ISSUE #4 SPARK ARCHITECTS
The Interview TIM WALKER
Fashion & Art
2.0
# GENMOBILE
The new ABC
english edition TWISSST 1st YEAR
Best images review THE NEW ERA OF COUTURE
Chanel V , authier ,Bouchra , Jarrar , Rad Hourani & Victor and Rolf
PARIS & MILAN MENSWEAR BACKSTAGES
Louis Vuitton, Jil Sander, Lanvin, Versace, Z Zegna, Thom Browne, Valentino... riga fashion week
Full Review
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Photo: Sonny Vendevelde AW 2013 MENSWEAR COLLECITON JIL SANDER
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Self Portrait by Mr. Delaney Allen
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STAFF Editor in Chief & Creative Director Norberto Lopes Cabaรงo norberto.lopes@twissst.com Foreign Editors Director Mauro Parisi mauro.parisi@twissst.com Editorial Coordinator Chloe Yakuza Architecture & Art Director Mauro Parisi mauro.parisi@twissst.com
Graphic designers Laura Paunero Ruiz-Dana laura.paunero@twissst.com (Graphic Designer Senior) Lucas Castro lucas.castro@twissst.com Paula de Frutos paula.defrutos@twissst.com
Foto: Dino Modern50.com
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EDITORS Twissst English Edition Clare Hodgson Magdalena Kurowska-Shokerin Twissst Portuguese Edition Translation Responsible Elis PorfĂrio Bernardo Saavedra Twissst Spanish Edition Elena Arteaga Benedicta Moya
Contributors Elena DonĂ , Dilia Parkinson, Isabel Garcia Megino, Jennifer Marquez, Simone Guellar, Thomas Thinwes, Federica Gentile, Ymkje Repko, Ekaterina Lokteva, Aleksey Novikov, Carlota Branco, Eleonora Maggioni, Ewa Wilkos Jose Manuel Delgado Ortiz, Ruth Gaillard, Rute Martins Ricardo Gonzalez Naranjo Simon Lorenzin.
Calle San Lorenzo, 26 1A 28004 Madrid +34 91 523 5770 hello@twissst.com www.twissst.com
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INDEX The New Era of Couture Pag. 16 - 24
2.0# Genmobile Pag. 28 - 35
Tim Walker The photographer serving the Art Pag. 40 - 49
Riga Fashion Week The Winter Collections Full Review Pag. 58 - 71
SPARK/ Architects: The Interview Works/World/Vision Pag. 78 - 91
Riga The cosy and austere beauty of the Latvian capital Pag. 94 - 105
Urban Garden Madness Pag. 108 - 119
Discovering the vineyards of Bordeaux Pag. 122 - 127
1927 Where experiment joins tradition Pag. 130 - 135
JosĂŠ Guerrero The abstract Fauviste Pag. 136 - 139
Cultural Calendar Pag. 140 - 143
ISSUE NUMBER ONE
ISSUE NUMBER ZERO
PORTUGUSE EDITION
LIFESTYLE & FASHION CULTURE MAGAZINE
TWISSST#0
TWISSST#1
CLICK TWISSST#2
TWISSST#3 ISSUE NUMBER TWO PORTUGUESE EDITION
ISSUE #3 Entrevista
Manuel Alves Is it New York
the New Paris?
SS13 Destino África
Artur Cabral
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PORTUGUESE EDITION Fashion Editorial : Miss Królak
From Poland to Peru Special Report, Milão @
Salon del Mobile 2013 Nova Secção
I love Twissst
will now be creating new sections on information of general interest and of international concern. It will be talking about relevant moments in our recent history and perhaps about what may come in the future. TWISSST will also take on new challenges of visual communication. We would like to share more directly and frequently what we do and what we think, in what we believe in and what the purpose of our work is.
EDITOR S LETTER TWISSST HAS BEEN LUCKY. We have just turned one year old. For us these have been 365 days dedicated to creating a new editorial project. Throughout the past year we have been celebrating some remarkable moments being able to count on a team of ion, designers, models, makeup artists and obviously, a group of professionals who have worked jointly to attain a common goal. They have been responsible for creating the contents that until now have generated 4.2 million page views in 94 countries. This could be considered the end of year balance for TWISSST. For this rearetrospective of what has most impacted readers. This is our tribute to those who have done so much for very little.We have created our magazine with a goal of developing our own editorial philosophy and it has been visibly gaining strength. TWISSST
We consider it is the right moment to invite companies and industry professionals of the sector so that they can join this new project. We think that the result of this cooperation and symbiosis is based on the challenge of the sustainable growth that we would like to apply. This is would be the outcome of these professional and creative cooperations. We are also in the process of creating a new website and we have some new projects that will be revealed shortly, new ideas that without a doubt will represent a step further in the young but solid path of TWISSST. Last but not least, a special thanks to our readers, all those who have chosen TWISSST in each one of 94 countries where we have been present. To those whose opinions and suggestions reached us, to you we are sending our gratefulness for giving a meaning to our work. We are committed to continue working so that TWISSST becomes a reality and so that each issue becomes more innovative, creative and relevant in information in comparison to its previous editions. Cheers! Norberto Lopes Cabaรงo
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All people are born equal...
then some become
Photo:Antonio Palma Model: Nuno Silva Edited on TWISSST#2
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Photo: Maciej Berna Children of Peru/Katarzyna Kr贸la Edited on TWISSST#
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Self Portrait by Mr.Kris Schmitz Edited on TWISSST#2
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29.10 – 2.11
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the new era of couture Text: Eva Wilkos
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Haute couture autumn/winter 2013/14
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hen we try to picture couture, what usually comes to mind is an ephe- meral spectacle adorned with beadings, embroidery, frills and feathers. Exquisite, but sometimes out of touch with the needs of the more practical-minded among wealthy clients. Few seasons ago it seemed that couture was gradually becoming a relic of the by-gone era. Not anymore, as we are witnessing a move towards the ‘new couture’ approach evident in some of the autumn/winter 2013/14 shows. Having successfully balanced craftsmanship with a more austere aesthetic, can these collections get us back to the core of high-quality tailoring? First and foremost, it is impossible to downplay the major transformation taking place at Dior with Raf Simons at its creative helm. One year after his debut couture collection, the Belgian continues his steady march down the transition path. Leaving Galliano’s über-romantic, larger-thanlife vision behind, Simons aims at creating designs that are at once faithful to the Dior’s heritage and fit for the digital age. Like his infamous predecessor, Simons drew his inspiration from other continents and cultures. However, his point was not to capture the past or recreate folk costumes, but to represent the diverse personal style of a global client on a microscale of
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the catwalk. Patterns, fabrics and accessories from Asia, Africa and America interacted with Dior’s European heritage. In the background giant screens depicted the collection interpreted through the lens of Patrick Demarchelier, Paolo Roversi, Willy Vanderperre and Terry Richardson. Ever the modernist, Simons relied on architectural shapes and primary colours. While he is yet to attain the level of coherence he mastered at Jil Sander, he has already successfully rejuvenated Dior’s New Look designs, now photographed on Jennifer Lawrence and Leelee Sobieski.
CHANEL The transition between the old meant to alienate regular clients. The and the new was also a focal theme at the Chanel show, staged among the dusty ruins of an imaginary theatre. But the moment the curtain opened, it became clear that Kaiser Karl, the master of reinvention himself, projected his vision towards the future. The fabrics, mostly in various shades of black, white and grey, gleamed with spectacular 3-D embroideries that brought to mind the surfaces to be found in ultramodern metropolis. Even with this astounding level of innovation achieved by Chanel ateliers, the Lurex-threaded classic jackets had lost none of their practical appeal. Despite its futuristic spirit, the collection was perfectly wearable and not
vast majority of fashion powerhouses maintain their couture lines mainly as a prestigious addition to their more profitable merchandise, a way of preserving tradition and reinforcing brand image. couture week would inevitably turn into a beautiful mausoleum. To keep the couture spirit alive and kicking, La Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, the body governing the shows, has decided to relax its strict criteria. Each year they extend the right to show couture collections to a small group of promising designers that are to yet to gain right to employ the ‘haute couture’ brand.
