The Russian Issue

Volume 03 — Issue 05

Neighbourhood Life + Global Style

Do not throw on the public domain.

Neighbourhood Soviet stories Life The face of Russia Style Under surveillance Design More is more is more Culture Comrades at sea + The Food Special

ЋE ЯUSSIД Л ISSЦE

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The editor's letter

Publisher and editor-in-chief Nicholas Lewis

My first, true encounter with Russians occurred in 2007, whilst celebrating the 25th birthday of a childhood friend in Ibiza. I say ‘true’ encounter because, although I had met and known some Russians throughout my high school and college years, it is only once I partied with them that I felt I truly got a sense for what it meant to be Russian in the 21st century. Truth be told, I had my idea of how the week-long birthday bash would go down, but absolutely nothing could have prepared me for what was to come. Private dinners on beaches, days spent on yachts with our very own DJs and return trips to St Tropez in private jets. And we hadn’t even gotten to the clubbing part.

It was insane. Being an invited guest, I was able to keep somewhat of a moral distance with the whole proceedings – although I did catch myself, towards the end of the trip, trying to pull off a Russian accent. No, really.

Editor Randa Wazen Design facetofacedesign + pleaseletmedesign Writers Devrim Bayar Anneke Bokern Tatiana Hachimi Rozan Jongstra Renasha Khan Nicholas Lewis Jill Matthieu Melisande McBurnie Jack Moyersoen Philippe Pourhashemi Randa Wazen

So it was with some apprehension and great caution that we approached this Russian Issue. Well aware of the clichés attached to the motherland, we were intent on showing the other side of the coin. The edgy and exciting side. The soft and stunning side.

The ‘us’ side, really.

So, we got some bands (Hercules & Love Affair, HEALTH and the Black Lips amongst others) to tell us about their touring antics in Russia, met and photographed some of Belgium’s Russian diaspora and took aim at the country’s surveillance culture. We also were lucky enough to be given access to three Russian cargo ships and, last but not least, asked Gosha Rubchinskiy, one of the country’s most exciting contemporary fashion designers and photographers – a mix between Larry Clark and a young Nick Knight – to spend a few days photographing Russian forests. The series he delivered is nothing short of stunning. Exactly what we had expected.

Photography/Illustration Toon Aerts Ulrike Biets Joël Blanter Oliver Donnet Vincent Ferrane Vincent Fournier Veerle Frissen Melika Ngombe Kolongo Sarah Michielsen Mydeadpony Gosha Rubchinskiy Yassin Serghini Virassamy

This edition also carries our food special. In it, you will find a guide to some of our favourite lunchspots, an experiment we dubbed ‘bunker paradise’ as well as some musings on a decidedly airless culinary fad. We also finally reveal where to eat the best roast chicken in Belgium. Your mouth watering yet ?

Moving forward, we have some rather exciting announcements to make.

After three years of loyal services, we’re doing away with our themes in favour of albums. Albums and colours. The first one will be The Black Album. We’ll also be throwing regular parties throughout the year, essentially to celebrate each edition coming out. The first party, in celebration of our first album, will be held on 7th January. On the digital side of things, we’ll be launching our iPad application in January as well as a revamped version of our website. Come March, our newsletter will be hitting your inboxes.

Interns Antoine Ghuisoland (graphic design) Melika Ngombe Kolongo (photography) Jochem Thyssen (communication)

Big things people. Big, big things.

Nicholas Lewis

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The contents

* Life

*

01 The cover The Russian issue 02 A word from our advertisers Delvaux 04 The editor’s letter Volume 3 – n° 05 05 A word from our advertisers Saab 06 The contents You’re looking at it 07 A word from our advertisers Jack Purcell 08 The contributors It’s a Word’s world 09 A word from our advertisers Swatch * Neighbourhood

30 The institution

72 The movement

11 The diary Belgium 13 A word from our advertisers Canon 14 The diary Belgium + United Kingdom 15 The diary United Kingdom 16 The diary Holland + France 17 A word from our advertisers Brussels Philharmonic 18 The diary Gigs to catch & Give aways 19 A word from our advertisers Symfonieorkest Vlaanderen 20 The papers

The Russian papers

26

27

28

The guide To a Russian mail order bride A word from our advertisers Russian Standard Vodka The party Back to School

Less is a bore * Culture

76

78

Reading faces

The shelf If you don’t read books…

The take-over Striking (black) gold

82 The eye * Style

36

40

The moodboard

The accidental de‘Medici

32 The Word on

10 The diary

* Design

The showstoppers Goods from the Gulag The confession Lost in Russia

A Russian container

46 The fashion Word

86 The portfolio

The boy and the red mask

54 The short story CCTV in operation * The Food Special

56

57

58

59

60

64

68

The cover The Food Special The food papers Feasting on air The food papers The original…+ Pass the peas please The food papers Downtown dining The experiment Bunker paradise The directory Tell your people to tell my people…

The special showstoppers Getting in the mix

Can’t see the forest for the trees *

94

95

96

The stockists And others we love A word from our advertisers The Word Magazine The advertisers Round up

98 Before we leave you 99 A word from our advertisers Ristorante Bocconi 100 A word from our advertisers Delvaux

www.converse.be/jackpurcell

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The contributors

It’s a Word’s world

Melika Ngombe Kolongo Photographer

Geoffroy Delobel Web designer

We first came across Melika’s work when she interned with us before the summer, and instantly fell in love with her style, which she dubs “conceptual documentary”. Nurturing an intense fascination for film photography and old cameras, Melika loves the smells of the chemicals used to develop the images.

The results are always eye-opening and her various experiments, be it with films that have expired over a decade ago or her intriguing and intricate directing of this issue’s Special Showstoppers, never cease to amaze us.

Geoffroy’s the kind of guy who moves behind the scenes. As co-founder of Central Design, our interactive agency, he’s been instrumental in giving The Word its digital edge, firstly with our website (which he designed with his Central Design co-founder Ali Nassiri and is soon to be re-launched) and now with the work he’s doing on our iPad application (out in January 2011). The patience he shows by fielding our many novice questions and the restraint he demonstrates in not making fun of our obvious retarded IT knowledge makes him an integral part of the team. centraldesign.be

Renasha Khan Editorial intern

Pages n° 68, 69, 70, 71

“Rere” joined the team in May for an internship that was only meant to last a couple of months. She became part of the family before we could even pronounce her name correctly and when the time came to part ways, we simply couldn’t let go of her. Her dedication and resourcefulness have been put to the test on many occasions and, somehow, she’s always pulled through, and always with the wicked sense of humour we’ve grown to love her for.

Pages n° 76, 77

Toon Aerts Photographer & director

“By now, if you don’t realise that I might be a F###ING major contribution to your magazine, you have indeed gone blind.”

Those were Toon’s words when we were a bit too slow in answering previous emails he had sent us. Left with no choice but to give the raging madman (who turned out to be the sweetest person ever) a chance, his persistence definitely paid off. His pictures are as striking as his rhetoric and yes, he truly has become a F###ING major contribution to The Word. toonaerts.com Pages n° 32, 33, 34, 35

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The moodboard Events Arts Music Getaways

Some of the items on the board this month: a shapka bought from a street stall on Moscow’s Red Square, the invitation to Taryn Simon’s show Contraband at Almine Rech Gallery, some shots Flore took on a trip to Russia 10 years ago, a Russian Standard advertorial torn out from Wired magazine, the Wallpaper city guides to S t Petersburg and Moscow, a London-based Russian magazine picked up at Heathrow airport on 6 th November, Christof Schäfer and Janos Tedeschi’s No Way to Heaven documentary, Renasha’s Frieze Art Fair press pass, the flyer and drink tickets to our Back to School party, Rob Hornstra’s book 101 Billionaires, a bottle of Eristoff’s latest Gold blend, a Gusli (made in Russia), some screen shots of memorable Chatroulette sessions and Alix Lambert’s The Mark of Cain, a documentary on Russian inmates’ink.

Neighbourhood

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Belgium ( 01 10 ) Exhibitions by Israeli artist Guy Zagursky, shown here for the first time in Belgium, are really meant to be experienced, rather than just seen. He may not be the first aiming to do so, but his monumental sculptures – incorporating lights, optical effects and mirrors – have the power to meet his ambitions. Confronting the viewer to the meaning of beauty and its link to the transient nature of time, the artist himself describes good contemporary sculpture as a “static moment within a super-dynamic, imageridden reality”.

Irina Zatulovskaya @ Roots Contemporary (Brussels), until 28th November 2010 – Dive into the established Russian artist’s “Siberian Diary”, a collection of drawings, paintings and sketches made during her frequent journeys through the motherland, whilst casting a poetic glance at her homeland.

 r8tz.biz

02.

Twin towers

Britain’s most iconic and controversial pair take over the Bozar with no less than 85 monumental pictures from their latest and most extensive series to date. Gilbert & George’s Jack Freak Pictures pay tribute to their cherished East End and are a strong testimonial of their undying patriotism. As you may have noticed, the connecting theme here is the Union Jack, spiked with their trademark tongue in cheek humour and declined in bold blue, red, white and black hues. If you didn’t get a chance to catch these monumental images in London, Paris or Athens yet, now is the time.

01.

© Francis Alÿs

02.

Guy Zagursky: follow the white rabbit  Until 23rd December 2010 ☞ Twig Gallery, Brussels  twiggallery.com

Painting for the touch

Even though Richard Artschwager’s work has borne the labels of pop, minimal, and conceptual art, the artist himself has always refused to be pigeonholed, and rightfully so. Famous for his deconstructed furniture turned sculpture and “BLP” quotation pieces, Artschwager will be showing a series of recent portraits and landscapes.

The paintings might seem tame compared to his previous creations, yet maintain the same level of playful misappropriation that have become a constant in his oeuvre. Using acrylic, whitewash and pastels on a thick fibrous paper glued onto soundboard, he creates a three-dimensional effect that makes the paintings almost tactile.

© Gilbert & George

04. * Last days to see

The elusive dimension

03.

© Courtesy of the artist

Francis Alÿs: a story of deception  Until 30th January 2011 ☞ Wiels, Brussels  wiels.be

03.

Gilbert & George: Jack freak pictures  Until 23rd January 2011 ☞ Bozar, Brussels  bozar.be

Richard Artschwager  Until 11th December 2010 ☞ Xavier Hufkens Gallery, Brussels  xavierhufkens.com

04.

* The show you can’t miss Giuseppina Calci @Iselp (Brussels), until 18th December 2010 – In “Dark Hapiness”, the young illustrator’s haunting drawings feature an Alice that has long left Wonderland. Her minimal and almost naïve style only reinforces the unsettling nature of these captivating yet nightmarish visions.

 iselp.be

© Xavier Hufkens, Brussels

01. Home coming It actually comes as a suprise that a Belgian artist as internationally revered and recognised as Francis Alÿs – counting solo exhibitions all over Europe – had yet to be given a retrospective in his homeland.

Fortunately for us, the Wiels has straightened this out with a major survey presenting his pictorial works, alongside a number of new pieces.

Most famous for getting 500 Peruvian students to geographically displace an entire dune, one dig at a time, his work explores political subjects such as disputed borders and financial crises, as well as everyday situations, questioning the very meaning of our existence.

12

05.

The diary

05.

Cartoon confessions

Those still convinced that the cartoon format is one solely aimed at kids could benefit from an enlightening (although probably equally disturbing) stroll through Robert Crumb’s exhibition opening this month. The Baronian Francey pays tribute to the highly controversial illustrator, dubbed the “King of the Underground Cartoonists” for his fearless incorporation of pornographic and scatological themes in the puritan America of the 60s.

Crumb’s drawings, executed with his distinctive and obsessive style characteristic of 50s comics, are riddled with a subversive approach, earning him a cult-like following amongst the alternative comics milieu.

© Baronian Francey Gallery

© André Gordts, courtesy of Museum Dhondt - Dhaenens

© Galerie Rodolphe Janssen

06.

Robert Crumb  Until 31st December 2010 ☞ Baronian Francey Gallery, Brussels  baronianfrancey.com 06.

07.

08.

Thomas Hirschhorn Too too - much much  Until 5th December 2010 ☞ Museum Dhont-Dhaenens, Ghent  museumdd.be

Irreverently yours

David Ratcliff’s paintings caught the art world by surprise when he first presented his large canvases featuring methods of back alley vandalism a few years ago. Hijacking images from magazines, pamphlets and the Internet, he creates intricate stencils which he then impulsively spray paints onto large canvases, causing the stencils to dissolve, hence the paint leaks.

For this show, the American artist presents recent works that carry a more pictorial dimension, but still retain his trademark dichotomy, be it with the two-tone chromes, the use of positive and negative dualities, the abstract and figurative narratives, or the conceptual rigor as well as his punk aesthetic.

David Ratcliff  Until 23rd December 2010 ☞ Galerie Rodolphe Janssen, Brussels  galerierodolphejanssen.com

* The festival to catch Autumn Falls

© Galerie Fortlaan 17, Ghent

07. Trop is te veel You know something delightfully

ominous is looming when long protective boots are handed to you at the entrance of a museum. The excess-loving Swiss artist Thomas Hirschhorn, renowned for his hypersaturated installations, has hijacked the Dhont-Dhaenens museum for his latest exhibition, where no less than 14 truckloads of recycled cans were dumped. Following his credo of “Energy: YES! Quality: No!”, he plunges the visitors in his pile of collected cans, meant to symbolise everything that is wrong with today’s conspicuous consumption cuture. An absolute must, and a great reason to spend the afternoon in Deurle, a charming village right near Ghent.

@ Brussels, from 26th to 28th November 2010 – The first edition of this new indoor festival brings an ear-punching blend of emerging artists (Beach House, Room 204, Vermin Twins) and established acts (Lambchop, Atari Teenage Riot) to the capital’s best live venues and bars. The best part? No portacabins in sight.

 autumnfalls.be

* The show you can’t miss Evgueni Khaldei @ Botanique (Brussels), until 23rd December 2010 – The Botanique’s museum is currently displaying more than one hundred prints of Tass agency’s famed photographer. A war correspondent for the Red Army during WWII, Khaldei has worked under testing circumstances and offered a unique insight into the Soviet regime and Stalinist era.

 botanique.be

08.

Once upon a time

Belgian artist Stief Desmet seems to hover between two worlds: his ‘urban’ life, one he lives on a daily basis, and a more ‘natural’ world, the one he longs for.

This escapism is clearly present in his work.

Playing with this thin line that divides both worlds, he recuperates powerful, familiar and strong images, which allow easy association for all and proceeds to deconstruct and reconstruct them in paintings, sculpture, video and performances. His tools are the images that surround us, from daily life, to art history, to fairy-tales…

Stief Desmet – once upon…  From 19th November 2010 to 29th January 2011 ☞ Galerie Fortlaan 17, Ghent

 fortlaan17.com

The diary

14

United Kingdom

Anselm Kiefer  Until 23rd January 2010 ☞ KMSKA, Antwerp  antwerpen.be/musea

* The show you can’t miss

09. © Es Baluard Museu d'art modern i contemporani de Palma Grothe

11. Dancing with the stars Russian Ballet owes its fame and reputation from its years commandeered by Sergei Diaghilev whose genius inspired the world with his groundbreaking techniques to create ‘total theatre’ through a combination of music, dance and art. The energy of the Ballets Russe’s unrivalled performances will be evoked in this retrospective of the artistic director’s work and famous collaborations with a plethora of giant backcloths, art, film and sound and of course, costume. This is an elaborate and unique insight into the workings of the Ballets Russe and a singular look at the life of a phenomenon in the world of performance art.

