Issue no. 34

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Soura Magazine | Issue 34 | Abu Dhabi Art 2012

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CONTENT | ISSUE 34 12 Tim Mantoani Turning the Camera Around 32 Christopher Moloney FILMography Philm Fotos 52 Sergey Larenkov The Past Over the Present 64 Tom Hussey Reflecting Time 74 Mierswa-Kluska Inside the Instrument 80 Yves Marcellin Unlimited Expressions 90 Bela Borsodi Experiments in the Unusual 94 Su Blackwell Sculpting Books 102 Alexander Korzer-Robinson The Deconstruction of Nostalgia 106 Slinkachu Tiny People, Big World 110 TASCHEN’s 365 Day-by-Day Book Series 112 Ben Heine The Self-Taught Artist 118 Nagai Hideyuki The Power of a Pencil 122 Bvlgari Iconic Campaigns

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Turning the Camera Around | Tim Mantoani

Tim Mantoani

Turning the Camera Around

As a child, Tim Mantoani had an Instamatic 110 with a flip flash and relished the opportunity at holidays to use his grandmother’s Polaroid SX-70. His neighbor in the San Francisco Bay Area town of San Carlos owned the local camera store and encouraged Mantoani’s father to buy him a second-hand camera. He still has that camera, and many more.

Mantoani started out at U.C. Santa Cruz but transferred to Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara his sophomore year, when he realized he really wanted to be a photographer. His mom has collected Kewpie dolls since childhood and his dad, a hunter, collects duck decoys. He collects photographs—moments—which he captures with a variety of equipment.

Mantoani’s latest project documents both a disappearing medium—Polaroids—and photography’s old guard, the guys who

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apprenticed with the greats and refined their techniques in the darkroom. At home with a view camera, Mantoani is using a Polaroid 20×24-inch camera to make portraits of noted photographers. The angle he has hit upon, photographing the photographers holding a print of one of their iconic images, is powerful and simple, much like his work. His honest, direct pictures scratch below the surface to reveal the personality of his subject: their character, their passion. In the process, he is honoring both the vanishing photographic medium that pioneered “instant” photography, and the venerable lens-men and – women who have collectively captured decades of culture and celebrity with their own cameras.

Legendary rock photographer Jim Marshall, Michael Zagaris and Baron Wolman have posed for Mantoani, along with Elliott Erwitt, Steve McCurry and Neil Leifer.

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Turning the Camera Around | Tim Mantoani

John Lennon asked me to come to his penthouse apt on the east side of New York to take pictures for the cover of his ‘Walls + Bridges’ album.

After we took a series of portraits for the record cover we took some informal shots to use for publicity. I asked him if he still had the New York City t-shirt I had given him a year earlier and he went a put it on and we made this photo – Bob Gruen

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Originally made for a poster to advertise a show of collaborative paintings. I am happy + proud of this photograph. It sums up everything I love about photography and my work. Photographed in my studio, New York City July 10, 1985 – Michael Halsband

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Turning the Camera Around | Tim Mantoani

I photograph to surprise and delight myself. One can “pre-visualize” and prepare thoroughly, but it seems never to quite turn out that way if one leaves oneself open to things unexpected, unplanned. When something happens (and we let it) that we didn’t try to force and control on occasion (and often rarely) a “wow” or “OH MY” occurs. I live for those things.– Howard Schatz

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I photographed Gordon Gekko in 1987 on the set of Wallstreet and unfortunately it has become far too relevant in 2010. Michael Douglas was generous, warm and engaging…. An absolute gentleman. However, in character as Gekko he embodied and embraced the ideal that “Greed is Good” – Richard Corman

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Turning the Camera Around | Tim Mantoani

Ali vs Liston – May 25, 1965 – Lewiston, Maine – Neil Leifer

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Two Fighters – Howard Bingham

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Turning the Camera Around | Tim Mantoani

No one knew such a beautiful warm day would serve as the backdrop to one of the most painful and confusing events to the heart of mankind. This picture is one small part of such a huge event that ties the threads of thousands of stories and millions of people together. Written words will never convey the whole scope of the event, nor even summarize the sounds, the smells or even the voices that are frozen in my memory bank from that day. I did the best job I could in photographing 9/11 so that future generations would have an idea of the scope of what happened, to have the evidence of how innocence can so easily be snatched away in a razor’s edged moment of time. My hope is that in time the wounds and pain will heal and that wisdom and peace will prevail among the darkness of this event, so that humanity can move forward into a time of grace and understanding – Lyle Owerko

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Albert had cut out the back of his penny loafer + I told him that it would be fashionable someday. He laughed – Ozzie Sweet

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Turning the Camera Around | Tim Mantoani

I’d covered the unrest in South Africa in the 1980s, but could not get a Visa to return until the imminent release of antiApartheid leader Nelson Mandela from prison after 26 years, I just had to be there and waited for the triumphant moment with dozens of other photographers. His walk to freedom was very short, and the scene got very chaotic, but I was one of the only photojournalists to capture the event that changed history. 11 Feb 1990 Allen Tennenbaum NYC – Allen Tennenbaum

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For 6 1/2 years I literally followed on Clinton’s heels every day. One day following him into the Oval Office he spun in front of me to speak to someone behind us. My M-6 w/ 28mm lens + TMZ film was around my neck and I brought it up quickly, spun the focus tight and made one frame. It is the best picture I made of him while he was President – Bob McNealy

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Turning the Camera Around | Tim Mantoani

Oct 4, 1971. NYC “Windblown Jackie”. This was my lucky day! I followed Jackie leaving her 5th Ave Apt on 85th St. She turned the corner going up Madison Ave. Instead of running up to her, I hopped a taxi to catch up to her at 91st and the cab driver blew his horn, Jackie turned for the third, my lucky shot. – exclusive, offguard, spontaneous, unreleased – the only game – hide to capture the natural qualities. Da Vinci had his Mona Lisa, I got it in my Mona Lisa smile – Ron Galella

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Christy Turlington – La Coupole 1988, July British Vogue in Chanel – Arthur Elgort

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Turning the Camera Around | Tim Mantoani

Peshawar, Pakistan 1984. I looked for this girl for 17 years and finally found her in 2002. Her name is Sharbat Gula – Steve McCurry

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I am holding my photograph of Ram Prakash Singh with his beloved elephant Shyama – taken in 1990. Ram Prakash Singh was the ringmaster of the “The Great Golden Circus” – The photograph was done in Ahmedabad India – This was part of my Indian Circus Project – I love India and I love the circus so photographing eighteen circuses all around India was an incredible experience – Unfortunately Shyama died a few months after this photograph was taken – supposedly he succumbed to a poisoned chapatti – Ram Prakash Singh was heartbroken – me also – Mary Ellen Mark

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Turning the Camera Around | Tim Mantoani

To Tim Mantoani – You’ve got a great idea pursing photographers and their iconic images. I’m glad you asked me to be part of the project. Thank you – Alfred Wertheimer. Elvis Presley and his date, backstage at the Mosque Theater, Richmond, VA, June 30th 1956 – Alfred Wertheimer

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No.. I don’t know what she was thinking – 1953 at L.A. Hospital Benefit – Phil Stern

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Turning the Camera Around | Tim Mantoani

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Karen Kuehn

John Dominis

Walter Looss Jr.

