ROUGH IT UP! Issue
Welcome to THE NEW KALTBLUT. We are proud to introduce you to our brand new print issue: ROUGH IT UP! 120 Pages featuring artists like Peaches, Ebony Bones, Esther Perbandt, Jeff Miles, Ari Versluis, Sui Zhen, Paul Waak, Archi Fitzgerald, Prodomos Emmanouilids, Petros Koublis. Plus fashion editorials, interviews, new rubrics, essay and more. Special thanks to Ana Alcazar for the support!
Welcome to THE NEW KALTBLUT. We are proud to introduce you to our brand new print issue: ROUGH IT UP! 120 Pages featuring artists like Peaches, Ebony Bones, Esther Perbandt, Jeff Miles, Ari Versluis, Sui Zhen, Paul Waak, Archi Fitzgerald, Prodomos Emmanouilids, Petros Koublis. Plus fashion editorials, interviews, new rubrics, essay and more. Special thanks to Ana Alcazar for the support!
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Peaches
Esther Perbandt
Ebony Bones
Ari Versluis
Jeff Mills
Team
Editor-in-Chief
Fashion Editor
Marcel Schlutt
mschlutt@kaltblut-magazine.de
Art Director
Art Editor
Nicolas Simoneau
nsimoneau@kaltblut-magazine.de
Art Editors
Amanda M. Jansson
ajansson@kaltblut-magazine.de
Emma E.K. Jones
ejones@kaltblut-magazine.de
Music Editor
Nicola Phillips
nphillips@kaltblut-magazine.de
Movie Editor
Friedericke Suckert
fsuckert@kaltblut-magazine.de
Fashion Woman Editor
Fashion Assistant
Anita Krizanovic
akrizanovic@kaltblut-magazine.de
Nico Sutor
nsutor@kaltblut-magazine.de
Welcome to THE NEW KALTBLUT.
Photo by Suzanna Holtgrave
Fashion Uk Editor
Karl Slater
kslater@kaltblut-magazine.de
I just can’t believe it has already been 3 years since we published
our very first print issue. Time is flying. And I love it. This issue is
dedicated to all our friends, artists and family who have supported us
all this time.
Editor Netherlands
www.kaltblut-magazine.com
Michelle Hèlena Janssen
mjanssen@kaltblut-magazine.de
Proof reading and editing by Nicola Phillips and
Amanda M.Jansson.
Marianne Jacquet, Suzanna Holtgrave, Bernhard Musil
Peaches, Photography by Suzana Holtgrave,
Postproduction by Suzana Holtgrave & Florian Hetz
- florian.hetz@me.com -
KALTBLUT Magazine is published by KALTBLUT Media UG,
Nicolas Simoneau & Marcel Schlutt
KALTBLUT MAGAZINE I Linienstraße 13 I 10178 Berlin I Germany
We are still growing up. It´s still a big adventure for us. I have the
feeling that right now we are leaving our teenager years and are turning
to adults. We lost some weight .. like we say in Germany .. The „Baby
Speck“ is gone. And we’ve had a little face lift. I and my team, we hope
you will like THE NEW KALTBLUT. And I wanna invite you to be
one of the first ones to see how we grow up.
We met some amazing artist for this issue. Interviews with icons like
Peaches and Esther Perbandt, and our newcomers, like the one and
only Ebony Bones, are making this issue very special to us. So, I really
hope you guys will love it like we do.
A personal note: The world is getting tougher, the world is becoming
more intolerant.
What is wrong with you world? What is wrong with you humans?
Why all this anger, hate and intolerance? Millions of people running
away from war and danger. Freaks are ruling the world. Humans!!
WAKE UP! This is not the world I wanna live in. This is not the
behavior of humans. It is time for a revolution of humanity. Let´s
ROUGH IT UP and lets fight together against all this shit in the
world. Let´s make the world a better place. For us, for our children
and for the future of humanity.
I also wanna thank Munich based fashion label ANA ALCAZAR.
For believing in our vision. For the trust in our work. You are some
real KALTBLÜTER. You are part of our family. Also a big thanks
to Nicolas Simoneau without you - I and the magazine would be
nothing. You make my heart smile. You never judge me and our work.
I love you for this. Thank you!
And now… enjoy our brand new issue.
Marcel Schlutt
C o n t e n t
8. Troy Roy 46. Ari Versluis 76.
Art interview
Fashion interview
Esther Perbandt
14.
Früher, Jetze & Morgen
The now and future of Berlin menswear
Fashion Editorial
24.
Introducing feature - Sui Zhen
Music Interview
26.
IN DREAMS | Uninterpreted
Dreams and other Divinations
Art Interview
52.
Rubric
55.
Rubric
56.
Fashion Editorial
Voyage Voyage
Things that makes
you go mmmmmmm
62.
Lux DeLuxe
Peaches
84.
Art Interview
90.
Fashion Editorial
100.
Prodromos Emmanouilids
104.
Music Interview
108.
Ebony Bones
Archie Fitzgerald
Some like it Hot
Art Interview
Jeff Mills
A photographic series
Interview
32.
It‘s safe to say you
dig the backseat
Fashion Editorial
40.
Meet me at the
C a t w a l k
Rubric
42.
Art
Paul Waak
68.
Rubric
70.
Fashion Editorial
75.
Essay
Bedtime Stories
A Tough Guy
Refugee in Film:
a short overview
Music Interview
112.
Rubric
114.
Beauty Editorial
118.
The End
More Sneakers
Than a Plumber‘s Got Pliers
Bijlmer Beauty
Enditorial
sorry
Interview with
Glitch Artist -
Troy Roy
8Interview by Nicolas Simoneau
How did you came to Glitch art?
I probably started around two years ago. I just read about
Glitch art on the internet somewhere and it seemed to
be really easy to start with. I didn’t even know about any
Facebook groups. These came like one year after I started,
so I didn’t share anything until then.
Do you have a feeling that Glitch art has become more visible
and a little more mainstream during the past 2 to 3 years?
Oh yes, definitely yes. And I think one of the reasons is that
people started to make apps for it, like really
easy apps. So it was really easy for people to
use, and also they could make art really quickly.
super_official
Glitch art becoming more mainstream, do you
think it’s a way to go against all this Photoshop
retouch- perfection we see so often at the
moment?
Yes I think it’s definitely a sort of reaction. With
Photoshop and retouching everything to make it
perfect, so precise, it was like a sort of protest in
a way. Even public figures you can deconstruct
in that way really easily, you know? I don’t
really like the Glitch apps anyway, it’s so easy
to create without them, and everything ends
up looking so similar. It’s almost lost it’s initial
purpose in the way.
The glitching you mean?
Yes.
Exactly! I also noticed that Glitch art started
to get a certain aesthetic which doesn’t make
any sense when you think about the fact that
it’s about creating something by the art of
destroying it. Lately you’re seeing beautiful
pictures, it doesn’t make sense.
Exactly, and right now you can pretty much see
what people did to the pictures. A lot of images
looks the same, not all of it does, but it looks
very similar. People doing the same thing, trying
to give it a certain look, it’s almost turning into a
Photoshop filter!
What’s the deal with the Roman statue thing?
It’s everywhere right now!
I actually used to use that a lot! The whole
internet sort of, vaporwave culture, it somehow
bled over into Glitch art and blended together.
But now the statues are used constantly.
I_Cant_Feel_My_Face
Which I’m not going to complain about it, I do
find it really beautiful, but lately, it’s just being
overdone. I’m have a feeling of saturation.
I get the thing about taking some classical art
work and bringing it to a modern sense, but this
is pretty overdone now. I think it’s because this
art is beautiful and those statue pictures are
beautiful, and so you can take beautiful photos
and glitch it in a beautiful art piece.
Your work is more landscape based, and I’ll
almost want to say, still life.
Definitely. I try to create giant installation pieces
that in the real world are almost impossible to
do
Like these giant skulls and sneakers?
Exactly, stuff like that.
What’s your process when you work on this
landscape? If I look at some Glitch images it’s
easy for me to find how did this person started
and with which images, but in your case I find it
difficult to find what comes first.
Usually what I do is to find a landscape that I
like. From there I’ll create 3D models, and I’ll
glitch them, I’ll destroy them. I always have an
idea about how I want it to look like, but it never
really completely turns out like that.
Of course, that’s the thing about the Glitch art,
right? That you actually can’t have exactly what
you want. You can’t really control.
Im_Sorry_About_Your_Home_I’ll_Pay_For_The_Damages
Yes. I mean you can to a certain
extent, let’s say, like with the 3D
stuff, I create and then I text edit a
lot. And then I sit there and find out
which part of the code corresponds
to which part of the 3D object. But
it takes forever going through all
of that code and figure out what is
does, so you can control a little bit.
I always go for something that’s a
little bit creepy I guess, and seems
kind of lonely or isolated and then
go from there really. But I’m always
working on like 4, 5 different pieces
at once, depending on how I’m
feeling that day..
How long do you work on one piece
before to have it really done?
Four or five hours usually.
Sometimes it’s only 30 minutes
thought!
10
Do you also do some music and
video Glitch?
I used to do music a lot more a
couple of years ago. I also did videos
but I never really posted them.
Are the types of media related at all?
Sort of. There is this guy I know
who Glitches his pictures and then
puts audio with it. I don’t really do
it that way. What I would do is I will
use a synthesizer and bring it into
say, GarageBand and then having
this mp3 file I would Glitch that and
bring it back into GarageBand and
cut it up from there. It’s not really
Glitching, it’s just using a sample I
guess.
It’s really hard nowadays to define
what’s Glitch and what’s not,
sometimes because of the usage
of apps or layers. What is your
definition of Glitch?
Well there is Glitch art where people
will figure out with Photoshop using
filters how to get an image that
looks like Glitch, and then there’s
apps. I guess pretty recently it’s
been called a Glitch aesthetic.
There is always this argument in
the community with what’s Glitch
and what’s not, I just feel like if it’s
actually Glitch, it’s Glitch art and if
it’s just got the Glitch aesthetic then
it’s something else. But they still
belong in the same category. Yes,
it’s just that the process is different.
One of them is like basically what
Glitch art was originally rejecting, is
doing exactly that to look like Glitch
art.
The whole point of Glitch is that you
100% don’t know what you’re going
to get. I mean it took me ages to
make my first Glitch images: I open
it in the text files, and add stuff and
then delete stuff, but at first when I
saved it, it was just black images. It
took me a lot of time to understand
that maybe I’ve add too much or
glitch
[glich] Slang.
Examples
Word Origin
noun
1.
a defect or malfunction in a machine
or plan.
2.
Computers. any error, malfunction,
or problem.
Compare bug1(def 5).
3.
a brief or sudden interruption
or surge in voltage in an electric
circuit.
verb (used with object)
4.
to cause a glitch in:
an accident that glitched our
plans.
Origin of glitch
German
1960-1965
1960-65; perhaps < Yiddish glitsh
slippery area; compare glitshn,
German glitschen to slip, slide
We’re_All_Dead_Anyway
deleted too much information,
so I did again until finally the
result looked like something
which was not a black picture.
So I have the feeling that
to really control the effect
you’re putting in a picture is
almost quite impossible. I
think that’s exactly one of the
answers between Glitch art and
aesthetic, even if you really
know what you’re doing with
Glitching, you’ll always have
this thought of, “Well, I still
don’t know what it’s going to
look like at the end!”
Yeah, and that’s my favourite
part of it! You can’t completely
take the randomness out of
it, you know? You don’t have
complete control over it.
Nothing_And_Nothing
The_Soft_Middle
deathlies
Exactly. You are a contributor
of the Glitch Artist Collective.
How did this happen?
I just searched for a Facebook
group and I remember when
I found them it was just 5
thousand people following
the page, and now it’s like 25
thousand! The group has a lot
more direction now though.
FOREST_HORRORS
Do you produce a lot of pieces
for the group?
I used to produce a lot more.
I use to do photo collage and
then when I started proper
Glitch I will do 5 to 10 of those
in an hour, Iike Glitch a photo.
But it takes me much more
time also because i’m doing
3D stuff and also composition
rather than just Glitching an
image.
We can really see the evolution
in your work. If we look at the
first work it’s more like images
Glitched, as you just said,
then we can we can see the
introduction of 3D elements in
the composition. The programs
you use, did it take a lot of time
to learn how to use them?
Yes totally. I never have any
formal training with all of these
programs. I mean my mum is
a Graphic Designer so I’ll do
a bit of Photoshop, but like
for Cinema 4D and Blender
12
it was reading tutorials on
the internet and just trying to
figure it how do it.
What’s your main inspiration
for these composition?
Mostly I really like horror
movies, like Dario Argento. His
cinematography is incredible
and i think quite a lot of my
work in inspired by that, the
FreshlySqueezed
Hit_Em_Up
The_Soft_Middle
Dead_At_5_O’clock
the_chrysalis
colours as well. He uses these
super bright colours and pastels.
He creates scenes that look
sort of creepy or suspicious, like
you don’t know what’s going to
happen.
What’s next?
I want to get onto 3D printing, or
making more videos which aren’t
completely Glitched but only
partially. Or introduce some sort
of Glitch character, which you
could do with CGI pretty easily. I
mean, everything becomes more
and more mainstream, until
something else happens.
More glitch can be seen at
www.purehoney.glitchartistscollective.com
5_Shots_couldnt_Drop_Me
whatever_in_creation_that_exists_without_my_knowledge_exists_without_my_consent
Früher, Jetze & Morgen
The now and future of Berlin menswear
14
Leggins: Vektor I Vest: Vladimir Karaleev I Coat: Nico Sutor I Shoes: Vladimir Karaleev
Top: Maximilian Kattwinkel
Jacket: Sarah Effenberger
Trousers: Kai Gerhardt
Leather-Cape: Nobi Talai
Necklace: Vladimir Karaleev
Shirt: Mads Dinesen
Coat: Mads Dinesen
Vest: Sarah Effenberger
Trousers: Mads Dinesen
Hat: Mads Dinesen
Harness: Mads Dinesen
Shoes: Velt
18
Vest: Vladimir Karaleev
Coat black: Nico Sutor
Coat mustard: Sean Neubauer
Glasses: Maximilian Kattwinkel
Slipover: Sarah Effenberger
Shirt: Sarah Effenberger
Jacket: Sarah Effenberger
Coat: Vektor
Trousers: Vektor
Shorts: Sarah Effenberger
Shoes: Velt
20
Shirt: Sissi Goetze
Overall: Esther Perbandt
Vest: Maximilian Kattwinkel
Scarf: Kai Gerhardt
Shirt: Brachmann
Trousers grey: Brachmann
Trousers striped: Maison Mason
Skirt: Nobi Talai
Pullover: Sarah Effenberger
Harness: Mads Dinesen
Hat: Esther Perbandt
22
INTERVIEW
Introducing feature - Sui Zhen
Interview by Nicola Phillips Photography by Phebe Schmidt
Emerging from the depths of Melbourne’s electronica scene, Becky Freeman, known predominantly as Sui Zhen, is
a fine addition to the uprising cluster of multimedia artists, with an aesthetic that would make any heavy Tumblr user
foam at the mouth. Inspired by Japanese contemporary design, ASMR videos, and with her digital doppelgänger,
Susan, at the helm, Sui Zhen invites us into the milky-chrome corner of her surreal world with new album, Secretly
Susan. By distorting the line between reality and fiction, Sui speaks of delving into the “digital ocean” and just how
Susan found her. Because everything you read online is true, right?
