Twissst Issue #3 English Edition by TWISSST

ISSUE #3 Interview with Manuel Alves Is it New York the New Paris? SS13 Destination Africa Artur Cabral

ENGLISH

EDITION Fashion Editorial : Miss Kr贸lak From Poland to Peru Special Report, Milan @ Salone del Mobile 2013 New Section I love Twissst

Manuel Alves Photo : Artur Cabral @ The New Vega Studio

PINK IS THE NEW BLACK MARISA GONÇALVES @HADJA MODELS ANGOLA 4z Photo: Artur Cabral

IS IT NEW YORK THE NEW PARIS? 10

Jason Wu FALL13

An interview with

Manuel Alves

alves /gonçalves By Norberto Lopes Cabaço Translation by Ana María Oliver Díaz and Clare Hodgson Photo: Artur Cabral

manuel alves Nationality: Portuguese Job: Fashion designer Brand: Alves/Gonçalves Target clients: “Affluent clients” You never leave the house without: “Putting on my cologne” What makes you smile: “My dogs” Something you cannot stand: “Places where smoking is not allowed” A city: “Lisbon” Website: http://www.alvesgoncalves.com

Collaborations: Costume design for films: “Tráfico” by João Botelho. Costume design for theatre: “Os Gigantes da Montanha” and “Raízes Rurais, Paixões urbanas” (Stage Director: Ricardo Pais). Costume Design for dance: “Chansons de Femmes”, Paulo Ribeiro Dance Company (Stage Director: Giorgio Corsetti). Corporate clothing for companies: Vodafone, Galp, Hotéis Altis, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian and TAP.

Awards Globo de Ouro: “Fashion World Personality”, 1998. Nomination: Troféu Nova Gente “Best Fashion Designer”. Look Elite Award: “Best Collection”, 2009. Chosen as “Homens Fora de Série”, 2009, by the newspaper Jornal Económico. 21

e invited Manuel Alves for a new challenge:

To be the cover of May’s edition of TWISSST, and to take part of a distended conversation. This way, we get to know the man, the designer and the observer that is the more recognized face of the Alves/Gonçalves duo. Though his planner was full, Manuel Alves found a time to pencil in a conversation with TWISSST. At 14:30, Alves arrives at “The New VEGA Studio”. Ever faithful to his style, he is wearing an Alves/Gonçalves jacket, a white T-Shirt, and his inseparable make them be.

contemporary and chic “per si”! Because a large part of this image is transposed in every collection, to understand the brand Alves/Gonçalves is to know the man behind at least part of that result. We could talk about Fashion for hours. And to hear it from a Portuguese Fashion

1- Is one born, by defect, a Fashion designer? Manuel Alves (M.A.): in a place where nothing could possibly indicate that I would later dedicate myself to Fashion. I’m from Tras Os Montes,, from Barroso, Montalegre, but there was something in me leading me in that direction, that’s why I believe one is born with a destiny”. M.A.: my own clothing, and I was very meticulous in all its aspects. While my surroundings weren’t ideal for an effective conscious awareness of what that could mean, it was as if something had crystalized in me, and was waiting to be revealed. At 23 or 24 I became involved in the system and I started with the Fashion industry”. 3- Do you believe that a designer’s role today is different from that of a designer in the 80’s, for example? M.A.: .: “Totally different. In general I consider myself autodidact. In that era, there weren’t any Fashion schools and I had to develop my skills on my own, in order to grow professionally. I had an idea of what wardrobe was form the structural and volume point of view, at least I felt I did, but I had no idea how to actually do it. When I started to work in Fashion, I opened a shop in Oporto in 1978. There I worked on my own designer brand, Cúmplice. I’d go to a small factory and I’d say ‘I want it like this! This doesn’t work!’ then I’d grab a pair of scissors and I’d cut until I’d get what I wanted. I’ve always had a good understanding of what a body is, and what the possibilities of covering

4- What lead you to create Alves/Gonçalves (A/G)? M.A.: “The change from Oporto to Lisbon. While Cúmplice was a success, Oporto back then didn’t have the necessary conditions for me to evolve as a designer. Lisbon was the dream, and the reality was the Alves/Gonçalves brand”. 5- A/G was born ’84. What was 80’s fashion like in Portugal? M.A.: “Up to 87, we only did a menswear collection. The truth is 80’s Fashion was a lot of fun. Since we were separated from the ‘system’, we had very little information regarding Fashion, practically really, of intellectual movement, the origin of new aesthetics that propelled our achievements as designers. We had a bit of public. A small, niche market that understood what we were creating. understand, and didn’t want to. We didn’t sell a lot, but we sold to the ideal client: people who wanted to wear our pieces and who, to this day, still wear them”.

6- As the name suggests, A/G is the creative fusion of Manuel Alves (M.A.) and Jose Manuel Gonçalves (J.M.G.). What is a regular day at the workshop like? Do you M.A.: priority, the construction of the pieces; I’m the one who follows up with the mold. We process. We have a common objective, and we do whatever it takes to achieve it. We know beforehand that in the absence of one is the other, and either one of us can do the other’s work from the correct point of view”. 7-What is the starting point for an A/G collection? Is there a source of inspiration? Is there a variable, catalysing element for each collection? M.A.: “It stems from the things that move us, the signals society conveys to us, from the obsessions of daily life, and in our case, from interior design, architecture, photograsometime unconscious, stereotype, and in our case it can also evolve from a previous collection. A brand has to have a completely coherent discourse, be it from a conceptual point of view or from an integral decoupling of previous work. But in the end it must maintain the integrity, that the result be indisputably recognized as an A/G garment”. 8-The A/G brand carries a strong load of rigor in its execution; the pieces and the materials are meticulously selected for this effect. When you think about creating other way around? M.A.: “First we make the outline, since we’re already familiar with the potential of spedo have suppliers with an ample amount of choices, sometimes we want a fabric with

9- More than just a prêt-a-porter line, A/G designs a collection with ‘couture’ elements. The shapes are extraordinary and absolutely contemporary. For example, the Summer and Winter collections of 2003, 2007/8 or 2012 exhibit volume and M.A.: “The truth is I don’t have any issues with that statement. Our discourse doesn’t echo because of our country’s smallness. Today the system doesn’t put up with disthis business process, and neither is it doing so now”.

