GEMEIN
MAGAZINE PARIS 2016
LILI MIRAB ANDREW VOX RUFUS BARKLEY TOVE WALL DYRTING
MANIFESTO
[ɡəˈmaɪnʃaft] [ɡəˈzɛlʃaft]
[ɡəˈmaɪn]
There are two kinds of interaction with people. There is the Gemeinschaft, an interaction of people based upon a sense of community, and the Gesellschaft, an interaction of people based upon getting further forward in society. We are the Gemeinschaft. We celebrate the communities we were a part of and are a part of. We care more about the people we tell stories to the morning after than about what they can do for us. Gemein magazine is a bi-annual magazine showcasing the interaction between subjects and ourselves. The communities we describe and the stories we depict are meant to relate to us and the insiders/outsi ders of fashion. Fashion is used in this publication as a tool to better portray the subjects and to better tell the stories. Since we do not have advertisers, brands will not dictate the magazine themes and content, but we do love our brands and like to showcase the brands we truly care about, no matter how big or how small. We interact with each other and now we include you, the readers, in this interaction. Please enjoy our stories.
Sincerely, Us (The Gemein Team)
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formal conversations & thoughts
fashion stories
informal prose, conversations & thoughts
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ISSUE 0
4—7
20—37
58—59
Jeanne grey
The raven on the sill wHEN I GROW UP
60—69
8—13 38—45
MANNEQUIN 70—91
DEAR STHLm 14—19
IMAGINARY FRIEND 46—57
SKATEBORED 92
SARAH MAXWELL
ACTS OF FRIENDSHIP
REVIEW Iris de moüy: PETITE CONNE 3
The Raven on the Sill TEXT & PHOTOGRAPHY ANDREW VOX
“The what?” he said as pomegranate seeds fell discretely from his mouth onto the ground gradually approaching my converse. “The artists, don’t think they really want me here.” “Oh, why would you think that. They’re just daft about you, boy. Why would you say such a thing?” “I don’t know. It’s just a vibe, I guess.” Colin shrugged and leaned along the rail looking out onto the ocean. “I won’t worry about that too much, now, m’boy. Those kinda vibes are just the demons talkin’ to ya. Don’t let ‘em get to ya.” My orange jacket, stark against the gray, protected me from the ocean’s elements with a subtle and passive resistance. I stepped forward to the rail and willingly got lost among the fog. *** Upon my approach into Maine, I tasted the air. A field of wheat stretched beyond, moving serially along the salted wind. Collectively telling the story of where the wind travels with the bitter essence of abandonment. “I can do this.” I sauntered along a road of gravel and weeds to approach a lighthouse on top of a thousand stairs. At the base of the stairs, I saw a four-sided gray memorial of an earthly stone within a circle of lifeless wildflowers. “SPOT” it said in all caps. “THE LIGHTHOUSE DOG.” I glanced up at the lighthouse above the hill and back to Spot’s gravestone. “I wonder what he looked like?” I thought to myself. I dashed up the stairs to the lighthouse. *** The fridge emanated in and out into my senses with subtle whirls and shakes. Subtlety working at all hours but not always showing it. I looked down at my desk onto the paper, deciding which elements I needed. Through the walled façade were the sentences of French and English muffled by the bass of my neighbor’s speaker. Maybe it was a birthday, or maybe it was a “just because” event. I looked through and imagined being with them, speaking and being spoken to, drinking and being drunk. The feeling of isolation a continual reality despite the value of people in the space.
