SNAP! Magazine issue 7

SNAP!

EMERGING JUNE/JULY/AUGUST ARts + LifestylE

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Contents Editor’s Letter /10 Contributors /11 Guests /13 Video Games: 3 award-nominated indie games from the past year /14 Found Art: The PAPIRMASSE Project by Kirsten McCrea /15 The Emergence of the Hip Hop Concept Album by Alex Chinien /16 Swedish Music Breaking into North America by Hannah Byrne and Kate Reddington /20 Open Culture and Cinema: 8 Courts, 1 Collectif by Khoa Le /24 Emerging in Art: An interview series by Ashley Math /26 5 Young Local Businesses coming out of Montréal /32 Rising Stars: Some of the top local talent emerging right now /34 Art, Creativity and Careers: A guide to developing your artistic career /40 Necessity and Emerging Design by Hannah Byrne /50 Food: The chef’s picks at Burgundy Lion and Ramen-Ya /52 Best-Sellers: A list of the top-selling items at stores across Montréal /54 Emerging Trends: Fashion direction by Pascale Georgiev /57 Taking Cues: Swedes and fashion by John Londoño /58 The Staples by Dan Popa /61 Fashion Photography and the Emergence of Street Style blogs by Melissa Matos /64 Kids With Cred: The teen blogger phenomenon by Katie Kotler /66 Lookbook.nu: Fashion prodigies and the emergence of a new social network /67 She’s Got The Goods by Nico Stinghe and Marie-Claude Guay /74 Trends and Hair: Coupe Bizarre and Aveda Spa on hair trends today /82 SNAP! Supports: Eva B gallery, Kolkata Dreams, Patates au Fours /84 Prizes and giveaways /85 Oh SNAP! A Gay Column by Roberto Cialdella /86 Street Guide: Atwater Markets /88 Stockists /93 Street Art: Emerging artist Graham Landin /94

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A ll contents of this maga zine are copyrighted ©2009 SNAP Inc. 1/4064 St. L aurent, Montréal , QC , H2 W 1Y8 or third party-party content prov iders . SN A P Inc . assumes no respons ibili ty f or content of advert isement. Reproduction of editorial is strictly prohibited without prior permission of SNAP Inc. SNAP! will not hold itself responsible for unsolicited contributions.

Cover Image: Dan Popa, see page 34 Shot by Robby Reis Collage by Jeremy Dabrowski note: The fabric featured in our logo was generously donated by the lovely ladies at Lustre 4429 St. Laurent.

Producing a cover for each issue has to be one of the hardest parts of making a magazine. This issue we asked Robby Reis to shoot his good friend Dan Popa, who is one of the talents we feature in our RISING STARS section. Jeremy Dabrowski worked up the collage that transformed the final image but we thought you might enjoy seeing some of the alternate choices that we played with before making our pick.

You can see more work by Robby Reis at flickr.com/photos/robbyreis

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Editor’s Letter Over the course of the EMERGING issue we set about to explore two main subjects: talent and trends. While society is apt to churn out and discard an endless series of ‘best and brightest new things’ this is not the point of Issue #7. We know there is always a flavour of the month. Instead we chose to take a look behind some larger ideas- how to manage your talent and develop your career, how fashion trends spread, how a few hard-working creatives have forged their own successes, and the emergence of the blog as society’s main tool for communication and discovery. In addition, Alex Chinien writes about the best hiphop concept albums to have burst on the scene, Khoa Le critiques the latest debate over open culture and cinema and we get a peep at some music, style and talent from Sweden.

This issue was a lot of fun to make, taught us a hell of a lot about careers, getting your foot in the door, what is trendy and where trends come from, and the irrefutable fact that no matter how cool you are there is a 14 year old kid somewhere in the world who has more talent in his pinky than you do in your entire body. You can’t fight it, so just sit back and admire it.

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What did you think?

Let us know. info@snapme.ca

Contributors

Independent Publisher and Editor Shayl Prisk Founders Hannah Byrne and Shayl Prisk Art Director Vanda Daftari Lay-out Vanda Daftari, Hannah Byrne, Jeremy Dabrowski Fashion Director Pascale Georgiev Copy Editing Jordan Dunlop Interns Catherine Campargna, Carla Warrilow, Chantelle Hoehn Writing Shayl Prisk, Hannah Byrne, Sam Windholz, Alex Chinien, Kate Reddington, Khoa Le, Ashley Math, Dan Popa, Jon Ng, Francis Boulianne, Anne-Marie Laflamme, Melissa Matos, Zoe Renaud, Vanda Daftari, Pascale Georgiev, Sara McCulloch, Signhild Petren, Katie Kotler, Alex Lipskaia, Roberto Cialdella, Carla Warrilow, Siraj Chew-Bose Photography Robby Reis, John Londano, Shayl Prisk, Andreas Sundgren, Stef Lewandowski, Khoa Le, MatthieW Noel, Xavier Tolentino, Dan Popa, Cedric Taillon, Karin Demeyer, Christophe Collette, Nik Mirus, Carla Warrilow, Nico Stinghe, Siraj Chew-Bose Artwork Jeremy Dabrowski, Alex Davis, Cedric Taillon, Jason Harvey Marketing and Communications Hannah Byrne Web Editors Hannah Byrne, Kate Reddington Web Photographers Fahad Asvat, Chiali Tsai Web Director Jeff Traynor SNAP! TV Director Alexandre LeBlanc and Julien Gregoire Gallery Ariane Gregoire, Armance Brandenburg Advertising Information 514 576 7867 Offices 4064 St Laurent Blvd, Suite 1, MontrÉal QC H2W 1Y8 www.snapme.ca info@snapme.ca Printers Marquis Book Printing

photo by John Londoño johnlondono .com

Alex Chinien All but finished his Journalism degree at Concordia Alex Chinien has his fourth article published in this issue of SNAP! –a music feature that explores the history of the concept album in hip hop. Ever-prolific, Alex also hosts an active music blog theheartattackclub.com, plays in a start-up band yet to be named and does a bit of videogame testing to pay the rent. More recently, several of Chinien’s remixes have been getting notice at hypemachine.com and this year’s E3 Expo in L.A. approved his press request to attend and report on the world’s premiere trade show for computer and video games. Watch out for that story in our Fall issue.

Jeremy Dabrowski Jeremy ‘J Bomb’ Dabrowski is the stellar dude responsible for the collage gracing this issue’s cover, as well as the background featured on page 32. Going into his fourth year in Fine Arts at Concordia with a focus in drawing and installation, J Bomb is also a co-producer and designer for Art Matters 2010, the tenth anniversary of the much-loved student-run art festival. Jeremy and his pal Jason Harvey also participated in this year’s Nuit Blanche at Les Territoires in a group show titled ‘The Future, The End’ with a crusty and rude paternal take on space-time travel. Check out Jason’s illustration on page 66. Thanks J Bomb, we heart you!

Zoé Renaud She would have been Montréal’s classiest weather-girl had she followed her childhood dream, but lucky for us Zoé Renaud opted to study Industrial Design at Université de Montréal after CEGEP. With a keen interest in the design of spaces and architecture, Zoé worked with a number of designers and companies in Brazil after graduating before joining Moderno, one of Montréal’s best local custommade design firms. Currently Zoé is co-directing a project to help Montréal’s industrial designers seeking resources as well as a platform to network with others in related industries. Check out Zoé’s writing in this issue’s Career Guide (page 40) and her fashion debut in Nico Stinghe’s shoot She’s Got The Goods (page 74).

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Video Games words by sam windholz

World of Goo PC, Wii (2D Boy)

Keeping tabs on the latest up-and-comers in independent game design is becoming ever easier. A flourishing business model has emerged where small developers can make their games available to buy and download straight to your home console. This has its roots in the early ‘90s, when Shareware demos could be had through now-archaic pre-internet confrabrications known as BBSes (Wikipedia is your friend, younglings). Thus were born some of the greatest games of that era: Wolfenstein 3-D, Duke Nukem, Commander Keen, and an obscure little game called Doom. The next great game may well be found among those nominated for “Best Downloadable Game” at March 2009’s Game Developer Choice Awards, three of which are presented here:

Braid

PC, X360 (Number None) On the surface, renegade indie designer Jonathan Blow has made a Super Mario-esque game with a time-bending twist, but beneath lies a wholly original game replete with haunting visuals, music, and story. The game begins oddly with chapter two, entitled Time and Forgiveness, and opens with a brief setup of why you pine for a (possibly metaphorical) captured princess, and wish to be forgiven for your unnamed past mistakes. The game, in turn, allows you to forgive your own mistakes by rewinding time whenever you die to complete the tasks on the second (or seventeenth) time. A compelling argument for videogames as art; deconstructionist in how it subverts the now classic plumber-rescuesprincess motif.

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When cutting-edge game designers started programming their immersive 3-D games with simulated physics, few saw the potential to reinvigorate old school 2-D games. But Kyle Gabler and Ron Carmel’s creation drives you to become a better structural engineer; building Eiffel-like towers and Brooklyn-like bridges using helpless goo-balls who give their lives as bricks and mortar in service of your mad designs.

The surviving goo-balls then travel over your edifices, revealing flaws in your designs that may cause the whole thing to collapse and force you to start again, frustrated but better for the experience.

N+

PC, X360, DS, PSP (Metanet/Slick Entertainment) N is a deceptively simple, fiendishly difficult little platformer. Anyone old enough to have played the classic Apple II/Atari game Lode Runner will find N’s monochrome graphics and plain design oddly soothing. Creators Mare Sheppard and Raigan Burns also make use of 2-D physics allowing their ninja protagonist to realistically jump, bounce, and wall-kick its way around the screen in search of the exit. This one is free to play (www.thewayoftheninja.org), but the developers later made a version dubbed N+ that you can use actual legal tender to purchase.

The common thread of many of these downloadable games is a reverence to classic gaming style. In a way, artists in this nascent medium are discovering the joys of postmodernism; inconsequentially, World of Goo won the award, but they are all amazing games that you don’t have to support a soulless corporate gamesmaker to play, only the future soulless corporate gamesmakers of tomorrow.

Found Art words and photo by shayl prisk SNAP! will be hosting a vernissage for Kirsten on July 23rd. Contact info@snapme.ca for more details.

A local and ongoing art project produced by Kirsten McCrea (hellokirsten.com) PAPIRMASSE is made monthly and combines the ‘limited-run’ appeal of self-published novels and ‘zines with the visual quality of printed art, and is presented in a subscription/mail-art format.

Kirsten approaches each publication within a different context, selecting and essentially curating the visual and written material going into it based on overall intentions and a thematic scheme. PAPIRMASSE presents an assembly of items- written, drawn and constructed- and is independently published and distributed to its subscribers. Those who receive the hand-signed and hand-numbered artifacts are meant to engage, appraise and display it as their own.

The concepts behind PAPIRMASSE represent a larger movement for the artist that is producing and the arena it is produced for. The general trend that seems to be emerging among artists like Kirsten McCrea (or Lukas Geronimas, see page 30) is the push to bring art into social and informal settingsfor multiple reasons, but mostly to make it interesting again.

You can read Ashley Math’s interview series Emerging In Art for a larger discussion of this trend.

You can also subscribe to Kirsten McCrea’s PAPIRMASSE. It’s only $60 a year for 12 signed and editioned prints that are sent to you monthly. Art has always been considered a luxury item but Kirsten is trying to bring it to the people, so props to her! papirmasse.com

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For many people, the very mention of a concept album will have them rolling their eyes. Visions of a generation of Dad’s and their teen sons who have fetishized albums like The Dark Side of the Moon ad nauseam dance in the head. It is understandably tempting to write off the concept album as nothing more than a vehicle to chauffeur the egos of the Abbey Road greats. Often thought of as the polar opposite to rock, hip hop music has historically been ingested on a song-by-song basis. But the hip hop concept album is alive and well. It has been lurking in the annals of the genre’s short history, only making the briefest of appearances in the mainstream and seldom getting its due.

Assembling the cast of producers, DJ’s and rappers responsible for some of the most notable hip hop concept albums over the last few decades will turn up a decidedly peculiar group of characters. The reverend of bizarre concepts is without a doubt New York rapper Kool Keith (Keith Thornton) who was a founding member of the 90’s hip hop group Ultramagnetic MCs. Under the alias of Dr. Octagon Kool Keith began his solo career in 1996 with the release of the concept album Dr. Octagonecologyst, which introduced Dr. Octagon as an extraterrestrial time traveling gynaecologist and surgeon. The album enjoyed predictably low level commercial success, but did garner a great deal of critical acclaim in underground hip hop circles. It was the first of many landmark hip hop albums produced by Dan “the automater” Nakamura and also featured the work of turntablist DJ Qbert. Thornton’s lyrics were an unprecedented mix of abstract non-sequiturs which combined to tell the surreal story of Dr. Octagon, who according to the song Real Raw has green skin, yellow eyes and a pink and white afro. Tracks like Elective Surgery outline some of the many services offered by Dr. Octagon, including relocating saliva glands and treating chimpanzee acne.

