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SHIBUI Issue 3

SHIBUI Issue is a bi-monthly, free online magazine featuring artisans and travel photographers from around the world.

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parisian<br />

neo-pop<br />

expressionism<br />

is NEO-NOW!<br />

snap to it<br />

Adventures of Lil Nicki<br />

origami<br />

JUMPING OFF THE PAGE IN CAPE TOWN<br />

culture craftsmanship global connection


WWW.PADRECOFFEE.COM.AU


CELEBRATE THE<br />

GOOD THINGS<br />

S H I B U I HELLO<br />

Welcome to our third edition of <strong>SHIBUI</strong> <strong>Issue</strong>!<br />

What an amazing few months it’s been for us since launching<br />

<strong>SHIBUI</strong> & Co in July. Heading into our first new year gives<br />

us so many reasons to reflect, celebrate and be thankful.<br />

We’re slowly mapping our way around the globe and have<br />

been so inspired by the calibre of contributors who’ve joined<br />

us on the journey so far.<br />

This edition is no different. The more talent we uncover, the<br />

more we realise the unlimited number of incredible stories<br />

there are to share. This <strong>Issue</strong>, our contributors span north<br />

from New York to Norway, and south from Africa to the<br />

Australian outback.<br />

We’ve also got some superb giveaways for you this edition,<br />

including a week’s resort stay (valued at over $5000) and a<br />

summer reading package. Now that’s reason to celebrate this<br />

new year!<br />

Wherever you’re heading to in 2018, remember to refer back<br />

to our online directory as we continue to add makers, designers<br />

and photographers from around the world so you can delve<br />

deeper culturally. We hope our magazine inspires your senses<br />

and reminds you of all the good rather than the gloom.<br />

Happy reading and happy New Year!<br />

and<br />

SUPER<br />

DUPER<br />

PRIZE TO<br />

BE WON!<br />

WIN A WEEK’S STAY AT<br />

A THIRDHOME AFFILIATE<br />

RESORT VALUED AT<br />

OVER $5000!<br />

Click here for details.<br />

S H I B U I & Co. EST. JULY 2017<br />

<strong>SHIBUI</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> is a free, bi-monthly online publication<br />

published by S H I B U I & Co.<br />

CO-FOUNDER / CURATOR / OPERATIONS KARINA EASTWAY<br />

CO-FOUNDER / CURATOR / CREATIVE BRISEIS ONFRAY<br />

PROOFREADER MERAN SALSKI<br />

ALL ENQUIRIES hello@shibuiandco.com<br />

SUBSCRIBE TO THE <strong>SHIBUI</strong> TRIBE shibuiandco.com<br />

© Copyright 2017. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.<br />

THIS PHOTO was taken while roaming in search for coffee on a sleepy<br />

Sunday in the clifftop village of Rocamadour, France, by <strong>SHIBUI</strong>'s creative<br />

co-founder Briseis Onfray @walklikeagypysy<br />

HELLO S H I B U I 1


CONTENTS<br />

<strong>SHIBUI</strong>. A JAPANESE WORD USED<br />

TO DESCRIBE AN UNDERSTATED,<br />

CLASSIC KINDA COOL. IT’S AN<br />

ENRICHED BEAUTY ACHIEVED<br />

THOUGH MINIMALISM AND<br />

PURPOSE RATHER THAN<br />

ADORNMENT AND EXTRAVAGANCE.<br />

ITS VALUE MUST BE DISCOVERED<br />

AND UNDERSTOOD RATHER THAN<br />

BOUGHT OR WON.<br />

2 S H I B U I CONTENTS


MEET THE MAKER<br />

4. NORWAY Andreas Söderlund is a<br />

self-taught wood craftsman exploring<br />

modern designs through one of the oldest<br />

traditions around.<br />

SNAP TO IT<br />

10. ALASKA Alaskan photographer Nicole<br />

Smoot has a passion for the wildest of<br />

frontiers.<br />

MODERN MAKER<br />

18. SOUTH AFRICA Ross Symons’ origami<br />

creations are jumping into some major<br />

animation projects.<br />

26. AUSTRALIA We talk to fifth generation<br />

Akubra owner, Stephen Keir about the art<br />

of felt making.<br />

TRAVEL MODE<br />

25. HAPPY DAYS Taking the sunshine too.<br />

DESTINATION DESIGNER<br />

33. PARIS Meet visual artist Raphael<br />

Federici: neo-pop expressionism never<br />

popped so bright.<br />

CULTURE CONNECTION<br />

38. NEW YORK Brothers Darrell and Oliver<br />

Hartman have created a window to the<br />

unfamiliar world through photography<br />

and film.<br />

DIRECTORY<br />

45. Find our <strong>SHIBUI</strong> makers, photographers<br />

and designers here.<br />

COVER IMAGE Origami artwork by Ross Symons, White On Rice (page 30). THIS PAGE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT The<br />

studio of wood-worker Andreas Söderlund in Bergen, Norway (page 4); French artist Raphael Federici is making<br />

a colourful impression world-wide, starting with street art in his home town of Aix en Provence, France (page<br />

33); Kyrgyz children playing in Karakul, Gorno Badakshan Autonomous Oblast, Tajikistan, by Alaskan travel<br />

