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55pages issue 7

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Avoiding the mainstream and embracing the emerging. Issue 7 brings yet again the finest in contemporary art, music and fashion. We also walk in the room and kick the table over with our cultural issues. What topics do you need to be aware of? Well you will have to take a look and fine out.
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Creative DirectorChristopher [email protected]

Acting EditorSara [email protected]

Sub EditorsJonathan BrightKarolina Kivimaki

Fashion EditorSara [email protected]

Digital DeveloperJoe [email protected]

DesignerLyn Devenney

Art EditorChristopher George

Acting Music EditorHannah Fuller

WritersTyler WetherallKarolina KivimakiJonathan BrightBenjamin MurphyCecilia Fernandez SantomeHannah FullerHeather JamesSara DarlingChristopher George

ContributorsMarcin Filip CybulskiTom bartlettYelena KonnovaAdriana KrawcewiczMonika SwiatekWill SameRene MetcalfeTom Arnett

Contributing Fashion Editor Zoe Lem

Technical ConsultantDemir Sayiner

Publishing Director Christopher George

Digital Publishing Director Joe Barbour

55pages Issue 7

55factory.net

Cover CreditsJonty Balls - Desert Mountain TribePhotographer - Christopher SimsStyling - Sara Darling Grooming - Yelena KonnovaBoiler suit- HAiK

55Factory55 Holmes Road,Kentish TownLondonNW5 3AN020 3286 8558

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youtube.com/user/55tvc

29 HORST THE MASTER OF LIGHT

The current exhibition at the V & A, ‘HORST Photographer of Style’, is not only an exploration into the history of Photography and Fashion, but an education in it.

31 JAMES HOBSON vi of views humanity

Hobson ask deep-seated questions about our personal views of humanity and the moral code.

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02ACTING Editor’s LetterAutumn - it’s a bit like Marmite. You love it or you hate it, with it’s melancholic associations. Personally I’m a lover.

I get the Back to School “new shoes” feeling. I’m a big fan of a bonnet and oversized scarf, and any excuse to scoff endless jacket potatos with cheese is good with me.

We cater for all sorts at 55 and hopefully have captured some gems in this issue to warm you up and keep you cool.

Our cover star Jonty Balls is going places with his band Desert Mountain Tribe, and a great day was had by all when they popped into the 55Factory bunker for a very rock ‘n roll shoot.

It’s not all laughs and VIP parties living in the Big Smoke though, as Tyler Wetherall investigates in her feature on the cost of living in the city.

And another place worth checking out is Albania; Not your typical holiday destination, but 55s Karolina Kivimaki is not your “typical” travel writer!

With some fierce fashion and the only trends you need to know for winter, we have also managedto squeeze in features on the hottest artists onthe block. Anybody would think we have outgrown the 55Pages that we started out three and a half years ago... The Dream Team is still going strong!

Enjoy!

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sleep....AND THEN SOMEArticle - Sara DarlingIllustration - Marcin Filip Cybulski

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And what about those who freelance and don’t know when they are going to bed or what time they have to get up for their next job? That’s enough to give the most proficient dream catcher nightmares, just by thinking about it. Having suffered with insomnia for years, I now take it a fact that I will never be able to sleep through the night. However, after speaking to sleep experts, I discovered I am not alone. There are some simple steps to help you chillax and help you to the Land of Nod.

As you know, it’s not recommended to drink alcohol for a couple of hours before you hit the hay. It might knock you out initially but when the de-hydration kicks in, the headaches start. Getting comfortable with a stonking headache does not bode well to a peaceful slumber. It also means that you are more likely to need a middle of the night wee wee if your bladder is full of vino. Unless you are a pro sleep walker, stubbing your toe on the way to the bathroom is something you really want to avoid.

Exercise however is on the pro list. A gentle jog, swim or game of bowls can tire you out physically, and laying in bed reminiscing of your victory is quite a good way to drift in to LaLa land…Pool, darts or computer games are not to be confused as exercise and should be avoided at all costs!

Which leads me nicely onto technology. With the nation being addicted to social media, we do need to retain some bedroom privacy. And for your own health, this means that folk don’t need to know what your toothpaste reminds you of or see selfies of your bedhead. All electronic equipment should be banished from the bedroom, and switched off at least an hour before you hit the pillow. If you must reply

to emails, have one last check on Tinder or a final Facestalk of your ex- please don’t do it in the bedroom, as you need to be at peace, not in a twitchy state!

“A-ha!” I hear you cry, what happens if you need your phone for an alarm clock? I say get a battery operated one from the pound shop. If you simply must have your phone within fondling distance, I’d recommend a sleep app. There are numerous free ones available and listening to the sound of the waves and dolphins or some self-hypnosis can be extremely therapeutic.

