STATUS Magazine February 2016 featuring Takashi Murakami

GREYONESOCIALONLINE.COM L2 R2 Wing Greenbelt 5, Makati City

is full of craft FEB R UARY 2 0 1 6

26

6 MASTHEAD 8 CONTRIBUTORS 10 STATUS MESSAGE

54 HOT

STATUSPHERE

56 SUN-KISSED

13 THREADS 16 SETTING 17 BRICK & MORTAR 18 SCREEN 19 BEATS

55 JEAN

Camel Bags

57 STEP

FEATURES MUSE

58 THE

BEAUTY 23 23

By Janroe Cabiles

Put yourself in good light.

MAESTRO

VANITIES: SWEET ESCAPE

62 RIPPLING

Feelin’ like a rich girl.

FASHION

STREET STYLE

62

GO SEE

By Ida Aldana

64 NO DAWN

Sun-kissed and crashing waves, get a sophisticated fluidity in neutral tones at the beach.

By Alejandro Cabezut

34 CONCRETE

By Celene Sakurako

66 ON

MATTER

By Pola Beronilla

LIFE

Have a modish awakening with multiple layers of edgy silhouettes and textured prints.

By Miguel Alomajan

68 STRAIGHT

By Celene Sakurako

FRACTAL DIMENSION

Discover a whole new side to your style.

50 BOOT

CAMP

51 WOOL

STOCK

52 MOSS

CULTURE

Lace-up Boots

Knit Sweaters

Olive Chinos

53 JET

OUTTA MANILA

FAs he reflects on the ups and downs of the local hiphop scene, Filipino rapper Curtismith takes his music to another level with his latest EP Failing Forward.

SHOPPING GUIDE

48 SWAG:

THE PROWL

Thundercat is on the move; Thundercat is loose. Though Stephen Bruno might not be the cat-like humanoid alien you’re looking for, he’s the only one you need.

Hit the pavement and rock the streets with subdued hues of black and white.

By Ray Ranoa

40 WAKING

SCENERS

With the release of their debut album North Drive, Oakland punk rock quartet SWMRS pave the way to the new age of music where genres are obsolete.

VISION BOARD

26 PACIFIC

THROUGH

Straight from getting off tour, Irish singersongwriter SOAK fills us in about her life on the road and her highly acclaimed debut, Before We Forgot How to Dream.

BEAUTY BITE: ARAMESH WELLNESS SPA

24

WONDER KIDS

In the same notion of life imitating art, German siblings Lou and Nils Schoof adapt to the backdrop as they strike poses back to back, delivering a cinematic situation.

PACK: ELECTRIC MENTALITY

PAINT: PORCELAIN QUEEN

HIGH

Wrap-up Heels

It’s the new workout plan.

22 FACE

GIRLS

Denim Skirts

GADGETS 20 TECH

MINUTE

Leather Watches

PACK

Travel Bags

MASTERMIND

70

CINEMATIC ASSASSIN

Newcomer Natasha Liu Bordizzo sits down to talk about nabbing the lead for Netflix’s Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon 2: Sword of Destiny as her acting first gig.

By Celene Sakurako

is full of craft FEB R U ARY 2 0 1 6

72 HEDONISTIC

POP

Quipping his paintbrush to make sense of the vivid, cynical paradise happening in his head, contemporary artist Pow Martinez packs his art with a punch of pop.

86

By Janroe Cabiles

74 STRANGER

THAN FICTION

Layering on a fantastical element to anything she puts to canvas, traditional oil painter Ku Romillo gives a semi-photorealistic treat to her subjects, whether fairy or foe.

By Janroe Cabiles

76 LITTLE

DARLINGS

Illustrator Polly Nor traces the vulnerable and unabashedly sexual shedemon, taking her pastel palette and portraying the pure and promiscuous truth of the modern girl.

By Janroe Cabiles

By Denise Mallabo

92

DRAWING ATTENTION

French artist Jean Jullien knows the right strokes to make you smile. With a brush pen in hand and his wit intact, the artist eases us into his world and his mind with his quick sketches. Serving as an honest window into our society, his daily visual commentaries crack a laugh in the worldwide population of the Internet.

By Pola Beronilla

HEAVY HITTER

78

70

PERMANENT MARK

With guns tattooed on both sides of his neck, New York City-based tattoo artist Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy lives and breathes his passion. Leaving his mark on big celebs likes of Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Rita Ora, Cara Delevingne, Katy Perry, Adele, and LeBron James, Bang Bang is shooting for the stars.

MORE

GEEK MYTHOLOGY

Spearheading a postmodern art movement called “superflat,” Japanese pop art king Takashi Murakami is the man, the myth, the legend.

As he is now haunted by the patience and prudence of 500 enlightened followers of Buddha for his latest exhibit in his homeland, we get to see “The 500 Arhats” of Takashi Murakami.

99 DIRECTORY STATUS INVADES 100 SCHOOL FOR COOL

Channeling an old cool at young age, artist and fashion blogger Martine Velasco dabbles in doodles, shoots film, and travels the world in her own brand of style.

By Pola Beronilla

100

about the cover Exuding grandeur in the glitz of his silver suit and subtly rimmed specs, Japanese pop art king Takashi Murakami bares his art as he returns to his homeland to exhibit his 100-meter-long and 3-meter-high mega-painting at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo.

statusmagonline.com

Blogsphere

the pulse of hip at your fingertips

go see

we’re all models off duty. smize!

FEATURES

there’s more to what’s in print

NightVision

who’s spotted partying where

Photo Diary confessional for lensmen

Digital Magazine DOWNLOADS STATUS in pixels, not paper

free mixtapes and wallpapers

is full of craft February 2016 editor-in-chief

Rosario Herrera @RosarioHerrera

managing editor

Denise Mallabo @denisemallabo

art director

Nyael David @nyaels

features editor

Pola Beronilla @HiMyNameIsPola

graphic designers

Carlo NuĂąez @oycaloy

Nadine Layon @nadinelayon

fashion assistant

Jill de Leon @orangetoenails

editorial assistants

Janroe Cabiles @janroetheboat

Celene Sakurako @deerwho

contributing writer contributing artists

interns

Ida Aldana Miguel Alomajan, B+, Alice Baxley, Alejandro Cabezut, Sydney Dagal, Alexiane Guyon, Bonnie Hansen, Mickael Kidumu, Mike Chua, Tuyaymya Osuna, Elizaveta Porodina, Kendra Powell, Ta-ku, Ray Ranaoa, Marlu Soria, Erika Yamaguchi-Garcia Joy Bernardo, Dannise Galon, Deux Lopez, Ryan Melgar, Camille Ortiz, Jeremy Sulit

What’s your STATUS? tell us. editorial editorial@statusmagonline.com advertising advertise@statusmagonline.com marketing marketing@statusmagonline.com general inquiries info@statusmagonline.com follow us facebook.com/statusmagazine twitter.com/statusmagazine instagram: statusmagazine STATUS is published by STATUS Media Group.

Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

c ontributors MICKAEL KIDUMU

No need to excuse his French ‘cause Mickael’s fashion sense is nothing but très magnifique.

From Paris to London, the stylist and Creative Director of Ulap Magazine proves to be a force to be reckoned with. Get a glimpse of his style as he deals with some Concrete Matter (34) for one of this month’s fashion editorials.

b+ With degrees in painting and photography, Irish photographer B+ a.k.a. Brian Cross is what you might call an art virtuoso.

Currently based in LA, his portfolio includes Rolling Stone’s Music Book of the Year-nominated photobook It’s Not About a Salary, co-owing production company Mochilla, and photographing the likes of Kendrick Lamar, J Dilla, Eazy-E, and now, Thundercat (66).

ERIKA YAMAGUCHIGARCIA

When Erika isn’t busy managing events for one of Manila’s hottest venues, Green Sun, she’s out in the streets looking for the next perfect shot.

Following in her father’s footsteps, the Parañaque native gets her photography game on as she adds rapper Curtismith (68) to her impressive resumè, which boasts Miss World winner Megan Young and supermodel Danica Magapantay.

ALEJANDRO CABEZUT Capturing a beach scene juxtaposed with formal wear, Alejandro has naturally given his lens justice. Working with Off The Hook and Atlas Magazine, he’s making waves as he clicks his way to conquer the Pacific Dawn (26).

ta-ku Record label owner, barbershop boy, Red Bull Music alumnus, Create & Explore founder, and music producer, our very own Heavy Hitter Ta-ku has been hitting us with his best shots since being in our March 2015 #STATUSMusicIssue. Taking a break from his typical genre-killer status, he shares his lens with us as he captures Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon 2’s star Natasha Liu Bordizzo (70).

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ELIZAVETA PORODINA

Catching both our eyes and second glances with her sets and emotioninducing direction, Germany-based photographer Elizaveta Porodina is no stranger to high-end fashion.

After working with Marc O’Polo and Sarah Effenberger, being featured in Schön! Magazine, and shooting Lou and Nils Schoof for the cover of Vogue Ukraine, she both styles and shoots her pals for Muse (58).

STATU S MESSAG E

is full of craft B

efore we started STATUS, we would brainstorm the kinds of features and sections we wanted. We included all the big names in fashion, art, and music. We also included people that inspired us and carved out the creative culture. One of the names at the top of the list seemed almost impossible to get, but we never crossed his name off the list. Year after year, we would request for an interview, and every time, there would be a delay, a set back, or a straight up “no.” Eight years later, I’m proud to say that we finally got him: world-renowned Japanese artist Takashi Murakami finally graces the cover of STATUS’ Art Issue.

This is a special issue for me because not only did we secure the interview with Murakami, I also got to meet up with him in Tokyo and have a personal tour conducted by him of his “500 Arhats” exhibit at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo. Of course, I had my freak-out-fan moment when I saw him walk past us down the hall, but I pulled it together in time for the interview. The whole experience seemed surreal; we walked through the unoccupied rooms in the museum and chatted about his life and art philosophies.

Gaining a more creative appeal now is tattoo–an art that everyone’s embracing now and forever has lost its villainous standing. Tattoo artist Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy is the rock star in the skin and ink game and has a roster of celebrity clients, including Rihanna, Cara Delevigne, and Rita Ora. He has become a master of his craft, and in the midst of his growing empire, he tells us how he keeps his art his main priority and his advice on picking the perfect tattoo.

French artist Jean Julien believes in creative freedom. He has gained fame with the social commentary of his humorous stroke. Though he works in the world of advertising, he’s also done illustrations for Nike, Collette, Pitchfork, and The New York Times, using his sketches as a way to play and share his observations about the world we live in. In his interview, he tells us why his final goal is never to do something artistic and why he thinks he’s not good at making beautiful things.

That’s the thing about starting your own magazine, like these artists, you can mold it any way you want– and we wanted a magazine that was creative and inspiring. We wanted to show the youth that you could follow your dreams, be creative, and you will find your own success.

