“The storm was beautiful, but now there’s lots of it to slowly melt and just slush away” comes creator of Porches Aaron Maine’s melodic musings from out of my iPhone on a dismal London night. I’ve called to chat about Porches new album Pool, which has been three years in the making and marks a peak of Maine’s impressive output. Talking to the frontman, the sense of excitement about having an audience for the new record is palpable, which is understandable given that it’s been ready to go for months. And it’s been well worth the wait.
Sonically the album marks a new, more experimental direction for the band (which includes his partner Greta Kline aka Frankie Cosmos). Guitars are swapped for synths and drum machines to intoxicating effect. Indeed, speaking to Maine a couple of days after New York’s recent blizzard feels like apt timing. With a sound that’s both surprising and familiar, cosy and alienating; it’s wholly immersive and will whip up another storm in 2016.
You existed in a couple of guises and line-ups before Porches, what was it about this name and group that stuck?
I guess Porches the name and project started a while ago, like five years ago, when I came back from a tour with my rock band. Back then everyone was living in different places and we weren’t practising, so I made a new batch of songs that felt really different. I don’t really remember why I called it Porches though. I’m not particularly fond of it anymore but…. it’s just a name. And it took a while to start playing those songs live and to figure out how to do it. It wasn’t until Cameron and Greta joined the band that it felt like the kind of line up and instrumentation was finally something special. Before that we were messing with backing tracks and different members.
What was the inspiration behind the album?
I listened to more music, saw more things and experienced new things by living in the city. For me it was important to make something different, that made me feel different that made the audience feel different too. I was paying more attention to music that was being made currently and in drum machines and electronic music saw this cool, exciting potential for something new, and how far you could go with it. It feels really fresh still, even though its widely done to me it felt more exciting than guitar music.
Yeah, it feels like you’ve managed to create something surprising from what at first sounds familiar. I’m interested especially in the motif of water throughout the album, both lyrically and in the quality of the sound, was that a conscious thing or did that evolve naturally?
I was actively trying to make something that made you feel that way… Watery.
And when you’re writing, are you speaking from personal experience or as a character?
The songs are definitely personal. I know in this album the lyrics are pretty abstract, they’re not experiential or based on actual events in my life, but they are a collage of my mood, or whatever I was feeling like that day. Kind of like a set of emotions I put together to paint an emotional landscape.
They’re kind of like impressionist paintings?
Yeah and it was exciting to do that for the first time. I feel like I have always just clung to an experience and it was freeing to not have to experience something psychically to write about it. It taps into a different place. It’s not based on any specific instances so it’s just like a portrait of myself emotionally. Because of that I still feel in it (the album) and still like the songs and can get behind them.
So are you quite considered in your approach to making records?
I definitely live in the song for a while, or at least I live in the recording for a long time. I kind of like that vibe of a recording that’s been loved and given the attention that it deserves.
I’m interested in the eye contact element of performance. Do you ever find it uncomfortable? What’s your performing technique?
I actually made a conscious decision to perform with my eyes open. I realised that I was always closing them or looking down. It’s funnier and more interesting to scan the audience, to look at everyone and how they were feeling.
Have you ever got up on stage and completely screwed up?
Um (long pause) I mean I’m sure… I don’t know! I’ve l tried smoking weed before performing and I just can’t. It’s fun and sounds very special but I’d be psyching myself out. We try to be really focussed and professional. That wasn’t always the case, but it’s been like that for a while now! I
What was the evolution into music, could you have been a banker?
Hah, no. I went into college to study painting but always knew and felt more passionate about the fact that I truly needed to make music. And it was just a matter of time before I realised that it could be a thing.
It’s easy to romanticise creativity in the city, but what’s it actually like being an artist in New York these days?
There’s an insane amount of creative people but I don’t really know if New York embraces them, but at the same time that’s where people get their energy from. It’s something to, not rebel against, but to struggle with. It’s very not chill. You kind of have to be on your shit if you want to make it happen and want to stay around. I love that.
Haute couture isn’t something that’s typically thought of as cool. Beautiful? Yes. Incredibly intricate, ostentatiously unique and mind-blowingly accomplished? Yes. Rebellious? Absolutely. But cool? No. Well, turns out, someone didn’t give the seven-strong team behind Christian Dior‘s spring summer 2016 collection that memo.
What was presented to a predictably packed audience in Paris’s Musée Rodin on Monday was as deliciously unkempt as the bookshelves lining the Seine. Despite the departure of Raf Simons – the undoubtedly refreshing and oft-lauded face of modernity at the historic French house – this was a collection of magnificently wearable, works of art.
Starchy silhouettes were compromised with flashes of bare shoulder – not in a calculated ‘cut-out’ manner – but as if the model had been gesticulating too wildly and somehow shrugged one side of her previously ladylike look off. Because of course Dior is ladylike. Even when it’s sending punkish sheer tops layered underneath prom dresses down the catwalk, the hair remains in a perfect side part, and the cheeks delicately rouged.
Christian Dior Haute Couture SS16
In addition to this, hemlines of voluminous silk dresses cascaded messily from beneath embroidered, tobacco-hued wool coats that were just that bit too short, and the breast-plate of stiff tops exploded provocatively in a fanning wave of ruffles around models’ décolletage.
