AVAILABLE AT GREYONE SOCIAL
LIKES YOUNG BLOOD FE BRUA RY 2012
60 MAX TUNDRA
63
12 STATUS MESSAGE 13 MASTHEAD
STATUSPHERE 15 20 21 22 23 24
THREADS SETTING BRICK & MORTAR SCREEN INK BEATS
gadgets 25
TECH PACK: THE PRESTIGE
A magician’s best tech
BEAUTY 26
FACE PAINT: THE DARK IS RISING Go bold or go nude
27 27
69
SKYLAR GREY
ABOUT FACE: GOLD MEMBER
Let the sunshine in
BEAUTY BITE: Belle & Cat
VISION BOARD
32 THE GIRL WHO FELL TO EARTH Tell us how your nature feels. By Vincent Urbani
38 CAT LADY
What’s new, pussycat? By Patrick Diokno
44 MRS. OFFICER
Stand tall and command attention. By Luzena Adams
SHOPPING GUIDE SWAG
49 IN CELEBRATION OF Gold rings
50 SHIMMERING SPLENDID Sequined tops
51 BACK TO DARK
Dark washed jeans
52 SHOW STOPPER
Statement necklaces
52 YOUNG MOOLAH Wallets
53 COMEBACK KID
Mary Jane heels
FASHION
54 HALF WAY
STREET STYLE
55 ACTION-PACKED
28 GO SEE
Sweet looks from infinity to beyond
30 DENIM NATION
Bleached, washed, raw, torn, and worn
Mid-high sneakers
Cartoon tees
55 TOTAL PACKAGE Tote Bags
56 THICK SKINNED
Faux leather jackets
57 RIDE OR DIE Sneakers
FEATURES mUSE
58 FAITH, TRUST, PIXIE DUST Romee Strijd believes in fairies, she does, she does. By Giano D. Dionisio
mAESTRO
59 MISTER BRIGHTSIDE
Gold Panda turns it up for the shiny happy people. Yes, this DJ glows in the dark. By Mara Coson
60 STIR WELL
Eric Lau’s aural love potion includes arithmetic anomalies, oriental gastronomy, and a helping of soul. By Erika Garcia
Anna-Sophie Berger 63 BLAST OFF
Singer-songwriter Skylar Grey sheds her folksy past persona and emerges with new musical superpowers. By Reena Mesias
mASTERMIND
64 COMIC ALLEY
Meggs steals vandal hearts with his eroded brand of semiLichtenstein, semi-Frank Miller manifestations. By Rita Faire
65 WHERE THE WILD THINGS HEART
Real-life couple Love from Pete and Jo must get pretty Valentine cards from each other. By Rita Faire
60 CHILD’S PLAY
65 IN WONDERLAND
61 THEIR GOLDEN AGE
66 DECK THE WALL
Max Tundra proves fiction is fun just like his storybook-sonic multi-instrumentalist music. By Rita Faire
A little buzz and fuzz never hurt anyone, nor did being a bit Out of Frequency. Hello, it’s The Asteroids Galaxy Tour’s long-awaited comeback. By Reena Mesias
Keep an eye on Carlo Ongchangco’s pastel land of paint, play, and Mad Hatters. By Erika Garcia
The next time Facebook poke thank Everett making it all feel—good. By Diego José
62 OH MY STARS!
67 NAME-DROP
62 WARNING LABEL
68 TRUE BRIT
STRFKR’s success was unplanned, but that’s what happens when one goes through with music-making without any protection. By Rita Faire
For party pop duo Man Like Me, “Drunk texts and phone calls are a standard procedure.” By Reena Mesias
you gush over that from your crush, Katigbak for look—and not just Abad
When Michael B. Jordan blazes on the big screen for Chronicle, he won’t have to endure basketball player jokes ever again. By Viva Gonzalez
London, UK—Music journalists JP Patterson and Laura “Hyperfrank” Brosnan have a God-given mission to save the Queen’s music. By Miguel Escobar
LIKES YOUNG BLOOD FEBRUARY 2012
65
70 SOPHIA CHANG
Love from Pete and Jo
80 68 INKCYCLOPEDIA
Happily pumping more ink than an octopus, Amy Goh swirls and swishes her medium to leave indelible impressions. By Samantha Castro
69 PRACTICAL MAGIC
Fashion designer Anna-Sophie Berger conjures designs from geometry, philosophy, and tradition. By Giano D. Dionisio
Eamo Donnelly
80 THE BOUNTY PICKER
Leave it to awesome Aussie artist Eamo Donnelly’s drawn deli of sweet not savory slices of Skip life to perk up those drab days when midday beers or all the shrimp on the barbie just don’t cut it. By Kristine Dabbay
BLOCK PARTY: SHUTTER BUGGER PARTY PHOTOGRAPHERS
HEAVY HITTER
70 NO RESERVATIONS
They say “Black and Yellow” is about Pittsburgh or Wiz Khalifa’s car, but other theories have been presented; uh-huh, you know what it is. And illustrator Sophia Chang probably does, too. You can tell by her fabled bun. By Marla Darwin
76 SMOLDER DRIVE
In this exclusive interview with a vampire, Ian Somerhalder literally takes us for a ride. Nowadays, with goons and ghouls, fairy tales, and mystic creatures abound, it’s nice to switch gears and get to know a real human. By Reena Mesias
89 SATURCRAY @ IL PONTICELLO 89 MAGUEN 90 JOHN JOHN CLUB LOOKS FIERCE
90 SKYRIM 91 THE BRITISH GUIDE TO
SHOWING OFF AFTERPARTY
91 FIAMMA FRESH FRIDAYS X REQUEST DANCE CREW
MORE
84 RONY’S PHOTOBOOTH 85 HOSPITAL PHOTOGRAPH 85 KIRILL WAS HERE
STATUS INVADES
92 DIRECTORY 98 VALERIE CHUA
EVENTS
Artist Valerie Chua could be a modern Disney princess with her fondness for cats, birds, and pretty things.
NIGHTVISION
87 KATY PERRY’S BIRTHDAY BASH 88 SUPER TECHNO PARTY MACHINE 88 BANJ ALBANO’S BIRTHDAY
99 HARMONY HARMONY OH
Robot Unicorn Attack game guide
BASH
It’s the month of love, yet we’re celebrating creative fantasies with our Art issue. Obviously, our dating lives are missing something. Thankfully, it isn’t a lack of cover stars—some dreams come true after all! There’s the enchanting Ian Somerhalder (76) with his hypnotic gaze captured by Collin Stark, while Big Apple babe Sophia Chang’s (70) bewitching illustrations bring whimsy to life. That’s more than enough love, sex, and magic to go around!
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 sans paper
free mixtapes and wallpapers
STATUS MESSAGE
Artwork by Eamo Donnelly (80)
SOPHIA CHANG: No Reservations (70)
Likes young blood
F
ebruary being the month of love, we always look forward to doing our annual art issue at this time. Why? Because we admire the creativity of individuals who bring us new ideas and perspectives. We also love this issue because it transports us to other worlds and times. For example, our cover artist Sophia Chang takes us to her daily adventures in New York from watching rap shows to being a lover of streetwear. Her likes and lifestyle end up in her illustrations (Tracy Morgan, Amy Winehouse, Nate Dogg). Sophia isn’t holding anything back, and we’re glad she isn’t. Ian Somerhalder drives us to the sexy underworld of vampires and werewolves in his show The Vampire Diaries. But as exciting as his bad boy TV persona is, Ian prefers his life with the mortals. That may be because he is living the good life with his skyrocketing acting career and countless number of fangirls. Who wouldn’t love that, right? Well, Ian takes it in stride and if given the chance, would love to study art history to fulfill his passion for art. Illustrator Eamo Donnelly transports us back to a simple time in the outback where all you needed were good music, cold beer, and a smokin’ barbeque. His hyper-saturated colors bring to life classic Australian TV and commercial imagery that have been left behind. In this frenzied world, the nostalgia of yesteryear comes as a breath of fresh air. We also collected our favorite party photographers in this month’s Block Party. They capture the nights we sometimes can’t remember or want to forget. But we salute these night soldiers who let us recollect our memories or just simply enjoy someone else’s party. This issue is filled with young blood—those who aren’t afraid to take risks, jump off the springboard of the expected, and take us through new visual experiences. It’s always good to step out of reality once in a while and be free to dream.
Editor-in-chief
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contributors statusmagonline.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Rosario Herrera CREATIVE DIRECTOR Patrick L. Jamora ART DIRECTOR Patrick Diokno GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Nyael David, Paolo Geronimo
COLLIN STARK
Our cover photog Collin says vamp boy Ian Somerhalder (76) “is an extremely creative individual,” and one of his favorite subjects to shoot. However, he’s more concerned about zombies than vampires after having recurrent The Walking Dead nightmares. Thankfully, he readied his apocalypse grocery list: a UPS truck/makeshift home, samurai swords, .22 caliber pistols, rifles, and silencers.
MARA COSON
“Coffee” and “beer” are Mara’s magic words; we’re not sure which one she used to conjure up a vision of a guitar-toting Santa Claus who then morphs into Jarvis Cocker, who she converses with on the curb after a gig. Maybe it was just reminiscent of her own one-onone with Gold Panda (59), whom she may have shared one or both of her magic words with.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kristine Dabbay FEATURES EDITOR Reena Mesias FASHION EDITOR Loris Peña FASHION ASSISTANT Zoe Laurente EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Giano D. Dionisio, Rita Faire SALES & MARKETING CONSULTANT Tina Herrera ACCOUNT MANAGER Dan Buenaventura MARKETING ASSISTANT AG De Mesa CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Diego José Abad, Martha Atienza, Marla Darwin, Mara Coson, Miguel Escobar, Viva Gonzalez, Nante Santamaria CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Luzena Adams, Art Alero, Gianni B, Russell Baer, Sokphalla Ban, Bruce Casanova, Sophia Chang, Alyssa Cortes, JP Cuison, The Cobrasnake, Gerard Estadella, DJ Fabian, Jared Graves, Kai Huang, Tyler Kohlhoff, Jun Lopez, Aljan Lorenzo, Roy Macam, Mark Mawson, Miguel Miranda, Nikkie Po, Liam Ricketts, Red Rivera, Julius Sebastian, Elisa Sedoni, Marc Sifuentes, Katarina Soskic, Collin Stark, Charlie Taylor, Adam Seth Teh, Sonny Thakur, Boo Umaly, Vincent Urbani, The XOXO Kids, Pamela Yan-Santos INTERNS Samantha Castro, Erika Garcia, Win Gonzales, Trina Khio, Kenneth Lim, Aids Lopez De Leon, Patty Mendoza, Jeruel Pingol, Lee Reyes
EDITORIAL editorial@statusmagonline.com
MARLA DARWIN
Chit-chatting with fellow graphic designer Sophia Chang (70) about art, hip-hop, and big dreams left an impression on Marla Darwin (née Cabanban, if you’ve read our previous issues). Meanwhile, Marla shares some of her own pipe dreams with us: to be the greatest Pixies cover singer, screaming Spanish gibberish into microphones all over the world.
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VINCENT URBANI
Preferring daydreams over night ones, Italian photographer Vincent Urbani (“The Girl Who Fell to Earth”-32) probably wouldn’t fare well as a vampire. In fact, he’s too nice to be a bloodsucker; he says his first victim would be “A genius, so he would have eternity to go on with his mission, and make the world a better place.”
INTERNSHIP intern@statusmagonline.com Action figures sold separately.
