threaded the arrivals & departures issue 2009 new zealand $17.00 $12.95 australia
07. THREADED 7, 2009
oktobor.com
Arrivals, departures, beginnings, endings, idea, execution. Brethren, gather close... The universe decrees that we arrive as we depart, frail and prone to harm; such is the lot of the creative mind as it strives to make sense of an idea, to give it life and birth it into a sea of both veiled and obvious threat‌ You, dear follower, will be witness to the grand plan as we journey into the initial void, where the metaphysical meets the actual and the universe aligns, where the All-Seeing Eye presides. From nucleus to transmission the design/post flock exalt as the process organically and mechanically transforms from the cloud of imagine into the foundation of the real. Join the artists who bring forth the good word as they travel from door to door upon transitory bicycles grown from equal and opposite measures of hope and fear, forever battling with the sniping snakes of judgement while climbing the hopeful shining ladders of time, process and design. We arrive with a blessed thought and depart with an illuminatory message. Witness the sermon, and delight. INTRODUCTION WRITTEN BY aL mCKAY
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CONTENTS
Editorial
Pigeon-Hole
Closing The Loop
L.A. Convention
Work
CONTENTS
The Chosen Path*
Call For Submissions
Exhibition Alley
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Unite or You Will Not Know
Common-Places/Common-Threads
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EDITORIAL
FIONA GRIEVE
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EDITORIAL
FIONA GRIEVE
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Editor Fiona Grieve DESIGN Kyra Bradcock Art Direction Kyra Bradcock Fiona Grieve Oktobor – Cover and Gatefold GUEST DESIGNERS Hazel Davies Lucas Milner Emile Holmewood Al Mckay Ken Stewart Patrick McAteer Matt von Trott Steen Bech Curtis Baigent Sean Dekkers Guy Thompson Jonny Kofoed PHOTOGRAPHY Erin McVeigh PRACTITIONER SHOWCASE Oktobor Deadly Ponies Shine The National Grid Field Student Showcase Esther Page Renée Lam Runi Schoenhofer Dan Joblin Tim Grisbrook Amy Blinkhorne Gillian Deery Den Aitken Yohannes Handoko James French proofing All About Words ADVERTISING/ SALES Ashton Henty ashton@threaded.co.nz SPONSORSHIP Unitec New Zealand Spicers Paper Limited PAPER SUPPLIER Spicers Paper Limited
Auckland, New Zealand
SUBMISSIONS We welcome contributions for Ed.8 and submissions are now open for Exhibition Alley if you are an emerging creative PRODUCTION Threaded Media Limited PO Box 79 382 Royal Heights Waitakere City 0656 Auckland, New Zealand No part of this publication can be copied or reproduced in any way/form or by electronic means without written permission from Threaded Media Ltd.
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PIGEON-HOLE
s e e t noti
naked on the inside • Recipe • 1)
D esigns... Why not apply art to clothing, depicting collections within the cultural and social influences of a specific time.
2) Create... Born out of the desire to create something unique and original for men.
Have you ever tried to find the ‘right’ T-shirt? For example, you know what you like but getting all the key elements that make it right in one garment is difficult. You have criteria: it must fit you correctly, it must have the right print/message and it must become the one item of clothing that is something unique and original.
3) Styles... Fabrics and cuts that are distinctive and made in New Zealand of lightweight (150gms) jersey cotton.
Well a handful of designers/creatives got together to cook up and create their own brand – Naked on the Inside.
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• 2009 Collection − 'Russian Criminal Tattoos'
roduction... Combining style with artistic inspiration P to create unique men's clothing. NOTI men's T-shirts are constructed to be fitting for the edgy and experimental.
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Outcome...
