B Side B
PRNT
Contents Asya Kozina Kozina Asya
7Michelle Maguire Cyrus Kabiru
RCHITECTURE
PERFORMANCE A
Iris van Herpen.
HIO N
15
Syntopia
FAS
9
13 Joseph Ford 711 Jennifer Crupi Alex Schweder & 9 Ward Shelley 21 Alex Chinneck
25
Edoardo Tresoldi
2 Phillip K Smith9 Wa t Samphran 31
ii
LETTER FROM THE CREATOR Blu Prnt is a conceptual magazine that utilises the imagery of text, useing it in the same manner as it would any other image. In so doing, it places little emphasis on legibility and focusses on how the placement of text could enhace the overall visual appearance of the publication. Text is used to create symmetry and even offset the balance of a page to create a unique visual appearance. Blu Prnt rewards every strenuous text page, with an equally rewarding photo series. Every spread is designed keeping the artist in mind. In this regard, the typography trys to mimic the artists intentions. Inspired by David Carsons style, this book is intended to be nothing short of a challenging sensory experience. Welcome to the awesomely bizzarre experience that is Blu Prnt.
-CHIZI KATAMA
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“Creativity is unusual stuff, it frightens, it deranges. Its subversive. It mistrusts what it hears. It dares to doubt. It acts even if it errs. It infiltrates preconceived notions. It rattles established certitudes. It incessantly invents new ways, new vocabularies. It provokes and changes point of view.� -Fabrica
ikswotupz reiS etaK yB
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2
Syntopia is the latest haute couture collection from Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen. The line of beautifully pleated garments explores the increasing convergence of our organic bodies and inorganic elements of technology, while also incorporating designs inspired by birds in flight. “As a transmovehyp-
former dancformation ment notized
er, the within has me,”
explained van Herpen in a statement about Syntopia. “For this collection I looked closely at the minutiae of bird flight and the intricate echoing forms within avian motion.” Transparent silk organza was pleated and liquid-coated for several pieces in the collection. This technique slowed down the movement of the garment, more closely imitating the flapping pattern of a bird’s wings. This was also the inspiration for a kinetic installation made in collaboration with Lonneke Gordijn and Ralph Nauta of Studio Drift (previously). The work, “In 20 Steps,” was formed from twenty delicate glass tubes
which peaked and bowed above the runway in succession, moving in synchronicity each model. Other dress forms were made from the sound wave patterns of specific birds. These noises were visualized and laser cut into mylar, black cotton, red organza and transparent black acrylic sheets and then layered like feathers to create a cohesive piece. You can see the entire range of avian-inspired clothing from van Herpen’s recent collection on her website
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Asya
Kozina
ollerazzA aniN yB
Russian artist Asya Kozina channels the motifs, costumes and aesthetic characteristics of various historical time periods and recreates them using the medium of paper. kozina’s recent series of ‘baroque paper wigs’ reappropriates the wild hairstyles of victorian-era women and men using individually crafted sheets, carefully curled and cut into perfectly permed locks. sculpted arrangements like flowers, leaves and an exceptionally intricate sailboat are delicately placed in the mass of extravagant paper hair, adding a sense of fantasy and whimsy to the conceptual compositions. ‘historical wigs always fascinated me, especially the baroque era,’ kozina says. ‘this is art for art’s sake aesthetics for aesthetics — no practical sense, but they are beautiful. in this case, paper helps to highlight the main form and not to be obsessed with unnecessary details.’ Infrom 2014, kozina’s paper fascination led her to the realization of a series of three mongolian wedding been meticulously sculpted paper costumes made from the medium. dramatically sculpted headdresses and intricate garments have and worn by models. ‘they themselves are very extravagant and futuristic,’ kozina says of the traditional garb. ‘I had to create my own version of these outfits with exaggeration, and white paper emphasized their shape, color and unnecessary details.’
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6
7
a n d
a t
s e a t e d
w h o
o n b u s
u p e d
a
i n
h i s
T V ;
a
a c t i o n
c r a m p e d
h i s
a n
w h i l e
b e -
w i t h
h i s
r e t r i e v i n g
c r o w d -
c o m m u t e r
o n
t a b l e :
t h e
s t e p -
o n
b i t e s
b l a s t s
m o v i e
h e
a
r e s t s
( h e l l
p l a t e ! )
t w e e n
a
t h i g h
s a n d w i c h
d a d
M i c h e l l e ’ s
o f
l u x u r y
b e i n g
l a c k i n g
b y
S n a c k s
i n s p i r e d
b e -
K e l s e y
d i n e r s
w a s
W a r d r o b e
M c C l e l l a n .