photographer Nicole Smoot. (page 10).<br />

CONTENTS S H I B U I 3


meet the MAKER<br />

CARVING<br />

HIS NICHE<br />

curator Karina Eastway<br />

THE MAKER Andreas Söderlund<br />

PHOTOs Andreas SöderlunD<br />

COUNTRY Norway<br />

ANDREAS SÖDERLUND IS<br />

EXPLORING MODERN DESIGNS<br />

AND IDEAS THROUGH ONE OF THE<br />

OLDEST CULTURAL TRADITIONS<br />

AROUND: WOODWORKING.<br />

4 S H I B U I MEet the MAKER


Where are you from originally and<br />

where are you based now?<br />

I’m originally from Ostrobothnia,<br />

Finland, from a small town called<br />

Nykarleby. I moved to Bergen, Norway<br />

with my wife this fall.<br />

What materials do you choose to<br />

work with and what are their particular<br />

characteristics?<br />

I work exclusively with wood, dry wood<br />

more than green wood. Mostly birch,<br />

maple and walnut. Why I love working<br />

with wood is because it’s a living thing<br />

and each piece of wood has its own ><br />

Andreas Söderlund S H I B U I 5


“<br />

WHERE I’M FROM THE WOODWORKING<br />

TRADITION WAS MAKING WOODEN BOATS.<br />

BACK IN THE DAYS THEY MADE BEAUTIFULLY<br />

CRAFTED BOATS FROM LOCALLY GROWN<br />

TREES. EVERY VILLAGE HAD AT LEAST ONE<br />

BOAT BUILDER WHO HAD HIS OWN STYLE.<br />

”<br />

unique patterns and colours. Even<br />

from the same tree you can find many<br />

different variations. So opening up a<br />

chunk of wood is quite exciting since<br />

you never know what you’ll find inside.<br />

The wood itself can often be a good<br />

source of inspiration when deciding<br />

what to make.<br />

I like working with birch and maple<br />

since they both have a very white<br />

and pale colour, a good contrast to<br />

the chocolate brown colour of walnut<br />

wood. So varying between those trees<br />

is a good mix I think.<br />

What sparked your interest in<br />

woodwork?<br />

Since I was a kid I have always been<br />

interested in creating things and<br />

working with my hands. My dad gave<br />

me my first knife when I was five years<br />

old, so that opened up the possibility<br />

to shape wood. Back then during my<br />

childhood years I always had a knife<br />

nearby, even in school. So whenever<br />

I got bored I found myself a stick<br />

and started making shavings. It was<br />

mostly that, making shavings, the<br />

fascination that the sharp edge could<br />

cut wood like it was butter. One day<br />

in fifth grade, my teacher saw what<br />

I had carved during a short break. It<br />

was a wooden knife I’d carved and<br />

he was thrilled that I was able to form<br />

something like that with just a knife in<br />

so short a time. The piece ended up in<br />

an exhibition in school.<br />

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that<br />

my interest in woodwork is something<br />

that has evolved over a long period of<br />

time.<br />

A few years ago I had a hard time,<br />

struggled with depression. One day<br />

I started carving on a spoon, and<br />

I found it to be so peaceful and<br />

therapeutic that I couldn’t stop. So<br />

I continued and got well, and since<br />

then my interest for woodworking has<br />

grown even more.<br />

Can you tell us a little about the<br />

tradition of woodwork where you’re<br />

from? (what was it used for, the<br />

designs or materials used)<br />

Where I’m from the woodworking<br />

tradition was making wooden boats.<br />

Back in the day they made beautifully<br />

crafted boats from locally grown<br />

trees. Every village had at least one<br />

boat builder who had his own style.<br />

They still make boats in Ostrobothnia,<br />

but not wooden boats anymore,<br />

unfortunately. However there’s still a<br />

lot of fine woodworking with these<br />

fancy new boats, like Nautor Swan<br />

and Baltic Yachts, they all need<br />

beautifully crafted interiors.<br />

So the woodworking tradition lives on.<br />

6 S H I B U I meet the MAKER


What’s your favourite piece to make?<br />

I can’t say that I have a favourite thing<br />

to make, because I tend to design<br />

and make new things. I find that more<br />

exciting, exploring new ideas and<br />

designs. So guess I can say that my<br />

favourite thing to make is something<br />

that I haven’t made before.<br />

Can you describe your studio<br />

(where you work)?<br />

Right now my workshop is in the attic<br />

of the house we live in. It’s a small<br />

space, but very cosy and filled with<br />

history. The room has only one small<br />

roof window, with a magnificent view<br />

over the city of Bergen. Since room is<br />

so limited, I have no fancy machines,<br />

I keep myself busy instead working<br />

with traditional hand tools. When<br />

you climb up the ladder to the attic<br />

it’s like stepping into another world,<br />

long forgotten. There you can see<br />

an old workbench with a few hand<br />

tools on it, lit up by the light from the<br />

window above. You can also see a<br />

three legged chopping block with<br />

an axe stuck in its centre. In one<br />

corner there’s a couch where I can<br />

sit and ponder over new ideas, or for<br />

my wife to sit and read a book while<br />

I’m working. Without big and loud<br />

machines, it is a very peaceful place<br />

where the mind can be free.<br />

Is this what you always dreamed of<br />

doing as a child?<br />

No not as a child, but in my teen<br />

years I believe the dream of being a<br />

woodworker started to take form. ><br />

Andreas Söderlund S H I B U I 7


8 S H I B U I MEet the MAKER


What inspires your designs? (Where<br />

do your design ideas come from?)<br />

That is a question I have always<br />

had a hard time finding a short and<br />

straight answer to. I often get ideas<br />

for new designs when I’m about to<br />

go to sleep, or when I sit on my couch<br />

in the attic pondering about life, or<br />

when I hold a strange piece of wood<br />

in my hand and a design kind of just<br />

pops out. I believe the inspiration for<br />

new designs comes from everything<br />

around us, everything you experience<br />

during a day, a week or more. I have<br />

found inspiration in the landscape<br />

around me, from a good book or a<br />

tragic movie. A conversation with a<br />

good friend over the phone can turn<br />

into a great design from the doodles<br />

you’ve done while talking. To sum<br />

this up, I guess my head gives me<br />

ideas for new designs from a mix of<br />

everything, good or bad, that has<br />

happened around me.<br />

How does the new landscape<br />

and location (in Bergen) influence<br />

your work?<br />

I can’t say it has influenced my work<br />

that much yet since we just have lived<br />

here for a few months. But I believe it<br />

will open me up to many new ideas,<br />

that’s for sure. I come from a very flat<br />

landscape in Finland, so moving to<br />

Bergen was a huge contrast to what<br />

I’m used to. Here there are mountains<br />

everywhere, fjords and waterfalls and<br />

the sea is just a few minutes away.<br />

So I can’t wait to see what form and<br />

direction my work will take after some<br />

time in this beautiful city.<br />

What has surprised and delighted<br />

you about your new home, Bergen?<br />

The closeness to nature is partly why<br />

we moved here. There are seven<br />

mountains surrounding the city, so<br />

you can basically pick any direction<br />

and you’ll end up on a mountaintop<br />

with a stunning view. Our apartment<br />

is also placed on the hillside of a<br />

mountain, with a view over Bergen.<br />

So that was sure a delightful catch.<br />

We can probably live here for several<br />

years without running out of new<br />

things to explore.<br />

Your photography is beautiful as well.<br />

What’s your favourite thing to capture?<br />

My favourite thing to shoot in the<br />

workshop is a good progress shot<br />

that tries to capture the atmosphere<br />

of the moment. I want the picture to<br />

give the same felling as I have myself<br />

while working.<br />

What’s your top travel tip?<br />

Be spontaneous! Then you can find<br />

adventures in the most unexpected<br />

places. Keeping an open mind goes<br />

hand in hand with spontaneity, you<br />

can never go wrong with that. And if<br />

you travel to Bergen, bring rain gear.<br />

Southgrovecrafts.com<br />

Instagram.com/aesoderlund<br />

Andreas Söderlund S H I B U I 9


snap to it<br />

OFF THE<br />

RADAR<br />

curator karina eastway<br />

photographer nicole smoot<br />

COUNTRy alaska<br />

10 S H I B U I snap to it


ALASKAN PHOTOGRAPHER NICOLE SMOOT<br />

EXPLORES THE WILDEST AND REMOTEST OF<br />

PLACES, WITH A PASSION FOR ANYTHING<br />

OUT OF THE ORDINARY.<br />

Where are you from originally and<br />

where are you based now?<br />

I was born in Southcentral Alaska, and<br />

am still based there at the moment.<br />

What camera do you usually shoot with<br />

(and why if applicable)?<br />

I shoot with a Canon 5DS-R. I made<br />

the decision when leaping to a fullframe<br />

camera to go with the 5DS-R<br />

because of its performance in low<br />

light as I spend a lot of time shooting<br />

the aurora and astrophotography,<br />

but I also needed a good all-round<br />

camera that was durable and<br />

fared well in many settings. I use<br />

three lenses: the Rokinon 14mm<br />

f/2.8 for shooting the night sky and<br />

architecture; the Tamron 28-75mm<br />

f/2.8 XR Di LD for the majority of my<br />

landscape shots; and the Tamron 70-<br />

200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD telephoto for<br />

wildlife.<br />

How did you get into adventure travel?<br />

The interest has always been there,<br />

and growing up in Alaska didn’t<br />

exactly curb it either. Most of my ><br />

nicole smoot S H I B U I 11


12 S H I B U I SNAP TO IT


PREVIOUS PAGE Vinicunca, aka The Rainbow Mountain,<br />

deep in the Andes Mountains, Peru<br />

CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW Dragonblood Tree in the Dixam<br />