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Alexandre Vauthier Among the es. Accentuated shoulders and bustiers
Paris new guard is a 41-year-old Frenchman, Alexandre Vauthier, who since 2011 has steadily built a reputation for his lasersharp tailoring and daring eveningwear. Not surprisingly, his early mentors were Thierry Mugler and Jean-Paul Gaultier. The latest collection featured plenty of his signature draping applied to roomy trousers, satin miniskirts and body-skimming dress20
worn underneath the jackets referenced the 80s, yet he made them look youthful and thoroughly modern. Provoking, but far from retro ostentation that could possibly turn the clothes into mere party costumes. Think about BeyoncÊ and Rihanna, who have been spotted in Vauthier’s designs, and you get a clear picture of the woman he aspires to dress.
Bouchra Jarrar Meanwhile, his
wool. Yet, the key to Jarrar’s ongoing success with major retailers in America lies in her ability to mix masculine and feminine elements. Plus, she knows how to show off an eye-catching detail, this time hipcircling chains and edgy metal necklaces. Her unfussy, wearable designs have that since the very beginning have become already won the approval of top buyers her staple piece. For this autumn she paired and are currently stocked at major retailthem with leather motorcycle jackets and ers including Browns and modaoperandi. compatriot Bouchra Jarrar is the one to offer convincing daywear and accessible elegance. Born in Cannes in a family of Moroccan descent, she subsequently moved to Paris to hone her skills alongside Nicolas Ghesquière and Christian Lacroix. Season
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Rad Hourani is another name to watch
for those favouring androgynous fashion. As an invited member to the couture week, present a unisex haute couture collection. A 31-year-old former stylist from Montreal had never received any formal training in design, but even without it he still managed to come up with a strong, sophisticated vision. Hourani’s designs possess a sculptural quality built upon layers of folds, pleats and drapes. The monochrome colour palette and geometric shapes border on monastic austerity that works for both sexes, regardless of the season and ruling trends. It is easy to imagine Tilda Swinton wearing some of Hourani’s jackets, coats and tunics cut with mathematical precision. They might be labelled as abstract and avant-garde, yet they will certainly appeal to clients feeling more at ease in unisex silhouettes than in feminine styles embraced by other designers.
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Viktor and Rolf Austere and con-
ceptual, the two keywords continued to rule at the Viktor and Rolf couture presentation that marked the 20th anniversary of their eponymous label. The acclaimed Dutch duo ture collections before moving on to readyto-wear thirteen years ago. For their comeback show they envisioned a Japanese Zen -
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sembling stones. It was a minimalist lence and a quiet meditation on the very nature of couture that seeks balance between common sense and artistic expression. Looking at the new sensibility coming from innovative designers, we have a feeling that this creative dialogue will dominate the catwalks in the coming seasons.
Photo: Sonny Vendevelde AW 2013 MENSWEAR COLLECITON LOUIS VUITTON Backstage
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Self Portrait by Mr.Kris Schmitz Edited on TWISSST#2
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2.0 Text: Dilia Parkinson Translation: Clare Hodgosn
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alarm, make notes in a notebook, look at the mentions on Twitter, retrieve mails, reach the next level of Candy Crush, upload a photo to Instagram or look at the weather for the next day.
WE ARE CONNECTED 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK. AC CORDING TO A STUDY BY TONI AHONEN, REGARDED AS THE MOST IMPORTANT VOICE ON MO BILE TECHNOLOGY, WE ARE UN ABLE TO SPEND MORE THAN SIX MINUTES WITHOUT UNLOCKING OUR SMARTPHONE TO CHECK OUR LATEST NOTIFICATIONS. The use of mobile devices has already invaded society, their use is indispensable and Smartphones are the most popular of gadgets. We check our mobile 150 times in 24 hours. We can read, speak and write at the same time, we watch TV with the phone in our left hand and the TV remote in the right hand and our mind on both devices; we chat with friends through Facebook, we respond to WhatsApps, set an
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The Global mobile data traffic grew 70% last year and the European average smartphone usage has now reached 47.6%. Similar numbers are found in different European countries, in the first position; United Kingdom (52.2 %), followed by Spain (47.1 %), France (37.4 %), Germany (37.1 %) and Italy (35.3 %). The most common practices are connecting to Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or WhatsApp. SMS have been left behind as obsolete and expensive, social network MySpace is still trying to rise from its ashes, not to mention the Blackberry that only a few months ago created a rush among teenagers in Europe and USA selling out at stores and making BlackBerry Messenger (Android OS and iPhone’s precursor) a fashionable revolution and enabling the definitive consolidation of the mobile technology.
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WHATSAPP, the most downloaded free app and designed for an audience looking for immediacy with the least cost and effort. But success always brings competition and Korean LINE and Chinese WeChat, both with a strong position in the advertising market in Europe, are now growing at lightning speed; they occupy the second and sixth place on the list of Google Play respectively.
VIBER, FACEBOOK MESSENGER, HANGOUTS DE GOOGLE+ OR SKYPE are other applismartphones.
FACEBOOK the third most downloaded app, has become quite a social network where you get all creative talent as with our best profile picture we try to win a couple of “likes”. The phrases, “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” (Confucius) or “Without music, life would be a mistake.” (Friedrich Nietzsche), assure success. But he key is to write love life status updates; change the status to “engaged” and your wall will be filled with comments wondering who you´re engaged a to nd when the upcoming wedding will be!
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TWITTER does not escape this trend. And yes... here too we dedicate all our efforts to be the most witty and innovative. One of its biggest advantages is to know which day of the week it is! Examples of this are on Mondays: waves of tweets from those facing with pessimism the beginning of the week or those we call at Twissst “MEC: Macro - Energy People”, wishing you a fabulous week at 07:30 a.m. with a photo leaving the gym ... smiling! Twitter is the “new pub”. We discuss football matches, the new look of Rihanna, the latest reality show,but in 140 characters, simple and concise, because there are more applications to update.
Among the most used app is also Instagram. By the time you downloaded this application for sharing photos, your life has changed ... what if? That picture where you are half dark becomes a piece of art, you never had a so perfect smile, the village landscape becomes the Grand Canyon or an imaginary Tolkien’s emerald forest. Apply it a retro-vintage filter and, being linked to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Flickr, it is ready for the world!
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TRENDS APPS The number of downloaded apps created continues to grow frantically. FLIPBOARD , one free app that has 75 million users, described by its creators as a “social magazine�. It is a must if you want to know quickly the most shared updates from your contacts and the latest information. SWYPE, in the top sales downloads Google Play continues adding download due to the ease of sliding keyboard 34
PANDORA RADIO is the second most downloaded application in these 5 years from the App Store; the streaming music service is the most popular in the United States, overcame Spotify, Deezer or Rdio. The first is still Facebook, the largest social network.
NICHE SOCIAL NETWORK
NEOMOD, a ‘doctors-only whatsapp’ only 10 weeks old in Spain, solves doctor’s doubts about patient’s pathologies
The Net is, nowadays, a basic needs medium. The popularity of Internet connections via smartphones continues to grow and we are already arguing about the network future …no COUPLE,, a “for couple” social net- less than in 3D! work, designed for lovers, whose contents disappear when the relationship Internet is moving towards greater ends. interactivity and three dimensions BODY PASSPORT with this applica- and we’ll be here waiting for it ... but tion you’ll match the measurements on now ... we’ re going to upload the arclothing and avoid annoying returns. ticle to ISSUU platform to link it to Facebook and Twitter! 35
All people are born equal...
