We at TWIN, know that fashion has blood and brains and pizzazz, but it also has its own idiosyncrasies, as just one example it’s always been a law unto itself as far as the seasons are concerned. Deliveries of clothes clash with the seasons in real time, and just as one season is being delivered, the next is being launched on the runways. The recent cruise collections extend fashion seasons as news, as do international fashion weeks in locations as far apart as Australia or Spain. Today magazines like TWIN view trans seasonal dressing and layering as important for most of us, since unpredictable weather is global, and travel is part of many people’s daily lives. Mixing the seasons is about more than simply carrying an umbrella, it’s about seasonal blurring.
It’s also true that in the same way we mix winter and summer, we mix day and night, where a sparkling skirt may be teamed with a chunky sweater or a severe tailored jacket may slip over a romantic blouse. It’s all about breaking the rules, about questioning the old ways and bringing a fresh attitude to fashion, to pique the observers interest, to reinvent the wardrobe.
As you turn the pages of this issue of TWIN you’ll note how our creative teams not only switch between the seasons but also between stories. It’s the range of narratives that take us from variations on the sporty, to sophisticated late night dinners, from strolling around the city in easy pieces, to close up looks at covetable jewellery. Its about each issue being a series of juxtapositions, layering the stories and ideas like a delicious mille feuille gateau.
Between the covers of each issue we think about the range of stories from urban indoors to rustic country, from the art of reading to the art in a gallery. TWIN thinks and plans carefully how to offer interest and that old fashioned word “ variety” every time the publication is offered to its readers. It’s about where fashion and what we wear sits in relation to art, interiors, the world around us. It all requires constant updating, fresh attitudes, analysis of where we are, and also where we are heading. New designers, new artists, new names and new ways of creating from earring’s to shoes, from a painting to furniture.
This is our 34th issue of TWIN and we continue to search, report, create and offer exciting narratives across a broad creative field. So, turn the pages, be surprised, read carefully, return to check the credits, and invest time in seeing our spectrum of stories. Above all, enjoy the entire issue as we continue to offer, through our amazing contributors, what is classically always referred to as “food for thought”.
As we move on from the season of designer debuts, it is time to look at fashion away from the runway. TWIN stylists, photographers, and teams show us their narratives, and what is making fashion exciting today. What we show is that there are a new elegance and a new relaxed attitude to style. Turn the pages to be inspired and see fashion with a modernity and understated chic that tells the story.
Who wears these clothes must be about style and character; with Miranda Kerr, Jourdan Dunn, and Tsunaina amongst our models this is made abundantly clear. Diversity, like sustainability, may be an overused word but with London, Sydney and Nepal in their profiles TWIN shows this can only be an asset in the casting for image making.
Read about the arts, so closely allied to fashion, where amongst our stories we look to France, Brazil, and Japan. We observe how artist Sonia Gomes and her work with textiles and found details is so closely allied to the fashion wardrobe created by Ronald van der Kemp. When we dive into the never never land worlds of artist Jodefa Ntjamm and of couturier Franck Sorbier we see how they are both story tellers and makers of magic.
Turn the pages of this issue to see how style is about the balance between experience and knowledge, weighing the hand skills of the past with the technology of the future. It is a fact that fashion reflects the world the pieces are worn in; at a time of global political and social uncertainty, TWIN understands this must be a narrative of beauty tempered by reality.
Christian Dior has announced that Jonathan Anderson will take over as creative director for all collections that the house produces, that is Haute Couture, menswear, and womenswear pret a porter, as well as cruise. This is the first time this role has been a single designer’s responsibility since Monsieur Dior’s reign 1947 to 1957. Although back then there were only two huge couture collections a year of around one hundred and fifty looks each, and in 1970 Marc Bohan, the designer of both couture and pret a porter, was credited with the very first menswear collection.
