OPEN COLOR - The Vision Issue by OPEN COLOR

Th e Vi s i o n I s s u e

Pol Kurucz Nychos / Laura berger / parker day / Sandra Chevrier Mimi choi /jillian evelyn / Chris wood light Liz Bretz / my brightest diamond / shiro schwarz

THE VISION ISSUE

From the editor

Dear Readers,

Thank you for joining us on another journey through some of our favorite artists, exploring their works,

backstories, processes and viewpoints. For the Vision Issue, we focused on creatives who challenge our perceptions and present complex and powerful art, whether it be photography, painting, writing, or in the case of Mimi Choi, using makeup to create stunning illusions using her body as the canvas. We are honored to feature the photography of Pol Kurucz on our cover, whose work has been highlighted in some of the top publications in the world.

This issue’s interviewees also include Los Angeles-based painter Kevin Lowry, New Mexico-based musician

duo Shiro Schwarz, internationally-acclaimed vocalist My Brightest Diamond, Brooklyn-based musician Rare DM, Yugen Blakrok of the Black Panther soundtrack, San Francisco-based creative hub Building 180, evocative photographer Parker Day, emerging painter Laura Berger, street legend Nychos, representational painter Jillian Evelyn, light artist Chris Wood, dream-meets-realism painter Sandra Chevrier, poet Rachel Leigh, and writer Jason Myers. We thank all of our featured artists and contributors for their participation in making this magazine a reality.

Many of our artist interviews include questions on timely topics such as the future of brick-and-mortar

galleries, direct sales from artists, and self-management. The digital era, particularly in the context of social media, is impacting the art industry in a multitude of ways, and we purposefully include an ongoing dialog with artists on these subjects.

This year has seen highlights such as the unveiling of Snøhetta’s installation of The Greatest Weapon, honoring

Nelson Mandela, at the UN in New York; Apple’s partnership with artists such as Nick Cave for an augmented reality project; Alicja Biala and architect Iwo Borkowicz’s installation in Poznan, Poland that serves as a protest to climate change; and Kehinde Wiley’s monumental sculpture, Rumors of War, revealed in Times Square. We have also mourned the loss of such icons as Huguette Caland, Robert Frank, Peter Lindberg, David Koloane, Mavis Pusey, and Toni Morrison, and look to their work as inspiration for a new generation of creators.

We dedicate this issue to the artists worldwide who present their work in defiance of adversity, discouragement

and doubt. As we look to the dawn of a new year, we appreciate the importance of their work now more than ever as both a respite from and a reflection of the often chaotic and divisive current times. This cultural moment will define a generation, and artists will serve as the keepers of its voice. Let us support, empower, and acknowledge them whenever possible.

With Gratitude,

Kate Zaliznock

www.weareopencolor.com | www.instagram.com/open.color

Features Opening Sequence

Pol Kurucz

Parker Day

126

Nychos 168

Sandra Chevrier

182

Laura Berger

146

Jillian Evelyn

158

Chris Wood Light

Liz Bretz

Kevin Lowery Mimi Choi Shiro Schwarz My Brightest Diamond Rare DM YUGEN BLAKROK BUILDING 180 Jason Myers Rachel Leigh

126 10

Contributors Kate Zaliznok FOUNDER & EDITOR IN CHIEF

Kate has explored numerous creative communities from a multitude of angles. As a writer, editor, publicist, event director, and art consultant, her uniquely diverse abilities have all been grounded in a central focus on supporting the arts. Kate currently works as an art consultant at Gallery 444 in San Francisco, representing over 25 worldwide artists both emerging and established at one of the city’s longest-running galleries. In 2016, Kate started Open Color with immeasurable support from her fellow creatives. The collective’s events, exhibitions, and magazine serve to connect arts communities around the world by fostering organic connection and highlighting artists who excel in their fields and inspire their peers.

www.weareopencolor.com | www.instagram.com/kate.zaliznock

Gabby Lovazzano FASHION EDITOR

Gabby is a vibrant and colorful creative force. The Bay Area native’s experiences as an art director, stylist, designer and cosmetologist all work in tandem as she builds a rainbow universe that’s warm and welcome to all. She sees the world for its possibilities more than its limitations. Her dopeness runs deep, having cut her teeth in grade school modifying clothes. As co-owner of Ejects Collection, she continues to create her own cool as she repurposes outdated mediums into retro-future accessories. An avid fan of the electronic scene, she surrounds herself with DJs, producers and other musical minds, drawing inspiration from the neon hum of urban nightlife scenes. Anything can spark an idea, be it a plush toy, technicolor candy, off-the-path junk shops, or the unbridled beauty nature. Lovazzano now splits her time between San Francisco and Los Angeles in a state of constant creation and discovery. Always cooler than cool, her style and approach can only be described as ice cold. www.gabriellalovazzano.com | www.instagram.com/gabriellajlovazzano

ADAM MEOW ART DIRECTOR & GR APHIC DESIGNER

Adam is a renaissance man through to his core. An artist whose prowess for all things creative is rivaled only by his imagination. He is not only a designer, art director, and digital artist, but also a highly skilled photographer, accomplished painter, and DJ/music producer. You can try to catch him as he slides between the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. He is always working to expand his talents to new frontiers while consistently pushing the boundaries of conceptual aesthetics. Adamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s artistic wizardry and indepth knowledge have made him an invaluable asset to countless projects and an endless source of inspiration. A spellcaster with his impeccable style, he is a proven tastemaker. In his lifelong pursuit of the arts, Adam has always believed in the shared community that is inherent in the arts and music. He fully invests himself in any project he undertakes and the amount of love and energy that is mixed in is palpable. All-around good human being to know, Meow is the one all the cats are talking about. www.adammeow.com | www.instagram.com/adam._.meow

Lindsey Fay GR APHIC DESIGNER

Lindsey Fay is a designer with a keen sense for cultural phenomenon. Originally from Massachusetts and currently based in Northern California, she blends her east coast attitude with her west coast mindset. An interdisciplinary professional with over 15 years in the design industry. She began her career as an interior designer in firms at age 20, working on large scale retail projects, nightclubs, and corporate offices in Boston, San Diego, and San Francisco. She has continued to grow and branch out into other areas of the design, and her artistry has evolved way beyond the 9-5. She currently works as a freelance graphic and web designer. Lindseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aesthetic has an inviting, feminine, futuristic, and geometry-forward style. A world traveler at heart, she draws much of her inspiration from the patterns and colors of cultures she sees in her extensive explorations all across the globe. She brings an exceptional level of skill to the table and her thirst for knowledge is as big as her sneaker collection. www.lindseyfaydesign.studio | www.instagram.com/lindzefay

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

kevin lowry

W O R D S

B Y

G A B B Y

L O V A Z Z A N O

LAYER, LAYER, LAYERS. THAT IS WHAT ARTIST KEVIN LOWRY IS ALL ABOUT. WE ARE FEATURING HIM IN THIS SPREAD TO HIGHLIGHT HIS PAINTING SKILLS, ALTHOUGH, TO NO SURPRISE HE ALSO HAS A TALENT FOR EYEING, SOURCING AND WEARING VINTAGE FASHION AND HAS A KNACK FOR CREATING ABSTRACT SPACES THAT YOU WOULD FIND AT THE COOLEST WAREHOUSE PARTIES AND FESTIVALS. KEVIN IS ORIGINALLY FROM THE BAY AREA, NOW RESIDING IN LOS ANGELES. HE FIRST STARTED PAINTING IN ACRYLIC AROUND 2010. PAINTING ABSTRACT PSYCHEDELIC GEOMETRIC SHAPES, PATTERNS, FIGURES, LANDSCAPES...THE WORKS...JUST PRACTICING, WORKING TOWARDS SOMETHING UNKNOWN. HIS STYLE HAS CHANGED MANY TIMES OVER THE YEARS, IT SEEMS THAT HIS STYLE OF ART IS A REPRESENTATION OF WHERE HE IS AT AND WHAT HE IS ABOUT AT THAT TIME IN HIS LIFE. LIKE MOST ARTIST AND PEOPLE, I FEEL WE ALL ABSORB PIECES AND DETAILS FROM OUR SURROUNDINGS AND THOSE DETAILS END UP MOLDING AND SHAPING WHO WE ARE AS INDIVIDUALS. YOU CAN SEE THIS CLEARLY IN KEVINS WORK.

Check out more from Kevin Lowry and his work with Chewing Foil www.linktr.ee | www.instagram.com/lowrydointhangs

O P E N

C O L O R

V I S I O N

I S S U E

When Kevin moved to Oakland, California, he had entered into a part of his life that felt more “raw” to him than his past experiences. He was surrounded by Graffiti that covered freeway overpasses and livied in a place that felt like a post apocalyptic multiverse. Around 2012 Kevin started to explore a different aesthetic and new concepts that were inspiring him. He moved out of old paradigms and started to get really into vintage from the late 80s to the early 2000’s. This led to working with a new medium. After exploring different techniques with acrylics for years, he decided to move to oil painting. Realizing he really enjoyed the process even when difficult. He was now able to achieve smoother transitions, better color, softer blends, and finer detail. Figuring out how much detail he can achieve with oil, he moved into a more photo realistic approach literally and figuratively blending and layering his styles together. It wasn’t until 2017 when Kevin moved to Los Angeles, that he began to really push his style into a whole new direction. Mixing photo realism with specific aesthetics from his childhood producing work that re-represented himself and his background. By mixing his love for vintage aesthetics and new current flavors with surrealist ideals, he works to represent dreamscapes of nostalgia. This oil painting titled “////cd BETA.Rose&Chrome1.0\\\\” was originally modeled from a drawing he did in a CGI 3D rendering program to create a complex image reference, then painted in oil over the coarse of 6 months. Mixing computer software with 90s aesthetics he then strives to create photo realistic oil painted renders. Kevins work will trick your mind. You know you’re staring at a work of art and at the same time you’re not sure if it was painted or printed. Thats the kind of skill we’re talking about. Layer after layer, ever evolving. 10

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

Mimi CHOI

W O R D S

B Y

G A B B Y

L O V A Z Z A N O

EMPLOYING THE BODY AS A CANVAS CAN BE BOTH RISKY AND REWARDING, AND THE MORE SURREAL THE IMAGERY, THE MORE DIFFICULT THE EXECUTION. VANCOUVER-BASED MAKEUP ARTIST MIMI CHOI HAS EXPANDED HER WORK FAR BEYOND CONTOURING AND BEAUTY BAKES; CHOI RATHER CREATES COMPLETELY ASTOUNDING OPTICAL ILLUSIONS ON HER MODELS, TURNING THEIR FACES INTO SCENES SUCH AS CRASHING WAVES ON A SANDY BEACH, BIRDS IN A CAGE, A SWIRL OF CLASSIC BOOKS, AND MANY MORE. OPEN COLOR’S GABBY LOVAZZANO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH CHOI ABOUT HER ARTISTIC BACKGROUND AND EDUCATION, ADVICE FOR EMERGING ARTISTS, THE POWER OF A SOCIAL MEDIA POST, AND MORE.

Check out more of Mimi Choi’s work on her socials www.linktr.ee | www.instagram.com/mimles

I love your story of migrating from the south coast of China in Macau to Vancouver, Canada. You received a great education. After landing a pretty secure job as a preschool teacher, you then decided to resign and go to beauty school at age 28. No offense to any beauty school graduates, as I am one myself, but we tend to skip the college education and go straight to get our Cosmetology Certificate. Your mother was supportive, but how about the rest of your friends and family? MC: My entire family was very encouraging. I was fortunate that my parents and boyfriend at the time (now my husband) could support me while I wasn’t earning much as a student at makeup school. My close friends knew that I’ve always been a creative person so they were excited for me to pursue my passion. There were definitely those who thought I was taking a big risk and questioned my career switch at a relatively late stage in my life, but I know that their intentions were good. My first day of class was a real eye-opener for me and I was a bit intimidated by the fact that I was the oldest student by quite a large margin. As you noted, most students were fresh out of high-school but I feel that having those extra years of experience made me take beauty school seriously. I really worked hard right away as I was certain that this was what I wanted to do with my life and that I wouldn’t have many more (if any) opportunities to change my direction again.

O P E N V I S I O N

You have a pretty killer success story. Your leap of faith totally landed you on a cushy cloud, traveling around the world and doing what you love. It appears you had just over 30 features in 2017! And some major features last year, for example PAPER magazine. How does it feel to have accomplished so much in the last three years? Honestly, I feel so blessed to be doing what I do with my husband who is also my business partner. The past few years have been an adventure for us and I am so grateful that my illusions have taken us to some really cool places and have given us the opportunity to meet so many amazing artists and people in general. I don’t take anything for granted and I certainly feel that I have a ton more to offer and accomplish.

C O L O R I S S U E

especially when our creativity is constrained by a client. Creating looks for fun can be therapeutic and remind us why we chose what we do in the first place! Let’s talk more about education. Your “cracked-face” look you made went viral when you were still in your first year at Blanche Macdonald. Do you think your presence around a strong makeup community (some of the best in the world) helped catapult that post? We have a great makeup and arts community here in Vancouver. People are very progressive and accepting of differences. When I did that cracked-face look, I wasn’t sure how it would be received but the reaction was very positive in person and on social media. This encouraged me to explore the genre further.

No doubt your workload is intense. Explain how you have harnessed the everyday stress, pressure and anxiety that most people suffer from on a day to day basis. Can you give our readers and myself some advice on how you have learned to redirect that energy?

When you enrolled in beauty school were you looking for the best school or did you happen to live close enough to the one you chose? How much of your career do you owe to the Blanche Macdonald Center?

My workload can be heavy at times but with the help of my husband, we make sure that I don’t take on more than I can handle. I’m often eager to accept every opportunity that is presented to me but I have come to realize that it’s just as important to have days off to recover and recharge. Because of this, work rarely feels like a chore and I’m always excited to begin a new look.

