ShellsuitZombie Magazine Issue 3

Issue 3: Summer 2012

www.shellsuitzombie.co.uk

. ANDREA ROSSO TIM KEY . .

LEEFEST ALED LEWIS JOE SIMPSON . . .

KIGU SELF STARTERS #YOLO PIMP MY COFFIN TEN THINGS I HATE THAT EVERY OTHER FUCKER SEEMS TO LOVE STACK . YCC . ART SCHOOL DISCO . DAYZINE . FUTURE SHORTS . AMMO MAGAZINE . AND MUCH MORE!

Aled Lewis

OOH YOU’RE A BIG BOY NOW EH? YOU GRADUATED, SO FUCKING WHAT. EVERYONE GRADUATED. THAT’S LEVEL ONE AND YOU’RE ABOUT TO FACE THE BOSS. SO YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF ‘HAVE I GOT THE STRENGTH TO BEAT ON THIS FOOL?’ BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, IF YOU NEVER BOTHERED TO POWER UP WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE, HE’S GOING TO RIP YOU A NEW ONE. INSTAGRAM THAT, BITCH. YES, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT ‘MAKING IT’. SOME OF YOU WILL HAVE ALREADY MADE IT AND OTHERS HAVE NO PLANS TO MAKE IT AT ALL. BUT WITH THE GUYS WITH THE MONEY STARTING TO WAKE UP AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS OF FINANCIAL HIBERNATION, NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE A MOVE. IT’S EASY RIGHT, YOU HAVE AN IDEA AND YOU GIVE IT A WHIRL. WHAT’S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN? THIS ISSUE COVERS SUCH TOPICS AND A LOT MORE. WE AREN’T GOING TO SPELL IT OUT FOR YOU BUT WE WILL SHOW YOU A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE IT. YOU JUST NEED TO GROW SOME BALLS. WE TOO GREW UP OVER THE LAST YEAR. AS YOU CAN SEE, DESPITE STILL BEING A ZINE AT HEART THIS MAGAZINE IS SOMEWHAT BIGGER THAN THE LAST, AND MORE COLOURFUL. WHAT’S MORE WE ARE NOW RUNNING A LITTLE IDEAS CLUB, ZOMBIELABS, BEHIND THE SCENES. WE’RE SLOWLY WORKING OUT HOW TO MAKE OURSELVES SUSTAINABLE (IN TERMS OF MONEY, NOT THE EARTH. WE’RE NOT WANKERS), WHICH IS SUPER EXCITING. AND WE NEED YOU. IN THIS MAGAZINE IS A HOST OF OPPORTUNITIES - TO SHOW YOUR WORK, TO COLLABORATE, TO LEARN AND TO GET REALLY DRUNK. IDEALLY WE WANT YOU TO DO ALL FOUR AT THE SAME TIME. JUST PLEASE STOP MANAGING YOUR ONLINE PERSONA FOR LONG ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN. THAT’S ALL WE ASK.

WHAT’S IN THE MAG? INTERVIEWS & FEATURES

GENERAL DOODAHS

UNCONTAINED EXHIBITORS

ALED LEWIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

ZOMBIELABS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

The only man who has worked out how to make a living out of his toy collection talks about his method and inspiration.

A little announcement from us. It’s purple.

SELF STARTERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

He paints celebrities. He is going to America to do more painting. Andrew gets jealous.

20//20 COLLECTIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 ALED LEWIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 TEA AND CRAYONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 HIGH SPIRITS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 LEEFEST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 MATTHEW MCGREGOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 MICHELA AND AURORA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 RISE ‘N’ SHINE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 MATT BOX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 INCIDENTAL FEED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 AMMO MAGAZINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 THE LOST ARCHIVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 DONSHI BOXART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 AMY RODCHESTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 DAYZINE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 STACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 THE BAKERY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 MINT DIGITAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 COLLECTIVE LONDON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 KIGU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 D&AD GRADUATE ACADEMY . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 IDEAS TAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 PHNX. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 EDDIE & MABEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 FUTURE SHORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 THE CAPTURE COLLECTIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 FACE/BOX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 GUI BORCHERT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 ART SCHOOL DISCO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 YOUNG CREATIVE COUNCIL. . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

JOE SIMPSON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Andrew interviews a lot of people that he wants to be and learns how not to be a ‘wantrepreneur’.

STOCKHOLM SYNDROME. . . . . . . . . . 16

MUSIC IS A FREE DRUG. EXCEPT YOU SHOULD PROBABLY PAY FOR IT. . . . . . . . . . . 22 Jo Church goes on a very roundabout route to his favourite song.

Jonny finds out what the Stockholm creative colleges are all about and why they have the reputation they do.

YUNG AND THE MOUNTAIN. . . . . . . 26 ADVERTISING FOR GOOD: A MONTH LONG ADVENTURE IN RECIFE, BRAZIL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Dylan Viner recounts his adventure helping a charity in Recifé, Brazil

ON CLIENTS AND CONFIDENCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Jake Jennings and Alix Land tackle the tricky relationship between you and your client.

TIM KEY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 The young poetic upstart scores an imaginary strike as we play ten pin bowling.

Joe tells a story. It’s a bit strange. Swearing.

TEN THINGS I HATE THAT EVERY OTHER FUCKER SEEMS TO LOVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Olivia Rose kicks off. About everything. Well, about ten things. More swearing.

LEEFEST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Fancy winning a ticket to an awesome little festival in south London? Are you an artist? get involved!

UNCONTAINED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

ANDREA ROSSO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 The Italian creative director of 55DSL talks streetwear, collaboration and what’s coming up for DIesels younger brother.

We are running a six week festival of creativity in Shoreditch. Find out more and browse who we have on here. And theres a poster for you to stick on your wall/fridge/ dog too.

THEM WOT DID IT THE SHELLSUIT ZOMBIE TEAM

OUR LOVELY CONTRIBUTORS

Jonny Burch

Aled Lewis did the cover. Legend. aledlewis.co.uk

One half of ZombieLabs, Jonny is currently mostly

Chris Pensa opens art to LDNers. loveartlondon.com

going swimming in Stockholm but has left a spare pair

Poppy Mardel makes death fun. poppysfunerals.co.uk

of trunks (navy blue) in London. Follow him on twitter at @jonnyburch.

THANKS MUST GO TO

David Lambert does your laundry. laundryrepublic.com Joe Simpson paints like a mofo. joe-simpson.com Fredrik Heghammar runs shit at Berghs. berghs.se

First and foremost our thanks go out to the team at

The other half of ZombieLabs, Andrew spends his time

Johanna Frelin is CEO of Hyper Island. hyperisland.se

our sponsors 55DSL, especially Charla and Andrea in

being smug, eating slowly and being smug while eating

Dylan Viner helped kids out in Brazil. @dylanviner

Bassano and Mark and Lucy at 55DSL UK. Check out

slowly. Follow him at @muirface.

Per Englund is a photographer per-englund.com

their latest collection on www.55DSL.com.

Andrew Muir Wood

Joe Fry - warped mind. works at google. @joeadamfry

Jo Church

Pete Murgatroyd draws shit petemurgatroyd.tumblr.com

to hassle them with deadlines, amends, image requests

Our newest recruit, Jo once made his own Morph ani-

Jake Jennings is a big old designer. jake-jennings.co.uk

and subediting responsibilities

mation, except Morph was a pervert. True Story. Follow him at @jotothejo36

Alix Land like jake, a designer. alixland.co.uk Rachel E. Rawlings pens rachelelizabethillustration.co.uk

Secondly to countless mates who have allowed us

And finally to all the people who signed up to

recieve and distribute the magazine. Without you guys no-one would be able to read it. And that would be

Sam Moore & Bora Demirbilek

Tim Key - Wow. I mean just wow. timkey.co.uk

Honourable mention to Sam who put together the

Olivia Rose is SO ANGRY. oliviarosephotography.co.uk

Don’t answer that.

illustration that dictated the Uncontained style and

Ed Brown is a great scribbler. edjbrown.com

Bora who created the beautiful Uncontained trailer.

Andrea Rosso is Creative Director of 55DSL. 55dsl.com

that we love you very much.

crap would it not. What would you be doing right now?

If we’ve missed you out we’re sorry! But know

Maxi Jazz, by Joe Simpson

4

ALED LEWIS An interview by Andrew Muir Wood

I

t takes a certain sort of person to painstakingly

spend a bit of money sometimes. If you use it wisely

my “Video games versus real life” work, which is like

manufacture a miniature shell suit to be worn by a

and if the idea is solid enough then I find you usually

a pixel–photography mash up. He asked me to do a

plastic zombie, on the off chance that it might just

get some reward out of it.

bunch of pixel character designs, so I did some really pixelated 8-bit Angry Birds: only 20 to 30 pixels, but

end up looking amazing. That vision, patience and

sense of humour has seen our cover artist Aled Lewis

But it all started with t-shirts?

really stylized and I quite liked them. But it became clear that he wanted something that was more 16 or

progress from a factory cleaner to a design rockstar, with brands, ad agencies and galleries climbing over

T-shirt design gave me a great platform to start from.

32-bit, which is many more pixels within each character

one another to get a piece of him.

It was a really good learning curve because you have

and that was always going to take a long time to do.

to reduce your design to five screen colours and

I sent him half a dozen character ideas and he really

Aled cut his creative teeth as a fan favourite on

make it work. With a T-shirt you create something

liked them, so he said let’s do 250 of those, which was

Threadless.com. Since then he has branched out into

people glance at across the room and immediately

great but also a lot more work!

other styles and formats including the humble plastic

understand. Now the people that I surrounded myself

toy, of which he possesses a small army. His most recent

with at Threadless are moving on to other things and

achievement was having his pixel art commissioned for

finding that those skills are really transferable.

It took about a week (Abigail corrects: it was WAY

the front page of the New York Times website.

I met up with him and his wife Abigail in a draughty

How long did that take you?

What made Threadless such an effective launch pad

more than a week!). I think that’s a problem that I

for your career?

have, my grasp of time and how long it will take me.

If a client asks me if I can do something by a certain

French cafe on the South Bank, where we drank Stella At Threadless when you submit a design, it gets voted

time, my usual immediate knee-jerk response is ‘yeah

and commented on. You get immediate feedback on

no problem’. Then halfway into it I realise the mountain

your work and suggestions on how to improve it. You

I’ve given myself to climb. Thankfully the NYT put

get an insight into how other people see your work.

that story back by about two weeks in the end, so I

I’m working with an agency doing an ad based

And its not just from your peers and other designers,

had enough time to spend that much time on it and

on the format of my “Toy stories”. They’re getting a

but a critique from the end user, the buyers. Even stuff

get it right.

photographer in to shoot it but I’m going to be doing

as simple as “I hate that on orange” or “I’d never buy

the typography and the art direction for it. And they’re

a yellow tee”. It makes you think about the way you’re

custom-making the little plastic models and stuff. It’s

going to do your next one.

and reminisced about the 90s.

You’re a busy bee right now aren’t you?

So do you have trouble saying no?

No.

my baby but someone else is doing it, that’s going to be a new thing for me.

How else do you promote yourself online?

Is it going to be difficult to let go?

I try to take as much ownership of my name on the

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever been asked to do?

Internet as I can. In the last year or so I’ve been trying I think, no, well, potentially, we’ll see, I’ll tell you

to make more effort to spot social media and social

This guy wanted to have one of my Threadless tee

afterwards. I’m fine with it, I’m happy with it, I’m happy

network opportunities quite early, so you can get in

designs: “Hot chicks on wolves”, which is these girls

to have a part in doing it. It’s nice as a designer to be

there with the username you want and to be on top

going through the forest on the back of massive Uber-

in this situation rather than for an ad agency to see

of that before it becomes a big thing. Some of them

wolves shooting machine guns and drinking beer, on

my work and then just take that idea and imitate it

disappear and you never hear about them again, but

a vinyl print on the hood of his car. I think that would

themselves.

it’s worth trying to get in there early.

have been really funny but I never got round to doing it.

How many toys do you actually have?

Friendster is coming back isn’t it?

I don’t get that many weirdos though, I’m looking

(Abigail rolls her eyes) There must be 500 I guess. In a

Is it really, I don’t even know if I’m on there, you’re

small London flat it does feel like too many, but they’re

worrying me. I signed up for about five the other day

all neatly stored in huge boxes under the bed. I’m

I can’t even remember what they are, all I know is I’ve

considering doing a Lego project, I don’t know quite

got the e-mails in my inbox and I’m ready to go at any

I think a series of book covers for Penguin would be

where I’m going with it, but I love Lego.

moment if I need to start using them.

pretty cool. A poster for a film, I’d love to do that. I’d like

forward to that.

What would you love to do that you haven’t done yet?

to design a cover for Time magazine or the Economist.

I like to speculate to accumulate. I’ve probably spent

Tell us about the New York Times gig Sometimes you don’t know what your dream client

thousands of pounds on toys, but it’s paid off because of the work and direct sales that I’ve got from it. You’ve

I shit myself to begin with, because I didn’t quite

is until you are asked to do it. The dream actually is I

got to be prepared to take a little bit of a risk and

know what the art director was after. I was developing

just want to sell my own artwork and do my own thing.

5

And occasionally work for a client on a fun brief that

of the most productive things that I ever did was a

since I applied to university in 2005, everything else

I choose to pick up, not because I need to do it but

project to make something new every day. When you

since then has just been online. It’s just a case of getting

because it’s a cool project and I’d like to be a part of it.

raise your output people are bound to start seeing it.

yourself seen and making as much noise as you can.

Some things will be a miss, but the hits will be amplified.

What advice would you give to the youngsters trying

So work, but give your work the platform to be seen.

Great advice. Thanks a million!

Don’t get hung up on the idea that you need a perfect

Good to chat with you, you crazy fool.

to make it in design?

There is such an opportunity for you to get your work

physical portfolio. I recently went to a talk from a really

out there and to develop what you already have. Just

good typographer whose advice for the students there

Aled is currently exhibiting “post-post modern ironic

get yourself onto the relevant social networks and have

was to make sure that your portfolio is perfect. This

art for a cynical world” at Gallery 1988 in LA. Visit his

dialogues with people on those networks as well. One

advice is about 10 years old, I haven’t had a portfolio

site for more retro awesome: www.aledlewis.com

6

we calLed your mum and she says it’s ok for you to

COME AND PLAY WITH US No bullshit. Say it like it is. That’s what shellsuitzombie is about. We’re young and a bit different, and we like that.

So with that in mind we started ZombieLabs. It’s an ideas club dedicated to experimenting and coming up with new experiences for our friends.

Experiences that are a bit different, like us.

If this sounds like your cup of tea, we’d love to talk to you.

So get in touch, and lets play.

London | Stockholm info@zombielabs.co.uk @Z_labs

The Miserable Rich by Joe Simpson

SELF STARTERS

by Andrew Muir Wood

A small glistening bead of sweat began to make its way down the cheek of the dowdy middle-aged lady. She had just been informed by a celebrity venture capitalist, smugly stroking a stack of fifties, that neither he, nor his fellow tycoons were interested in investing in her personalised children’s underwear business. She was beginning to doubt the value of those 100,000 pairs of embroidered pants that were now sitting in a warehouse in India. It seemed so clear before: what do all children wear? Pants. What do all children have? Names. How many children are there in the world? 3 billion. Why had nobody done this before? Remortgaging her house seemed a small price to pay for a ticket to the pants party.

W

ell, that’s how I remember it anyway.

quickly and for peanuts.

Smartphones and tablets

Over the next few pages you will meet some genuine self-

Poor lady, it was difficult to start your

provide the sleek, minimal hardware for anyone to

starters, not a wantrepreneur in sight. First up, talented

own business 10 years ago: you had to

customise.

Whether it’s a furry case or a full-scale

artist Joe talks about how he has taken full advantage

spend your own money or convince

banking app, you get to skip straight to delivering the

of the web to promote his painting and ruin a perfectly

investors, you had to hunt around for customers and

core benefit. As a result, entrepreneurial activity has

good holiday. Then our business-couple Poppy and

market research was expensive and time consuming. If

become way more accessible to the mainstream.