In a 1997 interview with BAM magazine, Dan “the automater” Nakamura described Dr. Octagonecologyst as a direct reaction to the gangster rap the mainstream was already saturated with; explaining that “Hip-hop was always inventive… then the ‘90s hit and everyone wants to be Dr. Dre; no one wants to be their own thing anymore. Everyone now wants to have the Lexus and deal pounds of drugs.

We don’t do that. That’s not our lifestyle. You don’t see us coming out with the fur coat. There’s more to music than that.”

The Emergence Of The Hip Hop Concept Album WORDS BY ALEX CHINIEN ILLUSTRATION BY ALEX DAVIS

Using his new found credibility as a producer Nakamura set about producing a number of musical projects including the formation of Handsome Boy Modeling School, a collaboration with Del la Soul producer Paul Huston aka Prince Paul. The name for the project was derived from an episode of the cult Chris Elliott sitcom Get a Life entitled “The Prettiest Week of My Life” in which Chris Elliott’s character enrols in a school for male models. Their 1999

debut album So... How’s Your Girl? featured multiple audio samples from the show while Nakamura and Huston assumed the characters of Nathaniel Merriweather and Chest Rockwell, respectively.

The album was produced entirely by Dan and Paul and featured rappers like Del tha Funkee Homosapien and Mike D (Beastie Boys). The songs are loosely based on Nakamura and Huston’s travels as masquerading male models and are anchored in themes of vanity and appearances.

1999 was also the year that Prince Paul released his own concept album A Prince Among Thieves which became one of the most acclaimed hip hop concept albums of its time. The album tells the story of an aspiring MC named Traiq who is attempting to collect the money needed to record a demo tape before a meeting with RZA of Wu-Tang Clan. Because nearly every second track is dialogue advancing the plot, the 35 track album plays like a complete story with a cast performed by the likes of Chris Rock, Kool Keith and Biz Markie. Traiq begins by asking his friends to lend him the money he needs and when that doesn’t work, he turns to dealing drugs to make some quick money. He is quickly swept up in the life of crime and eventually gets arrested. After being bailed out by a reverend, he realizes that he was set up by a rival MC who stole his beats and met with Wu-Tang Clan while he was in jail. This prompts a violent showdown between Traiq and his rival.

Traiq’s story, while simple, is relevant to an entire decade of hip hop rappers and listeners. He encounters all of the everyday pressures of family, girlfriends, the law, getting paid and staying alive. Most importantly, it is the story that mainstream gangster rap stars were at the time leaving out. It dramatized without exaggerating the struggle of a drug dealing aspiring MC who didn’t make it big and never got to be on MTV.

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In the year 2000, Nakamura teamed up with Oakland rapper Del tha Funkee Homosapien (Ice Cube’s cousin!) and Montréal based turntablist Kid Koala to form the group Deltron 3030 and release a self titled debut album. The album’s story takes place in the year 3030 and the Earth is under the control of a select, super-wealthy oligarchy that has consigned the underclasses to rot away. Speaking of which, there’s even a particularly eerie song named after Montréal’s own St. Catherine St. Del tha Funkee Homosapien assumes the identity of a superhero named Deltron Zero who travels through space with his two sidekicks, the Cantankerous Captain Aptos (Nakamura) and Skiznod the Boy Wonder (Kid Koala). While lacking the narrative coherence of A Prince Among Thieves, themes of anarchy, chaos and divides punctuate the music with noticeable clarity. During his travels Deltron Zero gets himself involved in a series of bizarre rap battles in which one’s rhymes can physically damage the opponent through the help of psychic powers. There were a

number of collaborators on the record, including Blur’s Damon Albarn which likely led to the creation of the concept band the Gorillaz.

While not a strictly hip hop band, the Gorillaz involved many of the same artists including Nakamura and Del tha Funkee Homosapien. The band was created by singer Damon Albarn and British comic book artist Jamie Hewlett and their self titled debut album was released in March of 2001. The concept behind the band was that Hewlett’s visuals would play a role of equal importance to the music itself.

Nearly every song has a full animated video following its narrative showcasing the band’s commitment to visual storytelling.

British hip hop artist Mike Skinner aka The Streets gave the concept album a try in 2004’s A Grand Don’t Come For Free in which, like A Prince Among Thieves, the protagonist tries to raise $1000 dollars. After losing the money, Skinner’s protagonist immediately attempts to recoup the money by gambling. He fails at this and instead falls in love.

The rest of the narrative plays out in a very believable boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl story arc. Like A Prince Among Thieves, Skinner’s album doesn’t focus on grandiose or abstract themes, but sticks to everyday events that everyone in his audience can relate to. In many ways A Grand Don’t Come For Free speaks to middle class Britain in the same way A Prince Among Thieves spoke to inner-city America. Skinner creates drama out of everyday minutiae in a neurotic Seinfeld-like manner and even provides two different endings on the last track Empty Cans.

These artists and albums represented some seminal forays into the quirky and often overlooked hip hop concept album. There are those with a penchant for the bizarre and those with an eye for everyday stories. While Kool Keith’s Dr. Octagonecologyst or Black Elvis: Lost in Space might never garner as much critical claim in the mainstream as The Who’s Tommy, it’s safe to say that the hip hop genre is very capable of producing culturally significant narratives in album format.

Swedish Music

From the land of meatballs and blonde hair also comes some great music, so we made a round up of three Swedish bands and musicians that might just take your fancy.

Check out a few cheeky Swedes living it up in Montréal on page 58 (including Jonas Edvinsson, head of The Swedish Model’s Montréal division, a record label representing the best of Swedish music in North America). You can also see some cool Swedish teens on page 67. words by Hannah Byrne and kate reddington photos by andreas Sundgren and STEF LEWANDOWSKI

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Peter Bjorn And John words by Hannah Byrne photos by andreas Sundgren I was fortunate enough to brunch with Peter Bjorn and John at the Swedish ambassador’s house in Ottawa a few months back. The guys were on the Canadian leg of their tour, promoting their new album Living Thing. It was a pretty random and very casual affair and we nabbed the invite last minute from some good friends. We sat chatting about music and fashion over smoked salmon, potatoes, dill sauce, and mimosas. Tasty. I took advantage of the situation and slipped Peter and John a few random questions. Bjorn was too busy talking about bikinis with the ambassador’s husband.

Peter Two Swedish acts to watch: Frida Hyvonen and Anna Jarvinen. We have lots of great solo female artists in Sweden at the moment.

Morning routine (while not touring) I usually get up early, walk the dog (9 month old puppy), have breakfast and listen to some music.

Music in your playlist Old funk and soul, Digitonal, old gospel.

New projects I’m working on a solo album at the moment. Old gospel inspires a lot of my music and the album has a retro soul feel with lyrics sung in Swedish.

The tour so far The tour has been amazing and the best we’ve ever done. We’ve been here before and we mix-up the songs from all the albums. We don’t play the same set list each show but take turns writing it.

John Pre-show routine We have a new routine called ‘The Health Tour.’ We do sit-ups, 5 push-ups, chest presses and we really feel better on stage. Every 5th or 6th concert we have a massage before the show.

To be honest, the routine does usually end with a beer though.

Cool Swedish stuff Filippa K, Acne, female singers like Jenny Wilson, Fever Ray and El Perro del Mar, other bands like Paper, Existence Minimum, Holiday for Strings.

Best thing about being a musician You get to travel and meet friendly people, well usually friendly people. We get to create new music and that’s our best skill, making records.

The best thing that happened last week Our gig in Chicago was the best show we’ve ever played. We’ve never been this good at playing live.

We saw PB and J play in Montréal and hung out with the boys after their show. We hit up ‘Dates Karaoke Bar’ in the Gay Village and sang cheesy songs like ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart.’ It was a good laugh and fun to see them pull some pretty inspiring dance moves. We were impressed by this unpretentious and talented Swedish trio.

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Peter Bjorn and John are one of the better known Swedish music acts but there are many more to follow. We’ve got our eye on a few who are slowly taking the North American market by storm.

Here are a few of our picks: words By Kate Reddington PHOTO BY STEF LEWANDOWSKI Andreas Tilliander

Moto Boy

Andreas Tilliander is a successful producer, composer and electronic performer currently based in Stockholm, Sweden. He took out a Swedish Grammy in 2005 for his work in production and has been at the forefront of the ‘clicks and cuts’ style of electronic tunes for almost 10 years. Creator and director of Swedish based label Repeatle Studios, Tilliander has his fingers in many production pies: a whole factory of them, even.

Oskar Humlebo, aka Moto Boy, is signed to one of the Swedish Model’s label partners Songs I Wish I Had Written, whose mission statement declares“…

What we do comes from our hearts and souls where arty cynicism has been replaced by joyful idealism and a great belief in the abilities of a great melody.”

Tracks range in style from techno to glitch to progressive house, just the kind of dance rhythms and techno dub you would expect to hear on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Parc Jean-Drapeau.

Andreas lists his band members as “Some Roland boxes* with three digits and a zero in the middle.”

Rhythmic pops and percussion samples are gradually added to create even-layered dance tracks. His style is classy and progressive, and tracks such as ‘Caught in a Riot’, remind me of a glitchier version of Montréal local Nathan Burns’ funky house style [microzoo.ca].

If you haven’t experienced a great deal of electronica, or are interested in the production process, Tilliander has posted several videos demonstrating his technique in the art of creating a track. From the initial flick of a switch, to the timed turns and pushes, you can see the different synthesizers, MIDI controllers and samplers being used to make coherent, rhythmic sound.

Looking down the barrel of another European summer festival circuit, it doesn’t seem like Tilliander will be crossing the Atlantic this time around, but if you enjoy the Piknic soundtrack or aforementioned ‘clicks and cuts’ style of dance music, I urge you to check out this Swedish master www.myspace.com/ andreastillianer. *Roland boxes refer to a range of MIDI percussion controllers produced by the Roland Corporation. (Wikipedia, 2009)

This attitude reflects the touching innocence and unapologetic belief in pretty music apparent in Moto Boy’s performances. His unique style is a stunning mix of Swedish classic elegance, self-possession and glamorous androgyny, touched by a rugged line of grunge pop.

With sweet soprano melodies and deep cutting baritones, Moto Boy’s operatic voice is often accompanied by distortion-less electric guitar picking in his classical- inspired pop songs. When exploring his lower vocal range, Moto Boy’s voice calls to mind Robert Smith from the Cure.

Moto Boy is frequently compared with alternative singer/songwriter Jeff Buckley, whose songs inspired a decade. With piercing sopranos, a strong mid-range and his flair for alternating classical pieces with grunge rock, Buckley’s voice and music touched many. In the same way, Moto Boy manages to mix opposing worlds seamlessly and without trying, forcing one to acknowledge and accept the other. In this case however, there is less of the grunge and more of the pop. The combination produces some beautiful mellow songs that will appeal to many an audience worldwide. Opening for alternative rockers the Smashing Pumpkins and appearing alongside Swedish pop star Charlotte Perelli illustrate his universal appeal.

Stand out tracks from his first album length release Moto Boy include indie sounding What Was It Like to be With You as well as the sweet ending track Karki which highlights Moto Boy’s extensive vocal range.

Despite my current obsession with all things electronic, it is nice to be exposed to something different. Moto Boy’s talent is undeniable, his appeal spreading from the camp to the classical.

His operatic easy listening style will appeal to your mother, while his lipstick and shiny boots attract the glamour boys. But he wears a leather jacket and plays electric guitar, so it’s ok for alternative kids to like him too.

8 Courts, 1 Collectif The Biennale de Montréal this year took their direction from computer technologies and explored the open culture movement, which seeks to liberate the creative process, the sharing of information and one's relationship with culture. Long an issue in the world of djs and digital art, Khoa Le looks at the concept of open culture in film, via the work of one of the Biennale’s cinema features 8 Courts, 1 Collectif .

Words and photo by Khoa Le We went to the Cinémathèque Québécoise to discover the result of the collective work 8 Courts, 1 Collectif.

The presentation was created for the Biennale de Montréal 2009 and featured in the open cinema section.

8 Courts, 1 Collectif is a cinematographic project that was carried out in three stages. During the first step, the public was invited to fill out an online questionnaire and to drop off images in a database. The purpose of this step was to include the public in the process of creation by giving people an active role in pre-production (research, script-writing, casting, etc). Following, the questionnaires were compiled to define the personality traits for the protagonists of each eight short films. As for the database, it was used to inspire the directors when writing their script. In addition to these creative restrictions introduced by the public, the directors had to create the film as a cadavre exquis because each short film was arranged to follow the preceding one. The goal of the exercice was to create a continuous cinematographic work by putting together the shorts one after the other.