A lot more artists have been making an impression
from Melbourne lately, why do you think this is?
I think it’s largely to do with the strong and supportive
community. People feel that they can pursue music for
themselves and create their own sound. Most of my
musician friends have a few different projects going on
at the same time, and little scenes are nurtured with
shared band members and collaborators making video
or designing artwork for releases and events. People help
each other out. The scene is not hidden or underground,
it’s very present in daily life.
I think it’s really encouraging to see your peers doing well
and working hard at all aspects of their music career, it’s
infectious and flows through the community. At the helm
is the radio station Triple R. It allows new music to get
airplay and reach larger audiences, so bands have a chance
at growing their fanbase. Despite all the arts funding that
has been cut recently by the Abbott Government, the
community is still making and producing quality music.
I have pride in Melbourne’s scene.
Do you find that being a female music producer leaves
you at a disadvantage in the music industry today?
I don’t consider myself any different to any other
musician or producer because I’m female. I think
that sexism and racism are still very present in society
today and those attitudes filter into the music industry.
Personally, I demand the same respect I would from
anyone, regardless of gender, I guess that is my
response to discussions around discrimination
within the music industry.
Are any of these issues reflected in your
music/lyrics?
The meaning of my lyrics may evolve over
time, as I have new experiences. And I hope
that listeners will find their owning meaning
and interpret them to be relevant to their own
experiences also.
“I think music should always
do the talking.
But
sometimes
visuals work
so beautifully
alongside
music, it makes
sense to create a whole
world for some songs.”
What was your approach when you began writing
Secretly Susan? What was your process?
I took different approaches depending on the
24
instrumentation I wanted to use. Probably five or so
songs were written on guitar and the other half were
started with a drum machine, so the guitar ones I’d
usually have a strong melody and some words in mind
to begin with. The drum machine songs are move groove
based.
I wanted to write songs that I would be happy singing for
a long time, they generally begin as personal expressions
and grow into songs that I hope others will find a
connection with. Writing the song is the easy bit, it can
take just an hour or a few. The rest of the time is spent
refining the instrumentation and arrangements.
Is Susan an
alter ego of yours?
How did you find her?
I found Susan in the digital ocean. She is
meta-data manifested into a representation of a person,
someone’s digital doppelgänger. If you took all the things you
see online about someone to be real, than that person might be Susan. Susan
and I probably share a few attributes. She enjoys the sensation of gently touching ferns, and
having nice clean socks. She takes comfort in banality and procedural pleasures. I was also greatly
influenced by ASMR videos.
Your visual style in your imagery and videos is very clean cut, like a Photoshop dream! Is
graphic design something you’re interested in? Who are your favourite designers/artists?
Yes! I have been studying a post-graduate course
in design for a couple of years now. I’m doing
it part-time in and amongst work and music.
But it is a great passion and something I wish to
pursue into academia alongside my music career.
I’m particularly inspired by Japanese aesthetics
and design approaches. Some favourites are Ikko
Tanaka, Shigeo Fukuda, Yukimasa Okumura,
Koichi Sato… The Tokyo ADC (Art Directors
Club) Annuals are a great resource if you’re curious
about Japanese contemporary design. There are
so many amazing artists within the history of
graphic design it’s a like opening a can of worms
once you start looking in the right places. Some
artists I am inspired by are Chris Johansen, David
Shrigley, Marcel Dzama… and then photographic
performance artists, Cindy Sherman, Sophie Calle,
Ming Wong… ah! I could go on and on. Don’t get
me started on film.
With such impressive visuals alongside
your music, do you find yourself as a
multimedia artist rather than just a
music producer?
Yes, I think I do consider myself
as a multimedia producer
alongside being a musician.
I also work as a producer
within the tech industry
creating digital tools to
help engage audiences
in galleries, museums
and cultural sites. But in
terms of creative output,
I mostly try to channel
that through my music
projects. I’ve made
videos for others
but time
is an issue. I need to choose carefully what I do and
it makes most sense right now to focus my video/
design skills into Sui Zhen stuff.
Do you think it’s important to have something
visual alongside audio? Or should the music just
do the talking sometimes?
I think music should always do the talking. But
sometimes visuals work so beautifully alongside
music, it makes sense to create a whole world for
some songs. It really depends what the goal is. I’m
a songwriter at the core, so I focus on creating
music that stands on it’s own, but then again I love
film and music gives me the opportunity to play a
bit in that world.
What have been some of your most influential
producers?
Now, I’d say Haroumi Hosono, Yasuaki Shimizu
(responsible for Mariah Shinzo
No Tobira) and Robin
Millar (“the man
behind Sade”).
Like design,
Japanese
producers
during
the 80s
around
the
time
when a
“Susan and
I probably
share a few
attributes. She enjoys the
sensation of gently touching
ferns, and having
nice clean
socks. She takes comfort
in banality and
procedural pleasures.”
lot of great Roland analog gear was being made was
a super interesting time for production in Japanese
electronic pop music. When I was younger I would
buy soundtracks for documentaries about Africa
before getting into 90s grunge and dance music
in a big way. I took a lot of influence from The
Cranberries, Sugar Cubes, Smashing Pumpkins
and Ace of Base when I was a teen.
Did you start producing music at an early
age? What type music was “in” when you were
growing up? Did you take any part in the music
scene at the time?
I started learning to read and play music at
around eight years old. My first instrument was
the trumpet and I played in the jazz band and
orchestra. I was also in the school vocal ensembles
and choirs. I picked up guitar around fourteen
heavily influenced by my older brother’s grunge
rock band Whirling Pit. I played my first gig as
soon as I was old enough to enter a pub at eighteen
supporting one of my brother’s bands. I played just
acoustic guitar, and most likely strummed terribly
angsty teenage songs. I was active in the folk, poprock
scene in Sydney through my early twenties
before really discovering and defining my own style
which came with time and practice. But also with
collecting records and starting to DJ after several
trips to Japan. The bands that I considered “in”
when I was growing up were Regurgitator (great
90s Australian band!), Beastie Boys, Smashing
Pumpkins, Chemical Brothers, PJ Harvey… We
watched a late night music video show called
RAGE (which still exists!) to discover new cool
bands, and we’d have to tape them to VHS to
make cool video playlists. This is before YouTube.
I’d also tape stuff off the radio to make mixtapes.
What would be a dream collaborative project for
you? Co-producer, music, artist, photographer,
etc.
I would love to work with Sean Nicholas Savage
and write a duet album. I don’t know how our
voices would sound together but he’s such an
amazing songwriter, and prolific too. An unsung
hero of this generation. There are so many Japanese
producers I’d love to work with. I’ve never heard
a live drum sound quite like Shintaro Sakamoto
achieves and I would love to learn how he does it.
In terms of video and photo I would absolutely
love to work with artist Charlie White. His work
influenced my music videos for Secretly Susan.
How would you describe your music in three
words?
Just ask Susan.
The most influential piece of art you’ve heard/
seen?
Something I still have a visceral memory of was
Ryoji Ikea’s Test Pattern. I experienced that in
Tokyo last year. And prior to that I’d say Teshima
Art Museum near Naoshima in the Seto Sea,
Japan. It was the biggest emotional impact
architecture has ever had on me. And it brought
tears to my eyes. Don’t Google it, if you haven’t
been just go.
The last song you listened to?
I just had rehearsal with NO ZU so the last song I
listened to was live Ui Yia Uia: https://soundcloud.
com/chaptermusic/no-zu-ui-yia-uia
Secretly Susan is out now on Remote Control Records.
How far is Athens from Berlin, Garissa from Paris or Palmyra from Baltimore?
There is a negative situation that today’s societies avoid to realize, projecting it
only as an unfortunate exception of a decadent periphery. The pressure applied
on social classes, regions, countries or whole continents, doesn’t threat the
alleged ideals of our world, it only proves them to be false. If it was reason that
gave birth to these ideals, then reason is wrong. If logic was invoked in what
divides us today, then logic is invalid. If rationality is the authority that handles
our reality, then rationality is incorrect.
It is not a passive denial but a conscious rejection.
IN DREAMS | Uninterpreted
Dreams and other Divinations
- A photographic series
By Petros Koublis
Hardly through these watery
spheres shall we perceive, with
sighs, our ancestral heaven; at
intervals even we shall cease
altogether to behold it.
By this disastrous sentence direct
vision is denied to us; we can see
only by the aid of the outer light;
these are but holes that we possess,
not eyes.
Orphic fragment from the
Hermetic Corpus 2nd century AD
A Mythology of the Unseen
The human spirit perpetually unfolds like a wavy veil, frail but confident,
with a fragile but tenacious persistence in its sinuous movement. For every
new part which is revealed through this curvy progression, another one
becomes hidden, partially distorted and eventually forgotten, unreachable,
such as the foregone realities of our origin. For, in this case, our awareness
is not subject only to a rational and precious knowledge built upon
the foundations of reasoning, but also a matter of how accurately and
intimately we perceive the ancestral parts of the human experience, these
fundamental fragments that are getting covered by the veil, the links of the
past that hold together the chain of our spirit’s evolution.
For even reason itself unfolded gradually. It first tried to methodically express
everything through unified theories that were including both rational
conclusions about the physical world and philosophical assumptions about
the intelligible one as well. These unified theories were attempting an
ambitious balance between a mere scientific thought and the metaphysical
ideas which dominated the world during the ancient times, resulting both
in what became the foundation of modern science but also in a complicated
corpus of mystical allegories and obscured interpretations over the
human experience.
There are limits to our perception, therefore we are not able to fully perceive
what is essentially mind-independent, free of form, shape and definition.
We are bound to keep addressing a mental version of reality, limited
28
within the confines of our understanding. Through Mythology the human
spirit could philosophically approach those remote areas of a system much
bigger than what we are able to perceive. As if through Myths, our spirit is
able to overcome the boundaries of the mind and expose our intuition to a
much greater reality, letting us lift the veil for a moment and feel what lies
underneath. These primordial narratives are not attempting an interpretation
of the unknown, but they offer an accumulation of the human
experience, they talk about the history of the Psyche or, as Freud described
it, the distorted vestiges of the wish-fantasies of whole nations, the age-long
dreams of young humanity. Then, in the form of a lucid dream, they reveal
the archetypes that connect us with the most distant areas of our spirit,
where the seeds of our evolution were first planted into the fertile soil of
imagination.
Everything seems to have emerged from the realms of a dream, a parallel
universe in space and time without any observers but our own intuition.
A world without observers is a world without definitions and therefore
things are defined not by the way they appear but by the way they are.
Infinite and incomprehensible to our senses. This is where every new idea
arises from, within this vast realm of possibilities, so that everything is
interpreted and experienced in a new way every time we manage to push
the boundaries of our understanding a bit further. Myths continue to echo
a signal sent from the very first pulse of humanity, like a dream hanging
between the oblivion of a distant past and the revelation of a secret future,
in a world that breathes life into a new reality every time we look at it.
Because we were given the ability to dream beyond our vision.
Keep up with Petros’s work at
www.petroskoublis.com
32
It’
Safe To Say
s Backseat
Dig The
You Dig The
Photography: Marc Huth
Production & Styling: Anita Krizanovic
Model: Sandra S @ M4 Models
Hair & Make Up: Kati Mertsch
Hair & Make Up Assistant: Reeve Baker
Photo Assistant: Nico Ernst
Photo Assistant: Yannie Pöpperling
Top: commeonveut available at ecole Boutique
Earrings: Stilnest
Hat: Tiger of Sweden
Panty: Tres Bonjour
Vest: Tiger of Sweden
Tights: Falke
34
Tights: Falke
Top: Riani
Skirt: Riani
Vest: minimum
Hat: Stylists Own
Earrings: lolaandgrace
Ring: Sabrina Dehoff
Dress: Antonia Goy
Jacket: Stine Goya
Panty: Tres Bonjour
Tights: Falke
Stockings & Necklace: DSTM
Shoes: Kennel & Schmenger
Top: Augustin Teboul
Leggins: Augustin Teboul
Jacket: Tiger Of Sweden
Braclets: Coccinelle
Eaarings: lolaandgrace
Shoes: Hien Le
36
Skirt: Riani
Body: minimum
Jacket: Kling
Stola: Annie P
Necklace: Éecole Boutique
38Necklace: lolaandgrace
Tights customized as a Top: Falke
Jacket: Marina Hörmanseder
Tights: Falke
Sunglasses: Chloé
Earrings: Sabrina Dehoff
Meet me at the
For the past
few years,
KALTBLUT has
been invited to
take the front
row seat during
some of the
most famous
and inspiring
catwalks from
around the
world. We
have traveled
from Fashion
Philosophy
FashionWeek
Poland in
Lodz to
London, Paris,
ModaLisboa in
Portugal, Milan
and New York
and Berlin.
Here are some
of our favourite
looks from the
runway for the
Fall/Winter
season 2015-
16. Selected by
Marcel Schlutt
and Anita
Krizanovic
Alexander
Wang
David
Catalan
J.W.
Anderson
GUCCI
40Givenchy
Haider
Ackermann
ca
COMME
des GARÇONS
Luis
Carvalho
KTZ
Patrick
De Padua
Vivienne
Westwood
Sopopular
twalk
PAUL
SPOT ON
WA
AK
Paul Waak is a Berlin-based illustrator, and graduated from the well renowned
Universität der Künste (UdK) in 2014.
Paul’s creations are bizarre and dark-sided, not really children-friendly. He
isn’t in denial about the complexity and diversity of our reality and wants to
show us the counterpart of our perfect beauty, perfect body saturated world.