However, Mr Anderson will not be taking on this role alone, a vast infrastructure of teams and support underpins a house such as Dior, just as it does for a magazine editor, these roles rely on a team. Philippe Guibourgé designed Miss Dior, the pret a porter/boutique collection from 1967, and Frédéric Castet designed the Dior fur collections from 1968. There have also to be specialists in specific creative roles such as tailoring or fabric sourcing, as for a magazine art direction or feature writing. Producing a collection at Dior or a magazine such as TWIN requires the same balance, a single overarching vision plus those who make it happen, in other words a team.
This latest issue or TWIN magazine is, as always, the product of an enormous number or people, some even uncredited; the intermediaries whose dedication of supporting their brands isn’t about seeking attention for themselves but is focussed on doing the job to the maximum of their ability. The extra pair of hands whose contribution is vital but uncredited.
Alongside the subject of the team is also the continuing internationalism of fashion, which must never be taken for granted. Breaking barriers by mixing people from every corner of the globe, whose vision as a team can cross reference many cultures to realise the final creative vision, in TWIN that can be that a dress, a lipstick, or a cover. We know that Mr Anderson spent his childhood and youth between Ireland and Ibiza, he studied drama in New York and fashion at London College of Fashion and he’s about to take over a French, indeed Parisian, couture house.
If you check out the credits for one of our TWIN cover stories, photographer Paola Kudacki studied in Buenos Aires, and has had her worked exhibited in Hamburg, London, and Barcelona, aside from her international covers and stories; she is currently based in New York. Examine the team and alongside Brazilian models Isabali Fontana and Alessandra Ambrosio, just imagine the number of others behind the scenes to realise this story. Oh, and the stunning understatedly sexy clothes are from the collection of New York and Paris based Lebanese designer Eli Mizrahi’s label MÔNOT, just to add to the mix.
Photographer Irina Shostakova is Bulgarian, now based in Paris, her work may be found across the world, whilst her model Aylah Peterson is Australian, and the superb brand featured, Byredo was founded in Stockholm by Ben Gorham. Again, with credits from nails to assistants it’s a team, and it’s teamwork.
The couture house of Dutch born Peet Dullaert or the superb embroideries of Lesage under the aegis of Frenchman Hubert Barrère require new talents, experienced hands, and a mix of old and new skills. Read how these fashion names and others explain their beautiful work in today’s world. How artist Soshiba Matsubara rethinks the entire concept of an exhibition as he turns the traditional cycle of events upside down. The artist may be Tokyo born but the exhibition is in Vienna, as ever flipping the cultural dial in the blink of an eye.
So, TWIN, as in every issue, celebrates both great teams and international creativity, reflecting the business of style and art, offering a feast of delights to savour.
As we enter the first quarter of the twenty first century next year, style is constantly evolving, and Twin is busy recording it, talking about it and demonstrating it to you through its pages.
In this issue we look at the established, the sustainable and the future, we shift our attention from works of art in galleries to fashion pieces that are works of art. With all the team and contributors focussed on recording and communicating the events and names across the world, we zip from New York as a location to shoot fashion, to Berlin for an event across to artisans and creative teams in Paris, and wherever they may be based.
Avril Groom takes us into the luxury art and extraordinary creativity of Claire Choisne at Boucheron Paris, Francesca Gavin looks to Germany for Atonal and its impact, and Fondazionde Prada and a recent special exhibition. Whilst we watch the world’s reactions to new ways of creating art and fashion, Madeline Ringer delves into the work of three sustainable fashion designers. Stephane Rolland tells us about his shows and clothes, as well as hinting at future plans, accompanied by David Downtown’s images direct from the catwalk to bring this vision to life.
Amongst our fashion stories we feature style and accessories out on the streets, lounging by the pool, or as an art installation. Photographers include Kat Irlin, Sascha von Bismarck, Grace Difford and Kate Jackling, and stylists Iona Ivan, Niki Pauls, and Natasha Royt. These are just some, amongst the many creatives, who have worked so hard to present this issue to you, but all focussed on offering examples of evolving and exciting creativity wherever we find it, that is always Twin Magazines mission.