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statusmagonline.com - 13
THREADS / setting / BRICK AND MORTAR / BEATS / SCREEN / INK
FEBRUARY 2012
HIGH RANKING I
nspired by vintage pieces from the 40s and 50s, NIGEL CABOURN elevates the ranks of menswear with heavy duty jackets that reinterpret WWI military uniforms, classic tweed coats, and Fair Isle sweaters. The clothes are made by having contemporary details such as contrasting plackets and using a color palette of blues and browns. Attention cadets, you’ll be making the front lines with these threads pretty soon. cabourn.com
JUMP STREET P
UMA’s kicks may be built for running, but they are also suited out of the court and in the club for a little bit of hob-knobbing, or jumping to the sound of your favorite band’s beats. Coming in laid-back neutrals in leather and hyphy hues in suede, wearing them will convince you to lose your gym mentality. Come on, kicks aren’t just made for sports. puma.com
A PARROT’S TREASURE A
ussie jewelry label PUSHMATAAHA pays homage to Polly the parrot with its latest collection featuring an assortment of handcrafted gold and silver rings, and bangles adorned with semi-precious stones. Its organic spirit immortalizes the iconic bird in a ring with a silver band and two parrot heads with gold wings and beaks. Now, does Polly still want a cracker? pushmataaha.com
LEAN MACHINE S
PRING AND CLIFTON is a knitting machine with its Fall 2011 collection. From maxi dresses to shorts, it showcases a variety of knitted pieces from shawl collar cardigans to mullet sweaters and coats in subdued neutral colors. This brand definitely knows how to work those balls of yarn and long needles. springandclifton.com
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THREADS
BRANDS TO KNOW
FALL HEAT C
oachella, with its colorful explosions of bohemian girls, is COREY LYNN CALTER’s vision for her latest collection. She makes bright floral prints fit for fall with floor-sweeping maxi skirts and striped sweaters. Adding to the collection’s boho feel is a long knitted cardigan that goes well with a printed jumpsuit topped with a big floppy hat. Just make sure it stays in place as you headbang to those blasting tunes. coreylynncalter.com
PUSH AND PULL 22
-year-old sculptor turned designer HAMISH MUNRO’s ropeintertwined accessories look well with your denim button-down and cuffed pants, but the collection isn’t just for the casual days because the items are also adorned with metals. Rings’ long lines and clean curves provide the right mold for the glamorous woman, but hand-dyed rope bracelets spell fun in the outdoors. Good news: You don’t have to take a pick—you can get the best of both worlds. hamishmunro.com.au
SKETCH IT OUT N
ineteen years and counting, SKECHERS has already made its mark in the world of footwear. Its new collection for women offers shoes for every occasion, with styles ranging from sneakers, wedges, moccassins, and even boots for chilly days. The brand remains current with trends by incorporating animal prints and studs that create its signature young and sporty look. skechers.com
BLACK SABBATH M
anila-based lifestyle label WOOZY likes its basic black and white round-neck shirts and created a number of designs inspired by that aesthetic just for its anniversary collection. Aside from its trademark owl logo, Woozy comes up with various skull images that give character to the shirts like the skull-headed lady captioned “Beautiful Demise.” Always coming up with fresh designs, Woozy sticks to their tagline: “Just a notch higher.” woozyclothing.tumblr.com
CLOSED DEAL C
LOSED is open for business with its new collection of slouchy pieces including vintage washed chinos, ultra-light jersey knits, and oversized blazers. The pieces blend various blues with strong highlights of fluorescent colors, balanced out with pale neutrals. It’s all about being laid-back. So get dressed and close your deals without breaking a sweat. closed.com
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THREADS
TALE OF TWO SISTERS C
reated by sisters Adriana and Fabiana, EVERLY CLOTHING spins the bohemian style by adding unexpected details such as pleats and cutouts to sheer tunic blouses or by using fabrics such as lace for bell bottoms. The sisters even incorporate silk jerseys and chiffon that give the brand a sexy vibe, making you look like a modern day Farrah Fawcett. everlyclothing.com
ANCIENT CHROME L
irany Vasquez’s PRETTY LITTLE THING NYC takes us all the way to Ancient Egypt. It incorporates thick links, geometric diamond cuts, and cable connectors in coarse gold, bronze, and silver to necklaces and earrings. Wear them with dresses or sultry silks and you won’t have to resort to being theatrical just to punch a little bit of history into your date night outfits. pltnyc.com
TWO FOR THE SHOW U
NESTABLISH’s checked button-down shirts, Peter Pan collar dresses, and sailor-minis prove that vamp doesn’t equal vogue. The Kling Exdragon babydoll dress with its fitted button-down bodice and flared mid-length skirt could fit either the TV tease or the little miss who wants to go sexy while still leaving something to the imagination. unestablish.com
MUSIC OF THE SUN M
IA JAFARI may sound like a summer flower, but it’s a dress to dance in. Let go and move to the music in floral prints with empire skirts that cinch on the waist and balloon from the hips. Colors that remind you of summer like blue, green, and purple are painted on the dresses. With sleeveless frocks, tops, and skirts that go above the knees, you can consent your legs and shoulder blades to be kissed by the sun. miajafari.co.uk
DEAR OLD GRANNY W
hitney Pozgay plays dress up in her grandma’s closet with WHIT’s latest collection. Inspired by this childhood pastime, she comes up with something that she might have actually pulled out from her grandma’s dusty chest like a faux fur jacket and a bird print dress. And though grandma might not have suggested it, Whitney throws in a pair of leather gloves to keep things young and fun. whit-ny.com
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THREADS
BRANDS TO KNOW
HEAVEN SENT W
hite takes a sexy shape with MAYNARD’s lacy tops and doily-inspired pants turning old fashion into provocative cuts. Shorts and seethrough tops dare to show the bare skin among a sea of white. The white strapless silk top twists itself to an alluring contour paired with white high waist shorts or a skirt that puts accent on feminine curves. With these pieces, it’s easy to mistake you for a fallen angel. maynardlane.com
VECTORIOUS W
arning: KRYSTOF STROZYNA’s Spring/ Summer collection contains graphic content. Well, that is, graphic lines on his signature fitted bodices. It makes us look forward to the future with its sci-fi, lazer-cut, and contrasting black and pastel design that would put a first-class cosplay costume to shame. krystofstrozyna.com
BIG CITY DREAMS A
lice Heller and Grace Chon take everything they love about New York and translate it into their brainchild, LOVE, ZOOEY. Debuting their Holiday 2011 collection, they blend sharp menswear tailoring with subtle feminine details to create pieces for fall like sweaters and jackets; one of which is a deconstructed Melton wool coat with an interlock double knit collar which highlights the brand’s effortless chic attitude. lovezooey.com
ITALIAN GETAWAY Y
OANA BARASCHI follows her muse, Monica Vitti, on an Italian holiday for her latest collection. The story kicks off with the bombshell jetting to Sorrento in a red-orange and grey Feather Dot Art patch dress. She then slips into a mint green hostess caftan and spends an afternoon strolling around the old town center. As the sun sets, she steps out in a navy cherry print maxi dress ending the night with cocktails in hand. yoanabaraschi.com
MAD ROMANCE A
ustralian brand MAD LOVE takes artistic street style at its best. Designer Gill Lawrence creates easy-to-wear separates like cotton razorbacks and slouchy tops marked with Day of the Dead-inspired skulls, graphics, and abstract prints. The visuals matched with basic silhouettes make the pieces versatile for anybody’s closet. Who said basics couldn’t be enticing? madlove.com.au
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THREADS
THIS CHARMING MAN I
ndustrial designer turned bagman Spencer Nikosey’s KILLSPENCER proves that ladies don’t have the monopoly on totes. With weekenders, utility backpacks, couriers, and briefcases coming in Korean War Era canvas, black leather, and original wax, men can now freely lug around their crap without being accused of carrying a purse. killspencer.com
WALKING ON A DREAM N
ATIVE shoes bring a new generation of kicks that takes the term “walking shoes” to a whole different level. Their slip-ons are made with lightweight, EVA-foam-injected molded material that forms to your feet, giving you a custom fit over time. With bright colors and casual designs, you’d feel like walking to work instead of driving or chasing your morning commute. nativeshoes.com
VIVA DIVA C
hannel your inner Sophia Loren in this muted but irregularly wrinkled collection of SAY MY NAME. Playful with its masculine silhouettes but feminine with its lavender and pleats, each outfit is understated but has the drama that can match the timeless looks of 50s’ divas. saymyname.pt
PANDAMONIUM S
ay hello to the adorable panda from HI PANDA. Representing the rebellious youth with its most popular evil panda face, this grumpy creature makes its mark on shirts, sweatshirts, hats, bags, and even toys. Its black and white graphics may not be the sunniest visual, but its urban style will most likely turn heads. hipanda.org
TAKE A vOW E
RYN BRINIE’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection borrows a couple of pieces from the boys. Incorporating the strong edge of menswear to soft fabrics like rayon and jersey, the collection features oversized blazers, slouchy button-downs, and breezy pleated dresses that shift the tone from dainty to dandy. Still keeping it charming in pastels, this line would make even the religiously feminine break their fashion vows to grab some trousers. erynbrinie.com
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SETTING
PLACES TO GO
CORKAGE
MISTS OF AVALON
F
eaturing Steve Aoki, LMFAO, The Chemical Brothers, Massive Attack, among other celebrities, AVALON brings the Hollywood afterparty to the heart of Singapore. Kick things off by making an entrance via water taxi before strutting into the two-level, sci-fi-reminiscent club. Like Superman’s Fortress of Solitude, the interior clinks with crystal-mimicking glass walls that give you a 360-degree view of Marina Bay. You can either head down to the massive, near 12,000-foot dance floor (and literally lose yourself in it) or float like a god above at the VIP mezzanine lounge.
avalon.sg
GRUB
THE CHEESE TOUCH
SUITE
I
nspired by J-class yachts of the New England harbor, HOTEL J brings Martha’s Vineyard to Stockholm shores. The hotel builds its charm on the bygone romance of sailing, a pastime that harkens to America’s East Coast upper crust. Built in the 1900s, the main building maintains a red brick exterior, a few lucky windows
facing a view of the Saltsjön. Rooms are designed with subtle nods to Uncle Sam (a star-spangled blanket in some) while still featuring the whitewashed walls and natural-varnished cornices—a throwback to Scandinavian understatement.
hotelj.com
ans of the big sandwich, ahoy! Newfound land has been plotted. The first Manila branch of the international franchise, the diner-dapper CHEESE STEAK SHOP serves 7 to 15-inch Philly cheese steaks chock full of beef loin with grilled onions, and topped with hot/sweet peppers, all tucked inside a soft Amoroso roll. Pair it up with a tub of garlic fries and second round-worthy root beer floats. Careful though. As their sign reads: “Warning: May be habit forming.” We totally agree.
cheesesteakshop.com.ph
PL ATE
DINER DASH Treat yourself to the CHEESE STEAK SHOP’s take on staples from the State of Brotherly Love. GF The E-Hotel, 906 A. Arnaiz St., Makati City
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King of Philly Thinly sliced beef loin grilled with onions and hot and sweet peppers tucked in a hot Italian roll.
Spinach Cheese Steak Wilted spinach and fresh mushrooms infused into meat and cheese mix.
Garlic Fries Ward off vampires with this lip-smacking spud and bulb combo.
Soda Float Fizzy fun topped with buttery smooth vanilla ice cream.
Words by Rita Faire, Cheese Steak Shop photos by Patrick Diokno
PORT HAVEN
F
BRICK AND MORTAR
SHOPS TO CHECK
Mag n Mag, SEOUL 536-9 Sinsadong Gangnamgu Seoul, Korea magnmag.com Dime to drop: $5-$900 (P215-P38,745) Don’t leave without: Patterned socks designed by the in-house label from their very own vending machine
E
ntering MAG N MAG (Magnifico N Magnificent) feels like going to a loft; the white painted walls, metal shelves, and cement floors give you a raw and industrial vibe, but this is balanced by paintings and their design-it-yourself bike displays. Yes, the store sells bikes that you can design to your liking, but they also sell lifestyle products like Lomo cameras, Pantone mugs and chairs, iPhone and iPad accessories, CDs, and rare magazines. The store also sells men’s and women’s apparel and accessories from its own private label, MAG, as well as from up-and-coming local Korean designers and international design labels such as MiH Jeans, Equipment, Koolaburra, YMC, Clae, and Herschel. The items are cleverly displayed on wooden crates and some are even sold through vending machines. Having a creative vibe and selling clothing, accessories, furniture, and gadgets—the store is like a fun factory that has everything you need but the kitchen sink.
SURFACE TO AIR, NEW YORK 27 Mercer Street New York, New York surfacetoair.com Dime to drop: $150-$800 (P6,420–P34,230) Don’t leave without: A garment from your favorite artist like a motorcycle jacket by S2A x Kid Cudi
E
merge with a fashion high from SURFACE TO AIR, a cool place that lives a double life as a store and a gallery. The store itself reflects the brand’s aesthetic. Designed in collaboration with architect Federico Masotto, the store has a sophisticated feel to it—with its minimalist interior and a very neat array of items—but don’t be intimidated. Upon further inspection, the luxurious clothes have a very street-ready, contemporary edge inherent to the Paris-based collective’s style. The store produces their own collections, but every season, they collaborate with different artists and musicians such as Miguel Calderon, Kings of Leon, Leigh Lezark, Justice, Kid Cudi, and coming this March is Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth. The pieces are iconic and sharp because of their craftsmanship and cuts, but their styling, unique details, and design make them undeniably urban. Frequently accepting collaborations with various multidisciplinary artists for openings and shows, the store merges music, art, and fashion in one inspired environment. A melting pot ahead of its time, it’s no wonder it already has a cult following.
Words by Samantha Castro
OTTE
H
ousing some of the best upand-coming designers like Bluma Project, Motif 56, Feel the Piece, and Gerard Darel with regular favorites like Thakoon, Rag & Bone, and Alexander Wang under one web roof, OTTE brings you a little bit of everything; from
downtown streetwear to uptown black-tie events, combining luxe pieces like chiffon tops and flouncy skirts with edgy cigarette pants and denim jackets. Plus, we think it’s cool when we answer people with, “Bought it from Otte.” otteny.com
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SCREEN
MOVIES TO SEE
DIRECTOR’S CUT
Gilubong ANG Akong Pusod Sa Dagat (My Navel is Buried in the Sea) Filmmaker and installation artist MARTHA ATIENZA has been obsessed with the open sea since she was a child. A labor of love, her latest film Gilbubong Ang Akong Pusod Sa Dagat (My Navel is Buried in the Sea) was inspired by her father, a fisherman from the same island where the film is set.
T
It almost felt like I was collecting moments because I know our world is changing fast
he film is about the link Filipinos have to the sea, specifically the people from Madridejos, Bantayan Island. The water element interests me but also the way in which people always have and until now find a way to live by and from the sea. After all, we are surrounded by water without maybe even being conscious of it. I specifically filmed international seafarers at international marine vessels and local fishermen in Cebu. When I started filming in 2010, I jumped on all sorts of vessels in all types of ports, including the Rotterdam
CINEMANTICS
PL AYBACK
THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY (2012)
eaturing names like Jeffrey Wright, David Bowie, Gary Oldman, and Parker Posey—Julian Schnabel’s Basquiat tells of the eponymous 19-year old artist who took the New York art world in a haze of urban angst and spray paint. Starting out as a street artist named SAMO, Jean-Michel
Basquiat (Jeffrey Wright) lives homelessly in the streets of Thompkins Square Park until legendary artist Andy Warhol (Bowie) discovers him. Basquiat’s colorful and political graffiti garners him fame which in turn costs him his friends, relationships, and loved ones. He cheats on his girlfriend with the buxom Big Pink (Courtney Love) and ends up spurring his once supportive best friend Benny Dalmau (Benicio Del Toro). Ultimately, his proverbial 15 minutes of fame reach their last seconds as Basquiat pays with his life. Basquiat is eaten alive by the environment he entered. Schnabel shows the beauty of Basquiat the artist, as well as the beast that is the world of art. Obtaining prominence in a blur, but fading away in a blink, Basquiat is an unpretentious film that shows the consequences of success and its loose cannons.