Chris talk about how they were inspired to give up their jobs at Sotheby’s and start two very different

you had a really good idea it would probably get stolen by a massive corporation with an infinite legal budget

But the aspirational aura surrounding the ‘start-up’

companies. Finally Dave shows that not all pants-

before you even released your product. Best leave it

crowd has also produced an ugly bastard child: the

related ventures end in massive debt and humiliation.

to the management consultants and those delusional

“Wantrepreneur”. More attracted to the idea of having

inventors trying to get on TV.

a company than actually coming up with a decent

While each has made clever use of the opportunities

product, the wantrepreneur spends too much time

and technologies available to them, the most striking

polishing the company name and logo, getting drunk

similarity between these entrepreneurs is the enormous

at SXSW and not enough time actually making his

amount of time injected into their ventures. There are

The web continues to present new platforms for

crowdsourced, location-aware, content aggregation

no shortcuts in this game.

researching, funding, prototyping and promoting ideas

pinboard idea (or whatever).

Oh my, how things have changed.

9

Paloma Faith by Joe Simpson

10

JOE SIMPSON An artist experimenting with new web services

J

oe Simpson is a London-based figurative painter whose work

are also bigger pieces on offer such as large canvases that will be

has been shown around the world. In the UK he’s exhibited at

completed when I return to my studio in London.

The Royal Albert Hall, Manchester City Art Gallery, The National Portrait Gallery and The House of Commons. Joe’s intricate oil

What have been the pros and cons of this approach?

paintings are more than photorealistic, they have an additional energy to them that makes the mind race for an explanation of the stories

It actually went really well and raised much more than my initial target.

behind each scene or face. His most recent creative project is a crowd-

I think it’s a novel way to promote a project as it will make a pre-made

funded trip ‘Across America’, during which he will create hundreds of

audience who will have an invested interested in following my trip. The

small pieces of work for each person who backs the trip (and a few big

only down-side is that I’ll now have a lot of work to do when I’m away,

pieces for high-rollers). The idea of selling work before you’ve done it

but I’m hoping that will be a great motivation to be very productive.

is a novel way to save cash for a trip, but 78 paintings in a month Joe?!

Who inspires you artistically?

What was the inspiration behind your Across America project?

I’m a big fan of Sufjan Stevens and the way he approaches music.

He often works on projects that have an unusual concept or starting

A lot of my work is about journeys and travel. I’m interested in the

point, he’s written whole albums about specific American states,

romantic notion of the ‘in-between’ places like train stations, airports,

researching the history and idiosyncratic stories that define a place.

cafes and departure lounges.

There’s a nice quote from Alain de

He’s also written albums about a schizophrenic artist, a strip of road

Botton that says ‘journeys are the mid-wives of thought.’ In the past

and a series of Christmas records. I’m trying to take this approach with

I’ve created series of paintings inspired by the ‘road movie’, I thought

my art work, and to create ‘projects’ where each painting is connected

it would be great to actually do a trip myself and make work inspired

to the others in the series.

by my trip. It will also force me out of the studio and to work on quicker, more experimental pieces on the move.

What about from a business perspective?

I’ve always been pretty fascinated by America, so much of the films,

I’m really interested in the way Damien Hirst has created an art empire.

music, art and books that I consume come from the States – I’ve always

From the start he was super entrepreneurial that I think came from

thought of it as a cool, cinematic place that I’m watching from afar. A

being really ballsy and confident. I’ve read an interview where he was

lot of my work has a slightly American feel to it, so it seemed like the

discussing his shark in formaldehyde piece and he described how he

natural choice of the place to go.

wanted to get the most audacious thing delivered to him in London by just talking on the phone, I really admire that intent. I’ve tried to

Have you always made use of online services during your career?

use the Internet to reach out to people who appear out of reach, for example for my musician portraits project I got in touch with some

I’m a big fan of social media and I’ve always relied heavily on the

really famous people (like Brandon Flowers, Mark Ronson, Jamie

Internet to promote my work. Ever since university I’ve had my own

Cullum etc.) who agreed to let me paint their portrait.

website and that’s been a great tool to show my art – especially when lot’s of people end on the site by accident after googling the

Most entrepreneurial item of stationary?

mountaineer Joe Simpson or Jessica Simpson’s creepy dad. I’ll be tweeting (@joesimpsonart) and blogging the whole time I’m away,

Does an iPhone count? Having your portfolio on your phone is so

uploading pictures of the art I’m creating.

useful to me now, my paintings look quite good on a small screen so it’s an easy way to show your work and explain it’s my actual job –

Can you expand on the role of crowd funding in the project?

people used to just smile apologetically when you tell them you’re an ‘artist’, now I can explain it better. But if an iPhone doesn’t count as

After I came up with the idea I had to figure out how to fund it. I have

stationary – which I suspect it doesn’t – I’ll say a set square. Don’t ask

friends in bands who had used crowd funding to pre-sell their album

me why.

and ‘rewards’ before it was made, as a way to raise the money to produce it, it had gone really well for them and made the new album

5 words of advice for the go-getters of the future?

possible to happen. I decided to have a go myself and offer people the chance to buy the original art that I would be creating whilst I’m

Do what you believe in.

traveling. It was a bit of a risk because I would be selling work that hadn’t been made yet and I wasn’t sure whether people would get

Joe is currently exhibiting his Musician Portraits in the Royal Albert

involved, but I tried to keep the bids quite cheap to reflect this – such

Hall and if you’re quick you might get a piece of his Across America

as a small painting on a beer mat, or 8”x5” sketches for £15. There

project. www.joe-simpson.co.uk

11

Aeroplane coffin ©Jack Bell. All other photos © Agnieszka Luczak.

12

POPPY AND CHRIS Two ways of looking at a pimped-out coffin - Poppy’s Funerals and Love Art London

A

fter meeting at the Courtauld Institute and both working

whips me into line when I’m being a tyrant. I’m a lucky lady.

for Sotheby’s, this married couple quit their jobs to start their own thing. Chris jumped first, Jerry Maguire style,

What have you learnt from your experience Chris?

to start Love Art London, whose members are invited to

a programme of exclusive pop-up talks with artists in their studios or

Chris: If I could do it again I would probably take a little more time.

at shows. Recently Poppy, wanting a piece of the small business pie,

I launched Love Art London about a month after quitting my job at

started up a much more tangential company, Poppy’s Funerals. Like

Sotheby’s. When you have a good idea, it’s easy to freak yourself out

Dave Lambert and LaundryRepublic, Poppy has addressed another

and think ‘if I don’t launch this company RIGHT NOW someone’s going

stressful and expensive aspect of life, the death of a loved one.

to beat me to it’ but looking back my plan was so specific the chances of that happening were tiny.

Wow! funerals, how did you get into that Poppy?

You both work from home, how do you stay productive in that Poppy: Travelling in Ghana I saw the bespoke coffins designed to reflect

environment?

the life of the person - people are buried in coffin sized pineapples, aeroplanes, cocoa beans, mobile phones, beer bottles. Choice and

Poppy: If you care about it, you are constantly in the zone whether you

freedom mean a lot to me. By providing simple, affordable cremations

like it or not. But Radio 6 music and tea keep me going and Shandy

and returning the ashes to the family, we provide the freedom to hold

at the end of the day has some kind of magical power over me. It’s

the funeral ceremony however you want, free from the crematorium

the potion that takes you to Narnia when you’ve been stuck in the

and the undertakers in black.

wardrobe if you know what I mean.

Chris: Apart from jumping up and down naked in front of the mirror

Chris, wasn’t one of your recent events looking at Ghanaian coffins?

you mean? Coffee and fresh air.

Chris: Yes in January, the African art expert Jack Bell took us for a

Who’s your hero and why?

special tour of the Southbank Centre’s exhibition Boxed: Fantastic Coffins from Ghana. Each casket reflects the dead person’s profession.

Chris: Anyone who swims against the tide. Like Will Ferrell in Blades

If you were a fisherman, you get buried in a fish. If you were a fruit

of Glory.

farmer, you get buried in a pineapple. If you were a barman, you get

Poppy: I don’t really have a hero - just a load of insp-irational people

buried in a bottle of beer.

around me. Anyone who makes a living out of an unexpected passion.

These people make me very excited.

What was your Eureka moment Chris?

What’s your favourite business cliche?

Chris: Standing in Eduardo Chillida Sculpture Park in San Sebastian

(I like ‘plucking the low-

hanging fruit’)

on a scorching summer’s day. The place was deserted except for an annoying bride having a magazine photo shoot and I couldn’t

Chris: A juicy piece of city jargon I heard recently was “skin in the

understand it. I figured maybe people didn’t know the sculpture park

game” - in context, if you hold a 30% stake in the company you run

was there - it’s about a 10 minute bus ride from the town. It made me

you’re considered by your investors to have a meaningful amount of skin

think there are so many amazing places of cultural interest in London

in the game.

that through my job as a British Art expert at Sotheby’s I had access to

Poppy: I hate business cliches. They make me sick.

but which the public had no idea even existed. So I set about unlocking those doors and taking people for a behind the scenes peek.

5 words of advice for the go-getters of the future?

How has your relationship helped each of you build your businesses?

Chris: Don’t sell out to Google.

Poppy: Follow your instinct. That’s it.

Chris: I was lucky to have an amazing wife who agreed to pay the bills whilst her husband quit his stable job, grew a beard and blew his savings

Chris’s Summer line-up is looking pretty sweet:

on launching a start-up.

www.loveartlondon.com. Poppy is ready to smooth your funeral

Poppy: His support and enthusiasm are superhuman. But he also

experience: www.poppysfunerals.co.uk

13

DAVE LAMBERT Disrupting the laundry industry

F

ive years ago, Dave Lambert could not have

since, although we’re planning on breaking out the

predicted that one morning he’d be standing

superman outfit (and accompanying red underpants)

on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square dressed

for some marketing in the next couple of weeks...

as superman, ironing a collection of red, extraWhat have you learned from the experience?

large underpants. This stunt was a massive PR boost for LaundryRepublic, Dave’s 24 hour dry cleaning and laundry service which uses secure lockers installed in

I would not have managed this without a good sense

residential and office buildings around London. Such a

of humour. If I could do it again, I would hire faster – at

simple idea that addresses a major pain point for many

the start we tried to do everything ourselves, and we

busy people.

would have been better off bringing in talented staff at an earlier point.

So how on earth did you get into laundry?

What is the most entrepreneurial snack?

My co-founder and I used to work long hours in the City. It was a nightmare getting our clothes cleaned

The most entrepreneurial snack is clearly the Jaffa Cake.

– most dry cleaners were only open during pretty

It’s delicious and tax efficient.

restrictive opening hours, and hauling my stuff around was hardly convenient. On top of that, the service was

What’s your favourite business cliche? (I like to ‘leverage

pretty variable and customer service non-existent.

my core competencies’)

We started LaundryRepublic because we needed it in My favourite business cliché is ‘Do you want jam today

our lives!

or jam tomorrow?’. Unless you work in a jam factory, What’s all this I hear about you dressing as superman

that’s completely meaningless.

in Trafalgar square?

5 words of advice for the go-getters of the future?

It ended up being quite a successful piece of guerilla PR Have the idea, then execute

- we became Big Picture of the Day on the BBC News website, followed by a full article that was on the front page. After that, we got into the FT and The Times, so

Dave certainly did execute. Laundry Republic is going

for a total cost of about £60 (the cost of the outfit, plus

from strength to strength, expanding across London

a dozen pairs of white Asda underpants and a packet

with designs on expanding across the UK and beyond.

of red dye) it gave a pretty good return. Not done it

www.laundryrepublic.com

14

Calling all makers: The Foundry is open.

Foundry is a three-month long paid placement at Mint Digital for new graduates and dropouts, starting July 16.

We’re looking for people with a passion for combining design and technology, regardless of their background.

Sound like you? Find out all the details including how to apply at foundry2012.mintdigital.com.

Then, come and meet us on June 26 at our Uncontained box.

Applications close at the end of June. We can’t wait to hear from you.

FOUNDRY : 4 GRADUATES. 3 MONTHS. 1 BRIEF.

STOCK SYNDR T

creative

it’s the healthy work/life balance – it seems ok to

institutions on the international stage have

leave work on time - or perhaps the seemingly less

never been higher. Led by the future-named

competitive attitude of agencies here, a fact that was

Hyper Island and with many other slightly

pointed out to us by several people upon arriving in the

smaller institutions hot on its heels, the Swedish capital

city. Swedes have a very collaborative mindset; there’s

is very much where it’s at if you want to get ahead,

very little hierarchy and bragging is a definite no-no.

especially in the digital side of the industry.

As Fredrik Heghammar of Berghs mentions, you can

he

reputation

of

Stockholm’s

wander up to the creative director of a major agency But what is it that makes the atmosphere, philosophy

and just go for a coffee and a chat. Just try doing that

and attitude of this city so appealing? Having

in London or New York.

experienced Stockholm for a couple of months now, there is definitely something in the air here. Maybe

Stockholm by Per Englund

16

This is, of course, only half of the story. I chose to

KHOLM ROME interview people from Hyper Island and also Berghs,

(especially as both schools have successful distance

a slightly smaller college with a huge international

learning courses and Hyper also has a base in

reputation for producing industry-ready and highly

Manchester) but having visited a lot of traditional

employable

talk

advertising and design courses in the UK, there is

extensively about collaboration and the importance

definitely something to be learnt from the Swedish way

in studying under active members of the creative

of doing things.

creatively

led

graduates.

Both

community. This lack of ego and keenness to network reflects exactly the attitude young creatives should

Have a read of the interviews on the next page – both

be aspiring to in order to make the most of their

of these colleges are making strides forward in their

future careers.

teaching methods, not just for graduates and young people but increasingly for professionals needing

I’m not saying everyone should move to Stockholm

creative top up courses. And they are all super nice!

17

BERGHS I managed to catch, Fredrik Heghammar, programme

out there right now but Berghs students will be able to

Do you understand the hype about Stockholm as a

Director for Art and Copy at Berghs.

communicate in the future too.

creative city?

So Fredrik, could you tell me a bit about Berghs?

Is there a rivalry between you and Hyper Island?

I think its the lack of hierarchy that we have in Sweden

Sure. We work like real agencies in that we work on over

No not at all, in fact we encourage our students to

all share knowledge with each other. You can call a

100 briefs a year and over 10% of that is collaboration

find other schools to work with on projects. A recent

creative director at a swedish agency and have lunch

between different programmes. Like in a real agency

project, Prototon, meant we invited tech schools to

with him. That would never happen in New York. We

we aim to collaborate and encourage students to seek

work with us and spottily for a 24 hour period. A lot of

are also a very loyal people.

students in other courses to work with.

people are now talking about the third creative person

We also really value our spare time - we have

in a team as well as an art director and copywriter

summer vacation and make sure we have time off.

being the technician or a PR person or planner.

That’s a really important part of Swedish culture.

The difference between Berghs and Hyper seems to

So a good work life balance?

that means everyone is very collaborative and we

The other big difference is that we don’t have any full time tutors. We are very close to the industry and all of our tuition is made up of industry members coming in.

be a technical one - Hyper is more interactive and So your students are only ever taught by practicing

technical and Berghs is more aimed at Ad Creatives.

Yeah, how can you understand the world if you’re

professionals?

Is that right?

stuck inside an office? London and New York are both

Yes. And the cool thing is it goes very well for the

Yeah generally we are more strategy based, though we

school so we have a lot of international lecturers

do have an interactive communication course which is

wanting to come and teach here. Everyone wants to

similar to Hyper Island.

terrible for this.

Are there any alumni you are particularly proud of?

Yes there are and we try to incorporate them as much

come to Berghs! There are one and two year courses and even a batchelor programme where you do one

How big is Berghs? How many students do you

as possible because we can help each other out. Alumni

semester here and then go to Academy of Arts in San

take on?

can benefit from staying in touch by tapping up the best people into their own agencies.

Francisco or Billy Blue in Australia.

