+ NOEL CLARKE HELLOGOODBYE LIL JON THE MORNING BENDERS RA RA RIOT THE WALKMEN YOON & BLOGGERS WEARING KHAKI
STATUS MESSAGE
“Yod Against Them All”, graphic for Amos by JAMES JARVIS, 2009
INVADER, Paris/2005
POP TART I
’ve always looked at STATUS as a small independent magazine taking on the world. That’s probably why looking out the window from the 25th floor, my new office, feels kinda weird. The last time I was working in a high-rise building was when I was interning at InStyle (almost 10 years ago). Who would have thought that the next time I would be working in another high-rise would be when I’m editing my own magazine? But that’s how life is, I guess; you start off new and inexperienced, and next thing you know, you’ve actually moved up in the world. Our cover girl, Olivia Munn, may know something about this. She has stolen millions of hearts as the cohost of Attack of the Show and now has landed a role in NBC’s Perfect Couples. We think this is only the beginning for this quick-witted beauty’s rise to success. In the case of street artist Invader, he hasn’t just moved up in the world; he has taken over it (and our cover)! Inspired by the video game, Space Invaders, this Parisian artist has taken over cities with his tiled creatures lurking in nooks and crannies. I’ve even spotted a few myself in Paris, Los Angeles, New York, Bangkok, and Tokyo. February, being the month of hearts and cupids, made us want to focus on something that makes your hearts pitter-patter—more fashion! Check out our first fashion editorial, “Brooklyn Bohemian.” On top of that, we are now going monthly! Yes, there will definitely be more work to be done. But just like Invader, we want to take over the world!
Editor in Chief
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pop tart
feb rua ry 2 0 1 1
STATUSPHERE 21 24 25 26 27 28
BRANDS SETTING SUBCULTURE BEATS SCREEN INK
gadgets TECH PACK
BEAUTY 32 33
FACE PAINT ABOUT FACE
Photo by Hama Sanders
30
70 OLIVIA MUNN
FASHION BRICK & MORTAR STYLE ID GO SEE BROOKLYN BOHEMIAN SWAG Chunky Heels Floral Bags Round Shades Denim Shorts/Brown Belts Sneakers Tees Tailored Shorts/Printed Socks Chukkas
photo diary 54
21 adidas originals
MUSE 56
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EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN BY NICOLE LESSER
ANÄIS POULIOT
maestro 57 58 59 60 60 61
“Cold Cuts” by Louie Cordero
34 35 36 38 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53
THE DECEMBERISTS CUT COPY MATT & KIM DAVID BERRIE TAKEN BY CARS MIKE POSNER
67 LOUIE CORDERO
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Photo courtesy of Trump Model Management
Oh, Snap!
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MASTERMIND CARRI MUNDANE TIM GREEN JAMES GULLIVER HANCOCK MARK DEAN VECA JP CUISON LOUIE CORDERO Photo by Jason Jean
63 64 64 65 66 67
56 ANÄIS POULIOT
68 delfina delettrez
HEAVY HITTER 68 70 76 80
DELFINA DELETTREZ OLIVIA MUNN INVADER JAMES JARVIS
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK 84 85 85 85
MARK EVANS MICA CABILDO BEN LONG BOO RITSON
NIGHT VISION 87 88 88 89 89 90 90 91 91 92 92
FANTASIA FETE DELA WSK EAR2EYE II BOYS AND GIRLS BOOMBOX BARCELONA KYSS GRAND LAUNCH THE CABRIOLETS & BBX STATUS PHOTO ISSUE RELEASE PARTY FEAT. DJ VICE LAIDBACK LUKE BOOMBOX BUENOS ARIES DJ RIDDLER BARGAIN PRINCES
STATUS INVADES 94 95
JENI YANG TAKASHI MURAKAMI AND HIS DOG
statusMAGONLINE.COM Blogsphere Be on the pulse of fashion, music, and urban lifestyles that tickle our fancy through our community of bloggers worldwide. Go See Look to the streets for your fashion inspiration. From Manila to New York, we spot the most stylish kids trotting the globe. FEATURES NEW! Bringing you outtakes and more of our original interviews. Because we can’t get enough of all the awesome out there. Night Vision Your personal pass to pool parties, barbecues, festivals, and other events. Now let’s party! Photo Diary A photo is worth a thousand words, so we decided to find out what these talented photographers have to say. Digital Magazine Get STATUS at a click of your finger. You can browse the full digital format magazine at the comfort of your computer. DOWNLOADS Stay on top of the game with STATUS-approved mixtapes and wallpapers. All free! 16 - statusmagonline.com
I
t’s difficult to make Olivia Munn look hotter than she already is, and fanboys around the world clamor that it’s a losing battle, but did that scare us away from making her our cover? Nope. We just called on a few good friends to help us out. Hama Sanders, aficionado photographer of beauty and fame, shot the winning frame, and we thought we had it nailed until continent-hopping street artist Invader came along with a stickered cover concept which lends a genius finishing touch. Way to win the war, troops.
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CONTRIBUTORS
INVADER
JODI JONES
SARAH MEIER-ALBANO
HAMA SANDERS
Next time you’re walking along rue de Rivoli, notice the passersby; one of them could be Invader (76). He wouldn’t tell us his highest score on Space Invaders, but he’s surely scored higher with his Space Invasion that, besides being a global takeover, has now found itself on the cover of STATUS. Peep into his secret identity in our pages.
For our first ever fashion editorial, “Brooklyn Bohemian,” (38) Jodi translates her neighborhood–a funky, industrial part of NYC full of artists–into a vision of wide-brimmed hats and coffee-stained afternoons. All grown up, she’s traded in her favorite childhood duo, Ernie and Bert, for nude-colored bustiers and leggy high-waisted shorts.
Sarah can probably still kick our asses in Tekken. Her other favorites include Sonic the Hedgehog and Prince of Persia (the non-CGI versions). However, she was very enthusiastic about her language barrierbreaking interview with 8-bit street tagger Invader (76) and is now entertaining hopes of invading her own hometown of Geneva.
Celeb photographer Hama’s superhero alter ego HAMA (all caps, mind you) can turn even iPhone pics into desaturated wonders. Just take a look at our cover girl, Olivia Munn (70). Besides superphotography, Hama also has a big head, which is more of a superfeature. Perhaps that’s the secret to snapping all those superstars!
EDITOR IN CHIEF: Rosario Herrera ART DIRECTOR: Nicole Bianca Po CREATIVE MEDIA DIRECTOR: Patrick L. Jamora ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Nante Santamaria FEATURES EDITOR: Kristine Dabbay MARKETING DIRECTOR: Jon Herrera ASSOCIATE MARKETING DIRECTOR: Mesh Villanueva No more wind chimes in our new office. We got sliding doors!
JUNIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Jerdan Buenaventura GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Patrick Diokno, Soleil Ignacio, Darwin Manibog EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS: Giano D. Dionisio, Reena Mesias, Loris Peña INTERNS: Carina Alejandrino, Rich Caramat, Edi Chan, Angela Fucanan, Petra Magno, Zoe Laurente, Aljan Lorenzo, Alyssa Libao CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Sarah Meier-Albano, Karmelo Aldover, Christine Braganza, Francis Cabal, Marla Cabanban, Anna Canlas, Liza Constantino, Paolo Cruz, Toff de Venecia, Nathaniel Dela Cruz, Wi Ding Ho, Don Jaucian, Alice Sarmiento CONTRIBUTING BLOGGERS: Rich Caramat, Kristine Dabbay, Giano D. Dionisio, Petra Magno, Reena Mesias, Zoe Laurente, Alyssa Libao, Loris Peña CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Celwyn Abasolo, David Atlan, Life Balibalos, Kevin Bautista, Buccino, Jonathan Caballa, Cheezes, The Cobrasnake, EJ Constantino, Carlos Creencia, JP Cuison, Patrick Dayot, Ange Dela Cruz, Autumn de Wilde, Kester Dee, Alain Delorme, Patrick Diokno, Rob Dowsley, Nicolas Dumont, Gerard Estadella, Jon Herrera, Teresa Herrera, James Pearson Howes, Matt Hoyle, Jason Jean, Nicole Lesser, Elaine Lirio, Stevyn Llewellyn, Jasper Lucena, Reena Mesias, Ming Han Chung, Miguel Miranda, Nicky Digital, Lyka Orhel, Alex Pamplona, Lindsey Pearson, Hama Sanders, Irene Shkarowska, Melvin Sun, Kim Jakobsen To, Will Tee Yang SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: Teresa Herrera
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What’s your STATUS? Email us. EDITORIAL editorial@statusmagonline.com ADVERTISING advertise@statusmagonline.com MARKETING marketing@statusmagonline.com INTERNSHIP intern@statusmagonline.com GENERAL INQUIRIES info@statusmagonline.com Read our digital version STATUSMAGONLINE.COM/ DIGITAL-MAGAZINE Follow us twitter.com/statusmagazine STATUS is published by Whiz Kids Publishing. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
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ad
(trilogy)
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BRANDS / setting / SUBCULTURE / BEATS /
SCREEN / INK
February 2010
FULL COURSE T
he phrase “too much on your plate” doesn’t apply when you got a buffet. This holds true with ADIDAS ORIGINALS’ first denim line Originals Blue collection which adds up to their shoes, jackets, and tops. Boyfriend jeans for the girls and carrot cuts for the guys are our top picks. Connoisseurs will be happy as the jeans are specially hemmed with a material that keeps your kicks from getting dye-stained. With this menu, get ready to line up for thirds.
adidas.com/originals
BLACK GOLD REIGN V
ANS and artiste Santigold dug a goldmine with their Spring 2011 collaboration. Designed with premium perforated grain leather, faux gold chains, and a custom SG gold pin, these kicks allow you to wear it in your signature style that screams jackpot all over, just the way Santigold lets her “Lights Out.”
vans.com
MIXTAPE
C
rank up the dial with CASSETTE PLAYA’s Spring 2011 greatest hits. Side A contains the brightest hues, graphic bull heads, scorpions, and cheetah prints. Side B includes mismatch, bling, button up, roll up, and untuck. There’s enough material for jamming out day in, night out, at a block party, or the library—even at max volume.
cassetteplaya.com
COMBINATION FORMULA
S
ASQUATCH FABRIX current collection boasts of arabesque-printed jackets, cargos with camouflage details, rubber-patched jeans, and acid-washed hoodies. Wearing a suit with leather pants might be unusual for your everyday outfit, but you don’t wanna commit a Winter 2011 crime to alert the fashion polize. Blast the nucleus of your style from boring to outrageously awesome.