So if you’re sitting comfortably, my suggestion for a dreamy night is some yoga followed by a massage and a mug of Horlicks, a quick peek at Instagram, two chapters of a boring person’s autobiography. And investing in some decent block-out blinds. A dark room is one of the best ways to fall asleep! Slather your face with moisturiser, put an eye mask on and breathe.

Ahhhhhhhh, is it bedtime already? N’night all.

@fashion_darlingfacebook.com/marcin.cybulski

A LOT IS TO BE SAID ABOUT GETTING A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP. THE MEN IN WHITE COATS RECOMMEND EIGHT HOURS, BUT HOW REALISTIC IS THAT IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF REAL LIFE?

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Interview - Cecilia Fernandez Santome

a safe harbor for our 90’s memories

NICK GENTRY

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55 - What’s your first memory as an artist? When did you become self-conscious about your gift for arts?

N - It would often be the case that whatever class I was in at school I would usually be drawing in my textbook - while the rest of the class learned Pythagoras theorem. I have vivid memories of those pictures that I drew at an early age. It always felt very direct and natural to me, so drawing became the starting point. It led me into painting, sculpture and beyond.

55 - Was painting always your first choice or did you find your way after having tried other disciplines?

N - I always come back to drawing as the base, but throughout my education I’ve experimented. I’ve made short films, animation and even music. I think it’s good creative practice to express ideas in many different ways, as one aspect has the ability to inform another. I have a love of learning and that creates further scope for unique crossovers. It’s almost magical when something experienced or learnt many years ago comes back to form part of a new idea.

55 - How important do you think it is for an artist to have art education? Is it naïve to believe anybody can be an artist? I’m thinking here of Douanier Rousseau for instance…

N - Rousseau claimed that he had “no teacher other than nature.” Leonardo Da Vinci also had no early schooling and you can see the evidence of that in how he closely portrays nature in his work. Nature must be the closest thing to the ‘truth’ that we can experience - and therefore is our

best teacher. Education is based on the interpretation (and therefore abstraction) of nature. It can certainly inspire, but the ability to detach oneself from that formal system is also necessary. We need to bend and break the existing manmade rules in order to create something new.

55 – You’re often labeled as a “street artist”. I know you don’t really agree with that definition. Wouldn’t it be more accurate to just say that you’re “an urban artist”?

N - I find that both ‘Street’ and ‘Urban’ are overused terms and I find it limiting in some ways. Personally, I don’t fit into a single category and I’m happy enough about that.

55 – Is it maybe that the art scene has been - and still is - too busy categorizing artists in movements, schools, etc, as if it feared the unclassifiable?

N - I love the indefinable and the spaces in between. I find that the things that defy classification have an element of mystery and wonder. I never want to sit squarely in the middle of a category. Maybe people do fear chaos and the unknown, so collectively we try to establish a sense of order through categorization. It seems clear that nature has its own system, where everything is connected and in a constant state of flux.

55 – According to you, galleries are on a certain level synonymous with distance. However you have strong links with important ones in New York, London and Hong Kong. How does social media activity help you to break that symbolic wall?

He’s not the kind of guy who wears loose jeans and carries around a can of spray paint in his backpack. Just in case. He’s not an academic painter either. He’s all that and much more. For instance, one of the most exciting talents to emerge from Britain. Not to mention his refreshing approach to art. He has decided to turn recycling policies into creative rules, making astonishing portraits out of floppy disks, X-ray and film negatives. His artworks exude passion, curiosity, nostalgia and hope. By recovering old materials that don’t ring any bell for Millennials, he’s become a safe harbor for our 90’s memories as well as a bridge to the future. This social artist who refuses to be labeled has found in his Dalston studio the right balance between individual and collaborative work.

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N- I love visiting galleries and to a degree the experience does go hand in hand with social media now. I have come to accept that more people will actually see my work online, than in a gallery setting. The new challenge for contemporary artists is to make art that works on both levels.

55 – Changing topic and focusing on your work itself, how come that a digital immigrant ends up falling in love with technology and paying tribute to floppy disks? Is it nostalgia or pure experimentation?

N - Nostalgia is a very limiting word and I’m certainly not longing to go back in time. I only really believe and exist in the present moment. History is simply a collection of memories and traces. Collectively, we are increasingly striving to capture each passing moment. We are searching for permanence in a world where everything is temporary. I’m fascinated as to why we do this, is it a question of identity? I’m using some elements of the past as a reference to ask those questions, but in a sense it’s very much a question about the present moment. Of

course one eye can also be on the future, as I often wonder what kind of lives we will be living in 20 years time.

