quint magazine | issue 15

QUINT MAGAZINE | ISSUE 15 | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2012 | COMPLIMENTARY

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Contents Design Help Graphic Design History...

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Featured Designer: Heather Landis

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Featured Designer: Rosa Middleton

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Photography Photographer: Lukasz Wierzbowski

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Photographer: Elle Hanley

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Fashion Iga Drobisz - 1951

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Sneakers of the month

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Call for action

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Music My Personal Tribute to Fairuz

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Deep Crates Cartel

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Damian Rice at Gent Jazz Festival

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Album Review: Mastodon - The Hunter 92 Sigur R贸s, Tequila & Lollipops

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Mixtape

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Literature Mommy, I want to be a Critic

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Where the Wind Blows

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Book Review: How to be a Woman

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Reading List

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Last Call Exploring the Millenal Condition

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@fujifilmme

www.fujifilm-mea.com facebook.com/fujifilmme

Your world in living color

Masthead quint magazine | issue 15 | September - October 2012 founded in 2010 by Zaina Shreidi & Gyula Deak

Editor in Chief

Copyright

Zaina Shreidi zaina@quintmagazine.com

This production and its entire contents are protected by copyright. No use or reprint (including disclosure) may be made of all or any part of this publication in any manner or form whatsoever without the prior written consent of quint. Views expressed in quint magazine do not necessarily represent the opinions of the editors or parent company. quint is a division and registered trademark of Prolab Digital LLC.

Deputy Editor Fares Bou Nassif fares@quintmagazine.com

Creative Director Gyula Deak gyula@quintmagazine.com

Graphic Designer Ritu Arya ritu@quintmagazine.com

Environment quint uses 100% woodfree paper for all inside pages.

Printing & Distribution Contact General hi@quintdubai.com Advertising advertising@quintmagazine.com HQ 4th Street, Al Quoz Prolab Digital warehouse po box 12256 | Dubai | UAE t: +971 4 380 5036

Partners

Awards

Printed by: Gulf Panorama Printing Co.

Distribution:

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Contributors

Fares Bou Nassif

Ali Taheri

Ross Gardiner

Fares writes so that he can stop itching to write, so that he can have something to look back to that reminds him of the path he took, the way things change. Spitting out little letters in a carefully designed process that culminates in a cacophony of words that could possibly create a symphony while maintaining the utter simplicity necessary for the youngest minds to enjoy.

Counter-cultural, world traveller, Ali Taheri brings his acerbic wit and keen tongue to his prose.

Ever the believer in Bob Marley’s Zionist views of the future, he believes that truly everything will be Erie! His work in film and art is respected nationally and he has been recognised as one to watch on the local event scene. If you see Ali out on the town you know where you’re at is directly ahead of the curve! He is also a comic book fanatic and a terrific cook.

Ross Gardiner is a fiction and humor writer from the Highlands of Scotland. Born in 1987 he lived in Scotland until 2008, when he decided to move east to Seoul, South Korea. He has travelled extensively around various parts of the world, carrying a keyboard, a coffee and a carton of smokes. Oh and he’s not on Facebook. You can find out more about his views on the topic on YouTube.

Break DJ Lobito

Trevor Bundus

Iga Drobisz

No 1 B-boy DJ in the Middle East and regional representative for Afrika Bambaataa’s Universal Zulu Nation, he’s been involved in the Funk, Hip Hop & Bboy scene for over 12 years and has played to several thousand people in the UK, Europe, and Middle East alongside headliners such as De La Soul, Jungle Brothers, Slick Rick, Pharoahe Monch, Dead Prez, and many more. Lobito’s specialty is rare records spanning funk, latin, soul, hip hop, brazilian, afrobeat, block party beats and original bboy breaks. He is also the founder of the successful Deep Crates weekly night in Dubai.

Trevor is drawn to the stranger things of life, and prefers to champion objective individualism, through the spirit of man and brain. You can hear his preaching on all things musicical and poetic. He has no awards to date, no accomplishments, no humour and no character as he finds them too mainstream. You may find him in the dark alleys and dank stairwells hangin’ with his jin and tonic.

21 years old, born in Bialystok, Poland. thinking of escaping from the next European winter and finding a shelter in Dubai. Self-taught photographer, traveler or a nomad as her friends call her.

And sometimes, occasionally, some of what he writes looks like it’s something someone else might want to know about.

ARTISTIC DIRECTION: CHRISTOPH HAGEL

CHOREOGRAPHY: VARTAN BASSIL

FLYING STEPS DANCE TO J. S. BACH‘S WELL – TEMPERED CLAVIER

THE MIDDLE EAST TOUR

28 & 29.09.2012 - 8:00 p.m SOUK MADINAT JUMEIRAH WWW.REDBULLFLYINGBACH.COM PARTNERS

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TICKETS AT

Our Note Aaaaaand we’re back!

As most of you know, we decided to take a little break for the summer to refresh and take some time to think about the future of quint magazine! We have made some exciting changes and we hope you like the new look and feel.

We’ll also be releasing 5 issues throughout the year rather than 12. This will give us more time - meaning more events, more supplements, and more collaborations.

So that’s it folks. Just a simple summer break for us to find ways to give you more of what you love. All the rumours that have been floating around are totally false, but we must admit its kind of flattering that people are talking about us and going to the effort of making things up. Kind of makes it even more exciting to come back with a bang!

Bottom line - we’re here to stay. We love our readers - all of you. From Dubai to Seoul, NYC to Hungary, Sydney to Texas, Beirut to Amsterdam, India to the UK. And everywhere in between!

Moving on - this issue is dedicated to lazy summer days, trees, new music that feels like you’ve known it all your life, laying in bed, and novels that take you far, far away. We were inspired by the visually scintillating film The Dreamers, and we think you’ll see why as you flip through the pages of the brand spanking new issue of quint magazine.

Enjoy...

Zaina & Gyula

campbell soup

Impossible Instant Lab

Andy Warhol is one of our favourite icons, and it’s great to see his work re-emerge in a way we’re sure he’d love! Campbell Soup is releasing limited edition cans with designs inspired by the late, great, Andy Warhol. Get your very own Warhol inspired Campbell Soup can for only $0.75 at Target stores in the USA.

We are huge fans of the Impossible Project, and with the new iPhone coming out soon, this awesome product is what we want now now now! It turns your iPhone photos into real Polaroids!

Check out their Kickstarter page and give them your money because this is awesome. See? Polaroids aren’t dead! Now you can finally make sure all those pictures of you in your mirror, your dog, and your silly friends are made permanent.

enpundit.com/andy-warhol-inspired-campbell-soup-pop-art/

www.kickstarter.com/projects/impossible/impossible-instant-labturn-iphone-images-into-rea

instagram camera

cassette to iphone

Love it or hate, Instagram is undeniably, hugely popular. This awesome concept takes Instagram out of the iPhone and makes it available to just about everyone! Whip out a proper camera next time you see a sunset/squirrel/famous person/nice looking plate of food and document it in one of your favourite themes for all your friends on facebook to judge.

We’ve been mourning the demise of mixtapes for some time now.

But for those of us who are lucky enough to still have a few of those little rectangle personalised trips down memory lane, you can now convert them into MP3 files and store them on your iPhone or iPod Touch! This little gadget comes with a conversion app, and is super simple to use.

www.adr-studio.it/site/?p=399

www.blessthisstuff.com/stuff/technology/misc-gadgets/cassette-to-iphoneconverter/

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NEW ERA FALL 2012 MOVIE COLLECTION For its fourth wave of movie inspired hats New Era has teamed up with Warner Bros. to release The Dark Knight Rises Collection! Now available at all Rage stores in MOE, Dubai Mall and Al Whada.

• New Era 9Fifty The Dark Knight Rises Sub Viza Official Batman Snapback Cap (Black &White) • Batman logo on front of cap in black • New Era flag logo on side in charcoal and black • The Dark Knight Rises • Snapback cap

bike&paper Ever been biking around and thought – man I could really go for some red right about now?

Yeah apparently lots of people do. Cooler weather is coming to Dubai soon(ish) and we find this nifty cardboard idea just the thing for nice days out. Follow the instructions printed on the cardboard and you’ll be able to carry a couple bottles of, ehm, Vimto, just about anywhere you go.

www.rage-shop.com

www.themag.it/inspiration/2012/bike-and-paper.html

uboard smart

get the hint adhesive labels

cross-stitch accessories

Now who isn’t a little OCD these days?

We know how it feels when you have piles of everything, except for what you really need, on your overflowing messy desk.

Coffee cup(s), pens, pencils, USBs, wires (oh the wires…), and so much more. Here’s a little way to calm that hot mess of a desk down and organise your environment. We like.

We stumbled across these and were simply tickled ever since. These little adhesive stickers pretty much say what is on our minds – and likely everyone else’s! We want a bunch so we can give people friendly slaps on the back with “Ew!” or “Pick up!” or even a cheeky “Wash this!” We also want to label pretty much everything with “WTF”.

We have a soft spot for arts and crafts with a naughty twist, and these amazing cross-stitch accessories perfectly fit the bill. Gift your (ex)loved one the perfect cufflinks aptly decorated with the words “TWAT” and “JERK”, wear a cute hipster moustache on a ring, or be super ironic with “PLONKER” or “PRAT” buttons. (We know it’s not all that ironic.)

www.blessthisstuff.com/stuff/technology/ computers/uboard-smart/

www.npw.co.uk/page/get-the-hint-adhesivelabels

www.frankie.com.au/blogs/craft/cross-stitchjewellery

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Their headline should have read “Apple Declares iPhone Design Perfect”, but instead Jony Ive decides to start with “It’s probably the object that you use most in your life... it’s the product that you have with you all the time. With this unique relationship people have with their iPhone, we take changing it really seriously.

We don’t want to just make a new phone. We want to make a much better phone.”

Great. Yes. Wonderful.

Then he goes on to pretend like “it’s been completely redesigned”. Really?

What’s been redesigned about it, Jony? Why not just say “I believe that good design is long-lasting, and I believe that the iPhone 4 is the most beautiful phone design and there is no need to make it look any different. So we just upgraded the internal components, and made the screen larger. Oh, and changed the light grey metal band to a dark grey metal band. Yes, it’s a little thinner and the back glass is no longer a back glass. So it looks different too, ever so slightly”?

For those who do not know this, Jonathan Ive is a strict adherent to Dieter Rams’s principles of good design (if you go to Wikipedia, they’re conveniently summarised), and does a wonderful job of living up to those very rules – the same philosophy Apple’s design ethos has been based on since the first iPod. He’s done well for himself living by the functionalist approach, creatively speaking.