Following the screening of 8 Courts, 1 Collectif, we reflected upon the ideas of open cinema and culture as well as the relevance of this collective to the larger Biennale de Montréal 2009. The open culture movement comes from an economic and political grounding. It opposes information withholding by supporting freedom of use, circulation, modification and redistribution. Because of the values it embodies (free access, sharing, equity, cooperation)

the trend is now spreading to other spheres such as the contemporary arts. In this realm, open culture fosters a relationship between creativity and artistic process, between artist and what has become the creative public.

8 Courts, 1 Collectif was introduced to the public as part of the open culture and open cinema movements. Yet is answering 13 multiple choice questions enough for the public to be considered a significant part of the creative process of film production?

Much like the idea of the democratization of culture, everything is reduced to a vote and looks more like a marketing strategy than a genuine, stimulating and creative discussion.

It might have been preferable to start off this project by creating a collective of young directors assigned to ponder on the open cinema movement and to conceive a structure on which to execute the project. They might have suggested more innovative ways of using new technology by devising an interactive platform able to support a real circulation of ideas at each step of production; from pre-production, to filming, diffusion and distribution. Hopefully, the next project of this kind will further the growth of the open movement and will spark off a more thought-provoking discussion on culture by artists and the consuming public.

myspace.com/ jamesfinnertymusic

Emerging In Art

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In this feature Ashley Math interviews three people shaking off presuppositions about art and the way society can be engaged by it. Each individual Math meets deals with art in a contemporary and social context. Megan Bradley discusses the objectives of her gallery PUSH, and the idea of hosting an open street-level space for encountering emerging art. Eva Michon, editor of Bad Day Magazine, explains the motivation behind starting a magazine in the current global and publishing crisis and talks about the value of printed matter in the art world.

Lastly, Lukas Geronimas talks about his traveling art piece Box Game and the rationale behind making an art installation that is interactive, open-ended and social in nature.

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PUSH Gallery, run by Megan Bradley and less than a year old, has already established itself within the art community and was voted one of the top ten galleries in this year’s Best of Montréal poll conducted

by The Mirror in April.

5264 St-Laurent · galeriepush.com

One of my goals for this article is to create a kind of transparency between you and the reader. That said, I’m interested in how you have made this business possible, as a young person. Opening a gallery space is a serious undertaking, in any economy, especially in our current one. Have you been making use of our Canadian grant system to assist you with the gallery?

Well, the grant system is a little bit tricky because of what I do exactly. They do have a lot of amazing grants for the arts that they give to artist-run centres and not-for-profit organizations. However, because I’m a business I have to apply for business grants.

Also, I am not considered a viable business because I trade in luxury items and I have limited sales, especially in a new space like this one. In terms of supporting a new gallery there is next to nothing that you’ll get in the grant department. I’ve found that special interest groups are good routes though; I’ve had some success with an organization that supports female entrepreneurs. It can be such a battle that it is actually really humorous sometimes.

You have just begun to formally represent artists, as opposed to your original model of being a space where various artists can approach you to exhibit without contracts, etc. How is that going? Which artists are you representing now?

When I think of representing an artist I consider the fact that the ones I am representing have already shown here and I am keeping their work here for inventory and I’ll always have them as my base to promote. Right now I’m representing Robyn Cumming a Toronto photographer, Daniel Hutchinson a Halifax painter who teaches at NASCAD, Mathieu Levesque a Montréal painter, and Sébastien Lapointe a photographer who is currently showing. I’ll be bringing their work with me to the Toronto Art Fair and that will really solidify my stable of artists… even though I hate to use that word!

They are a group that I regularly work with. That group will grow.

That actually takes us to my next question: Do you find that the artists you have worked with in your gallery space are aware of the possible limitations of being a part of a small art industry here in Montréal, or do you think they see it as a good thing to be in a smaller scene? There seems to be multiple dynamics at play when an art piece doesn’t sell, that isn’t always based on the artist’s lack of talent, but rather on the infrastructure of the art market, etc. I would think the artists would be very aware

of this reality, especially since today it’s all about the educated, business-minded artists.

I think it’s funny. I think all the artists I work with are aware of all the overriding factors, regardless of how new I am or they are. They always go into a show thinking that they may not sell, but I also think there is a general excitement whereby they really believe in what they are doing and producing. I don’t think anyone can ever help that from happening. That said, yes, artists here tend to be really realistic. I think a lot of them have already worked the circuit of artist-run centres so they are very accustomed to mounting a show and not having commercial success per say.

And they are interested in the commercial market, many are. There is a general interest in the art market now, I think, more than ever before. The art market has become this thing that is talked openly about. It’s become this thing that is cool to talk about.

Where do you see yourself and your business in the next five to ten years?

There are two really interesting things here: The notion of this space itself and being here in it. I have sold work before without people even coming in, online. I do a lot of talking on the phone and emailing and I started to think a lot about the space and what it means; is it important? What is the role of the gallery? Does it have to even exist? I believe that at the end of the day it really does have to because it creates an environment for people to interact with objects, maybe not to touch, but to be around them, and to be able to feel their presence. In a world that is so unbelievably virtual I am interested in maintaining the nature of the gallery as a home base.

Right. And I think that you can’t even place a currency on the importance of a place where people come and meet, engage, and experience art simultaneously.

The experience is invaluable. Maybe it will soon be considered old fashioned, but I’m very interested in materiality and the way things have a certain presence in the gallery space. I will always have a space and I will work very hard to be in many places; the internet, other cities. I don’t think that I could ever operate without a place that welcomes people in to experience the art.

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Bad Day is a biannual arts magazine published in Toronto and sold internationally. Founded in the summer of 2007 by Eva Michon and Colin Bergh, the magazine has a strong design presentation and features interviews with local and international individuals of interest. baddaymagazine.com

Is this what you always thought you were going to do after photography school at Ryerson?

No, not at all. I didn’t know we would have a magazine. I really don’t look into the future. However, Bad Day is the priority right now. It’s really special because you don’t know if people ever care about what you are doing. That’s the thing with art. And when people started to appreciate what we were doing, it gave us a little bit of a push to do the second issue.

Right, it creates a momentum. How do you formulate the interviews?

An interview doesn’t happen until it’s the perfect person and the perfect circumstance. When the interviews work, they happen. When they don’t work, they don’t happen. The entire process has its own momentum.

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I know that most people I talk to about the magazine industry, publishing, etc., say “Magazines are

a dying breed! Everything is online!” How do you feel about the culture of online publications, and the potential extinction of the printed page?

We believe that people still do care about small publications. It’s special to have something that is small, precious, and printed. Bad Day could have been an online magazine but we wanted to make something that was a piece of art in itself. We wouldn’t even be able to be a printed magazine if it wasn’t for Colin and how talented he is at design. You have to take advantage of everything. We are on the Internet as well. It’s the fastest way to do anything, promote any artists. And it is a part of our generation.

You can’t ignore it. It’s an additional way for people to find out about the magazine and buy it online through our website.

If an important interview doesn’t happen?

Sometimes an interview will fall through, but we plan so far in advance that it usually works out. It ac-

tually happened recently with the artist Peter Doig.

It was really hard to get hold of him. My friend that was writing the article had to do a whole interview proposal and had to send it over to them for approval. We were really banking on him being in the issue, but that fell through. But there’s nothing you can do but replace it with other content. We ended up getting Harmony Korine. We realized that if people know the name on the cover they would pick it up and learn about all the other smaller artists inside as well. It always gets done if you really believe it will get done. It really will. I’ve learned a lot about dealing with stress, and not stressing about stuff. Colin tells me to relax, that we are doing this for fun. No one is my boss.

There is such a prismatic effect to what you are doing. The magazine really feels like an incubator of creativity, a communal site for the dissemination of ideas, art, etc. Almost like an interactive work of art in itself. That said, do you want the maga-

zine to be everywhere? Or do you want it to maintain a small devoted following within a specific milieu? How do you negotiate your identity as an independent publication?

Well, for now, I kind of like the fact that we are small. We produce the magazine based on our means. If we only had two hundred dollars to print the next issue we would just photocopy it and get it out. We just really want to do it. We see the magazine getting bigger and positioned next to other magazines that we look up to: Ten, Purple, Interview, all our favourites.

What do you hope for?

I hope that we can still keep doing the magazine without going broke (laughs). And I hope that people will keep contributing and that we can get all the artists that we want to be in it. I guess I just hope it keeps growing.

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Lukas Geronimas, currently studying sculpture at The Milton Avery School at Bard College, has also explored a number of other mediums and approaches including installation, collage, video and his latest work, a traveling art show and social experiment titled the Box Game. boxgame.org

Can you tell me what the Box Game is all about?

Of course. We are traveling around to many different sites: schools, people’s homes, their studios, cafes, libraries, parking lots, the beach, gas stations, and asking people “What’s in the box?” And their guesses count as a vote, which will then help determine the answer to what is inside of the box.

Would you say that your goal is to give art back to the people? Or are the people who vote experiencing a similar opaqueness as, let us say, what happens in politics?

Our Box Game is a democratic process, absolutely.

Everybody’s vote counts. It is a direct democracy. If you think of the parliamentary democracy we have here in Canada, where the more votes you get the more power you have, or in America where it’s what they call a ‘first past the post’ mentality. This project functions in a basic, participatory way.

It’s interesting because when we think of the art world, one tends to align it with insularity, exclusivity, and being inaccessible to the masses.

Right, well it’s very much a hegemonic principal that is in place when you deal with any kind of elite group, such as the art world. There is a very specific kind of receivership. And that can be a really bad part of art sometimes- this receivership. It becomes a relic of Modernism instead of a progressive move into the future. Too many people believe that art from the 1960s onwards has become something only consumed, defused and appropriated by other artists. But things don’t have to be autonomous.

And in politics that receivership is an effective device for controlling people’s mind and subsequently their decisions. For such powerful creatures we do love to follow the leader (laughs).

In politics there is an inherent sense of propaganda that goes along with the methods of penetrating information into the public psyche. Our Box Game is an attempt to break free from informed thought, to free the mind of what they see and therefore think.

This happens through the mystery of the entire process of voting for nothing in particular or everything you have ever wanted.

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The Box Game seems to deal a lot with relational aesthetics: audience participation, as opposed to the passive viewership. This is so because you want to imbue the beholder/participator with a sense of agency?

Absolutely. A lot of my work in general is investigative and all-round probing of environments and the people who inhabit them. And when you sit down and discuss with people the work really begins to unfold. We have spoken to a lot of people about this project throughout North America, and there is no doubt that it has added to our understanding of the process. By exploring the social landscape, it has refined what we are doing on a critical level and helps us to really continue to explain what we are doing as we go with it. The idea of materializing and dematerializing is really interesting to me as well. We are trying to really expand the territory of how to create and deconstruct the idea of art.

How do your sites and various locations inform the results and the final product?

Each place is definitely unique but I don’t think that each place is generating a unique answer. It's way more of a stew that our data is comprised of and that becomes the answer.

What also really fascinates me about this act of voting for your ideas, and by jotting your thoughts down on paper, is that once inside the box your many different ideas can become a part of other people’s thoughts and words. The results become an abstraction in a sense.

Because we need to interpret, it makes the whole notion of it being a concrete idea really moot in a lot of ways; which is why this is such a strange territory because you are dealing with ideals. That said, you are dealing with what someone else is trying to communicate and trying to make sense of it and handle it with careful hands. You are trying the best you can to literalize it, not so much make it into an abstraction.

What do you say to the people who ask you what this is all about, or what they are voting for?

I tell them that they are voting for what’s inside the box. Their answer generates the answer.

And that every vote counts (laughs) Yes, definitely. Every vote counts. Without stating that question in an obvious manner, this informs the game and ultimately the work itself. This is a way for us to bridge the gap between the artists and the viewer or folks that aren’t familiar with art or don’t feel as if they have a relationship with art.

There is no right or wrong here either. This is how art functions, really: when someone is given a privileged position to determine what is good and what isn’t. We call the box a super-space because no one knows what it is capable of in terms of generating ideas, and it continues to grow and change. It is constantly in a state of flux.

So the conclusion is still unknown as you continue to travel far and wide with your Box Game, asking people what is inside the box. It’s an all around mystery.

It’s all a mystery, yes.

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photos by xavier tolentino visual by jeremy dabrowski

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5 Young Local Business Coming Out Of MontrĂŠal

If you are a sports enthusiast and you’ve already played in an office pool or fantasy sport you will love this new take on the concept. Imagine a game that lets you play the stock market… but instead of buying and selling stocks in companies you get to trade stocks of all your favorite sports teams. Fantasy Sports Stocks is a website where you can manage your portfolio and compete in tournaments for a chance at huge prizes, from cash to iPods and PS3 giveaways. fantasysportsstocks.com

2/ Giovanni Evangelista and Carlo Sicoli

5/ Julia Aynsley

During her time living in Japan, Julia Aynsley discovered the haramaki, a must-have Japanese fashion accessory also known for its health benefits. Upon her return to Canada, she founded Haramaki Love specializing in local, sustainably-handmade haramaki.