There is no denying that haute couture as a whole, has become infinitely more realistic in its approach to cut and day-to-day use in recent years. Even the handful of super rich clients who buy this stuff have some kind of ‘cost per wear’ gauge. But – that doesn’t mean it’s become boring. Far from it. In fact, the true inventiveness now is in the attitude conveyed by the most beautiful of clothes. As Christian Dior themselves echoed in their statement this week:
“The spontaneous, relaxed Parisienne of today is Couture by nature, down to the smallest details, but modern in spirit. It’s her attitude, her way of moving, her way of simply being.”
For as long as one can remember, men’s fashion has been inextricably linked – and obviously inspired by – music. So it was particularly significant that the autumn winter 2016 menswear shows that recently took over the fashion capitals of the world fell in the shadow of David Bowie’s tragic death.
David Bowie was not just a music icon, he was a cultural revolution. And it is hard, nay almost impossible, to find a single designer who has not paid reference to his work at some point in their career. From the likes of Burberry to Alessandro Michele at Gucci – this season’s AW16 shows were full of acknowledgements for the late star. The former had little time to do anything other than react to the news, and so models were sent down the runway with glitter shadowing their eyes, and even ‘Bowie’ scrawled across exposed palms. While a few days later at Gucci, a simple cardigan was emblazoned with the singer’s name, which is no surprise as it was the Italian fashion house who sponsored the V&A’s 2012 retrospective of his life and style.
But David Bowie, at heart of all the glitter, hair, disguise and self-expression, was a lad from Brixton. A south London boy who knew how to wear a skinny-cut suit. And as such, it was Paul Smith who really knew how to show his creative thanks with his AW16 offering.
Featuring a melee of those aforementioned skinny suits, ankle boots which snuggly snaked their way up trouser cuffs, paisley motifs and bold stripes which adorned both outwear and cashmere knits – it was a riot of British street style from the late ’60s and early ’70s. See how it all played out – but more importantly listen to the soundtrack which so perfectly accompanied it – below.
This month sees the publication of two new books on the work of German artist Werner Büttner – the first entitled Coincidence In Splendour takes a look at his paintings, and the second My Looting Eye his collages. Why is that a big deal? Well, considering that these are the first books on Büttner’s practice to ever be published in English, it means his work is about to become accessible to an entirely new audience. See? Exciting.
For those unfamiliar with Büttner’s oeuvre, here’s a little background. Whilst predominantly known as a painter, he started a series of collages in the early naughties to confidently and pointedly address the nature of composition and subject matter in art practice. By enabling viewers to reconsider artistic conventions and norms, Werner Büttner also addresses social conformity and the ideology of rebellion (interestingly, Büttner originally trained as a lawyer).
Büttner decontextualizes everyday objects to explore the power of meaning in a visually-stimulating and dynamic way. Explaining his seemingly unpredictable, idiosyncratic style he comments: “the artist is a sieve, sifting his environment. Information nuggets of precisely the required size get stuck in the sieve. Now he can work.” My Looting Eye explores the ‘method that lies behind the madness’.
Werner Büttner’s My Looting Eye and Coincidence in Splendor launch on 28th January, 6-8pm at Marlborough Contemporary London. Published by Black Dog Publishing.
Main image: Werner Büttner, Abandoned, 2008, Courtesy the artist and Marlborough Contemporary, London
The London Art Fair, or righteously self-referred to as ‘the UK’s premiere Modern British and contemporary art fair’, has returned for its annual take-over at the Business Design Centre from 20th-24th January 2016.
Recognised as the ultimate hub of support for collectors of all levels, the 28th edition of the Fair is set to bring together 126 galleries from the UK and overseas. Ranging from museum-quality Modern British art to work by top contemporary artists – both emerging and established – this superb occasion provides a sound retrospective into the early 20th century and to this present day. Alongside galleries exhibiting for the first time in 2016 – such as Beetles + Huxley (London), Omer Tiroche Contemporary Art (London), and Galerie BART (Amsterdam) – this year’s Photo50 and Photoworks’ latest editions delve commendably into the love triangle of women, sex and art.
As such, the London Art Fair is dedicating part of its exhibition space to photography, and this year’s Photo50 presents a carefully curated exhibition from London-based photography critic, editor and curator Federica Chioccetti. The exhibition, titled ‘Feminine Masculine: On the Struggle and Fascination of Dealing with the Other Sex’ has truly emancipated the theme of femininity, as it endeavours to depict both genders in its relation to one another rather two separate entities. This selection of images is set to confront the mysterious dynamics that operate between men and women, and will serve as a fascinating insight into the ways in which we deal with the opposite sex.
Additionally, Photoworks Annual’s latest edition takes a look at women, specifically, and their roles in photography. Whether the woman stands as the subject, creator or consumer, this panel talk aims to explore the themes raised around the changing landscape of gender and photography with references to the ’70s, ’80s and the modern day. This inspirational discussion will present guest speakers Catherine Grant, Liz Heron, Oliver Richon, Natasha Caruana and Max Houghton…it’s definitely one not to miss.
The London Art Fair is on now at the Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, N1 0QH. More information and bookings can be found at londonartfair.co.uk
Main image by Ekaterina Anokhina (Russia), from the series 25 Weeks of Winter (2)
Around November, Stef found herself in London and happened to meet some great new people, as one so often does when travelling. As a result she embarked on a – quite literally – explosive series of go-sees, and is publishing them exclusively with Twin online. This marks the first in a new series of specially commissioned works from people that we love, and want to showcase – keep your eye out for more of the same in the year to come.