I wrote effortlessly onto the paper. “Existence is sometimes just finding your place in a room.” I penned. “Routine always hinders growth and depressed idled hands always obstruct change.” I realized that I still needed structure in my life. I needed the constructs of fluid control. The scaffolding that held me up when I needed to work on something, but I needed that scaffolding to be ever changing colors with liquid movements all held together by the many people that inspire and protect me. *** At the college in Maine, I walked around person to person and experience to experience, all bound by the same goal, to create. To create something that had no purpose other than to add another element to this place. She taught the younger students the nature and practice of photography. She welcomed me into the circle of young minds creating without a rule system in place. Without a system of handling their art through the eyes of other people. She smelled of Californian redwoods. Her clothing had the trees smell and essence upon her. Wherever she walked, she was followed by a parade of delicate moths and butterflies, drunken to her woodland fragrance. Enamored from the smell of something new, they shadowed and never knew why. Unlike the moths, I always did. The girl and I took walks together along the subtle settlements and shorelines. We came upon an abandoned area that only she knew of. Armed with our cameras, we explored. Overgrown foliage overtook a trailer park reminiscent of the dystopian universe. We walked delicately through the brush, jumping from piece of wood to broken sink, just to get into the doors. “How did you find out about this place?” I walked into a vacant bedroom. The bedroom, empty of furniture, but containing broken artifacts of memories throughout. Upon the flattened hunter green carpet lied a set of shattered glass birds of dissimilar types. I picked up a black bird with half of its torso. I watched as the bird silently posed for me, asking for respect and honor despite its fragmented body. Maybe not realizing it was so, or perhaps not caring.
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“I tend to drive around and purposefully get lost so I can discover. I found this one after I was teaching darkroom last year.” I glanced away from the raven to see the light coming into dusted room. I moved over to see the view and looked through eyes of what it once was. Covered in dust and cobwebs, a moth thrashed fervently in the corner of the window from side to side, and gave up. I put the raven below on the sill, standing tall. *** “The Hotel Spaander means bathing in cultural history and romance!” The guide walked along the empty restaurant of wooden tables and chairs. The walls, covered in portraits and life moments, dated back as far as the late 1800’s. “The hotel was founded in 1881 and has a remarkable story to tell, let me tell ya! Because of all these original paintings on all the walls, which old painters used to pay for their hotel room, we get the illusion of walking in a museum.” He casually escorted the soundless group making sense of the foreign space. “Did you all know that foreign painters were the first real tourists of Volendam? They perpetuated their amazement with their paintbrushes. Often the painters were poor, so Leendert Spaander, our founder, great man that he was, would accept their paintings in exchange of taking care of them. Because of this, a historical collection of great value was born!” I woke up to a shadowy room. Misplaced with me in attendance. The walls were formed by planks of white wood along the room. My feet reached the ground and evenly walked along the night to the exit. The lock, with a slow gesture of movement, allowed my escape. I walked into the emptied restaurant and was surrounded by the work of my predecessors. Looking at them and their eyes looking back, never changing their view or expression towards me and the rest of the world. But my view changed. Independent of them or of anybody else, standing as time moved, unhurriedly joining the ranks.
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DEAR STHLM Stockholm is built on fourteen islands, connected by fifty seven bridges and one of Europe’s fastest growing cities, known for tech starts-up, design and a growing lack of housing. These are small excerpts from conversations among Stockholmers.
PHOTOGRAPHY & text TOVE WALL DYRTING
LEYLA AND GUSTAV on MESSENIUSVÄGEN
T: Tell me about daily life now days. L: Well, I barely see the others at the moment. Me and Gustav are spending a lot of time together. Corinne and CM does their thing. Louise and Erik are still together. Camilla has started to see M again. And I think Madde is dating someone to. T: Yeah, I met with Madde and Filip over a beer yesterday and that was one of the first thing she told me: “I barely see the others anymore. It’s to hard to make it work.” L: I hope it’s just a face that we’re going through. T: The “30 year, buying your own apartment and finding a life partner” face? L: Yup, that’s probably the one.
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MARC at SOLNA SUBWAY STATION
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TABLE on KAMMAKARGATAN
T: I like that you are so proactive in knowing that you’re going to have a man over at your place and therefore asked me to met you here. Also quite ironic that the first thing I do when I leave Paris for a weekend, is to visit a French bakery. K: Now you have your chance to show of your French skills! And when you enter “real adulthood” and get your first job you even need to plan thoroughly when you are gonna have time for romance. T: Love it! You told me about him at Corinnes birthday party last time I was here but tell me more. K: I mean, how can you bee attracted to a man that isn’t good looking? I thought it would be a safe space to explore my sensuality, and then it turns out that he a super great guy as well! And, since he’s also a psychologist, there’s no risk of feeling unseen.