This past April Julia was awarded the 2009 Montréal Mayor’s Foundation Entrepreneurship Award for YES Montréal. For more information visit haramakilove.com

Founded by Rebecca Halls, IHOOPU offers hoopdance (hula hooping) classes for beginners, intermediate and professional hoopers as well as choreographed hoopdance performances with LED and fire hula hoops. The company is home to the Montréal Hoop Troupe, a group of Montréal’s top hoopers. They offer entertainment at events, parties, clubs and festivals as well as workshops for kids and adults. More information can be found on her website IHOOPU.com

Salesaholics is a website search engine exclusively for sales events going on in your city. Busy shoppers who love finding great deals can use the site free of charge, and can build profiles in order to be notified about the sales they don’t want to miss. In addition, they can read comments and ratings posted by other users to get a sense of whether or not a particular sale is worth their valuable time. If you don’t want to miss out on another sale, you can visit salesaholics.com

Sustainable Agency is an innovative sustainability consulting firm helping organisations meet the challenges of the green economy. We help businesses become more responsible and transparent by expressing what they are doing to be green, and how they will improve in the future. We offer tailored problemsolving, networking and communications possibilities for organisations ready to embrace sustainability.

Sustainable Agency proudly supports the innovative spirit and expertise of Québec’s sustainable companies while allowing businesses to connect with the people inside and outside of their organisations to involve them in the move towards a more sustainable business community. sustainableagency.ca

4/ Rebecca Halls

3/ Jeff Montesaro and Nelly Adjani

1/ Ian Ward and Sarah Rennie

In late April we were very fortunate to win a competition for young entrepreneurs hosted by YES Montréal (Youth Employment Services Montréal yesMontréal.ca). We met and competed with several great young business owners that day and learned about some of the things they were doing.

We thought it’d be cool if we made a bit of a props page for them so you can learn about their businesses too. Here goes:

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We have compiled this list of five individuals from various fields to introduce to you some of Montréal’s outstanding and acclaimed creative individuals. They stand on the verge of much greater things, and use the space on these pages to explain just who they are and what they do.

Dan Popa Film-Maker, Photographer, Mixed-Media Artist François Boulianne Stand-Up Comedian Jon Ng Illustrator, Film Animator, Designer AnnE-Marie Laflamme Fashion and Textiles Designer Melissa Matos Accessories Designer and Stylist

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Dan Popa visual by dan popa

I am currently getting myself set up in my new home, London, England, where I plan to develop on my ongoing project, The Republic of Mira: a film about the rise and fall of a republic that never existed. The work from this project so far consists of a series of collages, installation and film, and has shown in two galleries in QuĂŠbec this year.

Once upon a time I wanted to learn everything there is to know about history. But because there are too many histories in the world, I abandoned the scope to focus on only one: The history of his story. His story is a very personal one. But the personal stories are often best told by looking at the bigger picture. From bigger pictures to sequential pictures, I learned more about motion pictures. Once acquainted with motion pictures, I found I still did not know enough about his story. I started to listen to him more, take more notes, ask more questions and analyze each small detail. I realized that his story was actually part of her story, their stories, stranger’s stories, weird stories, unbelievable stories, false stories, exaggerated stories, boring stories and stories about other stories. At the end of all this I realized that his story was in fact not such an original one. What actually gave it real meaning and life was the history of others.

I would like to deeply thank the great creative people around me who inspire me with the stories that I develop in my films. Thank you (you know who you are).

24karrots.com natalifilm.com

François Boulianne illustration by cedric taillon doodledream.blogspot.com

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I always knew I was gonna be some sort of entertainer… I guess it’s the classic Cinderella story of the funny fat kid that grows up and leans out but still loves making people laugh. I guess my ‘career ’ started in 2004 when I entered a province-wide amateur talent contest in college and won with a theatrical comedy skit that I wrote and performed. That led me to tour around the province as well as several solo shows across Europe. When I returned, I packed up and moved to Montréal to give the whole stand-up comedy thing a shot. Simple? Yes! Good idea?

Not so much... the Just For Laughs School wouldn’t accept me so I attended the school of hard knocks for a while instead and got to know the business. Rambo once said: “To go to war you need to become war” so I started doing amateur nights and weird shows.

I ate, drank and slept comedy. I try to eat real food now when I can afford it but the grind is al-

ways there: you write, you get up on stage, they laugh or they don’t and you rewrite and try it again the next night. Last year I got a gig hosting Saturday nights at a dance club in the Old Port. From there we decided to start a comedy night on Thursdays. I still host the show to this day and that's really where I made most of my progress, just getting up on stage every week and writing new material for the

crowd, getting inspired by stuff I see around me and the crazy people I meet there. I do the booking too so I meet a lot of comics and in turn they might book me somewhere else. The ball really got rolling this year when I auditionned for the Québec version of Last Comic Standing. I made it to the semi finals (you can see my performances on Youtube if you search Francois Boulianne en route vers mon premier gala) and it gave me a shot at the other big festival in Québec city- Le Grand Rire Bleue which is invitation-only and broadcasted nationwide.

This summer is off to a great start and it really is just the beginning for me. That’s the fun part about being a stand-up comic here, comedy is such a big market and there are so many mediums to explore, so the possibilities are infinite. I’ll keep working on it, maybe write my own one-man-show someday, make some money and marry some model. Life is good when your job is your favourite hobby!

Jon Ng illustration by cedric taillon For me animation is tied up in movement, motion, and weight. Maybe it’s a little bit of my dad’s passion for physics that rubbed off on me. As much as I love to stylize the image and the design in my animations, I still need it to move realistically. I find it’s a nice contrast. Instead of going all slapstick and crazy, I tend to try to keep movements subtle and believable.

I learned how to draw for real at Sheridan college.

I didn’t focus on style, I focused on anatomy, structure and three-dimensionality. Drawing from life; trying to master line, mass and speed. And get faces.

That was my favourite thing. Faces make or break the drawing.

I think as an artist you just get into different stuff at different times, but when you’re into it, you’re into it to the fullest, it’s all you think about and it’s all you draw.

I love Impressionism, it’s one of my favourite movements in art. Other artists that have inspired me over the years are Norman Rockwell and Schiele. I think Klimt was especially interesting to me because he played with the juxtaposition of a flat decorative motif and elements of three-dimensional figurative form. I was up on Die Gestalt Des Menschen for a while which is really where I learned how to put structure in my drawings. Even in my simple cute style, I try to use a lot of three-dimensionality. I also got inspiration from graffiti writers when I lived in Scarborough. My influences are broad and eclectic.

Lately I’ve been getting so into Asian art. My aunt in Australia is an Asian art historian. I’m only starting to get into her books, but already I am incorporating bamboo and silk into the fashion pieces I design, as well as the use of ink washes in my drawing.

Plans for the future include finding some financial freedom. Right now, I subsidize my personal work and pet projects through working commercially. I try to straddle the line between art and industry.

I’ve learned how important stamina is on a project, because they can take months or years. And you can’t just do what you feel like. You have to have a plan, put your analytical mind in communication with your creative mind. Then they can make music together.

Commercially, I have some contracts for animation for two different documentaries lasting me through July. In August, I’ll be in Toronto to animate on a really interesting pilot project. For my personal work, I’m sending out grant proposals to a bunch of different agencies for my next film idea. It’s basically a Kung Fu break-up story. I’m doing a lot of development work on it right now.

Visit snapme.ca and quantum-arts.com to see some of Jon Ng’s animations.

Anne-Marie Laflamme

I’ve always been fascinated by sciences, but fashion design was a fear for me. I was scared of being inadequate at expressing myself this way; but when thinking of the structure of a garment, the three dimensional shape of the body, the geometry of the shapes, gravity, movement, all of these remind me of mathematics and physics. When I create new materials by modifying the surface, combining it with others, distorting them, it reminds me of chemistry. It is with fashion design that I wish to share my comprehension of reality.

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I have two main projects going on right now. The first one is academic; I’m interested in the link between fashion design and tactility. How do body-

worn artifacts –clothes and accessories–elicit visceral experiences from the person who wears them?

How does design, namely, the conceptualization, development, and production of these artifacts, as well as the use of new and emerging materials that create or accentuate sensations in previously unfamiliar ways, influence these experiences, particularly in terms of tactility and comfort? The pictures above are part of a project called Tactile Hoodies, which is preliminary to the thesis and was freshly achieved in collaboration with photographer Karin Demeyer.

The other project is sweet and fun: atelier b. With designer Catherine Métivier, I have been working on a streetwear label for a couple of years. Using organic cotton and ethical production, but focusing on the style, our collection is comfortable and fashionable. The graphic prints are made by non-toxic silk-screening and each style is produced in limited quantity and is numbered from 1 to 100. This project that I love so much keeps me in contact with concrete reality, by developing a direct relation with people wearing our designs, and by keeping track of seasons and trends.

amarie-laflamme.blogspot.com & atelier-b.ca photos by karin demeyer karindemeyer.com

Textiles and clothing design are my mediums. My main interests are floating around contemporary philosophy, sciences and technologies. Going from abstract to concrete is my leitmotiv. Up until now, I explored concepts such as virtual utopias, sound pollution, economy, influence of present, and hyperreality. Illustrating my preoccupations through garments -maybe because the challenges of such a transfer are considerable- obsesses me.

Melissa Matos wearepowerhaus.com & melissamatos.com photo by Christophe Collette Creative direction and styling by Melissa matos

I am sitting on a bench in front of the National Gallery in central London. I’m trying to write something about myself and my work but I just can’t stop staring at everything. Behind me, a couple argues.

In front, kids splash about in a dirty fountain. To my left, a constant rota of tourists take pictures in front of the statue of a man on a horse. People are everywhere, always. Everyone is a tourist, whether living here or not, in and out, in and out, using the city at their own volition. London, quite frankly, is a slut.

Coming from Montréal this city seems to be in a transient state; alienating yet creatively freeing. I find myself constantly overwhelmed yet simultaneously inspired by new things. This explicit flux is what attracted me, Big Ben hitting the refresh button every second.

I moved to London when I was accepted into the MA programme at Central Saint Martin’s for accessory design. Strangely, I declined admission to the school but took the overall experience as a sign, and made the move just in time for fashion week. This led me to work with a celebrity stylist and then freelance at a fashion production agency. For the first time, I felt

the raw energy of the industry, pulsating within every contributor. Although I thrive on these dynamics, I have always felt naturally inclined to work on projects and concepts intimately if not alone.

Five years ago, when I was still living in Montréal, I started an accessory line called PowerHaus with my friend Lenny Pier Ramos. What I do in fashion has always directly correlated with my fixation on identity and the body. More recently, I have been freelancing as a stylist and contributing on an interdisciplinary level with other fellow creatives. In the meantime I am designing PowerHaus’ third collection.

Above me, endless rippled clouds. To my far right, the blinding flashes of a camera. I get up and walk closer. I see Edward Enninful, the editor of American Vogue. A shoot- how wonderful.

Hey Ed, how can I help?

ART CREATIVITY + CAREERS · We talk to four key figures in Montréal's art world who have successfully parlayed their creative talents into an established profession. · We ask them to relate advice based on their experience for those attempting to develop a career in artistic fields. · We also look at the question of portfolios and the best way to present your work, and offer some tips to writers who are pitching to get published.

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Words by Zoé Renaud, Shayl Prisk and vanda daftari Photos by Nik Mirus, Dan Popa and shazzle razzle ;-)

Photo by Nik Mirus NIKMIRUS.com

An illustrated model: the work of Studio FEED and the lessons of 10 years in design, typography and publishing.

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FEED: Giving The World The Means To Exist Visually words By Zoé Renaud photos by nik mirus FEED is a two-man design firm run by Anouk Pennel and Raphaël Daudelin. What first started up as a music and graphic design collective working in-between terms at UQAM has over the last ten years become a successful studio and business. The pair, who still work from a basement in a residential neighbourhood, have built a practice based on integrity and pertinence. Last month at PUNKT Gallery (see over page) they presented a selection of their publishing, identity and typography designs to celebrate their ten year anniversary. They talked to SNAP! about how the best books are not always photogenic, the art of interpreting a client’s intentions and the emerging sense of what FEED should look like.

The artistic publishing milieu is small in Montréal but FEED has managed to work with most of the troupe. We asked them what they have learned about presenting their work to people interested in collaborating or hiring them for a project.

“We used to be crazy. We would do eight maquettes for a book, confusing the clients. In the end they wanted a bit of everything.

Our philosophy is to always present something we are comfortable with. We don’t buy into that belief that you should present three proposals, with a poorer one. The client always chooses that worst one and you are stuck working with it! Now we prepare one mock-up, representing 75% of the project. It resolves almost all the issues. Typeface could be changed but the basic structure is there.

Our distance in the early stages of a project permits us to evaluate and re-edit it. For technical reasons, some things have to be at a certain place. There is never one solution but logically, we reach a functional structure that works better than any other and will be the basis of our work. Developing one proposition permits us to push the project, and the reflection further. It demands an assurance that we didn’t use to have.”