Plateau, Socotra Island, Yemen; Bactrian camels in the<br />

Kyzylkum Desert, Uzbekistan; Khafrazdara Lake in the<br />

Bartang Valley located in the Central Pamir Mountains<br />

of the Gorno Badakshan Autonomous Oblast, Tajikistan;<br />

Kyrgyz Cemetery near Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan<br />

travels were not anything out of the<br />

ordinary when I started out: eastern<br />

Europe, the Balkans, Southeast Asia.<br />

But shortly after my 27th birthday I<br />

found myself in Yemen and Socotra<br />

and I’d have to say that is where it<br />

really started. Travelling in a country<br />

seen as a failing state, camping in<br />

the open under the stars, catching<br />

fish for dinner and seeing that people<br />

still carry on with their lives even in<br />

cities that are often under attack by<br />

militant and terrorist groups.<br />

Can you tell us a little about the<br />

travel expeditions you’re working<br />

on at the moment?<br />

At the moment I am currently working<br />

on some new venture-leading tours.<br />

The first one will involve me taking a<br />

small group to Iran to explore ancient<br />

Persia; the second will take another<br />

small group on an expedition in<br />

the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan,<br />

the Silk Road cities of Kashgar and<br />

Tashkurgan, and onto the northern<br />

territory of Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan.<br />

They are slated to take place 24<br />

May through 3 June and 9 June<br />

through 24 June of 2018, respectively.<br />

As far as personal expeditions<br />

go, my future plans include more<br />

thoroughly exploring the eastern third<br />

of Tajikistan, further exploration into<br />

Afghanistan, and visiting the remote<br />

island of Astola in the Arabian Sea.<br />

Not so much an expedition but an<br />

exciting thing that will happen for me<br />

next fall will be the first international<br />

exhibition of my photographs at the<br />

Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam in the<br />

fall of 2018.<br />

What’s an absolute ‘wow’ destination<br />

you’ve visited and what was it that<br />

made it so special?<br />

That’s difficult to answer with just one<br />

response as I’ve been to so many<br />

‘wow’ destinations. If I had to name<br />

a few they would include Tajikistan<br />

for its stunning mountainscapes and<br />

mirror-like lakes; the Afghan Wakhan<br />

corridor for its incredibly warm and<br />

welcoming people; the dramatic<br />

Hindu Kush with the Big Pamir<br />

mountains cutting it off from the rest<br />

of the world; Socotra Island in Yemen<br />

because of its unique trees and<br />

wild, remote beaches; visiting Peru’s<br />

Vinicunca before it was even on ><br />

nicole smoot S H I B U I 13


any tourist’s radar; cruising between<br />

ice floes in the middle of the Ross<br />

Sea and coming face to face with<br />

a leopard seal on my expedition to<br />

Antarctica earlier this year; and finally<br />

Alaska. Even though it’s home it still<br />

never disappoints me to stand inside<br />

ice caves, have wildlife just off my<br />

front porch and the many mountains<br />

and lakes that keep me occupied<br />

year after year.<br />

Can you tell us a little about your<br />

favourite subject to photograph –<br />

people, animals or places?<br />

I’d have to say my favourite subject<br />

would be places. I love to show<br />

people places that may have never<br />

been on their radar, or that they’ve<br />

likely never even heard of.<br />

Top photography tip for beginners?<br />

The only way you’re going to figure<br />

it out is to go out there and try.<br />

You don’t need a giant expensive<br />

camera and you don’t need a<br />

degree in photography, there are<br />

great photographers who only use<br />

an iPhone and have zero formal<br />

education in photography. My<br />

number one tip is to figure out<br />

composition and how to work it<br />

into your style of photography. No<br />

camera, lens, filter or editing program<br />

is going to teach you that eye for<br />

composition.<br />

14 S H I B U I SNAP TO IT


What’s your top travel tip?<br />

Prepare for the worst, hope for the<br />

best, say yes to an adventure and<br />

don’t forget to pack Loperamide.<br />

What is it about being “beyond the<br />

beaten path” that inspires your travels?<br />

It’s probably all due to a complex<br />

that Alaska instills into every kid that<br />

grows up there: most of us can’t<br />

handle crowded places. I have a<br />

friend who grew up here and moved<br />

to Sydney five years ago, and she still<br />

has struggles at times with the sheer<br />

volume of people in the city, even<br />

though she absolutely loves it. There’s<br />

something special about trekking<br />

somewhere and only meeting a ><br />

nicole smoot S H I B U I 15


16 S H I B U I SNAP TO IT<br />

PREVIOUS PAGE Trunk Bay Beach, St. John, US Virgin Islands CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE The Aurora<br />

Borealis dancing above, just across the street from Nicole’s home in Eagle River, Alaska; Inside an<br />

ice cave on the face of Spencer Glacier near Girdwood, Alaska; Sunset over the Lemaire<br />