M a g u i r e
M i c h e l l e
c o l l a b o r a t i o n
t w e e n
A
By Kelsey McClellan
Wardrobe
a n
i t e m p o c k e t ;
f r o m
a
o r
a
e a t -
o n
b e n c h
—
8
b a g
p a r k l a p .
l u n c h - b r e a k e r a h e r
f r o m i n f o r m a l
i n g T h e y ’ r e e v e n s p a c e s
b i t
p e r h a p s —
a
a w k w a r d e a t i n g
f a r
a s
a s y e t
a n d
b e
a l w a y s
c o n c e r n e d ,
t o
d i n e r
i s t h e a p p e a r s c o m f o r t a b l e
a l m o s t
c h o -
s a t i s -
w i t h
p e r f e c t l y f i e d s n a c k ,
h i s
s e n z e n - l i k e
e
Snacks
Kabiru’s practice is deeply tied to
\
nd other salvaged materials on the str
sed sculptures, installations,
ant eyewear from pieces of found metal a
and collage.
Self-taught Kenyan artist Cyru
culture and politics of the African diaspora. His work was featured in the newly released
eets of
building his futuristic glasses since childhood,
hometown of Nairobi. Kabiru has been
ner series of eyeglasses and coordinating photographs. Recent
, and dedicates much of his time to producing works for his C-Stun
s Kabiru (previously) fashions extravag
su r e
and historical fiction with the
SH
T r ea
ly Kabiru has begun to expand his work to include large non-body-ba
ikswotupz reiS etaK yB
TRA
Afrofuturism, a genre that combines science fiction, magical realism,
Gestalten publication Africa Rising: Fashion, Design and Lifestyle from Africa.
9
Kabiru’s practice is deeply tied to
nd other salvaged materials on the str
and collage.
ly Kabiru has begun to expand his work to include large non-body-ba sed sculptures, installations,
Self-taught Kenyan artist Cyru
ner series of eyeglasses and coordinating photographs. Recent
eets of
hometown of Nairobi. Kabiru has been
building his futuristic glasses since childhood,
nd other salvaged materials on the str
and historical fiction with t
, and dedicates much of his time to producing works for his C-Stun
s Kabiru (previously) fashions extravag
sed sculptures, installations,
Afrofuturism, a genre that combines science fiction, magical realism,
ant eyewear from pieces of found metal a
and collage.
Self-taught Kenyan artist Cyru
s Kabiru (previously) fashions extravag
eets of
building his futuristic glasses since childhood,
hometown of Nairobi. Kabiru has been
ner series of eyeglasses and coordinating photographs. Recent
, and dedicates much of his time to producing works for his C-Stun
Gestalten publication Africa Rising: Fashion, Design and Lifestyle from Africa.
ant eyewear from pieces of found metal a
ly Kabiru has begun to expand his work to include large non-body-ba
10
Kabiru’s practice is deeply tied to
and historical fiction with the
culture and politics of the African diaspora. His work was featured in the newly released
Afrofuturism, a genre that combines science fiction, magical realism,
alten publication Africa Rising: Fashion, Design and Lifestyle from Africa.
11
12
Knitted
13
mural of a cat, for example. While tunnel, or the paw of a spray-painted set, the blue tiled steps of a subway scenes—the upholstery of a bus ers that blend into mundane urban people wear far-out knitted jump-
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London-based photographer Joseph Ford seems to have a fondness for slightly surreal, offbeat sort of image-making. In the same vein as the great Salvador Dali maybe—he has set a crocodile on a pair of Lacoste sneakers, merged a railway line with a zipper, and had live butterflies flutter out of mouths. They’re the sort of images that are torn from the strangest of dreams, but somehow make perfect sense. The sort of images the avant-garde surrealists of the 20th century would argue, are the very centrepoint of pure creativity. Joseph’s latest series is Knitted Camouflage. In the images,
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Jennifer Crupi uses carefully constructed jewelry to communicate ideas about psychology, body language, and art history. In her series, Ornamental Ha that are commonly found in traditional art historical paintings. Fingers and wrists are suspended in aesthetically pleasing cuffs and splints, which the ing nature of Crupi’s anatomical suspensions, the ultimate intention is to display the gesture itself as the ornament, with the jewelry acting as a suppo has informed her work as an artist:
S GE STURE sitiaguatS arua L yB
been a professor at Kean Univer sity since 1999.
