INTERVIEW WITH LONDON K-POP DANCE WORKSHOP
E D I
Four girls. Lots of talent and anger that got together to create an entertainment magazine to throw all other entertainment magazines out of the way. Once you read SAVAGE, you will never want to read anything else.
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SAVAGE was the result of people being pushed out, we were the underdogs that no one believed in. We took our anger, our fire and turned it into passion to get the best entertainment magazine we could, to show all the people that didn’t believe in us that we did matter and we could do it. And this is where the name comes from, from not shutting up and not letting people walk all over you. We screamed, cried and fought for a chance. We are not afraid to speak up for something we believe in, no matter how terrifying it is.
O R’ S L E T
This magazine is our baby, and I am so proud to publish it for everyone to enjoy. There are amazing articles by our entertainment staff, from an interview with a London K-Pop dance company to music and mental health, and everything in between. Here, everyone can find something to fall in love with. Hopefully you will love this magazine as much as we loved making it, and remember to show the middle finger to everyone who treats you like trash, because no one can stop you from achieving what you want. Stay Savage,
Editor
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C LISTS TOP FIVE TOURS IN 2017 p.9 INTRO TO KOREAN RAPPER ZICO p.20 WHAT SNACKS YOU NEED FOR A NETFLIX MARATHON p.30 WHICH EXHIBITSYOU SHOULD VISIT THIS WINTER p.54 FEATURES MEETING CELEBRITIES AT THE EMAS p.12 HOW WEED AFFECTS THE CREATIVE PROCESS p.16 K-R&B SINGER CRUSH WONDERLUST TOUR p.22 THE MAGIC OF LIVE MUSIC p.25 GILMORE GIRLS IS BACK p.24 WHY FEMALE CELEBRITIES ARE USING MISOGNY AS AN ADVANTAGE p.38 YORKSHIRE ART EXHIBITION p.56 INTERVIEWS THE IMPACT OF NIGHT LIFE REGULATIONS ON THE GOOD SHIP p.42 INTERVIEW WITH THE LONDON K-POP DANCE WORKSHOP p.44 EXCLUSIVE WITH JULIANA CERQUEIRA LEITE p.49 IN EVERY ISSUE EDITOR’S LETTER p.5 MEET THE SAVAGE TEAM p.58
O N T E N T S P A G E
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2017: the redemption year for music. And if you are one of those lucky person to live in London, you will be able to find thousands of artists playing for you to enjoy, dance and get crazy to. Here is a list of five artists SAVGE recommends
T O U R S
The Comet is Coming (24th May) Electronic music fan or not, The Com et is Coming is worth giving a visit to at Heaven, London. The London based trio mixes jazz, psychedelic rock, electronica and space funk to create some magic mixes that send your spirit to the moon and back.
I N 2 0 1 7
The
xx
(8th
till
15th
March)
The alternative rock trio is going to bless everyone’s ears with a new album I See You and some lucky people will be able to find them at the O2 Academy Brixton, where the trio is going to play seven show (a record). They sell out fast, so if you like some alternative rock that touches your soul, go hurry up.
L I S T
Emeli
Sande
(21st
March):
the Scottish singer took four years off but she has finally come back with an amazing album. She is coming to bless us all at the O2 Academy in Brixton, where some lucky people can listen to her R&B, soul, pop ballads and to this amazing artist that can sing and write most music genres perfectly.
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Kings
of
Leon
(6th
July):
The American rock band is coming to the British Summer Festival and will perform at Hyde Park as part of their European tour. If you like rock, and if you love festivals in the center of London where you are not afraid of your life (music festivals in the middle of nowhere are too mainstream), this is the place for you. You can listen to their old tracks as well as to music from their newest album WALLS.
Aerosmith
(11th
June):
A bit of an honorary mention for any classic rock fan. Aerosmith is kicking off their last tour and you cannot miss them at Donington Park. Although it is not in London, it’s definitely worth a visit for their Aero-vederci Baby! tour and the last goodbye from the band that changed the history of rock.•
Image credits: Google Images
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Quickies, Fanny Packs & My Accidental Night With The MTV EMA Celebrities Ahead of the MTV Europe Music Awards in Rotterdam, Netherlands this year, it brought back memories of when I was lucky enough to be dining [more like gate crashing] with big celebrities, when it was held in my city of Belfast in 2011. BY RAYNOR FRY
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I witnessed some mischievous behaviour between celebs and got to encounter first hand gossip that TMZ would die for. When you see two famous people sneakily running upstairs – I won’t name names – to have a quickie then come down a little while later, with said person quickly fixing their dress, it makes you realise they’re just like us – ordinary people. Cute, right?
ed Foo brought back a girl he found downstairs, [see below] while I sat locked outside my hotel door being the biggest cock-block known to man as after failed attempts to find his door key, he noticed me shamefully sat on the ground, then said, “Who’s rooms that?” like I was some crazed fan who was stalking a famous person’s room. I mumbled, “Mine… I’m locked out”. He shrugged his shoulders and said, “Cool! After-party!” Yeah mate, get me a pass then.
My mum and I got given a room in the Europa Hotel that was hosting the official MTV EMA after-party. I felt like the queen bee walking in and out of that hotel, while fans were outside behind barriers hoping to get a glimpse of anyone famous. I remember sticking my head out the hotel window and as I was eight floors up, the fans on the ground couldn’t tell I wasn’t anyone important, so they screamed every time I showed my face. This went on for as long as I got bored.
As soon as Red Foo left, Gary Lightbody, lead singer of Snow Patrol, came staggering outside the hotel room directly in front, unaware I was witnessing his walk of shame, while he left some woman in the room behind him – classic. After the hotel employee’s herded us up to the very top floor like a pack of sheep, we were eventually led downstairs when the hotel voyeur was cut in half by a red rope, peasants on one side, the normal people staying in the hotel, and the rich on the other, we weren’t allowed across the line. The only two celebrities to take their time greeting everyone in the voyeur were Katy Perry and Jason Derulo.
I was staying on the same floor as pop duo L.M.F.A.O. They were two doors down from me, staying in a suite. I ended up sharing an elevator [several times may I add] with one half of the duo, called Red Foo, around 6:00am we both got into the lift and the look of confusion when I pressed floor 8, while he did at the same time [yes people, our fingers touched]. I got caught staring at Foo’s zebra fanny pack, he said, “He’s called Henry, wanna touch him?” so of course, the others in the lift and I were stroking this guys fanny pack – I’m ashamed.
Perry didn’t stay long in the after-party, though jealous me thought it did look shit. I called her over for a photo, because I’m tiny I got to do every horny teenage boy’s dream – I got to rest my head on her chest [which was extremely comfortable in the least pervert way possible] as that was my head height, and she smelt like coconuts. I told her this, but I don’t think she could understand my ecstatic Irish accent.
