The Void - Issue 5

THE VOID Published by

Documenting Music and Art from Amsterdam and the World Issue 5. November / December 2019

About The Void The Void is published by Subbacultcha, an Amsterdam-based platform run by real people who are hopelessly devoted to music and art.

WELCOME TO THE VOID

The Void is published six times a year and is distributed all over the Netherlands.

The Void often takes us to some interesting places, and we’ve done a fair amount of travelling for this issue. From an inspiring chat with SASSY 009 in Oslo, to Berlin with avant-garde pop-duo EASTER, who give some truly surreal food for thought. Not to forget a trip to gloomy London with Carla Dal Forno. All of whom have some incredible new records that we’ve had on repeat in the office - and we simply can’t wait to witness up close and IRL.

The Void represents our inspiring community and reflects our vibrant surroundings. Consider it an ode to unruly creativity and musicians and artists who challenge the norm.

The Void also shines a light on all the concerts and events we organise in and around Amsterdam, showcasing the emerging artists and musicians we love.

The Void is made in close collaboration with our dedicated community of readers, members, artists, musicians, writers and photographers from all over the world. Come join us!

About Subbacultcha

‘Hibou / Chien sur canapé, 2017’ sent to The Void by Sarah-Louise Barbett @sarahlouisebarbett

We unearth the best emerging artists and bring them to alternative stages near you. We also publish the Void: a publication documenting Subbacultcha’s ever-expanding universe.

About the Subbacultcha Membership You can become a member of Subbacultcha for €9 a month.

Your membership grants you free access to all our events, ranging from live shows to talks to exhibitions. Not only that, but with a membership, you get a copy of The Void sent to your doorstep six times a year, the latest edition of our bag, plus first-hand invites to special events, sessions and more...

We’ve also been in a reflective mood, looking back on twenty years of OT301, a venue that has been (and still is) a second-home to Subbacultcha. Co-founder Colin gives us a tour through the ex-squat, taking us down OT-memory lane.

Recalling her otherworldly, moon-serenading performance this summer, we revisit Lyra Pramuk, who crafts us an exclusive, lyrical melody. In need of an interior design boost?

Flip through and find not one, but two (!) colour-exploded posters by Aafke Bouman and Jacco Bunt. As the cherry on top, there’s an exclusive feature written by the realspeak, savvy art critics - The White Pube, somewhere deep-down in these pages...

We could go on and on. You know us. Even as the days get colder and darker, this issue is bursting with life and energy.

So relax, make yourself a hot beverage, and plunge in.

Sent to The Void by Katarina Lykhach • @katerinalihach

,

Subbacultcha

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Read on to find out about our upcoming events and sign up at subbacultcha.nl.

Get Involved Wanna submit work?

Send letters plus your work to thevoid@subbacultcha.nl with ‘get published’ in the subject line.

Wanna submit music? Send some links to robert@subbacultcha.nl.

Please do not try to sweet talk him.

Wanna write or take pictures for us?

Send an email to thevoid@subbacultcha.nl.

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The Void, Documenting Music and Art from Amsterdam and the World.

Published by Subbacultcha six times a year.

Issue 5, November / December 2019 Front cover

This poster A Guided Tour Through Lotus Land is made by Jacco Bunt.

Alphen a/d Rijn-born, Berlin-based illustrator Jacco Bunt is a master of geometry, abstraction and color.

“Lotus Land is synonymus for a pleasant place where people only have to think about enjoying themselves, not about work or achieving anything. It represents the fun and freedom that is part of the fantasy world you’re dipping into when you go ‘out’. You’re being immersed in another world.”

Please allow yourself to take a long gaze at Jacco’s bold and fresh work.

Check @jaccobunt

Katja Novitskova Hannah Pezzack Luuk Roordink Annabel van Royen David Schiesser Lin Ven Jonathan Vivaas Kise Tobias Withers Kasia Zacharko The Void is printed by Rodi Rotatiedruk Diemen, the Netherlands Subbacultcha team

Wanna apply for an internship?

Send an email to shari@subbacultcha.nl.

Wanna become a member?

Sign up at subbacultcha.nl.

@improdogger

EASTER shot by Kasia Zacharko in Berlin, Germany.

The Void Issue 5 was made with the talents of Mak Alvarez Sarah-Louise Barbett Aafke Bouman Nina Brandão Jacco Bunt Leon Caren Jeroen De Wandel Ringaile Demsyte Charlie Eden Isabella Giacomelli Julia Huizinga Shari Klein Huub Kooijman Robert Lalkens Katarina Lykhach Brittany McGillivray Bas Morsch Emilija Milu Maria Myers Sydney van Nieuwaal

Publishers and Creative Directors Leon Caren Bas Morsch Co-Editors Hannah Pezzack Sydney van Nieuwaal Art Director and Graphic Designer Lin Ven Copy Editor Brittany McGillivray Marketing, Sales and Partnerships Shari Klein Online Marketer Sydney van Nieuwaal Booker Robert Lalkens Memberships Tato Wesselo Job Worms

Show Production Tobias Withers Distribution Isabel Verwiel Finance Emma Schouwenaar Interns Mortimer Harries-Pugh Isabella Giacomelli

Free access to priceless concerts Become a Subbacultcha member for €9 a month.

Sign up at subbacultcha.nl

A heartfelt thank you to Giorgio Aside Lucy Barker Rosa Boland Aletta Boogman Carolina Calgaro Alex Christodoulou Jason Clark Isabelle Cotton Sarah Dear Ina Fischer Lucy Hoang Bao Anh Lam Catherine Holbrook Karolina Howorko Joost Koster Grace Lott Cissy Lott-Lavigna Nicolo Maresca di Serracpriola Conny Scannapieco Rupert Read Flavien Tridiel Charlotte van Roijen Laura Vargas Mora Cat Winter Stefanos Yowhannes Kino International FotoLab Kiekie After Press Groep B.V. Sent to The Void by Nina Brandão • @nin_atelier

At “home” with

COLIN MCLEAN

No Real Farmer No FEBO.

Interview by Hannah Pezzack Photos shot for Subbacultcha by Annabel van Royen in Amsterdam, the Netherlands

To mark the occasion of OT301’s 20th birthday this November, we met up with Colin McLean who called the building “home” for nearly a decade. And although he now resides elsewhere, he’s still an essential cog in its machinery. In the fading light of a chilly September evening, Colin leads us on a winding tour. We wander through the ex-squat, uncovering hidden corners and forgotten enclaves, as well as its turbulent political history.

I detect a Scottish accent - is that right?

greats. But for me, it’s just as wonderful to have an improvised percussion night where twenty people show up.

