cel mai ușor lucru pe care îl am de făcut la o colecţie).

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Scarlett is twenty years old and sh cities everâ&#x20AC;?. She collects postcards room. You will never see her wit friends are like the David Lynch a obscene amount of magazines â&#x20AC;&#x153;and and coffee table book

Photography and Styl Models: Lainey Thoma Interview by A 54

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Age Of cence

he’s from Brighton, “one of the best s, which are plastered all over her thout red lipstick on. She and her appreciation club and she owns an d probably too many clothes, shoes ks for her own good”.

ling: Scarlett Langdon as and Polly Smedley Amalia Dobre 55

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Lainey & Polly 56

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Hi, Scarlett, how are you? Hello :) I’m ok, stressed out about university deadlines and what not but who isn’t?

youth and how things always seem more idyllic in retrospect. So in some of the images the models look carefree and happy and as the series progresses it takes on a darker atmosphere which is intended to express them leaving behind this childlike innocence into adolescence where your more angsty and moody as you start to realise that the world is not what you thought it was. It was inspired by the book Brideshead Revisited and The Virgin Suicides, among other things :)

Tell us a little about you. Well I’m twenty years old, I’m from Brighton which is one of the best cities ever, I collect postcards which are plastered all over my walls, you will never see me without red lipstick on, me and my best friends are like the David Lynch appreciation club and I own an obscene amount of magazines (and probably too many clothes, shoes and coffee table books for my own good).

How important is Photoshop in your final image? I’m not a huge Photoshop user, I don’t like to change too much, I still want to keep the images authentic and I don’t agree with airbrushing and making people into archetypal images of perfection. I mostly use it to change the colours as I often want to create a nostalgic tone or a dark, atmospheric tone which can be enhanced through the use of Photoshop. For these images I changed the colours and tones to make them softer and dreamier, although I shot with a piece of white lace over the lens which is what creates most of the soft, dreaminess to the shoot.

So, you are studying photography at London College of Fashion. What are you learning right now? Yes, doing a BA in Fashion Photography :) We’re currently in the midst of a project on genres and forms of photography- and how the cross genres of photography create new styles in fashion photography, and doing our academic cultural and historical studies unit where I’m writing my essay on Sassy magazine! (awesome American teen magazine from the ’90s written from a feminist perspective)

Who are your influences? Paolo Roversi, Ellen Von Unwerth, Deborah Turbeville, Wendy Bevan, Tim Walker, Ellen Rogers, Alasdair McLellan, Alex Prager, David Lynch, Sofia Coppolla, Wes Anderson... the list could go on. I’m primarily inspired by photography, film, fashion magazines such as Lula, Oh Comely, Love and Material Girl and Pre-Raphaelite art.

What got you started in fashion photography? From the age of about 6, I wanted to be a magazine ‘editor’ and I used to make my own magazines (so cute, I still have them somewhere), then I wanted to do fashion journalism as I liked writing and while I was making a magazine for my project for my media class I decided to go the extra mile and shoot an entire fashion editorial for my magazine, where I styled, modelled, did the hair & make-up and photographed it all by myself. I realised I had way more fun doing this than anything else and my interest just increased from there.

Do you have a specific image taken by another photographer that stands out in your mind? And why.

What do you think is the best part of being a photographer? Being able to realise things from your imagination, making things look beautiful and creating something which hopefully makes people think, intrigued and excited. And the worst? Nothing ever goes completely to the plan; something will always go wrong so you have to be able to adapt and cope with that, and also carrying lots of heavy equipment on public transport isn’t fun :(

alexprager.com

I love this image by Alex Prager because it’s so simple but it conveys so much. Her work is fantastic, she gets everything perfect; the styling, the colours, the atmosphere and every one of her images is embedded with ambiguity, mystery and a narrative. I really like work which looks cinematic and like a still from a film.