55 – A lot of young people following you might not know what this support meant for the previous generations. Are they missing a dimension in your paintings?

N - An element of the challenge for artists is to cross generations and somehow stay relevant through the ages. There is a sense of wonder about the things that we haven’t experienced directly. With art we can describe and share those moments with each other. Where there are gaps, there are mysteries. So in a sense it’s different to science as the incompleteness is not really a flaw but entirely natural. It stimulates the imagination. Do we really need to see the whole picture anyway?

55 – Consumerism, technology, identity and cyber-culture are key elements in your approach to painting. There’s no criticism in it though, no bitterness. It seems more of a joyful acceptation of the social evolution rather than a call for revolution.

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nickgentry.comdearphiliptreacy.wordpress.com

N - There are so many positive and amazing things happening with technology today. We need to focus on that, but also be fully aware that we need to learn how to live harmoniously with this technology and adapt accordingly. The speed of change is ever increasing. I don’t want to sensationalize it, but we are approaching an interesting tipping point where technology could save us, or destroy us.

55 – “Inspiration could be anything, it can come from anywhere”, I quote you. Does it happen to you to dream of a new portrait?

N - I often get ideas in the middle of the night when I am asleep and I wake up to sketch them. I want to connect more with my dreams as it’s a world where there are no rules and it’s possible to try anything out. The fuel for dreams comes in the waking hours, so I try to keep my senses open to inspiration from all angles throughout the day.

55 – I like this idea of yours that your projects work in a complete cycle, from materials to gluing, painting on the canvases and finishing the piece. That’s why your portraits make me think of Matryoshka dolls.

N - We tend to think of the world as all these separate objects and people floating around, but I strongly feel that everything is connected. It’s really just a case of finding and establishing those links. With enough attention it’s possible to notice universal patterns, ranging from the miniscule to the massive.

55 – And last: if you had to recommend us an artist to keep up with…

N - Check out the work of Gianluca Traina. His sculptures combine 2D and 3D in a unique and simple way. In a way it feels like a warped meeting point between the digital world and the real world.

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Photography - Christopher Sims

SuperthrillerWith out being ponse, were artists and wanted to make some art…

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As a result of the avant-garde London art house movement SHUNT, Superthriller was spawned in 2004.

As a hub of creativity, SHUNT inspired many bi-products in the art and cultural scene, one of them being our magazine 55pages. A melting pot for individuals, freaks and uniques, a little like Warhol’s Factory, it was THE place to be seen in the 90s and noughties.

The band, which is still going strong after ten years, has been working on the new album. With lead vocals Ben and brother Max Ringham along with Andrew Rutland are now back on the scene bringing a less visual and more digital feel with their new album titled ‘When The Music’s Over’.

55 - Why and where did the idea of this new album come from?

S – Why, we were frustrated. We have tried to work on material over the past 5 years, but nothing really stuck with us. Around 9 months ago, we decided to make the steps and start. Rather than an idea, we just messed around, and Andrew had the suggestion of doing ukulele covers, with tracks as “I’m waiting for my man” and “Jean Michel Jarre”. A whole bunch of ridiculous stuff! Which is right up our street. During a cover of a “Bugsy Malone” track, Max and Andrew came up with a sound. The cover was great, but it was the sound what we liked. Acoustic guitars, pianos and the ukulele synched and processed with great sounding drum machines. From there we decided this would be the sound of the album. On the previous albums we spent a lot of time in the studio, but with this one we did a lot of the work independently on tracks, then came back into the studio together. Part of the album was produced in a disabled toilet at the back of a West End Theatre, while we were producing material for the show. It’s great that we can work much more from our laptops these days. Once we had decided on the sound it was relatively easy to write the songs separately and bring them together as a montage, then lay them out into tracks. The greatest thing about this album is we have a lot more control of it ourselves and can make a lot more money. We are able to have a concept such as “Songs To Put Your Children To Bed” or Andrew’s idea

of having a postal music club. Some thing outside of the internet. It seems everything has become more centred on the internet and more disposable. There are reams and reams of faceless MP3s that have created a huge revival of pressed vinyl at the moment. This seems to reflect the situation that people wanting a physical object as a reflection of the value of music. Some thing they can own physically. We are really in to the value of what we do like the idea of a music club sharing physical items and a real time connection.

55 - Do you think it is important to do these kinds of no profit making projects to advance your technical knowledge and creative skills? Or could you just do commercial work and survive with that?