Our day courses make up about 40% of the students

At the moment we have a guy called Christopher

and thats about 250 students. Another 40% comes

Waldekrantz who was at Droga5 in Australia but

from industry people who want to top up their learning,

has now returned to set up the new R/GA office in

Do these themes inform the output?

and we have distance learning courses as well.

Stockholm. We still work with him a lot, he runs courses

Yes especially in our major projects. We work with

So those not able to move to Stockholm can still get

Francisco which he and I are going to be at for eight

real clients who pay a certain amount to set a brief to

a slice of Berghs?

weeks.

the client and the amount of money paid by the client

Absolutely. A lot of students from across the world

Is there a bit of advice you can give for someone who

forms the working budget for the two month project.

want to participate and a lot of agencies want our

has just graduated?

The exhibition on the 26th of May also has the theme

students so we are really concentrating on that heavily

of Collaboration.

at the moment.

So you make sure the students go through the entire

The fact that its all professionals teaching these guys

know the craft of design. I used to play the trombone

creative process?

must mean they have great employment prospects.

and there was this saying ‘you need to know the song

Yes quite often speakers come in and present a brief

Yeah. It’s all about networking as you know so a couple

design too. We also have a theme for this years show

and the students then get to work on it as they would

of months ago just out of interest we organised a

‘great minds don’t think alike’. We like that.

in an agency before pitching it back in.

careers day. The waiting list for agencies to be at the

We also have themes - this year is collaboration, the last year was the fear of failure.

at Berghs and we are running a summer camp in San

our students. The students get to pitch their ideas to

You need to network, to get to know the right people.

Also I would say that if you are a designer you have to

before you can improvise’ - this is definitely true of

The big difference between Berghs and other

event was so long that we could probably hold one

Check Berghs out at www.berghs.se and have a look

courses, for example Hyper island is that we really

every week! We had 30 agencies in the end from

at a recent video produced by some of their students

teach the students how to communicate on any

London, New York and Sweden and every student got

for Ray Ban, ‘Bright Lights’,

platform. Other courses teach for the trendy platform

to show their book to eight agencies each.

www.vimeo.com/31582735.

18

that went viral here:

From the Hyper side of things I managed to bend the

foreseeing needs that are coming. This means, that

Which of the many visiting lecturers has been

ear of Johanna Frelin, CEO of the university.

learning modules and outcomes can vary from year to

your favourite?

year. In this way, we make sure that our courses are constantly up-to-date, renewed and changed, suited

It’s actually impossible tochoose one or two, as they

for the needs and requirements of the industry. As

all contribute differently and in their own way when

Hyper Island started in 1995 when Jonathan Briggs,

98 percent of our students get employment within

interacting with our students; from leaders of Forbes

David Erixon and Lars Lundh met during a project

or shortly after their graduation, we dare say that our

500 companies to local start-up entrepreneurs.

involving a CD-rom production. They soon realized

method has proven to work.

Hi Johanna! Can you tell me a bit about Hyper Island?

For young creatives, both prospective Hyper Islanders and everyone else, is there any advice you

the increasing need of a different kind of education involving industry-based learning, for the growing

Can you describe the structure of the courses at

can give to ensure that they can get everything they

new media industry. In 1996, in Karlskrona, Sweden,

Hyper Island? How do you do things differently?

want from their career?

I believe that a strong differentiator is our methodology.

charge of our own learning and in power to reach

We focus a lot on “learning by doing”, a lot on group

our own potential. As long as youre willing to take

dynamics, reflection and feedback.

responsibility, it can happen. Expect learning to be

At Hyper Island, we believe that we’re all in

they started the first student program at Hyper Island, which had 32 students.

Today, Hyper Island offer student programs in Karlskrona, Stockholm and Manchester and have offices in London and New York. In total, we have around 400 students each year.

We say that there is nothing wrong with making

life-long and a constant process. If you fail, make sure

mistakes, in fact, it might be the best way to learn and

to learn from your mistakes; reflect upon what when wrong and make sure to do it differently next time.

The organisation has also developed to operate

improve. A lot of our students claim that studying at

as an executive learning facilitator for professionals

Hyper Island is not only a professional development

and companies seeking to develop their business and

but that you also grow as a person and as an individual.

During 2012, we will expand our operations toSingapore.

What do you think of the design scene in Stockholm?

With the graduate market so saturated by home

culture in the context of transformative technology.

As well as a preparation for industry, Hyper Island

grown talent is there any chance for English graduates

seems to act as an incubator for interesting projects

in Sweden?

What do you think it is that makes Hyper so relevant

in itself. With Hyper Island’s name on so many great

in todays creative industry? What makes Hyper Island

ideas, is there a product of the university that you are

Sweden is a small market and country, for sure. Yet,

graduates so employable?

most proud of?

we have a large creative community (Canadian Martin

What Hyper Island does is to prepare our students

There are so many fantastic ideas, work and minds

the most creative country in the world in their global

for working in the industry, and to be relevant to the

coming out of our students and alumni all the time,

creativity index for 2012!) and we have students coming

industry. Therefore, we collaborate closely with the

so it would be impossible for me to choose just one!

from all over the world that do their internships or find

industry throughout the whole learning experience,

However, one project that we are especially proud of

jobs here.

and all of our students work with real clients and real

is ‘72h For Peace’ that Hyper Island initiated together

English is also a very well-used language here.

projects to get the best learning experience as possible,

with the agency CP+B, and worked on together with

However, at the same time, the creative community

understanding clients’ needs and challenges in a world

our students.

is global and the students at our current campuses in

Prosperity Institute actually concluded that Sweden is

Manchester, Stockholm and Karlskrona, tend to go all

where change will never be as slow as it is today. One

The aim was to see how hundreds of brilliant and

of our strongest pillars in our methodology is “learning

creative minds (aka our students) could collaborate

by doing”, as we believe that practicing and “getting

and come up with ideas for how to create world peace.

yourself wet” is the best way to learn.

The whole project was carried out during 72 hours

Have a look at Hyper Island at www.hyperisland.se

where the participants also interacted with and got

and check out ‘Hyper Island on a Wall’ (if you haven’t

ideas from the public.

already seen it) here: www.vimeo.com/22099160.

Secondly, there are no fixed curriculum for our programs; in that way we can be agile to the changing

over the world to find outlet for their creativity.

needs of the industry, both in adapting as well as

HYPER ISLAND 19

ADVERTISING FOR GOOD: A MONTH LONG ADVENTURE IN RECIFE, BRAZIL

By Dylan Viner

A

fter five years working in brand strategy roles

Four hours later I was lying in a pool of my own sweat in

was partnered with, Melhor Comunicação. I lived with

at ad agencies and digital shops in London

a pitch black room in the middle of the tropical Atlantic

a local family in a gritty, cramped, poor and dangerous

and New York, working on everything from

forest on a small island that was home to three high

neighborhood called Brasília Teimosa. I rather liked it.

shampoo and search engines to vodka and

security prisons and was in the midst of a full power

It’s a labyrinth of narrow and nameless cobbled streets,

chewing gum, I was getting itchy feet. I was looking for

cut. As I listened to the cacophony of animals clawing

built between a hodgepodge of primitively built homes.

a new challenge. For some that means walking away

at the window, punctuated by the menacing barks of

By day it’s a cauldron of noises and smells. Butchers,

from a job, or even an industry. I really wasn’t sure what

savage dogs, and felt a thousand hungry mosquitoes

fishmongers, grocers and the like hawking their fare

it meant for me.

sucking my gringo blood, I almost changed my mind.

from their street carts while neighbors call to one

I didn’t see Jesus’ face in a peace of burnt toast but I did

My project was with an NGO called O Pequeno Nazareno

bake in the sun. After the sun sets, residents pour onto

discover The International Exchange, an organization

(OPN), whose mission is to improve the lives of the

streets, perching on plastic stools and sipping local

that matches marketing professionals with NGOs in

children living homeless on the streets of Recife, many

brews, the sounds of Brega music and the victorious

developing markets that need marketing help. One

of whom are deeply involved in drugs and crime.

cries of card game success filling the evening air. A

hand-written note to advertising luminaries Jeremy

The NGO rehabilitate them by housing, feeding and

world away from the East Village, Manhattan.

Bullmore and Jon Steel (this was how they insisted

educating them so that eventually they’re able to gain

candidates apply- I wouldn’t wish my handwriting

employment at companies in the city, a critical step so

Creating the campaign itself was challenging, heart-

on anyone) and a few months of Portuguese evening

that they don’t end up back on the streets.

breaking and ultimately inspiring. To understand the

another from their rooftops as they hang washing to

importance of what OPN was doing for these young

classes later, and I was on a plane to Recife, a in the North East of Brazil.

The problem was that no businesses in Recife want

men, I wanted to try to understand what they were

to offer these adolescents interviews, let alone jobs.

escaping from and how they ended up on the streets.

It’s very easy to trot out the almost nauseatingly clichéd

That’s where I came in. Partnered with a local agency

And so I went with a social worker from the NGO to

adage that we “like to be stretched” or “taken out of our

of seven people, I was tasked with creating a campaign

spend an afternoon speaking with the mothers of two

comfort zones.” I should know. I say it all the time. Am I

to build awareness of OPN’s work and to convince local

of the boys that are living at the retreat.

ever totally out of my comfort zone though? Sure I feel

businesses to consider offering these adolescents jobs.

vaguely uncomfortable giving a presentation when not

Oh, and I had just thirty days to launch it, and a budget

Almost none of the boys have fathers in their lives. In

fully prepared. And yes, I feel intense embarrassment

of about $3,000 I had raised through donations. Not

many instances their whereabouts are unknown. But in

singing karaoke or having people watch me dance. But

daunting at all.

the case of the first boy, R, his father was assassinated for drug debt. This is the terrifying world these boys

when was the last time I felt hopelessly, terrifyingly out of my depth. Up Shit creak. I couldn’t remember. And

I split my time between OPN’s retreat on the island of

come from. His mother unfortunately isn’t even in the

I really hoped, on my flight to Recife, that my project

Itamaracá (the one with the prisons, blood sucking bats

favela. She lives rough on the street where she is a

would do just that, clichéd or not.

and dinner-plate sized tarantulas) and an urban abode

crack addict and prostitute. We found her on a busy

about two hours away in Recife, closer to the agency I

corner in the city, and spoke briefly about trying to arrange for her to visit her son, and also about helping her to improve her living situation. She agreed to letting us help and to the visit, but I doubted she would remember the conversation ten minutes later, let alone come to see her son.

Next, we went to a favela to visit the mother of Z. The smell hit me first. Rotting garbage and human waste. It was impossible not to wince. Then I noticed the number of naked children, many only a few years old, crawling around in the dirt tracks in between the homes, broken glass strewn on the floor. Z’s mother and grandmother live in a ‘home’ (though it’s tough to call it that) constructed from corrugated iron and other found materials. It’s about the size of a small Manhattan bedroom yet houses 18 people as well as a few mangy, flea-ridden dogs. Z’s mother told us many tales that made my stomach turn, particularly that of the rats that scurry over them at night. As we were talking to her, we could see a drug deal being done right outside the home in broad daylight by boys who look no older than ten. I tried not to stare.

20

Visiting the families certainly inspired me to want to

Rather than actors, we deliberately chose to use

manager and creative director in Brazil, having helped

help, but it didn’t reveal an insight into what exactly we

the faces and real names of the boys at the NGO.

to write, design and even take the photos for the

could do or say to create change. For that, we needed

Authenticity is a much maligned and overused word

campaign. The unexpected reality is that I’m enjoying

to understand the problem. What was stopping the

in the ad industry. But in this case it really was what

my job more than ever. I’ve changed the way I work, I’m

young men from getting jobs?

we were trying for. As a result, we resisted the urge

trying to bring some of the scrappy entrepreneurialism

to air brush the photos and leave our subjects looking

I thrived off in Brazil to the table, and I know that as

After days of interviewing as many local CEOs as we

like Maybelline models. We wanted them to be as real

long as working for corporations is supplemented with

could persuade to sit down with a gringo and a notepad,

as possible.

the opportunity to use my skills to help those who really need it, I’m going to wake up feeling lucky to

we uncovered the insight that I believe unlocked the whole project.

By the time I left Brazil, the creative work was every-

be here.

where you looked – from the biggest billboard in the All of the companies we spoke with expressed human-

city, the backs of hundreds of busses and elevator

itarian inclinations and a desire to help society.

screens in commercial high-rises, to newspapers,

Dylan Viner is a native Londoner living in New York City

Unfortunately they were frank in confessing that

business journals and restaurant bathrooms. And the

and working as a Planning Director at JWT. When not

‘charity’ was trumped by the need to protect their

media was all secured for free thanks to some hustling

creating ad campaigns for Rolex, Smirnoff and Kleenex,

business. They were reluctant to consider employing

that even Del Boy would have been proud of.

he can be found taking photos of interesting looking people and buying over-priced mid century furniture.

individuals from OPN because they didn’t believe individuals with their backgrounds would have the

Back in New York, and back at JWT, the worry was

Follow Dylan on twitter at twitter.com/dylanviner

ability or attitude to positively impact their company.

always that I would find it hard to “go back” to flogging

and read more about the Homeless Recife project at

booze and luxury watches. I had played planner, project

dylanvinerbrazil.wordpress.com

Having lived with these teenagers, watched them attend school, and talked to them about their work aspirations, it was clear to me that a company would be hard pressed to find anyone more highly motivated and dedicated for an apprenticeship.

I landed on a simple enough strategic idea that if you hire from OPN, everybody wins: The adolescent, your business, society. But with the stereotypes about these young men so deeply entrenched, I knew the creative would have to provoke and disrupt.

Our strategy was to force business people to confront their preconceptions, letting them know that what’s holding the adolescents back is not a lack of ability, but instead their prejudice. Ultimately we wanted to challenge the businesses to give the adolescents an opportunity to prove themselves.

To bring this to life visually, inspired by street artist JR amongst others, we decided to use tightly cropped black and white portrait photography. We hoped that it would not only be visually impactful, but that it would create a personal and intimate connection between the viewer and subject. Perfect for the message we wanted to convey.

21

22

MUSIC IS A FREE DRUG. EXCEPT YOU SHOULD PROBABLY PAY FOR IT Words and pictures by Jo Church

A

wartime journalist listens to a Portishead

Darryl was at a stage in his life where he’d been

album to help compensate for his stressful

relentlessly touring and boozing with some of the

life of danger and tough, potentially fatal

biggest cats in the sea for over 10 solid years (cats-

decision-making. Meanwhile, a zookeeper

people, sea-industry). Which sounds really fucking great right?

of hibernating lemurs has nothing short of 160 bpm Danish heavy metal on his iPod to get his ticker going

Nope.

every morning. Music can provide a counterbalance for your emotional equilibrium.

At this point he’d developed a vocal disorder, had There are dozens of reasons why people listen to music,

hardly spent a second with his wife and newborn son,

but what I’m interested in is how it affects your mood

his dad died, Jam Master Jay died, the group started to

and can influence you emotionally. From enhancing

slip off the covers of magazines and down the charts,

your dimples that extra millimetre, to making your

and err oh yeah he just found out he was adopted. So

blood boil with anger. Okay, well you might not have

basically shit got tricky. He plummeted from the top

thought about going on any killing sprees lately, but

of the top to the lowest of lows in a matter of weeks

there are people out there who are so strongly affected

and had diddily squat to shout about. On the verge of

by music, that they lose all rational thought.

suicide he heard Sarah McLachlan’s song ‘Angel’, on the radio, which completely knocked him for six.

