Berlin

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with jewellery designer Kyoko Hashimoto

by


Ruth Strugnell

Bath Spa’s electric and original collections show they’re not afraid to mix things up at Graduate Fashion Week. 

Bath Spa began with all guns blazing for their boutique show with Bournemouth, nurse setting the scene with a soundtrack of haunting thunder and lightning. As suspense grew, order a model stepped into the spot light…with a lampshade on her head. As more models filtered onto the catwalk, cure Ruth Strugnell’s quirky eccentricity became clearer in garments that made the most of mismatching, from multicoloured socks to panels composed of various prints and wools. Despite looking like they might’ve had a tussle in a dressing up box, the models’ nipped in waists and cute, soft take on the harem pants added a sense of maturity and direction to the pieces.  

Jack Duffy mixed things up again with clashing prints and a melding of culture; oversize jackets suggested elements of Eastern tradition, whilst large, ornate collars mould themselves round the body into demi-hoods more befitting of European nobility. 

Thierry Davies’s hypnotic monochrome prints bend the mind but when paired with a neat, boxy jacket a line of harmony seems to be drawn amongst the chaos. Another perennial favourite of this year appears again – the jump-suit, this time spruced up with a dramatic contrast between blue and white sections. 

Jodie Clay’s garments varied from the loose, long hem of her black jacket to the glitz of a bespoke neckpiece and sheer blouse. The wardrobe of the 1920s women was re-examined in the modern context and energised with splashes of murky blues, but held an element of reticent class.

Natalie Ellis’s use of vintage fur coats and gloves reminded us of the staple role they played in the wardrobes of women gone by, but cropped double colour trousers were a reminder of Ellis’s unfailing dedication to modernity. Interesting shapes appeared on the body as high waisted trousers split cream khaki and black across the body, complimented by ethereal, floating blouses and fur barrel bags. 
*Here at Amelia’s Magazine we don’t advocate any wearing of fur at all, so we hope this is fake, otherwise, DON’T WEAR IT!*

Outi Silvola deconstructed apparel in the most immediate sense, repositioning collars, shoulders and buttons to give a mixed up feel that wouldn’t look out-of-place in Dover Street Market. A fully made collar placed forward on the body was a walking work of art. A shirt is at once open at yet concealing the figure, showing a careful appreciation of the simple practise of putting clothes on the human body. 

Photographs by Nina Joyce

Ruth Strugnell

Bath Spa’s electric and original collections show they’re not afraid to mix things up at Graduate Fashion Week. 

Bath Spa began with all guns blazing for their boutique show with Bournemouth, site setting the scene with a soundtrack of haunting thunder and lightning. As suspense grew, information pills a model stepped into the spot light…with a lampshade on her head. As more models filtered onto the catwalk, more about Ruth Strugnell’s quirky eccentricity became clearer in garments that made the most of mismatching, from multicoloured socks to panels composed of various prints and wools. Despite looking like they might’ve had a tussle in a dressing up box, the models’ nipped in waists and cute, soft take on the harem pants added a sense of maturity and direction to the pieces.  

Jack Duffy mixed things up again with clashing prints and a melding of culture; oversize jackets suggested elements of Eastern tradition, whilst large, ornate collars mould themselves round the body into demi-hoods more befitting of European nobility. 

Thierry Davies’s hypnotic monochrome prints bend the mind but when paired with a neat, boxy jacket a line of harmony seems to be drawn amongst the chaos. Another perennial favourite of this year appears again – the jump-suit, this time spruced up with a dramatic contrast between blue and white sections. 

Jodie Clay’s garments varied from the loose, long hem of her black jacket to the glitz of a bespoke neckpiece and sheer blouse. The wardrobe of the 1920s women was re-examined in the modern context and energised with splashes of murky blues, but held an element of reticent class.

Natalie Ellis’s use of vintage fur coats and gloves reminded us of the staple role they played in the wardrobes of women gone by, but cropped double colour trousers were a reminder of Ellis’s unfailing dedication to modernity. Interesting shapes appeared on the body as high waisted trousers split cream khaki and black across the body, complimented by ethereal, floating blouses and fur barrel bags. 
*Here at Amelia’s Magazine we don’t advocate any wearing of fur at all, so we hope this is fake, otherwise, DON’T WEAR IT!*

Outi Silvola deconstructed apparel in the most immediate sense, repositioning collars, shoulders and buttons to give a mixed up feel that wouldn’t look out-of-place in Dover Street Market. A fully made collar placed forward on the body was a walking work of art. A shirt is at once open at yet concealing the figure, showing a careful appreciation of the simple practise of putting clothes on the human body. 

Photographs by Nina Joyce

Jeweller Kyoko Hashimoto has just opened a new shop/studio in Berlin called We Are All Made of Stuff. Born in Japan, diagnosis Kyoko grew up in Australia and studied jewellery design at university. She worked on conceptual designs until setting up her own label in 2006, diagnosis and she lived in Sydney and then Tokyo before moving to Berlin. Her designs play with different textures and nature-inspired themes, creating a look that’s modern and whimsical at the same time.

Can you tell me a bit about how your own label came about?
I was travelling through Europe in the the summer of 2005, and found myself completely out of money in the fairy-tale city of Venice. It felt really surreal to be broke in such a gorgeous city. I had studied jewellery design at university, but I wasn’t really using it to earn anything – instead I was teaching English to high school kids in Tokyo. I thought, “I can do better than this.” So when I returned from my holidays, I really set my mind on creating something new and committed myself whole-heartedly to design and production.


Illustration by Paolo Caravello

What techniques and materials do you most enjoy using in your work?
I enjoy working with acrylic. It’s the medium I feel most connected with. I like the consistency and the range of colours, transparencies and depth.
Synthetic polymers have been my choice of material since my university days, and I used to do a lot of resin casting. I stopped using polyester resin because of its toxicity, but I still really enjoy working with acrylic; I like the choice of colours and forms that can be achieved with relative ease. I use a combination of traditional and industrial techniques, although given the choice, I far prefer working with traditional methods. You can definitely see the difference in a finished object that has been hand-crafted, and one that has had little or no contact with the hand. Certain imperfections can also bring charm to an object.

In your most recent collection, Shadow of Lula, you’ve created pieces that look both Victorian and contemporary at the same time. Where did the inspiration to explore traditional mourning jewellery come from?
I love reading about the history of jewellery and fashion. Jewellery as a national fashion was at its height when Queen Victoria was mourning the death of her husband Prince Albert. She was so iconic and influential that the whole of England also went into a phase of mourning, and sentimental jewellery became very popular. I like thinking about the notion of sentimentality in jewellery, and I wanted to create a collection reflecting the same sense of nostalgia and longing, but in a contemporary context. So I chose environmentalism as a theme and made jewellery to mourn extinct animals, threatened by industry and environmental destruction.

You mentioned on your blog that the different countries you’ve worked in have, in general, different fashion aesthetics – that people in the UK tend to embrace bold statement jewellery, and Germany tends to be more understated.  Having moved around the world quite a bit, do you find that the location – and the local style – influence your designs?
Absolutely. When I was living in Tokyo my aesthetic was definitely influenced by the underground subculture aesthetics. I used to be good friends with the kids that hung around Harajuku and were often featured in fashion magazines like Fruits. Their unique and colourful sense of fashion influenced me to make pieces that were bold and also somewhat strange and nonsensical. Now, living in Berlin, I have noticed that people do not wear very much statement jewellery, so I am trying to indulge in their aesthetics. It is much more understated here, minimal but also more sophisticated.

What’s it like working in Berlin compared with the other places you’ve lived in?
It’s great, because everyone here is either an artist, designer or a musician. It’s nice to engage in passionate talk about art or the exhibitions we’ve seen, and the price of housing means that people can afford a nice working space to create. It gives us more freedom to do what we love to do.