S - Doing Superthriller is like doing your magazine. It’s a big thing and bonfires us to ourselves and other people in the industry. We don’t need a top 10 selling album, it’s not what we are looking for. Although it would be nice! We were frustrated and we wanted to make a new album now to stop being frustrated. With out being ponsey- we are artists and wanted to make some art…….

55 - That sounds really ponsey to me!!

S - Hahahah. Well we are artists and this is our art that we have to make.

55 - How has music changed since you started?

S - One of the issues with much of the new music now is that no one projects a political point. It’s like some one needs to come into the room and kick the table over. It’s not so much our position to do that, as we are not the youth of today. It needs some 19 year-old to do that.

We now want to have sausages and cheese on that table! Seriously though, we have no cultural backlash to society any more with music. I mean, the youth today don’t even do drugs and get a life experience!

SUPERTHRILLER new single ‘The Internet’ releases in October. Album ‘When The Music’s Over’ releases November.

www.59pence.co.uk@superthriller

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City ExodusIs it time to leave the big city?

Article - Tyler WetherallIllustration - Tom Bartlett

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When I was a young girl, I would imagine my-self as a grown-up writer, pummelling a type-writer in fingerless gloves, freezing in a garret in Manhattan, weeping poetry. I hankered after the bohemian dream I had read about, with writers, artists, and musicians slumming it in London’s Chelsea or New York’s Greenwich Village. They would bump into Bob Dylan jamming in a record store or find themselves drinking in the Sam Remo café with Ginsberg, Burroughs and Kerouac. They were part of something bigger than themselves. Back then, rent was cheap, the streets were dangerous and ‘authentic’ wasn’t a word bandied about to describe luxury ‘artist’ lofts.

I achieved the dream, sort of. I am a penniless writer, albeit in Brooklyn not Manhattan, and the typewriter is just for show. Maybe if I had thought bigger I could afford a room with a window. Like so many others, I live in a room with no external window in a shared space with seven other people. This is Bushwick, the latest borderland of gentrification, where the dusty graffiteed streets secrete shaven-head-ed art school types, who moved here for the affordable studio space and warehouse parties. It’s still rough in parts, and there are working factories, notably the cement factory, which creates the persistent dustiness. It’s a real place where real people live and work, in communities which stretch back for genera-tions. But it’s changing faster than they can build enough luxury housing. Famous pizzeria Roberta’s charges $17 for a pie; rents now average $500 a week; and the advertising types who want something ‘edgier’ than Williamsburg are moving in. It won’t be long before Bushwick becomes another identikit post-gentrification neighbourhood, and no working artists will actually be able to afford the ‘artist lofts’ on offer.

Talking Heads’ David Byrne was right when he said, “most of Manhattan and many parts of Brooklyn are virtual walled communities, pleasure domes for the rich ... there is no room for fresh creative types.” He could have been describing most of London, too. A recent report by Shelter revealed that earners in Hackney would have to increase their aver-age annual salary by over £100,000 to be in line with the soaring house prices. Even in Clapton, rents have reached on average £354 a week for a room in a shared house, far above the average artist’s income. The problem isn’t just the soaring price of living, but also funding for the arts has been dramatically cut in the name of austerity, while competition for that funding is fiercer than ever.

And yet we insist on staying.It’s for that feeling of being part of something bigger than ourselves. When people in the same industry converge in the same area, there is a positive cluster effect: ideas are generated and resources are shared. “The reason people have chosen to stay is they recognise that being part of an industry hub is more valuable than hard cash,” explained Alexander Parson-age, who teaches workshops on the business of theatre (training.fingerinthepie.com). “But with the continued attacks on the London cre-ative hub, that look set to see even more money diverted away from the capital, this is going to be an increasingly difficult decision to make.” Alexander himself is considering relocating to either Buenos Aires or Berlin for that very reason.

But if the most innovative, risk-taking creatives are pushed out, what will be left in their wake? Are cities at risk of being drained of their vitality, becoming hollowed out, insipid retail hubs? Global gentrification is swiftly making cities into replicas of each other, with the bars, shops and cafes of Brooklyn indistinguishable in aesthetic from those in Berlin. More than 230 buildings of at least 20 floors are in the pipeline in central London, mostly luxury flats. What will they add to the street life of London? Will they create the sweat, lust and grit that makes a city’s beating, beckoning heart?

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Writer Tyler Wetherall asks whether the premium we pay to live in the world’s capitals has finally outgrown the benefits, and if so, what are the alternatives?

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Mugabi Turya is a trainee documentary radio producer for the BBC. After studying in London he returned to his hometown of Manchester, before recently relocating back to the capital for work. “London is so different to when I moved here 10 years ago,” he said. “I know a lot of people love it, but the Shoreditch area has become pretty homogenized.