Channel in the Antarctic Peninsula


shepherd or two on the trail, visiting a<br />

perfect lake in a bowl of mountains<br />

with no one else in sight, having<br />

a beautiful beach completely to<br />

yourself, or getting to sit down for<br />

tea with someone in a rarely visited<br />

country who is over the moon that<br />

you’re there to experience their lost<br />

land, nearly forgotten traditions, and<br />

then go back home to share a piece<br />

of them with your family and friends.<br />

Which shot in particular really means a<br />

great deal to you and why?<br />

I think one shot in particular of myself<br />

with a dragon blood tree on Socotra<br />

Island. The photo was taken long<br />

before I ever considered becoming<br />

a photographer, let alone a travel<br />

photographer. It means so much<br />

because it resonates with how long<br />

I had wanted to visit the island and<br />

what a series of incredibly difficult<br />

life events lead to me ending up out<br />

there. Then of course anything shot<br />

in the mountains of Central Asia,<br />

because they signify the length of time<br />

I had spent dreaming of visiting the<br />

place and the resilience and strength<br />

it took to reach some of the places.<br />

What location is still on your bucket list<br />

to visit?<br />

A few to start would be Syria, Iraq,<br />

Gabon, Somalia, Western Australia,<br />

Madagascar and New Caledonia.<br />

A final inspiring travel quote for our<br />

readers?<br />

“The man who goes alone can<br />

start today; but he who travels with<br />

another must wait till that other is<br />

ready.”(Henry David Thoreau)<br />

So many people are flabbergasted<br />

at the places I’ve gone, and in<br />

complete shock when they find out<br />

that I’ve gone to most alone. This<br />

quote explains exactly why.<br />

Adventuresoflilnicki.com<br />

Instagram.com/adventuresoflilnicki<br />

nicole smoot S H I B U I 17


modern maker<br />

curator BRISEIS ONFRAY<br />

THE maker Ross Symons (CREATIVE FOUNDER, WHITE ON RICE)<br />

PHOTOs contributed by WHITE ON RICE<br />

COUNTRy South Africa<br />

18 S H I B U I Modern maker


Photo Ockie Fourie<br />

IT’S A RARE PROFESSION, BUT<br />

ROSS SYMONS IS FOLDING HIS<br />

IMAGINATION TO MAKE THE CUT AS<br />

AN ORIGAMI ARTIST AND ANIMATOR<br />

FOR SOME MEGA BRANDS. FORGET<br />

PAPER PLANES. HIS PULP-FICTION<br />

CHARACTERS ARE LITERALLY,<br />

JUMPING OFF THE PAGE!<br />

Ross Symons S H I B U I 19


WHERE ARE YOU FROM ORIGINALLY?<br />

AND WHERE ARE YOU BASED NOW?<br />

I grew up in Johannesburg, South<br />

Africa but I now live in Cape Town.<br />

YOU HAVE A UNIQUE AND ENGAGING<br />

PROFESSION. HOW, WHEN AND WHY<br />

DID YOU BECOME AN ORIGAMI ARTIST?<br />

I’ve worked in a few industries but my<br />

last job, back in 2013, was working<br />

in advertising as a web developer.<br />

At the time, I had this fascination<br />

with folding paper. It was just<br />

something to keep me from losing<br />

my mind in a corporate job. I had<br />

all these folded shapes around my<br />

computer screen and I realised that<br />

I was pretty obsessed. So I decided<br />

to focus on getting better at this<br />

origami thing. In 2014 I committed<br />

to folding one figure every day for a<br />

year and posted each piece onto<br />

Instagram. That kicked off my journey<br />

to becoming an origami professional.<br />

It was also the year the I quit my<br />

corporate job to do freelance work.<br />

Fast forward to the end of 2014<br />

and I had quite a large following<br />

on Instagram and brands started<br />

approaching me to do custom<br />

origami installations and origami<br />

stop motion animations. It was at this<br />

point that I realised that this was what<br />

I wanted to do. I now create content<br />

for social media campaigns, custom<br />

origami installations and custom<br />

origami pieces.<br />

ORIGAMI IS AS JAPANESE AS ‘<strong>SHIBUI</strong>’.<br />

DO YOU HAVE A PERSONAL OR<br />

CULTURAL CONNECTION WITH JAPAN?<br />

Definitely a personal connection.<br />

Since I was a kid I’ve had a deep<br />

interest in Japanese culture. I just love<br />

how they are so professional in their<br />

approach to creating. I am also crazy<br />

about Japanese animation.<br />

20 S H I B U I Modern maker


WHEN AND HOW DID YOU LEARN THE<br />

ART OF ORIGAMI?<br />

I’m still learning every day and I think<br />

I will be for a long long time. But in<br />

2014 I got my hands on a book called<br />

Origami Designs Secrets by Robert<br />

Lang. That book is the origami design<br />

bible and has helped me learn how<br />

how to design origami figures. That<br />

coupled with meeting one of the<br />

origami rockstars of the world, Sipho<br />

Mabona. He has been a mentor to<br />

me since I started designing.<br />

PAPER COMES IN MANY FORMS. DO<br />

YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE STOCK TO<br />

WORK WITH?<br />

I like working with thicker paper which<br />

can be dampened a bit without<br />

tearing. This can be anything from<br />

100 to 200gsm. By wetting the paper<br />

it helps create more organic shapes.<br />

But I also like working with very thin<br />

paper which allows you to create<br />

more detailed designs.<br />

AS THE CREATIVE FOUNDER BEHIND<br />

‘WHITE ON RICE’, WHAT IS IT THAT<br />

CLIENTS LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR<br />

ARTWORK?<br />

I think it’s the magic of seeing a sheet<br />

of paper turning into a figure that<br />

is recognisable as something lifelike,<br />

ie. a dragon, horse, butterfly or<br />

whatever. That and a bit of humour.<br />

I like adding some quirkiness to the<br />

work too. Life is too short to be serious<br />

all the time. And also, origami is<br />

thought of as a craft for kids.<br />

When they see my work or any<br />

other origami artist’s work, there is a<br />

new-found understanding of what<br />

can be achieved with paper and<br />

the amount of work that goes into<br />

creating a single original piece.<br />

IT’S A DIGITAL WORLD, SO FINDING<br />

DEMAND FOR HAND-MADE DESIGN<br />

MUST BE REWARDING AS AN ARTIST.<br />

WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOUR WORK THAT IS<br />

SO POPULAR TO CLIENTS?<br />

Origami is something that not many<br />

people do professionally so clients<br />

find my work very different. I operate<br />

“<br />

I HAD<br />

QUITE A LARGE<br />

FOLLOWING ON<br />

INSTAGRAM AND<br />

BRANDS STARTED<br />

APPROACHING<br />

ME TO DO<br />

CUSTOM ORIGAMI<br />

INSTALLATIONS<br />

AND ORIGAMI<br />

STOP MOTION<br />

ANIMATIONS.<br />

in both the digital as well as the<br />

physical realm which for me is really<br />

important. I love both of these worlds<br />

equally. I think clients appreciate<br />

the fact that I’ve managed to use<br />

paper to create folded creatures<br />

and figures and then animate or<br />

photograph them so they go back<br />

into the digital world. It’s taken me a<br />

while but I’m now good at presenting<br />

the origami shapes in a way that is<br />

not often seen. In animated stories or<br />

still shots.<br />

FROM 2-D TO 3-D INSTALLATIONS AND<br />

ANIMATIONS, WHAT IS THE LARGEST<br />

PROJECT YOU HAVE CREATED, AND<br />

WHAT WAS IT FOR?<br />

I did a project in Johannesburg in<br />

2016 which was 2 animations and<br />

1600 origami butterflies for a brand<br />

activation. A brand called Strongbow<br />