Can you tell us the process you go through to develop your ideas? I don’t know if I really have a specific process. I’m looking at images all the time and I read and watch films a lot - I tend to just get inspired, write an idea down, gather loads of inspiration and try to realise my idea! I’ll make mood boards and write down words associated with my idea to help develop it, sometimes I make little sketches, too, but they’re rather terrible and mainly consist of stick people and lots of labelling.

How old do you think Terry Richardson is? Late ’40s as he started to gain prominence in the ’90s so he must be at least 45 by now I would have thought?! Something about your upcoming projects… Well I’m currently working on a portraiture series looking at young people’s bedrooms, what they mean to the person and how they express certain aspects of our personality. As well as ’60s styled shoots I’m doing for the clothing brand Story of Lola and their S/S collection.

What was the trigger for the project “The age of innocence”? We had a university brief titled ‘then and now’ and I wanted to play with the idea of nostalgia, innocence and

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a g h s n a o t a w n g n i r u t p a c s i y h p a r g o t o h P â&#x20AC;&#x17E; ts n e m o m g n i t e e l f d n a s e i memor .â&#x20AC;? h t u o y d n a of beauty

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Dear Mugs and Bubbles, My name is Natasha Wong, I am an eighteen-year-old photographer living in the suburbs of Houston, TX. I began taking photographs at the age of fifteen, experimenting with both film and digital, and my love for it has only grown since. In September, I will move to New York City to study Photography at the School of Visual Arts. My sources of inspiration reside in everything around me and in everything I want to see and experience. I am particularly enthralled by natural light and beautiful landscapes. I can’t really specify when I first discovered this passion. At the beginning, I helped friends style for their shoots and from there I gradually I started working with models. For me, photography means constant learning and finding ways to improve myself. It is awareness that I will never be fully satisfied with what I produce, but always trying to get as close as possible to it. Photography is capturing memories and fleeting moments of beauty and youth. In my work, the connection between me and my subject is quite important. Of course, it is easier to work with models that you are comfortable with; everything is more fluid and shooting truly becomes fun. Also music makes work fun. I would listen to Sigur Ros all the time, but I usually shoot outdoors which makes listening to music difficult. My dream photo shoot is definitively in Iceland amidst the Aurora Borealis and that incredible landscape. Love, Natasha

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â&#x20AC;ş Julianna Swaney

â&#x20AC;ş is an artist and designer. lives in Portland, Oregon. is kind of hermit and besides art, she loves gardening, reading, watching BBC murder mysteries and baking. julianna says about herself that she basically has the same interests as most peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grandmas, though she does love a good whiskey.

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How did you first get into illustration? I love to draw and make things, I’ve always known that I would need a job that would allow me to do that and to be independent. I started making artwork and selling it online right out of college . People have found me though my shop and blog and I’ve been lucky enough to get enough jobs and commissions to pay my rent. Recently I’m doing less illustration and more design and hand lettering. How did you find your style? Has it changed since you started? I would say my work today looks very different from work I did a few years ago, but it has many of the same essential elements that have always been a part of my work; delicate lines, sparse figures, limited color, and a focus on animals and nature. I think I’ve just been constantly refining it since I left college. I know what I like and what I hope my work to be and I try to make that, but I’m never totally satisfied and always pushing myself to try new things. What tools do you use for you work? Nothing too fancy. A pencil, very small sable paintbrush, Windsor & Newton or Holbein watercolors, pen and ink, and Stonehenge paper. To finish design work I use Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

Do you ever have creative slumps? What do you do then? Absolutely. I’ve found the best thing to do is try not to worry about it! Usually that happens to me when I’m working too much and worrying too much. I need down time to actually get ideas and feel creative. If I feel like I need to just take a day to read, or take a walk, or stare out a window I do it and try not to worry that I’m not actually making something, and usually I end up getting a great

Please take us through your design process, where do you start? It kind of depends on what I’m working on. If it’s a drawing it usually started with a vague idea that I get down as fast as possible in my sketch book. Then I’ll come back to it later, refine the idea and turn it into a finished drawing. Designing a logo or something for someone else is more complicated. It takes a lot more conversation and dozens of sketches.