Photo: Cho Hang Model: Carlos Ferra Major Paris Photography Edited on TWISSST#1
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Then some become
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Photo: Sonny Vendevelde AW 2013 Gucci Backstage, Milan Edited on TWISSST#2
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TIM WALKER The photographer serving the Art
Text / Dilia Parkinson Photography/ Tim Walker Translation / Clare Hodgson 40
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book, a fairy tale title and almost undescribable pictures. “Story Teller” and an exhibition at Somerset House in London are part of one of the last works of Tim Walker, the most unique fashion photographer of our time. The narrative powers that transferred to his images contribute to change the way of capturing fashion photography. Darkness, enchantment, fantasy, dreams are some of the concepts that come to mind when you think about the work of Tim Walker. Many years have passed since he stopped reading Tintin comics to read fashion magazines and asked to borrow a camera from his brother in an attempt to become a good photographer. Today, with over 20 years of experience behind him and having worked in the last decade for large reputable magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, he presents “Story Teller”, a book that includes 175 snapshots of the biggest names in fashion and contemporary culture; the result of an unlimited, distinctive and exceptional imagination.
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is ideal of developing his own photographic style and standing out from the crowd began when he was 19; Tim Walker was working on Cecil in London, before his Art and Photography Studies at the Art Institute of Exeter. Then he moved to New York assistant of Richard Avedon. Aged and has worked for the magazine´s international editions ever since. Intraditional English landscape paint-
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terested in capturing people through portrait and documentary photography but, later recognized that fashion photography allowed him to explore dreams and fantasies, creating a recognizable photographic style. His images, both hyper-real and unreal, have a dazzling vitality and a range of vibrant and ecliptic colors. Examples of these visual stories are his iconic portraits: fashion designer Alexander McQueen posing with a human skull and some cigarettes, tin living soldiers, the model Agyness Deyn in the sand dunes of Namibia, a plane made
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of giant loaves, a wrecked ship in a library. All these photographs instantly transport you to another place. His work philosophy is to find “the parameters of the impossible”. He defines taking a picture as: “an extraordinary sense of luck and opportunity overwhelms you and urges you to take pictures that 46
you could not even imagine in your wildest dreams. This is the magic of photography. “This British photographer born in 1970 in Devon in the South of England remains as unconventional and different from other artists as were Man Ray and Edwin Blumenfeld, who in the early decades of the twentieth century
opened the subconscious, merging together aesthetic concerns and fashion photography. His original vision does not try to capture or imitate reality. Tim Walker tries to create a parallel reality, full of emotions, the essence of the uniqueness in terms of a single and unusual snapshot.
/ His work
philosophy is
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He can count on for example, Stella Tennant or Tilda Swinton’s androgyny, Kate Moss’s complicity, Kristen McMenany’s particularity and Daphne Groeneveld’s sheer ingenuity. Fashion photography has catapulted itself to an unrecognized art scene in our history. The capacities for imagination and innovation that fashion requires, its high demands, allow us to get into worlds of rare beauty, where past and future, reality and fantasy are embodied in ker is the perfect ambassador . 48
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Photo: Sonny Vendevelde AW 2013 Valentino Backstage, Paris Edited on TWISSST#2
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Edited on TWISSST#0
Photo: Artur Cabral Edited on TWISSST#0
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Special
tha
080 Barcelona Alexandra Simões de Carvalho Alvaro Gallego Ana Maria Oliver Angela Gilltrap Ángela Vero Angelica Tinazzi Anna Golias Antonio Palma Artur Cabral Arturo Jose Vallejo Associação Moda Lisboa Baltic Fashion Federation Bartosz Ka Nachtigal Benedicta Moya Carla Pires Carlos Ferra Chloe Yakuza Claire O’Donnell Clare Hodgson Daniel Duniak Daniela Cataldo 52
Daria Kochan David Lariño Torrens Dilia Parkinson Diogo Ângelo Mega Elena Arteaga Elena Donà Eleonora Maggioni Elis Porfírio Emma Santoyo Martin Ewa Wilkos Fashion Philosophy, Poland Fashion Week Francesco Marangon Giuglia Chiaravallotti Grzegorz Korzeniwski Isabel Garcia Megino Jacek Jelonek Jaime Masip James Massoud Javier Santamaria Jemima Daisy Jennifer Marques João Pedro Vasconcelos
anks Jose Manuel Delgado Juan Vidal Kamil Sobczyk Katarzina Krolak Katerina Korss Kris Schmitz Laura Parisi Laura Paunero Laurent Humbert Lucas Castro Lucia Garcia Lucía García García Magda Witczak Magdalena Kurowska-Shokerin Major Paris Manuel Alves Marcel Marcin Paszko Marco Moreira Marzena Janik Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid Nuno Moreira
Nuria Pérez Patrick Abbattista Paula de Frutos Piotr Wojnis Portugal Fashion RDK Productions Ricardo Gonzalez Naranjo Riccardo Capuzzo Riga Fashion Week Robert Ryzek Rui Vasco Rute Martins Ruth Gaillard Semaine de la Mode Masculine PARIS Simon Lorezin Sio Cho Hang Sonny Vendevelde Tatiana Balvas Telma Russo The New Vega Studio Túlio Brandão
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Photo: Sonny Vendevelde AW 2013 Versace Backstage, Milan Edited on TWISSST#2
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Photo: Sonny Vendevelde AW 2013 MENSWEAR COLLECITON DIESEL Backstage
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Photo: Sonny Vendevelde AW 2013 MENSWEAR COLLECTION, Z Zegna Backstage, Milan Edited on TWISSST#2
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Photo: Sonny Vendevelde AW 2013 MENSWEAR COLLECTION, Versace Backstage Edited on TWISSST#2
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RIGA FASHION WEEK Of our first visit to the Latvian capital we remember a city with the values of a Northern European capital: an extraordinary respect for its own heritage, for public spaces; a breathtaking architecture and a rich and flavoursome cuisine. But we also travelled there in search of design, and fashion design in particular, and what we found was truly rewarding. In its 18th edition, the Riga Fashion Week - included in the Baltic Fashion Federation - presented the Autumn/Winter 2013/14’s offerings of a series of artists from
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Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania and Belarus and also of COMEFORBREAKFAST, a brand created in 2009 by the Italian design duo Antonio Romano and Francesco Alagna. The leading thread of most of the creators resides less in the concept and more in the shapes and volumes of the collections; the winter coat was one of the most reworked, elaborate and visually striking pieces. Equally striking was the swap between short and long garments, between moments of opulence and absolute minimalism where design spoke for itself, free of any attachment. In a time
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The Winter Collections Full Review Text: Norberto Lopes Cabaço Photo: Mark Litvyakoff Translation: Clare Hodgson and Magdalena Kurowska-Shokerin
when fashion as an industry undergoes a reorganisation of priorities, where the superfluous does not compete with the necessary, it was interesting to observe that the Baltic fashion industry has taken those values and transformed them into collections that seek to overcome this difficult situation. These offerings are in line with a contemporary design that does not underestimate commercial flair and dedication to the end customer. The mix of timeless design and quality of materials makes sense in Riga, on the catwalks and on
the city´s streets. Riga displayed the Winter collections aptly covered in snow and chilly sub-zero temperatures, this weather clearly influenced the designers´ creative processed as we observed an extreme care in the presentation of pieces made of warm and noble materials such as pure wools, cashmere and wool blends, mohair, alpaca, leather and furs. In order to genuinely exist, fashion must be on the streets, and if this is the basis of the industry´s continuity, Riga Fashion Week can expect a future full of promise.