Illustration by Paolo Caravello

You used the texture of a pomelo as inspiration for one of your pendants. Do you draw a lot of inspiration from the natural world? What do you find particularly inspiring at the moment?
Yes, I guess nature is always going to be a huge pool of inspiration for me. Moving around a lot means things are always a little different, which I really like. For example, with the pomelo, I’d never seen of those before. My flatmate here in Berlin was eating it everyday, and I was thinking: “It’s not an orange… it’s not a grapefruit… what the…?”

At the moment, I’m inspired by what I saw when I went to the Natural History Museum. A huge collection of curiosities were on display in these glass cabinets. I just love old objects from the era before the Industrial Revolution. They are never perfect and there’s such an unspeakable, precious quality to them.

Which are your favourite pieces you’ve created recently?
I like the ‘Toby’ pendant I made here in Berlin. I think it embraces a new aesthetic for me, working with these rubber sponge balls I found, and also tackling the soldering iron, which I don’t often do. The oxidised sterling silver frame is made from a single sheet of metal. Maybe it’s my current favourite because it is also the newest… I’ll have to see how I feel about it in a few weeks!

Are there any other designers whose work you particularly admire?
I love the work of fashion designer Sandra Bucklung – her masterfully knitted garments are a work of art. I also admire the work of jeweller Ted Noten, whom I met when he was teaching my partner Guy Keulemans in the Netherlands. Ted likes to cast objects like guns and cocaine powder inside clear resin; the concept is simple yet extremely provocative.

We Are All Made of Stuff opened this week in Berlin. How’s it going so far, and where did the idea to set it up come from?
It happened by luck. A friend we met in Berlin knew someone who knew someone who had the space available. I actually never thought I would open a store, but if it was going to be anywhere, this would be the place. Guy and I designed the interior of the shop, together with our Austrian architect friend Christoph Hager. The result is wonderful. Really, I could not be happier and we’ve already had tons of people stop by to check it out and have a chat.

Is it a working space as well as a shop? Which other designers are showing or working there?
As well as showing mine and Guy’s work, we have jewellery pieces by fellow Australian designers like Make Believe and Anneliese Hauptstein, as well as local and European designers such as Berlin jeweller Susanne Schmitt and A&Ré, a French duo who make wonderful things with concrete. And more designers to come.
The space is a shop but also a workspace. We needed to divide these two functions, but uniquely, and without being heavy or obtrusive. So we created a kind of porous curtain made up of hundreds of individual strings hanging from the ceiling. It divides the space diagonally, and supports jewellery plinths, but you can also walk through it. Its very light and delicate. Behind the strings are workbenches, and these are removable, so we can clear the space and party!

That’s probably keeping you very busy at the moment, but have you got any other projects or collections coming up that we can look out for?
Yes, but it’s a secret for now!

Written by Amelie Skoda on Tuesday June 15th, 2010 12:40 pm

Categories ,A&Ré, ,Acrylic, ,Anneliese Haupstein, ,berlin, ,Christoph Hager, ,french, ,Germany, ,Guy Keulemans, ,interview, ,japan, ,jewellery, ,Kyoko Hashimoto, ,Make Believe, ,Netherlands, ,Paolo Caravello, ,Pomelo, ,Sandra Bucklung, ,Shadow of Lula, ,Susanne Schmitt, ,Ted Noten, ,Toby pendant, ,tokyo, ,Venice, ,Victoria & Albert, ,We Are All Made of Stuff, ,Workspace

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with jewellery designer Kyoko Hashimoto

by


Ruth Strugnell

Bath Spa’s electric and original collections show they’re not afraid to mix things up at Graduate Fashion Week. 

Bath Spa began with all guns blazing for their boutique show with Bournemouth, nurse setting the scene with a soundtrack of haunting thunder and lightning. As suspense grew, order a model stepped into the spot light…with a lampshade on her head. As more models filtered onto the catwalk, cure Ruth Strugnell’s quirky eccentricity became clearer in garments that made the most of mismatching, from multicoloured socks to panels composed of various prints and wools. Despite looking like they might’ve had a tussle in a dressing up box, the models’ nipped in waists and cute, soft take on the harem pants added a sense of maturity and direction to the pieces.  

Jack Duffy mixed things up again with clashing prints and a melding of culture; oversize jackets suggested elements of Eastern tradition, whilst large, ornate collars mould themselves round the body into demi-hoods more befitting of European nobility. 

Thierry Davies’s hypnotic monochrome prints bend the mind but when paired with a neat, boxy jacket a line of harmony seems to be drawn amongst the chaos. Another perennial favourite of this year appears again – the jump-suit, this time spruced up with a dramatic contrast between blue and white sections. 

Jodie Clay’s garments varied from the loose, long hem of her black jacket to the glitz of a bespoke neckpiece and sheer blouse. The wardrobe of the 1920s women was re-examined in the modern context and energised with splashes of murky blues, but held an element of reticent class.

Natalie Ellis’s use of vintage fur coats and gloves reminded us of the staple role they played in the wardrobes of women gone by, but cropped double colour trousers were a reminder of Ellis’s unfailing dedication to modernity. Interesting shapes appeared on the body as high waisted trousers split cream khaki and black across the body, complimented by ethereal, floating blouses and fur barrel bags. 
*Here at Amelia’s Magazine we don’t advocate any wearing of fur at all, so we hope this is fake, otherwise, DON’T WEAR IT!*

Outi Silvola deconstructed apparel in the most immediate sense, repositioning collars, shoulders and buttons to give a mixed up feel that wouldn’t look out-of-place in Dover Street Market. A fully made collar placed forward on the body was a walking work of art. A shirt is at once open at yet concealing the figure, showing a careful appreciation of the simple practise of putting clothes on the human body. 

Photographs by Nina Joyce

Ruth Strugnell

Bath Spa’s electric and original collections show they’re not afraid to mix things up at Graduate Fashion Week. 

Bath Spa began with all guns blazing for their boutique show with Bournemouth, site setting the scene with a soundtrack of haunting thunder and lightning. As suspense grew, information pills a model stepped into the spot light…with a lampshade on her head. As more models filtered onto the catwalk, more about Ruth Strugnell’s quirky eccentricity became clearer in garments that made the most of mismatching, from multicoloured socks to panels composed of various prints and wools. Despite looking like they might’ve had a tussle in a dressing up box, the models’ nipped in waists and cute, soft take on the harem pants added a sense of maturity and direction to the pieces.  

Jack Duffy mixed things up again with clashing prints and a melding of culture; oversize jackets suggested elements of Eastern tradition, whilst large, ornate collars mould themselves round the body into demi-hoods more befitting of European nobility. 

Thierry Davies’s hypnotic monochrome prints bend the mind but when paired with a neat, boxy jacket a line of harmony seems to be drawn amongst the chaos. Another perennial favourite of this year appears again – the jump-suit, this time spruced up with a dramatic contrast between blue and white sections. 

Jodie Clay’s garments varied from the loose, long hem of her black jacket to the glitz of a bespoke neckpiece and sheer blouse. The wardrobe of the 1920s women was re-examined in the modern context and energised with splashes of murky blues, but held an element of reticent class.

Natalie Ellis’s use of vintage fur coats and gloves reminded us of the staple role they played in the wardrobes of women gone by, but cropped double colour trousers were a reminder of Ellis’s unfailing dedication to modernity. Interesting shapes appeared on the body as high waisted trousers split cream khaki and black across the body, complimented by ethereal, floating blouses and fur barrel bags. 
*Here at Amelia’s Magazine we don’t advocate any wearing of fur at all, so we hope this is fake, otherwise, DON’T WEAR IT!*

Outi Silvola deconstructed apparel in the most immediate sense, repositioning collars, shoulders and buttons to give a mixed up feel that wouldn’t look out-of-place in Dover Street Market. A fully made collar placed forward on the body was a walking work of art. A shirt is at once open at yet concealing the figure, showing a careful appreciation of the simple practise of putting clothes on the human body. 

