NO.4editor in chief / CREATIVE DIRECTOR

SPECIAL THANKS

CONTACT

FRONT COVER

SORAAN LATIF

For all the people who have supported

us from the moment we started this /

lola de la mata / Alex / Mike lawley /

Annelise for literally being a life saver

/ my design team you guys have been

amazing since day one

facebook.com/7sobm

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7shadesmagazine@gmail.com

7shadesmagazinemusic@gmail.com

ANGIE WANG

ROBERT JONES

ANNELISE SEALY

FLORENCE ARNOLD

MARCUS KUZVINZWA

DANIEL LEE HARVEY

SARAH TALLEY

ANONYMOUS

LILY MAY

NNEKA IDIKA

ALEX LEE

SORAAN LATIF

AARON NELSON

AUSTE KUZMICKAITE

KARISSA SPARKES

SORAAN LATIF

WRITERS

DESIGNERS

MUSIC - DANIEL LEE HARVEY

FASHION - ANNELISE SEALY

Editors

SHLOHMO INTERVIEW

FLYING LOTUS LIVE AT THE ROUNDHOUSE

MR SCRUFF INTERVIEW

MUSIC

MELANIE AUTHIER INTERVIEW

MICHAEL C. HSIUNG INTERVIEW

ANGIE WANG INTERVIEW

NANNA SOFIE RESEKE

ART & DESIGN

LANE CODER

HIDEAKI HAMADA INTERVIEW

PHOTOGRAPHY

KAROLIINA BÄRLUND X R/H

PSYCHEDELIC FASHION

PRE FALL 12' REVIEW

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MELANIE AUTHIER

INTERVIEWED BY SARAH TALLEY

ecently Seven Shades of black had the opportunity

to interview the Canadian artist, Melanie Authier. With

an upcoming exhibition in Toronto, she’s answering

questions about her own creative process. Her large

and overpowering pieces exhibit the beautiful, and still

very potent, power of abstract art. Both evoking and

parting from her modernist predecessors, her pieces

command attention and respect. With intellectual

clarity and depth, her responses add a thoughtful

insight to the somewhat mysterious work she creates.R

Is there an artistic movement you identify with?

There is not one particular artistic movement that

I identify with? My work is obviously indebted to

the histories of abstraction but I don’t favour one

over another. My paintings bring together visual

contradictions into one imaginary space. Each

painting presents a brimming jostle of pictorial

oppositions. The work presents a perpetual play

between chaos and control, the synthetic and

the organic, the technological and the natural,

flatness and depth, the atmospheric and the

geological. Each work is submitted to a free-form

improvisation that draws upon an expansive

archive of expressionist and hard edge histories.

These heterogeneous forces mingle and co-exist

in a dynamic exchange that stretches the limits of

their points of reference. The goal of the work is to

conjoin a disparate, contrasted array of painterly

facture to create a work that is disjunctive, but

eventually resolves itself into a convincing, if

disorienting illusionism.

What mood are you hoping to create with your

work?

I think that the psychology / personality of

each painting varies. Mood is not always easily

controlled but it comes about out of the contrasting

elements in my work. The process of a painting

occurs as series of contrasts. Each mark attempts

to usurp the prominence of the previous idea.

Colour selection and the speed of my brush

strokes are determining factors when it comes

to creating a mood. The focus is to create a

painting out of a balancing act of contrasts. The

result approaches a Baroque sensibility. The re-

combination of varieties of pictorial facture reveal

elements of the irrational and the evocation of

unfathomable space.

You have done relatively large-scaled pieces,

what is the thought behind that?

I enjoy how large-scale paintings have the

capacity to confront and simultaneously envelop

the viewer. I think that they allow for a heightened

awareness of the viewer’s scale in relation to

the scale of forms in the work. This disparity

can create a sense of disorientation that I feel is

quite dynamic. That being said, I also enjoy the

intimacy that smaller works offer. Ultimately, it is

important to me that I continually paint on a range

of sizes because it forces me to recalibrate my

proportions and the scale of brush strokes, and in

general helps to keeps me on my toes creatively.

What do you think is the role of art in society?

If it has a ‘role’ it functions as a counterpoint to

everyday life. It is the sounding board upon

which we can reflect and contemplate the vital

importance of cultivating ideas. It has the

capacity to present an inner world in contrast,

or in relation to, our realities. Art is a sanctuary

for the imagination.

What are you hoping to say to those viewing

your work?

I am interested in the idea of infinite space and the

illusion of depth as expressed through an abstract

visual language. The goal for each painting

is to present the viewer with an improbable

environment. I do this by bringing together

visual contradictions. For example: the way in

which colour, texture, line and shape compete for

room within the canvas. Each work presents a

brimming jostle of oppositions that the viewer is

invited to bring into a certain order. That order is

potentially different for each person. People who

own my work will often express that they notice

forces at work in the painting over a prolonged

period of time.

How do your ideas come to you?

I tend to begin with an idea of the type of space

I am aiming to create. I never work from source

imagery or preliminary sketches but I will often

have a representational type of space in mind that

I then translate into abstraction. For example the

type of space one might encounter in landscape:

a cave, underwater terrain, cliff façade etc…

Every aspect of my work is filtered through the

language of abstraction, while utilizing strategies

of representation. This often means playing

with ideas of fore-ground, middle-ground and

background within the work.

Who are five contemporary artists you enjoy?

Seven come to mind, and in no particular order…

Thomas Helbig, Valerie Blass, Tomma Abts, Martin

Golland, Katharina Grosse, Luanne Martineau

David Altmejd.

Did you always know you wanted to be an artist?

Yes.

Do you think your style is changing over time?

I am continually trying to re-contextualize my

visual language from one painting to the next.

