SILVIA No. 7 by SILVIA magazine

S I L V I A NO.7

SILVIA

c o n t e n t s NICOLA MAYE GOLDBERG

GUY CATLING Fﾃ。IO ROQUE

CELESTE ORTIZ

SOPHIA SCHULTZ

THE 131ERS

ALLIE GONINO

2AM

editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s letter

February is one of my favorite months, so I hope this issue has done it some justice.

BLANCHE MINOZA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

nicola maye goldberg Candles As a child I was angelic So good it was creepy, my mother says Like a porcelain doll You can still see that in me Even when I am passed out On the ďŹ&#x201A;oor of my parents' kitchen Even when I am vomiting up birthday cake Without closing the bathroom door It's like I am practicing for a school play As if I will stop at any moment Curtsy, wait for applause

only-doll.tumblr.com La Petite Morte There's more than one way to be naked just like there are varieties of being dead. Sometimes a scar will surprise me red where my wrist should be white around my waist delicate as lace. After, you pull a blanket over me thinking it's tender but I see a shroud. Someday I swear I'll unbutton my skin & slip right out of myself. Then I'll swim through other beds and other bodies until I arrive where you are wake you and whisper Oh won't you let me haunt you?

GUY CATLING cargocollective.com/guycatling

fábio roque’s "There is no salvation in becoming adapted to a world which is crazy." –Henry Miller Redemption is a photographic project that is based on a discontinued narrative, which may seem confusing. However, it is quite simple: it is a personal reflection of my journey to the present day. So it's definitely an autobiographical project, but not only that. I tried to build a memory, a register of my recent journey as an individual, and also as an individual within a society as complex as ours. So it is a project that can be approached from different angles but reflects contradictory topics such as faith, death, sex, and loneliness. The present images have been taken between 2005 and 2013. –Fábio Roque 8

redemption When you began photographing images that are presently part of Redemption in 2005, were you planning on putting them together in this collection or did you just eventually notice them naturally grow into this cohesive whole? “My way of shooting has changed slightly over the years, but in 2005 I was far from imagining that I would have done a project like this. There was no thought of beginning. Not long ago I was reviewing my files, and I began to realize that what I had here could be a good project.” What aspects of society or of your life do you think need the most redemption? “Well, talk about my life being complicated. I would have to make a careful analysis. I think society in general needs to rethink their priorities. I think we should think more about social and environmental issues and less on economic issues.”

ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS INTERVIEWED BY BLANCHE MINOZA

celeste How and when did you take an interest in photography? “It was in 2008 when I received a Sony digital compact camera.” What/who are some of your favorite subjects to photograph and why? “I love selfportraiture, because I can do it whenever I want, and I don't need anybody else. I also love to portrait musicians; they are interesting people.” What is the greatest opportunity you've received because of your photography so far? “I'm just thankful of just being able to have my cameras and take pictures and have fun with this. I never ask or expect anything more.”

ortiz If you could go to any place and time–past, present, or future–where would you go? What would you photograph? “That's a secret.” What is your favorite photography/editing trick/technique? “Making double exposures. It's always a nice surprise.” Most beautiful movie you've seen? “I know there are a lot of beautiful movies I haven't seen yet.” What was the best dream you've ever had? “The ones that became truth.”

sophia Do you like the compositions that are planned or do you prefer capturing subjects candidly? “Candidly, I find that the photos come out more sincere and genuine and that the person being photographed is more comfortable.” Where does the inspiration for your photographs come from most? “The golden hour, abandoned structures, running around, smoke bombs, small flowers, and my wonderful friends. My photos are about the special moments that we see everyday but are gone too soon.” If you had to throw away all your cameras but one, which would it be? “Probably my Olympic Stylus I got this summer before road tripping with friends. The colors always turned out beautiful and it was the perfect size. Sadly, it was stolen in Miami this past December while I was at Art Basel.”

schultz If money weren't an issue, what would your dream job be? “I don't think I want a typical job, but I would want to be an anthropologist (taking photos, of course), while sailing around the world.” What's your favorite photograph/editing trick/technique? “Lately I have been really into using multi vision filters or just putting objects in front of my lenses, such as trippy glasses or lace.” What is one city that you'd love to visit one day? Where is one spot that holds a lot of special memories for you? “Anywhere in Patagonia. My family's farm in Colombia holds a lot of special memories. I used to spend a lot of time there as a child. There is so much to explore, and it is everything I need in a place.”