was relaunching in South Africa and<br />

they wanted something different to<br />

create hype around the product.<br />

WHERE DOES CREATIVE DIRECTION<br />

FOR AN ORIGAMI PROJECT COME<br />

FROM?<br />

If it’s for a client that wants something<br />

specific designed then I will go in a<br />

direction based on their concept. ><br />

”<br />

Ross Symons S H I B U I 21


22 S H I B U I Modern maker


But if I’m doing an animation for my<br />

Instagram account or designing an<br />

origami animal just for kicks, then that<br />

inspiration can come from anywhere<br />

really. The internet is a great place<br />

to find cool ideas but generally I will<br />

be walking down the road or drinking<br />

coffee and an idea will just rock up.<br />

I keep paper with me all the time so<br />

if an idea does descend, then I’m<br />

ready to go.<br />

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE TRAVEL<br />

DESTINATION AND WHY?<br />

I love Tokyo and I will go back there<br />

over and over again, but every place<br />

I visit has its own charm. I do have a<br />

soft spot for island destinations too.<br />

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD<br />

LIKE TO ADD?<br />

If you’re reading this and you are<br />

arguing with yourself about whether<br />

you should put your new creative<br />

idea out there… stop arguing. Don’t<br />

think about it and just put it out there.<br />

Don’t worry if someone is going<br />

to steal your idea. Don’t worry if<br />

someone says your work is s**t. Don’t<br />

worry if this is going to become an<br />

internet sensation. Just get out of<br />

your own way and make. That’s what<br />

creatives do. We make stuff. So go<br />

and make stuff.<br />

white-onrice.com<br />

instagram.com/white_onrice/<br />

Ross Symons S H I B U I 23


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travel mode S H I B U I 25


modern MAKER<br />

Outback<br />

Front ’n<br />

CentrE<br />

curator KARINA EASTWAY<br />

Maker akubra<br />

INTERVIEW with Stephen Keir, Managing Director of Akubra<br />

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED by AKUBRA<br />

COUNTRY australia<br />

THE ANCIENT ART OF FELT MAKING HAS A<br />

MODERN HOME IN AUSTRALIA THANKS TO<br />

FIVE GENERATIONS OF THE KEIR FAMILY.<br />

26 S H I B U I modern MAKER


CAN YOU TELL US YOUR NAME<br />

AND POSITION WITH AKUBRA?<br />

My name is Stephen Keir and I am<br />

the Managing Director of Akubra<br />

Hats. I am also part of the fifth<br />

generation owners of Akubra along<br />

with my sisters Nikki McLeod and<br />

Stacey McIntyre.<br />

IS IT CORRECT THAT THE NAME<br />

AKUBRA COMES FROM AN ABORIGINAL<br />

LANGUAGE FOR HEAD COVERING?<br />

IS THERE A STORY AROUND HOW THAT<br />

CAME ABOUT?<br />

For many years it was believed that<br />

the name Akubra had its origins as<br />

an Aboriginal word meaning head<br />

covering. The Akubra trademark<br />

was registered in 1912 and it was<br />

always believed that this was the<br />

case. It was not until the Keir family<br />

finally decided to write a book on<br />

the history of Akubra that it was<br />

discovered that our original belief<br />

was incorrect.<br />

The name was created and<br />

registered by Arthur P. Stewart, who<br />

at the time owned a menswear store<br />

and sold the newly-named Akubra<br />

hats, as well as acting as a distributor<br />

to other hat retailers around the city<br />

of Sydney.<br />

><br />

Akubra S H I B U I 27


RIGHT Stephen Keir,<br />

Managing Director and<br />

one of the fifth generation<br />

of Akubra owners.<br />

28 S H I B U I Modern MAKER


CAN YOU BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE<br />

800-YEAR OLD PROCESS OF MAKING<br />

THE RAW MATERIAL, FELT (BEFORE THE<br />

FORMING PROCESS STARTS)? WHAT<br />

MAKES RABBIT FUR PERFECT FOR THE<br />

FELT-MAKING PROCESS?<br />

As we understand it, legend suggests<br />

during the Middle Ages Saint<br />

Clement was a wondering monk<br />

who happened upon the process<br />

of making felt by accident. It was<br />

said that he stuffed his sandals with<br />

linen fibres in order to make them<br />

more comfortable. St Clement<br />

discovered that the combination<br />

of moisture and perspiration and<br />

ground dampness, coupled with<br />

pressure from his feet, matted these<br />

fibres together to produce a cloth.<br />

St Clement became the patron<br />

saint for hat makers, and the theory<br />

outlined above is consistent with<br />

our manufacturing process today.<br />

Rabbit fur is ideal for the felt-making<br />

process because rabbit fur (under<br />

a microscope) has tiny barbs that<br />

actually assist in knitting together<br />

when we start our hat forming<br />

process.<br />

WHO ARE THE FELT MAKERS AND HOW<br />

DID THEY LEARN THE ART OF<br />

FELT MAKING? ARE THEY DESIGNERS<br />

OR MILLINERS?<br />

The felt makers represent the 100<br />

staff working on our manufacturing<br />

floor. Employees are required to<br />

complete a four-year apprenticeship<br />

to become a felt hatter. Usually<br />

each felt hatter can complete<br />

with expertise four specialised tasks<br />

or processes. The apprenticeship<br />

process is internal to the business,<br />

with experienced tradesmen and<br />

women training new apprentices.<br />

As such the craft is handed down<br />

from generation to generation. The<br />

design of hats usually represents a<br />

team effort between the Managing<br />

Director and Operations Manager,<br />

along with input from the sales team.<br />

MAKING AN AKUBRA HAT IS A VERY<br />

TIME-INTENSIVE, HANDMADE PROCESS.<br />

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE HANDMADE<br />

ASPECT TO THE BRAND?<br />

It is critical – we see our<br />

manufacturing process as more<br />

like a craft. Each process and set<br />

of hands is crucial to producing a ><br />

Akubra S H I B U I 29


quality product. There are 162 steps<br />

in the process, each hat is handled<br />

200 times in manufacture and passes<br />

through 60 pairs of hands with each<br />

pair of hands acting as a quality<br />

check. Quality is paramount for us.<br />

IS THERE A STORY OR INSPIRATION<br />

BEHIND THE ORIGINAL DESIGN/SHAPE?<br />

I am not sure that there is an original<br />

design. We make more than 100<br />

different styles to suit all people and<br />

all markets. Certainly styling has<br />

changed over the 140 years we have<br />

been in business as consumer tastes<br />

change. Fortunately, we have the<br />

capability to move with the times.<br />

THERE’S BEEN FIVE GENERATIONS OF THE<br />

KEIR FAMILY BEHIND AKUBRA ... WHAT<br />

DOES TRADITION MEAN TO THE FAMILY?<br />

It is much the fabric of who we are.<br />

Through my father and grandfather,<br />

I learnt the important values of our<br />

business, as they learnt from their<br />

forefathers. Tradition and respect<br />

sit high in my personal values and I<br />

believe that business is much more<br />

than simply maximising profits.<br />

WHAT STARTED IN 1876 IS NOW AN<br />

INTEGRAL PART OF THE AUSTRALIAN<br />

IDENTITY. WHAT’S BEEN THE SECRET TO<br />

KEEPING THE BRAND AND PRODUCT<br />

ALIVE FOR OVER A CENTURY?<br />

I couldn’t tell you in a few sentences.<br />

There have been many highs<br />

and lows over the past 140 years.<br />

Through that time we have always<br />

endeavoured to stay true to our<br />

corporate values. The most important<br />