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statusphere
TOP NOTCH
R
ihanna, Courtney Love, and fashion duo Vena Cava are YESTADT MILLINERY fans. Obviously, these style groupies are smitten by Yestadt’s wide-brimmed fedoras, feather-accented bowler hats, braided headwear, laced veils, scarves, and headbands that are perfect for the vintage-lover or the modern-day bohemian. Each Yestadt hat has its own personality, so when the sun is being a total show-off, make sure you outshine it with the right topper.
yestadtmillinery.com
UNDER THE SEA
E
xplore SOU BRETTE’s Unkown Waters collection, and marvel at their accessories inspired by Alexandr Ptushko’s film Sadko. Designer Muqliza Imroni brings underwater above sea level with her marble-printed ropes, geometric bracelets and necklaces, as well as faux pearls with crystal clear resins. Dive in if you wish to swim in any sea of style.
soubrettejewellery.blogspot.com
THAT 80s SHOW
P
GIRL
AND THE CITY
UMA pays reverence to graffiti photographer Martha Cooper with a line of shirts throwing time back to the heyday of NYC’s youth cultural revolution. Show your roots off on these cotton-combed tees that act as canvases to Cooper’s iconic polaroid photos of the time’s first wave of artists, b-boys, and street rebels. Wear your respects proud on your chest.
puma.com
B
elgian brand FILLES À PAPA takes girls around the world by giving them the edge they’re looking for. The vibrant leathers channel the Big Apple, the studs and metallic pants scream Las Vegas, and the oversized tees matched with cotton leggings capture sunny LA. Although donning a look inspired by only one city is fine, a citymeets-city wardrobe is way better for trotting around the town.
fillesapapa.be
WRIST TWIST F
or over a decade now, NIXON has been clocking in with the movers and goers of our generation, not afraid to slap a timepiece on bunnyhopping bikers or wave-slicing surfers. The watchmakers concern themselves with the minute pixels and tiny rivets to deliver the toughest, nimblest, and most functional watches that could weather the harshest urban actives.
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statusphere
WALK
THE LINE R
ICHARD PAPA veers away from his understated creams and takes a darker approach for his Spring 2011 collection. Models wore nude slips topped with sheer black tulle layered to form crop circles of Richard’s trademark lines that swirled and swished over slender bodies. Sophisticated but not outdated, the designer crosses over to a more complex idea of restrained elegance.
GOODIE BAGS M
AKR CARRY GOODS uses natural heavy cotton duck and undyed leather on their knapsacks, but don’t be deceived by their simplicity. These bags, available in three different colors, include unique exterior closures, multiple pockets, and leather washers/reinforcements. Make sure that if you’re taking some knaps, you’ll be hitting these sacks.
makr.com
FIRST CHOICE
PLASTIC FANTASTIC
W
ith IRREGULAR CHOICE’s A/W 2010 collection, the party won’t start til you get in. Their Ke$ha-esque tops, cover-ups, and shorts coupled with metallics, fur accents, leopard prints, and smoking heels will make you the belle of the dance floor. The only problem will be the choice you have to make when the guys ask for your digits.
T
eam up with ALEX AND CHLOE, and ward off bad designs with their Forever and Never collection of acrylic accessories. Play games with the reverse Mickey necklace called “Wickey,” or get spooky with the pointed “Phantom” pendant. Plastic and all fantastic, these necklaces can overturn any game-over outfit into a winning situation.
alexandchloe.com
irregularchoice.com
CULT OF CASUAL
F
or her Spring/Summer collection, DANA LEE chooses powdery palettes and classic cuts, then she delights in the imperfections of an extra loose henley here, a wrinkled tank there, and some unevenly cuffed chinos for that fuss-free finish. Lee’s skilled tailoring brings these details together to make a man dressy, not messy.
danaleenewyork.com
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/SETTING
/ BEATS
CORKAGE
SPRING FLING T
ENSP is a lounge bar and eatery harnessing the same creativity as its downstairs neighbor, Spring Studios, which caters to British Vogue, LOVE magazine, and Armani. Walls are decorated with murals by James Jarvis while armchairs are padded with rich brown leather and 60s florals. Their seasonal menu offers an array of only organic or free-range ingredients. Their bar list switches up as well with bespoke cocktails, sparkling champagnes, and sommelier-curated wines.
springstudios.com/tensp
CORKAGE
GRUB
TABULA RASA T
he newly opened SUPPERCLUB LA is the ultimate canvas. The all-white main room is a series of concentric squares descending to the dance floor while beds, dressed with pillows, tables, and floor length curtains, serve as the dining area. It’s the latest addition to Supperclub’s growing chain that spans Istanbul, Amsterdam, and San Francisco. This time, the venue occupies the long
PATTY IN THE USA A
sk anyone what they imagine of a typical American meal, and you’ll get GOOD STUFF EATERY’s menu. Situated in Washington, D.C., the restaurant grounds itself as one of the newest go-to burger joints. But don’t expect a greasy 2oz meat patty or fries that don’t spoil; Good Stuff prides itself for farm-fresh ingredients and earthy grilled flavor. Basically, they stick to what matters—good eats.
abandoned and notoriously haunted Vogue Theatre at Hollywood Boulevard. Instead of mint sorbet palate cleansers, entrants treat themselves to live shows between courses; vaudevillians, bike-riding midgets, acrobats, and theatrics color the bare interiors. Here, blank spaces aren’t basic; they’re limitless.
goodstuffeatery.com
supperclub.com
PL ATE
RED, WHITE, & BURGER
GOOD STUFF EATERY knows that the real patriotic way of scarfing a burger is to wash it down with a milkshake. 24 - statusmagonline.com
PREZ OBAMA BURGER With Applewood bacon, onion marmalade, Roquefort cheese, and horseradish mayonnaise.
TOASTED MARSHMALLOW MILKSHAKE Creamy vanilla ice cream flavored with oven-charred marshmallows.
BIG STUFF BACON MELTDOWN Double patty, bacon, cheese, ruby tomato, onions, lettuce, pickles, and Good Stuff sauce.
MILKYWAY MALT SHAKE Hearty vanilla milkshake swirled with hot fudge, butterscotch, and malt balls.
/ S U B C U LT U R E
VARIETY SHOWSCAPE
W
hile the rest of the city decorates in roses, hearts, and cupids, Edmonton’s contemporary art gallery LATITUDE 53 prepares for its annual anti-Valentine’s Day exhibit. Supporting experimental art forms, it’s a gallery minus the pretentious and discriminatory vibe. Here, the college dropout slumming for some cash is as easily embraced as the snooty artsy bohemian. They both enjoy themselves, too, because the gallery promotes a forwardthinking overview on art and visual culture, employing themes as universal as dysfunctional relationships and presenting them
as art ranging from color-bynumber to surrealist diorama. From hosting rooftop parties/exhibitions to having free-flowing Belvedere and having DJs spin during public viewings, Latitude 53 doesn’t just present art; it thrives in it. The experience is not limited to their American Idol collages, interactive photo installations, and miniature model landscapes; they engage the locals in a scene that breaks free from the notions of normalcy, approaching art as aloof yet relatable. GIANO D. DIONISIO
latitude53.org
Something sketchy
S
eeing the world from another angle is taken to a new level, thanks to Spanish illustrator and journalist Gabriel Campanario, the innovator of URBAN SKETCHERS, an online community of onlocation sketchers. This network of artists is bound by the same passion—to illustrate the backpacker’s scenery. Travel vicariously from Rue de Rivoli to the Colosseum through the
artists’ images and see how they interpret the sights, sounds, and smells of cities like Prague, Barcelona, and Tokyo. Follow their trails from daily commutes to lazy moments in coffee shops. You can even contribute your own drawn adventures to showcase what makes your city tick. KARMELO ALDOVER
urbansketchers.com
BOTTOMs UP
B
ay Area folks, gear up for the annual SAN FRANCISCO BEER WEEK this February. It’s the drinking man’s Comic-Con—where kooky shindigs are laid out for the entire month, attracting beer-lovers from everywhere. With over 230 events scheduled at bars and restaurants around San Fo, this is one festival that’s impossible to swallow in one gulp. RICH CARAMAT
sfbeerweek.org
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/ b e at S
/ BEATS MUSIC REVIEWS
ON THE SPOT
EQULIBRIUM E
Photo by Buccino
xplore love and lunacy, life and death, pop and balladry, folk and neo-jazz, and everything unrequited with VIGO. Frontman, (sometimes filmmaker/ writer) Khavn De La Cruz, together with Kakoy Legaspi (guitars), Tao Aves (vocals), Francis De Veyra (bass), Paolo Manuel (drums), and Caliph8 (turntable, drum machine) deliver atmospheric music that will make you feel as if you’re in the middle of a film—not surprising for a band named after French filmmaker Jean Vigo. When we ask Khavn how they are able to capture the spectrum of emotions experienced in their music, he says “it’s not really a conscious effort.” He
compares it to literature, “When reading authors like Borges, it must generate a feeling that’s not too contrived… the reaction is up to the audience.” But despite their melancholy tracks like “Where are You My River?” and “Shoot the Pianist,” their point of view remains lifeaffirming. Their recently held European tour attests to that. Left and right, they are leaving vestiges of their talent, so no matter how attracted they are to the unrequited, they’re sure to win the hearts of many, thus finally finding a perfectly balanced relationship.