The problem I have with him, the bone I’m trying to pick, is that he still refuses to admit it to a wider audience. Why not just tell people that you will not make them throw away their wonderful objects unless they choose to, since you work against the throwaway generation? Why not just say “if you want better performance and a bigger screen, then the 5 is for you; otherwise, stick to the 4S, but, yes, the 4 is outdated.” And I’m not naive: Apple needs to sell new phones, and people want the pretty new version (although, if you search for Jimmy Kimmel’s “First Look: iPhone 5” video, you’ll see how ridiculously easy it is to misguide people when it comes to Apple products).

Ideally, what I would have liked to see on September 12, in light of what was released, was two phones. Upgrade the 4S to an A6 chip, along with LTE and all, keeping the screen size at 3.5”, brand it as the iPhone 5 and then create the same device that is now christened iPhone 5, call it the 5L instead, and there you have it. Maybe, to make the distinction between the 5 and the 5L even more visible, have a reasonably noticeable screen difference: 3.3” to 4.2” maybe?

Two phones. That would have been revolutionary. The tagline should be have been: “iPhone 5. iPhone 5L. The biggest thing to happen to iPhone since iPhone.” apple.com

ERASABLE MEMO PAD

parrot drone

Did you get the memo? Make sure you don’t miss out or forget any of the little details with the new handy, paperless, and reusable memo pad. All you need is a pen and eraser, saving the paper waste and the environment. Small and compact, the Erasable Memo Pad is perfect for on the go meetings, running errands, and those random thoughts and ideas that are worth remembering.

Get a new perspective on life with a little help from a friend. The Parrot Drone will surely prove to be man’s new best friend giving you full control of your view. Action, thriller, make your own Hollywood treasure from a bird’s eye view or any angle you wish. There are two cameras embedded into the drone that capture both photos and videos to be shared with others. Equipped with a “Flip” feature that allows it to perform rounds in a matter of seconds, this upscale Wi-Fi controlled drone by Parrot is designed to be used with your iPhone/iPad/iPod touch and with selected Androids as well. The Parrot Drone also gives you the opportunity to play with other Parrot Drones when connected to the Wi-Fi network. Innovatively designed to be used both inside and outside, with this state-of-the-art gadget the sky is the limit!

Scosche MyTREK Always dreamed of having your very own personal trainer with you every step of the way? With the Scosche MyTREK workout tool now you can. The Scosche MyTREK easily attaches to your forearm for full wireless communication with your iPhone or Android. Bluetooth enabled armband and integrated dual LED/optical sensors produce real-time pulse monitoring letting you assess the intensity of your workout.

View a detailed workout summary of your workout to analyze your average pulse, calories burned, distance run, speed and pace. Share your workouts with friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, email and more. And, of course no workout is complete without your favourite tunes, integrated buttons allow for easy control of your music to keep you pumped up for the ultimate workout each and every time.

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potted plant tea infuser

canon 24-105mm lens mug

You can’t have FUNctional without the FUN part and Virgin Megastore never tires of bringing you the quirkiest products to spruce up and bring some colour to your everyday activities. We bet you never thought there could be a new, fun and exciting way of making tea? Well now you can with this neat potted plant tea infuser.

Teatime has never been so good!

A picture says a thousand words. Capture the most beautiful moments with your camera - but first, every photographer needs their coffee. The perfect gift for any pro or aspiring photographer to get their concentration up and running for those long photo sessions is this Canon Lens Mug. Just make sure they have their coffee before trying to get the mug on their camera!

BIRTHDAY CAKE CANDLE TO GO Blowing away your loved ones on their birthday will be a piece of cake! Slide this adorable and fancy looking canned candle cake into your bag, glove compartment, desk or locker and always be prepared when it comes to wishing your friends and family a happy birthday and truly making them feel special... even if you accidentally forgot what day it is!

Gamago bag clips Say good-bye to stale bread, chips or cookies! Keep your favourite snacks flavourful with Gamago’s Flavor Savor and Bowtie Bag Clips. Choose bowtie or moustache clips in four different colours to keep your nibbles fresh and sealed.

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HELP GRAPHIC DESIGN HISTORY GET ITS OWN SHELF!

his one time, I want to bring something to light that most graphic designers and their (professional) observers tend to forget, or disregard: the history of graphic design, as a discipline. My research on the subject over the last few months has proven quite enlightening, and since it directly relates to the education of the graphic designer and the directions in which this education is evolving, we figured we’d share it with you. Now take a deep breath, because we’re about to cover a history of twenty years in a couple of paragraphs – so excuse the name dropping, but it is the most efficient way to get this across.

The first decade of graphic design history began in 1983 and led to a final consolidation of discourses and a critical review of the history of the discipline that produced three Visible Language issues published between 1994 and 1995 starring, among others, Andrew Blauvelt and Victor Margolin. In the fourteen years that followed, new discourse unearthed those same conclusions and repositioned them in light of changes in the discipline with a view to establish a new order in the study of graphic design history, after Steven Heller, starting in 2001, advocated a fresher, more dynamic writing style.

Rick Poynor was at the head of this new critical realignment of issues, alongside Heller and Ellen Lupton. Meanwhile, books published in that period evolved in the direction of the criteria established by these writers, most prominently books

by Richard Hollis, Robin Kinross, Michael Bierut, and Ellen Lupton. The research this article is based on focused on the review of a detailed selection of published works – a comparative review of reviews – of most of the easily available books that cover the subject, and a few of the harder to procure. There was clear evidence of an improved quality of writing and a better selection of content as historians learned from their peers’ and their own mistakes.

The list was divided into three primary categories, the general history of graphic design, the other, more specific, histories of graphic design, and graphic design history writings. Ultimately, evidence of a healthy publication cycle of sophisticated, measured texts reflected a maturing discipline within the bounds of what had been defined.

Today, we stand at the verge of a boom in a nascent discipline that has

struggled to self-identify for almost three decades. It has been aligned with various other disciplines, and continues to be driven towards other fields, while being genetically attached to the larger, arguably less scholarly, discipline of graphic design. The story of graphic design history can be played out dramatically, like a child of divorce where the parents never get along, the stepparents interfere all the time, and nobody likes the kid but everyone wants to make sure the others do not get the privilege of nurturing it. Except, following that analogy, it has now just gone through adolescence and is looking into going to college: finally able to stand on its own body of knowledge, with enough recent batches of graduate students ready to improve its published information, it looks set to define its own future.

While the accomplishments of previous pioneers have gotten it this far, it is important to look back on the things they have not done correctly – the ways the discipline cannot evolve if nobody else takes the reigns. Sure, Poynor, Crisp, Lupton, Helfand, Heller, and their contemporaries and apprentices are doing great in correcting past errors, and highlighting previous accomplishments, but it is the host of up and coming writers from Design Observer, Eye Magazine, the endless combination of blogs, and academic journals ready to publish the youth in their ivory towers that makes the future look bright. There are, however, a few more steps that are necessary for the final push towards a stronger foundation.

Whether a designer wants to share her thoughts with non-designers is her choice: the issue was the inability for those who choose to open up, to share, through channels and in a language that is both accessible and accurate. Historiography as well as criticism are both essential elements to a valid story and narrative: no evaluation is of any value without authenticity and verification. Today, however, should the designer go looking for it, he can find a language that is adequate and available, although not highly accessible. It is also not faultless, and the reality of this research has shown that there is more to be done.

Most notably, there needs to be more: the articles discussing key issues and shortcomings continue to recycle themselves, giving only a small increase each time; the readers that put the various themes of graphic design theory together every few months tend to be relentless reiterations of the same articles. There are many young promising writers coming out of graduate programs in many countries: their opinions matter, and if more platforms would offer incentives for them to create more content for the dissolution

of new ideas and for the consistent streams of informative critical and historical writing, the limited pool of readings would expand reasonably fast.

In one short sentence, taking Bierut’s idealistic views of criticism as a benchmark, the deficiency in critical graphic design writing can be said to be a lack of coherence, sophistication, and foundation to most of the thoughts that writers continue to present to readers.

Except, the most active discourse today that has yet to be widely addressed is one that Matthew Soar accuses Rick Poynor to be hiding from: the supposed discord between design academics and design critics and writers across the field.

Soar’s article, ‘Rick Poynor on Design Academics: Having His Cake and Eating It Too’, brazenly challenges Poynor to provide supporting evidence of the validity of the accusations he made in his Design Observer article ‘The Closed Shop of Design Academia’, insisting that this shop is not closed at all, and is not much of a shop either, but what this author understood to be a marketplace more than a storefront. The article picks out the errors of Poynor’s previous accusations of design academics’ work, while reminding Poynor and his readers that he is also a design academic. Crisp aptly summarised it in Soar’s comment section: “the alleged divide [...] between the processes of journalism and academic scholarship” is exactly that – alleged.

The field would be much better served if writers (scholarly or journalistic) would create content that is more widely accessible (in terms of language and publication channels), if they would develop and devise strategies to expose themselves to a more diverse array of material and artefacts, and when they begin to challenge the limitations of their field so as to go beyond what they feel comfortable in. Graphic design writing, be it critical, historical, or theoretical, has created a comfort zone out of which most of its writing is published. Those who challenge those comfort zones suffer from reduced exposure due to the common litany of names that have become synonymous with graphic design writing and have thus monopolised it.

So, I guess, the research leads to one interesting observation: as designers and design enthusiasts, but also people of the global market, we know that demand drives production and we want an increase in the production of texts valuable to our education. Maybe we can encourage publishers to support more by paying closer attention to texts that are less accessible?

It’s just a thought, it’s one way, but it’s a good way.

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HEATHER LANDIS

by Zaina Shreidi

Mixed media work and collages are among are favourite forms of art.

Combine that with a love for vintage and retro ads and artwork and it’s easy to see why we are so intrigued with the work of Heather Landis.

She manages to find the most incredible vintage materials to take apart and put together again in her own unique way. We are fascinated with the juxtaposition of whimsical and romantic vintage imagery with strange and slightly unnerving undertones. Gives us shivers, and we just love it! It’s the stuff of really strange children’s books.

We caught up with Heather to see what makes her tick, how she manages to find such incredible imagery to work with, nostalgia, and why there’s no shame in working to pay the bills.

We love your work, mixed media always gets us excited! Can you let us know what sort of media you work with?

I try to be flexible when selecting a medium. Pencil, pen, acrylic paint, found vintage ephemera, ads, children’s books, and textured fabrics or paper. I composite collages through CS5 so having a variety of different physical components to start with gives the final product more depth, so it looks less “digital.”

Did you study art? Or are you selftaught?

I studied in Fine Art, Photography and briefly Illustration. I have a BFA in Photography and Imaging from Art Center College of Design.

How would you describe your style?

If I were to use just four adjectives I would say retro, romantic, abstract, and whimsical.

Are you influenced by other artists?

To whom do you look for inspiration?

I’m inspired by Eduardo Recife and Matthew Billington. I absolutely love their work and think it has a sophistication and intelligence that’s often lacking in collage.