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to rest my head on her chest [which was extremely comfortable in the least pervert way possible] as that was my head height, and she smelt like coconuts. I told her this, but I don’t think she could understand my ecstatic Irish accent. Meeting Jason Derulo made me a fan of his. To this day I talk about how nice he was, regardless of how drunk he may have been, he spent more time running out and chatting to us all than staying in the party. Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez walked through the voyeur, looking like wax figures, completely ignoring the people trying to get their attention, Justin’s drunk and well-known bodyguard Kenny, hammered on whisky, came rushing over spewing some rehearsed script that Bieber’s PA probably tells them all to say to disappointed fans when they’re let down, “Justin loves you guys! He wants you to know that you’re loved! He loves his fans.” I wasn’t even there for Bieber, the others standing next to me and I gave him the weirdest look, choking on Kenny’s whisky breath. Rizzle Kicks are dicks – you heard it exclusively from me. I was so close to them that I could smell the leather of their jackets. They refused to come near the rope to talk or take photos with the hotel guests, I get it if they weren’t up for it but instead, they ran about the voyeur, further rubbing it in that they didn’t give a fuck. I went outside to join my friends who weren’t allowed to come inside, there I met Brian May from Queen [the nicest guy ever] and he shook my hand. I got to exclaim the famous one liner every fan wants to say, “I’m never going to wash my hand!” After the hysteria of that, this guy [whom I had no idea who he was] went to get into his chauffeured car but turned around and looked over and we caught eyes for what felt like 10 long seconds, you know those moments where you’re looking around you like, who… me? After the wild-west exchange, he unlocked his glance and got into the car. Little did I know, Jared Leto, lead singer of 30 Seconds to Mars,
was the guy who was staring into my soul and 20 year old me, would love to be in my 15 year old’s body at that point. To this day, I wonder what made him stop mid-leaving, to look at me for. – A girl can dream. After several failed attempts at sneaking into the after party with second hand wristbands and trying different doors, touching Red Foo’s fanny pack, smelling Katy Perry, having a stare-off with Jared Leto, hugging Jason Derulo, giving serious side-eye to Rizzle kicks and witnessing the drunken antics of the night. I can happily say I enjoyed my night, while the celebrities lost their dignities. Queen [the nicest guy ever] and he shook my hand. I got to exclaim the famous one liner every fan wants to say, “I’m never going to wash my hand!” After the hysteria of that, this guy [whom I had no idea who he was] went to get into his chauffeured car but turned around and looked over and we caught eyes for what felt like 10 long seconds, you know those moments where you’re looking around you like, who… me? After the wild-west exchange, he unlocked his glance and got into the car. Little did I know, Jared Leto, lead singer of 30 Seconds to Mars, was the guy who was staring into my soul and 20 year old me, would love to be in my 15 year old’s body at that point. To this day, I wonder what made him stop mid-leaving, to look at me for. – A girl can dream. After several failed attempts at sneaking into the after party with second hand wristbands and trying different doors, touching Red Foo’s fanny pack, smelling Katy Perry, having a stare-off with Jared Leto, hugging Jason Derulo, giving serious side-eye to Rizzle kicks and witnessing the drunken antics of the night. I can happily say I enjoyed my night, while the celebrities lost their dignities.•
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‘I sat locked outside my hotel door being the biggest cockblock known to man’
Image credits: Raynor Fry
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Image credits: Tumblr
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HOW WEED AFFECTS THE CREATIVE PROCESS BY RAYNOR FRY
A key creative tool for some Musicians is marijuana, opening the doors to their creative process. The first musician to make his marijuana use public was the grinning, gravel-voiced Louie Armstrong. He wrote in his autobiography that the drug or “gage,” which he referred to it as was “a thousand times better than whiskey ... it’s an assistant, a friend.” An assistant that helps to assist in bringing out the creative flow that then leads to musicians creating original pieces of work because of the depths it allows their creative thinking to wander. That is thanks to the THC. THC in marijuana stimulates the body’s hormone dopamine, causing the release on a greater scale. This hormone causes the infamous signature chilled out and euphoric high associated with the drug. More noticeably for artists, dopamine quiets the ‘inner editor’ and allows thoughts to come through more freely, allowing the creative process to happen with ease. This is beneficial to creative people who are known for criticising every idea that comes to their mind, cutting their creative output short. So for anxious musicians like Brian Williams, the ability to switch off self-consciousness while preserving self-awareness is a key element.
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Thinking back to Louie Armstrong, he had it described perfectly. Weed is an “assistant” to creative people, not a key tool. Earth scientist Peter Webster stated in his book ‘Marijuana and Music: A Speculative Exploration’ that: “It is not that cannabis consciousness itself ‘produces’ ideas that are creative, or that valuable ideas come during the experience or because of it, but that cumulatively, over time, the kind of perception and thinking initiated by cannabis leads one to be generally more open to alternative and perhaps adventurous ways of seeing things which enrich normal consciousness.” Although musicians like Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa are known as cool because of their open love for weed, it takes a lot more than being known for taking marijuana to become a successful and celebrated musician. There are so many other qualities it requires, most admirably being able to use their experiences to influence their writing process. In the words of the legend that is Bob Marley, when asked about marijuana: “Too much of one thing good for nothing. If you have too much herb, it might hurt you.”•
H E
To celebrate the announcement of his London show next year, in collaboration with popular street wear brand MISBHV, here are seven songs to introduce you to the South Korean rapper Zico.
A D
Whilst a judge on the fourth season of Show Me The Money, a South Korean rap competition, Zico collaborated with contestant Mino from idol group Winner. Okey Dokey is an infectious bop with an iconic chorus to match. You will be spitting fire in the shower, at work, and even in the confectionary aisle at the supermarket.
OKEY DOKEY (ZICO, MINO)
I N G -
Hands down the most aesthetically pleasing music video. Zico wins points for the pastel colour palette alone. I Am You, You Are Me is downbeat with subtle percussion in the background. The track is different from his hard-hitting rap verses and edgy melodies. But it does have a lot of charm and like always he owns it.
I AM YOU, YOU ARE ME
L I S
Boys and Girls is the ultimate summer party anthem. Shit. That sounds like something Now That’s What I Call Music! would say. Don’t be put off because the track has an up-tempo melody and an easy-to-follow hook. The style is similar to songs produced by Jay Park’s label AOMG, but that’s not to say it’s a bad thing.
BOYS AND GIRLS (FEAT. BABYLON)
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VENI VIDI VICI has been said to be the more succesful and stylish version of his single Tough Cookie. Zico shows growth in his abilities and musicality in this bass heavy track. Featuring DJ Wegun, it consists of layered beats and vocals to compliment his rapid flow. He makes rapping so effortless, in a nonchalant kind of way.
VENI VIDI VICI (FEAT. DJ WEGUN)
Zico features on Crush’s smooth R&B track Oasis and his verse kills it. Like always. His style elevates the song as he changes the pace and rhythm. Oasis is without a doubt an absolute banger because they work well togther. Crush recently performed at Scala, London for the European leg of his CRUSH ON YOU wonderlust tour. Read more about his show on page --.
OASIS (ZICO, CRUSH)
ZZ ZICO. Z Z ZION.T. Eureka is a bouncy track with jazz influences. Not a typical combination for Korean hip-hop, but it works for Zico and Zion.T. Of course it does because they are Z Z ZICO and Z Z ZION.T. It’s difficult not to start jamming along because it has a lively rhythm due to the saxaphone playing in the chorus.
EUREKA (FEAT. ZION.T)
A collaboration with R&B singers Crush and Dean was the most sought after by fans. And they were gifted with Bermuda Triangle. The latest single was released at the end of last month, and has racked over two million views on YouTube. The track is an experimental mix of smooth vocals and Zico’s signature sick beats.•
BERMUDA TRIANGLE (FEAT. CRUSH AND DEAN)
Image credits: Tumblr
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CRUSH, WONDERLUST TOUR IN LONDON South Korean R&B and hip hop singer Crush performed at Scala, London as part of the European leg of his Wonderlust tour. BY CHELSEA JOBE
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I have been a fan of K-Pop for over a year and a half, and in that time only a small number of groups and solo artists have visited and performed in Europe. Most of them forget Europe is a continent that exists and skip over it to venture in America.
and holding out my phone over the barrier for the perfect shot. Crush welcomed the crowd with enthusiasm and opened the show with his 2015 single You and I. The slow, but soulful melody carried throughout the venue as he grooved along to his own song. The crowd, however, were in a state of hysteria at his presence on stage that they overshadowed his vocals.