I knew a little bit about Blanche Macdonald before I enrolled, but it wasn’t until I met with an advisor and took a tour of the school that I was sold. Looking back now, I am so fortunate to live 15 minutes away from the best makeup school in the world. Many talented artists have graduated from Blanche Macdonald and students fly to Vancouver from all corners of the globe to enroll in classes here. The instructors, mentors, classmates and colleagues that I’ve met have been such positive influences in my career and life and I definitely owe a lot my success to these people and the school.

I also think it’s important to create looks for ourselves when possible. We makeup artists are fortunate to be able to do what we love for a living but sometimes it can feel like a job

O P E N V I S I O N

I ask so much about the school you went to and your education because I want readers to know how possible it is to achieve your goals with the right tools, education and most importantly, the right attitude. Can you explain in more depth on how your persistence and everyday commitment has gotten you where you are today? My main focus when I do a look is that I create from within. First and foremost, it is important that I enjoy the process. While it’s nice to receive recognition, I would still be doing what I do even if I didn’t have the same following. This makes being persistent and committed to my craft easier. I avoid comparing myself to other artists as everyone is unique. Instead, I compete with myself and consider it a success each time I learn something new. After several years of trying to improve each day, my art has evolved into what it is today and I am grateful that others enjoy work. I also really want to know more about your lifestyle. When you’re not traveling the world teaching classes, what do you do for fun? Besides makeup, what excites you and keeps you motivated and inspired? I try to see my family and friends as much as I can. It usually happens over a meal because I love to eat! Besides that, I am a bit of a homebody so I like to watch shows on Netflix with my husband.I gain inspiration from just about everything and anything. I love viewing surreal and digital art because it can be a challenge to recreate these looks on my own face using only makeup. I also suffer from sleep paralysis which is a condition in which my mind is awake but my body is asleep. During these bouts, I experience vivid and often frightening hallucinations which I have used as inspiration for some of my more morbid looks like the sliced-faced and

C O L O R I S S U E

blurry-faced looks. What motivates me is trying to improve on my looks each and every day. I am my own biggest critic and competition and this drives me to keep creating. I am also motivated by my audience because it’s an amazing feeling to know that my work can bring them joy and can elicit emotions within them. What is next for you Mimi Choi? What does 2019 have in store? More importantly, what would you like to happen this year? I love teaching and meeting people, so I will continue to lead masterclasses and workshops. I’ll be teaching for the first time in Italy, Argentina, Germany, Mexico, and Russia in 2019 so I’m extremely excited for that. I also have some other projects in the works that I can’t talk about yet so you’ll have to keep following me on social media to find out! What I hope most to happen is that I continue to improve and evolve as an artist. As long as this happens, everything else is just a bonus! To end this interview, I would like to address the magazine and our focus. Open Color magazine is all about highlighting the emerging artist alongside the established—what is one piece of advice you can give the emerging artist while they climb their way to the top? I would encourage all emerging artists to discover their own style and to avoid comparing themselves to others. While it can be good technical practice to recreate someone else’s look, it is so much more rewarding to create your own trend! If you work hard and have a positive attitude, I believe that the universe will provide a path that is unique and good for you!

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

Shiro Schwarz S T Y L I N G

P H O T O S B Y M A U R I C I O C A S T I L L O B Y M O N S E C A S T E R A A N D M A R I A N A W O R D S B Y G A B B Y L O V A Z Z A N O

G U E L L

“JUST LET THE MUSIC TAKE THE WHEEL” SHIRO SCHWARZ IS DOING EXACTLY THAT. THE INTERGALACTIC DUO, PAMMELA ROJAS AND RAFAEL MARFIL, HAVE BROUGHT THEIR OWN BRAND OF UNIQUELY FUNKY MUSIC TO OUR PLANET. THE STYLE AND ARTISTRY THEY BRING TO THE STAGE LEND TO AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE. SHIRO SCHWARZ HAVE MANAGED TO MERGE A RETRO 80’S NEW WAVE SYNTH SOUND WITH THEIR OWN BRAND OF MOODY GROOVY VIBRATIONS THAT CREATES SOMETHING COMPLETELY MODERN AND SINGULAR. GUARANTEED TO GET YOUR WHOLE BODY MOVING, THEY ENCAPSULATE THE VERY CONCEPT OF FUN. THEY HAVE A SOLID CATALOGUE OF SONGS AND VIDEOS THAT RANGE FROM ALL OUT DANCE FLOOR WEAPONS TO THE SMOOTHEST OF HEART FELT BALLADS. CURRENTLY RESIDING IN MEXICO, OPEN COLOR HAD THE PLEASURE OF SITTING DOWN WITH THEM IN-BETWEEN STUDIO SESSIONS FOR AN INTERVIEW.

Hear their new single “Take the Wheel” and listen to more music by visiting www.shiroschwarz.com | www.instagram.com/shiroschwarz

Where are you two from? I have a feeling it’s not earth. P: My home is in Planet Lop, it´s inhabited mostly by super-intelligent telepathic rabbits, everyone does graffiti, even my grandma. R: I come from another dimension, it´s cybernetic and not too different from yours. Animals and inanimate objects talk where I come from. As you say, “Welcome to the space yacht!” Some may not totally get that, but I so do. Can you enlighten our readers and describe what the Space Yacht is to you both? a giant cruise ship city that travels through space and there´s always fun stuff going on. The party never stops, there are galleries and art things going on all the time, super

good food and games. It even has its own districts, it´s VERY big, but can shrink to subatomic dimensions if required. Every bedroom has it´s own jacuzzi. It´s all for free and anyone can join. Nothing but positive vives. Where did the name Shiro Schwarz originate and what does it mean? Might it have anything to do with how you dress? R: Haha yeah, it has a lot to do with how we dress. P: Rafael wears only black and I wear only white, I love Japan and Germany´s been very influential for Rafa. R: Shiro means white in Japanese. P: Schwarz means black in German, so it´s like our version of “black and white.”

Who is responsible for your album art and aesthetic? Was it thought out way back in 2011 when you released your first EP “Eye of the Storm”? P: It´s been more organic and always based on what our influences are at the moment and an answer to the music that we make. It has evolved with time and I´m responsible for it. “Eye of the Storm,” “Exoplanet Love,” “Jupiter Dreams,” “Toxic Waste.” Where do you come up with these names? Does the title come before track? We always come up with those names after writing the lyrics to the instrumentals.

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

Ok so back to the black and white. For two people living in such a psychedelic world is it some what grounding to dress in these noncolors? Do you ever feel like switching?

“We feel very comfortable with black and white”

Where do you create your music? In a studio, your home, on the road? Explain your creative process.

In your own experience what’s different about buying music on vinyl or tape ? What is the reasoning behind releasing your music on physical media?

R: We usually create everything in our home studio. The only exception was for our EP titled “Separation Anxiety” which was mostly created in a room in Berlin with only software and on some multimedia speakers we got from our friend Hans. The process usually starts with the creation of an instrumental piece with some synths and other gear, I usually mix everything and design the sounds as an integral part of the music making process. Then we sit down and come up with a theme for the song, write our own lyrics and record. The final process before mastering is editing and mixing the vocals together to get feedback from each other.

R: For us the main difference with physical media is that you get a cool object with its own quirks that add to its charm. There´s also much more room to play with design elements, as opposed to an exclusively digital release. At first we wanted to make a tape because we were very much into the whole 80s retro thing, we saw a project called Chrome Brulée released a tape and we decided to make our own. We were particularly excited about hearing our music with the warmth and lo-fi charm of cassettes. Vinyl was always something we desired way before our tape, but we couldn’t afford producing it on our own. So big thanks to Star Creature and MoFunk for making it a reality!

P&R: We feel very confortable with black and white, we´re also super committed to it. P: For me it´s challenging to find cool white clothes, but it has the advantage that it limits how much I spend on fashion. R: There´s plenty of cool black clothes, but not so many for “men,” so I have to look in the “girls” section. That´s my main challenge, at the beginning I was very strict about wearing clothes that were completely black. Now I spice it up with black clothes that have some color elements, but not all the time. Where did you get your taste for funk and boogie? Was the music around you growing up, were your friends or family of any influence to your music style? How about your surroundings? P: When I was a kid I listened to a lot of Michael Jackson and my parents listened to disco and pop music from that era. I remember enjoying riding in the car with them and listening to that kind of music, I love it ever since. When I was a teenager, also thanks to my parents, I became a Sade fan, who is one of my greatest influences. R: Growing up I don´t remember being exposed to funk or boogie, I was born in 1985 so the 80s/90s aesthetics were around me pretty much at all times, so I guess I unconsciously absorbed some of that. My real first direct contact with funkyness was through Jamiroquai, which really impressed me. I found out about boogie/80s funk way later in my mid 20s and instantly feel in love with it.

Your music tells many stories. One that repeats a lot is the relationship between two party animals. Could you say this is a depiction of the moments you have shared together and the love you both have for each other and your personal relationship? We think it is partially influenced by our own relationship, but it is mostly fiction based on our fantasies, especially the party animal part, cause we don´t go out very much, haha! Listening to your music I feel as if I am traveling through time, not necessarily back or forward. If you had a time machine what year would you visit and why? P: I would travel to a time before humans existed, to enjoy earth before cities existed to see all the nature and creatures that lived back then. R: I would really like to travel way into the future to check out all the cool new things (robots!), especially music and daily mundane human life. I also sometimes fantasize about meeting Bach and showing him contemporary music like Autechre, jazz, dance and synth music in general to see his reaction. What is next for you both? Where can you see yourselves in 2020? We´re working on new music and trying to evolve our style in every aspect. By 2020 we should have released a new album and toured the globe as much as possible! Also enjoy the hoover boards, hollograms and all that stuff. Please share with our readers where we can get your music and stay up to date with you guys. Thanks so much for making such rad tunes. You can check out or new records on Star Creature´s BandCamp and listen to the rest on Spotify. Thanks to you for the raddest interview!

SHIRO SCHWARZ - Burning Inside Produced by Hannah Schierbeek

Director : Don-Josephus Raphael Eblahan & Shiro Schwarz Visual Effects by Keaton Mcquarrie Cinematography by Carlos Cabrera Mayol Steadicam and Camera Op Miles Royal Choreography by Funky Maya Editing by Pammela Rojas Clothes by Maison Manila and Paloma Lira

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

Brightest

Diamond P H O T O S B Y S H E R V I N L A I N E Z W O R D S B Y K A T E Z A L I Z N O C K

MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND (REAL NAME SHARA NOVA) IS A VOCALIST AND MUSICIAN WHO DEFIES GENRE CONFINEMENTS TO CREATE HER EVER-EVOLVING SOUND. BORN INTO A FAMILY OF TRAVELING EVANGELICALS, SHARA’S CHILDHOOD WAS SPENT ON THE ROAD WITH HER FATHER, WHO LED CHURCH CHOIRS, AND HER MOTHER, WHO PLAYED THE ORGAN. SHARA SETTLED OUTSIDE OF DETROIT AS A TEENAGER AND STUDIED OPERA, AND SUBSEQUENTLY MOVED TO NEW YORK CITY, WHERE MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND WAS ENKINDLED. WE JOINED SHARA IN CONVERSATION ABOUT HER CREATIVE GROWTH, HER LATEST ALBUM (A MILLION AND ONE), CULTURAL ACTIVISM, AND MORE. THIS INTERVIEW HAS BEEN EDITED FOR LENGTH.

Check out her new album “A Million and One” out now on Rhyme & Reason Records www.mybrightestdiamond.com | www.instagram.com/mybrightestdiamond

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

What’s your favorite thing about performing live? I think it’s the possibility of exchange in the moment. I think my favorite moments of the audience are where there’s this magic thing that you can’t put your finger on, which is perhaps love, perhaps listening or the power of play where maybe the goal moments have social meaning; I guess is what I’m really looking for.

What’s been your favorite space to perform in? Carnegie Hall or the Pyramids. The Great American Music Hall in San Francisco has certainly been a magic space… I think the trick is having the right kinds of material for whatever kind of space you’re in. And that’s the tricky thing: this kind of music sounds like shit in this concert hall. You can’t play your hit song. It’s like “your hit song sounds like crap in this room.” So changing the material is part of the fun game of composing or being a songwriter.

When you perform live, are there any songs that you either no longer perform or that you perform differently because of the space between now and when you wrote them? Yeah. I had a primary relationship in my life…that person committed suicide, and so a lot of the early music was really very much about me processing death, and a lot of those songs are very, very difficult. Even still, they are time capsules, and of course you’re looking in the past, but they still hold cellular memories. When you sing those songs, it does take you back to an emotional… like watching the same video or something inside yourself. And so a lot of that material, I don’t go back and play that stuff.

O P E N V I S I O N

I’ve been listening to you for over a decade now, and I’m curious how you would describe the evolution of your career over the years? What are some of your major shifts that you have made, and what’s the story behind some of those? That’s a great question. I’m also always trying to understand that too. I guess I would say that as I understand that My Brightest Diamond albums, they have been experiments in the way that space works, which is the same venue. So as a person who loves rock music, and classical music, and rap, and hip hop, and soul – loves a lot of different kinds of things – I think I made the decision very early on to try and create frameworks for myself. And those frameworks around the record – let’s say the first album was like “strings in the rough” band, and then wanting to expand that instrumentation and expanding that orchestrally, then realizing how frustrating that was with trying to ask violins to be loud and drums to be quiet. And then the third album was like surrendering to acoustic music, really, and also to a concert hall space, then getting frustrated with that limitation and saying “what’s the loudest thing I could do?”. I want to play with marching bands because marching bands can move in space: we can be outside, we can be at an outdoor rock festival and be 3D and give people a surroundsound experience. And realizing that as fun as that was for This is My Hand, I hadn’t addressed song form because I had been so enamored with, kind of dealing with sound and orchestration for this album I was like “okay, four people, that’s it,” and no bells and whistles. I would say with my classical side of things, there’s been a kind of

C O L O R I S S U E

trajectory of working with choral music because I’m a songwriter. At the core of what I am, I’m a songwriter. And so it’s easy for me to write choral music and songs and now I’m working on a project in Cincinnati for next summer (in August) with over 400 musicians (10 different choirs) and creating a piece on gentrification. So suddenly, I’m able to write songs and co-create with the community about what concerns they have and facilitate the issues that are arising in the community and create a kind of processional through this

highly gentrified area in an outdoor park. So there’s this funny and beautiful kind of expansion of where my work is heading now. It’s sort of taken 15 years of playing around with all of this different instrumentation and suddenly this year will be the first time that kind of all of these skill sets are being used in a single performance, so it’s kind of a…man, I’m a kid in a candy store.