How did you develop your unique style?

I study other artists and movements or periods for inspiration. Whenever I’m creating something of my own it’s coming from an intuitive place, but that place has to be informed by some kind of context. I think taking the time to analyze and enjoy other people’s artwork has been a big influence.

Do you plan pieces as a series or collection?

I love creating series, but every now and then I just want to create something different. A lot of the time a client will pick a specific project and then ask me to mimic it. Having a bit of a variety while still fulfilling the expectations is great for a portfolio.

We love your vintage/retro feel – where do you find photographs or illustrations to work with and incorporate into your work?

Used book stores, ebay, etsy, libraries, and thrift stores.

Researching new material takes time and it’s important (for me at least) to preserve everything I find. I scan all my found materials and keep them protected by using vinyl sleeves.

Can you take us through your process? How do you plan a piece and see it through? Do you use any special techniques?

Do you have a particular interest in vintage artwork? How did you get into it?

Once I understand the parameters from a client I always try to create a story. Even if the work is very abstract or the story isn’t necessarily something obvious in the final product, it helps to have a throughline to give the piece focus.

I love the style and coloring used in books and ad campaigns from the 1940’s-1960’s they are some of my favorite periods to go back to for color or style inspiration.

Even though I wasn’t alive at that time, I think there is some innate

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HEATHER LANDIS

sentimentality people feel from those vintage pieces. You can’t look at that work and not feel something, nostalgia, irony, etc. There’s a reason vintage is so relevant today. It’s because those visual elements immediately create a context, and you can either mock or reminisce or comment on it.

What themes do you like to explore with your work?

I want to try and catch the turning point of any situation. To me the moment right before everything changes is more interesting than any resolution. Those moments are filled with so much character.

I also try to work in elements of counterpoint, although I’m not sure if this counts as a ‘theme,’ if I’m showing something pretty I want to add the unseen part that’s fearful or strange.

I try to add drama or fragility to simple beauty.

What drives you to create art? Do you use it as a form of self-expression, commentary, or exploration?

What drives me to create? Money! (laughs) I think it’s important for working artists to remember that at the end of the day they are working for a client; that they are providing a product.

It might sound more poetic to say that I’m only motivated by the desire to create beauty or truth, and of course I do want that, but it’s nowhere near as motivating as having bills to

pay. This is my job, this is my career.

And this is not to say you shouldn’t create work for its own sake, or that you shouldn’t be truthful to your own principles. It’s a real privilege to be an artist, and it’s a responsibility I take seriously.

How do you see yourself evolving with your work?

I’m working on getting my 10,000 hours in! If I’m even half as good of an artist as Recife or Billington one day, I’ll be a happy lady.

Tell us about your current projects; are you working on anything in particular?

I have an on-going series called “Third Beat” that I love working on. Each piece has a very simple composition with recurring motifs: a figure with a problem, birds assist the figure.

I’m trying to play with the fantasy of animals being able to talk. Which is of course really a fantasy about us understanding nature, on our terms.

Tell us about exhibitions you’ve been involved in?

My work has been shown at: The Loading Bay Gallery, London, England Art Center Gallery, Pasadena, Ca., U.S. Smashbox Studios, Culver City, Ca., U.S. See more of Heather’s work at heatherlandis.com

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HEATHER LANDIS

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HEATHER LANDIS

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HEATHER LANDIS

quint & Prolab present

A new concept online art gallery where you can buy artwork from around the world, or sell your artwork to regional and international markets.

We focus on up and coming artists and aim to provide the local market with the opportunity to invest in artwork, without breaking the bank.

For more information visit www.artbankdubai.com Or email artbank@quintdubai.com

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ROSA MIDDLETON

Closet

by Zaina Shreidi

We are all for the whole modern, minimal thing – but to be honest we’ve missed seeing artwork that truly comes to life. Art that explodes with personality, colours, and stories that unravel as your eyes travel from one character to the next.

Rosa’s work makes us feel that rush of excitement we used to get from hearing a great story for the first time, or exploring pages and pages of illustrations when we were just kids splayed out on carpeted floors thinking “How did they do this?”

Take your time as you go through. And when you’ve got a call to take or an email to check make sure you come back again to Rosa’s work because you’ll find something you’ve missed and it will pull you in all over again.

Rosa tells us all about her drag alter ego, the joys (and importance) of dressing up, storytelling, and discovering familiar faces in her illustrations.

Your illustrations are immediately intriguing and lots of fun! They tell great stories and we feel like each one has a lot to say. Can you tell us some of the stories you tell through your work and the inspiration behind them?

I like to tell stories which can be unraveled by the viewer. The images give a moment in frozen time but the scenes (hopefully) come to life in the viewer’s eye.

For A Life Class I was thinking of the real experience of being in a life class, the way people can sometimes have odd ways of interpreting a subject. I exaggerated it into fictional character types from various genres and thought about how they would interpret the same subject differently.

My aim with The Park was to create an image where on first glance it’s a peaceful everyday scene of a park. On closer examination it becomes clear that the park is full of reprobates and their corrupt interactions.

What comes first, the illustration or the story? As in, do the illustrations depict stories that come up in your head or that you see around you or do they develop with the art?

The basic idea of the story comes first, but as I work on them I often find the narrative of the scene taking directions that I wouldn’t necessarily have anticipated in the beginning.

How did studying art affect your work and style?

Crucially, it taught me how to focus attention on a subject long enough to create something that is rich in detail, something that people will want to explore a little deeper.

Learning the formal elements of figurative drawing, composition and color use has enabled me to put together pieces that are just convincing enough that people will more readily suspend there disbelief for the more surreal elements.

Can you give us a little insight into your creative process and the mediums you use?

I have a fairly straightforward process. I start with notes and thumbnails roughly in sketchbooks, working out some of the individual scenes and characters until I’m at a level where I am confident about where the story is going and I can get started.

In the final sketch many characters and other elements are improvised on the spot. More complex elements are drawn on separate pieces of paper and moved around on the page before I can decide how to composite them.

When the sketch is ready, I pen it out and colour it in Photoshop.

What do you hope people take away with them when they see your work?

I want them to appreciate the image as pleasing at first glance, but not be fooled by the often deceptively colourful appearance. I hope that the more time spent reading it, the more

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ROSA MIDDLETON

Batman

a viewer will get out of it. Essentially, I hope for people to read beyond the obvious.

How much of the inspiration for your work is drawn from your surroundings?

In terms of physical surroundings (cityscapes, shop-fronts etc.) I think having mundane aspects that appear commonplace and convincing to a certain degree, should allow the viewer to approach the more fanciful elements more readily.

To interpret “surroundings” in a less literal way I would say that I am certainly influenced by the cultures I inhabit, whether that be Queer culture, British culture or Geek culture. The way I interpret these social surroundings can be celebrative at times and critical at others.

What kind of environment do you work in? (I kind of imagine you sketching in busy squares as people mill about haha) When it comes to the final drawing I try to be in a place where I can concentrate on the imagined space and characters, the quieter the better, so no busy squares for me! Sorry to disappoint!

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Do you portray real scenes that you experience or are they made up? If they are real scenes, do you take photographs or sketch on the spot, or is it from memory? If they are made up, how do you manage to capture such specific emotions in the faces of the people in your work and their interactions?

Most of my pieces are made up, but of course it’s impossible to remove lived experience from anything created. I’ll give you an example.

When I draw characters from my imagination, what I really seem to be doing is drawing from distorted memory. So, I’ll draw someone and only be half-conscience of how it appears until I look at the completed character and think “oh! she used to teach me Chemistry!” or “that’s a boy I used to know!” etc.

For the emotions and interactions, if I’m having difficulty I just act it out. A mirror is an invaluable tool for a cartoonist.

Your work reminds me a bit of cartoons I used to watch as a kid, books I used to pick up just for the illustrations, and even Where’s Waldo! Do you feel that stories or storytelling are in a way tied to our childhood? What sort of influence does that all have on your style (if any)?

Yes absolutely! I think storytelling is tied to any healthy childhood, it’s just the creative types who aren’t ready to give it up!

Your comic books are so cool! How did you get into doing comic books? Was it a natural development from your interest in illustration or was it the other way around?

I always loved to draw as a young child but it wasn’t until I started really getting into comic books at around age 12 that I realized ‘drawing’ could actually be a career possibility for me.

I suppose I’m interested in telling stories in any way I see necessary. For some stories, it makes more sense to approach them as a single image whilst other narratives demand the sense of time and pacing that can be achieved through comics.

We read that you have a drag king alter ego named Kenny Linguss. Colour us intrigued!

Tell us about Kenny Linguss (genius name by the way).

Kenny Linguss is my drag alter ego who I have been toying with for a few years. I think

Women’s day comics

it’s important to play. I love to dress up and my dressing up box has helped me out with a drawing more than once. Ideas come out of physically embodying a character and playing it out that you could never imagine sat in front of a blank sketchbook or a laptop screen.

To me, it’s also important to mess around with gender- it can be a very joyful exploration. I’m lucky to have friends who are happy to dress up like this too!

Do you have any other alter egos in your comics or illustrations? Tell us about them and how they present themselves in your work.

I have other alter egos but not necessarily ones that appear in my work. To name a few there’s Tamas Adelphos, Leonardo di Capri Sun, Hilary Blington, Tiger Geoffrey. However, in my drawings there are a few nameless characters who pop up now and again. For example, the crazy criminal guy stabbing the canvas in A Life Class is a character I’ve used a few times in pieces over the past 5 years.

What sort of themes or commentary do you like to explore within your work?

It’s hard to say, because I don’t necessary set out to make a statement, I’m just exploring the things that interest me personally, or that I find amusing or enraging or fascinating. Often the result will be something that deals with my political or social concerns, but mostly I’m just trying to tell an interesting story.

Tell us about your current projects, are you working on anything in particular right now?

Recently I have been illustrating a series for US site AutoStraddle, making images for various articles about the relationship website OKCupid.

I’ve also started planning out a new comic and a few other personal side projects.

Jump into more of Rosa’s work at rosamiddleton.com

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...it seems like you too!

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Photography LUKASZ WIERZBOWSKI

by Zaina Shreidi

We stumbled across Lukasz’s work and were immediately drawn to his work. The analogue quality and the perfect, disaffected youth he captures are the essence of long summer days. Languid girls and boys frolic, lay, dance, flit to and fro through photograph after photograph of a perfect European summer in cities that seem empty of everyone except this merry troupe of beauty and youth.

Lukasz holds a Master of Arts in Psychology, and although he has chosen to pursue photography full time, it may be that his insight into the human psyche has something to do with his ability to capture such perfect moments. After all there is something to be said for photographers’ interest in human behaviour and their ability to express themselves through the documentation of others.

Whatever the case may be, Lukasz has a great gift – and we are utterly fascinated by the dreamy portrayals of youth, nature, and the lazy summers where the two are at their most vibrant.