Meanwhile, enjoy this brilliant series from Stef, and discover a little more about her – and these images – below.
What was the idea behind these pictures?
I wanted to shoot a little series of go-sees while I was in London for a week. I really enjoy the process of a go-see because they’re extremely useful, and mostly because people are never what you expect. And every now and then you find someone amazing who you know you could collaborate really well with. I also enjoy dealing with different personalities and finding out how you get along. I usually don’t look at the pictures while I’m taking them, and it’s kind of nice if later on if you find something you like.
Where did you take them?
I took most of these pictures in Notting Hill where we stayed with a friend. Also the fireworks were for Guy Fawkes, but someone felt enthusiastic enough to let them off every night that week. I managed to catch them only once!
When did you first ever pick up a camera? What did you shoot?
I first picked up a (disposable) camera in the first grade and shot a roll of my friends at school.
When did you know that this would become your career?
I wanted this to become my career when I was about 17.
Have you been influenced by anyone over the years? Or is there someone who’s career you’d love to emulate?
I’ve been influenced by different parts of various photographers and artists over the years. But I wouldn’t want anyone in particular’s career. I think it’s exciting to head in your own direction.
What brought you to New York? Can you describe your neighbourhood?
I was traveling through New York and met a girl at a party who ended up bringing me back here by getting me an interview to intern with Annie Leibovitz. I actually ended up marrying that girl and we live on the Lower East Side. The block we live on is the type of place where you can see something inspiring or beautiful and someone projectile vomiting or being arrested simultaneously.
Do you prefer drawing or photography?
I don’t prefer either drawing or taking photos, they’re both nice for different reasons. I definitely get frustrated at times with both and it’s nice to be able to switch between the two.
Do you prefer sounds or silence when you work? If sounds, any particular ones?
I prefer sounds! I like whoever I’m shooting to chose the music so they’re happy. But if they don’t care I like Blood Orange.
Who and where would you still love to shoot?
So many different people! And I want to shoot in Italy, Sweden and the Bahamas. And Scotland!
What’s coming up in the next six months for you?
The next six months – I have a few projects coming out that I’m excited about and will hopefully spend more time running around Europe and dining at as many pubs in London as possible.
All images by Stef Mitchell, commissioned exclusively for Twin; with special thanks to Claire Dickens at IMG London
In spite of labels such as Moschino, Belstaff and Dunhill showing at London Collections: Men, the most talked about designers were the new kids on the block. This year saw a formidable collection of talent at the MAN catwalk. Charles Jeffrey, who runs the notorious night Loverboy in London, walked a collection reminiscent of Vivienne Westwood and John Galliano at their prime. Billowy silhouettes, Rauschenberg-esque handbags and vibrant colours which clashed against earthy browns created an overall aesthetic of dishevelled, debauched beautiful young things of the night.
Meanwhile Grace Wales Bonner set the city ablaze with her collection ‘Spirituals’. Her AW16 collection was sensitive yet full of precise cuts and intricate details, from coloured embroidery on denim knees to golden stitching. Her ’70s silhouettes ranged from red tracksuits to soft collared white shirts, and these were complimented by Swarovski adorned chokers. In all, an ethereal, truly soulful and stand out collection.
Designer Alex Mullins made meta play out of clothes, with faces of friends stamped across jackets and tee-shirts. Tailoring was obscure and architectural, with off-kilter cuts and frayed denim edges aligning to create a staunchly energetic collection, with the rhythms of the city at its core.
Outside of the MAN presentation, designer Josh Reim (pictured main) showed his first ever collection at LCM. His was a pagan inspired presentation with personal ancestry at the locus of the designs. Models were placed within a rural tableaux which highlighted the intricacy of the stitching and complimented the muted palette on show. All eyes on this new crop of talent, promising to carry the torch where McQueen & co blazed before them.
Suave, salient and immeasurably slick London Collections: Men certainly epitomized the it in British Fashion this season. Over four days, the AW16 collections unfolded to reveal a line up of bold, clever and thoughtful designs that will have sartorial hounds and innocent laymen baying for blood in the months to come. Overall there was a sense of confidence and attitude: a thoroughly British, slightly grungy and often playful aesthetic which could afford to be irreverent because it was so smart. The collections were many and the quality was high though stand-out designers included Matthew Miller, CMMN SWDN, Alex Mullins, Craig Green and J W Anderson, who’s designs managed to make gold-toothed A$AP Rocky’s attendance at the show feel underwhelming in comparison.
The Aesthetic
One noticeable trend was focus on the elements and the natural world. Craig Green delivered an acclaimed collection once again. This time he wove his signature sculptural forms closer onto the body with the theme of protection as the inspiration. Buttons and ties were used to beautiful effect, embodying a sense of vulnerability against the elements. This, combined with the natural tones of mossy greens and terracotta hues, rendered Green’s AW16 collection both romantic and ethereal. Emblazoned with a similar mandate, Christopher Raeburn turned to the wild, with a Mongolian inspired collection. Models walked with oversized bum bags, patterned sweatshirts and extreme parka coats, worn open with stand-out rucksacks. Also of note were the highly covetable and timeless bombers mixed against some gigantic shredded ponchos. At Cottweiler, the duo looked to the natural world as well. Inspired by a youtube fetish that involves wading through mud whilst fully clothed, the collection featured high waisted waterproof trousers alongside neutral bomber jackets.