Yes, I do think the way that my work looks has

evolved –especially over the past 7 years. I only

ever work on one painting at a time and each

painting informs the next. I try to continually

create challenges for myself within my studio

practice and I think that this allows for new ideas

to develop.

Do you think growing up in Montreal, or your

surroundings now, have influenced your work?

Inevitably. –As a young art student I would often

go the Contemporary Art Museum of Montreal.

They have an excellent permanent collection of

Paintings by the Quebec art movement of the

“Automatistes”. Hard edge abstraction is also

well represented at that Museum -particularly

by Guido Molinari and Yves Gaucher. Until I was

old enough to travel to the United States and

to Europe these works were my first access to

experiencing abstract painting in the flesh, rather

than from a book or slide image.

Also the fact that Montreal is a multicultural city,

and that it is both French and English, allows for

a certain dynamism and energy that I enjoyed

while growing up there and that I continue to

enjoy when I visit.

Do you have any exhibitions planned for

the future?

Yes. I will be in a big group painting show “60

Painters” that opens this Spring in Toronto, ON.

For more information about new projects and

upcoming exhibitions please visit my website.

Melanie Authier's website

Michael C. Hsiung

i n t e rv i e w e d by A l e x l e e

eet Michael C. Hsiung, an LA-based artist who best characterizes himself by one large mustache,

a thin yellow protective skin and a herbivorous diet. His art, made distinctive by his peculiar style,

features whimsical caricatures, complimented by intricate line work and eclectic, fantasy-inspired

choice of subjects. Michael has kindly agreed to answer a few questions for Seven Shades of

Black, describing the origins of his artistic endeavors, the rise to relevancy within the art industry

and his involvement with the Human Pyramids Collective. But most importantly, Michael opens up

about his share of personal struggles that led him into finding his artistic muse. His story tells us

it’s never too late to discover what you really want to do in life, and that the ability to do what you

truly love for a living means so much more than anything else.M

Hi Michael. Now, you are from LA, an area that has

quite an eclectic art scene. Tell us about yourself,

your art and what it is like being an artist in the

LA art community

I'm a self taught illustrator/artist from Los

Angeles, CA. Umm, let's see: I'm sort of a mix

between hyper/neurotic/mellow/obsessive/weird,

haha. My art is, I guess some what a mixture

of the whimsical, fun, sad, and the awkward,

usually focusing on character dynamics. My

subject range from obese, hairy characters,

misunderstood mermen, bears, centaurs, hawk-

bird men to fictitious warriors. I pretty much

work with pen, paper, and sometimes ink on

paper. In terms of being involved with the LA art

community, strangely I wouldn't consider myself

directly involved but at the same time, I'd say

it's very accessible, open and exciting with tons

of solid artists.

What is the inspiration behind all the facial-hairy,

mermen extravaganza?

I think the inspiration behind the mermen was

and is a mixture of my interests with a splash of

the accidental. I think through sketching ideas

and shapes I sort of zoned out and came up

with a merman, which I felt was a great contrast

to all the mermaids out there. Eventually I came

up with my own storyline in my head which goes

something like: all the mermaids are always

out, trying to meet sailors because mermen

are highly undesirable due to their inclination

towards drinking and general lack of interest

in the female mermaid species. Through my

drawings of mermen, I've gotten to explore and

create more of their personality and mythos. It's

pretty fun.

How did your decision to go into art come about?

Has it always been a major part in your life?

While art has always been a major part of

my life (my sister Pearl is a painter, and I was

always drawing ‘till about college), I never really

thought about pursuing art, mainly because it

was something that Pearl was pursuing. So I

didn't really pursue that vocation, you know. I

didn't really find myself wanting to go into art until

years later, after I finished college in San Jose

as an English major. I was sort of drifting around

career-wise after being laid off from working as

a special ed aide for a high school. I was then

hired at a background investigation company, I

know sort of weird right? Well, I was pretty much

just working away thinking this was it, this was

my life. After two years there and getting out of

a bad relationship, my sister convinced me to

move back to Los Angeles, so I stayed with her

and her boyfriend Scott in their tiny apartment

in Koreatown. At this point I was sort of doodling

here and there, but didn't really start again ‘till

my first 3 months in LA. I was hanging out with

friends, including a buddy of mine whose art

career was just starting to take off. I'd go over

to his house to draw and then go out every

night drinking with them. Drawing was sort of

born out of my hangovers in the mornings, but it

was through Pearl's, her boyfriend's and my old

buddies' encouragement that I started drawing

more and more. It wasn't until about 2007 that I

decided to go for it full-time.

You have a very distinctive style; tell us how you

came to develop that certain style!

To be totally honest, I'm not entirely sure. But I

can guarantee that I always drew sort of bowling

pin-thumb bodies haha.

Take us back to when you first started out as an

artist. What were some of the worries and the

difficulties that you faced as a new artist in the

industry?

Oh there were tons of difficulties as well as

worries when I first started out, mainly because

I like, didn't know much about art techniques

and stuff like that, and that I oftentimes felt very

uncomfortable and unconfident about certain

things like painting or even showing my work to

amazing artists. It's great being your own boss

in a way, but it's a difficult living: keeping yourself

motivated, working, and, well, making sure your

account doesn't dive in the red every month. I

was lucky when I first started to get involved in

various projects and etc., through folks finding

me, but there are times when you have to figure

out how to generate your own work and income.

That's not too easy, especially these days.

Tell us a bit on what your creative process.