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How and when did you get into photography?

Do you work in any other forms of art?

My father introduced me to photography when I was a kid.

Walking around and shooting photos with an old soviet rage finder camera felt amazing but the sudden bliss didn’t last. I came back to photography few years ago; at that time I was a third year student at a school of social psychology.

Soon I realized that shooting photos gives me an enormous amount of pleasure. Even thought I’m officially a Master of Arts in Psychology I commit all my working time to photography.

Not anymore. During my high school years I was making short movies using old VHS cameras.

I was thinking about picking up a movie camera again but I’m so occupied with photography projects that I simply don’t have time to do so.

What kind of equipment do you use?

Nothing fancy, usually simple 35 mm film cameras like Canon Rebel K2 and Olympus Mju II.

Photography LUKASZ WIERZBOWSKI

I love that your models don’t look like highfashion models, but just regular – very pretty – girls. Where do you find them? Are they friends or do you book shoots with agencies?

Most of my models are my family, friends, and friends of my friends but I also have been working with girls booked by the agency. Working with both familiar and not familiar people is equally exciting; it’s very much based on a mutual understanding and certain type of model’s attitude.

Your work looks spontaneous and random – which we love! The photographs feel like they’ve come from a beautiful summer of just hanging out and wandering around.

Can you take us through your style of working and creating these shots?

I never plan the details of my shooting in advance as I love working on the spot. I just pick the location, get in touch with a model and we start the journey. My work is based on a model’s relation with the surroundings so I just like trying different things; it’s super fun.

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What themes do you like to explore through your work?

I don’t have any kind of statement. I just would like to show how entertaining places can be and how we humans fit in our everyday surrounding.

Where do you like to shoot?

I love deep forests, old apartments, and shorelines... but actually almost any given space is ok. Also I got my favorite spots that I like coming back to.

Have you ever had strange reactions to your models crouching in bushes or hiding behind potted plants?

Not really but once someone was trying to lock us in on a rooftop of a very tall block of flats, somehow I managed to push him away and we escaped, it was a little scary.

How has your style developed since you started?

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It didn’t take me long to realize which direction I wanna go. I feel safe within the style I developed but it still evolves. Actually one of my first projects didn’t even involve humans, Picture Shop (http://picture-shop. blogspot.com/) was all about glass, steel and concrete. Constant evolution is the key to sustaining a high level of creativity.

Has your style or process changed along the way or have you always pursued a particular look and feel?

I like to experiment and get out of my comfort zone. My style hasn’t changed that much over the years as the core is defined as well as the process itself. I don’t need special equipment: lightning, tripod or an assistant.

I just need a model and a place I could [shoot] the photos in.

What do you try to communicate through your work? Are there any particular emotions or stories you want to tell?

I want to show everyday life with a twist: emotions, small and big happenings, joy and sadness.

Do you work with a team or collaborate with a group of people or do you shoot independently?

I shoot independently but I love collaborations. It’s good opportunity to meet fascinating people and work together on something special.

The models in your shoots have great outfits with a very vintage/retro feel. Do you ever work with fashion designers or stylists?

I got a good access to vintage wardrobe of adorable 93 years old lady. Amanda Ericsson regularly sends lovely dresses coming from her store Dream and Awake (www. dreamandawake.com). Often I use clothes provided by emerging designers. On other occasions I simply use the model’s clothes, which very often are amazing.

Are you working on any current projects?

What sorts of things influence or affect your work?

I’m in the process of putting together a book I plan to release soon. Right now I’m quite busy with commissioned work and picking prints for the exhibition in Tokyo that will take place in October.

People I meet, places I go to, things I see or experience. It all has a big influence on me.

For more of Lukasz’s work check out lukaszwierzbowski.com

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Photography ELLE HANLEY

Elle Hanley’s haunting photographs depict fantasies and stories, dreamlike images that tell tales from the wondrous mind of Elle herself. The beautiful scenery in her photographs provides the perfect backdrop for her subjects, among whom are Elle herself.

The models and the settings are brought together by Elle’s vision and skill in such a perfect way. It feels like she just happened upon the ethereal occurrences. The texture of the photographs contributes to the surrealism of Elle’s work. Event the titles of the photographs read like titles of novels. They give you a little starting point from which to imagine the story that lies in the piece itself.

In a world of harsh realities and HD, Elle’s work is a welcome reprieve from the madness. She gives us an escape from our own minds by allowing us to delve into hers.

How and when did you get into photography?

I got into photography almost 3 years ago after discovering self-portraiture and being fascinated with the idea of being on both sides of the lens.

The scenery in your photographs is incredible, what are some of your favourite places to shoot?

Thank you! I mostly shoot in the many public parks in the area I live. One of my upcoming shoots will take place in a modern sculpture garden within my city.

What kind of equipment do you use?

I currently use a Sony A330 camera with a 50mm prime lens or occasionally a 18-55mm zoom lens. A tripod and remote trigger are also necessary.

Where do you find models?

Most of my models are found through networking with other photographers and creatives. I try to work with models that understand art photography and want to become a part of it.

Do you prefer to take self-portraits or shoot models?

The ease of photographing another is preferable to me but with scheduling and testing of models nothing can compare to me heading out alone to create a concept that has just occurred to me or simply must be photographed at that moment due to weather or time available.

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What lessons did you learn along the way as you developed your style?

I am self-taught and one of the most important things I’ve learned is to have a clear idea of what you’d like to create before you begin the shooting process. That way you are sure to get something you are happy with.

Was it an experimental process or did you have a clear vision of what you wanted?

At first it was a bit experimental but now I try to have a clear vision first and proceed from there. When I have at times been too eager to shoot I found that my images lacked and further planning and a re-shoot was necessary.

What are your motivations for reaching out to others through photography?

Photography ELLE HANLEY

To inspire others in the way that I’ve been inspired and to share my art with all who are intrigued by it.

What part does the subject play in expressing your ideas, the stories you want to tell, and your overall vision?

The subject is nearly always the most important part of any image I create as that allows the viewer to see where the story begins and the character it pertains to.

You mentioned in your artist statement that storytelling is an important part of your work –do you have a story in mind before you start shooting or is it something that develops as you work?

I always plan the story ahead of the actual shoot even if it’s just a vague idea. I find that allows me to create characters so a human element can be portrayed. I find that viewers are most receptive to a person in my images so I choose to shoot with people as opposed to shooting landscapes or some other form of photography.

What goes through your mind as you put together a new project?

As I said my shoots are always planned in advance in order to achieve exactly what I’m looking for. When planning a shoot I scout for the best location, decide who is best to play the subject, myself

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or a model, locate the proper wardrobe and props. There are many things that go into making a successful shoot and as many of those as you can decide on and arrange beforehand the happier you will be with the shoot when it’s actually happening.

Do you work with costume designers or stylists? What part does fashion play in your work?

On occasion but I do most of the wardrobe and prop styling myself as I usually have a very clear vision of what I want to achieve but the benefits of involving a stylist or designer when a shoot is large can be very helpful. Fashion plays a large part for me as it has the ability to create a mood or evoke a particular time.

Are you working on any current projects?

I seem to always have at least a few projects in the works at any given time. I’m planning a shoot later this month that’s inspired by one of Tom Chamber’s images. I mentioned the sculpture garden shoot that will be strongly fashion editorial based but with some surreal twists, all while I am getting ready to exhibit three of my images at a gallery exhibition later this month.

Check out more of Elle’s work at ellehanley.com

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Photography: Iga Drobisz www.igaphotography.com Stylist: Thithi Vo Model: Jasmin Jalo

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white shirt Zara beige coat H&M

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blazer Humana vintage black shirt Zara

Fashion

SNEAKERS OF THE MONTH

NIKE AIR SAFARI FUSE I haven’t written anything for ages, cause there’s nothing to write about. And then one day… these arrive. As well as all the other beautiful editions from Nike to Dubai. Sarafis (yes the cobbled front and back bit) and Lunar (sole) tech. Too good to ignore. Yellow neon and red and limited edition leather GBR NRG available elsewhere – don’t know about here…

NIKE AIR MAX 97 HYPERFUSE - DYNAMIC BLUE These, in my opinion, herald a new era in UAE shopping. I bought/booked these in a shop in Switzerland thinking I was cool. Thinking I would be the only one in the Middle East to have them. You can get them next to the cheap food hall in MoE.

NIKE Air Force 1 Deconstructed - OBSIDIAN/OBSIDIAN These are so beautiful. And if you keep them in good shape, they’ll be worth a mint. Never been an AF wearer, but everyone should appreciate them. Lovely colourway too.

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NIKE’S WE RUN DUBAI INITIATIVE IS AMONG THE COOLEST TO HIT DUBAI! WE’RE EXCITED TO SEE NIKE LAUNCH THE FIRST EVER NIGHT RUNS WITH LIGHT UP DXB ON 23 NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR, AND INVOLVE THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY IN THE PROCESS.

THE LIGHT UP DXB CAMPAIGN AIMS TO MOTIVATE THE CITY'S RESIDENTS INTO PUTTING ON THEIR RUNNING SHOES, GETTING INTO TRAINING AND PUSHING BEYOND THEIR LIMITS IN THE RACE! IT WAS INSPIRED BY THE IDEA OF PEOPLE 'LIGHTING UP' THEIR SURROUNDINGS WHEN THEY PERFORM BRILLIANTLY AND THE FACT THAT WHEN THE WORLD THINKS OF NIGHT IN DUBAI, IT’S THE LIT-UP FUTURISTIC LANDSCAPE THAT THEY VISUALIZE. TO CELEBRATE THE LAUNCH OF LIGHT UP DXB IN NOVEMBER, NIKE IS GIVING YOU A CHANCE TO EXPRESS YOURSELF AND GET YOUR WORK SEEN AROUND THE COUNTRY, THE REGION, AND THE WORLD!

CREATE A WORK OF ART THAT REPRESENTS LIGHT UP DUBAI BY USING ELEMENTS OF DUBAI, ITS BRIGHT LIGHTS AND ICONIC LANDMARKS, AS WELL AS THE THRILL OF ACHIEVING SOMETHING AFTER WORKING HARD FOR IT – THE ADRENALINE RUSH, THE EXCITEMENT. SUBMIT YOUR WORK OF ART TO QUINT MAGAZINE BY 20 OCTOBER AND YOUR WORK COULD BE CHOSEN BY NIKE TO REPRESENT THE CAMPAIGN AND BE SHOWCASED IN QUINT MAGAZINE. THE WINNING ARTIST WILL ALSO NOT ONLY GET FEATURED ON NIKE’S SOCIAL MEDIA, AND IN QUINT MAGAZINE – BUT WILL ALSO RECEIVE SOME GREAT RUNNING GEAR FROM NIKE. PERFECT FOR TAKING PART IN NIGHT RUNS! THE WINNING WORK WILL ALSO BE SHOWCASED AT THE WE RUN DUBAI EVENT!