Editor-in-chief

Takashi Murakami (78)

FASHION

facebook.com/starstyleph

Beauty

@starstyleph

www.starstyle.ph

Celebrity

@starstyleph

,

THREADS / setting / BRICK AND MORTAR / BEATS / SCREEN February 2016

OPPOSITE APPEAL

E

verything will be as nice as sugar and spice with Tokyobased womenswear designer YOHEI OHNO. Her 2016 Spring/ Summer Function Speaks No Beauty showcases jackets, dresses, coords, long skirts, crop tops, and knits that are disguised in bold details, structured shapes, and unconventional fabrics beautiful enough for a sweet vendetta. yoheiohno.com

GRAYSCALE REALITY

I

f anyone can paint the town black and white, it’s TRINITAS. Known for their abstract design ensembles, the Stuttgart-based clothing brand’s sixth volume of pairing sweaters, shirts, and shorts speak of graphical language in its visual presence of new context yet comfort in its composure. trinitas-clothing.com

NO BOYS ALLOWED

N

o girl is getting interrupted here, not with the Girls Only pack made by HUMMEL × ATMOS × MILA OWEN. The Japanese sneaker powerhouse, Danish sportswear brand, and Japan-based womenswear label collaborates to work on the ‘83 classic runner “Marathona” with suede overlays, suede mudguards, and a choice of stark white and gum rubber soles in two monochromatic colorways. footpatrol.co.uk

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THREADS

BRANDS TO KNOW

TROPIC THUNDER

B

etter have your sunscreen ready, ‘cause PENSHOPPE is bringing the heat for Spring/ Summer 2016. With model Sean O’Pry tugging at our heartstrings once again as one of the faces of this season’s campaign, the collection of bomber jackets, graphic tees, sweaters, jeans, and joggers detailed with quilting, panels, vibrant hues, and graphic prints is definitely more daydream than nightmare. penshoppe.com

NEW EYES

E

FOOL FOR HUES

W

ith cool tones and crisp silhouettes, FRISUR definitely makes a smooth impact with an aesthetic grounded on German design and Scandinavian minimalism. Founded by Stephan Sunder-Plassmann and Thies Meyer in 2007, the life-long friends weave a collection of buttondowns, sweaters, long coats, co-ords, flowy dresses, and shoes worthy of your attention. frisurclothing.com

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Words by Faith Aranas, Janroe Cabiles, Jill de Leon, and Matt Panes

ver wondered what French fashion design and modern Japanese architecture combined with Stanley Kubrick’s iconic cinematography will look like?

FAKOSHIMA eyewear ticks all the boxes with its array of eclectic designs focused mainly on showcasing what humans will be like in the future with the help of pieces like “Black Mantis,” “Circumstellar,” and “Cyber Limbo.” fakoshima.com

THREADS

EPIC DISTORTIONS

T

he punks are alive and well in IIJIN‘s latest collection.

Channeling bold fashion statements combined with a grunge rocker attitude, march to the beat of your own drum in leather, tartan, graphic prints, and patches seen on varsity jackets, skirts, buttondowns, and sweaters comparable to a true work of art. This set will definitely strike a chord with your rebellious phases. iijin.com

STREET VISION

A

iming to revolutionize menswear by combining authenticity with creativity, Parisian streetwear brand 3.PARADIS celebrates their friendship with CONTRABAND on the brand’s third anniversary with a collaboration on two limited-edition pieces: a “cotton velvet bomber jacket” and a “wool and leather varsity college jacket.”

3paradis.com

PAST TRACK

Y

ou’re sure to have a FUN TIME as this clothing brand gets you on the beat of ‘90s hiphop culture. Sweatshirts, tees, jackets, and tank tops treated with bold colors and spunky statements will take you to a pleasant trip down memory lane. haveafuntime.org

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SETTING

PLACES TO GO

SUITE

THE HOUSE HOTEL CAPPADOCIA, ORTAHISAR L

ocated in the town of Ortahisar, THE HOUSE HOTEL CAPPADOCIA comprises of 45 unique rooms of restored ancient caves and stone houses designed by architect Şekibe Aslan.

Distinctly decorated to accentuate its original charm, each room boasts of pristine Turkish marble flooring, wooden furnishings, and ivorytoned stone walls with intact carved-stone moldings, storage alcoves, and fireplaces. Set within a rich local village sprawled with traditional coffee shops, you’re one step away from an authentic Anatolian experience.

Stop by their hammam-style spa and relax while admiring the stunning views of Erciyes Mountain, Ortahisar Castle, Balkan Valley, and the surrounding volcanic rocks.

Ortahisar Merkez, 50650 50650 Ortahisar, Turkey thehousehotel.com

grub

idden amongst a complex of small restaurants alike, taqueria TACO VENGO! lies at the end of a skinny alley along United Street in Kapitolyo. Carrying a curated menu of homemade tacos, nachos, and burritos all made from scratch, this hole-in-the-wall ingeniously transformed two adjoining container vans into a modern minimalist industrial food joint glowing in sunlight. With a clean and achromatic simple interior that stick to basics, the space is designed to serve as a canvas or background for customers who believe that aesthetic presentation is just as important as taste when it comes to enjoying good food.

16 United St., Kapitolyo, Pasig facebook.com/tacovengo

PLATE

TACO LIKE NO OTHER Bite into the future as TACO VENGO redefines the traditional flavors of Mexico through innovative original recipes that use homemade everything from their tortillas to their hot sauce.

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NACHOS POR MACHOS Oven-baked nachos topped with chorizo, sous-vide egg, jalapeño, salsa, caramelized onions, and torched cheese

SHRIMP TEMPURA TACO A crunchy tower of lightly battered shrimp, homemade coleslaw, and tempura flakes sitting on top of an original corn and flour-blend tortilla

CHICKEN BURRITO A hefty portion of cilantro rice, mixed greens, and honey-soy-glazed grilled chicken all rolled in one with a side of chips and salsa

CRANBERRY QUESADILLA Blended cheeses and dried cranberries-filled quesadilla triangles pressed to crispy perfection, with a special sour cream sauce

Words by Celene Sakurako, The House Hotel Cappadocia is a member of Design Hotels™, SUITE photos courtesy of Design Hotels™, GRUB photos by Carlo Nuñez

TACO VENGO, KAPITOLYO H

BRICK AND MORTAR

STORES TO SHOP

DOVER STREET MARKET, LONDON

17-18 Dover St., London london.doverstreetmarket.com Dime to Drop: £32-£5,775 (P2,298-P400,337) Don’t leave the store without: pieces from the CDG Beatles collection

F

or anyone who’s all about fashion and art, DOVER STREET MARKET is the place to be. With vivid prints and different themes in every corner, the store located in the posh streets of London presents each and every item with artistic taste.

Every corner is like a little exhibit, with art applied on the structures, furniture, down to the detailing of each garment.

If that’s not enough to tickle your fancy, their perfumes, jewelry, accessories, clothing, and sneakers, from brands like Comme Des Garçons, NikeLab, Ann Demeulemeester, adidas, Raf Simons, and A Bathing Ape surely will. The store not only knows how to capture everyone’s attention, they also know how to keep all eyes on them as their extravagant window displays are switched up every season so that they’re always in sync with the latest trends, making sure that theirs isn’t just any window one can simply pass by.

WRONG WEATHER

P

Words by Jill de Leon

repare yourself for a dude’s awakening, ‘cause being under WRONG WEATHER has never been this good. Always on the hunt for good fashion, art, lifestyle, and photography, the Portugal-based store carries top names in the game like APC, adidas, Astrid Andersen, Kenzo, Raf Simons, and Y-3. With amazing threads like these, no one can ever rain on your parade.

wrongweather.net

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SCREEN

SCENES TO SEE

RE M OTE CO N TROL TIC K ET

AMERICAN CRIME STORY: THE PEOPLE VS. OJ SIMPSON (FOX) From the producers of American Horror Story comes a new anthology series, uncovering all sides to the story of the renowned O.J. Simpson murder trial with a star-studded ensemble cast portraying the people involved in the high profile case, such as Cuba Gooding Jr., John Travolta, David Schwimmer, Courtney Vance, and Selma Blair.

CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON: SWORD OF DESTINY (NETFLIX) Sixteen years after its Academy Award-winning prequel, director and choreographer Yuen Woo-ping creates a follow-up to Ang Lee’s legendary martial arts film as Michelle Yeoh reprises her role as Yu Shu Lien, who protects Li Mu Bai’s sword Green Destiny sword from getting into the wrong hands, that of either Silent Wolf or Snow Vase.

DEADPOOL Ryan Reynolds takes a shot at Marvel’s Wade Wilson, a talkative mercenary who goes through a failed experiment after being diagnosed with cancer, only to acquire a regenerative healing power.

HOW TO BE SINGLE Following a harsh breakup, Alice (Dakota Johnson) is ready to get back in the game, taking notes on club etiquette, one-night stands, and emojiless texting rules from friend Robin (Rebel Wilson).

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES Adapted from Seth Grahame-Smith’s parody of Jane Austen’s prized novel comes an actionhorror featuring the famous Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in a zombie-infested 19th-century England.

NINA FOREVER First showcased at SXSW 2015, the horror comedy follows Rob who has moved on from the death of his girlfriend Nina and has started dating his coworker. However, the undead Nina haunts them whenever they get intimate.

REGRESSION Ethan Hawke stars as Detective Bruce Kenner, who uncovers traces of a satanic cult as he investigates the case of John Gray, who sexually abused his daughter (Emma Watson) but has no recollection of it.

THE WITCH Winning Best Direction at Sundance, this horror tells the story of a religious family in 17th-century New England, threatened by witchcraft and unknown evil, as their infant son goes missing.

P LA Y BAC K BADLANDS (1973) Malick is a phenom. His work is a huge inspiration for my own.

THE THING CALLED LOVE (1993) A ‘90s coming-ofage film based on country music, with River Phoenix as the love interest. Reminds me of home in the best ways.

INTERSTELLAR (2014) Also Contact and Sunshine. Space films that break your heart are the best, so I’ll break the rules and clump them all.

THE LION KING (1994) When Mufasa pulls Simba out of the stampede, knowing what happens next floors me. I cry, heavily. I swear, probably the best movie ever made.

ZACHARY CHICK (Photographer) LEGENDS OF THE FALL (1994) Heavy association to my own youth, but in another time and in the most tragic way.

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Words by Janroe Cabiles

zacharychick.tumblr.com

BEATS P LA Y LIST

THUNDERCAT

brainfeedersite.com

WEEZER Rivers Cuomo (Vocals/Guitar)

“Mortal Man” Kendrick Lamar It just felt like Kendrick captured the essence of every last emotion in this song.

“Everybody in the Club Get Shot” Father He’s been pretty interesting to me, and this song is pretty dope [laughs].

“Never Catch Me” feat.

Kendrick Lamar Flying Lotus It’s the sentiment of what’s been going on in America; you can hear it in the music.

“El Mar Mediterrani” Ryuichi Sakamoto I sampled this song for the album. It’s a very, very long piece, and I would listen to it in its entirety–it’s such a journey.