FEED’s confidence comes from having achieved an interesting position: clients approach them. Going into a first meeting with new clients, the duo bring the actual pieces to support a narrative presentation of process. “The best books are not always photogenic. Flipping through it, you can finally understand the volume of the book.” FEED uses that same narrative strategy to walk a client through their own

project. “The client will agree or not with the directions taken and/or their results. At least we will have basis for re-evaluation. It is not always easy for people to talk about their intentions. Part of our work is to read between the lines.”

Identity (typographic illustration) is the foundation of most work for FEED. “A client will want a website without existing visually. How do you take the picture of somebody that doesn’t exist? Identity is first and generates material for a business card, a mail signature, a header, a word template. Branding work today exists primarily on the internet.” Their experience with publishing also gives them a unique insight on structuring content. They now want to clearly promote themselves for visitors on their site: publishing, identity (events, exhibition and branding) and typography. This third field is at the centre of FEED’s process. “We now transform characters in images. We’ve developed the tool that generates fonts we work with. Instead of letters, we have programmed it to generate symbols that we superimpose. We use those same symbols as a font to create images with text. It widens our possibilities.”

They explain: “This self-generating, constantly evolving work also seems to us a better answer to contemporary realities, where everything has to be in motion. It generates identity almost automatically.”

Visit studiofeed.ca to learn more about one of MontrÉal’s leading graphic design studios. · The pair at FEED want to orient even more of their prac-

tice towards the custom design of typography. First, to replace the abstract photography of a feed tank they’ve used for years to represent the firm, they set themselves parameters to design their own font, overcoming the doubts ever present when creating something for oneself.

· FEED’s evolution has occurred during their various projects. It took ten years for its founders to know clearly what their company stands for: publishing, identity and now typography design. Along with the novelty of actually having employees (two recent hires), their new found clarity has brought new direction for the future.

They are exploring ways to get to where they want to be on their own terms. They assure me that one thing is certain: the quality of their work will never be sacrificed for growth.

We talk to artist Melinda Pap and visit her gallery ATELIER PUNKT to learn more about what she does and how she chooses the art she presents.

Giving A Platform To Quality words By Zoé Renaud photos by nik mirus Atelier Punkt is hard to find. The small space is tucked away in a complex concrete industrial structure. The gallery is dedicated to showcasing work that mixes and ranges from architecture, object and graphic design to photography, illustration, performance, and more. It was founded a little more than a year ago by the fruitful multidisciplinary artist Melinda Pap. Even though the two enterprises are very distinct for her -and she wants to keep it that way- she is building Punkt with the very same values that she has based her art on for 23 years.

For Melinda, the complexity of life is the inspiration of her work. She observes what the world around her has to offer: the everyday, the people, human psychology, philosophy and literature. Her mix of practices (drawing, painting, all types of engraving, silk screening, art books, installations, and more recently, objects, dolls and chairs) represents her disagreement with how everything nowadays has to be categorized.

Likewise, Punkt is open to everybody: an amalgam of creators invited under one roof that celebrates the cultural richness of Montréal. It is a space where all points of view and means to express them can merge. To keep it an apolitical environment, Melinda frequently invites curators to prepare exhibitions and various judges for annual contests.

The ‘Atelier’ stands for free creation but there remains one standard within Punkt: quality. A piece has to come from the heart, with a strong image and educative. Melinda is severe but she never fully refuses anybody. She will take the time to discuss the project with the person, to look at possibilities to better its impact and reflect on the necessary result. She doesn’t judge but sends back to the drawing board. Quality is achieved through work, and working at it. She expects from others what she lives by: hard work and a passion for creation.

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There is a spatial limit in Punkt, between gallery and boutique. They are separated by the level of sensibility and intellectual accomplishment. A complex project, one that mixes practices, will teach. It will require research into different subjects, to improve

an understanding of it thus providing greater cognition. In the gallery, the created product should generously share knowledge.

Melinda believes the inspirational reach of art is beautifully mysterious, and she creates for others to interpret what she sees of the world. Indeed one of her art books was the inspiration for Lia Ruccolo, a McGill University student who won a competition in 2007 for the New Contemporary Museum in Novi Sad, Serbia. Alternatively, if a child at Punkt asks her about the funny looking dolls she makes and displays, she will teach how to make them. Being always present, she uses Atelier as a conduit for her knowledge.

With the gallery and the boutique, Melinda openhandedly offers a platform to others, especially young designers or architects. The milieu they evolve in barely recognizes the value of emerging talent. Space and means to showcase work is rare for anybody like AJ Design, a cegep student whose ceramics she sells. She brings to Punkt the professional network she has built over the last twenty years, sharing it with who she represents. By offering her mature insight on their work, she shows respect and the benefits of collaborative work. Coming from an eastern European background, she praises group work. Punkt gives different creators a pleasant environment to share and discuss ideas and is enriched by the support of the various and unique contributors.

Atelier Punkt, 5333, av. Casgrain # 205A See program at atelierpunkt.com

· Through a variety of collaborations and solid content, Atelier Punkt has attracted more than 3000 visitors in the last 13 months. The gallery has also collected 25 press reviews for 7 exhibitions. Melinda Pap, armed with her knowledge and generosity, has set to bring quality, credibility and visibility to a variety of talents.

All that without being eligible for any help from the government! · Boutique Punkt proudly represents work by a number of artists including Rita, Furni, Stéphane Poirier, Francis Léveillé, Antonin Sorel, FEED, Laurent Pinabel, Mélanie Baillargé, Seren Daoust, Étienne Hotte, Nicolas Baillarge, Annie Descoteaux and Maria Chronopoulos

Erik Gaudreault explains his new project Agence Satellite and gives career advice to artists working in fashion.

Developing A Career In Fashion words by Shayl prisk photo by dan popa Co-founder of Agence Satellite – one of the first fashion agencies of its kind in Montréal – Erik Gaudrealt is also a key figure in Montréal’s creative circles, having launched and co-managed the successful company Perplex & Lola by age 23 and built and run the entire marketing department for Soïa & Kyo and Mackage, two branches of one of Montréal’s largest apparel producers.

From his considerable experience and connections within the industry Erik now embarks upon the weighty task of building a high caliber fashion agency to represent local artists. Agence Satellite -a long-term project co-founded with Eloi Beauchampattempts to create the same kind of system so standard in other fashion capitals but currently lacking in Montréal. Besides the niche that Erik and Elois are addressing, there are greater ideals involved.

“We want to promote artists living and working in Montréal who have until now struggled to represent themselves and build their own physical network. An artist is an artist, an agent is an agent,” Erik explains, “and a great many artists simply don’t do the PR necessary to get them work. The role of the agent for artists interested in fashion and commercial work is to connect their charges with a complete network of companies, brands and marketers, all seeking creatives to sell their image. This is why we chose the name ‘Satellite’; we want to create the same system here in Montréal.”

This is not just a god-send for artists all across the city, it is also a very positive thing for the commercial industry in Montréal which can utilize a tool like Satellite- a one-stop-shop- to produce better work and attract bigger clients from abroad. This ‘one-stop-shop’ for photo and video production is

also exciting for commercial clients who can now be connected to a whole range of artists, not just a pre-composed team selected by their photographer.

“In the past, photographers would select their own team which meant there were less opportunities for a client to have creative direction in terms of the make-up, hair artists and stylists. It also meant that many smaller clients would not get to utilize new talent because they weren’t hooked up in the right cliques. It’s a really positive, exciting thing. Best of all, we get to promote artists and work with people we really like and believe in.”

Planned for official launch in the Fall, Erik is currently working on branding and website production, two jobs he finds so enjoyable because of his marketing background. “I believe blogs are big- and they will be for a long time. It is that desire to see more, to always see something new. A good blog is fresh every time you look at it, and it gets you more involved in the content. People can see the portfolios of the artists we represent but they can also learn about their personality, what else they do.” Erik also proudly showed us the logo for Agence Satellite, a design incidentally commissioned to FEED (see page 42). As the agency grows Erik hopes to represent more artists and to help younger talent that is emerging in Montréal to develop. “I believe that when you see talent you should encourage it. When I meet people who are trying to start a career in this industry I tell them ‘You have to be fast, you have to shoot with certain kinds of people, build a book like this, work on your PR’ … it varies depending on the individual but I think it is great to give advice and to open doors for new artists.” agencesatellite.com

We talked to Erik about how to present your work and get established as an artist in fashion. Here is some information he relayed based on his own experience: · At the beginning at least, artists in the fashion industry are their own portfolio; personality and rapport is the first step to any lasting industry connection. The key in this specific creative environment is that an artist should be open to developing relationships with other players, proving themselves to be skilled and creating a positive dynamic while doing it. Artists involved in fashion must naturally adapt to teamwork, simply because photo and video projects require collaboration and team effort. · Chance and professional encounters with creatives and young companies aside, a certain degree of hunger and initiative is also required to develop an artistic career in fashion. Fashion is too competitive an industry for parttimers; the individuals that succeed in such a business do so because it is a priority and a passion. · Fashion is about two things: Image and PR. The artist is responsible for creating the image; and in most fashion capitals it is an agency that promotes that artist’s work. Fashion-oriented artists in Montréal have traditionally represented themselves or have established teams. Joining an agency provides more opportunities for artists to break into otherwise closed circles, made possible through agents who pitch and sell your talent to a corporate or high-end client. · Focus on and develop your talent- diversifying can be valuable but not at the stake of your greater strengths.

There are certain artists who cannot really afford to diversify- stylists are a good example simply because their job is too immense to afford any other specialization. With that said, now is definitely a good time for artists that are reasonably strong in more than one medium, for instance make-up artists also versed in photo re-touching. With the current economical situation, if you do more than one thing very well you will represent good value to clients and you will be in demand because of it.

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The Art Of Pitching & Story Writing words by shayl prisk photos by nik mirus (Feed exhibit at Atelier Punkt) Before I had even properly pulled together our second issue of SNAP! I was kindly asked to give a talk to one of Concordia’s journalism classes on the subject of pitching a story to an editor. Hardly an expert at the time, over the last year I have learned a lot through my contact with young and emerging writers trying to get published and to develop their talent.

The writers that contribute to SNAP! are a real mix, from friends, complete strangers I have found on

First, the easy ones:

· Always run a spell check on everything you are sending. · Try to limit attachments to one or two of your best pieces, rather than six mediocre ones. · Keep an email fairly short, approximately 10 lines, and try to give a little bit of information about who you are and what particular things you enjoy writing about.

Second, the actual writing samples or pitches:

· If you are pitching a story to a particular publication try to match the subject to the content of that magazine or newspaper. If a magazine is monthly keep in mind that timing and season are important. Likewise if it is a local weekly newspaper, a more philosophical essay on the nature of art probably wouldn’t be appropriate either.

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blogs, talented students and graduates who have sent me samples, and individuals of interest who wouldn’t necessarily call themselves writers but have a story too good not to tell.

For those who are actively trying to get their writing published and would like some tips from an editor about pitch emails or writing samples, I can give you at least a few helpful pointers:

Third, developing your writing skills:

· Some people are naturally adept at writing, while others really need to work at it and hone their skill. A good way to continually improve as a writer is to read as much as possible, and in as many genres as possible.

Experiment with different voices and formats- some people prefer interview style, others an essay, and others again a mix of all methods. · Learn to edit your own work. It is hard to do at first but after a while a good writer should be able to edit decently. Things to look for when self-editing: is there a clear introduction or idea stated somewhere in the opening lines or will it take three paragraphs to get at any clear point? Is there unnecessary repetition or sentences that do not directly or effectively help to improve the story? Is there a clearer way of saying something- perhaps by rearranging sentence structure or breaking a long sentence into two shorter ones?

· Look at the tone of the publication you want to write for: is it independent, commercial, art-based, political, light, local or broad-based? All of these things should inform what you write and how you develop it in terms of style and approach.

· Another helpful way to improve is to ask friends or writers you trust to give you feedback on work.

So whether you are a casual writer, student or someone developing a career and attempting to get published, you can use these tips to improve and write better. Good luck and happy pitching!

The background on this page features some of the typographies created by graphic design firm FEED which were on display at Atelier Punkt when we visited. Their work also appears on pages 40, 42, and 44.

· And lastly, a thesaurus is your best friend!

Some tips on presenting your portfolio to potential clients, schools or agencies: Collated by Vanda Daftari photo by SHayl Prisk

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Try not to point out the flaws in your work and don’t make excuses; you should appear confident about what you are presenting and only discuss faults or defects if the issue is raised.

Make sure your work can be presented in any situation, and take into account variables such as lack of internet. It is advisable to prepare an offline version of your web portfolio for situations like these.

Place importance on the format you use to display your work: present in a size that does you justice and shows enough detail and scale. Unnecessarily large or hefty portfolios can be cumbersome but a small format can also look cluttered. Be attentive to space and add pages if you need to.