attributes for business success<br />

are honesty, fairness, quality and<br />

generosity. We always reflect back<br />

on these values. I think overall we<br />

have a great reputation with the<br />

various stakeholders in our business<br />

and again these values are about<br />

more than just profit. Having said that<br />

if you don’t have a great product<br />

and great people you are unlikely to<br />

survive long.<br />

CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE TRADITION<br />

OF STOMPING ON YOUR BRAND NEW<br />

AKUBRA?<br />

In one respect this tradition perplexes<br />

me. Why would people do this to a<br />

brand new hat? I expect they want<br />

30 S H I B U I Modern MAKER


to give it that worn-in look that you<br />

see from our core customer – the<br />

outback man and woman. Their<br />

beaten-up hats have their own<br />

personality and form part of their<br />

identity. Indeed, we are often asked<br />

to manufacture a worn looking hat, I<br />

guess a little like the jeans you see with<br />

holes in them today. Hats have had<br />

this trend for decades I would suggest.<br />

WHAT COMMUNITY (OR CULTURAL)<br />

CONNECTION DOES AKUBRA HAVE<br />

WITH THE AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK (OR<br />

INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES)?<br />

I guess our hats have become part of<br />

the fabric of the Australian outback.<br />

I would struggle to put my finger on<br />

how this evolved over time but we<br />

now see the term ‘iconic’ used when<br />

referring to our brand. Of course, it<br />

is something we are very proud of<br />

and work extremely hard to live up<br />

to and outback people are the most<br />

important supporters of our brand.<br />

Without them we could not remain<br />

‘Australian Made’.<br />

WHAT COUNTRY (OR CULTURE)<br />

OUTSIDE OF AUSTRALIA WEAR THE<br />

AKUBRA MOST?<br />

We have been exporting since the<br />

1960s. The USA was our largest market<br />

and during the time we sponsored<br />

Greg Norman, who happened to be<br />

the world’s #1 golfer, sales exploded<br />

so much so that we had to place<br />

all customers on quotas. We simply<br />

could not keep up with demand.<br />

Today we export all around the world<br />

with our largest markets being China<br />

and Tibet – seems there is a thirst<br />

for internationally made products in<br />

these countries.<br />

Akubra.com.au<br />

Instagram.com/akubraofficial<br />

Akubra S H I B U I 31


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EO-POP IS<br />

NEO-NOW<br />

curator BRISEIS ONFRAY DESIGNER Raphael Federici<br />

photoS contributed by Raphael Federici COUNTRy FRANCE<br />

destination designer<br />

SHARING HIS MESSAGE<br />

ON WALLS IN PARIS<br />

AND BEYOND, RAPHAEL<br />

REDERICI IS MAKING A<br />

COLOURFUL IMPRESSION<br />

WORLD-WIDE.<br />

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP, AND<br />

WHERE ARE YOU BASED NOW?<br />

I grew up in the South of France<br />

in a little provincial town called<br />

Aix-en-Provence. I left my home<br />

town for Paris, where I have lived<br />

for the past 10 years now. Since<br />

my departure, I have travelled a<br />

lot. Still, France will always be my<br />

favourite country to live in. ><br />

><br />

Raphael Federici S H I B U I 33


LEFT TO RIGHT French artist Raphael Federici;<br />

Wall art Ivry (94), Paris 2016; Street art in<br />

Raphael's home town Aix en Provence.<br />

PARIS IS STILL CONSIDERED ONE OF<br />

EUROPE’S MOST BEAUTIFUL CITIES AND<br />

IS THE EPICENTRE OF ONE OF THE<br />

FINEST ART CULTURES OF THE WORLD.<br />

WITH SUCH A RICH HISTORY TO FOLLOW,<br />

WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOUR NEO-POP,<br />

CONTEMPORARY STYLE THAT PARISIANS<br />

(AND TOURISTS) LOVE SO MUCH?<br />

Paris is so inspiring and I admire it<br />

daily. I am in love with its imposing<br />

cultural energy. I call my movement<br />

“Neo pop expressionism”, because<br />

I feed off childhood memories. I<br />

grew up with a language that was<br />

specific to my generation – American<br />

comics, blockbuster movies and<br />

very colourful videos games – but<br />

I also deeply admire the work of the<br />

Old Masters. I do not consider myself<br />

as a graffiti artist even though I much<br />

appreciate this form of art. My work is<br />

less harsh and more universal. I think<br />

that this is why some of my frescoes<br />

are so appreciated by tourists.<br />

YOU HAVE A UNIQUE YET INFLUENTIAL<br />

TALENT AS A VISUAL ARTIST. WHEN DID<br />

YOU KNOW THAT STREET ART WOULD<br />

BECOME YOUR CREATIVE PROFESSION?<br />

Street art is a unique and rapid<br />

way to share work. As I travel, I enjoy<br />

taking over walls that inspire me.<br />

They mark my journeys and are an<br />

indicator of the places I have been<br />

to. Through these walls, which are<br />

accessible to all, I want to share my<br />

message and why not make passersby<br />

smile as I do it?<br />

DID YOU ATTEND A DESIGN SCHOOL<br />

OR IS ILLUSTRATION A HOBBY THAT YOU<br />

MASTERED FROM CHILDHOOD? HOW<br />

DID YOU FIND YOUR STYLE?<br />

Both! When I was a kid, I relentlessly<br />

depicted fictional characters on<br />

every bit of paper I could find. I am<br />

literally obsessed with drawing and<br />

creating. I went to a design school<br />

and specialised in object design. But<br />

34 S H I B U I DESTINATION DESIGNER


somehow this pathway didn’t suit me.<br />

I wanted to be free of conventions<br />

and guidelines and let my characters<br />

escape into the city.<br />

WHEN AND WHERE WAS YOUR FIRST<br />

OUTDOOR ARTWORK, AND WHY?<br />

My first outdoor artwork was in a<br />

street in the South of France. I drew a<br />

character on the wall, just for fun.<br />

I was just a teenager at the time!<br />

My first ‘officially’ recognised outdoor<br />

piece was a collaboration with<br />

an artist named Combo, 6 years<br />

ago. He invited me to a street art<br />

‘session’ with him and I loved it. Now<br />

it’s more of an obsession. I feel the<br />

need to immerse the streets with<br />

my characters and share my vision of<br />

the world with as many as I can reach.<br />

I think that social media is a crucial<br />

tool when it comes to judging the<br />

impact of my work on its surroundings.<br />

If it is shared, commented on,<br />

hash-tagged … I can have an<br />

approximate idea of how other<br />

people interpret it and I am often<br />

surprised by the amount of foreigners<br />

who have picked up on it.<br />

AS ‘PUBLIC’ ART, WHAT MESSAGE<br />

OR ROLE DOES YOUR STREET ARTWORK<br />

REPRESENT TO THE COMMUNITY?<br />

The messages are many and various.<br />

But my work is often a reflection on<br />

how I perceive society. Sometimes it’s<br />

more of a criticism, sometimes it’s more<br />

of a positive message. I try not be<br />

too sanctimonious. I gave up trying to<br />

control the interpretations others<br />

give to my creations.<br />

I still believe that artists have a<br />

tremendous impact on civilisation<br />

today. They help us see things<br />

differently and raise questions to<br />

problems in ways we hadn’t thought<br />

of before. ><br />

Raphael Federici S H I B U I 35


36 S H I B U I DESTINATION DESIGNER<br />

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Matelot, 2014. MIxed media;<br />

Sketching in the studio in Paris; On location for a<br />

workshop.