Linda Troeller

John Loengard

Michael Crouser

Nick Vedros

Jim Salzano

Elliott Erwitt

Donna Ferrato

David Levinthal

Roberto Salas

Archiving Photographic Legends of their iconic images to hold. I wanted to give both photographer and the image similar weight in the frame.

I began Behind Photographs in December of 2006 in San Francisco.

Having grown up in the Bay Area, I was home visiting my parents for the holidays and decided one day to get to know a 20×24 Polaroid camera. Being a commercial shooter in San Diego, my business had, like most, become nearly 100 percent digital. I had come from a largeformat background, shooting much of my early portrait work on 4×5.

The process just seemed more special than working in 35mm digital and I felt that while the change in digital technology had made some aspects of shooting easier, it had, in turn, made the business of being a photographer far more difficult.

It was during this time that companies like Kodak and Polaroid, once giant icons of our industry’s history, were beginning to fade fast. Coinciding with these historical events was the passing of my good friend and mentor, Dean Collins and my diagnosis and recovery from a very rare form of bone cancer. Perhaps it was a sense of not knowing my fate that forced me into this project and taking on ideas for photographs that came to me in the now.

With the loss of Dean, I felt a conviction to photograph two photographers that I had relationships with, both living in San Francisco, Jim Marshall and Michael Zagaris. I asked each of them to come to the studio and bring one

The same day I photographed Jim, I did my portrait of Michael Zagaris, a.k.a. Z-Man. Z and I have known each other for years through shooting baseball at spring training.

Like Jim, he is a one-of-a-kind photographer who can keep you entertained for hours recalling stories of his shoots with the Stones, Rod Stewart, the Who, or hundreds of pro athletes. I asked each of them to write a bit about their photograph on the bottom of the image; it was not preplanned, it just happened.

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While it was not planned from the very beginning, I believe this body of work is of great historical importance.

When I returned to San Diego, I remember having several sleepless nights as I re-lived the shoots in my mind. I found the process, the camera, and the images simply magical. I began thinking of whom else I could photograph and how this body of work could stand to be an important historical documentation and a way for future generations to be able to not just appreciate famous images, but the photographers as well.

While it was not planned from the very beginning, I believe this body of work is of great historical importance. Many of the artists in this project have not only documented history, but their images have defined it. Behind Photographs has been the most challenging, most expensive, and most rewarding effort I have made in my career. And while I have not been able to record everyone I wished to, I have recorded far more than I could have ever dreamed of. © All images courtesy of Tim Mantoani www.Mantoani.com

Photo Captions: (from left to right) Cats Story shot for National Geographic. The director Thomas Kennedy asked me to shoot an entire story about “Cats”. He did not want it to be typical! So problem solving this assignment was good fun. The Russian Blue Cat and Ballerina legs was inspired by George Balanchine – he used the idea of cats landing – always on their toes to teach his dancers ’93 – Karen Kuehn Working for Life Magazine was the greatest opportunity for a photographer. I was free to spend a year and a lot of money doing the Cats of Africa and the antelope as well. This picture was made in the Masai Mara where this couple mated every 15 minutes for three days – John Dominis Ali, shot on September 9th 1996, at home, in Berrien Springs, Michigan for S.I. This shot was not planned, as most good shots are. I had Annie on my mind the day of this shoot, trying to do an Annie Leibovitz type of shot. Ali started riding his bike, which may have been easier than walking for him. I moved him to the fence and the shot was made. It was shot in color and printed in B+W. Ali added the inked handprints in N.Y.C. two years later – Walter Looss Jr. From my TB – AIDS Diary – twenty photographs that supported the stopping of HIV stamping in passports in the ‘90’s’ – translated now in eleven languages – still fighting against stigma – Linda Troeller Georgia O’Keefe in her bedroom at Abiquiu N.M. holding a book by Leonard Baskin. Despite any reputation for being a hermit, I found O’Keefe hand many visitors in the 3 days I spent with her and was very cordial to me.

She was also the best model I have ever photographed – I assumed that was attributed to her training by her husband Alfred – of whom she did not seem at all interested in talking about – John Loengard This photograph of Manolo Arruza was made in 1993 as part of a fifteen years project,

photographing the bullfights in Spain, Mexico, South America and France. Six years after finishing the project, the pictures were eventually made into a book called Los Toros, but the real result of this series was the education of a young photographer, traveling with his camera into other cultures and learning a rich and emotional subculture – Michael Crouser This is an image of Burt Morocco and Shar pei dog.

No digital work was done on their fore heads. We were trying to illustrate the ultimate dog and dog owner. Shot in Kansas City, Missouri – Nick Vedros Tim~ Thanks for including me in this project. It was a tough choice. How to show one photo that says who you are—that’s why I chose two from this series, a project that’s been part of me for over 15 years. I’ve shot waitresses in more than 23 countries and hope to publish this someday. Best of luck with this. Color shot is “The Coffee Shop” in NYC B&W is “Beasley’s Café” in Dublin, Ireland – Jim Salzano The picture I am holding was snapped in 1974 just across the street from my apartment in New York’s Central Park. It has been 38 years since that event and sadly I have lost track of the participants – Elliott Erwitt 9:00 AM—All the windows were covered, lights down.

Only the TV screen glowed silently… a reflection of the room’s turmoil. I rode with the police night and day on 911 calls—“Domestics”.

As the police cuffed the dad, the boy’s voice exploded, “I hate you for hitting my mother”. I couldn’t see much so I prayed for everything to be alright as I squeezed 4 frames of the boy’s reaction.

Whoever sees and hears what a child really feels? That’s the power of a photograph – Donna Ferrato My first “explosion” New Haven, CT 1974. The rest is history – David Levinthal My first image of Che Guevara in Habana, Jan 1959, I was 18 years old. Now a bit more – Roberto Salas

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FILMography | Christopher Moloney’s Philm Fotos

FILMography Christopher Moloney’s Philm Fotos

You have built your career in television, and yet now you’re more known for your photography blog FILMography. Was building on this blog and making “something” out of it always a plan? Or totally random?

I had no grand plan for this blog.

I still don’t. It’s just something to do on the way to work. It’s fun for me.

The fact that so many other people are enjoying it too is a bonus.

Christopher Moloney is a Canadian writer/producer who lives and works in New York City. He has been writing for television for the past 15 years, for such networks as CNN, CBC, CBS, City Tv, A&E and Much Music.

In the summer of 2012, Moloney noticed that he had the same commute to work as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters. He printed off a screen grab of the infamous film scene, lined it up with the corresponding buildings, and snapped a photo. When he posted the shot on Facebook, his friends and family went crazy for it and his blog FILMography - was born. FILMography has attracted tens of thousands of followers, and been profiled by magazines, newspapers, radio stations and television networks around the world.

Soura Magazine had the opportunity to have a chat with Moloney who admits he is not a photographer, despite the thousands of fans and worldwide media coverage that says otherwise.

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Are you a film geek? Is that how you first noticed that your route to work is the same as the Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters?