C
ut your kid some slack and have a bit of imagination. If he says little people underneath the floorboards took his favorite toy, then it’s probably true. Animation god Hayao Miyazaki pens this newest adaptation for Mary Norton’s
Basquiat is eaten alive by the environment he entered
juvenile fantasy novel The Borrowers. The Secret World of Arrietty tells of a little girl no taller than a ruler, living with her family under the floorboards of a typical Japanese household. Things get bumpy though when Arrietty’s (Saoirse Ronan) unwitting neighbor Sho (David Henrie) catches a glimpse of her, thus risking the exposure of her family’s secret existence. Featuring the voices of Will Arnett, Amy Poehler, and Carol Burnett, the film represents Studio Ghibli at its finest. Just like predecessors Ponyo and Howl’s Moving Castle, Arrietty moves beyond its deceptively childish façade by tackling friendship, loyalty, and innocence without pandering to its expected audience. The film is sincerely optimistic and entices filmgoers regardless of age or maturity level. Yeah, ‘coz those are two different things.
Tackling friendship, loyalty, and innocence without pandering to its expected audience
TICKET
THE VOW
Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams star in this certified tearjerker about a man who attempts to earn back his wife’s love after she suffers amnesia from a car accident.
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BIG MIRACLE Based on a true story, John Krasinski and Drew Barrymore tell the story of Operation Breakthrough and the humanitarian romance that sparked between them.
THE WOMAN IN BLACK Daniel Radcliffe portrays a young lawyer whose duties change from menial paperwork to saving an entire town from the ghoulish vengeance of a scorned woman.
CHRONICLE Featuring fresh faces Michael B. Jordan and Ashley Hinshaw, this found footage-style adventure follows a group of friends who gain superpowers and must deal with the consequences of their gifts.
THIS MEANS WAR Starring Chris Pine and Tom Hardy as CIA operatives whose friendship is tested when they discover that they’ve both been dating the same woman (Reese Witherspoon).
Words by Martha Atienza, Samantha Castro, and Rita Faire
BASQUIAT (1996)
F
and Singapore port. This film has been quite a personal journey for me as well. I spent months in Bantayan Island to film compressor divers, traders to other islands like Guimaras, water rituals, and so much more. It almost felt like I was collecting moments because I know our world is changing fast. I do not want to forget these people. They risk their lives everyday for their families. We should be proud of these men. As should they be proud of themselves.
ink
BOOKS TO READ
PICTURE BOOK
We Own the Night: The Art of The Underbelly Project By Workhorse & PAC
B
eneath the surface of New York lies a very unusual art exhibit. Its existence is an urban art secret, and it closed the same night it opened. This is The Underbelly Project, an art show that was held illegally in an abandoned subway station that was 18 months in the making, conceptualized by street artists Workhorse and PAC, and featuring over 100 artists from around the world. You’d be very lucky if you stumble upon this street art gem while exploring the city’s underground territories, otherwise, you’d need to be an employee of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. We Own the Night: The Art of The Underbelly Project brings you to the belly of the beast and shows you what only few have yet to
reading grou p
VARAMO
By Cesar Aira
By Mrs. Fry
ith her Twitter biography reading, “Edna Fry— Stephen’s poor, downtrodden wife, and mother of his five, six, or possibly seven kids,” the long-suffering, formerly secret wife of renowned British comedian Stephen Fry finally shares the trials and tribulations that come with being married to a negligent sex-maniac. In her first tell-all, Mrs. Fry’s Diary doesn’t shy away from the gory details of her dramaridden life. She even opens the book with a story of how Stephen had spent most of the morning with his head down the toilet, “belching the
theme of Dr. Zhivago” after spending the night passed out in an S&M club parking lot. Mrs. Fry’s Diary is more than just a collection of comedic tweets, spam recipes, and anecdotes—rather it is a guiding light to similarly oppressed housewives— inspiring them through their suffering and empowering them to rise above it. Mrs. Fry opens up a year of her life to us, and through candid wit and bravery, she succeeds in making us all think twice about the man behind the Harry Potter audio books.
Mrs. Fry succeeds in making us all think twice about the man behind the Harry Potter audio books Words by Samantha Castro and Rita Faire
BRINGS YOU TO THE BELLY OF THE BEAST AND SHOWS YOU WHAT ONLY FEW HAVE YET TO SEE
ONE SITTING
MRS. FRY’S DIARY W
see. It documents the project with over 300 photographs accompanied by the stories of the featured artists about their journey while participating in this unique venture. Opening a secret world while still leaving much to the imagination, We Own the Night is a book that will leave art enthusiasts and spectators hunting for more.
I
f you’re a hardworking, law-abiding citizen, what would you do if you found out your employers paid you fake cash? Writing a celebrated poem might not be your first answer but in Cesar Aira’s Varamo, it shows how an ill-fated experience can sometimes lead to an unexpected road. Varamo is about a Panamanian government employee who gets counterfeit money from the Ministry. With his future looking dismal, Varamo decides to turn this unfortunate event into a stroke of genius by writing “The Song of the Virgin Boy,” which then becomes the most admired poem in modern Central America. The book is an enjoyable parody of how some authors blur the line between profit
motives and literature. During the first half of the book, Varamo hears voices, and it seems like the author’s acceptance of his uneasiness towards the status of fiction. Aira creates literature like no others, and with Varamo, his style gets more complicated but also fascinatingly more enjoyable. AN ENJOYABLE PARODY OF HOW SOME AUTHORS BLUR THE LINE BETWEEN PROFIT MOTIVES AND LITERATURE
FOOTNOTES With the SMARTEK PORTABLE SEWING MACHINE for URBAN OUTFITTERS, you don’t need to be an old housewife to know how to sew. Make your inner Stepford Wife proud and start creating your own threads.
ORIGAUDIO’s PREMIUM FOLD N’ PLAY RECYCLED SPEAKERS lets you design and vandalize your own speakers. Unleash your creativity and paint one set of speakers at a time.
With EQUAL EXCHANGE’s ORGANIC PANAMA EXTRA DARK CHOCOLATE, you can experience rich Central American chocolate beans that melt in your mouth; all that’s missing is the warm sun to complete that Panamanian experience.
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BEATS
MUSIC TO HEAR
ON THE SPOT
BEAT BARDS “Kangaroo burger,” Abra Abracosa nods like a boss. “I’m gonna eat that before I die.” Who knows if he’s joking or not? But this dude’s wildlife-littered bucket list isn’t the only thing trippy about rap group LYRICALLY DERANGED POETS. LDP mate R-jay Ty admits, “I’ve loved hip-hop since I was a kid. My parents [told] me that as a kid… when I hear something in the radio that’s hiphop, I dance even [if] I was asleep.” But member Alex Omiunu is the biggest shocker when it comes to musical tastes. When asked about his WTF influence, Alex didn’t even think before saying, “Il Divo, I guess [since] I grew up in Spain.” Confessions didn’t come without a disclaimer though. “First of all, it’s ‘coz of my sister,” he laughs. “Girls like [them] and I
kinda got used to it after a while. In general, Il Divo… have touching thoughts, I felt it. I really did.” But as fun as they are in chill mode, the guys of LDP take on a different groove when it comes to talking about their music. The boys gave an impromptu performance, filled with quick-witted lyrics and flowflashin’ beats before describing their concoction of musical styles. “Abra goes crazy with Tagalog. Alex [just] goes heavy… and I sometimes sing,” says R-jay. “Individually, the sounds are all different, but when we put it together, [it’s] just perfect.” You know what they say, don’t mess with a good recipe.
derangedpoet.ph
LISTEN UP
houssederacket.com
Kristen Drymala of GEM CLUB
iamgemclub.com
Echo & the Bunnymen – “The Killing Moon” The mood is so mystical.
Bon Iver – “Calgary” I love the build in this song. I’m a fan of all of their music.
Crosby, Stills & Nash – “Helplessly Hoping” We do love harmonies.
James Blake – “The Wilhelm Scream” It’s like a very cool, dreamy version of an R&B love song. Zoe Keating – “Optimist” Cello on cello on cello. What is not to love about that?
David Bowie – “Shake It” I just rediscovered the b-side of “Let’s Dance” and that song is a dance floor hit. Neil Young – “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” For the beauty of the simplicity. Kraftwerk – “The Hall Of Mirrors” The voice and lyrics on it are perfect.
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Cults – “Go Outside” I just saw the video today filled with footage from Jim Jones’ cult “People’s Temple.” I’m kind of obsessed with that piece of history too, so it’s cool.
Allan Malabanan of WILDERNESS
twitter.com/wildernessph Beastie Boys – “Lighten Up” It’s just so organic and groovy.
Musical O – “Blind” Get their album “Debutante,” listen to it, and be proud to know that they are your fellow countrymen. 4Hero – “Can You Feel It” This track will make your hips gyrate all night long. Pink Floyd – “The Great Gig in the Sky” I just had to learn how to play this on the piano. It’s such a beautiful trip. Roy Hardgrove & The RH Factor – “The Joint” Those trumpets will make your panties drop.
Cults, Feist, Girls, and Washed Out are only four of the bands headlining what Pitchfork calls “Australia’s most insurgent and unique pop music event.” That’s right kids, St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival is in town and you better be watching.
Jay-Z’s throne just got a wider audience as he headlines the first set of hip-hop performances at New York’s posh Carnegie Hall this February.
Though they’ve never left our hearts, Scottish post-punk band Franz Ferdinand has announced that it is planning a top-secret 2012 comeback. The date and form of the big surprise have yet to be revealed, but I’d start the online vigil just in case.
Kristen Drymala photo by Jared Graves, Allan Malabanan photo by Red Rivera, Lyrically Deranged Poets photo by Nyael David Words by Rita Faire
Pierre Leroux of HOUSSE DE RACKET
TECH PACK LEICA LIMITED EDITION M9-P • Comes with the Leica Elmarit M 28 mm f/2.8 ASPH lens • Scratch-resistant sapphire crystal cover protects its built-in LCD monitor display • Encased in red leather and matching hand grip
SANYO ENELOOP SOLAR CHARGER
SRP: P695,580.00
• Combines portable solar panels with a Lithium-Ion battery pack • Charges USB-compatible gadgets • Lightweight (1 kg) and portable (20×25 cm) SRP: P7,350
THE PRESTIGE No need for smoke and mirrors or all those buttons and lights to do some hi-tech magic.
POLAROID GL20 CAMERA GLASSES • Designed in collaboration with Lady Gaga • Captures images and video with its built-in camera • Features two 1.5-inch OLED LCD screens capable of image and video playback • Comes with USB port, SD card, and Bluetooth compatibility • Stores 10 3×4-inch prints in its memory SRP: TBA
MOTOROLA SMART CONTROLLER FOR RAZR • Compatible with Motorola’s DROID, Photon 4G, and RAZR phones • Connects devices via Bluetooth to compatible TV monitors • Features touchpad for navigation and content manipulation • Doubles as a handset that receives calls while device is docked SRP: TBA
LYTRO CAMERA • Features 8× optical zoom • Has a glass touchscreen that allows direct viewing and editing • Compact design with only 2 buttons (power and shutter) • Available in 8GB and 16GB models SRP: P17,250 for 8GB and P21,570 for 16GB
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FAC E PA IN T
THE DARK IS RISING
Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer, P1,205 Maybelline Ultra Liner® Waterproof Liquid Liner, P313
The fine line between goth and glam.
E.L.F. Studio Eye Primer & Liner Sealer, P240
Maybelline Fit Me™ Foundation, P450
Rouge Bunny Rouge Raven Glaze Lacquer Eyeliner, P1,307
Too Faced Shadow Insurance Anti-Crease Eye Shadow Primer, P774
Make Up For Ever Aqua Black Waterproof Cream Eye Shadow, P947
CoverGirl LipPerfection™ Lipcolor in Delish, P300
Benefit Silky Finish Lipstick in Skinny Dip, P774
Bobbi Brown Long-wear Gel Eyeliner, P904
Elizabeth Arden Makeup Blender, P750
MAC Prep + Prime Beauty Balm SPF 35, P1,500 Prestige Dual Pencil Sharpener, P107
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AB O U T FACE SUN GODDESS
Being worship-worthy’s never been this easy with MODELCO SUNSPONGE. Just shake the bottle and press the sponge all over, and let the fastdrying, non-greasy formula adjust to the skin tone for a natural looking tan. P2,359
INSTANT GOLD
RIMMEL LONDON SUNSHIMMER INSTANT TAN FACE & BODY MAKEUP gives you that natural, sunkissed look with its variety of shades and finishes. It’s easy to wash off and best for enhancing your tan without having to soak up the sun. P550
TANNING DEGREE
BLOOM GRADUAL TANNING LOTION - NORMAL TO DARK has shea butter, jojoba and macadamia oils, leaving skin supple, soft, and nourished. Smother your skin with the fragrant concoction that tells no sign of fake tanning too. P750
GOLD MEMBER Strike it rich with these tickets to sun-kissed skin.
MATTE GLOW
Expert Advice
CLARINS SELF-TANNING INSTANT GEL is a blessing for the neat freak. Its lightweight and nonoily gel formulation is instantly absorbed so you won’t have to worry about stain gunk in your clothes. P1,250
Sunblock isn’t just for the beach or pool. Don’t forget to layer on the SPF before stepping out into the sun.