When Crush announced his international tour for his latest album Wonderlust, I was pleasantly surprised there would be a show in London. The singer had previously collaborated with South Korea’s biggest stars including Zion.T, Zico and Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon and had gained a huge following including fans from across Europe. Which meant getting tickets for his only show in London became an impossible idea.
I thought I was mistaken when I heard the backing track for Jay Park’s Mommae, but I did not complain. In fact, I went fucking mental. It was only his second song and he had us hooked and around his little finger. Crush followed with I Fancy You, a wise choice as the crowd were ready to go wild. They were not holding back tonight. And like myself, they had been waiting for a long time for a popular Eastern artist to perform in London.
Luckily I have acquired skills from five years of experience trying to buy tickets for One Direction, and I secured three tickets before they sold out in under 20 minutes.
Sometimes is one of my favourite tracks from his album Crush on You, and his vocals left me feeling shook. I had attempted to record a video during the song, but I was left with shaky footage and a continuous screech in the
Just before Crush appeared on stage, I tried to mentally prepare myself for the show. Tried is the key word. The moment he walked on stage I was shouting his name
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background. Which I later realised was me. Crush hit every note of the smooth R&B track, and sounded the same as the studio version which was his breakout song in his career. Crush had promised to sing 9 to 5 feat. Gaeko earlier in the show, responding to an influx of requests from the crowd. One fan, in particular, was keen and ushered the singer over to the front of the stage. He happily obliged, but kept his distance. Probably in case someone pulled him into the pit. The version of 9 to 5 was slightly different to the original arrangement, but this worked well with the atmosphere. We were hyped. He was hyped. The hook I’m 9 to 5 5 to 9/seven eleven 24/7 was fuelled with enthusiasm as fans sang in unison. During the break for his next song, Crush read a letter he wrote in English whilst in London for his show. He thanked his fans for being here and welcoming him on his trip for the European tour. This was accompanied by a range of cooing and expressions of cuteness from the crowd. And the odd hushed sounds from those who were waiting for his next sentence with bated breath. He continued to say he would like to live in London one day. Before they had time to react, Crush sealed the letter with a chapstick kiss and threw the letter into the crowd. I wonder if he regretted his decision the second the letter left his hand because fans from every direction rushed towards the point of landing. Those standing in the middle section of the venue were carried with the crowd, and even shoved out of the way for the chance to own a handwritten letter. The fucked up things fans do to add to their shrine and collection of miscellaneous objects including a used towel and a bottle of water.
jumper, I instantly recognised the figure walking onto the stage. His signature hairstyle of a sleek side parting gave him away. It was Dean, a South Korean alternative R&B singer-songwriter. His presence alone caused mania and the crowd lost their shit. A few days before the show, Dean had posted on Instagram a picture with the cryptic message of the UK flag emoji. Speculations circulated on social media and even though I was aware of his possible guest appearance, inaudible noises slipped out from my mouth when he sang the first bars of his debut single I’m Not Sorry feat. Eric Bellinger. The last song of the night was Oasis, and what a way to close the show. Millic, who had been behind the decks during the set, joined Crush and Dean at the front of the stage. He showed off his musicality by rapping a verse with consistent flow and not missing a beat. A wave of arms swayed as Crush and Dean chanted the catchy tune All you ladies hands in the air/All you ladies hands in the air whilst chucking water into the crowd.
My friends and I were in awe when he performed his latest single Fall, a soulful R&B track on his album Wonderlust. He changed the pace of the show and slowed it down to focus on his vocals. It was difficult not to feel calm whilst listening, and even the overzealous fans from before composed themselves. After singing Crush on you feat. Swings, a classic and a fan-favourite, Crush took time to introduce someone. Dressed in a long leather trench coat and turtle neck
I left Scala feeling delusional which may or may not be normal after a show. But there is one thing I am sure of, Crush killed it. He killed me.•
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‘His presence alone caused mania and the crowd lost their shit’
Image credits: Chelsea JObe
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THE MAGIC OF LIVE CONCERTS
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The reasons why you should go to a pub or music venue and get sucked in the magic of live music, local artists and the experience of going to live gigs. BY MARTINA DI GREGORIO
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Concerts, gigs, and showcases. Everyone has dreamt of seeing their favourite artists three feet away, singing their hearts out whilst you pretend to be privately serenaded. Everyone has done the craziest thing to afford a 60 pound ticket for a concert that is a year away, just to wait in line for ten hours to be miles away from the artist or group.
remain with you for years to come. The wonder of being introduced to a new artist then sneakily searching their name on Facebook and Twitter to show them love both online and offline. Discovering someone you may never would have if you didn’t brave the cold November night and take an overcrowded tube. It suddenly becomes worth it. Listening to their songs for hours on repeat, knowing you were there when they performed live. Maybe you will be a part of their journey, their growth and popularity, appearances on talk shows and then finally performing at arenas like Wembley Arena and the O2.
But how many of us have gone to gigs when they were unpopular artists, playing at tiny pubs and the end of the world, with two people listening to them while everyone else is getting drunk and talking loudly? And this is why it is important to go to gigs, showcase and support your local artists, not only for them, but for you as well. The experience of going to a live gig cannot be compared to anything else. A beer in your hand while you wait for someone to play the first chords of a song, the warmth of a small venue and the excitement of finding yourself in an area of London you’ve never been before. The hushed sounds and whispers as the crowd lower their voices as the artist appears on stage. The shiver down your spine when they make eye contact with you. These emotions you cannot feel when watching them on a screen, that one of a kind connection which will
However, the number of live shows in London is decreasing. 50% of the local pubs have closed in the last two years because of harsh legal restrictions with the police complaining about drugs. They are conducting strict body and bag searches and campaigning for
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earlier closing times because neighbours are complaining about the noise. Pubs are being sold for flats and chain companies such as Wetherspoon’s. All these problems are affecting local pub owners and their regular customers, as well as local artists. They lose their music scene, as nightlife in London is slowly dying. You can read more about this topic in the SAVGE magazine. The problems with venues closing is not only for the artists, but for us fans as well. We will miss out the opportunity to buy someone who just played a pint, tell them in person how much you liked them. All of that will be lost, and then what will be left? The cold night will go back to being dark and cold, no music to light up the night and keep you warm till you go home. No nights where your face hurts from smiling too much. Is there a way we can prevent this from happening to more local pubs? There is a possibility we can. Google the closest venue in your area, get dressed and dolled up and support the artists at their gigs. Give yourself the opportunity to experience live music because no matter how many times you attend a gig, it will be different but wonderful. And if it isn’t your thing, then keep searching until you do. Support the artists. Be there. Live it before it’s gone. Don’t let darkness take over the music. •
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‘NO MUSIC LEFT TO LIGHT UP THE NIGHT AND KEEP YOU WARM’
Image credits: Martina Di Gregorio Fernando Cobero
B E S T
Now that winter is here and it’s freezing outside, going out isn’t that appealing anymore. I mean, why step outside in fucking Antarctica when you and your friends can just curl up on the couch with a movie and a cup of hot chocolate (the extra shot of vodka is a given)? However, let’s not kid ourselves, no movie night in can be called such if there’s no respectable snacks to match. Below is SAVAGE’s choice of the five best snacks, because let’s be honest, people are just here for the snacks.