I can’t decide if I’m a film geek or a film nerd. Is there a difference? What about dweeb? Which label are the kids using these days? Someone needs to come up with a Tumblr that explains that. The fact is I love movies and I’ve seen a ton of them.

Since your blog “made it big,” have there been a lot of copycats?

If so, what do you think of that?

I’ve seen a few other people recreating movie and TV scenes now. I think it’s great. Just because my blog is getting a lot of hits doesn’t mean I’m the gatekeeper of all FILMography.

Do you purposely go on the hunt now for movie locations to expand your blog? Or do you let it just happen when it happens?

It’s still just a hobby and I still only do a photo as I spot them. You’d think after 200 scenes I’d be running out but so many movies have been filmed in New York City and I’ve really only explored the ones shot along my route to work.

Have you explored other forms of photography?

No, I haven’t. People have called me a photographer but I’m really just a guy who takes photos. I wish I were better at it.

What other photographer’s work do you admire?

I don’t know enough about photography to know what’s “good.” But when I see an image I like in the newspaper or in a magazine and check to see who took it. Then I’ll look up other photos by them. I’m actually friends with a lot of photographers.

It bothers me - and I’m sure them - that my stuff is getting so much attention when their stuff is so much better.

How has FILMography affected your TV career? Has it opened more doors for you?

I don’t think most people realize I do anything other than the blog so it hasn’t really changed my life. It has been nice chatting with the people who have reached out to me because they enjoyed my blog. Actually it’s nice chatting with the people who hate my blog too.

Do you have financial backup now from movie studios or other interested parties? Or still doing the Philm Foto thing on your own?

Ha. No, it’s still just me.

Are you worried this idea would get old? Do you feel pressure now that your blog is famous to come up with something equally clever?

From the beginning it’s just been a hobby. I do it because it’s fun. If it stops being fun I’ll probably stop doing it.

What are you working on next in your career?

I’ve been approached by a couple of publishers about turning the blog into a book.

© All images courtesy of Christopher Moloney www.PhilmFotos.com

The Seven Year Itch (1955)

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FILMography | Christopher Moloney’s Philm Fotos

The Lonely Guy (1984)

The Quiet American (2002) 34 Soura Issue 34

Three Men And A Baby (1987)

Big Daddy (1999) Abu Dhabi Art 2012 35

FILMography | Christopher Moloney’s Philm Fotos

The Avengers (2012) 36 Soura Issue 34

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) Abu Dhabi Art 2012  37

FILMography | Christopher Moloney’s Philm Fotos

The Smurfs (2011)

Bee Movie (2007)

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Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

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FILMography | Christopher Moloney’s Philm Fotos

Scent of A Women (1992)

Die Hard: With A Vengeance (1995) 40 Soura Issue 34

The Dream Team (1989)

Leon: The Professional (1994) Abu Dhabi Art 2012  41

FILMography | Christopher Moloney’s Philm Fotos

Tower Heist (2011)

The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) 42 Soura Issue 34

While You Were Sleeping (1995)

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010) Abu Dhabi Art 2012  43

FILMography | Christopher Moloney’s Philm Fotos

You’ve Got Mail (1998)

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The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

One Fine Day (1996)

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FILMography | Christopher Moloney’s Philm Fotos

Morning Glory (2010)

It Could Happen To You (1994) 46 Soura Issue 34

Step Up 3D (2010)

Rabbit Hole (2010) Abu Dhabi Art 2012  47

FILMography | Christopher Moloney’s Philm Fotos

Ghost (1990)

Maid in Manhattan (2002) 48 Soura Issue 34

Two Weeks Notice (2002)

Chloe (2009) Abu Dhabi Art 2012  49

FILMography | Christopher Moloney’s Philm Fotos

Hitch (2005)

I Am Legend (2007)

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Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)

Annie Hall (1977)

Hollywood Ending (2002)

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The Past Over the Present | Sergey Larenkov

Sergey Larenkov

The Past Over the Present

Born in St. Petersburg in 1970, Sergey Larenkov still resides in his hometown currently working as a Sea Pilot in St. Petersburg Sea Port. His passion fro sailing has been passed down to his two daughters, 12 years old and 19 years old, both of whom share the hobby with their father.

About 10 years ago, Larenkov started collecting old postcards with views of St. Petersburg in the past; this inspired him to compare these visions of the past with their contemporary counterparts. He then began juxtaposing the images in the old post cards with those of the modern views, and the result was greater than he expected.

Berlin 1945/2010 Soviet infantry storm the Reichstag.

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Berlin 1945/2010. Marshal Zhukov stands on the steps of the Reichstag.

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The Past Over the Present | Sergey Larenkov

Germany 1945/2010. Battle in the streets of Forst.

Odessa 1944/2012. The Red Army liberated the city from the Nazis.

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Prague 1945/2010 Soviet infantry rides aboard the T-34. People of Prague welcome the liberators.

Battle for Moscow. 1941/2010. Soviet artillery in the defensive position near Moscow city Mozhaisk.

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The Past Over the Present | Sergey Larenkov

Battle for Moscow, 1941-2010, Trolley Buses

Moscow 1941/2009 The shop windows are covered with sand bags. Moscow is preparing for the defense.

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Leningrad / St Petersburg 1941/2010 in the besieged city remained many children, many children died of hunger and shootings. The poster reads: “The Red Army soldiers, save us!�

Leningrad / St Petersburg 1942/2019 Women and girl are driven to bury the dead from hunger person. As a result of the blockade of Leningrad died from hunger over one million people.

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The Past Over the Present | Sergey Larenkov

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Historical Juxtaposition I’m interested in history. I wanted to show my daughters the horrors of the war. So I started mixing the war photos with the modern view of the same location. When I had used all my post cards and old photos, I started using archival photos.

I made collages just because I liked mixing photos. I never thought they would garner such a reaction!

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Most of my works are devoted to the siege of Leningrad. My family lived, worked and fought in St. Petersburg during the siege.

I love this city and its history.

When my photos of St. Petersburg became popular I decided to make pictures in other cities and countries.

So I created collages with the views of St. Petersburg, Moscow, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Paris, Kiev, Odessa, Sevastopol and so on. There are even photos of D-Day in Normandy. I had several exhibitions in the State History Museum, in St. Petersburg, as well as two exhibitions in France. © All images courtesy of Sergey Larenkov www.Sergey-Larenkov.livejournal.com

Paris 1940/2010 Hitler was photographed on a background of the Eiffel Tower in occupied Paris.

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The Past Over the Present | Sergey Larenkov

Leningrad/St.Petersburg 1941-2011. People’s volunteer corps is going to the front.

Leningrad / St Petersburg 1941/2009. Men go to defend their city and their relatives.

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Leningrad / St Petersburg 1941/2011. Young defenders. Former schoolboys took up arms. Returned home only 3% of this generation made it back home.

Leningrad / St Petersburg 1941/2011. Soviet soldiers going to the front through the streets of their hometown.

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The Past Over the Present | Sergey Larenkov

Leningrad / St Petersburg 1942/2011 During the 900 days the city was severely shelled. Many of the buildings were turned into ruins.