KRISTINA at Le petit France JOHN ERICSSONGATAN 6
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MADELEINE at TRÄDGÅRN
L: Did you know? The Swedish language doesn’t have a lot of words to describe feelings and emotions, since it was developed during a time were the living conditions was hard and rough. The space to talk about feelings didn’t exist. T: No wonder why a lot of us are depressed. L: I know! So there fore has this organisations that work on preventing mental illness developed 150 words that describes different feelings, so people can talk about their feelings easier. Let me give you an example: “Ambitionfelled” [in Swedish ambitionsfälld] – the feeling of exhausted in situations you need to compete constantly to go forward. T: So buying this book.
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LOUISE on Folkungagatan
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SARAH MAXWELL TEXT ANDREW VOX
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ILLUSTRATION SARAH MAXWELL
How would you describe yourself as an artist?
– I think I would describe myself as a draftswoman? I love to have very clean, rendered lines and I work in a simple, minimalist way. My work is mainly just line work but occasionally I’ll use color. I take inspiration from my personal life and experience, things I have an interest in.
What community do you relate to and describe this community?
– The lesbian community, for sure. The lesbian community is small, very tight knitand below the radar so to speak. It’s a great community, and you always feel at home (that you’re understood) with these girls because it’s so tiny and unrepresented in life- unlike others. There’s all these stereotypes out there of lesbians, of this community, and it makes me feel as if we’re the underdogs and should support ourselves to get out of our predefined labels.
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How does your work reflect this community?
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– Being gay myself, I’ve always been looking for things that represented women who like women. It’s nice to see that shown and expressed, because it’s quite rare that it is. I remember being younger and looking for other lesbian art, wanting to see my community represented, but only ever knowing one or two other artists whose work sometimes included it. It was a bit disappointing. I then kind of took initiative and told myself that I was going to be the one to do it. There was no one else. So, I started making comics, and being more open with including more lesbian content in my illustrations. So far it’s been so great- I love having made that decision. I have a Tumblr where I post all my stuff, and the feedback has been wonderful. People are happy to finally see their community and their love for other women shown, and since then even more artists like me have popped up.
Can you describe each page of the sketchbook?
– I get a lot of inspiration from passion and emotions, as I said before. I try to be a bit of a romantic in my work, but try to remain a bit anonymous at the same time. The sketch of the girl is one that love. I’ve worked with that image a lot, and find it so inspiring. It’s full of emotion and vulnerability, she won’t show her face and she’s completely naked- she’s bare and hiding. I think it’s beautiful. The other is of one of my favorite statues by Bernini, telling the story of Persephone and Hades from Greek mythology. In the myth, Hades falls in love with Persephone and binds her into living in the underworld with him by tricking her into eating a pomegranate. Although the story is violent and not such a great love story, the statue itself is incredible. I’m obsessed with hands; I love to draw them. The way Bernini sculpted Hade’s hands on Persephone’s skin, how he’s holding her, makes it romanticized and so beautiful. I wanted to capture that, as well as the intensity of the story so I included a bleeding pomegranate, representing more of the violence that happen towards this woman.
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What is your artistic process when you create art?
– Lately what I’ve been doing is picking out words, sentences that I find quite nice. Most of the time it will come from music that I’m listening to, and when I hear something that gives me an emotion I can visually already pick out a scene of how I would illustrate it. I take a lot from my emotions and personal life, so I’ll combine the words and lyrics that speak to me and what I want to express. I’ve been drawing a lot more comic related stuff, so I’ll start out with images I want to show and make a story around it. Sketch it out, make sure the composition is nice and then I’ll render it out. I pretty much completely just work in Photoshop, but for the initial quick sketches I’ll do in a small A6 moleskin.
Where do you see yourself as an artist in 10 years time?
– I’m not sure. I have so many different interests, it’s hard to say. I’m driven by my love for fashion and jewelry illustration, so I’ve always wanted to work as one in a design house or a magazine. If I could find a job doing that, that’s great. A part of me enjoys the comic scene too, and that’s another area I’d love to push myself towards. Little publications though, or starting small web comics on the side of my job would be great.
Where do you see yourself in this new community in 10 years time?
– Obviously, my work is going to stay the same. I hope I’ll get noticed a bit more, and for sure I’ll be known for the lesbian content along with the fashion illustrations I do. I think it would be cool if people wanted to hire me for a job because of my style and my influences in life, but we’ll see. I’m just enjoying putting the lesbian community out there to be seen finally, because it should! It would be great to see it developed and shown more than it is in now the media.