M O V I E N I G H T S N A C K S
It doesn’t matter if it’s snowing outside, ice cream is always a good idea. Unless your rent is so high you can’t afford heating. Actually no, that’s still not an excuse for not indulging in the eighth wonder of the world. As always, Ben & Jerry’s is the obvious choice, no one can make combinations that are fucking weird taste so good.
Popcorn might be a granted when talking about movie nights, but Joe & Seph’s take the thing to a whole new level. Because apparently Camembert cheese popcorn is a thing and people enjoy it. Flavours range from chocolate to cheese, caramel and even alcoholic ones. Our favourite here at SAVAGE? The exclusive mojito popcorn because let’s face it, at the end of the day, we all need a drink.
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No, this is not a joke. Twinkies are actually available to buy in the UK now too (thank you international trading)! Although its ingredients are a total mystery, the cream filling is sure to be a hit and chances are you will find yourself fighting your friends to grab the last one of them. A long time American favourite, they’re almost a symbol of movie snacks and after being out of the market for a while, they are finally back and improved! Available at Sainsbury’s too, they are on offer at the price of £3 a box at Tesco’s. A bargain if you ask me. Make sure you stock up on boxes before the offer dies in January and they go back to £5!
Just in case you didn’t know that Americans seem to have an innate talent for creating amazingly good junk food, Pop Tarts are the ultimate proof. Put them in the toaster a couple of minutes before having them and then heaven awaits you. Only problem? The frosting and filling are so good you’ll probably find yourself reaching for yet another Pop Tart and soon realize you’ve finished the box. The beauty in Pop Tarts is the range of flavours (hello peanut butter & jelly) however most supermarkets only stock flavours like chocolate chip cookie dough and chocolate frosting. Not to worry though, you can get them on Amazon for really great prices, and get them for less if you buy them in bulk! Might be worth giving it a thought… Did I mention they’re amazing first thiing in the morning too?
While the snacks above are great and all, nothing beats the typical junk food list: pizza, burgers and Chinese food. My advice? GO FOR ALL OF IT. Yes, that’s right, get all the snacks above plus order pizza, burgers (McDonald’s is great because they’re cheap and really good) and Chinese food to share with everyone. Although we can’t guarantee you’ll make it to the end of the night, we do guarantee it’ll be one of the most satisfying experiences of your life.•
Image Credit: Cecilia Peruzzi, Doodle Pack
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GILMORE GIRLS: A YEAR IN THE LIFE BY CECILIA PERUZZI
7 seasons, numerous tears and almost 10 years later, four new episodes of Gilmore Girls were made available to stream on Netflix on Friday November 25th. The revival, titled Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, in divided into four parts: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. Spoiler alert: Emily Gilmore hasn’t fired a single maid in the whole season.
In the words of the Gilmore Girls, “It’s a lifestyle. It’s a religion”. These are the only words that come to mind when thinking of the show that made my childhood. Doesn’t matter that it came to an end nine years ago, Gilmore Girls developed such a cult in following that its revival was probably one of the biggest news of 2016. Numbers of fans recall Lorelai and Rory teaching them how to survive high school, college and mother-daughter relationships. “I remember watching it with my mother when I was younger, it was something we could just bond over and laugh about because it was so relatable” says lifelong fan Patrizia, 21. Gaia, 20, stated “I was so happy when I found out they were making a revival! It’s a big part of my childhood and helped so much in shaping they way I deal with problems in life”. It’s not unusual for fans to get attached to television characters and it’s always sad when the show does come to an end, especially if you’re not prepared for it. It was probably the show’s no-bullshit attitude that made it so relatable because, let’s face it, life doesn’t always come up roses. Seeing intense mother-daughter fights made viewers feel like they weren’t alone and that you can get through it. The episodes are available. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. Ok so apparently things in London can change from one day to another, but in Stars Hollow ten years do not make a single freaking distance. Not even on the people. How is it that the only person on that show who has actually aged is Zach? Nevertheless, it’s great to see some of our favourite faces back and the image of Kirk with a baby pig is enough to melt even the coldest of hearts. The girls are finally reunited and it’s needless to say that Rory has grown more and more into her mother, to the point she
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doesn’t only forget her boyfriend (who the fuck is this Paul guy anyway?) is coming to dinner, but also that it’s their two year anniversary. She isn’t the only one however, as nobody who has met Paul on the show doesn’t seem to remember the poor guy . While appearing successful to her Stars Hollow friends, it is to consider that Rory isn’t as great as we all thought she would be. I mean come on, she’s a tenyear Yale graduate who doesn’t have a steady job and managed to get only one article published by the New Yorker. I have to say, I haven’t always been the greatest Rory fan when it comes to my lifelong relationship with Gilmore Girls, but I still found her tenacity and hardworking personality admirable, leading to me wanting to go into journalism myself. How is it that all of her friends seem to have found their way, but she’s just flying over continents trying to figure out what her next step is? Plus, she’s having a no-strings attached relationship with Logan. I get it: he’s charming, and rich and let’s face it, incredibly hot, but didn’t your history with Dean teach you anything? NOTHING GOOD CAN EVER COME OUT OF SLEEPING WITH ANOTHER WOMAN’S MAN. With Edward Hermann having passed away in 2014, we all knew Richard’s funeral was coming however nobody expected it to be this hard to watch. Having to see Emily deal with her husband’s death was one of the most heart-wrenching scenes of the whole show and there is no way one can get through this episode with no tears being shed. Thank God for Lorelai and Emily being their usual selves and serving us with one of their worst fights to date. As if this wasn’t enough, Sookie has left the Dragonfly Inn and isn’t expected to come back anytime soon, leaving Lorelai and Michel alone. Oh Sookie, where art thou?
The time has now come for one of the moments that everyone has been waiting for: Lorelai and Emily going to therapy. Together. Sparks fly and how that therapist managed to pull through those sessions is a mystery to me. Nonetheless, Lorelai keeps going to therapy, even when Emily quits after realizing that her daughter hasn’t changed at all. Additionally, Emily taking Luke on location tours after telling his about the money Richard has left him to franchise Luke’s Diner is probably one of the most awkward moments in television history. While I had begged and prayed that Rory had gotten her life back together, she let me down once again. Her book deal with the crazy British socialite has fallen through (what excuse are you going to use to crawl back to Logan now?) and after agreeing to write the most ridiculous article ever on people waiting in lines in New York City (what the fuck is that about anyways?) she breaks down. Yes Rory, life is hard, but get your shit together and stop waiting for things to happen. Sorry Rory, just trying to be real here. Getting to witness a classic Paris meltdown while the girls visit Chilton (oh, what a blast from the past!) was one of the most grippling plot lines. Yes, you read that right Paris has a meltdown in a Chilton bathroom after seeing Tristan in the corridors and all those high school feelings come rushing back. It’s funny how they could get like anyone who ever appeared on the show back but didn’t manage to get Chad Michael Murray to make a five second appearance? I guess you can’t have it all in life. Of course Rory has yet another breakdown and calls Logan, who answers while in bed with his French fiancée. I might be a little biased here (hey, it’s Team Jess or nothing) but isn’t Jess the one who usually helps you figure out your life? Why couldn’t you just hook up with him and make my heart cry from joy? Oh and somebody please give this girl a job already.