Now that we’re into the swing of 2024, the new issue of Twin lands just as the smell of spring and the thrill of summer start to come into sight.
In this issue, we take a deep dive into the role of women in fashion and celebrate the names you know, as well as those you may not have heard of – yet! Tony Glenville’s fashion foray into history is rich and insightful. Meanwhile, we also spotlight three names to know among a new wave of Polish artists; Tishan Hsu talks organic technology; and the author Natasha Stagg – whose third book Artless came out at the end of last year – talks writing in the real world.
Plus, a look at modern craft and a delve into the role of women in the ever-evolving world of ceramics, by Madeleine Ringer in conversation with six contemporary ceramicists.
There is also fashion that invites new-season thinking. Be gone jumpers and coats, instead welcome dreamy vacation (or staycation) vibes for out-of-office looks; clothes to move in, go out in and party-with-your-pals in. Shed those layers and indulge in the styles you’ve been thinking about all winter long. Plus, day to night takes on a new, more plausible, meaning. Spring and summer is here.
Summer might well be over but fear not – there’s a lot to look forward to, and reminisce about, in the new issue of Twin. Vagabon, aka Laetitia Tamko, has a new album out full of poignant and mood-shaping tracks. The musician and music producer gives us the lowdown on them plus what she has planned next; meanwhile we meet one of couture’s new leading lights Imane Ayissi; there’s a Q&A with the artist Paul McCarthy, an up-close with Kira Freije’s sculptures; and the latest art talent from Milan. Plus, jewellery to catch the light in; how to wear the opposite of the naked dress; new season scents and a look at how fragrance shapes one’s life. A lot to get stuck into as the new season finally gets underway.
Soo Joo Park, model, musician and Chanel ambassador is here to guide you into the new season as Twin 28 lands. Let her show you how to wear and style the new season with elegance, finesse and a little old-school nostalgia.
The issue is the ultimate inspiration and companion for brighter days ahead with fashion that spans power, freedom, imagination, new rules, pop colour, paradise charm and the trickiest of hues – red.
Plus must-read interviews, conversation and curation with Diana Policarpo, Gabby Laurent, Cinzia Ruggeri, Lewis Dalton Gilbert, Marguerite Humeau, Olivier Theyskens, Stefan Cooke and Jake Burt, and a tribute to Hilary Alexander, the late great fashion journalist who passed away earlier this year.
Issue 27 of Twin has landed! And we’re really excited about this issue, which features Lara Stone as one of the cover stars, alongside Ajok Madel; and brings you the best of fashion for the new autumn/winter season. Think dinner-time jewels, climactic couture, self-expression, the new grunge, how to dress up for going out now and an entirely new take on the enfant terrible.
Inside, we speak with the actress Betsey Brown, who shares how rejection has only served to make her stronger and succeed in her own inimitable way; and we catch up with the IRL-and-URL designer Charli Cohen, who is making waves in the hybrid fashion world. We look at why boobs are in fashion in both the art and style worlds; meanwhile there are interviews with the multi-hyphenate Howardena Pindell, photographer Hannah Starkey, artist Megan Rooney and curator Laura Amann.
“Being human, our capacity to imagine allows us to re-envision the future in new and provocative ways.” says Kate Wong, Chinese-Canadian curator, writer and poet working as assistant curator at the Serpentine Galleries. Wong’s practice is currently centred on understanding the dehumanising dimensions of humanism, and her comment speaks to wider themes of our latest issue, where we’re platforming the creatives who work with unfamiliar and irregular to creatively challenge the status quo.
In issue 26, we spotlight on LVMH shortlisted, zero-waste designer Róisín Pierce who creates effervescent clothes from tulle, organza and satin, and uses texture to reflect on the troubled history of women in Ireland. A series on radical gaming champions the women bringing an unconventional approach to the immersion and interaction in video games. And one of the UK’s most talented songwriters, Porridge Radio’s Dana Margolin, explores the sound of feeling. Plus the original vibe shifter Michéle Lamy curates and stars in a dynamic series of portraits that harness the energy of life, joy and power – shot by Danielle Levitt.