“I’ll Be Your Mirror” Velvet Underground This track shows that pop can be cool too.

“Drain You” Nirvana It proves that heavy guitars can coexist with beautiful melodies and chords.

“Teenage Riot” Sonic Youth Distortion and dissonance.

“Gigantic” Pixies Keep your songs simple.

MUSIC TO HEAR

Releases

Following the wistful, languid sound of their 2012 release, DIIV’s sophomore album Is The Is Are will be hitting the shelves. Including a close collaboration with Sky Ferreira, this fresh material from the Brooklyn natives assures not to rig us with “Blue Boredom.”

weezer.com

SWMRS Cole Becker (Vocals/Guitar) swmrs.com

“GLOSS” G.L.O.S.S. It’s so rad and so militant. Too much hardcore is dominated by hyper masculine tendencies.

“Boxcar” Jawbreaker Cliché, I know, but it is to date the best defense against anyone accusing your band of selling out.

“Escape 120” feat. Raury” Joey Bada$$ This low-end heavy marriage of punk tempo with East Coast rap is what the future sounds like.

“U.N.I.T.Y.” Queen Latifah When progressivism was falling out of vogue in rap, this track addressed the misogyny extant in pop culture.

Expect better love as FOXES releases her second record All I Need, with new sounds and smashing hits coming to stores. As a follow-up to her debut album Glorious, this gospel sounding, relationships-inspired album surely won’t leave our palettes any time soon.

Words by Dannise Galon

M USIC N E W S

The 58th Annual Grammy Awards slates its first Monday broadcast on February 15 at LA’s Staples Center. With stellar performances expected, LL Cool J takes the stage as host of the music industry’s biggest night.

Happening on February 20 at Aseana Open Grounds, get caught up in your heartstrings with Vybe Production’s Good Vybes Music Festival as headliners Passion Pit, CHVRCHES, Stars, and Oh Wonder share the stage with a few local favorites.

Gear up to express yourself and see a ray of light as Madonna brings the Rebel Heart Tour in Manila on February 24-25 at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

No context of ghost town shall touch the two divine nights from the Queen of Pop.

Come alive with THE JEZABELS as they drop their third studio release, Synthia. After 18 months of work under their producer, Lachla Mitchell, the Sydneybased outfit stacks out their new material, including tracks like “If Ya Want Me” and “Pleasure Drive.”

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T E C H PACK

ELECTRIC MENTALITY

D O W N LOA D S

Wear your health out.

MISFIT SHINE 2

• A sleep + fitness monitor built with a smarter and sleeker design • Can hold up in any environment and is water resistant for up to 50 meters • Has a capacitive touch sensor that allows the device to be ultra-sensitive PROSE

By Prose, LLC

SRP: PHP 4,712.03

muse ™ • A brain-sensing headband that encourages relaxation by improving your meditation practice • Connects to a supplementary app that plays calming sounds and tunes • Includes challenges and rewards to keep you motivated

Directed to both writers and readers, this app is an online community that provides sharing of literary works and writing prompts.

SRP: PHP 2,350.80

NEXTEAR • The world’s smartest wireless earphones that produces crystal clear dynamic sound • Comes with an on-the-go recharge case with 16GB SD card expandable to 200GB memory • Charges through the accompanying case for 40 minutes, with up to four hours continuous play back SRP: PHP 12,393.88

WELLBE BRACELET

BRUSH REDUX

By Christopher Hoel If you’re looking for tons of brush possibilities, this is your go-to app that could serve as your mobile canvass, with a stylus in particular.

• Monitors heart rate three minutes per hour to measure stress levels and see what activities affect your being • Connects to an app to alert you regarding dangerous levels of stress and provides personalized “mindfulness” exercises • Relies on your calendar and GPS location with your heart rate to regulate how close you are to snapping SRP: PHP 8,906.63

STRYD • The world’s first power meter for running with a simple clip-on monitor that gives real time data • Comes with a companion app that allows data syncing and produces analysis of workouts • Features structured coaching and workout programs SRP: PHP 9,377.88

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ART SET

By LOFOPI Aside from its stunning graphics and familiar platform, it allows access for all types of art that will surely bring colors to your palette.

FASHION

facebook.com/starstyleph

Beauty

@starstyleph

www.starstyle.ph

Celebrity

@starstyleph

FAC E PA IN T

PORCELAIN QUEEN

TORY BURCH Face Brush P2,439

Channel your inner Twiggy with pastel eyeshadow and statement lashes.

NARS “Larger Than Life” Longwear Eyeliner in Santa Monica Blvd.

P1,270

LA MER “The Reparative SkinTint” Broad Spectrum SPF 30 P4,826

URBAN DECAY “Naked 2” Basics Palette P1,473

LAURA MERCIER Brow Definer in Fair P1,117.67

DOLCE & GABBANA BEAUTY “Perfect Mono” Matte Cream Eye Color in Pearl Dust P1,880

TEMPTU Undereye Concealer in Porcelain P1,423

BURBERRY BEAUTY “First Kiss” Fresh Gloss Lip Balm in Sweet Plum P1,321

YVES SAINT LAURENT “Touche Éclat” Blur Primer P2,642

VINCENT LONGO “Pearl X” Eyeshadow in Code 6 P1,257.13

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Runway photo from Fendi Fall/Winter 2015

SHISEIDO “The Makeup” Translucent Loose Powder P1,778

VANI T IES primers

Get your skin goals with GLAMGLOW “SUPERMUD” CLEARING TREATMENT, a mud mask that prevents and heals black and white heads, breakouts, discoloration, and even razor bumps.

SWEET ESCAPE If you want to feel like a rich girl, there’s no doubt you’ll fall in love with the URBAN DECAY × GWEN STEFANI EYESHADOW PALETTE. A mixture of neutral and jewel tones, wind it up with 12 new custom shades and three classics from the Urban Decay collection that glide through your lids with beautiful pigmentation, amazing staying power, and velvety texture.

It’s all smooth sailing when you get your hands on ORIGINS “CLEAR IMPROVEMENT” ACTIVE CHARCOAL MASK with its all-natural ingredients that help unclog pores, absorb toxins, and dissolve impurities.

Expert Advice

Press the rewind button as KIEHL’S “CILANTRO & ORANGE EXTRACT” POLLUTANT DEFENDING MASQUE detoxifies and replenishes your skin with a potent blend that minimizes lines, rough textures, and dullness.

Spritz setting spray on your brush or applicator before dipping it on your eyeshadow for a more dramatic and pigmented effect.

BEAUTY BITE

Aramesh Wellness Spa

T

Words by Jill de Leon

une out the noise and stress of the city and step into royal territory at ARAMESH WELLNESS SPA. Located in Makati, the spa draws you in with calming lighting, luxurious fabrics, and drapes, hinting a Persian architecture. Enjoy a whole new world of hot stone and Shiatsu massages, ventosa and paraffin therapy, and foot reflexology that will leave you relaxed and ready to go.

Heart Tower, 108 Valero St., Makati City (02) 478 7738 fashionsmile.ph/aramesh

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GO S E E

Make anyone fall in love with your look as you add a flush of red to your ensemble.

Photos courtesy of lookbook.nu

@ebbazingmark

@fmeyes

@princevernon

@thirdyofficial

@agoniiya

Blogger and photographer GINA VADANA makes layering fun in a bold and quirky combination. @vintageena

@t1garchou

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@discotim_

@xoxoHilamee

MARCIN WYSOCKI literally makes a fashion statement with this graphic hoodie. @mwwysocki @mashasedgwick

@onedapperstreet

@bangbangblond

@thefashioncuisine

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Photographed by Alejandro Cabezut

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Styled by Tuyaymya Osuna

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N top by Kenzo pants by Givenchy coat by Burberry

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top by Saint Laurent pants by J.W. Anderson

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top by Kenzo pants by Givenchy

sweater by Michael Kors top by Saint Laurent trousers by J.W. Anderson

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top by Marc Jacobs trousers by Diane von Furstenberg coat by Proenza Schouler shoes by Stuart Weitzman

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blazer by Valentino top by American Apparel pants by Calvin Klein

Makeup Marlu Soria Hair Kendra Powell Model Noa Dukler

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Photographed by Ray Ranoa Styled by Mickael Kidumu

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shirt

by Revulsive Underground jacket by Marc Jacobs jeans by Burberry Brit

pantsuit by Myriam Rouah

shirt by Topman jacket by ASOS pants by Yang Li shoes by River Island

top by Myriam Rouah pants by Loewe shoes by Jimmy Choo

Hair Inès El Kadri-Amrani Makeup Alexiane Guyon Models Josef Utekal, Kathleen Faux, and Valter Torsleff of Elite Paris

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jacket by Renan Pacson mesh shirt by CeeMarket T-shirt by Penshoppe pants by Oxygen

Photographed by Miguel Alomajan Styled by Jill de Leon Illustrated by Nadine Layon

jacket by Penshoppe mesh shirt by CeeMarket button-down by H&M shorts by Oxygen

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shirt by CeeMarket hoodie by H&M pants by Oxygen

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vest by Renan Pacson sweatshirt by Penshoppe pants by Oxygen statusmagonline.com - 45

jacket by 24:01 button-down by Oxygen pants by Oxygen shoes by 24:01

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sweater by CeeMarket pants by Zalora

Grooming Sydney Dagal Model Mack from Elite Models

From left to right: jacket by Sfera [P1,890] dress by Miss Selfridge [P2,300] dress by Dorothy Perkins [P1,800] jacket by Topshop [P3,450] dress by Sfera [P1,795]

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SWAG F EBR UA R Y

20 1 6

FRACTAL DIMENSION Discover a whole new side to your style with ribbed dresses, lace-up boots, knit sweaters, olive chinos, travel bags, leather watches, denim skirts, camel bags, and wrap heels.

Product photography by Mike Chua

LACE-UP BOOTS

BOOT CAMP

Kick off the party.

From top to bottom: Call It Spring [P2,390] Dr. Martens [P7,650] Aldo [P2,800]

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K N I T S W E AT E R S

wool stock Join team cozy.

From top to bottom: 24:01 [P899] Oxygen [P899] Sfera [P1,250] River Island [P1,650]

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oli v e c h I N O S

MOSS CULTURE A certain shade of green.

From top to bottom: Topman [P2,550] Oxygen [P1,100] Sfera [P1,800] Penshoppe [P899]

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T R AV E L BAG S

JET PACK

No excess baggage.

From top to bottom: Zalora [P1,299] Topman [P4,250] River Island [P3,545]

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L E AT H E R WAT C H E S

HOT MINUTE A ray of sunshine.

From top to bottom: Aldo [P1,125] Zalora [P799] Call It SpriAng [P1,100] Something Borrowed [P899]

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DENIM SKIRT

JEAN GIRLS

Eternal denim-nation.

Clockwise: Topshop [P2,200] River Island [P1,900] Topshop [P2,650] Miss Selfridge [P3,150]

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CAMEL BAGS

SUNKISSED

Be a bronzed goddess.