I came here from Scotland, a long time ago now!

Read an exclusive interview with sound artist Salvador Breed at subbacultcha.nl

LE GUESS WHO? Taking place within the city of Utrecht between 7 – 10 November, Le Guess Who? has cemented a reputation for eclectic acts that provoke and inspire. With a focus on boundary-crossing music, the festival is a smorgasbord of different genres and performances, where unexpected encounters blossom. Look out for COUCOU CHLOE, Mykki Blanco, Holly Herndon, Kali Malone, Greg Fox, Nivhek, Vivien Goldman, Leya, Shortparis and many, many more.

Go to Subbacutcha.nl to read an exclusive interview with sound artist Salvador Breed. In partnership with Iris van Herpen, Salvador has curated the WAS, Centraal Museum, Janskerk, and TivoliVredenburg venue line-ups. The Dutch composer’s work explores the way acoustics, silence and space resonate with one another, finding subtle ways to expand our senses.

What I really like about this place is how homely it is.

How did you end up in Amsterdam?

Back in 1991, I was playing with a band called Dog Faced Humans in Edinburgh, who got invited to do some shows here. The conditions were so much better than playing some crappy little pub back home. Of course, it’s different now, but back then it seemed like every little town in the Netherlands had a venue that was well subsidised.

Yeah! That’s nice. Sometimes I go into these big venues and I’m like - aagh! Too strict! Too many straight lines! We do try and keep some of the old squat vibes. That’s what I loved about Amsterdam when I first moved here. There were so many places like OT301. Cheap to get in, very free and accepting. Not so much any more, sadly. The aim is to keep that alive, but it gets harder and harder.

What kind of music?

“Sometimes I go into these big venues and I’m like aagh! Too strict! Too many straight lines!”

Very eclectic, post-punk. We worked a lot with The Ex; in fact, our guitarist is still with them. And I did sound engineering for them for years.

year. And we moved into this place only a few weeks after the academy vacated, which was great because the power hadn’t been turned off. There was so much belonging to the film school: equipment, film reels. So we let them know that the building had been squatted, and put the stuff into storage.

They were super friendly and supportive of us. During the second winter, it was freezing cold. One day - it was snowing a blizzard at this point - a truck turns up to deliver diesel to heat the building. It came out later that it was from the film school - they had sent it to us without even taking credit.

Can you tell us a special fact about OT301?

We’re completely solar-powered! In fact, we make so much power that we run into a surplus that can be sold back to the municipality. Also, we grow our own food on the roof garden. There’s fresh tomatoes, chillis and herbs.

Sent to The Void

by Ringaile Demsyte • @creaturesonpaper

Do you think you’ll have twenty more years to look forward to?

Who knows! We want to keep the place growing, moving organically with whoever is part of the structure. Each part of OT301 runs fairly autonomously: cinema, restaurant, gallery, dance studio, art studios. People do their own thing, and it works.

How have things changed over the years?

How did you get involved with OT301?

I was one of the original squatters. We came over from OLVG - the old, empty hospital in Oost. But once we got evicted, we immediately started looking for a new place. Someone heard that the film school was empty. The cinema upstairs is the original film academy cinema.

What was it like when you first moved in here?

Are there any parties that stand out over the years?

Back then squatting was still legal, but the building had to be empty for at least one

There have been some very special nights, like Lee “Scratch” Perry or some of the techno

“We have the mentality that there are hoops to jump through, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still have a good time.”

Colin McLean

It’s evolved, but we’ve always wanted to keep it underground. We have the mentality that there are hoops to jump through, but that doesn’t mean everyone can’t still have a good time.

We’re tried to work with the government and the police whilst still facilitating this great place.

— Carla dal Forno (21 November) and GENTS (27 November) play at OT301, Amsterdam. Free for Subbacultcha members.

Turn to the show listings, or visit subbacutcha.nl, for a full list of Subbacultcha events at OT301.

Photo by Kasia Zacharko. Kasia after shooting EASTER for this Void: “It was really lovely!!! they are such a sweet sweet duo! thanks for this assignment, it was really fun.” Find the full feature in The Void.

Catching up with

EASTER Interview by Sydney van Nieuwaal Photos shot for Subbacultcha by Kasia Zacharko in Berlin, Germany

We haven’t heard from EASTER in a while, and we can’t be the only ones missing that mesmerizing electro-pop duo. With a new EP down the line and Stine Omar and Maximilian Boss visiting Subbacultcha again just before the decade turns, we thought it might be cordial to catch up on the time that has passed.

Hi Stine & Max! It’s been a while.

What have you been up to?

M: Also, in time for Christmas, after years of international screenings we’ll finally share online our 2015 cult serial drama Sadness is an Evil Gas Inside of Me.

Stine: That’s a great question, thank you.

I keep asking myself the same thing. I moved back to Oslo to a house on the fjord, thinking that staring hard enough at the sea everyday would make me feel zen. I watered a few Portuguese water dogs and a service labrador, walked through a lot of snow and saw a hawk pick up a squirrel from a tree right next to me. The death scream of this squirrel still rings in my ear.

How to cope with that ambivalent feeling of hot days in particular? You know, it feels great, but deep-down you know it sucks.

M: Not enjoying sun would be unnatural. I don’t wanna sound like I’m denying global warming, but the truth is I just don’t know anything about it. Then again what does it mean to know anything except for my next meal? It’s a crazy situation to be confronted as an individual with the abstract consequences of a whole species. If I think about it now it probably has something to do with the human race merging into a single organism with conflicting responsibilities.

Max: I was a bit tired of music and needed to get a balance. I concentrated on furniture design, and then in the most unprepared moment, found back to music - recording some harmless loops on the piano. Then I learned how to read. The ancient Egyptian collection of texts known as The Book of the Dead was definitely one of the most revealing ones.

S: Are we merging into a single organism?

M: I think so. Or, at least, I feel like humans are slowly levelling up to having the same ideas at the exact same time.

Where would music be able to come in, in the ecological crises?

M: EASTER will host a series of post-apocalyptic unplugged sessions, telling stories from printed out Kindle books. Then I’ll wash the dishes with a naturally harvested sponge.

And about that cult drama, Sadness is an Evil Gas Inside of Me. Why is sadness evil?

And why is it a gas?

After a two-year release hiatus, what kind of creative mindset are you in?

S: It’s a very melodramatic serial drama. You’re being introduced to the sadness early on in episode one. You’ll have to watch all the way through to find your answer. Or, actually, I think you’ll find the answer to this entire interview in there.

M: A great aspect of creativity is progress.

It’s the most rewarding experience. Every creation is a statement of identity. To me, this is what life is about. Keeping progressing.