coincide with the start of school and the end of it. Rory is still denying her failure by telling everyone she isn’t moving back home, although we all know she is. Just join the Thirty Something Gang already (apparently they even have parent meetings to help their failure kids find a job). Town meetings (probably my favourite part of every episode combined to Friday dinner) do seem to be useful for something more than making fun of Taylor though, as they give Rory the chance to finally do something with her life and save the Stars Hollow Gazette from closing after 90 years by becoming its new (unpaid) editor. Never mind that the technology in that office is probably older than my grandmother and that the only two employees are way too old to even be getting out of the house, Rory finally seems to find the strength to get back up and keep going. Although that probably has something to do with Jess (imagine hearts flying over my head as I watched the scene) coming back to town. Did I mention his mother and stepdad joined a vegetable cult? Is that even a thing? I guess the show’s creator Amy Sherman Palladino loves her shows too much, because she apparently felt the need to bring like half the cast of her terrible show Bunheads to Stars Hollow and make them star in a musical. Written by Taylor and basically copying Hamilton. I swear, that half hour of musical rehearsals is thirty minutes of my life I’m never going to get back and that I would have rather spent on Jess. I’m literally still amazed that Lorelai is the only one who found it appalling to be honest. However, it seems to be a long-waited epiphany for her as
For the first time on the show, we finally get to see what summer in Stars Hollow looks like, since the seasons always seemed to
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she realizes that she’s been avoiding her problems for too long and needs to take time on her own to go do Wild and figure things out. Luke saying “You do realize that takes place outdoors. You hate nature!” was literally me, recalling the times when Lorelai hated nature so much she would barely get out of the house. My amazement in seeing Lorelai had actually made it to California and was ready to start hiking cannot be described in enough words. Had it been me, I would already have given up and gone back to the comfort of heating and running water. Although I do have one major question: how the hell is her phone charged is she’s out in the wild? Her convincement to undertake the adventure doesn’t seem to last long though, and after a series of signs (I’m surprised you lasted this long though Lorelai, so snaps for you) she decides to go home and finds a small outing on a hill that apparently giver her the biggest realization in her life. Wow, if only that were so easy in real life too.
Paul Anka moments, that dog just knows how to make his way to your heart and have you love him forever, to the point where you’re blowing on a steak so that it’s cool enough for him to eat it. Sookie is finally back for the wedding and having one of her classic almost-killed myself moments, god have I missed her. She’s not the only one back though, as Rory bumps into Dean in Doosey’s market, where we find out he’s married with loads of kids and one more to come, which relieved me as I have hated him for as long as I could remember. Forget the fact that he built her a car and cheated on his wife for her, they just weren’t supposed to be together. IT WAS ALWAYS JESS.
If I thought Jess coming back was the best moment in the revival though, I was all wrong, because the Life and Death Brigade is back. Yes, Finn, Colin, Robert and Logan make an appearance in Stars Hollow (and what a great one must I say) to get Rory’s spirits up. The whole sequence of the five of them running through town, buying up a tango club and a bed and breakfast was almost as heart-wrenching as Richard’s funeral, except this time I kept wishing it wouldn’t come to an end.
The last thirty minutes were way too emotional for me to even sum up and I have promised to not spoil the last four words to anyone who hasn’t seen the revival yet, so I’m going to tell you to binge in on that and the previous seven seasons and beg the Palladinos to bring the Gilmore Girls back to me for another season, because I’m already missing it too much.
Rory also goes to see her father, who apparently seems to remember he does have another daughter other than Gigi only when she calls him up or he wants to get back with Lorelai. She asks all these questions about how he felt about Lorelai raising on her own and when he replies it was how things were supposed to be, she finally realizes she’s much better off without him. Oh Rory, had you only figured that out when he missed your high school graduation. I mean, Luke, Sookie and Jackson were there, yet your own father couldn’t make it? Call that poor parental skills.
For all of you who brought their feelings to Twitter, making #GilmoreGirlsRevival one of the biggest trends of 2016, cheer up, because Lauren Graham’s book “Talking as fast as I can: from Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (and everything in between)” is now out and containing behind the scenes exclusives from filming the revival. I guess it’ll just have to do while we still deal with the infamous last four words..•
Best thing ever, Luke and Lorelai are finally getting married! Although I have to admit, I am going to miss those Luke and
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Image Credit: Cecilia Peruzzi, Broadway World
HOW CELEBRITY FEMALES USE MISOGNY T O T H E I R A D V A N T A G E AKA BY RAYNOR FRY
Image Credits: Parys Gardener
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Women are often depicted as sexual objects for the male gaze; this objectification pursues hegemonic masculinity both in social interaction and representation in visual media. It is a noticeable trait in media that many influential women such as celebrities like Miley Cyrus and Rihanna who both claim to channel feminism, play on the natural sexual allure that women carry, this voyeuristic controlling gaze and fetishistic looking – an obsessive focus on some erotic detail to sell media products. Yet Miley insists it is for herself, that this is who she wanted to be, a wild, free and sexualized figure in pop music sparking controversy that keep people talking, again globalising the product – them. Smart isn’t it?
Could the show seem to negate male/female equality? As all of the women were systematically degraded and oppressed by the male characters in the second season Asylum, the third season Coven turns that dynamic on its head and the females take their turn. Masculinism, the movement that promotes the classic masculine virtues among men is threatened by the post feminism era; men argue that they are in a worse position because of the emphasis on female rights. The leading female characters in American Horror Story: Coven range differently and represent female personalities and feminist struggles. This creates identification for female viewers through uses and gratifications. The series interprets misogynistic tropes yet empowers women at the same time. The complexity of the series allows for the attack on certain modern issues against women. The repression and control of female sexuality is a key feature.
As females have grown up with stereotypes, a certain belief of how a woman should be and act is implanted through their whole adolescence and growth reinforced by repeated imagery across the media. The image of how a woman should look like due to the over photo-shopped models on the cover photo; it is only natural for these beliefs to be practised by so many females, this idea of dressing proactively as females know no better
Western Imperialism, I believe is at fault in colouring our judgement of how a female should be and when a female is born, her nature is almost chosen for her in that a female should be how she is perceived in the patriarchal media system. The fragmentation of the patriarchal system will be a never ending battle. Contemporary ideology surrounding the female is yet to be developed and to be accepted fully. Feminism is more popular than ever, however I believe females are as in the middle of how they should act as what the media is, due to the constant media effects of images of sexualised women across media platforms and the constant question of - is it ok to be sexy and smart at the same time? Gaayathri Nair stated that “a pro-woman intention has tangled with the male gaze to create a product that both supports and subverts misogyny and is as objectifying as it is empowering.” Sexual empowerment is a form of feminism yet can negate feminism as females who use this method, their real intentions could be misjudged or forgotten and only the sexual aspect is seen to be represented.