Well, I used to just sit down and draw my mind

off, but nowadays I really have to get inspired

and/or work through ideas. But generally, after I

shower and all that stuff, I sit down, grab a piece

of paper, and start sketching away. Sometimes

I go through days or weeks where I am just

unhappy with what I'm drawing. When I do end

up drawing something I like, it comes to me more

subconsciously, like it'll be something I read or

saw that might give me an idea, but I only see

the connection after I've finished. In that sense,

I guess you could say my creative process is

chaotic, accidental, and organic at times, but

mostly just chaotic.

You seem to be a very prolific artist. Is it ever

trouble for you to come up with new ideas for

your work?

Oh man, I feel very un-prolific, especially when

compared to some of these talented folks out

there who are constantly putting out great works

and projects. I'd say the last two years have been

the hardest for me to come up with new ideas

for art work. Before I was drawing, I wasn't too

aware of what art was out there, and now that

I’m more connected, you start over-analyzing

and over-think ideas instead of just letting it out.

Sometimes when I get frustrated with drawing,

I try and draw the most fucked up things I can

think of. Doing so reminds me to have fun and to

sort of get back to that attitude of drawing what

I want, not what I think I want.

How did you became involved with the Human

Pyramids Artist Collective?

I mainly became involved with HP through a Flickr

friendship I had with one of their artists, Pacolli.

One day, she sent me an e-mail about coming

out to Los Angeles for an HP group show, so my

girlfriend Rachel and I offered to put her up. It

was through that show and etc. that I got to know

some of the folks, and I was invited to join the

collective. I was and am still really happy to be

a part of it. They rule!

As an artist, what is your ultimate goal?

My ultimate goal as an artist is really just being

able to keep making art as a living. Maybe throw

in health insurance, travel, and some more meals

in there, and I'm set.

Michael C. Hsiung's Flickr

Get daily your daily dose of Art & Design posts on facebook. Just click anywhere on this page andget transported to our central hubof insparation.

Lane coder wo r d s by li ly m ay

There’s something about landscape / environment

photographs that never really sparked an interest

for me. Maybe it’s because I have seen one too

many ‘landscape’ albums on Facebook, with

a few hundred of your typically bland shots

of a beach and occasionally the classic; long

exposure waterfall. But I have to admit; coming

across the very talented Lane Coder’s work was

a breath of fresh air for me!

Coder is no newbie to the photography world,

boasting an impressive list of magazines and

papers which he has had his work published

in; Vogue, Nylon, V and The New York Times to

mention a few. This is of course appropriately

accompanied by an equally as impressive list

of exhibitions held and awards received. Inspired

at the age of 19 by a friend, Coder discovered a

passion for photography and didn’t look back.

His passion shines through in his photographs.

Coder’s landscape / environment photography

skills are beautifully displayed and perfectly

executed in his series ‘Los Angeles 2003’.

Flawlessly composed, these images are extremely

strong and bold with clever use of lines and light.

The series’ images seem almost surreal without

the presence of any human subjects in what would

be their normal environments. Strangely enough

these images still feel close to home. The use

of muted colours gives Coders’ photographs an

almost vintage feeling to them, invoking emotions

of nostalgia in the viewer. Each image feels

relatable because it is suburban, each location

seems so distant but still some place you feel

you have been before. I think this creates a sort

of magic in each photo; the viewer already has

his or her own story behind each image. This is

what I believe a great photo should do, create

a connection between both photographer and

viewer and this is exactly what Lane Coder has

achieved with ‘Los Angeles 2003’. I take my hat

off to you sir.

Lane Coder's website

S h l o h m oi n t e rv i e w e d by D a n i e l L e e H a rv e y

Shlohmo is one of the most innovative and youngest producers to emerge from the L.A

beatscene. His sound envisions a dreamscape for us listeners to slip into when the rest of

reality gets overwhelming. His album Bad Vibes which was released in August 2011 has

impressed many reviewers and for me it’s a breath of fresh air. Every track is a component

of hip hop abstraction, the way he blends the moans of the guitar with the vocals and the

ambiance of nature is like the very creation of human DNA. It’s unique; there is no other

sound that comes close to it. When we hear a track with those elements, we instantly

know it one of Shlohmo’s and that in itself is something very difficult to do when there is

such a wave of beat makers all striving do the same thing. I got the chance to speak to

him to find out more...

First of all, where are you currently located and

what have you been up to?

I just moved to New York at the end of 2011 after

spending 3 years in San Francisco and Oakland.

So, when did your taste for producing actually

start?

Well, I played guitar and bass in bands when

I was real young, but I kinda fell off that by the

time I was in middle school. Something made

me want to start making rap beats when I was

like 14, so I'd take samples into GarageBand

and make really shitty beats. I did that for a few

years and then got into making house for a few

more years. I think by the time I was 17 or 18

I had more of an idea of how to use programs

and what I actually wanted to produce. But it's

still changing all the time.

Who would you consider to be your influences

in music?

Bob Dylan, Three 6 Mafia, M83, D'Angelo, Tom

Waits, Drake, Burial, Sly, Four Tet, GG Allin.

Your album ‘Bad Vibes’ is one of my favourite

music releases of 2011, what was your overall

concept when putting it together?

Thank you! The overall concept was kind of a

lack of one. The only real idea I had for it was

that I wanted to make it really personal; I wanted

to use my voice and play all the parts. Guitar;

bass; keys; record all the sounds and what not. I

happened to be really bummed out at the time so

I just let the music reflect that. After I got into that

mode of recording, the rest just kind of came out.

I know you released ‘Glue Stick’ as part of a

compilation, but ‘Tall Grass’ and ‘VOR/off’ were

only featured on the podcast you did for XLR8R.

Why have you been teasing us with those tracks

for such a long time? Do you have any intentions

on releasing them fully?

Ha I don't know. I had some plans for them at

the time, but they all fell apart somehow and

now those tracks feel too old. I think they had

their place back then, but it would feel weird to

put them out now.