This is not always about crafting a product.

The feeling of creation comes out of every challenge in life. It’s fun.

S: I don’t know, but I’ve been wanting to write lyrics in German. I’m slowly beginning to grasp the language, even though Max and I met back in 2005 and I was riding on the Neue Deutsche Welle and solely listening to Kassettentäter.

Then I fell out a bit with the language again.

Berlin can do that to people. But now, if I can

say I wrote these songs, and you listen to me singing in some kind of German, then maybe you have my new creative mindset. There’s also a lot of mentions of filter coffee (drip).

I’ve been trying to become a coffee bro for my girlfriend. But when I say ‘drip’, thats me dripping for her.

“To me, this is what life is about. Keeping progressing.

This is not always about crafting a product. The feeling of creation comes out of every challenge in life.

It’s fun.”

With quite an intermittent release dynamic, I wonder: when do you feel is the time to release new music?

S: You know, we don’t have anyone telling us what to do. We release stuff when its done.

We’re open to proposals though. Hello labels, hello publicists, hi distribution, nice to meet you manager, don’t be intimidated by our long story and perfectly aging faces.

When is the time to make new music?

S: When the house is clean and bellies are full and the dog has been running.

With new music impending, I think many mouths are watering to hear where you’re at.

Can you tell us a bit more about the upcoming She Is Warm EP? S: You know how Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing starts with “it was the hottest day of the year”?

Or this short story we read in school who’s author escapes me - I feel that happens a lot. Please help. Anyway, we decided to work around the concept of the hottest day of the year, and the bizarre feelings of loving those days, all while our planet is burning up.

A hot topic, no pun intended.

Sent to The Void by Katarina Lykhach • @katerinalihach

— EASTER play 20 December at Klub 470 (Goethe-Institut), Amsterdam. Free for Subbacultcha members.

Eye Filmmuseum eyefilm.nl /shadow

A synth-infused remedy for urban malaise

CARLA DAL FORNO November 16th 2019

Interview by Hannah Pezzack Photos shot for Subbacultcha by Emilija Milu in London, UK

December 28th 2019

Pensive and bleakly insightful, Carla dal Forno fuses together post-punk and folk, wielding the melancholia of the two genres to find light in the darkest of shadows. Having relocated to London, the Australian multi-instrumentalist reflects on inner-city wandering and her latest release, Look Up Sharp. The album makes its debut on her own, recently established label Kallista Records.

Film: The Squid and the Whale (2005) Music: Meetsysteem

Film: Lethal Weapon (1987) Music: 4B2M

‘Portrait of Luke’ sent to The Void by Charlie Eden

FILM + LIVE SHOW

Hi Carla, how’s life?

Do you feel at home in London?

Hey! Life is good. I’m currently still in bed, drinking coffee and happy that my album is out. It feels like it’s been a long time coming and I’m excited to show people what I’ve been working on.

I definitely feel settled here, although it’s such a big city that I can still very easily get lost. I’m also one of those strange people who doesn’t mind the greyness; autumn and spring are my favourite months.

A DV ERT ISEMEN T

Sent to The Void by Luuk Roordink • @luukroordink

I’m the same. Wearing my headphones while walking outside is my favourite way of experiencing music. I like the feeling of being around other people, but also navigating the city in a cut-off way; having my own private experience.

I’ve heard your sound be described as pop, post-punk and “lonely anthems”. But how would you describe it?

I’ve yet to meet an artist that likes labeling their own work, and I only ever do it reluctantly. Probably everyone is just too egotistical to want to provide narrow categorisation of what they’re attempting to do. When I’m put on the spot I tend to mumble something about post-punk, pop, electronic, etc.

A DV ERT ISEMEN T

Your NTS radio shows are fantastic.

Where do you find the records you play?

Congratulations! What are your initial reflections on Look Up Sharp?

I wrote these songs over a number of years so my idea of what the album was about was constantly shifting and changing. It was only when had almost finished that I began to see that a recurring theme was how a place can influence and change a person, which made sense as a lot of these tracks were written as I was adjusting to living in a new city. Also, personal relationships have continued to be a source of inspiration; how we negotiate complicated feelings and find ways to express ourselves.

Do you think the album signifies a change in direction?

I’m always learning and trying to challenge myself in the studio and I think this new record has gained some clarity as my production skills have improved. However, I also hear continuity.

There are similar sounds to my previous work because I’m still using a lot of the same equipment, and my preference for a sparse, minimal sound has remained.

Thanks! Most of the older tracks I find on YouTube or discogs or hear on the radio. I’m lucky to have been working at Low Company, a record store in Hackney, for the past couple of years and I find a lot of great stuff there and more contemporary releases. Recently I’ve been listening to new LPs by Monokultur, Fabulous Diamonds, Brunnen and Brannten Schnüre.

Your singing is so haunting, but I often can’t quite tell what you are saying. Is the ambiguity purposeful?

I like the sound of reverb on vocals and I think it suits my style. I guess the trade off is that you might not be able to understand every word. But it’s never really bothered me if I can’t make out what other people are saying in their songs. If people have stupid lyrics and I can understand it then there’s a problem.

The imagery you conjure is kind of bleak, in a very beautiful way. Like the track ‘No Trace’: “I head into the void / look around / search for some respite in a cold dark town.”

I was definitely thinking of London when I wrote those lyrics. London in winter has this real gloomy harshness that’s different from other places in Europe; it’s so powerfully bleak. By creating a sense of place in my lyrics, I’m aiming to provide a sort of visual backdrop to the feelings I want to explore. I was also thinking about how some of my favourite novels have these great descriptions of landscapes that almost act like another character.

Like Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë or Olga Tokarczuk’s Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. The latter is difficult to categorise, it’s kind of a dark feminist comedy and murder mystery.

@improdogger

Sent to The Void by Ringaile Demsyte • @creaturesonpaper

Your music is my favourite soundtrack to wander around the city aimlessly with my headphones on. Especially now the days are getting shorter, and the city is getting colder.

— Carla dal Forno plays on 21 November at OT301, Amsterdam.

Free for Subbacultcha members.

A Guided Tour Through Lotus Land by Jacco Bunt • 2019 • @jaccobunt

Groningen here we come!

SUBBACULTCHA RECOMMENDS

Watch La Jetée.

A 1962 French science fiction short film (28 min)

by Chris Marker.

Constructed almost entirely from still black and white photos.

Really really really beautiful!

Your day-to-day guide to adventure, selected by our team.

For members, non-members and anyone in between.

Got tips? Send an email to thevoid@subbacultcha.nl.