‘‘In order to be good abroad, we must be excellent in our national territory.’’

10-Is there room and a market for “couture” in Portugal? M.A and sophisticated consumer…truly authentic! In the 50s and 60s some Portuguese ladies travelled

view of the confection, materials, applied arts, it means to practice the un-practicable, a dream in detriment of reality. But the world has radically changed, it is much more practical today and this is the complete opposite to “couture”, even if “couture” gives answers, these are only needed by a small “niche” of people in the whole world…it´s an idea that I love deeply. hands delicately collect fabrics with a gracefulness that is not found in pret-à-porter” 11-The internationalisation of fashion, international trade, by means of the internet phenomenon or not, could this be an escape route for Portuguese fashion? M.A.: must have background in Portugal that is just as relevant, this must be our introduction card for the world.” 12-To talk about fashion right now, without associating the impact caused by social media and the Web in general is unthinkable. As a teacher and fashion designer, do you believe a 3.0 education is necessary for future designers? M.A. for a new typology which is not only applied to confection but also to trade especially trade which is one of the most relevant factors of the current fashion industry.” 13-History has shown us on many occasions that management and creation don´t always go hand in hand. Is the role of a “creator-manager” indispensable nowadays? M.A.: . “It is, the ideal would be for management to be separate from creation but to work as a sole entity, management must always know what the designer is making, there must be a full communicial instructions come from management as well as guidance from an everyday life perspective. I admit that I made some stupid mistakes as I didn´t have a competent management, because I didn´t want it and sometimes this is also necessary as it adds colour to life even if it also brings disappointments. I don´t like having the managers around me (laughs) but…the truth is that we need them.” 14-Considering the fact that generally a relevant number of global brands have restructured their creative directors, what is or what are the elements for that almost 30 years after the creation of A/G, the dialogue continues? M.A.: “I believe that this is due to the public and to the consumers of our brand, they´re very faithful customers and we also have the new generations who are building up a loyalty to the brand, there is a permanent renewal and this provokes the dialogue amongst us, as we look for solutions for these consumers and we promote the dialogue for them to wear Alves/Gonçalves. This is very healthy as nowadays people are more informed about fashion, for instance, I believe in criticism when it is done with a proper knowledge. Both I and J.M.G do not worry about criticism, 15 years ago. We do not aspire to please everyone, this is not our concern.”

15-Describe the A/G Woman for Spring 2013. M.A.: “She is a woman without inhibitions, haughty, formal and feminine, the body is the sole protagonist of the clothing, but it must not be visible, it must not be vulgar, the clothes embrace the body with an apparent simplicity, there is a multitude of nuances that dissipates this alleged simplicity. We have created a series of applications in various materials, openings that allow to guess at the body, small windows that simply incite discovery. Asymmetries that provoke movement, short at the front, long at the back, georgette at the back, silk crepe at the front. This is a haughty, formal and very feminine woman, observed from a platonic perspective.” 16-And for Winter? M.A.:“Very feminine, urban and cosmopolitan, we have some dance skirts that are very “volumetric”, long, perhaps with a slight nod to the 50s, but with different creation procedures; heavy wool and cashmere coats enriched with adornments; we are working a duality with materials, muted/shiny, light/heavy, there for instance a sweetness in the trousers that later become slightly different answers.”

17-Can we expect a menswear collection any time soon? M.A.:“ I really like men´s clothing and I have been thinking about doing a collection for some time now, this is a decision that is just waiting for me to wake up one day and to say to myself… today´s the day. From a menswear point of view, the market is becoming very interesting and each designer has a vision and a “style” of customer for whom he creates. I would like that my customers, when they buy an Alves/Gonçalves garment, do so because they need it, that undoubtedly they like it and use it and enjoy it often and for many years. Today´s clothes offer

18-Any projects that you want to or can reveal and…for 2014 you would like? M.A.: I would like to leave Lisbon and live in New York for a few months, I love the city and also the simis a project that concerns menswear…but I am not able to reveal anything else just yet…”

We interviewed Artur Cabral, the humanitarian photograte portrayals of the African continent. He is more than that however, in love with the portrait and a master of colour, Artur Cabral bares his most entrepreneurial side. We learn about his most recent project, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;New Vaga Studioâ&#x20AC;? in Lisbon, a functional and multidisciplinary space inaugurated with this issueÂ´s cover by Manuel Alves, the consecrated fashion designer.

Image courtesy of leica

ARTUR An Interview with

CABRA 32

By Norberto Lopes Cabaço Translation: Ana Maria Oliver Díaz. 33

e interviewed Artur Cabral, the humanitarian photographer, thus called in the TWISSST oﬃce because of his intimate portrayals of the African continent. He is more than that however, in love with the portrait and a master of colour, Artur Cabral bares his most entrepreneurial side. We learn about his most recent project, the “New Vaga Studio” in Lisbon, a functional and multidisciplinary space inaugurated with this issue´s cover by Manuel Alves, the consecrated fashion designer.

Name: Artur Cabral Nationality: Portuguese Profession: Photographer and architect Brand:ARTURCABRAL PHOTOGRAPHER Clients: “Both men and women, fashion editorials, backstage, photography books, exhibits, summer festivals …among others” I never leave the house without. : “My mobile phone” I can’t stand: “cigarette smoke” A city: “Lisbon” A book: “I don’t really read much...” A ﬁlm: “City of God” An album: “Ten, by Pearl Jam” 35

A 36

rtur Cabral is easily recognizable by the readers of TWISSST, as the cover of the magazine’s ent, not just for the cover—designed alongside fashion designer Manuel Alves—but also to

1.When did you become interested in photography?