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Any advice for those who are pursuing creative goals? I’m a terrible person to ask for advise because I always feel like everyone else has it way more figured out than I do! Along those lines though I will say that it’s best to try and get off the computer once and a while and to not worry too much about how other people are approaching their creative careers. Do your own thing.

idea that way and feeling much better when I start work again. Of course too much down time can be bad though, you have to push yourself sometimes. It’s best to try and keep a balance. What has been inspiring you lately? Scissors. I just love them and they’ve been making their way into a lot of my drawings lately. The prints of Hokusai have been inspiring me for the past year or so as well.

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photography: Martina Giammaria and Federico Ciamei // interview

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by Amalia Dobre // styling: Maela Leporati // model: Alice Cipriani

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Martina was born in Agnani, a little town near Rome. During high school, she studied Latin and ancient Greek and then archaeology. She worked as an archaeologist for a few years, but wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t passionate enough to carry on. then moved to Rome and started to work as an archivist on historical documents. Meanwhile she kept taking photos. Eventually, she chose photography and last year moved to Milan. 90

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mugs & bubbles Photography is just a starting point for everyone to draw their conclusions.

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What other passions do you have? Ancient things, geographic maps, science,

working on Spleen, the magazine that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve created with Francesco Artibani, finding home.

What does photography mean to you? The illusion of freedom.

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If you weren’t a photographer what would you be? A scientist working on natural phenomena or a trapezist.

What are your movie and your favorite book and why? The New World by Terrence Malick and any book by Richard Yates. 101

What don’t you like about your job as a photographer. That many amateur photographers will work for free, so it’s harder to get paid for photos.

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While working as an archivist my boyfriend asked me what I wanted to be. I answered “a photographer” and he asked me “Why don’t you do it?”. So I did it.

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What would be your dream photo shoot? To work with professionals and feel free to do whatever I want.

What do you think is the best part of being a photographer? That you can materialize every idea. You just need to have it. ď &#x160; 104

Name a celebrity you would like to work with. David Bowie.

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ingman Interview by Amalia Dobre

Models: Julia and Hanna Pictures first published in Contributor Magazine

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;If creative means to be good with words, colours, to draw, paint, take pictures, and so on, then I realized it in school, when my classmates peaked over my shoulder or when teachers read out loud to the class what I had written, without saying it was me of course. I got very embarrassed when they acknowledge my results.â&#x20AC;?

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Hi Lovisa, tell us a bit about yourself? Well, I am a 21-year-old girl, who lives in Stockholm, do a lot of yoga and am figuring out which is my way in life. Also I would like to add that I am a person who admires nature with its non-repetitive curves and shapes, appreciate the time spent together with close friends and family as it is both enriching and energizing. I adore how organic food is a blessing for the body and soul. Moreover, I am the person who stops in awe of the shimmering light through the leaves that now in early summer are delicate and almost transparent. Just in case, I carry fruits, nuts, a note book, pens, and yoga clothes with me wherever I go. I believe that a mug of black tea with oat milk and honey can be the most forgiving one can give oneself. Where are you right now and what are you doing today? At the moment, I am sitting at the kitchen table, having one of these amazing mugs of tea, asking myself which yoga class I would like to go tomorrow (you can never know until you are in the particular moment of choice) and when I will be able to leave some rolls of film for developing. As I am in the middle of taking a driver license for the sake of road trips, it is what I have been doing every day for a while now. It is surprisingly tiring to have two double lessons a day, but it will be totally worth it. When road tripping, a license is kind of a key factor, so it’s just to keep my eyes on the prize so to speak. What is one lasting impression you want to leave with your photos? What exact impression my pictures give the viewer is not completely in my hands. As each and every individual has his or her own experience of certain situations, people, colours, places. These factors shape the way a person understands a picture, a song, a movie, or a book just as well. Therefore, I can never be sure how my pictures are perceived. I do not know how it looks through somebody else’s eyes. They might see something I