THE 131ER

When and how did all of you meet and form this band? Was it a gradual or sudden decision? “Well the 131ers was originally just a solo project! But I knew Ryan (drums) from some friends of mine and we started hanging out a bit, going to some shows, and eventually we got to jamming. We met Emily (bass) in our Algebra 2 class, and then did [West Torrance High School’s] Battle of the Bands calling ourselves Mrs. Hettinger's 5th Period. After that I asked them both to join me in The 131ers. That was last year.” Who or what would you consider to be your musical influences? “We all really like Young the Giant! And Neutral Milk Hotel. We have varied music tastes between the three of us—we like it

all! But I think two major influences are The Lumineers and Vampire Weekend, if not for their music then for their lively stage shows.” On your Bandcamp it says your music "gives a new perspective on teenage hood and the terrors of adolescence." Are there any aspects of adolescence you consider to be enjoyable or special? Do you have any particular thoughts on growing up in general? “Oh jeez, teenage hood…You know, being a teenager is a lot like being a Russian citizen back in the Soviet days. It's like everyone's telling you what you need to do and where you need to go. They treat us like numbers just being pushed through the system. Everyone has to get As and everyone has to go to college. We all need to think about our future INTERVIEWED BY JESSICA ZHOU. PHOTOGRAPHED BY ALEXANDER

and not drink and not smoke. And on top of all that we have to deal with all these strange new ideas and feelings. We have to fall in love, have to yell and scream at our parents, we have to drink so much caffeine that our fingers start to shake. And because of all these factors, high school has become the single greatest social experiment ever. We got all these moody kids under pressure in close quarters. Hell yeah it's gonna be scary! Fun, but scary. So being a teenager is just sorta going. I'm just hoping there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”

What is the songwriting process like? How much time do you dedicate to the band? “I'm continuously writing, but really, a lot of the work on the songs is done in practice every week. We bounce ideas off each other and form the songs together.”

Particular venue that was memorable or enjoyable? “This year's Battle of the Bands at West was really memorable. It was the first time we all felt appreciated for our music.”

Where do you see yourselves in the future? “Well, Ryan's leaving for school, but we're hoping to stay together! Who knows what may happen.”

Favorite song? “Like of our band? I'm not sure! We like all of them. I think a newer song called ‘Leavin'’ might be the favorite right now. It'll be on our upcoming EP.” How do you prep for shows? Any pre/post-show rituals? “We usually hang out the whole day before a show and get In n Out before. After, we get a big group of people together and head to my house.”

Has being in this band changed you, in terms of your perspective, actions, etc.? “This band has made us all realize that we might actually have a future in music. It just makes it all seem very real.”

As a a band and as individuals, what have you guys been up to? “As a band we have been recording in our home studio! We're getting readily pumped about our upcoming releases.” Advice to others who'd like to pursue music? Things you wish you'd known when you were starting out? “To anyone starting out: Just do what you need to do. Get out and embarrass yourselves, take a chance, and maybe play with new people. It's a long road ahead.”

MADRID.

Allie

24 INTERVIEWED & WRITTEN BY BLANCHE MINOZA. PHOTOGRAPHED BY SIERRA PRESCOTT. STYLED BY KAREN RAPHAEL. HAIR BY GILBERT MUNIZ. MAKEUP BY CHANTAL MOORE.

Gonino We talk The Red Road, a new Sundance television series, and music with the multitalented twenty-three-year-old entertainer.