2. In which genre do you feel most comfortable?

3. Talk to us about architecture.

4. Talk to us about photography.

‘‘To photograph is to immortalize a moment; in that sense it has a truly unique capability’’

5Three essential qualities in a photographer?

6. And in a fashion photographer? -

of the image and desired effect can the necessary lighting and

7.You work a lot in fashion and you have been invited many times as one of the select photographers covering ModaLisboa, each with his or her own philosophy. How do you see fashion photography today? 5 really areâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but, it is also not easy to become one, to enter in

8.How would you describe the work of Artur Cabral Photography, and to what extent is it inďŹ&#x201A;uenced by architecture?

9.Photography in Portugal, practice and study, is it a reality or a myth? but that is mostly a base for something that is a result of intuition -

10.Africa is... back every so often, it is almost innate, an automatic -

11.The relevance of colours...

ours of the clothes, the blue of the sky, the sunrises -

12.A fashion photography reference, both nationally and internationally? -

and dedication that I mentioned before, sooner or 13.What do you appreciate the most and the least about your job?

14.Nikon or Canon?

15.What makes one photographer more relevant than another? Being better known or more popular? -

16.A rookie mistake?

17.A few words for tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beginners? .

18. Any future projects you want to tell us about?

19.We are in â&#x20AC;&#x153;The New Vega Studioâ&#x20AC;?, a brand new shared management studio. How did this space emerge and what can be expected of it?

I LOVE TWISSST 48

Jo達o Pedro Vasconcelos Buyer Oporto

“Children of Peru” is an editorial resulting in a collection inspired by the culture and traditional dress of Peru; it is in its essence a summary of Królak´s stylistic and creative resources, a work that invites us to discover Królak´s charmed and charming world. Colour…for Miss Królak.. is the new black!

fashion designer katarzynakrolak.com 61

Okakuejo, Etosha, National Park Photo: Artur Cabral

Moooi

Milan =

Salone del

Mobile 2013 Text: Ewa Wilkos

= Design

or one hectic week in mid April MILAN becomes a hotbed of creative ideas in interior design. The buzz around the Salone del Mobile, the world’s most important furniture fair, surpasses attention bestowed on any of the city’s illustrious fashion weeks.

It’s a PLACE to be for designers and design lovers alike, one that offers inspiration and set the future trends. 66

Here, we present the highlights of this year’s edition.

‘He who has a good eye can find what he’s looking for even with his eyes shut’ , así recitaba un aforismo del escritor italiano Italo Calvino en la pared interior del Temporary Museum for New It was an apt message directed at thousands of

Vitra Missoni home

Moooi admire the latest offerings from both industry heavyweights and the fresh crop of exciting talent. Apart from the main event, held in the suburban fairground of Rho, there were thousands of accompanying presentations in almost every corner of the city – from the pristine showrooms of Brera to the vibrant streets of Zona Tortona. Some of the exhibitions, like the new collection by Rem Koolhaas’ OMA for Knoll shown at Spazio Prada, had garnered publicity

long before the event started, while others premiered with an element of surprise. This was the case of a happening organised by the Dutch manufacturer Moooi. ‘The Unexpected Welcome’, as it was titled, offered viewers a total experience of the Moooi’s universe. Brand’s co-founder and artistic director Marcel Wanders invited several designers, who previously collaborated with Moooi, to refresh their signature pieces especially for the occasion.

The Wood Ceramic Furniture

mple showroom space at Via Savona was divided into several ‘living rooms’ featuring iconic products such as Marcel Wanders’ ‘Set up Shade’ lamps and ‘Cloud’ sofas, ‘5 O’Clock’ chairs by Nika Zupanc and ‘Paper Collection’ by Studio Job among many others.

‘Here to create an environment of love, live with passion and make our most exciting dreams come true’; – the quote from Wanders perfectly summarises the purpose of the show, which aimed at conjuring a highly personal space goal, Moooi (the name means ‘extra beautiful’ in Dutch) chose to combine several contrasting 68

elements that together create tension and surprising harmony. With large size artistic images by Erwin Olaf in the background and colourful mannequins by Hans Boodt arranged throughout the exhibition, the space gave the illusion of being inhabited by real characters. Rich in eccentric detail, it showcased examples of taxidermy and animal-shaped furniture by the Swedish design group Front alongside the playful ‘Bucket’ lamps by Studio Job. The latter is a renowned Dutch design duo that gained recognition for their ironic take on modernism, tradition and objects of everyday life. low quality furniture by designing unique pieces destined for museums, galleries and private collectors worldwide. Examples at the Moooi show included the ‘Altdeutsche’ series inspired

by traditional hand-painted furniture, yet covered in contemporary cartoon-like drawings. Halfway between a presentation and a performance, ‘The Unexpected different styles and tastes complement each other . One that is free from boredom and constraints, far beyond mass solutions available at Ikea. This year marked a departure from opulent neo-baroque interiors towards a style that can be described as rustic, raw and, at times, primitive. Up-and-coming designers such as Olivia de Jong (Goats on Furniture), Elia Maurizi and Francesco Pepa (Teste di Legno) and Fabio Targhini combined wood with leather, metal, plastic and stone to create stools, benches, cabinets and shelves. Wood emerged as the leading material and source of inspiration also for cult Italian brands such as Cassina and Living Divani which displayed bookcases made of wooden pieces. The eco-friendly quality of wood makes it perfect for sustainable design, in ways that are far from conventional. Given that nowadays the idea of ‘second-hand’ furniture made of recycled cardboard boxes is hardly surprising , Italian company Riva 1920 has managed to take the concept of eco design into the next level. Their ‘Venice’ console is made of glass and oak posts extracted from the Venetian lagoon, glued together using only natural substances. The eco trend was also present at the Salone Satellite, a parallel event hosting works by young designers, in some cases from exotic (designwise) countries like Korea or Egypt.