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

What are some of the key themes on your latest album? What would you say are the key messages,? I think the key messages deal with feelings of certainly personal transformation. I got divorced and that was something that I never thought would be in my life, and what changes were required of me… going through that and coming to a place of looking at what I wanted my life to be and looking at the places that I felt oppressed by. I think those are definitely themes in “Champagne” and “Another Chance” and even with a song like “Sway,” which is sort of overtly more about global warming, but it was also about my own personal waters, getting to the point where I couldn’t find land and then saying “Okay, I’ve got to get on this boat and I’m gonna figure out how to navigate life.” And that means pick up the oar. Yeah, we’re looking for the magicfairy rainbow, but in the meantime, do your laundry. (laughs) How do you see trends in technology impacting music? Do you think we’re at risk of losing our appreciation for what formerly would always be referred to as instruments but now we have to say “traditional” instruments because there are so many digital elements that you can create, obviously, a whole song without a single traditional instrument. How do you see the advancements in technology impacting music? We have the possibility for infinite timbre; the portal for timbre is now. It’s like we’ve walked into a completely different universe, which is super exciting. We have walked into a space where you don’t have to have music education; you have to have a sound, and you can make beats and you can write a song. So what that has opened up is the reminder for all human beings that we are all musical by nature first. You don’t have to be this highly specialized, highly trained person to remember your humanity. Which is to say: you are musical. 34

Who are some of your favorite visual artists? I come back to Matthew Barney a lot, Diane Arbus is also somebody that I love. I love Robert Park Harrison; he’s very imaginative. Anselm Kiefer, another painter. I love Cy Twombly. Got to see some of his work a couple of months ago; that was really impactful. My friend, Tim Fight, has also been a big influence on me.

And the last question: Who are some emerging musicians that we should know about or that you would recommend? Oh, I love Hanna Benn. She put out an EP a couple months ago. She’s lovely, lovely, lovely. She’s a beautiful composer. There’s this guy in Michigan I’ve been listening to, Tunde Olaniran, and he’s going to tour with us in May. I really think his music is really great.

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND | Dorian Taken from the album ‘A Million and ONE’ Produced by SHARA NOVA & THE TWILITE TONE D/\P

Video by Tyler Nelson - www.design.optimus.com Shara Nova on vocals and guitar Earl Harvin on drums Vincent Taurelle on keyboards Mixed and mastered by Andrew Scheps

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

rare dm P H O T O S B Y L I S S Y E L L E L A R I C C H I A W O R D S B Y K A T E Z A L I Z N O C K

BROOKLYN-BASED RARE DM (REAL NAME ERIN HOAGG) IS CULTIVATING A SIMULTANEOUSLY NEW-YET-NOSTALGIC SOUND FOR HER GROWING AUDIENCE. INSPIRED BY ARTISTS AS DIVERSE AS INTERPOL, KATE BUSH, YEAH YEAH YEAHS AND LADYTRON, HOAGG PRESENTS HER OWN SONIC OFFERINGS IN THE FORM OF DREAMY REVERBERATING VOCALS, SYNTHS, DRUM LOOPS AND EFFECTS. HER FRESHMAN ALBUM, VANTA BLACK, IMMERSES THE LISTENER FROM THE START WITH THE BOUNCY AND HAUNTING “PANAM,” WITH THE ARCH OF THE RECORD INCLUDING OUR MUST-LISTEN PICKS OF “ALMOST A YEAR” AND “SPELL CAST.”

Listen to her new album “Vanta Black” and more great music on www.rare-dm.bandcamp.com | www.instagram.com/rare_dm_

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

Tell us a bit about the creative process behind your debut album? Vanta Black has a lot of different processes going on. Songs like “Caracal,” “Almost a Year,” and “Think Quiet” were more straightforward to write—I wrote a bass line, had a melody in mind, did a few vocal takes, picked my favorite lyrics, and workshopped the rest until I was almost happy, rerecorded vocals then tweaked it to death, adding new instruments, etc. Songs like “Softboy,” and “Best” are kind of more “emotional vomit”/ stream of consciousness songs (they are about the same person, no surprise there) and all involve me recording a synth loop, some machine drum takes, riffing lyrics and then really not changing anything. Both songs have the original take of improvised vocals. “Spell Cast” and “Jade” were the last two songs finished on the album and I am probably the most proud of them production-wise, as I really stripped down the songs/focused on getting the lyrics and vocal takes right, and completely overhauled them with a thousand takes of Juno-60 to replace most of the original synths. I was in my studio for about 10 hours at a time just chopping up my favorite synth takes, and the Logic projects are a total mess to look at. (I’ve switched to Ableton since and I feel more organized now. Color coding and grouping is very helpful.) Stemming them out to get them mixed was a trip. Throughout writing this album, I have acquired more gear and really grown as a musician skill-wise/as a person through getting my heart broken a few times. I actually found a Casio CZ 5000 on the street in NoHo at work one day, and it was fully essential to several of the songs on this album— particularly the vibraphone synth on “Night Watch,” and the “human voices” chord progression on “Wholeheart.” 40

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

What are sources of inspiration behind your aesthetic? So many things inspire my aesthetic and define me as a person. Treasurehunting in the form of Craigslist, antiquing, vintage, and rock collecting in Leland, Michigan. Fine art and going to museums; experiencing art that tests your perception of reality. I like well-made things and natural fibers. Cinema such as Alien/Akira/ Paprika/Cowboy Bebop/The Thing. Books (usually fantasy or sci-fi) such as The Abhorsen series, Alice in Wonderland, and Dune. Swimming, dancing, biking, driving. Modeling, especially for shoots with my great friend Lissy. I love how being a musician allows me to explore so many different mediums of art. It’s the perfect combo of art/fashion/dance/ music. What has been your experience as an artist living in Brooklyn?

Who are your favorite musicians when you were growing up? I still listen to these three albums on repeat all the time: Interpol - Turn on The Bright Lights, Ladytron 604, Beach House - Devotion. Also: The Knife, The Blood Brothers, Gang of Four, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Metronomy, The Rapture, The Strokes, Billie Holiday, Kate Bush.

“

So many things inspire my aesthetic and define me as a person.

“

Brooklyn is cool, people are down to business, and you really gotta work to make a place for yourself here. It’s also surprisingly small; you can run into people when you least expect it. New Yorkers have a rep for being cold, but people really watch out for each other. It’s easy to meet like-minded people; the community of artists here is neverending. I have met a lot of great friends from shows, galleries, even through Craigslist, from buying a drum machine or looking for an apartment.

Treasure-hunting in the form of Craigslist, Antiquing, Vintage, & rock collecting in Leland, Michigan.

O P E N V I S I O N

Who are some of your favorite visual artists? Dan Flavin, Cy Twombly, Rothko, Marcel Duchamp, René Gruau, Gustav Klimt, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and obviously my parents Douglas Hoagg and Kathleen Hoagg What is your favorite song to perform? “Night Watch” because it’s the most minimal song I have, the first song finished on Vanta Black, and one of my darkest lyric-wise. It’s a very visual song to me—I wrote the bass synth thinking of a heart rate monitor in the hospital, and the lead vibe synth was a single take I never changed. “Night Watch” was written when I was feeling rejected by someone and reflecting on the last relationship I had before them, which was with a heroin addict. They told me no one was going to love me like they do, and I’m just going to get used over and over again. I feel very connected to my audience when I perform “Night Watch,” and I feel like they understand my music better afterward. Conversely, my second favorite has no vocals, was written very recently, and is my most “techno” song. It’s not on this album, and I still need to name it. I like playing that one because it makes people dance and I really get to jam live with my machine drum/drum triggers. It’s very fun. Who would you most love to tour with? Oh man, there are a lot. If I had to choose my top 5 in no particular order: DAF, Nitzer Ebb, Yaeji, John Maus, U.S. Girls. Who are some fellow emerging artists we should know about? My friends, Hot Throb, Bunny Lowe, and Margo.

C O L O R I S S U E

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

Rare DM - Softboy Taken from the album ‘VANTA BLACK’

Film by Jake Moore and Oliver Rivard www.jakeandoliver.com

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

yugen Blakrok P H O T O S B Y C H R I S T O P H E R T E R H A R T W O R D S B Y K A T E Z A L I Z N O C K

YUGEN BLAKROK IS MAKING HER MARK IN THE GLOBAL MUSIC SCENE, AND FOR GOOD REASON. ON TOP OF FLAWLESS STYLISTIC EXECUTION, THE SOUTH AFRICAN TALENT PRESENTS HER AUDIENCE WITH PLENTY OF SUBJECTS FOR CONTINUED CONVERSATION. IN OTHER WORDS, BLAKROK GOES BEYOND MUSIC FOR MUSIC’S SAKE; SHE USES HER WORK TO TELL BOTH HER OWN STORY AND TO ILLUSTRATE IMPORTANT SOCIOPOLITICAL TOPICS. WE SPOKE WITH THE ARTIST ABOUT HER PROCESS, COLLABORATIONS, THE BLACK PANTHER SOUNDTRACK, SURVIVAL AND CONNECTION.

Check out her new album “Anima Mysterium” and listen to more music by visiting www.yugenblakrok.bandcamp.com | www.nstagram.com/yugenblakrok

O P E N V I S I O N

How would you describe life as an artist in South Africa? It’s an uphill battle. Making art for art’s sake is a luxury; most folks are just trying to stay fed. Tell us a bit about the creative process with your latest album? We just ran on feeling. I’d throw words at the emotions or vibrations I was tuned to at the time, write lines, unfinished verses. I’d come into the studio with some of them, listen to some beats and sometimes even record. Kanif would then make fresh beats based around the vocals and subject matter. Then I’d come back and relace the track, throw some incantations on it. Sometimes we flip the beat completely, change the whole vibe of the song. Or I scoop a bunch of beats and let them dictate, let the songs write themselves. It always depends. Trialand-error is still one of my favorite methods of working. Describe your collaboration w/ Tumi Moroka on the video for “Picture Box”? What are some of the messages behind the symbology? Circular movements are used to hint at a repetitive cycle. The West observes culture and creates a stereotype. We, in turn, follow the stereotype, making popular media something of a selffulfilling prophecy. Who are some of your dream collaborators? FKA Twigs and Aesop Rock. Ugh. 48

C O L O R I S S U E

How did the song“Opps” come about? What was it like to see it featured in the world-phenomenon Black Panther? The Black Panther feature was surreal. Since I started rapping, being on the score of a kickass movie was one of my wildest dreams. I always thought we’d have to make that movie ourselves for that to happen. There’s always a hint at survival; that is our oldest and most brutal game. Lightwork and transformation are also themes that run throughout. What are some ways digital media is impacting lives globally? We use digital media for information, comfort and escape. Connecting is easier because physical distance is not a hurdle anymore. In the same breath, though, emotional connections seem harder to make because of the very same media. It’s getting harder to separate the human from the machine. What has been your favorite response to your music? That it’s a breath of fresh air. Who are some of your favorite emerging artists? Azu Tiwaline from Tunisia. Shorty Skilz from South Africa. Naomi Pilgrim from Sweden.

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

“Making art for art’s sake is a luxury; most folks are just trying to stay fed.”

{a breath of fresh air}

YUGEN BLAKROK - Gorgon Madonna Taken from the album ‘ANIMA MYSTERIUM Produced by Kanif

Director : Yann Marquis Camera Op : Loïc Lami / Yann Marquis Calibration : Yann Marquis Decorator : Cosima Kaye Make-Up Artist: Julia Didier & Bettina Pellieux Wardrobe: Julia Didier Red outfit shooting : Boitumelo Moroka

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

building 180 W O R D S

B Y

K A T E

Z A L I Z N O C K

BUILDING 180 IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE MAGIC THAT CAN COME OUT OF HARD WORK, DEDICATION, AND A CAN-DO ATTITUDE. FOUNDERS MEREDITH WINNER AND SHANNON RILEY HAVE BUILT THE ARTS MANAGEMENT AND CONSULTING AGENCY FROM THE GROUND UP, AND ITS SERVICES HAVE GROWN TO INCLUDE ARTIST REPRESENTATION, ART CURATION, AND PRODUCTION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT. THEY ARE THE WOMEN BRINGING THE VISION INTO REALITY, WITH A RECENT EXAMPLE COMING IN THE SHAPE OF A MASSIVE WHALE SCULPTURE NAMED ETHYL (CREATED BY BAY AREA-BASED ARTISTS JOEL DEAN STOCKDILL AND YUSTINA SALNIKOVA OUT OF TRASH TO RAISE POLLUTION AWARENESS). WE SAT DOWN WITH WINNER AND RILEY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT BUILDING 180â&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.

Check out more of the incredible projects by Building 180 by visiting www.building180.com | www.instagram.com/building180

O P E N V I S I O N

Tell our readers a bit about both of your backgrounds and what led you to create Building 180. What are each of your strengths? MW: As a kindergartner, I was asked what I wanted to be when I grow up, which at the time was an art teacher. As a kid, I would beg my parents to let me stay longer in museums when we traveled. Before college I would say that I wanted to own a gallery. I’m an artist, a craftsman and a muse to several painters. I started taking arts and crafts lessons down the street from my childhood home in upstate New York when I was about 7; I took oil painting lessons starting at 12. I wanted to be able to go into any museum and know the names and story behind every painting and sculpture. Art has been my passion for as long as I can remember. I studied fine arts in college, earning my BFA in sculpture; with a minor in art history. I knew before I went to university that I wanted to be in the business of art, not entirely knowing what that meant or how. I knew that having the applicable knowledge of how things were made would be important; that I could maybe bridge the gap between artists and the rest of the world by understanding how they do what they do. I never was keen on pursuing a career as an artist myself. I graduated when the market crashed in 2008, having wanted to work at the Metropolitan, only to find they laid off half of their staff. I was determined not to “sell out” even though finding work in the arts deemed difficult. I pieced together several part-time gigs at museums, galleries, auction houses, even cataloging a private collection. I ended up working at a Russian auction house in New York City that was in its first year of business. I lived with a Russian family, cataloguing paintings through the wee hours of the night.