“<br />

I CALL MY MOVEMENT “NEO-POP<br />

EXPRESSIONISM”, BECAUSE I FEED<br />

OFF CHILDHOOD MEMORIES.<br />

YOUR WORK IS TYPICALLY VIBRANT<br />

AND COLOURFUL. HOW DO YOU<br />

CHOOSE A WALL OR VENUE, AND<br />

WHAT INSPIRES EACH DESIGN?<br />

My travels have played a giant role<br />

in the colour palettes, subjects<br />

and themes I chose to expose. The<br />

graphic aspect is very important<br />

to me, but the environment is<br />

not always as essential, even if<br />

I love adapting my works to each<br />

environment and vice versa. I believe<br />

that our urban landscapes need to<br />

be constantly upgraded, the more<br />

ingeniously, the better! I mostly look<br />

for walls that are visible and easily<br />

noticeable. I want to bring a touch of<br />

colour to all the areas I find too grey.<br />

YOU HAVE BEEN PAINTING YOUR WAY<br />

AROUND THE WORLD SINCE 2012.<br />

WHAT WAS THE MOST INTERESTING<br />

PROJECT AND PLACE THAT YOU HAVE<br />

VISITED? AND WHAT WAS IT THAT YOU<br />

PAINTED AND WHY?<br />

My favourite place to paint was Rio, in<br />

the Favela Babylonia. It was a journey<br />

full of strong emotions and a bit of<br />

danger, but the contact with the<br />

locals and the country in general was<br />

very impressive. The trip to Brazil was<br />

an amazing experience.<br />

One of my biggest frescoes was<br />

in Cape Town. It was in front of a<br />

schoolyard and thousands of kids<br />

played around me every day as I<br />

painted. We also created a fresco<br />

all together. An epic and very<br />

emotional moment.<br />

WHAT IS THE LARGEST OR FAVOURITE<br />

PROJECT YOU HAVE CREATED, AND<br />

WHERE IS IT?<br />

My largest project was for the “Nuit<br />

Blanche” event in Paris. The Town<br />

Hall of the 3rd arrondissement of Paris<br />

gave me carte blanche, allowing me<br />

to do whatever I wanted in it.<br />

It was a huge challenge. It took me<br />

”<br />

over 3 months to prepare for it: a solo<br />

show with works on canvas, sculpture,<br />

an orchestra, light installations, goodies.<br />

Fortunately, it turned out great!<br />

DID YOU ALWAYS WANT TO TRAVEL<br />

OR DID YOUR TALENTS TAKE YOU<br />

AROUND THE WORLD?<br />

I never travelled much as a kid.<br />

My parents lived modestly and we<br />

couldn’t afford big journeys. As soon<br />

I was able to travel independently<br />

and for the purpose of my work, I<br />

vowed to never stop travelling and<br />

discovering new environments.<br />

WHERE DO YOU THINK STREET ART<br />

ORIGINATED FROM?<br />

The Lascaux caves, hieroglyphics,<br />

revolutionary mural paintings in<br />

Mexico … to me street art is a way of<br />

expression before being a movement.<br />

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE TRAVEL<br />

DESTINATION AND WHY?<br />

My favourite travel destination is Ibiza.<br />

I have friends there who showed me<br />

some of its many secrets and I have<br />

fallen in love with it.<br />

WHERE IN PARIS DO WE FIND YOUR<br />

BEST WORK?<br />

The 2nd district is my playground.<br />

WHAT’S IN THE SKETCHBOOK FOR 2018?<br />

Yes. In January 2018, I will go to<br />

Miami with two street artist friends.<br />

Our goal is to make a film of the<br />

entire adventure. The project will<br />

depend on the success of the<br />

crowd funding campaign we<br />

just started on Kiss Kiss<br />

Bank Bank. Our goal is to paint<br />

frescoes, meet other artists, visit<br />

galleries and document our<br />

discoveries and collaborations along<br />

the way. There is a Facebook page<br />

you can follow us on, with daily<br />

exclusives and cool bonuses for<br />

investors. Join us!<br />

raphaelfederici.com<br />

instagram.com/raphael_federici/<br />

youtube.com/user/RaphaelFed<br />

Raphael Federici S H I B U I 37


CULTURE CONNECTION<br />

CIRCLE<br />

OF<br />

LIFE<br />

curator KARINA EASTWAY<br />

INTERVIEW WITH Darrell Hartman<br />

(co-founder of Jungles in Paris, website editor)<br />

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED by JUNGLES IN PARIS<br />

COUNTRY USA<br />

38 S H I B U I culture connection


NEW YORK BASED BROTHERS DARRELL AND OLIVER HARTMAN<br />

EXPLORE THE WORLD’S MOST UNFAMILIAR PEOPLE, ENDANGERED<br />

CULTURES AND REMARKABLE PLACES THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY<br />

AND FILM.<br />

WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND WHERE<br />

ARE YOU BASED NOW?<br />

Born in Maine, now based in New<br />

York City.<br />

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT<br />

JUNGLES IN PARIS WHICH YOU CO-<br />

FOUNDED WITH YOUR BROTHER, OLIVER,<br />

IN 2013 – WHAT’S THE PURPOSE AND<br />

PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE PROJECT?<br />

We wanted to show people a layer of<br />

the world that is often overlooked. In<br />

academic terms, our focus is largely<br />

geography and anthropology. In<br />

more emotional terms, it’s things that<br />

feel authentic and rooted. We tell<br />

stories about longstanding cultural<br />

traditions, ways of living that are in ><br />

Story 1 Thick-skinned Beauty Omo Valley, Ethiopia. Photographer Drew Doggett<br />

jungles in paris S H I B U I 39


“<br />

WE WANTED<br />

TO SHOW PEOPLE<br />

A LAYER OF THE<br />

WORLD THAT<br />

IS OFTEN<br />

OVERLOOKED.<br />

DARRELL HARTMAN<br />

”<br />

40 S H I B U I culture connection


harmony with nature, remarkable<br />

wild places and animal species.<br />

My brother was running a<br />

commercial production company<br />

when we founded Jungles, and I was<br />

writing mostly for glossy magazines.<br />

We weren’t getting outdoors as much<br />

as we had when we were kids in<br />

Maine. On a more philosophical level<br />

I think we started to realise that a lot<br />

of modern values don’t really speak<br />

to us that much. So we wanted to<br />

direct more of our mental efforts, our<br />

attention, towards things that did. We<br />

really wanted to explore the sense<br />

of place, which is underrated in our<br />

hyper-connected global present.<br />

And having done a lot of work that<br />

was commercial and disposable,<br />

we wanted to show respect for the<br />

crafts of filmmaking, writing, and<br />

photography. So we emphasise<br />

quality over quantity – I think this goes<br />

against the grain of a lot of media<br />

these days, including independent<br />

and especially online media. But it’s<br />

the only way we could do Jungles<br />

and be happy with it.<br />

IT’S A QUIRKY NAME – WHAT’S THE<br />

STORY?<br />

We get asked this a lot! It speaks to<br />

the idea of a great, wild, untamed,<br />

unknown world – and having an<br />

encounter with this world within a<br />

curated context. It’s also a reference<br />

to the painter Henri Rousseau, and<br />

how he was able to create a sense of<br />

enchantment around foreign places,<br />

despite never having left France.<br />

THE AUTHENTICITY BEHIND YOUR<br />

STORYTELLING REALLY RESONATES<br />

THROUGH THE SCREEN: IS A FEELING<br />

OF REAL CONNECTION SOMETHING<br />

WE’VE LOST IN THE 21ST CENTURY?<br />

It’s nice to hear that! I do think that<br />

sense of disconnection is a symptom<br />

of 21st century existence. It’s not just<br />

that so much of our lives is mediated<br />

– if that were the beginning and end<br />

of it, then creating more media would<br />

definitely not be the solution! But I think<br />

our brains are spinning too fast for their<br />

own good, on a cultural level. The<br />

pace of change, the endless buffet<br />

of information and entertainment<br />

options, the assumption that there is<br />

an audience out there weighing in<br />

on every passing thing we see, hear,<br />

and feel – all these elements of digital<br />

life have fundamentally altered the<br />

way many of us exist on this planet.<br />

One of the most detrimental of these<br />

changes has been on our ability to<br />

concentrate, focus, enter the flow<br />

of the moment, whatever you want<br />

to call it. Meanwhile, global cultures<br />

are becoming more homogenous.<br />

All these traditions that might help<br />

us see our way out of this downward<br />

spiral are disappearing in a frenzy of<br />

development, Westernisation, and<br />

so on.<br />

><br />

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE Jungles in Paris founders, Darrell (right) and Oliver Hartman; Story 33 Bared Souls: Indian<br />

Sadhus Kumbh Mela, India. Photographer Pascal Mannaerts; Story 40 Holi Goes Big Vrindavan, India. Photographer<br />

Pascal Mannaerts; Story 76 Ethiopia’s Cattle-jumping Tribesman Omo Valley, Ethiopia. Photographer Claudia Ioan<br />

jungles in paris S H I B U I 41


CAN YOU TALK US THROUGH WHAT IT<br />

MEANS TO YOU TO RECORD SUBJECT<br />

MATTER THAT MAY SOON BE EXTINCT?<br />

DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE YOU’RE<br />

RUNNING OUT OF TIME?<br />

There is some sense of urgency. I feel<br />

like ecologically, we are running out of<br />

time as a species to make things right,<br />

to forestall catastrophe. And assuming<br />

things keep going the way they are –<br />

growth over sustainability, ‘capabilities’<br />

over wisdom, etc. – then this chapter<br />

of global civilisation will not end well.<br />

With regard to extinction, I don’t<br />

think I have as keen or as personal a<br />

sense of what it means as perhaps an<br />

anthropologist or a biologist would.<br />

Or, of course, as someone whose own<br />

culture is facing it.<br />

WHICH STORY HAS REALLY STRUCK<br />

A PERSONAL CHORD WITH YOU AND<br />

STUCK WITH YOU OVER THE YEARS?<br />

As editor I am involved in all the<br />

stories we publish, but to varying<br />

degrees. So when a story strikes a<br />

chord with me it’s often because I<br />

was more involved in its production<br />

– thinking about what to focus on<br />

and what the images might look<br />

like; meeting the people we filmed;<br />

worried about how it would end<br />

up, and so on. In this regard our<br />

short documentary about Vienna<br />

coffeehouses has stuck with me. I just<br />

love the fact that these places have<br />

stayed essentially the same over the<br />

years. They are living relics, windows<br />

into the past. They’re for conviviality<br />

or solitude. My impression is that<br />

the Viennese have associated the<br />

kaffeehaus with their daily routines<br />

more than other cultures have. And<br />

because these spaces are unfamiliar,<br />

(at least to a non-Austrian), they<br />

provoke us into thinking about how<br />

we might live our own lives differently.<br />

THE DOCUMENTARY-STYLE STORIES YOU<br />

TELL THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY AND<br />

FILM ARE ROOTED IN TRADITION YET<br />

HAVE A TIMELESS, ETHEREAL NATURE TO<br />

THEM. HOW IS THAT FEELING CREATED?<br />

The obvious answer is that we don’t<br />

have to force it – the subjects we<br />

choose are things that have endured<br />

for many years, often in the same<br />

place. I suppose we also try to tap<br />

42 S H I B U I culture connection


CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT Mongolia. Photographer<br />