Leningrad / St Petersburg 1941/2019 School destroyed by the German air bomb.

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Vienna 1945/2010. Russian soldiers at the walls of the royal palace Hoffburg.

Vienna 1945/2010. Russian soldiers liberate the capital of Austria from the Nazis.

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Reflecting Time| Tom Hussey

Tom Hussey

Reflecting Time

In the course of a diverse 20-year career in commercial advertising photography, Hussey has established a successful advertising studio. Respected industrywide for his lifestyle photography and admired for his lighting techniques, he has worked on local, national and international campaigns.

Based in Dallas, Texas, Tom Hussey Photography, LLC is a full production photography studio. Hussey’s passion for photography began in the early 70’s when his Dad got a new “expensive” SLR camera. The young Hussey asked to take a picture and much to his mother’s horror was handed the camera. He put the camera down briefly but was never far away from it.

Hussey has taught photography on the college level and worked in the Conservation Laboratory at the International Museum of Photography at George Eastman House. He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University where he earned a BFA in film production with a minor in photography.

He holds a MFA in museum practices and conservation with an emphasis in photography from The Rochester Institute of Technology.

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Reflecting Time| Tom Hussey

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Reflecting Time| Tom Hussey

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Reflecting Time| Tom Hussey

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Reflecting Time| Tom Hussey

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How I See Me The ‘Reflections’ advertising campaign was based on a portfolio shoot I did earlier in my career. I was talking with a WWII veteran, Gardner, about his life experiences. He was about to have his 80th birthday. He commented that he didn’t understand how he could be 80 years old as he felt he was still a young man. He just didn’t feel it was possible he could be 80 years old. I started thinking about a milestone age approaching for me, as I was nearing 40.

I realized that everyone thinks of themselves at a certain age or time in life.

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I started thinking about a milestone age approaching for me, as I was nearing 40. I realized that everyone thinks of themselves at a certain age or time in life.

Based on that conversation, I built a bathroom set and photographed Gardner staring into his bathroom mirror and seeing himself as a 25-year-old young man. I used the resulting image of Gardner as my Workbook ad that year.

Some years later, an ad agency in New York City used my Workbook ad as a concept. Based on that earlier portfolio image, I was awarded a job for an Alzheimer’s drug called the Exelon Patch made by Novartis. The Exelon Patch helps patients maintain long-term memories during the early stages of that horrific disease.

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The campaign has been extremely successful for the promotion of the brand and people universally respond to the images.

I was fortunate to be included in a lot of the early concept stages for the campaign. I knew immediately location scouting and casting were going to be very important to evoke the emotions associated with the disease. The campaign has been extremely successful for the promotion of the brand and people universally respond to the images.

After we shot the campaign, the images went into testing and legal review. They were so well received that the images, all 10 of them, were printed full page in the brochures and other collateral. The whole project was a great experience — working with great people at the ad agency, the client, and with a great crew.

© All images courtesy of Tom Hussey www.TomHussey.com

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Inside the Instrument | Mierswa-Kluska

Andreas Mierswa (Right) And Markus Kluska (Left)

Mierswa-Kluska

Inside the Instrument

Mierswa & Kluska is a collective project by the two photographers Andreas Mierswa and Markus Kluska that was initiated in 1997. Both photographers are in their 40s, and both are from Bavaria. With a background in still-life photography, the duo now works on a wide range of photography genres and techniques including 3D photography. The pair has always been interested in experimenting with various photography techniques and innovations. They work out of their studio, which is based in Munich, Germany.

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The pair has always been interested in experimenting with various photography techniques and innovations.

The studio, a former garage, is about 6,500 square feet wide and in a classic sense elegantly and tastefully decorated: two large photo studios, a makeup room, a sofa and an open fireplace in one corner, next to a coffee table decked with the most important international magazines – incidentally, most of them are regular customers: L´Officiell, Homme, Vogue, Gioiello, Madame, Elle, Vogue Accessory, Tush, Russian Vogue, Italian Amica, to name a few. Also among their luxury customers are Falke, DeBeers or Swarovski.

Inside the Organ

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Inside the Instrument | Mierswa-Kluska

Inside the Contrabass

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Inside the Contrabass

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Inside the Organ

Mierswa-Kluska is a highly professional and likeable studio that has evolved around the two artists. Their distinct professionalism and discreet routine is nowhere close to being a mere act. No, it is rather proof for something they must be doing successfully for 15 years.

When Andreas Mierswa and Markus Kluska are shooting, they have music running in the background, the atmosphere is relaxed and eager at the same time, only occasionally someone will utter a word or two. These two guys never pause, they are highly focused. And they complement each other so well that there is no chance for any friction whatsoever.

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After Mierswa-Kluska received a request from Scholz & Friends Berlin to create images from instruments for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, they were excited to start brainstorming.

Inside the Guitar

They started out with still-life photography – fashion, jewelry, cars –, but now mostly work in fashion and beauty for companies like BMW, Burlington, and Peek&Cloppenburg.

Technically challenging, complicated pictures, extreme close-ups, explosions, and water effects, for unique pictures, customers call Mierswa-Kluska, because their system has been tested for years.

it; the camera was outside only the lens was inside. The violin was photographed as contrabass because it has bigger dimensions. A violin-maker in Munich loaned them the contrabass, which was undergoing repairs and so the top was detached, and they were able to place the camera completely inside the instrument.

After Mierswa-Kluska received a request from Scholz & Friends Berlin to create images from instruments for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, they were excited to start brainstorming. The idea eventually solidified: to shoot inside instruments to convey a feeling of a concert hall. In the beginning the duo thought it was not possible to shoot these as a photograph, so they created a first series as CGI renderings to get an idea of what needs to be done.

The pair used Broncolor flashlights from outside and a little ring flash inside the contrabass, and added smoke into the instrument to illustrate the beams.

The duo was surprised by their first look inside a contrabass; the exquisite architecture to them was a reminiscent of an actual concert hall. Large and filled with people, yet cozy, and quite loud at times. The image of the organ proved more complicated to shoot. It required extreme acrobatics to fix the camera exactly above the pipes.

This later evolved into actual photographs with the campaign we see today. For the guitar image Mierswa-Kluska used an old damaged guitar. They drilled a hole in

© All images courtesy of Andreas Mierswa and Markus Kluska for Mierswa Kluska Studio www.Mierswa-Kluska.de

Inside the Flute

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Unlimited Expressions | Yves Marcellin

Yves Marcellin

Unlimited Expressions

Yves Marcellin is an artist-photographer who works primarily in portraits; he photographs our contemporaries with a passion for rare human nuance. At age 59, Marcellin can be considered a new artist, in this line of photography at least for he has been working as an illustrator-photographer for magazines for the past twenty years.

As much in his professional undertakings as in his personal expression, photography has been an intimate part of this artist’s world. Sometimes one, sometimes the other, but often simultaneously both portraitist and creative designer, as a photographer he does not limit his expression. It is in the diversity of approaches that he intends to continue his photographic work.