I S S U E

that I could. It was like no other art I’d been exposed to before, and I’d seen and worked in dozens of facets of the industry by then. I was hooked. I couldn’t fathom how these incredible sculptures could end up stuck in a warehouse for no one to see and I wanted to help people feel the way I felt when I came upon these massive works of art, which is probably the unifying reason for both me and Shannon in wanting to start a business. Co-founding Building 180 is the culmination of my whole life, work experience and passion at play. I understand how to build things, I communicate well with artists, I have over a decade of experience working in the arts and bring a comprehensive understanding of the market to the table.

“It was like no other art I’d been exposed to before, and I’d seen and worked in dozens of facets of the industry by then. I was hooked.”

New York wore on me, however, and with some money I’d earned from these jobs and a large painting commission, I moved to San Francisco sight unseen. I worked in a gallery there, then an auction house, with a brief stint in publishing and then as a project manager at an art consulting company. Throughout all of this I discovered Burning Man and really committed to understanding and getting involved in the community by building and helping in any way 54

C O L O R

SR: Growing up my favorite book was “How Things Work,” by David Macaulay. I’ve always enjoyed the outcome but more so appreciated how one got there and why. As a kid I spent my time tinkering and collecting strange things, I had a lot of friends who taught me their passions and always went home to color and create. When I went to university I wanted to study art but ended up focusing on business and marketing with a minor in studio arts. After graduating my first career was in Business Development and Sales for an Internet company. I felt the need to leave my passion, building and connecting the dots, behind to follow a career path deemed more “successful.” I spent 8 years working in tech, I started in NYC and landed in San Francisco in 2012. Although I loved the change in scenery my work was still not fulfilling my need to create. I was in a high-paid and high-demand job that was not closely aligned with my soul and at the end of 8 years I decided to take a break and revisit construction, art and social change.

I committed to exploring art and delved deep into it - took carpentry and welding courses, worked at galleries, I have done a lot of photo and video production. I also explored my own art and found myself apprenticing under Burning Man and festival artists, using my new woodworking and metal skills to assist arts. We traveled the country building large-scale and immersive art. As mostly a volunteer to these incredible large scale and public artists I found a home and reconnected with my passion but couldn’t figure out how to

O P E N V I S I O N

pay the rent (I had been couchsurfing for a little too long). So I decided to explore more spiritually and traveled for a year. I ended up in Derry, Ireland volunteering on David Best’s Temple - this public act of art and deep meaning led by an amazing art events organization Artichoke which made me realize I needed to go back and support the artists I was apprenticing under. In San Francisco I had been working in an incredible warehouse, Building number 180, on Treasure Island. The warehouse was full of crazy sculptures packed away after a festival. The rent of the space was draining artist’s pockets and the pieces were sitting alone in old containers. As much as we created, the work only had limited visibility and I couldn’t help but think how more people needed to experience this. My art work and volunteering helped, but I felt a pull from my business and sales background - I knew I could develop partnerships that could help get the work out there. At first I wasn’t sure I wanted to merge the two worlds, but slowly I started managing several artists and pitching their work to businesses, festivals and public spaces.

Installation: Joel Dean Stockdill and Yustina Salnikova Photo above: Shannon Riley • Photo previous spread: Nitesh Mor

C O L O R I S S U E

I found a unique way to practice my love of art and also use my business skills and relationships to help the incredible network of artists who I had been working with as a volunteer for several of years! The work continued to come but the actual warehouse we built was getting demolished. During this transformation of time and space, I also met Meredith Winner, who had a ton of experience in the arts and who shared my passion. Together we transformed my business into something bigger and renamed it Building 180 in dedication to the warehouse where we met. The strength I think that I have and the company holds true is believing in the unknown and following your heart. I learned this lesson myself and through the acts of the many artists who showed me the way - a non-tradition and very much needed way of work, dedication and trust. My strengths include building relationships, strong work ethic, hustling (a lot), confidence, bravery and fun!

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

Photo: Nitesh Mor

Building 180 combines artist management, creative consulting and curation, and production and project management, essentially handling the overwhelming majority of project responsibility from start to finish. How did you build a workflow to manage this expansive workload? MW: Shannon and I try at the getgo to establish who takes the lead on what role so as not to let anything slip through the cracks. We fortunately have a lot of work so dividing and conquering is key. We would love to be involved in every facet of every project because they are all fun to us, but it’s just not feasible anymore (sad). Making and adhering to deadlines is probably one of the most important 56

things to be successful in staying on track as well as daily check ins. SR: I think we are still figuring this out, haha! Every project is completely different but the level of production and work remains the same. The workflow changes, however keeping strength and trust and confidence in our crew helps. Everyone has an important role and remaining calm helps. Walk us through an example of a workday at Building 180 (I intentionally didn’t say “typical,” as I doubt the word applies). MW: Everyday really is completely

different. The most fun part about working on creative and unique projects is that there’s no real road map to completing them. The most challenging aspect is the problemsolving. I personally find that this is why I’ve always gravitated towards sculpture: no road maps, no perfect solutions. We’re figuring it out as we go a lot of the time as are the artists, which requires a lot of ingenuity. Other than that, there’s a lot of communication between clients, artists and internal business upkeep. Shannon and I don’t have an office so we’re constantly on the go and working from wherever we can, which ends up

O P E N V I S I O N

being all of the time as it turns out. We handle all of the paperwork ourselves, plus marketing, HR, accounting etc. What have been some of your favorite projects and why? What have been some professional highlights? SR: Public and large scale installation art is where our passion lies. It’s so rewarding seeing an artist or client’s vision come to life. I think we both can agree that one of our favorite projects to date was the commission of an 82’ Blue Whale, made out of recycled plastic. We worked with artists Joel Dean Stockdill and Yustina Salnikova and a large crew to build the piece over five months. It’s been a labor of love, and a huge learning experience. The whale was sponsored by the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Hub Strategy and Communications and has been truly incredible. We’re very proud that it aligns directly with our mission to make large scale art, free to the public, around an important message, in this case plastic pollution and ocean conservancy. You should watch this video and bring your friends to check it out! MW: We also launched an Artist In Residency program this year in collaboration with Agapolis, which offers artists rent-free space and a home to create freely. Supporting artists is also very aligned with our mission. What has your experience been so far building an arts-focused business in a tech-focused city? MW: It’s kind of a catch-22. The businesses and individuals who can help fund artists and their work are sometimes the same entities that drive artists out. This isn’t news to anyone reading this, however, there is a really strong artist community here if you know where to look. This can cause some tension, however it’s not malicious

C O L O R I S S U E

and always beneficial to get both sides working on a project together. Our current Artist in Residency Program at Agapolis, dubbed AB180, is supported by industry leaders working in tech and we are also launching a new program called the Ananta Artist in Residency, in collaboration with the California Institute of Integral Studies that focuses on the intersection of art, consciousness and technology. SR: My first response is that I feel fortunate, very fortunate to be here at this time and place. Second response is the reality of how expensive the city is getting and how hard it is an artist to live and work here. On one hand the requests for art seem to be exploding and I hope more artists are taking advantage of this possibility. On the other hand, it is getting harder and harder to live here as an artist and freelancer. Oakland and San Francisco artists are starting to get bigger names and recognized on an international level. The tech community and growth of San Francisco in general has offered a lot of support and money. We’ve been able to hire on many artists to curate and install work at tech companies. San Francisco also has a “1%-forart program” that requires that large projects in the Downtown and nearby neighborhoods provide public art that equals at least 1% of the total construction cost. We are finding that more people are valuing public art as well as immersive and large-scale art in their companies, around their homes and public areas - it has been a great opportunity for the arts however there is the huge problem for artists living in such a city. Many artists we know have had to move, which is also why we are proud of our Artist in Residency programs and our ability to connect and hire many artists to sources of income, however the reality is that the Bay Area is expensive and this is driving out a lot of creativity. We

hope to change this and connect more artists to opportunity both locally and globally. Who are some emerging artists we need to pay more attention to? MW: The new frontier of art is definitely about creating immersive and interactive experiences, which often involves a group of artists coming together. Places like Meow Wolf in New Mexico is a huge art destination that shouldn’t be missed. Artists like Marpi and Can Buyukberger who build these amazing digital landscapes and utilize new technology to create augmented realities are are among the mix. We went to Art Basel in Miami in December and experienced Artechouse, which had some really awesome interactive displays produced by Adrien Mondot and Claire Bardainne. There are also lot of amazing LED artists and collectives, many of whom got their start at Burning Man: Christopher Schardt and Foldhaus Collective to name two. These artists combine masterful programming and fabrication to create incredible displays. SR: You will find a lot of the artists Meredith mentioned also at Burning Man. Meow Wolf was inspired by Burning Man culture -- all of this, in my opinion, is fueling the instagram / selfie trend exhibits. Burning Man art has been looked down upon in the art work however you see tons of incredible, never-been-done-before work that is produced here. Burning Man is an invitation to any artist to bring whatever they want, whatever size, with very limited restrictions (where you come across so many in the public permitting system and when working with designers and architects). It is an open canvas and quite a beautiful and large one. We are seeing more attention directed to the art of Burning 57

O P E N V I S I O N

Man, artist such as Leo Villareal and Guy Laliberté, who work with light and performance, are influencing the larger world. We saw a Burning Man exhibit pop up across from the White House at the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery. These artists are some of the most skilled and talented artists I have yet to see - and they are not skilled at one particular area - they are coming in teams of craftsman, tradesmen, mechanics, engineers, animators, electricians, welders, sculptors and more. Since this is The Vision Issue, let’s talk a little about visionaries who have inspired you and how they have affected your work. SR: I have always been impressed with emerging artists and artists taking a less traditional route - street art and public facing art. Activists tend to draw me in as well as craftsmen, like graffiti artists, glass blowers, seamstresses, carpenters and others developing non-traditional works into fine art. I love the story behind the art, when people get dirty and go against the rules. I am completely enamored with JR who has grown tremendously from a photographer, activist and street artists into a well known name. His stories and public work on important topics speak to me. I am also drawn to the art of Burning Man and other festivals. Artists like Peter Hudson who develops Stroboscopic Zoetropes and Marco Cochrane, known for his large scale sculptures of women, each developed unique ways to craft their art. Hudson’s work takes a community of many experts to pull off his work: animators, engineers, mechanics, electricians and programmers. It is incredible to see a community come together to innovate and create. These artists not only add value to public space but they inspire, and educate—while providing deeper contemplations about the world around them.

C O L O R I S S U E

the pioneers of each movement. Those blazing the trail were (and are) always the ones pushing the boundaries of what is considered art, initially with little regard to how it is received. I’m a huge fan of surrealism and abstract expressionism for this reason. How novel at the time and “undone” the art was. What’s beautiful to trace is how the art we are creating now is such a product of its predecessors. We have so many visionaries to thank: Andre Breton, Salvador Dali, Mark Rothko, Louise Nevelson, the list goes on… Now I’m inspired by people making big

MW: I’m fascinated by art history and Photo Joel Stockdill & Yustina Salnikova_Oliver Hamilton

sculptures unapologetically. Where would be your dream location for an installation? SR: I think both the highly visible placements, like Crissy Field, continue to be a dream location, as does the idea of bringing something to a place where art has yet to develop and/or inspire the community. There are a lot of communities that need inspiration, light and do not have the economic benefits that San Francisco does. I would love for us to come in and brighten the walls with color, the nights

O P E N V I S I O N

with light, to help bring brightness and curiosity to a new place. MW:I’ve got my eye on the East Coast, or like Shannon said, somewhere that doesn’t have a lot of colorful art. In San Francisco, many people have seen big, impactful sculptures, and bringing that awe to other areas would be a dream. What do you have coming up that we can look forward to? SR: We have a few exciting and confidential installations coming up that we can’t talk a lot about but that are pushing the boundaries of innovation,

C O L O R I S S U E

interaction and education. I’m also excited to support more artists in different Artist in Residencies - we are launching two programs over the next few months. We have some exciting interior installations happening at several companies where we were able to hire on some of our Artists in Residence - pretty incredible to see everything come around full circle. All in all, every day is a new day and we’re grateful to be full-on in art production and also grateful for the days we can catch up on computer

work. Developing our business has been on the back burner as we focus on the art and installation and more and more we are realizing how important the day-to-day work is in order to allow us the opportunity to showcase more incredible and emerging art.

by:

Jason Myers

www.instagram.com/jasonmyersbooks

“I wanna take you to Paris with me. For at least a month, which isn’t a long time if you think about it but it’s always enough time, ya know. Thirty days gets you a pretty good feel about everything. About all of this... and sometimes that.” I was trying my hardest that night to talk her out of breaking into my eyes and drawing herself on the inside of them. “I’ll rent us a flat in Canal-Saint Martin or maybe an apartment. I think my agent still owns a villa somewhere under its bleeding tissue and antique black lamps.” Her hair rose off her skin and poked into mine. “I’ll write a novella while we’re there. On a typewriter too. I swear. I’ll use one this time. That’s what’s next.” Truth is, I wasn’t even sure that I still had my agent’s phone number. Perhaps he’d gotten a new one. And perhaps, I wasn’t sure if she’d known this already or not.