a r t i s t ’ s w o r k o n h e r w e b s i t e . C r u p i i s b a s e d i n t h e N e w Yo r k m e t r o a r e a , w h e r e s h e h a s i n c l u d e s f o u r h u n d r e d p i e c e s o f j e w e l r y i n n i n e t h e m e d r o o m s . Yo u c a n s e e m o r e o f t h e ly both have shows currently on view which include Crupi’s work. The Vincenza exhibit The Chemintz Museum of Industr y in Germany and the Jewelr y Museum of Vicenza, Ita-
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I started investigating body movement and became intrigued in the nuances of non-verbal behavior, posture, and gesture. I then became invested in a whole new kind of movement and for many years now it has been the source of inspiration for my work. Since I began my study into non-verbal communication, I am continually intrigued and surprised by how much we communicate with our bodies.
ands, Crupi’s structural metal attachments hold the hand in various poses artist makes by hand using aluminum or sterling silver. Despite the eye-catchortive means to that end. She describes her interest in psychology and how it
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sitiaguatS arua L yB
t il
In the rolling hills of upstate New York at the outdoor
h o u s e r e m a i n e d o n v i ew a t O m i u n t i l Au g u st 2 018 .
toward or away from the sculpture park Art Omi, artist and their movements house’s fulcrum caused con duo Alex Schweder and Ward stant moShelley previously created a fully functional house with tion. Because the home is constructed with a special slant. The project, called ReActor, is a 42 by
Philip Johnson-esque levels of floor-to-ceil-
8-foot rotating home that ing windows, the artists’ interior activities balances on a single 14- were visible to Omi attendees. foot tall concrete column. Movements inside the Schweder and Shelley have collaboratdwelling, as well as outside forces like gusts of wind, cause
mance architecture,” a practice of designing, building, and living in
the structure to gently tilt and rotate. In the summer
ed since 2007, focusing on “perfor-
of 2016,
structures for the purpose of public
Schweder and Shel- observation and dialogue. Though ley inhabited the home for five days,
the artists are currently residing in (presumably) more s t a b l e housing, the tilting
19
19
For more Shelley have been practisthan a
ing a form of experimental
decade,
architecture that explores
Alex
the dance between the
Schwede
des
igned environment and its
duo has de- consequences. s i g n e d , b u i l t , a n d l i ve d S i n c e 2 0 07 , the in (or on) structures in locations where the public are invited not only to witness but also to actively engage with the artists in direct dialogue about their
what they
call “per for- practice—an activity that has coalesced into mance architecture.” Blurring the between
boundaries between art, architecture, design, and performance, the artists’ work poses questions about
the t h e n a t u r e o f s o c i a l space and the way architecture influ-
influences human behavi o u r. A l e x S c h w e d e r received a BA from UK. Ward the Pratt Institute Shelley School of Archi-
received
tecture, an MArch
a B FA
from Princeton
from
University School
Eckard
of Architecture,
College
and is completing and an MA from a PhD through the Department
New
of Architecture
Yo r k U n i -
20
boundaries
a t t h e Un i ve r s i t y ve r s i t y.
Alex Chinneck’s public artwork transforms the
zip it
mundane into the fantastical, and his most recent
piece is no exception. Appearing
spillihP m
overnight, the artist has trans-
ahtaL am
mE yB
formed an unused building into a surreal sculpture. The
1960s office building seems to unzip, revealing a shabby and deteriorating interior. The green and white stripes are reminiscent of a sports polo-shirt, the windows and walls bend as if they were fabric. Monumental in ambition and impact, his inter ventions animate the places where they stand. Speaking on his latest ar twork, Open to the public, he comments, “I design playful public ar tworks for ever yone to experience
21
Alex has worked on a range of projects that never fail to freeze passersby in their tracks. If it’s a brick facade sliding of f a three-storey proper ty, or an upturned electricity pylon, or even the illusion of a floating house, Alex’s work is highly inventive. The artist “elevates the everyday structure to the status of an artwork”, modifying it until it becomes magical.
and e n j o y, turning the ever yday into the extraor-
22
dinary”.