When Mark Foster wrote the song ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ for his band (Foster The People), he wanted to get

This one song had such an immediate impact on his

right inside the head of an isolated, psychotic kid.

whole outlook of life; it made him take a big step away

Little did he know that almost exactly a year later in

from the hip-hop scene. He wrote an autobiography,

September 2011, a 14 year old boy was to get arrested

worked tirelessly to help charities supporting foster

for comments on the song’s YouTube page. After

kids and visited various businesses and colleges as a

obsessing over the lyrics which urge all the cooler kids

motivational speaker, using his story as the inspiration.

that they’d better ‘outrun my gun’, the young outcast threatened to take his rifle into Wigwam Creek School

This begs the question, why can’t that song affect

and go on a shooting spree the next day.

everyone’s life for the better? Sure, not everyone needs their life to take a 180, but if we pinned down

Foster claims he was bullied at school, but the band’s

Mel Gibson and forced that song into his anti-semitic

bassist, Cubbie Fink (great name), used to share bunk

ear-holes, would he be converted into a loveable chap?

beds with someone who very nearly suffered at the

Almost definitely not. It’s a great song n all, but some

hands of similarly troubled youths during the Columbine

people are simply bad eggs. Every good or bad song

massacre. Cubbie’s cousin fortunately survived but he

resonates with each individual in a unique way, and it

shared much of her emotional torment after the event.

takes a certain state of mind to want to change in the

The band felt that they could use these experiences

first place.

as a platform to communicate the message that youth Almost everyone has a go-to song (some have many)

gun violence in the States needs to be addressed.

that takes them to a place emotionally when others Initially, when I heard this story, I was shocked that a

can’t. For some, that song can change over time

young boy could get himself arrested for writing words,

depending on trends, lifestyle or whatever, for others it

YES WORDS. But then it got me thinking about the

remains a constant beacon. There’s no right or wrong,

influence music can really have on people. Let’s not get

that’s just the way it goes.

too bogged down in depressing stories of worryingly impressionable folk who start etching away at their

Don’t get me wrong, music doesn’t always want to

wrists the second they get caught downwind of a

be taken too seriously, I’m all for sticking Hall & Oates

Coldplay concert though. I stumbled across an uplifting

on full whack and dancing in my pants until the seam

story about Darryl McDaniels (formerly one third of hip

gets breached. It’s just great to have a song or album

hop group Run-DMC). He openly talks about how he

you can fall back on because it helps you revisit that

was on the brink of suicide when he heard a certain

special place.

song, which transformed his entire outlook on life for My song? At Last - Etta James.

the better.

23

ON CLIENTS AND CONFIDENCE

By Jake Jennings and Alix Land

O

ne of the most intricate relationships to

presentations are important for determining the right

a single idea, confident in their teams incredible abilities

perfect is that of designer and client. We

collaborative relationships, there are an ever-increasing

to provide the most effective solution. Compare this

believe there is a consistent misunder-

number of free or creative pitches. Can we say no?

to those who approach clients with eight or more

standing of the design process whether

The terror that someone else is there waiting for the

solutions. Whilst we can’t force-feed a client, only

we work alongside large corporates or small one-man

opportunity should we decline keeps many from doing

‘show [them] the door, [they’re] the one that has to go

operations; dentists or musicians.

so. The ever expanding chain continues. How can we

through it’, we still should be seen as, and believe we

tell a brand’s story when we are failing with our own?

are, the expertise that will deliver amazing results and help position the client as number one in their sector.

Yet this doesn’t mean it’s OK to client-bash. After all design is our speciality, whereas they have a more

Take the highly respected profession of medicine as

objective, quantitative and business-led focus. Clients

an example. Patients work with a doctor to achieve a

have not been trained to recognise creative ideas

diagnosis and treatment by describing their symptoms

without visuals being placed in front of them. Instead

in detail. Patients don’t dictate their cure. Designers

their thoughts are focussed on execution and style

should be treated similarly – as experts in the field of

as this is the level of design they are exposed to in

communication. Yet this is not the case, perhaps due

everyday life. Is there a need to educate and guide the

to a lack of communication about the design process.

client through the creative process? Do we need to

Presently shrouded in mystery to the outsider, we could

show them the importance of the many intermediate

make our profession more transparent by explaining

steps which are integral to our understanding of their

our process with the client.

business and brand?

It ultimately comes down to what we know makes

“FIND OUT WHAT THE NEXT THING IS THAT YOU CAN PUSH, THAT YOU CAN INVENT, THAT YOU CAN BE IGNORANT ABOUT … BECAUSE IN THE END, THAT’S HOW YOU GROW.”

Paula Scher

Yet is the client really the core problem we face?

designers unique: ideas. Conforming to a current style

Instead, we feel that the issue could lie within us, the

or trend is not necessarily what makes us special,

creatives, and the lack of confidence in ourselves and

concepts are. This creative spark is a highly prized

One of the greatest things about our industry is a

our industry as a whole. Perhaps we are unsettled

skill and one to be commended amongst the ever

passion to challenge, to continually create new ideas

due to the recent recession, the increasing number

expanding ranks. It is what defines British designers

and break boundaries. Striving for the impossible and

of poorly skilled amateurs that taint our profession,

on an international scale. We believe in the term ‘idea’

refusing to be told what we can’t do. In our experience

or more likely, the rising levels of competition with a

to describe the unique way a proposed design directly

however, there are many designers who have settled

larger number of agencies and people in the creative

relates to a brand and their activities, unlike the current

back to let things continue as they are, having lost

industry than ever before. Our relationship is ultimately

practice for the phrase in frequently documenting and

their drive to go where no-one else has gone before.

about trust and with the lack of confidence in ourselves

disguising styling.

In our opinion, what makes a great designer is one that is forever learning, forever challenging. We are

as an industry, how can we expect a client to believe in us or the service we offer?

The result of our anxieties? A client’s trust is left incomplete, demanding they look elsewhere for additional security, for example through post-creative market research groups. Having recently been involved

“ANYONE CAN BE A DESIGNER, NOT EVERYONE CAN BE A GOOD ONE.”

Andy Russell

committed to doing great work for great people, but must endeavour to ensure a stronger environment is present for this to happen each and every time. One of the remarkable things about our industry is how we strive to improve brands, now we must strive to do better for our own industry.

in a four month series of focus groups debating a logo choice, we understand these are an effort for clients

We need to bestow on our clients the knowledge to

However we must have confidence with good reason.

to return to their base teachings, to quantify solutions

make a distinction between amateurs with a copy

Design is a perpetual learning process and it’s OK to

rather than utilising creative expertise and instinct.

of Photoshop and designers who have real skill and

not know everything. We feel every new project should

We let them. Is our lack of challenge a suggestion we

remarkable creative minds. Whilst the former focus

always be approached assuming we know nothing

do not believe in our own judgements? Surely having

on styling, the latter have the remarkable ability to

about the subject. What we do need is confidence

deeply immersed ourselves within a brief, identifying

create concepts that relate to a brand, telling its

in our craft and skills to deliver great ideas and the

the problem(s) and fully understanding the market

unique story. By re-establishing what the word ‘idea’

perfect end result.

before prioritising creative, focus groups should not

really means, our opinion is that we can eliminate the

be required as a final confirmation to our efforts. Our

majority thought that anyone can become a prof-

As we have discussed above, it’s easy to moan about

solutions become co-ordinated by mass committee,

essional designer without previously needing specialist

the many issues facing our industry. Yet how are we

not only removing negative aspects but also the quirky,

creative training.

as a creative community going to solve, and act, on these? Let us stop thinking negatively (we have already

risky and unique elements too.

Similarly, we feel that we need to regain our own faith

done enough of that for you) and focus on the positive.

Similarly, pitched work highlights that the client

in this viewpoint. It is our duty as designers to choose

We are the thinkers, the idea generators, the world-

doesn’t know who they can trust, before, during or

what works best for a client and stand behind these

changers. We know this is the most exciting industry

after the creative process. Whilst we feel credentials

decisions. There are agencies well known for presenting

to work in.

24

We believe there is room for a more supportive leading

and importance of design. Their trust re-established. In

where next month we will present your suggestions to

body within the profession, one that unites us in our

order to achieve a quality design solution there will be

D&AD and report back.

expertise. To no longer function as singular islands,

an understanding, by adhering to industry-wide rules,

hiding ourselves away like students in an exam, but as

of the importance for using accredited agencies. We

Alix Land is an ideas-led graphic designer with a strong

a united profession. We feel there is inspiration to be

know that once a small number of clients adjust, the

focus on typography. You may have heard of one of

taken from well established and respected professions

avalanche effect will take place with everyone wishing

her side projects, such as ‘What Designers Look Like’.

such as architects (RIBA), engineers (IET) or doctors

to be seen to use ‘professional designers’. Whilst we

(alixland.co.uk)

(GMC), even design committees found on other

all need to act together, our government also needs to

continents (AGDA). One of their key features is the use

back us; unlike their current stance for recommending,

A strong enthusiast for ideas, Jake Jennings has

of accreditation to enhance the role of the ‘professional’

even demanding, creative pitches. We believe each and

worked with some of the leading creative agencies from

and establish a deeper respect. In a climate where

every one of us has the power to change things for the

Pentagram in New York to The Chase in Manchester. Jake

everyone thinks they are a designer this is an important

better. We tell our clients to challenge themselves, but

is a freelance graphic designer. (jake-jennings.co.uk)

separation. Similarly, we envision a collective manifesto,

do we have the confidence to challenge ourselves?

Illustrated by Rachel Elizabeth Rawlings, an illustrator

describing rules of practice that is backed and enforced across the industry to strengthen our cause. Educating

What do you believe is the potential for our profession?

whose unique style exists in a wonderful world

our clients is a small part of the solution. Through

Let us stand stronger as a collective to continue British

somewhere between quaint and the slightly quirky. A

providing a copy of this designers’ manifesto, a client

design as a world-changing influence. Share your

lover of words, tea and above all, a passion for drawing.

would realise just what they are paying for; the process

thoughts by visiting clientsandconfidence.tumblr.com

(rachelelizabethillustration.co.uk)

25

YUNG AND THE MOUNTAIN A short story by Joe Fry Illustrated by Peter Murgatroyd

N

o one would listen to him but he was

The Mountain stood facing Yung. He stood there for a

“Inside this box, is an idea”

very long time. Months passed.

definitely right. They just didn’t get it. He’d invented a new maths. It wasn’t about the

Yung stepped towards the box. As he reached the

numbers it was about what they meant.

Mountain, the Mountain rose. He blocked Yung’s path.

What was the point of reading? No one would listen!

“Anyone can have an idea!” shouted Yung. … “ANYONE

They asked the most irrelevant questions. Try and think

CAN HAVE AN IDEA!”

He took all of Yung’s ideas. You can’t be all three!

The Mountain had accepted the bribe so surely the idea in the box was his! Yung stepped towards the box.

about it on a four dimensional axis. One was the most important, the self, two was us together and three was

The Mountain said nothing for a while. Then he said,

The Mountain stepped into his path. “You can have the

kissing. You see, it’s all about how far away they are

softly, “You can have the idea. But you have to wait.

idea. You cannot have it now”.

from each other in space? Remember that child who

You cannot have it now”. Yung sunk to his knees and

bit his own arms and only wanted to watch the tape?

slouched exhausted at the Mountain’s feet.

They screamed and writhed and fucked in their own fat and cried and pounded up against Yung as he squashed

He knew every word. Four meant that everyone had the same soul and five was the most important number

WE WILL BE GHOSTS! THAT I AM CERTAIN FOR!

into a corner and crawled deeper into the wall. Yung

of all. You see there are artists, and there are scientists,

As Yung reeled his head around the others in the

feels like his body is further and further away, her

and there are gardeners. You can’t be all three! He’d

room were almost on top of him, two huge Turkish

snarling teeth and saliva spit burning and frothing from

write a book for people to find on the bus, and read,

ladies with jewelry through their eyes and creatures

her mouth and her eyes “NO BABY! YOU’RE GOING TO

and understand. They’d take it home and pass it on until

snickering and snattering in their rolls of flesh, filthy

HAVE AN IDEA BLIND! CRIPPLED! DEMENTED! WITH A

everyone had read it. Then they’ll make a website where

with tar and food and with two other men slumped

CAT CRAWLING UP YOUR BACK WHILE THE WHOLE

you can play chess instead of having a job and build an

over them, barely supporting one another’s weight,

CITY TREMBLES IN EARTHQUAKE, BOMBARDMENT,

energy centre in the African desert. There’ll be no need

their fat sticking and rubbing and sliding on the wood,

FLOOD AND FIRE!” Yung screams and pleads her to

for money.

their faces bulging inches from his own as he breathed

stop. The boy mouths the words along with the tape.

stifled and suffocated in their pounding flesh. GET

“BABY AIR AND LIGHT AND TIME AND SPACE HAVE

OUT MY FUCKING WAY YOU LITTLE CUNT. Vegas

GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THEY DON’T CREATE

lights and plastic jackpots ping as she knocks into him

ANYTHING! EXCEPT MAYBE A LONGER LIFE TO FIND

The next day they cheered outside his house and as the

“BABY…”, she dribbles and oozes, “BABY YOU MUST”

EXCUSES FOR!”.

cameras flashed the sun rose and they beat his door

Her fat arms wobble with sequins and shoulder pads

down. They carried him out cheering and demanding

and sweat patches; she drops cigarette butts from her

Years passed. Yung grew old and grey and withered

he sing, and he did. And as they carried him they

mouth into his like a mother feeding her young.

and sick and sat shivering, awake, staring into the

Yung tried to tell her.

darkness behind the box day after day, never trying to

crammed him into the van and drove him away amongst Everything sped up and flew towards Yung as if he

steal it, never trying to trick the Mountain, never trying

was falling. He sprang panicked and shouted at the

to talk to the Mountain again. All he could think of was

The noise was unbearable. She was standing so close

Mountain “CAN I HAVE THE IDEA!”. The Mountain

having the idea. He remembered nothing. But he knew

to him! Everyone was looking at him. The noise!

waited. “You can have the idea. But you have to wait.

he was going to be OK. He knew he was going to have

The colour, the frenzy, the plastic, spiky and jagged

You cannot have it now. I only tell you this so you do

the idea. He grew sicker. Yung could barely lift his head

chemicals and cuts and the speed of it made his head

not abandon hope entirely”.

to the Mountain. He said, in his last breath, “If anyone

the crowds, chanting his name through their tears.

can have an idea, then why, in all this time, all these

spin. Flesh burned. He couldn’t stand. All around him were feathers and insides and whistles and noise and

THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE IS TRUE. THE PREVIOUS

years I’ve been here, has nobody else tried to have the

cigarette smoke and skin and the smell of rot.

SENTENCE WAS FALSE. As hands grabbed and slipped

idea that’s inside the box?”

and the stench groped all over him. She kissed him. Yung Yung tried to stand up and open his eyes.

He smiled at the huge, white room.

slipped his body free just in time to lurch his head back

The Mountain replied, “The idea that is inside this

as the ceiling opened and she was slung down, a noose

box exists only for you. And now I am going to close

around her neck which snapped soaking wet, dangling

it forever.”

limply above him whilst buzzers ring and scream He sat down at the huge, white desk.

FDEATHKILL!!!#43266!!!…

FDEATHKILL!!!#43266!!!…

And he closed the box. And Yung died.

FDEATHKILL!!!#43266!!!.... THE CROWD GOES WILD! “WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT MEANS BABY?”

In front of the desk was a box that had been left open.

In front of the box was a huge Mountain. Yung stared

Yung staggered back to his desk to sit down for a little

screamed the woman. “WHAT DOES IT MEAN?” “I

at the Mountain. The Mountain stared at Yung. Yung

while. Days passed. He stared at the box. “What about

don’t know” Yung thought. “COME WITH ME BABY!”

stood up slowly. “Is this the box?” he asked. He sat back

if I promise not to have any other ideas. I’ll give you all

she hollered, “I’LL SHOW YOU!”, turning on her heels

down. He stared at the Mountain. The Mountain replied,

my other ideas that I have. You can have all of them. If I

as her huge, beautiful hips moved in the garden breeze.

“No. This is not the box”.

give them to you, can I have the idea behind the door?”

She seemed to float so slowly but Yung couldn’t catch her up, like he was heavy, as she turned the corners ahead of him, the sun flaring through beautiful flowers

“Then what is this box?” Yung asked.

The Mountain said nothing.

The Mountain sat in silence.

“Look for fuck’s sake fine, look, here’s all my ideas, you

walked towards a stone wall with five open doors. She

can have them, here’s all the ideas I’ve had and you can

disappeared through the middle one. As Yung turned

have all of them, and all the fucking ideas I’m going to

to go through the door, she slammed it in his face.

and hedges and birds and the smell of perfume. She

Yung stood up. “Then what is this box?”

have, AND YOU CAN JUST FUCKING HAVE THEM ALL” And he had an idea.