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MY PERSONAL TRIBUTE TO FAIRUZ

A long time ago, when I was young, I would not have imagined I’d be saying this. I was raised in the UAE in the nineties, when my favourite music was Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Nirvana. My mother used to play Fairuz all day on the stereo at home (remember those massive hi-fi systems that are now replaced by your iPhone and some tiny wireless speakers?), singing along and giving me and my sister constant headaches. It was a happy day when we finally got her to stop playing that horrendous music when we were at home.

The years passed on, maturity struck, cultural taste was cultivated, and somebody made me listen to the iconic “Keefak Inta”, to the somber “Shadi”, to “Li Beirut”. No, wait, that’s not how it happened. Somebody played “El Bosta” and I started singing along, at a time when I was falling in love with Lebanon, discovering my Beirut, and it triggered an urge to find every song I could listen to.

A friend of mine at the time, now a very recognisable musician in his own right, decided that if I wanted to learn more about Arabic and Lebanese music I should maybe listen to not just Fairuz; his inclinations were that her music was overplayed to the point of suicidal reproduction, and it was time other artists like Soap Kills, Asmahan, and Um Kalthoum should be given a chance. Today, Mashrou’ Leila’s music falls in that category as well. Except what matters is not just the musical wonder of the artists in question.

What Fairuz’s litany of songs, most of which were composed by some branch of the Rahbani family, give their listeners is not a groundbreaking musical style or a uniquely

artistic musical endeavour: Fairuz’s songs make people happy. They don’t have to be elaborate compositions, and many of the compositions are criticised as knockoffs or ripoffs of classical music, but it doesn’t matter. You know why? Because they’re musical (see how I made sure I used that word for the fourth time in one paragraph?).

No but, seriously, the joyful simplicity of the songs are what makes them so touching.

Maybe there’s also the fact that, as a Lebanese person, they carry a more significant connection to my heritage. I know that the more I am not in Lebanon the more I listen to Fairuz.

But then there’s also the number of nonLebanese and non-Arabs who can spend hours tripping out (literally and figuratively) to this music. It’s got a sense of homey-ness to it that transcends its locale, a free-falling hippiness to its folklore, that potentially reminds its listener of why things just happen. Maybe it’s also the general recording quality of some of the songs that haven’t been reproduced since before the 80s. Maybe it’s the post-Industrial Age recurrent trend in the human psyche to long for the past, to take pleasure in the nostalgic, and Fairuz, even with her more recent albums, continues to invoke that sense of 1960s and 1970s Lebanon.

Whatever the reason, it doesn’t matter. I write this not to encourage you to listen to Fairuz.I write this because I’ve never written about my love for Fairuz.

And so that’s all I have to say about it, for today.

Now I’m going to listen to “Wahdoun”.

Music

DEEP CRATES CARTEL

To celebrate the return of quint magazine we’ve decided to open up our crates and select some new releases, beats, reissues and dope music that we’ve picked up over the past few months:

Shawn Lee’s Incredible Tabla Band - Tabla Rock LP

Oddisee – People Hear What They See LP

Out on Ubiquity records, this album by the prolific Shawn Lee sees his return to what he does best, take classic beats and breaks from the past and reimagine them as only he knows how.

This LP takes the seminal work of the Incredible Bongo Band and reinterprets it in a Bollywood style, to put it simply, it does what it says on the cover, it covers other covers of songs such as hits like Apache, Inna Gadda Da Vida and others. Dope release for all beat diggers out there!

Without question one of the Hip Hop albums of the year, “People Hear What They See” is one of the finest LPs by Oddisee. After his instrumental project “Rock Creek Park”, this ranks as a Deep Crates Cartel favourite with standout tracks such as “That Real” and “Set You Free” well worth checking out but the LP is quality from start to finish. Get!

Ondatropica – S/T

Ancient Astronauts – The Orion Nebula Remixes EP

Will Holland aka Quantic has evolved and developed massively as an artist and since his recent move to Colombia he has been releasing a series of excellent LPs and projects under different names such as his recent Quantic y su Combo Barbaro LP amongst others. Ondatropica is one of the best releases of 2012 without question, having gathered Colombia’s finest musicians young and old to throw a huge party and record some brand new music, this LP is the result, giving only the finest cuts of the biggest musical fusion in Colombia’s history, fusing cumbia with Hip Hop beats and other traditional styles. Don’t miss this!

Even among record diggers Kabanjak & Dogu are not household names but these producers have teamed up with J-Boogie, Maker, Zeph and others to provide a quality release of the best remixes of their recent productions. We love our drums in the Deep Crates Cartel and this EP doesn’t disappoint with heavy drums on “Oblivion” remixes and “Peace in the East” as the clear standout tracks for the true beatheads. We weren’t really feeling the Deela remix though, can’t have it all!

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DJ Format & The Good People – Marisco

Dam Funk – I Don’t Wanna Be A Star EP

Roy Porter Sound Machine – Panama

Bringing together DCC favourite DJ Format with Emskee & Saint of The Good People this new single brings a classic funky party joint built to rock the dancefloor. Sureshot! Nuff said!

The latest EP by the west coast legend Dam Funk, we’ve pulled out this EP really for one track only, “Fadin’”, which is a killer G-funk inspired joint which will have you popping and backsliding wherever you hear it, check it out!

Whilst not a new production this timely 7” reissue of this classic rare cut is a must have for anyone without fat wads of cash to buy the original. For the true beathead trainspotters this track is the sample used by DJ Spinna on “Rock”, a classic b-boy joint. Rare, tasty & good!

Visioneers – Hipology LP

The Reflex – What’s Going On

Gloria Jones – Tainted Love 7”

Marc Mac is another favourite producer out of the UK, his work never disappoints often bringing classic beats and breaks into the 21st century, his versions of “Runnin” and “Ike’s Mood” never leave the DCC crates. This new LP this year is a tribute to all of Marc Mac’s influences as the album artwork implies reworking some classic Hip Hop breaks and samples as well as providing brand new tracks, this LP is a worthy tribute to the richness of trueskool hip hop culture.

And finally, we strongly recommend you check out this beautiful reworking of Marvin Gaye’s classic “What’s Going On” by The Reflex. It’s been reworked into a beautiful mostly acoustic summer version that will fit in to any quality downtempo/ lounge set or at the end of the night. Classic.

Not to be missed from the reissue recently released is this high quality pressing of the ORIGINAL “Tainted Love”, that’s right, before Soft Cell thought to cover it there was this storming Northern Soul classic that still sounds fresh and is definitely a must-have!

Music

DAMIAN RICE AT GENT JAZZ FESTIVAL I won’t lie – this is roughly the third draft of this review. I’ve rewritten it a couple of times as I felt it was too ‘mushy’ or too much of a story of sorts. That’s not the point though, the point is to try to convey to you how much this gig reignited my love of a musician that touched my life almost ten years ago now, a man whose music literally helped me sleep for about two years during a tough time in my life.

Yes, I was apprehensive about seeing him.

I’ve been let down in the past by ‘meeting my heroes’ but let’s just say this; I went to this festival with another writer from this magazine, a man that previously was definitely not a ‘fan’ and now, if his Spotify account is anything to go by - listens to Damien Rice a hell of a lot more than I do.

We started out with a long and quite stressful drive from Amsterdam to Gent, in Belgium where this mini folk festival took place. The venue; an outside puzzle of small stages, catering stalls and most importantly, booze stands and then the main stage – a huge marquee that would eventually shelter about 8-10,000 of us from torrential rain for the main act. So, a small festival yes but a confusing one. The bands that were on before were quite cover-band-esque, soft rock ‘Dad’style - where Damien Rice was supposed to fit in was baffling at first.

I for one didn’t notice that, nor the fact that by the end, we’d been standing in exactly the same spot for nearly ninety minutes.

He played two songs I’ve never heard before - new material which fills me with hope and an eagerness for a new album. From ‘9’ he also played ‘Elephant’ and ‘Coconut Skins’ and there was much encouragement from the crowd for ‘Grey Room’ which went unacknowledged. Later on he sang ‘Hallelujah’ which might have been ever more disturbing and tragic than the first time you hear the Jeff Buckley version. Well, we all sang it - the customary lighter-inthe-air moment.

The most bizarre but beautiful point of the evening was when he played ‘Cold Water’.

He asked for the lights to be dimmed, but it never stopped. It went completely dark onstage as he sang the first few lines.

You’d imagine as he reached the climax of the song that perhaps they’d literally ‘shed some light’ on him. They didn’t. And, although it might sound confusing or an odd thing to do, it really wasn’t. It captured the mood of the song and of the night perfectly.

If you imagine the song, or even listen to it

Then, when the commotion died down and we’d shoved our way to as close as we could get to the stage, this guy walked on. Alone: bedraggled: beautiful.

In a shirt he could possibly have owned for the 38 years he’s been on the planet and a jacket he’s worn in pretty much all the videos he’s ever released. His County Kildare intonation was more enthralling than I could have imagined and after three songs (‘Cannonball’, ‘Eskimo’ and one that slips my mind) with his surprising stage presence, he turned out to also be rather hilarious in his self-deprecation and general sarcastic witticism.

Then ‘Amie’ and ‘Cheers Darlin’. Now, I know both of these songs off by heart; in fact I know all of the albums ‘O’ and ‘9’ but I’d never known the stories, the inspiration behind them. It changed everything. If you know ‘O’, you’ll know that ‘Cheers Darlin’ is a haunting heavyweight in the leagues of folk music. He told us it’s based on a chance meeting in the rainy early hours in a bar in his hometown of Celbridge, with a woman.

A missed opportunity; “I should have kissed you when we were running in the rain”.

He did add at least a couple of lines I’d never heard before (maybe to drag-out the bottle of red he was getting through as he recounted) but it was like putting a face to a name, hearing the inspiration behind the songs I’ve come to love so dearly since 2002.

The story of ‘Amie’ is as you might expect, learning from mistakes, mistakes made in relationships in particular.

Having been a gig in Belgium, there were certainly enough Dutch people there and considering I’m pretty average height, most of the time we needed to rely on the big screens either side of him. Not a problem - it was pitch black and just punctuated by this bohemian figure and his guitar. He changed instruments only once - to play piano for a striking rendition of ‘9 Crimes’. It was crowded to the point of being uncomfortable; it was humid and standing room only. It should have been uncomfortable anyway but

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right now whilst you read this and imagine being in a dark room and hearing that line “Lord, can you hear me now?” – Yeah, it still sends shivers down my spine too.