NOVEMBER Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

1 Se e sub

bacultch a.nl for more info

4

Exhibition

5

Exhibition

Patricia Kaersenhout - Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner Too? (4 October - 1 December) De Appel, Amsterdam

Dick Verdult - The Great Hanging Icon Flagellation (19 October - 16 November) Annet Gelink Gallery, Amsterdam

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12

Self-care

Free meditation course Sahaja Yoga, Amsterdam

Film

Queer Pioneers #2: My Own Private Idaho Rialto, Amsterdam

6

Festival

7

Subbacultcha event

Saturday

Festival

10

13

14

15

Omni + Teddy’s Hit EKKO, Utrecht

Celebration

20 Years of OT301 (15 & 16 November) OT301, Amsterdam

Radio

19

Music

Tune in to Subbacultcha Radio on Red Light Radio (18.00 - 19.00) Red Light Radio, Amsterdam

Beverly Glenn-Copeland TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht

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Book recommendation

Music

TR/ST Paradiso, Amsterdam

Dig through some books published by Strange Attractor. To start: Albert Hofmann’s Elixir about his encounter with LSD.

20

Festival

Festival

Kaboom Animation Festival (9 – 17 November) Utrecht & Amsterdam Selected screenings free for Subbacultcha members more info at subbacultcha.nl

16

Subbacultcha event

Eyeshadow: The Squid and the Whale + Meetsysteem Eye Filmmuseum, Amsterdam

Free for Subbacultcha members

18

Festival

Le Guess Who? 2019 (7 - 10 November) Utrecht

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Album recommendation

Listen to the stunning Live au Café Oto by Accident du Travail In a cafe

Free for Subbacultcha members

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Subbacultcha event

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Subbacultcha event

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Performance

International Documentary and Filmfestival Amsterdam (IDFA) (20 November - 1 December) Amsterdam

Carla dal Forno OT301, Amsterdam

Kedr Livanskiy Garage Noord, Amsterdam

Fright by Céline Gillain ISO Amsterdam

Free for Subbacultcha members

Free for Subbacultcha members

Free for Subbacultcha members

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29

30

Subbacultcha event

Music

9

Subbacultcha event

Free for Subbacultcha members

Muziekgebouw aan de Ring: Moor Mother De School, Amsterdam

8

Free for Subbacultcha members

Music

3

Caroline Polachek Paradiso, Amsterdam

Screening + rave: Beats in /K (Skafé) Studio/K, Amsterdam

Exhibition

SELECTED (27 October - 3 November) Looiersgracht 60, Amsterdam

Premiere: Beats Studio/K, Amsterdam

Subbacultcha event

IMPAKT Festival 2019 (30 October - 3 November) Utrecht Selected events free for Subbacultcha members

Eastern Neighbours Film Festival (6 – 10 November) The Hague

2

Sunday

Exhibition

GENTS + Their Beloved Besties OT301, Amsterdam

Dustin Thierry - Opulence (18 November - 8 December) Foam, Amsterdam

Free for Subbacultcha members

Free for Subbacultcha members

Album recommendation

Out today! Easter’s longawaited She is Warm EP Anywhere you like

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Open studios

Rijksakademie Open Studios (22 - 24 November) Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam

Festival

Submarine Festival 2019 w/ BEA1991, The Sweet Release of Death, The Germans and more The Grey Space in the Middle, The Hague

DECEMBER

1 6

See

sub b a for m cultcha.n ore in l fo

2

Food recommendation

3

Song recommendation

Get a vegetarian Turkish Pizza Effendy Bakery & Cafe, Amsterdam

Autechre - Altibizz. Holy shit.

When it’s raining, and you’re inside

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10

Song recommendation

Listen to ‘R.I.P. Screw’ by Travis Scott and king-of-melodies Swae Lee Wherever

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Music

Album recommendation

4

Film

International Queer and Migrant Film Festival (IQMF) (4 - 9 December) Various locations, Amsterdam Selected screenings free for Subbacultcha members

11

Book recommendation

Listen to Catch a Blessing

by M. Sage and while you’re at it check his instragram account @ matthewsage

Read The Testaments

by Margaret Atwood On the couch

17

18

EP recommendation

5

Exhibition

13

14

15

Subbacultcha event

Muziekgebouw aan de Ring: ssaliva + Malibu s105 (De School), Amsterdam

Film

Grab a friend and watch Uncut Gems by the Safdie Brothers At the cinema

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Free for Subbacultcha member Documentary recommendation

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Food recommendation

Subbacultcha event

25

26

27

31

Get some Lao Gan Ma Chili Oil Tjin’s Toko, Amsterdam

Lao Gan Ma Chili Oil: our favorite finishing touch to our sandwiches during lunch.

Love

Hug someone on the final day of this decade (as if that should matter) Wherever you like

Movie recommendation

DJ Shog’s emotionally epic ‘Feel Me (Trough the Radio)’ During a bike ride home after clubbing

24

Food recommendation

Song recommendation

La Haine Stedelijke Museum, Amsterdam

23

Exhibition

12

EASTER Klub 470 (Goethe-Institut), Amsterdam

30

Vereniging Ons Suriname: 100 years of struggle and emancipation in the Netherlands (8 November – 1 January) The Black Archives, Amsterdam

Have a lovely dinner at AN AN, Amsterdam

Lorenzo Vitturi - Materia Impura (18 October - 19 January) Foam, Amsterdam Free for Subbacultcha members

8

Start off the day by listening to ‘Tibet’ by Rose McDowall At the breakfast table

Watch One More Time With Feeling by Andrew Dominik At home

Listen to ‘I Think Of You’ by Rodriguez and prepare to have that stuck in your mind On the bike

Song recommendation

SAUCE Magazine Issue III Release Party Warehouse Elementenstraat, Amsterdam Free for all

Listen to Bby Eco’s self-titled debut EP, out now on Symbyosys #eco-awareness In the forest Exhibition

7

Andrei Tarkovsky last two days!

(14 September - 6 December) Eye Filmmuseum, Amsterdam

Clairo Paradiso Noord, Amsterdam

Song recommendation

Exhibition

Historic Encounters (10 October - 1 December) De Appel, Amsterdam

Subbacultcha events

Horses in the Void #5 w/ SASSY 009 Garage Noord, Amsterdam Free for Subbacultcha members

Instagram recommendation

Binge-scroll our favo Insta @catatonicyouths On your phone

Store recommendation

Visit art, theory and design bookshop San Serriffe Sint Annenstraat 30, Amsterdam

Music

Read ‘The Rise of Electronic Music & Conceptronica’ by Simon Reynolds Pitchfork.com

Food recommendation

Fresh start

Listen to Le Raccourci by Sebastian Gandera.