There are a lot of production gadgets available

now that have automated tools to make it that little

bit easier for an individual to create music. I read

somewhere you prefer to use basic equipment;

do you feel that you have more creative freedom

when sticking to the analogue?

I just feel like creativity comes from you, and not

the machine you’re using.

In the space of three years you have managed

to release so much material: several EPs and a

full length LP; a beat tape with a free selection of

unreleased treasures; a fair amount of remixes

and a new EP is coming up again. Where do you

find the time?

I actually feel really unproductive. If I could bring

myself to spend the amount of time necessary

for myself to feel productive, there would be like

five times the amount of material. But I'm far too

lazy for that shit.

What is your approach when playing live?

I just like to feel connected to the crowd. If they

want to dance and jump around and shit, then

that's what I wanna do too. If they wanna hang

their heads and listen, then that's where I'm at.

It's weird though because my music is really

all over the place, so I feel like I can't always

please everyone. There's always somebody

who would rather hear the mellow stuff when

I'm playin’ dance-y shit, and there's always cats

who wanna dance when I'm playin’ ‘Bad Vibes’.

I haven't quite found a balance yet.

I must congratulate you man for making ‘ Pretty

Boy Swag’ into a blissful anthem. I didn’t know such

a thing could be achieved. How do you approach

tracks like this and others you have remixed?

It's never a plan, it's just kinda like "I like this.

What if it sounded like this..."

You also released an EP in late December last

year, ‘Shlo-Fi’, under record label Error Broadcast.

It was originally one of your earlier digital EPs

from 2009, so what made you want to release a

physical copy of it?

Error Broadcast approached me and asked if

I wanted to put it out on vinyl. Even though it's

over two years old and some of the first music I

ever made as "Shlohmo", I still felt connected with

the songs and thought it was worthy of getting’ it

on wax. I also wanted to see my photos printed

big on the cover.

Quite recently, you did a remix of the DJ Khaled

track ‘I’m the One’, featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne

& Drake. Is this leading onto a project you have

in mind?

I just wanna produce for these cats.

In today’s circle, there are a lot of beat makers

starting up early. Do you have any words of advice

to give them?

Just do you. Doesn't matter what program you

use or any of that bullshit, as long as you have

the drive to do it, you'll keep doing it. Do it if it

makes you happy.

What music are you listening to at the moment

and who would you recommend our readers to

check out?

Honestly just Drake. But I've also been listening

to a lot of my friends' music. D33J, Groundislava,

Evenings, Salva, and Tomas Barfod. Then I've

also been revisiting all the old Three 6 Mafia and

hypnotized minds CD's that I found in my old

bedroom; Club Memphis + Underground vol. 1.

Last of all, if you were to be sent to an alien

civilisation in space to teach them about the

music that planet Earth can offer, and you were

only allowed to take 3 things with you (records or

musical figures), who would you select and why?

Just to fuck their heads up I'd bring Crunchy

Black, Gary Wilson, and Kool Keith. Then if they

were thinking about destroying Earth, they might

not. Or they might do it faster, I don’t know.

Shlohmo's facebook

F ly i n g l o t u sl i v e at t h e

r o u n d h o u s ewords by Marcus Kuzvinzwa and Soraan Latif

Photography by Tim Kantoch

Back In October the staff here at Seven

Shades of Black where lucky enough to

receive two tickets to see the one and only,

Flying Lotus at the Roundhouse in London.

The show was one of only a handful that

took place that year, in London, Paris & Los

Angeles. In collaboration with the visual

label ‘ANTIVJ’ who provided a stunning

backdrop to the show, Kutmah and Martyn

were supporting acts on the night.

It being our first time at Camden’s prestigious arts

and music venue, The Roundhouse and seeing

Flying Lotus (aka Fly Lo) real name Steve Ellison

live, our expectations where on point. The venue

itself is spacious and extravagantly designed in

a sleek and fashionable manner. A section was

reserved for Fly Lo merchandise including shirts

& stickers; the iconic Brainfeeder shirt was also

available on the night. ‘Flying Lotus' cufflinks

were also available (if you gave the kind sales

assistant the exact change) Inside the room.

Flying Lotus a L.A based experimental hip hop

producer, who prominence is highly recognized.

His most talked about 'Cosmogramma' is a

perfect example into the marvel that is that 'Fly

Lo' sound. The jazz based album touches on

multiple levels of musical technicality and finesse.

'Do The Astral Plane' being a crowd favourite

on the night.

Flying Lotus is the founder of the L.A based record

label 'Brainfeeder' which formed back 2008.

The label promotes the freedom of alternative

electronic artists to showcase their art; however

they want with no constraints. It holds some of

the most prestigious artists in the beat scene.

Including Samiyam, Tokimonsta ( interviewed

in issue three ), Mono/Poly and many others.

To start of the show the Dj/producer Kutmah

took the stage. Playing some of the hardest

bangers and slow jams I've ever heard and some

staff favorites. Samiyam's 'Kitties' and a couple

of Onra's to name a few. He also played a lot of

unreleased material that we hadn't heard before.

Some of which was by the artist Flako. 'Broken

Toy' and 'Lonely Town' from Flako's latest album

_ were played. 'Lonely Town' was highly loved by

the crowd, a fellow witness of the audible love

said 'it's make me feel like I'm drunk but I'm not.

Kinda of like I'm on a cloud but my feet are deep

in the soil & one with the earth' personally we

couldn't think of a more excellent interpretation.

The song features Dirg Gerner who does the

vocals of the song and as a listener you can feel

the chemistry to the song. As per every concert

there was the one fan that was a bit too inebriated

and took the stage for him and danced to his

hearts content.