BRONZE SCULPTIN’
Expect professionally done airbrushing with GUERLAIN TERRACOTTA SPRAY BRONZING POWDER MIST. With its homogenous spray diffusion and ultralight mist, it ensures uniform application in seconds. P2,950
PRA CARAMBA
ST. TROPEZ TANNING ESSENTIALS SELF TAN BRONZING LOTION offers just that with its saloninspired formula that creates long-lasting color and a smooth, even tan. Oh, and you won’t have to smell like the tanned ladies with its innovative Aromaguard™. P1,400
b ea u t y b i t e Model photo by Rosario Herrera
BELLE & CAT
B
ELLE & CAT NAIL AND WAX STUDIO’s minimalist interiors, bright lights, even brighter pink cushions, and director’s chairs bring an upscale touch to the otherwise typical girly nail boutique. Services include hair and makeup, body scrubs, massages, and eyelash-perming and extensions. For a pick-me-up, Belle & Cat’s Ultimate Hand and Foot Spa is the answer. Choose from different scents such as lavender, peppermint, milk and vanilla,
chocolate, and lemongrass. They may not have real edible goodies, but they have everything a girl needs under one roof. GF Sterling Centre, 131 Esteban cor Dela Rosa St., Legaspi Village, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines +63-916-646-7568 belleandcat.com
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GO S E E Got a sweet tooth? These fashion mavens are pulling all the stops to bring all the street eye-candy you crave for. Photographed by Fernando Colon and Rosario Herrera
Midi Skirt Motorcycle Gloves
Fox Tail
Cowboy Boots
Bishop sleeves
Red Jeans
Bloomer Shorts
Leather Kilt
Gypsy Maxi Dress
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Army Jacket
Envelope Clutch
Leather Jacket Printed Pants
Suede Shoes
Animal Print Top
Pencil Skirt
Mixed Prints
Sequined Sweater Minimalist Jacket Boyfriend Jeans Denim on Denim
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S T YLE I D
denim nation
What was originally meant for gold miners has become everybody’s prized possessions in their closets. By JP Singson Swedish singer Andreas Wijk rocks a beat-up denim vest. Supermodel Danica Magpantay wears her favorite denim shirt.
DJ Yabis jumps on the jean jacket trend.
Fil-Am designer Shaun Samson mixes his black drainpipes with a vintage washed denim shirt.
Model agent Remi Felipe rocks the double denim trend.
Italian fashion journalist Alessandro Mancarella dons an acid wash Levi’s sleeveless denim shirt.
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jponfashionspeed.blogspot.com
German designer Gloria Landenberger layers her denim buttondowns.
Makeup and Hair Gianni B Model Marketa of M.A.S Fashion Agency Assistant Andrea Sorci dress by Angela Paoli glasses by Ceri Vintage
Her identity is a secret. She keeps mum in her denim shorts, midi dresses and dark tinted glasses. If you knew who she was, would you even bother speaking to her? That blue hair of hers says yes, but those eyes say otherwise. Photographed by Vincent Urbani Styled by Elisa Sedoni
shorts by Levi’s shirt by Laura Vintage bracelets by Modellato
dress by Laura Vintage belt by Laura Vintage
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dress by Angela Paoli
Under her pristine façade of linen and lace lies a dirty little secret shrouded in prayer and beads. Don’t let the cat out of the tasselled cotton bag. Photographed by Patrick Diokno Styled by Loris Peña
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top by Nixon Marquez
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shirt dress by Paradigm Shift
top by Nixon Marquez rosary bangles by Bo Parcon
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dress by Bo Parcon
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Assistant Stylist Zoe Laurente Makeup Alyssa Cortes Hair Adam Seth Teh Model Melanie Angeles of CalCarrie’s International Models Philippines skirt worn as dress by Louis Claparols
Command attention with a strong stance and an outfit that says “Don’t play with me.” Pretty is cute but power is sexy. Photographed by Luzena Adams Styled by Marc Sifuentes
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Photo Assistant Colin Berg Makeup Sokphalla Ban Hair Charlie Taylor Model Marie Moreau of Muse Management dress by Sally LaPointe jewelry by Laruicci sunglasses by Mykita
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sequined jacket, stylist’s own earrings by A Peace Treaty
dress by Jac Langheim cage suspenders by Gareth Pugh earrings by Laruicci sunglasses, stylist’s own
dress by Jose Duran leggings by Agamic rings and bracelets by A Peace Treaty shoes by Sally LaPointe
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SEQUINED TOPS
SHIMMERING SPLENDID All that glitters isn’t gold.
Forever 21 [P1,250]
Zoe Laurente [P2,500]
Olivia & Fifth [P2,500]
Forever 21 [P1,275]
CHI YOA N A BA R A S S P R IN G 2 0 12
Forever 21 [P1,535]
Forever 21 [P815]
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DA R K WA S H E D J E A N S
BACK TO DARK Don’t let the blues knock you down.
Terranova [P1,349]
Mango
[P2,250]
7 For All Mankind [P11,998]
Folded & Hung
C lifton S pring and 0 1 1 FA L L 2
[P1,099]
Oxygen [P997]
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S T A T E M E N T N ecklace S / WA L L E T S
SHOW STOPPER There can only be one star on this stage.
Accessorize [P1,200]
Firma
[P1,490]
Folded & Hung [P299]
Forever 21 [P815]
Folded & Hung [P299]
YOUNG MOOLAH Money on your mind. Accessorize [P1,200]
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Charles & Keith [P1,399]
Charles & Keith [P1,199]
Accessorize [P1,200]
MARY JANE HEELS
COMEBACK KID Mary Jane isn’t just Peter Parker’s girl.
Steve Madden [P8,450]
Forever 21 [P1,248]
Charles & Keith [P1,799]
Red Herring [P2,550]
N icole M iller 2 0 11 FA L L /W IN T E R
Charles & Keith [P1,799]
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MID-HIGH SNEAKERS
HALF WAY
Mid-high sneaks for the win.
Gola [P4,295]
Boxfresh [P5,290]
Generic Surplus [P3,900]
winter C R E E P Fall /
2 0 11
Zuriik [P3,795]
Vans Chukka [P4,620]
Aldo [P4,495]
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CARTOON TEES/ TOTE BAGS
ACTIONPACKED
Toon in ‘coz you’re never too old for these shirts.
Terranova [P895]
Terranova [P895]
Folded & Hung [P499]
Terranova [P895]
Folded & Hung [P699]
Folded & Hung [P499]
Springfield [P1,250]
TOTAL PACKAGE Totes for work and play. Penshoppe [P1,199]
Oxygen [P1,299]
Oxygen [P1,299]
Penshoppe [P1,299]
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FA U X L E AT H E R J A C K E T S
THICK SKINNED Own that leather jacket like a boss.
Terranova [P3,395]
Red Herring [P12,798]
21 Men [P2,255]
Springfield [P5,950]
f키l 1 beautiful R 201 E T N I FA L L / W
21 Men [P2,455]
Terranova [P3,395]
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SNEAKERS
RIDE OR DIE Sneakers all day, everyday.
Generic Surplus [P3,900]
Vans Madero [P2,698]
Accupuncture [P6,200]
DC Village [P4,290]
21 Men [P2,205]
Vans Sierra [4,298]
Adidas Samba [P5,290]
Tretorn Skymra [P5,290]
Native Jericho [P2,490]
Vans Era [P2,898]
Native Howard [P2,790]
Gola [P4,295]
Skechers [P3,890]
Creative Recreation [P4,375]
Skechers [P3,695]
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M U S E
FAITH, TRUST, PIXIE DUST Lights up on Christopher Kane’s Spring 2012 runway, and ROMEE STRIJD strides out, opening the show and later closing it as well. No mean feat for this Holland newcomer who then stomped all over Paris at Céline, McQueen, Yves Saint Laurent, and nine other shows. By Giano D. Dionisio Photos courtesy of VIVA Model Management London
R
omee Strijd seems to enter the room in a sparkling bubble à la Good Witch of the South. She later tells me she would actually like to be a fairy, so she could use her powers “to do funny things.” Since her Spring debut, the model has been flying around doing shoots for various clients, fixated with her iPhone during down time. She sums up her success by saying, “Maybe it’s 33% looks, but also 33% mentality, and 33% luck and hope for the designers to see you and your drive.” We’re guessing that last 1% is that bit of fairy magic in the glint of her eyes or the gold in her hair.
HAIR AFFAIR
My mother cut my hair all my life every month. Now, I’m addicted to Osis Dust It mattifying powder.
FAIRY ‘NOUGH
Most girls like to bike in the Netherlands… [spend a lot of time] outdoors and have a lot of exercise. That mentality of the Dutch girls is often appreciated. My secret? Hula hoop!
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CHILDHOOD TREASURE
Pippi Langkous [aka Pippi Longstocking by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren] was my favorite. It’s about a girl with two red braids and she’s very strong. Her father is a pirate and travels all over the world; she lives alone at home and experiences adventures with her monkey and horse.
A DREAM IS A WISH
I’m impressed by Doutzen Kroes and her performance in the new Dutch movie Nova Zembla 3D. If I could choose, I would only wish that anyone invites me to act in their movie.
viva-paris.com
M A E S T R O
mister
BRIGHTSIDE If GOLD PANDA’s music were a lighting fixture, it would probably have a dimmer switch that gyrates to the beat of his otherworldly glitch-techno-indie-electronica music, leaving us hypnotized. By Mara Coson Photographed by Sonny Thakur so she used to listen to a lot of Indian radio in England. They always have crazy weird stuff on.
T
“I feel slightly
guilty now because I don’t really know much about gold or pandas.”
ouring his latest album Lucky Shiner through the label Ghostly International around Manila, UK-based Gold Panda’s Derwin Panda found himself facing a full B-Side crowd waiting to listen to “Quitters Raga” last September. As he delivered beats of faraway places that sounded like home, the mob danced their merry way to his direction. How did you come up with “Gold Panda?” I was just coming up with stupid names—it’s a stupid name, too— and I just put two things that I liked together, which were the color gold and an animal I liked. Panda was the one that stuck. I feel slightly guilty now because I don’t really know much about gold or pandas. They’re just names, really. I get this sense of East Asia or South Asia when it comes to your music. I lived in Japan for a while, studied Japanese at [a university], been to Japan a bunch of times, and I just found it a really inspiring place for music. My grandmother’s Indian,
What, in terms of musical maturity, has been your most accomplished release? Probably the first one, “Back Home.” It’s on a 12" vinyl on a label called Various Productions, quite an underground UK Label. That track is probably the one I’m most happy with, which sucks because I’ve done a bunch of tracks since then. [laughs] When it comes to inspiration, are you more walk-in-the-woods or desk-bound? Take a walk—but in the city, not in the woods. City sounds are good—sounds of ventilation and stuff. Big buildings in the financial district. You seem to be on the road a lot. Do you take influences from your travels? How do they present themselves in your music? Maybe they haven’t yet. Hopefully, they will manifest in the next album. I’ve been recording lots of stuff. It’s more like a visual thing, really. I don’t have any photos; I just remember stuff. I try to conjure that up later with sound.
Does working as a solo artist limit you or free you? Free, I guess. You don’t have anyone that you need to argue with apart from yourself. If you don’t like something, it’s up to you to change it. I’m not really good at collaborating. If your music were a soundtrack to a film, what would it be? A documentary on suicides in Japan. Given the release of Marriage during International Record Store Day and Before, with handmade CDs, where do you think physical records fit alongside the digital? Well, they’re still really important, because when I released a physical record, that’s when I got the most response. Releasing vinyl is more like… if you want to do it, you can do it. I always want to buy a physical product because I like to have the artwork and everything, but I can’t really argue with the way the music industry is going, which is definitely a digital future. People still want to buy records. And I still like CDs.
iamgoldpanda.com
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maestro
STIR WELL London-based music producer and beatmaker ERIC LAU’s hidden talent is mixing up a bowl of fried rice. But even more impressive is his ability to mix sounds into a perfect blend of hip-hop and soul.
After some Peanut Butter and Swelly, CHIDDY BANG is now serving up Breakfast, the hip-hop duo’s debut album. What was it again about the most important meal of the day?
By Erika Garcia Photographed by Julius Sebastian
E
ric Lau is the master of mixing good stuff like food and music, which is why it’s only fitting that his recent release is titled Quadrivium. “It’s the study of numbers, geometry, music, and astrology, and it’s saying how everything’s connected,” Eric says. “A lot of attractive things in nature all have the same kind of pattern— the Fibonacci number and pi—it all comes down to that. I found it fascinating,” he adds. Quadrivium is a study of Eric Lau’s music too. In the world of hip-hop and soul, the innovation and influence of a good DJ is undeniable. Stepping up a notch by comparing his first album Territories to mineral
water, “being very pure,” and then comparing Quadrivium to hazelnut coffee, “with a sound that has matured a bit more.” Eric Lau is now about to do some stretching of boundaries to his mad scientist DJ skills with the help of infamous engineer Tim Debney (Thom Yorke, Julian Casablancas). While perfecting the ingredients for stirring the dance floor crowd, Eric also makes sure that, like his
fried rice, he puts something “different every time.” “That’s what’s so special about it,” he says. Right now he’s busy doing another instrumental album, a project with rapper Guilty Simpson and drummer Chris Daddy Dave, another for a Japanese label, his next full-length album that will focus more on techno, and feeding our musical appetite.
With a few new members in tow, DR. DOG’s got more menacing barks and bites. Vocalist/bassist Toby Leaman says the band went instinctive for Be the Void, and that includes injecting their usual blues with extra punk and grunge.
ericlaumusic.com
CHILD’S PLAY Trippy multiinstrumentalist MAX TUNDRA may be proud of his work, but even his playful, 8-bit video game-likened music can’t trump food or his cat on his list of priorities.
Written by frontman Erika Wennerstrom during several road trips, HEARTLESS BASTARDS’ Arrow is perfect for tapping the steering wheel to, just as long as you keep your feet on the right pedals.