In fashion, photographer Andy Jackson brings a heap of nostalgia to his series of year-book style portraits. Ina Lekiewicz captures big energy retro florals, while Misha Taylor takes us forward with the next generation of formalwear. Looking at the shape of things to come, Georgina Devy shoots a series of spectacular, architecturally-inspired monochrome looks, while in ‘The Great Outdoors’ photographer Lorenz Schmidl and stylist Beatriz Maues take us back to natural pleasures, revelling in the strangeness of our glorious world.
For some, basketball is just a sport. And for those who subscribe to the callous “shut up and dribble” mindset, may argue that it can be nothing more than just that. But for others, the act of a crossover and a lay-up into a slam-dunk is more than an act of athleticism, but something that supersedes sport to the point of being magical.
Enter Lakwena Maciver’s newest series of artwork, presented by Vigo Gallery: ‘Jump Paintings’. This series immediately evokes a sense of nostalgia, drawing a parallel to her previous work “I’ll Bring You Flowers”, created in honour of Senator Flowers’ speech against the ‘Stand Your Ground’ law in 2019, prior the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter Movement in June 2020.
LAKWENA MACIVER ‘Larry, 2021’ Acrylic and polyurethane on plywood 206 x 110 cm 81 1/8 x 43 1/4 inches
The lustrous colours laminated onto the canvas mirror basketball courts, the abstract illustrations melded with spiritual affirmations, a key motif explored in her post works. The nod to basketball legends is in the finer details. Each painting directly references individual players, each canvas fit to their exact height.
“I like the notion of the basketball court as a platform or a stage where the players become almost like superheroes… The heights that they soar to… it’s like they are flying, somehow able to rise above the limitations of this world.” – Lakwena Maciver, Artist.
LAKWENA MACIVER ‘Tyrone, 202’ Acrylic and polyurethane on plywood 160 x 85 cm 63 x 33 1/2 inches
LAKWENA MACIVER ‘Shaquille, 2021’ Acrylic and polyurethane on plywood 216 x 115 cm 85 1/8 x 45 1/4 inches
The political framework Lakwena works from isn’t just a springboard, it’s imbedded into the very fabric of the work. As the sport is beloved globally, many African Americans have found solace in the craft, growing to ultimately dominate the scene over the years. Her work acknowledges the importance of the background, an arguably acts as an ode to its history. In the words of Lakwena she views the series “as an opportunity to celebrate black power, joy, and self-expression”.
The ‘Jump Paintings’ will be available for viewing at Vigo Gallery from January 18th – February 28th 2022 and is split into two parts.
Days are darker and the nights are booming. Twin’s latest issue let’s you in on a secret: the party is right here.
Stories by Clare Shilland, Damien Krisl, Anya Holdstock, Jacob McFadden, and Zoe Taylor bring sparkle, creativity, chaos and play. It’s an extravaganza of colour and volume. Experimentation is irresistible. Control yourself, we dare you. In fashion Ward & Kweskin chronicle chill days by the sea, soaking up sun and surf. In ‘The Gaze’ Valerio Spada and Michelle Cameron capture a sense of languishing and longing – the art of hanging out. While Iris Humm and Anna Schiffel present massive energy in ‘Print Power’. After all, why be minimal when you could be major?
It’s a time for re-imagining the ordinary and taking new perspectives on what seems familiar. Kate Neave talks to artist Marina Faust about documenting life behind the scenes at Maison Margiela for the last 20 years, and her practice of reworking iconic pieces and challenging the function of everyday objects. In ‘Balade’, curator Carina Bukuts invites us to look twice at the neighbourhood of Charlottenburg, and explains how a new exhibition explores the history and present of the neighbourhood, as well as its possible futures. And Emily Chancey spotlights on The Community, a collective breathing new life into Paris.