American Horror Story: Coven, is about the oppression of female empowerment. It “is so female-centric it sometimes feels revolutionary,” (female characters of different ages, ethnicities, and intellectual capabilities) is renowned for its revival of feminism as its core female cast provides a “feminist theme throughout”. Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s created the anthology series, they could have unconsciously employed their own gendered perspective, however, the TV show is driven by women. According to a Popmatters.com article by John Grassi - “There’s a feminist power dynamic here that’s overt and aggressive. The witches dismiss men as the weaker sex; males are appraised by erotic attraction only.” This interprets the female gaze theory. Masculinisation is prominent with the female characters, gender roles that would normally be associated primarily with men are channelled by females. Patriarchy is turned upside down and the dominance the female characters hold over the males is evident. The Binary Opposition between both genders also could not be any more apparent. The men in Coven go unnoticed, mainly because most of them cannot speak, under the circumstances of what each witch has done to them. These women are strong and capable, they differ from the female leads in vampire shows, yes they are not always noble however they are neither weak nor passive and do not wait for the males to take the lead.
The females in American Horror Story: Coven follow their own set of laws; although they are made to control their powers in order to survive and their sexuality is repressed to portray modern issues, they are in a way sexually liberated and free from judgement due to their powerful status, resilience and ability to use misogynistic tropes to their advantage by sexually empowering themselves and turning the message around to make a point about these myth tropes. They are equal to men, if not more. Whether they would be as overpowering without their supernatural attributes is questionable, however it is evident that these women would still be as capable and strong. •
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LONDON CLOSING MUSIC VENUES BY MARTINA DI GREGORIO
THE EMIDEMIC STRIKES AGAIN, THIS TIME IT COULD HIT THE GOOD SHIP London. The city that never sleeps, the city where you can wander around at 1 AM and find a pub full of cheery people drinking, talking, dancing and singing. London. The city where the dreams come true. Or at least this is what London is to everyone moving here, everyone dreaming of a better life, better choices. A bitter dream that disappoints, as hundreds of artists know as they see their live venues being snatched away, closed and taken over by the cold claw of bureaucracy. 50% of music venues have been closing since 2014, and all the unsigned artists, all the breakthrough singers and players and songwriters that had a chance to gain visibility are being left on the street, and this could be happening to those that want to perform at The Good Ship in Kilburn. The Good Ship is a live music venue and offers free showcases to anyone who wants to play to a live audience and get visibility. It is the last one in Kilburn, a zone 2 area in London that has been experiencing problems with the police and the Borough in the last couple of months. John McCook, the manager of The Good Ship, spoke about the problems with music venues and the police and how a solution seems unlikely. “The police and the council licensing department want to change our finishing hours to 2am/130am respectively. Moreover, they want to make last entry midnight even though The Good Ship is traditionally a nightclub so therefore killing one of our reasons for being.” Pubs and clubs have been subjected to harsh regulations which has resulted to many closing. The body and bag searches and earlier closing times has decreased the number of customers and income for these venues. Not only that, but many locations are being bought
with Soho becoming gentrified and while some will be housing, some are being taken over by chain stores which can afford the increasing rent prices. the number of customers and income for these venues. Not only that, but many locations are being bought with Soho becoming gentrified and while some will be housing, some are being taken over by chain stores which can afford the increasing rent prices. At The Good Ship, the majority of their customers come in after midnight so changing the last entrance and closing time would cut a chunk out of their income. The police and Council are concerned about the amount of drunken fights outside the venue. But this may destroy the livelihood of the business even though the external factors should not affect them directly. “It will take something from the top. Thus far someone at the Mayor’s office wrote to the council to try to stop the review but I am pretty sure they have no teeth beyond that (they were not able to help with Fabric’s case), we have been in touch with the new night time tzar (very briefly) a week ago but no reply.” The Night Time Czar is one of the many changes that Major Khan has implemented in order to make London really the city that never sleeps. Making the city the dream that everyone hoped for. Amy Lame, an American-born woman who moved to London in 1992 and is now in charge of improving the nightlife for Londoners that live life after the sun goes down. But as John said, the Khan and the Night Time Czar won’t be able to stop the police closing down music venues and pubs. However, Fabric has won their hearing and will be opening again. This was the result of millions of people petitioning and supporting Fabric. Not everyone has
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that much popularity and support to rely on in order to stay open. “[The music life] would disappear, we are the music scene in Kilburn! There once were 3 venues here, there is the odd pub that hires in a PA from time to time but we are the only music venue in Kilburn and other than the Wembley Stadium complex the only one in the whole of the Boring London Borough of Brent.” “Well, artists in Brent will not have a local venue. Those a couple of miles north west of us would have to go to Trinity in Harrow for their nearest one, if bands are in Kilburn then the nearest are 2.5 miles away in Camden or Notting Hill. As important as the geography is that we give unknown bands a go, as long as we like them. Any band will tell you that it is actually quite hard to get a gig at a lot of venue in London.” Live music in London is slowly becoming non-existent and this needs to stop. With concert and showcase venues slowly closing and taking away the chance for artists and bands to become popular and even to be signed. Something needs to change, and hopefully things will get better or music will die and there will be nothing left in the lost city of dreams. But not all is lost: “Seemed like a victory at the end for us because we got 1:30am last entry (from 2 but the police were looking at 12) and 3am closing (although 2:30am last alcohol) although the police were looking for 2am. So sort of a victory, a reasonable compromise and enough to survive which is the main thing.” Dreams are still alive, maybe London will become the city of dreams we all wish for. •
Image Credit: Mellisa Castrillion
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INTERVIEW WITH LONDON K-POP DANCE WORKSHOP Tammy, 30, founder of London K-Pop Dance Workshop and Caroline, 27, co-founder and lead promoter discuss the importance of their workshops and embracing Korean culture in the UK. BY CHELSEA JOBE
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Why did you set up the London K-Pop Dance Workshop? T: I wanted to learn a particular K-Pop dance so I looked on YouTube for videos. There were a lot of covers online and I didn’t realise it was a thing. I thought some of these people are doing it wrong, not that I know it but from watching it over and over again I was sure they were doing it wrong. If it was thing, then there should be classes because there was nothing in London at the time. I met Caz and I knew she was a fan of K-Pop and had a dance background so I said why don’t we try and start a class during the summer holidays. However, after the first workshop, our plan didn’t work. We ended up having a workshop every month for five years.
Was this your aim for London K-Pop Dance Workshop? T: Initially we didn’t realise it would grow like this. We had 8 people in our first lesson and we were so happy. C: Like people came and they paid [laughs] T: Over the years we’ve really grown as a community. Our workshop has built a smaller community within K-Pop for people who like to dance. Even though the initial idea was not for it to be sociable, it has become sociable. Many students come by themselves and at the end of the workshop, they’ve made friends.
C: It was a fantastic idea. I was listening to J-Pop for a really long time and was introduced to K-Pop by Koda Kumi, a Japanese singer, who sang a duet with TVXQ. I YouTubed them and I was like this isn’t Japanese [laughs] but I’d always seen J-Pop artists have similar dance routines. I really wanted to do it, but I didn’t know anyone who liked J-Pop. So when I met Tammy and she suggested starting dance classes, it felt like I’d found my calling in life. It was really exciting because I finally found someone who I could dance and do covers with.
C: It was the first anniversary when it really hit us for the first time because people leave comments on our [Facebook] page and say thank you for the classes as I’ve grown so much confidence. I’ve got over my social anxiety because I’ve made lots of friends.
Caz mentioned about having a dance background. Do you have a dance background, Tammy?
T: I really want to instil that we’re a family, not just a community. We want everyone to get on and know that we are…it’s a bit cheesy [laughs] but that we are here for each other. We share the same interest and we don’t judge because we like something that’s foreign.