By Rita Faire
L
ike telling a kid there’s no Santa Claus, Max Tundra destroyed my fantasy about musicians always having a kooky backstory when it comes to finding their name. “I was driving along one day and it popped in my head.” Not exactly what you’d expect. So, what does he do to atone for the lack of drama? He changes the story completely. “[Max Tundra was the] name of the last man that I killed,” he jokes. “I took his name after I took his face.” That’s more like it.
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Tall tales aren’t the only childish thing about this electronica experimentalist. Growing up, he discovered his passion for music through quirky TV show theme songs and commercial jingles, choosing to play them on the piano instead of the teacher-prescribed classics. “I just played what was around me, the sounds of my life. That’s how I learned to play music.” Now a man, Max thinks he’s among the last of people in a generation who still believe
in listening to an album all the way through. “When I put an album on, it’s a 45-minute commitment,” he says. “People today just have too much music on their hard drives that they never listen to them.“ Currently in the process of writing a load of new music and finding some fresh artists to collaborate with, he says he’s working on “not dying” before it’s time to reveal his new sound to the world. Promise?
maxtundra.com
For her new album, Tramp, singer-songwriter’s SHARON VAN ETTEN’s lovelorn lyrics get a little help from the friendly vocalists of The National, The Walkmen, Wye Oak, and Beirut among others.
maestro
T H E I R G OL D E N A G E You’d think it’s impossible to catch up with THE ASTEROIDS GALAXY TOUR, not when their artistic adventures and their new album could take them far and wide into the musical universe. If there’s any artist who remains easy to catch up with (and non-bitchy) despite a bad phone connection, it’s the band’s vocalist, Mette Lindberg. By Reena Mesias Photographed by Sigurd Grünberger
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“F u n k i s a strange word.”
t’s ironic that my entire interview (echos, horrible signal and all) with The Asteroids Galaxy Tour vocalist Mette Lindberg was precisely like their new album: Out of Frequency. “Can you give me like ten seconds?” she tells me over the phone as she looks for a place that will allow us to hear each other clearly. “Where you at?” she then asks. After finding out that STATUS is based in Manila, she responds with an “Aaaahhh” followed by a “Wow.” In those words are evident streaks of wonder and amusement— my same reaction when I first heard the band three years ago. 2008 was a big year for Mette, Lars
Iversen (producer/bass/ keys), Miloud Carl Sabri (trumpet), Rasmus Valldorf (drums), Mads Brinch Nielsen (keys/guitar), and Sven Meinild (sax). Their beginnings trace back to when they were asked to open for Amy Winehouse, and how can you doubt the great late Amy’s judgment? Although they weren’t exactly “friends,” Mette only has pleasant things to say about her. “She has a great voice. I think she’s a real character.” Like Amy, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour’s style is rich, bold, and sassy. The rainbow-hued group—perpetually garbed in glittery-golden outfits and cat-eye sunglasses while singing their songs in good spirits and giving in to a radiant shade of alternative, psychedelic pop contradicts how critics label their music.“Funk is a strange word,” Mette explains. “You say pop music with references to many different genres… soul, rock, jazz, hip-hop. I think we’re a mix of all that.” This mishmash of genres drew much attention—they found themselves in commercials for Apple’s iPod Touch and Heineken beer, TV shows like Mad Men and Gossip Girl, and R.J. Cuttler’s docu The September Issue. “There are so many great bands. If you get the opportunity to come out in commercials, videos, movies, radios, then [you do it.]” Mette says. “People will know about your music, and hopefully they’ll fall in love with you and want more.” Yet, suddenly, not a peep from the band for almost three
whole years now? Having six band members wasn’t the reason they kept mum for so long. The Asteroids Galaxy Tour may have had their small disagreements (especially that Mette is the only girl in the group), but Mette says, “You need to be nice to each other.” And “nice” they were, pulling off Out of Frequency. “We put a lot of love into that. You get the vibe from us, the world we create.” In fact, if Mette could create her own planet in outerspace where she could bring her friends and infect them with electro pop ditties awash with perky tempos and clever hypnotic fun, she’d call it the “Planet of Love.” Whether the band has finally made it or not, Mette says, “I don’t think you’re really aware of where you are.” No one could ever measure how high and gravitydefying they are, but The Asteroids Galaxy Tour’s uplifting masterwork, apparent in their single “Major,” dips and soars through all the right spaces in our ears. During the interview, reception may have been fuzzy, but The Asteroids’ music is ringing pretty loud and clear. So far, so trippy.
theasteroidsgalaxytour.com
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OH MY STARS!
So how much can you get away with by being named STRFKR? Answer: a lot. From excerpting Allan Watts lectures to performing entire gigs dressed in drag, the last thing frontman Josh Hodges and his bandmates want to do is take themselves too seriously. By Rita Faire Photographed by Tyler Kohlhoff
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n the future, everyone in the world will “wear the same color, make art, and say fuck”— or at least that is how STRFKR vocalist and guitarist Josh Hodges recounts the bogus dream in the equally bogus story he tells about how his Oregonbred band, STRFKR, got its interesting name. The question of how they got their name practically
asks itself. “Basically,” Josh explains, “I was in another band and just got sick of the music scene/industry [so] I started this new project—100% for fun—with a name so stupid it couldn’t possibly be successful at all.” How wrong could he get? With two syncopated electronica albums (including their newest release, Reptilians), two EPs,
Texan band SHEARWATER goes for Baroque in their first release via Seattle’s Sub Pop Records, Animal Joy. The album breaks away from their mellow melodies, expressing newfound rock vigor.
and a bunch of appearances on TV show and advertising soundtracks (e.g. Target’s Pink Pepto, and Showtime’s Weeds), Josh and bandmates Shawn Glassford (bass, keyboards, drums), and Keil Corcoran (drums, keyboards, vocals) are far from the failures they expected themselves to be—not that fame was the end goal. As Josh puts it, “I just wanted to make a live show that could be entertaining… even if [you] weren’t super into the music.” Mission accomplished.
myspace.com/strfkrmusic
Out of the joint and straight into the studio, rapper T.I. brings hard knocks to his latest album, Trouble Man. With his signature Southern swag, Tip is back in the game and hitting stronger than ever.
WARNING LABEL It was strange for Johnny Langer and Peter Duffy of MAN LIKE ME to be in a train beside a random guy, hearing their song “Carny” play from the man’s mobile. But, with such spunky music, it might be even stranger if they didn’t. By Reena Mesias Photo courtesy of Murray Chalmers PR
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proverb reads, “When the wine is in, the wit is out.” Johnny Langer and Peter Duffy of Man Like Me took that to heart—substituting wine with tequila though. “The best song I came up with when drunk was ‘Booze’ so that’s quite fitting,” says Johnny. Not only is alcohol a staple part of their preperformance or pre-recording sessions, but it has also become
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critical in mundane situations. “I can only communicate with people after a few drinks, so drunk texts and phone calls are a standard procedure.” Like booze, Man Like Me also comes with this warning: too much of their music can cause nonstop dancing. Although Johnny initially wanted the band to “make drum and bass,” he says, “What came out was just weird pop music.” Infectious pop techno beats and heavy synths are combined with technicolored outfits and rowdy acts onstage.
“We hardly ever argue—which helps—but we did get into a fight on stage in LA which was pretty embarrassing,” says Johnny. Vodka Red Bulls or none, Loud & Quiet wasn’t lying when they described Man Like Me as the “best damn live act in the UK.” They are everywhere—in an Ikea advert, in a train, in Adele’s and Lily Allen’s playlists—and that’s where they’re supposed to be.
myspace.com/manlikeme
Following the success of their full-length debut, Cape Dory, husband-and-wife jammers TENNIS release Young and Old, produced by The Black Keys’ Patrick Carney. Suitable for all ages, but best shared with someone special.
THE TING TINGS, who Started Nothing four years ago, are now going nowhere—Sounds from Nowheresville, that is. Their new album is finally coming out, for real this time.
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OFF Apparently, SKYLAR GREY is what happens when folk rock singer Holly Brook decides to quit being Holly Brook. Skylar has clearly moved on to better things, and that includes a solo album. By Reena Mesias Photographed by P.R. Brown
I rose from the ashes like a superhero. Ridding myself of Holly, I named my new self Skylar Grey because of my love of stormy skies. Instead of being fearful, I am now a student of the shadows in life… a risk taker… an adventurer.
DOUBLE MEANING Skylar’s lyrics unearthed.
“I love the way you lie.” What’s the biggest lie you’ve ever told? If I told you, I’d get arrested.
“Why do I always feel invisible, invisible?” If you had one superpower, what would it be? Being invisible definitely would have its perks. I would eavesdrop on people like Harry Potter did.
“I cannot take your whispering.” What’s the funniest gossip you’ve heard about yourself? My band told our tour bus driver that I have IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) so that they could stop the bus more frequently and get more smoke breaks. [laughs]
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he age of the niche-specific music fan has ended. Now, there’s an indie kid who dances to electro in clubs, then listens alternately to Katy Perry and dirty south hip-hop on the drive home. Maybe that’s the listener Skylar Grey had in mind when making Alex Da Kid-assisted Invinsible, an emotionally-driven album with hip-hop influences, 90s guitar licks, and collabs with hard rock icon Marilyn Manson. Wait a minute, Skylar who? If you know Eminem and Rihanna’s “Love the Way You Lie,” Diddy’s “Coming Home,” Dr. Dre’s “I Need a Doctor,” or Lupe Fiasco’s “Words I Never Said,” then you’ve heard of Skylar. She co-wrote all and sang those hits on the tracks, too. Behind every good song is a good lyricist, right? Time to make room on your iPods for this genre buster. Hey, Skylar. How are you? Excellent! I’m sitting in my dressing room after our show in Luxembourg. Had an awesome show tonight. This tour with Bruno Mars has been amazing. Who is Holly Brook? Who is Skylar Grey? Holly Brook is my former insecure and shattered self who was fearful of the world. I became Skylar Grey after enduring the most difficult time in my life, which also turned out to be the most important because, instead of feeling defeated,
You’re stepping into some hip-hop for Invinsible. What were your early memories of the genre? My earliest memory of hip-hop was thinking, “How can this be considered music, and how does one get enjoyment from listening to this?” Then Eminem came along with such artistry that I began to understand its purpose. I bought The Marshall Mathers LP and only listened to it when my parents weren’t home. Now I’m actually jealous of rappers because they can fit so many words into 3 minutes, whereas I have to fit them into melodies that don’t allow for much information, but I have so much more I want to say! When making choruses for other artists, you research about their vulnerabilities. Who would write a song about you, and what would it be about? If Johnny Depp wrote a song for me, it would nail my heartstrings even if the song was about my left foot. Where is Skylar Grey in the music industry as of the moment? Paving her own way.
skylargreymusic.com
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COMIC ALLEY Taking his name from the ginger-haired mischief-maker of Australia’s longest-running comic strip, MEGGS describes his urban masterpieces as a “dark, aggressive, and emotive underbelly” that continuously spread across the world’s offbeat contemporary art scenes. By Rita Faire
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elbourne-based artist Meggs already had several ideas on his superhero alter ego. But he’s finally settled down on RedBack. “I’d turn completely black, and slightly evil (kinda like Venom), with a red stripe down my head and back, sharp teeth, white eyes, and skin that is completely impenetrable.” As for his superpower? It would probably be the same— the ability to paint the streets with wild, colorful strokes that mix the sugary rush of pop art and the bitter aggression of the underbelly. “1980s comic art definitely influenced most of my early work, although I feel now that’s changing somewhat,” he says. Citing the work of Marvel legend Jack Kirby as instrumental in shaping his early style, Meggs is branching out by reflecting the edgy violence of Spawn creator Todd McFarlane and the narrative mastery of the God of Manga, Osamu Tezuka.
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Formerly a STATUS New Kid on the Block, he no longer just monopolizes the streets. He now displays his works on canvas, and headlines exhibits like POW WOW Hawaii 2012. Whether on a gallery wall or in back alleys, Meggs’s style is much like his alter ego. It “seeks to make sense of [the] world and make people inspired and positively respond to it,” he says. He reveals more about his dark side while mentioning his affinity to punk, metal, hiphop, and blues. Tell us about yourself. I came from an illustrative and design background. When work life was creatively unfulfilling, I took to graffiti… to get the rush and creative freedom of working on the streets. This grew into [my] becoming a member of the Everfresh Studio, focusing more on art—and now painting for a living. My work itself is a result of many influences, mostly personal, emotive, experiences and how I respond to social change and my ongoing search for balance. Hence, my work often focuses on themes of duality.
computer, then either project or print a reference. Once the image is sketched, I start painting in many layers. This is when the intuition and free painting comes out. I have a solid idea of where the image starts, but not where it ends. I just follow my instinct and the paint itself.
Where does the interest in duality and moral ambiguity come from? I’m a Libra and an all-or-nothing type of person, so I find it interesting to… question the good and bad sides of my own personality, and at the same time explore social influences, trends, and issues.
How does music figure into your art? Yes, the music I listen to has a large influence on the issues/ideas I like to explore and on the way I paint. The style can change slightly, but without music to help motivate and inspire me, I probably wouldn’t be able to work.