facebook.com/khavndelacruzandvigo
LISTEN UP
BEAMIN’ OUT
Milo Bonacci of RA RA RIOT rarariot.com
Beach House – “Used to Be” Teen Dream is one of my favorite albums of the year, and this is one of my favorite tracks from the record. Blonde Redhead – “In Particular” I love the guitar work in this song and in many Blonde Redhead songs in general. There always seems to be something new to find the closer you look. Kate Bush – “Sat in Your Lap” I love the arrangement and production on this song. There are some really cool vocal and horn parts. It’s one of my all-time favorite songs! Maps & Atlases – “The Charm” This is one of my favorite songs on Maps & Atlases’ debut full-length album. It features a powerful vocal performance from one of my favorite singers in contemporary music, Dave Davison. 26 - statusmagonline.com
Charlie Klarsfeld of THE AMERICANS
STONEROKK
myspace.com/StoneRokk
myspace.com/theamericansync
Shuggie Otis – “Strawberry Letter 23” He was 15 when he wrote/ recorded that shit. For real. The Gaylettes – “Son of a Preacher Man” Reggae + Soul = reggae for my soul.
Fleetwood Mac – “You Make Loving Fun” Epic chorus—we could all learn a thing or two.
The Beach Boys – “The Warmth of the Sun” Talk about chord changes.
Bad Rabbits – “She’s Bad” Amazing new band from Boston.
Boot Camp Clik – “Headz Ain’t Ready (Remix)” This record possesses the quintessential sound of 90s NYC—grimy, gritty rap music. This record escaped me a number of times… Every time I play it, I remember all the sweat and tears that went into finding this piece of vinyl. Talking Heads – “This Must be the Place (Naive Melody)” Many years before learning of its presence in the 80s film Wall Street, which is what I think made it a notable 80s jam, this record, an atypical love song, made me feel happy over and over as I was already a fan of Talking Heads. Bronski Beat – “Smalltown Boy” My mother was a model in the 70s & 80s and was surrounded by all that comes with being a model: drugs, disco, and gays. By default, I was surrounded by the same. This song was always a favorite with the gays and I.
Lupe Fiasco might have been out of the game for a while, but dropping Good Fridays with Kanye West makes us recall why he’s great the way he is. No need to stunt ‘cause this March, this rapper’s anticipated third album is finally dropping. Expect big things at the charts because Lasers will be sliding rhymes, making hits, going hard verse by verse with Lupe’s signature lyrics that shoot faster than a shooting star.
lupefiasco.com
Jay-Z – “I Just Wanna Love U” As far as I am concerned, this is the last nightclub anthem I can remember. The day the song dropped on the radio, I got the vinyl. That night, I played the song 5 times, which is unheard of. The final spin, I played the instrumental version while the crowd sang the entire song word for word... This is the day the song dropped.
/SCREEN
DIRECTOR’S CUT
MULHOLLAND DR. (2001)
MOVIE REVIEWS
Back in December, the 12th Cinemanila International Film Festival opened with feel-good buddy film Pinoy Sunday. The flick won WI-DING HO the Best New Director Award at the Golden Horse Film Festival, but it wasn’t his first. He won Cannes’ Kodak Discovery Award back in 2006. Here, he talks about David Lynch’s visceral version of Hollywood.
I
once lived in the City of Sunset Boulevard at a young age. Besides some hectic areas, the rest of Sunset Blvd. is pretty much quiet in the middle of the day and mostly eerie and sinister. What strikes me most is [that] almost all the houses have closed curtains on the windows; they seem quiet, subdued, and even depressing. This is a sunny city without happiness. This is why, after watching David Lynch’s Mulholland Dr. the first time, I got it right away.
PL AYBACK
FRITZ THE CAT (1972) R
Memory of walking alone on the sidewalk of Sunset Blvd. surges up every time I watch the film. I can imagine there might be a woman—behind a closed curtain window, in a solitary house under the broad daylight—with a dark secret. David Lynch brings us to the darkest and most sordid corner of the mind (or dream) of his protagonist, Betty (Naomi Watts), a typical aspiring actress in Hollywood. Lynch then traps us in this woman’s dreamy world long enough and then hits us (and
her) with a wake-up call from her nightmare. It’s then that we have to witness Betty’s downfall, having identified with the character for a good two hours. Mulholland Dr. is the most LA movie for people who know LA well enough. It is the most artsy film coming out of Hollywood and, at the same time, it is the saddest film ever about Hollywood.
pinoysunday.com THE MOST LA MOVIE FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW LA WELL ENOUGH
CINEMANTICS
alph Bakshi’s animated film Fritz the Cat has been hailed as the first X-rated animated feature and the most successful independent animated feature. But none of its success would be possible without the underground comic strip by R. Crumb. Crumb included the character of Fritz in a number of homemade
comic strips he did when he was a teenager. With every new Fritz the Cat strip, the character seems more fleshed out. Typical of underground comics, Fritz deals with social satire including the subjects of racism, misogyny, and counterculture. When director Ralph Bakshi came across a copy of Crumb’s strip, he decided it would be perfect for an animated film. It took a lot of arguing between Bakshi, Crumb, producer Steve Krantz, and Krantz’s wife, Dana, before the rights to the character were purchased. The end product looks like a cross between a demented Walt Disney cartoon and Beat literature. While Crumb disowned the film, it works as a brilliant satirical portrait of 60s countercultural climate where the fine lines between peace, love, optimism and nihilistic/ hedonistic angst are deeply explored. FRANCIS CABAL
LIKE A CROSS BETWEEN A DEMENTED WALT DISNEY CARTOON AND BEAT LITERATURE
LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES (February 2011) A
fter his scuffle with teenage angst in J’ai tué ma mère (I Killed My Mother), Canadian filmmaker Xavier Dolan follows up with a bizarre love triangle narrative in Les Amours Imaginaires aka Heartbeats. Francis, played by Dolan, and best friend Marie fall in love with man-god Nicolas of the golden curls and rippling pecs. The adoration is unrequited but not quite rejected as Nicolas toys with the two by sharing cigarettes, porch swings, and a bed with them until the end credit. Dolan references to Tarantino’s scoring; Dalida’s “Bang Bang” provides theme music to Montreal scenery, lavish celebrations, and visually stimulating close-ups, all clear nods to the work of Jean-Luc Godard. Even Monia Chokri’s portrayal of quirky, vintagedressed Marie eerily resembles Godard’s muse Anna Karina. The modern comedic banter take cues from Woody Allen circa Annie Hall. However, Dolan breaks away from allusion through pinches of
humor and contemporary commentary done through mockumentary sequences. For a sophomore endeavor, Les Amours Imaginaires brims with a mature understanding of today’s romance that ironically stems from the director’s youth. It presents how insignificant love, lust, and infatuation have become nowadays. GIANO D. DIONISIO
BRIMS WITH A MATURE UNDERSTANDING OF TODAY’S ROMANCE THAT IRONICALLY STEMS FROM THE DIRECTOR’S YOUTH
TICKET
HAPPYTHANKYOUMOREPLEASE
How I Met Your Mother star Josh Radnor’s writing/directorial debut follows the lives of six New Yorkers including a frustrated writer turned adoptive father, a cabaret singer, and a dorky bachelor.
DESERT FLOWER
THE HOUSEMAID
UNKNOWN
SHELTER
Liya Kebede stars as Somalian Waris Dirie as she struggled through childhood in Africa to emerge as one of fashion’s most iconic supermodels.
Director Im Sang-soo sheds new light on the undercurrents of feminism with his remake of Kim Ki-Young’s 60s classic about a wealthy man’s affair with the housemaid.
Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) awakes from a coma only to find out that someone has taken over his identity.
A forensic psychiatrist (Julianne Moore) finds herself in a supernatural ride when she realizes that her patient’s multiple personalities are of past murder victims.
Also in theaters this February 2011.