Photographs by Nina Joyce

Jeweller Kyoko Hashimoto has just opened a new shop/studio in Berlin called We Are All Made of Stuff. Born in Japan, diagnosis Kyoko grew up in Australia and studied jewellery design at university. She worked on conceptual designs until setting up her own label in 2006, diagnosis and she lived in Sydney and then Tokyo before moving to Berlin. Her designs play with different textures and nature-inspired themes, creating a look that’s modern and whimsical at the same time.

Can you tell me a bit about how your own label came about?
I was travelling through Europe in the the summer of 2005, and found myself completely out of money in the fairy-tale city of Venice. It felt really surreal to be broke in such a gorgeous city. I had studied jewellery design at university, but I wasn’t really using it to earn anything – instead I was teaching English to high school kids in Tokyo. I thought, “I can do better than this.” So when I returned from my holidays, I really set my mind on creating something new and committed myself whole-heartedly to design and production.


Illustration by Paolo Caravello

What techniques and materials do you most enjoy using in your work?
I enjoy working with acrylic. It’s the medium I feel most connected with. I like the consistency and the range of colours, transparencies and depth.
Synthetic polymers have been my choice of material since my university days, and I used to do a lot of resin casting. I stopped using polyester resin because of its toxicity, but I still really enjoy working with acrylic; I like the choice of colours and forms that can be achieved with relative ease. I use a combination of traditional and industrial techniques, although given the choice, I far prefer working with traditional methods. You can definitely see the difference in a finished object that has been hand-crafted, and one that has had little or no contact with the hand. Certain imperfections can also bring charm to an object.

In your most recent collection, Shadow of Lula, you’ve created pieces that look both Victorian and contemporary at the same time. Where did the inspiration to explore traditional mourning jewellery come from?
I love reading about the history of jewellery and fashion. Jewellery as a national fashion was at its height when Queen Victoria was mourning the death of her husband Prince Albert. She was so iconic and influential that the whole of England also went into a phase of mourning, and sentimental jewellery became very popular. I like thinking about the notion of sentimentality in jewellery, and I wanted to create a collection reflecting the same sense of nostalgia and longing, but in a contemporary context. So I chose environmentalism as a theme and made jewellery to mourn extinct animals, threatened by industry and environmental destruction.

You mentioned on your blog that the different countries you’ve worked in have, in general, different fashion aesthetics – that people in the UK tend to embrace bold statement jewellery, and Germany tends to be more understated.  Having moved around the world quite a bit, do you find that the location – and the local style – influence your designs?
Absolutely. When I was living in Tokyo my aesthetic was definitely influenced by the underground subculture aesthetics. I used to be good friends with the kids that hung around Harajuku and were often featured in fashion magazines like Fruits. Their unique and colourful sense of fashion influenced me to make pieces that were bold and also somewhat strange and nonsensical. Now, living in Berlin, I have noticed that people do not wear very much statement jewellery, so I am trying to indulge in their aesthetics. It is much more understated here, minimal but also more sophisticated.

What’s it like working in Berlin compared with the other places you’ve lived in?
It’s great, because everyone here is either an artist, designer or a musician. It’s nice to engage in passionate talk about art or the exhibitions we’ve seen, and the price of housing means that people can afford a nice working space to create. It gives us more freedom to do what we love to do.


Illustration by Paolo Caravello

You used the texture of a pomelo as inspiration for one of your pendants. Do you draw a lot of inspiration from the natural world? What do you find particularly inspiring at the moment?
Yes, I guess nature is always going to be a huge pool of inspiration for me. Moving around a lot means things are always a little different, which I really like. For example, with the pomelo, I’d never seen of those before. My flatmate here in Berlin was eating it everyday, and I was thinking: “It’s not an orange… it’s not a grapefruit… what the…?”

At the moment, I’m inspired by what I saw when I went to the Natural History Museum. A huge collection of curiosities were on display in these glass cabinets. I just love old objects from the era before the Industrial Revolution. They are never perfect and there’s such an unspeakable, precious quality to them.

Which are your favourite pieces you’ve created recently?
I like the ‘Toby’ pendant I made here in Berlin. I think it embraces a new aesthetic for me, working with these rubber sponge balls I found, and also tackling the soldering iron, which I don’t often do. The oxidised sterling silver frame is made from a single sheet of metal. Maybe it’s my current favourite because it is also the newest… I’ll have to see how I feel about it in a few weeks!

Are there any other designers whose work you particularly admire?
I love the work of fashion designer Sandra Bucklung – her masterfully knitted garments are a work of art. I also admire the work of jeweller Ted Noten, whom I met when he was teaching my partner Guy Keulemans in the Netherlands. Ted likes to cast objects like guns and cocaine powder inside clear resin; the concept is simple yet extremely provocative.

We Are All Made of Stuff opened this week in Berlin. How’s it going so far, and where did the idea to set it up come from?
It happened by luck. A friend we met in Berlin knew someone who knew someone who had the space available. I actually never thought I would open a store, but if it was going to be anywhere, this would be the place. Guy and I designed the interior of the shop, together with our Austrian architect friend Christoph Hager. The result is wonderful. Really, I could not be happier and we’ve already had tons of people stop by to check it out and have a chat.

Is it a working space as well as a shop? Which other designers are showing or working there?
As well as showing mine and Guy’s work, we have jewellery pieces by fellow Australian designers like Make Believe and Anneliese Hauptstein, as well as local and European designers such as Berlin jeweller Susanne Schmitt and A&Ré, a French duo who make wonderful things with concrete. And more designers to come.
The space is a shop but also a workspace. We needed to divide these two functions, but uniquely, and without being heavy or obtrusive. So we created a kind of porous curtain made up of hundreds of individual strings hanging from the ceiling. It divides the space diagonally, and supports jewellery plinths, but you can also walk through it. Its very light and delicate. Behind the strings are workbenches, and these are removable, so we can clear the space and party!

That’s probably keeping you very busy at the moment, but have you got any other projects or collections coming up that we can look out for?
Yes, but it’s a secret for now!

Written by Amelie Skoda on Tuesday June 15th, 2010 12:40 pm

Categories ,A&Ré, ,Acrylic, ,Anneliese Haupstein, ,berlin, ,Christoph Hager, ,french, ,Germany, ,Guy Keulemans, ,interview, ,japan, ,jewellery, ,Kyoko Hashimoto, ,Make Believe, ,Netherlands, ,Paolo Caravello, ,Pomelo, ,Sandra Bucklung, ,Shadow of Lula, ,Susanne Schmitt, ,Ted Noten, ,Toby pendant, ,tokyo, ,Venice, ,Victoria & Albert, ,We Are All Made of Stuff, ,Workspace

Similar Posts:






Amelia’s Magazine | The Photobooth Phenomenon… an interview with Alex Kokott of Photoautomat

by

Illustration by Avril Kelly http://cargocollective.com/avrilkelly/

‘Does my neck look fat in this?’ ‘My other scarf is an alpaca.’ ‘Under this scarf is a lovebite from Santa.’ Have a look at the #warmupcamden hashtag on Twitter and watch the tweets stream in. The best will be turned into scarves, pilule which will be handed out to the homeless and other cold inhabitants of Camden this Christmas.

Once a suggestion has been accepted, this the eager Twitter Knitter volunteers will tweet back, and the contributor can watch their phrase being made into a scarf in a live web feed.

Illustration by Antonia Parker http://antoniamakes.blogspot.com/

Twitter Knitter combines knitting, an old craft that has proved its worth through the ages, with the relatively new invention that is Twitter. Ventures such as Twitter Knitter is proving that Twitter can have a purpose other than telling your friends what you had for dinner, boding well for it being more than a fad. The interactive nature of Twitter means we will probably see new and unexpected uses pop up, but the network is already starting to prove it can be valuable for gathering support for a cause, as Amelia Gregory described in her article about the UKuncut demonstrations.

As volunteers from the London School of Fashion continue knitting at breakneck speed, the team will accept suggestions for six more days. The initiative, a brainchild of creative agency Saint@RKCR/Y&R, has proved incredibly popular after kicking off earlier this month. The scarves will be distributed across Camden on 20th and 21st December. ‘Keep warm and carry on.’