His ‘Remembrances’ is an opportunity for him to take a spiritual and artistic step in a rich life full of happy and unhappy experiences, and also an affirmation of his commitment to photography as a vector of a life philosophy. Sensitive and affected by the permeation of violence accross all strata of Western society, collectively and individually by the reign of money and the cult of personality as much in our professions as across culture and the medias, Marcellin proposes a pause.

‘Rembrances’ presents the five remembrances of the Buddha.

Like Buto dancers, the actors are made-up in white to render them more universal. The fifteen numbered prints in large format have an extremely detailed resolution. This quasi-surgical detail gives these photographs a powerful impact. It provokes our senses as well as our feelings, and thoughts in showing the human soul in its paces one by one: suffering, sick, angry, and then at peace.

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Unlimited Expressions | Yves Marcellin

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Unlimited Expressions | Yves Marcellin

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Unlimited Expressions | Yves Marcellin

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Unlimited Expressions | Yves Marcellin

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The expression of Remembrances It’s an invitation to serenity and self-discovery that I propose in this exposition, a photographic installation consecrated to the five remembrances of Buddha of the inescapable elements of life.

These are: age, sickness, death, separation, and the consequence of our actions.

“

It is in the nature of everything and everyone I cherish to change. It is impossible to escape the separation from what we love.

Thich Nhat Hanh elucidates in the following way these five remembrances in his book For a Metamorphosis of the Mind (Editions Pocket Spiritualité), “1. It is in my nature to grow old. It is impossible to escape aging. 2. It is in my nature to experience sickness. It is impossible to escape sickness. 3. It is in my nature to die. It is impossible to escape death. 4. It is in the nature of everything and everyone I cherish to change. It is impossible to escape the separation from what we love. 5. My actions are my only true possessions. It is impossible to escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground on which I stand. If we consider the five remembrances uniquely as a fatalistic reminder of what awaits us, they will only achieve to cause us more suffering.

Our enlightenment consists of looking deeply at them in the light of full consciousness in order to transform our fear of aging, of sickness, of death, of separation from things and people we love, and to be confronted with the results of our actions.”

“

In immerging myself in the five remembrances of Buddha and materializing them photographically, I invite you to take your proper path, to take the time to observe the course of your existences.

In unveiling to the public this series of images, I hope to provide all who will take the time to stop, with the benefit of this epiphany in my philosophical and artistic path. In immerging myself in the five remembrances of Buddha and materializing them photographically, I invite you to take your proper path, to take the time to observe the course of your existences, to face and master the fears and repressed anxiety that throw you into a senseless race, exacerbating resentment, envy, bitterness and hostility.

© All images courtesy of Yves Marcellin www.YvesMarcellin.com

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Experiments in the Unusual | Bela Borsodi

LESPORTSAC Yard Advertising Agency

The concept of the campaign for three seasons of LeSportSac was based on an editorial which I had done long before then. The principle was to show characters made out of their product and to add only minimal props to give them personalities. In the beginning they were placed in front of color back grounds and for the third season I placed them into actual environments.

Bela Borsodi

Experiments in the Unusual Bela Borsodi was born in Vienna 1966.

Both of Borsodi’s parents are artists, so it always came naturally to him to invent and create things, and also to think visually. After studying graphic design and fine art in Vienna, he fell in love with photography and so started working as a photographer.

Some of Borsodi’s friends were working in magazines and had asked him to shoot for their publications, and so he shot mostly portraits and reportage, but also began experimenting a lot with unusual light sources and camera techniques.

In 1992, the artist moved to New York and in 1999 began focusing on still life photography, which is still the main direction of his work. Borsodi now lives and works in New York.

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Experiments in the Unusual | Bela Borsodi

Expand and Explore Possibilities I have many ideas constantly but only a few manage to get realized. This is because I look for a place for them to be published which is often difficult. Many of these ideas are very different from each other and I collect them in my idea folders until I find a place for them. It often takes quite some time for some of them to get realized.

“

Art is always tangible and evolving, if artworks are put into another context of time and purpose they can find new dimensions and meaning.

For example, I just shot a project, which I had already proposed about five years ago but which was never accepted until now, and the result was amazing.

I “metamorphosed” a model with iconic works from different artists, classic to contemporary. I wanted to show that art is always tangible and evolving, if artworks are put into another context of time and purpose they can find new dimensions and meaning, this is proof that art can be timeless. It was a lot of fun to explore this and I could say right now that thinking in such a way is currently a main motif of my work:

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to bridge and to challenge art, commerce, fashion, graphic design, etc... To connect and relate things of different time and space, to bring opposites together and to see what they can do with each other, to expand and explore the possibility of things and thoughts in an experimental way.

is then also a “photographic process” and in this way it also becomes “photography”. As an artist you have to fully control the artistic direction of every necessary aspect to make the artwork. This is the same with photography, and I like to think of this entire process as “photography”.

I believe that photography is much more complex than just taking a photo. A photographic image is the result of a photographic thought and of a photographic process. For me this process can often include many other disciplines, which then also become “photographic” as long as they are all directed to creating a photograph. For example to build a sculpture only for the purpose of placing it in a photograph

“

I believe that photography is much more complex than just taking a photo. A photographic image is the result of a photographic thought and of a photographic process.

YALOOK.COM Futrue Brand Advertising Yalook is an online shopping portal in Germany. The concept for these images was to animate various products and to formulate a company identity. The idea was based on earlier editorial work of mine. I arranged clothes to shape different character’s faces, which were also animated in films and were given a voice. The images were used as advertisements and many other PR materials; they were also produced as a giant calendar as a gift to customers.

© All images courtesy of Bela Borsodi www.BelaBorsodi.com

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Sculpting Books | Su Blackwell

Su Blackwell

Sculpting Books

Su Blackwell was born in Sheffield, UK, in 1975. She remains in her home country where she works as an artist in London.

Blackwell received a BA in art and design at the Bradford College of Art and Design in the year 2000, as well as a MA in textiles at the Royal College of Art in London.

Blackwell’s work has been shown in several solo exhibitions in London, New York, Edinburgh, among other cities. With her most recent exhibition ‘Pretty Maid Ibronka’ held this year at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Montenegro.

“

Blackwell has been commissioned to illustrate a book titled The Fairy Tale Princesses, (Thames and Hudson Books, 2012) She has also participated in many group exhibitions like ‘Slash: Paper Under the Knife,’ at the Museum of Modern Art and Design in New York in 2009. Her most recent group exhibition titled ‘The First Cut,’ was held this year at the Manchester Art Gallery in Manchester.

Some of Blackwell’s work is held in public collections in several museums and galleries. Blackwell has been commissioned to illustrate a book titled The Fairy Tale Princesses, (Thames and Hudson Books, 2012), and has designed the theatre set for The Snow Queen, at the Rose Theatre, Kingston Upon Thames. She has also been involved in commercial projects with clients like British Airways, Fairmont Hotels worldwide, Volvo, to name a few.