I’m not sure everyone there really knew who Damien Rice was, I’m not sure they really cared either – who doesn’t want to hear an Irish man tell you tales of adventure, loss and love on a wet Sunday night in July? As he prepared for the end of the gig, unusual to most concerts these days, there were 2 encores - he finished with the one we’d all been waiting for and it didn’t disappoint, the angst-ridden ‘Blower’s Daughter’.

To summarise - it was emotional, moving, heart-breaking and utterly mirthful at times.

It’s really one of the best gigs I’ve been to in the 15 years I’ve been aware and active in the live music scene. Simply; go and see him, even if you’ve never appreciated Damien Rice before, he’ll tell you beautiful stories in a way you’ll never forget.

Music

MASTODON - THE HUNTER ALBUM REVIEW

MASTODON - THE HUNTER ALBUM REVIEW

by Trevor Bundus

I was gonna skip writing this article because this isn’t really a new release or anything new in terms of a stellar album from Mastodon. However, after weeks and weeks of deliberation, staring aimlessly at the art work cover, watching a psychedelic trip out video of Dry Bone Valley about 50 times, and generally listening to this album for months and months on end, it would be downright disgusting if I didn’t impart some Mastodon wisdom to those who are, like me, endlessly searching for the next incredible album. It was really a toss-up between this old school (2011… rolls eyes) Mastodon album, and the brand spanking new Katatonia, Dead End Kings Album, which is also incredible.

I just couldn’t really go further without writing an article on this beauty. PS. Go to Virgin and buy the copy as the artwork is incredible!

Again after much addictive and biased thinking, I just had to throw it down for Mastodon’s The Hunter. It all actually began in Toronto, where I used to waste away many hours in HMV, where there would be a listening station which would have the top 5 picks of the employees for each genre of metal. Mastodon’s Leviathan happened to be sampled, and I have to say, at that time, I wasn’t a huge fan of the sludge metal sound and poor vocals. Not to mention, I had yet to get my mitts on a copy of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. I just couldn’t understand

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why a band would write an entire album about a white whale? Obviously I had forgotten my grade 10 English lesson about metaphors and all that stylish literary stuff. None of which is being used in this article by the way.

Fast forward from boredom to Crack the Skye, a Mastodon concept album written about a paralyzed boy that embarks on some sort of cosmic time travel and then explores various forms of re-incarnation, including the famous Russian Rasputin.

Crack the Skye had more than impressed me after years of Mastodon distaste. And now, Bring on the Hunter.

There is good enough reason to follow the critics on this album when they’ve stated that it is in the top metal albums of 2011. This album is another psychedelic journey into oblivion. The story line isn’t quite a concept album in as much as Crack the Skye clearly is, however, it is said to be loosely based around the brother of the drummer, Brann Dailor.

What’s clear is that The Hunter is more commercially digestible, even though it maintains a lot of the Mastodon feel.

The complex yet beautiful guitar tunes are now layered with keys and sampled sounds, which offer a much fuller appeal to the record. The vocals are far, far more polished than they ever were and the results are the growing success of the band. Back in 2007, when Mastodon played Dubai Desert Rock Festival, a

few thousand were in attendance to watch them tear things up. Now, they’re headlining shows and playing with Slayer and Metallica. What happened?

What happened was this album. There are obvious gems on here that warrant listen after listen for the incredible lyrics which are not only metaphorically impressive, but also meaningful and representative.

Stargasm’s chorus clearly highlights both of these areas: “Then we shift into overdrive, but you’re not here, you’re on fire, and your legs and the stars collide.

You’re on fire.” Catchy enough even for an old school Dad who catches their kids playing air guitar in the upstairs rooms of their Emirates Hills villa. Other incredible guitar and lyrical dance hall hits include the absolute blazer of Dry Bone Valley, which to me seems like a battle with some sort of deadly addiction or compulsion toward destruction. The lyrics are excellent as is the music video. I highly suggest a watch of that psychedelic trip. The album ends with a very simple yet profound tribute song, The Sparrow, dedicated to the deceased wife of one of the band’s friends. There is only one lyric in the entire song, and it was apparently the credo to which this woman lived her life. The music on The Sparrow hammers beautiful notes into your brain, and leaves you in remembrance: “Pursue Happiness, with Diligence.”

Music

SIGUR RÓS, TEQUILA & LOLLIPOPS

photo from audiovole.com

Sigur Rós, Tequila & Lollipops

by Ali Taheri There’s a certain mood one has to create for themselves to really enjoy the intensely captivating music of artists such as Team Sleep, Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai and in this case, Sigur Ros. I would like you, my reader, to know that I am in that very exact mood while writing this piece, and will make the effort to extensively use as much of my vocabulary as possible to describe the adventures I embarked on.

A few years ago, I stumbled across Chino Moreno’s (lead singer of Deftones) side project, Team Sleep. I’d been exposed to a single track and made it a mission to get my hands on the entire record. So I placed an order with Virgin Megastore, and a few weeks later I got my copy of the album. I walked up to the salesclerk and watched his eyes light up at first sight of the CD. His smile narrowed as he proceeded to legalize my purchase. As he handed over my change and bag, with my purchased item in it, he cheekily grinned and said, “You know you’ve got to be high up there for the real Team Sleep experience. Not many people know of Team Sleep, and the ones that do, are usually stoners.” My God was he right.

My experience with Team Sleep is what has brought me to this moment, and let me assure you, Sigur Ros adds a whole new dimension to the state of your conscious, as well as unconscious being.

So here’s what you need to know about Sigur Ros; they’re an Icelandic ambient/post rock band that formed in 1994, and consists of “Jónsi” Birgisson (vocals, guitars), Kjartan Sveinsson (keyboards), Orri Páll Drason (drums) and Georg Holm (bass). The band has released four albums so far and has received well-deserved recognition in the UK and US. (I’m going to leave the rest of the general information for you to figure out. I apologize but you must understand that if I go on, you’ll start to sober up.)

I lit up my freshly rolled lollipop, plugged in my earphones and typed ‘Sigur Ros’ into ‘Youtube’. The first track I listened to was called ‘Olsen Olsen’ and it’s featured on their second album titled ‘Ágætis byrjun’. The song is quite mischievous with the manner it invites itself to settle at my eardrums. A seasonal voice hymns gently in what could

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either be an ancient Nordic language, or a modern Icelandic one, and my head lifts itself upwards on command to a foreign tongue. I shut my eyes out of necessity and let myself go. My fingertips slowly slid off of the keyboard and my head collapsed on top a mountain of pillows. The vibrating melody of every instrument used in ‘Olsen Olsen’ set my nervous system into an explosive apparatus just so to convey, to an empty room, just how much joy this song gave me. I laid still throughout the entire eight minutes of the song, and focused on my breathing until I felt a weight lift it out of me. I began to envision a green hilltop with dark clouds sheltering the trees from the sun. Maybe it was misty? I can’t recall that bit but I do recall the presence of two young adults hopping their way to the top of the hill in a flurry of soundless laughter and giggles… in slow motion. Everything I visualised was in slow motion and even more often in black & white. You make what you want of that. The track builds up before it reaches its climax at around halfway into the sixth minute.

The grey skies, which I had grown fond of, exploded with colour. Had I consciously recreated the birth of a star? This is where life must have started. I wanted some more.

to continue my journey regardless of how f***ed up I was.

“I should bring out the Tequila”, I enthusiastically thought. And I did. Got my gear out, rolled myself another lollipop. Lit it up. Poured a shot and cut out a perfect orange slice. I had created the perfect setting and gracefully clicked on the next Sigur Ros music video. ‘Fjögur piano’ plays itself erotically through the eyes of an artist suffering from a broken heart. This song is all about the visuals. The acting, choreography and the drama warp you into a world of love and addiction. In short, the story poetically acts out a tale of two lovers suffering from a tormented routine life. Of course all of this is done in slow motion. The two forms of art clashed and collided creating life from a single womb. Life, at that moment, was given a sweet tasting melancholic identity. A place where one could love and destroy the mud they were created from. I was overwhelmed with sadness. But it was beautiful.

Sigur Ros is certainly not for those of you that tune into the radio on your way home from work. Their music is for those of you that want to kick back with a bottle of your favoured poison, enough lollipops to share with your comrades, a campfire, a star lit sky and plenty of pillows. Sigur Ros is for the lovers and the dreamers. It’s for the cold hearted, because there’s great promise of warmth.

They use their art to speak the language of the world, and to remind us that life is even more wonderful when celebrated with gold Tequila and a few well-rolled lollipops.

My face had grown numb and I could no longer taste the Tequila that I was tragically drowning myself in, but I was determined

You can find out more about the band and the Valtari Film Competition on http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk

It came to my attention that the video to ‘Eg anda’, along with ‘Fjögur piano’ and other Sigur Ros songs, are actually a part of a competition called ‘Valtari Film Competition’. The band has invited filmmakers to create a video for any one of the tracks from their latest album ‘Valtari’.

“This is brilliant!” I almost heard myself whisper. Not only are the filmmakers given complete creative freedom, but the winning video receives a $5,000 cash prize. I’m not sure how feasible the project is, but it’s a bloody genius approach, because the results are all masterpieces. I can’t stress enough how beautiful the videos are. I proceeded to watch the rest of the ‘mystery competition’ films and was instantly bemused with what I was witnessing. The next song I stumbled across is called ‘Varúð’ and the video revolves around a young girl in a blonde wig, skipping along through the streets of a humble city... in slow motion. I’m convinced that none of these videos are made under sober circumstances.

And they were definitely not created for the sober. There are about 10 to 12 submitted videos, each a masterpiece in its own right.

I decided to put on one last track to put me to sleep, and in my desperate state randomly clicked away at another video. ‘Varðeldur’ was as gentle as the piano had promised it would be. I needed an earthly lullaby and this one lead me to my dreams. I fell asleep with a smile.

Music

MIXTAPE

Skin – Grimes Genesis – Grimes Baby – Warpaint Weekend – The Sea and The Cake Mykonos – Fleet Foxes Get Free (ft. Amber of Dirty Projectors) - Major Lazer Teenage Kicks (The Undertones) - Nouvelle Vague Who Knows, Who Cares – Local Natives Twice – Little Dragon Dance With Me – Nouvelle Vague

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Literature MOMMY, I WANT TO BE A CRITIC

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That is never how it starts though.

Criticism as a career is something you stumble upon. Over the months leading up to this article, I had been dedicated to the critical study of graphic design history.

In that capacity, I developed a comprehensive assessment of the books published and had to, in the course of my research, review the majority of (accessible) English language books that dealt directly with the history of graphic design.

everybody is now a critic or a curator.

Mendelsohn argues that we should always have mixed reviews, because there is good and bad in all that we discuss. Michael Bierut, of Pentagram and Design Observer fame, had his own statement about criticism, as he related it to his field:

“My favourite kind of criticism takes what we do and puts it into a larger cultural context in terms that an intelligent, interested layperson could understand. I also like it when it’s tough and even mean.”