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/ink
BOOK REVIEWS
READING GROUP
COWS
PICTURE BOOK
By Matthew Stokoe
J
ust when you think the word “repulsive” only exists in scat porn, Matthew Stokoe’s Cows tears down preconceived notions about explicit sex and violence. A boldfaced warning should be emblazoned on its covers, announcing to the reader that he’s about to enter a world where bestiality and animal cruelty flirt with incest and violence. Despite the repulsiveness of his subject matter, the author has drummed up an underground infamy, championed by the likes of Dennis Cooper and Michael Connelly, infiltrating the more mainstream circles of Chuck Palahniuk and Brett Easton Ellis. Protagonist Steven lives with his obese mother, the Hagbeast, and he’s convinced
she’s deliberately feeding him undercooked pork to inflict torture. Steven escapes this by working in a slaughterhouse. There, courtesy of foreman Cripps, he discovers the forms of sexual depravity and bestiality such as men drilling holes into cows before raping them. Despite the graphic description of defecation and sex, Cows is still an enjoyable read. It is a nauseating trip into the underbelly of everything inhuman. Its surreal examination of abuse, power struggle, and alienation will make you gag and vomit. Stokoe has been simultaneously revered and rebuked for his first novel, but no one can deny the vicelike grip he’s maintained on society’s balls for it. DON JAUCIAN
Blecky Yuckerella: FUC- --U, --SS--LE By Johnny Ryan
M
eet Blecky Yuckerella, the most beautiful ugly comic character who can make you laugh with her demented self, weird friends, and enemies including an obese Jesus, some slug nuts, and the Blumpkins. They star in Vice magazine comic artist Johnny Ryan’s latest alternative comedy, Blecky Yuckerella: Fuc- --u --ss--le, which exploits the consciousness of those who enjoy politically incorrect humor, a trademark device from its creator. Providing a guilty pleasure to the secretly profane, he lets Blecky shove the slapstick down your throat
It represents the next wave of attack against sanitized humor predominantly found in the rated PG industry which marginalizes the vulgar angles of human entertainment. Sometimes, humor is found in the gross and the morose but, in this case, also between Blecky Yuckerella’s ears and legs. Those who can’t see that through the black and white pages of Ryan’s brainchild should try to read between the lines. So if you are buying this book in appreciation of Ryan’s in-your-face jackass humor, congratulations. But if you think this is just another piece of shit, then fuck you, asshole. NATHANIEL T. DELA CRUZ
a world where bestiality and animal cruelty flirt with incest and violence
the next wave of attack against sanitized humor
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OUTSOURCED By Dave Zeltserman
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hen your eyesight is failing and you’re strapped for cash because you’ve lost your IT job to young chaps and Indians, what else is left for you to do? The obvious—rob a bank! Following the success of Small Crimes, Dave Zeltserman weaves another darkly humored thriller with Outsourced. While reading this, feel free to cheat, steal, and redeem your soul through Dan Wilson, the ageing analyst who uses his insider knowledge on computer systems
to steal from a bank in order to salvage his collapsing middle class life. Dan, incidentally, is a less suave version of Danny Ocean but with enough charm to get his miserable little friends (one’s a libertarian and the other is an overweight, socially inept bro) to join him. The best part of living Dan’s life: you get to fight against the barbaric Russian mob without the physical pain. Be wary; this book might just get you hooked on
Zeltserman’s hardboiled crime fiction laced with a grounding sense of humanity as the conflicts are rooted in the universal need to live life a little better. But still, be on your guard—you will be in for a very grisly ride. LIZA CONSTANTINO
feel free to cheat, steal, and redeem your soul through Dan Wilson
FOOTNOTES In Cows, Steven escapes life by obsessing over 50s sitcoms. Coincidentally, his hypochondriac upstairs neighbor/love interest is named Lucy.
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Stateside, handguns are the weapon of choice for armed robberies. In the UK, it’s sawed-off shotguns. In Outsourced, it’s a whole lot more.
Johnny Ryan’s typical gag formula is to combine two typically unrelated ideas. (See Santar the Christmas Barbarian, Stoogesus Christ, and Fruity Krueger)
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tech pack PANASONIC LUMIX DMC-GF2 • Interchangeable lens digital camera • Has intuitive touch-screen control • Records 1920 x 1080 Full HD movies • Compatible with 3D shooting SRP: P40,938
TECH IN COLOR Get high-performin’ and high-stylin’ gadgets in this spectrum of shades.
AVANTGARDE TRIO CLASSICO • 5 ft speaker system with three horn drivers • Includes four subwoofers • Utilizes Omega voice coil technology which makes for more vibrance and less distortion SRP: P8,300,000
SONY VAIO P SERIES • Compact 1.3 lbs netbook • Features 8-inch LED screen with 1600 x 768 resolution • Up to 256 GB solid state drive • Built in with Motion Eye webcam and microphone SRP: P39,320
JUSTBEATS solo • Lightweight headphones designed specially for iPad, iPhone, and iPod • Equipped with ControlTalk for hands-free calls and on-cable playback • Comes with cushioned ear cups for a full range of uncompromised sound SRP: P8,864.99
JAWBONE JAMBOX • Portable 12 oz stereo speakers • Has Bluetooth, 3.5 mm input, and micro USB • Built in with rechargeable Lithium-ion battery • Provides about 10 hours of continuous play SRP: P8,738
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face paint Tickled Bet your mom used to force you to dress in pink. Make her proud.
Smashbox Blush Rush, P1,300
Make Up For Ever HD Blush, P1,780
Maybelline DefineA-Lash® Volume Washable Mascara, P535 Philosophy The Color of Grace™ Heavenly Light Pink Illuminator, P1,227.66
Chanel Le Vernis, P1,350
Sephora DoubleEnded Perfect Complexion Brush, P1,534.58
Tweezerman Slant Tweezers, P658
Jeanne Lanvin, P4,798
Make Up For Ever Glossy Full Couleur, P1,380
MAC Pigment, P1,300
Shu Uemura Pressed Eye Shadow, P1,000
Maybelline Eye Studio, P499 Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Lipstick, P1,350
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Photo by Stevyn Llewellyn
about face CLEAN AND GREEN Go green with the soapfree certified organic formula of JUICE BEAUTY CLEANSING MILK. It has a rather thick texture but leaves behind a light layer, softening skin with the anti-aging nutrients of aloe vera and grapeseed oil.
Expert
P1,375
Advice
After every cleaning process, apply moisturizer to keep skin supple.
POWER OF TWO DIORSNOW SUBLISSIME WHITENING CLEANSING GEL-MILK not only removes makeup effectively but also has whitening ingredients that smoothen skin’s complexion.
GOT MILK ?
P1,950
Don’t just get a milk moustache. Apply cleansing milk all over your face! pop your clogs
STAR CLEANSER Gently pat CLARINS CLEANSING MILK WITH ALPINE HERBS on your face, and hold for several seconds before rinsing with water. Repeat 5-6 times, and prepare for the red carpet with that luminous, clean, and pure look. P1,250
BLISS CLOG DISSOLVING CLEANSING MILK is tender yet tough. It may be gentle and low-foaming, but it easily eliminates sebum and dirt with its hydrophilic oils. P1227.66
breathing spell Give your skin a rest by rinsing off with CLINIQUE TAKE THE DAY OFF CLEANSING MILK. Ultra gentle with its milky texture, it maintains skin’s moisture barrier and magics away makeup and dirt.
MMMOISTURE METER Specially made for those with extra sensitive dry skin, VMV HYPOALLERGENICS MOISTURE RICH CREAMMMY CLEANSING MILK has rich hydrators that soothes and moisturizes. P530
P1,650
beauty bite
ART OF SCENT
T
here are two ways to find the perfect fragrance: you could try a million different scents until you find one that gets the most positive reaction, or you could go to ART OF SCENT and ask them to match the fragrance to you. While the Art of Scent concierge is quite insightful about the products and can recommend options depending on your need—e.g. for an evening party, daily wear, sports—the store is also thoughtfully laid out to guide. A main section for the top 10 best-selling men and women’s fragrance serves as the store’s anchor. But it is the four sections based on the fragrance wheel—fresh for the dynamic, woody for the adventurous
and independent, floral for the romantic and feminine, oriental for the mysterious—that is most unique. Carrying brands like Calvin Klein, Azzaro, Burberry, Lanvin, Givenchy, Marc Jacobs, and Bvlgari rotated on a monthly basis to refresh the visual and olfactory palettes, the road to finding “the one” is paved with so much variety, but sniffing out the perfect fragrance is easy with the store’s expertise. 1F Newport Manila, Resorts World Mall, Pasay City, Philippines 846-7447
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brick and mortar E.P.I.C. ,LOS ANGELES 1712 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026 212-483-0260 shopepicla.com
P
ut a retail shop like ECHO PARK INDEPENDENT CO-OP inside the Jensen Recreation Center, a historic landmark building found in the heart of the hilly neighborhood of Echo Park, and expect it to just be truly E.P.I.C. Other than carrying hard-to-find, eco-friendly, and mostly affordable brands, the 2,300 square feet store is also set like a gallery with a roster of more than 50 homegrown brands. It mixes well-established ones like Lady Gaga-donned Brian Lichtenberg as well as new but nonetheless equally favorable lines such as Dark + Dawn Jewelry, Roark, and Dear Creatures. Check out their wide range of both menswear and womenswear pieces with unusual cuts, bamboo and vegetable dye prints displayed against the wall with exposed bricks. Try architectureinspired headpieces or handcrafted necklaces inspired by the sea in a dressing room with reupholstered vintage furniture like Louis XIV chairs and chandeliers. If not, you can actually just lounge around while owners/stylists Tristan Scott and Rhianon Jones help you out with what pieces best suit you. This is how E.P.I.C. gives justice to its name.
YADU, MANILA The Collective, 7274 Malugay Street, Makati City 02-846-9397 facebook.com/YaduBags
G
et lost in YADU, a high-ceilinged space which holds a forest of Philippine-made bags, wallets, guitar cases, and more. Although it’s easy to get charmed by the woodland setting, green wooden doors, mismatched furniture, and cozy lighting, the branches and what’s hung on them spellbind. Sprouting from all around the store are their items in quilted color-blocks, various shapes, patterns, and sizes. Retaining quality and attitude, each item also has its own Sanskrit name, is organic and unique as different designers put their own spin in the design, and is created with a mix of recycled materials (including the zippers and straps), as well as new fabric for the durability. For those who are not satisfied with the ready-made bags, one can also have his customized by bringing his own fabric (like old clothes and bags) to be used as patches for a new one. While visiting, you are also likely to run into a band setup and exhibits—making Yadu a definite, inspiring haven not only for trendsetters but also for local musicians and art enthusiasts— that getting lost in the store is more a pleasure than a problem.