10.

Diaghilev and the golden age of the Ballets Russes 1909-1929  Until 9th January 2011 ☞ Victoria and Albert Museum, London  vam.ac.uk

© Zeno X Gallery, Antwerp

09. Three is the magic number Anselm Kiefer needs little introduction. If you haven’t yet had the chance to experience his monumental and sombre pieces – which use materials such as soil, ash, iron or wood – you’ll be happy to know that three of Antwerp’s main museums have joined forces for a major exhibition showcasing selected works from 1980 to the present day. Housed in the temporarily vacated KMSKA building, the displayed pieces are representative of some of Kiefer’s most familiar themes, including memories of German history, the Holocaust and other devastating consequences of the Second World War, alongside the artist’s recently revealed avid interest in religion (mostly Kabbalah), mythology and literature.

12.

11.

© ADAGP, Paris & DACS, London

 fotomuseum.be

to 22nd January 2011 ☞ Zeno X Gallery, Antwerp

 zeno-x.com

12.

We’re often quick to forget that the clothes we see parading the catwalks of Milan and Paris started off as conceptual artistic creations sketched out on a piece of paper.

Collected over 30 years, this collection is exhibited for the first time to show the crucial and initial phases of design as a celebration of art with a showcase of illustrations from the world’s leading fashion houses and designers.

Trace the evolution of style through in depth looks at artists who defined eras with their drawings and art for the likes of Chanel, Dior, Comme des Garçons, Lacroix and Alexander McQueen.

Drawing fashion  Until 6th March 2011 ☞ Design Museum, London  designmuseum.org

* The exhibition to catch Exhibition #3 © François - Loves me, loves me not, Myla UK

Johannes Kahrs  From 10th December 2010

A paper and pencil

Boris Becker @ Fotomuseum (Antwerp), until 16th January 2011 – Not to be confused with the ginger tennis player, German photographer Boris Becker is currently showing his work, from the 1980’s to the present, which features his Fields and Landscapes, Bunkers, Houses and Constructions series, amongst many others.

10. Contemporary zeitgeist Johannes Kahrs’ realistic oil paintings use existing images such as photos, film stills or video projections as their starting point. By freezing these fragments of politics, showbiz or advertising, he remodels and further fictionalises them by shifting tones and shades of grey and black pastel, leaving contours blurred in an almost Richterian manner. Deprived of their context, the depicted scenes gain in beauty and mystery what they lose in original meaning. The result is eerie, making the images he creates hard to shake off.

( 11  16 )

@ the Museum of Everything (London), until 24th December 2010 – Devoted to showing unconventional art outside the box, this third exhibition shows the ephemera of British pop artist Sir Peter Blake, with fairground themes and peculiar Victorian taxidermy tableaux that once formed part of Potter's Museum of Curiosities.

 musevery.com

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Neighbourhood

Ninja tune XX presents the Cinematic Orchestra & Amon Tobin @Royal Albert Hall (London), 14th November 2010 – As a part of their 20 th anniversary, Ninja Tune XX showcases a wonderful show combining the magnificent sounds of Jason Swinscoe’s The Cinematic Orchestra, The London Metropolitan Orchestra as well as electronic music legend Amon Tobin. A must.

 royalalberthall.com

14.

Material impressions

Hauser & Wirth’s newly opened 15,000 square foot space at Savile Row plays host to the exhibition of fabric drawings by one of the most important and enigmatic female artists of our time, the late Louise Bourgeois.

Growing up surrounded by the textiles of her parents’ tapestry restoration studio, fabric has always been significant in the artist’s life. Supple and texturally evocative, these drawings are made of materials collected and used throughout Bourgeois’ life, lending them poignancy in their artistic expression. Also included are 3-D works communicating darker sentiments demonstrated with the artist’s trademark ambiguity and complexity.

Louise Bourgeois: the fabric works  Until 18th December 2010 ☞ Hauser & Wirth, London  hauserwirth.com

© Courtesy of the artist and Lisson Gallery

13.

14.

Future beauty: 30 years of Japanese fashion  Until 6th February 2011 ☞ Barbican, London  barbican.org.uk

Not for the faint hearted

Not your standard stop-and-look exhibition, Move: Choreographing You invites the viewer to be an active part of an installation or dance routine in a series of works by internationally acclaimed choreographers and visual artists. Inviting exhibitiongoers to look at the omnipresent relationship between dance and art, the show does so through participation and the showing of seminal works – old and new – by leading acts of the last 50 years. Fun and informative this is a hands-on chance to get those dancing shoes out and take part in a work of art. Timid dancers be warned.

© Louise Bourgeois Trust, courtesy of Hauser & Wirth

No one doubts the massive impact Japanese fashion designers have had on the fashion industry over the last three decades.

Blurring the lines between fashion and art and challenging our notions of beauty, designers like Rei Kawakubo (founder of super label Comme de Garçons) and Yohji Yamamoto established a zeitgeist that still holds true today. Looking at Japanese design and its obsession with deconstruction and minimalism, this intelligent compilation of avant-garde Japanese fashion proves why the country continues to define what is cool and what is not.

16. * The gig to catch

Land of the rising avant-garde

15.

Move: Choreographing you  Until 9th January 2011 ☞ Hayward Gallery, London  move.southbankcentre.co.uk

* The festival to catch

© Anthea Simms

Anish Kapoor: turning the world upside down in Kensington Gardens  Until 13th March 2011 ☞ Kensington gardens, London  kapoorinkensington.org.uk

15.

Onedotzero_adventures in motion festival @ BFI Southbank (London), from 10th to 14th November 2010 – Onedotzero joins forces with the British Film Institute to deliver a wonderful array of shows, talks and screenings celebrating the audiovisual and cinematic experience. There’ll be something for everyone at this innovative convergence of arts, culture and entertainment.

16.

 bfi.org.uk

© Barrie Wentzell

13. Park art A Saturday morning stroll in Kensington gardens is the ultimate way to start the weekend after a hectic week in the big smoke. You definitely won’t be able to just let it all go past you with Anish Kapoor’s monumental reflective stainless steel structures scattered around the scenic grounds.

The reflections of the changing seasons, sky, lakes and wildlife in distortion off the curved surfaces challenge the onlooker to think about the space around them with a subtlety that is characteristic of Kapoor’s work. This is an effortless cultural experience that’d be a shame to miss.

The diary

16

Holland ( 17  18 )

Moyna Flannigan, Julie Roberts: beautiful shadow  From 21st November

( 19  20 )

19. Basquiat case If Jean-Michel Basquiat hadn’t tragically died in 1988, he would have turned 50 this year. In celebration, MAM showcases 100 major pieces of his work from paintings to drawings and objects, which demonstrate the vigour and strength of this talented artist.

Basquiat started out writing graffiti in his neighbourhoods of Brooklyn and Manhattan in 1977, adopting the moniker SAMO – for ‘same old shit’. It is his unique insight into death, racism and the grittiness of New York life, as well as the way he managed to capture it in his paintings, that play testament to the provocative artist’s significance.

17.

© Moyna Flannigan, courtesy of Galerie Akinci

17. Northern shadows Beautiful Shadow is a collection of British artists Moyna Flannigan and Julie Robert’s newer works, dealing with varying issues of women as passive subjects to power.

Robert’s work is anthropologically centred around a lifestyle guide from the 1940s and 1950s called The Good Wife which raised interesting questions about the conventions of womanhood. Shadows are prominent in these works and especially with Flannigan’s paintings there is an intriguing and subtle weaving of dreamlike states and harsh contextual realism with contorted forms that draw in the eye to their surreal states.

France

Jean-Michel Basquiat  Until 30th January 2011 ☞ Musée d’Art Moderne, Paris  mam.paris.fr

18.

to 19th December 2010

☞ Galerie Akinci, Amsterdam  akinci.nl * The gig to catch * The show you can’t miss

Jedi Mind Tricks @ Melkweg (Amsterdam), 11th November 2010 – Political, aggressive and thought-provoking, Jedi Mind Tricks have been galvanising the minds of indie hip hop fans ever since head honcho Vinnie Paz first took to the mic on their excellent debut Psycho Logical.

Peter Funch, Babel Tales

18. Life at the museum The recently opened outpost of St Petersburg’s Hermitage museum in Amsterdam sees Russian photographer Lucia Ganieva’s beautiful portrayal of the people who work and reside at its prestigious Russian parent. Expressive, elegant and startlingly evocative these depictions of ‘life’ within the museum are a tribute to the unseen attendants who spend their lives in their unchanging rooms and the phenomena of being dwellers in the extraordinary space of the Hermitage.

Unexpected and quirky, this is a great chance to see Russian contemporary photography at its most interesting.

Lucia Ganieva’s Ermitazhniki  Until 18th March 2011 ☞ Hermitage, Amsterdam  hermitage.nl

© The Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat, ADAGP

19.

20.

20. Picturing Russia A retrospective of the works of one of Russia’s great filmmakers, Alexander Sukourov, who for the last 30 years has made an extensive and formidable oeuvre of work that has ranged over 50 films, essays, documentaries and literary adaptations. New and old work will be interspersed with writings and musings on what is depicted, giving an insight into the spiritualism and aesthetic lyricism characterised by his work. Interestingly, from 11th – 17th January the cineaste is given carte blanche to present a selection of new Russian work from different filmmakers. The cinematic equivalent of show and tell by a living legend.

Alexander Sukourov: hidden pages  Until 6th February 2011 ☞ Jeu de Paume, Paris  jeudepaume.org

© Rm Hervé Lewandowski

 colette.fr

 melkweg.nl © Lucia Ganieva

@ Colette (Paris), until 27th November 2010 – Documenting cityscapes and collective human behaviour through beautifully manipulated photography. Superimposing images upon images taken over several weeks from one spot: who would have thought something so simple could be so insightful and powerful?

Brussels.

Palais des Beaux-Arts DEBUT SEIKYO KIM. Monday. 08.11.2010. 20:00

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Symphony n° 34 Concerto for clarinet Robert Schumann Symphony n° 3 ‘Rheinische’

reservation & tickets www.symfonieorkest.be +32 50 84 05 87

Seikyo Kim. © Eisuke Miyoshi

Conductor.

Seikyo Kim Soloist.

Ronald Van Spaendonck. clarinet

The diary

18

Gigs to catch Mark Ronson and the international

Play and produce after party

17 November @ L’Ancienne Belgique (Brussels)

20 November @ Democrazy (Ghent)

— The debut album by glitzy-producer Mark Ronson was always going to make a lot of noise. The media has pounced on it as the definitive album of the year (it is good, but not that good) whilst music purists shun it for its evident radio-pleasing strings. It seems having produced Amy Winehouse or Lily Allen isn’t enough to automatically guarantee you a 15 minute spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. If you have your doubts about going, opening act Theophilus London should sway it.

— Something of a melting pot for DJs and producers, this fourth edition of ‘Play and produce’ promises to be a belter. With acts such as The Subs and CJ Bolland confirmed on the bill, the organisers have somehow managed to top it with their after party which features, wait for it, no less than Jimmy Edgar and Warp’s very own Rustie.

th

abconcerts.be

th

playandproduce.be

Plays London (Earls Court) on 21st November

OMD

Swans

Matthew Dear

Gonjasufi

22nd November @ L’Ancienne Belgique (Brussels)

25th November @ L’Ancienne Belgique (Brussels)

13th December @Botanique Rotonde (Brussels)

13th December @Botanique Orangerie (Brussels)

— Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark… Having taken a back burner since 1996, this 80s new wave synth band has finally reformed, coming back to grace the public with their latest album History of Modern. The question is will they still have every girl singing down her hairbrush before school, while waiting for her tarts to pop?

— It’s the return of the year. An impressive 13 years after their dissolution, Michael Gira and his noisy Swans are back onstage with new material. If the drone soundscapes and abrasive lyrics set the cult band apart in New York’s early 80s, it’s their ear-splitting live performances, played at painfully loud levels, that went on to forge the myth. Catch the legend if you dare.

— We first discovered Matthew Dear through one of those Myspace wild-goose-chase moments. With deep, resonating vocals reminiscent of Brian Eno, as well as his deep minimal house and clipped beats, his latest album Black City definitely cuts the cake – there's not one ounce of you that doesn't want to move.

— The shamanistic Maharishi of modern music, Los Angeles-based yoga teacher Gonjasufi’s latest album A Sufi and a Killer (produced by production whiz-kid The Gaslamp Killer) is a deep, layered and spacey journey through music as we never knew it existed.

From the distinct vocals, the strapped hypnotic rhythm and repetitive, neartribal chants, this is, without an inch of a doubt, one of our favorite albums of the year. Make sure to catch this at all costs.

abconcerts.be

Play London (Hammersmith Apollo) on 7th November Play Amsterdam (Paradiso) on 23rd November

abconcerts.be

Play Utrecht (Tivoli) on 24th November Play Paris (BBMix Festival) on 28th November

botanique.be

Plays London (XOYO) on 9th December Plays Paris (La Maroquinerie) on 10 th December Plays Amsterdam (Trouw) on 14th December

Play Paris (Casino de Paris) on 25th November

botanique.be

Plays Amsterdam (Paradiso) on 10 th December

Give aways Two pairs of tickets to

Two 70 cl bottles of

Swans on 25th November 2010 at L’ Ancienne Belgique (Brussels)

Russian Standard Vodka To drown that end-of-year blues.

What you need to do.

Send an email to wewrite@thewordmagazine.be, specifying the name of the concert you wish to go to in the subject line, or whether it is a bottle of Vodka you’d prefer. The first readers to do so will each win a give-away of their choosing.

Conditions.

Only one pair of tickets or one bottle permitted per reader. Tickets and bottles not for resale. Until tickets last. Applies to Belgium only.

Normal conditions apply.

© Felix Baumsteiger

Brussels Philharmonic – het Vlaams Radio Orkest

Michel Tabachnik, chief conductor/music director, orchestra in residency at Flagey

Impressions romantiques Mozart – Bruckner – Brahms

Michel Tabachnik, conductor – with Brigitte Engerer & Hélène Mercier, piano 12/11/2010 SANKT VITH - 13/11/2010 BRUSSELS (FLAGEY) 14/11/2010 ANTWERPEN (ELISABETHZAAL)

Concierto de Aranjuez WIN FREE TICKETS! Let us know which of the above concerts is your favourite, and you could be the winner of a free concert ticket! info@brusselsphilharmonic.be

Mendelssohn – Rodrigo – Tsjaikovski

Christian Vasquez, conductor – with Berta Rojas, guitar 25/11/2010 BRUSSELS (FLAGEY) – 28/11/2010 GENT (DE BIJLOKE)

Mendelssohn: Elias Richard Egarr, conductor

with soloists Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth & choir Lemmensinsituut 12/12/2010 –BRUSSELS (BOZAR)

www.BrusselsPhilharmonic.Be Brussels Philharmonic – het Vlaams Radio Orkest is een instelling van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap.

Vlaams Omroeporkest en Kamerkoor vzw | Eugène Flageyplein 18 B-1050 Brussel | T +32 2 627 11 60 | info@brusselsphilharmonic.be

20

The papers Water cooler We love Music Consume Lifestyle Fashion Arts

ЋE ЯЦSSIДЛ PДPEЯS — Attempting to piece together what, really, gets our clocks ticking in the great motherland felt a lot like dismantling a never-ending set of matryoshka dolls. Faced with a gazillion choices, we figured visiting Moscow’s answer to some of our favourite concept stores might be a good start. Having gotten a sense of what was on offer at the country's edgiest boutique, we then hung out with major players in the local indie scene, sat down for a chat with fashion designer Igor Chapurin and explored the Belgo-Russian nexus. Hell, we even brought zombies back from the dead.