Dark tones, deformed bodies, these alternative humanoids are not what we
would want to see on a daily basis, nevertheless they are important to our
maturing, awareness and open-mindness.
“VERTEX MAXIMUS”, his upcoming book, is a constructed like a children’s
ABC-book. Each letter represent a word, and each word illustrated by a dark
humor comic book style story composition, directly out of Paul’s unique and
42
twisted mind. Do not miss it!
Keep up with Paul’s work at
www.paulwaak.de
INTERVIEW
46
ARI
VERSLUIS
Interview by Michelle Hèlena Janssen
Always when I encounter Ari it is as though he pierces through a person’s very existence
just by looking at them. Simply by seeing their clothing, or behaviour. How they talk or
walk. He’s always watching. The Rotterdam based photographer is famous for his work on
Exactitudes, documenting the “codes” of different groups. For 20 years he’s been recording
individuals as they are and therefore creating an anthropological record of humanity. He
knows all about subcultures, and their history. We talked about youth culture, Berlin,
punk and a new generation of refugees.
At first I wanted to talk about Exactitudes, but
you’re involved in so much more than that.
Like Encounters, what’s that about?
Encounters is another concept series which
depicts makeshift studio interventions which
changes perspective and widens the lens for a
broader chronology next to Exactitudes.
It has to do with the fact that I see a lot of people
who are worth portraying because I think it’s
of general historical interest to do so, but not
with the perspective of Exactitudes. Exactitudes is
about uniformed identities, an anthropological
record of people’s attempt to distinguish
themselves from others by assuming a group
identity.
But it’s only for 10 to 15 percent of people
who will fit into this concept of group identity.
The Encounters series are more personal and
instinctive, where Exactitudes is more a real
collaboration and ongoing discussion on style
and identity with Ellie Uyttenbroek, the profiler
of the series.
Over the years I photographed and archived lots
of good and interesting appearances, who never
really got the right exposure. With Encounters
I am expanding this method by building some
pop-up studio’s in divergent cities to purely look
at individuals and their narrative. This happens
literally on the streets, instead of the internet.
Because It’s all about information beyond
revolution and globalization nowadays,
youngsters from different cities like Stockholm,
Milan or St. Petersburg all act the same;
differences in style are fairly marginal. Apparently
we live in such a controversial individualistic
time now that the quest of a group belonging has
changed.
On the internet, people are connecting with
people with the same interests and ideas.
Do you see any subcultures starting on the
internet?
It definitely happens on the internet. But I’m
someone who wants to see and experience in
reality how someone looks, smells, speaks or
how his/her posture is. It’s about realness. I’m
very convinced and analogue about that – “it’s
not what you wear, it’s how you wear it”, the
whole attitude. I’m looking for that presence and
shifting attitudes in Encounters, and of course
with Exactitudes as well, but on a different
level. In the end, anyone can wear an outfit, and
Instagram hiss ass off but if you don’t feel what
you wear and don’t know how to rock, it makes
no sense at all.
Like trends?
A trend can evolve into a subculture if it runs for
a longer time but it really has to do with attitude.
In that manner it’s about a certain boldness and
discipline, you should for example have the guts
to become a real vegan or really party for 36
hours non-stop.
For example in Berlin…
Exactly, Berlin is still heaven for that. If there’s
anything controversial and counter-culture, it’s
the element and concept of time. The fact that
you lose your sense of time in a 36-40 hour party,
is so at odds with this world, where
everything up to every minute of your
life is arranged. Your smartphone keeps
you on track, people keep looking you
up. It’s the chronos time and kairos
time. If you suddenly disappear for 40
hours, that’s pretty intense nowadays.
Yeah you’re always connected except
for that “time” of going out. It’s what
I experience aswell; the only time
I’m not connected is when I go out,
especially in Berlin. KALTBLUT is
situated in Berlin, but I hear people
say it’s not the same as it used to be.
Maybe the expats, like me, have a lot
to do with it, do you experience it
differently than before?
What I notice is that all these
internationals come to Berlin to
reinvent it. They want to recreate a
sort of party atmosphere and that
actually makes it even a little boring,
because the same old tune is being
repeated and mono-cultured over and
over again, so to speak. Fashion and
trends are all very cyclical, but the
rotating time is faster now. Accelerated
returns. Every 5 or 6 years everything
is reinvented again, and then the
current young generation thinks it’s
completely new. If you look at it from
a distance, it’s rooted in a much longer
tradition. It’s really nice to go in- and
out [berlin] because then you can see
it better, you keep a certain distance.
“See the drama, don’t wanna live it -
constantly”.
What characterizes Berlin though,
is that it’s a city of freedom. Youth
doesn’t have to rebel so much anymore,
you can manifest what you want
to be, feel and believe in. Those are
absolute characteristics of subcultures.
It has a certain element, which yields
culture, music, appearances and all
sorts of magnificent transitions which
are important to let a subculture live.
That’s what I always perceive in Berlin,
unlike many other cities that all have
other problems. It’s pretty amazing
and unique that it goes on even the
reinvented mode of the expats. If you
look at the former youth cultures it
was always about rebelling and I think
in Berlin that’s not the case anymore,
it’s more about celebrating now.
48
What I often see, like the kids
trying to reinvent Berlin, is that we
romanticize a certain subculture
from the past, and that it’ll become
a [FASHION]trend rather than a
redefined subculture. Like Gabbers,
a large subculture that started in the
Netherlands. The higher “educated”
culture takes inspiration from lower
cultures, but for what, rebelling?
We used to think that intelligentsia
originated counterculture. At a certain
point it turned around, it did not come
from intelligence, but was powered
by lower classes. I always felt that the
eal noteworthy youth cultures are by
definition working class. You don’t
have to think about it. “I just want to
shave my head and listen 200 BPM’S,
period!” It’s not an intellectual process
at all, it’s an urge. Other people will try
to intellectualise it, and that was the
problem with Gabber, they couldn’t.
They didn’t know what to do with it
and that’s why it took so long. They
didn’t even dare to go to those parties
so everything they wrote about it came
from 2nd or 3rd hand.
The reason why the Gabber worked so
well in the intellectual environment
with Exactitudes, and not only in the
Netherlands but over the whole world,
is because we didn’t have a story. We
just portrayed them to show that
they’re just dudes full of adrenaline,
nothing more than that.
I just think that youth cultures are not
that relevant anymore. Generational
branding or thinking in a specific
group from 18 to 22, it makes no
sense. 5-YEAR-OLD kids are going
to yoga classes in LA and there are 60
year old longboarders in Berlin, so
what the hell are we talking about. It’s
the revolution of our time, everything
is possible.
Why do you think this happens?
We’re living in a fast lane. If you think
you’re on to something then there’s
already a new group who think the
exact the opposite. That’s the tragedy
of being young. When you’re part of a
youth culture you think you’re a king,
but you will fastly realize other kings
are waiting to take your throne.
If you think you’re unique and you see
there are 7 million other people doing
just the same, you strive for something
else or you go totally normcore. And
now we have a whole additional
layer of gender on top, which is
very political. You can see it in for
example skinhead culture. It’s a very
tough look, but now that ultra macho
masculine thing can be combined with
a dress.
A lot of interesting things are
happening with gender, some people
even strive to be gender-neutral.
And they all have their own sets of
behavior and rules. In Amsterdam
androgyny will have another look then
in London. The thing about this time
is that we have a huge generalisation,
you can be aware of everything
through the internet, but this also
results in very diversified upcoming
micro-communities instead of oldschool
subcultures.
Well, your last Exactitudes series are
from 2014 though, are you working
on a new one?
Not really, we are more in a reflective
mode.
What about punk?
Punk never dies.
These times don’t really feel like punk though.
It’s a whole different era now. I always think it’s so fascinating that kids look back with nostalgia
to what other generations did. Punk, however, was so strong in appearances that it’s very logical
that new generations continue to play with it, and that’s what’s happening.
If you’re sensitive to style and youth culture and all those aspects, you now have an enormous
map of fashion theories. That was not the case years ago, you just bought your i-D magazine at
the kiosk and that was it.
Now, you can trace back all the codes of every youth culture there ever was. Those codes are
being decoded, altered, cut and reassembled into a new language now. That’s the punk of today.
It can have the appearance but is completely different.
It might be more substantive than appearance.
Yeah there is certainly a kind of intellectual layer.
Punk never dies indeed.
But it was very intense. When I first saw punk in London, I think I was 18 or 19, it scared the
hell out of me.
Were you punk?
Half a year after.
With a mohawk?
Yeah everything, I went to the Sex Pistols in Paradiso and I was sold. Destroy everything,
moshpits, it really was a revolution, I didn’t give a shit, spraying graffiti everywhere, lovely. No
future.
This generation might not be so radical. Our generation doesn’t really go against the grain;
we post things on Facebook and share, but not in real time. We don’t agree with a lot of
things but at the same time we don’t have riots.
True, but you should change your perspective; you speak from the perspective of a white
“privileged” girl. That’s becoming a problem because what’s really happening in the Paris
banlieues, radicalisation or anything to do with radical islam is really something different. You
can see a lot of cross-cultural shifts, for example in fashion.
We are poorly informed of all those codes in terms of clothing. You can tell whether an African
woman is Muslim or not, or whether she comes from a Parisian or Brussels enclave by what
bag she’s wearing. In Berlin this is very much ignored, these cross-pollinations of subcultures.
Clothes work as a wonderful indicator and as a language. It’s the ‘coolness’ of the muslim guy
in streets that we respect him. The fact that the lengths for guys go over the knees as long as
a djellaba, those are the centimeters of importance in fashion. That’s what fashion has always
been about but it has changed to the guy. There’s more of a revolution in men’s fashion in where
you can notice cultural transition. Women have gone from midi to maxi to mini and now you
can walk around in your naked butt.
Not on Instagram though. The guidelines of Instagram work as a new kind of Bible. They
prohibit to express yourselves.
What is it with Instagram, do they have some sort of holy jury? So don’t hide behind your
fucking Instagram but use your tits as machine-guns, as Lydia Lunch said. Freedom is very
relative.
Keep up with Ari’s work at
www.ariversluis.com
50
V o y a g e
Welcome to KALTBLUT´s new rubric “Voyage, Voyage“. From now on, we
will take you with us on trips around the world. Let’s start with one of the most
beautiful countries in the world: Portugal. For a few years I have been traveling
to Portugal for ModaLisboa, the fashion event in the South of Europe. Every
time I’m there I go on a little trip through the country. And I lost my heart in
Portugal. What I like the most about Portugal is the rich history. I mean, what
would the world be without the brave men of Portugal who travelled around
the world, 4-5 hundred years ago? Let´s face it, Europe would look different
nowadays without these people. Portugal has been named many times as the
poorest region of Europe, and yes, maybe there is some truth in it, but for me
Portugal is just pure magic. The nature wows me everytime. The beach and
the coast, the mountains. The food. Art and fashion. But most of all, Portugal
is rich of the most lovable people with a big heart. The people there are proud,
strong, sexy and always with a big smile on their face! Portugal is a forgotten
kingdom. And now, where Autumn has just arrived here in Europe, you should
book a trip to places like Lisbon, Porto or the Alentejo Region.
History
Portugal became its own
kingdom in 1139 but was
Napoleonic Wars. It lost
its largest colony, Brazil, in
1822. In 1910, Portugal
not officially recognized became a Republic, and in
until 1143. The border with
Spain has been almost the
same since the 13th century.
Fishing and trade with other
1926, a military group took
control of the country from
the Portuguese 1st Republic.
This began a time of rule
countries are important by fascist governments that
here.
Portugal was important
in world exploration for
two reasons. Henry the
Navigator, a prince from
Portugal, was very interested
52
in exploration. Inventions
in navigation led to a bigger
knowledge of geography.
This world exploration began
the Portuguese Empire.
Portugal was a world power
during the 15th and 16th
centuries. However, it lost
a lot of money soon after
this. The city of Lisbon was
destroyed in an earthquake
in 1755. The country
was occupied during the
lasted until 1974. That year,
a peaceful left-wing army
coup, called the Carnation
Revolution, happened.
The coup changed how the
country was run. Portugal
went into the European
Union in 1986. The capital
and largest city is Lisbon.
Lisbon
Lisbon is the hub of a
multifaceted area that
appeals to different tastes
and senses. In a city that has
been influenced by many
different far-off cultures
over time, there is still a
village feel in each historic
neighbourhood. Stroll
through the Pombaline
grid of streets in the Baixa
district that opens on to the
Tagus in Praça do Comércio,
then follow the river to
discover some of the city’s
most beautiful parts: the
monumental area of Belém
with its World Heritage
monuments, the mediaeval
quarters and the latest
contemporary leisure spaces,
such as the Parque das
Nações. If you continue to
the mouth of the river, you’ll
understand why they say
that Lisbon is the centre of a
vast resort. Along the coastal
road you’ll find beaches
and beach resorts that
combine villas and hotels
from the beginning of the
20th century with marinas,
terraces and excellent golf
courses. Further along the
coast you’ll come across
world-renowned surfing
V o y a g e
beaches, but also the palaces scattered
across the cultural landscape of
Sintra, a World Heritage Site. The
wide variety of landscapes and
heritage is always close by, whether
to the north or south of the capital.
With beaches, natural parks, cultural
routes and accommodation for all
tastes, it is hard to escape the Lisbon
region on a visit to Portugal.
Porto and the North
It was in the Porto and in the North
regions that Portugal was founded in
the 12th century and the Portuguese
became a people and a nation. Porto,
a World Heritage city, is the gateway
and departure point for a journey
across the natural and cultural
diversity of the region. It is known for
the Port wine which is shipped from
here all over the world, but also for
a heritage which combines ancient
churches and monuments, such as
the Cathedral and the Church of São
Francisco, and modern buildings,
such as Casa da Música and the
Serralves Museum. And also for its
School of Architecture which bred
Favorite spots in Lisbon
1. A Vida Portuguese Store. An amazing store with vintage and
1950´s Portugues products. An eclectic store that holds only Portuguese
brands and products for the home; from hand-made olive oil
soaps to home decor, shoes, pantry, pastry, vintage posters.
2. São Pedro de Alcantara Terrace. At this spot you have the most
amazing view over Lisbon. Sit down, have a coffee and just enjoy
Portugal pure.
Favorite spots in Porto
1. One of the must-see buildings
is the Casa da Música concert
hall built by Dutch architect
Rem Koolhaas with Office for
Metropolitan Architecture as
part of Porto’s project for the
European Capital of Culture in
2001, and functions as Porto’s
landmark since finished four
years late in 2005 and with costs
of 100 Million Euros well spent.