This statement, made in 1997 in an interview with Steven Heller, in essence holds the critic to the same standards that mendelsohn is endorsing. Except, it’s never tough and mean these days. Yes, feminist critiques are abundantly potent.

Dissections of presidential campaigns consistently roam the Internet, almost to redundancy. How Spain, Greece, and Merkel have, or have not, failed the Eurozone is in perpetual critical debate, and everybody has a take on what should happen next.

Most of these subjects are criticised, and their words are very much “tough and even mean”.

This process led me to look more deeply into critical theory in its general academic sense, but also to explore the act of criticism. Daniel Mendelsohn’s ‘A Critic’s Manifesto’, written for The New Yorker late last month, expresses his own development and motivation as a critic, bringing to light the history of the Critic in its journalistic manifestation. Most of what I am saying here effectively acts as a summary of his own ideas, from my own point of view.

There are numerous branches, or definitions, of criticism as an activity. There is critical analysis in the tradition of post-WWII French academia, there are the food and cultural critics of magazines and newspaper, and there are the more specialised, falling somewhere between the two, variants of critics: those who write with an academic inclination using a journalistic voice.

One thing, however, they all have in common, is that they have become less critical in the years succeeding the so-called Web 2.0 ‘revolution’.

With the spread of social media and the enhancement of multi-purpose and multi-channel communication, with Facebook and Twitter,

So where, then, have the critics of arts and culture gone? The pioneers of criticism were literary, most notably through the efforts of writers such as Oscar Wilde and T.S. Eliot.

Criticism is an activity that was defined and governed by those of us who produced culture, those of us who defined art, and it has now become a tool applied to every facet of human existence, but we have abandoned it. We are now, when it comes to art and design, satisfied with Likes on Facebook and Retweets on Twitter, pushing what we deem to be valuable to our ‘followers’ and ignoring what we do not. Rarely does anybody share an item that they find needs to be explored for its failures not its successes.

I do not pretend to be innocent of this habit, either. Over the years, I have adapted to what one of Mendelsohn’s friends and a colleague, Laura Miller, referred to as calling attention to things they find praiseworthy. I do that. Most people I know do that. It makes sense: there is so much out there, that we should ‘curate’ the work for others.

Except the Critic is not a Curator.

Their paths might cross, one can do the other’s job, the same person

can do both jobs, but it is not one and the same thing. Curators are important, increasingly important, in today’s overly populated digital landscape. Even in the non-digital landscape, there is never a shortage of exhibitions, workshops, lectures, events to attend and learn from.

Except, important as the curator is, her mission is different from that of a critic — her output must be distinct, when acting as curator from when writing as critic, since, by its nature, it is an exclusively non-mutual activity. Mendelsohn misses this, instead focusing on defining what the critic should actually commit to doing:

“In the end, the critic is someone who, when his knowledge, operated on by his taste in the presence of some new example of the genre he’s interested in—a new TV series, a movie, an opera or ballet or book—hungers to make sense of that new thing, to analyze it, interpret it, make it mean something.”

Writing casual criticism is easy, although I would wish it were not.

Good criticism is a tricky, delicate dance that should begin and end with having given the reader something important, given the reader an expert’s opinion, not an opinion.

If all I wanted was an opinion, I could ask a friend. So, then, my pledge to my readers now is that I will no longer give you my opinion: I will meticulously give you expert advice, and if I cannot do that, then I will keep my mouth shut, or I will curate. I suggest other critics do much of the same.

Literature WHERE THE WIND BLOWS

We’d walked for hours, watchin’ those old shadows of ours get smaller and fatter, then longer and thinner. As the sun became a moon, that hot turned to cold, but that wind in our face never stopped. It was sweepin’ the years off us and blowin’ them to whoever was walkin’ behind us.

“So?” said the old boy.

We both looked at each other, Sergio and me.

Sergio looked a little scared. I think I probably did too. It was like he was sayin’ ‘f*** this’ with them eyes. What with what we’d done and where we’d been, you couldn’t blame either of us for havin’ a jitter or two.

“Eh,” I said, as I took off my hat and wiped my brow, “I don’t know exactly why we’re here. We were just told to come find you.”

“And who told you to do that?” said the old boy.

His voice was like hot cracked asphalt.

We looked at each other again, Sergio and me.

Sergio shook his head a little. He still looked scared. I could see those hands of his thinkin’ about that gun of mine. The old boy had his back turned. He was wearin’ an old denim jacket and sittin’ on a log. His long ponytail was flickin’ a little in the wind, like it was swottin’ flies or somethin’.

“Who told you to do that?” he said again.

“God” I said.

The old guy let out a little laugh.

“God told you did he? And what did God have to say exactly?”

“He said you would tell us where we need to get.” said Sergio. He’d puffed his chest out a bit and was standin’ tall. He didn’t look so scared no more.

“And?” “And that was it.”

The old boy pushed himself up from the log. I saw some bugs go scuttlin’ off into the sand.

He stood pretty tall himself. His shadow cut a long line between us. His head covered up the orange sun, givin’ this beam of light around him. I stepped back a step. Sergio just stood.

He turned around and stepped over the log.

What with the sun bein’ where it was, we couldn’t see his face real clear. His features were like vague descriptions. Much like the shadows we was all draggin’ along. As he walked closer he came into view. He was wearin’ sunglasses. His face had hundreds of deep wrinkles what looked like perfect scars, all goin’ where they was spose to.

He stopped about ten feet from us. The two of us straightened up a bit more. I imagined myself drawin’ my gun. I imagined him drawin’ his too. But I saw him doin’ it faster and me gettin’ blown away. Call me defeatist, but that’s what I saw. He was like one of them gun slingers you see in the movies. The sort of old boy that shot young boys on the way to a shoot out.

He smiled at us. Big old toothy thing. Teeth like smoker’s fingernails.

“Did you kill a man on your way here?” he said.

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We looked at each other again. Sergio’s eyes had gone a bit soft.

“Yeah,” I said, “as instructed.”

The old boy stopped smilin’. He’d looped his thumbs into his belt and was rockin’ on his heels. He was sizin’ us up. I felt like my shadow had done run off and left me.

“Good” he said.

“Did you bring me what I need?” he said, calm.

We all stood there, quiet as mice. Dead mice.

Sergio slowly turned to me and nodded to the bag. I sat it down, all slow, never takin’ my eyes off the old boy. I opened the bag. I dug my hands in and felt the jar. I closed my eyes and pulled it out. I didn’t want to see those f***in’ things again. I pushed the jar down into the sand and stood up.

“Now tell me, what’d he look like this man you killed?”

I thought back. I didn’t really have a clear picture. There’s certain things you remember about killin’ someone. I remember how he’d smiled. I remember how the gun kicked. I remember smellin’ that burnt gunpowder.

Things went by in a sorta blur. Like it weren’t really me doin’ it. Thinkin’ back on it, stood there like we all were, I felt like I was lookin’ at photographs of the whole thing, with spaces in between where somethin’ important happened.

I guess a shrink would call that selective memory, cause there weren’t a drop of blood on those pictures.

“He was a Mexican,” said Sergio, all calm.

“Uh huh” said the old boy.

“He was wearin’ a suit. Funeral suit.”

“Uh huh. Anythin’ else?”

I went back through those photographs in my head, tryin’ to see if I’d missed one with somethin’ important on it. But they was all skimmin’ past me. I was tryin’ not to think about my hand shakin’ around where my gun was.

“He had a tattoo across his throat” said Sergio.

“It said ‘Donde el viento sopla’.”

“Yup, that’s him alright,” said the old boy.

“Donde el viento…what was it again?”

“Sopla. It means ‘Where the wind blows’.” I said, looking at my feet.

The old boy grinned and nodded slowly. He spat again. It was like the old baseball players used to, in a long line, like nasty coffee.

“Where the wind blows. I like that.”

Silence again. We just stood, eyin’ each other up.

“So where does the wind blow then?” he asked, raisin’ an eyebrow. His wrinkles all crushed up together, makin’ deep dark lines on his brow.

“Towards you” said Sergio.

The old boy laughed silently. He turned his head back to the sun. It was almost gone behind the mountains. His ponytail hung from under his hat, restin’ still on his back.

“Well,” he said, turnin’ back to us, “not for much longer, thankfully.”

“So there’s only one more question then, isn’t there boys?” he said, smilin’. I watched myself in the lenses of those sunglasses he was wearin’, shufflin’ in my spot.

I saw us pullin’ and pointin’ and firin’ guns, puffs of smoke and blood sprayin’. I was tremblin’ hard now. Sergio looked spooked too, but his shoulders was still holdin’ up strong.

“There. Now what?” I asked, steppin’ away from everythin’, tryin’ not to look at the jar.

“You gimme that jar over here quick boy” the old boy said, voice all cold and quiet.

I looked at him, and then at the eyeballs in the jar. One of them was starin’ up at me.

The red stringy bit was hangin’ out the back and the whole thing was all blood shot, like someone had been pokin’ it with a pointy stick.

I couldn’t move. I felt Sergio nudge at my arm.

I couldn’t stop starin’ at them. I felt my vision sink into them. Like them eyes was my eyes. I could see the whole thing. All those blanks in my head became full color pictures. I started shakin’, hard. I could see maself holdin’ that gun, lookin’ away from the guy. I saw him lyin’ on the road, blood creepin’ out his back and bubblin’ out his front. I could see maself kneelin’ on his chest, pullin’ them eyes out and screwin’ the top on the jar. I was tremblin’ like a leaf, starin’ at maself just doin’ things, terrible things, like a robot all programmed up to kill and maim. I was locked on these f***in’ eyes, watchin’ maself doin’ s*** I’d sooner hang maself than do again.

“Bring me those God damn eyes now,” said the old boy through his old filthy teeth.

Sergio bent down and picked up the jar and handed it to the old boy. I suddenly snapped out of everything and came to again. I was breathing hard. I looked around and saw that we were still here. I watched the old boy smile as he shook the jar in his hands. The eyes thumped about inside like old rubber balls that’d long since lost they bounce.

He turned his back on us again. He walked back to the log. We watched his elbows as he unscrewed the jar. He took off his glasses and sat them on the log. He reached into the jar and picked up the eyeballs. He lifted them up to his face. I looked at Sergio. He was watchin’ the old boy with a fixed stare. I didn’t know where to look. All’s I knew was that I was scared as s***. This situation was f***ed. I felt my hand unclip the button on my holster, but I didn’t want him to see me do it. Not with they new eyes he had. Them eyes knew how I drew.

“So I believe you have a long ways to go boys, if you’re only at me” said the old boy. He turned around and smiled. His eyes, rather, the Mexican’s eyes, were wide as hell. He looked weird, like he’d won a prize on a game show.

“How long?” asked Sergio.