don’t or haven’t seen yet, which is quiet wondrous. However, I aim to provide others with what I believe they might have overlooked; details that make me stop and stare; and the natural beauty of a certain someone. Furthermore, I wish that my pictures leave a question in the viewers mind, a seed that will sprout to a plant of Why. I wish that my pictures give birth to a new kind of appreciation of something or someone, that I have made the person see the new in what already is. Four things you used to do in the past and you don’t do anymore. To force myself to become someone that I am not, still I remember every day to let go of ideas. It is hard of course, but time, practice and patience make all easier. To read a lot. It’s sad because I love to dive into someone else’s reality for a while. It is so relaxing and inspiring! Through books I get insight of what others have done in their life and makes me able to ask myself if I like something similar. Now I understand that I truly need to go back to reading! Favourite thing to do on a rainy day. To go outside, barefoot and simply stand in the drizzle. To feel how each drop land on my face, to look up into the sky and watch how the clouds reshape themselves. To go inside and simply listen to the rain. To stay in with my friends and cook organic food; make raw seed and nut puddings; smoothies out of fruits, veggies, nuts, algae; cook salmon with tahini; quinoa with lime; and just try any combination we are curious about. Meanwhile, we dance and jump around the kitchen listening to brilliant music; we talk about life’s beauty and matters; we laugh, we cry and we dream. To cuddle up with a good cup of tea, blankets and pillows, to shut the blinders down and watch three movies in a row. In Sweden, most of us feel obliged to be outside when the weather is fine, so on a rainy day one needs to seize the opportunity of a day inside watching movies. This together with friends is not a bad choice either.

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If your photos were edible, what would they taste like? They would be like those hard candies with funny colours that change their flavour over time you have it in your mouth. At first it might taste of creamy coconut, and then slowly develop into an intense taste of chilli. Hopefully someone agrees with that. Give us your favourite happy song to put us in a good mood. It would be Little Bitty Pretty One by Thurston Harris, which is a recommendation from a close friend that I now pass on. The song just makes me skip down the streets, and I have many good memories linked to this song by now, which makes it even better. At what age or time in your life did you realize that you were creative? If creative means to be good with words, colours, to draw, paint, take pictures, and so on, then I realized it in school, when my classmates peaked over my shoulder or when teachers read out loud to the class what I had written, without saying it

was me of course. I got very embarrassed when they acknowledge my results. Until then I didn’t take into consideration whether I was good or not at doing all these things. I believe I didn’t even think of that as an option. Then it took me some time to understand how to develop these interests and what possibilities come out of them, but you always find your ways. If you were any fictional character, which one would you be? Honestly, I cannot really think of one particular character. Instead I daydream. Daydreaming is essential. But I do not refer to it in terms of “If I was him or her”. When I daydream I come up with my own stories which can be inspired by a movie I have seen, a story someone has told me, or a book I have red. If I watch a movie that takes place in an inspiring city for example, I use the images from the movie to create one of my own. Recommend us an artist we should feature on our magazine. Photographer Nina Andersson.

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ruth shively Interview by Amalia Dobre

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unblemished

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ethereal

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harmonious

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hot bath

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painter

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Tell us a bit about yourself ? My name is Ruth Shively. I am a figurative painter, married and mother of two children, Emmett 13 and Ruby 10. I’m a self taught painter and have been painting for over 10 years. I have a back round in illustration and drawing. Where are you right now and what are you doing today? I live in Portland, Oregon, in the Pacific North West area of the United States. Today is Mothers Day in the U.S. So I’ll be spending time with my family, making Crepes for breakfast and getting in a little gardening. What is one lasting impression you want to leave with your paintings? A feeling of vulnerability. I’d like the viewer to realize their own vulnerability, a universal feeling that we often don’t confront.