T: [Shakes head] I danced in my bedroom and the living room. I could probably count on one hand how many dance classes I have been to, but it was something I knew I could do. I knew I had rhythm and coordination. My family background is from the Philippines and we are very musical. I was always around people who sang and danced so K-Pop is the whole package. But when I was younger, there wasn’t beginner classes for adults in London. People start dancing at a young age so for me it was intimidating.
C: Even my mum, bless her, she still calls it Chinese. My parents think K-Pop is a phase. C: I gave my mum the side-eye when she said I don’t understand how you can listen to something and not understand it, but still enjoy it. I said mum do you or do you not have Andrea Bocelli CD in your car right now, singing Italian. It’s the same thing.
C: Even though I’ve had a dance background, it’s completely different to K-Pop. I’ve had to relearn everything from the beginning so I understand how the students feel. T: Getting into Kpop, you learn about the trainee idols and their background such as how long they’ve been training for. It is really inspirational. It’s not like here in the west where you see the end product, the singer and their performance. You see K-Pop idols grow. That’s why I think if they can do it, then I can do it. And if I can do it, the students can do it.
T: Mihawk is a performance director at S.M Entertainment and we brought him here for workshops. I remember driving him to the airport and we were talking about dance. I asked him does it feel strange for you as a Korean seeing so many foreigners listening to Korean music. I don’t know why it didn’t click but he made so much sense in 10 seconds. He said but what is the difference to me listening to English music. Because he’s Korean right? What’s the difference between
C: And they’re often introduced before they become K-Pop idols. It’s something to anticipate. T: Also it’s something people can relate to. I don’t relate myself to Beyoncé. C: [Laughs]. Who can? Your workshops gather people from different backgrounds, but they share the same interest.
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Koreans listening to English music.
T: We started adding girls that we saw from our workshops but we’ve stopped now. It’s not because we don’t want anyone else on our team, but our team is quite big. There’s thirteen of us.
C: We try to extend with our Hallyu stage and performances because we don’t want it to be just a LoKo show. We want to include other people that are part of the community.
C: It’s enough to manage.
T: Even more so it’s for their family and friends to watch so they can understand this what we’re doing. This is what their friends, their sons and their daughters are doing and it is positive. It’s not a thing, it’s not a Chinese thing. That’s something we do so it encourages others to understand about the K-Pop community.
T: We do get emails and messages saying how can we join the team, but we’re not here to join competitions anymore. We’re here to run workshops. Even if we add members, they’re going to be a member with the name and not doing anything. So this is not what you do full time?
C: And it’s a platform for people to perform. It’s quite clear people like performing because it’s our lunch break and people are supposed to be eating, but the music is on and they’re dancing.
T: I wish it was [laughs] We work Monday to Friday. The younger teachers are at university and it is a lot harder because our schedules don’t match whereas when they were in secondary school, you could match because you knew they had half-term at the same time.
The LoKo team has gained a respectable name for itself and even travelled to Korea to compete in a global competition in 2013. How do you pick members for the team and what does being in the team entail? T: Initially we weren’t thinking about forming a team. When we first started, we hired other teachers so we have two more Isabella and Diana there were meant to be five of us but one girl who started with us doesn’t dance for us no more because of personal reasons. C: It was for us to demonstrate to people on the outside that we can dance and this is why you should come to our workshops [laughs]
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Tell us more about the 2013 dance competition where you were sent to Seoul, South Korea. C: We had been in the game for two years and it was...I don’t want to sound egotistical, but we were building a name for ourselves. We first realised how well-known London K-Pop Dance Workshop was in the community at the regional competitions at the KCC. T: We put it on Facebook and said we’re performing for the regionals. When we entered, the auditorium was full of people. C: They came from the cracks in the walls. T: Even the producer said did you pay for those people to come. C: It was mental. We won the regionals which was a big shock to us and we were flown to Korea. Which is one of the biggest things that Loko as a name has done. T: We’ve been very fortunate. I am really thankful for is that we’ve never had to look for anything. I’ve never had to make a phone call and ask if we can perform. C: There was a BBC satire programmed called This Week. They had a skit of what had happened during the year. Downtown Abbey was really big that year, the tax scandal with Starbucks, and of course Gangnam Style.So there was me, Nikki and Amy dancing to Gangnam Style in maid outfits [laughs] T: Earlier that year I did a tutorial for Video Jug on YouTube. It was for Gangnam Style and there was me, Evelyn and Amy. It is close to 18 million views and I kid you not I have not watched it once. We heard Gangnam Style in the summer and we played it at our anniversary workshop and everyone was dancing. By the time it reached number one, we were sick it. C: I remember I went to a dance class and there was professional dancers such as Brian Friedman and someone from The Pussycat Dolls but I can’t remember her name. I thought it was going to be a normal dance class and I walked in and they were warming up to fucking Gangnam Style. T: My mum and I have a travel agent who we’ve been buying our travel tickets from for years. She was on the phone to my mum talking about a particular holiday the she read my name. She said I recognise her name and my mum said that’s my
daughter. The travel agent then said at our Christmas party we were playing her video on the projector and everybody was learning how to Gangnam Style. People are still talking about Gangnam style even four years later. C: If I tell my boyfriend I have a workshop on Sunday, he always asks are you doing Gangnam Style today. No. No, I’m not. Never again. Are there other K-Pop dance workshops or classes in London that you are aware of? T: There is a dance class at DGC Dance and the teacher who runs it is Dickie Wong. However we teach the chorus of four songs in one workshop and he teaches one song over a period of time. But aside from DGC Dance, there is not another K-Pop workshop or dance class that we are aware of. Any last comments about Korean culture in London? T: We were asked where do you see yourself in five years and I said the UK goes through phases and I don’t even know if K-Pop will last five years. Now we’re in our sixth year and I’m already thinking about what we’re doing next year. But I think a lot of K-Pop fans in the UK and Europe feel forgotten. I know Crush and Zico are coming to the UK... C: ...but we haven’t had a big concert. T: Fans are waiting for EXO, BTS and SHINee. From past experience with Korean media, it’s not that groups and artists don’t want to come because they do. It’s about money.K-Pop fans feel neglected so the workshops are a place for them to meet. As long as they’re happy to come, then I’m happy and I’m sure Caz is happy to keep the workshops running. •
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Image Credit: Ggaeal.tumblr
THE BODY UNDER MY SKIN In a world where social media has taken over human interactions, a young artist explores the limitations of her own body through the use of clay. Juliana Cerqueira Leite bares it all. BY CECILIA PERUZZI
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While many artists might just play around with the clay and try to give it an exact shape, Juliana uses her own body to push through the clay and shape it, making each piece as unique as each movement used to make it. “In some way, all of my works are self-portraits, you can see traces of my hands and feet on the sculpture. The end result is always a surprise and each time the process teaches me something new about the limitations of my body” says Juliana. She will be visiting London in the spring, where she will be participating in a group show at the Approach Gallery in East London, curated by Nora Heidorn, currently completing an MA in Curatorial Studies at Goldsmiths University. Heidorn’s studies focus on female artists ranging from the 1960s to the present, therefore the show will include contemporary female artists. Multi-cultural background? Check. Remarkably talented? Check. Badass feminist? Check. To think that these are only few of the words that describe young BrazilianAmerican artist Juliana Cerqueira Leite is just unbelievable. At just 35, this young woman has built a name for herself in the art world, winning prizes and holding lectures at many prestigious universities. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, she later moved to London to attend art school, earning a BFA and an MFA in Sculpture from Chelsea College of Art & Design and Slade School of Fine Arts UCL respectively. Juliana is a firm believer in the philosophy that when you stop learning, you stop growing, leading her to earning an additional MA in Drawing from Camberwell College of Art UAL.