23
24
e of per
e language
lace for
measuring roque
Festival,
he clouds.
tant and the
h it is seen�,
25
Etherea is the site-specific installation conceived for Coachella Valley Music and Arts Fe one of the world’s most anticipated and important music events.
The artwork consists of three transparent sculptures inspired by Neoclassical and Baroq
architecture, all with identical shapes but different sizes, positioned on an axis and mea 36, 54 and 72 feet in height, respectively.
Etherea follows a growing experiential path where architecture becomes a tool and plac
contemplation, a dedicated space where the sky and clouds are narrated through the la
Eth
of classical architecture. Thanks to the transparent wire mesh, an optical effect made o
spectives and dimensional relationships is generated by the passage through the three
tures and measuring scales, which either amplifies or reduces the distance between ma sky.
If, quoting Christian Norberg-Schulz, “the sky is as large as the space from which it is se
26
then, when architecture expands itself, that same sky will appear ever more distant and
observer will feel like they are shrinking, liberating more space to contemplate the cloud
27
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rof serutcurts tnerapsnart eerht tliub ,eriw fo edam serutplucs larutcet
ni lavitsef cisum allehcaoC s’raey siht
-plucs eht ,’aerehtE‘ deltiT .ainrofilaC
eerht fo desirpmoc saw seires larut
,sezis tneref fid ni sgnidliub lacitnedi
euqoraB dna lacissalcoeN yb deripsni
redneval yzah a htiw thgin ta detanimulli erew sgnidliub ehT .scitehtsea
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LUCstead ID nosraerF y
mA yB
American artist Phillip K Smith III has added mirrors to the walls of a desert sh
Entitled Lucid Stead, the installation was created by Phillip
Mirrored panels alternate with weather-beaten timber siding panels to create horizontal stripes around the outer walls, allowing narro
d Stead is about tapping into the quiet and the pace of change of the desert,” said Smith. “When you slow down and align yourself with the desert, the project
The door and windows of the building are also infilled with mirrors, but after dark they transform into brightly coloured rectangles that subtly c
“The colour of the door and window openings are set at a pace of change wh
“One might see blue, red, and yellow... and continue to see those colours. But looking down and walking ten feet to a new White light is projected through the walls of the cabin at night,
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American artist Phillip K Smith III has added mirrors to the walls of a desert shack in California to create the illusion that you can see right through the building. Entitled Lucid Stead, the installation was created by Phillip K Smith III on a 70-year-old wooden residence within the California High Desert. Mirrored panels alternate with weather-beaten timber siding panels to create horizontal stripes around the outer walls, allowing narrow sections of the building to seemingly disappear into the vast desert landscape. “Lucid Stead is about tapping into the quiet and the pace of change of the desert,” said Smith. “When you slow down and align yourself with the desert, the project begins to unfold before you. It reveals that it is about light and shadow, reflected light, projected light, and change.” The door and windows of the building are also infilled with mirrors, but after dark they transform into brightly coloured rectangles that subtly change hue, thanks to a system of LED lighting and an Arduino computer system. “The colour of the door and window openings are set at a pace of change where one might question whether they are actually changing colours,” said Smith. ten
“One might see blue, red, and yellow... and continue to see those colours. But looking down and walking feet to a new location reveals that the windows are now orange, purple and green,” he added. White light is projected through the walls of the cabin at night, revealing the diagonal cross bracing that forms the building’s interior framework.
After the long, dusty, bumpy, anxious trip out into the far edges of Joshua Tree, you open your car door and for the first time experience the quiet of the desert. It’s at that point that you realise you are in a place that is highly different than where you just came from. Lucid Stead is about tapping into the quiet and the pace of change of the desert. When you slow down and align yourself with the desert, the project begins to unfold before you. It reveals that it is about light and shadow, reflected light, projected light, and change. In much of my work, I like to interact with the movement of the sun so that the artwork is in a constant state of change from sunrise to 9am to noon to 3am to 6pm and into the evening. g With Lucid Stead, the movement of the sun reflects banded reflections of light across the desert landscape, while various cracks and openings reveal themselves within the structure. Even the shifting shadow of the entire structure on the desert floor is as present as the massing of the shack itself, within the raw canvas of the desert.