When it came to Flying Lotus’ set we were

wondering where he was going to grace the

stage. As the visuals started the mad scientist

emerged from den and graced us with the first

song of the night Flying Lotus, SpaceApe, &

Kode 9 – Kyron. Being part of the ear splitting

screams of joy for his arrival this pretty much

summed up the atmosphere of the show.

Part one written by Marcus Kuzvinzwa.

Before Flying Lotus took to the stage fellow Dj

& producer and label artist Martyn’s took his

place upon the podium and gave us a taste of

what he had to offer. His set was fragmented

between styles and genres, crossing and

blending between abstracted sluggish white

noise, Chicago house and the rhythmic pounding

of Detroit influenced techno. It was all done within

the context of the night; it wasn’t dis-coordinated

or cornered into sections where each part of his

sets could be labeled as “techno” or “house”

. He managed to weave the different genres

together by the use of the glitchy sound that is

recognisable to the Brainfeeder label. Earlier

in the month Martyn released his latest album

Ghost People on Brainfeeder label. It was no

surprise that he played a couple of the thumping

techno track on the night from the album such

as,"Horror Vacui" and my personal favourite from

his album,"Popgun".

I must admit I was slightly surprised at how well

his tracks were being received. This wasn’t the

usual type of crowd that I had been used to

when I have been at an event playing techno or

deep house. Even when he dropped in a more

aggressive sounding dubstep track it wasn’t

turning people away from the dance floors, this

is full credit to the way Martyn mixed. After he

was finished the main man took to the stage

himself along with a visual feast.

The visuals that came on during Flying Lotus’

set were nothing short of specular. While Kutmah

and Martyn had only a few spotlights shone on

them during their respective sets, which was not

a bad thing by any means, the visual artists at

AntiVJ truly put on a show that pleased the eye

when Flying Lotus came on the stage.

As we have all probably witnessed the visual side

of live events seem to be all but ignored during

events. They all seem to lack the basic principles

of combing music and visual arts together. This

is something that was most certainly addressed

by AntiVJ, a European based group who have

an already impressive cv showing off their visual

talents at Nuits Sonores and Mapping Festival

among numerous other projects. As Flying Lotus

mixed and cut into through his set the visuals

would change in sync with the blissful tracks he

played. Whether it was the cosmos at easing in at

the start of the set, abstract visual lines carving

into the stage or the fantastically sophisticated

patterns and shapes gliding across the scene,

it was a joy to witness.

As amazing as the visuals are nothing was going

to detract too much attention from Flying Lotus.

He was hiding behind the triangular podium

that was put in place especially for him waiting

to pounce. Grinning throughout the duration of

his performance ehe first track he played was

his rework of Lil Wayne’s “I feel like dying”, It

didn’t take much longer after that for the crowd

to start moving frantically. He showed off his

typically deep catalogue of record from Tyler the

Creator’s “Yonkers”, The Rolling Stones’ “Paint it

black” towards the end of the show and even a

dubstep remix of Waka Flocka Flame's "Hard in

Da Paint”. Of course the majority of his set was

constructed out of tracks that he crafted, the likes

of “Kill your co-worker”, “Zodic Shit” all featured

and of course “Astral plane” got a suitably huge

reaction from the already buzzing crowd.

Mixing in with all the usual tracks you expect to

be featured in his set including of course other

label mates like Tokimonsta was the intricate

and sophisticated jazz influenced sounds that

would slow down the pace of the evening before

the pace would pick up again. My personal

favourite of the evening was when he laid down

his remix of Mr Oizo’s “Stunt” which was one

of the few tracks I knew the second it hit the

speakers. The only downside to the evening

was that his set was cut short for some reason,

due to a technical hitch. He more than made up

for this though spending a good half hour at the

very least speaking to the fans, taking pictures

and promising to listen to music that was being

handed his way.

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ANGIE WANGINTERVIEWED BY SARAH TALLEY

ngie Wang, an illustrator out of Portland, agreed to

answer some questions about her pieces. A unique

force within the world of illustration, her work unties

popular cultures and styles with a sense of fantasy

and mythology. Her use of strong colors and fluid

lines create a movement that is immediately striking.

With an honest critique of the art world at large

and a humble explanation of her own illustrations,

Angie’s words and thoughts seem to enhance the

already moving visual scenes she creates.A

Your illustrations appear to have a narrative

aspect, what do they mean to you?

My Ancient Greek professor once told me that

writing is temporal and art is spatial. So, he

said, the upside of writing is narrative and the

downside is that it isn't as present and immediate

as art is. On the other hand, the upside of art

is its immediacy and the downside is its static

nature. But he went on to talk about a part in

the Iliad describing Achilles' shield where the

art has a narrative nature, like writing, and that

resonated with me--it reminded me of the fairy

tale illustrations I loved as a kid.

Does pop culture influence your illustrations?

I really like the idea of a community drawn

together by shared enthusiasm. I'm a fangirl at

heart, so when I admire something a lot and it has

a lot of cultural currency, I like to do something

about it. Which, for me, usually means drawing it.

How does your use of color play into your work?

That was a practical necessity at first. When

I worked with black and white, I balanced

compositions using the visual weights of patterns

and textures, but when I moved into color (never

having learned color theory) I just couldn't make

"normal" palettes work. I wasn't able to balance

muted colors or pastels against the black lines, so

everything I'd ever figured out about composition

had been thrown off--until I finally realized that

the only way I could get my sense of composition

back was by using highly saturated colors that

could hold their own. Basically, the colors I use

are the only way the picture looks right to my eyes.