Oliver Hartman; Story 9 Swimming Lizards Galápagos.<br />

Photographer Scott MacDonough; Story 4 A Most Disruptive<br />

Volcano Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland. Photographer Lane Coder;<br />

Story 4 A Most Disruptive Volcano Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland.<br />

Photographer Lane Coder<br />

into a slower rhythm. To an extent we<br />

reject the aesthetics of advertising<br />

and social media. I think it’s important<br />

to bring the values of art into the<br />

documenting process. Succeed at<br />

this and you make things feel more,<br />

well, everything: timeless, essential,<br />

beautiful, inspiring, worth saving, and<br />

so on.<br />

WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE NATURAL WORLD<br />

AND TRADITIONAL CULTURES WHICH<br />

INSPIRES YOU TO CURATE THEM?<br />

For me, nature is at the root of<br />

everything. And yet I struggle to be<br />

in communion with it. Cultures that<br />

interact more directly with nature<br />

help direct lost souls like me to the<br />

most important things in life. “Curate”<br />

is a funny term. It can suggest a kind<br />

of disinterest from deeper meaning,<br />

and a prioritisation of taste over<br />

the everything else. But maybe this<br />

is because my background is as a<br />

writer, not in visual arts. For me the<br />

process is more about researching<br />

and presenting, storytelling and<br />

editing. And I suppose there’s an<br />

educational element as well.<br />

HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT DECIDING<br />

ON YOUR SUBJECT MATTER?<br />

My brother and I keep a running list<br />

of interesting topics and things to<br />

look into. Of course we can’t afford<br />

to fly all over the world so we’re<br />

usually responding to opportunities<br />

to travel somewhere, to work<br />

with a filmmaker who’s headed<br />

somewhere, or to use images that a<br />

photographer already has in his/her<br />

portfolio. Commissioning the writing<br />

is always the last step. We need to<br />

have the visuals first.<br />

WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU MOST<br />

ABOUT THE JUNGLES IN PARIS<br />

PROJECT AND WHAT’S BEEN MOST<br />

REWARDING?<br />

The extent to which a part-time<br />

project has ended up shaping my<br />

life. When we started Jungles in 2013<br />

I saw it as an extension to my sense<br />

of self as a travel writer, one who likes<br />

old things but also likes some of the<br />

trendy stuff that’s out there today.<br />

I didn’t realise it would guide me<br />

down this rabbit hole of mythology,<br />

anthropology, slow living, Eastern<br />

religions, etc. – to think well beyond<br />

the present commercial and cultural<br />

context. I have to credit my brother<br />

with pushing me this direction too.<br />

WHAT’S YOUR OWN PERSONAL<br />

FAVOURITE TRAVEL DESTINATION?<br />

I love mountains. The best trip I’ve<br />

taken was a five-day trek up a<br />

protected Himalayan valley in Nepal.<br />

TOP TIP FOR VISITING NEW YORK?<br />

Ask a local for directions! The New<br />

Yorker’s reputation for rudeness is<br />

overstated.<br />

junglesinparis.com<br />

Instagram.com/junglesinparis<br />

jungles in paris S H I B U I 43


DIRECTORY<br />

JOIN THE<br />

<strong>SHIBUI</strong><br />

TRIBE<br />

WE CAN’T BE EVERYWHERE, SO WE ARE CALLING ON LIKE-MINDED<br />

CULTURE-VULTURES AND WANDERERS TO JOIN OUR TRIBE. IF YOU KNOW<br />

OF ANY <strong>SHIBUI</strong>-WORTHY ARTISANS, OR FANCY YOURSELF A <strong>SHIBUI</strong><br />

ROAMER, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!<br />

PLEASE EMAIL HELLO@<strong>SHIBUI</strong>ANDCO.COM<br />

WHAT IS A <strong>SHIBUI</strong> MAKER?<br />

Their handcrafted objects follow a<br />

cultural tradition. They master a treasured,<br />

hand-made and unique craft in the<br />

contemporary world.<br />

ROLE They have a passionate interest in<br />

sharing their culture and story with <strong>SHIBUI</strong><br />

& Co, so that we can help support and<br />

connect them with travellers around the<br />

world.<br />

OUTCOME We will feature their story,<br />

culture and craft in our online publication<br />

<strong>SHIBUI</strong> <strong>Issue</strong>.<br />

AFRICA<br />

WHAT IS A <strong>SHIBUI</strong> ROAMER?<br />

For those who travel to uncover and<br />

discover the soul of a place. You wander<br />

the earth lightly; yet delve deep to know her<br />

people and their ways.<br />

ROLE If you stumble upon an interesting<br />

artisan or traditional craftsperson as you<br />

roam, take their details and let us know.<br />

OUTCOME It is only the beginning of the<br />

<strong>SHIBUI</strong> journey, but we will support you by<br />

sharing your posts and adding your profile<br />

to our website.<br />

DIRECTORY<br />

(REFER TO OUR WEBSITE DIRECTORY FOR MORE <strong>SHIBUI</strong> MAKERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE)<br />

Ross Symons – White On Rice<br />

Cape Town, South Africa<br />

ross@white-onrice.com<br />

white-onrice.com<br />

instagram/white_onrice<br />

AUSTRALIA<br />

Stephen Keir – Akubra<br />

South Kempsey, New South Wales<br />

+61 2 6562 6177<br />

akubra.com.au<br />

instagram/akubraofficial<br />

EUROPE<br />

Raphael Federici – Paris Sketch Culture<br />

Paris, France<br />

+33 174 305958<br />

contact@parissketchculture.com<br />

raphaelfederici.com<br />

instagram.com/raphael_federici<br />

Andreas Söderlund – Emanuel Design<br />

Bergen, Norway<br />

southgrovecrafts@gmail.com<br />

southgrovecrafts.com<br />

instagram.com/aesoderlund<br />

USA<br />

Nicole Smoot – The Adventures of Lil Nicki<br />

Eagle River, Alaska<br />

adventuresoflilnicki@gmail.com<br />

adventuresoflilnicki.com<br />

instagram.com/adventuresoflilnicki<br />

Darrell Hartman – Jungles in Paris<br />

New York City, New York<br />

info@junglesinparis.com<br />

junglesinparis.com<br />

instagram.com/junglesinparis<br />

FIND YOUR S H I B U I 45


GET LOST *<br />

FOLLOW US<br />

* in a metaphorical, wanderlust kinda way @shibuiandco<br />

PHOTO NEW ZEALAND BY KARINA EASTWAY<br />

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