Moooi

Moooi 69

he Wooden Furniture Ideun project from Korea presented handmade furniture and home accessories, including clocks, created from wasted timbers, while Egyptian studio Re Design for Humanity came up with stools upholstered with Plastex, a fabric produced from recycled plastic bags. While some of wooden designs appeared more suitable for a country retreat, others referenced the retro elegance of the ‘50s and ‘60s with their clean lines and geometric shapes. This year two classic designs by Jean Prouvé, the ‘Standard’ chair and the ‘EM’ table from the ‘50s, have been re-issued by Vitra in a new colour palette and presented at the company’s exposition.

Slamp

Fans of futuristic design won’t be disappointed by the latest lightning solutions. Abstract shapes, techno materials and neon colours characterised lamps and chandeliers devised by leading designers and architects. Lasvit, the Czech manufacturer that uses local

SDAA- Ana Zaragoza

tradition of glass-making, presented its brand new ‘Constellation’ collection. It featured threedimensional organic forms, made of fused glass, created in collaboration with visionaries such as Michael Young, Ross Lovegrove and Maurizio Galante. The Euroluce section of the fair featured new products from Slamp, including two elaborate, sculptural chandeliers designed by Zaha Hadid. Another outstanding example, ‘Etoile’ by Adriano Rachele, was shaped to mirror the movement of a ballerina’s tutu. A bold display of ‘Candy Collection Lamps’ by Studio Fuksas brought to mind contemporary art installations held in galleries rather than in showrooms. intertwined, it’s truly inspiring to see the constant dialogue that enriches each of those creative disciplines.

Fuksas Studio - Candy Lamps 70

ut of many fashion brands offering their own interior collections, Missoni stands out as the one built upon artisanal quality and its trademark zigzag patterns.

This year the family enterprise celebrated its 60th anniversary with a special interactive exhibition ‘Zigzagging’ created by award-winning designer/artist duo Carnovsky. A series Missoni showroom, throwing new creative light on the iconic motif. The project was unveiled just weeks before the death of Ottavio Missoni, the brand’s co-founder and one of the most His legacy is a proof, already evident at the Salone, that great design comes to life as a product of love and creativity.

Missoni Showroom 71

CFM, Maputo Photo: Artur Cabral

ARAVENA

‘s social project

THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF ARCHITECTURE Text :Mauro Parisi Translation: : Ana María Oliver Díaz

Alejandro Aravena.

Quinta Monroy, Iquique - Chile

rom the beginning, the function of the Architect has moved, like a pendulum, between the â&#x20AC;&#x153;organismic and socialâ&#x20AC;? vision of urban planners and the purely artistic, even self-referential, vision of the architect as creator of unique pieces. Two completely different visions. This time we have decided to approach the work and personality of a contemporary architect whom, while still young, is witnessing an increasingly international recognition of his work. His pieces are both analyses of and solutions to some of current societiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; worst problems.

St. Edward University, Johnson Hall Photo: KL Parll

A L E J A N D R O

A R AV E N A Born 46 years ago in Santiago, Chile, studied Architecture at the Catholic University of Santiago. He is now a professor there, as well as a visiting professor at Harvard.Since 2009 he has been a member of the Pritzker Prize jury and of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

yet, it is the idea that lies behind it. Through Elemental he has built over a thousand housing units throughout Chile’s most disadvantaged sectors. a member of its board of directors. These are but some examples of this curly-haired, gray-eyed port to do so. Admirer of the Portuguese architect Souto de Moura and of the social sensibility of Alvaro Siza, Aravena has dedicated most of his professional life to guaranteeing a decent housing solution for those sectors of society incapable of providing for themselves. All this from a businessman’s point of view, without abandoning his humanitarian rhetoric.

St. Edward University dorms, Outdoor. Photo: Candy Chan

As he himself acknowledges, his architectural solution is by no means groundbreaking, especially in Latin America where by the 50’s in countries like Cuba and Venezuela, similar options were already being offered. The basic difference between his philosophy and previous ones lies in the

The incremental housing system that Aravena and his Elemental team have been establishing around Chile is part of the Government’s social programs. They are based on the idea of a better compromise between the population’s needs and the limited economic resources that the govhousing units for its residents. 77

In practice, the key is to dedicate government funds to the construction of housing in areas where the residents could not have built them themselves. Basically, the structure, roof, kitchen and bathrooms would be built, allowing for an eventual growth according to the needs of the individual residents. Meanwhile, the quality and elegance in the design and the possibility of revaluation in the future would also be guaranteed. This is thanks to the second rule in Elemental’s philosophy: social housing should not be concentrated in the outskirts of the city, but within it. This allows for an interconnection with the “service development of its neighbors and neighborhoods. These ideas were expressed in Elemental’s most iconic project to date, the housing units of Quinta Monroy de Iquique. In 2003, 100 houses were built in a plot in the middle of the urban fabric of this Northern Chilean city for a group of citizen that were later able to “personalize” them and expand them according to their needs. They have become the emblem for this particular approach to social architecture.

Of architecture, Aravena notes that «its end is not to merely build things, but to solve problems and serve society through its designs». His architecture is simple, clean, very rational, focused on the problems it hopes to solve rather than on artistic styling. Of architecture, Aravena notes that «its end is not to merely build things, but to solve problems and serve society through its designs». The mistake many architects make is the excessive attention they give to the idea of the shock on society that their projects are supposed to have in order to try to hide their own social irrelevance. Aravena himself lived through this experience when, upon graduating during the early 90’s, he saw himself boxed into

St. Edwar University dorms, Inner courtyard. Photo: Ă&#x201C;scar Amos

designing for the classic types of clients who turn to architects.

Chalets and exclusive homes,

architecture and manage a bar.A few years passed before he returned to architecture. His Alma Mater commissioned him to design the Mathematics building. With it he won numerous awards, and it was followed by one of his most well known projects: the Siamese Towers for the Technological Research department, also at the Catholic University of Santiago.