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Tattoo Art is one of the oldest forms of personal expression and was the basis for the design elements in this collection. Naked on the Inside was interested in capturing unique tattoo designs depicting the Russian prison system as a ‘Theatre of the Absurd’ in which the social codes of everyday society are violently exaggerated and where prisoners wear the tattoos as powerful statements of identity. The tattoos’ original, complex iconography is, like many things in the new, post-Soviet era, in danger of extinction. www.noti.co.nz
PIGEON-HOLE
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elevating the status of illustrative art Pixel Ink Gallery is an exciting addition to the Wellington arts scene, providing a space for emerging and established artists to exhibit and sell their works. The gallery specialises in contemporary illustrative art, which is becoming increasingly popular amongst mainstream New Zealand. Illustrative art can be simply described as art that is figurative or narrative based, often drawing inspiration from story books, comics, film and animation. Gallery director and artist, Rosalind Clark opened Pixel Ink in November last year. Clark saw a gap in the market after finding that conventional galleries were not as receptive towards illustrative artists: the perception often is that figurative and narrative art is more ‘low-brow’ than abstract or landscape art. Since the gallery opened, regular exhibitions have featured upcoming and seasoned Wellington-based illustrators and artists including Kelly Thompson, Stephen Templer, Rosalind Clark, Sam Broad, Thomas Simpson, Andrew Shaw, Miss Mica Still, Kiran X and more... Pixel Ink offers a unique point of difference – it is more than just an art gallery, as it incorporates a fashion boutique and an illustration studio. Clark, a design graduate from Massey University, operates an illustration studio out of the gallery and works with clients nationwide. Her illustrations are often described as
whimsical and ethereal works that engage audiences and transport the viewer into a visual narrative. You will also find unique New Zealand– made clothing, jewellery and accessories on display at Pixel Ink. A collection of upcoming boutique designer fashion is available at affordable prices, including illustrated men's and women's fashion labels, Nouveau and Deco, designed by Clark. Pixel Ink aims to elevate the status of illustrative art by exhibiting fine art in a space where art lovers, art investors and artists alike can experience all that is great
about New Zealand art, alongside a small selection of boutique fashion. The Pixel Ink fashion boutique, art gallery and illustration studio is located in vibrant Newtown, Wellington, and is a joint venture by Clark and Managing Director, Glen Cooper. Visit Pixel Ink online at www.pixelink.co.nz Pixel Ink Gallery Phone: 04 380 0003 Email: gallery@pixelink.co.nz
now thats creative Every man and his dog can release a graphic T-shirt collection – but when Crowded Elevator clothing partners with eight of New Zealand’s top creative talent to create a unique range sold exclusively through Kiwi powerhouse fashion label WORLD, you had better take notice. And when those same limited-edition tees are to be celebrated with an exhibition including works by Elliot ‘Askew’ O’Donnell, Kelly Thompson, Conor Clarke and Anneke Stewart at the illustrious Webb's gallery in Auckland, purchasing one means an investment in popular culture.
“The Creative Collection is a project to stimulate the senses, a collision of creative minds,” says Crowded Elevator designer Carl Thompson. “The artists involved will be given the freedom to showcase an exclusive design alongside their other creative pieces, giving the public a further chance to stake their claim on a slice of cutting edge talent,” he says. “Crowded Elevator couldn’t be happier at giving these artists a platform to express themselves in such a distinctive way.” www.crowdedelevator.co.nz
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PIGEON-HOLE
hamster squaredance The music video Hamster Squaredance is the result of collaboration between Aucklandbased designers Laurent Antonczak, (France), Patricia Burgetsmaier (Germany) and James Hayday (New Zealand). It is a project that reflects on today’s communities in relation to emerging technologies by creating a playful approach of story-telling – Helmut, the hamster, is chased by various protagonists. The framework of Hamster Squaredance explores an aesthetic and conceptual relationship of rhythm and narrative by developing a new visual approach for displaying media on small screens, mainly the iPhone. Furthermore, Hamster Squaredance explores a new narrative structure: shortduration, screen limitations, narrative synchronised with music and reinterpretation of the aesthetics of the computer game industry from the early '80s into the current trend. While using basic, modular and simple graphics, which denote the early stage of computer development and its graphics, this collaboration has developed highly crafted visuals, using the most advantageous elements of photography, illustrations and mixed-media techniques.
Hamster Squaredance is also an interactive music video that uses mobile technology such as ‘Quick Response’ (QR) barcodes which can be read by mobile phones embedded into an animation. In Asia and Europe, mobile tagging is now gaining traction: mobile tagging connects static information carriers with the Internet and encourages the interactive behaviour of the user. However, the future success will go beyond simply linking to URLs. Aiming for absolute convergence between information media, the Hamster Squaredance objective is to extend the primary function of mobile tagging. The viewer/audience is encouraged to interact with others to enhance the notion of community rather than simply being directed on a website URL connection via QR. Hamster Squaredance aims to inspire a new genre of music video for the future generation and humour is a key factor used to generate emotion from the audience via Helmut’s journey. http://vimeo.com/3693693
a 'raw' idea Jade Hurst has recently left the dynamic marketing team of Red Bull having held various roles including Culture Marketing Manager. She has been at the helm of events such as the Red Bull Soundclash and the innovative film event Red Bull Reel Life. After nearly six wonderful years at Red Bull, she has launched her company raw. An experiential brand-marketing company connecting creatives, companies and clients, raw specialises in the exciting areas of fashion, art, music and film. raw is a boutique, innovative company offering true flexibility and reliability in this current economic climate. It's business as usual for this girl; she's taking this opportunity to offer companies a dynamic solution, to complement their above–the–line advertising with exciting and experiential marketing activity. "I see myself as a creator and a facilitator; I get a huge thrill in seeing things through to a perfect conclusion... I guess that's how 'raw' came about: I really feel I have something unique to offer."