Writers Devrim Bayar, Tatiana Hachimi, Rozan Jongstra, Jill Mathieu, Philippe Pourhashemi & Randa Wazen

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Neighbourhood

ˆ “ In Moscow, we don't have a fashion industry as such. It's easy to come up with a brand project, but difficult to make it last.”

© Vincent Ferrane

ˇ

Igor Chapurin photographed in Paris during Fashion Week

Russia’s style maverick Despite being a fashion powerhouse in Russia, Igor Chapurin is still a best-kept secret amongst industry insiders. The 40-something, Moscow-based designer has built up a fashion empire, creating not only Haute Couture pieces and high-end prêt-à-porter (shown in Paris twice a year) but also accessories, mens suiting, skiwear and a growing home and furniture line, named Chapurincasa. Hailing from a family of entrepreneurs in the textile industry, fashion was a natural choice for him “I think my future was predicted from the start,” he explains.

“After winning the Nina Ricci competition in 1994, my career took off.” In October 2005, Chapurin presented his work in Paris for the first time and his name came to prominence on the international scene.

His woman is bold, self-assured and sophisticated. Produced in Russia, his clothes are highly luxurious, but completely modern,

drawing on the richness of the country's heritage to dress an urban woman. “I was inspired

by Russian art for my last collection. I used a lot of strong colours this time, which is quite unusual for me. I wanted the clothes to have a deep emotional charge and uplifting spirit, echoing Wassily Kandinsky's paintings. The abstract prints I picked were actually inspired by him.” Chapurin seems more in tune with Russia's traditions – which he refers to in his clothes – than its contemporary culture, even though he quotes New Russian Cinema as a source of inspiration. Still, there's nothing conservative about what he does. A true Russian at heart, Chapurin seems focused and confident, with no hesitation in his voice. Having lived in Moscow for the past 15 years, he thrives on the city's energy and atmosphere “Moscow is a city that never stops. It also has a very different vibe from other places I know. People are constantly absorbing information there and they have this craving for newness.”

A self-confessed workaholic, Chapurin never stops designing, always looking for the next challenge. The notion of a typical day does not apply to his life: he may finish off an

interior design project, work on fittings for costumes at the Bolshoi Theatre or craft a one-off gown. Even though there are still few designers of his level coming out of Russia, he considers himself part of a generation revamping the industry by giving it new standards. He also hopes his efforts will motivate young designers to set up their own businesses and take a chance.

“Russia is tough for young talent,” he explains “In Moscow, we don't have a fashion industry as such. It's easy to come up with a brand project, but difficult to make it last. The industrial structure and governmental support are not there to help you grow. The Perestroika was a process of rebirth that happened through destruction.

There's still so much to build up.” Even though he loves Paris as a city, he would never leave Russia to live elsewhere. As he nicely puts it, “Russia is a strong river now. You either go with the flow or stay on the shore.” (PP) chapurin.com  Visit thewordmagazine.be/radar/style maverick for our visual rundown of

Igor’s latest collection.

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ˆ “ Russia represents a huge market where people are very fashion conscious and often more receptive to elaborate cuts than basics. ”

©Cara&Co

ˇ

Cara&Co’s eclectic shop-floor, with its café on the mezzanine

Moscow’s answer to London’s Dover Street Market Nested in the heart of the Winzavod Centre for Contemporary Art, where some of the boldest and edgiest art galleries of Russia can be found, concept store Cara&Co quickly established itself as the mandatory stop of any fashion devotee’s shopping spree. The first of its kind in Russia, it tilts more towards London’s Dover Street Market than Paris’ Colette in terms of vibe and spirit, and now shares a spot with both fashion institutions on the Wall Street Journal’s short list of the world’s most beautiful shops.

Although Cara&Co stocks a wide selection of Japanese, Australian and European collections, the strong presence of Belgian designers is notable, if not surprising, such is the difference

in mentality between the two countries when it comes to style. Whilst Russians are perceived abroad as entertaining an undying love for self-adornment, opulence and a certain ‘overthe-topness’, Belgian couture was always about a minimalistic aesthetic, what with its austere tones and understated sense of luxury. Yet, as diametrically opposed as they might seem, Belgian fashion holds a special place in Russia, and in one Russian lady’s heart in particular.

“These Belgian designers are fantastic,” enthuses Roza Kamenev, who founded Cara&Co back in 2007. Still very involved as a buyer, she’s not shy of compliments when it comes to our local talent. “My favourites are definitely Tim Van Steenbergen, Christophe Coppens and Jean-Paul Knott. I appreciate the fact that their collections are manufactured in Belgium, with the exception of certain pieces. The cuts are groundbreaking, whilst remaining comfortable and elegant at the same time. It’s fantastic to be able to feel feminine, beautiful and intelligent without necessarily being restricted to a model’s size zero. Belgian designers manage to create clothes that feel casual but can crossover from am to pm. When it comes to furniture, clothes, chocolates or the best restaurants of Europe, Belgium will always surprise me.”

The love seems very much mutual, the designers being well aware of the potential this type of exposure provides in the vast and merging local market. “Russia represents a huge market where people are very fashion conscious and often more receptive to elaborate cuts than basics,” explains Tim Van Steenbergen. “We’ve been part of it for the past nine seasons thanks to Cara&Co and it’s been great. Roza discovered our brand for the first time in Paris and then in the Brussels boutique Stijl. She follows her instincts and flair in a remarkably uncompromising way, as her aim is not to fill her store’s rails with big household names or brands.” As Slava Kozlov, of trend-watching agency Summ()n, rightfully notes, “the situation is not that of a meeting between the Russian population as a whole and the Belgian representatives of the furniture and textile industries.” Rather, it can be interpreted as more of an intimate rendez-vous between a specific segment of the Russian society, one that is cosmopolitan and has its eye firmly set on the rest of the world, and a selection of Belgian designers focused on functionality, but also capable of humanising their pieces with a subtle refinement. (TH) caraandco.com winzavod.com

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Neighbourhood

Up until about four years ago, Russia’s indie landscape was as desolate as the country’s steppes. Yet a booming scene surfaced in parallel to the high-end bling club circuit, taking its cues from its Western counterparts. Alex Kelman founded the party-promoting outfit Ice Cream Disco (ICD) in 2008. Two years on, and with over 250 gigs under their sleeve, it quickly branched out into a full on label, though still operating in a very DIY fashion.

The four bands on their roster offer an overview of the sounds echoing through in this newfound scene: electro-rock duo Silver Pills, which Alex describes as “Roxette meets The Kills”; Coockoo (pictured), an eccentric indiepop five-piece; Was She a Vampire, a noisy act whose sound is “similar to The Jesus and Mary Chain’s first record”; and Punk TV – Alex’s band – a “mixture of electronics and shoegaze”. Following up on AeroCCCP’s Future Sound of Russia initiative – a compilation of the Federation’s best emerging acts released in 2008 by the Russian label based in Brooklyn, New York – Alex extended the concept to an eponymous festival. The reception was

© Ice Cream Disco

I-scream for indie

such that it accidentally sparked a movement.

“Suddenly other cities began doing the same thing and by spring 2009, there were about 10 Future Sound of Russia parties around the country!” If an eager audience welcomes their ideas, the challenges ICD faces as an independent label in Russia differ little to those encountered by the global players. It’s the usual same old pop, mainstream techno and trite hip-hop monopolising the charts and airwaves. And hard as ICD may try to remain

uncompromising, dedicated to promote “unknown names only and fantastic new sounds”, Alex admits to catering to the masses every once in a while… “When we run out of money, we usually throw a hip-hop party.”

Cheeky, but efficient. (RW) myspace.com/musicicecreamdisco  Visit thewordmagazine.be/radar/ iscreamforindie for an Ice Cream Disco mix.

If zombies carried a passport, it'd be waving a Russian flag. And if the spectres took a break from feeding off humain remains, they'd be playing haunted surf music, just the way Messer Chups do. A cult band from the wintery regions of St Petersburg, their deadly surf tunes, tinted with hints of rockabilly and laced with references from old B-movies, reek of whiskey because, contrary to popular belief, these Russians don't drink vodka. “300 years ago, Gitarcula woke up from his black velvet coffin in a Russian cemetery and fell in love with Zombierella. They summoned Boris to join the gang and started swamp surfing across Europe,” recounts bassist Zombierella of the band’s origins. And if their rumbling riffs resonate more in Western Europe than in their homeland, the foxy Bettie Page lookalike jokes that it’s just because it's hard to surf through snow, and most Russians have a frozen mind. “There is a pretty good alternative music scene in Russia

© Ulrike Biets

Zombies riding the wave

though. It's quite pure, I think. We’re only interested in rock and roll, really, but there are lots of other good things out there. On the other hand, bands I really like usually don’t come from here.

Russians never play that well. Neither do we, we're just zombies.” Jet-setting zombies then, as the band of banshees appear to be on a neverending tour of Europe. And for some reason, our country always has a firm spot on their itinerary.

“We love Belgium and have some friends here.

The audience is always very emotional. We’re often told that Belgians are stupid, but they're okay you know, even though they think we say ’na zdorovie' when we drink vodka, which we don't.” (JM) myspace.com/messerchups  Visit thewordmagazine.be/radar/ zombiesridingthewave for music videos

of the band.

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The papers

Casting an eye to the street Alexandra Carrée might not sound like your run-of-the-mill Russian name, yet with a streetcasting agency called L’Agent Russe, you’d be right to assume she’s probably linked to the country one way or another. While her father is French, her mother is in fact of half-Czech, halfRussian origin. When it came to deciding what to do post-graduation, the Brussels-born trained translator packed a backpack and set off for Moscow, where she ended up staying for eight years. In 2005, five years after she returned, one of Belgium’s first street-casting agencies saw the light of day. “A producer friend of mine asked if I could find some ordinary people who wouldn’t mind working as extras. She was looking for fresh faces, not the same old actors. As it turned out, she wasn’t the only one.” With more and more companies knocking at her door in search of ‘real people’, Alexandra found herself spending an increasing amount of time roaming the streets with her camera in tow, scouting for commercials, fashion shows and catalogues.

“It’s a very time-consuming occupation. Over the years I’ve built up a huge database of people I’ve now come to rely on, but when I have a spare moment, I’ll still hit the streets.” With advertising campaigns for the likes of Martini and BNPParibas Fortis amongst her recent projects, business is on the up-and-up. Competition in the street-casting field has obviously grown in the

last five years, although Alexandra reckons the pie’s big enough for everyone to get a piece of it.

She’ll find you the faces, is always available and, most precious of all, retains her edge thanks to what she calls her “Russian forte”: a knack for problem solving. (RJ) lagentrussecasting.be

When we first heard of Girls From Omsk, we somehow imagined yet another sketchy service that would set you up with a pretty mail-order bride (turn to page 26 for our guide to ordering one). Actually being a Belgian fashion brand, are we to expect shiny leggings and fur collars?

Perhaps, because clichéd Russian kitsch holds a strong part in Valeria Siniouchkina’s heritage, the Girl From Omsk herself. “When I arrived in Belgium aged 14, I initially disowned my Russianness. It was not until I started studying fashion that I began looking to Russia for inspiration. For my graduation collection at La Cambre, I envisioned these girls that came from Omsk, which in my head was a small town from which they wanted to get out of in order to see the world. From that point on, I couldn't let go of Omsk anymore.” The imprint’s growing army of fans aren’t the type to fret over what others may think about them, their confidence in their singular style a good case in point. They wear practical hoodies and tees, whilst paying attention to the details:

© Ivan Kaydash

From Omsk with style

no prosaic prints and boring basics, there's always a twist or quirk that will catch your eye.

Is this what girls in Omsk look like? “Russians are bad at lying. The same goes for my designs, which are authentic. Russian girls are groomed and styled from head to toe, in a kind of kitschy way. I like to toy around with this eastern gaudiness, adding a sense of practicality to it. I want

to spread this part of my culture.” (JM) girlsfromomsk.be  Visit thewordmagazine.be/radar/ fromomskwithstyle for catwalk pics of

Girls from Omsk’s FW10

and SS11 collections.

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Neighbourhood

Rather than catch the first flight out of the country for sunnier shores, two freshlygraduated students from the HISK Higher institute for Fine Arts in Ghent completed an ambitious project entitled Wide Boy* as part of the Moscow International Biennale for Young Art. German Anne Schiffer and South African Lauren von Gogh travelled by bus from Brussels to Moscow, collecting objects along the way, with the sole purpose of displaying their found wares at the Biennale. In the cities where they stopped over – Cologne, Berlin, Gdansk, Vilnius, Minsk, Lehu and Riga – Schiffer and von Gogh held meetings with local artists, critics and curators. Over time, these accumulated items – stemming from their interactions with locals – formed a mobile collection, which the artists transported, undeclared, in their luggage to their final destination. The term ‘wide boy’ was coined by the British media in the 1940s to refer to black-market traders. Similarly to dealers, Anne and Lauren offered to transport artists’ works to Moscow, illegally. Whilst some of their experiences were rather of the surreal type (such as repairing a leak with a landlady in a leopard mini skirt), others proved more

© Virassamy

Get on the bus

daring, dangerous even (like entering Belarus with a South African passport…). As contributors to an international exhibition, they thus revealed in a very concrete way some of the challenges faced by artists working internationally – financial restrictions, political constraints, language barriers and geographical distances – while at the same time initiating

and fostering new connections and dialogues between various local art scenes. (DB)

with locals together with scenes of their daily life against a backdrop of dramatic Muscovite landscapes, while a string quartet and a pianist accompany the viewing. Spectators can thus freely establish associations between the simultaneous images, creating a dialogue between the characters that appear on screen, similarly to a theatrical performance. Contrasting its fairytale-like decor,

Berlin's ‘video theatre’ is clearly disenchanted.

In this city turned circus, “where every cliché is confirmed and denied,” reality seems harsh and the people brutal, greedy and hungry for power.

A Comédie humaine that has only but slightly changed since Balzac's time. (DB)

anneschiffer.com laurenvangogh.com

In 2003, Antwerp-based art collective Berlin, made up of artists Bart Baele and Yves Degryse, spearheaded an ambitious project entitled Holocene, which showcases a series of portraits of cities. Whether in historical capitals like Moscow and Jerusalem, or in remote regions such as Iqualit (the Inuit capital located in the North Pole) and Bonanza (a hamlet of seven inhabitants somewhere in Colorado), the goal is the same: to meet the locals and hear their stories, opinions and conflicts in order to produce a representation of life itself, in all its diversity. Yet, the work of Berlin does not define itself as documentary. The resulting footage is presented on multiple giant screens, which are included in larger installations.

For their latest project dedicated to the Russian capital for instance, Berlin built a circus tent in which six mobile screens broadcast interviews

© Berlin

Art collective Berlin scores one for the locals

berlinberlin.be

26

The guide Arts Play Talent Drawing

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In 1894, Dmitri Mendeleev, the greatest scientist in all Russia, received the decree to set the Imperial quality standard for Russian vodka and the ‘Russian Standard’ was born.

Today in St Petersburg, our state-of-the-art distillery allows us to bring this vodka heritage into the 21st Century.

Using winter wheat from the Russian Steppes, pure glacial water from Lake Ladoga and advanced distillation technology, we have created the genuine taste of Russian vodka that is once again being celebrated throughout the world.