A military thread also ran throughout LCM, embodying the duality of male identity. The duo at Casely-Hayford shook up standard outwear thanks to a re-imagining of military uniforms. Under the title Irregimental Youth, the collection spanned eras, from the ’60s through to skinheads and ’90s rave culture. Long, khaki jackets were adorned with patch-work denim whilst others were split at the back, creating a lizard-like tail that, though perhaps impractical for the commute, was genuinely imaginative and forward-thinking. Notable mention should also go to the vibrant colour scheme inspired by psychedelic images of the Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper album. Turquoise jackets and acid bright suits ensured that Casely-Hayford kids will always bring the party. Over at McQueen, Sarah Burton created a signaturely baroque collection, showing expertly tailored red jackets embroidered with black beads. On Monday, Xander Zhou lent a glam spin to the same theme with a wide-shouldered, cropped jacket.
Christopher Shannon AW16
The Influences
At Christopher Shannon, the designer took inspiration from suburban ’80s Liverpool, updating the aesthetic and creating a new set of local heroes for 2016. The collection was awash with bright colours. Highlights were the oversized vinyl jackets in plastic pink, crisp, pastel boxer shorts and high neck anoracks with zip detail. The design duo at CMMN SWDN, Emma Hedlund and Saif Baker, drew on feelings from the late ’70s and early ’80s to create a collection around the title Domus. Looking to the warm, comforting feelings associated with ones own home, the pair contrasted the retro influences with modern fits. Key pieces included a pony skin jacket, an orange suede jacket with a signature ‘c’ tag in tortoiseshell on the pocket, and a mid-length leather piece that had audiences weak at the knees. As ever with CMMN, the cuts were dexterous, with silhouettes spliced together in unexpected ways. The high waist, high neck combinations made a particular impression.
Matthew Miller’s much talked about collection elucidated ideas of Nouveau Riche, stripping the term of it’s old meaning and associating it with the ”cultural capital” of his generation. Cropped box jackets were layered over longer out—wear with pieces pulled together by thin straps at the waist. It was a challenging collection, one that drew on the old to traipse over it with new. The stand out design was the Caravaggio ’David and Goliath’ print jackets and shirts which not only embodied his theme but added a heightened sense of unease to the overall aesthetic. As at Agi & Sam, Miller walked both male and female models, compounding the idea that gender-less fashion is the future.
If some designers spent this season searching through history, J W Anderson bucked trends and embraced the pace and power of change. His AW16 show was a melding pot of ideas, influences and aesthetics, underpinned by a re-invention of casual-wear. Highlights included polka dot faux furs, cropped white knit trousers with button detail and silk printed suits. The recurring motif was that of a snail, a cartoonish and ironic nod to the fast-paced fashion world. A cartoon cat from the 1920s also made a recurring appearance. It was an energetic collection, both dark and playful, which will define how men dress for seasons to come.
Although still in its relative infancy when compared with some of the other international fashion weeks, London Collections: Men – or LC:M for speed and ease – is rapidly gaining momentum. And a highlight of this season was Twin favourite Paul Smith, who lived up to his iconic British status and served up a playful slice of eccentric nostalgia.
Casting his magpie eye back to 1970, when he opened his first shop, the designer presented his autumn winter 2016 wares in an exact replica of his original three metres by three metres store. In among a riot of charming bric-a-brac lay joyous prints influenced by a pile of cycling jerseys, a bold new bag inspired by the Argentine tango, as well as an array of his seasonally expected – and universally appreciated – tailoring. He even smacked the detailing from the facade of his Mayfair outpost on a selection of leather goods.
This season’s offering was staged at none other than the Pace London gallery, which has continuously served as inspiration for Paul throughout the years. Currently home to work from the like of British triumvirate John Hoyland, Anthony Caro and Kenneth Noland – it was yet another source for the acclaimed British designer to draw inspiration from.
Fashion is a business that can very often take itself a tad too seriously, so thank the stars for people like Paul Smith, who know that a sense of humour – and the ability to find inspiration in absolutely anything – are the ultimate palette cleanser.
Kids. Gummo. Spring Breakers. Director Harmony Korine’s work needs little in the way of introductions. It is with excitement, then, that we suggest you cancel all forthcoming plans and head for the London Short Film Festival this weekend, to indulge in two days of some of his most potent works. From the aforementioned Gummo, to an adaptation of Harmony Korine’s experimental novel, A Crack Up at the Race Riots by the Belgian collective Leo Gabin, the events are shaping up to be a tad more provocative than your usual Sunday roast.
“When an artist is loved or loathed in equal measure, they must be doing something right.” Says the festival’s artistic director, Philip Ilson in a candid blog post on the event’s website. “Harmony Korine is a filmmaker who is hated by many,” he continues, “his last cinema release, Spring Breakers, definitely felt like a film with a personal hate campaign against it, which must’ve excited him immensely… though I think it’s very likely he didn’t really give a fuck what people thought.”