The Mountain sat in silence.

27

TIM KEY An interview by Jonny Burch

As is the tradition at ShellsuitZombie magazine, we like to interview our stars while playing a minor sport. First it was pool, then darts. For this issue we invited multi-award winning comedian and poet Tim Key to join us in a round of ten pin bowling. Except, as is tradition, it’s all a lie. Well, unless he was emailing me from Hollywood Bowl in North Finchley. Which would be an extraordinary coincidence.

A

fter much trash talk, Tim Key (35, Famous

took me back onto stage. Armed with this shield of

Having seen two out of your three slut-based shows

poet,comedian and star of Mid Morning

poems I was able to face down my audiences more

(I missed slut in the hut unfortunately) and watched

Matters) and I finally agree to meet up at

effectively.

a bit of Cowards, I get the impression you’re a fan of ‘short film’ as a comedy medium. Any plans to

Hollywood bowl in North Finchley. By the

continue down that road?

time we are through the shoe swap Tim is already

You’ve sort of created yourself a new genre somewhere

complaining about Hygeine standards and I’m starting

between comedy and poetry. Is there anyone who

to wonder whether this interview will be a shambles.

has influenced you, any heroes? Or maybe not, you

I think we’re going to go shorter. I’ve got a plan to

fucking maverick.

film something on the top of a building. A fifteen second piece, me and a girl. The wind causing havoc.

Tim’s reputation as the supposed kingpin of the north London comedian’s bowling circuit obviously precedes

I’m a fucking maverick. I’ve never even seen any

him, as both the manager of Burger King and several

other comedy or read any poetry. I just tend to bowl

That sounds dramatic. Having seen Edinburgh favourites

of the slot machine regulars give him knowing nods. I

and when I’m tired I retire to the tastefully done out

like We Are Klang struggle with the Telly, would you

suspect that Tim Key is about to wipe the floor with me.

bar next to the lanes and write some verse.

ever consider your own sketch/poetry show?

But I don’t care. I just want a chat.

But I suppose Coogan must be up there, eh Sidekick

I’d always consider that. I’m constantly standing

Having entered his name somewhat intimidatingly as

Simon. Go on, he’ll be annoyed if you don’t mention

back and looking at my live stuff and trying to work

just ‘KEY’, Tim strolls up to the lane and unzips his

him.

out what it is. Whether it could work on Telly. What I’d have to lose, what I’d have to add in, how much

custom ball bag, revealing the orb within.

Do you like ten pin bowling?

Oh yeah, I’m a big fan of Steve Coogan. I used to

money I would stand to make, whether I would sing

listen to his radio show when I was at sixth form

my own theme tune.

college. We used to quote Knowing Me Knowing Yeah I do, so this is perfect for me. I play at Rowans

You a great deal. I don’t think it did me much good

Tims final round sees him emit a yelp and spill his

in Finsbury Park whenever I can. My ball naturally

socially, but I guess it was all part of growing up.

coke a bit as he achieves a spare. It seems to be a

curls to the right so I have to start it off left and then

“Who were the bishops?”

career best for the young poet. After a victory lap and a high five with the manager of Burger King I

watch it arc back and into the front pin. Once I got 3 pins down with one ball.

Tim’s fifth round is a corker. Using the barriers to his

manage to sit him back down.

advantage he deflects the ball off left, right then left It was to only be the two pins this time. Happy with

again, judging the speed perfectly to stop the ball

How do you deal with your burgeoning fame while ‘on

this, he sits back, smugly cracking open a diet coke.

against the front pin. He sends another ball down to

the street’, signing peoples appendages and being

finish off the first.

accosted and whatnot. Is this what you imagined?

my phone outside the British Library. How did you

So you’re a poet right? Tell me about ‘The Incomplete’

More or less. Sometimes you have to be quite

feel about that?

- sounds a bit ruddy serious.

demanding about the appendage-signing. There are

I didn’t feel great, obviously. I’m a busy man and I

Supposed to be. I just needed to pull them together.

or in a book. At that point you just have to be strict,

already had my cycle helmet on, then I have you in

At that point they were just drifting round my flat on

and sometimes actually physically wrestle their

my face swishing through photos. I kept looking at

pieces of napkin and foil. It was time to catalogue

appendages out and onto a desk so you can do a

my watch and shifting from one foot to the other.

them in a proper hardback. I tried to make it as ruddy

proper autograph.

And yet still you swished.

serious as possible. At times I let it slip but generally

When we first met I showed you creepy pictures on

people who want your signature on a bit of paper

A recurring theme in your poetry is the everyman - this

I was pleased that I’d created an anthology that

You famously won a fringe comedy award back in the

made you smile but also made you think and weep.

day with a Cambridge footlights show that you should never have been a part of, not being at the university

comes across most in the names you choose for your characters. Whats the best name you’ve ever come

That makes me pleased also. So does this mark a

an’ all. A bit of a theme for this issue is ‘strapping on

up with? Is there someone you wish you could just

permanent shift in your comedy or do you just have

a pair’ and that clearly worked for you. Any regrets

put into every poem? I.e. Rob Pacey, Mark Davenport,

several strings to your bow? Are you looking for your

or would you encourage future stars to do the same?

Andy Waugh and Mike Abbot the peacocks.

first serious hollywood role?

Tim whips another ball down the alley before replying,

I cannot get such a role because my skills aren’t

occasionally I think you have to strap them on

nailing one pin without touching any of the others in an

strong enough. I think I will try and sneak into

or you’ll get nowhere. I know for a fact if I hadn’t

impressive feat of accuracy.

Hollywood through the back door in about ten years

strapped mine on I would have ended up doing

No, no regrets. I think if you’ve got a pair then

time. The most likely routes are (a) writing a role

one piece of amateur dramatics before moving to

There are some names I keep going back to. Rod

for myself, (b) starting as a runner and working my

Eastern Europe and trying to find work teaching

Wilde is one. Also Chris White. When I wrote my last

way up, or (c) screwing someone like Winona Rider

lawyers before marrying some poor lamb in Kiev. It

book I had to do a search for Chris’s and change a

or the lawyer out of “A Time To Kill” and hoping for

doesn’t sound that bad now I think about it. Maybe

few out. For some reason I’m really attracted to that

the best.

there’s still time.

a chive in one of my poems, it will usually turn out

Are you excited about the Olympics? I know you’ve

Go on, write us a poem mate. Just a little one.

that he’s called Chris.

got tickets. Maybe you could be an olympic ten pin

name. If someone’s burning an umbrella or eating

I’m not very good at writing poems on command.

bowler?

I once wrote one to a girl but that’s because I’d

Hmm ok. It’s definitely Mike Davenport for me. So

promised her one if she let me touch her hair.

what came first, the poems or the comedy? I read

I’ve watched the skittles on Sky Sports 3 and those

somewhere that you said poems seemed like an

guys are immense. The Finns and The Americans

obvious next step after finding stand-up tough. Any

are different class. They’ll make it swing way out

Fair enough. Thanks for all the words and the

truth in that? Or did I just make it up in my head?

wide and then banana back in fiercely. All the

wonderful game Tim.

skittles fall down. I’ve seen it where a skittle has No worries. It broke up my morning nicely.

That’s come right out of your head. What’s wrong

appeared to explode as the ball hits it. I’ve seen it

with you? No, the deadened months after I knocked

where skittles have gone flying into the crowd and

stand-up on the head were filled with writing a one-

spectators have been knocked out or killed. I’ve had

Tim zips up and polishes off his diet coke, seemingly

man play. I then started working comprehensively

friends round and shown them this stuff on Sky Plus.

satisfied with a job well done. You can visit his

with gap-toothed comic Alex Horne on his Edinburgh

It’s breathtaking.

website at www.timkey.co.uk or follow him on twitter at @timkeyperson. He is currently touring

shows. Gradually I started writing verse to fill up tube journeys. Before I knew where I was I had a

Tim is in his stride now, approaching a fifty percent hit

his show ‘Masterslut’ - we thoroughly recommend it.

whole notepad full. At this stage my momentum

rate as he breaks the 40 barrier with ball number 12.

Otherwise give the man a google at least.

29

TEN THINGS I HATE THAT EVERY OTHER FUCKER SEEMS TO LOVE

By Olivia Rose Illustrations by Ed J Brown

I’ve been called a hateful bitch in my time, but I prefer to think of myself as passionate about the little things. Admittedly, my rage can swiftly peak well above average human levels for the silliest of reasons, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have a point, folks, and when I think I have a point, I write it down. I must warn you that in reading on, there is a high possibility that your most favouritist thing ever in the world, like, ever, is about to be ripped apart through a series of wildly exaggerated arguments full of needless expletives and cheap jokes. Don’t get too upset - I toyed for a long while with the idea of putting myself at number 1. on this list - so there’s a little bit of arrogant self-deprication to make us all feel better before we start.

1. Festivals

“

What do you mean you don’t like festivals?!”

Is the incredulous faced question I get asked by anyone I tell my dirty secret to over the summer months. It’s a bit like saying

that you don’t like babies, or animals (I don’t really, but we’ll get on to that later) or sweet little cotton candy puffs of love flying through a happy sunflower sky.

People look at you, shocked and appalled and

sometimes even with sympathy, but always confused.

So very, very confused as to why I might not want to participate in a claustrophobic trap of outdoor living, my precious belongings unsafe, just left in the tent that will inevitably be stolen or blown away and will most certainly never be comfortable, spending days - not just one but MULTIPLE days - wedging my way in and out of thousands strong crowds to try and get within 100 meters of whatever act is headlining that day only to be

constant stream of people drunk or on drugs who

stuck there for hours, unable to leave for fear of losing

think everything is a fucking hilarious laugh when really

my 1mm square breathing space, unable to urinate for

nothing is funny, or the fact that most of these places

fear of the general toilet facilities and unable to enjoy

are cheeky enough to then actually ask you to PAY for

myself because I’m desperate for a piss and can’t reach

the pleasure of being unable to wash, protect yourself

fresh air with my mouth. *Breathe* Not to mention the

from the elements or pull, because you look and feel

queuing for the car park, the trekking through miles

like a badgers arsehole. People, if that’s your thing,

of fields just to get your goddamn stuff pitched, the

then cool. Enjoy. But please, for god’s sake don’t look at me like a poor little lost loser girl when you pack

save her life yet calls herself a singer when at best she

up your things and carpool off to Glastonbury, because

was a great backing dancer in a pop band that is now

I’m not jealous. Believe me i’m not.

dead. (For the record, the blonde one is now a violent drunk, the the one no-one can remember is currently

2. Cheryl Cole

I

playing Mrs. Shrek in a musical, the ginger one has finally been accepted and the lot of them hate the Irish bitch so much she had to skip the country - Girls Aloud

f there is one example of a celebrity life story that

will never make a comeback).

really irks me more than anything, it is the rise and

rise of the talentless Cheryl Cole. It’s often hard to

was when Cheryl Cole was fired from the US X Factor. I

Ironically one of my favourite news stories ever

put my finger on exactly what I hate about her the

still LOL about it now. Evil, I know, but we gotta get our

most - possibly the fact that the nation seems to have

kicks somewhere in this cruel, cruel world and I figure

forgotten that once upon a time, before ten years of

that was karma for the whole, racist attack against a

personal training, hair removal, orthodontistry, styling

toilet attendant thing, that everyone seemed to forget

and hair and makeup, Cheryl wasn’t actually beautiful.

about when she married, got played by and then

Or possibly the fact that her sweeter than thou, stylish,

divorced, Ashley Cole. And whilst we’re on the subject,

chic and emotionally weak projection of herself is in

I’d like to extend my hatred further to Cher Lloyd, who

direct conflict with the chav tattoo (it’s barbed wire

to all intents and purposes is like a budget version of

yeah, like Pamela Andersons got) that adorns her

Cheryl herself (if there could even be something so

thigh. Perhaps it’s because she cannot hold a tune to

extraordinarily cheap as that).

30

imitation of something you just gotta do before you die. Hear me now, that major statement should only be used where absolutely necessary, eg: Just stabbed my lying pig of a boyfriend after I found out he’s been fucking my bff for the last 2 years! :) #YOLO

4. Drinking

U

gh. Even the word ‘drinking’ gives me cold sweats down my back and visions of my face on a tiled floor, crusted in sick, iPhone clamped in my hand, frozen on

the embarrassing sext I sent to my boss the night before.

Drinking is a big thumbs down in my world.

And because I’ve hated on the stuff for so long (don’t get me wrong, I went to Uni and learned this all the hard way) i’m now a lethal lightweight. The idea of a glass of wine at a working lunch fills me with fear. I’d be swinging from the strip lighting and doing Britney’s I’m A Slave For You before the day was through. I’ve really never understood drinking culture. It’s like the entire country waits until around 4pm on a Friday, when suddenly they feel that illusive “Friday feeling” (do they bollocks!) and finally allow themselves to ‘have fun,’ which generally consists of consuming as much poisonous liver liquid as possible until they can no longer form cohesive sentences or use their legs, despite which they still appear to be desperately trying to get off with Tina from accounts or Hairy Harry from the Post Room (neither of whom are even remotely attractive).

No, I’m more of a stoner kind of a person. Whilst

you are relaxing with a pint at the pub, slowly developing cirrhosis of the liver and getting increasingly more red nosed, bloated bellied, aggressive and vomit-y, I’m chillin’ at home with a spliff, dodging lung cancer and psychosis, ready to either get creative or pass out in a respectable coma, no bodily fluids omitted, no shameful messages sent.

5. Animated kids films

T

3. #YOLO

I

here has been a trend since the good old days, when things like Toy Story and Finding Nemo were actually kind of mind blowing, exciting and new, despite the fact that you

were aware you were really a little bit too old to be watching those kinds of films.

’m an occassional tweeter, I prefer facebook

myself, but saying that, I do enjoy a good hashtag.

It’s like the more Pixar spits them out ten a second,

Nowadays, I have an actual aversion to the things.

But, there is also nothing more annoying than

the more addicted people around the world are getting

a bad one.

YOLO - you only live once, started

to that momentary fix of giddy kids happiness that

as a rap in The Motto by Drake and Tyga. When it

normally involves a story of love and morality, good

existed alone in that context: “that’s the motto ni**a

overcoming evil and all in a colony of ants, or a group

YOLO” I thought it was kind of clever and a bit sexy.

of marching bloody penguins.

But eventually, the message filtered down from an

impactful, explosive Hip Hop one liner, and landed in

animation, is a great thing - for children too young to

the hands of the squeaky clean teenybop celeb type

understand that the world is a dark and evil place, full

creatures such as Zac Efron, who seem to make a living

of pedophiles, rapists, murderers and phone hackers,

out taking authentically gangsta concepts and turning

waiting around every corner to fuck you up royally if

them into Mickey Mouse bastardisations, suitable for

they get half a chance.

the pre-teen market. YOLO was cool before it got a

# and went viral, because it meant: Go out! Do drugs!

goon, can actually indulge in these heinous, sugar-

Have sex - even anal! Get crunk! Cos you only live

coated lies and enjoy them. And there is something just

once! But now? #YOLO is an excuse for overexcited

so incredibly annoying about the people who come out

teenagers all over the world to... Wear Ugg boots with

of those films waxing lyrical about the great graphics.

shorts! Or say “bitch” to their mum! Or some other pale

It’s kids shit people. For kids.

31

The cutesy cutesy, nicey nicey world of kids

I can’t believe anyone with an IQ above total

least bit annoying, just overtly enthusiastic or painfully sullen. I think perhaps people really only come here for a quick bite at lunch time, which would make sense, except we can never seem to get the food out in under an hour.