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ALEXANDER PAVLOV (LATVIA) Practicality and romanticism walked hand in hand in his collection. Slightly more commercial this time, his pieces showed a more contemporary cut with oversize trousers and a correct matching of volumes of shirts and jackets to woolen winter coats. We were struck by a predominance
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ALEXANDRA WESTFAL (LATVIA) One of the most interesting Winter collections. Combining innovative design with a modern woman´s need for movement she managed the always elusive balance essential to any accomplished collection. The deconstruction of the blazer was a wink to the Belgian fashion school and the use of contrasting blacks and whites, the rigidity of tailoring softened by furs put to practice the knowledge gained at London´s Central Saint
Martins and Milan´s Istituto Europeo di Design. Her work was a clear homage to the feminine forms, enhancing the waist in almost all the pieces through cut o the use of belts, resulting in the introduction of an effortlessly natural stylistic element. Westfal presented a Winter collection in all its glory, bringing a global vision borne of her experience and communicated in the universal language particular to Fashion. 61
ANNA LED (LATVIA) Anna Led is a brand created by the designer Anna Ledskalnina, for the winter she offers a very fashionable effortless vibe. There was not just one vibe in the collection, this wasn´t a “One Note Collection” but a collection addressing the majority of an urban woman´s needs. And this is also a very modern feeling. She mixed technical fabrics with organic pieces, presented eveningwear for the day, loose and cocoon like volumes, softening shines with snowy whites.For Autumn/Winter 2013/14 the contrast is in the mood of the Anna Led woman,practical, urban, seeking a label that is personal and modern.
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COMEFORBREAKFAST (ITALY) For COMERFORBREAKFAST if “Less is More”...”More is Better”.The brand designed by Antonio Romano and Francesco Alagna is an example of a new generation of fashion desigfor contemporary art. Based in Milan, they can count on the proximity of the ateliers and the industry´s most sought after savoir faire, displayed in the intricate confection of the pieces that make up the winter collection. The sweaters and jumpers are the “stilettos”, the “prints”, the DNA of an urban and cosmopolitan customer to his identity and needs. With masculine and feminine offerings, COMEFORBREAKFAST showed that with rigour and dedication, the profusion of new ideas can still be viable.
IEVA DAUGIRDAITE (LITHUANIA) From Vilnius, in Lithuania, Ieva Daugirdaite presented a collection in which technical materials were the protagonists. The practicality of the collection was present during the whole show, based on innovative materials and shapes most associated to day-wear conferring a more formal aspect. We noticed the rigour in the confection, perfect shoulders and raglan sleeves enhancing movement and a palette of intense yet sober colours. Bottle green was recurring, in trousers, dressed and a version of the trenchcoat. Daugirdaite´s women are strong, dedicated and modern, with a wardrobe to match! 63
KATYA KATYA SHEHURINA (LATVIA) Shehurina’s Autumn/Winter collection had moments of absolute silence, dresses in sand tones and extremely minimalist “navy” ones, of an almost stoic rigour. Shehurina also showed how melodic she can be; as if it was a music score, she raised the intensity of the collection; lace and embroidered patterns on vivid colours such as “gum pink”; she even presented her take on a kimono jacket in oxidised colours!Maybe Shehurina succeeded in providing different answers to every woman…we hope this was the case.
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LENA TSOKALENKO (BELARUS) Tsokalento’s collection representing Belarus has brought forward the fabric as its main protagonist rather than using shapes or volumes. Wool and leather coats and tartan capes were wrapped around the models exposing them for contemplation. The feeling of being well protected was clearly noticeable, extra large jerseys, long coats and maxi skirts creating beautiful and at the same time impenetrable shapes. The matching sets brought together with high heels or boots minimised the tubular effect and added intensity and attractiveness, highlighting the shape and dignifying the movement. 65
NARCISS Narciss came up with a romantic idea with a “dark Twis(ss)t” and connotations reminding fact that those elements were also to be seen in international catwalks like Milan, and have not only been presented by a single designer but by the whole creative team standing behind the brand of Narciss, will make them even more distinctive. There were traces of a decadent and poetic nature in some of the garments presented; a dress with an A-shaped skirt, a coat covering shoulders constituting an almost gothic version of a “baby doll dress” shown on a stage accompanied by the light of dozens of perfectly lined candles. Evidently showing the contrasting ideas of political correctness and neoliberalism, the breaking up of two generations of women, possibly this might have been the key to Narciss’s and aiming to provide answers to questions that have not yet been asked.
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NATALIJA JANSONE (LATVIA) Jansone’s proposal for Autumn/Winter season resulted in a sober attestation, with dark shades of mainly black, anthracite grey, chocolate and browns. The stiffness of tailoring has been reduced by using softer fabric and showing some ascetic loose-fit dresses. The final result is a mixture of safe outfits, wellcrafted and suitable for everyday use.
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NÓLÓ (LATVIA) The Nóló brand has brought along some of the most inFashion Week. In certain moments of the show we found it hard not to let our ios; a heavy snow, a cliff, a lantern and a feminine gloom. It was an almost cin-
POHJANHEIMO (ESTONIA) The collection of this designer closed the last edition of the Riga Fashion Week. It could simply be summed up as “speechless” This was a moment for contemplation; the models were walking slowly Hackerman style and if Michael Nyman had been in charge of the soundtrack, it would have been a time for senses. Pohjanheimo probably received the biggest ovation on the day, the collection being close to perfec-
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ematic atmosphere, romantically decadent and contemporaneously vibrant.The styling helped to create this perception, the models’ hair was romantically tousled and a combination of soft tones such as pastel pink and ash, as well as the mix of silks and wools, crowned the whole setting. This is a concept vast in possibilities and it could be adapted by various women to their realities. Possibly some of these garments are already on the “shopping list” of Riga’s itgirls ... and many more!
tion. The couture minimalism, or “Parisian chic”, invaded the catwalk proving the great skill of this author passionate about the purity of forms and functional and timeless looks. The precision of the cut, the pursuit of mobility and creno time neglecting its brand DNA, Pohjanheimo has earned a place in the Golden Book of Riga Fashion Week. “Save the best for last”, might sound like a cliché being used too hastily at times, however in this particular case it surely takes on its full meaning.
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KRISTINA VALANCIUTE (LITHUANIA) This was the most avantgarde collection of the week. umes and shapes it recreated streetwear with its almost futuristic and galactic vision. The bomber was the basis of that project and, in the midnight blue and the black the designer found some allies so as not to leave anyone indifferent. Despite these pieces being creatively revealing, the majority continues to show a strong and commercial side. Beyond doubt the Asian market and the Japanese one in particular, will receive with open arms Valanciute’s designed concepts for the Autumn/Winter season.
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SKLADNOVA (LATVIA) The most girlie proposition of the week was in hands of Irina’s Skladnova and we believe that the designer can be considered the best ambassador of the brand. Not a single piece of the collection can be seen as inconsistent, worn by its author. At a time in which the “rocky naughty mood” is in fashion around the world, Skladnova has surely already won half the battle. Either due to its “leather biker jacket” or leather “babydoll” dresses or in “tartan” patterns she will only need to worry about maintaining the production quality levels to meet the high demand of the customers.
ZANETE AUZINA (LATVIA) Zanete Auzina has recreated a world of dreams, where the intangible played the key role. Her models presented more of a spring collection rather than one for the Autumn/Winter season.Aside from the laborious process involved in creating dresses and a complicated “mises-en-scène”, this collection was totally deprived of any fabric reminding us of the winter season to the detriment of transparency, ”chiffons” and any other accessory the designer considered appropriate for the theme of the collection. Besides it is also true that Auzina created the collection having in mind red carpet events, however, in December, even the most cosmopolitan customers would need a coat for the more luxurious events. 71
Photo: Sonny Vendevelde AW 2013 MENSWEAR COLLECTION Louis Vuitton Backstage
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Photo: Artur Cabral Backstage NUNO BALTAZAR @ ModaLX TRUST 1 Edited on TWISSST#3
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WILL YOU
JOIN
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INSTAGRA
NUS.......