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distilled and bottled in russia Ons vakmanschap drink je met verstand. Notre savoir-faire se déguste avec sagesse.

28

The party Play Party Music Photography

Back to school — We couldn’t quite believe our luck when the authorisation came through. The commune of Ixelles/Elsene had approved our request to throw a “back to school” party in their crown jewel, the elementary school Les Mouettes. Held to celebrate the start of the school year and mark the beginning of Design September festivities, we got our readers back in the playground for a night full of nostalgia and disco ball fun.

But, we promise, no classroom antics…

Photography Ulrike Biets

Yearbook photography Sanne Delcroix

Neighbourhood

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 Visit thewordmagazine.be/ office/backtoschoolthe yearbook for the full album of

yearbook photographs.  Visit thewordmagazine.be/

office/backtoschoolthepictures for the full series of party pics.

 Visit thewordmagazine.be/

office/backtoschoolthevideo for a video of the party.

30

The institution We love Lifestyle Classic Arts

Stéphane posing in front of his Jean-Michel Basquiat — Untitled (Skull B), 1984

The accidental de‘Medici — You somehow imagine heirs to Belgium’s wealthiest families spending their free time turning their estates into high-tech organic farms, or playing polo on Wednesdays. Stéphane Janssen, heir to the country’s Janssen dynasty, would rather travel the world growing his astonishing art collection and pose naked in the blistering cold with hundreds of strangers.

Words and photography Jack Moyersoen

If every respectable family counts one eccentric according to their own set of standards, Stéphane surely holds that title in the Janssen dynasty. Indeed, the Belgian family has been holding positions of influence in Belgium's industrial economy for decades, at the helm of national institutions such as Solvay or UCB. They embody the moral values of Wallonia's high society, based on family, tradition and industrial supremacy. Divorced with four children, this unabashed homosexual and freespirited art lover released himself from the shackles of the bourgeois conventions, rejecting his family's ties with Belgium's economic landscape. However, contemplating the monumental collection of over 4,000 works of art he has amassed over the last 60 years – including one

of the most outstanding CoBrA collections in the world – it certainly seems that this Janssen, led by his generous heart and inspired by the meaningful encounters he’s made along the way, managed to make quite a name for himself.

His first encounter with the world of art came at the tender age of 16, while he was on holiday with his mother in Saint-Tropez. Sitting at the lunch table were French poets Paul Éluard and Tristan Tzara, as well as Spanish painter Oscar Dominguez. When Stéphane naively but solemnly stated that “art died with the impressionists,” a bemused Dominguez invited the adolescent to visit his workshop, hoping to prove him wrong. Convinced by the artist’s talent and intelligence, Stéphane bought an early piece

by Dominguez with his own savings and later

asked his parents for a second one as a Christmas present. The artist, impressed by the young man’s eye, introduced him to Prévert, Chagall, and Miró, thereby initiating Stéphane to what would become the passion of his life: supporting the arts. When Stéphane announced to his father, after five years of working for his family’s business, that he wanted to be involved in the arts and open a gallery, the disappointment was huge. Being part of a dynasty, he had high ambitions for his only child. Besides, handling money like a merchant was not considered a task worthy of any respectable gentleman. Hints of their inevitable clash and the atmosphere emanating from his collection can be detected in a childhood anecdote Stéphane recounts: “By the time I was seven, my father had noticed that I enjoyed

Life

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looking at myself in mirrors. So to prevent me from admiring my own reflection, he had every mirror in our house in La Hulpe coated with paint…” When his father died in 1975, Stéphane felt liberated at last and decided to pursue his life as a collector and patron of the arts, after a failed attempt at opening a bookshop and few galleries in Brussels. He skipped his father’s funeral, left his wife and children and moved to the United States, where he met his life partner Michael Johns (prematurely deceased of AIDS at age 34), a ceramic artist whose relationship was a turning point in Stéphane’s life, expanding his interests into new fields.

ˆ If Stéphane has somehow forced his way out of his family’s well-traced industrial path, it seems he might have unintentionally birthed a new dynasty revolving around his own passion. ˇ Avoiding specialising in a specific art movement or period like Guy Ullens did with Chinese contemporary art, Stéphane is no trophy collector. He picks his pieces instinctively, solely guided by his heart and trained eye, without intellectualising his tastes or aiming for a good return on investment. A patron to many, he enjoys collecting the work of artists he loves as individuals above all. This has led to a unique and eclectic collection truly reflecting its owner’s personality and culture. The recurring themes evoked include anguish, suffering, violence, flesh, blood, and himself, all in an often figurative style. Although the bulk of his collection is stored in Arizona, where he partly resides, the artworks and furniture adorning his Brussels loft are a collector's dream. A beaming Basquiat hangs in the entrance hall, between one of Robert Mapplethorpe’ last auto-portraits and a colossal Alechinsky. The bedroom is home to his “wall of infamy” or, as an unimpressed friend once told him, “wall of penises”. It consists, amongst other artists’ works, of a dozen prints

by Spencer Tunick, whose trademark is to gather naked people in a public space for a group photo.

“I met Spencer 10 years ago in Santa Fe. I already owned some of his works when he invited me to take part in his next nude flash-mob in Harlem, New York. I was initially reticent, but he got me when he said there would be over 200 participants and that I would pass by unnoticed. But when I arrived, there were in fact only twenty people!” Far from being deterred by the experience, Stéphane will be attending his 14th performance next month.

When he speaks about art you can feel his passion. You can sense how much he enjoys the company of artists, most notably Hergé, who had

Stéphane in front of his Spencer Tunick — Brugge 1, 2005

a major influence on him. Separated by an entire generation, Stéphane saw in him the ideal father figure. “We met through Marcel Stal, the owner of Galerie Carrefour, and became friends. We were both passionate about the arts and troubled in our marriages,” he reflects. It is the creator of Tintin who introduced him to Stéphane De Jaeger, best known for his patch-worked Polaroid portraiture. Impressed by the technique and how well they captured the soul of his subjects, Janssen asked De Jaeger to photograph his family and friends, as well as the artists whose works he collected, creating a parallel story through portraiture. These photographs, spanning over a 20 year period, have been the subject of an exhibition and a book called Connivences : Stefan De Jaeger / Stéphane Janssen. A history of art, family

and friends. If Stéphane has somehow forced his way out of his family’s well-traced industrial path, it seems he might have unintentionally birthed a new dynasty revolving around his own passion.

Two of his children have launched their own contemporary art galleries in Brussels. His older son runs the Rodolphe Janssen Gallery and Sebastien recently launched the Sorry We’re Closed space.

Stéphane’s unique journey, fully indulging his passion despite his entourage’s ire, paved the way for a part of his family’s soul. His bold choices also serve as a manifest and an inspiration to those suffocating under their family’s diktats, yearning to follow their hearts. An achievement by far surpassing any of the professional successes he might have had running the family business, had he silenced his calling.

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The Word on Photography People We love

Reading faces — Is there such a thing as a “Russian face”? Intent on documenting the various facial features of the world’s largest country, we spent an afternoon couch-hopping with six individuals originally hailing from the region, hearing stories of migration, thoughts on modern Russia, and how their heritage translates into their everyday lives.

Photography Toon Aerts

Writer Randa Wazen

Vladimir Kazakevicius, 55.

Teaches legal Russian translation and ancient Lithuanian grammar at the HogeschoolUniversiteit Brussel (HUB)

Born and raised in Vilnius, Vladimir lived in Riga, Moscow and Warsaw before moving to Belgium about 30 years ago. He finds it hard to pinpoint the essence of Russian physical attributes, but definitely recognises distinct characterial traits such as a strong dose of nonchalance and a tendency not to take futile matters too seriously, along with a great sense of curiosity and appetite for knowledge. If his long hair and Rasputinian beard give away his origins, he feels his most Russian feature is without doubt his complete devil-may-care attitude towards life.

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Lily Ageva, 52.

Housemaid

Originally from the Caucasus region, Lily has been living in Belgium by herself for the past 11 years. Born in Gudermes, a Chechen town, her bold move was prompted by the problems resulting from the Perestroika. She hasn’t returned there yet, due to passport issues.

She doesn’t really miss her homeland that much though, having found a new life here in Belgium – she socialises with many Russians from the local community. She recognises Russians when she sees them, but has a hard time figuring out exactly how or why, reminding us that there is not one typical Russian face, but as many as its various regions.

Nina Hansch, 69.

Human resources consultant

Although she has lived in Belgium since she was 10 years old, Nina is firmly rooted in her Russian heritage. Like many of their compatriots, her parents fled the country after the revolution, settling in Prague, where she was born. When the Communist regime spread its wings even further, they migrated to Belgium, as political refugees. A head-hunter for foreign corporations who wish to establish themselves in Russia, she spends one third of her time there and loves their generosity and true sense of hospitality. On a professional level, she points to Russians’ lack of initiative and fear of responsibilities, their fatalism being a direct consequence of the authoritarian regime that prevailed for decades.

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The Word on

Pauline Gorelov, 29.

Textile designer

Having lived in Belgium most of her life – she was 10 years old when her parents left Russia during the Perestroika – Pauline doesn’t feel any particular sense of belonging. If anything, she considers her most Russian attribute to be her lack of tact, and one she likes the least.

She did develop a skill for spotting two things in the streets: Ladas (her father used to buy second-hand models) and fellow Russians (from their walks to their haircuts). That said, she hasn’t seen much of both in the last 10 years. The cars have all disappeared and as for her compatriots, their singularity has faded since the country opened up.

Dima Soroko, 22.

Film student at INRACI

Dima was born and raised in Chernigov, Ukraine, and came here three years ago, after his mother married a Belgian. Born in 1988, his passport states that he is Soviet, which he fully identifies to. Even though he returns to his homeland once a year to see his family, he has no plans of moving back. He doesn’t miss much, save for the general post-Soviet spirit and open-mindedness, although he does sport a tattoo on his arm that spells “tenderness” in Cyrillic. An act of sweet nostalgia, all of his memories from home being linked to the tender childhood moments that he wants to remember.

Life

Vadim Vosters, 31.

Visual artist

Born in France, Vadim is only one-third Russian, although his close relationship with his grandmother – who was from Slavyansk – has forged his strong bond with the country’s culture. Fascinated by her tempestuous life, working in camps and later fleeing the

country, he even wrote a biography tracing her adventures. He remembers growing up with traditional cuisine and the Orthodox Easter celebrations being a way bigger deal than Christmas. Inheriting a lot of pre-war books from his grandmother, he incorporated a heavy portion of their images in his artwork. His most Russian traits are without a doubt his name, his melancholy and his exuberant way of partying.

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 Visit thewordmagazine.be/ dribbles/readingfaces for the

complete series of portraits.

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The showstoppers Consume We love Classic Fashion Technology Play

Goods from the Gulag — Just when we thought we finally had an excuse to call in caviar by the kilos and crates-full of vodka to brighten up our days, we settled for nostalgia over flamboyance. Frugal meals and geeky memories prevailed, which didn’t stop us from messing about with KGB worthy spy gear or Tsar-like ornaments.

Photography Benoît Banisse Art direction and styling facetofacedesign

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Style

01.

Anatomy of a classic

Forever associated with French sailors, one tends to forget that striped long-sleeved undershirts were also the uniform of the Russian Navy. Inspired by the tradition amongst Breton fishermen to wear striped tops, the telnyashka – translated literally to bodyshirt – was worn with pride by both nations maritime forces until a certain Gabrielle Chanel took a fancy to it. Remodelling the uniform piece in a new sartorial way back in the 1910’s, she sprung a trend that has yet to disappear from the runways nearly a century later. Jean-Paul Gaultier turned the Breton top into his trademark outfit and brands such as Petit Bateau and Comme Des Garçons Play never fail to incorporate this wardrobe staple in their collections.

Comme Des Garçons Play sailor top (¤115) Available from Houben

02.

From Russia with fun

If Russians are famous for their freakishly advanced chess skills – a field they have dominated for the past five decades – they can’t claim ownership of the concept. They can, however, be credited with the creation of the mother of all puzzlers and our favourite childhood brainteaser. The cult computer game Tetris was developed by Alexey Pajitnov in 1984, while he was studying at the Soviet Union’s Academy of Science. Nintendo sealed its worldwide popularity when it published it on their video game console and the Game Boy, leading it to sell more than 70 million copies. Yet Alexey is far from chilling out in a lavish pad on the French Riviera, the millions of dollars of royalties having all went to the Russian government.

Original Tetris for Nintendo Available on eBay and second-hand video stores

The showstoppers

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03.

The French connection

Coco Chanel entertained somewhat of a love affair with Russia, from her passion for the great Russian ballets to her famed affairs with Igor Stravinsky and the Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich. Many of her later designs were inspired by the religious jewellery of the Russian Orthodox Church, visible in the rosary overtones and imperial emblem of this necklace. Karl Lagerfeld recently celebrated this bond with the much-hyped “Paris Moscow” collection of 2009. Russia’s wealthy have reciprocated this admiration with their undying loyalty towards the French fashion house, whipping out their Platinum Amex the minute interlocking C’s are in sight.

Chanel Vintage necklace (¤550) Available from Collector’s Gallery collectors-gallery.com

04.

Say cheese

Kids growing up in the digital age are increasingly compelled by the magic of film photography, and who could possibly blame them for it?

The Lomography brand and community understands that only too well and has been at the forefront of the film resurgence with their range of lo-fi cameras featuring playful effects and a toy-like aspect. Its Austrian founders were charmed when stumbling upon the L-CA, a lowtech, plastic camera created by a St Petersburg manufacturer called LOMO – aka the Leningrad Optical and Mechanical Union. Conceived as a cheap and easy to use camera, its imperfections and blurry results have made it one of the most sought after models. Bonus points if you manage to snatch one bearing the Cyrillic logo.

Vintage Lomo LC-A (¤250) and Diana+ (¤40) Available at Fotoshop Gent fotoshopgent.be

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Style

05.

The essentials

Potatoes, bread, butter, eggs and meat.

It is no surprise that the five essential components of the Russian cuisine are those richer in carbohydrates and fat rather than proteins. With harsh and long lasting winters, the body craves food capable of providing warmth and energy and simple fruit and veg just won’t cut it. Now, if you’d rather warm your limbs up by downing shots of vodka, try following that up with a salted pickle. This ancient tradition helps cut the chase of the pure alcohol and appears to be the country’s answer to tequila and lime.

Black bread, lard, butter and pickles.

Available from the Russian supermarket Rue des Ursulines Ursulinenstraat 1000 Brussels

06.

I spy with my little eye…

For long, phone tapping was a practice solely reserved to national secret services. Now, pretty much anyone can aspire to spy like an FBI or MI6 agent. A worrying plethora of websites specialising in technologically advanced spy gear has burgeoned, offering the latest when it comes to mini-cameras, tracking devices, voice recorders and, our favourite, spy phones. This USB chip contains a software that can be installed on any mobile phone and will operate as an invisible application, allowing you to view text messages sent and received, monitor call logs, emails, and follow the whereabouts of the phone’s owner via a GPS tracking displayed on a Google Map. Worried yet darling?

Spy Phone Recon (¤175) Available from spyequipmentuk.co.uk

 Visit thewordmagazine.be/dribbles/ goodsfromthegulag for full purchase links.

See page 94 for full stockist information.