CATWALK GENIUS
S
potted a new brand that has a potential of making it to the top? Now, you can support your fave rookie label via CATWALK GENIUS. Not only can you buy direct from, and even converse with, designers but
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also help fund your bet’s next collection through the website’s Back-a-Designer campaign. Help them achieve their dream by making it their job to dress you up.
catwalkgenius.com
style id
MAX
Maximize the season with maxi skirts, and keep ‘em guessing. You know, underneath your clothes, there’s an endless story.
OLIVIA LOPEZ Grommet maxi skirt from UNIF
kaitlin isabella Lace maxi skirt from Forever 21
mEGAN sTEWART Vintage pleated maxi skirt, thrifted
MARRIANE THEODORSEN Maxi skirt from Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair
Ilanka verhoeven Maxi skirt from H&M lulu chang Vintage red maxi skirt, thrifted
MARCELLA LAU Maxi skirt from Schwing Schwing
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go see Dress to impress this season of champagne and roses. Cupid can’t miss you with these outfits! Photographed by Ange dela Cruz, Jon Herrera, & Lyka Orhel
Denim Cut-offs
Slim Tie Studded Boots
GUIDE: -0.1 in spacing between photos
Chain Necklace Leather Skirt
Tartan Leggings
Metallic Blazer
Maxi Skirt
Ruffled Jacket
Thigh-high Slit
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New York
Los Angeles
Las Vegas
Singapore
Tokyo
Manila
New York Los Angeles
Gold Necklace
Floral Buttondown Zebra Sweater
Letterman Jacket
Apron Skirt
Maxi Dress
Draped Skirt
Knit Poncho
Ripped Jeans
ngeles Las Vegas Singapore
Sleeveless Tee
Leather Jacket
Tokyo New York
Los Angeles
Las Vegas
Singapore
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Metro vibe can be cold as concrete, but you can warm it up with the shades of earth, soft braids, loose fits, and tangled fringes. Cover up to the ankle, pull the waist up higher, and top it with a wide brimmed hat.
PHOTOGRAPHY JODI JONES STYLING RENESSTA OLDS HAIR & MAKEUP TERRENCE FORDE
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Hat by Stine Goya Bustier by Wood Wood Belt by Wood Wood Shorts by Wood Wood Bracelets by Delphine Charlotte Parmentier
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Studded Hat by Stine Goya Black Halter by Carin Wester Halter Dress by Wood Wood
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Top by Maj Pants by Wood Wood Necklace by Trina Trunk Bracelet by Trina Trunk
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Earrings by Sabrina Dehoff Fringe Vest by Winter Kate Knit Dress by Carin Wester Belt by Wood Wood
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Sequence Beret by H&M Chiffon Tunic by Winter Kate Mustard Tights by J.Crew
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SWAG f e b r u a r y
2 0 1 1
Folded and Hung [P1,099]
DIGITAL LOVE
Prep yourself for this month’s ooey gooey season of love, random walk in the beach, and maybe the perfect date night. With digital printed dresses, floral bags, chunky heels, stripped polo shirts, tailored shorts, and printed socks, you’re surely ready for that pick up. Product photography by Miguel Miranda
Details [P1,295] Forever 21 [P1,500]
Sinequanone [P5,650]
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H EE L S
BIG LOVE
A whole lot of chic in these thick heels.
Gaupo [P10,500]
Topshop [P5,395]
Topshop [P4,995]
Dumond [P7,400]
Photo by Stevyn Llewellyn
Aldo [P4,895]
Jeffrey Campbell [P6,988.80]
TRACY REESE S/S 2011 Gaupo [P9,500] 46 - statusmagonline.com
BAGS
IN BLOOM
Flowers on your bag to match your date’s bouquet.
Topshop [P3,195]
Forever 21 [P1,575]
Aldo [P2,395]
Accessorize [P2,400]
Forever 21 [P1,765]
MILLY BY MICHELLE SMITH S/S 2011
Photo by Ming Han Chung
Debenhams [P2,350]
Caliope [P1,345] statusmagonline.com - 47
s u n glass e s
round
about
What goes around comes a-round.
Stella McCartney [P11,395]
Tomato [P400]
Prada [P16,795]
Kenneth Cole Reaction [P3,650]
Photo by Ming Han Chung
Charles & Keith [P1,499]
TOMMY HILFIGER S/S 2011 Charles & Keith [P1,999] 48 - statusmagonline.com
D EN I M S H O R T S
GET LEGGY
Levi’s [P2,499.50]
Show off your stems with Daisy Dukes or Boyfriend shorts.
Mental [P799]
Levi’s [P2,499.50]
Forever 21 [P545]
CHOCOLATE
FIRE
Photo by Lyka Orhel
Volcom [P3,195]
MANILA, 2010
Accessorize [P750]
Marithé et François Girbaud [P360]
Aldo [P1,755]
Forever 21 [P305]
The sweetest thing around your waist.
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sneakers
FIRST IMPRESSIONS You shoes are the windows to your sole.
Puma Dallas [P3,670]
Vans Woessner [P3,298]
Fred Perry Radcliffe Nylon Suede [P5,150]
Marithé et Francois Girbaud Violer [P1,500]
Vans Alomar [P4,298]
Lakai Carroll Select “Recycle” [P3,865]
Photo by Ming Han Chung
DavidElfiN S/S 2011
Royal Elastics Chehasil [P4,450] 50 - statusmagonline.com
Mundo [P1,650]
Adidas Samba [P3,495]
Creative Recreation Cesario Aqua [P2,495]
Aldo McDoniel [P3,495]
T EE S
COTTON ON Stay fresh and cool for your date.
MarithĂŠ et Francois Girbaud [P1,400]
Glamour Kills [P1,175]
Obey [P1,449]
Adidas [P1,295]
Levi’s [P1,299.50]
Diesel [P4,650]
Photo by Ming Han Chung
Puma [P1,160]
General Idea S/S 2011
Metal Mulisha [P2,300]
Oxygen [P399]
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T A I L O RE D S H O R T S
MR. DANDY Tailor your wardrobe with these preppy shorts.
Volcom [P2,195]
Mundo [P1,250]
Photo by Ming Han Chung
Folded and Hung [P999]
Penshoppe [P849]
Mundo [P1,250]
Vans [P2,898]
General Idea S/S, 2011
CARTOON HEROES Wacky can be cute on your toes.
Debenhams [P295]
Debenhams [P295]
Topman [P245]
Volcom [P495] Debenhams [P295]
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C H UK A S
MIDDLE GROUND
Topman [P2,895]
Strike that balance with mid-high sneakers.
Steve Madden [P5,650]
Carbon [P4,998]
Photo by SDA Project
Carbon [P3,698]
Vans [P4,998]
MANILA, 20
10
Topman [P2,395]
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PHOTO DIARY Everything in Between BY Nicole Lesser
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M A E S T R O
Named after the historical Decembrist revolt in Imperial Russia, THE DECEMBERISTS themselves are making history with their sixth album, The King is Dead. By Kristine Dabbay Photographed by Autumn de Wilde
W
elcome to 2011—an age, which The Decemberists bassist Nate Query declares as hosting the death of “skinny jeans, ironic mustaches, giant sugary lattes, [and] the Tea Party… But maybe it’s just wishful thinking,” he says. Otherwise, there is no musical demise for The Decemberists even if Nate, vocalist Colin Meloy, and multi-instrumentalists Chris Funk, Jenny Conlee, and John Moen named their album The King is Dead. It even resurrects them from 2009’s The Hazards of Love that Colin mentions as being “self-destructive.” “As usual, we’ll take it one step at a time. Who would have thought ten years ago that we’d still be around?” Nate reflects. And if he could time-travel, he would go as far as “30 years from now” just to prove that the band has no expiration date. He reasons, “Because by that time, it would mean I’m still alive and still have a career.” A long way from their start in 2000— when Colin, Nate, and Jenny scored a silent film together—the band hasn’t lost their storytelling technique. They’re always coined as “literate” instead of the better word “literary.” Colin just
laughs this off while Nate gets particular with their current style: “Well, the songs aren’t part of the same narrative like The Hazards of Love was. The album is a collection of songs that, in some ways, are unrelated but go together well. That’s the idea anyway.” In Nate’s context, if previous records like The Crane Wife and Picaresque are novels, their current one is a short story anthology. They’re heavily influenced by 19th and 20th century literature. This, in turn, anchors their new soundscape since it maintains its flora of imagery but departs from the arrangements of layers upon layers of sounds spanning from harmonica to accordion instrumentations. And since they’re prioritizing simplicity over the grandiose, their songwriting also changed. Nate shares, “Rather than crafting the songs piece by piece, when doing simpler songs, it becomes more important to get the band to sound cohesive. It’s more about the building blocks than the adornment.” Some surmise that The King is Dead is a shout out to The Smiths’ The Queen is Dead. But Nate tells us that it’s only among its spheres of influence. R.E.M. plays
a big part in it, too. Initially, the tracks “Down by the Water” and “Calamity Song” are tributes to the band. So when Colin met R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, he mentioned how he’s trying to emulate his style. Peter found it hilarious and offered his hand for the two tracks. But as far as collaborations go, they also have Gillian Welch to sing for their record’s ten songs—a good move which lets their baroque pop and folk bearings broaden into the Americana realm instead of their usual English influences. “I am, in some ways, a sum of my influences... One’s musical influences define their sound, but, of course, as you mature, your individuality shines through,” Nate shares. In their own narrative, it’s safe to say that they’ve reached their own denouements as they’re moving forward to a sparser plateau. The good thing about them is that they beat every dead end by just moving forward. Nate says “…endings are inevitable because everything has a beginning, middle, and an end.” Sure, The King is Dead, but The Decemberists is just in the process of rebirth.