See more of Sarah's work at www.sarahmaxwellart.com
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PHOTOGRAPHY RUFUS BARKLEY
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MAKE UP Camille Legendre
MODEL Undine Slimane (MP PARIS)
STYLING PHOTOGRAPHER'S ARCHIVE
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IMAGINARY FRIEND
PHOTOGRAPHY LILI MIRAB
MODEL ALMA ROZAS
STYLING PHOTOGRAPHER'S ARCHIVE
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ACTS OF FRIENDSHIP PHOTOGRAPHY TOVE WALL DYRTING
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STYLIng Alyx-Marie Kleinsteiber
MAKE UP Ica Fratila-Finta Magdalena Ficon
MODELS Margarita (Mademoiselle) Tais (Mademoiselle)
Tais Shirt stylist’s own Cardigan by Tsumori Chisato MArgarita dress Tsumori chisato
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EVERYTHING stylist’s own
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Everything stylist’s own
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Shirt stylit’s own Skirt with suspenders by zucca
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Everything stylist’s own
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EVERYTHING stylist’s own
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SHIRT by Tsumori Chisato JEANS stylit’s own
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Everything stylist’s own
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Dresses by Tsumori Chisato Socks by H&M Shoes stylit’s own
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Everything stylist’s own
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EVERYTHING by Tsumori Chisato
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Jeanne grey
Where NEW YORK Work FASHION & LIFESTYLE BLOGGER at greylayers.com Favorite food PIZZA Favorite thing at the moment TURTLENECKS Describe yourself with three words MINIMAL, INTROVERTED, HUNGRY 58
How did your interest in blogging start? And how did it become a fulltime job?
– It started through the love of social media by simply making connections online through creativity! I unknowingly built an audience who loved the aesthetic that I also unknowingly created along the way. So here we are now.
How would you describe the blogging community?
– Just like the fashion world, it has its catty side to it given that it is very fashion oriented. However as competitive as it is, it is also very open in terms of accepting all sorts of content, people, personalities therefore allowing you to meet like-minded creators who end up becoming your friends! I am very kept to myself, so I would say that I keep things professional amongst other bloggers but get to know the ones who I vibe with.
How would you describe your relationship with your readers?
– I love my audience! They’re the prime reason for the existence of what I do! I try to connect with them on a daily basis. Most of them have been following me for almost 7 years now! It’s kinda crazy – in a good way!
What is your main message to your readers?
– To always fight for what you love. When you love it, you will strive to thrive in it.
What obligation do you feel towards your readers?
– Not an obligation but a mere relationship to keep! That relationship almost feels like I’ve known them forever and so, the key is to always communicate and continually inspire one another daily.
Where do you see yourself in this community in ten years time? and how do you think work of bloggers will change?
– Blogging is merely a platform I’ve created for my work to share with the world. My work is yet to begin. There’s a lot in store for GreyLayers but I can’t quite share that just yet.
What’s the best thing about blogging?
– Traveling! Seeing the world because of my blog and in return blogging about it is amazing to me.