IT WAS A PLEASURE TO GET TO know Silvia’s first featured actor. What better art to showcase than one that requires one’s whole self? Allie Gonino is a rising, multi-talented, woman, and this time in her life seems to be merely the advent of all her success. At seven years old Gonino started taking dance classes. She learned ballet like every other little girl quintessentially learns within the first decade of her youth. But she didn’t stop there. Dance was followed by music and violin lessons, which were then succeeded by an increased interest in acting and theater, which she delved into during her high school years. Today, Gonino is best known for her previous role as Laurel Mercer in ABC Family’s The Lying Game and her most-recent character, Rachel Jensen, from the greatly anticipated Sundance Channel television series, The Red Road. The Red Road is loosely based in the Ramapo Mountains in New Jersey. The Ramapo Mountain Indians seek recognition for their tribe from the government—a difficult task during a feud with the neighboring town. Gonino, who is part Cherokee, appreciates how the show touches on political aspects that affect Native American culture today.

Rachel, Gonino’s character, is the recalcitrant teenage daughter of the local sheriff, Harold Jensen (played by Martin Henderson). He is at the head of the feud between the two clashing communities, simultaneously trying to reconcile both groups and manage his own family. Rachel herself is immersed in a forbidden relationship with a Native, only adding to the turmoil. The romance is lightly reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, Pyramus and Thisbe. “Actually, I went through something almost exactly the same,” Gonino says. A rebellious romance led her into so much trouble that her mother had threatened to pull her out of Los Angeles. “It’s hard, especially when you’re young and you might not really understand what love is.” In this sense, at least, Gonino is very much like Rachel. “With any role, I try to put as much of my own experience and own truth to it. I have to really care about my character.” She says she looks forward to continuing playing complex characters, and she has done exceptionally well with those she has already been cast as, including Laurel Mercer, the polar opposite of Rachel Jensen. “If I could describe Laurel in one word, it would be ‘sunshine.’ She had a very strong sense of self,” she says of her past Lying Game character whom

she portrayed before the show was cancelled in the summer of 2013. On the other hand Rachel doesn’t know herself at all; rather, she is still simply trying to find herself, and one way she is doing this is through her relationships. Though the lives of the Jensens and the rest of the Red Road characters are often on rocky ground, working with the cast has been a spectacular and smooth experience for Gonino. The cast dynamic includes no drama at all and promotes the collaboration that is always necessary for a successful project. “Everyone’s really professional and just there to work.” She praises several of her fellow cast members: Julianne Nicholson of August: Osage County, Jason Momoa of Game of Thrones, and Tom Sizemore, of whom she describes as “crazy talented and always just in it, even in rehearsals.” Offering six hour-long episodes in its first season, The Red Road is a drama that will be premiering on the Sundance Channel February 27th. “The writing is phenomenal.” From the writer of Prisoners, it leans more toward the darker side and is a must-see “if you’re having Breaking Bad withdrawals,” Gonino insists. Another huge part of Allie Gonino’s life is her music. Most notably, 27

she is part of the indie folk trio called The Good Mad, which also includes Adam Brooks and Andy Fischer-Price, with whom she loves working with. The trio specializes in three-part harmonies, melodic strings, and sweet lyrics. “We’re calling it New Grass,” Gonino says. The band debuted on The Lying Game and has had several songs licensed. They are now beginning to play shows wherever and whenever they can. Having previously been in the pop girl group The Stunners, The Good Mad is more of a return to Gonino’s classical roots. Some of her major influences include The Beatles (“It’s amazing you can still see a live Beatle,” she says), The Eagles, Fleet Foxes, Black Keys, and primarily the Dixie Chicks, whom she specifically urges Silvia readers to listen to. In the near future look out for another album from The Good Mad, as well as a solo album from Allie Gonino herself. As if all of that plus The Red Road weren’t enough, she has also been working on a screenplay that follows a young bisexual woman over the course of several years, rampantly exploring life and love through relationships. Is there anything the multi-faceted Allie Gonino can’t and won’t do?