So why the name 'raw'? "To me it means stripped back, a raw idea to be polished, it's no 'B.S', just real... I'm serious about people seeing me and what I do as being real." "I get my true energy and inspiration from working with creative people. It really is about a clever mix of the right people first." From the conceptual stages to the execution, Jade Hurst is a stickler for the details, "It really is the small details that will trip people up when it comes to brand activation. Often people don't have the time, or perhaps the right vision, to carry it through. There's no shame in that; it's just a case of people knowing their strengths, then hiring 'raw' to take care of the rest! Relax... it's supposed to be fun!" www.raw.net.nz
brand + connect
THREADED AND INTERFACE NZ
closing the loop
THREADED 09.
Closing the Loop
− the reincarnation of carpet
Threaded took some time to talk to Steve Aschebrock, one of the Directors OF InterfaceNZ who represents Interface products here IN NZ, to find out more about their environmental leadership and corporate social responsibility. That’s a huge hurdle. We’re competing with landfill and losing.
THREADED: We heard recently that Interface Inc is one of the World’s most sustainable businesses*, taking what would have been waste and giving it a new life. So what makes an oilbased carpet tile company so sustainable? STEVE ASCHEBROCK: Straight to the point, I like it. You’ve asked a massive question; let me explain. Our goal is for our carpet tiles to be made from 100% recycled content by 2020. Right now, 50% of the carpet tile is from virgin sources and the other 50% is from recycled sources. The recycled percentage is increasing all the time as, when old carpet tiles get to the end of their useful life, they are fed back into the life-cycle system. TH: So you take back carpet tile and turn it into new carpet? SA: That is right; why would you throw this valuable resource into landfill? We want to reuse that waste to be the food for our next generation of carpet tile – that’s how we can reach our 2020 goal. TH: Is it economically viable for you to operate in this way? SA: Not yet in New Zealand – but we are taking a long-term view on this. Currently our biggest issue is landfill charges. You can dump a tonne of carpet tile in most places in New Zealand for $150. But to recycle that tonne of carpet tile costs us $700 which we pay for ourselves.
We can do this only because we are part of an international company that has invested heavily in leading the way in developing this closed loop business model. We take back our used PVC backed nylon carpet tile and ship it to the USA where it is separated into its different products (yarn and backing). These are, in turn, fed back into the process to become new carpet. That’s our strategy. Total closed-loop: selling only products made from materials that can be turned back into new carpet tile. TH: Do you take back woollen carpet as well? SA: We believe wool as a yarn is great for clothing. Nature designs only the best. But, as a flooring solution, it flattens, rots and tears, and the yarn-dying process is a little outdated. Because of these flaws, most of the woollen carpet you see today is actually a nylon/wool mix. These mixes are very hard to recycle, and we wish the manufacturers of these products all the best in finding a true end-of-life solution. We are focused on making our carpet tiles from what would have been landfill in the future. TH: Sending the carpet tile back to the USA can’t be good for the environment either. SA: Well, yes and no. We would rather recycle the product here in New Zealand. However, New Zealand doesn’t own that recycling technology, which is a reality, but there’s no way you can compare landfill with recycling.
InterfaceNZ has a carbon management plan. We know our carbon footprint . We emitted 188 tonnes of carbon road-freighting our carpet to our customers in New Zealand during 2008. But we emitted only nine tonnes of carbon sea-freighting all that stock into New Zealand in the first place. Sea freight is a very low-carbon option. We seek to reduce our impact in all areas of business, then we offset our impact through the Landcare Research carboNZero programme. TH: You take back, you’re closed loop (or trying to be) and you’re carbon neutral. How would you advise young designers to make choices about the products they specify and to understand the impact of their choices? SA: A good starting point is to get involved with organisations like the New Zealand Green Building Council and look at what leading designers are doing. There are two other good rules of thumb I can suggest; 1. Ask which third parties have verified the green credentials you’re saying come with this product (eg; Environmental Choice New Zealand) 2. Ask what happens to it at the end of its life. If you don’t get a positive answer to either question, change the design specification to prevent a Wall-E syndrome hitting yourself or New Zealand. * The Global Scan survey of sustainability experts
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WORK
SHINE
We are Shine. Our work to date has spanned a range of disciplines, categories and geographies and has included everything from conventional ad campaigns for existing local brands to the creation of totally new brands and concepts. The following pages showcase some of our work: how it first arrived to us, and its ultimate departure once it had received our treatment.