Clearly explain your role in each project you present. For instance layout, illustration, photo, styling, concept, and if it is a solo work clearly delineate each task you carried out to execute the product. If you have directed photo shoots, if you’ve been involved in construction or contributed to a larger project in any way, mention it!

Avoid using vague terms like ‘art direction’: be precise about your role, but stay brief.

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Structure your portfolio: make sure there is enough of a break between each project or piece.

The devil is in the details! Everything will get judged: from the work you are showing to font you use for your page numbers.

Get creative, develop an interesting format, make sure your portfolio stands out a little, but don’t forget that it’s more about showing and selling your work. You don’t have to spend an insane amount of money to make your portfolio look slick. (Adrien Baudet’s accordion-style reversible portfolio above has instant impact and unique appeal and only cost him $14 to make each one.)

Make sure that you are presenting something that is easy to manipulate, rearrange and build on, and that it does a good job of presenting your projects: that is the job of the portfolio!

Necessity & Emerging Design WORDS BY HANNAH BYRNE They say that necessity is the mother of all invention, a motto that MacGyver lived by. The TV hero never ceased to amaze the viewer with his ability to build a helicopter out of a banana skin, the tail of a horse, and two butter knives. Countries such as India and China are following Mac’s lead and are keeping pace with the first-world by producing a huge array of cheap and ingenious designs. Hannah Byrne explains why.

With frequent power and water shortages and minimal access to electronic parts, citizens of India and China have long been improvising. 70% of India’s population lives in rural areas and a great many wacky designs centered around survival have been emerging from these regions for years. China has long been known for its original design and technology sectors as well as their cheap production costs.

Sadly the inventions being produced in both nations rarely travel to other communities due to a lack of financial support and venture capitalism. Nonetheless India and China have for several years been developing as research and development hubs for larger companies such as GE, Microsoft, and Google.

Just how did these guys get so much innovative know-how? To start with, difficult and unstable conditions mean that engineers and small-time innovators are more willing and open to trying new methods. They make-do with basic parts and are used to thinking outside of the box. Couple this with a younger generation of engineers at the helm of larger companies and you have a more hands-on design approach. In contrast, engineers in more established nations are older, more conventional, and are less likely to take risks.

We put together a list of some exciting and eye-catching designs emerging from places like India and China.

Get ready to sign up for Boy-Scouts and start working on your own inventions. · A motor attached to a battery attached to a bike. Pedalling for 1 minute can generate 5 watts of power – enough to power a compact fluorescent lamp for 2025 minutes. The process is lead-free and generally will need no maintenance for at least 20 years. · A pot-within-a-pot refrigeration. A little terracotta pot is placed inside a bigger pot and surrounded by sand and water. The system uses evaporation to keep things cool. · A cell phone charged by using smoke from a motorcycle – this invention is still in the production phase but looks exciting. · A bullet proof jacket which uses a body’s pulses to stop bullets. The jacket weighs just 2.1kg as opposed to standards jackets at 9-11kg. Costs: 22,000 rupees as opposed to 40,000.

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Necessity really is the springboard to invention and progress. A good case in point is the status of product patents in India. Pharmaceutical patents were abolished up until 2005 encouraging local companies to create life-saving drugs in a country with high poverty and low life expectancy. India is now a leader in the booming pharmaceutical industry and continues to innovate with new treatments and medication at the forefront of world health.

· A motorcycle-driven plough: an attachment for motorcycles is used for ploughing, sowing, and weeding. It can plough 1 acre of land in 1 hour using just 0.5L of diesel. · Jugaad vehicles: carpenters fix an engine to an oldschool cart. They can drive at speeds of up 40 km/h and cost US$1,000. · Chinese company BYD has developed a lithium ion battery that costs $12 as opposed to the standard $40. · BYD unveiled a plug-in electric-hybrid car which uses cheap batteries and so should be able to sell for ¼ of the planned Chevrolet version (estimated at $40,000). · The world’s cheapest car, the ‘Nano’ retails at just US$2,500. A more upscale version will be launched in Europe and USA in the next few years.

These affordable innovations are starting to affect big first-world businesses and global patents. For instance the launch of BYD’s electric car will greatly affect the future development of electric cars at Chevrolet.

An exciting and uncertain design period awaits us.

Keep an eye on more innovative Indian designs at nifindia.org.

We hit up two local restaurants and asked the chef what their favourite dish was. words by hannah byrne photos by xavier tolentino

Ramen Ya

Burgundy Lion

Ramen Ya has been open for just over a year now and does a roaring trade for lunch and dinner. Sushi is rolled in front of you and the extensive list of Japanese noodles is all made in-house. We supped on the house favourite ‘Goyzu’ – a steamy soup of spicy noodles, dumplings, a fillet of pork and a pint for just $19.

Forget fish and chips as the British dish of choice and make way for Chicken Tikka Masala! We gorged on an amazing version of this Indian dish over a pint with head chef Jean-Francois Leduc. Secret ingredients included… well… 10 secret spices.

We tried to wheedle them out of him but he was quite adamant about keeping them close. After a mouthful, I understood why.

The spice promised to put hairs on my chest but after a furtive check, I was glad to see none had yet sprouted. Next time you’re looking for a cheap Japanese hit, check these guys. They won’t disappoint.

4274 ST-LAURENT / 514·286·3832

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The dish came on a bed of rice with buttery naanstyle bread. JF routinely eats it 3-4 times a week and I wouldn’t mind doing the same. $16 “There is a Pakistani working in the kitchen and when I make a new spicy recipe, I ask him to taste it. If he says it’s good, I know it’s too spicy. If he says it’s ok but could do with more heat, I know we’ve got it just right.”

2496 Notre-Dame O. / 514·934·0888

Get barefoot and have a great time! www.barefootwine.com available at SAQ for $9.95

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Words by Sara McCulloch Photos by Carla Warrilow

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summer 09

Best-Sellers

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2148 De la Montagne

Bestseller: peep-toe pump Rosenstein Paris is embellished with tiny pods of Christian Louboutin heels. If the towering red soles flush your feet with fear, just exposing some toe works. Be it flats or plump pumps – adopt a foot fetish for the summer.

4/ Rosenstein Paris

453 St-Sulpice, Old MontrÉal

Bestselling cupcake: Red Velvet Bilboquet ice cream and a cupcake for $4.50 – sweet, glorious indulgence!

3/ Les Glaceurs

4012 St-Denis & 1368 Sherbrooke w

Bestselling frames: Bright, big, plastic, quirky, funny, with lots of details.

“Everything now has humour behind it, even the more conservative and serious frames.” Shérif Laoun

2/ Georges Laoun Opticien

1235 STe-Catherine w & 3681 St-Laurent

Bestselling item: Mashable T-shirts Only available at the Ste-Catherine location The ultimate DIY and one-of-a-kind t-shirt: just run up, create your very own design, and watch it pressed to life right before your eyes!

1/ BANG-ON

We set out to get a sense of what people are buying right now on the streets of Montréal.¶ From flowers to cocktails to chocolate and shoes, a common theme emerged while compiling the list of summer’s best-selling items: personalization. Many shop owners refused to settle on just one answer and instead ended with: “It all depends on you.” ¶ We forged ahead and worked up a record of top items from some of the city’s coolest and best-loved spots.

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1444 Sherbrooke w

Bestseller: Junya Watanabe Known for his distinct patterns, Watanabe’s recent collection offers many vibrant prints. Les Créateurs also carries Comme des Garçons and an unusually vivid collection from Ann Demeulemeester, who usually opts for a minimalist black.

4429 St-Laurent

Bestseller: Aztec prints The story behind this vibrant print: a lightweight linen all the way from Germany!

15/ Lustre

3475 St-Laurent

Bestseller: flats Neon, gladiator, round toe – whatever your personal preference!

14/ Lola & Emily

1029 Clark, Chinatown

2158 crescent

9/ Les Créateurs

Bestseller: Honeydew Bubble Tea An interesting note for this particular Magic Idea: it is the only location serving passionfruit and milk bubble tea.

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renatamorales.com

Bestseller: dresses dresses, beautiful dresses!

While Renata's striking dresses depict a whimsical and abstracted nature, the mind behind the design is just as fanciful – so much so that her mannequin eerily swayed from side to side, “Watch it – she’s moving again; she can’t stand still!”

12/ Morales

112 avenue du Mont-Royal e

Bestseller: Skratch Bastid, Get Up and Satisfaction Choosing just one bestseller is not easy when surrounded by every music genre. The story: “I can’t narrow it down to one!

Let me go outside.” Two seconds later with a gush of wind, “Wait, I know. I got it.”

11/ Paul’s Boutique

Bestseller: Dark Truffle For the more adventurous choco-enthusiast: spicy cayenne pepper chocolate, body chocolate, flavoured hot chocolates.

All the ingredients are natural and everything is made inhouse.

8/ Divine Chocolatier

70 St-Paul w, Old MontrÉal

Bestseller: headbands “Headbands are for the days you feel awful and need a little cheer-up,” said the owner. This hub for local designers also features the eccentric artwork of Jean Tannous. Stop by and check out his electrifying sculpture: she is sitting in a seat waiting for you...

7/ Delano Design

6270 chemin de la Côtes-des-Neiges

Bestseller: light cottons in pastel colours The bold window of Uma Sarees inspired thoughts of popular saturated colours. Quite au contraire: a little less saturation – pastels are currently the bestseller. The fabrics of choice: pastel colours translated into light cottons, chiffons, and pure silks.

6/ Uma Sarees 3933/A St-Denis

Bestseller: For June - peonies.

On a golden afternoon, reaping for a single bestseller amidst the light floral scents will prove unsuccessful: flower preference relies on the month. The peony lends a more favorable tone to a June floral arrangement. Romantic lover not included.

Bestseller: limonade tordue Yum: Vodka, Grand Marnier, 7up, lemon and lime.

285 avenue du Mont-Royal E

10/ Fauchois Fleurs

5/ Romeo

In an issue about EMERGING, we dedicate this section to trends. Every season they blossom in collections, on celebs, the streets, or the latest source: fashion blogs.

To those who say the last few years have been trendless, I answer: faux hawks, velour tracksuits, boho, wayfarers, the deep V tee, skinny jeans, lamĂŠ leggings, oh, and Uggs anyone? Even the ankle purse made a quick splash after Lindsay Lohan sported a monitor on her ankle post-rehab rehab... The biggest difference is that these trends seemed to spread at lightning-speed with the ‘net giving us the latest in Tokyo, Stockholm and Paris looks at the click of a mouse.

SNAP! gets trendy with a colorful editorial by Nico Stinghe and we take a look at fashion blogs, hair trends, Swedish fashion and wardrobe basics. xx

Pascale Georgiev Fashion Director, SNAP! Magazine

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Swedish Style words by Signhild Petren photo by John Londoño johnlondono.com Sweden might not be one of the most renowned countries for fashion but it certainly has a unique fashion profile. Some would describe Swedish fashion as anonymous, almost boring, but instead it should be seen as a fashion for people.

Swedish fashion is about simplicity that finely tunes in with the current trends. Instead of working with excessive materials, patterns and colours, it works with an idiom that is applicable to the many and is easy to wear and recreate. In that sense, Swedish fashion is both democratic and egalitarian. Sweden has historically had a strong workers movement and a socialist government running the country for the last eighty out of a hundred years. Swedish Social Democracy created what in Sweden is called the “folks home” meaning a society where no one is being privileged, nor left behind. As for fashion, this can be said to have created a style of collectivistic conformity instead of fashion as an expression of the individual. On the other hand, the strive for collective improvement has in Sweden also been a strive for a modern society, bringing new innovations, technology and liberal policies. Swedish fashion reflects this as it does not tend to signal material excess, social class or traditional gender roles, as other styles often will. The simplicity and sophistication in Swedish design is not for flaunting money or bodies, it is fashion for people.

A dose of Sweden right here in Montréal, SNAP! is proud to introduce these three strapping Swedes from left, Andreas Sundgren Born, 1980 in Linköping Occupation: Designer, co-founder of Svenska Jonas Edvinsson Born, 1982 in Härnösand Occupation: Operations Canada for The Swedish ModeL and co-founder of Svenska Andreas Fernhede-Dagman Born, 1984 in Gothenburg Occupation: Web designer

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Fashion Photography & The Emergence Of Street Style Blogs An Essay by Melissa Matos A perverse form of communication, the blog thrives in our version of the world, giving us the power to relish in unabashed opinion and creation. Wordpresses, Blogspots, Tumblrs: these are the accessible paths to individualism and self-expression.

The photograph~ a memorial to the present moment.

Fashion~ telekinetic and supreme.

The internet~ happening now yet existing nowhere.

Identity~ just as fleeting as the technologies we live by.

Together these things create a beautiful yet frantic digital world of fervour, possibility and affection.