Rethinking what we know got us thinking about heritage too. In an essay about her grandmother, Lara Johnson-Wheeler writes about memory nostalgia and the beautiful confusion of Anglo Indian dress codes, and how clothes connect us to our past. Daphne Milner speaks to the next generation of London-based talent, Feben, Marie Lueder and Wesley Harriott about reimagining the past for the future – photographed by Tami Aftab and Harry Ecroyd.Thinking about our roots in nature, Dr Ihnji Jon Lecturer in International Urban Politics talks about her book ‘Cities in the Anthropocene’ and the tensions and opportunities of environmental activism in cities. And photographer Paolo Zerbini explores similar ideas in a stunning visual series that goes deep into our everyday connections with the natural world. Plus, Lucy Bourton chats with Faye Webster about her new album.
A tale of two cities: New York and London, circa 2017 to 2020 – this is the setting for Jermaine Francis’ Rhythms From The Metroplex. The photography book can be read as an anthology that takes the viewer on a journey through a pre-pandemic world, a world that is innocent and yet to be consumed by Covid; it acts as a prequel to Something That Seems So Familiar Becomes Distant (Francis, 2020).
Rhythms From The Metroplex, photographed by Jermaine Francis, 2017-2020
Francis’ work illuminates the different cultural parallels between New York and London – the ways people choose to communicate and fill the space (or lack thereof) and the somewhat theatrical essence between the two major cities.
Rhythms From The Metroplex, photographed by Jermaine Francis, 2017-2020
Each image is taken from a selection of frames, all layered together to create the narrative: some faces blurred and others in direct focus. The pictures play with a sense of closeness and distance, speaking to how people used to interact and exchange with one another.
‘In many ways, this book is about time and its intrinsic relationship to photography, but it is also about the poetic mystery of time. Time courses through us, like a heat wave in a vortex. It is a warm kind of whiplash, as life flashes before our eyes.’ – Oliver Kupper
Rhythms From The Metroplex, photographed by Jermaine Francis, 2017-2020
Rhythms from the Metroplex is a 106-page visual experience that encapsulates a time before now – one that shows the unbridled hustle and bustle of everyday life.
This summer, I did a five day road trip around Scotland, visiting the Isle of Mull, Iona, Staffa and the surrounding countryside of Edinburgh with my father, Peter, following the death of his brother, Jamie. I had felt compelled, after this sudden and tragic loss, to connect with my father after many years of near-estrangement. Before our trip, the longest time we had spent alone together was never usually more than a single day.
Peter is eccentric, formidable – a man who marches to the beat of his own drum and no one else’s. The only one who’s kept up is Jumble, his closest companion, a 14 year old Jack Russell.
Peter Jumble, Heriot, (Olympus Mju 35mm Film), photographed by Lara Monro
Peter Jumble on Calgary Beach, Isle of Mull, (Olympus Mju 35mm Film), photographed by Lara Monro
The trip was a chance for me to try to understand, and appreciate, my father’s unique, challenging and complex character. I wanted to keep a record of it, to capture our attempt at reconnection, to document the memories we made along the way.
The trip was emotional, beautiful and exhausting. My camera became a saviour, through it I could observe him – he was my muse. Though his reaction to being photographed was often in the form of a scowl, the interaction it created became a form of communication and connection between us. This was new ground for us both.
Peter Van, Edinburgh, (Olympus Mju 35mm Film) photographed by Lara Monro
Who is my father? Do I understand him? How well do any of us know our parents as entities beyond the role of mother or father? Does understanding his life better vindicate him of the mistakes he made as my parent?
Isle of Iona, (Olympus Mju 35mm Film) photographed by Lara Monro
I hope that these images have captured some of what I learnt: that Scotland is beautiful, that my father is strange and brilliant, and that my time spent with him has helped me to make sense of, and heal from, a complex family past.
Header image credits: Peter on Staffa Island, (Olympus Mju 35mm Film), photographed by Lara Monro
The internet, NFT’s, and memes: what do all of these things have to do with digital art and its consumption? The Mona Lisa Effect seeks to answers these questions, through a live-streamed auction championing artists of the new digital era.