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mugs & bubbles Four things you used to do in the past and you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do anymore. Night clubs to dance. worry about what people think of me. procrastinate painting. change diapers. What mood do you have when you are painting? Usually I feel good when I start a painting, yet also try to feel the vulnerability the models are portraying. If the paint is not working for me, that puts me in a sour mood. Favorite thing to do on a rainy day? Rearrange my treasures and furnishing in my house. Make soup. If you could go back in time and teach yourself something that would have made your career as painter easier, what would it be?

ripe

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When I was 24 I was living in Paris, I wish I would studied painting in a school in Europe. At what age or time in your life did you realize that you were creative? 6 or 7 years old. How would you describe your paintings to someone who has never seen it? My paintings are figurative, usually women alone, confronting the viewer. Looking as though they are contemplating a thought, looking vulnerable. Using vulnerability in my paintings has been a focal point for me because it’s an emotion that I recently realized we need to use to confront our fears. If you were any fictional character, who would you be? Elizabeth in Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice because she is so strong willed and intelligent. I would like to have that confidence she portrays. Recommend us an artist we should feature on our magazine? Sheryl Murray, from Portland, Oregon.

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watching

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wind

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Nicolás Santiñaque Interview by Amalia Dobre

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Tell us a bit about yourself ? My name is Nicolás Santiñaque, I’m from Argentina and I love boxing. Where are you right now and what are you doing today? At home, working. What is one lasting impression you want to leave with your photos? It’s great when pictures seem timeless... I guess timeless is the right answer. Four things you used to do in the past and you don’t do anymore. talk loud eat meat morning excercises listen jazz music compulsively Your favorite thing to do on a rainy day. To swim in the sea. At what age or time in your life did you realize that you are creative? When I was a kid, I loved Lego bricks, then I loved print fanzines, then make music... Photography is a very creative activity and I love it, but I still love Lego bricks, fanzines and music, too. Give us your favorite happy song to put us in a good mood. Touch me in the mourning - big youth. What does photography mean to you? Not art, not poetry... but simply great stuff. If you were any fictional character, who would you be? Snake jailbird from The Simpsons. Recommend us an artist we should feature on our magazine? Acampante - miacampante.com

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Switcheroo “I was camping with some friends a few years ago and two of them were dressed very different from each other. One was wearing tie dye, sequins and lots of silk scarves and everything was very bright and colourful and the other was wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt so I thought it would be fun if they switched outfits and I decided to take before and after photos.”

By Hana Pesut

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switcheroO “I was camping with some friends a few years ago and two of them were dressed very different from each other. One was wearing tie dye, sequins and lots of silk scarves and everything was very bright and colourful and the other was wearing black jeans and a black t-shirt so I thought it would be fun if they switched outfits and I decided to take before and after photos.”

By Hana Pesut

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wir

Interview by A

Wirdou or Pablo Bustos MorĂĄn i t-shirt designs, with smart not first look. Pretty challenging guy born in Salamanca. Settled and became attracted by Evolu be a teacher. Meh, science! Me almost 26 years old, designing t never thought it could actually this Spanish artist managed to from it. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next and why n designs, in our inte

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rdou

Andreea Enea

is the author of some awesome tes that go beyond their funny g, we may say, for this Spanish in Madri, Wirdou studied Biology utionary Biology. He wanted to eanwhile, for our Pablo, whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s t-shirts was just an idea that he y work. So, in less than a year, make his own successful living nerdy or humorously intelligent erview with Wirdou.

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Captain America

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Thor

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Superman

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Hulk

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Iron Man

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mugs & bubbles When did you start to draw? Since I was a kid... but I stopped drawing when I was 14 and started again at 18...but just for fun. When I was 21, I took some one-month course where I learnt the basics of composition, color, perspective, human figure etc. It helped a lot, but I always practice. I know Photoshop and Illustrator and a few months ago, I have had a course of digital painting.