SHINE
Emile Holmewood talked to Shine co-founder, Simon Curran, about the recent text-driven campaign they launched for Beck’s beer in Auckland. Emile Holmewood: The Beck’s campaign ‘30 Nights’ is a unique idea. Had anything like this been done before which inspired this approach? SIMON CURRAN: While the idea of a concentrated period of activity in specific areas is not new, the 30 Nights campaign we created is unlike anything we have seen elsewhere. It’s the blend of Facebook, iPhone, PocketVouchers and traditional media that we think makes the idea fresh and distinctive for Beck’s. EH: What process did the campaign follow from conception of an idea through to implementation? SC: We were fortunate that we have in Lion Nathan a client who is exceptionally receptive to the suggestion of fresh and different ideas, so that was basically the brief we received. We showed them a variety of conventional approaches, but suggested that it wouldn’t be anywhere near as impactful as something that is technology based – one that engages and encourages participation with the target market. EH: What was the main motivation for using cellphones? Did you find texting had an advantage over other forms of media you have worked with? SC: Our view is brands should be joining the conversation with their users rather than interrupting it as traditional advertising sets out to do. So media like mobiles, Facebook and Twitter provide brands the opportunity to now join the conversation in ways that we were not able to do previously. EH: As the campaign progressed, did you see a steady rise in its popularity, or was this more sudden – as people discussed it? SC: The awareness of this campaign was swift and from day one. We immediately had demand exceeding supply, which grew day by day.
WORK
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WORK
When Mac’s arrived, it had a very corporate aesthetic, lacking the quirkiness which is so apparent in its history. Emile talked with Len Cheeseman, and Stephen Cicala about the project.
Emile Holmewood: What is the overall concept behind the look? Stephen Cicala: Mac’s was an existing brand, having been around since 1981. We started in late 2005-early 2006 on it, so there was a bit of history already in the brand. That was the starting point. I guess probably one of the first influences that we came up with was New Zealand art, and especially New Zealand art in the early '80s when the brewery was founded. EH: What was the inspiration behind coupling New Zealand art with beer? SC: We felt that a craft beer should have a non-commercial look about it. It should look handmade. A lot of New Zealand art has this quality of being intimate and very much created by hand and that is something that we equated to craft brewing with Mac’s. EH: What came first, the tone of voice or the aesthetic? SC: They kind of happened at the same time, because we all worked together in reasonably cramped quarters. Certainly Ken Double, who really developed the tone of voice more than anyone else, had something to say about how it looked. And by the same token Shine and all the other people that worked on it, had stuff to say on the tone of voice as well. It was a true collaborative effort. EH: What was your process when determining each beer’s individual look? Len Cheeseman: Coming up with names for the beers, which was fun for the group involved, informed how they should look. EH: Why did you use the typeface Pintor? LC: It's based on an old hand-drawn sign, which evokes the rural typographic vernacular of many places; in turn it's been developed again by David Buck as something more expansive than the original.
SHINE
SHINE
vs Culture WORK fig.02 - Process THREADED 19. 13.
EH: How does the look communicate the benefit of the product? LC: It separates the brand as a craft beer experience; you get a sense of its heritage from within rural New Zealand. EH: Were there any commercial constraints limiting your creativity? SC: We couldn’t change anything about the physical packaging: six, twelve and fifteen packs, the bottle label or the shape of the bottle itself. So a lot of those production constraints were inherited and we had to try and do something different within the spaces that had already been defined. EH: What was your angle when taking the Mac’s look from packaging, and expanding it across different media? LC: Don’t waste a good look; just keep developing it through different media. Lucien at Shine has done a great job on the bars for example. It’s the modern way to use a creative resource who can work across platforms, it maximises a budget much better.
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WORK
SHINE
right: Fruit tea range
Clockwise from top:
reen tea range; Print ad; G Green tea TVC
EH: What was your reasoning for using the typeface ‘Fedra’?
EH: What was your angle when expanding the look across different media? (Press and TV)
LC: Its elegance, and it is the right typeface at the right moment.
LC: Its intention is to create an ambience around flavour.
LC: If you start at first base with a brand, it's easy to see the possibilities of where it might develop. Having control of the aesthetics is paramount and makes the brand go further for a client – so staying within the aesthetic instead of throwing ad ideas at it, on top of everything else, isn’t always the answer.