Orient Express. © Photograph by Jaron James

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Sculpting Books | Su Blackwell

The Snow Queen. © Photograph by Johanna Parkin

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Red Riding Hood. © Photograph by Jaron James

Pandora Opens Box. © Photograph by Jaron James

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Sculpting Books | Su Blackwell

The Baron in the trees. © Photograph by Jaron James

The Wild Swans. © Photograph by Jaron James

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The Baron in the trees. © Photograph by Jaron James

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Sculpting Books | Su Blackwell

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Pop-Up Fairytales Many of my designs are used in gift cards produced by Roger la Borde, I have also collaborated with Nicole Farhi and Vogue, worked on International advertising campaigns for Cartier, Crabtree and Evelyn and Fairmont Hotels, and also illustrations for a book of fairy tales published by Thames and Hudson.

I often work within the realm of fairy-tales and folklore. I began by making a series of book-sculptures, cutting-out images from old books to create three-dimensional dioramas, and displaying them inside wooden boxes.

“

I tend to lean towards young-girl characters, placing them in haunting, fragile settings, expressing the vulnerability of childhood

For the cut-out illustrations, I tend to lean towards young-girl characters, placing them in haunting, fragile settings, expressing the vulnerability of childhood, while also conveying a sense of childhood anxiety and wonder.

There is a quiet melancholy in the work, depicted in the material used, and choice of subtle colour.

I’ve always loved books and the idea of escaping into a good story, transporting you to a different time, and place, somewhere more magical. © All images courtesy of Su Blackwell www.SuBlackwell.co.uk

The Girl in the Wood. © Photograph by Andrew Meredith

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The Deconstruction of Nostalgia | Alexander Korzer-Robinson

Alexander Korzer-Robinson The Deconstruction of Nostalgia

Thirty-seven year-old Alexander Korzer-Robinson is a German artist, originally from Leipzig, Germany who is currently living and working in Bristol, United Kingdom. After a career in the fields of psychology and communications training, Korzer-Robinson turned his focus more toward his artistic practice. After a move to Bristol in 2009, he started pursuing his artwork full time, leaving his former career behind.

In his studio, Korzer-Robinson works mainly with paper and found objects, specifically on the use of antiquarian books. “About five years ago I had been experimenting with paper art, trying out different avenues and making boxed paper constructions,” he recalls. “I used all sorts of printed paper for the construction, among them second hand books. It wasn’t a far leap from the boxed art to using the actual book as the enclosure of its original content, but it took me about a year of trial and error to refine the technique into the ‘cut books’ I make these days.”

“

The end result is a hollowed out book with a layered composition that is reminiscent, in form, of Victorian paper theatres or dioramas.

The pieces are made by going through a book before cutting into it and building a rough composition, marking the pages and trying to envision the finished work. Korzer-Robinson works with books that are typically 100 years old, although the oldest book he has worked with was 150 years old. Then, using different types of knives and scalpels he works through the book page-by-page, cutting around some of the illustrations and removing others. During that process the initial idea may change to varying degrees as he engages with the book and builds the composition, sometimes encountering new elements that went unnoticed in the beginning. This whole process is a mixture of planning and chance, an evolution from an old book into a work of art. Korzer-Robinson works mostly with old non-fiction books, specifically with encyclopedias, but also bound editions of old periodicals and the odd illustrated fiction.

“The end result is a hollowed out book with a layered composition that is reminiscent, in form, of Victorian paper theatres or dioramas. The books are sealed around the cut so they can no longer be opened, but are meant to be either hung on the wall or can stand by themselves as an objet d’art. Most of my pieces are unframed, and have a pane behind the cover to protect the delicate contents,” explains the artist.

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Throughout the past years Korzer-Robinson has exhibited widely in the UK as well as abroad. Notable exhibitions include the Royal Academy Summer Exhibitions, international art fairs, ‘Trait Papier’ at the Musée des Beaux-Arts La Chaux-de-Fonds, ‘Celebrating Paper’ at the Royal Academy of the West of England, as well as exhibitions in the USA, Hong Kong, Brazil, and Germany.

“

This whole process is a mixture of planning and chance, an evolution from an old book into a work of art.

His works are widely featured in newspaper articles, publications on paper art, and art magazines. In 2011 one of his cut books was used as a prop piece in the Tom Hanks movie Larry Crowne. Some of Korzer-Robinson’s artwork is part of private collections throughout the world.

“As I work only with the contents that are in a particular volume, the inspiration starts at the point of choosing a book to work on,” says the artist as he walks us through his process. “Then as I work on the piece the planning part is comprised of conscious decisions about what I want to make out of the book, but a lot of the inspiration comes out of a fluid process of engaging with the book I am working on. There are a lot of unconscious decisions and value judgments that come up in this ‘dialogue’ with the medium. Besides planning and conceptualizing a piece I also try to allow for this element of an almost dreamlike forming of connections within the imagery.”

“

As I work only with the contents that are in a particular volume, the inspiration starts at the point of choosing a book to work on.

“Through my work in the tradition of collage I am pursuing the very personal obsession of creating narrative scenarios in small format. Using antiquarian books makes the work at the same time an exploration and a deconstruction of nostalgia.

We create our own past from fragments of reality in a process that combines the willful aspects of remembering and forgetting with the coincidental and unconscious. On a general level, I aim to illustrate this process that forms our inner landscape. By using pre-existing media as a starting point, certain boundaries are set by the material, which I aim to transform through my process. Thus, an encyclopedia can become a window into an alternate world, much like lived reality becomes its alternate in remembered experience. These books, having been stripped of their utilitarian value by the passage of time, regain new purpose.

They are no longer tools to learn about the world, but rather a means to gain insight about oneself,” explains Korzer-Robinson quite articulately. © All images courtesy of Alexander Korzer-Robinson www.AlexanderKorzerRobinson.co.uk

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The Deconstruction of Nostalgia | Alexander Korzer-Robinson

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Tiny People, Big World | Slinkachu

Slinkachu

Tiny People, Big World The ‘Little People Project’ started in 2006. It involves the remodeling and painting of miniature model train set characters, which I then place, photograph and leave on the street. It is both a street art installation project and a photography project. The street-based side of my work plays with the notion of surprise and I aim to encourage city-dwellers to be more aware of their surroundings. The scenes I set up, more evident through the photography and the titles I give these scenes aim to reflect the loneliness and melancholy of living in a big city, almost being lost and overwhelmed. But underneath this, there is always some humor.

I want people to be able to empathize with the tiny people in my works.

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Tiny People, Big World | Slinkachu

United in Reality The world is going to the dogs. You read about it in the papers every day. The good old days are long gone and the only thing to look forward to is a steady decline, leading to the inevitable apocalypse.

But there are more immediate concerns for us, because the train is late and it’s already 8.45 a.m.

The baby was awake all night and the kids are bunking off school.

Letters from the bank are stacking up, unopened. The view from the office window is another office window… and one side of the bed is always empty. And we are all waiting for those days when the sun breaks through the clouds and, for once, the city looks… perhaps not so bad after all. These are the real dramas, this is the real news.

Despite all our differences, this is what unites us, the ‘little people’.”

(Slinkachu, Global Model Village)

Global Model Village Andipa Contemporary has successfully held the exhibition Global Model Village, installation artist Slinkachu’s third solo show with the gallery, which coincided with the worldwide publication of his third book of the same title (UK Boxtree Macmillan | US Blue Rider Press Penguin) launched on September 27th of this year.