Siamese Towers Photo: Gustavo Manuel

Although called â&#x20AC;&#x153;towersâ&#x20AC;?, it is actually a single building that splits at the top, creating the illusion of Siamese towers.The solution, forced because of the small construction surface that made a single, proportionally acceptable tower impossible, has in turn produced an imposing and the at the same time non-invasive building. This is in part thanks to the wood-paneled base on which it stands.

his professional trajectory and that gives him the theoretical bases for the development of his urban projects is his time spent at Harvard. There he met the Lebanese architect Harshim Sarkis who, like him, was looking for a way to disElemental, Aravena becomes involved in social projects, initially only in his home country.

The Iquique houses have been a turning point in Aravena’s career. Since then, Elemental has been, on increasing occasions, commissioned with offering solutions to social problems. After the terrible earthquake and seaquake that isolated part of Chile in 2010, he was entrusted with reAside from applying the successful ideas of the Quinta Monroy, they are also putting into practice the studies made on the convenience of using trees and public green areas as a barrier against urban forests and rows of trees as natural barricades in case of more seaquakes.And while Elemental continues to design more urban reconstruction projects, the solo Aravena has faced new international projects of a completely different nature.

The St. Edward University dorms in Austin, Texas, has meant going from limited budgets and government projects to private clients with entirely different expectations. The principal’s wish that the style of the solid main university building be followed has been achieved with a structure, which on the exterior, with its particular brick lining and top-to-bottom narrow slot-windows, is reminiscent of a medieval fortress. The interior is completely different. Many hallways intersect and converge in a light and luminous courtyard, center of communal life in the dorm.He has also sold a newly built chalet in the Chinese city of Ordos, and a center for infant education at the Vitra campus, next to works by Gehry and Hadid. However, his main interest continues to be social projects. Since 2008, for example, he has been occupied with the reconstruction of a town that was wiped off the map by the eruption of the Chaitén volcano in Patagonia. Because, as he reminds us, architecture is no a mere cultural act, but rather a social one.

THE ROOM by Joey Ho

A World Upside Down: Between Elegance and Surrealism Text: Angelica Tinazzi Translation: Ana Maria Oliver DĂaz

A Metropolis and the Far Eastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic power, Hong Kong has become a source of attraction and intrigue for architects and designers alike. The high population density has led to the construction of small spaces, unusual to Western habits. It is precisely in such small quarters that a decoratorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability shines through. Creating innovation and style becomes a meticulous choice of colours and lines.

In Modern China a young talent has emerged: the Taiwanese architect Joey Ho. He has a degree in Architecture from both the University of Hong Kong and the National University of Singapore. In 2008 he was recognized as one of the top 10 architects and designers in the country.

Design Limited, in Hong Kong. With it he has won over 50 international awards and has established a network of

sectors.

The Hong Kong Pavillion in the 2010 World’s Fair in Beijing and the Arthous Cafè in Hangzou are among his most important national creations. His design philosophy is based on functionality. Architecture should create spaces that heighten the user’s quality of life.

Taking advantage of an unfavorable space, Joey has created a masterpiece: The Room. In thirty square metres he has created a linear yet excentric restaurant. Exhuberance shows itself in the quarters-style ceiling; it is not a physical space, but a dream-like vision “sprinkled” with windows and staircases as homage to the artist Maurits C. Escher. Sophisticated and modern furniture balance out the feelings emitted by his choice of rather classical colours: white, red, and black. It is the touch that makes The Room

Its location adds to its charm.

It is found within the

Olympic City Centre on the Kowloon Peninsula, a strip of land opposite the island of Hong Kong. The view from the restaurant is of the spectacular bay, disseminated by buildings and skyscrapers that illuminate the night sky with their psychedelic lights.

ROBERTA GONZALEZ The Great Unknown. Text: José Manuel Delgado Ortiz Translation: Emma Santoyo Martín

The daughter of one of the most undervalued personalities of the golden age of arts, a rebellious woman who stood out from her contemporaries and earned the respect of the most distinguished maestros, such was Roberta. She was born in Paris in 1909 and spent all her life surrounded by artistic creativity. Her father, the renowned sculptor Julio González, would praise his four-year-old daughter’s drawings for their grace and ingenuity; the mastery of painting had much to his regret eluded his own artistic repertoire. As a child, she became seriously ill and spent long and painful stays at a children’s hospital. During this time she learned to be alone, delving into her inner world which in turn increato little more than “a cell” whilst two days would be spent with her father at his studio of wonders. It is this duality which turned Roberta into an creativity.

“Picasso was my father’s best friend” 86

Sans Titre

Upon her eighteenth birthday she left the those of the men they sustain and support. In the arts, Roberta was one of those ladies, living up to where she would soon come to understand, that old motto “behind every great man there is a great woman”. But, what is it that Roberta maestros than her father’s friends. The following had, and that the men in her life lacked? We years were spent basking in her father´s glowing could say that she possessed a sensitivity which pride as well living in his shadow as he saw in her is often denied to the male gender. She was a the dream he would not reach during his own li- woman who, from an early age, cared for two fetime, ever present in his mind. She met her hus- men, both of whom had strong personalities; band-to-be Hans Hartung, an icon of the move- they were undoubtedly great but they were also ment known as Arte Informale. This union made Roberta come out from under her father’s sha- and devotion. She was a self-made woman, her dow to go under her husband’s. Always in the strong and positive personality forged through personal toil and deep religious beliefs. ladies whose virtues occasionally even exceed

er work is in itself both individual and collective, she seemed more devoted to promoting and helping her father and her husband, than attending to her own production. Roberta committed herself, among other arts, to music – her father Julio introduced her to music by signing her up for violin lessons at an early age. Music plays a key role in her work.We could divide her work into three stages – at the mild chromatisim; masterpieces such as “Sin Título” from 1952 would belong to this stage. During the second stage she produced a great number of drawings of birds- it is possible that she shared with her friend Brancusi an admiration and direct strokes, achieving a spontaneity that is reminiscent of the Asian artists from the late 19th century. In this stage there is a pictorial evostyle that materialised in the next stage.