decemberists.com
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MAESTRO
NEON
YONDER
CUT COPY zooms into the future with their latest album Zonoscope. From the sound of it, they’re really in the zone to take quantum leaps. By Don Jaucian
L
ike any other forward-thinking musicians, Cut Copy is looking out for broader soundscapes, possibly into the extremes mined by Werner Herzog, whose films have been an inspiration to the band’s frontman Dan Whitford. To map new horizons, Dan says, “The more we work together recording albums, the more we realize that records don’t need to conform to a traditional pop structure. I love pop music, but all of our records thus far have been about making pop music… At some point, I could see us focusing more on experimenting to create a psychedelic experience.” It takes a trio to tap into that direction. Dan says,“I’m not some crazy multi-instrumentalist like Prince or Stevie Wonder. I’m more of an ideas guy, so there are plenty of things the other guys do better than me and perspectives they bring to make a finished Cut Copy song.” Together with bassist Tim Hoey and drummer Mitchell Scott, Dan delivers their third album Zonoscope with Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavillion mixer Ben Allen on board. “Ben’s been great, like a new friend in our gang, except we’re also mixing our record with him,” Dan enthuses. “It’s always a nervous step giving your songs over [for] someone else to work with. You really need to have some faith and some trust for it to work. Ben is no exception.” He quips later on, “Basically, he sat there drinking iced coffees all day while we honed our recordings into finished mixes.” With two records under their belt plus citations (In Ghost Colors landed on Pitchfork’s Best Albums of the Decade list) and acclaim from different artists (Lady Gaga invited them to join her on tour), the band is still reeling from the experience of touring with big acts. “It’s funny. Our first tour
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of the states was supporting Franz Ferdinand…the US was a huge new place for us but…we got on so well with the Franz Ferdinand guys and also the other supporting band, TV on the Radio,” Dan shares. He continues,“We did it all in a crappy van, getting four to five hours sleep at most every night. After each show, we’d take our records and DJ somewhere and bring the other bands down with us to party. It’s probably the sort of tour we only survived because we were so fresh to it.
But it was great. Oh, and we met David Bowie at one of the shows, but that’s another story...” But of course, it isn’t just celebrities that they attract. Neon glare fetishists would probably enjoy pummeling beats if only they are engineered by Australian electropop perpetrators Cut Copy. More car companies and corporate lackeys recognize the importance of the electro/indie music scene. Dan prefers to leave the hankering to the press and let the people soak up on their
music. “I stopped reading our press after the first album. It wasn’t out of any negative experience; it was just that as long as I knew people in general were digging our songs, I just didn’t want to dwell on music that was already complete and out in the world,” he says. “I wanted to move on to somewhere new artistically and think about whatever the next record or next project is.”
myspace.com/cutcopy
“I stopped reading our press after the first album.”
T W I N
MAESTRO
PEAKS Whether MATT & KIM are exploring Sidewalks or performing for the Fuji Rock Festival and Lollapalooza, they know that they got to stick together to top the music curve. As Matt puts it, “It’s just the two of us vs. the rest of the world.” By Reena Mesias
Photo by Matt Hoyle
M
“...when things just started working and coming together on different songs, that’s when you sort of feel that, I hate to use the word but, it’s like magic.”
eet Brooklyn duo Matt Johnson (vocals/ keyboards) and Kim Schifino (drums/vocals). Although there is not enough room for another “and” in this band, they have enough space for St. Elsewhere producer Ben Allen for their latest release, Sidewalks. Together, they are getting more inseparable from success in and outside New York. While many artists rely on rotating musical trademarks to establish themselves, Matt & Kim never worry about attracting a mainstream audience or the fame and fortune usually associated with the industry. “Kim and I went in with the same goal, which is just to make music we like to hear in this world,” Matt says. With that quest in mind, the duo had to fight a battle with independence. “I remember, when we started touring, it was just Kim and I…driving around in the country without any other help.” Matt recalls. But being in a two-piece band proved to be opportune. Other than having more beers for themselves after
a gig, two minds made song improvisations easier. Matt says, “If you’re trying to make five people in a band happy, you have to keep making compromises and watering things down. But as [for] the two of us, we can keep pretty focused.” As opposed to 2009’s Grand, which the duo recorded themselves, Matt & Kim upgraded by working with a producer. “It was nice to work with someone who knew what or how they were doing, and we could focus more on the songwriting,” Matt says, adding, “I feel like you can make any sane man crack to have to record 30 times. But I think, sometimes, when things just started working and coming together on different songs, that’s when you sort of feel that, I hate to use the word but, it’s like magic.” Sidewalks retains the band’s usual danceable rhythm but with more thoughtful lyrics. “I think a lot of people find themselves really caught up,” Matt talks about living in the moment in “Block after Block” (“Go too far/ Live too long/
Time’s too short/ Right and wrong”).“You just gotta fit in life every single damn day,” he says. Personifying carpe diem, they’re driving the crowd into dance frenzy. Take that from Matt & Kim who stripped down in Times Square for the video of “Lessons Learned” and layered 80s new wave with electropop to contaminate the audience with their uncurbed energy. “Bands get it all confused when they think that the crowd should be so appreciative that the band showed up, but we have it the other way around,” Matt says. “When we’re playing music, we always have a policy of honesty— we just show what we feel. So I think a lot of people see the excitement all the time.” But even if Matt admits he’s not as fun to be around with every time he has to wake up early in the morning, it’s always a pleasure to wake up to Matt & Kim’s music, especially in those moments when you just want to go out in the world and get into the grit.
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MAESTRO
M A S T E R M I N D
MASTERMIND
“
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MASTERMIND
V I TA L S I G N S
Painter MARK DEAN VECA’s ink and acrylic strokes often conjure internal organs, tissue cross-sections, and all things flesh and slimy, “and the viewer seems to attach literal interpretations to them,” he observes. They, too, are right. Veca’s art boldly captures signs of life. By Nante Santamaria Artworks courtesy of Mark Dean Veca
T
he world started melting down in a big way in September 2008,” Mark Dean Veca recalls the pandemic of economic recession when he was painting murals on the walls of LA’s Otis College of Art and Design. And melted did it become. What became his solo show Phantasmagoria was a roomful of dripping, desperately coagulating figures being engulfed by waves of grey. “It seems like the fall of the Roman Empire,” Mark continues the historical fable, adding “The US isn’t going to be King Shit forever…” Fast forward to his recent LA solo— Mark strikes the same parabolic chord as he renders the eagle of the US presidential seal clasping on its beak a scroll emblazoned with the show title: When the Shit Hits the
Fan—when the real stinking situation gets publicized. This conditional phrase begs for conclusions as, in his paintings, Rich Uncle Pennybags pulls out his pocket empty while Uncle Scrooge steps on, guards his bags of cash in this time of financial crisis. These characters, from Popeye to Hello Kitty, are fixtures in his pop universe. “I remember coming home after school and watching Popeye cartoons on TV while drinking root beer floats and practicing card shuffling with my brother…” Mark fondly recalls as if recent but continues, “If I were to collaborate on an episode of Popeye [now], you could probably only find it on YouPorn.” Such is Veca’s subversive spirit. One moment, his lines flow like a boy’s mind meandering from comic books to Playboy’s Little Annie Fanny. The next thing you glance, “when I stop to analyze the imagery,” he admits, “I get this whole ‘cycle of life’ kind of vibe: sex/birth/food/shit/death/ sex/birth/food/shit/death ad infinitum.” The truth is: it is largely improvisation inside traced pop silhouettes. The rest, Mark says, is what it looks like inside his head. I ask him for a five-minute tour, so he describes: “everything’s mushing around and wet and shiny and jiggling and oozing and pimpled, dimpled and puckered.” And he mounts most of these in huge format—sometimes filling entire walls, often asking viewers to step back. “I like to wow the audience…and create a sense of awe,” Mark says. And awesome it is. His rep, Jonathan LeVine Gallery, confirms his place among those at the forefront of today’s pop art resurgence. In his shows, he is interpolating not only mass media but many other artists—like KAWS, Jeff Koon’s, and Damien Hirst—who have responded to it. “Well, it’s the oldest trick in the Pop Art book—gaining currency from a familiar image, and all the aforementioned artists are masters of it…” Veca pays homage.
“But beyond that, these artists are all cultural touchstones, and when you quote them, you also quote what they’re quoting, which just adds another layer to the dip.” Today, I find Mark enjoying Steve Martin’s Born Standing Up in large print which, although it makes him feel “like an old man,” is still about laughter. Sure, he has grown older with his self-nominated MDV generation but declares one thing that remains the same: “I like comedy in all its forms, and [I] like a comic element in my art, too.”
markdeanveca.com
" If I were to collaborate on an episode of Popeye, you could probably only find it on YouPorn. "
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MASTERMIND
POP
S TA R
“The prime and purity of the artist is in his first swing,” ad man and iconoclast JP CUISON makes you think twice about pop art. His creative assaults on gig posters are as sincere, enthusiastic, and wacky as they can be. By Marla Cabanban Photographed by Patrick Diokno
O
n a Friday night at a bustling burger joint in Manila, you might have spied a group of advertising folk talking shop after a long day of work. You might have heard them comparing accounts, talking about fussy clients, and eventually mulling over the existential crisis that happens to artists who need to hold down day jobs to earn a living in the Third World. Then there is JP Cuison. Say what you will about the perils and soul-sucking capabilities of advertising, but it was that same threat that spit out JP’s legion of band posters under the collective name, Gigzilla. “Gig posters for me are just plain art, meaning the bands’
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producers give me creative freedom to do what I want,” JP says, grateful for having once been part of a band which gave him the network to jumpstart his posters. He has been a familiar face associated with playful, tongue-in-cheek bands like Kiko Machine and the muppet-fronted outfit Gorgoro. At first glance, his posters attack you with technicolor napalm which hints at his pop art and Warholian influences. Cuison also derives a lot of his inspiration from the artists featured on American Artifact (Frank Kozik, EMEK, etc.), a definitive movie on the American rock poster movement in the 60s.