Right now I'm influenced by Utagawa Kuniyoshi,

Micah Lidberg, Shimura Takako, Susumu

Katsumata, Jillian Tamaki, Uno Moralez, Hellen

Jo, Leonetto Capiello, and Eyvind Earle, I have

in the past been influenced by Arthur Rackham

and Henry J. Ford.

Is there a particular art movement you identify

with?

Not really. Maybe the indie comics community,

but I draw more from manga, editorial illustration,

fairy tale illustration, and video games than

anything else.

What is your process like when beginning a piece?

I usually start off with an idea like "bone flower" or

"polka-dotted wolf pelt" or "meteor" and work from

there, thinking, "What is the heart of this idea?"

The famous impressionist Paul Gauguin once

said that “all art is either plagiarism or revolution”,

do you agree with this assessment?

It's not how I think about art. I mean, when it

comes to reading, I'm interested in intertextuality

and how stories build off each other: fairy tale

remixes, fanfiction, borrowing, subverting.

Similarly, in art, I'm interested in playing with

the language of connotations and rich cultural

symbols--unicorns, Greek goddesses, fursuits,

sun, wolves, baseball, etc--and connotation-

rich compositions. So I feel like "plagiarism or

revolution" is a catchy but simplistic idea, lacking

in nuance.

What are you hoping to express or convey with

your illustrations?

I'm interested in conveying oppressive

environments, wistful or ambivalent feelings,

and bizarre happenings. The idea that resonates

the most for me is that this is the weird, cruel,

beautiful, unfair world you live in, and you have

to live in it.

How has your experience been moving within

the art world?

In the illustration world, it's been absolutely

wonderful. I've gotten to meet a lot of artists I

admire greatly, and I'm making a living doing

what I love.

You have three words to choose to describe

your artwork, what would those words be?

Intimate, claustrophobic, and inexplicable.

Has the psychedelic art scene influenced you

at while you were moulding your creative style?

Actually, not at all. A lot of the psychedelic

elements in my art come from editorial illustration--

when an editorial illustration is taken out of

its context, it suggests a completely bizarre

narrative. Why is this man putting his hand in a

tree made of smoke? Why does this person have

flowers coming out of every orifice? You know,

that sort of thing.

What's the story behind the girls that keep

appearing in your work?

Come to think of it, the most common expression

on their faces is a sort of confused sadness.

There are things they regret leaving behind, and

they're scared of the future.

As an artist do you have any areas in your work

that you would like to explore or develop in the

future?

I'm interested in tackling different forms of

perspective next. Oblique projection, isometric,

etc.

Do you have any shows coming up in the future?

I'm in a group show at Wieden + Kennedy in

February, but I'm not much of a show person, to

be honest. I like inexpensive open-edition prints,

mass-market books, people's enthusiasm driving

sales; not so much originals, limited editions,

scarcity driving sales, which I sort of feel like

the gallery thing is all about.

Angie Wang's website

m r s c r u f fi n t e rv i e w e d by R o b e rt J o n e s

ongevity in British music has become a seldom achievement as the industry crossed

into the digital world a decade or so ago. The mainstream now returning to a time akin

to the teen pop explosion of the sixties, the nation's recent music history has centred

upon label made groups or imported cross atlantic chart goliaths. Mr.Scruff has not only

proceeded to go against the grain of this trend for short lived careers, but also carved a

foothold in the consciousness of the general public in a fashion most subtle. Exceeding

twenty years worth of material, Mr.Scruff has acquired a cult following,of which religiously

attend his live sets that stretch onwards into the night for up to six hours. His work can be

appreciated in the everyday, be it the ever familiar likes of "Get A Move On" or the iconic

Mr.Scruff imagery which adorns tea brewing paraphernalia and more.

The world of Mr Scruff has left its mark on many

people without them necessarily knowing. Would

you prefer more immediate recognition rather

than a gentle nudge and someone's face lighting

up when they recognise your work?

A gentle nudge is fine. My approach to publicity

and awareness is to make my work easily

available to people online, if they want to hear

or find out about it. If you work hard and create

good art it will spread naturally by word of mouth,

which in the long term creates very loyal and

strong support.

How is the live set developing from previous tours?

My DJ sets always evolve. Each gig is different

as I prefer to be inspired by the atmosphere in

the venue, rather than plan the music in advance.

The only constant is the presentation; all night

DJ sets, lights down low, my visuals, and a nice

cup of tea.

What's the latest creation to be allowed out of

the Mr Scruff studio for our ears?

The latest single is 'Feel It!'; a kind of bottom

heavy, tough, moody and melancholy slow house

thing. Plus, I have recently done a soul/funk/jazz/

disco/house DJ mix for Southport Weekender,

alongside DJ Spinna.

Inspiration seems infinite for you; where does this

motivation to keep creating stem from?

Musically, there is so much new and old music to

inspire me. I get excited by the connections that are

made between different musical styles whilst DJ-

ing, and apply that same freewheeling approach

to my studio work. As well as music; life, humour,

family and friends are a constant inspiration.

Do you see any new artists that remind you of

how Mr Scruff started out many moons ago?

A few younger artists have a similar broad

approach to DJ-ing and production…Dusty from

Munich is one and Floating Points is fantastic,

although his music is a lot better than mine was

at his age!

Which album or track should we listen to for an

insight into your world?

Maybe one of my SoundCloud DJ sets would be

better, long 5-6 hour sessions that pull you in..

Making music, making a brew, or drawing?

Music. By a very long way.

Is there an obvious difference of importance

between song craft and studio craft for you, or

are they two sides of the same coin?

For me they are very similar. The writing and

production aspects of making music go hand in

hand for me, and I work on both at the same time.

HMV are soon to revive their stock of vinyl; where

is your favourite place to trawl through records

and find an undiscovered gem?