Clockwise: Sfera [P999] Charles & Keith [P2,750] Aldo [P1,600]

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W R A P- U P H E E L S

step high

From a different angle.

From top to bottom: Something Borrowed [P1099] Call It Spring [P2,375] Charles & Keith [P3,550]

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M U S E

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The Won der kids Roaming across concrete streets, far-off castles, and golden meadows are model siblings LOU and NILS SCHOOF, perpetually bringing something cinematic to their stills.

By Janroe Cabiles Photographed by Elizaveta Porodina Special thanks to Place Models

I

n the same way light shines from far-off lamp posts, Lou and Nils Schoof have a dark glimmer to their eyes. Echoing an alluring placidity in every shot, whether for high-fashion shoots or playful snaps while traveling, both emit a certain shade of cool. They’ve recently traveled to Madrid together for a gig and straight to Munich for more shoots, showing how far they’ve come from their home on the countryside in Northern Germany. “It’s in a little village where we used to play outside around the diverse nature there,” recalls Nils. “We got to enjoy having our own little adventures growing up,” adds Lou. “But as I got older, I didn’t really feel a connection to the mentality there, and I finally found my place between the calm countryside and the rushing, innovative, open-minded cities.”

While on a trip to Hamburg with their father a few years ago, Lou caught the eye of her current agent from Place Models, leading her to work with publications Vogue Gioiello, Vogue Japan, British Vogue, Bon Magazine, Elle UK, Wonderland Magazine, and Models, as well as brands Margaret Howell, Blumarine, Zara, and Chloé. Nils quickly caught some attention as well; after a few candid posts with Lou on her Instagram, a call from Lou’s agent taking on Nils landed both of them on the cover of Vogue Ukraine in November 2015.

There’s a versatility that flows through both the siblings: one captured with a beauty of a bygone age, and another, a touch of reckless youth. Nils’ dark blonde hair and cheekbones balances a maturity to his look, yet immortalizes his boyhood. With Lou’s flaxen-colored fringe and her blue doe eyes, she quips a serene sentimentality, bringing almost a cinematic-like performance to her takes. “We think that the key to a good picture is acting and understanding,” says Lou. “You have to be in good contact with the set, styling, and photographer. And before all else, you have to know yourself.”

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PHILOSOPHIE

N: Lou and I have the same mind about living now and not tomorrow. I think it’s more important to think about the past and learn from your mistakes than to dream about your future.

L: I almost do not dare to dream of more. Since I’ve met the most amazing people on this journey so far. I try not to dream too much. I like being in the present a hundred percent and try to spend as much energy on the stuff that makes me happy.

I have learned that this mentality works best for me.

ROLE MODEL

PARADISE CITY

Lou: I had a great time in New York this year after having a bad start there last year. I think that if you treat it right, the city can give and teach you a lot. I don’t know any other place that makes you grow and realize things as much as New York.

Nils: My favorite city is definitely Hamburg! I love Hamburg because I have good friends there and I can visit foosball tournaments. Foosball is my biggest hobby; it’s exciting to meet new players and match with them.

N: The most beautiful thing about modeling is to travel and learn about new traditions and cultures. I love to visit new countries and to eat the delicious food there; I’m very interested, why different countries have so different tastes.

L: The best and most challenging aspect at the same time is probably that you’re alone with yourself for longer periods of time. I left school without having an idea what my qualities were, who I was without my comfort zone. Modeling took me out of my known surroundings and gave me the opportunity to discover the world and yourself.

Still, it craves to accept challenges and to keep on going, which costs a lot of energy. But it’s definitely worth it.

@louschoof / @nilsschoof @schoofers

ROOMMATES

N: We love hanging out in our room after Lou comes home from traveling. We usually watch random music videos or anything Woody Allen or Wes Anderson.

L: We go to bed really late. Nils normally has school the next day, but we just can’t stop talking.

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M A E S T R O

Already well-immersed in the world of soul and funk, SOAK currently rides a wave that shows no sign of stopping.

By Ida Aldana Interview by Celene Sakurako

H

ailing from the small town of Derry, Northern Ireland with only 19 years under her belt, SOAK a.k.a. Bridie Monds-Watson is already riding the airwaves. Armed with her guitar, she started testing out the waters by writing her own songs. “My brother got a guitar for Christmas when he was younger, and I decided I wanted to play as well,” recalls the artist. “So I spent time practicing in order to get as good as him!”

Unintentionally, the songs she wrote quickly turned into demos and EPs. “I’ve always been a big music fan, but I didn’t have a grand plan to get into music.”

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Her unique combination of soul and funk has been a product of growing up in her musical hometown.

“Derry is a very musical place.

There’s an amazing open mic night that happens every week, which I used to play at. It was great way of learning to play live.” Describing her music as loud, quiet, and honest, she’s thankful that the buzz has all been about her music, explaining, “I personally don’t have intentions of being a ‘celebrity’.” With her Mercury Music Prize-nominated debut album Before We Forgot How to Dream already out, she only hopes to keep on writing, touring, and having fun with it. “Hopefully, other people will be into it as well!”

Hi Bridie! How’s it going?

I’m currently at home, having just got back from my tour around UK and Europe.

Aside from music, do you have any other passions? Paint us a picture of what you do in your free time.

At the moment, music takes up the majority of my time, but when I do get some spare time, I like to catch up with friends and do the usual stuff that a teenager does.

Any particular reasoning to your stage name SOAK? It was just something I came up with my mum when I was very young, and it sounded good and stuck.

Tell us about your debut album, Before We Forgot How to Dream.

What influences did you take from?

The album has songs on it that I wrote when I was 13 right up to last year, so it spans quite a bit of

maestro

“[My album] is about that time before you become an adult and have to deal with the realities of life and sometimes lose the ability to dream.”

time. The title is actually the last line on the album, and it’s about that time before you become an adult and have to deal with the realities of life and sometimes lose the ability to dream.

What was the musical process for this like?

I loved making the record; I made it with Tommy Mcglaughlin in his studio.

We spent about a month in the studio putting it all together. I would usually come in with the song in demo form, and between us, we’d play all

the instruments and pull it together.

I can’t wait to get back into the studio for the next record.

How was touring like?

Touring has been AMAZING. I’ve been so lucky to visit so many places this year—playing in Australia was brilliant. I’ve just finished seven weeks on the road around UK and Europe, ending in Iceland. It’s an amazing feeling to go to somewhere you’ve never been before and see people there singing your songs back to you!

What’s next for you?

A bit of rest and time with my mates, then I’m off to somewhere but can’t remember where—need to check my diary.

soakmusic.co.uk @Soakofficial

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NO SCENERS

maestro

Rising from the ashes of former pop punk band Emily’s Army are Oakland punk rockers Cole Becker (vocals/ guitar), Max Becker (vocals/guitar), Seb Mueller (bass), and Joey Armstrong (drums) of SWMRS. Debuting their first album North Drive this month under their own indie record label Uncool Records, the quartet leads the pack into the new age of music where genres are obsolete.

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“

ids don’t want a punk rock scene anymore,” says 20-year old Cole Becker, frontman and guitarist of Oakland punk quartet SWMRS. “There are a ton of amazing punk bands out there right now: FIDLAR, Bully, No Parents, The Frights, Dog Party, Beach Slang, and G.L.O.S.S., to name a few, but I’m waiting for the day when Hieroglyphics, SWMRS, Kehlani, Dog Party, and Lil B can do a show together. That’s the future scene.”

Raised on the digital age of music, Cole asks, “My generation has access to every record ever made, every band that ever existed, and every really good EP trying to scrape through all of the noise; why would we want to compartmentalize ourselves into different genres when we could just have one big scene called the ‘good music’ scene?”

Repping for artists who aren’t bound to particular aesthetics and sounds that define the type of music they play, Cole quips, “Punk is the

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By Celene Sakurako Photographed by Alice Baxley

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“Why would we want to compartmentalize ourselves into different genres when we could just have one big scene called the ‘good music’ scene?” empowerment of participation in music and art, which for so long were restricted to the upper class and the select few they would patronize. You don’t have to sound like Minor Threat anymore to be punk. G.L.O.S.S. is the best and realest hardcore band out there right now, but the dude who made an entire trap mixtape at the Apple store is runner-up and winner of most creatively conceived.” With “Feminism” as the sole interest on the band’s Facebook page, he explains how their music, which in his own words sounds like “a million teenagers linked by tomato can telephones crying and playing with drum machines in their room,” is made to be inclusive of all audiences. “Our music isn’t a space for anyone to promote racism, homophobia, transphobia, or misogyny. No xenophobia allowed.”

Last seen walking the runway to the band’s original track with

fellow member and brother, Max, in Saint Laurent’s surf-inspired Spring/Summer 2016 show, SWMRS teams up with FIDLAR’s Zac Carper for their debut album Drive North, a follow-up to their Miley//Uncool EP. Inspired by actor Harry Dean Stanton and FILDAR’s “Cheap Beer,” Cole took his pool of eclectic musical influences, including A Tribe Called Quest, Run the Jewels, Missy Elliott, Alvvays, The Beach Boys, and Dinosaur Jr., to conceive a 12-track album that chronicles a teenager growing up in the modern age of anxiety. “It’s one of those albums that I think will mean something different to everyone who listens to it; I don’t want people to take my interpretation as the only way of listening, because music should always be a conversation between the artist and the listener, but to me, it’s a narrative that follows me through a weekend in high school or college.”

Currently on tour around U.S. and Canada, Cole expresses how their main goal for the album was to create something that captures the raw energy of a live performance. He reflects, “We were trying to create a distinctive sound that gives you the same visceral experience that was exclusive before to live shows.

We didn’t want to create an album that people are ambivalent about.

We want people to fucking love this album.” Looking back at working with one of the band’s biggest idols Zac as producer, Cole explains his experience with the newly reformed crooner as weird. “You would think that he’d be super liberal with swearing, smoking, and drinking, but he changed a lot after rehab. We totally support his decision, but it was super weird for us when he made us start putting money in a swear jar after vocal takes. It was like, ‘Dude, you swear all the time on your records!’ But then again, he has a new lifestyle, and if that’s what it takes to make a good record, then so be it.”

Fueled by the wondrous feeling that creating brings him, Cole fantasizes the day he can graduate college and quit his day job as an occasional dish washer for sororities and purely live off of music. “I hope lonely and marginalized people will see what we do and feel like they can be creative too; creation is a really good way of coping with the shittier parts of this world that feels so doomed.”

SWMRS.com @swmrsca_

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maestro

on the Stephen Bruno might not be the cat-like humanoid alien you’re looking for, but he’s the only THUNDERCAT that you‘re going to need. Aside from lending a hand to two of 2015’s greatest LPs: Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly and Kamasi Washington’s The Epic, this West Coast singersongwriter and famed bass virtuoso isn’t just about all that jazz–he’s a whole lot more.