2. The Lello Library best known
for being the interior inspiration
for the Harry Potter movies. This
is a must go place for all book
lovers.
names like Álvaro Siza Vieira and
Eduardo Souto de Moura, both
winners of the Pritzker Prize.
The region is crossed by the River
Douro which enters Portugal between
the ravines and mountains of the
interior to flow through the entire
World Heritage landscape where the
Port and Douro wines are produced.
It is from here that the wine is sent
to the lodges at Vila Nova de Gaia,
as the cruises touring the region
make their way upriver. In this area
of mountains and natural parks, the
region’s heritage is seen in its castles,
such as the one in Guimarães, and
the shrines and churches which
are the stage for pilgrimages in the
summer. You will find the Baroque
architecture of Northern Portugal in
its stone and gilded carvings side by
side with rural chapels. In its cities,
which retain a human scale, such as
Viana do Castelo, Braga, Lamego,
Chaves and Vila Real, and in the
manor houses and stately halls, you
will find the genuine Portuguese
people, who like to share their table,
their customs and traditions.
Alentejo Region
The vastness of the landscape is
dotted with cork oaks and olive
trees that withstand time. Santarém
is a natural viewpoint over the
immensity of the Tagus. Here
and there, you find a walled town,
such as Marvão or Monsaraz, or an
ancient dolmen to recall the magic
of the place. Around the hills, low,
whitewashed houses stand on small
knolls, castles evoke battles and
conquests and the yards and gardens
are witness to the Arab influences
which shaped the people and nature.
In the Alentejo the power of the land
marks the time and cities like Elvas
and Évora, listed as World Heritage
by UNESCO, show the tenacity of
the people. Perhaps this is the reason
that culture and spirituality take
on a singular character here. These
memories of the past are also shared
by other cities, such as Santarém,
Portalegre and Beja, and in the
former Jewish quarters, particularly
in Castelo de Vide. The flat land
makes hiking and cycling easy,
though horses are also part of the
landscape. You can combine these
rides with birdwatching and, in dams
such as Alqueva, with the tranquillity
of the waters or stargazing. But you
must also explore the coast. The
landscape here is hilly and rugged,
with small sheltered coves between
V o y a g e
the cliffs, many of which are ideal
for surfing. You will also breathe
the scents of the countryside here,
the aromatic herbs that season the
fish, seafood and other regional fare
to be accompanied by the region’s
excellent wines.
Food
I lost my heart in Portugal, and not
only because of the warm welcome
from the people there, the food is just
amazing. If you ever go to Portugal,
you need to eat fish or one of the
typical sweets. Portugal is a seafaring
nation with a well-developed fishing
industry and this is reflected in the
amount of fish and seafood eaten.
The country has Europe’s highest fish
consumption per capita and is among
the top four in the world for this
indicator. Fish is served grilled, boiled
(including poached and simmered),
would become less important, and
the performers became merely
singers (fadistas). Maria Severa -
Fado-Singer (1820-1846) The 19th
century’s most renowned fadista was
Maria Severa. More recently Amália
Rodrigues, known as the “Rainha
do Fado” (“Queen of Fado”) was
most influential in popularizing Fado
worldwide. Fado performances today
may be accompanied by a string
quartet or a full orchestra. If you have
the chance to visit a Fado concert on
your trip: GO!! I’m sure you will be
blown away.
Where to sleep?
Every time I’m in Portugal I sleep
in the most beautiful places. If you
go on a trip there you should sleep
at least one night in a Pousadas de
Portugal. The Pousadas of Portugal
had their origin in the 40’s, when
fried or deep-fried, stewed (often in
clay pot cooking) or even roasted.
Foremost, amongst these is bacalhau
(cod), which is the type of fish most
consumed in Portugal. Love it! Have
you ever eaten a Pastéis de Nata?
No?? Oh you should! Many of the
country’s typical pastries were created
in the monasteries during the Middle
Ages, by nuns and monks, then sold
as a means of supplementing their
income.
54
Fado
This kind of music is pure magic,
full of soul and pain but also hope.
Fado appeared during the early 19th
century in Lisbon, and is believed to
have its origins in the port districts
like Alfama, Mouraria and Bairro
Alto. There are many theories about
the origin of Fado. Some trace its
origins or influences to “cantigas de
amigo” (friends songs) and possibly
ancient Moorish influence, but none
conclusive. Fado typically employs
the Dorian mode (natural minor
scale), Ionian mode (natural major),
sometimes switching between
the two during a melody or verse
change, more recently the Phrygian
mode (common in Middle Eastern
and Flamenco music), which is not
considered a traditional feature of this
genre. A particular stylistic trait of
Fado is the use of rubato, where the
music pauses at the end of a phrase
and the singer holds the note for
dramatic effect.
The music uses double time rhythm
and triple time (waltz style). Fado
performers in the middle of the 19th
century were mainly from urban
working class and sailors, who not
only sang, but also danced and beat
the fado. During the second half of
the 19th century, the African rhythms
the first Regional Pousadas were built
to provide visitors with board and
accommodation, in keeping with the
style and traditions of each region. In
the 50’s, a new concept of Pousada
were created; The Historic Pousadas
are located in carefully restored
monuments. Pousadas are a visitors
option with a uniqueness that keeps
the flame of Portuguese hospitality
alight. Situated in castles, monasteries,
fortresses and places of special natural
beauty from the North to the South
and in the islands, the Pousadas of
Portugal are real treasures of our
History. Pousadas of Portugal have
kept alive the original objectives of a
unique cultural experience through
the respect shown in the restoration
of their national architectural heritage
adapted to modern demands of
comfort and well-being. Places that
offer a fascinating journey through
the Portuguese culture as well as
traditions and art. In the Pousadas
there is always a story or a secret to
tell, a legend or a tradition to recount.
Text by Marcel Schlutt
Photos by Marcel Schlutt & Mike Van Der Ent Pasarella
BLK DNM Camel Coat for boys
The new Sony a7S II Camera
NICE STUFF
Cole Haan Brown Wayland Backpack
Toni & Guy Hairproducts - Glamour Collection
Raumfeld Stereo L WiFi tower speakers
Jacky Hi Boots
by United Nudes
Things
that make
you
go
mmmmm
Must have items and without them you will suck.
Selected by Marcel Schlutt
MÜHLE - Razor set
Becky Sunglasses by Monki
J.F Schwarzlose Perfume
Urbanears Plattan
ADV-Wireless Headphones
Veja Esplar Low
Leather Copper
Levi´s Beanie
ASOS Coat in Patch Faux Fur for girls
Nike Air Max 90 LTHR
Nike air Max 90 Ultra Essential
DELUXE
Branden
Top by Our Legacy
Necklaces by Pyrrha
Bracelets by Tateossian
Larissa
Top by Ji Cheng
Dress by Mini Tran
Necklace by Pebble
Rings by Gemporia
56
Photography Karl Slater
Styling Bo Yeon
Makeup Isabell Boettcher
Hair Kristopher Smith
Models are Larissa Goldner @Nevs Models
& Branden Kennedy @Select Models
Special Thanks to Orestes Economou
& Portia Shaw from Pop PR
Top by Gina Bacconi
Jewellery by Pebble
Suit by Richard Anderson
Savile Row
Shirt by HunterGather
Cross necklace by Pebble
Necklace by Pyrrha
Midi ring by Ekria
All Jewellery by Pebble
58
Branden
Sleeveless Jacket by
HunterGather
Trouser by Wood Wood
Chain by Culietta
Larissa
Top by Jean pierre Braganza
Skirt by Manish Arora
Gold Pendant by Ekria
All jewellery by Pebble
Larissa
Dress by Mini Tran
Jacket by Ji Cheng
Necklaces by Pebble
Rings by Gemporia, Joubi, Ekria
Branden
Top by Avorio
Trouser by Broken Fab
Larissa
Top by Manish Arora
Trouser by Georgia Hardinge
Mask by Manish Arora
Rings by Pebble
Photography by Suzana Holtgrave
Interview by Nicola Phillips
Production by Marcel Schlutt + Nico Sutor
Styling by Anita Krizanovic
Hair and make up by Timo Bloom
Set Assistant Vivian Mönch
INTERVIEW
Body by DSTM
62
Peaches
BLOODY HELL!
Leather mask by Marina Hoermanseder
Body by DSTM
For almost two decades Peaches has deservedly earned the title of Queen of electroclash. Brushing away stereotypes,
gender norms and presenting her own philosophy, whether it be in an Abe Lincoln hat with matching beard,
sequined hot pants, golden jumpsuit topped off with a dildo, or a dress adorned with several dozen breasts,
performance artist and musician Merrill Nisker worked on new album ‘Rub’ with Vice cooler, follow up to 2009’s
‘I Feel Cream’, with a last minute appearance at YOSISSY! Festival, Berlin this year before her extensive ‘Rub’
tour. As the cover star of our new ‘Rough It Up’ collection we couldn’t think of a more fitting spokesperson to express
freedom of expression, having your own agenda, and being proud of being whoever the fuck you want to be.
You’ve been living in Berlin for years now,
what persuaded you to move in the first
place?
I was travelling around Europe and Berlin
seemed like a cool place, it had some really
weird underground places. I went to one place,
which is now a Pan Asian food spot, and there
was just people doing kind of, whatever they
wanted in this space, and they let me perform
there, and I dunno, it just seemed like a place
that was open and it had a lot of potential
where I could enjoy myself.
Do you think it still has potential now?
Hell yeah! Way more. You can still find
crazy shit and do whatever you want. People
complain, but they shouldn’t because there’s
way worse cities you could be in. There’s things
you can do here that you can’t anywhere else.
Even some of the clubs. I recently went to a
night at Kit-Cat Club, it’s incredible. Even for
the sheer fact that they’ll let you drink out of
a glass by a pool! You can’t do that anywhere
else, nevermind have sex and do whatever you
want, wherever you want. Or you know, act
any way that you want. Even in L.A. you can’t
swim in the pool without a shirt on, or naked,
you have to have the proper bathing suit on or
they’ll kick you out. No glassware, no running.
It’s just the tolerance here, there’s no hysteria,
it’s like if something happens then we’ll work
on it. It’s not like, “Oh my god! Somebody’s in
the pool naked!”. You know? I remember that
night, some guy was just riding his bike and fell
off. No one was like, “have you got insurance?”.
Five people just got him back up and sent him
on his way. People just want to live. Let’s not
call the police on each other.
Did you record the new album ‘Rub’ here in
Berlin?
No, in L.A. I’m living between there and
Berlin. I’ve lived in Berlin for around 15 years
now, but I bought a little house over in L.A.
with a garage, and that’s where I recorded it.
This album, like the last, doesn’t have any
guitars in it, is there a reason for that?
We did try some guitar, it just didn’t work.
There was actually this really good song that I
did with Nick Zinner together, and it wasn’t
actually that we didn’t love it, but Adult Swim
they do the Summer Singles so we were like,
okay maybe we can work on that song, so we
did and it ended up being really good. So that’s
got a lot of guitars in it, but it’s not on the
album.
Could you tell me a little about your book?
There was a photographer, Holger Talinski,
he was fresh out of photography school and
just a skater kid, and just started getting into
taking pictures at shows, and then more and
more he asked if he could take a picture of me
smoking a joint, a picture of me sleeping, a
picture of me meeting my parents, you know,
just pictures like that. So over four years we
had a big collection and started editing them
together, because I can’t you know, just let him
do what he wanted to do, but I let him insert
my aesthetic too which was important because
I’m the subject of the book.
We had a very different aesthetic actually,
64
because a lot of the pictures he took were not
completely in focus, but I just thought that
they captured something real and something
raw. And he really liked the technical aspect, so
it was really good to work together and I think
we understood each other after laying tonnes
of pictures on the living room floor, going
over and over, “Why don’t you like this one?”
he would ask. We never really fought but we
definitely had different opinions.
Were there thousands of photos?
Yeah! There are still thousands, and sometimes
now I’ll say “Hey, do you have that picture of
me in that purple jacket?” or whatever it is,
and then we’ll look at it and think, “Fuck, why
didn’t that picture going in the book?”. There’s
just so many.
I love how he’s captured every single concert
you played and caught nearly every single
moment on stage and behind it.
Yeah and you know, beyond backstage, the
duality of the human and the superhuman.
Do you think you’d allow him to continue
his work?
Erm, I mean he has started to take a few more
pictures of me. I think it’s nothing that you
want to force.
I read the part in your book about Yoko Ono
on her 80th birthday, that must have been
incredible!
She came to Berlin with The Plastic Ono band
to do a concert, and they asked me to pick my
favourite Yoko song so that we could perform
it. I thought that, you know, there would be
other people asked to do this but I was the
only one. That was really bizarre. And then she
asked me to do the ‘Cut Piece’, which is almost
50 years old. She originally did it in 1965. It’s
incredible because it’s a very, very strong piece
that’s lasted a long time. You think it’s such a
simple idea, but then if you’re involved in it, it’s
incredibly powerful.
Did Yoko approach you personally to do it?
Yeah, she asked me to do it for Meltdown
festival that she was curating. It’s funny because
I’m so in your face and in control of everything,
so this is the most vulnerable I’ve ever been
on stage. I didn’t move at all, I didn’t talk at
all. And I actually got a performance from
the audience because people were coming up
and approach me, some people would cut off
parts of their clothes and offer it to me, people
wanted to talk to me about stuff, people would
be perverted and cut particular areas of my
clothing away. And the audience would also
respond to all of this happening too.
Was this the first time that you’ve been
involved in performance art in this way?
I find what I do is very close to performance
art, and I don’t get shy about it and I think that
it’s important, but that’s the first time that I
was still and quiet on stage.
Did you ever think that you’d be this big of
an influence?
I never really thought about having a musical
career. I just thought about combining music,
like Riot Grrrl and electro, and making it this
electronic rock force. This really strong, good
repetitive force. I was just trying to experiment
with all of these different things, and then it
just seemed to be a gateway into the next 15
years of music. And attitudes too! And also
when I was expressing, it was with not just
sexuality. Basically my philosophy, or whatever
you want to call it, is just to make sure people
feel comfortable in their body, whatever body
that is. Whatever combination of femininity or
masculinity they have, without being bullied
or feeling ashamed or feeling like they have to
hide it. There’s so many things in our world,
religion, sociological pathways in jobs and
politics, that take us away from this. And this
is the most important thing that we need to
know, you just need to be yourself. I wanted to
be myself, so that’s the way I like to express it.
I like that you’ve expressed your philosophy
in this entire rock opera of yours too.