The street-style blog, an entity prevailing over the catwalk and proliferated by the context of everyday life, houses the self-styled monuments of avenues, courtyards and sidewalks. Silhouettes and smirks of all kinds eye-ball you with each click of the mouse; from all corners of strange and fascinating domains. There are people like you, people like me, all thriving in their habitual essence. These faces congregate on the blank canvas that is the fashion blogosphere. But is it curiosity, inspiration or simple memetics that draws us to them? What is our relationship with this online utopia?

The style draws from early twentieth century candid photography, which was introduced to us by a group of three French men, brothers by the name of Séeberger. Each brother in his own way was famous for capturing candid fashion imagery; compelled to explore a world beyond classic portraiture in a class of society so aesthetically awesome, that its vivid auras needed to be documented. Today, their work takes us back to a time when fashion was a thriving commodity flourishing into an art form.

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Nearly a century after the Seebergers we find The Sartorialist fostering the same genre in New York.

In Scott Schuman’s photography, the zeitgeist of contemporary urban fashion is represented. At the moment the shutter retracts, his subjects are iconized, like cinematic stills from the most enduring and fantastic feature film of our time. And suddenly, there is that possibility that you will find yourself in one’s very own frame, in a scroll between the man in the fitted blue suit and a devil wearing Prada.

Our senses crave for stimuli: this is a constant. Motivated, provoked, inspired with an aspiration for personal reinvention. And in its own way the dynamic nature of the fashion industry creates an insatiable thirst for more of what enlivens us. Everyday in the blog rolls and feeds there awaits updated and bookmarked pages, feeding our endless hunger for information, innovation and the peripheral. Portraits of the everyday muse inspires designers and stimulate audiences in an oscillating balance between fads and trends. And all of this takes place online, an imaginary place made up of 0s and 1s.

What compels us to pursue such self-indulgent expressions, as either observers, participants or both?

It is the acknowledgement of our fixation with ourselves, our environments, and how we believe we self-project. We have a need to observe and share ourselves with the world. Whether insider or outsider, the internet holds no significant hierarchal structure. There is no guest list, no VIP room; just a web and a reminder that we are all part of a larger global community, linked together by a collective consciousness.

The anonymity of digital society gives us the ability to create multitudes of personas and develop tentatively overlooked talents. Therefore, what emanates is a flood of self-proclaimed models, stylists, designers, photographers, and creative directors from haute blog société. Possibilities; endless. Resources; unlimited. The world; your oyster.

The people, places, garments, tones, and elements conjured within fashion images act as out of body journeys into the places you could be, or the people you could possibly know, or the designer you could be wearing. The real beauty within street style images is their lack of pretence. Moreover, they are free from the emotional barriers we typically hold between us. This, in turn, creates the ultimate form of escapism: brief, pure, superficial glimpses into lives outside of our own…with those we could imagine having short lived romances, or the teenager we wished we were, or the writer we want to compose like. For that moment, we are connected.

“Nothing is more difficult than to preserve the memory of the ephemeral. Yet, what could be more important?”

– National archive director Claude Malécot, on the Séeberger brothers.

Kids With Cred words by Katie Kotler illustration by Jason Harvey I thought I was cool when I tried out for the talent show in grade three, lip-synching Erasure’s cover of Abba’s “Take a Chance on Me”. It seemed tongue in cheek when my mom agreed to sneak me out of school in grade six for an autograph with RuPaul.

And when, at the age of twelve, I forced my family to follow the advice of Beastie Boy mag Grand Royale and check out the largest supplier of secondhand Adidas shoes while in San Francisco, I knew I was ahead of my time.

Teenage fashion bloggers such as Anouk, Tavi and Susie Bubble prove that I was, in fact, run of the mill. These kids are helping to develop an international community of dress-ups and witticisms that beat any issue of Teen Vogue or Seventeen. While angsting over Bat Mitzvahs and school reports, these ados under quinze are also pondering why Rodante is more groundbreaking than Comme des Garcons and trying on Pam Hogg catsuits. Whether living in Malaysia, Lithuania or Iceland, all of these subjects are adept at the lingo, are down on all the coolest new things and do a better job at presenting themselves and their creations online than many of their decades-older peers and readers.

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While taking photos of themselves and friends in what some might consider over-sexualized poses in both urban and suburban settings (air vents, malls and stoops abound), the youth+blog medium inevitably brings up the same rhetorical questions of coopting subculture into mainstream. Of course you don’t have to wait too long for big companies like Urban Outfitters to jump on the bandwagon and cash in on the pedophile’s dream of nubile young femmes fatales. Still, it’s an old story that authors Naomi Klen and Alissa Quart wrote about back in the nineties with No Logo and Branded: The Buying and Selling of Teenagers. The reality is that for big companies to survive in their specific markets, they must remain credible and diversify their marketing strategies. So while a brand name like Nike will get massive visibility by sponsoring every other major sports figure, by investing money into sponsoring small, local projects such as Anouk-On-The-Brink or Tavi The New Girl On The Block, they manage to remain relevant and immersed in communities they would otherwise alienate. Ultimately it’s about maintaining their hegemony as corporations, and even if these kids refuse their advances, the companies have made that connection and sewn the seed for what might come in a matter of time when the offers of freebies and cash become too irresistible for a 14 year old to refuse.

The question we all confront at some point in our maturity is whether or not you want to go mainstream; whether or not you cash in and take part in the commercial world of tit for tat. While these kids might well further fashion in their image there is also a Pandora’s box of endorsement issues from exploitation to child labor to the developing world.

And yet, despite their sophistication, and the questions of hyper-sexualization and manipulation, what really drives these teen blogs, and what makes them so unexpectedly endearing, is the underlying and familiar desire they express to escape the realities of ‘teen life’.

Tavi from California says: “I’m not even going on the field trip to some water park. Sophie and I are going to see Star Trek and this place entirely packed with 'zines…because it’s more fun hanging out with weird illustrations and Spock than, y’know, people in our social circle that we can actually interact with.”

Germany’s Anouk is a bit dreamier: “In another planet, I´m sure there exist beings who can touch the sky without stretching their bodies...sensitive giants. Their brothers are living here on earth in form of garden gnomes, like me.”

Perhaps the most magnetic thing about prodigy bloggers like Anouk, Tavi and Susie Bubble, as well as a host of others- male and female- doing their take on style, sass and critique- is that their brilliance is sacred and in it’s own way quite fleeting.

This might very well be their most creative time at least insofar as this is the time when fantasy, escapism and lack of conformity truly reigns supreme.

Lice checks, uniforms and half-days don’t last forever. Neither does the season. anouk-onthebrink.blogspot.com tavi-thenewgirlintown.blogspot.com stylebubble.typepad.com

ellen h.

12 sweden

Blog Report lookbook.nu lookbook.nu is a fashion-based social networking tool literally exploding in Europe and North America among teen bloggers. Spread out for you to scroll is an endless stream of editorial-worthy fashion images that are posted, hyped and followed by a community of young and very talented members. Easy to get lost in, you can click from a 14 year old nymph with more searching eyes than even Kate Moss could muster, to a 16 year old in Shoalhaven, Austra-

lia, playing masterfully with androgyny while rocking a sunburned nose and a smile. lookbook.nu is also a great way for these budding talents to perfect their approach, keep an eye on their peers and network themselves and their private blogs.

We contacted just a few of the incredible members and requested an image from each to showcase some of the work and creativity being put forth by the world’s under-twenties. Check it out!

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chloe 15 minnesota valter 14 sweden

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merily 15 estonia

LOOKBOOK.NU

Johnny 18 sweden

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mari 15 norway

gregory 15 england shawn 15 florida

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She's G ot The G oods

photo by styl ing Nico S tinghe by mar ie-claude

guay

anothersidewalk.TV Dress & Necklace: Morales shoes: model's own

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zipper dress: 3.1 Philip Lim, bracelet: Gamine by le MarchĂŠ Mtl, NECKLACE: boutique old gold, shoeS: model'S own

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tank top: 3.1 Philip Lim, jacket: boutique Meow, jeanS: stylist'S own, Vivienne Westwood for Melissa shoeS, NECKLACE: boutique old gold, RINGS: boutique old gold

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pants: Corey Lynn Caolter, purse: Timmy Wood, tank top: boutique old gold, NECKLACE: Morales, shoeS: model'S own, BLAZER: Morales

one piece: stylist'S own, NECKLACE: boutique old golD bracelet: Gamine by le MarchĂŠ Mtl, shoeS: model'S own

Today’s Hair Trends or lack thereof A report by Alex Lipskaia photos by Karin Demeyer

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Located on lower St. Laurent, Coupe Bizarre literally translates as “the weird cut.” With such a funky name it is bound to raise some questions and attract the most diverse clientele. Yannick Ross, one of Coupe Bizarre’s fun and fearless hair stylists, considers his work to be a craft like any other that requires imagination, sensibility and talent. Alongside the other artists at the salon, he preaches the following philosophy: “In this day and age, and in this culture, trends no longer exist.” He goes on to say “one can be anything and everything at the same time. People are able to create any look they want without the need or the requirement to conform to any particular trend or a passing style.”

Yannick does not believe in mimicking someone else’s style in order to create one’s own image. “If someone asks me to create a ‘Rihanna’ I can be very cold and say ‘sorry, I don’t know who she is’. The particularities and personal style of the client require a unique and imaginative approach, and can’t be as simple as duplicating another person’s famous ‘look’. I want my clients to be happy by discovering their own personal style, whatever it is.”

From students to artists to a more conservative generation, the salon is committed to pleasing anyone who wanders in. People have to brainstorm with their stylist and explain what they like and most importantly what they do not like. It is less about trends and all about taste. Yannick and the stylists he works with say that if something feels right, it is because it’s an expression of the person’s uniqueness. Coupe Bizarre endeavours to strike that balance point, where there is a bit of ‘thinking outside the box’ while staying inside one’s comfort zone.

Everything from the haircut to the subtle nuances in color are intended to be somewhat original and somehow different from what has been done before.

Today more than ever we have the freedom and the tools to push the limits and find ourselves in new styles. For Yannick, being ‘trendy’ and being ‘yourself’ are mutually exclusive terms.

3770 Rue St-Laurent

Don't miss our snap!tv of Yannick in action.

Visit snapme.ca.

A few doors down from Coupe Bizarre an altogether different establishment is located: the Spa Aveda, formerly known to Montréalers as the ‘Tonic Salon’.

With a new name and a new look, it has conserved its talented hairstylists and aestheticians as well as its stellar reputation and reasonable pricing. One of the items on the menu is the Brazilian wax, which is slowly changing from a trend into a style. The spa’s manager and head aesthetician, Julie, says that it is most popular in the summer as well as around Valentine’s Day. According to Julie, Montréal still has a long way to go before we understand waxing as a means of aesthetic self-expression, something it is in places like Brazil. There, it is common for clients to ask for a shape to be created on an intimate body part and even for it to be decorated with glued-on jewellery. In Montréal, experimentation is slowly becoming more popular and the trend that is emerging is playing with shapes and designs to personalize the pubic area. Some of the most popular shapes include hearts, initials and lightning bolts, among others. The more traditional Brazilian wax is still a firm favourite with clients at Spa Aveda, which of-

fers the half and the full-Brazilian wax (the former leaves a thin strip of hair, whereas the latter leaves no traces of hair anywhere on the intimate area).

The waxed area stays that way for a period of four to six weeks, depending on the person. It is important to note that during the procedure at Aveda a lot of attention is being brought to the approach of the procedure itself, which has to be performed without any embarrassment or discomfort. The aesthetician will also take care of moisturising and ridding the area of ingrown hairs, as well as give the client instructions on how to care of the delicate skin. Julie mentions that it is important to take warm baths with salt after the procedure, followed by a scrub and a moisturiser in order to maintain the skin’s look and prevent its irritation and infection. As for which wax to use, Julie says it is a question of preference, and while some swear by the hot wax, others always stay true to the cold (both smell divine). It is up to you to decide how far you will go!

3613 Rue St-Laurent

SNAP! Supports We give some free shout-outs to peeps we support.

In our Fall issue last year we had a feature on young Canadian poets and included the writing of K. Gandhar Chakravarty, who had penned his particular piece while traveling in California and India at the age of 21. Gandhar’s poem was part of a whole collection entitled Kolkata Dreams which was recently published through 8th House, an international book publisher. Gandhar, who is now 29 and finishing his Ph.D. in Sciences des religions at Université de Montréal, is being praised by a pretty

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impressive list of poets and literary folks including Yusef Komunyakaa (Pulitzer Prize Winner for poetry), Sunil Gangopadhyay (Bestseller and Author of over 200 works) and Matthew Anderson a CBC/ QWF Literary Award Winner. Congratulations to Gandhar, SNAP! Supports!