Illustration by Avril Kelly http://cargocollective.com/avrilkelly/

Contribute to Twitter Knitter by submitting a suggestion on the website, or send a tweet to #warmupcamden.

Illustration by Avril Kelly

‘Does my neck look fat in this?’ ‘My other scarf is an alpaca.’ ‘Under this scarf is a lovebite from Santa.’ Have a look at the #warmupcamden hashtag on Twitter and watch the tweets stream in. The best will be turned into scarves, more about which will be handed out to the homeless and other cold inhabitants of Camden this Christmas.

Once a suggestion has been accepted, diagnosis the eager TwitterKnitter volunteers will tweet back, price and the contributor can watch their phrase being made into a scarf in a live web feed.


Illustration by Antonia Parker

TwitterKnitter combines knitting, an old craft that has proved its worth through the ages, with the relatively new invention that is Twitter. Ventures such as TwitterKnitter is proving that Twitter can have a purpose other than telling your friends what you had for dinner, boding well for it being more than a fad. The interactive nature of Twitter means we will probably see new and unexpected uses pop up, but the network is already starting to prove it can be valuable for gathering support for a cause, as Amelia Gregory described in her article about the UKuncut demonstrations.

As volunteers from the London School of Fashion continue knitting at breakneck speed, the team will accept suggestions for six more days. The initiative, a brainchild of creative agency Saint@RKCR/Y&R, has proved incredibly popular after kicking off earlier this month. The scarves will be distributed across Camden on 20th and 21st December. ‘Keep warm and carry on.’


Illustration by Avril Kelly

Contribute to TwitterKnitter by submitting a suggestion on the website, or send a tweet to #warmupcamden.

Illustration by Avril Kelly

‘Does my neck look fat in this?’ ‘My other scarf is an alpaca.’ ‘Under this scarf is a lovebite from Santa.’ Have a look at the #warmupcamden hashtag on Twitter and watch the tweets stream in. The best will be turned into scarves, pharm which will be handed out to the homeless and other cold inhabitants of Camden this Christmas.

Once a suggestion has been accepted, cheapest the eager TwitterKnitter volunteers will tweet back, there and the contributor can watch their phrase being made into a scarf in a live web feed.


Illustration by Antonia Parker

TwitterKnitter combines knitting, an old craft that has proved its worth through the ages, with the relatively new invention that is Twitter. Ventures such as TwitterKnitter is proving that Twitter can have a purpose other than telling your friends what you had for dinner, boding well for it being more than a fad. We will probably see new and unexpected uses pop up, but the network is already starting to prove it can be valuable for gathering support for a cause, as Amelia Gregory described in her article about the UKuncut demonstrations.

As volunteers from the London School of Fashion continue knitting at breakneck speed, the team will accept suggestions for six more days. The initiative, a brainchild of creative agency Saint@RKCR/Y&R, has proved very popular after kicking off earlier this month, according to the agency. The scarves will be distributed across Camden on 20th and 21st December. ‘Keep warm and carry on.’


Illustration by Avril Kelly

Contribute to TwitterKnitter by submitting a suggestion on the website, or send a tweet to #warmupcamden.

Illustration by Avril Kelly

‘Does my neck look fat in this?’ ‘My other scarf is an alpaca.’ ‘Under this scarf is a lovebite from Santa.’ Have a look at the #warmupcamden hashtag on Twitter and watch the tweets stream in. The best will be turned into scarves, cheap which will be handed out to the homeless and other cold inhabitants of Camden this Christmas.

Once a suggestion has been accepted, prostate the eager TwitterKnitter volunteers will tweet back, and the contributor can watch their phrase being made into a scarf in a live web feed.


Illustration by Antonia Parker

TwitterKnitter combines knitting, an old craft that has proved its worth through the ages, with the relatively new invention that is Twitter. Ventures such as TwitterKnitter is proving that Twitter can have a purpose other than telling your friends what you had for dinner, boding well for it being more than a fad. We will probably see new and unexpected uses pop up, but the network is already starting to prove it can be valuable for gathering support for a cause, as Amelia Gregory described in her article about the UKuncut demonstrations.

As volunteers from the London School of Fashion continue knitting at breakneck speed, the team will accept suggestions for six more days. The initiative, a brainchild of creative agency Saint@RKCR/Y&R, has proved very popular after kicking off earlier this month, according to the agency. The scarves will be distributed across Camden on 20th and 21st December. ‘Keep warm and carry on.’


Illustration by Avril Kelly

Contribute to TwitterKnitter by submitting a suggestion on the website, or send a tweet to #warmupcamden.

Illustration by Abigail Wright

I have always been fascinated with analogue photo booths. I have vivid memories as a child – the excitement and anticipation, visit this pulling ridiculous faces, here never really knowing what you’ll get until the old machines clunk and churn out your photographs. So, more about on a recent trip to Berlin, I was desperate to get back involved, like so many others, with the analogue phenomenon.

A short while after my return, I discovered that the Photoautomat project that exists in Berlin had transferred to London – one of those brightly coloured, glorious booths had been on my own doorstep and I didn’t even realise. A bit of internet research, a blog and a Twitter account later, I met Alex – Photoautomat’s London representative. He’s on a mission to bring back the beauty and art of the old-fashioned photo booth. Me, Amelia and fashion writers Sally and Jemma paid Alex a visit on a crisp Saturday morning to get involved, and have a chat with the man himself…

How did the Photoautomat project start, and where did the booths come from?
Well, it really started about 5 years ago in Germany, where my friends bought one of the booths because they were fascinated with the old analogue machines and the photos they produce. Soon it took over Berlin and the rest of the country. I got interested in the booth when I was over visiting and followed my friends around to look after the booths. We all have our memories from when we were young and fooling around in those booths at the Mall, but seeing them again in Berlin really ignited my passion for them again.

What do you know about the history of the booths?
The photo booth was invented 1925 by a Russian immigrant in New York. He opened his Photomaton Studio on Broadway. For just 25 cents, everybody could get their photograph taken. That was quite a revolution back then as photography was just for the rich and famous; because of the booths, it became accessible to everybody. 
From then on they were used as props in movies such as Band Wagon with Fred Astaire, by artists like Andy Warhol and people from all backgrounds for fun or memories and obviously passport photos.

Where are the booths located now?
Our booths are all over Germany. Most of them are in Berlin, but also in Hamburg, Dresden and Cologne. We launched a booth a while ago in Vienna. Then there is my booth here in London. There are also booths in Paris and Italy. 

How did this one end up in Cargo?
I thought it would be much easier to get a good location for a photo booth in London, but it turned out to be more difficult than I thought – policies and regulations mean a seemingly straightforward thing as installing a photo booth quite a task. I approached Cargo and they gave me the space in their beer garden straight away; they just liked the idea and it was done.

Photoautomat Cargo. Photograph by Matt Bramford

Why do you think the booths are so popular?
Well, people always like old things: vintage, analogue. The rebirth of Polaroid showed there is still a demand for analogue photography.There is something precious about a photo booth strip. It’s one moment, one photo and it can’t be replicated. No negative, no back up, just like real life. The photos also have a better quality than digital ones. There are apps out there on smart-phones to imitate the effect and I understand that most people don’t want to go through the hassle of having a analogue camera. This is where the photo booths come in. For a few quid, you can take your photo booth strip with your friends and keep that moment forever.

How do you think the qualities of these booths compare to the modern booths we see in train stations/etc?
I guess I answered that question above, but there really is no comparison. The digital ones lack quality and depth and the spontaneity you have in the analogue booth. 

Are there any other London locations planned? Or elsewhere in Europe?
I am looking for more locations in London. I would love to get some booths on the Southbank.

Has the booth been used for anything other than people taking pictures with their mates?
I had a photo shoot last year with Mixmag in the booth. It was a fashion special with hats. There were also a few artists who used the booth for their projects. Fionna Banner used the booth for her work twice.