Piccadilly Records in Manchester, Honest Jon's in

London, and Underground Solush'n in Glasgow

for new music. Kingbee Records in Manchester

and Crocodisc in Paris for second-hand records.

And finally; should 2012 happen to be the end

of civilisation, what is the plan for Mr Scruff and

one last hurrah?

A massive party!

Mr Scruffs Facebook

i n t e rv i e w e d by a n o n y m o u s

H i d e a k iH a m a d a

Let’s start with the basic question; at what age

did your interest in photography begin?

I started to shoot when I was in high school.

Shortly after my eldest son was born (2005),

I became more aware of shooting. Thereafter,

I got a medium form of a camera, Pentax67. It

changed my view of the photography.

After looking through your Flickr account and your

website I can infer that you have a preference for

film photography. Is there any particular reason

why this is?

Because for me I think it's important to shoot

by film. In film photography, you will certainly

experience a feeling of excitement while you

wait for your photos to develop. Perhaps you fear

that you may not have taken the photo skillfully.

Therefore, waiting to know if you succeeded or

not is inconvenient and troublesome. But this

waiting in time is necessary. That is to say, it is

a stance we take toward photography.

What kind of challenges do you face as a film

photographer in the digital age?

It's cost and time, but I think both of those things

are necessary for film photography.

In the descriptions of many of your photographs

you credit Kodak film. It seems as though Kodak

is moving to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy at the

end of the month. What sort of impact will the end

of Kodak have on your personal photography?

To be sure, I like Kodak, especially Portra's colors

and tones. However, I not only use Kodak, I often

use FUJIFILM. So Kodak's end will be not really

a bad thing. Rather, I worry about film's end.

Do you think that film photography will ever be

completely replaced by digital photography?

Maybe 100 years later. But now, don't you think

that eventually people look for colors and tones

like films in digital photographs.

What is your opinion on digital retouching?

You know, it's a merit of digital photography.

That's just the way of it.

The two boys you feature in your photographs,

have they always been willing models?

They sometimes hate to be models. They will

hate it more in the future. Therefore now is the

precious moment that cannot be replaced by

anything.

Are the boys your children? How old are they?

Yes, they are my sons. My eldest son is Haru, 6

years old, Mina is 4 years old.

In some of the photographs the boys themselves

are taking pictures. Do you teach them how to

take photos, or are they just playing?

I often tell them how to use their cameras. They

always enjoy shooting. Amazingly they carefully

think about composition! Here is Haru's Flickr.

Are you a photographer for fun and personal

projects, or is this your profession?

It's my personal project. But sometimes I take

pictures for my jobs.

Are you a self-taught photographer, or did you

have mentor/teacher?

Perfectly self-taught, but I always got many

inspirations from people who like photographs

around the world. There are so many things that

I learn from them.

You have a very identifiable style to your photos,

how did it develop into what it is today?

I have seen so many photographs. And finally

I found my own style, but it keeps changing

even now.

Do you have a favorite lens?

I like SMC Takumar 6x7 105mm F2.4. It's the

most-used lens in my works. It has great tone

and bokeh.

Hideaki Hamada's Flickr

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Karoliina Bärlund x R/HA Finnish tour de force for the photographer and design duo

written by Annelise Sealy

Karoliina Bärlund is a Finnish photographer

hailing from Helsinki. Having completed both

a BA in Photography at the University for the

Creative Arts and an MA in Fashion Photography

at the prestigious London College of Fashion,

she continues to pursue her dreams and aims

to better herself ‘day by day’. Inspiration comes

to her from the world around her; people; nature;

art; and music. See her next exhibition, shot in

Iceland, at Blackall Studios in London (opening

10th February).

Only a few seasons old, R/H is the brainchild of

Hanna Riiheläinen (R) and Emilia Hernesniemi

(H). Forming a friendship whilst studying at the

University of Art & Design in Helsinki, they each

went on separate career paths before reuniting

to form a design duo.

Inspired by the nature of the Nordic region and

a hint of what refer to as ‘black magic’, their

designs comprise of minimal silhouettes coupled

with a muted palette and intricate prints. The

use of unusual fine materials such as bamboo

jersey and ecological reindeer leather add to the

Finnish charm.

Karoliina Barlund's website

R/H's website

PSYCHEDELICFASHION Written by

Nneka Idika

he psychedelic movement is sure to conjure up

some pretty iconic imagery. Namely, Woodstock,

Pink Floyd, and the ever fashionable tie-dye

tee. These days, however, designers are doing

more with the major cultural influence than just

making tee shirts. This year, much more than

in recent years, the influence of pop art and

psychedelic culture can be seen, not only on

catwalks across the world, but across all mediums

of art and design.

The A/W ‘11 season saw the quiet integration

of psychedelic inspired furs on the runway

ranging from Missoni to Sonia Rykiel’s striking

textures and colours. The natural progression

of this can now be seen for the S/S ‘12 ranges.

Influenced by a long running trend in art and

music, designers like Manish Aurora and Jeremy

Scott are using prints and colours that evoke the

same whimsy seen throughout the 1960s and

70s. From metallic to patterns that have more

than just a splash of colour, this trend can be

seen as the realization of a cultural phenomenon

that never quite disappeared.

The main objective in the use of pop art inspired

T

pieces seems to be the juxtaposition of classic

trends like the A-line skirt and the collared shirt

with eye-catching patterns and fabric. This

melding of styles is not meant to distract the eye

but to subtly enhance what we see as a classic.

This inoffensive obtrusion into our psyche allows

us to see beyond the aesthetic value of a classic

and embrace that it can be redone with more

imagination than initially thought.