Either way, there was a time-a lot of nights back to back to back and more-when I forgot to dream about anything at all and woke up in the middle of steamy afternoons still stuffed inside my flannel shirt and my black jeans. Never any cigarettes left. “And during the day, while I’m writing, I’ll give you money. Like as much money as you want or maybe just as much as you need instead. Or maybe we’ll work out some kind of daily amount. It’ll be very fair too. I’ve always been very fair to you. But anyway, you can go out shopping up and down all the excruciatingly gorgeous streets of Paris with whatever amount of money we both find agreeable.” There was awhile too, this was before I banned the damn thought from my head-but nonetheless-there was awhile when I wondered if she did in fact know how I wished she hadn’t answered her phone when I called. If she’s ever known actually. About that and about how her number’s been deleted from my phone since forever ago. Which never changed a goddamn thing. Since of course, even though I don’t know how it could still even happen, I found myself knowing it. Somehow, those digits assigned to her in a previous life I don’t think ever got close to even touching how fucked up this one got to be, were locked away inside of me, and she became my prisoner. “Then when you get back from shopping, I’ll cook you fantastic dinners and we’ll drink fantastic wine and on some nights, we’ll get dressed up and go dancing in hidden clubs and alley basement spaces and on the other nights, we’ll simply stay there, we’ll stay inside, cos it might be raining and the order we play the records in might be something too fantastic to not explore all the way through.”

Underneath the forever cracking ceiling stained yellow from thousands of cheap cigarettes smoked in total ambivalence, her heart tapped against my arm as her hands tied themselves into a knot on the boney edge of my hip. “We’ll make love in every room and on every surface of our flat and we’ll only stop to drink more wine and dance to more records or when I need to start writing again.” Her warm breath blew like flames against my old neck and her young nipples hardened, pushing into the top of my embarrassingly, expanding stomach like fingertips pressing against the surface of Caucasian J-ello. “This is what’s next for us.” “Okay,” I heard her whisper. “I promise you.” “I know.” “I’m going to take you to Paris with me, Penelope.” “But-“ “And I’m gonna type a novella there on a typewriter.” Her body began to retreat from mine. “It’ll be fascinating,” I told her. “I’m not Penelope,” she said. “In Paris,” I went. “I’m Morgan.” “Okay,” I told her. “It’s fine though.” “Thank you,” I said. “I know we’re gonna be amazing.”

Playing Brave When We All Know It’s Unsafe By: Rachel Leigh

www.instagram.com/candiedrhythm

the world is on fire. still we forge on. wrapped up tight showing nothing but our eyes… windows to the soul. as we pretend to see smiles beaming beneath the masks; desperate to discern humanity buried in each stranger. the weight of the sky is so laden with laced haze over our shared sacred dreams of transparency— too layered to see the beauty. rays of comfort illuminate what they can in a stage stripped from present energy. warm these tired bones. when you can. how you can.

Chris Wood B Y

K A T E

Z A L I Z N O C K

CHRIS WOOD U SE S LIG HT AS MEDIUM TO CR EATE PAT TERNED PIECE S THAT SYMBIOTICALLY WORK WITH THE SURROUNDING SPACE. WOOD D E SCRIBE S HER WORK AS BRINGING A “ WISTFUL ROM ANTICISM TO A MINIM ALIST AE STHETIC ,” ACH IEVED THROUG H COLOR FUL WARMTH AND CLEAN LINE S. SHE EXECUTE S HER INSTALL ATIONS WITH M ATHEM ATICAL PR ECISION; BY M APPING OUT THE EX ACT ROTATION OF THE SUN AROUND A GIVEN PINPOINT, WOOD IS ABLE TO PL ACE HER PIECE S WHER E THEY WILL BE ST INTERACT WITH NATURAL LIG HT YEAR-ROUND. WE SAT DOWN WITH THE ARTIST TO LEARN MOR E ABOUT HER PROCE SS, GAIN INSIG HT INTO LIFE AS A PROFE SSIONAL CR EATIVE, HER INSPIRATIONS AND MOR E.

WHAT EMOTIONS DO YOU AIM TO INSPIRE WITH YOUR WORK?

I don’t know if I would describe them as emotions, but I want people to be engaged, surprised, calmed, intrigued, delighted; all these things and more. Most of all I want them to go away with a new experience of light; to start thinking about the light that’s around them all the time and simply look. I aim to bring the everyday magic of light to people’s attention. CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR DESIGN PROCESS? HOW DO YOU MAP OUT THE BEST LOCATION FOR A PIECE TO INTERACT WITH NATURAL LIGHT?

When I am making work for a specific building, my starting point is to gain a deeper understanding of the space and how the light plays within it. I do this through model-making, mainly digital, sometimes physical. With the digital models I can place it in its exact geolocation and examine how the light enters the building at different times of the day and year. If I need to understand how to further manipulate the light, I then need to produce physical models and play with real materials at scale. The work I create exploits the aesthetic opportunities that the light in the space presents. YOU’VE SAID THAT THE USE OF PATTERNS IN ISLAMIC ART HAS BEEN A MAJOR INFLUENCE ON YOUR WORK. WHEN DID YOU DISCOVER YOUR PASSION FOR THIS AESTHETIC AND WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE PIECES IN THIS STYLE?

I became interested in pattern when I was studying; I used simple repeated reflective forms to break up linear patterns and bounce light. I was challenged to think about pattern in a way to manipulate light. When I was invited to exhibit in a show called Pattern Crazy for the crafts council. I began to understand why the use of pattern was so important to me. Pattern, for me, is repetition, order, structure—a means of containment and paring back. My designs are contained within a mathematical formula inside a

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The work I Create exploits the aesthetic opportunities that the light in the space presents.â&#x20AC;? 72

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

white square or rectangle. The designs are minimal in form, this allows the complexity of the light to be revealed. I started to look at Islamic pattern about 10 years ago. I took myself off on a course to gain a better understanding about how Islamic pattern is created. It was fantastic, but I didn’t really do much with it at the time as it was so time consuming and complex. It wasn’t until I was invited to show at the Islamic Arts Festival that I began designing on the computer using Sketch Up. This software enabled me to create my arrangements effortlessly and provided me the tools to play more with pattern itself. I didn’t need to be so precious; I could produce accurate, very complex patterns relatively easily once I got the hang of the program. This meant I could be much more playful in my approach to making patterns and that shows in my more recent wall panel designs. THE HEALING PROPERTIES OF NATURAL LIGHT ON BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL AILMENTS IS WELL DOCUMENTED. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE CONNECTION YOU MAKE BETWEEN LIGHT AS A HEALING MEDIUM AND PATTERNED DESIGN?

My work has had incredibly positive responses specifically in healthcare environments as it draws people in. The works interact with the audience because they are optically kinetic and echo the environment in which they are situated. The artworks I create engage the audience to enquire how it’s happening; questioning where this color is coming from and why it’s having these effects. This serves such a positive function in a healthcare environment.

Of course, it’s universally known that both light and color have positive benefits to people’s health, coining the term “It’s just what the doctor ordered” when it’s a sunny day— probably more common in England. I think an artwork that exploits the light in an aesthetic way can’t fail to have a positive impact. IF YOU COULD INSTALL A PIECE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

I think I’d say some place really ambitious like the North Pole. The North Pole is all about light, and the white surroundings supply an incredible canvas that has the potential to manifest color so fantastically. I quite enjoy talking about color because actually color is not the focus to my work. Color is an outcome, a byproduct and a manifestation of the light. That’s why it would be so spectacular in an environment like the North Pole. To play with dichroic amongst all that whiteness. To create color with no color at all. WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE EMERGING ARTISTS?

There are some incredible light artists emerging right now. Instagram is a fantastic source of talent from around the world, and I love exploring it. In particular 88888 (duo Karel Burssens and Jeroen Verrecht), as well as Massimiliano Moro’s work plays with light in a beautiful minimalistic way. I also have to drop in James Turrell and Olafur Eliasson, who constantly amaze me with their work. 75

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY IN THE STUDIO LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?

There isn’t a typical day in the studio really, every day is different. But it starts with a cup of tea—well, several cups of tea. I’ll sit in front of my computer and think about what the heck I have to do. Meetings, planning documents, instructing production staff… My ideal day would be when I get to work solely on an installation. Making models, playing with lights, material and optical objects. Being in the studio separates me from home and I have everything at my fingertips to play and develop work. I also love being around other people to chat and have a laugh with; it’s just such a lovely place to be. I am quite torn sometimes because I do love working from home, sat by my lovely big window overlooking the river in Ely, Cambridgeshire. YOU HAVE AN ACCOMPLISHED BACKGROUND IN FURNITURE DESIGN THAT PRECEDES YOUR CURRENT WORK; ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEDIUMS YOU WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE IN THE FUTURE?

Lighting, something I have always wanted to develop in my practice. I would also like to play with plants, integrating my work in planting schemes and sculptural pieces to go in planted areas and gardens. WHAT IMPORTANCE WOULD YOU PLACE ON FORMAL EDUCATION IN DEVELOPING A CREATIVE FOUNDATION?

Massive... It’s of a massive importance, it is the foundation. If you have a good education in art, if you are taught how to take an idea for a walk and develop it from the very initial stages to a finish product, embracing mistakes and simply learning how to play, you have the potential to create something exciting, different and fully-formed. Art is a journey,

Titles of Artwork & Photo Credits In order of appearance: Circle C 800mm Square Photo- Lilli Mathod Circle B (detail) 800mm Square Photo- Lilli Mathod Circle 1 600mm Square Photo- Lilli Mathod Crikey Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Reilly Set 200mm square (each) Photo- Lilli Mathod Clematis 800mm Square Photo- CWL team Irdieden Various Sizes Photo- CWL team Kahlia 1270mm Square Photo- Lilli Mathod Murmur (detail) Exhibition view 2400mm x 1300mm Photo-Harry Livingstone Murmur (studio) 2400mm x 1300mm Photo- Lilli Mathod Tumble 800mm Sq Photo- CWL team 82

a development, and to have this initial foundation I believe is crucial. Playing is the most important thing. That’s probably the reason for my extremely messy studio… I see materials and objects around me as I tidy and start playing... It’s forever a mess. My furniture design course was fantastic because the week’s schedule was split into a day of related studies, two days’ work in your chosen area (i.e. metal work, furniture design or ceramics), and the other two days were about visual research. We called it “personal work.” There was no brief; you just had to go away and find who you were as an artist. I think that is what made our course so special—those two days to just purely discover. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO STRUGGLING ARTISTS?

Take up as many opportunities as you can to get your work out there because no one is going to see it in your studio or bedroom. You need it to be seen. Take part in exhibitions, residences and seek out experiences and projects that take you out of your comfort zone, because that will help you develop, move on and think... Keep thinking. Have an online presence, and get your work onto all of the websites that promote artists. Always be professional. It’s very, very hard when you first start. To be honest, it’s a lifelong struggle. You take on a lot as an artist that isn’t solely about developing work—it’s a business, so take opportuniti es to learn… Learn about the art industry, collaborate and involve others in different fields. And finally persevere. I feel so lucky to do what I love every day. I wouldn’t change it for the world.

www.chriswoodlight.art | www.instagram.com/chriswoodlight

Z i L

Bretz

Photographing ethereal dreams into reality

L iz Bretz B Y

G A B B Y

L O V A Z Z A N O

The Photography of Liz Bretz is memserizing. It only takes one look to be instantly captivated by her lush images and transported away to another plane. She captures beautiful scense that are ephemeral and simply stunning. She manages to a world to the viewer into spaces that feels familiar and inviting while remaining intimate and unkonwn. Bretzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photos feel like a moment drawn straight out of a dream and into the physical world.

YOU ARE THE DEFINITION OF CREATIVE. NOT ONLY ARE YOU A PHOTOGRAPHER EDITOR AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR, YOU ALSO ARE VERY POETIC. IN YOUR OWN WORDS TELL OUR READERS AND MYSELF HOW YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE AS AN ARTIST. Thank you. That’s a tough question. I’ve described the aesthetic and style as surrealist, modern, haunting and nostalgic. The images I create are an honest reflection of how I am feeling, what I am processing through - clues to my current emotional state. It’s self-portrait, an opportunity to reveal, express ideas of self-identity and celebrate vulnerabilities. Sometimes, I am not fully intellectually connected to the work until the image has uncovered itself through the process of creating. During those moments, I am moved by the magic of the subconscious; I feel empowered by honing in on that depth. Other times, I know exactly what I’m going for and the creative process is a collaboration of efforts trying to achieve that goal. It’s interesting to look back through the work I’ve created to assess the evolution of themes - isolation, loneliness, escapism, sexual identity and the emergence of femme fatale and woman warrior characters. These themes couple with the evolution of my personal self. Creating art has been a beautiful process of self-discovery and reflection, that all begins with a desire to express a feeling.

WHEN DID YOU COME UP WITH YOUR DREAMY STYLE

AND HOW HAS IT PROGRESSED SINCE YOU HAVE BECOME MORE VERSED IN EDITING?

I started shooting in this style during my second year attending photography school. I was inspired photographically by Diane Arbus and Jill Greenberg, and by many others outside the medium: Tim Burton (director), Mark Ryden (painter), Wes Anderson (director). The style has evolved over the years into a visual aesthetic that feels more personal. During the second year of photography school, we switched from an analog curriculum to a digital curriculum. With the digital program we became well-versed in Photoshop. I fell in love with Photoshop; It was a magical playground where my imagination could play and expand. Practical effects were cost-prohibitive as a student; Photoshop gave me the tools to create with a tiny budget and big imagination.

DIANE ARBUS IS A MAJOR INSPIRATION FOR YOU. WHAT

IS IT ABOUT HER PHOTOGRAPHY THAT YOU ARE SO DRAWN TOO AND WHEN DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER HER?

At the time I discovered her, I was a regular consumer of pop culture and pop everything. Her imagery was a dramatic departure from anything I had seen, consumed, or experienced. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a strong psychological and emotional quality to her work that I found arresting, engaging and reflective of the mental and emotional space I was living in at age 22. I saw pain, but felt hope. I was educated by her images.

O P E N V I S I O N

WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND RAISED?