By Pola Beronilla Photographed by B+

L

ong before the moniker Thundercat ever popped up on everyone’s radar, Stephen Bruno had covertly built a staggering resumé before finally making a name for himself. From touching bass with Suicidal Tendencies as he joined his brother Ronald Bruner Jr. and the crossover trash outfit in 2008, it was meeting experimental multi-genre music producer Flying Lotus that led an awakening to his inner self. “Flying Lotus was a major role in my coming to as an artist. He kinda helped me understand that there’s something more that I could do,” confesses the artist. “And he’s been like a big brother to me.”

From working his magic around the records of Erykah Badu, Sa-Ra Creative Partners, as well as his frequent collaborator Flying Lotus came 2011’s The Golden Age of Apocalypse, Thundercat’s intergalactic debut under Brainfeeder. “I feel like there are so many options that you can explore musically and creatively, and when they present themselves to you, you just have to be open to ‘em, you know?” says Thundercat of his solo record.

“When the opportunity presented itself for me to become

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maestro

“My main goal with my music is to achieve domination.”

an artist, I just walked towards it. I didn’t shy away from it. I mean, I was scared inside a bit, until I saw it and had some help with Flying Lotus.”

His recent release, The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam, picks up where his sophomore LP Apocalypse left off in 2013. “There are a couple of reasons why it came out like a mini-album rather than a full length. Again, this is also the work of me and Flying Lotus together, and I think we were very inspired to try to see what’ll happen if we put out music right now. And luckily, I had music available,” he shares. “We just kinda throw it out there. It felt like it went together with everything else going on, and I still have a lot more music, but those songs and ideas as a whole, it came together in a manner where it felt comfortable enough to put out there.”

With contributions from Herbie Hancock, Kamasi Washington, and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, his 16-minute release packs a somber funk punch of layered vocals and an instrumental odyssey. While his tender fusion of neosoul jazz and synth-funk sound still ringing true, he explores a futuristic vibe with The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam. “A lot of the influence behind the record came from a lot of loss and emotional ups-and-downs that have been created over the last few years due to different life experiences. It’s a direct reflection of has been going on in my life,” he recollects. “I remember after I finished recording ‘Song For The Dead,’ it kinda brought me a sense of calm. I felt very at

peace with everything else going on. It actually is a therapy that helped me through a lot of it. I’m happy that I have the ability to create music, because you can do things like mixing it with real life and things like that.”

More recently, he’s been working on a new project with Flying Lotus and Seattle-based experimental hiphop group Shabazz Palaces called WOKE. “I really love collaborating. It gives me a chance to create with people and get more opinions than one, and it’s fun to talk with everybody who shares the same idea of what’s amazing,” he adds. They’ve also released their first single, “The Lavishments of Light Looking,” featuring Parliament Funkudelic icon George Clinton. “It’s a project that Lotus has had in his mind. He’s always thinking about new ideas, new ways to do different things, and I remember him mentioning it to me some years ago,” recalls Thundercat. “The opportunity presented itself with George Clinton and Shabazz Palaces, and we just went for it. For me, it’s always an adventure of what can happen.”

Thundercat is on the move; Thundercat is loose. Feel his magic, and hear his roar. Currently included in the stellar lineup of this year’s St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival along with the likes of The Internet, DIIV, and Flume, he has a clear idea of his intentions. Keeping his eyes on the prize, he says, “My main goal with my music is to achieve domination.”

brainfeedersite.com @Thundercat

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maestro

STRAIGHT

OUTTA

MANILA jacket by Oxygen pants by Nike

Straight from the streets of Manila is lyrical poet Mito Fabie a.k.a. CURTISMITH ripping the hip-hop scene with sick raps about his life and the truths about the city he lives in.

By Celene Sakurako Photographed by Erika Yamaguchi-Garcia

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roudly carrying the Three Stars and a Sun on his back is 22year old Filipino rapper onthe-rise Mito Fabie, illuminating his reality through candid rhymes about frustrations, hopes, dreams, and the third world hustle under the pseudonym Curtismith. Having just dropped his debut mixtape Ideal last September, featuring celebrated local artists like CRWN and Similarobjects, the emcee shows no sign of slowing down as he gears up for the release of his first seventrack EP Failing Forward. With merely two years of experience in the game, LOGICLUB’s prodigy confesses, “With Ideal, I couldn’t separate Mito from

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Curtismith, but now with my new project, I’m really trying to have Curtismith have his own identity.

It’s still genuine, it’s still me, but it’s more.”

With a tight grip on the mic and a thirst to propel, the reformed teenage rascal discloses, “I’ve always written for myself. That’s what Ideal was about. Now, it’s a bit different. I’m still writing for myself, but also for those who are listening. The fact that there are people who listen to me, I keep that in mind wheneveer I write. I have to write from a personal place or experience, but I try to write something worth listening to.”

Listing Kendrick Lamar, The Internet, and Drake as some of his musical influences, he stresses how everything starts from a beat. “The most important component for me in making

music is finding the right beat.”

When asked what the perfect beat is, he quickly retorts, “Whatever connects. When you know, you know.

That’s it. That’s the only way I can describe it.”

Once again tapping musicians Similarobjects and CRWN for his EP, along with underground Manila rapper Frank SVG, writer Jam Pascual, and a roster of lesser known beat makers from across the globe, he says, “I just want to put the Philippines on the map; all the artists and the producers of the Philippines. I take pride in being a Filipino and I want people to know what my country is like. I mean, if I’m able to reach that point where I can be recognized abroad, I want the main thing they know about me is the fact that I came from the Philippines.”

maestro Who are some local musicians that you think can compete globally?

Rhxanders, Jess Connelly, CRWN, and Similarobjects.

What do you think about the local hip-hop scene?

I think it’s very separated and that there’s a lack of community. There’s a lot of different sounds, a lot of different movements that have been going on in hip-hop. We all cater to different markets. We all have different visions. We all have different demographics.

“I just want to put the Philippines on the map…

I take pride in being a Filipino and I want people to know what my country is like.”

How would you describe your music?

It’s honest. My sound is honest. At the end of the day, the only thing that differentiates me is that my lyrics are real.

What’s one advice you have for aspiring rappers?

Rather than having fear placed in front of you, place it behind you and let it push you forward.

What kind of people do you want to listen to your music?

People who question everything. I want the people who question shit, who think that things can be done by the people who start to innovate– those are the people I want to listen to my music.

soundcloud.com/curtismith @manigamito

shirt by Oxygen pants by Nike

What’s the story behind your moniker Curtismith?

When I was trying to come out with my music, I didn’t want anyone to know who I was. At first, I came up with “Gold Soul,” ‘cause it stood for what I believed in–pure intentions, but I wasn’t content with the name.

One day, I was looking out the window and saw a billboard of Anne CurtisSmith. I remembered reading she was a platinum-winning artist, and you know, me wanting to come out with my music for people to solely like my music for what it was rather than who I was, I found it funny. Even if her music isn’t the best, she’s reached a level of success in music that artists I know still strive for now. The fact that she reached that level of success without having excellent music is something I find ironic, so I was like “Yup, I’m keeping Curtismith.”

Are you saying that she’s not a great artist?

No. I’m saying, that she’s not the best at singing, and I think she has other strengths that kind of outclass her singing in terms of her skills, but the fact that she’s able to succeed in music is something that I find admirable. It’s just that in the industry in itself, that’s kind of fucked up.

What’s wrong with the local industry?

I think that the money is going to the wrong artists. I feel like the major corporations are afraid of trying new things, because they have a system that works for them. There’s no creativity or individuality; the music comes from a money making scheme. shirt by Stüssy from Greyone Social

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M A S T E R M I N D

All the way from down under, NATASHA LIU BORDIZZO is more things than one. She’s an actress and model with a Taekwondo black belt playing the lead role in Netflix’s first feature film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: Sword of Destiny.

By Celene Sakurako Photographed by Bonnie Hansen and Ta-ku

“As long as I’m progressing, S learning, growing, feeling, and living, I’m happy.”

ome may say that 21-year old Italian-Chinese actress Natasha Liu Bordizzo just got lucky– including herself–when she landed her first acting gig alongside big names like Michelle Yeoh and Donnie Yen as Snow Vase in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 2: Sword of Destiny, but we beg to differ. Living the “all or nothing” kind of life, the Sydneynative put a halt in her studies and hopped on to a plane to New Zealand to pursue acting full-time. “It’s a crazy story. Are you ready for this?

I’ve never acted before. I just started my double degree of Media and Law, and this film was my first audition–it was a worldwide search.

At first, I auditioned for a smaller role. A week later, I flew to New Zealand to begin filming as a lead.”

Nineteen years old at the time, Natasha underwent vocal coaching

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and rigorous Kung Fu training under Master Yuen Woo-Ping (the action choreographer behind films like Matrix, Drunken Master, and Kill Bill: Volume 1 and 2) and his stunt team for a month before going straight into finishing the film under four months. Coincidentally the same age as Zhang Ziyi when she filmed the original multi-Oscar winning movie, the Taekwondo black belt holder rehashes, “It’s a strange feeling, almost like coming full circle!

It was such an honor to work with Michelle Yeoh, just as Zhang did at my age all those years ago.”

Creative by nature, the actress also dabbles in photography and writing, and moonlights as a model who’s recently been named the face of fine jewelry brand Jan Logan’s 2016 Matrix Collection, following her debut as the star of clothing line Marcs’ Spring/Summer 2015 campaign.

Paving a path of her own, she says, “As long as I’m progressing, learning, growing, feeling, and living, I’m happy. I look forward to an ever-changing career. We’re lucky these days we don’t have to work one job our entire lives like most of our parents did.”

MASTERMIND We’re you ever intimidated to be a part of a sequel that’s won four Oscars, another 111 wins, 107 nominations, and dubbed the highest grossing foreign language film in the U.S.?

Well, if you lay it out like that, it does seem fairly intimidating! At the time, I wasn’t really, though.

There was no time to stop and think about it. It was just go, go, go, train, act, and make this film! I was also five years old when it first came out, so I was teased a lot during production by the cast and crew who realized that.

to have equally weird friends. I genuinely believed in Santa Claus until I was 13, and I blame my parents for that!

Tell us a little bit about your character Snow Vase.

Snow Vase is an impulsive young warrior who is full of secrets. She’s pretty guarded, yet she desperately seeks guidance from Yu Shu Lien (played by Michelle Yeoh). I feel her upbringing was quite lonely; she was treated more like a student than a daughter. Throughout most of the film, she’s on a dark quest for revenge, but beneath her fiery exterior, I think there’s a lot of pent up longing for love and guidance.

What was it like working with Michelle Yeoh and Donnie Yen? As soon as you work with them, you would see why they’re so successful.

Michelle is just one of the greatest

What was training with Master Yuen Woo-Ping like?

They are literally the best stunt guys and girls in China! It was intense. I have a background in martial arts, but this was next level stuff. My black belt in Taekwondo surprisingly didn’t really help me much. The styles are very different; the Wu-Dang form in the film is very elegant, almost like dancing.

humans I’ve ever had the honor to meet; her positive energy is infectious and her heart is huge.