Stunning.

In the living room

Change your phone background On your phone

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Playlist

Make a playlist for a friend In the deepest trenches of your heart

Book recommendation

Jenny Hval’s Paradise Rot In a comfy living room

Showlist

COMING UP AT SUBBACULTCHA

At EUnderground at Melkweg, Amsterdam

Keep an eye on our website for the freshest updates.

We add new shows all the time, so don’t miss out.

All these shows are free for Subbacultcha members.

Wednesday 13 November

s105 (De School), Amsterdam For Camae Ayewa, poetry, politics, music, and life are one and the same. Armed with a musical platform under the moniker Moor Mother, the Philadelphia-based artist casts gut-wrenching spells of fury. Anger is not a feeling to be suppressed: it is something to be commodified.

She kindles frustration with frantic phonetics wading through vicious noise.

Friday 6 December Saturday 23 November

FRIGHT BY CÉLINE GILLAIN ISO, Amsterdam Returning to Amsterdam following her mindbending show with Erika de Casier in October, Céline Gillain’s showcases her skills as a performance artist. Fright fuses dark comedy, storytelling, feminist sci-fi and a live concert to explore ambivalent emotions towards success.

Why do we get stage fright? What does it mean to self-sabotage? Can we make a safe space, somewhere in the rift between the audience and the performer?

HORSES IN THE VOID #5 Garage Noord, Amsterdam #5. Let’s go. For our fifth edition of Horses in the Void we’re more than happy to have invited electro polymath SASSY 009. As cool as the Oslo Winter, highly danceable and hard-hitting. Misha Gurovich will provide the visual aspect of the night. In our favorite garage up the North. More artists TBA!

Friday 6 December

EYESHADOW: THE SQUID AND THE WHALE + MEETSYSTEEM

SAUCE MAGAZINE ISSUE III RELEASE PARTY

A warm, messed up little ballad of a movie. Set in Brooklyn in 1986, the narrative is centered about the dissolving marriage of Bernard, a once successful writer-turned-bitter-professor, and his younger wife, who is launching her own reputable career as a novelist. Nous’klaer’s rising star, Meetsysteem will perform his darkly philosophical pop-electronica before one of his personal favorite motion pictures.

Wednesday 27 November

GENTS + THEIR BELOVED BESTIES OT301, Amsterdam GENTS’ latest LP Human Connection, touches on subject of reaching out, coming clean and trying to be an empathetic human in a confusing, techdependent world. In full spirit of the album, the Copenhagen-based “spa pop” duo will be joined

by Their Beloved Besties as they hit the road for a string of EU shows in November. This one will be stadium-worthy.

Warehouse Elementenstraat, Amsterdam Emerging out of Amsterdam’s Gerrit Rietveld Academie, SAUCE is more than just a fashion magazine. The platform is a playground, stretching between different departments and disciplines to create a cut-and-paste, avantgarde exploration of couture. After two iconic launches in our own little s105, you’re cordially invited to the launch of issue III FULL TILT. Free for all!

Running Saturday 9 – Sunday 17 November, Kaboom Animation Festival is the one-stop-shop for the latest and greatest in all things animated. Ranging from experimental arthouse to colourful storytelling, Kaboom will cater to the animation needs of all.

Subbacultcha has a limited amount of tickets available for selected screenings. Secure a spot by sending a mail to mailinglist@subbacultcha.nl with ‘Kaboom’ in the subject line + your full name in the text. Visit subbacultcha.nl for more info on the screenings.

Friday 15 November / Sunday 17 November

THE STATE AGAINST MANDELA AND THE OTHERS (FULL LENGTH FEATURE) Het Ketelhuis, Amsterdam / Machinegebouw, Amsterdam

There were no cameras in court when Nelson Mandela and nine other defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment in 1964, but sound recordings were made throughout the trial. Directors Nicolas Champeaux and Gilles Porte recognized the potential of these 256 hours of audio, and used them to create a vivid reflection on the apartheid era.

Wednesday 13 November / Thursday 14 November

Linda Fox at De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam

Saturday 16 November

At EUnderground at Melkweg, Amsterdam

Eye Filmmuseum, Amsterdam

KABOOM ANIMATION FESTIVAL Various locations, Amsterdam & Utrecht

At Front Row Festival at Skatecafé, Amsterdam

MUZIEKGEBOUW AAN DE RING: MOOR MOTHER

At Front Row Festival at Skatecafé, Amsterdam

IN SPACE NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM (SHORT) Machinegebouw, Amsterdam / Het Ketelhuis, Amsterdam

Creepy tentacle monsters chasing their prey through a narrow hallway, sentient robots that suddenly refuse to comply with your orders, and gooey parasites that want to have your brain for brunch: this is a shorts compilation filled to the slimy brim with all the galactic horrors animators are able to imagine.

Wednesday 13 November / Sunday 17 November

Thursday 12 December

CARLA DAL FORNO

INTERNATIONAL QUEER & MIGRANT FILM FESTIVAL (IQMF)

OT301, Amsterdam

At Kirin J. Callinan at s105 ( De School), Amsterdam

Carla dal Forno creates through isolation, in both space and time. Despite having moved on from recording with her MacBook, the Londonbased and Australian-born artist still brings a DIY attitude to performing. By working in a record store and having a show on NTS radio, she draws from diverse influences, arriving at a poised, minimal, post-punk composure. Vocal inflections that propel emotion and uneasily enchanting horror movie synths.

Various locations, Amsterdam This year celebrating its 5th edition, IQMF provides queer & migrant filmmakers with a voice and platform for showcasing their film productions and expanding their network. Screenings, art exhibitions, workshops, debates, the annual newcomers dinner and the international talent program IQMF Academy. Subbacultcha members will have free access to a selected number of films. Keep an eye on Subbacultcha.nl for more information.

MUZIEKGEBOUW AAN DE RING: SSALIVA + MALIBU

KEDR LIVANSKIY Garage Noord, Amsterdam Moscow-born Kedr Livanskiy conjures necromantic melodies out of effervescent samples, resurrecting light beats to paint an epiphanic sunrise. Her second, self-released album Your Need provides a hypnotic portal to the absurd.

Now a Subbacultcha regular, we welcome her back for the third (!!!) time around.

Thank you to Carhartt Work In Progress for supporting this event.

THE CLICK CLICK CLUB The Click Click Club means future #tbt material by our members. We hand over a disposable camera at our shows and you show us what you see.

Want to join? Pick up a camera at the cash desk of one of our next shows or shoot an e-mail to clickclick@subbacultcha.nl for more info.

All s105 shows are sponsored by Jupiler.