Can you describe your creative process? My process will start with an idea, which can come from anywhere really, which then becomes a formed image in my mind. This leads to making notes and sketches until I’m ready to sit down and either create or research for reference material. I like to have a set composition to start from, so I’ll usually compile imagery on the
What’s the most surprising song we’d find on your playlist? “Hey Baby” by No Doubt. I like a bit of Gwen Stefani. [Laughs]
houseofmeggs.com
mastermind
WHERE THE WILD THINGS HEART What’s cooler: that Love from Pete and Jo illustrators Peter and Joyelle Komierowski make album covers for indie music site BIRP! or that their fascinations range from embroidering Star Wars characters to making random songs on Garageband? By Rita Faire
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ndividually, Peter Komierowski is a coffee-shop-guy-slashcommercial-artist, while his wife, Joyelle Komierowski, is an optometric assistant. Together, though, they are the selfconfessed goofs of the kooky illustration website, Love from Pete and Jo. “We met in art school, and it was infatuation at first sight!” recounts Pete. “On our first date, [we] painted a cheap pair of canvas shoes from Wal-Mart. We put robots all over ‘em.” Since then, they’ve gone their separate ways—well, when it comes to style anyway. Jo, whose artistic style is more silly than strange (imagine a jetpack-flying businessman or a
catasatrophy), describes her husband’s drawings as a cup of gross clam chowder soup—a statement Pete was quick to dispute. “My style would be a bowl filled with Nerds candy and water because it’s like candy for the eyes and colorful— and kinda gross, I guess.” Way to stick to your guns, man. In the end though, theirs is a relationship based on constant friendly conflict. “Getting to throw around ideas really brings out a sense of humor in both of us… We like to push our imaginations to the extreme. It’s that goofiness that really gets my creative juices flowing.” says Jo.
lovefrompeteandjo.com
IN WONDERLAND When you start dreaming about jumping into a garbage can and bursting out in flight, then you’ve probably entered the mind of Filipino artist and painter CARLO ONGCHANGCO. By Erika Garcia Photographed by Pamela Yan-Santos
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rowing up with Lewis Carroll, Hans Christian Andersen, DC, Marvel, The Flying House, and Bible stories has subliminally interested Carlo Ongchangco towards art. Being an artist is “an overdue calling,” he says. Who wouldn’t agree? The amalgam of surreal themes from his youth is translated in pastels through his impression of literally wide-eyed moon, fishes, balloons, and characters. Carlo explains, “Scientifically, our eyes are not really equal in proportion. The right eye is bigger than the left, so I exaggerated it and ended up doing it in my paintings.” Signs of an overactive imagination, no doubt.
Aside from his amusing play on real life observations, Carlo also draws inspiration from his faith. He says, “As we walk in life, we tend to follow… something that ends up [in] failure. But if there’s someone guiding us, it will be a success.” This belief can be seen in his explanation of his work, Follow Fish and Find Alice. Carlo says, “The fish is Christ and we are the Mad Hatter searching [for] Alice.” In the end, it’s not all about inspirations. Carlo quotes the great painter Mauro Malang, “I don’t wait for my muses… [I] just paint.”
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DECK THE WALL To Facebook Communication Designer Everett Katigbak, life is already a success on its own. What he does, has done, and will do are just part of the story that people will remember him by regardless if they’re posted on his Facebook Wall. By Diego José Abad
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verett Katigbak describes his job as, “[helping to] shape the voice of [Facebook], and articulate that through various media: graphic design, video/film, interactive design, environmental design, etc…” When Everett talks about his plans for the future, he says, “I don’t like to think too far ahead, but I love major life changes and leaping into the unknown. I could see moving to another country and just trying to figure things out…” It’s probably this kind of attitude that made his life interesting. Simply living in the now, the future, as far as he’s concerned, is tomorrow. Not a bad viewpoint if you ask me. What exactly is it that you do? My job pretty much starts from a conceptual place. We brainstorm ideas and then find the best medium to execute them. Creatives here are responsible for taking their ideas from concept to completion. Facebook is a pretty flat structured company meaning that there’s very little hierarchy, so we’re given
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pretty broad direction to move towards For instance, for our newest product “Timeline,” we were just challenged to come up with some meaningful ways to communicate its value proposition and how it works. We then made videos, interactive projects, and print work to support the launch. We don’t have offices and everyone sits out in the open close to each other, so a lot of collaboration across the company happens. How does one score a job in Facebook? Did Mark Zuckerberg add you as a friend first or did you just send in your résumé? Well, there is a careers section in the site (facebook.com/careers) where people can find job listings. I sent my resume and portfolio site in and got a call back from another designer, and we talked for a while before they decided to bring me out to [Facebook’s headquarters in] Palo Alto… I wasn’t quite sure how it all went but after a few weeks, they asked me back for another round. I met with 4 more people and went through my presentation again. I was
exhausted in the end, but I met a lot of great people and caught a glimpse of what life in Silicon Valley was like. Can you tell us about your first assignment for Facebook? How did that turn out? Hah…I’ve had many failures here, and my first projects were really random, trivial graphic design pieces. We were (and are still) figuring out our visual identity so it’s been constant refinement and iteration over the years. But we’ve stepped up our game quite a bit and the scale of our work has dramatically increased. If someone were to make a movie about you, which actor would you want to play you? Well my arch nemesis growing up was Hook’s Rufio (Dante Basco) because he’s probably the only Filipino actor out there I know outside of Rob Schneider. Otherwise, Morgan Freeman is pretty awesome.
typochondriac.com
mastermind
name-drop There’s room for one more Michael Jordan in this world. Turn on your TV, get your premiere night tickets, and bust out the popcorn, it’s MICHAEL B. JORDAN—the actor.
“I want that when people hear Michael Jordan, they’ll say ‘Michael B. Jordan? You mean the actor?’”
by Viva Gonzalez Photographed by Russell Baer
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ne hit TV series after another and starring alongside Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr. in George Lucas’ Red Tails, Michael B. Jordan says, “I grew up watching these guys. So actually being in the scene with them… the inner kid in me felt like I was watching an actual movie while I was in the scene. It was an out of body experience.” Continuing his mile-aminute spiel about his Red Tails experience, he is filled with boyish excitement about copiloting a fighter jet and simulating dog fights as training for the movie.
“It was an adrenaline rush that I can’t even explain. Going 500 mph and 100-ft over the ground, weaving in and out of trees… It was insane… A few times I was like, ‘This is it. This is how my life ends,’” he recounts with a laugh. Michael isn’t shy about revealing more about himself, like his love for anime (his guilty pleasures are Bleach and Naruto), important Sunday dinners with his parents, and creating his own soap opera character (perhaps in memoriam of his stint in All My Children). All I can say is that 500 mph
is his only speed. Scoring roles in critically acclaimed shows, Michael seems to have a sixth sense in picking out the sleeper hits. From playing Wallace, a teenage drug dealer in The Wire; Vince Howard, a troubled quarterback in Friday Night Lights; and Alex, a recovering alcoholic involved an interracial relationship in Parenthood; he says, “I’ve had the opportunity to play what looked… like stereotypical roles, but I didn’t work at them like that. You have to give reasons behind
these characters and the decisions they make,” For Michael, the work isn’t just a job. It’s therapeutic. He says, “If I can sometimes change somebody’s way of thinking or give them insight that they normally wouldn’t have had until they… watch the character that I play, I feel like I’ve done my job. That’s what I get out of choosing these kind of roles. You’re enlightening people without them even knowing it,” he adds. It must really be a pain to share a name with one of the most popular athletes of all time, “It might’ve been cool in the early 90s, but you know, long term it gets annoying sometimes,”
he chuckles and admits, “Hey, I’m 24, so I’ve been hearing this all my life. I’ve gotten everything from brother to son, to ‘your parents must’ve been Chicago fanatics.’ I want that when people hear Michael Jordan, [they’ll say] ‘Michael B. Jordan? You mean the actor?’” With the highly-anticipated release of Red Tails, and Chronicle, a sci-fi thriller about friends with superpowers—you better get the name straight—it’s Michael Bakari Jordan.
twitter.com/ michaelb4jordan
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mastermind
TRUE BRIT Music journalists JP PATTERSON and LAURA “HYPERFRANK” BROSNAN aren’t looking outwards to find the best talent. Instead, the duo is looking to their own shores, putting the spotlight on the UK’s underground music scene. By Miguel Escobar Photographed by Liam Ricketts
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n the vast sphere of online journalism, few are legitimate journalists. The Internet may have accelerated the music scene, but it’s also become something of a plague that blurs the question of what sounds good and what doesn’t. But then, there’s JP Patterson and Laura “Hyperfrank” Brosnan—hosts of MTV UK’s urban music wing, The Wrapup, and two decidedly legit online journalists in the music industry. “I started my blog
because I just wanted to put my thoughts down, rather than try to be someone or have a movement,” says Hyperfrank, known for her critical music blog that’s built a huge following. As a columnist for GRAMMY.com, a music stringer for BBC Radio 1, a contributor for SuperSuper Magazine, and a writer for Billboard, JP Patterson is definitely someone to trust when it comes to music, so it’s fair to confide in his
taste for British beats. “UK underground music is where my heart is, and it will stay there,” he says. Both stalwarts of local music, they are proud and supportive of their roots and aren’t slaves to popular opinion. JP tells music bloggers, “Being real to
yourself will be the only thing that will take you to where you want to be.” So, reserve your opinions on online journalists— both these bloggers are legit, and neither seems to be looking to quit.
mtv.co.uk/thewrapup
“UK underground music is where my heart is, and it will stay there.”
INKcyclopedia Describing art as an imperative need, Montreal-based artist AMY GOH produces visual poetry with hauntingly inky illustrations, telling stories beyond the constraints of reality. By Samantha Castro
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t’s a black iridescent rainbow full of fluttering dream images,” says illustrator Amy Goh. Looking at her organic black and white illustrations, it’s surprising that she hasn’t been doing this forever. Amy’s yearning to draw returned just a year after she stopped illustrating to focus on writing. She was motivated by a class called “The Grotesque,” and as Amy puts it, “The dams in
my head broke, and I suffered this terrible feeling of wanting to draw everything that came out, but not quite being able to.” She blurs the line between her art and studies, often inspired by what she learns, reads, and writes. Music
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is also essential to Amy’s process; she says, “Most of my collaborations in the past have been with musicians. I love the possibilities you can create with images, words, and music; and how each element can be used to create a whole new dimension with its own rhythm.” Amy views music like she views her art: an abstract being that “exists between comprehension and perception.”
A mutli-talented artist who basically bleeds art, Amy professes, “I’d love to hold a massive ink brush over the universe and vandalize the walls of people’s minds with my inky octopi strokes.” With her surreal illustrations and strong point of view, Amy Goh intoxicates those who take a sip of her artistic elixir.
kuroneko.yolasite.com
maSTERMIND
Practical MAGIC With a knack for latticing traditional mores, analog equipment, and 21st century technique, fashion designer and visual artist ANNA-SOPHIE BERGER is an old soul without being anachronistic. By Giano D. Dionisio Photographed by Katarina Soskic
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ustrian-born, University of Applied Arts Viennaschooled Anna-Sophie Berger blew up pages from lined notebooks, photocopied grid paper, and drew squares from windows and subway terminals on her wrists in preparation for her m/m 2 collection. But it took her friends’ observance to point out: “You are obsessed with geometry.” “I started reading [Kasimir] Malevich philosophy, then I became obsessed with the idea of limitations as a start for new freedom,” Berger says. Affixing a square’s mathematical restrictions to flowing fabrics and the organic human form, Anna-Sophie’s patterns, cutouts, and stitches came alive. “My ideas and concepts, my philosophy of life, abstract aesthetic ideas, as well as more pronounced moral principles are internalised… Working spontaneously and fast incarnates my theoretical ideas… into sensual praxis,” she smiles. It’s this constant fusion of cold science and the elements of art that places Anna-Sophie Berger’s work at the crossroads of earthbound reality and otherworldly fantasy. How are you? I just moved to Paris for the next four months to work for an haute couture designer, Adeline
André. We just moved in a new studio and there is a lot to be done. How did you start out with photography? I started taking pictures with an analog camera when I was very young… [Using that camera] felt more “real” than the digital pictures we all took on school trips. Is the retro vibe intentional, then? I don’t experience them as retro because I am very used to this mood; I would never want them to look intentionally retro. What I plan and decide is the “unsharpness” that is often present in my landscapes. I love that I can control it to a certain point, but not to the last. What is the significance of tradition to you? Tradition is everywhere. People do things for a reason. It doesn’t matter if their great grandfather told them to or their country did or if they simply started to do it for themselves. Everyone has intrinsic traditions and mine are mostly family-related.
Those are the people that make you experience yourself. Even though I am always me, that is only possible through communication with other people. In social situations as well as with art, you can only feel what your ideas are when you manage to communicate them. So, I guess, I learn Myself from them. What are some of your favorite Austrian traditions? I’m not a very mystic/nostalgic person when it comes to culture; I love the new, above all… Sissi [Empress Elisabeth of Austria] and Sound of Music don’t touch me at all, neither do ancient folkloristic elements. [However,] I do admire Mozart… Austrian writers, Rainer Maria Rilke, Arthur Schnitzler. I love the theatre tradition and the heavy Austrian food cooked either by my mother or grandmother… [as well as] Viennese coffeehouse tradition: a cheap glass of white wine is always good late at night.
HIP TO BE SQUARE Make your own paper dress out of a piece of square paper! 1.Fold in half twice to make creases and fold back
2.Fold
3.Turn over
5.Fold
4.Fold
6.Fold
Art is all about imagination. What do you do to fuel yours? It comes, I can’t help it. I have to create. At all times.
anna-sophie-berger.com
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned from family and friends?
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H E A V Y H I T T E R
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HEAVY HITTER
It’s
2 p.m. in New York and illustrator Sophia Chang is getting her bearings in order. “I was out a little bit late, I was out at this rap show… rap… rap… 30 artists last night at this event at this really popular venue in New York–so I sorta just woke up. I’m trying to listen to some R&B because my night was so crazy.” This isn’t far from her childhood days. She shares, “I grew up in Queens... in a very Asian neighborhood–and we all listened to hip-hop. And we’re such huge fans of streetwear. When I was with my best friend, I go over to her house after school for her to braid my hair and give me cornrows. And we’d watch music videos on how to do the Harlem Shake... yeah, some weird stuff, but that’s how I grew up!”