The above serves as a highlight of the acclaimed film festival, now in it’s 13th year, which kicked off earlier this week. With screenings taking place all over the city – from ICA to the Hackney Picturehouse, Oval Space, Ace Hotel and Round Chapel – other special events includes the tongue-in-cheek Cats&Cats&Cats which promises “the best in classic and contemporary cat cinema”. Miss at your peril.
You don’t have to have Instagrammed Corrine Day’s iconic Kate Moss shoot for The Face to know that youth culture has shimmied around fashion’s dance-floor since time began, throwing shapes and intoxicating every wisened creative as it went. Whilst Joan Didion for Celine may have piqued an interest for a mature, savvy model, really it’s the arresting, intangible power of youth that continues to enthrall the industry. From Friday, London College of Fashion will celebrate this preoccupation in an all-star exhibition Mad About The Boy at the Fashion Space Gallery.
With a timely opening on the first day of London Collections: Men, Mad About The Boy promises to cast a discerning spotlight on the relationship between fashion and beautiful males. If the subject alone didn’t have you intrigued, the fact that it’s curated by SHOWstudio’s Lou Stoppard definitely will.
Thanks to contributions from game-changing designers and creatives such as Raf Simons, J W Anderson, Nick Knight, Meadham Kirchhoff and Larry Clark, the exhibition is set to continue last year’s legacy of mixing fashion and art (did you already forget about McQueen mania?), to great effect. Attendees can expect a sensory experience thanks to audio recordings of designers and photographers discussing their memories alongside editorials, films and select looks from seminal collections.
For Issue 13 it’s personal, it’s political. Explore the work of Israeli-born artist Tal R, who explains why awkwardness and the colour pink are key to his practice. Hear from Perfect Pussy singer Meredith Graves, who discusses her influences and the importance of taking drastic rebellious action. See Bella Hadid turn punk in front of Scott Trindle’s lens, and photographer Cass Bird transform Andreea Diaconu into an all-American girl. The artist behind fashion’s favorite Instagram account talks luxury, violence and image making, while up-and-coming actress Elisa Lasowski gives a tour of London home and pulls no punches on the frustrations and pleasures of her craft.
Intimate, considered and subtle, Emma Tillman’s photographs have had us captivated long before her husband (singer Father John Misty) stepped into the limelight. And whilst she may have earned thousands of new fans after the success of his second album I love you Honeybear, in which she is the proclaimed muse and inspiration for his complex lyrics and idiosyncratic melodies, Tillman’s accolades are all her own.
We caught up with Emma to find out more about her work, photographing love and not getting Instagram.
How did you get into photography?
When I was 12-years-old I took an after school class where the students took pictures and learned how to work in the dark room. My mother gave me a camera that had been hers when she was young and I became obsessed with the medium.
Light and shadow play a strong role in your work, what is it that you’re looking for when you take a picture?
I’m looking for a feeling.
Photography by Emma Tillman
Whether your subject is human or an object, there’s strong sense of intimacy in your photographs. What’s your process when you’re working?
I have a gift for communicating my emotions through the lens of a camera. All photographers who take compelling photographs have this gift. There is a supernatural quality to photography that is not often acknowledged, but in my opinion contains all the undeniable fascination of the medium within it.
Your photographs retain a sense of the individual behind the lens, and often you’re in front of it too. Do you find that photography creates and mythologises a character or uncovers the crux of an individual?
It is both. The moment is raw and alive, but somehow also a vitrine of an experience that is just beyond the viewers reach. It is a clear representation of an individual but yet you must put your own imagination into it to complete the story for yourself. It is mercurial, imagination runs wild. That’s the good stuff.
Photography by Emma Tillman
People regularly revel and empathise with other’s misery but in the photographs that you take of your husband there’s a clear sense of joy and celebration. Do you ever feel conscious of this?
I choose my moments. At this time in my life couldn’t take a photograph of someone I love in pain.
Your self-portraits and portraits of other women reclaim the idea of the gaze, like early Cindy Sherman photographs. There’s a sense of exposure without exploitation. Why is it important for you to capture the female body in this way?
I like to photograph other women naked because it is simple and the lines are lovely. There aren’t any distractions to contend with in the picture. As for photographing myself, I can’t help but be drawn to the endless mystery of it. I come back to it again and again. My own face, my own body. It holds a lot of secrets.
Photography by Emma Tillman
How has the rise of instagram affected your relationship with the lens, if at all?
Oh I can’t stand Instagram! To say too much about it would be to marginalise myself, but I can say that from Instagram I glean how much our culture relies in the comforts of sentimentality and try to run in the other direction, artistically speaking.
You’ve also worked in film, how was that experience? In terms of story telling, which medium have you found gives you more narrative freedom?
I don’t know if a comparison can be drawn. Film satisfies an urge for me which has always existed, to tell a story. Photography is more playful. The feeling about it changes, the style changes. It is more about subtraction than addition, which is how I think of film.
Photography by Emma Tillman
What was the last record you listened to?
It’ll be Better by Francis and the Lights.
Favourite equipment to shoot on?
I have a few cameras. A Pentax from the 1970s, A Nikon from the 1980s, a Minolta from the 1990s.
What’re your upcoming projects?
I am finishing a book of photographs, Born with a Disco Ball Soul. I’m also in pre-production on a feature length film I wrote. We’re shooting the film in Summer 2016, in New Orleans.
What’re you looking forward to for the rest of 2016?
My book, my film, and Christmas.