By the 60’s, her father has been dead for almost 20 years, and the artist is beginning to come to terms with her loss. Roberta enters a stage of artistic maturity based on the symbol, but without illusory and timeless space in which she can plathe metaphysical, something that 20 years previous to this, her father was not able to represent by only using metal as both the foundation and creative element. She creates a unique poetic universe which is enriched by not only her own personal experiences, but also those of her relatives, not to mention those of her now former partner Hans Hartung.

rtists owe a lot to their models, to their mentors, but each artist must choose an individual path can either bring you closer or distance you from your creative roots, particular and unique being, since no-one “grabs a brush” in the same way. This is what Roberta learnt. Nevertheless, she also wanted to go it alone and set her own path, without striving to stand out or to be independent; only at the end of her life could she feel how become, an unleashed Roberta using symbols, bright colours and mysticism to break free of her selfapplied chains. She was born surrounded by modernity, in a family entirely devoted to art. Tolerance was the most practised value in her circle, but despite being surrounded by modernity, social change, the evolution of women’s rights, she made it her life’s mission to make sure her father’s and husband’s work were critically acclaimed and protected, forever promoting and exalEither she did it for love or for that innate sense of natural duty that some people possess from birth and which they develop throughout their lives. It is probably this sense of duty and responsibility which have resulted in her being relatively unknown and forgotten at present, only remembered in casual exhibitions in which her father’s genius is present. Picasso said once “How well this girl draws! She does not look like your daughter, Julio”. Was that the only praise to come out of the mouth of a genius outside her own family? We will never be certain about it, but, I, in my humble opinion, tend to think that it is the case and, moreover, it was enough recognition for this daughter, wife and, lastly, great artist.

È Pra Poncha: Design, Fun, Exclusivity Colors and Shapes of Oporto’s Happening Text: Angelica Tinazzi

The post-sunset world is always searching for unique entertainment in every city. Colour and exclusivity meet at Europe’s borders, in Portugal, at club É PraPoncha. Located in one of Porto’s most exclusive areas, it is one of the newest bars along RuaGaleria de Paris.

with long and narrow spaces, the interior of the club resembles a multicolour cave. The ceiling and walls reproduce stalactites and natural rock formations. This design has allowed a modeling of the space on the basis of its function, thus creating a bar area, a pantry, a bathroom and a storage room. ร PraPonchasubmerges us in a world reminiscent of the naturalness of the Earth; a combination of imagination and reality. Changing LED color lights have been installed to create many different environments at night. The design is modern and avant-garde. By way of a careful study, it intends to recreate the natural and dark world of caves. A faithful reproduction of natural formations contrasts with the use of industrial and modern materials. The darkness, characteristic of caves, opens from the LED lights.

and ideology of its creator, the architect Antonio Fernรกndez. After studying at the University of Porto and obtaining a master in urban planning, Antonio Fernรกndez opened his develops architecture and interior and urban design projects.

His philosophy breaks common ideas of the old â&#x20AC;&#x153;livingâ&#x20AC;? concept through alternative design. He looks back to develop young and modern ideas. We can see obvious references to nature and earth in most of his projects. However, he is a futurist thinker in his lines,

colors, innovating studies and use of modern materials. The name Ă&#x2030; PraPoncha, which invokes a typical drink from the island of Madeira, points to the singularity of its forms and atmosphere. This is a highly recommended young and fresh place of great impact and strong participation.

Backstage PEDRO PEDRO @ ModaLX TRUST Photo: Artur Cabral

Serengueti National Park Photo: Artur Cabral

Rhinocerors - Department of Theatre, York University

The dangers of wishing to l e a r n English â&#x20AC;Ś with a basic c o n v e rsat io n manual! Text: Eleonora Maggioni Translation: Clare Hodgson

he Second World War has meant a before and after. In many aspects The societies issued from this event have had to reinvent new codes and theatre was no exception. A new current began to be successful at the beginning of the 50s and to this day it is still creating an impact: the theatre of the absurd.

The King Dies- Natalia Lama

Born of the necessity to give a new impulse to literature and due to the perplexity caused by the violence of war, this new theatre is built with the intention of expressing the absurdity of the relationship dynamics in the new postwar society. In truth there are no set rules to follow and no their work. However a common necessity exists to over-take conventional theatre, as well as a lack of social and political engagement and a lack of interest for mundane description. In fact life cannot be understood nor explained, the characters in these new plays are anguished mirrored by the characters gestures, leaving disorientated spectators in the stalls. an inexistent way out. When we think of the theatre of the absurd, They move without advancing, they talk without communicating or understanding. Language replaces action, the new playwrights play with words, they distort them and manipulate them by deconstructing them, removing their meaning. The absurdity of the words and sentences is Ionesco - The Chairs - Theatre sfsu

Beckett, who with his play “Waiting for Godot” became the symbol of this new theatrical current. Without wishing to underestimate the play and the author´s ability in creating a story in which

Ionesco - The Chairs - Theatre sfsu

nothing happens and that however manages to keep the spectators glued to their seats until the very end, if I had to choose a play that hesitate in choosing The Bald Soprano by EugĂ¨ne Ioneso. Predating BeckettÂ´s play by several years it opened in Paris in 1950 and, as usually occurs with masterpieces, left a dismayed public at the end of the show.

Five more years will have to pass for the play to be shown in the same city and for it to achieve its much deserved success, continuously surprising spectators through the numerous adaptations that are still being produced.

in Bucharest and became a playwright by chance, demonstrated his particular brand of brilliance.