C O L O R I S S U E

I was born in the Bucks County, Pennsylvania just outside of Philadelphia. In Bucks County, I grew up on a farm in a 300 year old farmhouse. At age 5, my family began traveling and living between Pennsylvania and Kauai, Hawaii. From age 5-18, we would spend 6 months on the farm in Pennsylvania and 6 months in tropical Hawaii.

things. I learned that I’d rather be in the creative arts and I learned that photographers could make commercial money. I moved back to the farm in Pennsylvania to pick up my camera for a year, photographing the farms and natural beauty of the area. My sister was living in LA at the time and encouraged the move out to the City of Angels. The invitation was all I needed. I moved out to LA as soon as I completed my obligations in PA.

HOW HAS YOUR UPBRINGING INFLUENCED YOUR

CAN YOU SHARE WITH US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR

WORK?

The environments and experiences between growing up in Pennsylvania and Hawaii created an interesting tension. The 300 year old farmhouse was haunting, dark and damp - full of critters and sounds; Hawaii was bright, warm, full of color and floral smells. Both environments stamped their respective familiarities into my psyche. Earlier themes and work were influenced by family dynamics and childhood traumas. Creating art gave me the opportunity to work through and understand pain. As a child, I felt isolated, alone and as an outsider - a sentiment that was perpetuated by the experience growing up as a Haole in Hawaii. Art, photography specifically, also gave me a space to claim and define my femininity - something that was difficult for me to claim or define while growing up.

EDUCATION. ARE YOU SELF TAUGHT OR DID YOU PRACTICE AT A SCHOOL? FOR HOW LONG?

IF SO WHAT SCHOOL AND

IF NOT HOW LONG HAS IT TAKEN

YOU ON YOUR OWN TO LEARN FROM HOME AND WHAT PROGRAMS DID YOU USE?

I took my first photography class in high school and continued to take every photography credit my high school offered. When I was in college in Boston, I abandoned photography; I didn’t enroll in any classes or work on a single personal photo project. After I moved out to LA, I enrolled in photography school at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, CA. It was a three year technical program, learning and practicing in both film and digital. After graduating Brooks, I moved back down to LA to work in the photo industry as an assistant. WHAT KIND OF TOOLS ARE YOU WORKING WITH TO

AT WHAT TIME DID YOU DECIDE TO MOVE TO LOS

CREATE YOUR IMAGES?

HERE?

I’m currently shooting digitally with the Canon 5 d mark IV. I do advanced editing in Photoshop and color toning in Lightroom with customized filters. I like the latitudes of shooting digital with the replicated toning and colors of film.

ANGELES, AND WHAT ABOUT LA

BROUGHT YOU

After I graduated college with a degree in Advertising and Graphic design, I worked in the broadcast production department of a large advertising firm in Boston. While working in advertising, I learned two life-changing

LIGHTROOM?

C AMER A? PHOTOSHOP?

"Creat ing art has been a beaut iful process of self-discovery and reflect ion t hat all begins wit h a desire to express a feeling."" 95

O P E N V I S I O N

WHEN I LOOK THROUGH YOUR WORK I CAN SEE THE

RELATIONSHIP AND UNDERSTANDING YOU HAVE WITH YOUR SUBJECTS. EACH SHOT IS A MOOD WITH A VIBE. I

WANT TO SAY THIS HAS A LOT TO DO WITH YOUR SKILL

AND ALSO WITH THE TEAMS YOU CHOOSE TO WORK WITH. IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE, WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR

FAVORITE COLLABORATIONS? WHAT ABOUT THE TEAM MADE IT EXTRA SPECIAL?

One of my favorite collaborations was with a sister duo who grew up dancing together. Their artistry and their dynamic was stunning and unique to capture. I was an experience I can’t replicate. A photographer-subject relationship is collaborative and fluid. One of the best exercises I ever committed to was taking improv comedy classes. The practice and art of improv improved my directorial style. It also emphasized the importance on building up and creating together. Improv has given me the tools, presence of mind and confidence to guide or encourage action and emotion from behind the camera. Personality and character go a long way on set. Negativity, lack of professionalism, ego and attitude will immediately torpedo the vibe and productivity of a set. My intention is to keep sets calm, positive, comfortable, inspiring and productive. The environment nurtures the creation. The largest part of ensuring that atmosphere is populating the environment with the correct team. SO YOU MENTIONED YOU’RE OPENING YOUR OWN STUDIO. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE NEW SPACE?

I am very excited for this new venture. Two of my dearest friends and myself are opening Moon Seven Collective, a multidisciplinary space for creators, located just south of downtown LA. We believe everyone is an artist, and art flourishes in space. When I was starting out as a new photographer in LA, I quickly realized affordable creative space was hard to find. It was frustrating. We wanted to create, and we didn’t have to means to do it. It was important to me that once I had the means, ability and time, I would help create a space for the sole purpose of creating art. It will be a fully equipped photo studio, primarily used for photo shoots, video shoots, seminars, workshops, arts and crafts circles, rehearsals, podcasts, events, etc.

www.lizbretz.com | www.instagram.com/lizbretz

C O L O R I S S U E

THE NEO WORKS O

ONCLASSICAL OF

THE NEON-CLASSICAL WORKS OF

POL KurucZ BY K ATE ZALIZNOCK

Bright hues, angular silhouettes and evocative imagery are signature elements of Brazil-based photographer Pol Kurucz. Born in Hungary and raised in Paris, Kurucz has traveled the world to cultivate a creative vision that has so far landed him on the pages of Vogue, ELLE, GQ, The Guardian, CNN, BBC, Dazed, and Hi-Fructose among numerous others. 2019 saw Kurucz claim third place in the Sony World Photography Awards with his series, “The Normals,” which the artist described below: “By definition most people are ‘normal.’ Some want to be different and follow the norms of a specific social or cultural tribe; they are normal too. And there are those who would laugh at nonsensical categorizations, who don’t believe in or live by conventions, who create their own reality and live it naturally. They are the subject of the photographer’s last photo series: genuine eccentrics, weirdos and lunatics who, in the eyes of the photographer, are the new normals. Shooting for this last series took place entirely in the Kolor Studio in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, where all the sets and accessories were built by the Kolor Art Collective. Most models, performers, and actors featured in the photos come from the city’s humanist microcosm and themselves belong to the redefined group of the eccentrics.” Kurucz sat down with Open Color to discuss his medium and the path that has led him to acclaim. 100

101

102

Selections from

Bor3d in brazil 103

104

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

You have explored many creative outlets. What draws you to digital photography as your current chosen medium? It’s not the only medium that I’m working with; we work with photography, with animation, and with shorts, which is like video cinema. And the idea is always to tell some kind of story. When I was a kid—I didn’t know it but just talked a few months ago with my aunt, who’s a doctor (a podiatrist)—and I couldn’t tell the difference between reality and fiction, and I was telling all kinds of bullshit, or “stories,” making up stuff and I didn’t know that it wasn’t true. Where did I go for two, three hours? Where did I disappear? I made up that I was abducted by aliens and then we played, you know, in a cosmic playground and we exchanged our eyes to see the world and I was really believing that. And I spent my childhood listening and looking at stories, so I’m kind of addicted to that so anything I do I’m trying to tell stories because otherwise I find things a bit boring. What nurtures your creativity? Nothing. No, it’s just that that’s a very strange question because that would mean that you need stuff to create what is creativity; I know what it is to create, to do something of your own that is probably not copied, and that’s like being. It needs to get out of you. So, it’s not nurtured; it’s something that needs to happen. There might be hidden kinds of techniques and stuff, some hidden things that help me do what I do, but it’s pretty much an urge. What’s been one of your favorite r e sponses to your work, whether it be press or someone who’s experienced it and had a response that struck you? “I want to live in your photos…” That’s the best compliment. Sometimes I get it once or twice a month, and this is what I want. I want people to want to go into an imaginary world, which is mine, and it provides the kind of emotions that they like to find in life that they probably get through making love, watching movies, and being drugged. Who are some of your favorite visual artists? Bob Wilson, for example, I like him very much. I like Alejandro Jodorowsky, the filmmaker, a lot. I like the Swedish filmmaker, Roy Gunderson. I like the painter, René Magritte, a lot. And I love Pastelae [Swedish artist Josefin Jonsson]; she’s probably the only person on Instagram whose every publication on Instagram I like. I love Isamaya Ffrench, too. She’s an art director, dancer, makeup artist. She’s absurdly creative and cool.

105

106

107

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

108

Every time that I was in sync with myself, I made work that is from mea projection of my vision, my lifestyle, my hormones. And my process worked.â&#x20AC;?

Bor3d in NYC 109

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

In this age of Instagram and so much digital content, what do you see as the new role of brick-and-mortar galleries? How important is professional representation vs. being the “captain of your own ship” in all aspects? This is an excellent question. It’s one of the key issues right now for all visual artists: Where do you publish your work, and why? Are you going to develop your work thinking that it needs to fit into the Instagram universe, in which case you’re thinking short term? But how short term? Because we don’t know how long it will last. Maybe the next format won’t like Instagram. And maybe the digital-only age is long term in this kind of “cellphone” format, and even if it changes from Instagram to something else the rules will be pretty much the same—meaning it needs to be readable and likeable on a little screen. Moreover, if it’s a little screen we’re moving toward the video age. Would you do what you do to be able to be animated, which is what I do. I do animation because of Instagram… because people want to see stuff animated. And since I do photos that tell stories, it’s not that difficult to animate it. But do I sell? No. It’s very difficult. There are streaming services which are experimenting in selling music animation content super cheap, have launched supercheap digital. But they’re not selling, so that’s a tricky thing. Will it be saleable in the long term? I’m selling through art galleries; that’s where money comes in. Do I use Instagram as a means to promote myself or as a means to create content that in the future will be saleable? Can it exist without galleries and other kinds of corporations? Without galleries, there is no way I can make money. So, it’s super important. And it’s not only my relationship with galleries. This is kind of a triangular relationship, which is weird. Galleries’ agents – where the real relationship,

Selections from

THE NORMALS 110

real money, real sales comes in – is losing its weight as per promotion, as per my existence in the mind of people. Then we have Instagram, which is clearly a dictatorship. So, this is everything for everyone; my site is nothing for people. On my site a picture can be viewed in large format. It’s very beautiful. But whereas per day I might have 4,000 views on Instagram, I will have one or two on my site. So, you cannot compare the two. And then there’s me, the third element in this triangle. I’m trying to figure out – like the agents and galleries, Instagram and, I guess, Facebook – how we coexist together and how this will evolve. The streaming video and streaming music industries give you some ideas, but they’re just ideas. Maybe that’s not where we’re going. It’s still extremely important to be related, represented, and exist in galleries privately for financial reasons. And, you can have an Instagram account with over 300,000 followers but it doesn’t give you the credibility which Red Dot and Art Basel and some galleries give – not only for yourself but for the industries. So sometimes you need to be published by very good magazines and be represented by a good gallery and have a good Instagram account for somebody to say okay, this girl or this guy is serious: not only do I like what they do, but I know that others find it good and also credible. I never know when and why and how what I do gets where it gets or doesn’t. This could pretty much be a subject for a whole conference.

111

112

113

114

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

Was there a defining moment that made you want to pursue artistry as a career versus your past professional pursuits? I wasn’t being “me” in front of Excel tables or organizing events that are related to creation whereas I wanted to do it, or when I was doing theater I wasn’t feeling complete because I wasn’t in control enough through the acting and the theatrical set design. At that time, I didn’t know about Bob Wilson, for example, who found the way in a theater to create his own universe. At that time, I was working with the assumption that theater is naturalistic— and the set, too—and so I got out of it because it didn’t give me this sense that I was doing something that I felt is my own world. Actor profession and art, these are things that I don’t understand. I know that these are like stickers that everybody uses on Instagram and stuff, and I think that it’s so used that it’s abused. It becomes like bullshit. Those people that I regard as fantastic creators… they don’t define themselves as artists.

Because we’ve been talking about your lifelong urge for creativity, can you paint a picture of what your workspace looks like when you have all your images and you’re finalizing everything? Are you more hyper-organized or more free flowing? It’s a mix of two. I just go out and grab an ice cream and talk a few hours with someone and then once I go home, everything is all over the place. I sit down and become a robot for hours; I’m focusing on every pixel of every photo to get it perfect. There’s no rule, and every time that I to, for example, get up early and have a perfect routine, it didn’t go well. Every time that I was in sync with myself, I made work that is from me—a projection of my vision, my lifestyle, my hormones. And my process worked. Any time I tried to force something on me it becomes shit, so I don’t do it anymore. I need to accept my own limits, so sometimes when you want to force yourself to do something that you want to do, it’s because you don’t find what you do in certain aspects to be good enough. I have to accept that unfortunately I cannot always get as good or as different from myself as I want, and sometimes it takes fine and sometimes it never happens.

www.polkurucz.com | www.instagram.com/polkurucz

115

116

Selections from

VENUS BEACH 117

118

119

120

Selections from

SUBWAY TO NOWHERE

121

122

Selections from

Poor Billionaires 123

124

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Those people that I regard

as fantastic creators they don't define themselves as artists.â&#x20AC;?

125

PARKE THe WILD and WEIRD WORLD of

ER DAY

PARKER DAY

B Y

G A B B Y

L O V A Z Z A N O

She is a HELL CAT! This woman has no limits when it comes to her art. She does not conform to societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s social standards and is living by her own rules. When first discovering this boundless babe I thought, what the fuck? Her characters are oddly familiar and hilariously portrayed. Toothless new port smoking chicks, that freak your parents would hate that you hung out with, and that handsome bell - these are just a few characters that will get your wheels spinning. But of course all her images are totally up for interpretation. You see what you want to see and that is the beauty behind each image. Her character portrayals are accompanied by complimenting set design. Each element in the photos are strategically placed with purpose. I invite you to gaze into the weird world of Parker Day with an open heart and mind because, what is beauty if not in the eye of the beholder? 128

129

130

131

132

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

It’s really hard to guess how you conceptualize your shoots with each one being so different and out there! What comes first, the subject or the concept? Also how did you connect with your subjects? It varies but for my Possession series each photo has a theme related to being in a physical body, so I started with idea first, then how to flesh it out so to speak and who could bring it to life. But for my ICONS series or a lot of my other work, it’s subject first and then I run with what they inspire in me, often bouncing ideas off of them.