Ah, the scientific wonders of space travel! But what about the philosophical and ethical implications?

What problems do we bump into when traveling through space, colonizing planets or even hopping universes? Will we forget about Earth? Who owns the planets? Can our bodies handle space travel? Can our minds handle it?

s105 (De School), Amsterdam Belgium producer ssaliva is a sonic waveform that crashes over the genre of house music, revealing raw, dripping exhilaration. Think of a water-damaged Durutti Column record, or a post-punk band from the abyss. Otherwise known as DJ Lostboi and often found behind the decks with Torus, Malibu bends towards the experimental ark of ambient electronic.

Thursday 14 November / Friday 15 November

EVERYDAY PEOPLE (SHORT) Het Ketelhuis, Amsterdam

Shorts about life struggles we all encounter: feeling insecure about our looks, losing a beloved pet or even just dealing with a runny nose. Everyday people.

Part of the ‘Focus on South Korea’ program at Kaboom.

Thursday 14 November

MIND MY MIND (SHORT) Het Ketelhuis, Amsterdam

Friday 20 December Friday 22 November

Het Ketelhuis, Amsterdam

At Kirin J. Callinan at s105 ( De School), Amsterdam

EASTER Klub 470 (Goethe-Institut), Amsterdam Following a few years hiatus, the Berlin-based duo are back with a towering EP that embodies their signature bleak minimalism and toetapping discord. Writer Stine Omar and producer Max Boss riff deadpan poetry with synthetic post-Eurodance beats, delivering a performance that has been described as avant-garde art installation.

When relying on social scripts to survive the social world, it’s not easy to go off-script. Especially if you’re obsessed with German dive bombers and just want to date a girl. Join for a special screening, including a Q&A with director Floor Adams.

Saturday 16 November

WOMEN WATCHING PORN LIVE (SHORT) Het Ketelhuis, Amsterdam Porn - a genre of animation we shouldn’t under-estimate. Or should we? Let’s find out. Cris, Maxi and Laura (hosts of the podcast Women Watching Porn) invite you to watch animated porn and erotica with them, and to chat about the good, the bad and the orgastic that present itself on screen.

Thanks FotoLab Kiekie for making our negatives positive!

Wednesday 4 - Monday 9 December

At Sneaks + Linda Fox at De Nieuwe Anita, Amsterdam

Thursday 21 November

MO COSMOS MO PROBLEMS (SHORT)

Go to chimeralab.nl and enjoy the surprises of over 9K types of hybrid creatures. @kexin_hao

No shine, without friction / Without friction, no shine / zonder wrijving geen glans.

No shine, without friction

SASSY 009 Interview by Sydney van Nieuwaal Photos shot for Subbacultcha by Jonathan Vivaas Kise in Oslo, Norway

Electro-pop polymath SASSY 009, or Sunniva Lindgård, torches through dimmed and rumbling walls of sound with glistening rays of light. Step into the panoramic haze and find yourself orbited by icy analog synths and something relentlessly passionate. We veered off the beaten path and jumped with Sunniva into the deep end.

Hi Sunniva!

If you keep holding on to the status quo, meaning often starts to fade.

Hi! I use music as a tool to seperate confusion and clarity from each other. Cutting through the membrane between it.

When we chatted a couple days ago, we spoke of the time and energy that’s invested in music - but that people don’t always take that into account when they’re listening. Do you think knowing more about the process adds depth for listeners?

When did music started being able to do this for you?

Ever since I started making it.

Yes, I think so. It’s been sort of crucial for me to create my own universe. Also, being more clear that this is just me now. That’s also a factor that has come into this - the statement that SASSY 009 is just me. This is me, fully.

100%. Many still think the project is a trio.

And before that?

Before that I was just very depressed. I wasn’t in touch with myself at all, when I think of it. I was just at a place where I didn’t really… fuck I can’t find the word in English. You know, when you plant a seed and water it… I didn’t plant my happy-kind-of-seed, I planted something completely different, just trying to fill in this…

Even though your vocals are very upfront, they’re delivered in quite a subdued fashion.

Personally, this pulls me in - makes me listen deeper. I become eager to focus and get close.

Is this deliberate?

Void?

To be honest, I don’t think of the listener at all while making music.

Haha, yeah. Fill in the void. I didn’t really see how this was harmful, while I was watering the wrong seed.

Fuck, you’re right. You said that before.

Maybe because that’s what you’ve been told to do?

Don’t worry, it’s interesting for me to discuss!

But I make music based on intuition and my thoughts and feelings. I’m not rejecting my listeners in this process of making music, but my approach to this is based upon that I want to be a happy human being. Therefore I make the music that I feel like making. It’s as easy as that, really.

Yes, but I was also very much telling myself to do that. Also, I didn’t have something that I really liked to do. Until I found snowboarding.

How does snowboarding tie into all this?

It was a way to get my head out of that space for a bit! You can either get physically hurt because you fall, or slide down super smooth.

I like the simplicity of that, it’s easy to deal with. Through snowboarding I found out about all this music I listened to while taking the metro from my house to the slope.

To some extent that drove me to creating my own universe, eventually.

What drove you to making a semi-self-titled EP, KILL SASSY 009?

It’s the closest you can get to having a self-titled record, without having a selftitled record.

What does ‘kill’ in the title allude to? It’s the only thing that stops the record from being self-titled, basically.

It’s a record that came as a result of SASSY 009 almost not existing anymore. By putting that in words, it made SASSY 009 continue. As just me.

In another interview you mentioned that your creative process feels like being in “a mindset of constant dynamic resistance”. Resistance to what?

To not knowing where you’re going. It’s like standing on top of a cliff. You can jump to the left, to the right or somewhere in the middle.

Within that is a choice, but you can’t really see why you should choose either way. Maybe you shouldn’t jump at all? It’s a symbolic resistance in my head, coming from not knowing where to go. I just have to choose and see where I end up. As a doubtful person, there’s a lot of resistance in those moments.

Resisting standing still?

Yep. It’s me trying to find a reason.

When we spoke about your record before you said: “It was created because I was pissed

— SASSY 009 plays 6 December during Horses in the Void #5 at Garage Noord, Amsterdam. Free for Subbacultcha members.

off, the sound of my music is a product of me bashing my head against the wall and then bashing my head in there just a little further.

It’s my way of screaming, I guess”. Sounds like a lot of boundary pushing! Is there any damage done in that process?

I mean, I’m damaging some parts of my social life and it doesn’t necessarily make me happy bashing my head against the wall. However, it eventually will.

Because of growth?

Because I grow and because it’s, weirdly enough, the thing I love the most.

There’s quite a lot to gain from that point of friction.