Following on from the London launch, Andipa hosted the artist’s first solo show in the heart of Soho, New York for 6 days only before continuing on it’s worldwide tour.

Working his way around the globe, Slinkachu’s miniature installations focus on the common denominators of humankind, the dramas of hope and tragedy, loneliness and humor amongst the millions living in the metropolis. His installations continue to intrigue his audience and collectors as they appear in the major cities of the world, faithfully captured in this new body of works. The exhibition featured a stunning selection of newly released limited edition prints and installations.

From New York, Beijing and Moscow to Cape Town, Bridgetown and London, Slinkachu, has created his ‘little people’ installations within real urban contexts worldwide in a quest to illustrate and highlight our sociological, political and economical plights. The scale of his creations, left in their exterior environments, encourage us to expect the unexpected, to see where normally we do not look; their juxtapositions open up a realm of possibilities and challenge the audience to consider the plight of the everyman.

In ‘The Food Chain’ tiny figurines continue their back-breaking work of planting rice in a makeshift manhole paddy field, unaware of Beijing’s city life speeding past on the nearby road – a reflection on the reality of the labor intensive rice production that keeps the world fed and the workers over-worked and unrewarded…the invisibles working in a street aptly named ‘Gui Jie’ (Ghost Street).

Over in Cape Town’s District Six, we are party to a treacherous yet joyful looking ‘School Run’, the thumb-sized hopefuls, smartly dressed and heavily laden with books, make their way across a barbed wire tightrope. With bright colors and blue skies, the optimistic wire-slashed image appears an allegorical representation of the sad history of District Six, known for the forced removal of 60,000 inhabitants during the 1970’s apartheid regime.

The Global Model Village exhibition featured a broad selection of these international works. As Slinkachu has been abandoning these tiny model people on the gritty city streets, left to fend for themselves, his works are documented and presented through the photographic medium.

Andipa Gallery, London has been publishing Slinkachu’s work and representing the artist since 2008. In 2009 Boxtree’s publication Little People in the City: The Street Art of Slinkachu became the best-selling art book in the UK. © All images courtesy of Slinkachu and Andipa Gallery www.Slinkachu.com and www.Andipa.com

TASCHEN’s | 365 Day-by-Day Book Series

Oleg Cassini for Peter Pan Swimwear, 1967

TASCHEN’s

365 Day-by-Day Book Series For those of you whose datebooks have been replaced by smart-phones, TASCHEN has created the new 365 Day-By-Day series so that you can still enjoy the warm analog feeling of marking every day with the turn of a page. Each day you’ll discover a new image and a related quote—on special days you’ll also learn the birthdays of fashion’s greatest icons— ensuring a constant source of inspiration right on your desktop. At the end of the year, just turn back to the beginning and start again!

TASCHEN 365 Day-by-Day. Fashion Ads of the 20th Century Hardcover, 17.1 x 21.7 cm (6.7 x 8.5 in.)

736 pages

In Fashion Ads of the 20th Century, you can have a century’s worth of fabulous looks to inspire you daily. And the best thing is that there is no year attached, so you can use this calendar over and over again!

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Wool Bureau/Dalton of America, 1964

The main concourse at Grand Central Terminal, 1929. © Courtesy of the New York Transit Museum.

TASCHEN 365 Day-by-Day. New York Hardcover, 17.1 x 21.7 cm (6.7 x 8.5 in.)

736 pages

In New York, TASCHEN gives you a daily dose of the city that never sleeps in this perpetual calendar. A double page spread is devoted to each day and features a new photo and a related quote, ensuring a constant source of interest and inspiration. At the end of the year you can just turn back to the beginning and start again! © All images courtesy of TASCHEN www.TASCHEN.com

A film still from the classic 1970s movie Taxi Driver, featuring Robert De Niro and the director Martin Scorsese, 1976. © Courtesy of Steve Schapiro

People getting on the Third Avenue elevated train (El) on the East Side of Manhattan, 1951 © Courtesy of Esther Bubley Abu Dhabi Art 2012 111

The Self-Taught Artist | Ben Heine

Basically, I made photo-drawings (Pencil Vs Camera), like I usually do but instead of using pencils, pieces of paper and a reflex camera, I used the 10.1 tablet as a drawing surface area, the magnetic S-pen as a tool to draw and the powerful integrated camera of the Galaxy phone to capture the final results.

This was an astonishing, exciting and challenging experience for me because it was the first time for me to work with this technology. To be completely honest, it was a total improvisation; I only had a few hours to learn all the specific applications and the tools I had to use for this experience (mainly the S-Note and Photoshop Touch applications).

I had to create the sketches very quickly, (less than one hour per image, while I usually spend several days of work on every single project I do!). Another difficulty was that I didn’t use any references; it was a complete freestyle adventure in a new environment as well. That said; I was very pleased and impressed by how fast it was to learn all the creative tools available on the tablet and phone, mainly because these devices offer a friendly, welcoming and intuitive interface.

Ben Heine The Self-Taught Artist Born in Ivory Coast in 1983, Ben Heine is a Belgian multidisciplinary visual artist. He is best known for his original series “Pencil Vs Camera”, “Digital Circlism” and “Flesh and Acrylic”. Ben has a degree in Journalism, which he began at L’Université Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium and completed at IHECS in Belgium & Utrecht University of Applied Sciences in The Netherlands. He also briefly studied History of Art, Painting and Sculpture at Hastings College of Arts & Technology in England. Otherwise, Heine is self-taught in drawing and photography. He is now living and working in Brussels, Belgium.

“

Samsung Portugal invited me to use the new Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet and the Galaxy Note II smart-phone to see how it is possible to be creative, to draw and take photos with these new digital devices.

One of the particularly new features I really liked in the tablet was the multi-screen function, it allows several applications to work side-by-side, having several windows opened in the same screen. I could easily switch from one application to another. All in all, the Galaxy Note 10.1 and the Galaxy Note II are mindblowing instruments to increase artists’ skills and productivity. I might work more with them in the future.

Art in Technology I travelled to Lisbon a while ago for the launch of the new Samsung phone and tablet in Portugal. Samsung Portugal invited me to use the new Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet and the Galaxy Note II smart-phone to see how it is possible to be creative, to draw and take photos with these new digital devices. A mini documentary titled Challenge with the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 and Galaxy Note II, (found on YouTube) was made by Dub Video Connection via Desafio Global Activism. This film shows the fluid interaction I had with the tablet, the smart-phone and the beautiful city of Lisbon.

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Pencil Vs Camera © 2012 Ben Heine (www.benheine.com)

Samsung, Lisbon, and Me Lisbon is super famous for its’ beautiful and old-fashioned yellow trams.

The best way to discover Lisbon is by tram. They rumble up and down through the alleyways of the city. Streets and curves are sometimes so narrow that the line becomes a single-way track! I had already made a Pencil Vs Camera image, published in March 2010, showing the legendary and famous Carreira 28 Tram. This time, I quickly drew a new version of it in color, taking off, ready to fly towards new dreams and horizons.

Walking with my friends in the streets of Alfama, the oldest district of Lisbon, I noticed a lovely outdoor restaurant offering all kinds of delicious dishes with sardines. We had lunch there. While waiting for the food, I made a sketch quickly.