Donnie is just the ultimate pro; he’s clearly at home on set and a breeze to work with. Not to mention they both kick serious butt!

The film is going to be out exclusively on Netflix. Would you say that you’re an avid Netflix user?

Yes. In bed, with ice cream. You can find me binge-watching Gilmore Girls and singing the theme song really loudly every time. I think Lorelai is my spirit animal.

@NatashaBordizzo

What similarities do you find between you and Snow Vase?

Her emotions always get the best of her. I can relate to that.

Thankfully, I don’t relate to her broken childhood. I had a great childhood. I was a very weird kid who loved to pull faces in class and pretend school was a fantasyland, usually Hogwarts, and I was lucky

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MASTERMIND

HEDONISTIC POP Abusing pain and pleasure on paint, contemporary artist POW MARTINEZ. poises his abstract blobs and patterned shards into abominable scenes of pop.

By Janroe Cabiles

The Painter

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ith a wink of provocative disarray on faces that scream of a charming nightmare on canvas, Pow Martinez paints the picture real quick: there’s no room for sugarcoats and pastel paradises here. When asked what puts him apart from the rest of the other artists, he entices us further with a humor evidently belonging to his work, quipping, “I’m not the type of artist who’s going to give you a sentimental and boring art explanation.”

Showing in various galleries around Manila, holding exhibitions in Thailand, Tokyo, Melbourne, Singapore, Germany, France, and U.S., and also earning the Ateneo Art Award for his solo exhibition 1 Billion Years in 2010, he honed his trademark near-lowbrow surrealism in high school, drawing and doodling at the back of his books for fun. “I didn’t know what a ‘real artist’ was,” he recalls. “Then I got in to the University of the Philippines Fine Arts program, taking up Visual Communication, and from there, I got serious.”

His crude figures in technicolor eventually took a prolific life of their own. Straying away from any intensity in all things except in his art, Pow dropped out of college to pursue painting full-time. “I think self-taught artists are great. School is okay too, I’m just impatient. I just wanted to be an artist in the real world, and not in the security blanket of school. I wanted to make art immediately.” Making his own colorful world of distorted pop laden with a tongue-in-cheek wit, anything from oil to acrylic and paper to canvas is fair game, but he mostly uses oil paint for texture. Taking inspiration from artists like David Shrigley, George Condo, and Dash Snow, he splashes his own blend of authentic chaos in eclectic characters, painting a semblance of a reality walking the line of both nihilism and hedonism; all

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Pale Rider

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an underlying satire that is his rhythm of aesthetic. Besides his pursuit of art, he also plays guitar for experimental rock band Pastilan Dong and has a solo electronic project called Sewage Worker. Influenced by human activity as a subject matter in movies, music, and the Internet, he dreams of collaborating his film, painting, and music all at the same time. “This year, I’m planning on organizing a series of music events for experimental music, and some painting shows as well.”

Who are your favorite artists and why do you admire them?

For local, Manuel Ocampo because of his nihilistic attitude to painting. I also like Quentin Dupieux a.k.a. Mr. Oizo. He’s a French electronic musician but also a film director of absurd movies like Rubber, Wrong, and Wrong Cops. Very funny movies, almost like my idea of painting.

Analog Boy

What do you think about the local art scene, and how is it different from the scenes overseas?

The Manila scene is small but very active, which I think is great.

You get to see the same people at art openings, which makes shows overseas more exciting because they don’t know you or your work, so they won’t expect something new from you in the next show and they won’t get tired of your art. Regardless, it’s a good time to be an artist.

Why are you an artist?

Sometimes, I don’t know why I’m an artist, but I don’t have any choice but to make art. I make art for myself to make sense, if that makes sense.

Goddess of Hellfire

What’s the best and worst thing about doing what you do?

Best: I don’t need to wake up early and get stuck in Manila traffic just to go to an office.

Worst: It’s pretty hard to explain what I do in life.

What do you want your audience to get from your art work?

I just want them to look at the paintings.

Where do you see yourself in three years?

Not caring more and more about stupid things.

powmartinezart.tumblr.com

“I make art for myself to make sense.”

Inquisition #2

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MASTERMIND

Stoking her strokes in intoxicating narratives on canvas, traditional oil painter KU ROMILLO transcends her visual language into ethereal scenes.

By Janroe Cabiles

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hurning out whimsical tableau of either fairies or foes in dark tones, Manila-based artist Ku Romillo can capture movement so graceful in static conditions, with fluid strokes making the canvas looking like smooth velvet. With perfect texture and a depth to the eyes of all her creations, her venture into art came from a place close to home. “If I were to attribute my artistic inclination to anything, it would be to my love of fiction,” she shares. “I was obsessed with myths, fairy tales, and pretty much anything fantastical. That may be where it all started for me, I would doodle and dabble trying to recreate what my mind saw based on what I read, though I wasn’t very good at it.” Growing up and learning a number of other things such as ballet, gymnastics, and the violin, she got a shot to express her creativity in inter-school press conferences in the cartoon category and poster-making contests when she moved to the province. Stepping in and out of a Science high school and initially having no plans on pursuing fine arts, she shifted from her pre-Dentistry course in college to be a painting major.

Painting the road less traveled, sticking to the path of traditional art was something plotted out for her from the beginning. “It’s simple: I have photosensitivity. My eyes can’t stand bright lights and LCD screens for too long, so I don’t do digital art. I have no choice, and yet I think I prefer it this way; traditional methods seem to suit me better than anything else.” Sometimes equipping pen, ink, or graphite, she remains completely engrossed with her medium of choice. “It’s the multitude of effects you can do once you get the hang of it and the fact that it’s been tested throughout the years. The fact that a lot of oil paintings have survived for centuries ensures me that if I do things right, my works will outlast me.

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Long after my body has deteriorated, I would have left a legacy proving I once existed.” Taking up painting fulltime, she adapts to the boundless form of freedom that comes with it. “I spend days, sometimes weeks, figuring out the concept and composition. I’m very particular with preparing the surface of my canvas since I want my paintings to be done right from the ground up. I make rough sketches sometimes, color studies, but most of the time, I wing it. Once I feel confident enough to begin the piece, it’s all very intuitive.”

Layering on everything from the ethereal to semiphotorealistic scenes, Ku draws her lines from Caravaggio, Edward Poynter, Lawrence Alma-Tadema, and John William Waterhouse. Inspired by fantastic stories, beautiful places, personal experiences, friends, and loved ones, the artist is navigating her way into her aesthetic. “I think I’m still in the experimental stage– trying to figure out what I want to show and how I want to show it. When my eyes are pleased with how my work turns out, I always end up surprising myself. I feel like I’m a step closer to something better.” Choosing muses for her canvases comes with intuition. “I enjoy painting women, because I can relate to them. Not to mention, there’s something captivating about women. I’m not specific in what I look for in a subject, but once they’ve caught my eye, I have to paint them. Some of my

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“When my eyesare pleased with how my work turns out, I always end up surprising myself. I feel like I’m a step closer to something better.”

models have been my friends for a long time, but some I just ask right after meeting them. I fall in love with them in some level so I won’t tire of painting them.”

Adding to her intoxicating roster of shows and murals, including collaborations with local artists Egg Fiasco, Darko, Bato, and Kookoo Ramos, Ku has a lot of things to look forward to for the year to come. “I have shows lined up throughout 2016 and 2017, including a couple of group shows in Metro Gallery this summer. I’m also having a two-man show with Erick Villacruz in July, and another with Mikko Sison in December. Sometime between that, I’m collaborating with musician Rich Griner a.k.a. rhxanders for an interdisciplinary show.

I’m also in the middle of planning another two-man show with Archie Geotina a.k.a. Chichi Monster. It’s all pretty overwhelming, but I’m trying my best to be zen about it.”

facebook.com/romilloku @kuromillo

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MASTERMIND

Flashing sexy, sweet, and sickly images tailored for the modern-day girl, illustrator POLLY NOR tells tales of relationship mishaps, weekend regrets, and sex-driven stupors through her lady-like demons.

Nev

By Janroe Cabiles

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Thinking Bout You

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n scenes of lava lamps on bedside tables and posters on pastel-colored walls, British artist Polly Nor pens an alternate-slash-internal universe in which the devil no longer dresses itself in crow’s wings, but in the skin of a girl in the modern world.

Capturing the average female character in the confines of her childhood bedroom, she realizes the present-day, vulnerable, and unabashedly sexual she-demon in all of us through her characters, doing whatever they want: be it hiding under flesh, talking about sex, masturbating in the sheets, or self-shaming with a glass of wine in hand. “I use very sickly, sweet, girly colors in my work, but I set them in a dull shade to give a dark, stagnant atmosphere.” It’s this visually appealing, notch-above fucked-up aesthetic that she’s shared with Hunger TV, EMI Records, Salzburg Festival, and has been featured in Dazed Digital, Cool Hunting, Vagabomb, and ASOS. Growing up, drawing was just something that came very natural to her. “I carried on to university, but I eventually started feeling very restricted by the way I was doing things. I was creating all of my work digitally, and I didn’t feel at all connected with my pieces. So I decided to start drawing by hand again, making little funny things that came up in conversations with my girlfriends,” she recalls. “I started sharing them on Instagram and people responded to them, which was cool. I’ve moved on to drawing bigger and more detailed scenes with more narratives and characters that actually mean something to me.

I guess it all kind of grew from there.” Imposing a pure and peculiar state of erotica, she draws a vivid landscape of what happens behind closed doors instead of the usually pleasant and dainty scenes of a girl’s bedroom, as seen in her latest exhibit Sorry Grandma. “I’m kind of blowing my own trumpet here with these comparisons, but I would like to think that my

ver Happened

MASTERMIND work falls somewhere between Toshio Saeki and Chris (Simpsons Artist) with a female twist,” she says of her aesthetic. Employing her feisty little devils as a figment of the female’s imagination, she’s been exposed to the image well enough, having seen them in her father’s studio as well as having her own collection of vintage devil posters. “It was never really a conscious decision to adopt it as a recurring theme; it just kind of happened and worked. It’s definitely become a main character within my work, but the character is constantly changing and evolving, being used to represent different ideas and stories.” True enough, its involvement in the story is never intentionally frightening; on the contrary, it retains a humor almost slapstick it its shock factor, but abstract in a way that makes you linger on the sharp nails and horns of her characters.

With her Instagram bio reading, “I draw women and devils for women and devils,” it’s easy to read between the lines and pen strokes that her art is for herself, which transcends into a bigger, relatable conversation.

“Social media is a big influence; my work wouldn’t be an accurate representation of youth culture if the Internet wasn’t a part of my drawings. I screenshot anything I want to remember: texts, tweets, selfies. The subject matter usually comes from girl chat about life, sex, and love–they definitely play a part in my work.”