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The confession Music Water cooler Disruptive

Lost in Russia — Some of the touring trials and tribulations of flower-punk bad boys Black Lips, neo-disco sensation Hercules and Love Affair, noisemongers HEALTH and home-grown dance acts Spirit Catcher and The Magician when treading in the unknown territories of the Federation…

As told to Randa Wazen

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Life

ˆ “ I think it's the first and only time that we have had armed guards onstage with us. ”

© Olivier Donnet

ˇ

Cole Alexander Black Lips

I have been to Russia twice so far. The first time was not with the band; I went to S t Petersburg with my school when I was younger and that city was amazing and beautiful. The Black Lips never actually toured throughout the country but we played a festival in Moscow about two years ago. It was the Afisha Picnic and the security at the festival was composed of soldiers from the national army. I think it's the first and only time that we have had armed guards onstage with us. We also had a hard time getting water but there were tons of cases of vodka though. Weirdly enough, the festival

has a zero-alcohol policy and the crowd was not allowed to drink so we just threw them all of our excess vodka. Food wise, I had some good dumplings but I didn't really care for borscht. The one thing I definitely remember about travelling in Russia is that there's a lot of vodka everywhere and the police aren't very nice. There’s this Russian punk band from the 80's called Posev I listened to and I still have some tapes from them. I think they got into trouble with the secret police for being punks. The lead singer Letov even tried to commit suicide in jail after being interrogated by the KGB. black-lips.com

The confession

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ˆ “I was just shocked to see how many good looking and fashionable people there were walking around!”

© Ulrike Biets

ˇ

Andy Butler Hercules and Love Affair

I went to Moscow twice, once with the band for the Afisha Picnic festival this past summer and the second time was on my own to DJ at the fashion designer Denis Simachev’s bar, right under his flagship store. It’s a super cool club and had plenty of hookas, which I tried and were very nice. It was one of my favourite deejaying experiences of the year just because while there was a certain upscaleness to the place, the people still had a very down to earth attitude and were really there to have fun. I was pretty surprised by that. I guess Westerners still have the preconceived impression that Russia is still developing and I didn’t realise it

would be so cosmopolitan. Russians are very in touch with culture and fashion, and I was just shocked to see how many good looking and fashionable people there were walking around!

I was expecting an uptight, old school way of thinking and I found it really fresh and modern.

Another preconceived notion is that it’s not the safest place – either the Russian mafia is going to get to you or some sort of neo-Nazi group might beat you up – but I found it to be totally youthful, open minded and comfortable. We had a crazy after-party with the Editors in one of the city’s newest clubs. In the summer they have a lot of outdoor events on a multi-level patio and I deejayed for about two hours right in front of the crowd which was great, because I hate being on stages – you just don’t get the

same levels of energy. The kids were really going for it and jumping on each other like crazy, they were super open-minded and didn’t have any bad requests. There were a few diehard fans, overall very enthusiastic, and I even kept in touch to a small degree with some of them. It was really cute, one of them sent me a drawing of the band he had made, which was our first fan cartoon ever. It’s really funny.

The band’s sophomore album Blue Songs comes out on 31st January 2011

inlovewithhercules.com

Life

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ˆ “ Why is the government giving you sexy clothes ?

I thought that was fucking hilarious. ”

© Ulrike Biets

ˇ

John Famiglietti HEALTH

We recently played in Russia for the very first time and were really excited, even though we heard a million terrible stories about going there… Like a friend of ours went to St Petersburg in the winter and it was obviously freezing cold. He gets into a cab, the taxi driver suggested they pull over to go get some tea, so they went and got some tea. Next thing you know, he wakes up in the snow, wearing only his underwear, with everything gone. He probably would have died, had this random passerby not rescued him. What’s insane is that it turns out you actually don’t need to look for cabs over there because any random car that’s

driving is available as a taxi. You just stop one, wave some Roubles, tell them where you want to go and that’s it! But it was cool, the whole trip went quite smoothly. We stayed for two days and walked around Moscow. It’s a pretty big deal for Americans to check out Saint Basil’s Cathedral, you know, the one in Tetris. Turns out it’s a lot smaller in real life. Like waaaaaaaay smaller. Tiny, as a matter of fact, or at least compared to how big you might think it is. Customs obviously took forever, and we’d noticed that all the former Soviet countries have really bad customer service… I think I know why now. We did lose our luggage, which was our greatest fear. It was a bit of an ordeal to get it back but we managed, which was cool 'cause otherwise we couldn’t play the show. The funny thing is that

the official border patrol uniforms for women at the airport are incredibly sexy; they wear these tailored mini-skirts and heels and this one girl had a Mia from Pulp Fiction haircut, she just looked like a very sexy spy. In America you would never see someone that attractive working that job. But it’s weird because when we were in Croatia, we hung out with these girls and one of them was wearing these sleek white shoes that looked really cool, and it turns out those were the official housecleaning shoes for anyone in the Soviet Union or something like that. That was the official government issued shoe. Why is the government giving you sexy clothes? I thought that was fucking hilarious. healthnoise.com

The confession

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ˆ “We just ended up spending the rest of our very first journey abroad in a four square-meter cell playing Arkanoid. ”

© Masanori Naruse

ˇ

Thomas Sohet Spirit Catcher

We played in Russia about 10 times. Mostly St Petersburg and Moscow but also in remote areas like Yekaterinburg, near Siberia. The first gig we ever played abroad was at Moscow’s Tabu club in November 2005. We learned the hard way that one careless mistake can turn the entire journey into a nightmare, especially in Russia! Our concert went really well and we got fairly drunk. The following morning, we went back to the airport by taxi and were forced to drive on the main road that is cut by all the smaller streets. If you’re circulating in Moscow, you have no choice but to end up on it at some point, so it’s always jammed, which resulted in our cab ride taking more than four hours. Being hungover didn’t help, since we had to stop a few times because we felt sick. All this in minus 20°Celsius and heavy snow – quite the adventure. At the check-in, we found out our tickets were not valid, as

the return had been booked for the previous night… Our promoter had fucked up the dates.

We didn’t have money to buy new tickets and our visas expired the same night. We would be illegal’s in Russia. We tried calling the promoter from a phone cabin with whatever local coins we had left but every time he picked up, he couldn’t hear a thing. After a few attempts (and us screaming at the top of our lungs) an old man explained that we had to push a button for our interlocutor to hear us. When we got hold of him and explained the situation, it turned out he was in the middle of the steppe on a train heading for St Petersburg. He was kind enough to send someone to our rescue so we just waited. We’d been at the airport for more than five hours when a charming Russian lady came with some money and new plane tickets for the day after. She escorted us to a nearby hotel and gave us clear instructions: we were not to leave our room unless we handed out our passport to the lobby and signed a form, even if it was to go to the hotel bar. We just ended up spending

the rest of our very first journey abroad in a four square-meter cell playing Arkanoid.

Another story I remember was when we went to St Petersburg for a gig at the Decadance club.

Our first flight got delayed so we had very little time for our connection in Munich. When we got in the plane, we asked the cabin crew to assure us that our luggage was in there and explained that we were playing a gig the same night and really needed our equipment. They asked us to put them on the guest list, which we were happy to do. We ended up partying with them and downing shots until five am, which was great. Knowing that the pilot had a flight at 10 am wasn’t very reassuring though…

Spirit Catcher's new album Partners in Crimes was just released on Systematic Recordings

spiritcatcher.be/partnersincrime

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Life

ˆ “The people I met never really joked, some actually never even smiled…

Coming from a place like Belgium, it’s just a bit weird. ”

© Julie Lievens

ˇ

Stephen Fasano The Magician (ex-Aeroplane)

I’ve played in Russia three times so far. The first time I went there was two years ago, with Aeroplane. We played in St Petersburg, which was an unbelievably charming city. I remember taking a boat tour with the promoter, which is a really cheesy touristic thing to do but it was really beautiful. After the boat ride, we went to this small square where people were just dancing on old-school jazz music in this really chilled atmosphere. I could have stayed there all day…

Gigs were always great and it’s amazing to see how well the people know the music – like every single track by heart, old or new. In Western Europe, people go clubbing for social reasons, to meet friends, girls/guys, or simply “to be seen”. In Russia, I felt that the sole purpose of

going out was to give 100 percent of yourself to the music. The one thing I also noticed about Russians is that they don’t really have much of a sense of humour. The people I met never really joked, some actually never even smiled…

Coming from a place like Belgium, it’s just a bit weird. The money difference over there is quite visible too and you feel it a lot. Everything is so expensive… I hear that there are 50 billionaires in Moscow, which is kind of insane. My worst experience there was definitely walking one kilometre through snow and minus 20°C to get to the club where I had to play. It was guarded by two armed military men and I had to spend ages there showing them my passport and didn't understand a word they were saying, all this to finally miss the soundcheck.

Listen to The Magician’s Magic Tapes on myspace.com/stephenthemagician

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The fashion Word Fashion Consume Photography We love Cars

ЋE ЪФУ ДND ЋE ЯED MДSЌ — He clutches it protectively, never quite sure what to do with it. He clearly is bonded to it, though he doesn’t seem quite sure why. The red mask.

The power it conveys, the following it commands.

The red mask. The damage it could do if it fell in the wrong hands…

Photography Vincent Fournier Fashion and Art Direction Renasha Khan, Mélisande McBurnie & Eleonore Vanden Eynde

Style

Cardigan Natan, Camisole American Vintage, Tights Falke, Shoes NDC

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Him: Tee shirt Petit Bateau, Cardigan Le Mont Saint-Michel, Jeans Yves Saint Laurent, Shoes Converse

Her: Cardigan Essentiel

Both pages: Tee shirt Norrback, Jumper A.P.C., Trousers Our Legacy, Shoes NDC

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The fashion Word

Coat and Tee shirt Petit Bateau, Scarf Jean-Charles de Castelbajac

Style

53

Photographer Vincent Fournier vincentfournier.co.uk Fashion and Art Direction Renasha Khan, MĂŠlisande McBurnie & Eleonore Vanden Eynde Hair & make-up MĂŠlanie Gallez Models Axel and Lisa @Dominique Models dominique-models.be Post production Bee Factory beefactory.be With thanks to Blender 01 Fumi Congan Fryderyck Jana Vanille Le Noan Mapp Anne Morelli Prive Joke Street Teaser

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The short story Fashion Photography Architecture Cars

CCTV in operation

— The year is 2084, and there is no more place for substance.

Instead, style is all that matters in this state of surveillance.

A closed-circuited style.

Photography Vincent Fournier Post production Bee Factory (beefactory.be) With thanks to Wille, Justine, and Garage Walter Vincke (vinckebvba.be)

Style

Him: Trench coat Christian Dior, T-shirt G-Star RAW, Jeans Diesel, Shoes Filippa K

Her: Trench coat Burberry, Tights Falke, Shoes Prada

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The What a thrill My thumb instead of an onion.

The top quite gone Except for a sort of hinge

Of skin, A flap like a hat, Dead white.

Then that red plush.

FOOD Little pilgrim, The Indian's axed your scalp.

Your turkey wattle Carpet rolls

Excerpt from Cut, a poem by Sylvia Plath

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© Virassamy

the FOOD

Feasting on air The idea that food and water are indispensable to human’s survival is a blatant myth. Though such an assumption might seem as absurd as claiming that the Earth is flat, it is the foundation of Breatharianism. This growing global movement, with followers estimated to be in their thousands, holds as central premise that any individual can survive and function normally without an ounce of solid food, or even water for that matter. They nourish themselves solely on Prana, tiny particles of light and energy, such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen and hydrogen, swarming in the air.

This phenomenon is said to have existed for centuries in India, but its popularisation in the West is largely attributed to Jasmuheen (born Ellen Greve), whose book, Living on Light (1995), features a 21-day program that allows the body to stop eating and aging. The former financial advisor from Australia, who now runs the Cosmic Internet Academy, claims she hasn’t eaten since 1993, going as far as saying that her DNA has evolved and is now able to take up more hydrogen – it multiplied from two to twelve strands. Another intriguing proponent of the movement is the eccentric Wiley Brooks, who has been preaching this lifestyle for the past 30 years and created the Breatharian Institute of America. His website offers immortality initiation workshops priced at one million

dollars. Describing himself as a teacher “from the fifth Dimensional worlds”, he claims to have had past lives as Adam, Zeus, Jesus Christ and John the Baptist amongst others.

Yet as sketchy as these esoteric cyber-gurus may seem, regular folks who have subscribed to this lifestyle describe it in a near convincing manner. Henri Monfort, a 57-year-old French personal care assistant and relaxologist, suddenly decided to sustain himself purely on Prana after reading Living On Light eight years ago. “No one can possibly stop eating,” he concedes. “But as its name suggests, Pranic nourishment involves, well, nourishment.

Rather than integrating solids, you absorb the energy which is present everywhere, using all your senses.” It comes as no surprise that medical associations are still extremely sceptical about this matter, despite experiments conducted on certain Breatharians, which backed their affirmations that one can lead a healthy life without food.

On the other end of the spectrum, Talia Hendlisz, a nutritionist based in Brussels, dismisses Breatharians as loonies and deems their claims extremely dangerous. “To function properly, the human body relies on adenosine triphosphate (ATP) energy, released when the body breaks down the carbohydrates, lipids and proteins contained in food. What I’m talking about here is not some cosmic energy. It’s more basic than that – like coal fuelling a heater.

The body won’t function if you don’t feed it

with coal.” Swiss filmmaker Janos Tedeschi, who co-directed No Way To Heaven, the first documentary to ever address the subject, understands how far-fetched the concept of Breatharianism may sound. “It constitutes a huge blow to our deepest-rooted beliefs and the foundations of Western science.” He does believe the Breatharians he met and filmed were genuine however, and raises an important point regarding the surge of popularity of this lifestyle and the interest it sparks: “People feel duped and lied to. There is a great sense of disillusion with materialism in today’s society.”

And what could possibly embody this opposition in a more anti-material way than ridding oneself of the need for substantial food – that most processed of industries?

As attractive as the thought may be, it remains highly disputable. If a minority of people actually manage to survive on Prana alone – which we still find rather hard to, erm, stomach – they are for the most very spiritually developed individuals and their take on nutrition is certainly not one that could be recommended to all. One can only worry when Jasmuheen states that world hunger could be eradicated if only human beings were “re-programmed” – a statement made more shocking knowing that three of her followers tragically starved to death while attempting to live by her book’s methods. A mere 21 days are simply not enough to re-program millennia of physical and social conditioning. (RW)

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The food papers Lifestyle Water cooler

You can either take half a chicken (four euros) or go for the whole nine yards (six euros for half a chicken, slightly toasted sliced bread and apple compote). It is advised you eat with your hands for maximum taste-bud stimulation, although a fork is available if that’s the way you play it. You can either sit at the counter facing the kitchen or settle at one of six tables. Small talk with the owner won’t go unappreciated, although he’s just as happy for you to sit at a table, silently digging into your chicken, whilst he’s attending to the next batch to be roasted.

Don’t ask for the recipe, as it is a secret (rumour has it that it was apparently developed behind bars). As close to a culinary institution as one can get, Leuven’s Kiekekot, a chicken emporium with over 50 years of roasting tradition, enjoys a following like no other amongst students, nightgoers and food lovers alike. Students flock to it for its low price and no-nonsense demeanour, night-goers and foreigners (predominantly the local Turkish and Indian communities) revere it for its fiery and spicy marinade whilst food lovers recognise the chicken’s unquestionable

© Yassin Serghini

The original Belgian snack

quality (it comes from a slaughterhouse near Lier/Lierre) and warm to the back-to-basics nature of the whole experience (let’s just say you better not expect your plate to be shiny nor your cutlery to be spotless). Regulars know to pre-order their chicken as “it is the only way to make sure you get a chicken when school is in” says the owner, stern-faced and ponytailed. Housed in what used to be a nightclub,

the ‘bruin bar’ eatery is as good an example as possible of what snacks used to taste and look like in Belgium back in the day. (NL)

was a way to meet our customers and try to make them aware of what they eat.” Every two weeks, they visit a farmer’s cooperative in Sombreffe and pick a selection of products, purposely including lesser known fruits and vegetables such as purple carrots, chard or yellow tomatoes. If unavailable in Belgium, they’ll look-up the most eco-friendly way to get them from abroad. The

boys too continue to discover new foods, facts and fables through the job and their customers.