Photoautomat Berlin. Photograph by Matt Bramford

Have you seen/heard any funny experiences concerning the photo booth that you can share?
I had a guy calling me once – he was totally out of it. He took some photos with his girlfriend and they didn’t came out. She got naked and they were concerned that they might get into the wrong hands. I wasn’t in town at that time and couldn’t do anything about it, but he insisted for me to come around. I finally managed to calm him down and sort everything out. 

Photos from our Twitter friends: @vickeh, @mattbramf (me!), @c_rl, @deeandrews, @lizzlizz, @chaiwalla, @sallymumbycroft

What are you favourite images that the booth has created?
That would have to be all the photos form the exhibition/project we had during Photomonth last year. They reflect what the whole photo booth thing is all about.

Who would be your ideal customer – who would you most like to see use the booth?
Everybody is ideal. Everybody is welcome, as long as they respect our work and leave the booth as they found it for the next to come! Most likely they are probably analogue enthusiasts, students and Cargo guests. I have families, a couple from Lisbon, artists form Nottingham and even Henry Holland taking their photo in the booth!

A Photoautomat booth in Berlin, photographed by Lizz Lunney

What does the Photoautomat project hope to achieve, long term?
Hopefully we’re here for years to come and give people from all backgrounds the opportunity to have their little moment. It’s really all up to the people who use our booths and what they make of it. That is the beauty about it – and always will be.

See more pictures from the booths on the Photoautomat Facebook and Flickr pages.

Written by Matt Bramford on Tuesday December 14th, 2010 6:43 pm

Categories ,Abigail Wright, ,Alex Kokott, ,Amelia Gregory, ,Analogue, ,Andy Warhol, ,berlin, ,Black & white, ,Broadway, ,cargo, ,film, ,Fiona Banner, ,Fred Astaire, ,Germany, ,Henry Holland, ,Jemma Crow, ,london, ,Matt Bramford, ,MixMag, ,new york, ,Photoautomat, ,Photobooth, ,Photomonth, ,Polaroid, ,Sally Mumby-Croft, ,shoreditch, ,twitter, ,vintage

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Amelia’s Magazine | Shadow Catchers: Camera-less Photography at the V&A

by


Susan Derges

A new exhibition at the V&A – Shadow Catchers – is a beautiful as it sounds. The first of its kind, viagra sale it explores the work of five key camera-less image makers. It was a concept that, find when it popped into the Amelia’s inbox, I found hard to get my tiny brain around – photographs? Without a camera? Of course, I’d experimented with making photographic images without a camera at college but the quality of images that the five artists create is astonishing.

The exhibition is in the smaller gallery at the front of the grand building and is somewhat sidelined by the major Diaghilev retrospective, but shouldn’t be missed. It’s totally inspiring and tackles some thought-provoking concepts. Here’s a little look at the five artists that the show focusses on, each given their own room and space, along with some of their ground-breaking images.

Floris Neusüss

Floris Neusüss is the master of the photogram, a technique which involves placing an object on photo-sensitive paper before exposing both to light sources. He has devoted his entire career to this process – developing his work and teaching the concept to others. The most powerful of Neusüss’ work in his little area is The Latticed Window, Lacock Abbey, 2010. A life-size window from the Abbey is captured on photographic paper using light sources projected inside, and it is both imposing and relaxing at the same time – complete with all the dust and scratches as proof it is actually a photograph.
Neusüss also made beautiful and powerful images of women in Europe in the 1960s. Untitled Berlin 1962 and Untitled Munich 1965 are great examples of this – these ethereal silhouettes in foetal positions appear both active and motionless at the same time, removing any trace of personal identity but urging the viewer to think about the models’ circumstances and character.

Pierre Cordier

Cordier’s work challenges reality, aiming to produce ‘fake photographs of inaccessible reality’. His chemigrams create interesting geometrical patterns and are an exercise in simplicity. His work airs more on the side of science than art, despite employing a moer artistic approach than other camera-less photographers. The most interesting thing to note is that Cordier’s process – protecting the surface of photographic paper with art materials – means that the images he creates are impossible to realise by any other means. I do like his work, but I couldn’t help thinking that the captions were a little pretentious. And, viewing immediately after Neusüss’ powerful images of people, Cordier’s just aren’t as captivating.

Garry Fabien Miller

Fabien Miller’s dominant piece in this exhibition is Petworth Window 2000 – using a similar technique applied by Neusüss at Lacock Abbey. Petworth House and its long façade of windows is most famously depicted in Turner’s paintings, so there’s a whimsical element to Fabien Miller’s photographic version. His work is the most futuristic of the artists presented – his pieces are totally hypnotic; some appear to pulse while others look almost lenticular. Delphinium 1-8 1990 charts the growth and adaptation of a single leaf over a single day, starting with discrete, delicate marks and resulting in an almost standard photographic representation of the object in question.

Susan Derges

Derges’ work derives from an inherent interest in nature and how it is presented. It aims to reveal the hidden forces in nature that occur all around us but most go unnoticed. From sound waves to the flow of rivers, Derges captures unique patterns and formations in nature. River Tow 1997 appears almost like a charcoal drawing but is in fact a photographic record of patterns the river formed during an evening, using natural moonlight to expose the paper. The images are some of the most beautiful in the collection and made me want to run down to the Regent’s Canal at once to have a go. Vessel No. 3 (1995) sees the transformation of toadspawn into fully grown frogs over a series of photograms – from the intricate patterns the spawn first makes to the messy network of adult toads. Finally, her Arch series, capturing the four seasons in ‘dreamlike landscapes’ which appear like church windows (above), shouldn’t be missed.

Adam Fuss

So it’s to Adam Fuss to close this particular exhibition. The youngster of the group, Fuss began experimenting with camera-less photography in the 1980s. His work focusses on ‘the unseen’: events not usually documented in photography, rather than material forms. Invocation 1992 is an earnest piece of a newborn baby. Placing the baby onto the paper, submerged in water, the result is the peaceful image of the child’s outline with delicate ripples surrounding him (or her) like a baptism. My favourites were contrasting pieces Untitled 1988 and Ark 1990 – the former depicting rippling waves and nature’s chaos, the latter displaying a serene, solo drop of water and it’s minute ripples. Works like My Ghost 1997 – an ethereal image of a christening gown likened to an x-ray, have a real impact; Fuss makes the simplest objects into fascinating works of art.

This exhibition will fascinate anybody with the tiniest interest in photography and I came away feeling completely inspired. The works challenge both what we know of photography and how we think objects and nature that surrounds us every day can be depicted. Do go and see it – and catch the Diaghilev while you’re at it – you won’t be disappointed.

Written by Matt Bramford on Tuesday November 9th, 2010 10:32 am

Categories ,Adam Fuss, ,berlin, ,Camera, ,Camera-less photography, ,Delphinium 1-8 1990, ,Floris Neusüss, ,Garry Fabien Miller, ,Lacock Abbey, ,london, ,Munich, ,My Ghost, ,Petworth Window, ,photography, ,Pierre Cordier, ,River Tow, ,Shadow Catchers, ,Susan Derges, ,The Latticed Window, ,Toadspawn, ,Turner, ,va

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Amelia’s Magazine | Shadow Catchers: Camera-less Photography at the V&A

by


Susan Derges

A new exhibition at the V&A – Shadow Catchers – is a beautiful as it sounds. The first of its kind, it explores the work of five key camera-less image makers. It was a concept that, when it popped into the Amelia’s inbox, I found hard to get my tiny brain around – photographs? Without a camera? Of course, I’d experimented with making photographic images without a camera at college but the quality of images that the five artists create is astonishing.

The exhibition is in the smaller gallery at the front of the grand building and is somewhat sidelined by the major Diaghilev retrospective, but shouldn’t be missed. It’s totally inspiring and tackles some thought-provoking concepts. Here’s a little look at the five artists that the show focusses on, each given their own room and space, along with some of their ground-breaking images.