With a touch of voyeurism at play, her figures are caught in all acts–sex, sass, tongues, and tears. “Sex is something that’s incredibly relevant and personal to everybody. For me, growing up in a generation with easy access to online pornography has made it a much more complex and unavoidable part of life. I think the changing relationship people have with sex and images of sex is really interesting.”

Sweeping off the remnants of misogyny, she questions the still-objectified image of women through the mainstream looking glass of the male species. “Kids are now learning about sexual relationships and how to be sexual from an industry that’s created almost

Mood

“Kids are now learning about sexual relationships from an industry that’s created almost entirely by men for men, and I think that’s so fucked up.” entirely by men for men, and I think that’s so fucked up. We’re constantly being fed unrealistic, patronizing ideas of women through most mainstream media,” she shares. “I also feel frustrated by the male-dominated porn industry’s warped representation of sex, the dynamic in sex, and female pleasure. Through most of the easily accessible pornographic sites, women are represented as submissive sex slaves with no ideas or preferences of their own and are treated like tools designed for male pleasure and gratification.” Quipping a synergy from both her hands and her exploration of female empathy, she continues to paint pretty and distorted pictures of relationship mishaps and weekend regrets, giving us a taste of what to look out for.

“I just launched my online shop, which I’m planning to expand throughout the year, and I have some really exciting collaborations in the pipeline,” one that could involve artist Mary Stephenson. “I’m also currently working out how I could bring my drawings to life as installations for my big next exhibition.”

pollynor.store.co.uk @pollynor

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H E A V Y H I T T E R

Legend has it that otaku hero TAKASHI MURAKAMI is a stroke of genius. He paints with the esoteric palette of his mind’s fascination, taking you deeper into his two-dimensional imagery of a fantastical, grotesque, sometimes dark and twisted universe.

Haunted by the patience and prudence of 500 enlightened followers of Buddha, his body of work doesn’t fall flat.

By Pola Beronilla Interview by Victoria Herrera Photos by Rosario Herrera Special thanks to Brad Plumb of Kaikai Kiki New York LLC

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"Personally, I had the impression that religion has to be something necessary, but it's also a form of entertainment, at least in Japan."

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ven though he digresses, Takashi Murakami is often pinned as Japan’s answer to Andy Warhol— the parallels are fated. What the American pop art icon was short of was the accessibility to a wider audience, but that’s not to say that Mr. Warhol didn’t appeal to the masses while he was still alive. As both artists pulled imagery from consumer culture to offer high-end museum-quality works, Takashi manages to serve to the high, the low, and everything in between. In the span of his career, the Japanese pop art king has lent his hand in making paintings, sculptures, films, music videos, key chains, mugs, plush dolls, T-shirts, and even cell phone caddies, all while hitting every price point–from a life-sized sculpture of a space cowboy jerking off and whipping his jizz into a gigantic lasso around his head auctioned for $15 million to a plastic figurine packaged with bubble gum selling at $3.

Takashi shows two sides to his tale–the first being one of the East’s hottest contemporary artists, and the other being a one-man mass-market machine. Mastering a technique that propelled him to fame in the ‘90s, his successful fusion of manga-infused fine art and the otaku culture known as “Superflat” has made its rounds across the universe. As he continues to paint across lines between high art, commerce, pop, and subcultural concerns, Takashi’s creations have left a mark on Louis Vuitton’s iconic pattern, Kanye West’s music video and album cover for Graduation, and even all blown-up as a gigantic balloon floating around Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade–and he’s not yet done spreading his little creatures around the globe.

Last October, he returned to his homeland to exhibit his 100-meter-long and 3-meter-high mega-painting called “The 500 Arhats” at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo, the artist’s first major solo exhibition in Japan since 2001. Depicting 500 Buddhist saints or arhats, the artwork was originally created as a gift to Qatar for the country’s swift assistance after the 2011 earthquake in Japan. Exuding grandeur in the glitz of his silver suit and subtly rimmed specs, we followed Takashi around the museum as he took us on a tour in his recent exhibit to discuss his evolution as an artist, his current obsessions, and his secret to prosperity.

It’s been 14 years since your last exhibit in Japan. How do you feel you’ve changed within those years as an artist?

There’s a big difference between the earthquake and tsunami disaster in 2011 and the present me. Before the disaster, I was really focused on things like Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons, the consumer society, the art, and the consumers. But after the disaster, my focus became a little more primitive; I became more interested in moments that religions emerge, or this country’s history itself, so there’s definitely a difference there.

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"I was really impressed by Kanye West's speech at the recent MTV Video Music Awards…

To be able to say something like that on the spot, I think that's an amazing entertainment spirit; I would to like to follow that kind of spirit."

That’s also something I noticed in terms of how the earthquake changed your art. Do you feel like your art now has a more political and social message?

It’s actually a reverse, almost. Before the earthquake, I actually felt like there were more political messages, but afterwards, it became, like I said, more primitive in my approach.

As you were working on the “The 500 Arhats,” was there anything new that you picked up from the Japanese history or culture, and yourself as well?

I actually studied the origin of Japanese religions and developments very well in order to create this piece. Personally, I had the impression that religion has to be something necessary, but I’ve learned it’s also a form of entertainment, at least in Japan. When I was creating this piece, I didn’t want to be caught up in the religious formality or the teaching structure, so I just picked up the interesting elements and then tried to create more of an entertainment.

You mentioned adding some entertaining elements in your art. Did you purposely do this to help bring a part of history to the newer generation who are all about absorbing information and entertainment culture faster through social media and technology?

No, it wasn’t my intention. When I was in my 30s and 40s, I was really interested with communicating with the younger generation, but after 50, I’m now 53, I’m not really following the culture anymore. Also, I’m now more conscious about how many years I have left to live and what kind of things I have to accomplish within those limited years, so I started losing interest in communicating with the younger generation.

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"I'm now more conscious about how many years I have left to live and what kind of things I have to accomplish within those limited years."

After a massively success-filled past, what drives you to keep creating in the future?

In order to create works with new medium, it requires a lot of funding; it’s a lot of cost.

For example, the sculpture you saw at the end, the goat sculpture, I’ve been working on it for ten years, and that means that it isn’t sold yet, so it’s very difficult to manage it financially.

It’s almost like a company; I’m just like a big company owner or manager. My focus is on how to keep running the company, how to keep creating new work, and worrying about money and cash flow–it’s more of constantly running the daily operation.

So, I’m ashamed to have to say that there’s no big vision that I’m driving towards.

Being a part of history, we’re always being influenced by people who have come before us. Are there any people who came after you that inspire you as an artist?

I was really impressed by Kanye West’s speech at the recent MTV Video Music Awards when he said that he was gonna run for President in 2020 [laughs]. To be able to say something like that on the spot, I think that’s an amazing entertainment spirit; I would to like to follow that kind of spirit.

Regarding the otaku culture, do you currently have any new obsessions?

I’m really into developing scripts for TV animation and of course, for film; working for scripts in creative narratives is a new challenge that I’m really focused on. That’s my sort of new obsession.

You’ve appealed to so many generations and so many cultures, what do you think is the most important trait that artists need?

It’s all luck.

@takashipom

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Tattoo artist to the stars KEITH “BANG BANG” MCCURDY lives and breathes decking bodies with his art. Leaving his mark one patch of skin at a time, he’s on his way to building his empire.

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HEAVY HITTER

“I had great challenges in tattooing, and I think it’s the most difficult medium of art that I’ve ever come across. From there, I found the love for it.”

I “

t’s just really a tattoo design idea. I’ve got guns tattooed on both sides of my neck when I was 18 years old, it’s like my commitment to becoming a tattoo artist,” shares New York City-based tattoo artist “Bang Bang” McCurdy about asked how he got his nickname.

“I got the words ‘Bang Bang’ written across my neck. Ever since, people just started calling me Bang Bang, and it just kind of stuck with me.

It’s a lot easier to remember than Keith McCurdy,” he adds. Eventhough Bang Bang never expected his life to change the way it has been, he always had the ability to create art but never had the innate passion for it, until he found the perfect medium. “I had great challenges in tattooing, and I think it’s the most difficult medium of art that I’ve ever come across, and from there, I found the love for it. There’s always been something special in working on a tattoo, the challenge of it that I couldn’t quit once I started. It’s

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a pretty risky job, but I like the pressure of it; it brings out the best in me,” explains Bang Bang. With names like Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Rita Ora, Cara Delevingne, Katy Perry, Adele, and LeBron James on his roster of clientele, one could say that Bang Bang is on top of his game.

Growing up in Delaware, Bang Bang decided to move to NYC to start a career in tattooing. “My young mind thought that New York City had more skin, so when there’s more skin, there’s more work. That was literally my logic,” explains Bang Bang. He recalls having his first ink, and regrets having it. “More because of where I placed it and not because of what it is. I remember the feeling when I got it. It was such an amazing feeling, it was really empowering. Having tattoos are still like that for me; I just had a new one yesterday,” confesses Bang Bang.

First started doing tattoos on his friends in his mother’s kitchen 12 years ago, he now has his tattoo studio, is a father of two girls, and has written a book entitled Bang Bang: My Life in Ink. About his recent release, he says, “I was just looking for some project to do. For the last ten years it was just me as an artist, so now that I own a company, and we are all Bang Bang; it’s also the store’s name. The book was a platform to release the story of how I got here, how all these people heard my name, what we are now, what we’re looking forward to, and what we’re here to do. It’s is to show people that it’s just hard work that could take you anywhere you want to go,” says Bang Bang. “Other than admiring the visuals, I’m hoping that what people can take away from the book is to stay inspired, be happy, and to follow your gut because it will take you places.”

Designing a tattoo is a favorite of his since it’s a lot purer and he relishes the element surprise before working on the actual piece. “The applying part is pressure. All of the inspiration really comes from the design, and then you feed off from that inspiration of wanting to create that perfect ink,” shares Bang Bang. Mastering delicate, fine lines, and lettering ink pieces, he never restricts himself to just one

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“They should pick a tattoo design that’s timeless because in the different stages of your life, it’s going to stay with you as you grow as a person.”

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HEAVY HITTER tattoo style. “I would say that I’m best at being diverse. I’d like to think that I do many styles really well, or at least I try to. I like diversity, that’s my favorite,” says Bang Bang. Asking what’s the most challenging piece of tattoo he ever worked on was a difficult question to answer since he has done a lot.

Although, he recalls a New York Cityrelated tattoo that he just finished recently, which he deemed as his most challenging one to date. “I’m a New York City tattoo artist, and people would ask me to do New York City-related tattoos. I’ve done a few of them, and I would make it a point that the next one would be better than the last, so it became a competition with my past works, which is really hard to keep up with,” says Bang Bang.

In this modern age, there are still a few who have misconceptions about having tattoos, but Bang Bang believes that tattoos aren’t only for one type of people only; it’s for all people, just like everything else is. “Tattoos aren’t discriminating and it’s an art form that’s been around since the dawn of people.