I CAN HOME?
AM
TumbIR
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Photo: Artur Cabral PINK IS THE NEW BLACK MARISA GONÇALVES @HADJA MODELS ANGOLA 4 Edited on TWISSST#3
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Photo: Sonny Vendevelde AW 2013 MENSWEAR COLLECTION, Lanvin Backstage Edited on TWISSST#2
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SPARK/ 78
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THE DIRECTORS OF SHANGHAI, SINGAPORE, BEIJING AND LONDON’S OFFICES TELL US ABOUT THEIR VISION OF ARCHITECTURE AND REVEAL US SOME OF THE ORGANISATIONAL PECULIARITIES OF SPARK. Text/ Mauro Parisi Translation: Magdalena Kurowska-Shokerin Photography/ Ymkje Repko - www.architectuurreis.com
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he historical changes taking place in the modern world over the last few years can be seen in almost every sphere of activity and architecture does not remain immune to them. Formerly only European, American or Japanese cities would lay their hands on more futuristic architectural and urban projects, nowadays however others have also joined in this race, amongst them: Beijing, Abu Dhabi, Shanghai, Singapore, Guangzhou, Mumbai or Jakarta. In all of them we can observe a continuous rise in the number of public and private buildings striving to face up to the modern urban challenges by adding to their skylines a touch of “novelty” so emblematic for western metropolis. There are also globally recognized companies that respond actively to this architectural awakening in these new cities. This is the case of the architectural consultancy, SPARK, who for the past ten years have been dedicating themselves to creating ‘iconic’ projects not only in Asia or the Middle East but in Europe as well. 80
SPARK successfully combines the best of international experience with local talent with a team of over 100 people of 16 nationalities in its four offices based in Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and London. Undoubtedly a popular slogan in for present days: “Think Globally, Act Locally “can easily be applied to the essence of their activity! Their
Photography/ Bass and Flinders Gateway Project Courtesy of SPARK
ambition is to produce an architecture that is pragmatic, social and that encourages conviviality; to create works that fulfill the client´s requirements and guarantee the profitability of the final project.Some of their creations have received international awards, such as their redevelopment of Clarke Quay in Sin-
gapore, Shanghai´s International Cruise Terminal, the Starhill Gallery retail centre in Kuala Lumpur and the Raffles City complex in Beijing and Ningbo. Each and every one of them has become an emblem of the cities in which they stand, as for example the Chrysler Building decades ago became a symbol for New York City. 81
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Stephen Pimbley founded Spark in 2008 in Singapore together with German architect Jan Felix Clostermann. The company expanded by opening three more offices in Shanghai, Beijing and London. At present the management team has Mingyin Tan and Sven Steiner as heads of the Shanghai office, Clostermann in charge of the Beijing office and Max Titchmarsh in charge of the London office. TWISSST wanted to find out a little bit more about
‘‘ Their ambition is to produce an architecture that is pragmatic, social and that encourages conviviality
Photography/ Guangzhou Science Town Courtesy of SPARK
the company and approached the SPARK to learn about their ideas, what the meaning of architecture today is and what direction it may take in the near future. In the first place however we would like to present some of the most ‘iconic’ creations of Spark, the firm can be found in the “World List” of most sought-after architectural consultancies. We begin with the rejuvenation of Clarke Quay in Singapore in 2006. This old port area has been completely redeveloped
by SPARK Architects’ and currently attracts over 12 million visitors a year. The key to its success is the ingenious creation of a micro – climate through a system of shading and cooling that reduces the humidity and temperature by 5°C in comparison to the “outside world” while remaining an outdoor attraction where one can enjoy the stunning views of Singapore harbour. After completing Clarke Quay several other urban and retail projects have been undertaken. 83
Photography/Clarke Quay Singapore Charlie Kwan
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The International Cruise Terminal in Shanghai saw the light in 2011 together with the Starhill Gallery in Kuala Lumpur and Rihan Heights, the residential complex in Abu Dhabi; shortly after them, the residential and commercial complexes of Beijing and Ningbo Raffles City. The Shanghai Cruise Terminal, the new gateway of the financial capital of China, combines office space with 40,000 m² of retail space and a kilometer long riverside park reflecting the sinuous forms of the accompanying buildings. 85
Photography/Shangai Terminal Cruise Ymkje Repko www.architectuurreis.com
According to Pimbley, SPARK endeavours to create buildings responding to modern times and to when they are being built and not necessarily to abstract ideas or purist values. The Cruise Terminal is a clear example of how SPARK follows this philosophy without concealing colours, shapes or decorations that remind us of the vitality of existing high tech societies. Rihan Heights sig-
dential complex in Abu Dhabi consisting
14 villas that through their forms, materials and disposition create a lush landscape contrasting with the desert views of the Arabic country.The Starhill Gallery in Kuala Lumpur is one of SPARK’s jewels; with its sharp pointed angles and light effects, it has become a benchmark for fashion orientated architecture and is now one of the most recognizable landinto the Middle East with a luxury resi- marks of the Malaysian capital. 86
interview TWISSST/Structurally Spark con-
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SPARK ARCHITECTS/Conventionaoperate in either of the two ways you mentioned. We think neither model is conducive to engendering a collaborative studio culture. The problem with the headquarter structure is you end up with all the good designers in a place that is far removed from the client and their environment and the people from the no ownership of the design. We believe you cannot split the architectural process into two distinct parts: design and coordination. separately but under the same name suffers from inconsistent quality and among the branches. It means you just have a bunch of separate small companies rather than one large one that can combine forces to deliver complex projects. Spark’s - third model if you like - of a collaborative network was
an online collaboration between three studios and it worked remarkably well as the people involved had all worked together before personally. We see collaboration as a way to create consistency. Every studio designs and coordinates their own projects. People from other studios who are specialisupport local teams. Studio leaders meet monthly to discuss the development of our design output in addition to the exchanges between the architects. There is no competition dios. Support functions like Finance, PR, Graphics, IT are distributed across the four studios instead of being concentrated in one place.
We see collaboration as a way to create consistency
When we designed Clarke Quay it was 87
as different geographies experience different rates of growth. Today’s technology makes it much easier to connect the different studios. Apart from obvious things like video conferencing, we have an online portfolio where every Spark member can check daily what the other studios are producing. Our servers are set up such that data is mirrored daily so that every studio works from the same environment. -
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The Architecture business has many drivers. There will always be a community of high profile Studios that follow trends of global demographic and economic growth and deliver expressive, sometimes progressive and often costly architecture which has become emblematic of the growth and wealth that feeds it. This vanguard, or ‘caravan’ of design is often packed up and repositioned elsewhere as companies 88
respond to the next geographic boom. It is currently heavily concentrated in the Far East, but in 10 years it may be elsewhere, like Africa. Left behind is the continued need to provide houses, offices, schools, hospitals and to sustain communities, which is the lifeblood of the profession. SPARK are interested in both the progressive and the legacy drivers of our profession. We seek to innovate but we are driven by the desire to provide buildings that serve the communities in which they are built, regardless of the economic context. The mechanics of delivering a building in Asia differ often widely from those in Europe, from
We are driven by the desire to provide buildings that serve the comunities in which they are built
Photography/ Rihan Heights Courtesy of SPARK
the planning It is true that commercial projects dominate Spark’s burgeoning Asian portfolio perhaps a direct result of the dominant market typologies and Spark’s current client list. Our European work pre Clarke Quay our first project in Asia was dominated by public buildings including schools, railway projects and cultural buildings, Clarke Quay opened a door into the commercial / retail sector for
Spark in which we have achieved many award winning projects over the last 10 years. It is a business sector that is constantly involving and reinventing itself as technology changes the way in which we work, live and play; Spark is a leading explorer at the edge of this culture developing new sustainable typologies that reinvent traditional models of urban planning, architecture and project development. 89
Photography/ Raffles City Ningbo Courtesy of SPARk
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programme and dogma. We find that the people who use and commission buildings tend to appreciate a bold approach to colour and we share that appreciation.