I stayed in a great hotel called Gat Rossio - Gatrooms located between Rossio Square and Praça dos Restauradores. As you can see in the image I made, it’s a trendy, colorful and a well-decorated place.

Praça dos Restauradores is a well-known landmark in Lisbon dedicated to the restoration of the independence of Portugal in 1640, after 60 years of Spanish domination. The obelisk in the middle of the square, inaugurated in 1886, carries the names and dates of the battles fought during the Portuguese Restoration War, in 1640. The Monument to the Restorers is located in the center of the square. One morning during my trip, I had the simple idea to transform the obelisk into a spacecraft launch platform.

The shooting for the documentary was scheduled the first day of my arrival in Lisbon (that’s why I didn’t have so much time to get used to the tablet, which was part of the challenge).

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The Self-Taught Artist | Ben Heine

The director of the short film for Samsung was Sandro Aguilar, I’m really happy I met that guy. His films always leave room for multiple perspectives and multiple interpretations. In his movies, Sandro recreates another world and does not let himself be trapped in reality. His favorite themes are loneliness and personal identity.

Google him and discover more about his universe.

“

The image I made showing a giant mouth saying “Lisbon Fever”… was made at Praça do Comércio, where tens of thousands of persons protested.

Pencil Vs Camera © 2012 Ben Heine (www.benheine.com)

Flying tram, 40 minutes sketch on the Note 10.1 - Photo taken with the new Galaxy phone

There was a huge strike in Lisbon the day I arrived (29th of September 2012), tens of thousands of Portuguese were protesting the government’s financial policies, an austerity program that is expected to get even tougher to meet pledges given to the country’s international creditors. Protesters in Lisbon filled the central Praça do Comércio square, (also known as Terreiro do Paço), at the call of the main CGTP trade union to demonstrate

against “the theft of wages and pensions”. That is the context of the image I made showing a giant mouth saying “Lisbon Fever”, it was made at Praça do Comércio, where tens of thousands of persons protested. That day was full of tension. Again, it was a rough improvisation, but it really reflected what was happening around me.

“

One morning during my trip, I had the simple idea to transform the obelisk into a spacecraft launch platform.

Samsung has been busy innovating on the tablet front as well as on the smart-phone front with their newest set of devices. One of the major changes and big improvements is the Samsung’s Wacom powered S-Pen stylus which has been upgraded from the smart-phone Note to offer 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity, the additional precision of the S-Pen is a revelation, (and since it’s Wacom technology underneath, it’s possible to use any Wacom Penabled stylus, which can be useful). The S-Pen is great to use with the powerful S-Note application.

Lisbon Fever, 30 minutes sketch on the Note 10.1 - Photo taken with the Galaxy Note II

The Self-Taught Artist | Ben Heine

A space shuttle taking off, 40 min sketch on Note 10.1 - Photo taken with the new Galaxy phone

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Sardines Invasion, 40 min sketch on Note 10.1 - Photo taken with the new Galaxy phone

On the 3rd of October 2012, Samsung officially launched their new devices in Portugal. This event was celebrated at Pavilhão Atlântico during a conference that gathered several hundreds of people from different backgrounds.

“

I was lucky to be among them to talk about my creative experience and to share my opinion about the digital devices I had tested just a few days before.

I was lucky to be among them to talk about my creative experience and to share my opinion about the digital devices I had tested just a few days before.

There were several live performances during the meeting; I particularly enjoyed the orchestra directed

by Portuguese Maestro Artur Pinho. All the musicians were reading their sheet music on tablets instead of traditional paper. That was really something. It was also impressive to meet Sam Lee, Samsung’s big boss in Portugal. And finally, it was a huge pleasure to meet Hugo Braz, who personally explained to me a few things about the Note 10.1 and who gave an excellent presentation during the conference.

© All images courtesy of Ben Heine For Samsung Portugal 2012 www.BenHeine.com and www.BenjaminHeine.blogspot.be

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The Power of a Pencil | Nagai Hideyuki

Nagai Hideyuki

The Power of a Pencil Nagai Hideyuki was born in Wakayama city in Japan on February 7,1991. He didn’t study the arts at school, but took it upon himself to self-educate in the arts.

He had his heart set on becoming a cartoonist because that was were his talents lay. After graduating university, he was introduced to 3D graffiti street art. But because street art is outlawed in Japan, Hideyuki began to create 3D drawings on paper.

His quest for artistic self-education led him to develop his 3D drawing talent using only pencil and paper. By 2012, his work had gained popularity overseas as well as in Japan through social media outlets such as Facebook and Youtube. Youtube facilitated the making and dissemination of his stop-motion animation work. Hideyuki explores themes of non-reality through his work.

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The Power of a Pencil | Nagai Hideyuki

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“

The pencil is a basic tool for artists and painters; I did not expect the pencil to have endless possibilities as it does. I believe that the pencil continues to test man’s abilities.

Drawing Life Technology has incredibly facilitated my 3D sketching work, however, there is a certain skill and enjoyment lost if I rely solely on technology, I still work with my hands and the raw material.

All of my work, even if technology is used in developing it, begins primarily with a pencil sketch. People are often surprised when I tell them I made this 3D drawing

entirely by hand using only a pencil.

Through my work, I like to appeal to the sensitivity of my audience, despite the basic and cheap tools I use. The pencil is a basic tool for artists and painters; I did not expect the pencil to have endless possibilities as it does. I believe that the pencil continues to test man’s abilities, and to do so, I continue to draw one picture everyday. © All images courtesy of Nagai Hideyuki www.NagaiHideyuki.deviantart.com

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Iconic Campaigns | Bvlgari

Bvlgari Iconic Campaigns From

Established in 1884, this Italian brand name is synonymous worldwide with exquisite jewelry and luxury goods. To celebrate magnificent craftsmanship, as well as Bvlgari’s collaboration with Abu Dhabi Art, Soura Magazine is taking a look back at Bvlgari’s distinguished history through past iconic campaigns and imagery.

Bvlgari is best known for its’ exceptionally rare gems, its’ ability to harmonize the classical with the contemporary, and by an unmistakable creative sensibility that transcends time and passing trends. Bvlgari’s signature style comprises daring combinations of color, precious metals and gemstones, and innovative materials. From jewelry, to watches, fragrances, leather goods, and even hotels and resorts; every Bvlgari creation is inspired with the spirit of excellence. Meticulous attention to detail and quality is a part of each product. Balancing classicism and modern evolutions results in nothing short of living art. It is therefore perfectly fitting for this legendary brand to lend its name to Abu Dhabi Art, which seeks to meet both artistic minds and art lovers alike this November 2012. In its fourth edition, the event brings together a selection of the world’s leading art galleries, as well as museum art collections.

Showcasing the work of well-known artists as well as up and coming young artists. A full program of exhibitions, lectures, discussions and more; provide a platform for modern and contemporary art and public programs. To build our readers anticipation toward Bvlgari’s unique presence at Abu Dhabi Art 2012, we invite you to cast a look back at its colorful history through this timeless pictorial journey.

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Iconic Campaigns | Bvlgari

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