It seems you have a pretty awesome team that works beside you. Who is it and what do they do to help make your visions come to life? For example, who is your Makeup Artist, Hair Stylist, Prop Stylist, Prosthetics Artist, etc.? More often than not I do everything myself (I do happen to be a licensed cosmetologist) but I do have a core group of people I like to bring in to help with specific shoots or bigger project, like wardrobe stylist @ orchidsatellite who is the most colorful and sunny person I’ve ever met and makeup artist @allydoesmakeup who gets camp and kitsch on a deep level.

A lot of your subjects are Instagram influencers; was this on purpose and how has their popularity grown your own influence? Nah, I live in LA. Everyone’s an influencer. And besides, I find my subjects on Instagram and resonate with people who have a strong presence. I mean, yeah it helps grow your Instagram when people tag you and vice versa but only if their followers are aligned with what you do. Promoting yourself and growing your audience is important but that’s always has to take a back seat to the actual work created.

What do you like about shooting with a 35mm film camera? I like the texture of the film grain and how it feels more raw & real. I also like the immediacy of working with my subject without screens between us. Shooting digitally, it’s too tempting to stare at the back of the camera or another monitor if shooting tethered. I think it makes for a self-consciousness on the part of the subject and photographer that’s good for nothing.

Since you are portraying people in a way that is very raw, have you ever had an issue with a subject once the photos of them came out? If so, what do you do in these situations? Very rarely. My work is about what I call “character portraits.” I’m not shooting people as themselves but as a projection of a fictional identity so I think that helps me subjects feel less ego attached to the outcome.

133

134

â&#x20AC;&#x153;what I found is that most people are just waiting for the slightest nudge to be loud, weird and wild!â&#x20AC;?

135

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

What’s your typical soundtrack playing while you work? It’s all over the map! From Patsy Cline to X-Ray Spex to Nina Kraviz to Sheck Wes to Britney Spears (though that last one would be at the model’s request…)

What’s a typical shoot day like for you? Lately I’ve been doing a lot of outdoor shoots so I make sure to have some location I’ve scouted on Google Maps in mind and of course have all my wardrobe and props ready. Yesterday I had a shoot with Raven Artson so he came over to my house, got in the medieval wardrobe we had collaborated on in advance—chainmail hood and brown suede pants—and we hopped in my car to go shoot on people’s suburban front lawns where he wielded a broad sword in the late afternoon sun.

How long do you take to prep your shoots? It depends on the complexity of the shoot. I usually have a number of shoots I’m working on at once so it’s hard to say.

When did you know you were going to art school? Why the Academy of Art in San Francisco? I decided while I was in high school. I went to AAU because I didn’t know any better. I’ve talked a lot of shit about AAU in interviews. I feel like they discouraged me from becoming an artist while pushing me to fit into the narrow confines of what was expected of a successful commercial photographer circa the early 2000s. With that being said, I’m grateful for the technical abilities I learned and for the fact that all my classes were film-based since my school years were just before digital became ubiquitous. But now there’s something called YouTube which we didn’t have back then so you can learn all your technical skills from there and just practicing which counts above all. I consider what I do to be a practice. I’m always practicing, I’m always learning.

What was your favorite class? I’m not sure but I’ll tell you the most important thing I did learn from school: how to look at photography. I learned about how to analyze an image to recognize in what way the viewer’s eye is being drawn through a frame and the choices the photographer made to achieve that. I learned how everything included in a photograph is important and should work together toward the same goal. Photography is as much about what you exclude as include. I learned about how to look at the lines in a photograph, like the line formed from a subject’s gaze and how that contributes to the meaning of the photograph. I’m constantly looking at photos, including my own, and analyzing how they’re effective or why they fail.

136

137

138

139

140

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

How do you get your subjects to be comfortable in such avantgarde settings? I pick the right people! Also, I think I’m a bit shy but highly excitable so my enthusiasm and sense of play makes people comfortable. I try to suggest things and see what my subjects want to do with it. Like “what if… you pour SpaghettiOs on yourself?” or “what if… you’re buck naked and covered in blood?” I ask a lot of “what if’s!

What kind of activities spark your creativity? Running, meditating, driving, about anything where my mind can go quiet allows the ideas to bubble up. Otherwise I’m soaking up TV, movies, books, YouTube videos (my latest obsession is vintage “Psychiatric Interviews” on YouTube. Wow! Major character inspiration. I believe there are no truly original ideas, what’s seen as new is the remixing and rearranging of preexisting elements. I embrace that and I think that’s why my work has a nostalgic feel while also being new and strange.

How would you say your work comments on social norms? I’m flagrantly unaware and unconcerned with social norms. It’s not something I really think about. I focus on celebrating the people that inspire me.

Do you have any words you live by? “Be Here Now” which is a statement and book by Ram Dass. It’s a reminder to be fully present in the moment because that’s all there is. So much suffering is generating through detachment from the present.

Do you ever have moments when you are unsure of your work? Of course, fear and doubt seep in from time to time which is an alert that I’ve gone astray from my intuition and I’m out of touch with who I truly am. It’s usually because I’m getting too in my head and need some time to relax my mind.

How much control do your subjects have over their personas? I try to be very aware of what my subjects want to express and embody and follow their cues. So I can’t give one blanket statement because it depends on the subject. Some people like to be led; others prefer to lead. I can go both ways though I’m definitely a default leader. But what I found is most people are just waiting for the slightest nudge to be loud, weird, and wild.

Who are some of your favorite emerging artists? I don’t know if they count as emerging artists but Jeniva Ellis is a goddamn genius painter (www.instagram.com/ducatimist), I love Anna Koak’s work (www.instagram.com/annakoak), and I’m very inspired by the photography of Moni Haworth right now (www.instagram.com/monibelle).

www.parkerdayphotography.com | www.instagram.com/heyparkerday

141

142

143

144

145

ALL THE SUNS BEHIND US ACRYLIC ON WOOD PANEL 30”X24” 2018

146

B Y

K A T E

Z A L I Z N O C K

Laura Berger is gaining recognition for her compelling pieces that reflect on human connection and the spirit of adventure. Berger primarily works in gauche and acrylic, and her paintings feature an array of figures, often in relation to elemental surroundings. Based in Chicago, Berger has exhibited both stateside and abroad, with exhibitions in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, and New Zealand. We sat down with the artist to discuss her career, creative process, and future goals. 147

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

What is some advice you would give to artists wanting to quit their day jobs and fully devote themselves to creative work? What are some lessons you’ve learned as you have built your professional career?

I’m definitely still figuring this out myself—I don’t think there’s ever an endpoint to figuring it out! But I think practice and persistence are the most important things— never giving up even when you want to, and developing a disciplined practice that involves making work daily is key. Just making as much work as possible (even though much of it will likely be pretty rough) is the only way to continue to learn and improve and refine your own voice. Making sure you’re working from a really honest place is also super important. Who are some of your favorite emerging artists?

Oh man, there are so many people to love, not sure how to choose. Robin F. Williams, Jenny Sharaf, Grace Weaver, Alain Biltereyst, Alice Tippit, Cody Hudson, Brent Wadden.... just some first ones that jumped to mind. What has been your proudest moment so far as a professional artist?

I think probably when I quit my job and went for it fulltime. It’s been about nine years now—still alive and very grateful for it, phew! What are some future professional goals?

I would like to continue to improve as an artist and feel less fear and become more efficient. If you could paint a mural anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Japan! Because I love it there. But honestly about ten other countries came into my head just after that, haha. I’d be happy to paint a mural anywhere. I like going places. What kind of music do you play in the studio?

Everything, just depends on my mood—ambient, hip hop, world music, maybe some kind of soothing spa-y flute music if I’m really stressed out. I used to try to listen to music with no words when I was working but that’s been changing lately and now I listen to pretty much everything.

148 148

WAITING FOR THE SUN TO RISE ACRYLIC & GOUACHE ON WOOD PANEL 16”X20” 2018

149

NEXT LIFE - ACRYLIC ON WOOD PANEL, 20”X24”, 2018

YESTERDAY SELVES - ACRYLIC ON WOOD PANEL, 24”X30”, 2018

152

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

What is an example of travel playing a role in your creative development?

Visiting anywhere that’s different from our daily scene is just such a huge gift to creativity. So many new sources of inspiration: new sounds, sights, smells, tastes—it’s all huge for sparking ideas that could have never occurred if you hadn’t gone on the trip. My first trip to Asia was really exciting for me just because it’s so very different in every way which is exciting and great for stretching out the brain. We traveled around Bali and some nearby islands and I was so affected by the way their spiritual practices were just interwoven into everyday life. The elegantly clean lines of your figures are somewhat reminiscent of ancient Greek and Egyptian works; are there any periods, techniques, or masters you focused on as you shaped the style of your artwork?

I think those are definitely influences for me but it’s interesting because I never sat down and tried to consciously work in that vein or anything... I think over time we just absorb all of the things that have resonated with us and they all get mixed up with our own experiences and thoughts to create something new when we start to work, kinda like a soup. A delicious soup of things we’ve absorbed filtered out through our own little minds and hands. I haven’t really focused on studying anyone or anything in particular with art, but I do love to travel and I love to visit museums wherever I am and read about artists and their work, so I’m sure all of that has gone into the mix. With online sales growing steadily as a reliable income source, what do you see for the future of the global art market? Do you think the role of curators, art consultants, and galleries will significantly change?

It’s such a huge question and I guess I really don’t know the answer to this of course, and it’s great that we have an additional resource in the online market to be able to carve out a living, but I very much hope that we keep having galleries and curators so we can go to look at art with our eyes and so we don’t rid our world of all of these various career paths for people. And I hope we also have bookstores and theaters and cafes where people speak to one another with words. The internet taking over the world really scares me in a lot of ways. THE WIND BLEW YOU INTO ME ACRYLIC & GOUACHE ON WOOD PANEL 16”X20” 2018

www.lauraberger.com | www.instagram.com/lauraberger

153 153

DESERT MOON ACRYLIC ON WOOD PANEL 16”X20” 2018

154

CARRYING THE SUN UP THE HILL, ROLLING THE MOON BACK DOWN ACRYLIC & GOUACHE ON WOOD PANEL 14”X18” 2017

www.lauraberger.com | www.instagram.com/_lauraberger_/

155

SHORE ACRYLIC ON WOOD PANEL 32”X24” 2018

156

â&#x20AC;&#x153;"I think over time we just absorb all of the things that have resonated with us"â&#x20AC;?

157

Ji L l i a n Evelyn

Ji L l i a n Evelyn B Y

K A T E

Z A L I Z N O C K

is a Los Ange les-based artist who creates expressi

onist interpretations of the female nude figure, frequently conveying emotions that range from bewilderm ent to utter annoyance. The moody tone of Evelyn’s work is very much in-step with a growing, reborn appreciation of the feminine cultural viewpoint—one that is fraught with both confineme nt and resilience. We caught up with Evelyn to discuss her thoughts on the art market, fellow artists, exhibition s and more.

What do you see as the role of the gallery in the evolving global art market?

Galleries are important but I do think that there are a lot of old school rules that need to go. I’m starting to see a lot of artist push back and I’m interested to see where it will go.

What have been so me unexpected so urces of inspiration for yo ur wo rk ? Photography. W

hen I was an art s tudent, I found it appreciate photog diffcult to raphy. It just didn ’t grab me the way did. Those feelin painting gs have changed a lot. I’m often in spired by a photographer’s ey e.

Who are some of your favorite emerging artists?

Brianna Rose Brooks (@staytender), Muzae Sesay (@Muzae), StickyMonger, Jordy Kerwick… and basically any one that Pt. 2 gallery shows.

160

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

Your work is very reminiscent of the beatnik style of art from the 1950s and ‘60s. Was this era an influence on your work? If so, can you explain a little about who/what/why this time period has inspired you, and how it has played a role in shaping your style? I hear that often or that my work reminds people of Grecian art. I’m sure both of those have had some sort of subconscious impact on me but nothing I purposefully sought out. I have always been really inspired by Charlie Harper and the Mission School artists—Margaret Kilgallen and Barry McGee.

What has been your favorite reaction to your work? I can’t think of a favorite reaction but I can tell you my least favorite. I hate when a male looks at my work and tells me how sexual it is. My work rarely has anything to do with sexuality. I find it unfortunate that some people only think of sex when they see the nude body of a female.

Where are some of your dream locations to create or exhibit work? I’d love to show in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Sol, Mexico City, and Paris.

What has been your proudest moment professionally so far? Getting to be featured in Juxtapoz Magazine. I think I’m still in shock about it.

162

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

163

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

Are there any specific curators you would love to work with?

I’m still trying to figure that out and where I want to go next with my work.

You’ve said that early on you were inspired by musicians you would want to create posters for. Who are some of your favorite musicians now? I feel very behind with music these days. I mostly listen to podcasts or something instrumental while I work.

164

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

What are your favorite aspects of the creative community in Los Angeles? The people. I’ve made some really close friends here and most of them do something in the art world.