A second glance will have you recognize childhood heroes and Saturday morning cartoon characters with blown out faces, drenched in excrement, and decked in BDSM leather that would make Gene Simmons blush. “Mostly, it’s like I’m dealing with pop culture icons,” JP adds. “But mine is an altered Astro Boy or a bastardized Super Mario, Star Wars, manga...they are JP-nized.” With a mischievous glint peering underneath his thick geek glasses, JP is a good-humored guy who has found joy in spinning his own take (albeit bizarre and morbid) of the well-loved figures of his growing up years. At 28, he has been a twotime delegate to the Young Lions Competition at the Cannes Lions International Advertising festival. And although he spoke about gig posters being “products of frustration” from the limits of his day job, he still injects the disciplines he learned from advertising for them. And just like slaving over an account, a lot of scrutiny and rumination happens before he jumps into a gig poster project. “It starts with the title of the event or, in the case of those bands with a different feel, say, the title of the event by Revolver is The Resistance,” JP explains, “I ask myself how I’ll interpret it. For this, I had one of the guys carry a big shotgun...” He then adds, laughing, “Of course, with gig posters, I have no bosses or clients to clear my own idea.” When not conceptualizing an ad or brainstorming for the next rock poster, Cuison is also involved with vinyl toy collaborations and PUNNX Comics, a parody of FUNNY Komiks from the 80s-90s, which he makes with fellow ad man Dennis Nierra. Asked about the next big collaboration project in the works, JP had to make a quick phone call to get a go signal to divulge this piece of information. Once he got it, he
excitedly announced that he was going to do a reinterpretation of famous Filipino movie posters. Everyone is watching, and everyone is waiting to see the marvels that shift in and out of JP Cuison’s imagination. We can only hold our breath as those geek glasses scan through worlds that only he can see.
S U RV I VO R S ER I ES JP Cuison handpicks 5 Pinoy Icons to survive an apocalypse.
Tito, Vic, & Joey Noontime Show Godfathers
ONEL DE GUZMAN Inventor of the Notorious “I Love You” Virus
Jose Rizal The First Filipino
Yoyoy Villame King of Novelty Music
Imelda Marcos “The Iron Butterfly”
MASTERMIND
H
ere’s a man who isn’t shitscared of shit. With Louie Cordero’s human poo character “Nardong Tae” — starring in the cult indie comic of the same name—which became the first Filipino designer toy, Louie shows us that you could deal with the most sensitive subjects but still be able to create art that’s ironically not “fartsy.” He jumps straight into convolution by drawing mutilated organs, dripping eyeballs, cranial pockets of goo, and intestinal knots juxtaposed with his own roots. Maybe it’s the result of reading Dr. Seuss as a kid, watching Clive Barker flicks, growing up in Malabon with anatomy books, and preferring MAD magazines over Art History. But when I asked him how he refined his aesthetics, he says, “I don’t know if there is a learning process with it. I still believe right now that I suck in writing, I suck in spelling, I suck in grammar, I suck in math. It’s just believing on something you have learned when growing up then trying to dive blindfolded not knowing what to expect.”
He’s currently preparing for a show in Singapore this March 2011 and doing a poster for a gay zombie film while resurrecting a comics project, but it wasn’t long ago when Louie, like most of us, was just navigating toward his calling. In 2002, he decided to become a full-time artist. “There is nothing else I can do... but to do what I really like and be best at that.” He adds, “If you do something everyday, it will be a part of your whole system. The
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H E A V Y
HEAVY HITTER
They say that a bit of strife is good for art. But how much of it can you get when you’re born to neo-nobility and, residing in Rome, with no choice but to wear Fendi for house clothes? Jewelry designer DELFINA DELETTREZ lives to create from something else. By Anna Canlas Jewelry photos courtesy of Delfina Delettrez
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Photo by David Atlan
H I T T E R
the literal house of Fendi—this is where we locate the 23-year old Delfina Delettrez— starved for art yet by no means a starving artist, daughter to jeweler Bernard and third-generation Fendi heir Silvia. But rather than do fur or clothing or even luggage—as is the tradition of the eightand-a-half-decade luxury fashion house— Delfina took to crafting innovative jewelry instead, a path she bravely took on years ago, at the age of 19. “I didn’t want to get help from my name. I wanted to…do it with my own legs… How do you say it?” offers Delfina, drifting off to Italian phrases. “I wanted to do a brand that was mine.” And hers it is. Shaping the malleable and manipulating the seemingly inert, Delfina’s creative process has her working a lot with her hands. And although the motor fixation might have found a prior albeit less glamorous outlet in Delfina’s internship duties at Chanel (snapping Polaroids, getting coffee, or even puttering about the atelier of Karl Lagerfeld— incidentally Fendi’s creative director), there was nothing that could have preempted the modern-day relics comprising Delfina’s body of work: a skeletal hand that slips over one’s wrist like a bracelet but grabs your tarsals, with its own, helped by built-in rings, themselves fixed with ruby-redand deep purple stones. Another variation on the bare-bones motif (following the designer’s debut collection featuring skulls) would include a clever leather belt, held in place by two just-as-hallowed hands illusorily clutching the waist. The phobic mood continues, with a fascination for gem-and-metal spider and snake brooches, Hellenic evil eyes, or even unexpected heel charms in the form of tiny fists that can be slid around towering stilettos. “I started to like all the manual processes and to work on materials,” Delfina recounts. “It began as a game! I was so fascinated by the power of stones.” But with all this reference to the macabre, though, could the girl-woman’s playfulness be just a bout of play-acting? Are there skeletons hiding in Delfina’s signature-strewn closet? And if there are, is all this a move to drive out the demons, by petrifying them, in metal?
Thankfully, no. While some may find traces of Aztec skull art (which elevated skulls and skeletons as part of the worship of death, and therefore, life) or even the work of latter-day artists like Frida Kahlo (her painting “The Dream” intimated that death existed parallel to life, through the image of a skeleton floating above the artist’s own sleeping body) or even Francisco Toledo (who painted x-ray-looking human subjects to erotic effect), Delfina shrugs it all off, in her trademark, easygoing fashion. “If you look at my jewelry, all my skulls are colored or laughing… I played with them, putting flowers on the eyes, and animals up on top. Even the spiders and the grasshoppers—which I hate!—a lot of these things came from childhood memories or from the stories I would read my daughter…like the ones of Tim Burton…not so much Cinderella,” admits Delfina. “In a way, I was laughing at it.” As such, the mood is less mystic and more mischievous—less about hubris and more about humor. Of course, apart from the fun stuff, Delfina also takes cues from more serious motifs such as the religious symbols associated with her hometown of Rome, including that of crosses, thorns, and the aforementioned snakes and skulls.
This contrasted sense of maturity shines through in her sixth and latest collection, We-Man. Recently presented at Colette, the ornamental opus of plated-silver bib neckpieces was inspired by the idea of men’s shirt collars in smoking, tuxedo, or military silhouettes vis a vis the women who dare to wear them. “My collection was actually inspired by women of very strong character… like Virginia Woolf.” Despite the departure from her typical motifs, though, the Fendi-grade attention to detail and artisan techniques remain. “The passion for work and for beauty… This is very Fendi family. We’re all working women with a passion for what we do. We’re all obsessed with details on everything, no?” Delfina asks, with an open-ended lilt. “Things are more special if they are handmade and unique.” This might explain Delfina’s tedious technical process. “I usually do it by hand, but with this collection’s range of colors, it’s impossible to do! I had to use a laser,” Delfina explains. “For one piece, I also had to affix 6,000 stones all by hand—it’s crazy
work! It took me two months to get it ready.” This use of semi-precious stones like fluorite or lemon stone, as well as a base of pink and chocolate gold, allows Delfina’s menswearinspired pieces to continue sparkling with a coquettish glint. This mashed-up mood, in turn, carries over to Delfina’s dynamic fashion sense which, at the moment, has her mixing mannish pieces with her typically feminine vintage frocks. In fact, a quick scan of Delfina’s appearances in fashion blogs easily returns a handful of pictures of her in her grandmother’s antique dresses or sash-trailing cocktail numbers sassed up with kooky touches like Winter 09’s Louis Vuitton bunny ears styled, quite ironically, with clipped-on spider brooches from her own collection. As talk turns to labels, the fashion girl ticks off her sartorial sources. “For t-shirts and this sort of thing, Topshop is good. For online shopping, I like Net-aporter—I have a lot of fun with this… I like to go on eBay and get vintage dresses from the 50s and 60s. I like the surprise when I get the pack at home. To not try on the thing but to try it on in the house—I love this,” she says, matter-of-factly. But the best find, which had Delfina scouring the Internet for a whole night, is probably one that speaks volumes about the designer’s proclivity for wearable art as well as the twin tomes of memory and history. “I took this McQueen dress the day after he died,” she says, wistfully. “It was from his last collection. When I got it, I was so happy.” Apart from the visionary Brit, the half-French, Paris-frequenting Delfina also enjoys the work of sci-fi-thinking Hussein Chalayan (he of the part-couture, partrobot creations) as well as the fashion in magazines like L’Officiel, Jalouse, and Nero. All this stirs the cauldron of Delfina’s hyper-creative mind which, at the moment, has birthed six collections of accessories including what she says are the last of two collaborations with Giuseppe Zanotti. “I really grew up in the span of the collections I did with him. But for now, I think I’d like to do hats… Or work on my next collection, for February… I actually started two days ago…” she intones. “It will be maybe inspired by Egypt? But that’s probably all I can say for now…” the heady accent trails off. “I like all the time to move on.”