Kolkota Dreams is available through 8thhousepublishing.com/kolkata-dreams.html and most bookstores across canada

Eva B, Montréal’s one-of-a-kind costume and vintage clothing store, is expanding its reach into Montréal culture. The eclectic boutique rents costumes, sells used and vintage clothing, as well as new works from local designers. It offers its patrons a bistro café, an outdoor patio, and has recently unveiled a gallery space. While artworks have always peeked out from behind the massive clothing collection, the addition of a gallery space on the first floor features artists and performers with regularly changing exhibitions. The owners enthusiastically support emerging talent and have made the gallery space accessible to a wide range of artists, whether they are just starting out or are already established in the art world. They do not enforce strict criteria or expensive rental costs, but merely provide the wall space that allows these artists to communicate their messages. Eva B. wholeheartedly welcomes Montréal’s talented to join their unique community, and for that SNAP! Supports! words by carla warrilow 2013 St. Laurent Blvd.

When we heard the news that SNAP! made it’s debut in this year’s BOM poll in the much-loved Mirror, we didn’t celebrate by chugging several pitchers of blonde. Rather we made our way over to our new favourite spot hidden away on Avenue des Pins, called Patates Au Fours. The tiny little Turkish-run café is adjoined to a laundromat and serves the most delicious baked potatoes made with lashings of cheese, seasoning and various filling options. We discovered the spot when we sought shelter from a freakish storm and the owner treated us to a complimentary baklava, still warm from the oven. From that moment we were all but hooked and would probably eat there all the time if we could… except that you don’t make the Best of Montréal list every day, and practicing a bit of restraint is always an admirable goal.

Designer USB Keys

WIN!

We have three Mimoco designer flash drives to give away to celebrate the latest installment in the STAR WARS MIMOBOT line. The new Darth Vader Unmasked MIMOBOT features a removable helmet, underneath which lurks the scarred countenance of Anakin Skywalker. For added excitement, one in six Darth Vader MIMOBOT drives will unveil "chase" variants of Anakin's face from Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi - older, paler and at peace, having come to terms with his estranged son Luke. If you're a fan or you just dig USB's with personality, email us your details and tell us why STAR WARS rocks. info@snapme.ca

WIN!

Nevertheless we love those ‘taters and the owner is incredibly nice, so obviously SNAP! Supports!

233 Ave des Pins east

CD Prize Pack Wouldn't we all love to get our hands on a hot Swede or two? We're offering the next best thing, a big stack of CDs from Sweden with love, generously donated by Swedish record label The Swedish Model. Albums include Motoboy's latest, Marions and Andreas Tillander as well as three albums under The Fine Arts Showcase. To win, send us an email and tell us your favourite thing about Sweden. Note: Answers relating to IKEA warrant immediate disqualification! info@snapme.ca

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OH SNAP! A Gay Column ‘Quickie’ Ergonomics words by Roberto Cialdella

When America was getting ready to vote for its 2006 U.S. house of representatives elections, I remember reading an online Huffington Post article pertaining to what author Jay Rosen called Political Ergonomics: ‘The art and science of lowering barriers to democratic participation’. Dainty as it sounds, I recalled the sentence when I recently signed up for the seedy online dating website Gay411, a full on display of, yes, ‘Quickie Ergonomics’ featuring the art and science of lowering barriers to a quickie.

Gay411, and any other gay dating website for that matter, is a strange yet valid study of gay anthropology. ‘Tribes’ feature winning profiles with names like Sperm75, headshots featuring plenty of head, a few cumshots, and about six of your exes. I’d readied myself for this new endeavor back when I was eight, familiarizing myself with hookup lingo from classifieds ads. Heard of stats? Top, Bot, Versa/Uncut, Cut/Inch/Safe or Bback? The gays clearly preceded the internet age when it comes to abbrevations.

Sure, as overtly negative as it sounds, not every gay man is seeking a quickie, online or not. My recent subscription to the site came to be based on a strong recommendation from a close bud. As auspicious as his love life had seemed by that point, he’d been constantly dating with nary a steady companion in sight, that is, until he finally met his longtime beau on the 411.

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The alacrity with which I complied to my buddy’s request is not indicative of any desperation on my part really, but rather a response to what I’ve been able to pick up in the Village thus far: Trash! You see, gay men in broad and even shallow terms can fall

under two categories: those who thrive in the Village and those who don’t. Misanthropic as my views on the matter seem, the Village’s Franco-trashy laidback aspect is pretty much acknowledged by all in this city. It is not exactly our scene; in fact my biggest gripe with the Gay Village is that, unlike other gay-friendly cities such as NY or Miami, it is not so much a reflection of the Montréal nightlife and its straight counterpart-establishments in so much as its own seedy outer realm. The Montréal nightlife scene can really be divided into three or four districts, between the Plateau hipsters, the drunk Americans on Crescent and the city’s uppercrust on St-Laurent (who migrated to a couple of joints in the old port post-recession). Yet none of these diverse scenes are evident in ‘our’ hood.

So Gay411, here’s to hoping I’m not forever forced to attend every trite Gay Chamber of Commerce event in hopes of hooking up with a mysterious businessman, someone too busy to be part of the scene and that can easily be cast under the fresh meat category: Montréal can at turns seem like the smallest of cities at the most inopportune times, if you know what I mean. Everyone is quite less than six degrees away from everyone else in the Village and perhaps it takes a smutty website to avoid tainting my reputation so quickly. Ironically enough, my sister Richard called me up the other night with similar concerns.

‘I’m talking to this great guy on 411. He asked me what I like to do, I told him oral first, but doesn’t that make me sound like a BJ queen?’ Well, if the shoe fits.

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Atwater Markets

There are three stores specializing in cheese: Fromagerie Hamel Fromagerie du Marché Atwater Paradis du fromage At Fromagerie du Marché Atwater the smell hits you the instant you enter. Cases of pre-wrapped cheese line the front of the store but if you venture down to the mezzanine you will find an assortment of

CHEESE

Poissonnerie du Marché, a fishmonger on the ground floor of the markets, trades in fresh and seasonal seafood meant for the public as well as a great many local restaurants specializing in fresh fish. In the summer months their best sellers include lobster, shrimp and fresh-water salmon. In the winter mussles and oysters are the top-sellers. Poissonnerie du Marché also sells Ovenhead smoked salmon from New Brunswick, a rare and coveted item in Montréal.

SEAFOOD

Note This guide was written by a vegetarian! Nonetheless I encourage meat-eaters to buy their goods at local markets and butchers because these are more likely to acquire their products from local farms rather than meat mills and stockyards that have poor standards and ethics.

Best selling fruit in summer includes grapes, peaches, mangos, cherries and plums.

The best selling herb plant at one of the outdoor stalls was Italian leaf basil, with pretty much all other varieties of herb – regular or exotic – also available in small pots for sale.

Terrines et Pâtés sells exactly what the name describes, in a huge array from confits de canard to the ubiquitous French specialty fois gras.

Saucissier William J. Walter specializes in sausages and have over twenty varieties that change regularly.

Boucherie Charcuterie de Tours have a large variety of sausage, each kind based on family recipes and made using local meats. Their best selling sausage is the poulet epinard made with parsley and basil.

Much of the upper floor of the indoor markets is ruled by butchers making a roaring trade in meat sales and specialty products. Québec lamb and duck are favourites as well as homely favourites creton and sausages.

MEATS

The Fromagerie du Marché Atwater also sells a wide selection of local and specialty beers. Their best sellers are St. Ambroise (the brewery is literally steps away) and a dark brew, Péché Mortel from Dieu du Ciel.

fine meats, salamis, sausages and of course, cheese.

Their best selling items are the local cheeses, in particular the Riopelle Île-Aux-Grues (a triple cream brie) and the cheddar Britannia extra-fort (a five year old cheddar that is sharp tasting and pale yellow in colour).

Note loose fruits are much cheaper in bulk and in autumn Atwater is rife with Québec’s best harvest vegetables like corn and pumpkin.

In the more temperate months the outdoor markets consist of fresh fruit, vegetable, herb and plant stalls, with the best of the seasonal varieties of produce available at farmer’s prices. The charm of the outdoor markets is the fact that you are interacting on the most part with the farmers themselves, who are expert at telling you what is freshest and best for that time of year. The prices tend to be on par or just below that of supermarkets and chains but are incomparably better in terms of freshness and flavour.

THE OUTDOOR MARKETS

words and photos by shayl prisk

Last summer we looked at beautiful Notre Dame west and mentioned some of the amazing landmarks and features on this handsome old street. For the sake of sheer time and space we did not delve into the veritable quartier that is thriving within the Atwater Markets. But for this year’s summer issue we figured it was a perfect opportunity to showcase Notre Dame west’s colourful punctuation mark, the much-loved and perennial markets of Atwater in St. Henri.

Trattoria Pizza Mia serves super fresh pies with a vast selection of toppings and styles from traditional thin crust to a thick square New-York style. Also serving calzones and salads.

Brûlerie aux Quatre Vents is probably the best place to grab a cappuccino after doing your shopping, the small café and shop trading in a large variety of fair trade coffees as well as tea and fresh specialty snack items.

Pasta d’ici is a small authentic Italian storefront on the second floor selling and serving fresh pasta and a variety of sauces, as well as olives, parmesan, breadsticks and lasagna.

Les Douceurs du Marché is one of the stars of the markets – a variety and specialty store stocking a great array of gourmet and ethnic items, olive oils, teas, pasta, herbs, sauces and preserves. Les Douceurs also stocks a variety of cookies, sweets and biscotti, their best-seller an Italian biscuit with huge chocolate chunks and a slightly moist texture.

Grandbois Chocolates, a tiny stall on the upper floor, sells a small selection of fine chocolates for gifts and treats. Their best selling item was a milk chocolate square filled with a flowing caramel.

ASSORTED

A monthly special based on seasonal items graces the blackboard in the bakery section- June buyers enjoyed a raspberry turnover in flaky crust. One of their top-selling loaves, a nut sourdough, was good eaten with cheese, jam, plain and toasted. Another top seller is the milk bread.

The much-loved boulangerie Première Moisson has a bakery and small restaurant on the upper level of the markets serving coffee, desserts and sandwiches along with their famous bread and pastry fare.

Shelves of conserves and sauces line some of the walls and several tables skirt the space for shoppers to sit and enjoy a rest.

BREADS AND PASTRIES

1/ Sourdough nut bread, Premier Moisson $4.70 2/ Riopelle ile-aux-grues $4.84 3/ Cheddar Britannia extra-fort 5 years $2.72 4/ Red seedless grapes $3.00 5/ Grandbois caramel-filled chocolate $2.00 each 6/ Cantucci Artigianali chocolate biscotti $14.99 for a bag of 20

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SNAP!

presents the

'tee-a-thon'

an ongoing t-shirt design competition.

great prizes up for grabs!

Check www.snapme.ca/tees for details

Stockists & Info Agence Satellite 6250 Hutchison #500 514-279-0999

Club Monaco 1455 Peel #226 514-499-0959

The Bay

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Aveda Spa 3613 St-Laurent 514-499-9494

Creative Recreation 1-310-278-7328

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Bad Day Magazine 104 Ossington Ave Toronto

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Bierbrier 370 Guy 514-933-7576 bierbrier.com

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Boutique Meow 74 Mont-Royal E 514-843-3055 Boutique Old Gold 256 Mont-Royal E 514-509-1675 oldgoldboutique.com

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Boxfresh 44-208-371-7511 boxfresh.co.uk

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Morales 5392 St. Laurent 514-282-8610

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Shaïka 5526 Sherbrooke W 514-482-3898

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The Sparrow 5322 St. Laurent 514-690-3964

Street Art

Words and photo by Siraj Chew-Bose Sometimes you walk into an art gallery only to realize that the art is outside. That’s how I discovered Graham Landin’s friendly faces. My sister and I had been wandering around the Belgo galleries, when she started calling out. I went searching for her, only to find her at a window frame. The view overlooked an alleyway; a common hangout for dumpsters, but there was one more outgoing than the rest. A careful placement of colorful facial features gave this seemingly rusty, introverted dumpster a cheery grin. Visible only to those above him, those who passed below and beside him had no idea what kind of friend they were missing out on. It was a complete fuck you to the “in your face” graffiti mentality. I liked that.

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After that I started noticing Graham Landin’s creations more and more on roll-down gates, ice boxes outside deps, mailboxes; all manner of objects that dot the urban landscape. They were always unsigned. After a bit of networking I found a name to match the faces that had been popping up around the city.

A few weeks ago I met up with him for an early morning session. He had found his spot: an advertising column on Prince Arthur. As I joined him with my coffee in hand he set about priming over gig posters painting the entire column a nice true blue. A passerby soon commented, thoroughly disappointed. While all for supporting art, she had just paid to have posters put on that very spot. After she had left, Landin shrugged his shoulders, confused as to why someone would pay to have posters put there; even as he himself was busy toiling away plastering large eyes on the column. He understood the ephemeral nature of what he was doing and had no qualms about his work not lasting forever.

Then why do it? Was it for fun? Because he was bored? Angry? Eager to create? Were there any goals at all? A short while into his piece, a passerby stopped to pull out a fancy camera and politely asked permission to take some pictures. She seemed to really enjoy what Landin was doing, and for him that was the only reason he needed to continue putting up his work on the street.

conception : iconesolutions.com