The old man let out a little laugh. His eyes crossed each other, one lookin’ east, the other lookin’ west.

“Long way.” He looked up at the sky, and then

down at his feet, blinkin’ hard.

Those eyes started flickin’ back forth between us. He was warmin’ them up, breakin’ them in.

“So where next?” asked Sergio.

“To the man who can’t speak.”

I looked around the dessert. It was the last drip of daytime and I could barely see anythin’ but the silhouette of the mountains against the deep blue sky. The wind had dropped to a sleepin’ breath.

“And which way is that?” I asked.

“Donde el…,” he said.

“Viento sopla” said Sergio.

“That’s it” said the old boy, aimin’ at us with that busted old smile. He tried winkin’, but it was slow and shaky. His eyelid sorta fluttered, like he was puttin’ in a contact lens for the first time.

I sighed and picked up the bag. Sergio dropped some sand and watched it fall straight down.

There was barely any wind, just a nose breath, if anythin’ at all. We looked back to his eyes.

My visions had dried up, but I felt Sergio jump next to me. He started breathin’ heavy and shakin’. The old man smiled at him. He widened his eyes. Sergio’s breathin’ got real heavy, his shoulders goin’ up and down like moons and suns. He pushed his face into his hands and shook his head. I guess he must’ve seen himself cuttin’ out some boy’s tongue.

Sergio kept up his tremblin’ as the old boy gave us a nod and walked between us, towards the dark.

“What if the wind stops?” I shouted.

He stopped. He turned around and smiled with those teeth again.

“If the wind stops, you stop.”

We watched him turn into a little shadow and fade into the black. Sergio was still breathin’ heavy, lookin’ straight ahead, into the wind. I nudged him and handed him the bag. He looked me in the eyes. He was real spooked man. I understood that. I took the bag and zipped it up. We stood starin’ at the log that the old boy sat on for a minute, not knowin’ where we should go or what we should do.

I heard a stick snap behind us. We both spun around. I nearly keeled over and fainted when I saw what I saw. I started blinkin’ like my eyes was new to my head. I started up shakin’ again. All’s I could do was pull my gun and point it back at the hole I’d already made.

The Mexican held up his hands, sorta surrenderin’ to us. I kept the gun pointed at the shiny coppery hole on his chest. I looked to where his eyes used to be. They was just two empty sockets, like scoops outta ice cream.

The blood had streamed outta the scoops like tears, the wind pushin’ them and dryin’ them across his face. I followed the line down his jaw and onto his neck, either side of that tattoo.

“Jesus Christ! What in the hell’s goin’ on man?!?” I shouted at anyone.

“Hey,” said the Mexican, smilin’ a little. “You made it.”

Literature BOOK REVIEW

There are certain concepts, ideologies, movements, theories – you get the idea – that we all pretend to be interested and involved in, but we have not really read about or seen, participated in, since university. We tend to talk of Edward Saïd and Noam Chomsky, Michael Foucault and Jacques Derrida, Simone de Beauvoir and Germaine Greer, like we can recite portions of their work from memory. And maybe some can.

I had not heard of Germaine Greer before last month. I had, however, heard of The Female Eunuch, which is a painfully provocative book that rocketed her into infamy when it was published in 1970 – I still haven’t read it, but it’s not the point of this little piece. I want to talk about something more contemporary, as I often do.

Thirty-one years later, the book that seems to want to position itself a descendant of The Female Eunuch is Caitlin Moran’s How To Be A Woman, a furiously hilarious love letter to womanhood. Full disclosure: I have spent the last ten to fifteen years telling people I was a feminist, which was not accurate. I was not a feminist. I am now. Caitlin (née Catherine) Moran is a journalist, columnist, broadcaster, and all round critic of popular culture, most renown for her work with The Times. The play-by-play of how she got to where she is today is the beginning of the seriously sarcastic self-deprecating story of Moran’s ludicrous adventures, a comical freshness that is rare with writing on the (still) controversial subject of feminism. As she put it in an interview with the BBC, she wanted to reach out to today’s generation: a host of women who, unlike their parents before them, are not angry and oppressed, but find their situation and their circumstances annoyingly laughable.

And she does it with wit and an edge that makes this page-turner one of a kind.

The chapter titles, as provocative as her choice of anecdotes, range from “Chapter 1: I Start Bleeding!” and “Chapter 5: I Need A Bra” to more serious concerns like “Chapter 12: Why You Should Have Children” and, its followup, why you shouldn’t. She writes about simple topics in simple language: her initial (painfully funny) experience with her period and how she did not know what to expect because her mother found it easier to not talk about it; how she decided that instead of dealing with her overweight condition at

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the age of 16, she would divide her image into two: her brain, and the jar that carried it; the stories of how she and her sister would react whenever Brazil played a football match (BRA being the abbreviation used in common games); her delicious dissection of the etymology and vernacular of the female ‘private’ parts: “Let’s clear this up right now – I don’t actually have a vagina. I never have.

I reckon very few women ever have. Queen Victoria, obviously.

Barbara Castle. Margaret Thatcher. With the pubic hair styled, of course, in an exact replica of that on her head. [...] I, personally, have a c*nt. Sometimes it’s ‘flaps’ or ‘twat’ [...]”. Frantically humorous, this capricious tone of writing carries on throughout the text. You will laugh until your stomach hurts.

This book is definitely not for children, or the squeamish or faint of heart. It is not for those who blush, although it might help them stop blushing. Her goal is obvious: take pride in your femininity (if you’re a woman). And it’s a powerful statement, delivered in excellent form that will put a smile on anyone’s face.

Yes, she could have toned down the vulgarity, she could have used a more traditional style manual for her writing, and she could even have paid more attention to social issues, but that’s not what the book aims to be. This is a book for all women, not the more theoretically, intellectually inclined. She wants to deal with the mundane, and show us how it is actually a powerful tool for the development of every person. And she wants it to not be a heavy, somber read: it’s the book that makes you forget about your brastrap clinging onto you because there’s too much to be happy about.

Although she would recommend you take the bra off if you’re reading from the comfort of your home (and meticulously tells you all about how different situations require it).

The whole book, through the jokes, tackles real issues all women deal with, and gives us a peek into a new age of gender equality.

Moran, in her mildly autobiographical rant, says everything that she had bottled inside her growing up, and sets the stage for women to understand themselves, reminding them that their problems are real, but that they are funny.

And not be afraid of their bodies or the experiences that all women grow up with.

Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation Tim Brown

Graphic Design: Now in Production Ian Albinson (Author), Rob Giampietro (Author), Andrew Blauvelt (Editor), Ellen Lupton (Editor)

back to blood

The Casual Vacancy

Tom Wolfe

J.K. Rowling

Infinite Jest

Stop What You’re Doing And Read This!

David Foster Wallace

Mark Haddon, Michael Rosen, Zadie Smith, Carmen Callil, Jeanette Winterson, Tim Parks, Blake Morrison, Dr Maryanne Wolf, Mirit Barzillai, Nicholas Carr, Jane Davis

Literature EARTH IN NINE CIRCLES

There were those who came Born pure, grown quickly They acquired a taste A taste to hate There were those who lived Born down, beneath the door They dreamed of a waste Of another man’s life Some said they’ve found the way To the water in the stream They promised the way Only following the rules Some said they’ve known the way To the air and the color They said open your wings And let freedom fly One came through the hourglass With a difference in stay They told her she’s stupid Then threw her away She showed them that suffering Was a human disease She showed them their forthcomings And stole-away the day They stood in atonement But realized this way Their hell wasn’t an illusion They just lived that way.

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THE EASIEST WAY TO CREATE YOUR OWN WEBSITE.

Last Call

In my two years writing for quint, I never was faced with an opportunity to write something like what I’m about to, and I’ve consistently hesitate, for fear of offending. My subjects today are feminism, sexuality, and the absurd. All seen from the lens of a fictional hedonist, but not the hedonist of the seventies or eighties, not the hedonist of the Greeks, but the hedonist of noir films, the hedonist of Franz Kafka’s books (yes, I know – but let us assume that Kafka wrote a book called The Hedonist). But that is not the essential topic of this piece. What I care about most here is human understanding: the ability of the Millennials to overcome their reservations, to regain confidence, to grow and prosper, in an age where everything seems to be against us.

Think of the Dadaist. Then look through Moran’s How To Be A Woman, the at once hilarious and serious feminist book of 2012 that many feminists have issues of contention with. Think of Bertolucci’s The Dreamers, the thematic inspiration for this issue. Then, look at our current state of lifestyle aspirations and economic restrictions.

Also, maybe, just a little bit, pretend that this article is from a global perspective: the crisis of world financials has not struck the Middle East as heavily as it has many other parts of the planet.

I am warning you. I will use words that are not commonly accepted.

I will discuss body parts and intimate activities that have been hushed over in this part of the world. I will pretend like I, a man, knows what it’s like for a woman to bleed, and talk about it. There will be a portion of this text that will be devoted to having boobs, a portion to the question of circumcision (for the non-religiously imposed), and maybe some bits about the concept of pubic hair and why it should, or should not, but there. I will, however, take a page out of Foucault’s book and perform these shows of openness with a medical detachment that removes all empathy from them, all the intimacy and privacy in which they exist. I will say what we all never whisper, because that is the state of what needs to be done.

Look at the American political scene today: Romney might be voted

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as a president of a country that has systematically weakened itself and is ready to implode. Even as a satire it exists outside the realm of comedic revelations.

We have, in the Arab world and elsewhere across the planet, become so securely entangled by our fear of economic breakdown and by the stress of political correctness, by law and government assistance, that we no longer concern ourselves with becoming a better society.

In many ways, the Golden Age of humanity ended with the fall of the Roman Empire, despicable as some of their actions were. The society of back then understood that humans were meant for more than the accumulation of wealth. Okay, maybe it was because of class systems and the overall simplicity of society. Possibly, if I was to not feign ignorance, I would say that we are not as morally bankrupt as we have been in the past: we simply have more moral and ethic considerations put upon us, we are more aware, in aggregate, of value systems. More people are educated, and even the uneducated know more than the elite civilisations of old. But that does not change the mundane fact that we have been caged in our own accomplishments.

Feminism was a powerful movement that eventually disappeared.

Films like The Dreamers give us insight into our own indiscretions: when Michael Pitt’s character is attacked by Eva Green and Louis Garrel in the bathroom, so that they can shave his pubic hair, he complains to them that he does not want to look like a baby. But, then, women today find it essential (I’m not disagreeing), while Caitlin Moran tells them to take pride in their “muff”. I think she’s right, figuratively speaking. Take pride in yourself, man or woman, for who you are, not what you’re supposed to be.

So be a Dreamer. Explore yourself. And don’t be afraid of who you might turn out to be. Pitt’s character eventually got around to getting it. And we’re the generation of those in the know, supposedly. Embrace your “muff”.