If there’s one thing we’ll never tire of, it’s a great coffee table tome. And the latest offering from fashion journalist and fashion photography specialist Jérôme Gautier – Dior: New Looks – is the perfect kind of thing to lose yourself in on a wintry Sunday afternoon.
Since 1947, when Christian Dior first showcased the irreversibly influential ‘new look’, the house of Dior has been at the forefront of revolutionary design prowess, and this book chronicles some of the most beautiful moments of that time-spanning journey, resulting in a satisfyingly dense catalogue of breathtaking couture and iconic imagery.
From Irving Penn to Peter Lindbergh, Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, Willy Vanderperre, Mario Testino and Patrick Demarchelier to name but a few – the list of revered photographers with work nestled between these pages is endless.
Given the recently announced departure of the brilliant Raf Simons from the house, this book comes at the ideal time. It is a chance to marvel at all that has come before, and appreciate the sheer amount of history that the new artistic director will have to shoulder in the future.
Peter Lindbergh, 2012; Christian Dior Haute Couture by Raf Simons, AW12
Dior: New Looks by Jérôme Gautier (Thames & Hudson) is out now.
To mark the drop of their Resort collection this week, Etre Cecile have released a series of tongue-in-cheek 15 second mini films, playing on the label’s French (or lack thereof) heritage. Featuring a number of the brand’s key faces – from Tallulah Harlech to Laura Bailey and Pandora Skykes – as well as bright young things brought in through street casting, it is a playful way to celebrate yet more of their cool girl clothes hitting the shelves.
Founded by Yasmin Sewell, Jemma Dyas and Kyle Robinson, Etre Cecile has fast become a staple for women seeking a little je ne sais quois on a daily basis, thanks to their witty T-shirts, riotous prints and general fashion tomfoolery. And here, Yasmin tells Twin a little about this latest project:
“We wanted to bring together our diverse mix of Cecile girls in this film series, the french language theme thing is just our ongoing joke that well….we’re not really french at all! We street cast most of the girls mixed in with some well known faces who have been amazing ambassadors since Day One. We’ve never wanted to take ourselves too seriously as Etre Cecile was created so we could have easy fashion pieces you can feel unpretentious…but impactful in. Just like all our girls…” – Yasmin Sewell
Watch Tallulah Harlech flex her French skills in one of the videos below, and check out this link to see more. The best news of all? All of these pieces are out just in time for Christmas, and have gone straight to the top of our wish lists.
Christmas shopping. Two words that strike fear into the hearts of even the most hardened of consumers. But turn that frown, upside down, as Nat Breitenstein’s Grand Magasin Deux (a continuation of 2013’s successful Grand Magasin) is back at Bethnal Green’s French Riviera for a festive take on the “experimental examination” of a shopping experience.
For just five days (from 16-20 December) customers can peruse a plethora of unexpected delights from various artists at this unique pop-up shop, in which every single thing on display is for sale as part of a “playful exploration of labour, value, art and commerce”.
From ceramic pots and painted plaster pineapples and pomegranates, to turned timber and pom-pom vases, cast glass receptacles, furniture, drawings, prints, houseplants, Victorian Stereoscopes and lingerie – there is no shortage of things promising to capture both the eye and the imagination.
With no defined limits, the creatives involved have imagined a series of collectibles with the loose theme of a “shopping show” – the only condition? That the pieces created are affordable.
Artists taking part this time around include: Daisy Addison, Fay Ballard, Nat Breitestein, Owen Bullett, Harry Burden, Stuart Carey, Pippa Choy, Dan Coopey, Will Cruickshank, Denise de Cordova, Marie D’Elbee, Thomas Dozol, Tom Ellis, Kris Emmerson, Jessie Flood-Paddock, Seana Gavin, Ludovica Gioscia, Lynn Hatzius, Holly Hayward, Joey Holder, Siân Hislop, Samuel Levack and Jennifer Lewandowski, Bryan Mills, Nicholas Pankhurst, Berry Patten, Sonya Patel Ellis, Lyle Perkins, Marianne Spurr, Nicola Tassie, Jennifer Taylor, Cicely Travers, Bea Turner, Jeremy Willett and Lucy Woodhouse.
Grand Magasin Deux takes place from 16-20 December, 2015. Open daily, 12–7pm and by appointment.
You can find French Riviera at 309 Bethnal Green Road, London, E2 6AH.
How many times have you looked at a photograph and wanted to know what was happening in the exact moment that it was taken? How the air felt? If the people behind and in front of the lens even knew each other?
This is exactly what we tried to remedy with New York-based photographer, Stef Mitchell. Her absorbing work – which has appeared in places such as i-D and Urban Outfitters – is particularly portrait strong, so we asked her to share a few of her favourite shots, and tell us the story behind them. For Stef – who originally hails from Sydney, Australia – it’s the little things that count: “I just want to make nice pictures that make people react or feel something, even if it’s small.”
Here are a few of her characters.