Floris Neusüss

Floris Neusüss is the master of the photogram, a technique which involves placing an object on photo-sensitive paper before exposing both to light sources. He has devoted his entire career to this process – developing his work and teaching the concept to others. The most powerful of Neusüss’ work in his little area is The Latticed Window, Lacock Abbey, 2010. A life-size window from the Abbey is captured on photographic paper using light sources projected inside, and it is both imposing and relaxing at the same time – complete with all the dust and scratches as proof it is actually a photograph.
Neusüss also made beautiful and powerful images of women in Europe in the 1960s. Untitled Berlin 1962 and Untitled Munich 1965 are great examples of this – these ethereal silhouettes in foetal positions appear both active and motionless at the same time, removing any trace of personal identity but urging the viewer to think about the models’ circumstances and character.

Pierre Cordier

Cordier’s work challenges reality, aiming to produce ‘fake photographs of inaccessible reality’. His chemigrams create interesting geometrical patterns and are an exercise in simplicity. His work airs more on the side of science than art, despite employing a moer artistic approach than other camera-less photographers. The most interesting thing to note is that Cordier’s process – protecting the surface of photographic paper with art materials – means that the images he creates are impossible to realise by any other means. I do like his work, but I couldn’t help thinking that the captions were a little pretentious. And, viewing immediately after Neusüss’ powerful images of people, Cordier’s just aren’t as captivating.

Garry Fabien Miller

Fabien Miller’s dominant piece in this exhibition is Petworth Window 2000 – using a similar technique applied by Neusüss at Lacock Abbey. Petworth House and its long façade of windows is most famously depicted in Turner’s paintings, so there’s a whimsical element to Fabien Miller’s photographic version. His work is the most futuristic of the artists presented – his pieces are totally hypnotic; some appear to pulse while others look almost lenticular. Delphinium 1-8 1990 charts the growth and adaptation of a single leaf over a single day, starting with discrete, delicate marks and resulting in an almost standard photographic representation of the object in question.

Susan Derges

Derges’ work derives from an inherent interest in nature and how it is presented. It aims to reveal the hidden forces in nature that occur all around us but most go unnoticed. From sound waves to the flow of rivers, Derges captures unique patterns and formations in nature. River Tow 1997 appears almost like a charcoal drawing but is in fact a photographic record of patterns the river formed during an evening, using natural moonlight to expose the paper. The images are some of the most beautiful in the collection and made me want to run down to the Regent’s Canal at once to have a go. Vessel No. 3 (1995) sees the transformation of toadspawn into fully grown frogs over a series of photograms – from the intricate patterns the spawn first makes to the messy network of adult toads. Finally, her Arch series, capturing the four seasons in ‘dreamlike landscapes’ which appear like church windows (above), shouldn’t be missed.

Adam Fuss

So it’s to Adam Fuss to close this particular exhibition. The youngster of the group, Fuss began experimenting with camera-less photography in the 1980s. His work focusses on ‘the unseen’: events not usually documented in photography, rather than material forms. Invocation 1992 is an earnest piece of a newborn baby. Placing the baby onto the paper, submerged in water, the result is the peaceful image of the child’s outline with delicate ripples surrounding him (or her) like a baptism. My favourites were contrasting pieces Untitled 1988 and Ark 1990 – the former depicting rippling waves and nature’s chaos, the latter displaying a serene, solo drop of water and it’s minute ripples. Works like My Ghost 1997 – an ethereal image of a christening gown likened to an x-ray, have a real impact; Fuss makes the simplest objects into fascinating works of art.

This exhibition will fascinate anybody with the tiniest interest in photography and I came away feeling completely inspired. The works challenge both what we know of photography and how we think objects and nature that surrounds us every day can be depicted. Do go and see it – and catch the Diaghilev while you’re at it – you won’t be disappointed.

Written by Matt Bramford on Tuesday November 9th, 2010 10:32 am

Categories ,Adam Fuss, ,berlin, ,Camera, ,Camera-less photography, ,Delphinium 1-8 1990, ,Floris Neusüss, ,Garry Fabien Miller, ,Lacock Abbey, ,london, ,Munich, ,My Ghost, ,Petworth Window, ,photography, ,Pierre Cordier, ,River Tow, ,Shadow Catchers, ,Susan Derges, ,The Latticed Window, ,Toadspawn, ,Turner, ,va

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Amelia’s Magazine | Impossible Project: Polaroid is Resurrected with Instant Art

by

jacob-spriggs-infinite-field-6-copy
jacob-spriggs-infinite-field-16-copy
Jacob Spriggs, Infinite Field.

Eight years ago Impossible Project rescued and refurbished the last Polaroid factory in the Netherlands and have since become pioneers themselves in the world of instant film with the launch of their I-1 camera in July of this year.

urizenfreaza_dobles_1
urizenfreaza_tempusfugit_6
Urizen Freaza, Tempus fugit

This winter, the Impossible Project Lab is hosting an exhibition, which will feature a selection of works that explore the meanings and potential of instant photography as an ever-evolving art form. Instant Art includes photos that reveal the beauty of instant film’s unique limitations, then question, disrupt and deconstruct these limitations. The exhibition is a look at what can be achieved when you step outside the original white frame, to capture more than just a moment in time.

christopher-manning_15
christopher-manning_12
Christopher Manning

andrea-pozzuoli-14
andrea-pozzuoli-11
Andrea Pozzuoli

The latest exhibition at Impossible’s Berlin space proves that a photo doesn’t have to be a final, finished object – it can be a starting point for painting, drawing, collage or sheer, joyous destruction. Photos have been submerged or burned, scratched, scribbled or stitched on, cut up and put back together. Each one gives the viewer a new way to frame the world, revealing hidden truths in unexpected ways.

wisse-ankersmit-scan-1
wisse-ankersmit-scan-9
Wisse Ankersmit

The evening is also set to feature creative works on instant film by artists including Ani Asvazadurian, Christopher Manning, Urizen Freaza, Wisse Ankersmit and more.

Impossible Project is open from November 17th until December 3rd at The Impossible Project Lab, 87 Potsdamer Strasse, Berlin 10785, Germany. Find out more here.

Written by Beka Alexander on Friday November 11th, 2016 12:14 pm

Categories ,Andrea Pozzuoli, ,Ani Asvazadurian, ,Beka Alexander, ,berlin, ,Christopher Manning, ,Germany, ,I-1 camera, ,Impossible Project, ,Impossible Project Lab, ,Impossible Project Laboratory, ,Infinite Field, ,Instant Art, ,Jacob Spriggs, ,Polaroid, ,Urizen Freaza, ,Wisse Ankersmit

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Amelia’s Magazine | Katherine Eves has Been Thinking Of You – Sewing Circle

by

SewingAll photographs and images Courtesy of Katherine Eves

DATE
The sewing circle will take place on the 13th January 2010.
TIME
Some sewing must take place between the hours of 12 noon and 12 midnight.
However, healing this does not mean you must spend 12 hours sewing! No, doctor no, viagra order no it just means you must do a bit of sewing during that time for your piece to be counted as being part of the Sewing Circle. You can start early (in fact I recommend this) so that you’ll have enough time to enjoy the process. Frantic sewing is not fun – it’s painful for your fingers.

sewingPLACE – determined by you
So far there are participants in Bournemouth, Bristol, Brighton, London in England and Berlin and Oslo off the island. You can track the progress of the Sewing Circle on the blog. And soon there will be a facebook page for our event.
Nearer to the event you may choose to seek out other sewing members in your area and meet. Pubs, cafes, the sofa or local transport are all interesting places to go. Although you should expect some interest from the locals so take some spare kit to entice others into participation.
PLEASE could you make a note of where you are at the time of your sewing as your location will be important for later!

Sewing2
FABRIC
Your piece must be on fabric.
I’d prefer 20 cm by 20 cm. There are four reasons for this;
1/ It can be much quicker working on a small space
(note: you don’t have to fill up the entire space, its yours to play with)
2/ It is interesting to see what everyone does with the same space
3/ This size fits into a A4 scanner
4/ A uniform size makes exhibiting it all a bit easier

Sewing3
OH, what to sew?
This is both difficult and very easy. What you sew is up to you. I suggested something to do with your environment/thoughts/events as these themes reflect the origins of “I’ve been thinking of you”. But, really as long as the image/text reflects you it fits the brief.
Sew to your ability and do not worry about being technically perfect.