Yeah, ‘Peaches Does Herself’. I actually, after
high school, went to theatre school, I wanted
to be a theatre director. I wanted to make cool
musical, like The Who’s ‘Tommy’ or ‘Phantom
of the Paradise’, ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’,
the cool ones. And then I quickly got very
disillusioned with theatre, it’s kind of always
like a step back, and also working with so many
people I felt like I wasn’t going to be able to
focus on what I wanted to do, like getting the
actor to do this, or getting the lighting correct.
“Basically my
philosophy, or
whatever you want
to call it, is just to
make sure people
feel comfortable
in their body,
whatever body
that is.”
Body by Marina Hoermanseder
So I quit. And then I found music, and I experimented
and then I happened upon Peaches, where I continued for
ten years and then a theatre asked me to do a production,
which was really funny because I never thought about
making a cool musical again. And then I was like, “Oh!
There’s my cool musical!”, the sort of research of what I’ve
done the past ten years during all of my performances and
what I’ve said, my iconography. So it was quite exciting to
do that. And who doesn’t want a cool musical?
Would you do another musical, or performance type
piece?
I don’t know, I’m really enjoying making the videos for the
album. I mean, I’ve made videos for every album, and my
first album I made seven using Super8 so they were really
like performance pieces. It’s really fun this time around
because I have my own record company now, and it’s my
own money, but it’s even more like there’s no infrastructure
for where videos should take place. They’re just short films
that you want to do. You can go as hardcore as you want.
Do you have any ideas for your next videos?
Yeah I’ve already done six for the new album. The girl in
the video with the laser for a butt plug, that was Empress
Stah.It was all her act and she asked me to write a song
for it. I wrote the song and then I asked if I could make a
video for it.
Will all of your videos have a theme running through
them?
I’m trying to make them have some sort of connection,
but there’s so many different ways of working. It’s even
incredible that I’ll get them out before the album is
released because the last album took two years for all the
videos, so yeah. But the whole thing probably won’t be a
cohesive movie or something.
Body by DSTM
Hollywood tends to be ageist towards women, do you
think the music industry is similar?
Fuck yeah! I think that Hollywood is fighting back in a
really good way though. Like Meryl Streep has started a
new foundation for women over 40 to screenwrite. So
you know, things like that are really cool. And I think that
now women who have power are doing really cool things
with it, it’s getting better, but it’s still like a bit weird. This
comedienne, she was like “Remember when Sally Field
was Tom Hanks’ girlfriend and all of a sudden she was
Tom Hanks’ mother?” You know like, the men get to stay
young. Let’s say some young actor is in his 20s, then he’s
45 but the women are still in their 20s, it’s just like a weird
standard that doesn’t make any sense. It perpetuates this
image of women in this certain way.
Have you gotten into Amy Schumer at all? She’s a really
great comedienne and she did this one skit on her TV
show called “The Last Fuckable Day”, with Tina Fey, Julia
Louis-Dreyfus, and Patricia Arquette. Amy happens upon
them while they’re all sitting down celebrating something,
and she’s like “Wow, I love all ya’ll, what are you doing?”
and Tina is like, “Oh well, we’re just celebrating Julia
Louis-Dreyfus’ Last Fuckable Day!” and of course, she asks
what it is. “Oh you know, it’s the day where Hollywood
tells you that you’re not fuckable anymore”. Julia is just
sat there, looking all excited, saying how she’s going
to stay home and knit, and she’s looking forward to it.
Amy asks, “Does this happen to men?”, and they all just
started laughing like she’s crazy. I relate a lot to female
comediennes, especially the older ones. They’re kicking ass
at the moment with their cutting humour.
66
Would you do another collaborative type project, like
the one you did with The Flaming Lips?
Yeah I mean I love doing side projects, like the Peaches
Christ Superstar thing. It’s good. It keeps you going. I like
doing other projects on the side because I can go back to
what I was doing and enjoy it more.
Out of all of your videos and tours, do you have a
favourite outfit?
I like a lot of outfits of mine. I really like the pink leather
outfit, that’s got really big shoulders almost like teeth.
Yeah, I really like that. I like walking on people wearing
that.
Do you wear it out occasionally?
Yeah sometimes. But I try and get new outfits.
What pisses you off?
What pisses me off is just not feeling like I’m in the right
space to do what I want to do.
Keep up with peaches on www.peachesrocks.com
Bedtime Stories
By Michelle Hèlena Janssen
KALTBLUT gets intimate! Introducing Bedroom Stories for the first time. KALTBLUT meets people on the street that captivate
us and wants to get a little more personal, invading their personal space. We think your bedroom is your most vulnerable place,
and that’s what makes it that much more interesting. Get to know young pioneers from different cities, starting in Amsterdam
and Berlin. We’ll be documenting and exposing their secret bedroom stories for you.
Name Wout Dullaert
Age 22
Zodiac sign Aries
Lives in Rotterdam
Zodiac sign traits
Having Capricorn as ascendant makes me passionate,
enterprising, energetic, ambitious and warm, but I’m also a
smart-alec, bossy and highly aware of my strengths.
What inspires you?
Pastis bottles, flora, foreign cigarette packaging, exceptionally
good food and Warhol’s
68
philosophy.
Who would like to be if you could choose anyone else?
Donna Summer, to witness the rise of disco at the labor of my own hands, such an inspiration for the world
What’s the strangest thing that happened in your bedroom?
Everyone dances naked in their room after showers, right? So I was doing my very own interpretation of some vogueing-ish dance, while my neighbor across
the street was throwing a baby shower, so I had an audience of women overly exposed to hormones applauding me, that was fun.
What’s your favorite spot in Berlin?
To be completely honest, I’m not in Berlin often enough to decide on a favorite spot. However, my #1 spot in the world is the waterside at Le Bouveret in
Switzerland, along the lake Geneva. Enclosed in the Alps, you feel like you’re in the 60’s because of all the white/yellow striped canopies and rich old people.
No better place to pull out your speedos than there.
Name Esmay
Age: 23
Zodiac sign: Pisces
NEW IN
Lives in: Amsterdam
Zodiac sign traits
Imaginative, intuitive, emotional, empathy, analytical, passionate, patient,
dualistic, observing, escapist
What inspires you?
The human body
Who would you like to be if you could choose anyone else? Julia Roberts
What’s the strangest thing that happened in your bedroom?
Having sex for an art project
What’s your favorite spot in Berlin?
My best friend’s house.
Name Thomas
Age 26
Zodiac sign Pisces
Lives in Hoorn
Zodiac sign traits
Actually I have close to zero
characteristics of Pisces, but a
lot of my ascendant Gemini:
I’m a thinker and love to
communicate and exchange
ideas. I’m rational, but can be
doubtful and have a hard time
making choices. Also, some
people might think I’m superficial,
because I’m very social
but don’t get too personal
with people I barely know.
What inspires you?
Music & people.
Who would like to be if you
could choose anyone else?
Jack Sparrow.
What’s the strangest thing
that happened in your
bedroom?
My cat. He’s a weird, funny
little creature.
What’s your favorite spot in
Berlin?
YAAM.
FASHION
STORY
70
Jacket Japan Rags BLO H BRANDO
Shirt EDWIN D.I.E Denim Shirt
Pants Cross Jeans Taperd Blake
Glasses Stylist own
Watch G-Shock GA-110 NM-3AER
A Tough
GUY
Photography by Bernhard Musil
Model is Dominik Berberich @Modelfabrik
Hair and make up by Timo Bloom
Styling by Nico Sutor
Production and Concept by Marcel Schlutt
Location: Blogfabrik Berlin
Special thanks to G-Shock
Sweatshirt BLK DNM Black Sweatshirt60
Knit Pullover Sopopular
Pants BLK DNM Black Leather Pant 25
Watch G-Shock GA-110 NM-2AER
72
Pants BLK DNM Black Leather Pant 25
Shoes New Balance
Watch G-Shock GA-110 NM-4AER
Overall Sopopular Jonathan Overall
Watch G-Shock GA-110 NM-9AER
74
Refugees in film:
a short overview
ESSAY
Text by Friedericke Suckert
It’s 2015 and every day thousands of refugees try to reach the supposedly safe Western Europe. Beneath all the artisans and
doctors, a lot of artists want to live a better life. But how will this be possible? Beside the big amount of money, you need networks
and friends, your aesthetics should work in a different cultural context or fill a new niche. Thinking about all those adversities it’s
time to research all those historic exile artists, their influence and their failures.
The biggest refugee crisis of modern times
took place in 1933-1945. When Nazi Germany
occupied Europe, a lot of Jewish, communist,
LGBTIA*, Sinti and Roma and other people were
forced to flee where ever they could get a visa to.
It’s no secret how much German filmmakers
influenced Hollywood. One of the most important
ones is Marlene Dietrich, who emigrated in 1930
for the „Blue Angel“ by Josef von Sternberg. (Fun
Fact: Hitler’s first camera lady Leni Riefenstahl
also having been one of his favorite girls for this
part.) Dietrich became a legend and a super star,
she supported the U.S. American troops during
World War II and was treated like a traitress in
Germany afterwards. She never returned, although
she worked a lot in Europe. Marlene Dietrich is
one big name for success, but no one really knows
how many actresses and actors failed overseas. A lot
of them were able to live because of the “European
Film Fund”, established in 1938 for the support
of pursued Jewish filmmakers. Times were still
rough, especially for the technicians. The Union
for Film Workers paid a lot of attention that their
U.S. American members still got enough jobs.
The USA in general and Hollywood in particular
didn’t offer a warm welcome to all those refugees
in pure need.
A few were able to work in France in the
beginning of the persecution. Max Ophüls
and Richard Oswald for example, but as the
occupation started they also had to leave.
Fritz Lang, the director of “Metropolis” left
Germany in panic, even though Goebbels loved
his work. He was able to work in Hollywood, also
shot Anti-Nazi-Movies. But still, too many artists
died in German concentration camps.
After the war, only a few of the expats returned
to Germany and tried to process their hurting
and dark experiences, like Peter Lorre and Fritz
Kortner, but after six years of war and twelve
of persecution, the Germans didn’t want to see
anything about the past. They needed Operettes
and comedy, no accusations of their own guilt.
The big film organization in the Soviet Zone
of Germany was called DEFA, a governmental
institution. They didn’t hesitate and exhibited
the crimes of the Nazi regime. “The murderers
are among us” is the first drama, taking place at
the bombed and destroyed Berlin, about the exconcentration
camp prisoner Susanne and an exsoldier,
who try to move past their experiences.
Most of the movies in the new GDR were
communist propaganda, but the rules became
loose year after year. A lot of old novels and Grimm
fairy tales were staged, they’re still legendary,
* Lesbian, Gay, Bi Trans Inter and Asexuell
because of the beautiful and fond settings and the
lovely story telling.
Time goes by and a lot of young directors
and actors/actresses grew up. “The Beatles” and
the “Rolling Stones” changed everything, young
people dreamed of Beat music and freedom. And
they put their dreams on the big screen. “Spur
der Steine/Track of the Stones” in 1966 was rated
as “non-socialistic”, so the director Frank Beyer
wasn’t allowed to work for the DEFA for ten years.
The pressure on the artists grew bigger and bigger,
spies decomposed the scene and so people started
to flee. Especially those who protested against the
expatriation of the singer and songwriter Wolf
Biermann were forced to leave the country and
the creative scene changed a lot. On the other
side of the Wall, a lot of them needed to start a
new career, because no one knew or waited for
them. A few actors like Manfred Krug became TV
stars, but most of them worked on tiny province
stages. Katharina Thalbach, a former Brechtactress,
celebrated big successes, but she was one
in a million, a big talent. Armin Müller-Stahl and
Ulrich Mühe also worked in Hollywood and Punk
icon Nina Hagen was able to start a new life in the
USA, those were the lucky exceptions.
When the Wall came down, most of the expat
film people were left in a grey zone: the East
Germans could forgive them the betrayal, the
West Germans still didn’t know them. So a lot of
them were trapped in a kind of ‘Nostalgia’, did
Cabaret and Boulevard. A functioning network
kind of trapped in a certain circle of insiders. The
prejudice started to fade and the East German
drama schools grew popular again, well known
for their intense and disciplined work with their
protégées.
Another big part of “Exile movies” are the
Iranian directors, who have to face the conservative
Islamic regime.
The Iranian National Film Society was founded
by Esmail Koushan and Farrok Ghaffari in
1949. Iranian movies aren’t like Hollywood or
Bollywood movies: they’re not supposed to be a
big office hit, they’re supposed to be alternative
and aesthetic. Iran was an open minded society, a
lot of young directors were trained in the 1970s.
They travelled around the world, earned a lot of
awards at big European Film Festivals and were
loved for the unique Farsi beauty. That all ended
with the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Ajatollah
Chomeini’s soldiers burned down half of the
theatres in the country, there was no minister for
film anymore and every kind of Western art was
persecuted. In 1975 Iran produced 68 films, in
2005 there were 26..
Nowadays the movies that are allowed are big
commercial hits, stories about the Great Islamic
Revolution or flat romantic comedies.
But the alternative filmmakers are very much
active, there’s a big underground scene. Directors
who are under house arrest make movies with their
smart phones, put them on a USB and smuggle
them to big Festivals like Cannes or Venezia.
The last big success was “Taxi Teheran” by Jafar
Panahi at the Berlinale 2015, where he won the
Golden Bear. It’s about life nowadays, where he’s
surrounded by spies and it’s hard to find a little
niche where he can breathe. Iranian movies are
often a simple observation of life itself. Also a lot
of women are part of this underground scene.
Their kind of story telling is very artistic and often
kind of reflects the classic Persian culture. Like the
work of Shirin Neshat. Most of Iranian don’t want
to leave their country, even though they’re facing
all these restrictions. The bond between them and
their country is to thick. “You can’t make Iranian
movies when you’re not in Iran.”
The new generation of female directors like
Marjane Satrapi (“Persepolis”) and Ana Lily
Amirpour (“A girl walks home alone at night”),
who grew up in Europe and USA combine their
Oriental origins and Western experiences into a
new and more plain style of Persian culture.
European directors with foreign roots are also
a big essential part of our culture! Fatih Akin,
son of a Turkish foreign worker, is one of the
best directors of our times. He shows the conflict
between the Turkish roots and German society in
a brutal way in “Gegen die Wand / Head-on”, but
also the resulting subculture.
The French-Algerian director and actor Kad
Merad is a superstar of French comedy, exposing
the French clichés.
Culture Clash is a beloved and needed genre in
European Film, the Brits are still the masters of it.