Rhinocerors - Department of Theatre, York University

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He describes how the idea for the synopsis of The Bald Soprano was born:

“I bought a basic French to English conversation manual. I began to study and I conscientiously copied down the phrases from the manual so as to learn them. Re-reading them carefully, I learnt not English, but some amazing truths: that for down and the ceiling is up (…) to my great surprise, Mrs. Smith informed her husband that they had many children, that they lived in the suburbs of London, that their surname was Smith, that Mr. Smith was an employee (…) I thought to myself that Mr. Smith must already know all this, but one never knows, some people are very distracted. ”

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onesco decides that he wants the spectator to know these essential truths, but he disarticulates then, he removes all logical sense, he uses them as a tool to completely transform a couple´s reality, the Smiths, trapped in the day to day of a meaningless existence in which communication doesn´t exist, drowned in a storm of words and stereotypes that do not bring a deeper knowledge.

The Smiths are in fact the picture of a normal couple, who live in a normal house in the suburbs of London, with normal children and friends. They are the symbol of the ordinary man, and that is why their story, told with irony, takes on anxious and macabre meanings for the spectator of then and now.

As in all of Ionesco´s plays, the spectator smiles during most of the comedy, laughs at the incoherence of the dialogues, is amused by the innovativeness of the show. Gradually the atmosphere changes, the cardboard façade of desperation of living a life with no real feeling appear.

Thus, in The Bald Soprano the stereotypical good manners of the two couples in the Smiths´s bourgeois house are obliterated

and then together the same sentence “Not that way, this way”. Allis abruptly interrupted and the comedy ends with the same image of the beginning, but this time the Martins play the role of the Smiths. Abrupt endings that leave the spectector disorientated are perhaps the most important characteristic of Ionesco´s theatre, the change from a normal situation in which the spectator feels at ease and can smile at the irony with which the story is told, the crumbling of the

turn of events leaves us breathless. When the curtain falls, we need a little time to compose ourselves before leaving the theatre to face once more the reality which the author has so painfully carved up.

terrible anguish that the characters bring to the stage.

The same occurs with The Chairs, in which the preparations of an elderly couple for the arrival of a number of invisible guests (only seen by

More so than Beckett, Ionesco´s ironic and biting beginnings amuse, the action is fast if pointless, the spectator is never bored. We laugh, we relax, we get comfortable and at that very moment, an unexpected

of the impossibility of ever learning the true meaning of life. In fact the anticipation and excitement of the couple at the arrival of the person who could reveal the secrets of humanity wanes at the appearance on stage of… a deaf and mute

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In Ionesco´s work man is moved like a puppet, unable to oppose the one who is pulling the water who cannot escape its fate.

The Bald Soprano- Banci Malinverno

speaker! The crowd´s whisper gets louder as the curtain falls and the spectator is left alone to face the lack of answers concerning the

In The Lesson we observe the same narrative form. A teacher gradually becomes the psychopathic killer of ignorant and merry students. In a power game a girl yields to the teacher through language that becomes the tool by which power is exercised.

In The King dies Ionesco points out that destiny is stronger than anything else, even for

helplessness of the human being and death is to accept the limits of time, the impossibility of being remembered.

In Ionesco´s work man is moved like a puppet, unable to oppose the one who is pulling the its fate. The absurd is not ridiculous and only the beginning may appear to be amusing.

Once the play´s dynamics are understood, the irony becomes biting, the lack of harmony perplexing. 103

n IonescoÂ´s theatre all the pillars of existence crumble: the security of being able to understand each other through language, the impression that we can explain the world because it exists, the assurance that there will always be rational solutions for our lives.

All of these logical axioms crumble, causing a void, an incapacity of communication of carrying on and of wishing to be truly happy. 104

Rhinoceros - Helms Theatre A cruel destiny engulfs IonescoÂ´s plays as his characters live and move by chance, not by their free will.

The thoughts of the Master of the absurd go farther that then stage and delve philosophically into human existence.

And all this by chance, by the wish to learn English with a basic conversation manual!

PINK IS THE NEW BLACK MARISA GONÇALVES @HADJA MODELS ANGOLA 1 Photo: Artur Cabral

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With TWISSST issue #3 we enter the much awaited warm season, we cool down on the Cote DÂ´Azur and are enchanted by the intensity of colours and the authenticity of the African landscapes, fragments of a land that exudes essence, captured by Artur CabralÂ´s lens who click by click transports us to a universe of sensations. We invite you to embark on a discovery of antagonistic and idyllic views, opposing and perhaps parallel realities that once visited, will be rediscovered again and again.

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Image courtesy of MATC

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PRINTEMPS + ÉTÉ =

CÔTE D’AZUR

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NICE

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MONACO

Photo: Rute Martins (upstairs) y Tomoyoshi (below)

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MARSEILLE 116

Photo: Jeremy Rowland

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SS13 - DESTINATION

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rica Photo: artur cabral/Hotel Flamingo, Barra, Inhambane

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any pages have been written and Many More are still waiting

Okakuejo, Etosha, National Park. Namibia 121

tanzania Serengueti National Park

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Datoga, Eyasi Lake 125

Mount Meru, Arusha 126

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Massai Oldonyo, Sambu, Arusha 128

Massai Ngorongoro, Conservation Area 129

naMibia Himba, Etosha, National Park

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Okakuejo, Ethosa, National Park 133

MozaMbiqu Bilene Lake

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Maputo 137

CFM, Maputo 138

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Barra Beach, Inhambane 141

Costa del Sol, Maputo 142

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Quissico 144

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CULTURAL CALENDAR Egon Schiele, The Drawing (26th June - 29th September/Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest, Hungary) After the Klimt retrospective, The Museum of Fine Arts of Budapest offers an insight into one of the most outstanding artists of the following generation: Egon Schiele. The 70 works from the Leopold Museum in Vienna, the world’s largest Schiele collection, will be complemented with drawings and paintings from different prestigious collections, as well as works by Oscar Kokoschka and Carl Moll. At the beginning of the 20th Century, Vienna was the capital of Art Nouveau and artistic relations during this period, proof of this is the profound connection that the Klimt brothers, Schiele and other contemporary artists had with the Hungarian capital. The Klimt brothers are the masters of modernity. Schiele, with a more wild and rebellious style won enthusiastic supporters and extreme critics.