What are your sources of inspiration? Well, I spend many hours on the internet reading about geek things, movies to be released etc. so internet is a great source of inspiration. Puns are a great source of funny designs, too. And, of course, all the science news I read every day! Are there any influences reflected into your designes? Any favorite artists or designers? Sure! One of my favorite artists is Naolito (naolito.com) and he has influenced my style a lot. Other designers that have influenced me are Walmazan, Harzack or Winter Artwork. The list of favorite designers is really long: Anna-Maria Jung, SpiritGreen, Pandaluna, PatrickSpens, Radiomode, Megan Lara etc.

What do you do besides that? Well, my second passion is music. I started playing piano when I was 10, but it was all classical music. I was a little bit bored so I quit my piano lessons and start playing guitar, and then vocals, ’cause my favorite thing about music is composition. I had a band a few years ago and it was a lot of fun. Now I just play for myself and I learn about recording with some audio programs :) I really like sports... usually team sports, like football, basketball, volleyball. Basketball is my favorite. I play with some friends once a week on the street. I also love TV series and movies, and I could say I’m quite a geek of sci-fi, fantasy, role playing games etc. “10% talent, 90% work” or full creativity? 10%talent, 90% work, absolutely! I’m not really talented, I know a thousand designers that make me feel embarrassed. But I’m clever, I have funny and inspired ideas and I spend a lot of time looking at what people like, internet trends and all that, and I’m always working to improve my skills. So definitely is 90% hard work. Obviously, I love designing t-shirts, but the passion is not enough. Basically, what’s your story, in this artsy world? Tell us if you remember when did you make your first draw that got people’s attention. Well, everything started to change when I made my Freddie Mercury design and then, my chemical elements designs. I have already made some successful designs, but that design travelled around the internet and became really popular, on 9gag, on 4chan, even George Takei (best known for his role as Hikaru Suluin the television series Star Trek) shared it, and it really made a difference. Then Threadless printed it. I made more chemistry-pop culture mashups and I became pretty famous for that. Since then, many other designs have brought media’s attention, but nothing like that. Now, let’s see, what do you like mostly to draw? What are your favorite themes for designs? Definitely, science and pop culture are my major themes! Especially parodies of famous characters making them look cute, silly and funny. Lately, I’m more into pop culture as it’s the most popular topic. I make many science-related designs ’cause, as I explained, I studied Biology and I’ve always been really interested in science topics. :)

Why “Wirdou”? I’ve always liked the sound of the word “weirdo” and I can’t remember where, but I once heard that sometimes, when you are the weird kid at school then you succeed in life (and the popular kids don’t usually finish their studies) ’cause weird kids are imaginative and curious, and they have the ability to make different things when they grow up, not just the usual work-a-day. So I looked up “weirdo” at Google, but there was too many pages with that... so I changed it to “wirdou” and thanks to that, if you google “wirdou” now, I’m there, it’s an easy name for people to google and remember. What do you do for a living now? And what’s your biggest dream? I design t-shirts and, unbelievably, make a living with that! I haven’t quit my expectations of becoming a Biology teacher, but my dream would be having my own t-shirt business company. What would you like to do further? Do you have a “big plan”ahead? I don’t really have a big plan. I like improvising. I’m good at it. Are you involved in other kind of projects? This year I wanted to try some comic strips, some short films and things like that, but I hardly find the time. What about that comic for Fredo&Pid’jin website? It’s been my first comic strip and it was a lot of fun. I’m really thankful to Eugen and Tudor (the Romanian masters behind the pidjin.net) for that. I would love to make more series of comics. Probably I’ll give it a chance this year, but not something regular. And the last question. If you’d be a character, f rom movies, cartoons or whatever you want to, who would you be? Spiderman. I’ve always loved Spiderman. And I hate what they’ve done to him in the movies!

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Lead Zeppelin

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Rock on!

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editors & contributors: amalia dobre cristian petrescu mihai tiČ&#x203A;a ileana buzoianu andreea enea

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