Well... The conclusion is: Refugees welcome!
Alignment is a basic ingredient of film making and
storytelling. We always need the input of foreign
cultures and someone who holds a mirror towards
us. Unfortunately, a lot of young artists won’t be
able to develop their creativity if they can’t find
a network or welcoming surrounding. Let’s hope
they do and great things will happen.
Esther Perbandt
T h e B e r l i n Q u e e n o f G l a n d e r o u s F a s h i o n
Interview, styling and photography by Marcel Schlutt, Models are Elizabeth Ehrlich and Jacob Jungenkrüger,
All fashion and hat by Esther Perbandt, Accessoires by Perlensäue, Portrait Esther Perbandt by Birgit Kaulfuss
Esther Perbandt is the leading lady of Berlin fashion. She is one of the few Berliners who are born and raised in
Berlin. Being part of the fashion circus for more then 10 years, her designs have been described many times as
tough, snotty and elegant. And yes, that’s right. Her shows during the Berlin Fashion Week are always one of the
highlights, and it was during this time that I had chat with the designer about her work, why people should stop
talking negative about the fashion scene from our hometown, her time in France, what she thinks about blogging
and dressing famous people.
Hello Esther! Welcome to our KALTBLUT family. We’ve been big fans
of your designs for a couple of years. Your aesthetic has been described
many times as tough, snotty and elegant. How would you name your
style?
It is very hard for me to describe my work. I could find a hundred words
to describe it, but not sure if this is enough. So even worse for me to
give you three words (often asked in interviews). How could you squeeze
a free minded work made for
personalities between 30 and 65
into such a small box? Whatever
three words I would choose, there
are millions of people who feel not
attracted by them. I don’t like that.
Who builds a different drawer, fall
into it himself.
Let´s talk a bit later about your
work. And let´s speak first
about yourself. You were born
and raised in Berlin, right? That
makes you one of the few “real”
Berliners. How was growing up
in Berlin? And what was your
childhood like?
This is true love. I grew up in West
Berlin, so literally on the island,
how we used to say. When I went
with my family to West Germany
during holidays I always got the
feeling of being something very
special. People kept asking how
it is to live on that island. And
everybody seemed to know that
in West Berlin all the cool people
live or move to: The hippies, the
conscientious objector, the rebels,
the musicians....
I remember that it made me
proud. Being a kid in West Berlin
I never felt the borders, but I know
that it was something else for my
parents.
76
It´s now 26 years ago that
the Berlin wall fell, do you
remember what you did that
day? I can remember every
minute, sitting in front of the TV
with my little brother in a city close to Berlin. I still have goosebumps.
I don’t remember how I actually got the news, if I was told by my mother
or from the radio. I came back from school and was supposed to have a
drum set lesson that afternoon but I didn’t go. I didn’t even give notice to
my teacher. I thought there are more important things to do and see this
afternoon. I just went straight away to the Brandenburger Tor and sat there
on the barrier and looked down to the wall of police who still stood there
irritated and didn’t know what to do.
During the early 1990s, you must have been in your teenager years. I
think it must have been an amazing time in Berlin. What did you do
during those years? Have you
been part of the techno music
movement? Or how did you grow
up during your teenager years?
I was not that much part of
the techno scene in Berlin. I
played drums in a political singer
songwriter band of which I, back
then, didn’t even understood the
lyrics myself. Most of the weekends
I spent in our rehearsal cellar and
hung out with the three guys of
my band, half of them at least six
years older than me. During Love
Parade I was mainly working at a
Bungee Jumping like thing called
“Super Swing“. Three sixty metre
high towers that were standing on
Potsdamer Platz, where there was
not one single building back then.
You were hanging in a hang glider
harness between two of the towers.
Another wire pulled you up to the
third tower, sixty metre high. With
a release cord you could loosen
yourself and fall into a super swing.
I had to do show jumping and
get the people ready or jump with
them if people didn’t dare alone.
You had all these crazy freaks from
love parade there. It was a hell of a
time! Despite that, I do somehow
miss all these little illegal bars and
clubs where you had to enter via
a window. There was so much to
discover.
At what point in your early years
did you recognize that fashion and
design is something you love?
I grew up without a television. My
biggest fun was playing with a huge box of garments to dress up. My sister,
Sarah, and I had this box since we were very little, I would say I was only
3 years old. There was one tank top (back then it was a dress for me) in
bright yellow, blue, red and black block stripes. It was my favourite one and
INTERVIEW
78
I wanted to wear it all the time over
years (no worries, I don’t remember
that, but I was told). I still have this
piece in my closet. It is somehow
very important to me. When I
look at it, I can still understand
why I loved it so much. Maybe it
is important to me because it was
a first sign. We played with this
box for a very long time, even as
teenagers. I realized that I like to
play with identities. And apparently
I kept on doing that.
Do you remember the first piece
you ever did? And what was it for?
Yes, I made trousers out of an old
millefleur printed cotton. But I
couldn’t wear it, because I ignored
the necessary pattern cut of the
crotch. I was very frustrated. I think
I was 9 or 10 years old.
From that point on, how did your
passion for fashion became an
option for a lifetime job? How
did you learn the basic skills like
sewing etc? Were you self taught?
I kept on trying things myself. And
yes, I did garments for my Barbie
dolls When I was about 12 years
old I had two ideas of a profession:
architect or costume designer. For
becoming an architect I was told
that I am too bad in mathematics,
so I did a school internship with the
costume designer at the Schaubühne
am Lehniner Platz. I couldn’t even
finish it because I became so ill as
I was so shocked at how much a
costume designer needs to work!
I saw my life dream melting away.
But then I decided to switch from
costume to fashion (which was of
course was a much better idea).
During school I started doing
classes in fashion illustration in my
free time, and somehow tha’ts the
story. The rest is known!
You completed a European
Master’s degree in Fashion and
Textile Design and Post-Graduate
study at the IFM – Institut
Francais de la Mode in Paris, why
Paris and not London or New
York or Berlin? How was your
time in France? I can only guess
that it must have been an amazing
time!
To be honest, I think I was
somehow guided. I don’t remember
the moment, where I asked myself,
“Hey Esther, where do you wanna
go?”. The option was there and I
took it. But I do get your point.
If you see my work today you
might think that this fits much
better to New York or London. I
remember that I wrote a message to
my boyfriend who I left behind in
Berlin, the moment when I arrived
in Paris, “I love it, everywhere
is music, the city, the subway
and everybody looks so elegant.”
Paris and France was definitely
the finishing of the raw diamond
concerning style, elegance and
femininity. I did learn so much in
France, the beautiful language of
course, moreover a lot about myself.
But I would not call it amazing all
of the time! They have been very
tough years, the school in Paris has
a very high level and demand, the
apartment was a shithole, I had
no money for going out. I stressed
myself so much that I got very
ill and more and more I lost the
capability of seeing colours and
straight lines.
After your studies you worked
in the design team at Chacok in
the South of France, how did this
happen? And how important was
that time for you to grow as a
designer?
After I finished IFM I had some
job interviews in Paris. One was at
Kenzo, I think it went well, but
before they came back to me I had
the offer from a designer friend to
join him as a design assistant for
Chacok. He also did IFM, but a
year before me, and got hired as
Head of Design. The third new
hired person was a product manager
from Kenzo. Chacok back then
wanted to renovate the image of
the brand which got old with their
customers and we were chosen to
fly down there and rock da house.
It was a 24/7 job. Difficult to enter,
like a virus a company which has
been guided by somehow family
and friends since the 70s. My friend
got fired after one season, there was
no new Head of Design, so I had all
of the sudden the full responsibility
over the design for one season. But
the company didn’t communicate
that and didn’t allow me to go on
the catwalk after the show in Paris.
Still I am doubting if I would have
the balls to do my own business
without that experience.
Cote d’Azur is not a place for young
people. Only work, no friends, no
family, but a high cellphone invoice
caused by my homesickness. I
would still and always say, “Je ne
regrete rien!”
You founded your own fashion
label back in Berlin during 2004,
what made you come back?
Why did you not start your own
business in France?
After my time in France I definitely
needed some time to recover and
came back to Berlin to recharge my
batteries. My plan was actually to
go back to Paris and apply for jobs
over there, I never had in mind to
start my own business. That was
in spring 2003. Running around
Berlin I felt the dynamic in the
fashion scene which got bigger
during that time: It was the first
or second season of Bread and
Butter and Premium and there
was definitely something in the
air. Moreover, I was fed up with
homesickness and decided to
stay. Despite the dynamic and
the scent in the air there was no
job to find. So luckily, with the
biggest portion of naivety which
you can find on this planet, I
started the label Esther Perbandt.
No business plan, no money, no
idea, but a little funny collection
which was back then still crazily
colourful.
Starting a new brand is a lot
of work; sleepless nights and
lots of power is needed. How
did it work out for you in the
beginning? Did you got any
support from family, friends
and business people?
I didn’t know any business
people, but I did have a lot of
support by friends and family.
Not in a financial way, but
psychologically and manpower
wise. My mother always
supported me in my creative
ideas. My stepfather was not at
all happy about my decision. He
probably guessed that I would
have 15 very hard years in front
of me. Luckily I didn’t know
that.
Was there ever a point where
you questioned yourself? Did
you always think that you were
doing the right thing? And if
so, how do you deal with those
things in your mind?
Oh yes, my atelier always had
and has a nick name, ‘Palace of
Tears’. I was questioning it a
lot, I was desperate, I was left
without any power, but I always
thought, “What else can I do? I
have to do this, and I will fight
for it and one day it will work
out.” Friends did ask, “how can
you still sleep at night?” Luckily
I do sleep like a stone, whatever
happens. Probably it’s what helps
me surviving, lots of sleep!
As I mentioned before, your
design has been labeled with
many names like tough,
elegant, avantgarde and so on.
How much of Berlin is part of
your fashion vision? And what
makes Berlin the perfect place
for your inspiration?
Berlin is my root, so it is
definitely part of it. I was
born here, I have experienced
important historic moments
here and the feeling that Berlin
is something special hasn’t left
me yet, although of course
it has changed a lot, and not
only in a good way. But I guess
that it is rather the root, which
is delivering me the juice for
inspiration, than the actual
physical presence here.
Let´s talk about your AW15-
16 collection. The collection is
named “I believe in miracles”.
What do you want to tell us
with that name? What was the
inspiration for this collection?
This sentence is a very important
one for me. I do believe in
miracles. They do happen.
Otherwise I could not explain
why I and my label are still on
the market. There are a lot of
people who do believe in me,
who trust me, who push me
forward. This is also miracle like
and I am more than grateful fort
that. Besides the collection was
dedicated to the seven million
analphabeths in Germany.
Reading a book makes me feel
alive, and it’s hard to imagine
that so many people are not able
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to share this pleasure. From that
background I had the idea with
the black catwalk and the models
walking with long wooden
sticks with attached chalk at
the end. While pulling these
sticks behind them, they left
lines and marks on the catwalk
and somehow write. With this
show I supported the charitable
association, ‘Kopf Hand und
Fuss’, which is developing the
first app for analphbets.
When you start to work on a
new collection, how does it
begin? What do your work days
look like during this process?
Oh this is really unromantic.
There is not a fixed time when
to start. I mean there should
be one, but as there is always
so much to do parallel, this
date is being pushed again and
again. Often a new collection
starts with a title. I am very
easily hooked by words. Then
this title gives me the overall
atmosphere for the collection.
But you have to imagine that
rather like a new chapter in a
diary. You don’t really see later
what you read. Then I continue
first with styles and details, but
in general it is always an Esther
Perbandt collection and I am
not reinventing the wheel. Even
during the last weeks before
finishing a collection I am
mainly sitting in front of the
computer all day long and doing
daily business.
You do menswear and also
womenswear, who is easier to
please with fashion? The boys
or the girls?
The guys are the severe critics
but the more challenging ones.
Unfortunately a lot of women
spend a lot of money for
garments no matter how they
are made or produced. Most
important fact: they feel sexy
in it. Luckily, I don’t deal that
much with those species, as
my garments are rarely sexy by
themselves. The piece becomes
sexy by the woman who is
wearing it and who is making
is curious to discover what is
underneath.
For the AW collection, can
you tell us with what kind of
material you worked with?
And where do you find your
garments and material?
I always work mainly with
natural material: wool, cotton,
viscose, silk or newer fibres like
hemp, milk, bamboo. I try to
get them mainly from Italy or
France as I try to produce my
products as much as my business
allows it in a sustainable way.
Unfortunately I can’t control
where my suppliers always get
their fabrics from. I find my
material on fabric fairs with
suppliers I have worked with for
a long time already.
You unveiled this collection
during Berlin Fashion Week
at the famous tent, but I also
know the year before you
showed your collection at
Volksbühne with an amazing
show. We all know that there
is a lot of bad talking about
the Berlin Fashion Week, what
do you think about the local
fashion festival? And how
important is it for you as a
designer to show there?
I am fed up with people talking
negative about Berlin. They
should shut up because they are
killing our energy. People shouldn’t be surprised if one
day there are no designers left in Berlin. There are still
a large amount of designers who work their arse off to
keep up the image of the free creative city Berlin. They
make great presentations and shows, small concepts, big
concepts in great offsite locations or even like I did, try
to change the boring band-conveyor handling in the tent.
I had my very first bad critic from the Tagesspiegel last
fashion week. They apparently send someone to watch
fashion and fashion events who doesn’t like fashion and
has no spirit of creativity. It was quite interesting for me
to deal with that critic as it was the first one I’ve had in
my career so far. Of course it did hurt, but this person
didn’t leave one good comment on any of the designers.
I really ask myself what his intention was. To eliminate
Berlin of designers? No problem, he is heading the right
way.
I am also fed up with discussions about Berlin becoming
the new fashion metropolis. I wish Berlin more self
confidence, it’s a great city with a lot of potential. I
recently saw a film about the crazy free minded art
projects in the 90s in Berlin. There is still a little bit
left of it, but not much. In our permanent ambition to
become like someone else, like another city, like another
fashion metropolis, we risk to lose the very last part of it.
Do you think German designers get enough support
from the Government? Or German magazines? When I
look to London or France there is so much support for
fashion, but I have the feeling, here in Germany, no
one cares. Even the German Fashion Council founded
by Christiane Arp is a joke. The same old people are
part of it. The same designers get pushed. I am kind of
bored of this..