The manifestations of the trend range from Jean

Charles de Castelbajac’s use of cartoonish prints,

to Henry Holland’s gingham and Dalmatian print

inspired creations. Like the counterculture of the

1960s, these designs seek to take the ordinary

and transform it into something that is thought

provoking and interesting. This can range from

the mild and understated to the outlandish and

iridescent artistry reminiscent of Warhol’s Factory.

Meadham Kirchhoff’s Spring 2012 ready to wear

collection is a prime example of the striking and

animated fixtures that bring to mind an almost

Alice in Wonderland delicacy and innocence,

coupled with an underlying maturity. No two

looks are alike as the pop aspect takes hold

and inspires these looks. From multi-coloured

and multi-layered skirts to bejewelled hot pants

paired with bright tights, Kirchhoff brings to mind

a Candyland game board that is aesthetically

daring but wonderfully executed.

The use of pop art and psychedelic inspired

design isn’t necessarily something that has stuck

around exclusively because of its use in art and

exposure in popular culture. Psychedelic culture

is a child of an absurdist version of reality and

counterculture that has manifested itself in high

fashion. The decision not to reign in fashion

as a never-ending cycle of ‘been there done

that’ moments is one of the reasons that pop

art inspired looks may remain on the scene for

seasons to come.

PRE FALL '12REVIEW Written by

Florence Arnold

P‘Pre-Fall’ is like the little brother to the main runway

shows that everyone knows and loves: ‘Spring/

Summer’ and ‘Autumn/Winter’. Much like its little

sister ‘Resort’, ‘Pre-Fall’ has been quietly growing

over the past couple of years into a fully-fledged

member of the fashion show family.

No longer dismissed as just a made-up time of

the year concocted to ensure the fashion world

keeps on coming up with yet more goods - ok

well maybe a little bit, this December ‘Pre-Fall’

2012 gave us some mouth-watering pieces good

enough to rival the big dogs…

Key trends to look out for this include coats (lots

of them), preferably in wool, felt or, for the more

daring, neoprene. Sporty layering was also a

strong theme, a styling tool somewhat necessary

at this time of year, with toggles, zips and visible

seams all making an appearance.

Shapes, structures and materials for a more lady-

like silhouette included jersey draping, pleating,

cinched in waists, lace, leather and A-line skirts.

Colour palettes consisted predominantly of

greys, pewters, charcoals and marls. These

more subdued tones were mixed in with orange

tones in fizzy sorbets and salmons, veering

to rusts and brick. Pops of neon yellow were

interspersed with greens in bottle or jade. Sand,

taupe and the firm favourite - camel, also cropped

up in many collections again.

Highlights came from Proenza Schouler, Philip Lim

3.1, Theyskens’ Theory, Helmut Lang, Thakoon,

Burberry Prorsum and Calvin Klein Collection.

They delivered us a medley of clothes that will

sit nicely in that tricky sartorial time between the

end of summer and early autumn.

Thakoon came up with a typically well-tailored

collection that was feminine but thankfully not

overly girly. Memorable pieces included a rather

fabulous textured, collarless Mongolian wool coat

with oversized fuzzy pockets and a two-tone

marl and black wool blazer nipped in neatly at

the waist.

The continuation of the waist as a focal point was

evident in many designers’ offerings this season,

resulting in some sophisticated and flattering

tailored pieces. Burberry Prorsum showed tweed

30s pencil skirts and double breasted coats,

which were a true British Heritage triumph, along

with some classic chic from across the pond via

Calvin Klein Collection.

Francisco Costa revealed a beautiful selection

of structured and subtle garments including a

pleated, heather A-line dress-coat with cinched

waists and plenty of scope for workwear/daywear

through to a selection of laser cut dresses perfect

for an autumnal evening cocktail.

Moving on to some sporty separates, Proenza

Schouler triumphed with their alpine-inspired

outerwear, including the aforementioned

neoprene jackets with matching skirts. Toggles

abound, with even the dresses for after hours

après-hike receiving the rain-mac feel. Don’t

let this put you off though, as there were many

wearable pieces here, most notably the thick

ribbed polo necks and slim peg-leg trousers in

bright cobalt blue, combined with quilted jackets

and matching bags - sure to get the fashionistas

squealing with delight.

And if alpine’s your bag take a trip to Narcisco

Rodriguez for some ski-wear inspired roll-necks

and slim leather pants, matched with oversized

removable fur sleeves that would make a real

talking point on the mountainside.

Continuing down the more casual route were

newcomers to the Pre-Fall market; Theyskens’

Theory. Olivier Theyskens’ fans will be pleased

to note that the collection was just as slick as

his previous offerings; sporty but with a touch of

gothic glamour. It felt like a collection you could

slip on for a stroll in the autumn evening sunshine.

Take for example the leather backpacks teamed

with elegant noir blazers, or the sweeping high-

necked dresses. Covetable and cool – always

a winning combination.

And last but certainly not least, a worthy mention

for Helmut Lang. Lang can always be relied

upon to provide some chic and understated

pieces that will have you wishing for an apartment

in Brooklyn and an unlimited clothing budget.

Clever jersey draping and a rather unexpected

brush with colour provided a backdrop to their

statement leather jackets, in moss, emerald and

pale mint green.

So yes, we may never know what Pre-Fall really

means, but in the meantime we can borrow their

clothes like an annoying little sister.

Nanna Sofie Reseke

This was taken during christmas two years ago, when I was staying at my grandparents’ old house, this was the bed I slept in. It was the last time my family and I spend our christmas together in that house.

This was taken during christmas two years ago, when I was staying at my grandparents’ old house, this was the bed I slept in. It was the last time my family and I spend our christmas together in that house.

I finished it in one night because I could not sleep.

I finished it in one night because I could not sleep.

I never really figured that camera out. So many pictures always ended up looking like this.

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