“We’ve developed a real taste for respectable, healthy grub,” Baptiste laughs. (RJ)

Kiekekot Mechelsestraat, 46 – 3000 Leuven To pre-order your chicken, either for eating in or for take-away, call +32 (0) 1 622 06 17

‘Organic’, ‘fresh’, ‘natural’ – one can hardly unwrap a piece of gum nowadays without being bombarded by the food industry’s latest omnipresent yet hollow buzzwords. Fact is, it’s hip to be healthy, and companies know only too well that if they can get their labels to look and sound good, customers will be only too willing to open up their wallets. Enter The Peas, a newcomer in the quickly over-saturated scene of organic grocery shops. Launched just over a year ago, its mission is threefold: to offer a range of organic food, make sure it’s sustainable and educate customers about it. “The public doesn’t really know anything about organic food, besides the fact that it’s supposed to be good for you,” say Baptiste and Alexi. The Peas’ founders met during biology studies at the Catholic University of Louvain La Neuve and decided to set up a business that would allow them to spread their knowledge, acquired as students but mostly on the field.

“We started off delivering fruit and vegetable baskets by bicycle in which I included specific recipes. A few months later, we set up shop. It

© Yassin Serghini

Two peas in a pod

The Peas Rue Linthoutstraat, 176 – 1040 Brussels thepeas.be

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© Yassin Serghini

the FOOD

Downtown dining Given the relatively static landscape of restaurants around Brussels, you'll have to excuse the excitement that greets the opening of a new space – especially when it conveniently bridges the oh-too-wide gap between downtown’s pricey eateries and unappealing snacks.

Opened in June by Kristof De Lausnay and Benoit Godard, LB De Nieuwe Brasserie is set to revamp the concept of the brasserie as we know it as well as the neighbourhood it now calls home. As its name suggests, all the core elements of the Franco-Belgian culinary tradition are gathered and stirred with a modern twist. The Tonnay chairs, traditionally brown, are white and lacquered, the floor is tinted an unusual black and a rotation of framed photographs grace the walls, also black. The overall result exudes a simple yet chic monochrome atmosphere, courtesy of Kristof’s passion and know-how when it comes to interior decoration. Benoit’s formation at Namur’s hotel school and experience in the food industry, spanning over a decade, have allowed the dynamic pair to translate an innovating idea into a successful venture backed by a strong

menu and impeccable service. “We wanted to create something we could call our own, but most importantly, that could be different,” explains Kristof.

Food wise, the aim is simply to offer customers quality at an affordable price.

The menu includes brasserie must-haves such as the Gentse Waterzooi, shrimp croquettes, or the entrecote – the house special – but also a selection of suggestions that is renewed every couple of weeks, allowing their chef Sandrine to follow seasons and be a tad more creative, as demonstrated with the current grilled baby lobster with rocket pesto. If weekday lunchtimes see the place pack with businessmen, LB De Nieuwe Brasserie also caters to an eclectic clientele of tourists, downtown shoppers and neighbourhood regulars. Hopeless romantics may have found just what they’ve been longing for with the Friday and Saturday dinners accompanied by a live pianist, whilst those of us who are more likely to get hammered on a Saturday night can nurse hangovers at the wonderfully titled Lazy Sunday Brunches.

Setting up such an elegant restaurant in what frankly is a quite unattractive square may seem puzzling, yet it was a deliberate decision, doubled by the ambition to revive the area.

Whilst the Place du Samedi/Zaterdagsplein is as central as could be (literally a stone’s throw from De Brouckère), it is often overlooked,

which conveys a quiet charm to it. “The square has potential; it’s just a matter of time before people get into the habit of lingering here for a drink or a meal. The Rue de Laekenstraat is slowly gaining creative life, with designers setting up their shops and ateliers. When we first arrived and got the renovations going, we noticed that the neighbours started repainting their facades!”

Mostly, Kristof and Benoit’s aspiration is to establish their vision as a reference in terms of brasserie dining in Belgium. Yet, as Kristof reminds us, “the biggest challenge is to claim our spot in the market.”

It’s safe to say that LB De Nieuwe Brasserie perfectly fits in the growing niche of places looking at older institutions for inspiration and injecting a contemporary approach – a fusion between the old and the new, established and cutting-edge, rustic and modern. It may not be re-inventing the wheel, although it is definitely a welcome addition to foodies’ address books and one with the potential to inspire copycats. (RW) LB De Nieuwe Brasserie Open every day from 10am to 11pm Kitchen is open from 12am to 2.30pm and from 7pm to 10.30pm Place Du Samedi 12A Zaterdagsplein 1000 Brussels +32 2 (0) 203 68 08

60

The experiment Consume We love Disruptive Play

Bunker paradise — A nuclear disaster is looming.

There’s about an hour left for provision shopping and 25 measly Euros in your wallet, before having to lock yourself up in a bunker for one month. What food would you pack? We ask a musician, a chef and a model for their suggestions...

Photography Ulrike Biets

the FOOD

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Dan Klein 30 Singer and songwriter

Lead singer and keyboard player for Belgian band Vismets, Dan just spent his summer tirelessly touring the country as well as France following the May release of their debut album “Guru Voodoo”. The band ended the tour with a bang at a sold-out AB Box gig.

We sort of expected a rock n' rolla to stock up on beer and crisps at the local night shop, but Dan led us to the Japanese supermarket instead. No booze, no junk. Just raw fish and gallons of green tea… “I once lived off nothing but Japanese food for about six months. If I had to spend a month in a bunker, that’s all I’d need.”

 From left, clockwise

Seaweed salad, wasabi crackers, Yukimi Daifuku mochi ice cream, Minori sushi rice, Yakinori Tokusen (roasted seaweed sheets), Genmaicha (green tea combined with roasted brown rice), Asage Nama miso soup and fresh salmon.

All available at Super Store Nagomi Chaussée de Vleurgatsesteenweg, 119 1000 Brussels +32 (0) 2 648 59 11

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The experiment

Kim Peers 33 Model and stylist

She’s been the face of high-end brands such as Prada, YSL, Guerlain, and has walked the runways from Paris to Milan for the past decade. Kim now devotes her time to her first baby, born this past September.

Supermodels that actually eat… Shocker, right? Yet Kim’s extremely health conscious selection was actually based on precise calculations of the human body’s nutritive needs and the idea that a month in a bunker could become a spiritual quest. “I only picked things I really like and that could remind me of home. In order to remain sane, I allowed myself a few goodies: cake during the first days, then one cola for each following week.”

 From left to right, top to bottom

Oxfam bio cola, Allos Amaranth tropical muesli, Allos Amaranth fruit muesli, bio apples, breakfast cake with cherries, breakfast cake with raisins, Horizon peanut butter, Abinda pâté, Florentin hummus All available at Het Natuurhuis Bioshop Otto Veniusstraat, 29 2000 Antwerp +32 (0) 3 233 23 56

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Vincenzo Regine 31 Chef

Vincenzo settled at the Bocconi seven years ago, where he became head chef five year later. He recently left the five-star Hotel Amigo’s restaurant to head up Via Lamanna, a 1400 sqm space dedicated to Italian haute cuisine on avenue Louise/Louizalaan, set to open early December.

Could a man who cooks for a living get turned off by his kitchen’s stove ? Certainly not. In fact, all Vincenzo wants in his bunker is a dish he cooked straight after picking his ingredients at the morning market : a roasted pheasant filet with mushrooms and pumpkin. “I want to treat myself and eat the entire dish on the first day. I’ll just read The Perfectionist, Bernard Loiseau’s biography, during the following 29.”

 From left, clockwise

Pheasant filet, thyme, raisins, pumpkin, chanterelle mushrooms and thinly sliced bacon Pheasant purchased at the Good Meat butcher and vegetables from the Horeca 2000 grocer, both located at the Brussels morning market Quai des Usines/Werkhuizenkaai 1000 Brussels

 Visit thewordmagazine.be/dribbles/ bunkerparadise for behind the scenes

pics of the experiment.

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The directory Consume Radar We love

Tell your people to call my people and we’ll do lunch…

— Midday is crunch time at Word HQ, which means we’ve built up a considerable knowledge bank of places we can call upon for an immediate fix of culinary double-deckers. Spanning our customary urban triangle of Antwerp, Ghent and Brussels, these are the places you’ll find us queuing up at round about 12h10.

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Au pays des merveilles

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L’épicerie

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Photography Veerle Frissen

The minute you step into Mongkhton Tangton’s culinary corner store, you get the sense of having travelled back in time, to a place where good people, good tunes (you’d be forgiven for thinking that Monk or Miles David are resident musicians) and good home-cooked food prevailed. A former grocery store, Mong took the place over in 2001 and has since turned into a lunchtime must for the neighbourhood’s lawyers, Solvay professors, gallerists and model agents (Dominique Models has its offices right around the corner). Serving up a mix of exquisite sandwiches (all of them layered with his home-made guacamole) and dishes of the day (which usually consist of either chicken curry or lemongrass chicken ‘boulettes’), it is his no-frills, high-quality produce (he manages to source the freshest and biggest of basil leaves, the best ciabatta breads and a near-perfect parma ham) that make him stand out. That, and his now-customary ‘excellent après-midi’ tagline. You might have noticed, but just in case it wasn’t clear: we absolutely revere Mong’s food, and absolutely love him. No, really, our lunchtimes would be that much more boring if it wasn’t for him.

Must try: Parma ham, mozzarella, basil leaves and guacamole on slightly toasted ciabatta bread

It is fair to say that Alice’s bagel boutique has taken Brussels by storm. Pretty much solely responsible for bringing the hollow bread bun to the city, the former office worker popped onto the scene at the right place, and at the right time. Her first shop, located in St Gilles / Sint Gillis, quickly became a hit with the neighbourhood’s American, Australian and Jewish communities as well as with the local creative cognoscenti (our designers, pleaseletmedesign, were the ones to initially bring her to our attention).

Somewhat of an accidental trend-setter (“I had no idea bagels would become trendy”), her first joint proved such a success that she opened a second outpost in Rue de Flandre / Vlaamsesteenweg just before summer. With that end of the city going through somewhat of a retail renaissance, something tells us she’s, once again, on to something big. As big, plentiful and overflowing as the bagels she serves up.

Must try: The chicken cheddar bagel Avenue Jean Volders 42 Jean Volderslaan

Rue Keyenveld 56 Keienveldstraat

1060 Brussels

1050 Brussels

Rue de Flandres 92 Vlaamsesteenweg 1000 Brussels

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the FOOD

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Ethnic foods

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Au Suisse

If there ever was a culinary institution that epitomises downtown cool, Au Suisse is it. Opened by restaurateur Mrs Togni in 1873, its first outpost was in the Rue des Bouchers / Beenhouwersstraat, where she specialised in Swiss produce (she was the first to bring Emmental cheese to the country). In 1919, Au Suisse was moved to its current location on Boulevard Anspach / Anspachlaan, a splendid, high-end snack house with two end-to-end counters (one where the sandwich-making takes place, the other where the neighbourhood’s lunchers can enjoy their sandwiches). Beyond the place’s bustling atmosphere, it really is its prepping staff that lends it its character.

Indeed, there’s nothing like a row of perfectly uniformed ladies, chit-chatting to infinity, dipping into various bowls of fresh produce, preparing your every sandwiched desire in near-robotic fervor. The only downside? A queue that sometimes can stretch out onto the sidewalk, although what better testament to quality is there than hordes of hungry office workers patiently waiting their turn?

Probably the only place in Brussels where you’ll find Raas Malai next to a Crème brulée or Samosas stacked between Zakouskis and Boreks, Ethnic Foods lives up to its name and aim to “combine the whole world in one’s mouth.”

The sandwiches, served with homemade sundried tomatoes, black olives or pecan nuts and raisin bread, are to die for and worth every single cent of the hefty five euros price tag. Well set on keeping the menu exciting, Rahim and Alban offer a new concoction each week, labeled the “sandwich unique”. Popular with the neighbourhood’s office workers, Parliament and Senate employees, it’s the take-away joint those fed up with sandwiches filled with 80 percent mayonnaise had been waiting for.

Must try: Rostbeef sandwich with remoulade

Must try: Tandoori chicken sandwich in a yoghurt sauce with herbs and spices

Boulevard Anspach 73-75 Anspachlaan

Rue de la Croix de Fer 14 Ijzerenkruisstraat

1000 Brussels

1000 Brussels

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01.

Ra Kitchen

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Berlin

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The Funky Soul Potato

Ra Kitchen is everything you expect it to be, given its association to the fashion store. A quaint and quiet culinary universe of coolness, it is at times pared-down (bare light bulbs hanging down from the ceiling), at times opulent (a Persian rug, a cute display of China porcelain, and exquisite stonewashed floor tiles), and always cozy (blankets lie about should it get chilly). Serving up an eclectic mix of food (everything from soups, sandwiches and wraps, to wantons, tempuras and salads) and beverages (shakes, smoothies and juices), the kitchen-facing counter means you even get to chat with the chef while he’s preparing your dish if you feel like it.

Alternatively, just pick something to read from the ‘free printed matter’ section and give in to the good vibes of the in-house playlist (when we visited, a mix of doo-wop and 60s R&B was getting us all lively).

Antwerp’s answer to Brussels’ Café Belga, Berlin has quickly become an institution amongst locals. A wood-paneled, highceilinged brasserie-type café, its rusticindustrial interiors (massive aluminum air-vents jostle for air-space with the café’s wooden ceilings) attract the kind of customers who like their weekend brunch uplifted by a glass of champagne – we spotted no less than four when we visited on a recent Saturday morning. Its strategic location in the heart of the city’s fashion district means it is the place to come to before setting off on a major spending spree. Indeed, Berlin’s basic breakfast (a slightly toasted bread bun, a slice of cheese, butter, a croissant, some strawberry jam and your choice of tea or coffee) as well as its amazing cheeseburger gives you just the kick you need before hitting the stores.

We had walked past The Funky Soul Potato a number of times, but it really only was when we asked our readers for snack suggestions in town that we took a closer look and stepped inside. Indeed, such was the fervor with which one certain reader urged us to go have a bite there (Us: “what’s your favourite lunch time spot?”, reader: “The Funky Soul Potato, the Carne Asada Potato is the stuff dreams are made of. Very good for hangovers”), our mouths were already watering with interest the minute we clicked on the picture she sent us. A baked potato stacked with goodies (everything from beans to what can only be described as a feisty take on chili con carne) and supplemented by a generous salad, you’d be surprised how filling a potato can be. And although the interiors could be a little more inviting and re-invigorating, the food on offer actually takes care of that just fine.

Kleine markt, 1 Kloosterstraat, 13 2000 Antwerp

2000 Antwerp

Must try: the carne asada potato (pictured above) Volkstraat, 76 2000 Antwerp

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the FOOD

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Simon says

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Pain perdu

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Tasty

Simon Says is the first port of call for our distribution team as soon as they arrive in Ghent.