2AM THOUGHTS

Feeling inspired is the one of greatest feelings ever (superlative necessary). You’re filled with the constant wanting to express yourself. It’s like refilling an internal void with a purpose to create something spectacularly-earth-shaking-and-moving, no matter how pointless it may seem to others. Solitary nights and doubtful optimism; is 2 am characteristically sad or is everyone awake at this time really sad? Or maybe I’m just going back to my old idealist tendencies of romanticizing everything? Regardless, it feels so otherworldly snug and secure to be enveloped in a blanket of darkness. For the moment, however, the surrealism of being under the illusion of being the only person in existence and having the world to myself for a couple hours is just perfect. That’s terribly narcissistic of me though; maybe the lesser known secret is that those who do in fact go to sleep at 9 pm and get their full 8 hours of sleep are the rarer breed of human. I moved to a completely new city before high school, and it’s crazy how much you’re able to find bits and pieces of old friends’ essences in people you’ve never seen before. It’s almost as if they’ve been reincarnated in a tinkling laugh, crinkling eyes, or even something as simple as a lilting voice that makes you whip your head around and do a double-take. I like the oxymoronic idea of familiar strangers and the whole aura of mystery surrounding it. The constantly transient state of people (souls?) entering and exiting places, lives, this world, is bittersweet. Sometimes accepting mortality and the impermanence of things is hard for me. I’m scared of becoming insignificant (how human of me, right?); a mathematical function approaching zero, a l m o s t butnotquite nothing. You’re right Mr. Palahniuk, I’m deathly terrified of the idea that I’m wasting my life. I hope I’m able to leave something behind that lasts long past the time my body grows flowers or my ashes scatter or my lungs are dissected in a science class. A loss of enthusiasm at any age is truly heartbreaking to me; if anything, I want to inspire the young (or old) ones to never lose the spark in their eyes. You know, that special brightness in the eyes, fueled by passionate energy and so increasingly precious in such a discordant world. Everyone deserves something that makes them feel like life is something worth living; remember the stars died so you could live, and you are literally made out of cosmic matter. But mostly I’m just kind of exhausted, wistful, and I guess somewhat melancholy? That’s a pretty word, haha. That being said, I’m not faking smiles when I’m genuinely feeling oh-so euphoric at the moment. Thanks to friends, family, or assorted hobbies I’m able to smile and forget about what’s going on at the moment, but then I get home. I’m sitting in my room alone, and that’s when I start feeling it creep back in. It feels like sorrow, like lethargy and resignation. I’ve noticed that the more active and occupied you are, there’s less time to sit around and wallow in self pity. I don’t think time necessarily flies when you’re having fun. You know that one overused and over quoted line in The Perks of Being a Wallflower where Charlie’s like, “And in that moment, I swear we were infinite”? I think he was referring to the way that time seems to almost stand still during those specific special events. They’re the kind that are perfect in their subtle ways, moments I’d gladly re-live: sensations, scents, sights, sounds, over and over. But knowing that’s not going to happen, I bask in the temporary heaven and enjoy as much of it as I can. When it’s over, I want to be able to feel a strange sort of satisfaction, happy that it did happen. Sillage: the lingering impression of something having passed by I wonder what un/lucky souls are still driving at 2:11 in the morning-night. Driving home from a party? (I hope that there’s a designated driver.) From a late night shift? (I hope you make enough money soon to pay for whatever it is that made you take the job in the first place.) Or maybe some late night joyrideslash-adventure? (Wow, I envy you greatly.) I’ve been huddled under this blanket, watching the full moon, and the woosh of cars driving by has been continuous, until just now. Sometimes I need to remind myself I can’t limit my idea of “everyone” in the world to just people I see on a daily basis, that I am a mere droplet in the whirlwind of a hurricane that is life. I am, you are, everyone is constantly crossing paths with strangers, some that might be encountered later on, and others never again. Everyone’s on their own journey, and I hope you all reach wherever you’re headed. JESSICA ZHOU.

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