On any ordinary day though, you can hear music buzzing out of Sophia’s apartment as she starts her day. First it’s the music, second it’s the email. “It’s weird, but I have to check my emails before I do anything else,” she says. While she does her morning routine, her thoughts are always towards her desk, and if something is urgent, she attends to that, then maybe, maybe she’ll do breakfast. “People think I’m crazy but I have to schedule lunches [and] dinners to remind myself to remember to eat… I remember to eat when I’m hungry but I’m just like, ‘Oh I just want to finish this! I want to finish this!’” Chances are, if you’re not her pet dog that needs some walking, nothing can pry her from her desk when the momentum is humming. It’s not so bad, considering she only graduated from Parsons last May. For a while she was a fashion design student but eventually realized she was at the last place she wanted to be in somewhere along the way. Being the same girl who spent her childhood tracing the faces of movie stars in her parents’ Chinese newspapers, Sophia recounts, “I was thinking, ‘You know, so much money is going into the cost of buying the materials of the clothes.’ I wasn’t
interested in making clothes, I just wanted to draw. And then in my school, all these different departments, programs, majors had their own floor. So when I had free time, I’d wander around in the building and stumbled into the illustration floor. ‘Oh wow, something here is really cool.’” So she showed her bones through a slew of significant internships, held down a 9 to 5, and underwent something she called a “starving artist phase” before she went freelance full-time. She used to live an hour and a half from her school and would do all her work there because of the distance from home. She always asked questions in class and still remains friends with some of her teachers. But now, Sophia is making herself known by her incredible and well-thought-out line work that crosses paths with hip-hop and pop culture. She has the precision of a tattoo artist yet her lines play and dance. It’s a contrast of careful deliberation and the exuberance of fluid motion with sneaky punches of wit and humor thrown in there. It’s the deft workings of her pen or her brush and ink. It’s a merging of the surreal with the real, though in other instances, the delineation is clear between both and the effect is stunning.
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HEAVY HITTER
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Cuba
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HEAVY HITTER
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations El Bulli
“People think I’m crazy but I have to schedule lunches and dinners to remind myself to remember to eat…” Examining
her body of work, you see various renderings of objects, doodles, typography, graphic design, and her exquisite portraits of celebrities–you have Tracy Morgan, Nate Dogg, Amy Winehouse, all done in her trademark cartoonish style, but the elaborate attention to detail and proportion tells you that you’re dealing with a different creature entirely. It’s in her portrait of Eddie Murphy as Prince Akeem in Coming to America and how she made her presence strongly felt in several Complex magazine covers. But most striking about her portfolio, and probably what shot her name out there, is the series of work she did for Travel Channel’s Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. “Anthony Bourdain–that was my first big break, my first big project but I actually got it through a friend, he put me in touch with one of his friends who
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Ukraine
worked at a production agency who did a lot of Discovery Channel-like media and they also worked with Anthony Bourdain as a talent. They book a lot of his stuff. They said, ‘Oh you’re an illustrator! Do you want to do a free illustration for us?’ I was like, ‘Ugh, a free illustration for Anthony Bourdain? Don’t they have a budget for this?’ I don’t have TV at home, I don’t really watch TV–so I really didn’t know who he was. I know he was a famous guy, I’m from Flushing so I knew this white guy came around there to eat. So I said, ‘You know what, that’s a good name, I’ll do the illustrations.’” She did the illustrations and along the way, she experimented with different styles for every new location, and it helped that the Travel Channel let her have free reign and only gave a few feedback here and there. The Anthony Bourdain project showcases a more simple, and dare it be said, a more sophisticated side to Sophia.
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations US Desert
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“ I guess being in New York City, there’s this constant drive, everything is continuous… I wouldn’t say that I’m competitive, but I make myself competitive.”
Amy Winehouse
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Freebase Rakim
HEAVY HITTER
A lot
of the posters in the series feature a stylized portrait of Bourdain in ink with basic and stark backgrounds and colors seizing the white space. Some of Sophia’s trademark spurts of fun appear in the others, and over time as her work was promoted on social media and gathered acclaim, the Travel Channel decided to take her on for more contract work, this time with a flowing stream of pay. “I guess being in New York City, there’s this constant drive, everything is incessant… I wouldn’t say that I’m competitive, but I make myself competitive. And I’ve always been like this.” As the interview wraps up, Sophia is planning to head out to see her friends to talk about things that involve major life changes. She’s planning to move to LA in January to try it out for a few months. And while she’s part of New York’s fast-flowing creative stream, she brings a bit of Bourdain in her life by being in constant pursuit of adventure, travel, and good taste. This spirit sparks the energy in her works as flavorful as her apple soda illustration with a sprinkling of text referencing to A Tribe Called Quest, “Bonita Applebum you gotta put me on.”
esymai.com Nate Dogg
Coming to America
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MOLDE DRIVE
HEAVY HITTER
Too busy to stand still, IAN SOMERHALDER answers our interview in his car while driving to work in cold Atlanta, Georgia. He should’ve seen that coming when he joined The Vampire Diaries, the show that launched his career at high speed. It’s a chase, but that’s what he’s all about—going beyond limits for the thrill of it. By Reena Mesias Cover photo by Collin Stark Photos courtesy of © WBEI. All rights reserved.
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It’s
three in the morning, the witching hour for some; but for me it’s usually the watching hour for television shows. It’s a jungle out there in my neck of the woods. There’s True Blood’s maenads, werewolves, and werepanthers. There’s The Walking Dead’s zombies. But it’s Ian Somerhalder playing the vampire rebel Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries who I get to talk to at the dead of the night. Ian plays the vampire in point to its essence: estranged, cruel, and having persuasive powers potent as poison. Onscreen and through the phone line, he dazzles just the same. He tells me, “Aww, you’re so sweet.” Just imagine the smile on my face upon hearing this. Yes, fangirling is on. But way before I joined the fang-wagon, Ian was already known as Boone in Lost. Thinking he had everything going for him after the show, he auditioned for the role of Jason Stackhouse in True Blood. Although he grew up in Louisiana where Bon Temps, the setting for True Blood, is located, familiarity with geography still didn’t give him the part. I don’t blame Alan Ball. As far as characters go, Ian doesn’t embody the dirty South, rather he represents the age-old sophisticate. That includes Somerhalder’s ease to Hollywood with a smirk and glare that can stun any onlooker. As a little kid, Ian already had the glib and gab of a vampire. “I remember, I was so young, I had an imaginary friend named Ian whom my poor family had to deal with probably by a year,” Ian recalls. “Ian liked everything I liked so I asked my mom for this whole pack of gum and then she found me an hour later with my mouth full of it. And my mom said, ‘Wait a minute, Ian. I thought some was for Ian, too.’ And I said, ‘Nope, nope. Ian doesn’t like this
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kind.’ [laughs] So I used to do things like that. It just kinda made my mom realize that I was meant to be an actor.” He went to become a model at 10-years old—getting gigs for Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabanna, and even Toys ‘R’ Us. “You know, I used to think [I missed out on my childhood],” Ian says. “I don’t anymore. I still rode my horse. I still played sports with my friends. I was very, very lucky to have the experience that I did, because it was all part of it. That’s what made me, me.” If there was, however, one thing he wished he was able to do, it was to study art history. “I love art. I wanted to go to NYU, but I ended up booking a television show and moving out to LA,” Ian says. “You can learn art history obviously just by being a surveyor of art. I mean, I go to art galleries all around the world, I read a lot about art. I wish I just had been able to take a crash course in it. I eventually wanna learn how to paint. Also, music is a huge thing [for me]. Not so that I could play music that well, but a lot of my friends (My Morning Jacket, Bright Eyes) are exceptionally talented and wildly
“Acting is hard work… You learn a lot about yourself… to kind of not judge yourself.”
HEAVY HITTER
“I had an imaginary friend named Ian whom my poor family had to deal with… It just kinda made my mom realize that I was meant to be an actor.” successful musicians.” Guaranteed that Ian could be the “next big thing” in Hollywood, he goes about his other businesses away from all that with the Ian Somerhalder Foundation, where his team protects animals and environment. Once, he made his way to Capitol Hill to testify before the Congress to save Leatherback turtles. They also recently had their first fundraiser that was themed as a big burlesque party, to which Ian thinks Dita Von Teese “would get a kick out of.” Ian says, “I didn’t just wanna do a fundraiser that’s just a dinner with everyone in suits and ties. I wanted it to be a party like a celebration of conversation.” If Ian wanted it, he could enjoy all the orgy of pleasures in this world, but he doesn’t need the fleeting highs that vamps would often indulge in. Instead, acting, appreciating art, and fundraising take up most of his time. He’s just far from lamenting the down side of his jobs such as lack of privacy. He even thinks he has the “best job ever.” I ask him to advise people who wanna act, and he shouts, “Don’t do it!” He laughs, adding, “It takes more perseverance and tenacity to do the job. There are so few slots for work. But honestly, the only advice I could give—and I’m just bad with advice—is if you’re auditioning, you have to do the work. You have to find out what you’re saying, why you’re saying it. You just have to, and I think the easiest way to do that, honestly, I sound like an advertisement for it, but James Franco, Charlize Theron, Halle Berry, and I used it—is to just read the damn book—Ivanna Chubbuck’s The Power of the Actor.” Whether the pseudo, frustrated, or rising actors like it or not, it’s true. Acting is hard work, but Ian reveals its frill: “You learn a lot about yourself… to kind of not judge yourself,” he says. “The only way to really connect to a character, make a line or text seem real to you, is to use a connective tissue between your own life and the life of that character. Meaning, the only way to make a scene work real for you is if you’re pulling from your own life experience—past, present, and future.” Equipped with those, he can take on any role. “There is no dream role… I just wanna do great films, with filmmakers and great actors. I would love to be funny… I would love an incredible drama,” he says. After about an hour of talking to Ian, it dawned on me that I could sit there for another three hours or even the rest of the day. I refer to him as an artist or an actor. But he contests, “I don’t wanna call myself anything. I just like to act,” he says. You can hate him as much as you want— because your girlfriend adores him, because he makes your boyfriend look like Shrek, because he won’t follow you on Twitter (he thinks it’s unfair to not follow all of his 1.2 million followers)—but you just can’t, why? Because he takes pride in what he does, he’s good at what he does, and he’ll continue doing it no matter what. He warns everybody: “Nothing’s gonna make me stop. Nothing ever will.” Now, that’s a line of an immortal.
twitter.com/iansomerhalder
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HEAVY HITTER
“My works are very nostalgic and tend to focus on the Australia that no longer exists,” says EAMO DONNELLY as he tours us to his own Oz—the Australia mined in his mind, trailed by his illustration pens, and glossed by his country’s excess. By Kristine Dabbay
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“If my hair is turned into a paintbrush, it would be best used for painting over all of the grey buildings with yellows, oranges, pinks, and blues because the world needs more color…”
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Abandon all mope all ye who enter here. Here lives the old hawker missing his front teeth. He’s carrying his mantiques (man’s man antiques) and merch of Rolling Stone Forty Licks. He’s boom box-blasting, Kid Rock-flashing, and tie-dye-wearing. In a distance, beach bums’ bellies sag. Those beer bags know the drill: pour the beer on, feast on prawns, roll the joint, French your fries. G’day mate! That’s how Eamo (Ay-mo) envisions the world: Bacchanalian and infested by hyperballin’ hyperboles. “I want the viewer to
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smile when they see one of my works, to take them back to a place and time long forgotten,” he says. While his name alludes to the word “emo,” his illustrations elicit the opposite; they’ll hurl you to life’s highs. It’s no shock then that Eamo would jump at the chance of touring travelers. What he’ll do: “I’d get them up at the crack of dawn. We would have spent half the night sitting in the backyard listening to the cicadas and crickets… We’d head to Bondi Beach… then take ourselves off to a pub for a morning tea beverage of cool amber fluid. After a few beers before midday, it’s off to the park to cook up some snags and onions on the barbie… Don’t forget to pack the Esky full of VB stubby and ice, and make sure someone brings the sunscreen,
HEAVY HITTER
“I want the viewer to smile when they see one of my works, to take them back to a place and time long forgotten.”