A laid-back kind of place with great-looking staff, good-tasting food and beverages (their coffee is to die for, although that might be because of the little shapes and figurines they patiently outline in the frothy milk) and a good-feel vibe, the café-come-bed-andbreakfast is run by Simon and Christopher, who initially came to Ghent to work in theater (“there are more opportunities here than in the UK”). A cozy and intimate eatery with somewhat of a sunny inclination (their summer terrace fills up in no time), it is, to us, the perfect spot for Sunday brunch: a good selection of magazines, a proper playlist (recently, the podcast from World Service broadcasted on Urgent.fm could be heard) and, above all, a service that comes with a smile.

Although 80 percent of Tasty’s menu is vegetarian and his customers definitely look the part, founder Steve Van Houtte is keen for his burger joint not to be pigeon-holed.

A colourful eatery situated at the beginning of Walpoortstraat, Tasty is a favourite amongst students and the neighbourhood’s shop keepers. The service is incredibly downto-earth, with orders taken at the counter and served at table by Steve himself – most of the time. The interior is roomy (although the colour palette could have leaned a little less towards the citrus greens and bright yellows) and is extended by a quaint inside court which the regulars obviously know to lay their claim to early on in their lunchtime. With plans to open up shop in Liège/ Luik and, hopefully, Antwerp, Tasty’s Popei burger (its best seller) will soon be coming to a neighbourhood near you.

Must try: the croque monsieur

Our favourite Ghent dig for people-watching, Pain Perdu is a rustic, wood-floored, good food joint located bang in the middle of the city’s burgeoning Walpoortstraat. Attracting a heady mix of yummy mummies, shoppers and other local independent retailers, it is somewhat of an oasis of calm in what is quickly becoming one of the city’s busiest streets.

Current owner Bruno Vincke, a former fashion student, took over in 2007 at a mere 20 years of age with the aim of modernising the eatery and giving it somewhat of a focused purpose: “I wanted to give the people honest food, based upon good produce.” Renowned for its selection of fine ingredients (he stocks different mouth-watering spreads made by the owner of a local bed & breakfast), he’s gone as far as developing a special blend of breakfast coffee you’ll only be able to find at Pain Perdu. And don’t let the place’s similarities with another common-tabled bakery chain fool you, Pain Perdu is nothing like it.

Sluizeken, 8

Walpoortstraat, 9

9000 Gent

9000 Gent

Hoogpoort, 1 & Walpoortstraat, 38 9000 Ghent

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The special showstoppers Consume We love Lifestyle

Getting in the mix — We’re kitting our kitchen out with all the reads, accessories and equipment necessary to ensure there’s no more getting caught out with our tail between our legs at the dinner table.

Photography Melika Ngombe Kolongo

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Pop the kettle on will ya

‘Pop the kettle on mate’ is an expression you’ll often hear us shout, and with Rowenta’s ceramic kettle, this shows no sign of abating.

The kettle, created by Paris-based design practice Elium Studio, is a tribute to smooth industrial elegance, its clean lines and sturdy composure turning an everyday appliance into one you’re not rushing to hide the minute guests arrive – on the contrary, its impeccable design means it might just as well serve as tableware too. With an aluminum base ensuring it remains firmly fixed to the counter and an elastomer rubber lid eliminating any risk of spillage, this pretty much is the mother of all kettles.

Rowenta ceramic kettle Available from rowenta.be

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Glass house

Norwegian editor Muuto symbolises Nordic design with a distinct comic twist. Having initially caught our attention with their magnificent Flow Jug, the design house comes back with, this time, an intriguing trio of drinking glasses. Entitled ‘Same same but different’, the triptych range of glasses essentially is an optical illusion : although different in design, they actually have the capacity to hold the same volume of water. And, as always with Muuto, the fun doesn’t stop there, as the mouth-blown tumblers come in a range of colours guaranteed to add a little pep to your table top.

‘Same same but different’ drinking glasses ( ¤35 ) Available, amongst others, from Diito Rue de l’Aurore 62 Dageraadstraat 1000 Brussels muuto.com

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Cooking with a conscience

“Eco-friendly” is quite honestly the last criteria we have in mind when purchasing a frying pan. Non-stick? Yes. Sleek design? Sure.

Will-make-whatever-you-fry-even-betterthan-if-a-starred-chef-had-cooked-it? Most definitely. Yet the folks at GreenPan very seriously believe their range can make a difference in our carbon footprint. In addition to using upcycled materials, their cookware is covered in Thermolon, a healthy alternative to the traditional non-stick coatings. Made of minerals instead of plastic, the pans are way more resistant to high temperatures and won’t release toxic fumes when over-heated.

Moreover, it claims a better heat distribution that seals moisture and flavours. No more excuses for burning that bacon then.

GreenPan cookware (from ¤28 to ¤95) Available, amongst others, from Mmmmh Chaussée de Charleroi 92 Charleroise Steenweg 1060 Brussels mmmmh.be green-pan.com

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The special showstoppers

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Message in a bottle

Take a good look at this little baby, because we guarantee you’ll see it in the hands of every single hipster a few months from now.

Silly name aside, the Water Bobble is actually pretty ingenious: a reusable bottle that filters tap water as you drink. It may not be the first to exploit the concept, but unlike its predecessors (remember Watergeeks, Metro Eco Bottle or Sigg?) the Water Bobble’s simple and stylish design, courtesy of Karim Rashid, have made it a Word winner since picking it up at Selfridges, and at a very affordable price. A single Bobble filter (to be replaced every two months) equates to at least 300 water bottles. We’ll let you do the math.

Water Bobble ( ¤ 7 ) Available from waterbobble.com

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Nailing it

Corn-fed as beef may be, it’s the cooking that will truly make or break it come time to sink your teeth into that juicy steak.

Overcook it and you’ve got serious rubber to chew through, undercook it and you’re left with a bloodbath on your plate. And despite what grandma may say, sticking a fork in it simply never cuts it. So, just when we thought miracles couldn’t possibly happen, in steps the meat thermometer, whose different levels accurately indicate the exact current state of your meat according to its internal temperature. We could only think of dubious jokes and childish pranks when we first got it, until we nailed the perfect roast for the very first time in our lives. Now we’re so serious about it, it’s not even funny.

MasterClass stainless steel meat thermometer ( ¤ 8 ) Available from Selfridges selfridges.co.uk

the FOOD

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Food follows form

Every now and then, a new magazine is launched and completely sweeps away any preconceived rules about how to tackle a certain topic. Carl’s Car did it with cars, Apartamento did it with interiors and now Australian magazine Condiment is doing it with that other staple subject of lifestyle magazines, food. The tongue-in-cheek editorial tone is refreshing, the imagery daring (the first issue features a mind-blowing shoot by renown Japanese photographer Yumiko Utsu which, amongst others,

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features squid-headed fictional characters as protagonists) and the graphic design airy.

Content-wise, you get everything from a piece on how much American soldiers in Iraq miss their local variety of potato chips and culinary quotes of wisdom such as ‘a certain percentage of pistachios in every pack, will never open up to you,’ to a photo-essay on bizarrely shaped lemons and, of course, some pretty succulent recipes (of which, one for Spätzle, got our mouth watering). A delightful and tasty little read.

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 Visit thewordmagazine.be/dribbles/ gettinginthemix for full purchase links.

Condiment ( ¤17,5 ) foodandform.com

See page 94 for full stockist information.

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The movement Disruptive Talent Innovative Ideas

Less is a bore

— Minimalism equals good taste. For nearly a century, such was the design credo of the Western world.

But let's face it: the world has changed a great deal since.

© Studio Job

Writer Anneke Bokern

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Design

Suddenly, countries that never had much of an influence on the international design scene are developing into major markets. “People here want golden faucets,” an architect friend working in Shanghai once told me. “They’ve had to live with state-administered simplicity for more than two generations. Now they finally have a choice, and they're not interested in minimal things anymore. They want lots of gold, ornaments, luxury.” Of course, one could simply dismiss this as the proverbial bad taste that comes with new money – if it didn't coincide with a newfound predilection for exuberance amongst designers in Europe. No matter whether the new markets in the East have had a liberating effect on design or vice versa: for a growing number of designers, less is a bore, and the new clientele is a welcome reason for going opulent. “People in countries like China and Russia haven't gone through 100 years of Bauhaus. They see with different eyes. They’re freer,” Dutch designer Marcel Wanders, one of the most famous exponents of anti-minimalism, explains. “I've always tried to steer clear of so-called good taste, and I love kitsch. Style is an invention of the insecure.”

Of course, one could simply dismiss this as the proverbial bad taste that comes with new money ˇ But Wanders wouldn't be so successful if mere kitsch was all he produced. The trick is to balance sugariness with a dose of recalcitrance. Designers play with decoration, bringing together historic ornaments with rough-and-ready materials or traditional crafts with subversive imagery, trying to fathom the borders between maximalism and tackiness.

In 2005, Amsterdam-based Studio Tjep presented its project Destructive Deco, which was in fact an experiment on ‘How deco can you go?’ On a simple veneer lampshade, three pattern layers were laser-etched successively.

The laser burned the material, so during the second processing it started to cut into the lamp. Tjep presented the three stages of the lamp in an exhibition. While the first lamp simply featured a floral pattern, the second version was partly perforated. The third one was the most cut-up, the most decorated, and – due to the costly operation time of the high-end laser – also the most expensive. Nevertheless, visitors of the exhibition preferred the second

© Tjep.

ˆ 02.

lamp, signalling that more isn't always better, but some ornamentation can't hurt.

Layering is a characteristic strategy in the work of studio Tjep, led by Frank Tjepkema.

“Our style emerges when we go into detail,” Tjepkema says. “We like to work with structures, tactility and decoration. If there’s a certain richness to a design, I'm happy.” Although this richness often takes quite modern shapes, Tjep also like to create über-decorated works once in a while, such as the Chair of Textures. The chair, made of several cut-through layers of metal, looks like an oversized piece of jewellery.

With two fat butterflies sitting on the backrest and flames licking up one of the legs – “to add some drama,” as Tjepkema explains – it probably deserves to be called ‘saccharine’. Like a lot of Tjepkema's work, however, it has to be seen within the context of design history. “This is so radically different from what was ‘de bon ton’ in the architectural world for decades and decades: a modernist approach to design in which a sense of detail, crafts and symbolic quality made place for unappealing, depressive functionalism,” he says.

He certainly isn't alone in advocating this approach, which basically backlashes against

the tired paradigm of form following function.

But while Tjepkema is rather anti-dogmatic – jumping twinkle-toed from pieces with intricate fairy-tale decoration to very slick, even minimalist objects and back – others take maximalism a step further. Five years ago, Dutchman Tord Boontje became famous for re-introducing floral ornaments into design.

When his flower patterns faced the threat of a shift from trademark to fad, he left them behind, but anti-minimalism still pervades his design philosophy. “My education at the Design Academy in Eindhoven and at the Royal College in London was very much influenced by Bauhaus-ideals,” he recounts. “When designing something in those schools, one never used ornamentation or decoration. But why not?

I had the feeling that something was missing in our world. Whenever I visited the Victoria & Albert Museum and saw old embroidery, wood carvings or jewellery, I got really enthusiastic.”

Accordingly, Boontje doesn't only employ a lot of decoration in his work, but also plays 01. Studio Job’s Pyramid Angle 02. Studio Tjep.’s Chair of Textures

© Studio Tord Boontje

The movement

© Pelle Crepin

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03.

with historic references. With L'Armoire, for instance, he created a piece of furniture that looks like something that escaped from a David Cronenberg movie. Besides being just as outrageously curvaceous as it is expensive, the cabinet, made of Dalbergia and Padouk wood and hand-sawn Cocobolo veneer, contains an intricate mechanism, which has to be discovered in order to open its drawers. In essence, it’s a rococo cabinet on steroids.

The question is, of course, whether something as extraordinary as this, created completely by hand, can still be classified as design, or whether it's rather applied art. After all, didn't Adolf Loos write in his legendary 1908 pamphlet Ornament and Crime that “ornament is nothing but wasted manpower”? Loos, however, lived in a time when machines were barely capable of bending a steel tube, whereas today they can produce remarkably detailed ornaments at the push of a button. A piece of furniture like L'Armoire probably has Loos rolling in his grave, but quite a few of Boontje’s objects, although no less ornamental, are machine-made,

04.

ˆ The question is, of course, whether something as extraordinary as this, created completely by hand, can still be classified as design, or whether it's rather applied art. ˇ wasting no manpower apart from the designer's.

Studded with dainty flowers and insects, and resembling an 18th century still life painting more than a piece of technical equipment, Boontje's Allegro-Crescendo speakers are the products of a rapid prototyping machine. “I like to compare this to William Morris' work,”

Boontje says. “During the industrial revolution, factory workers lived in terrible conditions, just like today’s sweatshops. William Morris tried to produce things on a smaller scale and re-introduce craft, in order to achieve higher quality and also to improve the workers’ lives. I try to use new technology in order to re-introduce a higher level of detail into products.”

Besides this quest for quality, meaning and beauty in design objects, another factor pushing the trend towards opulence in design are clients.

In recent years, more and more companies that used to be regarded as makers of ultra-traditional, even kitschy products want to work with designers, from crystal glass producer Swarovski to Spanish porcelain figurine maker Lladró.

The latter even hired Spanish-born, Londonbased designer Jaime Hayon as creative director, resulting in several collections of figurines, including the aptly named Re-Deco series.

Hayon is probably the first designer to find an appropriate appellation for his over-the-top, colourful and decidedly anti-ascetic style, calling it “Mediterranean digital baroque”. Recently, he

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ˆ

© Studio Job

designed the interior of the Fabergé Salon in Geneva, where he combined pseudo-traditional round shapes, chandeliers with elegant lampshades and room-high curtains with neutral, silvery colours, creating a space that looks like an updated version of a 1950s Hollywood interior.

The only things missing were Cary Grant and Doris Day in his and hers silk dressing gowns.

© Jaime Hayon

Design

05.

06.

In fact, opulent design is at its most digestible when it has a slightly subversive undertone, like a hint of lemon in cream sauce.

“Believe me – it's much more addictive to love kitsch than it is to love minimalism,” Hayon says. In contrast with Boontje, he doesn't take his task too seriously, but sees himself as a kind of court jester. In fact, opulent design is at its most digestible when it has a slightly subversive undertone, like a hint of lemon in cream sauce. In Hayon’s work, it comes in the shape of gaudy colours, clown's faces and Pinocchio noses. In the work of Antwerp-based Studio Job, founded by Job Smeets and Nynke Tynagel, recalcitrance is more literally present – most of all in the imagery. The successful couple creates shamelessly unpractical objects, which often appear kitsch at first sight, but turn out to be rife with a dark, contemporary iconography at closer inspection. For Dutch ceramics manufacturer Royal Tichelaar, they made the Pyramid of Makkum, a surrealist tower of, well, things. How else can one sum up a fence, a pipe, a high-rise coffee pot with filter, a kettle – and gold-coloured steam? A closer look at the blueand-white decoration reveals an even more idiosyncratic mix of cloverleaves, spoons, syringes, flowers, crucifixes, kitchen utensils, band-aids and safety pins. In a similar way, their Industry furniture feature images of hummingbirds, sea horses, dragonflies, skeletons, tanks, helicopters, hand grenades, gasmasks and fighter planes.

In the case of Studio Job, the question isn't just whether their works belong to the realm of design or applied arts, but sculpture also comes into play. Hardly anyone would ever dream of hanging their coat in the Industry closet, just like no one would use one of the Wonderlamps – a series of oversized cast bronze torches, pots, buckets and pipes, fitted with blobby mouthblown crystal bulbs – to light their living room.