There are a few projects and support from the
government, for sure it might not be comparable with
London or Paris, but it would be unfair to say that there
is nothing. Some years ago we were complaining that the
government support cake is divided into far too many
tiny cake pieces which only helps designers to survive
one more week. I was always asking to shape bigger cake
pieces in order to build up a few designers which will
one day become big and carry the figurehead of Berlin.
And to decide which ones that should be, was not in my
hands. We all have our favourite ones, no matter what,
and probably it’s something very human to act according
to that. I’ve had hundreds of interns by now and there
were ones I really loved, there were ones I did like a lot
and there were ones who I liked less. I can’t avoid it. Of course for an organization like that
one, I do wish a bit more of objectivity. But once again, a cage full of humans. There are two
options, you can either accept that or waste time and energy complaining about it. I don’t think
that you change a single thing with screaming loudly, at least this is not my method. If you are
not in the chosen inner circle, you just carry on being diligent and find other people to support
you.
My nickname
is ‘Granny’
not because of my age,
but because I am somehow a very old
fashioned person.
Let´s talk about the bloggers on Facebook and Instagram. My point is that social media
and bloggers are killing quality. I even think that some designers are just designing for a
photo on Instagram and not for customers. What are your thoughts about it? How close
do you work with bloggers and how important are they for a designer nowadays?
I totally understand your opinion and I did / do have the same in general. I empasise in
general, because my opinion is changing or has to change. There are millions of blogs which
have basically no quality at all, but there are also quite a lot which do help the designers. My
nickname is ‘Granny’, not because of my age, but because I am somehow a very old fashioned
person. I would describe myself as someone who needs a long time to follow quick changes
in technologies and trends. I love gentlemen and good behaviour in a funny way I like the
‘Knigge’ book and I stick to good and old values. I was resenting blogs and blog requests for
quite a long time, because I just didn’t want to understand it. I am now slowly getting myself
into it, just because I see how important it gets. I don’t work closely with any bloggers but I
could imagine to build up an inspiring cooperation with someone who has the same approach.
Can you name 3 MUST HAVE items for the autumn/winter season for each fashion lover?
Oh I am sorry, I definitely can not. First of all I do not care that much about trends. I hardly
check them myself. This is a way of rescuing me from getting insecure about my own way of
thinking and my work and also rescuing me from copying. Most creative people are very sensitive
and open-cell like. They get easily hooked by beautiful things, words, atmospheres. Sometimes
without realising it you soak something like a sponge, you digest it and you make it to something
else or sometimes something very similar. But second and maybe more important, I don’t want to
tell someone what to wear. We are not living in a dictatorship. I am more than happy if I hit the
taste of various people with my designs. But what a sad term actually this is: A must have!
I know that many actors and musicians are wearing your designs. Is there any famous person
you would love to design for? And if so, why that person?
I get quite a lot of requests from talent agencies, asking if I would like to dress one of their clients.
I rarely agree as most of the time it is a person in an agency who believes that this might fit. But in
the end those people just look dressed up and personality and the garments don’t melt into each
other. You can right away tell, that they would never wear something like that in their free time.
I would like those people like musicians and actors or whoever to discover my style themselves.
Then it becomes an authentic story for both. I know that this is the much longer way to get
publicity but I do prefer it that way. To answer your question, of course I do dream of some great
personalities and I am sure our ways will cross one day.
Esther, thank you very much for your time and the interview. We can not wait to follow you
on your journey in the fashion world. Where do you see yourself and your brand in 2030?
Oh wow, well I can’t avoid dreaming sometimes of myself in 2030 laying in my garden of my little
house in the south of France (which I am dreaming of owning then) and writing a book. But let’s
be honest, I would be bored after two weeks latest. Having my own brand is my life, my dream,
my baby. I will still be there, bigger, stronger, wiser. And the brand will have more products,
more sales points, more concepts, more fantastic big projects with inspiring people. I am so much
looking forward to it.
Archie Fitzgerald
When we discovered Archie Fitzgerald’s work for
the first time we were obsessing within minutes.
From England, to Berlin to Melbourne, this is an
artist whose work is so mindblowingly fucked up
it gets you really hooked. The inspiration behind
it partly explains that: serial killers, paedophiles,
rapists, internet freaks, anything wrong in people’s
heads. Read on about what’s happening in the
head of one of the greatest illustrators of all time!
Interview by Emma E K Jones & Amanda M Jansson
Do you remember the first thing
you ever draw and liked? What was
it?
When I was in primary school I
would draw ‘cool dude’ characters
over and over again. They would
all have like adidas t shirts and
sunglasses and a beard and hat like
Ali G. Not sure why I liked drawing
them so much, I didn’t dress like that
at all. Then I got into bands like Less
Than Jake and NOFX and would
copy their CD covers and stuff.
How did you decide on becoming
an illustrator eventually?
I would never say that I’ve decided
to be an illustrator and I wouldn’t
even say I’m an illustrator. I did
study illustration and most of my
work is drawn but it’s not illustrating
anything apart from my own ideas,
apart from the occasion when I draw
something for someone else. I’m
not great at making 3D stuff and
don’t enjoy it that much and I find
painting a bit annoying so drawing
with pen and ink is what works for
me.
How do you come up with the
stories you illustrate to? Where do
you get inspiration from?
I come up with them in my head
but I do take influence from various
things. It depends what I’m into at
the time, at the moment I’m quite
into the deep web and weird stuff that
goes on through the internet and the
people that inhabit it. Paedophiles,
stalkers, drug dealers, cam girls, and
people addicted to the internet who
never leave the house like hardcore
gamers and porn addicts. Other stuff
I get inspiration from is weird people
like serial killers and rapists and also
books and films and stuff in my own
life…
In terms of drawing, what are your
major influences?
Two big people that influenced me
a lot especially when I was around
16/17 would definitely be Ralph
Steadman and Basquiat. I got really
into Henrik Drescher’s work later
on and other illustrators like that
but now I don’t take much influence
from other drawers/illustrators.
Visual stuff that inspires my work
these days is more like 60s/70s
magazine/book covers and graphic
design like Tadanori Yokoo, Asian
art, 70s sci-fi art, surrealist stuff and
weird disturbing internet things I
find.
Your work is very bold. Did this
ever cause you any trouble?
Not as of yet. I think it’s so fictional
and surreal looking that people don’t
take the disgusting sex and stuff too
seriously.
Are there any other forms of art
that you would be interested in
experimenting with?
Yeah for sure, at the moment my
other main project I’ve been working
on is music. I have a cheap midi
keyboard and logic and I’ve been
making weird music and writing
songs and stories to go with them
that I want to perform when they’re
ready. The stories and subject matter
is very similar to my drawings so I’m
a bit worried that when people hear
some of the fucked up stuff coming
from my mouth they might take
offence but I’ll have to wait and see.
Also with my drawings I want to
incorporate installation to add more
to the experience when I exhibit so
that is something I’m going to be
working on soon.
What’s the most annoying thing
someone can say about your work
and why?
That it’s funny. Sometimes people
have seen my work somewhere
and think it’s hilarious and that’s
annoying! I guess the reason why is
because I don’t think it’s funny and
there’s nothing about it that’s meant
to be funny.
86
Have you ever exhibited your work?
How did it feel?
Yeah I’ve done exhibited in Bristol a few times and
Berlin a bunch of times. I love it it’s great, one
of the most satisfying moments when you’ve been
making work is when people come and enjoy it.
What are you currently working on? An
exhibition perhaps?
Yeah well I’m currently working on a few things.
The first thing is the music I mentioned earlier, I
want to record some of it soon and work on being
ready to do some stuff live. I have a screen printed
zine which is going to be coming out around
September published by Culture Commune and
I’m working on a zine that will be published by
Re:Surgo. And yeah I’m trying to get an exhibition
in Melbourne so been writing some proposals and
things for an exhibition I really want to do.
Keep up with Archie’s work at
www.archiefitzgerald.com
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Some Lik
Top: Oasis Trousers: Oasis Leathertop: Oasis Jacket: Meindl Necklace: By Malene
90 Maya M (@ Pearlmanagement)
Lucio
Anita Krizanovic
e It HOt
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Aru & Franco Erre
(Photography)
(Production & Styling)
Patricia Piatke
(Hair & Make Up)
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Cardigan: DOUUOD
Vest: Joseph
Bag: Dr Martens
Shoes: Tommy Hilfiger
Braclets: Coccinelle
Earrings: lolaandgrace
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lolaandgrace Tights: Falke
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96
Bag: Dr Martens Earrings: lolaandgrace
Coat: Annie P Sunglasses: Salvatore Ferragamo
Pullover: By Malene Birger Skirt: By Malene Birger Top: Annie P Coat: Annie P Bag: Coccinelle
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Necklace: Tommy Hilfiger Watch: Tommy Hilfiger
INTERVIEW
Prodromos
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Emmanouilids
Interview by Amanda M Jansson & Emma E K Jones
Prodromos Emmanouilids is an analogue photographer from Greece, who
can capture anything he wants and always make it feel special and bear
his signature. With an immense archive, he luckily continues snapping
and is unstoppable when it comes to capturing the right moment. His
photographs are rough, honest, unpretentious and still breathtakingly
beautiful.
How did you begin with your photography?
I began photographing as a schoolboy on trips.
My first film I shot at the age of 12. Since then
I spent all my money in films capturing every
special school and family event.
What are your influences? What has shaped
you as a photographer?
I can’t really speak about my influences. I’m yet
very confused. For sure my biggest influence is
nature. Nature not only as countryside but like
we often say “natural beauty” etc. Secondly, the
civilized society we live in. What shaped me as
a photographer? Suffering, pain, love, a huge
amount of them changed me from a young
person into a grown man, so as a photographer
too, giving me the current form.
How do your surroundings and daily routine
affect you as an artist?
I get inspired by them. I use them in my
pictures. I use faces, people, landscapes, items,
activities, ideas, everything my surrounding
contains. Although sometimes I express only
my feelings I still have to use my environment.
How difficult or easy is it to shooting nude?
I love capturing nude bodies. I love the skin.
The only difficulty shooting someone nude is
in making the model feel really comfortable in
front of the lens. My aim is to make him look
at my lens like gazing into my eyes.
What is your working progress?
How do you plan and go ahead with your
projects?
No specific working progress. I’m
experimenting constantly. I try lots of stuff. My
basic line of planning is go as natural as can be.
This issue’s theme is rough it up. Did it ever
get rough for you while shooting?
Well, nothing ever got rough during any
shooting, BUT there were moments where I
got really rough and I captured myself in this
situation, “bloody” moments.
Would you describe yourself as a rough
person? In which sense?
I’m a very patient person and rarely lose my
patience. But when l’ve lost my temper I’m
getting very rough. Also I prefer to consider
myself rough in more personal moments such
as in bed.
What’s the best and worst you ever heard
about your work?
The worst thing I’ve ever heard about my
photography is when I visited a friend holding
my then new camera, a lubitel2, and he told me
“What is this old thing around your neck? And
tell me that you spent money just for taking
old photographs?” On the other hand someone
who I admire so much, once while looking at
my pictures said “impressive… interesting how
your vision develops as the years go by.”
In your work you push boundaries. Is that so
in your daily life as well?
In my work just like in my personal life I
feel free. I prefer to think that there are no
boundaries. The only limit I put is human
existence. I don’t like to push people against
their will. “Our freedom ends, where another’s
freedom begins.”
Have you ever been caught or seen by anyone
while shooting nude outdoors? What did you
do or what would do?
Luckily, I’ve never been caught while shooting
nude outdoor. I’m always very careful and
prepared, I ask for directions. When I choose
a location it has to be familiar to me. I need
to know if people are passing by or how often,
what time I have to take the shoot. I remember
once on a Greek holiday while I was returning
home from work I was passing trough Greek
Olympic facilities, a place where there is
always lots of people but not on a Greek bank
holiday. So it was my chance to take my nude
self-portrait. My only problem was the security
car passing every 5 minutes. I calculated
everything, I set up all the rest and the right
moment I took the shot. It took more than five
minutes, I saw the car several times but I took
my clothes off only once. Although I’ve been
seen once or maybe more often while taking
nude self-portraits, nothing bad happens,
people changed their course and let me alone,
that’s all!
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What do double exposures of yourself mean?
What is your thought behind it?
Well done! very interesting question. To be
honest I’ve never thought of this. Double
exposures? At first it was an experimental
process. I really loved the aesthetics of the
result. Reminded me of some kind of painting.
Now, I believe it is the most interesting part
of my work cause it does not provide all the
information that clearly. Kind of mysterious.
My double exposures don’t mean anything
more special than others’. It’s a way of
displaying more than one feeling of a person in
one single frame. Also it’s turned into a way of
exposing someone naked without his identity
being recognized, this has made it a lot easier to
find models to pose naked.
How do you look for models? Is it easy
finding people to pose for you?
All my models are people I know, they are
friends, friends’ friends, lovers etc. When I
meet a person and find it interesting in my
way I always suggest him/her to pose for me. I
present to him/her a part of my work to show
and make him/her complete a picture of the
potential result. Sometimes, it happens the
other way round. People look at my work and
ask me first if I want to take pictures of them.
This gives me quite a pleasure. It’s so important
to me when people like my work and ask to
be part of it. It means trust! In general it’s not
easy at all finding people to pose for me. Most
people are hesitating to be exposed in nude.
Greek society still is conservative with nudity,
people believe if they get exposed this way it
may cause them problems in their daily life.
How does the political situation in Greece
affect your work as an artist?
Greece has been facing a big political and
economical crisis in the past years. It is very
difficult for most of people, as it is for me
too. Things like finding a job, paying your
bills, health insurance, even your food can be
and are our daily problems. The hard part are
politicians, everyone is disappointed in them
over and over the past few years. The hopes
are fading and struggling with your problems
is getting harder and harder. When the state
isn’t supportive, you lose your will to fight and
this is what makes your daily struggles more
difficult. So I think my work is an escape
window from this hard situation in Greece. It
makes me forget the difficulties and transfers
me to another world, giving me a reason to
continue fighting in the real one. That’s why
while looking at my pictures you can see
beautiful men, naked bodies, love, sex, children
toys, sea, sky, beautiful sceneries. I prefer to
capture anything that doesn’t remind me of my
daily struggles. I am not thinking of my work
as a political act, but more of a way to not be
political.
What are you working on at the moment?
I’m thinking of starting to capture female
figures. Lately, I spent most of my time with
women, especially lesbians who became very
good friends. I realized that these girls are really
beautiful. A beauty reflected from the inner
one. So I feel the need to capture that beauty!