I’ve spent a lot of time focusing on the feeling of being caught in society’s expectations and now I’m looking to push that idea. I’m exploring what it means to take up space and push out of those boundaries.

www.jillianevelyn.com | www.instagram.com/jillian_evelyn

165

Nychos A LOOK INSIDE & OUT

169

170

Nychos B Y

G A B B Y

L O V A Z Z A N O

Nychos has an imagination roughly the same size as the walls he paints on, which are massive! Once you see his larger than life Paintings you will realize one thing, besides the fact that they are astounding, they are everywhere. He has carved a massive place for himself in the world of contemporary urban artists. He has proven to be a stand out artist in a realm of masters, Consistanly pushing the boundries of what can be done with a few cans of spray paint. Inbetween conquering walls in all the major cities on earth, his gallery work is just as stunning. Nychos sat with Open Color to discuss his inspiration, life , and art, on and off the streets. 171

O P E N V I S I O N

Dinosaurs, sharks, snakes, and wolves are just a handful of characters you like to draw. And you’re depicting them in their complete form; anatomy is often included in your composition. What inspired you to come up with this unique style and where did you truly master it? I probably drew my first inspiration from very early childhood memories. Since I grew up in a family of hunters in the southeast of Austria, I was confronted with the anatomy of animals at a very young age. I watched my father and grandfather gut their prey and since skulls and bones are kept as trophies, I had the chance to carefully study them all day. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by anatomy and the way things function inside all of us. While watching cartoons – an activity that critically fueled my urge to draw – I was wondering how Disney’s Little Mermaid might look like underneath her fish tail and asked myself if she had legs or fishbones. So yeah, anatomy is a topic that has been keeping me busy ever since. Therefore, it doesn’t feel like I “came up” with a unique style. If you ask me, style is something that’s already there from the very beginning. It originates from your very first stroke and ends with your last one. For style to emerge, all you got to do is to sit down and work – or go out and paint. So, I’d rather say I’ve been mastering my skills over the years, not my style. And a crucial amount of it occurred on the streets. Can you describe that AH-Ha moment you had, the moment when you realized what direction you were going to take with your art? I don’t remember having an Ah-Ha moment, probably for the same reason I just pointed out above. For me, it never felt like being in search of direction or style. What I’ve been experiencing over all the years is that if you’re honestly communicating with yourself and don’t lose the connection to the person you were as a child and the dreams you had back then, the direction – and the style – will show automatically. Throughout my career, I definitely had moments when things were getting more sophisticated, 172

C O L O R I S S U E

more elaborated. These points always came along with phases of deep self-reflection and hard work. There have also been moments in which I felt I’m losing my track. And finding back is hard work, too. In any case, I figured out that when you’re looking for directions, you’re welladvised to take a closer look at what’s always been there. It’s one thing to draw in a sketchbook, and another to paint a mural. Describe your creative process when executing both. My sketchbook is for taking quick notes, developing thoughts, capturing ideas. It’s liberated from the interaction that happens between a mural and the people in the public space. On the streets, my work is embedded in an already existing context, which I have to take into account of course. Workwise, I very often feel like my art needs large-scale surfaces, which is why painting murals gives me a greater satisfaction. I love that I can go wild on the wall. A sketchbook is limited in size, frame and capacity, but vital to me as a companion. And vital to my murals, since all my sketches emerge in there. Out of curiosity, what kind of music do you like? Do you listen to anything in particular when you are working? Right now, I’m really into music, that fueled me when I was about 17. I’m rediscovering bands like Tool and Deftones and figured out how important they were (and still are) to me.

173

174

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

Do you remember your first large piece? If so what was it, where was it and do you know if it is still up today? That’s a good question. I keep pushing them until they get bigger and bigger, so I can’t really say. I invite you to share more about the business side of art. Did you shape your career with financial stability in mind, or did your process start off as a hobby and evolve into a profession? It started as a passion that naturally evolved into a profession. As a kid, I wanted to become an animator working at the Disney Animation Studios. Even though my carrier has developed slightly differently – haha – it has always been clear to me that I’ll follow the artistic path, wherever it may take me. Somehow, I ended up earning my living with my art works and happened to run my own company on two different continents. Even though financial stability is an essential ingredient in my career, I often wish I could do without it. It’s dangerous to let it shape one’s artistic pursuit. The business side of art can be tough – and it has a nasty habit: it likes to mess up the creative flow. I’m really lucky to have a great team, and a badass manager who supports me and all my mad ideas.

You have merged street and gallery art quite successfully. Do you feel there needs to be a differentiation between fine art and street art? Visually, maybe yes. But it really depends on what kind of artist you are. If you only work for the streets you only work for the streets. With that, I mean that not everything that’s painted on the street fits onto a canvas or into a gallery. Art on the street is always related to its spot. Some pieces wouldn’t work without this relation. I’m lucky that my style and my openness allow both. I perceive myself as an artist without the prefix “street”, “urban” or “fine”. I’m very much aware of what I produce for the street and what for the gallery. Working on a concept for a canvas or an entire exhibition is an entirely different process than creating a concept for a street piece. As I pointed out above, I feel a certain need for large scales, so I’ll always return to the street I guess. It offers the best surfaces.

What fueled you to expand in 2005 and start the brand Rabbit Eye Movement (REM)? Originally, I started Rabbit Eye Movement as a mission – a movement that’s happening on the streets, dedicated to all those who are active in the Urban Art scene, no matter what kind of mission they are following. That was in 2005. Over the years, it developed into sort of a network, connecting the people and boosting the scene. That’s why I decided to give it a home. In 2012, we established an Art Space in Vienna, which is now a full-time agency. We started to work on prints and designs and this is how the brand developed. When I moved to California two years ago, I took the movement with me and gave it a second home to grow. We’ll see how things are developing here, but I have a good feeling. As we all know, rabbits are breeding fast.

175

Congratulations and how the hell did this project with Universal Pictures come about?! I remember when Jurassic Park first came out. My family and I were obsessed, we even had my mom change her license plate to say ARAPTOR! It’s exciting to know that you also had a big love for this movie. It was a manifestation over many years. No, seriously, this project was a matter of the heart. When I was a kid, my main interests were dinosaurs and drawing bones. I drew a lot of the dinosaurs from Jurassic Park and I was completely crazy about the toys that came out. I had a mob of raptors, I collected them because they were my favorite. But there was another dinosaur I desperately wanted to have: the T-Rex. I remember that the toy had removable parts of skin and flesh, that revealed the anatomy beneath. I was absolutely fascinated by it. Well, everyone has a story like that: my mom never got me one. But over the years, I’ve learned to never underestimate the power of destiny. In 2017, I got to know the guys from 3DRetro in the course of painting a wall in L.A. Just a year before, I painted a huge T-Rex in Oakland. We had a good chat, they told me that the theme for next year’s DesignerCon is going to be Jurassic Park and asked me if I’d like to collaborate. Of course, I was down. Since they took care of getting the license from Universal all I had to do is designing the toy. So, in the end, I fulfilled my childhood dream myself.

176

177

More about inspiration. Who are some artists that first inspired you to create art yourself and who are some artists that motivate you today to keep creating? Artists who have insped me from the beginning are:Koloman Moser, Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Alfons Mucha, H.R. Giger, Derek Hess Also, I got to mention two graphic novel illustrators: Todd Mcfarlane & Greg Capullo Graffiti-wise, I was deeply inspired by Neo and Toast And of course, I need to mention my crew members, who’ve been inspiring me throughout my journey. At the moment, I’m especially drawing inspiration from Alex Grey and Paul Pfurtscheller, an Austrianzoologist and natural history illustrator. Do you have any emerging artist that we need to know about that you would like to shout out? Considering myself an emerging artist I’d like to shout out to some contemporaries: Aryz, Alexis Diaz, DALeast, Faith47, Li-Hill, David Leitner, Victor Mosquera, Smithe One, Josef Wurm, Lauren YS. www.rabbiteyemovement.at | www.instagram.com/nychos

178

179

180

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Style is something that is Already Th It ORigiNateS with your Very First S

here from the Beginning. Stroke and Ends with Your Last One.â&#x20AC;?

181

Sandra Chevrier A New Vision of Heroism by Kate Zaliznock

SANDRA CHEVRIERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PAINTINGS CAN CONJURE A SWELL OF PRIDE TO UNDERSTANDING AUDIENCES, AS IF THEY ARE COMMUNICATING A UNIVERSAL, UNSPOKEN TRUTH. CHEVRIER MANAGES TO ILLUSTRATE BOTH THE RESTRICTION AND DEFIANT NATURE OF THE FEMININE SPIRIT WITH HER CAGES SERIES, MIXING WITH ICONIC IMAGERY AND EXQUISITE DETAIL. THE ARTIST SAT DOWN WITH OPEN COLOR TO DISCUSS THE VIEWPOINTS BEHIND HER WORK, THE LIFE EXPERIENCE THAT HAS LED HER TO THIS POINT, HER FAVORITE FELLOW ARTISTS, AND MORE.

What is it that draws you to the juxtaposition of the feminine and classic superhero figures? Art has always been a way for me to express myself, and also it is for me a language on its own. The series “Cages” is about women trying to find freedom from society’s twisted preconceptions of what a woman should or shouldn’t be. These women encased in these cages of brash imposing paint or comic books that masks their very person symbolize the struggle that women go through with having these false expectations of beauty and perfection as well as the limitations society places on women, corrupting what truly is beautiful by placing women in these prisons of identity. 184

By doing so, society is asking them to become superheroes. There is also a certain melancholy in these different faces as if these women experienced a situation that they did not wish. As if they were “slaves.” An offset of American comics, synonymous to entertainment and fun. This is exactly the goal of the series, a daily struggle for us all against that which is imposed by society and the very expectations we impose on ourselves. I keep myself busy in many ways; single mom, business woman, artist, the household, romance, errands. It puts a lot on one’s shoulders. We overwork ourselves. We are all slaves to something, of something.

Do you feel past reactions to your work shape its future direction? In comic books, despite all the playfulness of the thing itself and all the “POW BING BAM,” superheroes are also fragile. Superman, when he loses his battle against Doomsday, the image of his red cape tattered planted in the ground as a fallen flag has an intense beauty and incredible power. This is just one example among many others. We are human, men and women, and we are entitled to the flaw, the error. We should embrace them, learn from them instead of seeing them as weakness, stop living through these false expectations and limitations that society or that we place on upon our shoulders.

I’m sure some comments have impacted my works. I love constructive criticism and I love having discussions with others about it and to learn about their own perception of it. Often these conversations bring some new ideas and open new perspectives. When I started working on this series I realized that a lot of people would look at my work in a totally different way than I did, they were seeing it as an empowering message, and it as now become a dichotomy; a dance between Power and Fragility, Freedom and Captivity, the Poison and the Cure.

La Cage et le cri de l’âme - 2018 185

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

What was the starting point for your latest series? The ‘’Cages’’ series started when I was doing crafts with my (then) two-year-old son. I found an old sketch of a woman’s portrait and passed over it with heavy textures of dollar store toll paints. I found the result very striking and thus the very humble beginning to a lengthy series. The transition to comic book collage happened upon embarking on a DIY home project. I had an old, small and cheap IKEA dresser that I had planned to cover in comic book collage, but not long after planning this small home project, the dresser broke. So I was left with a broken piece of furniture and dozens of copies of comic books that I had picked up at a nearby flea market, so I put them to use, and thus the comic book cages series. Who are some of your favorite emerging artists? Not sure how to define emerging but here are the artists of my generation that I love; Zoltan Veevaete, Erik Jones, Icy and Sot, Nuno Viegas, Mr. Super A …. and many many more. How would you describe the cultural commentary your artwork explores? I think I have answered in the first question but I have to say that my work speaks to a very large audience because the subject is universal. We all feel these pressures in our day to day life, whether old or young or whatever gender or race or where you are from. Where have been some of your favorite places to travel and exhibit your work? I’m lucky that my work has brought me to travel a lot and often to places I never thought I would go. One of my first exhibitions outside of Canada was in Norway and I fell in love with that place. I have now gone back a few times and it is a place that feels like home.

La Cage et ces yeux pleins de lumières 60X48, 2018

â&#x20AC;&#x153;These women encased in these cages of brash imposing paint or comic books that masks their very person, symbolize the struggle that women go throughâ&#x20AC;Ś limitations society places on women, corrupting what

truly is beautiful by placing women in these prisons of identity."

La Cage et le gouffre de tes yeux 60X72, 2018

O P E N V I S I O N

C O L O R I S S U E

What is a typical day in the studio like for you? I usually start quite early, start with a coffee and answering emails and then I spend most of the day painting, time goes by so fast. On some days I sketch and prepare my backgrounds and work on all the other stuff but most of the time I just paint. What are some future goals for you professionally? I had my first museum solo exhibition last year at MOAH in California and I would love to do more of these. Also would love to work on an exhibition outside the walls of a gallery or museum but a space that would allow me to create installations and larger projects. What do you see as the role of the gallery in the evolving global art market? I think social media has been an incredible tool for artists; buyers have become used to buying editions and also originals online, and an artist surely can take care of a lot of things by themselves. But a gallery is not only there to offer white walls to the artist. It is there to give him credibility, elevate him, to help him grow and/or develop his career and market. To offer their knowledge and support and give them opportunities and help them create larger projects. Also to take care of media and public relations. To take care of a lot technicalities that will give more TIME to the artist to create. A gallery can become like a family in which you can trust and will always have your back. Who are some of your heroes?

My son, without him I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be where I am today; he gave me the courage to trust myself as an artist and makes me want to be a better person. He is my hero.

www.sandrachevrier.com | www.instagram.com/sandrachevrier

La Cage et le cri muet 48x60, 2018

la cage seulement toi 2019

Open Color was founded to connect emerging and established artists with cornerstone creative communities

and

the

primary

demographics

fueling the global art economy. This magazine is part of our larger goal â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to create a neutral space for organic connection where we can shine a spotlight on some of our favorite artists. To learn more, please visit our website or email us directly at info@weareopencolor.com. Follow us on social media and help us grow www.weareopencolor.com | www.instagram.com/open.color

We are you. We are all of us.

We are Open Color.

COMING UP NEXT IN OUR SENSORY SERIES

THE touch ISSUE

OPEN COLOR - The Vision Issue

Articles inside

Rachel Leigh

Sandra Chevrier

Nychos

Jillian Evelyn

Laura Berger

Parker Day

Pol Kurucz

Liz Bretz

Chris Wood

Jason Myers

Building 180

Yugen Blakrok

Rare DM

Brightest Diamond My

Shiro Schwarz

Mimi CHOI

Kevin Lowry