Taking its inspiration from Darian Leader’s book Stealing the Mona Lisa (2002), where he argued that the theft of Leonardo’s painting was the cause for its universal popularity. The absence of the piece became the enigma, which built up the anticipation for when it returned.
James Kerr/Scorpion Dagger Pointers (2021). Courtesy of the artist and CNL.
The artists featured in the exhibition embody the task of displaying a reinvigoration in the consumption of art in the digital space. Sarah Judy, James ‘Scorpion Dagger’ Kerr, Damien Roach, and Thomas Webb all explore the binary of absence and presence – balancing between the two ideas, and in some way, finding a point where they meet in the middle.
This exhibition is led by curator and co-founder of Manifesta11: Francesca Gavin, known for her editor position at LIMBO, contributions at the Financial Times How to Spend It, and widely for her book Watch This Space which delves into how digital screens have a direct impact on society, culture, and the self.
Damien Roach, ‘Nothing (Sink Hole)’, from the series Four Types of Nothing (2021). Courtesy of the artist and CNL. (Still)
The live exhibition is set to take place on 30th May 2021 at 2pm (GMT) and will be hosted on Croy Nielsen and Emanuel Layr’s gallery site cnl.casa
Header image credits: Thomas Webb, Art Kids Online (2021). Courtesy of the artist and CNL.
The perfect accompaniment for every second: the Chanel J12 is a watch that embodies the words of Greek theologian Theophrastus “time is the most valuable thing a man can spend”.
The J12 is known as the most iconic Chanel watch, taking Jacques Helleu 7-years to create the first edition through meticulous crafting and reworking. In this new campaign, 9 iconic women share their personal experiences about a moment in time that completely shifted their life.
Chanel have made Australian actress Margot Robbie, known for appearing in thought-provoking films and playing dynamic roles, one of the faces of this new campaign. The intimate time piece is seen on Robbie’s wrist as she leans on her hand, eyes gazing at the camera. She holds the stare – making all who look at her pause for a moment in time.
“It feels incredibly special to be alongside such inspiring women in this campaign. Embodying the J12 watch to me is acknowledging and appreciating time.” – Margot Robbie, Chanel J12 SS21 Campaign.
To view the full collection and campaign, visit chanel.com/gb
Introducing the future of luxury physical retail: Browns Book Street opens the doors to their Mayfair flagship store. A carefully curated sanctuary that collates a world of fashion, food, jewellery – this space is an expression of expansive culture. Browns is a staple in experiential retail, with new concepts, designs, and internal architecture, their foundational belief being built upon cultivating personal connections with their community.
“I am thrilled to see us open our flagship, Browns Brook Street, as we kick off 2021. […] Our new magical home will inspire customers as well as usher in a fundamental shift in the way people shop as layered into this connected, tech-enabled experience is a thoughtful and human side – which is so crucial in the current landscape where personal and personalisation is pivotal. […] The space is truly sensorial; sight, sound, smell, taste and touch – offering a unique experience through each visit. The customer is truly at the core of what we do, and we hope that our new home will be one that you never want to leave”. – Holli Rogers, CEO of Browns.
The Focus at Browns (2021)
The space is built to make the shopping experience all encompassing – not just a place for buying clothes but an immersive retail journey. The building is complete with four dynamic floors that include a moveable Ground level which acts as a window to the store, a stairway with a Dimorestudio designed light installation, a gender fluid shoe room, and a restaurant centred around zero waste amongst a plethora of other innovative fixtures.
Britt Moran and Emiliano Salci, founders of Dimorestudio described Browns as having “intentional design choices which restore original features are paired with unexpected modernity”, which in turn helps to create rooms that successfully juxtapose the old with the new, creating a completely different genre.