Sewing4
BE CREATIVE. Draw with the thread. You could use other things, such as crayon, pencils, ink or paint to enhance your sewing.
(There must be sewing)
The important bits are the time and size but the rest is up to you. Have a look at the blog
– there are extra bits up there and things that people have sent me
Well, good luck and I hope you have time to put something together

Katherine Eves

Written by Katherine Eves on Tuesday January 12th, 2010 4:27 pm

Categories ,berlin, ,bournemouth, ,brighton, ,bristol, ,craft, ,environment, ,handicraft, ,Katherine Eves, ,Old Craft Techniques, ,Organic Fabrics, ,Oslo, ,sewing, ,Sewing circle

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Amelia’s Magazine | Dorothy Iannone at Berlinische Galerie – an interview with curator Dr. Annelie Lütgens

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BG_Dorothy_Iannone_Statue_of_Liberty

Statue of Liberty.

When I received an email telling me about the new Dorothy Iannone at the Berlinische Galerie I decided to delve deeper and find out more about this enigmatic and influential Berlin based artist, whose vast range of artwork is rich in pattern, humour and eroticism. I caught up with curator Dr. Annelie Lütgens (pictured below) to find out more.

A Portrait of Dr. Annelie Lütgens

Why do you think it is important to bring Dorothy Iannone to a wider audience?
Dorothy Iannone is, simply, one of the most fascinating female artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. Her artistic career, which has spanned over fifty years, is entirely unique, and is, as such, quite valuable in terms of art history. Above that, Iannone is one of the most important artistic spirits concerning the struggle against censorship, as well as for women’s sexual and intellectual emancipation. As such, it is incredibly important to show her work, which has up until recently been distinctly undervalued, addressing all aspects of her art, in a city which was so important to her career.

BG_Dorothy_Iannone_Big-Baby

Big Baby.

How does she create her artworks and what are the main themes (for someone not acquainted with the artist)?
Iannone’s works are created through any number of mediums. The retrospective starts at the end of the fifties with her Abstract Expressionist work, and continues through to the sixties where her work became more and more figurative, personal and sexual. This process can be followed through the exhibition. You can see not only paintings and drawings with texts and narrative, but also video boxes, for example. Throughout her career, she has experimented with painting, felt pen, collage, has combined drawing with text and letterings, using all manner of materials and formats. Her work includes painting, visual narrative, autobiographical texts, music, film and more. Her themes, however, are quite singular, always focussing on the idea of ecstatic love, free love, autonomous female sexuality and the sexual union between man and woman as a spiritual one.

BG_Dorothy-Iannone_Let-the-light-from-my-lighthouse-shine-on-you

Let the light from my lighthouse shine on you.

What aspects of her life inspired the mystical and spiritual dimension that is present in much of her artwork?
The mysticality of Iannone’s works is inextricably bound to her exploration of human sexuality. Human figures began to emerge in her works in the mid-60s, beginning to evolve around love and sex following her relationship with Dieter Roth from 1967-1974. During this time, Iannone created pieces that depicted sequences from her relationship and pictoral narratives, in which the figures, often named Dieter and Dorothy, were, whether clothed or naked, always depicted as sexual beings with visible, if not prominent, genitalia. At the same time, in the 1970s, more distinctly mythological and historical figures began to appear in her work, like The White Goddess, Penthesilea and Cleopatra: strong, self-assured women, facing men with a mixture of wit and sensuality. From 1984, Iannone began to practice Tibetan Buddhism, and her following work reflected her interest in religious questions along with the realities of love, depicting the meeting of men and women as a mystical union that transcends individuality.

BG_Dorothy-Iannone_My-caravan

My caravan.

Why did Dorothy move to Berlin and why was that move so important?
Iannone moved to Berlin in 1976 following her reception of a grant from the DAAD’s Artist’s program. Her early years in the city could easily be labelled one of the most important periods of her career. During those years in Berlin, Iannone drew a number of multipartite series that are now ranked among her most major works. The Berlin Beauties, for example, which includes 70 drawings, is both a poetic invocation of a fictional lover and a declaration of her love for Berlin. The 48 drawings of An Icelandic Saga, made in 1978/83 and 1986, is an autobiographical exploration of her relationship with Roth. Her relationship with the city was, however, quite complicated, as, despite her love for the city, her works were met with little understanding and aroused hardly any interest. So her following series, for example, An Explosive Interlude (1979), focused more on a criticism of the materialism and patriarchal structures in Germany.

BG_Dorothy-Iannone_the-next-great-moment

The next great moment.

What kind of art does she make today and what kind of life does she lead?
Today, Dorothy Iannone still lives and works in Berlin. In the first decade of the 21st century, she created, for example, a new series of wooden cutouts: The Movie People, interpreting great couples from films like in Morocco, Les Amants, The Piano, or Brokeback Mountain. Beyond that, she now strives to complete the story that has evolved through her works throughout the years, creating not as many new works but continually searching for the appropriate new form in which to bring together unreleased recordings, videos and texts. In the end, it would appear her time now is dedicated more to developing a retrospective of her life and career, as her works maintain a contemporaneity and freshness still today.

BG_Dorothy-Iannone_The_Sheltering_Sky_Serie_Movie_People

The Sheltering Sky Serie Movie People.

Dorothy Iannone: This Sweetness Outside of Time continues until the 2nd of June, so if you are lucky enough to visit Berlin do make sure you check it out. More information here.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday April 15th, 2014 2:41 pm

Categories ,Alternative, ,berlin, ,Berlinische Galerie, ,Dorothy Iannone, ,Dr. Annelie Lütgens, ,exhibition, ,illustration, ,Outsider, ,Statue of Liberty, ,This Sweetness Outside of Time

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Amelia’s Magazine | Exhibition: The Art Of Conversation

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Photo: © Guy Archard

Whilst The Art Of Conversation has now sadly closed at the Idea Generation Gallery, London. The good news for those swinging by Berlin this summer, is that the exhibition has relocated to the Program Gallery and will be opening on the 12th June.

The Art of Conversation was devised by design studios: Inventory, London and Bank,Berlin, it showcased new work from designers based in both London and Berlin. The work was developed after each studio participated in a skype chat in which a work/idea was presented, the receiving studio then had three days to respond and present their work/idea to the next studio. The choice to record these discussions provided an interesting insight into how different studios (whether in London or Berlin) reacted to the brief.

The following ten Studios and designers from each capital were invited to participate:

London: Alexandre Bettler, Anthony Burrill, APFEL, DanHasPotential, Eat Sleep/Work Play, Hudson-Powell, Multistorey, Oscar & Ewan, Simon Elvins and Value and Service.

Berlin: 123buero, blotto, Heimann und Schwantes, Hort, Jung+Weing, Kekiretta, Manuel Raeder, Node, Siggi Eggertsson and Slang.


Multistorey, Hand cranked low techno machine built from camping and cooking utensils: Photo: © Guy Archard


The seesaws: Oscar & Ewan Photo: © Guy Archard

The work included within the exhibition developed from the participants game of Chinese whispers, within the gallery the work was number to help the viewer ‘follow’ the varying interpretations of the ideas discussed, this process recording the basic and most important starting point of graphic design; the ability to examine and converse an idea to a vast amount of people with an economical design.


Large colour photo with rubber band ball suspended above, Anthony Burrill: Photo: © Guy Archard

The skype conversations are (brilliantly) available to watch online and are worth each of the 3 – 4 minute conversation as each design companies presents their decision whether to speak, perform or write to the next and what information to pass on and what information became lost as the discussions progressed. A favourite being Oscar & Ewan’s decision to time the time delay by the presence of Piccadilly, the rain, a walk and the presence of an umbrella. Manifesting itself in the exhibition as a Seasaw perhaps the time it took to move represented the time delay in the online conversations?