The desert itself is illusion as usedthat as reflected light…as actual material within this project. It is a hack in California to create the you can see right through the building. medium that is being placed onto the skin of the 70-year old homesteader shack. Thewooden reflections, contained their crisp, geometric p K Smith III on a 70-year-old residence withinwithin the California High Desert. bands and rectangles contrasts with the splintering bone-dry wood siding.
This of contrast is a commonality my work, where mergelandscape. highly precise, geometow sections the building to seeminglyindisappear into theI often vast desert ric, zero tolerance forms with material or experience that is highly organic or in a state of change…something that you holdlight on to... slips reflected between your fingers. t begins to unfold before you. It reveals thatcannot it is about andthat shadow, light, projected light, and change.” Projected light emerges at dusk and moves into the evening. The four window openings and the doorway of Lucid Stead all become crisp rectangular fields of colour, floating in the desert night. change hue, thanks to a system of LED lighting and an Arduino computer system.
White light, projected ofchanging the shackcolours,” outward,said highlights here one might question whetherfrom they the are inside actually Smith. the cracks between the mirrored siding and the wood siding, wrapping the shack in lines of light. This white light reveals, through silhouette, the structure of the shack itself as the 2x4’s and diagonal bracing become present on the skin of the shack. w location reveals that the windows are now orange, purple and green,” he added.
30
colour cross of thebracing door and window are set at a pace of change where one might question whether they are actually changing colours. revealing theThe diagonal that formsopenings the building’s interior framework. One might see blue, red, and yellow... and continue to see those colours. But looking down and walking ten feet to a new location reveals that the
a
W t m S p
-lo
bout 40 km west tat- A of B s r ang l le a ko m s kl d n ies sa
hra
hran, where there Samp is a f o t rat c i r he t s i ro d ues e dd h t within, but the one that draws the eyes of tourists is a 17-storey pink tower with an enormous dragon wrapped around it. The dragon is hollow and is possible to climb through its body all the way to the top, but the stairs are in such poor condition that only a few isolated sections of the dragon are safe to climb. Some parts of the temple are also closed to the public or to foreigners.
t or Wa ing ok
es
it ed n g i
en it was bu or wh ilt
is a
n
re. W ho d
a as xh
Buddha statue an d olden s e ver nt g a g ia
l s h r in e
ste my
By K aus hik
a is lt
wa sb ui
ist temple. T he Buddh t e m ple
hen it
co m pl e
Located off the beaten track, Wat Samphran is rarely mentioned in guide books and remains unmarked on maps. It’s not a big tourist attraction but many travellers who visited the temple spoke about its tranquil and spiritual atmosphere. Who designed it or when it was built is a mystery.
y. ter ys m
ry.
31
n
sta irs are i
tra
eat en
-A
the top, bu t
ck
on wrapped arou n d drag it. T ous h e dr orm ag en mple complex has a h e te g i a .T n tg ple o l d tem en st B hi
ttr
ac
ravellers who visited t ny t he t ma e mp ut l e nb sp tio o
public or to f o r e to the ig n e rs. 32
ple em et
t ra nq u
its ut o ab ke
Located
off t he b
bboo ookk ss
an
wi so lat ed
at W ,
rather odd-looki
d ud
a re is
veral shrines and nd se sma a e u ller t a st sta a h t
the
a fe
meennttiioonne rraarreellyy m edd iinn aann iiss r r h h gguuii p ddee Sam
ng W at o r B ud d
is aanndd is top, ow w booullllo siis hh t the sta oonn
ere wh
condition that only
y
re safe to climb. agon a Som e dr e par f th ts 7--ssttoorreeyy ppiin so n k k o t iiss aa 117 t o oon ft cti wweerr w h wii se t t h h aann
oor ch p
aws the e
ss rriisstt ttoouu of es
u ns i e ar ri s
in, but the one that dr
p h c su
that only a few n o i t i iso nd o c r oo n, ra
with ues
b
f Bangk k lies the dist r ic t est o w of m Sa 0k 4 m t ph ou
il
to the public or closed t o also for e are
ig n er piritual atmosph d s. an
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