It’s self-realization. Think of Marina Abramovic.

She’s been putting herself in highly uncomfortable situations, just because she’s using herself as an object to show what humans are able to do to each other if you take away

social boundaries. She’s her own weapon.

I wouldn’t say I’m doing the same thing, but there’s a similar mentality. Willing to put yourself through something very painful or destructive, because eventually something might come out of it. I wouldn’t know what I would do if I wouldn’t do music. I would probably find another way of bashing my head against the wall. Maybe in a much more destructive way.

Headpiece by Pegah Afifi. Earrings by Alva Brosten.

“I wouldn’t know what to do without music. I would probably find another way of bashing my head against the wall. Maybe in a much more destructive way.”

“Always put on your oxygen mask first, before helping others.”

Life advice from our graphic design intern Isabella.

YOUTUBE RECOMMENDATION Windows XP Startup Sound slowed down to 24 hours

‘Garage à chat, 2017’ sent to The Void by Sarah-Louise Barbett @sarahlouisebarbett

A note from our booker

LISTEN TO:

the podcast ‘Textual Feelings’ on Soundcloud for some insightful queer and feminist literature reviews

MUSIC THAT EXCITES ROBY I have a strong urge to refer to the weather every time I sit down to write this...

Unfortunately(?), sometimes things don’t correlate easily like that. So I’ll just give you six albums, in no particular order, that I find pleasurable to listen to. Strong individually, but also pretty in a list.

I finished off with a movie for a change.

Anne Imhof FAUST Astrid Sonne Cliodynamics Kubilay Mert Ural Dreaming Shit Good Morning Tapes Kelman Duran They Are Not Afraid of Her Devon Welsh True Love

Sounds like

Easter She’s Warm (out 26 November)

We ask our favorite artists to curate a personal profile of tracks. A list of music that captures who they are, and why they do what they do.

‘Aegon’ sent to The Void by Je • @jeroen_de_wandel

Leos Carax Mauvais Sang (movie) Xx Roby Booker at Subbacultcha

‘oh where did that silly horse of mine go?’ sent to The Void by Huub Kooijman

A DV ERT ISEMEN T

GENTS Sentimental, heartfelt. Optimistic by default. Eager to understand the ‘spa pop’ & ‘cremecore’ gentlemen in a wider frequency, we asked them curate a playlist - amplifying their thoughts and feelings.

Album art you’re loving at the moment

planning marketing ticketing

Robert Miles - Dreamland A track suited for summer slowly coming to an end Special-K - I Thought I’d Be More Famous

By Now

Sent to The Void by Maria My

Something to be played way too loud George Michael - Precious Box Something that would be played in hell U2 - Beautiful Day Something that would be played in heaven U2 - Beautiful Day Your ringtones Axel F - Crazy Frog A track for hardcore celebration Darude - Sandstorm A soundtrack for the end of times Enya - Orinoco Flow A song that’s so raw, you would have to chew on it for hours SOPHIE - Faceshopping Something to be played in stressful times Tomoki Kanda - Everybody Wants To Rule The World (Tears for Fears cover) A song that’s life-affirming Cher - Believe

Sent to The Void by Da

Want to dedicate a piece of music to anyone?

We want to dedicate Human Connection to every single one of you listening out there.

You guys are amazing <3 GENTS and their beloved besties play on 27 November at OT301, Amsterdam. Free for Subbacultcha members.

Find a streamable version of this playlist at subbacultcha.nl.

SAUCE MAGAZINE

4 AM is the most spiritual hour. When night dissolves into day. The magic hour.

The liminoid phase of dreaming. For this project, we ask artists to set their alarm clock to 4 AM and create something covering their lucid dream state at that moment.

Divine creations at the most ungodly hour. 4 AMEN.

KATJA NOVITSKOVA Interview by Hannah Pezzack Katja Novitskova is a visual artist who has been exhibited all over the world.

Her fantastical imagery merges nature and technology. Stick figures and repeated symbols, that recall cave paintings or children’s drawings, collide with glossy silicone surfaces. It’s an envisioning of an apocalyptic digital future. One where AI and algorithms rein, and organic life is nothing but a fading neon memory.

I’ve got a slight fever, and so my dreams were filled with a bit of dread and sadness for people I haven’t seen in a long time.

What music were you listening to?

The soundtrack from Mati Diop’s fantastic film Atlantics by Fatima al Qadiri. It’s haunting and majestic. Also some half-forgotten experimental ambient music from the 1970s and 1980s by Pauline Anna Strom.

What’s your bedroom like?

Minimalist and covered in clothes, and half-emptied suitcases. The curtains are so thick, it can feel like night time at midday.

The zebras come from a crowdsourcing citizen science website, where I identify thousands of images taken by automatic wildlife cameras.

It’s used as a resource for environmental activists and scientists, as well as training captcha algorithms. This summer I collaborated with PWR Studio on a graffiti/drawing project. We used a database of ancient European cave art, diagrams of neurone cells and maps of islands to algorithmically generate stick figures. Through the ghostly characters, I wonder where the totality of technological surveillance will eventually lead us. Finally, I corrupt the image using synthetic clay, turning it into an archaeological artefact from centuries ago.

Wanna see more of Katja’s work? @katjanovi

yers • @_factorygirl_

Go to Subbacultcha.nl for an exclusive interview with performance artist Céline Gillain ahead of her show at ISO Amsterdam during Amsterdam Art Weekend on 23 November.

Free for Subbacultcha members!

“There is so much more than hierarchies.”

Can you walk us through your creation process?

What to expect of issue 3 - FULL TILT?

Céline Gillian during her Subbacultcha show at s105 (De School) Amsterdam. October 2019.

Lyrics from the song ‘I’m Grateful’.

What were your dreaming of?

eroen De Wandel

avid Schiesser • @ds_008

FULL TILT, the third issue of bi-annual fashion magazine SAUCE was created from the hands of over 40 (!) contributors - all hailing from the Gerrit Rietveld Academie. With a purely imagebased issue, it’s crystal clear SAUCE doesn’t need words or numbers to correspond with the world.

And well, this was double-proved when we shot the SAUCE chatbot a handful of questions.

4 AM forever

Could you tell us a bit about the creation process of this issue?

How would it feel flipping through the pages for the first time?

How does it feel flipping through the pages for you - knowing the magazine inside out?

What does this issue smell like?

What to expect from the release party?

BEYOND THE BLACK BOX This performance can be seen during Beyond the Black Box - a festival for artists who transcend the boundaries between disciplines and forms.

Fragment from The Senders by Stav Yeini, © JulieCalbert

31 January – 8 February, De Brakke Grond.

Get a preview at subbacultcha.nl

— Celebrate the release of Issue 3 - FULL TILT on 6 December at Warehouse Elementenstraat, Amsterdam. Free for all.