zinc, and Aerogard… we’ll all sit submerged up to our waists ‘til sunset. Finally, we’ll pack up our gear and head home, there’s a fireworks show down on the harbour so we have a squiz at the Harbour Bridge and Opera House lit up in glorious reds and greens.” But those are colors of everyday. His drawings, on the other hand, explode with surreal saturation of hues; it’s as if the world’s painted via lollipop leaks. “If my hair is turned into a paintbrush, it would be best used for painting over all of the grey buildings with yellows, oranges, pinks, and blues because the world needs more color,” he says. Skidding around town and extracting the happy juice out of caravan parks, Disney pens, lifeguards, ice cream, and heat waves, Eamo makes sure he’s equipped with the right tools. Although Photoshop elates him, being a conjurer of color requires a reliable pair of stems and sables. He shares, “Brush pens don’t last more than one sitting of an illustration, the brush hair tends to distort and dry out so I have collected quite a few hundred over the years.” And even if you catch more than 40 winks and count many a thousand sheep—day in, day out—Eamo is most likely to stick to these trusty friends. Repetition hasn’t dampened the force of his pen though. If anything, it strengthened his magic. Companies from A to Y, specifically from Advertising Age to Y & R New York, continuously demand the showcase of his tricks. He shares one regarding staying fresh, “I guess taking a risk each time you undertake new work is the best way to stay relevant.” Curtains up for his VH1 campaign that recently won silver for Cannes and gold for Clio Awards. The show goes on as he dreams of dining with comedians “Paul Hogan (as Mick Dundee) and Barry Humphries (as Sir Les Patterson and Dame Edna). [I’d like] to watch them argue about Australian humor—Hogan for the celebration and Humphries for the distain,” Eamo quips. That makes quite a snarky company— expected from someone who taught a journalist once some Aussie slang including the expression “As dry as a dead dingo’s donger” which means thirsty. But it’s not all gags. Like anything entailing performance, freelancing has occupational hazards. One financial fiasco for a commissioned project led to a hearing; the
whole debacle ended with his lawyer leaving with the words “Fuck off.” “Quoting for projects was a challenge early on, underquoting and over-quoting; getting the balance just right is always tough,” he shares. Well, more money, more problems. But you can’t contain a big fish in a small pond. This big fish deserves the manifold wilderness beyond what its fins initially thought they could swim. He shares, “I was promoting in the wrong areas and not taking advantage of the online market which is the biggest audience you can get… art directors would spot something they liked, keep it on their file and get in touch once a suitable job came up.” There are contacts that had known Eamo’s work for a good 3 years, Rolling Stone for example. His trade tip? “It’s a long patient game but once you get a foot in the door, word of mouth among art directors is invaluable.” Of course, out comes with spreading the seed is being pigeonholed into a sellout. “I don’t think the term selling out and commercial artist really are that different, commercial artist is the formal title and selling out is what you get called by struggling artists who think being creative and expressing one’s self should also come with poverty and antiestablishment,” he weeds stereotypes out of his life for good. And if anyone knows the good life, it’s Eamo. He believes in fetishes and indulgences. Forget puritan pursuits. Forget it matters to check the time every now and then. Leave the wrist bare but grow your hair. Overdose on the odds. The world is forever a Saturday in saturate. People dive then rise dripping with aquamarine sparkles. Lovers kiss with lavender lips and some giggles. Record everything on tape or on paper. That’s how you become an Eamo character. This world gets more vivid with his 50s-80s eras inspiration and collection of vintage Australian television and commercials. “I collect old discarded VHS tapes from second-hand stores, tip shops, garage sales, and occasionally, I will get a box from a friend or relative who no longer wants his childhood collection or [something] his parents have been nagging him to clean out that old cupboard,” he reveals. This fascination with ephemera—of things not intended to be preserved such
as postcards and video tapes—has grown into his ultimate expression of nostalgia—the suburban Australian milk bar, a staple on every street corner in this land, now a distant memory of a time gone by. “I am cataloging the remaining milk bars, closed and open, using instant photography,” he says. As if that’s not enough, he actually lives in a heritage-listed 1913 era shop and resides online in a milk bar-themed website, perhaps inspired by Dave’s Milkbar where his mom worked during the 80s. For posterity’s sake, he assures the population that Australia’s yesteryears won’t slip into the cracks of his land’s outback and oceans. Nothing’s too shady and rusty for Eamo. Everything’s a big bang color story where specks of color waft across vast terrains. There’s no point in squinting, Eamo would rather pick up the fragments and recreate them with glints of sunshine.
eamo.com.au
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B L O C K P A R T Y As Katy Perry would sing, "Pictures of last night ended up online. I’m screwed. Oh well." But these party photographers elevate nightlife photography to an art. You won’t mind immortalizing moments you’d rather keep to yourself and well, a few bouncers. By Rita Faire
RONYSPHOTOBOOTH.COM How did you start with photography? I started taking pics on family vacations… That became my job until I was 12. As a teenager, I would shoot my girlfriends and my friends skateboarding. I won a photography contest in high school and it made me realize I could be a photographer.
Rony Alwin
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Why the nightlife? My friend had a popular nightclub and I had just bought a lighting kit and a medium format camera. So I came up with the idea to sell Polaroids for $5 each to make a couple bucks. That was over 5 years ago and I haven’t stopped since. What makes a great picture? Just capturing good energy. Whether it’s posed or candid. If there is good energy, it will come out good.
BLOCK PARTY
0150.co.kr
We all know what you do at night. What keeps you busy in the day? Well, I usually work on the pictures that I have taken the night before, or go out shooting if there is an event. And of course, I gotta get some sleep. Why the nightlife? There is not much to do for young people in Korea, and among the few things that you can do, I found clubbing the most entertaining. I wouldn’t have to bother listening to cheesy Korean pop, and didn’t need to associate myself with people I don’t care about.
What has been the wildest picture you’ve taken? One time, this girl showed me her butt and asked me to capture it. Real wild. Now, it’s kind of boring to shoot people in their best poses. Pretty face and glammed up outfits are so predictable. I prefer candid, weird, and funny pictures. Where’s the party at? In Korea, I would say Club Ellui. Very Big! What’s the best club song out there right now? Why? “Pressure” (Alesso Remix) by Starkillers and Alex Kenji
Photos from BOYS NOIZE in Seoul, Korea
feat. Nadia Ali, and “Fix Your Pressure” (East & Young Mashup) by Starkillers, Alex Kenji, Nadia Ali, and Alesso ft. Coldplay. Those two songs are the hottest for festivals. I think every DJ has played those songs. When Afrojack came to Green Groove Festival in Korea, he played them too. I still remember that excitement.
KIRILLWASHERE.COM
Kirill Bichutsky
booth at Goldbar for their Sunday Funday party, when all of a sudden this chick… starts asking me if I had any weed. I could tell who she was—a pornstar—Lisa Ann. In exchange for the weed I had to find for her, I told her to pose for a photo with her top off. She agreed and the rest is history! What is a nightlife photographer? A good nightlife photographer is everyone’s best friend. You have to make everyone put their cameras away and let them party and blackout so that the next day, when they wake up, they can look back at how much fun last night was based on your photos.
Why the nightlife? I like people. I’ve tried shooting stuff like buildings, leaves, bicycles, etc. It all just seems like bullshit cliché art to me. What’s the wildest picture you’ve taken? I was hanging out in the DJ
What are the top 5 essentials every nightlife photographer needs before hitting the scene? DJ friends – Befriend every DJ you can; they’re your ticket to getting into any party. Thick skin – You’re going to be rejected a lot. Alcohol – It will help with the rejection.
Branding – Business cards and a website to promote your shit. Patience – Work hard and never let money dictate your brand. What makes a great picture? Content. Not quality. I’ve captured some amazing moments that are technically shitty photographs. If you could put together five awesome people—dead or alive— into one photo, how would he shoot be like? Jim Carrey spraying a bottle of champagne at a table consisting of Marilyn Manson doing a line of coke off of Adele’s inner thigh as Hitler vomits onto a douchebag promoter. Oh, and AM is DJing in the background.
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NIGHTVISION Katy Perry’s Birthday Bash by The Cobrasnake
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NIGHTVISION
SUPER TECHNO PARTY MACHINE by The XOXO Kids
BANJ ALBANO’S BIRTHDAY BASH @ Fiamma
by James Bringas and DJ Fabian
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NIGHTVISION
saturcray @ Il Ponticello by Boo Umaly
maguen
by Gerard Estadella
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NIGHTVISION
John john club Looks fierce by Gerard Estadella
skyrim
The Cobrasnake
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NIGHTVISION
THE BRITISH GUIDE TO SHOWING OFF AfterParty by The XOXO Kids
FIAMMA FRESH FRIDAYS X REQUEST DANCE CREW
by DJ Fabian
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DIRECTORY BRANDS 21 MEN Forever 21, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City 7 FOR ALL MANKIND Greenbelt 5, Makati City A PEACE TREATY apeacetreaty.com ACCESSORIZE Greenbelt 5, Makati City ACUPUNCTURE Urban Athletics, Greenbelt 3, Makati City ADIDAS Urban Athletics, Greenbelt 3, Makati City AGAMIC agamicnyc.com ALDO Power Plant Mall, Makati City ASHLEY LLOYD ashleylloyd.com BENEFIT Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City BLOOM Beauty Bar, Greenbelt 5, Makati City BO PARCON boparcon.multiply.com BOBBI BROWN Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City BOXFRESH Greyone Social, Greenbelt 5, Makati City CERI VINTAGE cerivintage.it CHARLES & KEITH Power Plant Mall, Makati City CLAE Urban Athletics, Greenbelt 3, Makati City CLARINS Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City COVERGIRL covergirl.com CREATIVE RECREATION Urban Athletics, Greenbelt 3, Makati City DC Urban Athletics, Greenbelt 3, Makati City DEBENHAMS Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City E.L.F. eyeslipsface.ph
ELIZABETH ARDEN elizabetharden.com FOLDED & HUNG SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City FOREVER 21 SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City GARETH PUGH garethpugh.net GENERIC SURPLUS Greyone Social, Greenbelt 5, Makati City GOLA Urban Athletics, Greenbelt 3, Makati City GREYONE SOCIAL Greenbelt 5, Makati City GUERLAIN guerlain.com JAC LANGHEIM jaclangheim.com JOSE DURAN joseduran.net LAURA MERCIER Rustan’s Department Store, Makati City LAURA VINTAGE laurasvintageny.com LARUICCI laruicci.com LEVI’S levistrauss.com LOUIS CLAPAROLS louisclaparols.multiply.com LUSH lush.com MAC maccosmetics.com MAKE UP FOR EVER makeupforever.com MANGO Power Plant Mall, Makati City MARIE SAINT PIERRE mariesaintpierre.com MAYBELLINE Available in all department stores nation wide MODELCO Beauty Bar, Greenbelt 5, Makati City MYKITA mykita.com NATIVE nativeshoes.com
NIXON MARQUEZ stickfigurerobot.blogspot.com OXYGEN SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City PARADIGM SHIFT paradigmshiftclothing.com PENSHOPPE SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City PRESTIGE Beauty Bar, Greenbelt 5, Makati City RED HERRING Debenhams, Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City RIMMEL rimmellondon.com ROUGE BUNNY ROUGE rougebunnyrouge.com SALLY LAPOINTE sallylapointe.com SKECHERS skechers.com ST. TROPEX sttropeztan.com STUDIO MAKEUP Beauty Bar, Greenbelt 5, Makati City TERRANOVA SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City TOO FACED toofaced.com TRETORN Urban Athletics, Greenbelt 3, Makati City URBAN ATHLETICS Greenbelt 3, Makati City VANS Vans Concept Stores, SM Department stores, Robinsons Department Stores, Landmark Department Stores, Urban Athletics, Toby’s Sports, Olympic Village, Shoe Salon, American Rag, Sole Academy, Greyone Social, ZURIIK Urban Athletics, Greenbelt 3, Makati City ARTISTS Luzena Adams (Photographer) luzenaadams.com Russell Baer (Photographer) russellbaer.com Sokphalla Ban (Makeup) sokphallaban.com
James Bringas (Photographer) bringas.james@gmail.com The Cobrasnake (Photographer) thecobrasnake.com Alyssa Cortes (Makeup) sleekchick.tumblr.com Gerard Estadella (Photographer) icanteachyouhowtodoit.com DJ Fabian (Photographer) weekendsareforwarriors.tumblr.com Tyler Kohlhoff (Photographer) dancingwillsaveyou.tumblr.com Roy Macam (Photographer) roymacam.com Miguel Miranda (Photographer) miguelmiranda420@yahoo.com Liam Ricketts (Photographer) liamricketts.co.uk Red Rivera (Photographer) blog.redrivera.com Julius Sebastian (Photography) juliussebastian.com Junie Sierra (Grooming) Jing Monis Salon, 09178306515 Marc Sifuentes (Stylist) marcsifuentes.com Katarina Soskic (Photographer) katarinasoskic.net Collin Stark (Photographer) collinstark.com Charlie Taylor (Hair) charlietaylorportfolio.com Adam Seth Teh (Hair) adamsethteh@yahoo.com Sonny Thakur (Photographer) sonnythakur.com Boo Umaly (Photographer) booumaly@gmail.com Vincent Urbani (Photographer) vincenturbani.com The XOXO Kids (Photographer) thexoxokids.com
S TAT U S IN VA D E S
STATIONERIES, NOTEBOOKS, AND TAGS
I have a large box of stationeries and clothing tags. I collect them unwarily.
BIRD CAGE NECKLACES I am really fond of birds. Most of the accessories I buy have a bird motif.
VALERIE CHUA
Blogger, illustrator, and painter—not to mention proud owner of a cat named Cat—VALERIE CHUA has long been inspired by the nature-loving lifestyle of the Japanese Mori girls. She also brings the organic approach to her artwork, preferring to use brushes and paint rather than a tablet and some computer program.
SWISS EASEL
This Swiss easel was given to me when I was young. It’s a keeper. It stands 8-feet tall, made of fine wood. Unfortunately, I don’t paint on canvases so it remains unused.
quietgirl.net
WASHI EGGS
I love Japanese patterns. These are a little expensive so I buy them one by one whenever I pass by the shop.
CAT
This isn’t a bauble or a trinket but it’s definitely an essential. My outdoor cat passes by the windows of my room on afternoons. It keeps me company.
BIRD FIGURINES FROM GERMANY
These bird figurines from Germany were given to me by a friend. These are perhaps one of my favorite gifts from abroad.
ROYAL ALBERT TEA SET
My mom is obsessed with French Neoclassical objects so we have a lot of tea sets and ornate items around the house. I grew up with this sort of design.
CLOTH AND CRAFT BOOKS
A lot of my works are derived from patterns and collages so I keep a stack of cloth around as my resource, and some collage books for inspiration.
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WATERCOLOR PAPER
I’m so fond of paper that whenever I come across a new brand with good reviews, I buy it.
WOODEN SHEEP
I bought this wooden sheep figurine weeks after reading Murakami’s A Wild Sheep Chase and Dance Dance Dance. It looks peaceful. It seems like a good addition to my workspace.