At SPARK we like colour, it is true. We are a colourful business and that is reflected in our work. Architecture can take itself too seriously and lose its focus through 90
The 2 year old London Studio is working on a variety of residential, mixed use and Urban Design projects mostly within London. We will soon be revealing a significant project in the City of Westminster. Watch this space.
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Photo: Maciej Bernas Children of Peru/Katarzyna Kr贸lak Edited on TWISSST#3
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Photo: Sonny Vendevelde AW 2013 Prada Backstage, Milan Edited on TWISSST#2
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RIGA 94
The cosy and austere beauty of the Latvian capital Text: Mauro Parisi Photo: Ekterina Lokteva Translation: Clare Hodgson Trip to Riga took place thanks to www.LiveRiga.com support
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iga,thebiggestandmostcosmopolitan city of the Baltic is an amazing reality ready to remove any preconceptions you may naively have about it. The city is a fascinating mix of medieval atmospheres, of early 1900s bourgeois sophistication and of postmodern cultural effervescence. Almost at the same latitude as Edinburgh but 1500 kilometers further east, Riga is the true queen of the former Soviet Baltic.Tallinn, trapped in its role of medieval village for tourist or Vilnius, reluctant to leave behind the calm given by its own small size, further enhance Riga, a real city, knowing itself to be fascinating, but not flirting with tourism to the
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point of losing its essence and authenticity.It seems almost preferable not to excessively publicize this city; just to avoid it being transformed into something else, if not worse, certainly different. But, also, Riga deserves to be known more, to be recognized for what it is; one of the most interesting cities of the “New Europe”. It is nicknamed the “Paris of the North” but comparisons are always reductive and unflattering; you could in fact easily argue that Riga and not Paris is the city with the largest number of Art Nouveau buildings ... in the World!
Photo: Nikonaft
There are 750 buildings of this style in the city, the majority concentrated in the area bordering the historic Vecriga (Old Riga), beyond the set of parks that surround it like a necklace and, as the winter cold leaves town, become Riga’s largest green lung. Founded by German merchants in the late Middle Age, Riga was one of the most important cities of the Hanseatic League.Having regained independence more than 20 years ago, it has been seriously dedicated itself to leave behind the dark periods of recent history to become a modern central European city with a characteristic care and respect for artistic heritage and environmental conservation; this
is a city, in particular the historic center, of extreme cleanliness where dropping even a cigarette butt on the pavement is considered by the inhabitants a deep lack of education..!
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Photo: Ekaterina Lokteva
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Riga welcomes us showing us from the be ginning its most authentic area, crossing the Daugava River we enter into the medie val heart of the city guarded on one side by the Castle of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword now seat of the President of the Re public and on the other side by the massive and sometimes menacing bulk of the con troversial Latvian Riflemen Monument The starting point is undoubtedly the historic old town with its narrow cobbled streets and - to place on our smartphone locator, the Ratslaukumus, Vecriga’ most famous square hosting the imposing Blackheads House with its superbly decorated façade, home of the German merchants guild of the city. According to tradition, it is also the birthplace of the icon of the Christmas decorations: the Christmas tree.In 1510, to celebrate the Christmas period, merchants dragged a huge pine decorated this was repeated every year becoming a tradition that, clearly, spead worldwide! Vecriga surprises us with countless inspiring corners especially if we decide to visit the city in winter, the contrast between the red bricks of its Gothic churches and colorful stately facades and the immaculate white of snow covering everything is really shocking, a perfect example, the Lutheran Cathedral Square or behind the Church of Saint Peter.
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Rigas Judenstila Muzejs
Leaving the old town behind, the Judendstil neighborhood is of great interest. Built at the begin ning of the 1900s, its broad and straight tree lined avenues re veal the Art Nouveau that prevails in every detail . 100
perhaps the most fascinating examples are to be found around the streets of Alberta Iela, Elizabeta Iela and Strelnieku Iela: animals and mythological gods alternate with lush vegetation and threatening and yawning faces to decorate some of
Judenstil’s Building Strelnieku Iela Street
the most elegant buildings in the city. Once in the area, do not miss the Rigas Judenstila Muzejs (Riga’s Museum of “Art Nouveau “); architect Peksens’s house is now a museum where you can admire original stained glass windows, curvilinear
Judenstil’s Building Alberta Lela Street
furniture, geometric frescos: a true bourgeois house of the twenties, you can feel like one of them for a few minutes ... renting one of the original hats available for visitors; among bowlers, berets and top hats, there is a favourite style for everyone! 101
Photo: Nikonaft
A short walk from the museum, on the same Strelnieku Iela, is the Sienna cafĂŠ, one of the cosiest of the city; leather armchairs, original furniture and early nineteenth century tea services from France or Russia, blueberry, fruits of the forest or ginger tarts... will reset your spirits and delight any sweet tooth!But Riga is more than architectural beauty and heritage, there are places where you can absorb the genuine popular atmosphere; the most important, certainly, the City Central Market. It has been said that going to 102
Riga without seeing it is like going to Paris without visiting the Louvre; it may not come to that but it is undoubtedly a rewarding experience. Depending on the season, in the five halls (one for each type of product) covering a total area of almost 1 km², you can find all produce: rye bread, raspberries, blueberries, honey, smoked herring, sausages, tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh meat and fish.Through this market, from 1998 a World Heritage Site, are estimated to cross more than 80,000 people a day.
Photo: Lorenzo Fantini Photo: Federica Gentile
Beyond the city center, Riga still provides numerous possibilities. The Andrejasala area concentrates emerging artists who have perfectly connected with that interest and love for cutting edge design and the postmodern style characteristic of Scandinavian countries. In the North-West area of the city lies
a port open to cultural exchange, with ferries leaving for Stockholm. Among old factories and warehouses is an urban arts community that is fast becoming the hipster center of the Baltic and one of the coolest areas of Riga with art galleries, creative Labs, workshops and professional studios. 103
jurmal a Of undoubted interest, and just a few miles from the city - on the shores of the Baltic Sea – is Jurmala. Though temperatures for much of the year wouldn´t prove it, it is one of the most famous summer resorts in the area, and since the end of the 1800s it was the favorite resting place of most of the imperial nobility due to its proximity to St. Petersburg. That past is visible by the imposing mansions on its long promenade. Today it remains a major resort for rich families, not only Russians but also Latvians also attracted by wellness and spa centers because, out of season, when it snows or it is totally icy, what’s better than enjoying the warm temperatures of a sauna or a massage in an exclusive beauty center?