Yet while Studio Job's critics might claim it's all

© Jaime Hayon

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07.

just expensive trumpery, fans of their objects profess that the pair has crossed-over into the world of art. A few years ago at the high-end fair Design Miami Basel, sheikhs and their wives were roaming around their works with longing looks in their eyes. Ironically, what they were gazing at was a project called Robber Baron: five bronze objects representing factories with golden smoke coming out of their chimneys, with a 500,000 euro pricetag, which according to the designers “tell the story of the excesses of American 19 th century tycoons and the current oligarchs from Russia.” Kitsch, design or art? Maybe it's time somebody came up with an entirely new category.

03. Studio Tord Boontje’s

Allegro-Crescendo’s speakers 04. Studio Tord Boontje’s L’Armoire 05. Jaime Hayon’s Lladro 06. Studio Job’s Cabinet 07. Jaime Hayon’s Fabergé Salon

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The shelf Arts We love Photography

If you don’t read books, you will soon forget how to read.

— When anything and everything remotely linked to culture ought to happen behind closed doors, you better hope your library is stocked with the right balance of books. This, we imagine, is what a book shelf would have looked liked in St Petersburg circa 1984.

Photography Yassin Serghini

Verses and versions; Three centuries of Russian poetry (2008) Selected and translated by Vladimir Nabokov Harcourt Inc

Think Nabokov and Lolita is bound to be the first thing you think of. Though he gained worldwide acclaim through his novels, the Russian writer was also a formidable literary critic, chess player and linguistic doyen. Collected for the first time in one volume are Nabokov’s translations of Russian poetry, set along their original Russian versions as well as capsule profiles of the poets, including the greats such as Pushkin, Lermontov and Fet. Not just a mere anthology, this is a master class in the hopes, risks and thrills of translating. Don’t expect perfect facsimiled versions but instead an appreciation of one of Russia’s greatest literary minds executing a passion with the discursive and eloquent style he is famed for.

Words Renasha Khan

7KM (2009)

by Kirill Golochenko

Red star over Russia (2009)

by David King

Snoeck

Tate

Europe’s largest marketplace lies on 70 hectares of what used to be wheat fields and a waste processing plant, seven kilometres from Odessa.

This photographic series captures the workings of this ‘Field of Wonders’ that dates back to the Second World War and which developed from the most famous flea market in the Soviet Union.

Documenting the people, commodities and conditions of this rather surreal and remarkable place, Golochenko depicts its streets of containers organised by bright colours and market stalls filled with wedding dresses, inflatable’s and imitation tiger rugs, everything a person could ever possibly need, or not. A celebration of kitsch and post-Soviet wonderland.

A mammoth of a book filled to the brim with posters, graphics and photographs detailing the course of events following the revolution from 1917 until the death of Stalin in 1953.

This volatile period saw upheaval, civil unrest, war and the decimation of famine.

The 1930s brought Stalin’s Great Purge followed by the violent onslaught of the Nazi military machine. Scaling whimsical portraits of ordinary life and famous intellectuals to propaganda-pushing Stalin’s five-year plan, this is a dynamic look at the Soviet Union in its most changeable period. For a book with so many remarkable images, it is crammed full of historical insight. Definitely not just your average picture book.

Yesterday’s sandwich (2007)

by Boris Mikhailov

Black and White; A Suprematist Composition of 1915

by Kazimir Malevich (2009)

by Andrei Nakov

Phaidon

Steidl

Hailed by many as one of the most, if not the most, influential photographers from the former Soviet Union, Boris Mikhailov’s work has left an indelible imprint on contemporary photography. Famous for his disturbingly honest Case History series, capturing the silent despair and social disintegration following the collapse of the Soviet Union in a full frontal manner, his early work deserves equal mention. The intriguing Yesterday’s Sandwich (1966) series resulted from a simple accident, when Mikhailov inadvertently super-imposed two slides and was fascinated by the outcome. He proceeded to purposely juxtapose nature close-ups, interiors and nudity (a major taboo in the Soviet era), with the intention of celebrating beauty, or its absence. The results of his experimentations are suggestive, poetic, ridden with meaning – both abstract and figurative – but mostly, of a breathtaking beauty.

The groundbreaking painting ‘Black and White; Suprematist Composition‘ (1915) by Kazimir Malevich (1879-1935) is the focus of this little wonder. Recent advances in conservation work mean that scholars are now able to understand this single piece in more detail. Articulated in the Suprematist ‘grammar’ of pure geometrical forms, the painting, along with others by Malevich like ‘White on White’ and ‘Black Square’, envisioned a new art, breaking with traditional form and realism. The book gives readers a peek into Malevich’s vision and conceptualism, placing it in the context of the fermenting political landscape and the wider international art scene of the time. A great synopsis of this abstract masterpiece of the Russian avant-garde, one which would go on to be an inspiration to so many movements in years to come, paving the way for Italian futurists and American minimalists in the 1950s.

Vania (2010)

by Vania Zouravliov Gestalten

Child prodigies never fail to spark interest, but in Vania Zouralivov’s case, it feels as though the body of work has managed to surpass the myth. The son of a painter and an art teacher, Vania dabbled around in the arts from an early age and counted international exhibitions and several television appearances by the time he turned 13. His remarkably detailed drawings are surreal and haunting portrayals of ethereal beauty tinged with darkness. Morbid overtones of death, decay and decadence seep and overwhelm the dreamlike states, which resonate through much of his work. With influences ranging from his native Russian folklore and art to Japanese illustration and pop art, Zouravliov delivers an intriguing selection in this monograph. Layered with dark motifs that are reminiscent of silent movies, “Vania” is thrilling, alluring and definitely disturbing.

Culture

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 From top to bottom

Black and white (Steidl), Verses and versions (Harcourt Inc), Yesterday’s sandwich (Phaidon), 7KM (Snoeck), Red star over Russia (Tate), Vania (Gestalten)

 Visit thewordmagazine.be/dribbles/theshelf for more photographs of the books as well as Amazon purchase links.

78

The take-over Photography Business

Striking ( black ) gold — With assets in excess of eight billion US dollars, close to 200 refineries and more than 6,000 gas stations spread across the world, it was only a matter of time until Lukoil – Russia’s Moscow-based black gold juggernaut – came knocking on Belgium’s door. Since its purchase, in 2007, of Jet’s network of stations, the company has tripled in size.

It now counts over 180 pit stops around the country.

Photography Joël Blanter

Culture

Here used to lie a JET gas staion‌

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The take-over

Culture

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The eye Photography Reality

A Russian container — Rumour has it that Russian cargo ships and their on board staff have the most fun whilst out at sea. Indeed, from the sailors' sauna to the captain’s exercise bikes, being boat-bound for days-on-end evidently has its upsides. We climbed aboard three different ships to get a sense of how life was for crewmembers.

Photography Sarah Michielsen

Additional research Jochem Thyssen

01.

02.

03.

04.

01+02. The Modulus 3 came from Liepaja, Latvia

importing 4027 tonnes of milling wheat to the port

of Antwerp. Once the ship is emptied, it will head

towards Turkey and the Caspian Sea, carrying

construction materials. Vladimir Vashchenko is

the captain of this brand new ship, which is only

three months old. A proud man, he made sure to

put on his best suit before giving us a tour on his boat

03.

04.

Olga Nikulina is the eldest of the crew and spends her working hours in the galley of the Modulus 3, where she cooks for the crew, listening to Russian pop music Provisions are made at each stop.

Almost everything can be ordered from a catalogue to suit the sailors’ needs

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Culture

06.

05.

07.

08.

10.

09.

05. Alexandr Zhivotchenko, an Able Seaman,

shares his humble-sized cabin with another crewmember 06. Depending on their rank, the crewmates either

share a cabin or occupy it alone,

like Victor Vikhrov, an Able Seaman.

Their room consists of one or two small beds,

a desk and a tiny bathroom

07.

08.

09.

Chief engineer Yakov Lagoda monitors the engines of this 90 meters long and five meters deep mammoth Alexandr Zhivotchenko, an Able Seaman, busy cleaning the ship A view in the big and noisy engine room, where all the magic happens

10.

The crewmembers usually leave their homeland for four months and stay there for about two months upon returning. Money is usually the main reason prompting a quick return to sea

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The eye

01.

02.

03.

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01.

02.

03

04.

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06.

06.

Steered by captain Konstantin Vereyutin, the Kazakh is five years old. It is also bigger and longer than the first ship visited It’s a cold day but it’s warm inside the small living/dining room, where the captains of the Cabrana (pictured on the opposite page) and the Kazakh are passing time, with sounds from the Russian television channel playing in the background The Kazakh arrived from Yeisk, Russia and is moored in the port of Ghent, where it unloaded tonnes of wheat.

Once it’s empty, it will leave for Denmark Alexey Tikhomirov is posted on the deck most of the time, writing down the names of whomever enters the boat Second mate Pavel Kholkin was our tour guide on the ship The ship’s communal bathroom even has a small sauna. Pavel Kholkin proudly relates that the whole crew used it the previous night

Culture

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01.

02.

03.

05.

04.

01.

02.

03.

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05.

The oldest of the three ships, the Cabrana is smaller and dirtier Khudiakov Viacheslav The chief engineer Yuri Chukin demonstrates how the engines work, filling the room with an unbearable racket The electrical engineer is really proud of his small office inside the engine room. He tells us the ship is a high-end freighter made in Finland.

That could explain the presence of the sauna found on board An exercise bike in the engine room

 Visit thewordmagazine.be/wonders/ arussiancontainer for the full series

of pictures.

86

The portfolio Photography Nostalgia Classic We love

— The thing about forests is the inherent mystery they exude.

There’s something eerie about them, ghost-like even. They don’t bother nobody, if nobody bothers them. Well, recently, that propensity to keep a low-profile went up in smoke, literally. Raging fires surrounded Moscow, with forests showing the type of damage they were capable of doing. You mess with forests and they’ll mess with you back. Sad thing is, forests actually hold a special place in Russian folklore, so it was particularly saddening to see them being vilified in such a way, such was the rage with which they carried themselves during several weeks, covering most of Moscow in a thick, black cloud of smoke. Given the negative press they got, we thought it necessary to step up, and ask one of Russia’s foremost contemporary photographers to spend a couple of days training his eye on these oft-forgotten urban oxygen masks and give us a little insight into what, if anything, made Russian forests so glorious.

Photography Gosha Rubchinskiy

Culture

“Kids with cigarettes constitute a common theme in my work as they are part of the skateboard subculture he often documents.�

Here, Gosha photographs Egor, a 16-year-old skater from Nizhniy Novgorod.

87

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The portfolio

“I was born in Moscow and live there so leaving the city and going to forests or fields is always cool and interesting.

I used to walk around the forests for hours collecting mushrooms… normal ones.”

Culture

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The portfolio

The region also has a lot of old abandoned churches that attract groups of Orthodox pilgrims, a group of which is pictured above.

Culture

“As I was driving through the Kaluzhskaya region, I spotted a big cabin in the middle of a field that turned out to be an old storage warehouse for wood that is abandoned.�

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The portfolio

Seliger, a lake camp in Northern Russia, can be found at a five-hour drive from Moscow. There was a camp for students that had been organised by the government.

The gym machines had been brought to the camp specially for the occasion by the government for the kids to workout.

Culture

93

 Visit thewordmagazine.be/wonders/ youcantseetheforest for the full album of

Gosha’s rural travels.

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Round-up

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© Felix Baumsteiger

page 17

Brussels.

Palais des Beaux-Arts DEBUT SEIKYO KIM. Monday. 08.11.2010. 20:00

Brussels Philharmonic – het Vlaams Radio Orkest

Michel Tabachnik, chief conductor/music director, orchestra in residency at Flagey

Impressions romantiques Mozart – Bruckner – Brahms

Michel Tabachnik, conductor – with Brigitte Engerer & Hélène Mercier, piano 12/11/2010 SANKT VITH - 13/11/2010 BRUSSELS (FLAGEY) 14/11/2010 ANTWERPEN (ELISABETHZAAL)

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with soloists Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth & choir Lemmensinsituut 12/12/2010 –BRUSSELS (BOZAR)

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The blog Distribution points Subscriptions & back issues Coming soon: the iPad app

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NO.1 PREMIUM VODKA

At the Imperial Court in St Petersburg, the Tsars of Russia were legendary for demanding only the finest in luxury and quality. Their national spirit, vodka, was no exception.

In 1894, Dmitri Mendeleev, the greatest scientist in all Russia, received the decree to set the Imperial quality standard for Russian vodka and the ‘Russian Standard’ was born.

2 3

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Today in St Petersburg, our state-of-the-art distillery allows us to bring this vodka heritage into the 21st Century.

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Using winter wheat from the Russian Steppes, pure glacial water from Lake Ladoga and advanced distillation technology, we have created the genuine taste of Russian vodka that is once again being celebrated throughout the world.

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A4_1.ai

2/27/2009

6:40:56 PM

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Шhat’s next? The Яussian Issue, togeћeг What’s next ? шiћ a special chapteг on food. Communist-eгa tчpogгaphies, ѵast open plains, fieгce A whole lot. facial featuгes, loгd of шaг legends and ego-inteгioгs. Cold шaг No Ьusiness more issues but,of instead, albums. leftoѵeгs, gulag гock, ћe Ьodчguaгds and face contгol.

Albums and colours. The first one, Шe might do someћing шiћ fuгs. Шe might tгч tгacking doшn ћe black album inѵentoг of Chatгoulette. the I’m seeing stгong, meatч featuгes of haгdship. Daгk and Exclusive, somЬeг tales excess.

I’m feeling moгe of a classic, sexy, of nocturnal and secretive.

Might seem a little upside down ѵisual гefeгence to a cultuгallч-гich nation ћan a liteгal studч of its (nocturnal and sexy aren’t words editors usually use post New Year), шaчs. I’m seeing geneгous although smiles that’s never and stoppedpodgч us before. men. Someћing on ћe ЯussianAndmoЬ mчћ. MaчЬe шe could inteгѵieш Boгis ћe Bullet with the change in editorial structure comes a new addition: a music section.

Dodgeг. Дnd Lukoil. Theч’ѵe Ьeen oѵeгtaking No reviews nor run-of-the-mill interviews.eѵeгч gas station Rather, the black album’s music section will, for instance, fгom Жoгtгijkfeature to Жnokke latelч. an in-depth piece on Word star of the moment Drums of Death, complete with studio time, coffee breaks and the odd live showcase or two.

Ouг food special шill Ьe a slightlч moгe local affaiг, шiћ listings of Other ideas on our minds: a shadows shoot, night owls, black humour, ouг faѵouгite lunchtime digs, cooking classes and film noir, black outs,half-an-houг black listed people and black ice.

And, if all else fails, we’ll do something on bands names with the word ‘black’.faгmeгs’ ‘Ьehind-Ьaгs’ гoast chicken гecipes. Шe’ll ѵisit ћe local maгket шiћ some special guests ouгs and leaгn ћe tгicks of For our special of theof month, the car special, we’ll be capturing classic driving postures, fronting as window cleaners, laчing ћe peгfect taЬle. testing out the backseat for perfect suspension and greasing out steamy windows.

— The Яussian Issue.

The Word’s Black Album. Шhen ћe east is in ћe house.

Launch party on 7 January 2011. ћ Once you go black, you never go back.

Out 5 NoѵemЬeг 2010. th

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