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Texts: Jose Manuel Delgado Ortiz, Simon Lorenzin,

The exhibition is devoted to Egon Schiele, whose brief artistic career spanning only ten years, is

Toulouse-Lautrec, Munch, Moll or Kolo Moser. Whilst Klimt’s female nude paintings are distinguished for their subtle and covert eroticism, Schiele’s nudes are distressing, executed with condensed tormented lines and even nowadays are considered to be pornography, touching on the grotesque. It is not surprising that the public authority was interested in his work he was even jailed for being considered immoral and shameless. The exhibition presents work by other members of the Neukunstgruppesuch, such as Oskar and Ane Von Faistauer. If you are in Budapest, you cannot miss this enchanting exhibition worthy of a fallen empire!

Anish Kapoor in Berlin (19th May - 24th November/Martin Gropius Bauhaus, Berlin, Germany) Anish Kapoor, born in Bombay in 1954 is cuthe United Kingdom, with many of his works -

drid or the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. Having exhibited at the Royal Academy in London, now it’s time for Berlin, chosen for its strong artistic community and for being one of the pulsating centres of the alternative art scene. Approximately 3.000 m² of ground in the pieces, many of them specially produced for the occasion.

The main work is called Symphony for a beloved sun: under a huge skylight, tied to the walls and to the ground with wires, a massive metallic structure raises up with a red disc in its centre which spills wax as if it were a living being. An enigmatic piece, like many of Kappor’s transmitting to each spectator their own message and meaning.

Krakow Photomonth Festival 2013 (16th May - 16th June/Bunkier Sztuki, Krakow, Poland) Created in 2002, the Krakow Photomonth has risen quickly in the ranking of festivals devoted to photography and is currently one of the most respected festivals in Europe, capable of not only gathering new talents, but also renowned worldwide maestros. This year’s topic is fashion in its broader sense, not only about glamour and images from the fashion week, but every single little thing that may be related to the concept and its meaning for each person. The official calendar will also present different parallel events which during this month, will turn the city into an open-air photographic centre.

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ROBERT MOTHERWELL: EARLY COLLAGES (26th May - 8th September, 2013/Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice, Italy) This exhibition is based on the papiers collés and the works dating between the 1940’s and 1950’s. We will see the origins of his style and his revealing encounter with the papier collé most important artistic discovery”. tract collages throughout the 40’s. However, in gave way to his uniquely mature style, which was strongly rooted in abstract expressionism. The exhibition will show approximately 60 works from private and public collections from the United States and abroad. A fully illustrated exhibition catalogue will reveal a crucial revaluation of Motherwell’s work. Collage lovers, you cannot miss it!

Genesis. Photographs by Sebastião Salgado. (19th May - 15th September/Ara Pacis, Rome, Italy) Curated by Lélia Wanick Salgado, spouse of the renowned Brazilian photographer, this exhibition gathers more than 200 photographs taken during her travels around the world. All the photographs are black and white imadifferent sections: the South, Africa, the North, the Amazon, the Pantanal and The Shrines of Nature. The focus of this exhibition is highly informative as each photographic footnote provides information so as to be able to place the image on the map be made aware of their fragility.

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Le Corbusier at MOMA (15th June - 23rd September, 2013/MOMA, New York, United States) work of Le Corbusier, which encompasses his work as an architect, interior designer, artist, city planner, writer and photographer. The exhibition photographs from his formative travels and the models from his large-scale projects. All of these variations are present in the largest exhibition ever produced in the United States dedicated to this brilliant and charismatic artist.

ALTA MODA (Until the 16th of September/MATE Gallery, Avda. Pedro de Osma, Lima, Peru) Mario Testino, probably one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most important fashion photographers, takes us to his home country, Peru, without neglecting his main area of interest.Playing with irony and doubleentendres in the title, this exhibition presents the traditional customs of the Cuzco region, the old Mayan capital nestling at an altitude of 3,400 metres, through the lenses of this photographer, who unlike many others, has tied his name to fashion. V27 full-scale photographs portray traditional costumes in which the details and the chromatic contrasts are the key to their understanding. This exhibition is the fruit of Testinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long preparatory work to achieve the perfect union between classic and modern, traditional and the avant-garde, and it is a fair summary of a stage characterised by work paying tribute to his home country, such as the one produced last April that paid homaof modern Peru, published in Vogue, Paris.

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Japonisme. Fascination for the Japanese Art (14th June - 15th September/Caixa Forum, Barcelona, Spain) On the occasion of the dual year Spain-Japan, lovers of the contry of the Rising Sun can make the most of important exhibitions which aim to showcase this country and its culture to the wider public. In Barcelona, at Caixa Forum, we can attend an exhibition completely devoted to Japonisme, an artistic movement in fashion at the end of the 19th Century which focused on the exaltation of the recently discovered Japanese artistic world. In Spain this movement is melted into the modernist trend and it is present in many different

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works, by artists such as Mariano Fortuny, Joan Mir贸 or illustrators such as Xaudar贸 or Baldrich. From the 12th of June to the 6th of October at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, we will have the chance to admire two exceptional works from the Seikado Bunko Museum and the National Museum in Tokyo: Folding screen with a crane next to a stream. These works are two traditional folding screens, painted on rice paper, dating back to the Edo Period, on the absolute limits of the Empire of the Rising Sun in the eyes of the Western world. Taking advantage of these two featured works, there will be an exhibition of Japanese prints from the 17th to the 19th Century property of the Prado Museum, never before seen by the public.

Backstage NUNO BALTAZAR @ ModaLX TRUST 1 Photo: Artur Cabral

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