The Stairway at Browns (2021)
Club Floor at Browns (2021)
“We don’t want to replicate what other brands do. What we do is instinctively Browns. With five decades of customer service both offline and online we are in a unique position to connect with our clients in a bespoke and tailored way through curated and one-of-a-kind shopping experiences all with service at the forefront.” – Lee Whittle, Browns Customer Experience Director.
Twin has always championed radical creativity. The artists, designers, photographers and writers who dismantle structural norms and put their independent, individual stamp on the world. So when it came to launching our first ever guest editor issue, it made sense to invite somebody who not only embodied our core values, but set a new precedent for them.
We’re stoked to have menswear designer Bianca Saunders as our first guest editor, fresh from her LVMH prize nomination. Working with the theme of body language and nuances, Bianca, who challenges the traditional tropes of masculine identity and subverts visual codes in her own design, selected a series of artists, photographers and designers to focus on who all explore elements of this topic in their work. Karoline Vitto celebrates the curves and folds of each body, artist Jadé Fadojutimi discusses painting the indescribable, and Sinead O’Dwyer explores how to create a new standard in fashion. Plus Bianca talks to friend and collaborator Saul Nash about body language and gesture, with a visual story by photographer Jermaine Francis.
Also in this issue, Francesca Gavin interviews renowned South Korean artist Haegue Yang, while new publishing house Hajar Press explores building radical change within the British literary establishment. Plus, writer and curator Anastasiia Fedorova celebrates queer joy through her work creating Russian Queer Revolution, and Gabriella Nkom looks at where sex and death collide in the work of Hervé Guibert.
Presented by Pippy Houldsworth Gallery, Becoming water from the same source by South African artist Phumelele Tshabalala, is an enchanting and vibrant collection of work. The exhibition marks Phumelele’s first solo exhibition, and collates a series of his artwork which utilises a variety of mediums. Each piece is used to showcase both the individual and interpersonal experience.
The exhibitions title Becoming water acts as a metaphor denoting Phumelele’s own self-discovery, his experiences and those he has had personal and or fictional relationships with. Each piece of work takes on the life of his muses: with effervescent oil paint, the figures in his work are draped in garments dripping in a hodgepodge of colours with vivid faces that are familiar to the eye.
A monument to the iS’pantsula as mama feeds the community, 2021
As she embodies the spirit of a dragon, 2021
These paintings also appear to present Phumelele’s duplicitous identity, having recently relocating to Johannesburg after living and working in the US for a number of years. These individuals, many of which are black, with some key African American figures i.e. Ron Finley (seen in Gangsta Gardener). These figures are adorned in outfits that are akin to bright and dynamic patterns often used by Africans in clothing. Reminiscent of different cultural traditional wear, Phumelele presenting these African American characters in African clothing acts as a meeting point or bridge between the two: culminating his personal connection to both cultures.
Gangster Gardener, 2021
There is a fantastical element that is prevalent in each piece, as Phumelele incorporates different carving techniques that fragment the canvas. This is a practice that both deconstructs the original image whilst simultaneously constructing something completely new. Phumelele’s presents new possibilities, bringing in eastern philosophies and perspective into a western space through his artistic expression.
Let him Reign, 2021
Becoming water from the same source is being featured at Pippy Houldsworth Gallery from 19th March – 1st May. To find out more, visit www.houldsworth.co.uk
Considered by many to be the first art, dance came before language: early humans communicated and expressed themselves through gesture and bodily movement. After all, dancers know that how you are in your body relates to how you are in your mind and how you move through the world.
And in today’s increasingly saturated world of communications, it is rare to find someone who understands this and can merge a passion for communication, community and dance poetically.
Eva Alt, Ballet1
Cue Eva Alt. Perhaps known to many on Instagram, as Glossier’s doe-eyed former Head of Social Media, Alt has, over the past few years, not only become known for building Glossier’s digital presence, but also managed to enchant New York’s fashion and beauty scene with her charme, wit and with her passion for dance.