They’ve already been decorating their

“I’m still a tattoo artist today like I was yesterday. I feel like I have a responsibility to my ability to give you the best, and if I can’t do that, then I’d probably should just do something else.” bodies, and it’s incredible to see it in this position now. I hope that people can see it at this perspective too.” He also has good advice for anyone who wants to get a tattoo, and this goes out to his daughters as well. “They should pick a tattoo design that’s timeless because in the different stages of your life, it’s going to stay with you as you grow as a person. What you’re like when you’re 14 isn’t what you’re gonna be like when you turn 28, so you have to think of those things when you chose a tattoo, how you’re going to design and decorate your body that would stay and live with you,” shares Bang Bang.

This year will still be extra hectic and productive for Bang Bang and his crew, but he’s not one to complain. Amidst the nitty-gritty managing that he’s preoccupied with in his studio, Bang Bang’s priority is still his art and his growing inspiration that comes along with it.

“I still make sure that I give you the best tattoos that I’ve ever done.

I’m still the tattoo artist today that I was yesterday. I feel like I have a responsibility to my ability to give you the best, and if I can’t do that, then I’d probably should just do something else, that’s why I’m constantly competing with myself, to be better than who I was.”

bangbangforever.com @bangbangnyc

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London-based French artist JEAN JULLIEN draws a fine line between humor and the colorful world we live in. Brushing off a social commentary with his playful wit, he can make you smirk with the flick of a wrist.

By Pola Beronilla

With a brush pen in hand and his wit intact, Jean Jullien is a social media rock star. Striking with his simple yet playful bold strokes, his daily visual commentaries crack a laugh in the worldwide population of the Internet. While his humor serves as an honest window into our society, the social media activist draws attention with his observational take on modern life. “Everyday, I try to come up with a new idea, so it’s more of a looking around and seeing what triggers my senses. Then from that little birth of an idea, I try to work on it and turn it into something that communicates,” the artist explains. “My art is always sort of playful and based on observation; it’s got a great part of pleasure, and the final goal is never to do something artistic.”

A graduate of Central Saint Martins in 2008 and the Royal College of Art in 2010, his knack for art came natural. “I never actually studied illustration; I studied graphic design. The education that I got was more about trying to communicate efficiently rather than making a beautiful image. In a way, it’s a very non-self-indulgent way of seeing image-making,” he retorts.

Apart from doing commissioned work for the likes of Pitchfork, Collette, The Guardian, The New York Times, Nike, and It’s Nice That, Jean eases us into his world and his mind with his quick sketches. “From the day I started doing professional work until now, it has never changed.

photo by Daniel Arnold

It’s always been an exercise in communication and efficiency, and I always have a lot of fun by making it playful and about the world we live in.”

Although his output branches out into animation, graphics, book covers, posters, clothing, product designs, and installations, it’s his distinctive black line illustration style that has launched a thousand likes. Bringing out the hue more with his black-inked brush, the professional doodler tickles your brain with a stroke of genius.

“People seem to like the humor, and that’s very important ‘cause there’s a great aspect of seduction with my art,” he shares. “You know, instead of trying to confront opinions and to

“ People seem to like the humor, and that’s very important ‘cause there’s a great aspect of seduction with humor.” confront in communication, I think it’s important to seduce the audience ‘cause it’s like an open-hand invitation to reflection. It’s a much more inviting way of doing things.”

Over the years, you’ve made a trademark out of your black brush pen. Was there a particular point in your career when you realized this was the way you wanted to create work?

Funnily enough, it was more of a default in a sense that I’m not very good at making beautiful things.

I’m not trying to, so it sort of capitalizes on the mistakes that it makes because it’s very forgiving.

It was quite good for me at the time when I started using it to not really worry about whether they were efficient or not. I think it communicates something nicely to human sentiment, and people are quite sensible to that. It’s also very bold and always matches the contrast with the paper, so it makes the color pop out more. It was originally sort of a default, but it’s something I learned to love.

Aside from your black-inked brush, what are your most favored materials to work with for coloring?

I like watercolor a lot; I do it a lot when I travel. It’s sort of the perfect equivalent to the black brush because it never makes a certain perfect color–it’s quite messy.

How did you prepare yourself to lead a life as a freelancer?

Well, I didn’t really have to prepare myself on anything. When I was still studying at Central Saint Martins, I just sort of published the work that I was doing online. It was the beginning of the social media craze, and I was just lucky that blogs reblogged it, and through that, my work was seen by more and more people. I almost didn’t have to do anything else other than to produce work and put it online.

Having worked for a lot of high profiles like The New York Magazine, Colette, and Nike, do you have any struggle trying to meet their requests?

Creative freedom is very important, but I think I wouldn’t be happy if I was just doing my thing–it’s nice to balance it. When I create in total freedom, I find that I sometimes go around in circles. I really appreciate working on briefs or with people because it challenges your own expectations and certitudes.

It’s good because it makes you think that your work is not as good and need to work harder to make it happen. However, if I was just doing commercial briefs, it could get a bit tedious to feel like it’s just job and you just have to please the client. I that think a fair balance in practice is always good.

“When you produce something and you want it to communicate or want it to be seen, you have to think about who’s going to see it as well.”

You’ve also done several pieces about this Internet-obsessed culture. How would you define your own relationship with technology?

It’s funny ‘cause people seem to be getting the wrong idea. My work isn’t a critique on social media. I don’t think that we’ve gone bad, or anything like that.

It’s communication; it’s linking people from all over the world.

As simplistic as it sounds, in my opinion, it really is the best thing.

But I’m terrible at limiting myself, and the people close to me are just as bad as I am. You know, sometimes you forget who you’re with and you sort of answer to a group chat, and you end up communicating with five people who aren’t in the room, when you can be communicating with the guys present with you. I think that it’s tricky, and that’s one of the challenges. The more perfect the hyper communication becomes, the more we kind of have to master it and to be good at it.

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Still being here today. Still continuing to produce work and still having an audience that’s still interested. I think that’s definitely the highlight of my career and I hope that it’s gonna continue.

What advice could you share with the younger generation of artists?

The most important advice I could give is for people to share their work online and to keep producing regularly. Also, maybe to pay attention to the world around them.

When you produce something and you want it to communicate or want it to be seen, you have to think about who’s going to see it as well.

Any projects you could share with us that you’re excited about?

I’ll be moving in Los Angeles in September to work on a TV show with my brother. There are many other smaller projects, but that would be the highlight of the year, hopefully.

jeanjullien.com @jean_jullien

DIRECTORY BRANDS 24:01 zalora.com.ph AMERICAN APPAREL americanapparel.net ASOS asos.com BURBERRY burberry.com CALL IT SPRING Greenbelt 3, Makati City CALVIN KLEIN calvinklein.com CEEMARKET ceemarket.com CHARLES & KIETH Greenbelt 5, Makati City DIANE VON FURSTENBERG dvf.com DIESEL diesel.com DOLCE & GABBANA dolcegabbana.com DOROTHY PERKINS Glorietta 3, Makati City DR. MARTENS Two Parkade, Taguig City GIVENCHY givenchy.com GREYONE SOCIAL Greenbelt 5, Makati City H&M SM Makati, Makati City JIMMY CHOO jimmychoo.com

J.W. ANDERSON j-w-anderson.com KENZO kenzo.com LA MER cremedelamer.com LAURA MERCIER laura mercier.com LOEWE loewe.com MARC JACOBS marcjacobs.com MICHAEL KORS michaelkors.com MISS SELFRIDGE Greenbelt 5, Makati City MYRIAM ROUAH myriamrouah.com NARS narscosmetics.com NIKE nike.com/ph OXYGEN Glorietta 3, Makati City PENSHOPPE Glorietta 3, Makati City PROENZA SCHOULER proenzaschouler.com RECLUSIVE UNDERGROUND instagram.com/reclusiveundrgrnd RENAN PACSON renanpacson.com RIVER ISLAND SM Aura, Taguig City SCOTT BENEDICTINE scottbenedictine.bigcartel.com

SFERA SM Makati, Makati City SHISEIDO shiseido.com STILA stilacosmetics.com STUART WEITZMAN stuartweitzman.com TEMPTU temptu.com TOPMAN Greenbelt 3, Makati City TOPSHOP Greenbelt 3, Makati City TORY BURCH toryburch.com URBAN DECAY urbandecay.com VALENTINO valentino.com WAREHOUSE Greenbelt 5, Makati City YANG LI yangli.eu YVES SAINT LAURENT ysl.com ZALORA zalora.com.ph ARTISTS Miguel Alomajan (Photographer) miguelalomajan.wordpress.com B+ (Photographer) mochilla.com/bplus

Alice Baxley (Photographer) alicebaxley.com Alejandro Cabezut (Photographer) acabezutphoto.format.com Sydney Dagal (Grooming) facebook.com/sydhelmsleyart Alexiane Guyon (Makeup) alexianeguyon.com Bonnie Hansen (Photographer) bonniehansen.net Mickael Kidumu (Stylist) instagram.com/mickaelkdmu Mike Chua (Photographer) instagram.com/lightjammer Tuyaymya Osuna (Stylist) instagram.com/whiteteeblackdress Elizaveta Porodina (Photographer) porodina.net Kendra Powell (Hair) instagram.com/makeupbykendra Ta-ku (Photographer) instagram.com/takubeats Ray Ranaoa (Photographer) rayranoa.com Marlu Soria (Makeup) marluasoria.com Erika Yamaguchi-Garcia (Photographer) instagram.com/erikayamaguchi

STATUS I N VAD ES

SCHOOL FOR COOL Stealing sweet cred on the streets across the globe, 17-year old artist and fashion blogger MARTINE VELASCO proves to be a tiny muse as she shares the photo diary of her art, adventure, and style.

tiny-muse.blogspot.com @martinevelasco Portrait by Miguel Alomajan Product photography by Carlo Nuñez

100 - statusmagonline.com

BUMBLE & BUMBLE SEA SALT SPRAY This keeps my hair from looking too lifeless, especially when it gets humid in the city.

SPIRIT MAC LIPSTICK This is pretty much the only lipstick I wear. I prefer darker shades and nudes over bright colors.

FILM PHOTOS

I’ve been shooting in film since 2010, mostly as a way to document moments from my life. I’ve always loved the unique look of film photos and the surprise of looking through a freshly developed roll.

POPPY LISSIMAN CLUTCH

ACNE STUDIOS DENIM JACKET

This was a Christmas present from my dad and has quickly become one of my wardrobe staples because of its versatility.

CHLOË SEVIGNY’S BOOK

I love looking through books and magazines for inspiration. I’m a huge fan of Chloë’s, and the photos featured in this book are amazing.

ARTWORK

I began using a sketchbook in the summer of 2014, right around the time that I started my blog. One of my goals for 2016 is to start making more art for leisure.

SUNGLASSES

If there is one thing I hoard, it’s definitely sunglasses!

My favorite style is the cat-eye.

Hair and Makeup Sydney Dagal

I bought this clutch on a whim after a breakup [laughs]. Its quirkiness can brighten an outfit instantly, which is useful for me since I tend to wear mostly monochrome colors.