6. Robert Pattinson

R

obert Pattinson and his girlfriend Kristen ‘The Menacing Hunch’ Stewart are amongst the most boring celebrities to have ever graced this earth. But even more eye gaugingly

annoying that Kristen’s permanent screwface, is the R Pattz fancying disease that seemed to grip the

8. The Daily Mail Website

R

oll up, roll up, read all abaaaat it, it’s the only place for celebrity gossip and what a fool I’d be too, to deny that. The problem isn’t just them really; it’s us and our bloody obsession

with celebrity bullshit. Not to mention their constant

nation before, during and after the Twilight trilogy had

attack on women and their bodies. We’re fat, we’re thin,

become a massive money making franchise.

we’re fat, we’re thin, we’re fat, OMFG we’ve got cellulite

Let me say some keywords to you that might help

on our arse (shame!) and fillers in our face (break-

you explain my particular abhorrence at the idea of

up?) and a little tiny food paunch (bitch is pregnant!)

being sexually attracted to a man like Robert Pattinson:

Give. A. Shit. The Daily Male is just that. Pseudo-semi-

Pasty, Personalityless, C*nt.

celeb porn in the form of tits and ass which did you

know, dear readers, are the most “clicked on” topics

On top of which, he has openly admitted to

being afraid of the vagina (that’s right, the man who sucks blood for a living, probabaly wouldn’t even give you head) and have you ever actually heard him say anything interesting? His acting skills are as dead as the character he plays and frankly, I would never dream of touching the K Stews sloppy seconds.

7. Wagamama

H

i and welcome to the most boring and overpriced restaurant on earth. We go by the name of Wagamama, which is misleading as it suggests that there might

actually be an elderly Asian woman that is something of a culinary genius, somewhere in the building frying up a storm. This is not the case. What we can actually offer you is a seat on a long school bench style table, next to another person, group of people or possibly a date. Worst case scenario, you’ll be sitting next to a morbidly obese woman or a man with body odour.

Best case scenario, you’ll have come when it’s empty and be sitting on a 60ft long table alone. Either way it will probably be awkward. People rave about our food, which is typically bland and always made on the cheap and then marked up to however much we can get away with before Watchdog feature us under the headline “daylight robbery”. Take our best dish for example, Chicken Katsu Curry - so unauthentically Japanese that it appeals to the mass market! Bonus!

Thank God no one can taste that it is pre-bought shit, probably constructed from a powder that’s made in Eastern Europe and mixed with boiling water to serve.

If we’ve put you off the Katsu, you can always try

one of our rice bowl dishes, a snip at just ten pounds a pop for a luke warm serving of white rice and peas with the occasional micro prawn. And it’s not just the food that draws the crowds here, the wholesome array of staff come in two forms, neither of which are in the

32

in digital journalism? We should be bloody ashamed

applauding these women like there is no tomorrow,

lest I see rage and use it as a football. Regardless of

of ourselves.

just because one married a Prince and the other one

your arguments FOR your dog, pet owner, I see them

Me, I regularly self-flagellate after an episode of

has a nice bum. And now we’ve gone below the belt,

for what they are. Wild creatures ready to turn on you

Keeping up with the Kardashians. I suggest you cut

I would like to add that although I find Pippa’s rear to

at any time. Dogs can hear sounds that we don’t even

yourself and rub salt in the wounds next time your

be quite peachy; it is certainly not the best arse i’ve

hear, so next time your Labrador that is usually “so well

naughty mouse starts involuntarily clicking away at

ever seen. Please people, no. Come to your senses. The

behaved!” gets spooked by one of those high pitched

that sidebar of shame...

country casuals cum Kings Road look is a look, that’s

ASBO alarms they’ve got outside Tesco’s and rips your

for sure, but it isn’t gracing the pages of the real fashion

face off in a flurry of teeth and claws, don’t say I didn’t

magazines and nor are we seeing actual fashionistas

warn you.

9. The Sisters Middleton

L

ditching their peter pan collars and creepers for Jaeger wrap dresses and cashmere cardigans.

et me just get something off my chest that has

Olivia Rose is a photographer and regular columnist

been bothering me for a while. This year, the

for the Huffington Post. You can find her sulking on

sisters Middleton appeared on the TIME’s 100 most influential people list and were quoted

as being “avatars of inspiration.” What a fucking joke!

Unless of course we’re talking about their ability to inspire proper fashion journalists to become blithering, royalist, idiots - now that for sure has happened. I’m not sure if the fashion writers are scared that if they utter

10. Dogs

N

twitter at @oliviarosephoto.

ow this one is really controversial. There

Ed Brown is an illustrator and one part of Art School

is nothing more annoying for a proud

Disco. You can check them out on the 11th of July at

dog owner, than to meet a hater of not

Uncontained (see p53 of the mag) and his work here:

only dogs but pets in general. Whilst you

www.edjbrown.com.

might be completely bowled over by the cuteness of

the truth, it’ll be off with their heads, but in the last

your salivating, fur covered, walking stench, I am not.

12 months, I have seen respectable people lowered to

Don’t invite me in to your house and then thrust an

writing articles on why flesh coloured tights are sexy,

overexcited pup in my face and ask me to coo over

why the kitten heeled court is the new platformed slut

your collie or pet your poodle. No matter how many

shoe and how fascinators could ever be a good look.

times you tell me “He won’t hurt you! He’s such a good

Neither Kate, nor Pippa Middleton is stylish. I’m not

boy!” whilst using that tone adults reserve for children,

being mean, or sweeping with my judgments here, I have

retards and dogs, I will not want to interact with your

tried, on several occasions to like what they wear, but

pet. I won’t want to look at it (dogs can see the hatred

I can’t. Because 100% of the time, they look older than

in my eyes and they don’t like it), I won’t want to touch

their age, restrictively conservative and wholly boring.

it (because it will smell and despite your best care and

But what fucks me off EVEN more than their painfully

attention will more often than not, be sporting some

average M&S styling (flat leather knee boot, black or

form of intense drool train), I won’t want to talk to it

flesh tights, shapeless, un-figure hugging dress with

(It can’t talk back. Do you see people talking to lamps?

little to no imagination in the colour or pattern, blazer),

No, exactly) and I definitely won’t want to hear it. In

is all of the respectable fashion journalists out there

fact, If it’s little and yappy I suggest you lock it away,

33

ANDREA ROSSO A

ndrea Rosso started the streetwear company 55DSL in 1994 as a spinoff of his fathers company, Diesel. As Creative Director, his designs reflect his interest in other peoples work and creativity and stem from a love of collaboration, a theme that has always defined the direction of the company.

55DSL has now become a household name and has distribution all over the world, so it was a great honour to be able to ask Andrea a few questions about himself and his plans for 55DSL in the future.

An interview by Jonny Burch

34

Hi Andrea! So streetwear - what is it?

Hmm, I don’t know any more, the 90’s were a long time ago! I think nowadays street has lost it’s original dangerous vibe, and home is the new streetwear!

Did you always want to be in fashion or was it just the family business?

Going into the clothing field was a really natural step. When we were growing up you have to imagine that me and my Brother used to sleep in denim fabric wagon and we worked at the wear house every summer, so I guess it was pretty normal, in our blood even.

The split from Diesel - was that an exciting moment of independence?

We never split! Let’s just say we took our chance to be independent outside the family house. Exploring

use their Polartec® Classic 200 fleece fabric. For

nowadays. It’s all about word of mouth and com-

new people, a new situation and a new market.

the upcoming FW12 collection we played with the

munities. People don’t trust big advertisements any

outdoor mood of Polartec and added a dose of

more but do trust a link on a friends facebook page.

Do you have any fashion skeletons in your closet?

55DSL’s signature street design for a resulting look

We also work exclusively with a lot of international

Whats the worst thing you’ve ever worn?

that mixes cool colour with technical performance.

bloggers who advise on trends

For the next season I’m excited about a Salewa Fashion skeletons? I don’t know, I feel pretty

jacket we just finished with a super nice colour

confident with all the stuff I’m wearing. But I

and shape.

We always have new collaborations coming up and I

remember that my mom when I was at Elementary school used to make me wear these shoes with

What else does 55DSL have coming up?

How do you look for your collaborators?

am going to get much more connected to music in my work. I’m planning on going to a lot of festivals this

a penny in the front. I hated them then but now Sometimes it’s pure random coincidence, we just

summer, including Calvi on The Rock festival in France

happen to meet the right people at the right time.

which we are partnering and Secret Garden Party in

Whats the new line looking like? Favourite piece?

Other times it’s friends and friends of friends!

the UK. We also have the fifth anniversary of our 10.55

Our collection is inspired by the Caribbean world,

Outside the world of fashion, if you could collaborate

magnum P.I. style. But of course still maintaining

with any brand or person what would you create?

More than this though, I’m super excited about a short

our italian heritage. My favourite piece is probably a

Maybe a 55DSL Rocket!

film we made with a bunch of directors called CANADA.

they’re very trendy!

limited edition tee project coming up in 2013.

They’re the guys behind that amazing Battles ‘Ice

gingham shirt with caribbean flowers all over it. The whole workwear/hawaiian vibe is something that

I’d love to work with loads of different artists, but if

Cream’ video. We spent two weeks on an epic road

people wear around.

I had to choose it would probably be Aaron Rose.

trip from the top to the bottom of Italy. It was crazy;

Maybe it would be something to do with vintage,

it involved a volcano, Roman baths, and a helicopter

from furniture to solar panel design.

evacuation. But you’ll have to wait till September to see

Any collaborations you’re really excited about? Or any artists you’d love to approach?

that one...

I can’t wait to see our upcoming collaboration

What would be your advice for any young creatives

with Polartec ® Classic 200 for three pieces that

looking to get the chance to collaborate with 55DSL? The most important thing is to always show your work with maximum enthusiasm.

What is your favourite city in the world for style?

I like Tokyo a lot because I grew up watching Japanese cartoons. I also love the midwest of America, cities like Colorado Springs, Denver and Chicago.

What about London - any favourite hangouts?

London is a great city. I like hanging out in Shoreditch with all its vintage shops and indian restaurants. Bars like Jaguar Shoes and old bars like the Commercial Tavern and the Old Blue Last.

What are the biggest shifts happening in fashion?

Are you finding new ways to have conversations with 55DSL fans through social media and is that affecting your lines?

The biggest shifts I see happing in fashion are that people want, like, appreciate “real” stuff, you know almost going back to some kind of heritage and vintage per se. Yes, we are heavily driven on the social side of things - a company has to be

35

Check out Andreas creations at www.55DSL.com.

WANT TO MAKE LIVE ART AT A LONDON MUSIC FESTIVAL AND GET FREE TICKETS TO SEE BANDS LIKE THE MYSTERY JETS AND GHOSTPOET?

6

years ago a young man called Lee staged a

people to display their work in a dynamic setting and

Send a sketch or photo of your proposed construction

music festival in his parents’ garden with a few

lends itself greatly to interactive installations.

and, if you have one, a link to some of your other work.

local bands playing.

The submissions will be judged by the LeeFest team,

150 people came, got

wasted, made a bit of a mess. Lee’s parents

This is where you come in.

including Lee himself and ShellsuitZombie at the end of May. There will also be a prize for the best overall

came back from their holiday and went beserk. That

work, to be judged by some very special guest judges.

could have been the end of the story but fortunately

We want you to produce an installation to be displayed

it is not. That first event raised a load of money for

at LeeFest this summer on the 29th and 30th of June.

the Teenage Cancer Trust and Lee’s dad is a pretty

It can be anything you like, any size you like. It can be

relaxed guy. So he was allowed to have another festival

a performance, a stall, a short film, an existing piece of

the following year: 350 people turned up, with more

your work, an interactive sculpture or even a number of

You and your co-artists will receive free camping

money raised for Save the Children...

related objects around the site. Think Burning Man but

tickets to the festival. Your biographies, sketches and

in the grassy fields of Bromley.

final construction will be featured on the LeeFest and

What’s in it for me?

ShellsuitZombie websites and promotional materials.

6 years later, with a grassroots award under its belt, LeeFest is now a flourishing music and arts festival.

This year’s theme is ‘contrast’. Interpret that as you will.

The event will expose your work to a diverse young,

The capacity has been kept at 2000 to preserve the

Perhaps you can experiment with light and dark, digital

creative

intimate vibe, but there is now a very impressive roster

and physical, good and evil or how about making

Furthermore, your creative skill will help to improve the

of acts this year, including Mystery Jets, Summer Camp

something new and unique out of something old. Make

artistic reputation of this young event and help it to

and Ghost Poet.

it dynamic and even interactive and you’ll be in with a

grow, year on year.

Furthermore, the festival is raising

serious amounts of money for the Kids Company charity.

audience

(and

some

amazing

bands).

great chance.

In previous years we’ve had a sandy beach with deck

Most importantly, helping LeeFest helps Kids Company

When they approached us about getting creatively

chairs, a DJ shed, a graffiti wall, short films and portable

to feed thousands of hungry children in London

involved with the festival, it was no-brainer. We love the

toilet art, so we are open to all suggestions!

every week.

How do I enter?

Got any further questions? Please contact Danielle;

LeeFest story and we like Lee and his team. The plan is to evolve the artistic component of the festival, by

danielle@leefest.org.uk. Check out the full brief and

encouraging young artists, designers, carpenters and dreamers to exhibit their existing work or new creations

Email Sam from the LeeFest team on sam@leefest.org.

on the festival site. It’s a great opportunity for creative

uk with a paragraph explaining yourself and your idea.

36

LeeFest itself at www.leefest.org.uk/collaborate/artists

PRESENTED BY SHELLSUITZOMBIE &

30 days, 30 creatives, 1 box

We are psyched to be working with 55DSL on our latest project: Uncontained.

THE LINEUP

Earlier this year, they approached us with a challenge.

55DSL’s Boxpark store is built out of three shipping containers, joined through the middle. Two of them are used for selling the brand’s flagship clothing collection, but the third is devoted to Studio 55, a creative platform for cool artists and designers to create work. In the past they have featured the work of famous artists like Dragon76 but we wanted to get more out of the box than just a party and some art on the walls.

So we dropped this idea on them: How about we put someone different in the container EVERY DAY for 6 weeks? And thus Uncontained was born.

Uncontained is a six week event on Shoreditch High Street where we are bringing in 30 creative individuals or groups to take over a box in Boxpark for a day each, during which they can do whatever they want, whether it’s illustrating the space, playing music, creating

20//20 COLLECTIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 ALED LEWIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 TEA AND CRAYONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 HIGH SPIRITS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 LEEFEST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 MATTHEW MCGREGOR . . . . . . . . . . . 41 MICHELA AND AURORA . . . . . . . . . 42 RISE ‘N’ SHINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 MATT BOX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 INCIDENTAL FEED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 AMMO MAGAZINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 THE LOST ARCHIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 DONSHI BOXART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 AMY RODCHESTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 DAYZINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

something, having a party, or whatever else they fancy.

Check out uncontained on www.uncontained.info

38

STACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 THE BAKERY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 MINT DIGITAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 COLLECTIVE LONDON . . . . . . . . . . 48 KIGU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 D&AD GRADUATE ACADEMY . . . . 49 IDEAS TAP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 PHNX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 EDDIE & MABEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 FUTURE SHORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 THE CAPTURE COLLECTIVE . . . . . . 51 FACE/BOX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 GUI BORCHERT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 ART SCHOOL DISCO . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 YOUNG CREATIVE COUNCIL . . . . . 53

day 01

day 01

saturday 2nd JUNE

20//20 COLLECTIVE ART

MUSIC

FREE BEeR

PARTY

Who are you?

20//20 is an artistic and curatorial collective with a focus on creating collaborative exchanges in contemporary art outside conventional gallery spaces. The work of the Collective seeks to generate a variety of modes of practice including artwork, exhibition, publication and debate.

What are you up to in the box?

‘Aegis’ - an exploration of what is important to protect in the changing landscape of Shoreditch and its environs. Groups led by a photographer, writer, sound artist and architect will collaborate on a multimedia psycho-geographic map of the potential future of the area. The day will culminate in a subversive alternative to a corporate-style development launch; a refreshing antidote to those that advertise the apparently wholly positive effects of Olympic-style re-generation.

What’s next?