delfinadelettrez.com
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NIGHTVISION fantasia @ answer
Photos by Cheezes
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NIGHTVISION
FETE dela wsk ear2eye II @ THE COLLECTIVE
Photos by EJ Constantino
boys and girls @ WEBSTER HALL
Photos by Nicky Digital
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NIGHTVISION
boombox barcelona Photos by Gerard Estadella
LAUNCH PARTY @ KYSS
Photos by Patrick Dayot
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NIGHTVISION
THE CABRIOLETS & BBX Photos by Gerard Estadella
STATUS PHOTO ISSUE RELEASE PARTY feat. dj vice @ Republiq
Photos by Alex Pamplona, & Melvin Sun
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NIGHTVISION
LAIDBACK LUKE @ REPUBLIQ
Photos by Melvin Sun
boombox buenos aires
Photos by Gerard Estadella
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NIGHTVISION
DJ RIDDLER
@ Republiq
Photos by EJ Constantino
BARGAIN PRINCES Photos by The Cobrasnake
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Where to find stuff in this magazine BRANDS ACCESSORIZE Greenbelt 5, Makati City ADIDAS Greenbelt 3, Makati City ALDO Bonifacio High Street, The Fort, Taguig City CALIOPE SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City CARBON Greenbelt 3, Makati City CARIN WESTER carinwester.com CHARLES & KEITH Bonifacio High Street, The Fort, Taguig City CREATIVE RECREATION Complex Lifestyle, Eastwood Mall, Libis, Quezon City DEBENHAMS Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City DELPHINE CHARLOTTE PARMENTIER dcp-corp.com DETAILS Power Plant Mall, Makati City DIESEL Power Plant Mall, Makati City DISSIZIT Trilogy Boutique, 110 Alvion Center, Rada St., Legaspi Village, Makati City 328-1071 DKNY Greenbelt 5, Makati City DUMOND Greenbelt 3, Makati City DOROTHY PERKINS Power Plant Mall, Makati City ELECTRIC Stoked Inc., Power Plant Mall, Makati City ETAM SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City FRED PERRY Greenbelt 5, Makati City FOLDED AND HUNG SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City FOREVER 21 SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City GAUPO Greenbelt 5, Makati City GLAMOUR KILLS Trilogy Boutique, 110 Alvion Center, Rada St., Legaspi Village, Makati City 328-1071 J.CREW jcrew.com JEFFREY CAMPBELL solestruck.com
LAKAI Aloha Boardsports, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City LEVI’S Greenbelt 5, Makati City MARITHÈ ET FRANÇOIS GIRBAUD Glorietta, Makati City MENTAL SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City METAL MULISHA Stoked Inc., Power Plant Mall, Makati City MUNDO The Ramp, Crossings, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City NIKE Nike stores and shoe departments nationwide OBEY Trilogy Boutique, 110 Alvion Center, Rada St., Legaspi Village, Makati City 328-1071 OXYGEN TriNoma, Quezon City PENGUIN Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City PENSHOPPE SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City PRADA Sunglass Hut, Resorts World Manila Complex, Pasay City PUMA Puma stores and shoe departments nationwide ROYAL ELASTICS G/F Entertainment Center, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City SABRINA DEHOFF sabrinadehoff.com STELLA MCCARTNEY Sunglass Hut, Resorts World Manila Complex, Pasay City STEVE MADDEN Greenbelt 5, Makati City STINE GOYA stinegoya.com TOMATO SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City TOPMAN Greenbelt 3, Makati City TOPSHOP Power Plant Mall, Makati City TRILOGY 110 Alvion Center, Rada St., Legaspi Village, Makati City 328-1071 TRINA TURK trinaturk.com VANS American Rag, Athlete’s Foot, Landmark
Department Stores, Olympic Village, SM Department Stores, Sports Warehouse, Toby’s, Urban Athletics, Vans boutiques. VOLCOM Aloha Boardsports, Power Plant Mall, Makati City WINTER KATE winterkate.co.uk WOOD WOOD woodwood.dk ARTISTs David Atlan (Photographer) davidatlan.com Life Balibalos lifesportfolio.com Kevin Bautista backtothepicture.tumblr.com Jonathan Caballa cabsphotography.tumblr.com Carlos Creencia (Photographer) caloy119photos.multiply.com Lulu Chang (Blogger) luluandyourmom.blogspot.com The Cobrasnake (Photographer) thecobrasnake.com EJ Constantino (Photographer) ejconstantino.multiply.com Autumn de Wilde (Photographer) autumndewilde.com Patrick Dayot (Photographer) patrickdayot.carbonmade.com Kester Dee (Photographer) kesdee.multiply.com Alaine Delorme (Photographer) alainedelorme.com Nicky Digital (Photographer) nickydigital.com Patrick Diokno (Photographer) patrickdiokno.tumblr.com Rob Dowsley (Photographer) robdowsley.com Nicolas Dumont (Photographer) behance.net/dumont/frame Gerard Estadella (Photographer) icanteachyouhowtodoit.com Veronica Falco (Blogger) lifegivemefashion.blogspot.com Torrence Forde (Hair and Make up Artist) torrenceforde.com Jon Herrera (Photographer) statusmagonline.com Matt Hoyle (Photographer) matthoyle.com Invader (Artist) space-invaders.com Kaitlin Isabella (Blogger) abuffalostance.blogspot.com
NIGHTVISION Soleil Ignacio (Illustrator) behance.net/choleil Kim Jakobsen To (Photographer) kimjakobsento.com James Jarvis (Artist) studiojarvis.com Jason Jean (Photographer) citizencouture.com Jodi Jones (Photographer) jonesimage.com Marcella Lau (Blogger) fashiondistraction.blogspot.com Nicole Lesser (Photographer) nicolelesser.com Stevyn Llewellyn (Photographer) modernglossy.com Olivia Lopez (Blogger) lusttforlife.com Ming Han Chung (Photographer) runwaynewswire.com Miguel Miranda (Photographer) miguelmiranda420@yahoo.com Renessta Olds (Stylist) reneeostylelab.carbonmade.com Lyka Orhel (Photographer) thesdaproject.blogspot.com Alex Pamplona (Photographer) bapamplona.multiply.com James Pearson-Howes (Photographer) jamespearsonhowes.com Timothy Petersen (Photographer) Revolution (Photographer) peaceloveandrevolution.com Hama Sanders (Photographer) hamasanders.com Irene Shkwarowska (Photographer) behance.net/irenshi Megan Stewart (Blogger) anotherdaytodressup.blogspot.com Melvin Sun (Photographer) upandunder.tumblr.com The SDA Project (Photographer) thesdaproject.blogspot.com Marianne Theodorsen (Blogger) styledevil.com Ilanka Verhoeven (Blogger) fashion-nerdic.blogspot.com Will Tee Yang (Photographer) willteeyang.com PHOTO STUDIO Triptych Studios G/F Sarmiento Condominium, 177 Yakal St., San Antonio Village, Makati City miguelmiranda42@yahoo.com
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: SANSULA, TREBLE AND ALTO KALIMBA TOMOKO TAHARA’S HANDMADE HAT
I have a full head of dreads, and a hat is needed to hold them while I’m working. I wear this customized hat from an original hatmaker on Etsy, Tomoko Tahara, almost everyday.
STUART BREIDENSTEIN’S HANDMADE JEWELRY
They are the necklaces handmade by [a] friend I’ve known for years, Stuart Breidenstein. I wear [them] everyday and don’t plan on taking them down.
Sansula is a German-made thumb piano which brings out really calm and lovely melodies. [These] treble & alto kalimbas are African thumb pianos [that] remind me of the toy version I played when I was seven.
PRINT GOCCO PRESS
Beloved screen printing machine I’ve started using in high school. It’s the second one I’ve owned and, sadly, will be the last one.
CUSTOMIZED WOODEN FOX NECKLACE
When I was 16, I visited Kita Kitsune (northern fox) Village in Japan and had my name carved on the back of that fox necklace.
JENI YANG
LA-based illustrator, painter, and sculptor JENI YANG, who’s done many exhibitions from California to Canada, and has been featured in Juxtapoz Magazine, is sugar, spice, and just everything diabetic.
MOCHI
My “purrfect” companion. A smart, fun, and very passionate mama’s boy. He knows how to open the doors, especially the ones that live in our hearts.
CONTAX 167MT WITH CARL ZEISS F3.3, 35MM This is one of the vintage cameras my father used in the late 80’s...the years of my golden life stage, the camera that captured a lot of my childhood memories.
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jeniyang.com Photographed by Will Tee Yang
TONGUE DRUMS
These are my method of meditation besides yoga, and I dream of myself dancing and listening to it with the sounds of waves, wind, and birds.
OWL BAG
The cutest bag I’ve ever owned. I adopted this owl from a trip to Taiwan in 2007.
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