Melody makers Rough motifs, life-altering compositions and little bops straight from the heart.

Lyra during her Subbacultcha show at s105 (De School).

September 2019.

LYRA PRAMUK Remember Lyra Pramuk in the s105 last September? That dense, warm night satiated with warping vocal harmonies and smoke. A lot of smoke. Finding ourselves eager for another round, we asked Lyra to compose a little melody - however she felt like doing it. The only rule: a maximum length of 30 seconds.

“It makes me feel free, like letting go of something that doesn’t help you and knowing that life has cycles and you have to move on.”

A DV ERT ISEMEN T

’Why I hate the Sunfish’

GOOGLE THIS:

How this melody made Lyra feel.

Sent to The Void by Julia Huizinga • @juliasaranoelle

A DV ERT ISEMEN T

“Love is twofold: it is the supreme happiness and the supreme misfortune.”

Quote by the writer, philosopher, social activist and Nobel Prize winner, Octavio Paz from the short story My Life With The Wave (about a man who falls in love with a wave).

This poster A State of Mind, 2019 is made by Aafke Bouman.

Aafke Bouman graduated from her Bachelor of Arts, Illustration at the HKU in 2017. Within her imagery, there is always a nomadic element to be found, both through the meaning and content as well as her way of working. Often she takes on the role of an artist-archaeologist, unearthing historical narratives, found imagery and human traces, translated through bold and playful colour.

“While making this work I was inspired by the documentary A State of Mind (2004), a British documentary that follows two young girls as they prepare for the Mass Games, the world’s largest choreographed gymnastics performance in North Korea. The tournament focuses on group dynamics as much as individual skill, and has vital cultural and emotional resonance in the country.”

Excited to see more?

Check @aafkebouman

Bowling instructions. Believe us, you are going to need this one day.

Scan the QR-code with your phone, and relive that one-of-a-kind night.

A State of Mind, 2019 by Aafke Bouman • 2019 • @aafkebouman

HMコンサート

NAOMI VELISSARIOU

Sent to The Void by Mak Alvarez

Point of view

I LITERALLY HATE THE ART WORLD

PHOTO: JAN HOEK

by The White Pube Photo shot by Ollie Adegboye

INFO & TICKETS JANUARY– THEATERUTRECHT.NL FEBRUARY 2020

Chances are that you’ve heard of The White Pube already.

And if you haven’t, follow them on Instagram NOW. Duo Zarina Muhammad and Gabrielle de la Puente deliver a savvy commentary on the art world. Self-described as ‘unprofessional, irresponsible part-time critics’, they utilise emojis and realspeak to call out the often sterile language of visual culture. We sent them a message, asking if they’d do us an edit of their now infamous article, ‘I Literally Hate The Art World’. A relatable and thought-provoking read for anyone who’s been frustrated by the creative industries.

A DV ERT ISEMEN T

YOUTUBE SEARCH: ‘My friend listening to Untitled by D’angelo while having breakfast’

A DV ERT ISEMEN T

Sent to The Void by OK McCausland • okmccausland.com

Note from your art director

all day I’ve been thinkin about what job I’d do if I upped and left the art world. I’m knee-deep in art bullshit and i’m not really sure why i’m still trying to walk uphill through it all. I’m 25, over it and unsure why it’s not fixed already, why I’ve had to inherit the fact it’s not operational, caring, or a happy place to be. wasted opportunity. The arts are able to Be Political(!) in a way other industries aren’t, and yet the old stays old; no one is making the most of their philosophical freedom, and the arts have ended up mirroring the systemic racism, ableism and all the other isms that constitute the working and social worlds. Look at it. Every scene has the same problems. underrepresented artists remain pushed out of mainstream platforms, can’t exhibit anywhere, don’t feel comfortable in cliquey vstudio groups made up of bolshy whites, can’t develop their practice and aren’t able to build up a CV to get funding n start something up of their own where they might be on a level playing field for once. long sentence but it’s long, isn’t it. Artist-led galleries keep trying to become white cubes and are shit at making any effort towards engagement. the actual art in galleries is rarely of value to anyone; TOO many shows are forgettable. unpaid labour is the norm yet the art market is what it is. Galleries move from building to building once their presence has gentrified the area enough for developers’ satisfaction, and that might STOP if anyone ever owned their building but we don’t do we. in the UK, arts council funding is from lottery tickets ye, and while most ticket buyers are outside London, most funding goes there. Make It Make Sense, I beg. Then, there’s nowhere to complain about how these systems operate because no scene ever invites criticism, only arts journalism. no one at the top wants to know. thus the same people keep their seats, play musical chairs, fail upwards - no space opens up for anybody else and nothing fuckin changes :) I can give you my 2 cents but i’m wise enough to know it’s not gonna do anything. 1. Be more responsive and speak wider, beyond people who use the same

vocabulary as you. react to politics and people’s needs and wants; to immigration policy, food banks, rising hate crime and allow the gallery space to become more than it is. Can the gallery be a place where people can organise? if you let it. 2. address the idea of locality more enthusiastically, 3. look after each other. Make sure it’s the Real World and not solely the Art World ur keeping tabs on. Idk how much aesthetics matter right now when the world is going to shit!! When you’re doing an art-thing or event, do your best to 4. make it accessible and inviting: people have needs, have babies, and they need to know what they’re getting themselves into or if they even can. 5. Resist your mean girl cliques. i can’t believe I have to say this but the whole art world is a boring reputation economy where quality goes out the window. sorry but artistic activity should never be Cool otherwise it’s excluding someone, so calm down. 6. proactively invite criticism, and never take it personally - it’s about the work, not you, unless you’re a dick.

Embed this openness to critique in every aspect of your practice, expect it and even pay for it when you can because someone is doing you a service letting you know how it feels to confront your work. this is something you can take forward and use to do better. After u’ve paid, 7. Pay it forward, like if you’re in a position of power or privilege how can you help others come up? mentoring, exhibiting opportunities, traineeships, odd jobs, in-kind support, advertising, commissions, covering travel, networking and introductions all make the art world go round so make sure they’re going to the right people. Don’t be lazy w who you pick, take risks on people who need more experience! Otherwise, honestly, I’m off. I don’t know why it isn’tfixed already. Like, why would any of these suggestions be unpalatable to anyone? we everyone is leaving the art world because they need to, it’s prematurely ageing us all. if the remainder of us want to survive, i suggest we change the shape of things. I would like us ALL to TRY.

Read or listen to the full version of this text at thewhitepube.co.uk