Our upcoming work includes a 20//20 project in New York and branching out in London to work with performance groups to develop an original piece. www.2020online.tumblr.com

day 02 day 02

MONDAY 4TH JUNE

ALED LEWIS: MAJESTY! ART

PHOTOGRAPHY

FREE BEeR

ILLUSTRATION

PARTY

Who are you?

I am a designer, illustrator and author based in London.

I try to make stuff that makes people think and stuff that makes people laugh and sometimes stuff that does both of those things at the same time.

What are you up to in the box?

On the Jubilee Bank Holiday Monday, I am aiming to create a collection of screen prints honouring Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. And maybe some other bits I’ve been working on!

What’s next?

Finishing off a book, doing loads of gallery shows, opening up a shop to sell my screen prints and appearing on the cover of Time magazine. www.aledlewis.com

39

day 03

day 03

tuesday 5th JUNE

tea and crayons ART

FREE BEeR

ILLUSTRATION

MUSIC

PARTY

Who are you?

Tea & Crayons is an illustration collective founded in October 2010 by six like-minded and ambitious ladies, all working as illustrators and/or graphic designers and brought together by a love of tea and hard work!

Hailing from all corners of the country, we aim to work together, sharing knowledge and creativity. With each member bringing a unique style to the mix, we work independently as well as collaboratively, playing to our strengths - each other!

What are you up to in the box?

A Jubilee Tea Party fit for a Queen! We’ll be exhibiting and selling our work and other goodies, running dropin Making Workshops and friendly, casual advice sessions for new illustrators, live-drawing a Massive Monarchy Mural on the walls, letting people be Queen (or King) For The Day by posing in a crown and ending up on a hand-drawn stamp, and generally having a jolly good knees up with copious tea and biscuits. We’ll be exhibiting work and selling prints, running drop-in workshops and advice sessions for new illustrators, drawing on walls, drawing people wearing crowns, and giving cups of tea to anyone who would like one. And maybe a biscuit or two.

What’s next?

Uncontained is our first group exhibition so we’re

day 04

hoping to continue the trend and show our work together more often! We love discovering up and coming illustrators on our blog so we’re hoping to set some open briefs to get others involved in what we do

day 04

in Tea & Crayons. We also want to establish our online Etsy shop and produce more collaborative pieces as a collective as well as continue to promote each other

WEDNESDAY 6th june

individually!

HIGH SPIRITS ART

FREE BEeR

ILLUSTRATION

www.teaandcrayonscollective.blogspot.com MUSIC

PARTY

Who are you?

Lauren is a freelance illustrator who loves cats, colour and The Beatles. Not necessarily in that order. Heather is an designer/thinker who loves biros, Alan Fletcher and censorship. In that order.

What are you up to in the box?

Create a flock of suspended colourful origami cranes, containing

images

and

messages

of

positivity,

happiness and general niceness, producing a vibrant backlash against the social, political and economical negativity of 2012. We invite you to make your own bird/s or simply leave a message or drawing for us to turn into a bird. Join us by submitting your happy thoughts, tweets and well-wishes.

What’s next?

Lauren is aiming to continue working with lovely clients and producing illustrations to make your eyes happy.

Heather is hoping to escape retail and make epic stuff for a living.

day 04

www.tinysketchbook.blogspot.com

40

day 05

thursday 7th JUNE

leefest ART FILM

DESIGN

MUSIC

FREE BEeR

PARTY

Who are you?

Leefest is a homegrown 2 day music and arts festival close to Bromley, that began in Lee Denny’s back garden when his parents told him not to have a house party... of course the only logical thing to do in those situations is to have a festival! This year the fest which has Mystery Jets, Slow Club and Ghostpoet performing amongst others, is teaming up with Shellsuit Zombie to put on an array of eclectic arts pieces across the site.

What are you up to in the box?

Showcasing the musical talent that will be performing at Leefest 2012, we will be taking over the box and bringing a slice of the festival to London town.

What’s next?

© Sophia Whitfield - www.sophiawhitfield.com

To get ready for Leefest 2013! But for now, we’re looking for all kind of artists whether you’re a painter, sculptor, or film maker to get involved and apply to be involved at this year’s festival! http://www.leefest.org.

day 06

uk/collaborate/artists/ www.leefest.org.uk

FRIDAY 8th JUNE

Blow Me! The Life and Times of The Humble Balloon ART

DESIGN

FREE BEeR

MUSIC

ILLUSTRATION

PARTY

Who are you?

Hi, my name is Matthew McGregor and I like to party. I draw a bit as well. Anything from boiled-down, visual one-liners to multimedia collage. Output mostly digital, screenprint or Posca all-up-on-your-walls. Currently a Resident Designer at Gray’s School of Art. Cute animals, general filth, bad jokes, contemporary culture, the consistently solid work of other illustrators, and my friends, who are frankly, amazing, for putting up with me, are all huge sources of inspiration.

What are you up to in the box?

On Friday the 8th of June my birthing partner and I will be conceiving 50 balloons. These fragile bundles of floaty fun will urgently require donations of personality and substance (not literal) from common people like you if they are to avoid becoming vacuous airheads, sucked into a world of celebrity soirees, Vajazzles and…

Clitter? (Is that a thing yet?). Get involved and receive a super-limited screenprint/zine for your troubles. Birth, life and death in one weekend. Boom!

What’s next?

In the next year I’m going for either prolific illustrator or freestyle tree-surgeon. Can’t imagine all of the fantastic things that won’t happen to me in the next year, but ready to embrace any odd success along the way.

day 06 41

cargocollective.com/matthewmcgregor

day 07

MONDAY 11th JUNE

Buttons like fine rain that soaks you through ADVERTISING

ART

MUSIC

Who are you?

We are an international creative team from Italy and Romania, working for Lean Mean fighting Machine, an award winning digital advertising agency in London.

We come from a background in photography, design and illustration. When we work on a concept, we like to explore the most unusual media to express it. “Buttons Like Fine Rain That Soaks You Through” is an example.

What are you up to in the box?

We push more and more buttons everyday.

We

can’t stop ourselves from opening Facebook, Twitter,

day 07

email and click on everything. Pressing buttons is an addiction. It’s instinctual. Just like the feeling of pressing bubble wrap. No one can resist it. We take this

day 07

concept to the extreme, imagining a quotidian scene completely covered in buttons: from the walls to the popcorn. Visitors are invited to step in and resist the temptation.

What’s next?

For the next year we’d like to get good work out, that we’re really proud of, and finish the personal projects we started. michelaandaurora.co.uk

day 08

TUESDAY 12th JUNE

RISE ‘N’ SHINE ART

FASHION

FREE BEeR PARTY

FILM

day 08

MUSIC

PHOTOGRAPHY

Who are you?

reflecting the light. Tempting, ain’t it? What’s inside

Shine Studio’s awards ceremony in a swanky venue in

People all over the world love waking up to Rise ‘n’

that crispy shell? That’s right: possibility! Hard boiled

the heart of the capital of glamour (London)! On top

Shine, the hard-hitting breakfast show with a soft

facts meet soft, heartwarming stories as we bring you,

of that, there’ll be more live shows where ordinary

edge! Presented by household icons Emilia Crimble

the Rise ‘n’ Shine Live Show! We’ll be broadcasting live

people have the chance to be a part of the live studio

and Susan, not to mention a whole team of experts

from the box all day, ending with a light finger buffet

audience! They’ll also be releasing a warts ‘n’ all DVD

out in the field, you’d be insane to miss even a single

where you’ll get a chance to mingle with the stars and

with exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, so watch

second of this heart-warming/ ground-breaking show:

maybe even collect an autograph or two!

this space!

What’s next?

www.risenshinestudios.com

so don’t!

What are you up to in the box?

It’s an exciting year to be Emilia Crimble and/ or

Picture this: an egg in a cup on a table, a teaspoon

Susan: at some point they’ll be hosting the Rise ‘n’

42

day 09

WEDNESDAY 13th JUNE

ACID DROPS ART FILM

DESIGN

MUSIC

ILLUSTRATION

FASHION

Who are you?

I’m a young designer specialising in hand painted illustration & animation. My project Acid Drops, which aimed to psychedelically capture the individual styles of influential skateboarders, received international attention. I try to apply the same strong D.I.Y. ethic applied within street skateboarding to my artwork.

What are you up to in the box?

I plan to demonstrate my process of simple animation, display original pieces from previous works and experiment with new materials. Because it’s sponsored

day 09

by 55DSL I was thinking of painting on ripped up denim. That’s a material alot of skaters can relate to.

What’s next?

A lot of different projects , A few of them I have to keep quiet about until they come out though. An expansion of a clothing & print label (called Unreal Estate). I’ve

day 10

started to help fund my work. I want to make my art as accessible and interactive to my audience as possible.

THURSDAY 14th JUNE

Uncontained is a great way to start this.

INCIDENTAL FEED

www.mattbox.co.uk

ART FILM

day 09

DESIGN

MUSIC

FREE BEeR

PARTY

Who are you?

Incidental is a cross-disciplinary group of musicians, designers and programmers who collaborate to explore ideas of sound, place and the creative experience, often with a strong emphasis upon participatory practice and new media.

Over 7 years, we’ve completed a variety of projects in the UK, Europe, Asia and the US, including live performances, books, installations, CD releases, and

day 10

software design. The thing is never the thing.

What are you up to in the box?

We’ll be offering up interactive, site-specific sonics featuring Feed, our new music app for iPad. Feed is designed to enable users to create complex, rich compositions based upon whatever sounds are around you. For the box, we’ll draw in sound in real-time from across Boxpark, offering visitors the chance to remix and compose with these sounds as they happen.

Boogietronics

forged

from

burger

bar

kitchens,

doomdrones built from the sounds of passing cars ...

What’s next?

Highlights likely to include some or all of the following: debut public events of Alt+Now, a new project on a collision course between design and radical futures; a 12” release featuring remixes of our Krom Monster project, combining traditional cambodian instruments with electronics & improvisation; performing in a mine; publication of pamphlets about magical listening, loops and lies; getting back to Mississippi and exhuming the corpse of Charley Patton once and for all. www.theincidental.com/feed

day 11

FRIDAY 15th JUNE

AMMO MAGAZINE ART

DESIGN

ILLUSTRATION

FREE BEeR MUSIC

PARTY

Who are you?

At Ammo we’re addicted to illustration. In fact we can’t get enough of the stuff so we decided to create a printed magazine dedicated to discovering and showcasing the finest artists in the world! We’ve been publishing our magazines for a couple of years and have been lucky enough to feature some leading illustrators on our pages.

What are you up to in the box?

We’ll be launching the 9th issue of Ammo Magazine!

Uncontained seemed like the ideal place to unveil our latest edition and have a little party with our contributors and supporters. Our good friends @ inkygoodness will be accompanying us and bringing their Beermat Character Competition to town. @ ohh_deer will also be setting up their stall and selling a selection of their illustrated goodies. We’ve also invited Gordon Reid, better known to some as Middleboop to spin some musical vinyl on the day too.

day 11

What’s next?

We’ll be launching a brand new website with clicky bits, moving pictures and magic sprinkles.

We’re

also in the process of planning a very special edition that will combine traditional printing techniques with modern digital wizardry. There are plans to launch some exciting competitions too, with the chance for contributors to get their artwork onto a variety of

day 12

printed output. www.ammomagazine.co.uk

day 12

monday 18th june

THE LOST ARCHIVE ART

DESIGN

ILLUSTRATION

FREE BEeR MUSIC

PHOTOGRAPHY

Who are you?

I’m

Graeme

Often daubed in chinagraph, press cuttings, and Crichley,

a

graphic

designer

and

handwritten stories, these pictures paint a fascinating

photographer, working freelance in national print

insight into the inner-workings of Newspapers.

media. Originally from Cheshire I now split my time

In order to evoke the spirit of these lost photographs;

between living in East, and NorthWest London. I

The Lost Archive invites you to bring a vinyl record

studied at Central Saint Martins College a few years

from the last Century, to play as you browse.

ago, whilst it was still in Holborn (managed to keep my initials from the sign once it closed). I enjoy subversive

What’s next?

acts, news, dirt & drama, badger pits, staying up too

I’ll be screen printing my heart out at Split Ear Studios,

late and dreaming up impossible projects - my sights

looking for opportunities to move into more creative

are on you RoyalMail.

and digital areas of design. Starting a greetings card company with the delectable Courtney Ryan. Cycling

What are you up to in the box?

to Paris via Brighton. Plotting to access London’s secret

The Lost Archive will exhibit treasures from what was

underground mail-train railway, thanking ZombieLabs

once the World’s Largest Photographic Library.

and finally, tidy my room.

Alphabetically chronicled photographs, on the subject of Animals, Film, People, Sport & War will be displayed.

www.graemecritchley.com

44

day 13

tuesday 19th june

DONSHI ART

DESIGN

ILLUSTRATION

PHOTOGRAPHY

Who are you?

I am a creative octopus looking to gather not just the creative professionals but the people who create in their minds, and the ones who create outside of the monotonous day to day life. We may miss that talent due to today’s mechanistic life styles, which is detrimental to the creative world. Donshi was formed by a whimsical play of my name but is designed to allow creative individuals to blossom through inspiration.

What are you up to in the box?

I decided I wanted to bring together a series of artists and creative’s alike to start the ball rolling in creating a playful visual environment, BoxArt. The idea of BoxArt is to contain the concept but in a dynamic/uncontained environment, constantly shifting and altering.

We

want to break the barriers between the observer and

day 13

the artist. The public can become directly involved in creating their own space and how they perceive the artwork by adding and changing it themselves.

What’s next?

The idea is to create small pop up exhibitions/shops

day 14

which create nodes of inspiration that is devoid of any formal constraints. By providing these spaces in London we can create situations in which the public

wednesday 20th june

can stumble across and which breaks their typical

Amy Rodchester

route and allows our curious minds to wander. www.donshiart.com

ART

DESIGN

FREE BEeR

PHOTOGRAPHY

Who are you?

day. The execution of this project develops from a

I am a graphic designer at Brass agency, based in

series of 3D posters I created as a self brief for a dance

Leeds, where I enjoy the challenge of working for many

festival. I hope to create an exciting, experimental

different clients on a variety of projects. In my spare

series of posters from the installation photographed in

time I pursue personal projects involving photography

the box.

and illustration. I enjoy creating designs rich with ideas, in a variety of mediums, exploring and discovering new

What’s next?

techniques as I progress.

My plans for next year are to continue to establish myself and grow as a designer, open an online shop

What are you up to in the box?

of prints/cards, buy a bicycle, explore new cities, learn

I plan to use the box as a live platform for a photoshoot

a new language and master some interesting recipes.

of people visiting that day. I will take the content as it collates and build it into an installation to capture an essence of boxpark, representative of that particular

www.amyrodchester.com

day 14

day 15

thursday 21st june

dayzine ART

DESIGN

ILLUSTRATION

FILM

FREE BEeR

MUSIC

PARTY

PHOTOGRAPHY

Who are you?

Day Zine is a project themed around the time of its making, a creative time capsule. Each issue sees the collaboration of a handful of exciting creatives who form a one day workshop. This results being designed into a limited run printed zine.

The work created is inspired by the characteristics of those 24 hours; so everything from the location, weather, news or conversations can effect the content.

This makes each issue, as each day is, inherantly unique.

day 15

What are you up to in the box?

We will be using the box as the location for Day Two, the BoxPark and the surrounding areas providing the inspirational space. Through collaboration, live performance and public interaction on the day we aim to push the envelope of what a zine can be.

The box walls will display the creative process, every draft and idea being produced and mounted to show the paths taken to the final product. We’ll then finish with an evening show of music, spoken-word and more.

What’s next?

day 16

After Day Two the experiment will continue; with each issue providing a new context and approach to what can be told in a day. As we consider this very much a

FRIDAY 22nd sunday 24th JUNE

journey we hope to learn more about the creative and journalistic process, and about telling stories. Most of all our plan is to meet loads more people that we can

STACK IN THE BOX

do this with. We plan to be surprised.

ART

www.dayzine.co.uk

DESIGN

FREE BEeR

day 16

PARTY

FASHION

FILM

ILLUSTRATION

MUSIC

PHOTOGRAPHY

Who are you?