made out of clay and foam. Her sketches for her pieces Up and Down, both exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery, prove this. While there might be a sketch of the box of clay she will be immerging herself into and relative measurements, there is no indication of how she’s going to dig through, mostly because once she gets in there everything is pitch black, leaving which way to go up to her touch. For the result to be right, it is essential that she does not wear any clothes while moving through the clay. “Clothing makes it harder for me to move as the fabric gets stuck. I’m interested in the human body’s ability to move through space and how it interacts with matter and that can only happen if the only thing I’m wearing is Chanel No. 5” she says jokingly. Whereas in art it’s easy to question the artist’s hand being present in the work, Juliana breaks out of this paradox, presenting the viewer with not only an obvious physical
The skills she gained during her studies in London are shown in her artwork, where she combines both drawing and sculpture as one. To her, sculpture is “a way to explore physicality. When I’m in the studio I test theories and my own body limits”. Some of her most acclaimed work was also exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery, London in 2008, consisting of sculptures
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presence, but also the absence of the artist at the same time. Her eagerness to explore the movements of the human body is shown in her other work comprising photographs, videos and drawings. “At the moment I am excited about a new piece for video that I am choreographing with a dancer from Brazil called Luzia Baker. It’s amazing to work with movement, and the video will be a VR video which is also new to me and exciting” she tells Savage. “Where sculptures preserve a specific sequence of actions in time, the overlapping of actions through the use of chronophotography makes the image clearer and allows me to find the essence of each movement”. Inspiration is key to success, and an artist looks for it in everything. “Something that I am finding inspiring at the moment is the sense of civic duty that the moment is the sense of civic duty and unity that the election of Trump has brought about in my artist community. It happened by less than 20% since only 40% of the American population voted, and people are uniting to resist his sexism and racism. An example is the amount of women that I know who are going to the Million Woman March in DC on the 21st of January”.
fiction which deserved to be made into a book. “Of the 83 pages, each one is laser cut to map out the cast of one of the vaginas modelled for this project. At the end of it, I had such a new perspective on the way we think of our vagina. Anatomy books describe it as a canal, while a lot of people might depict the female body as an absence or a hole. I now know that it’s not a space down there, it’s completely closed until you want it to be something else” the artist recounts of the whole experience.
Her curriculum led her to wonder about the representation of female anatomy and the publishing of her book “A Potential Space”, presented at the New York Art Book Fair earlier this year. It all started by casting various parts of her own body in alginate, including her vagina and coming to the final realization that because there is no space inside the vagina, sculptures of it are a distortion of reality, making this all a work of
“A Potential Space” wasn’t her only curatorial project, as Juliana has previously collaborated with the A.I.R. Gallery in Brooklyn, New York to present a one-night women artists’ film and video screening at the Dumbo Arts Center in 2012 and has co-curated artistic performances in London. Her work has been recognised internationally, allowing her to be a part of the Vancouver Sculpture Biennale International Residency in Canada and earning her the Furla Art Prize at the 5th
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Moscow International Young Art Biennial earlier this year. At such a young age, Juliana’s resume is impressive nonetheless, with exhibitions ranging from London to the United States, Japan, Denmark and Brazil and praises by international art critics. 2017 is set to be her year however, starting with her solo show at the Alma Zevi Gallery in Venice, Italy, in February. “I’ll be working at the gallery for a month making new work in a very focused atmosphere, which I really look forward to”. After that, she will be exhibiting at the Antarctic Biennale and the Frieze Art Fair in New York City, followed by her upcoming show in London. With such a bright curriculum and a big number of upcoming shows, it is rightful to say that although she resides in Brooklyn, Juliana has made the world her home. •
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Images Credit: Juliana Cerqueira Leite, Vancouver Biennale
W H A T’ S O N L O N D O N A R T S
SAVGE’s favourite art exhibitions to check out in London in January 2017.
Zaha Hadid Admittance: Free Where: Serpentine Gallery, Hyde Park Closes: Sunday February 12 Famous for her controversial buildings and designs, the Serpentine Gallery is putting on display the Iraqi-Britsh artist’s most recent drawings and paintings. Deserving particular attention will be the design of the Sackler extension of the gallery itself, designed by her firm in 2013. Admittance is free, making this the perfect chance to take a stroll through Hyde Park.
Ken Price: A Survey of Sculptures and Drawings 1959-2006 Admittance: Free Where: Hauser & Wirth, Mayfair Closes: Saturday February 4 LA based, Price entered the art scene in the late 1950s, showing the world his collection of colourful ceramics. Although critics were baffled by the ceramics and didn’t know what to do with them, he still made it big. His creativity is reflected in his colourful drawings too, also on display.
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David Bailey: NW1 Admittance: Free Where: Heni Publishing, SoHo Closes: Tuesday January 31 Camden and Primrose Hill weren’t always as hipster and glamorous as they are now. Although it’s quite hard to imagine, they were actually a decadent borough falling to pieces. David Bailey, who lived there at the time, took pictures of what was surrounding it and collected them in his book, NW1. Thirty-four years later Heni Publishing is celebrating the reprinting of the book by exposing his work at their main office.
Lucy Raven: Edge of Tomorrow Admittance: Free Where: Serpentine Gallery Closes: Sunday February 12 The New York-based artist explores the making of images in her latest exhibition, taking the viewer on a trip from a copper mine in the American West to a film studio in India to show the evolution of technology.
Bruce McLean: A Hot Sunset and Shade Paintings Admittance: Free Where: Bernard Jacobson, St. James’ Park Closes: Saturday January 28 A Central Saint Martins alumnus, McLean always had a mischievous attitude, even while attending the school in the 1960s. He is the author of many provocative and weird pieces of art. Although time has passed since his student days, the large-scale paintings and films he makes these days still carry his playful nature. Recommended for those who want to liberate their inner child. •
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Image credit: Time out
YORKSHIRE MUSEUM TO REVOLUTIONISE ART WORLD
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The Yorkshire Sculpture Park is about to change the world of art through their newest exhibition, Beyond Boundaries: Art by Email.
BY CECILIA PERUZZ I
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The exhibition, open from 7 – 2017, will celebrate artists who difficult to enter the UK due to cumstances and immigration
29 January might find it political circonditions.
In August, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) released a call for submissions, urging artists from the Middle East to enter, celebrating the notion that ideas and art can travel even if people cannot. Over 60 proposals were received from artists in Syria, Iraq, Turkey and Pakistan, and the final lineup of 14 artists will be announced on 10 November. The event will be supported by ArtRole, an organisation based in the UK and Iraq that develops cultural exchanges with the Middle East, following a long partnership with the YSP. Despite being denied entry to the UK, artist Azar Othman Mahmood creates socially engaged installation works and will use Skype to video call the audience on 21 January. YSP visitors will be encouraged to communicate with him through the use of social media and the hashtag #ForAzar. Helen Pheby, the museum’s senior curator, said she hopes the event will become an annual fixture and eventually reach other countries and regions with similar difficulties, adding: “There’s so much brilliant art out there that’s not getting a platform because of difficulties in travelling.”•
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Martina Di Gregorio Editor
C O N T R I B U T O R S
Raynor Fry Art Director
Chelsea Jobe Social Media Editor
Cecilia Peruzzi Sub-editor
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