Text Tove Wall Dyrting
Photography Rufus Barkley
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MANNEQUIN PHOTOGRAPHY ANDREW VOX
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Assistant Merle Cooper
MODEL Merle cooper lucy black ruhi amin charles abbott Faryn Gabrielle Mannequin n° 1 Mannequin N° 2
STYLING PHOTOGRAPHER'S ARCHIVE
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SKATe BORED PHOTOGRAPHY Rufus Barkley
MAKE UP Felix Vonteeth
STYLING Jéssica Falcão
MODELS Idabelle (MP PARIS) ANA W (Mademoiselle)
ANA Top by Ivy Park Jacket by Chin Mens Hat Stylist’s own IDABELle Jacket by Alex Mullins Top by Ivy Park Bottoms by Sean Suen Shoes by Common Projects
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Bottoms by Sean Suen Shoes by Common Projects
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ANA Coat by Icosae Dress by Knitss Boots by Zoe Lee IDABELle Jacket by Icosae Top & Bottoms by Alex Mullins Shoes by Common Projects
ANA Jacket and Bottoms by Sean Suen Top by Ivy Park
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IDABELLE Top by THIS IS NOT CLOTHING Bottoms by Sean Suen
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IDABELle JACKET & BOTTOMS by Sean Suen Top by THIS IS NOT CLOTHING ANA Jacket by Icosae Top by Ivy Park Bottoms by Sean Suen Boots by Zoe Lee
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ANA Dress by Knitss Boots by Zoe Lee ISABEL Jacket by Icosae Top & Bottoms by Alex Mullins Shoes by Common Projects
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ANA Dress by Knitss Boots by Zoe Lee IDABELle Jacket by Icosae Top & Bottoms by Alex Mullins Shoes by Common Projects
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ANA Jacket by Sean Suen Top by Ivy Park IDABELLE Jacket by THIS IS NOT CLOTHING Top by Cheap Monday Bottoms by Sean Suen
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Top by Ivy Park Jacket by ICOSAE Hat Stylist’s own
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Top by THIS IS NOT CLOTHING Bottoms by Sean Suen
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ANA Jacket by Icosae Top by Ivy Park IDABELLE Jacket by Alex Mullins Top by Ivy Park Bottoms by Sean Suen Shoes by Common Projects
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IDABELLE Jacket by Icosae Top & Bottoms by Alex Mullins Shoes by Common Projects ANA Coat by Icosae Dress by Knitss Boots by Zoe Lee
JACKET by Sean Suen Top by Ivy Park
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IDABELLE Jacket & Bottoms by Sean Suen Top by THIS IS NOT CLOTHING ANA Jacket by Icosae Top by Ivy Park Bottoms by Sean Suen Boots by Zoe Lee
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Jacket by Icosae Top by Ivy Park, Bottoms by Sean Suen
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REVIEW Iris de moüy: Petite Conne With the Holiday lights flashing a welcoming frame for the well to know patrons of Paris’s favorite gallery space and art book store, Ofr, Iris De Moüy exhibits her long awaited Parisian solo show, Petite Conne. ‘Petite Conne’ headlines two posters personally screen printed by the night’s celebrated artist hanging on the wall leading visitors to the stairs and down into the world of the 'Petite conne'. De Moüy’s signature style engulfs the viewer rapidly and pleasantly drops them down the rabbit hole and into a relevant universe. “A point of view of woman, and free woman…” is something the awarded winning children’s book author successfully creates and it translates to all genders. Prints on the wall depict movement and motion of the coming of age female experience. Whether it is a triptych of three separate screen prints depicting a young woman blowing a bubble with bubble gum, or a single image of the ritualistic ‘trust fall’, she expresses woman, but many women. De Moüy remarks, “Women are sometimes uncomfortable and this is a way of expression.” Throughout the exhibition, one can see the trials a young woman might feel in such a short but eventful period in her life. Expressions of feeling alone and sad exist in one piece in solidarity, while the feeling of the need to grow up and experiment come together in a triptych showing the ‘Petite Conne’ smoking frame by frame. It is tough to hold back feelings inside the gallery because the pieces, while being aesthetically in line with chldren's novels as well as skateboard graphics, tell a personal story that has been experienced by so many. So if you happen to be walking in Le Marais near the Square Du Temple and want to re-experience a life that you might have or might not have lived, stop in the Ofr Gallery amd smile in Iris De Moüy’s world of the ‘Petite Conne’
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ISSUE 0
CONTRIBUTORS
Rufus Barkley, a Southern Californian transplant born and bred in the skate-rock surf-punk scene, is a fashion/documentary photographer based primarily in New York. “I will always be a skate rat at a rock and roll show.”
Lili Mirab is an Iranian fashion photographer capturing her daydreams while currently living and based within the city limits of Paris. “I take photographs in order to give life and power to my illusions. ”
Andrew Vox works predominantly in the medium of photography but is well versed in a multitude of computer programs and other electronic mediums. Previously hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, Andrew is matriculating for his degree in Transdisciplinary New Media at the Paris College of Art in Paris, France. "You are what you love, not what loves you."
Tove Wall Dyrting, a product by romantic relationship sprouted at IKEA HQ Älmhult. As a photographer, she finds the greatest stories within advertisement. Her main base is in Stockholm. “Patient you must be.”
SPECIAL THANKS TO
MARC ÖSTLUND Imprinter Lamauy
INTERPRESS 7081-01