Stalk Podromos on
www.in-public.tumblr.com
FUTURE JEFF MILLS
UPwith
Interview by Marianne Jacquet Photo by Yoko Uozumi
Jeff Mills is a visionary artist from Detroit born in 1963 and a legend of
the electronic music scene. Together with Juan Atkins, Derrick Mau and
Kevin Sanderson, he contributed to build what became Techno Music.
Following his creative instinct for more than 2 decades, Mills has
explored the dimensions of sound far beyond the club culture. His career
is an example of artistic freedom and ethics. It is hard not to mention his
involvement with the collective, Underground Resistance, that set the
techno music free from social discriminations and distributed the sound
of Detroit all around the world. Since 1992, Jeff Mills is releasing his
music, Cine-Mix and film productions on his label Axis records.
The constant appetite for the future and novelty of this former student
in Architecture lead Jeff Mills to break with the patterns of music genres
and art conventions. Answering to the invitation of the Louvres in Paris,
Jeff Mills succeeded in ennobling techno music alongside the pianist
Mikhaïl Rudy with whom he performed « When Time Splits » in front
of the psychedelic masterpiece film « l’Enfer » of Henri-Georges Clouzot
Jeff is presenting, on September 25th, a second opus of the « Exhibitionist
2 », a DVD and record but above all an opportunity to enter the maestro’s
mind and the core of the machine. Mills explains to us his vision on his
artistic and scientific collaborations starting now - FUTURE UP!
Interview Opening track:
Terry Riley by Africa Express
Beside the incredible fascination
of watching the artist in motion
whilst creating, the Exhibitionist
2 has a strong didactic aspect, is it
a desire to present Techno music
as a more accessible medium to a
larger public?
Yes, exactly. My objective is to show
the creative process from beginning
to end and how everything is pulled
together in the form that most
people here it. The “track” or the
“mix” I think by showing this will
allow for a better understanding,
and hopefully, a better appreciation
of the art form and genre.
The diversity of your work, is
close to a researcher, always out
framing to another environment,
your approach to music is almost
anthropological. Have you ever
wished to quit music for physics?
No, I’m quite occupied with trying
to figure out how to describe things
through Music. It’s more than a
full time job! I think that the usage
of translating subjects of certain
relevant topics gives more value to
the purpose of music. If we can do
more with music, then as societies,
we’ll might consider music more
seriously, rather than always for
entertainment. If we can all agree
that we need music, then it’ll be
around for as long as possible.
Do you think that it is a duty to
educate and communicate on
a more intellectual level and to
ennoble Techno music?
Yes. I also believe that producer
have a certain amount of
responsibility to try and bring
something new to their listeners.
That, at some point in the course of
their careers and work, an effort to
go beyond what is expected should
be normal. They should feel free
to do that and not confined by the
opinions of the public and media.
You have built in your career a
bridge between the club scene
and its industrial background
and some of the most respected
cultural institutions, are you
fighting the dichotomy between
these two worlds are embracing it?
I have no problems working at both
levels. In fact, I’m learning a great
deal from other ones and applying it
to the other. These new experiences
are shaping the way I perceive and
what I strongly believe to be of
substance. As an artists, I could not
asked for anything more than this.
When you are improvising on
your instrument, is it the same
mindset that drives you when you
are performing on a film score?
No, it’s different. Improvising
is an immediate psychological
response. A gesture based on how
I feel or that I’m convinced I could
accentuate by doing a particular
thing at that precise second or
moment. In scoring film and the
way I manage it, I first memorize
the film and mostly compose off
of my memories of certain scenes.
Then, I’ll watch the film and
measure the length and duration of
the Music in order to make them fit
into each part or scene.
How do you sync with other
humans and other machines?
In Classical performances,
synchronization is managed when
the conductor and musicians hear
a click or pulse sound that’s being
created and generated by my drum
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machine. In djing and applying the
drum machine to records or tracks,
that’s done manually by hand.
Meaning, that the drum machine
is layered on top of existing music
manually. No sync is connected. It’s
very interesting to do this because
each sound source can have their
own tempo and scale (from not
being synced together).
The set up of your studio in
the Exhibitionist 2 is quite
minimalistic, would you say that
« Less is More » but is vintage the
key or do you like to mix all type
of technologies?
I really prefer to use as few
machines and equipment as
possible to make tracks. Having to
consider using them more wisely,
more strategically. In this mind-set,
less is certainly more, but not by for
the sake of making Minimal Music,
but rather because I often feel more
sound simply isn’t needed or I can’t
imagine more than that (at that
moment). The minimal setting
of the scenes in Exhibitionist 2
was thoroughly thought about
and discussed. What I wanted to
do was to either showing a lot of
things or nothing at all. In showing
nothing, I want the viewers to only
concentrate of what’s there because
everything in the frame is for a
reason.
Do you still surprise yourself on a
TR 909?
Yes, there are things that can
happen, or should I say, ways I can
get stuck with situations that I have
to figure a positive way out of. In all
of the drum machine segments, I’m
only using 1 - 4/4 time signature
pattern. Changing, writing/erasing
throughout the segment, but the
machine is much more capable than
that. In most of the scenes, I’m
writing instrument patterns while
playing others at the same time.
You describe the musical process
as a «concept in progress», it is
the development in time of ideas.
Is it why you are multiplying the
film music performances?
Yes, that’s correct. I do not know
the exact term for what I’m doing
by encompassing all my actions
into one swift movement (even
career wise), but to me, it all seems
connected to one another - film,
dance, cinema, djing, music
production, etc. There is no real
distinction between them anymore.
There are different approaches
of the same thing in the DVD.
Programming music is the same
as making it. Being spontaneous
in both situation creates the same
result.
Is the video format more
attractive than a painting or a still
picture?
Each person should decide that, but
I prefer still photographic images
more than anything. There is the
limitation and what this does to the
viewer’s mind that I think is more
important that revealing the whole
passage of preserved reality. We do
not exist and live in stillness, which
is why I think it’s so unique - so
special.
You have closely worked around
the op art and the kinetic light
sculptures of Vasarely when
you performed « When Time
Splits » and « Chronicles of
Possible Worlds ». You more
recently created an exhibition
“WEAPONS A small but potent
collection of music affiliated
avant-garde objects”, would you
consider you curating work as a
psychedelic experience?
Well, I would consider them more
like psychedelic questions on topics
that do not really need an answer.
Sometimes, I think the only thing
that could ruin a great idea is a
comment from someone else.
So, I try to approach this type of
work in a way that takes to aspect
of knowing how people feel from
experiencing it - that the projection
of the work is one way only. There
is a certain amount of freedom by
doing this and I think its plays out
in the way the projects are created.
The Weapons show was exactly this
case. I was told that a concept like
this would not work. A small show
of art and artifacts that included
music, clothing, and many other
things – where the atmosphere
was just as important as the
items themselves. Nothing in the
show tried to convince anyone of
anything. It was just there in Tokyo
for only 4 hours on 1 day.
Watching your mix skills and
your hand choreography in the
«Exhibitionist 2 » is fascinating,
it could be compared to a pianist
passion and paradoxically doesn’t
it also demystifies your persona?
Yes, and this was the purpose of
showing it as closely as possible.
To normalize it so others may
understand and expand upon it.
Music needs a constant flow of free
thinkers and doers. I believe this
is the fastest way to improve and
enrich the art form of Music.
You have contributed to the rise
of a movement and a culture as an
artist and as a label,as a curator,
can we say that you have become
its philosopher?
No, I’m just someone who deeply
believes that music can enhance
people’s lives. That, it can make
them us realize things in ways
where words cannot. I take it very
seriously because I realize that
people are giving their attention
and spending there time and money
to have something special. They can
always be somewhere else, doing
something else.
What would be the best track to
fade out this interview?
Gil Scott Heron - The Revolution
Will Not Be Televised.
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Interview by Nicola Phillips Photography by Kiko Dionisio
Ebony
BONES
From starting her own record label, to touring
with iconic punk outfit The Slits, Ebony Bones is
not interested in following the crowd. The British-
Caribbean singer-songwriter has already built up an
impressive résumé in the last few years – and has come
a long way from her hometown of Brixton, South
London. Influenced by an eclectic mix of post punk,
old-school afro-beats and open minded production
methods, Ebony’s music goes hand in hand with her
killer sense of style, fearless attitude and outspoken
attitude towards breaking down boundaries in the
modern music industry.
You’ve visited Berlin a few
times this year, how have you
found it? Has it lived up to your
expectations?
Berlin is beautiful and definitely
currently flying the flag as the
cultural center of Europe. It’s nice
spending time and playing here as
my dad lived in Berlin during the
60s.
Where are you from originally?
What was it like growing up there?
Was it a place surrounded by
music?
I was born in London and grew up
in Brixton where my dad had a small
vinyl stall selling music. Music has
always served as a soundtrack to my
life
Were there any artists or producers
at this time that really stood out to
you?
I recall loving everything from The
Sex Pistols to Parliament, Siouxsie
Sioux to Grace Jones. But I was
particularly interested in producers,
such as Nile Rodgers and Brian Eno.
What was it like when you first
started producing your own music?
Did you find it difficult? Do any
boundaries exist?
I think it’s important not to consider
boundaries, but to step outside the
circumference of what people expect
you to be in life. Be your own hero.
I’m still growing as a producer and
feel honored anyone cares about my
journey.
Who was the first person you
worked with? Are you self taught
or did you receive training? What’s
the most exciting part of producing
your own music? Is there a certain
key element you can’t do without?
I first collaborated alongside
drummer Rat Scabies from The
Damned and went on tour with
bands like The Slits. Originally I
trained as an actress which I wasn’t
that great at, after a while I realised
I just wasn’t very good at taking
directions. Music represented liberty
to me, something I think most artist
can’t live without.
Does the name Bones refer to “the
bare bones”? Is what we see, what
we get?
Rat Scabies named me Bones. It’s
also the name of an Irish musical
instrument, so I’ve heard
What was it that drove you to
record ‘Behold, a Pale Horse’ in
India?
I had the opportunity to work
with members of The Symphony
Orchestra of India, which I couldn’t
turn down. However parts of the
album were also record in London
for my Smiths cover of ‘What
Difference Does It Make’ alongside
The New London Children’s Choir.
What was it like working with
an orchestra? Did you learn any
valuable lessons?
I learnt that some of the most
amazing string musicians in the
world are living in India, I just
adore the culture clash and cross
pollination of two different sounds
coming together.
You have a new EP coming out,
‘Milk and Honey Part 1’, where
was this recorded? Can we expect
any surprise collaborations on the
album?
Very excited about the EP which
features the amazing Lady Miss Kier
of DeeLite. The EP was recorded in
London and New York.
Will the album be a start to a new
series?
Not sure I’m still working on it, but
sounds amazing so far.
What was it like filming your new
video for ‘Oh Promised Land’?
I think the hardest thing for artists
isn’t making the art, it’s getting it out
once it’s completed. The actual shoot
was a lot of fun and features friends
and members of my label 1984.
What’s it like being involved in
Ray Ban’s Campagin4Life? I saw
the clip with The Russians, do you
think it’s important to “mix up
tradition”?
It was an honour to produce the
soundtrack for Ray Ban’s new
campaign, even nicer that they
asked me to be in it. Tradition has
never appealed to me personally, so
“mixing” it up seemed appropriate
and in line with my ethos artistically.
What was your first live
performance like? Will that
moment of anticipation will ever
subside?
110
I’m always nervous before I go on
stage. Music is perhaps one of the
only things that has the power to
galvanize people. Music and perhaps
sport.
Name a song or an artist that you
could always listen to, no matter
what mood you’re in.
Maybe the B-52s, maybe Public
Enemy, maybe The Smiths, depends
on the day of the week.
What stage would you love to
perform on?
The never ending Stage of Life.
What is your ultimate karaoke
song?
Ebony & Ivory by Paul McCartney
and Stevie Wonder.
Did you ever think you’d be where
you are today?
No not really, partly due to the
deficit of female producers in the
industry, it just didn’t seem like a
realistic aspiration.
What would you say to an aspiring
music producer?
It’s always good to be
underestimated, you can’t lose.
What’s next?
Next year I have a collaboration with
Yoko Ono.
Pick Ebony’s bones at
www.iamebonybones.com
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Finally, I know. It was about time right?! What
took us so long? Well, we’ve been thinking,
re-thinking, maybe over thinking things, new
directions, possibilities, ideas. And here we are,
brand new on the outside but still the same on
the inside, the spirit lives on! Having Peaches as
a cover gurl, is nothing short of sensational. Not
just because she perfectly fits with our theme
“Rough”. Peaches is free. Peaches does whatever
Peaches wants to do. And nowadays being able
to be really free, I can tell you is not such an easy
thing. So high five and like Peaches says “Put
your dick in the air”. Last time I did it, I caught
a really bad cold - was sick for two weeks - Ouch.
Also black is boring, don’t you think? I mean
wearing black from head to toe is over, assuming
it was in at one point. I am not saying you
should go to Desigual but you know, I’m just
saying try and mix it up a little -finding a middle
ground never hurt anyone. Also, black outfits
all over make you look like weekdays models
and, in this specific case, it is not a good thing.
And please, most important thing, be happy
(like seriously, just a bit at least). There will
always be a reason for you to be sad, stressed
out, annoyed, so for the next minute or so just
push it all out of your mind. Forget about that
Pot Pourri.
shelf in your living room that needed to be fixed
six months ago, forget about this appointment
that you have to make with your dentist,
forget about that bossy chief of yours who is
incompetent and has bad breath. Enjoy yourself.
Be content of your situation. Let’s be satisfied,
let’s love ourselves and love our neighbours.
Love, love may not be the answer to everything
but it definitely helps to grow, to keep going.
I have been living in Germany for 8 years now
and not only do I love it, but that’s my home
now. I’m really proud to see how well Germany
is doing with the refugees lately. The world is
changing, faster than we think, and it won’t
ever be the same again. People leaving the ones
they love behind because of the war. I didn’t
think that I would experience such a thing in
my lifetime. And somehow it feels good to
see that Germany, among other countries, is
helping, saying “come here people, we welcome
you with open arms, and we’ll find a proper
solution later. For now just come and rest.
Come and live.” Love and generosity. Refugees
are not just passing by, they are here to stay.
We are going to be…a new Europe, a stronger
one, a more colourful one, a bigger one. The
world is really changing. And we are -each
and everyone of us- a part of this movement.
Let’s celebrate tomorrow together. And last but not least, thanks to the team, the contributors, to
anyone who’s been around. See you soon and till then “Let me see you put your dick in the air”!
Yours Nicolas
Photo by Suzanna Holtgrave
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