EH: What were your attitudes towards photography? Were you trying to promote an ‘organic’ approach?
EH: When bringing the aesthetic to TV, what challenges did you face converting the static imagery of packaging into an animation?
LC: We just wanted to make the ingredients look beautiful and mouth-watering.
LC: None, just get the right animator. In this instance Jonny Kofoed, as he is on the same planet as me.
EH: What was your angle in deciding the coloured background?
Len Cheeseman talks to Emile about his approach to directing the redesign of Healtheries Tea. Emile Holmewood: What was your philosophy behind the tea packaging’s overall look? Len Cheeseman: I don’t do philosophy. EH: What is the inspiration behind the minimalist approach? LC: It’s not minimalist, just restrained and exuding quality.
EH: What emotive tones were you trying to draw out of the consumer? LC: A subtle stimulation of their senses that would draw them to the product.
SHINE
Clockwise from below: P rint ad; Herbal tea TVC; Liquorice herbal tea pack
Clockwise from left:
rint ad; Chai tea TVC; P Chai tea range
WORK
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EXHIBITION ALLEY
xhiitio lley
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EXHIBITION ALLEY
esther page
esther page TOP: War of the Worlds LEFT: Huia Hall RIGHT: Battersby Chapel Low lighting, pulled blinds and rotten carpet from the seventies: the Funeral Chapel photographs by Esther Page radiate the quiet, solitary notion of death. The airy dull light floods a sense of renewal or celebration and the lonely halls create a similar effect – the party is over, and what’s left is the harsh reality, whereas Page’s War of the Worlds, MOTAT diorama toys with the notion of ‘capture’. She has acknowledged the role of a diorama to convey or reproduce a particular event or place and has positioned and sited the photographer accordingly. estherpage06@hotmail.com
[What Are You Thinking Right Now?_Scrabble Pieces]
Renée Lam_portfolio contents
[What Are You Thinking Right Now?_Catalogue Cards]
[What Are You Thinking Right Now?_Parts Of Speech]
Renée Lam_portfolio
Renée Lam_portfolio contents
contents
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EXHIBITION ALLEY
renÉe lam
renÉe lam PROJECT: What Are You Thinking Right Now? Renée Lam's What Are You Thinking Right Now? project is the result of an investigation into a series of graphic explorations which document 100 different people’s thoughts. The content was prompted by the question ‘what are you thinking right now?’. Lam’s publication utilises laser cut features to construct visual identities for individual thoughts. She has created a complex system based on sequences of speech and each page is numbered to correspond with another that features the thought in text form. In another publication Lam illustrates selected thoughts using Scrabble pieces as a metaphor for the changing and inventive nature of thoughts. The construct of the catalogue cards offered added
new value to the content and abstracted the notion of collected thoughts as something that could be easily searched according to emotion. Lam employs graphic and typographic sensibilities to extend a viewer’s experience and enjoys the challenge of creating design that is clear in both its communication and its aesthetic execution. reneenlam@gmail.com www.reneelam.com
RUNI Schoenhofer
EXHIBITION ALLEY
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Top left: Transverse and Longitudinal Sections top right: Moveable Audience Seating middle left: Axonometric View middle right: Stage One - Giving Birth to Herself Bottom: Stage Three - Complexity of Becoming
RUNI Schoenhofer PROJECT: Curtain Call The transformation of inner thoughts and desires into tangible realities and the notion of selfconfrontation as a creative strategy inform Runi Schoenhofer’s design practice. Her Mexican background is always present through her work, as evidenced in the design of a stage set for the play Frida Kahlo: Viva la Vida. Through the analysis of the play and Frida Kahlo’s life, ideas of the body, both in its fragilities and resilience underpin this project. The stage set reflects an anatomical approach to rhythm and structure and represents the three main facets in Frida’s life: ‘Giving Birth to Herself’, ‘Life as a Transition Point' and the ‘Complexity of Becoming’. An abstract reading of the play is achieved through projections, lighting, atmospheric qualities and symbolism featuring the destruction and encasement in Frida’s life. The shape and
construction of the stage convey sectional qualities of the human spine and a disability that was a major impediment for the painter during her life, as portrayed in the play. The audience is moved through the space by a floor-mounted rail between each of the stage sets as the play progresses, serving as a representation of Frida’s difficulty with mobility. For Schoenhofer, theatre not only expresses the inner significance of the performance, but also involves transferring character and personality to the entire performing space.
runischoenhofer86@gmail.com