Stack is the subscription service that sends out a different independent magazine every month. You never know what you’re going to get next, but you do know it will be a beautiful, intelligent magazine you probably wouldn’t otherwise have seen.

What are you up to in the box?

Day one is all about the cover competition - people vote for their favourite cover on Twitter or Facebook, or by coming down to the box. Every time somebody votes for a cover we’ll print a copy and stick it to the wall, and by the end of the day we’ll have something that’s part infographic, part teenage bedroom. Day two is a music magazine mixtape, with our favourite music magazines coming down to soundtrack the box. And day three is a magazine sale - come and have a flick and buy some great independent magazines.

What’s next?

Stack will keep on finding great new magazines and sending them out to the people who want to read something more interesting than the average WHSmith fodder. We’ll stage more Printout events in association with magCulture, and generally keep on poking our noses into independent print. www.stackmagazines.com

day 17

monday 25th June

The Bakery ART

FILM

FREE BEeR

ILLUSTRATION

Who are you?

I am an illustrator and graphic design near London. I’m studying at Chelsea College of Art and Design in BA Graphic Design Communication, about to start my final year. As for the work I do, I like to keep things varied. I enjoy having my hands in different honey pots, which normally means more work for me. But I like getting the chance to do a bit of everything.

What are you up to in the box?

Working in the design industry often thrives on the cut-and-dry. However the Bakery is part fantasy, part comedy and partly a whimsical take on the dark inner workings of my mind. Somewhere between a heaven of sugar and a storybook, the box will be a little nostalgic and bursting with colour, but not sickly sweet. The

day 17

Bakery will be dripping with cinematic flourishes and in full technicolour.

What’s next?

I plan it to be my best year so far, I will be graduating

day 18

(hopefully) and then looking for work. I set up my studio this year and hope that will be developing steadily as well as dreaming to set up my own shop. I’ll be working

TUESDAY 26th JUNE

on more projects and I’m sure I’ll be watching more

MINT FOUNDRY

television. I imagine next year will be hectic but It’s all part of the job, which is why I love it so much.

ADVERTISING

www.andrewjonathanbaker.com

FILM

DESIGN

FREE BEeR

MUSIC

PARTY

PHOTOGRAPHY

Who are you?

Mint Digital is a creative technology company. We’re a passionate crew of innovators, designers and software developers.

We have a graduate scheme called Mint Foundry. It has two guiding principles: 1. Don’t get graduates in to simply help out on our work.

2. Look for people who don’t do what we do, to work on something we haven’t done before.

Why? Because we are more interested in a mutual

day 18

learning environment. Who says we can’t learn from them?

What are you up to in the box?

We are looking for four graduates to join Foundry 2012. It doesn’t matter what you studied or what your background is. What counts more is a passion for combining design and technology.

Interaction designers, software developers, product designers, hardware engineers, graphic designers, electrical engineers. Even English graduates who are closet hackers. As long as you are bringing a skill, you’re in.

We’ll use the box to meet these people. How? That’s a secret.

What’s next?

Keep making awesome things. www.mintdigital.com

47

day 19

day 19

wednesday 27th june

COLLECTIVE UPSTARTS ADVERTISING

DESIGN

FREE BEeR

PARTY

Who are you?

Collective is a digital creative agency which puts strategy at the heart of what we do. We call it ‘creative intelligence’. Our aim is simple: to create big, beautiful, brilliant ideas that work. We love being useful. We love digital products. We love being challenged. We love clever. Our clients include Honda, ESPN, BBC, Callaway Golf, Gatorade, and EA Games and we live in Clerkenwell, London.

What are you up to in the box?

We love people that challenge us. We love challenging ideas. So if you’ve an idea that’s too big for school.

That might not be possible. That others have scoffed at.. But an idea you believe in, we’d like to hear from you. You’re an upstart. We like upstarts.

Collective is giving graduates and all bright-youngthings the opportunity to root around in the ideas top drawer and pitch their best digital concept. The winning upstart will spend a month (or whatever it takes) in the Collective Studio dedicating time to developing

day 20

their idea with access to Collective’s award-winning creatives, designers, and developers.

thursday 28th june

kigu

Whether it’s a fully formed prototype, a university major project, or just a spark of something special - we want to hear from you. Come down to the Uncontained Project at the 55DSL Box and tell us why your idea

ART

needs some space to grow.

FASHION

MUSIC

PARTY

FREE BEeR PHOTOGRAPHY

What’s next?

Who are you?

Helping our clients get to the future first and continue

Founded in 2009, Kigu is a fancy dress company with

to deliver award winning work.

a difference. Specialising in the sale of all-in-one animal costumes (Kigus), they also run their own events in the

www.collectivelondon.com

capital. Whether it’s an attempt to smash the Guinness World Record for the most people taking part in a piggyback race, or a more traditional silly-bollocksrave-up, Kigu Parties are always the hottest ticket in town.

What are you up to in the box?

We plan to turn up, pop up and instigate a rave-up!

day 20

We’re going to set up a Kigu Pop Up Shop by day, displaying all our existing designs, alongside the new Kigu Exclusive range, which consists of limited edition Kigu styles re-worked in all-new colour combinations.

At 6pm, we’ll shut up shop and get into party mode – call in the DJs (super special guest TBC), crank up the sound system, fire up the lazers and crack open the free beers!

What’s next?

The next 12 months will see the release of tons of new products - from new Kigu designs and more Kigu exclusives - to brand-new ranges fit for festival and party consumption. We’ll be launching Kigu Kids (www.kigu-kids.co.uk) and collaborating with other companies to bring a wider range of amazing products onto the site. Tails coming soon. Last, but by no means least, more Kigu parties – in London and beyond. www.kigu.co.uk

day 21

day 21

FRIDAY 29th JUNE

D&AD Graduate ACADEMY ADVERTISING FILM PARTY

DESIGN

FREE BEeR

MUSIC

ILLUSTRATION

PHOTOGRAPHY

FASHION

Who are you?

D&AD is unique. No other creative community is quite like it: operating not for profit, our mission is to inspire, stimulate and set industry standards, whilst identifying, educating and rewarding the next generation of creative talent.

The Graduate Academy is the ultimate prize of the D&AD Student Awards. It trains the brightest new international stars to contribute effectively to the industry’s future from day one. All Academy attendees are eligible for a paid placement or craft bursary.

What are you up to in the box?

The Academy showcases the best in new, young creative talent. So we will be using the box to literally do just that - we’ll be ‘on location’ for an interactive photo-shoot. Our creative warriors will be unleashing their skills to build the set and will ask the public to get involved with the creation of the live shoot.

day 22

Publicity shoot or creative riot? We’ll see…

MONDAY 2ND JULY

What’s next?

In its second year, the Academy has grown in to a

IDEAS TAP ADVERTISING FILM PARTY

ART

FREE BEeR

DESIGN

month long programme of collaborators, interrogators and activators. The best agencies and brands in the MUSIC

ILLUSTRATION

industry join young creatives from around the world, to challenge themselves and the future of commercial

FASHION

creativity.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Who are you?

We’re supporting young start-ups and getting new

Ideas Tap is an arts charity set up to help young creative

creatives in to paid placements - providing access to

people at the start of their careers. They are hosting

industry and demonstrating the power of creativity to

one day of the festival, awarding the day to the best

affect positive change. Join the journey.

submission on their site. You can apply up until the 8th www.dandad.org/talent/graduate-academy

of June here: bit.ly/JFX7MT

day 22

www.ideastap.com

49

day 23

TUESDAY 3rd july

PHNX ART

DESIGN

MUSIC

FASHION

FILM

PHOTOGRAPHY

Who are you?

PHNX is an innovative design house that focuses on Seeing The Unseen. Creating Design lead Technology, Products and Visions for the future world of Arts, Fashion and Wellbeing. Capturing beyond horizons and bringing them to reality, everything from catwalks to concrete, with the human at the heart. PHNX uses design merged with science to provide real solutions to real problems. Creating bold visions with the underpin of good design. Always doing what design should… improving and inspiring lives.

What are you up to in the box?

Creatively displaying years of textile research into the development of new Chromic colour changing inks, I will merge science, performance, design and art.

Constructing a supernatural Church and Alter within the box. Resulting in a funeral for my PHNX. Where routinely the Alter and PHNX will change colour in front of the visiting disciple’s eyes, from black through colour to white. Complete with PHNX hymns, blessings and regular funeral trimmings. With one difference.

This funeral is a resurrection.

What’s next?

Currently I am functioning as part of a design directed science and technology collective, working towards a September exhibition at the Royal Academy of Engineering. Where we will envisage the future of design within our lives, providing improved and smarter solutions to the stuff of tomorrow. While Simultaneously I am building the PHNX brand and conjuring up ventures, through textiles, film and exhibitions. Constantly working to Inspire future generations to think differently about the environment

day 23

they live in. www.phnx.co

day 24

wednesday 4th july

EDDIE & MABEL VINTAGE FASHION MUSIC

FREE BEeR

PARTY

ILLUSTRATION

PHOTOGRAPHY

Who are you?

to our fabulous vintage wares you can also come along

We are Eddie & Mabel Vintage. Created in 2010 we

and have a cup of tea and a delicious slice of cake.

have spent the last two years touring the country and

We will also have the saucy burlesque dancer Stellar

selling vintage clothing accessories in fairs, markets

Malone on hand to teach you a few signature moves

and specialist events.

and help you channel your inner 1950’s pin up.

We focus on selling cherry

picked vintage bags, jewellery, scarves and clothing for women from eras ranging from 1950’s right up to the

What’s next?

1990’s. All of our items are affordably priced and are

Over the next year we hope to start selling our treasures

an easy way of switching up your look whether you’re

online via ASOS MarketPlace as well as starting a line in

a vintage vixen or not!

jewelry customization where we will take our broken or odd pieces of jewelry and revamp them.

What are you up to in the box?

day 24

We will be hosting a vintage haven of tea and trinkets smack bang in the middle of the Boxpark. In addition

50

www.eddieandmabel.webs.com

day 25

thursday 5th july

FUTURE SHORTS ART

MUSIC

FREE BEeR

FILM PARTY

PHOTOGRAPHY

Who are you?

Future Shorts is the largest short film network in the world. Since 2003 we’ve built a new audience for film across the globe, developed a platform for filmmakers that allows millions of people worldwide to engage with their work.

Working

across

exhibition,

distribution

and

experiential events, Future Shorts is the product of 9 years of audience development, experimentation and of reacting to the demand for another way of experiencing film.

What are you up to in the box?

We will be attempting to create and show a short film in a day. Using both recognised film-makers and members of the public and willing volounteers we will script, film and edit the film before a premiere screening at 8pm alongside some of our other shorts, complete with Popcorn from Love Da Pop and free beer. www.futureshorts.com

day 25

day 26

thursday 5th july

the capture collective FILM

ART

DESIGN

PHOTOGRAPHY

Who are you?

The Capture Collective are a creative community of

What are you up to in the box?

camera owners, who bring people together to create

We’ll be hosting London’s first Street Photography

and share great photographic content on and offline.

Massively Multiplayer Game, Photofreestyle:Shootout.

Since the Collective’s inception, we have developed

We will challenging photographers, photography

a street photography concept called Photofreestyle,

collectives and the general public to capture the streets.

which helps people capture the world around them

However, they only have 24 hours to find the perfect

with some creative guidance and taken this format

shot based on each a Photofreestyle brief. These shots

across, Edinburgh, London, Cuba and New York. We’ve

will go head to head over three weeks for a chance to

also delivering a custom Street Photography workshop

feature in the Box. We’ll also previewing photography

for London’s Olympic Park Legacy Company.

from our LDNCaptured initiative 100 days of London by 20 Londoners.

What’s next?

During our takeover we’ll be days away from completing our flagship project ‘LDNCaptured’ an initiative that has brought together a group of camera owners and writers based in London. Our team of writers have been creating original works that have been used to guide our camera owners creative process whilst capturing the city over 100 days. This year we will be sharing what our Londoners created and captured in an online, outdoor and gallery exhibition.

day 26

www.thecapturecollective.com

51

day 27

MONDAY 9th JULY

face/box ART

DESIGN

MUSIC

FILM

PHOTOGRAPHY

Who are you?

The pen has been my best friend since I first licked the ink off a ballpoint. I’m 19 years old and I’m a Creative Director/Curator with a penchant for poetry. I write and do some journalism, having liaised with the guardian, Q Magazine and Big Up magazine. Sometimes I interview people I’m keen on, such as A$AP Rocky and THEE Satisfaction. I’m also the Online Editor at Live Magazine.

What are you up to in the box?

We look in the mirror everyday and check the fridge a million times a day – but how often do we take to contemplate the way we do the things we do… everyday? Face/box wants to explore how the digital age influences the way we portray ourselves, see

day 27

others, interact and consume. Attempting to translate the virtual world into the physical world, the box is a space for art to comment on who we have become today…whether good or bad!

What’s next?

To have some fun. I will continue to work across all fields such as film, audio, print, and visual art to present complete installations and events for audiences. I hope to go abroad throughout the next to curate and create with a wider range of artists too, popping up events all over the world! (*rubs hands and raises eyebrows in sinister fashion*). The big goal is to own a space like Studio 57... without the sex and drugs of course. www.weareadverts.tumblr.com number.36

MOST AWESOME THINGS IN THE WORLD

BEARS

number.58

MOST AWESOME THINGS IN THE WORLD

UNICORNS

day 28

tuesday 10th july

GUI BORCHERT ADVERTISING

ART

DESIGN

ILLUSTRATION

Who are you?

I’m a Creative Director / Graphic Designer / Artist from Rio de Janeiro + New York City + London.

What are you up to in the box?

I will do a takeover with limited edition screen prints of a series called “The Most Awesome Things of the World” where each numbered poster features a different Awesome thing. Opinions of what is or isn’t awesome might differ from person to person.

What’s next?

To make more awesome things. www.guiborchert.com number.19

number.7

MOST AWESOME THINGS IN THE WORLD

MOST AWESOME THINGS IN THE WORLD

ROBOCOP

BURGERS

day 29

day 29

wednesday 11th july

ART SCHOOL DISCO ART

MUSIC

FREE BEeR

ILLUSTRATION

PARTY

Who are you?

We are the Disco, we like to party, dance and sometimes drink rum but mostly we just like to work bloody hard.

Visuals are our passion and we love making things look awesome.

What are you up to in the box?

For our début solo show we just wanted to have a free for all celebration of our stuff in the context of music and music based imagery that we enjoy. This has all been influenced by musical icons, genres and themes that we love. Expect all day music, FREE CAKE, a make your own zine table, some dress up hats and a very intimate dance-floor. Lets party, dance and eat cake Art is fun What’s next?

We hope to expand Art School Disco and continue exhibiting at further venues around the country. There are also plans in place for a potential publication. As

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well as this we will continue our weekly themes, having fun and making art.

thursday 12th july

www.artschooldisco.tumblr.com

YOUNG CREATIVE COUNCIL ADVERTISING FILM PARTY

ART

FREE BEeR

DESIGN

MUSIC

ILLUSTRATION

PHOTOGRAPHY

Who are you?

We’re a group of young advertising creatives. Our mission: Inspire creative thinking and ideas generation across all disciplines. Our belief is ‘People who do, change the world. Everyone else is just living here.’

We share what we think you want to know. We put

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on events we hope you want to be at. We live in the real world. If you’re a student, a graduate or a working creative, welcome. If you like what we’re doing get in touch: monkeys@youngcreativecouncil.com What are you up to in the box?

Our little home away from home.

It’s going to be the final night and we want to bring as many creative types together to celebrate the Uncontained project in the most interesting way. In the daytime we’ll have some top ad industry talent on hand to dish out advice on young aspiring creatives’ work, and in the evening we’ll treat you to a night of goosebumping sounds and beverages to whisk the night away. Come down and jam.

What’s next?

The same as we do every year Pinky, try to take over the world. More events, more do-shops, more Weekly Scores. Meet more nice people and work with them to make amazing things. Keep your eyes peeled on our site for details of up and coming events.

© Andrew Attah - www.andrewattah.com

www.youngcreativecouncil.com

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