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Photo: Aleksey Novikov Photo:Tom Roberston
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Photo: Sonny Vendevelde AW 2013 MENSWEAR COLLECTION, Thom Browne Backstage Edited on TWISSST#2
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URBAN GARDENING MADNESS Text: Elena Donรก / Photo: Helsinki Wayward Plants Plant Tram Translation: Magdalena Kurowska-Shokerin 108
“While attending a conference in the suburbs of Stockholm in the autumn of 1974, I had a chance to take a walk through a community garden situated in close vicinity of some skyscrapers. It appeared to be one of those idyllic summer afternoons with numbers of people looking after gardens a short walk from their residences. Over 30 years back from that day the memory of this scene is still alive in me thanks to its aura of happiness and contentment of the individuals who formed a part of it. I myself remember reflecting on it. This is it. This is another sign of a civilized society.’� Lester R. Brown, , Environmental Analyst 109
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he English poet Abraham Cowley
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L ONDON /urban agriculture is a business
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a network of self-managed orchards ADRID / created to regain the city territory M
the story of an airport that became ERLIN/ B an urban garden
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P ARIS /Potager sur les toits...
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U RBAN GARDENS TO VISIT IN OTHER CITIES/ Amsterdam:
Barcelona:
Dublín:
Lodz, Poland: Oslo:
Prague:
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Roma:
Viena:
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Photo: Kris Schmitz
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Photo: Telma Russo @Modalisboa, Lisbon Fashion Week Edited on TWISSST#0
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Text: Eleonora Maggioni
R E H W N E M I R E P X E TRADIT
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The Edinburgh Fringe Festival has always been one of the founding platforms for the international theatre scene and undoubtedly a stepping stone for numerous newly emerging artists looking to build their careers and gaining worldwide recognition for their works. This was exactly a case with “1927”, the English company that arrived in play: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. Founded in 2005, a taking its name after the year of the “death” of silent movie, and the release of “Metropolis” by Fritz Lang. The producers of 1927 dedicated a huge amount of time to the stage preparation and in particular in developing special techniques that use a mix of theatre originality with animation. This debut, consisting of a mixture of silent movies and the traditional musical, in no time became a breakthrough hit of the Edinburgh Festival. comers, praised the work of art of 1927. The telephone of Suzanne Andrade, the co-founder of the group has barely stopped ringing when the majority of European theatres offered to stage their performances.
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n no time 1927’s style became synonymous with innovation and experimentation, being a fusion of live music and live performances that combine with animations on large screens, all seen through the prism of silent movie, format of our childhood.
It brings reminiscences of an old school silent movie, the sensation is similar however, there is an added charm of being part of recording and sharing the experience with presenters and with other audience members in tiny rooms where the group normally performs.
In their follow-up play, The Devil and the Children Took the Streets, the company questions whether to introduce changes for fear of becoming too predictable to the audience. Fortunately they decided not to change and continued with that theatrical line of performing that proved to be so successful, it has led them to perform a few months ago in Madrid as part of the Festival de Otoùo en Primavera in the intimate stage of the Cuarta Pared theatre. The play tells the story of a socially deprived neighborhood in the outskirts of any city where neighbors spy behind the curtains on the lives of others and the children cannot play in the streets. As if it was illustrated story, the play comes to life through three actresses (Sue Appleby, Eleanor Buchan and Lewis Barfoot) who play several characters at once, rapidly changing their costumes. In the background there are three screens showing sceneries and through which the three artists continually pass from one to the other following the narrative dictated by animations. The story is compelling, told with sense of humor noir. This play reminds us of the politically committed theatre of Brecht through the metaphore of power and social classes, a play that also thanks to its particular staging, acquires those traits that make it timeless and always up to date with reality. The project of the company, currently touring around Europe, is to continue interdisciplinary presentations combining animation and live actor’s performances.
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any theatres -for example the Berlin Comic Opera that last year had the company perform an adaptation of “The Magical Flute� – are now competing for 1927, nevertheless Suzanne Andrade is convinced that the success of the company is also owed to its small theatrical being and that it moves in tiny scenic spaces.
And in fact, part of the charm of their latest performance is in the proximity of the audience members to the stage and the possibility for it to be seen up close. In fact Andrade is determined not to give in to external pressures requesting 1927 to return to the Edinburgh Festival or to perform on larger stages.
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e are still a little company, says the founder of 1927 while considering the possibility of continuing with experimentation and the same enthusiasm that characterized the
the company in changing tography. Hopefully we will see them soon in their third production and we will be thrilled and enchanted as always!
Autorretrato, 1950 Centro Jose Guerrero, Granada
JosĂŠ Guerrero Text: Jose Manuel Delgado Translation: Clare Hodgson
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The abstract Fauviste
Les Marocains en priere, Matisse
C
olour and a gamble on the freedom of colour, this would be from the ve r y beginning the work of this p a i nter from Granada, color as a v ital means of expression. His work enchanted his c o n temporaries and many art l ove rs are captivated by it as w e l l as perplexed by how rarely h e i s referenced in art gallery c a fĂŠ conve rsations. Born in G ranada in 1914 into a humble fa m i l y, w i t h a b o u n d l e s s d e s i r e t o l earn, he moved to Madrid in s e a r ch of the artistic teachings p r o mised by the Fine Arts A c a d emy o f San Fe r nando. H e s o o n b e c a m e d e m o ra l i s e d upon observing that his teachers were more concerned with forbidding the study of Ava n t- g a r d e a r t i s t s s u c h a s Picasso than in recognizing t a l e n t . I n t h e A c a d e my h e wa s o n l y t a u g h t a b o u t t h e
Impressionists, most of whom h a d d i e d 3 0 ye a r s b e f o r e h i s a r r i va l . T h e w i l l t o d i s c ove r t h e w o r k s o f h i s c o n t e m p o ra r i e s m ove d h i m t o r e q u e s t s e ve ra l l o a n s i n o r d e r t o e m i g ra t e t o Pa r i s i n 1 9 4 5 a n d t o e x p l o r e w h a t h e b e l i e ve d wa s t h e a r t of his time. He managed to l e ave t h e c o u n t r y a n d l i ve t h e f i r s t o f m a ny e x p e r i e n c e s o u t o f S p a i n . L i v i n g i n Pa r i s a s a n i m p ove r i s h e d student made him consider the possibility of living off his work, his simple need to paint. In the city of light he learns the technique of frescoes and meets Matisse, h i s p a i n t i n g s c a p t i va t e h i m ; it is through Matisse that he has his first true contact with c o l o u r. A f t e r a ye a r i n F ra n c e h e r e t u r n s t o G ra n a d a , h e f e e l s ill at ease, the art, the society and the atmosphere suffocate h i m . Fe e l i n g o u t o f p l a c e h e d e c i d e s t o e m i g ra t e o n c e a g a i n .