Frida (main)
“The subject’s name is Frida Gustavsson, she’s in her early twenties and she’s from Sweden. This was taken in Tompkins Square Park right in the middle of the basketball court off ave A and 10th street. I remember it was the longest day of summer and it was hot and started raining as soon as Frida and I met up. I probably ate some M&Ms. I love Frida! We’d met on a few jobs while I was assisting. She’d just had a palm tree that I drew tattooed on her arm and sent me a picture, so we met up and took some pictures. I think afterwards we watched the World Cup and had a beer. I think Frida had just gotten engaged – we chatted about her spending time in LA, midsummer and a short film she was working on. Frida was so easy to shoot because she’s awesome and was totally comfortable for me to shoot while we chatted; it’s my favorite thing to do and it’s kind of rare for someone to be totally OK with letting me do it. I wasn’t really sure what ‘the shot’ was at the time but I think it was the first spot we took pictures in in the park. I love this picture because it’s so simple but people always respond to it. Frida is an amazing model and human and I think that comes through even with no hair, make-up or styling.”
Boy
Boy
“This was taken in the skate park under the Manhattan Bridge. The weather was pretty perfect that day, mild and sunny. I was on a job and had eaten everything in sight. I was scouting the area in between shots and just looked up and saw this guy. I’d never met him before but had just been chatting to his friend. I asked if I could take a picture, he said ‘OK’ but he didn’t really like doing it. I got two frames in before he skated off. I don’t know anything else about him. I love this picture because even though he was nervous, he just looked dead at me and didn’t try to do anything crazy.”
Charlotte
Charlotte
“This was taken outside my mums place in a suburb called Lane Cove in Sydney, Australia. It was about 7am and a big fog covered the street. My 14-year-old sister Charlotte was getting ready for hockey practice, and I dragged her outside for a photo. This is what she gave me. I’d maybe had some vegemite toast. When I made Charlotte come outside I thought she was very grumpy and turned out to be correct. Charlotte was probably 13 in this picture, and at the time her unique trait was to try and pull a face or flip someone off every time they took her photo. I think we were outside for about five minutes. I love this picture because every time I go home I try and shoot Charlotte on this street. She’s always been one of my favorite subjects and even though I miss so much time with her I like to think I’ll have a good series of pictures of her growing up for when she’s older.”
Julia
Julia
“This is Julia Hafstrom, she’s in her early twenties, and from Sweden. This was taken under a tree in Tompkins Square Park near the corner of Ave B. The weather was overcast and I definitely ate M&Ms this time. I thought Julia was a bad ass. We’d met before on a few shoots in LA. I think we talked about weird photographers, books and mums. Unique traits: being totally easy, fun and of course incredibly beautiful with the skin of 15th century cherub. I think we shot for half an hour, but again this was the first spot we were in and it ended up being my favourite. I love this picture because without doing anything Julia gave something real to the picture, and that’s my favourite.”
Ever since Roksanda burst onto the scene in 1999, the CSM graduate has been making a name for herself with bold, sleek and playful designs. This season she received particular attention for her effervescent jumpsuits and perfect cropped flares and we’re counting down the days until we can start sporting her SS16 collection. But to stop the gap until next summer the Serbian born designer has launched her debut jewellery collection, out today.
A covetable piece from Roksanda’s debut jewellery line
This is the latest in a range of RTW offshoots which includes blossom, her children’s line and a swimwear range. The collection is classically Roksanda, with surprising and thoughtful pairings of geometric and organic forms that clearly pay homage to her architectural training.
Available exclusively in her Mount Street store, the collection consists of earrings, brooches, necklaces and bracelets, all of which are gold plated. Dropping just in time for Christmas, we’re adding them to our dream wish list.
Prices start from £510. Roksanda, 9 Mount St, London W1K 3NG.
British photographer Tom Sloan is making pictures the old fashioned way – by letting the journey dictate the result.
What initially pulled us towards Tom’s work was a recent trip he took to Wales – Merthyr Tydfil to be more specific – which produced a stunning series of photographs documenting the kids in and around the town. When we asked him what prompted the project, his response was so unselfconsciously thoughtful, that we knew we had to know – and see – more.
“I had been in the Forest of Dean area making pictures and came across two lads night fishing who were from Merthyr,” he told us. “They described the place to me and talked about what it was like growing up there. It sounded tough but at the same time quite romantic. They were honest about its problems with unemployment, benefit culture ect but they also described it as having a close knit community and it being a true Welsh industrial town. One of the lads was a keen boxer but had injured himself badly in a motorbike accident, he talked about training daily in and around the town as a youngster. One of the things I remembered them saying was that because of its geographical location in the Merthyr Valleys it was always shrouded with a thick foggy mist from the surrounding mountains, all of this got me interested.”
It got us interested, too. Here, along with a brief interview, we present you with a curated edit of some of Tom’s work. We think you’ll enjoy it.
What first drew you to making pictures?
I made short films as youngster, when I was 10 – 12 years old. They were very action-based as you can imagine. I used my Dad’s video camera. It was obviously all analogue, but I’d take it seriously and spend a lot of time editing, acting in them and making my brothers get involved. I was actually quite clever then, I worked out how to use a dodgy old editing machine my uncle bought from a car boot! But that was the start of me framing the world through a lens.
Can you remember the first photograph you saw that made a strong impact on you?
There have been many photographs that have made an impact on me, it’s a tricky question… Chris Killip’s ‘Seacoal’ pictures fascinated me. I would say it wasn’t just the individual pictures, although each one is incredible with such impact, it was the body of work as a whole and the world it showed me. It woke me up to telling a story with pictures. I was introduced to him when I started studying photography at university, aged 21.