One designer chose to reference the experience of discussing design ideas via Skype in the work created for the Ideas Generation Gallery and Program Gallery, Berlin, in the form of a heavily pixilated video noting the difficulty in undertaking a conversation about design when subjected to time delays and language barriers. The versatility of design to enhance the limits of verbal language becomes apparent. As does the audiences reliance (or perhaps just my own) on the Skype conversations to provide an access point to the work in the gallery space.


Collection of artefacts made in felt, clay and papier-mace displayed on a hand built table, Dan Has Potential: Photo: © Guy Archard

As to be expected from Graphic Design practitioners the presentation of the show was sublime, namely the perfect leading between vinyl letters pressed onto the wall. Some of the work was very tongue in cheek, as displayed by the printing of emails from the 100’s of intern requests one of the studios have received, each letter practicing their unique form of begging, flattering and showcasing their own work. To accompany the physical work each design studio has also produced a limited edition screen print:


Headpieces housing a webcam, screen and interface with custom made software that changes the users perception, Hudson-Powell: Photo: © Guy Archard

This exhibition celebrates the breadth and versatility of ideas between 20 studios based in London and Berlin. It is an exciting and dynamic insight into the process behind the finished work, (of which each was a response to a previous piece, the show traces the endless connections between the work and the talks) which was to some extent more enjoyable and grasable than the work that came to inhabit the gallery space and in some ways felt as if it were the ‘real’ work. If you are in Berlin from the 12th June, this exhibition is a must see. If not take the time to watch the conversations online…

Written by Sally Mumby-Croft on Wednesday June 2nd, 2010 1:13 pm

Categories ,123buero, ,Alexandre Bettler, ,Anthony Burrill, ,APFEL, ,Bank, ,berlin, ,blotto, ,danhaspotential, ,Eat Sleep/Work Play, ,Elvins, ,Heimann und Schwantes, ,Hort, ,Hudson-Powell, ,Ideas Generation Gallery, ,Inventory, ,Jung+Weing, ,Kekiretta, ,london, ,Manuel Raeder, ,Multistorey, ,Node, ,Oscar&Ewan, ,Siggi Eggertsson, ,Slang., ,The Art Of Conversation, ,Value and Service

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Amelia’s Magazine | Frieze Art Fair 2011: Exhibition Review

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Frieze-Art-Fair-2011-review-salon-94
Salon 94 at Frieze Art Fair 2011.

It shouldn’t really be possible to deduce trends in the art world, approved should it? Yet that is exactly what I was able to do at Frieze Art Fair. By housing a spectacular array of galleries all alongside each other in vast tents, dosage some with work by the same artist shown on different continents, medicine the sameness of much art is highlighted. And I say trends because none of these similarities can really be named a movement, not when the artists are flung so far and wide that they can have no possible involvement with each other than a fleeting knowledge gleaned from the media or touring art shows.

Frieze-Art-Fair-2011-review-Amelia
This year the biggest trends seemed to follow only a couple of themes.. deducible even as I zipped around the fair in a matter of hours. I must admit that I make judgements on what I like within milliseconds at such events, so by default most of the art that I picked up on were things that spoke to me (and not always for a good reason).

Frieze-Art-Fair-2011-review-Dominique-Gonzalez-Foerster
After by Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster.

Frieze-Art-Fair-2011-review From the River-Christina-Mackie
From the River by Christina Mackie at Herald St.

Frieze-Art-Fair-2011-review-Map of Truths and Beliefs by Grayson-Perry
Map of Truths and Beliefs by Grayson Perry.

Frieze-Art-Fair-2011-review-Isa-Genzken
Isa Genzken.

Neon letter artwork and giant typography in general are popular (Tracey Emin, hello), as are craft inspired pieces that pile together assortments of materials to create something that often looks similar to a school art project. Add to this ceramics, tapestry (Grayson Perry, you have a lot to answer for, and I love you) and old toys, and the potential to create something exciting becomes seriously viable – though that line between primary school art project and stroke of genius is often hard to distinguish.

Frieze-Art-Fair-2011-review-David-Altmejd
David Altmejd at Andrea Rosen Gallery.

Frieze-Art-Fair-2011-review-Ramiken Crucible by Andra-Ursuta
Ramiken Crucible by Andra Ursuta.

This trend sometimes crosses over with a very strong theme that says a lot about the spiritual deficit of our current lives: curious creations that bear significant reference to tribal deities and animist beliefs but also often with strong links to our present lives. Think crystallised heads on sticks, strange shaped skulls with flapping teeth, a flattened woman who looks like she’s just been removed from a peat bog: her body glistens with a jelly like substance, yet she wears trainers.

Frieze-Art-Fair-2011-review-Joy-by-Tomoaki-Suzuki
Joy by Tomoaki Suzuki.

Frieze-Art-Fair-2011-review-Elmgreen-and-Dragset
Elmgreen and Dragset.

In opposition to this present day esotericism I also found realistic figures in banal situations, often in miniature size. Or play dead, high heels and Blackberry at the feet or a morgue trolley. Ring a bell, Ron Mueck?

Frieze-Art-Fair-2011-review-Doppelganger-(Blue)-Peter-Liversidge
Doppelganger (Blue) by Peter Liversidge.

Frieze-Art-Fair-2011-review-Gert-and-Uwe-Tobias Contemporary Fine Arts Berlin
Gert and Uwe Tobias at Contemporary Fine Arts Berlin.

Odd arrangements of objet trouvé on shelves have never been more popular. As ever I was also attracted to all the colourful decorative paintings. Aesthetically pleasing, and close in many ways to illustration.

Frieze-Art-Fair-2011-review-Pierre-Huyghe-Recollection
Pierre Huyghe: Recollection.

And then of course there was the hermit crab in Pierre Huyghe‘s Recollection. That funny creature in a darkened room, benignly going about his own business in a small tank with only smaller creatures for friends. He bears a sculpted head on his back ( a replica of Brancussi’s Sleeping Muse) as he is coo-ed over by the moneyed hordes, marvelling at out total dominion over nature. But maybe the last laugh is on us? For what cares the hermit crab where he makes his bed.

Frieze-Art-Fair-2011-review-378
Frieze-Art-Fair-2011-review-378
Colourful art world characters.

In the past I have been put off attending Frieze Art Fair by what I have heard about the experience. And it was, indeed, a bizarre one. Whilst the plethora of artwork on display undoubtedly provides loads of inspiration, I think a whistle stop tour is necessary to weed out all the dross (of which there is much) and retain a modicum of sanity. But the event undeniably left a curiously icky feeling inside: I’ve never seen so many rich people in one place, and Frieze stank of serious wealth. Ridiculous, unnecessary wealth, of the kind that sucks the lifeblood out of whole nations and forces us to reevaluate our connection the universe. Do you sense the irony? We all know that art is a huge commodity in our money obsessed times, but here it is laid bare for all to see… and it’s disheartening to realise just how much the art world relies on the buying and selling powers of the mega rich to survive. Surely art is about more than this?

Frieze Art Fair continues until Sunday 16th October – you can visit the Sculpture Park for free, more details here.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Saturday October 15th, 2011 12:34 pm

Categories ,Andra Ursuta, ,Andrea Rosen Gallery, ,Animist, ,berlin, ,Brancussi, ,Christina Mackie, ,Contemporary Fine Arts, ,craft, ,David Altmejd, ,Deities, ,Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, ,Doppelganger (Blue), ,Elmgreen and Dragset, ,Frieze Art Fair, ,Gert and Uwe Tobias, ,Grayson Perry, ,Herald St, ,Hermit Crab, ,Isa Genzken, ,Joy, ,Magic, ,Neon, ,Objet Trouvé, ,Peter Liversidge, ,Pierre Huyghe, ,Pottery, ,Recollection, ,Ron Mueck, ,Salon 94, ,School Art Project, ,Sleeping Muse, ,spiritual, ,Tapestry, ,Tomoaki Suzuki, ,Tracey Emin, ,typography

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