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Two seamstresses, 1948, Centro Jose Guerrero, Granada
H e m oves to Switzerland, Belgium a n d England where he begins to li ve off his work. He has several su c c essful exhibitions and be gins to give co lour ove r figur es a b i g g er p lace in his wor k. H i s v isit to New York provokes his inve stigation into abstraction, G u e r rero was up to date with th e advances of abstract e x p r essionism and avant-garde m ovements in London, but his a r r i val in the Big Apple and the st u d y of American artists bring a b o u t a change in his painting. In h is first abstract work The Washerwomen of 1948 Guerrero gi ve s us the first clues to un derstand his paint ing. In t h e Washerwomen the colour do m i nates and revolves around oval figures, ovals filled with co l o ur, the Fauve colour-pure a n d intense-that owes so much to M atisse. We can still make o u t figures, arms and legs, but th i s will be a point of no re turn
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The Washerwomen, 1948 Centro Jose Guerrero, Granada
in his art, from now on only the geometric, oval shaped figures will be repeated, charging the paintings with energy. Only in 1950 did he come back to figure representation, his self portrait painted not by desire but forced to as proof that he was capable of producing a naturalist drawing in order to be able to give drawing lessons. In his self-portrait G uerrero depicts himself in profile, following the Italian style but in his gesture we can observe a fa r e w e l l t o t h i s way o f p a i n t i n g . His stare indicates the artist´s last glance at his work to date, a last look back in order to gain impulse in the path leading towards a bstra ction. The Fifties herald his creative explosion. Guerrero is now a recognized artist in t he art world; he rubs shoulders with Rothko and the gallery owner Be t ty Pa r s o n s w h o g i ve s h i m
Serie Sur con Rojo (South Series with Red), Jose Guerrero
th e opportunity to exhibit for th e first time in New York, the w orl d´ s art c apit al at t he t ime. This is Guerrero at his peak, t h e b e s t G u e r r e r o, c a p a b l e o f adopting the best of American a b s t ra c t e x p r e s s i o n i s m , f r o m Motherwell or Po l l o c k , and c o nve r t i n g i t i n c a u s a l i t y w i t h c o m p l e t e h o n e s t y a n d c l a r i t y. H e i s a s ke d s e ve ra l t i m e s whether he is a defender of A c t i o n Pa i n t i n g , t o w h i c h h e replies n e g a t i ve l y, stating that he creates a beginning, a knot and a denouement l e a v i n g n o t h i n g d e r i ve d f r o m m o ve m e n t t o c h a n c e . H i s f o c u s i s t o c o nve y h i s e n e r g y f r o m h i s b o d y a n d m i n d t o t h e c a nva s , the energy being the beginning and the end. De s p i t e n o t h av i n g t h e i n fl u e n c e in t he art world enjoyed by o t h e rs, nor enjoying relevance o r p opularity, Guerrero moves, fa s c i nates and above all seduces
the viewer who desires new sensations and artistic plurality. Very few have been able to touch upon so many different artistic styles, learn from them and make them their own with so much elega nce. Guerrero is the epitome of the pupil painter, the painter who absorbs all the qualities of diverse artistic movements during his lifetime and is capable of excelling in all and at the same time in none as what he truly searches for is the creation of his style. A unique and special style as very few have the chameleonic capacity of creatively adapting to their era and place. He is the tireless traveler searching the world for his artistic Modus, the immediate result of this search being his work. A work that as happens often in the world we live in, ends where it began, in Spain and more precisely in his beloved Grana da .
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Cultural
calendar
Texts: Jose Manuel Delgado Ortiz, Rute Martins, Simone Guellar, Thomas Thinwes
KULTURNATTA From 11th October 2013. Goteborg Sweden E v e r y O c t o b e r, t h e a t r e s , g a l l e r i e s a n d c a f e s i n G o t e b o r g s t a y o p e n l a t e i n Ku l t u r n a t t a . A l o t o f e v e n t s a r e p e r f o r m e d : l i t e ra r y r e a d i n g s , dance performances, jazz concerts, plays and exhibitions. The o p e n i n g c e r e m o ny o f t h i s y e a r h a s b e e n i n c h a r g e o f t h e d a n c e r C a r m e n O l s s o n a n d S p i n n b a l l e t . H u n d r e d s o f a r t i s t s w i l l e n c o u ra g e e v e r y c o r n e r o f t h i s S o u t h e r n Sw e d i s h c i t y f i l l i n g o f my s t e r y, passion and creativity; worth it if you’re considering a trip to these cold but interesting Scandinavian lands. More information a t : w w w. k u l t u r n a t t a . g o t e b o r g . s e
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Vienna - Berlin. Art of two metropolises From 24th October 2013 to 27th January 2014. Berlin Gallery (Berlín) y Galería Belvedere (Viena) The Berlin Gallery and the Belvedere Gallery in Vienna together present for the first time a major exhibition about the key of modernity; Vienna and Berlin in modern expressionism from the early nineteenth century to the New Objectivity: from Klimt to Grosz. The exhibition is dedicated to “the life” and restores the always
interesting cultural dialogue between Vienna and Berlin, this time from the positions of classical modernism in Fine Arts. This is a selection of artists whose works are on view: Hans Baluschek, Max Beckmann, Otto Dix, George Grosz, Raoul Hausmann, Hannah Höch, Ernst-Ludwig Kirchner, Erika Giovanna Klien, Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, Broncia Koller-Pinell, Max Liebermann, Jeanne Mammen, Ludwig Meidner, Koloman Moser, Max Oppenheimer, Emil Orlik, Christian Schad, Egon Schiele and Max Slevogt.
“The Mistery of the ordinary”. Magritte and Surrealism at MoMA Until 12th January 2014 – MoMa, New York Through the work carried out between 1926 and 1938, the exhibition s h o w s t h e a r t i s t ’s e vo l u t i o n i n the period when he more came to surrealism. 80 works, including p a i n t i n g s , c o l l a g e s , p h o t o g ra p h s a n d g ra p h i c m o d e l s w i l l o f f e r t o a l l o n e a p p r o a c h e s t h e N e w Yo r k museum, the complete manner of M a g r i t t e ’s Wo r l d interpretation through the ra p r e s e n t a t i o n of e ve r yd ay o b j e c t s .
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Contemporary Arts between Poland and Britain Until 15th November 2013 Ujazdowski Castle Center for Contemporary Art. Warsaw. Poland The exhibition “British British Polish Polish. Art from Europe’s edges in the long 90s and Today “ brings together over 20 of the most controversial English and Polish contemporary artists that have marked contemporary artistic streams of the two European countries joined by an increasingly tight link. We can admire works
of artists such as the British Damien Hirst, Chris Ofili, awarded by the prestigious Turner Prize, and the Polish Zbigniew Libera and Katarzyna Kozyra already recognized in various national and international contests. Each and every one of them are characterized by the controversies generated by their artistic proposals, always linked to controversial social and political issues. Among the installations available are “Let ’s Eat Outdoors Today” by Hirst, “Pyramid of Animals” by Kozyra or “Lego System” by Libera.
Festival d’Automne à Paris 2013 Until 12th January 2014, Paris, France Pa r i s c e l e b ra t e s t h e f a l l w i t h i t s d e d i c a t e d Fe s t i va l ; u n t i l J a n u a r y 1 2 t h a c o m p l e t e r e v i e w f i l m , p h o t o g ra p hy, o p e ra , theatre and musical performances. Since 1972, its goal is to show new art and new culture in Pa r i s p r o m o t i n g t h e i n t e r c o n n e c t i o n between the French and international a r t i s t s . M o r e t h a n 4 0 e ve n t s w i l l c h a ra c t e r i ze d i f f e r e n t s i t e s i n t h e V i l l e L u m i è r e a s t h e Po m p i d o u C e n t r e , the Theatre de Chaillot and the T h é â t r e C h a m p s Tra d e w i n d s . A m o n g t h e n a m e s : H i r o s h i S u g i m o t o, Tr i s h a Brown or Olivier Saillard.
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William Christenberry Un t i l 24th November 2 013, Fu n d ac i ó n M a p f r e , Sa l a A z ca – M ad ri d, S pa i n W i l l i a m C h r i s t e n b e r r y ( Tu s c al o osa, Al a b a m a , 1 9 3 6 ) , c r e a t o r o f an im ag i n a r y s ty l e w i t h d r e a mlike to u c h e s i s s i t u a t e d i n a p r o m i nent pl ac e in c o n t e m p o ra r y color photography. This exhibition brings u s h i s u n i q u e v i s i o n o f t ra d i t i o n a l
US Southern landscapes; a vision, product of his experiences, readings and dreams that perfectly blend landscape and s o c i a l p h o t o g ra p hy. T h e m o r e t h a n t h r e e h u n d r e d p h o t o g ra p h s a n d va r i o u s s c u l p t u r e s c o n s t i t u t e t h e m o s t c o m p r e h e n s i ve e x h i b i t i o n o f t h e p h o t o g ra p h e r r e a l i ze d i n Europe so far and an occasion n o t t o b e m i s s e d by l ove r s o f t h e Sixth Art.
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Shall
we give these boys a hand?
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