Cameron, Merthyr
When did you first pick up a camera? What did you take pictures of?
I took up photography when I was 16. I was told I had to fill my schedule up at college by an extra four hours per week, I was doing retakes of my GCSEs! I’d spent a lot of time enjoying myself at school… perhaps too much! I came across GCSE photography and thought it sounded interesting, a good mix of the creative and the technical. In my first lesson I was shown a variety of photography books, one was a Don McCullin book. I loved his early pictures of his friends in Finsbury Park and the work he made up north in Bradford. I began trying to shoot gritty black and white in Southampton. I had the docks, some dodgy friends and rough areas to explore.
When did you realise that you wanted to make photography your career?
It was a simple decision weirdly. I remember I’d been to stay at my dad’s for the weekend when I was about 17, we were heading back to Southampton in the car, he was asking about jobs and careers etc and I just came out with it, and it felt right. I’ve been indecisive in other areas in my life, but deciding to be become a photographer felt right.
What are the realities of being a photographer these days? Is it as romantic as it sounds?
This question moves nicely from the last… Yes and no! It’s very tough, confusing, exciting and unpredictable! But interesting in so many ways. You have to stick to your true self and your gut instinct, which is difficult at times. I think the point I want to make is, for me, photography as an art form meant I’d have to go out into the world and find people and places and go on adventures. That’s what would interest me when I looked at photographers work, I loved the mystery of how they got the pictures, the process. It almost doesn’t become just about the individual picture, the work becomes about the photographer and the journey. Going back to the question though, for me the most romantic aspect of being a photographer is the freedom the days can hold.
Merthyr
If you had to choose one of your pictures to best act as an example of your style, what would it be and why?
Umm tricky again… I like the picture I took of these two lads in Croydon, riding on the back of a moped. It’s certainly not my best picture but it sums up what I’m interested in when it comes to photographing these types of lads. There’s a sense of living the way they want to live, slightly wild I guess. I want a hint of excitement, I think this picture holds that.
Is there anyone that has influenced your work over the years?
Loads of people have influenced me, from photographers I’ve worked for to people I’ve looked at over the years. Strangely, although I don’t look at his work so much nowadays and it’s quiet different from my own work, I was a huge Wolfgang Tillmans fan. When I first saw how he displayed his work it blew my head off! His exhibition ‘If One Thing Matters, Everything Matters’ was a real influence on me. He curated and edited his work to have such an amazing rhythm. Others include: Paul Graham, Martin Parr, Juergen Teller and Glen Luchford.
Much of your work depicts youth, and young people – is there a particular reason for that?
Without trying to sound cliche, I guess they give you something honest? I like the excitement of being young as well, you can get up to a lot. I used hang out with huge groups of kids when I was growing up and we had so much fun, it was wild. Weirdly, you don’t see that so much now. I think teenagers spend more time online than hanging out at the local rec.
Sam, Merthyr
What was your childhood like? Where did you grow up?
My childhood was pretty normal. I grew up with my two brothers in Southampton until I was 10, when my Parents divorced. My dad moved to a tiny cottage in the countryside, we stayed in Southampton. My mum remarried a few years later and the family grew, I gained two step brothers and a step sister. I had a pretty eventful teenage period, hung out with the type of kids I photograph, took drugs, went to parties, roamed the streets, usual stuff. Do you have a dream project that you’d like to make reality one day?
Well it would be in the UK to start, I love making work here, I understand it! I think it’s a special, hugely diverse place. It would be shot on the outskirts of the city where the countryside and the city meets – my favourite territory! It would be a space where the teenagers own the land… To be honest I’m sort of shooting this bit by bit as I go along… I think… What’s inspiring you right now?
Road trips, I’m enjoying making work outside London at the moment, I get really inspired by the countryside. What would be the highest compliment someone could ever pay your work?
That I’m considered authentic. That means I’m on the right track. tomsloan.co.uk
Everyone likes winning things. Even those who give off the most authentic air of indifference to life, love winning things. It is with that in mind, then, that we sound the drum-roll and let you know about the brilliant Banner Repeater Fundraiser, which is happening as we speak.
For just £5, you will be entered into a lottery to win some amazing prints, publications and multiples from the enviable Banner Repeater portfolio. These include, but are not limited to: Turner Prize winners, British Art Show 2015 artists, and more, such as Hannah Sawtell, Laure Prouvost, Jesse Darling, Benedict Drew, John Russell, Erica Scourti, Emma Hart, Elizabeth Price, Critical Hand Gestures, and there are also some highly collectible BANK tabloids, too.
The BANK. Issue 24. Published 15th December 1997
So what’s this all in aid of, then? Well, creativity. And the space to exhibit it. As we’ve previously mentioned – and we all know far too well – continued budget cuts to arts funding mean that the visibility of challenging work in public spaces is under threat, and places like Banner Repeater are having to do things like this, in order to survive. Let’s all help them, shall we?
All you have to do is take a simple cyber jaunt over to their website, here, and click to buy yourself a ticket. The lottery will then be pulled on 4 December at a fabulous party, with a DJ set by Paul Purgas. This will all take place at L’Entrepot, 230 Dalston Lane, London, E8 1LA (next door to Hackney Downs train station).
So what are you waiting for? Enter now, go to a party, have fun, maybe win something really fucking cool and support art. It’s a no brainer.
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