“It always seemed to me, as a person who is a “feeler”, that through dance and watching dance, I was able to inuit things that you can’t necessarily express with words. There’s power in that,” she stated during a Zoom call from her apartment in New York City. “So there is something very honest about communicating through gestures and, you know, you can’t lie!”
Eva Alt, Ballet1
A former professional ballerina, Alt’s trajectory into the world of ballet started when she was a little girl, realizing she wanted to get into dance seriously around the age of 11 or 12. After a brief summer stint at The School of American Ballet in New York, at 15 she auditioned for the Boston Ballet and was accepted. This then led to years of strenuous training in the Balanchine method by a former principal of The New York City Ballet.
However, the world of ballet can be especially tough for young adolescent girls growing up and getting to know their bodies.
Eva Alt, Ballet1
“In dance, at fifteen not only are you going through puberty but that’s also the moment when you start partnering. And all of a sudden your body is changing and it’s also being handled by the male dancers and that’s a very odd experience,” she recalls.
And while many stereotypes regarding how a dancer’s body should look have now been broken, looking back, she wishes she had the knowledge she has now of her body. A lot of ballet is about the perception of line, and growing more self-aware of her form with time, has helped Alt embrace her body instead of working against it.
“One of the things that continually amazes me about the human body, and through dance I am so in tune with my body and myself, is that we are changing all the time. We are constantly making new cells and regenerating. My body feels very different one day to the next! Yet, somehow, the body stores memories,” she quips.
Alt stayed with the company until she decided to take a break and try out different things. This break then led her to fashion and after interning at a few publications and assisting a few stylists, she was then hired by Emily Weiss to work on Social Media at Glossier, and was there for six years, until she left this year to pursue her own personal projects.
Yet, dance was always lurking around the corner and never really abandoned her in time of need. However, it was only after she joined Moves, her friends’ jazz class that she felt ready to get back to dancing full time and became what she believes is a truly rare being: a happy dancer.
“When I was returning to dance and getting in shape, in a lot of ways I felt like I was waking up again. My body wanted to remember the feeling of these movements, and in a lot of ways, it did.”
Eva Alt, Ballet1
It was then she decided she would create her very own ballet class open to all levels: Ballet1. The class proved to be so popular because of its diverse and inclusive spirit it attracted dancers from every borough of New York, and it also helped Alt discover her ultimate purpose: creating a safe and happy space for a diverse community of individuals passionate about dance who may not necessarily be professionals.
A class at Ballet1 pre Covid-19
“My purpose in ballet is that of creating more space for people. And something that is really important to me is performance, specifically for mature ballet dancers, or mature dancers. In a former company, there are lots of amazing dancers who dance for many years and then retire. I feel like there are things like broader life experiences, motherhood, you know, going to school, a job, whatever it is, that add something really valuable to people’s artistry and I feel like there is really no context for that idea to exist. I want to create that. I want to create a platform for mature ballet artistry. So that’s something that is going to be pretty central to the project,” she concludes.
A collaboration between renowned Japanese sports brand ASICS and British brand Vivienne Westwood: The GEL-KAYANO™ 27 LTX sneakers are eclectic, sleek, and sophisticated. Drawing direct inspiration from Westwood and (Malcolm) McLaren’s 1974 collection ‘SEX’ which included leather bondage, t-shirts with zips and holes, and provocative slogans, these shoes are a statement piece that says “I am here”.
ASICS and Vivienne Westwood both as individual brands draw from long-lasting quality design and materials – their shared vision making the collaboration immediately eye-catching. The shoe takes on the essence of both brands, constructed with detailed rubber stocking seams and a statement zip, presented in a translucent matte material. Each shoe has the printed Westwood orb and ASICS details and the neoprene inner sock, imitating the look of rubber tights.
This dynamic shoe is different from a normal running sho features advanced materials and construction such as gel cushioning and dynamic Duomax, allowing it to meet the biomechanical needs of various sports and ensures movement is fluid and flexible.
The optimal shoe for both style and comfort – you can browse and buy the ASICS x Vivienne Westwood now at viviennewestwood.com
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