“I think it’s important when making anything, in particular something documentary based, not to be surrounded by people who are just like you. Those different people, different com-munities, voices, tastes, smells, sounds will help you see things differently, make things differently and work to your best. As a smaller and friendly city Manchester is always making this happen.”

So perhaps it’s not just that we can’t afford to live in London/New York any longer, but maybe these capitals are no longer the best place to be in order to create. And if so, where do we go instead? As Patti Smith recently said: “New York has closed itself off to the young and the struggling. My advice is: Find a new city.” But which one?

Let’s take the UK: Liverpool was recently named the European Capital of Culture and has more than 7,000 creative and digital firms in the city. Bristol is a hub of creative talent with a thriving local scene supporting upcoming artists, especially in the world of street art. For those in media and technology, Manchester houses the new BBC HQ and hosts creative meet-ups like Draw North West and TechHub Manchester.

“The best financial plan for a company that can work in isolation,” suggested Alexander, “is to move to an area where there’s very little or no art being made, and therefore the least competition for funds.”

At the moment the East Region (Norfolk, Suffolk and more particularly Essex and the Thames Gateway) is a good choice.

In the US, Nashville has emerged as a breeding ground for tech start-ups thanks to low overheads and good tax breaks. Port-land is where to go for local ventures and good lifestyle, if craft cocktails, artisan coffee and beards are your thing. Members of the creative class account for 35 percent of the workforce in the culturally-rich city of Austin,

which is currently undergoing huge economic growth. The list goes on.

Some places are actively trying to lure the creative classes in hope of kick starting the process of gentrification- like dropping ships in the ocean for coral to grow on.

Take Detroit’s Write-A-House programme, which offers free houses to writers (as long as they remain resident for two years); or Buffalo’s co-op housing for artists. Both are Rust Belt cities, victims of industrial decay that has left derelict buildings, empty lots and an urban desert that could be seen as a blank canvas for creativity, especially when you can buy a house for $60,000. In the Cleveland neighbourhood of Collinwood, the Northeast Shores Development Corp bought 16 vacant properties and renovated them as affordable artists’ residences.

All but four have sold, and the development company plans to renovate more properties.It isn’t just about available funding or cost of living; there’s a question of lifestyle as well. After graduating form Brighton University, Annie Brooks (anniebrooks.co.uk) intended to move to London, but decided to spend an extra six months living on cheap rents before making the big move. Six months turned into six years. She’s now a successful performer, puppeteer and theatre maker and, shock horror, actually makes her living from her craft unlike so many other working artists. She says it’s not just about the financial implications, but also the lifestyle. “People here aren’t so bothered about the ‘I am busy, therefore I am’ mentality, which I find a more amenable way of living,” she said. “Brighton is surprisingly barren of middle-scale theatres in comparison to London, but I have built a lot of my work clients here on a word-by-mouth basis. It’s a reassuring network. I have good relationships with theatre venues here, whereas I think in London I may have lost out because I’m not that pushy.

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“Things are definitely becoming less Lon-don-centric, notably the decentralisation of the BBC. There is generally an attitude now that you don’t have to be in London to get the best opportunities.”

I’m starting to renegotiate my childhood ideal of city living. There is a long history of love letters to a city, the heartfelt breakup between one person’s daydream of a place and the realisation that it isn’t quite what they hoped it to be or that both parties have changed and grown apart. But somehow the prospect of leaving London or New York feels like quitting, like I’ve failed at it, but maybe the problem is more how we measure success. If success is survival then I’m winning, but perhaps success could be having a little mental and physical space to percolate ideas. Perhaps even, a room with a view? tylerwetherall.com

facebook.com/BartlettArtist

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paul davisArticle - Heather James a sedate kiss on the cheek

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The parallels between California and Australia are obvious says Davies: with modern architecture is key to his inspiration. Outdoor lifestyle and the warm climate are further points to consider in his representations.

With these contributing factors, the calm depiction of a potentially relaxing landscape, is questionable- is there more hiding behind those curtain-less windows?

In one of his early works dating back to 2007 simply titled ‘Modern Bed Interior’, the viewer is faced with a glass door leading onto the garden, which is depicted as lush, green, and healthy, but room itself is empty, void of human life.

Somehow the “Modern Bed Interior” is more piercing than some of the latest works. It is akin to viewing at a museum piece; still in time and space, undisturbed, knowing it will never ever move from there because, whilst we have been granted access indoors, we know there is nobody in: the house is uninhabited. The overpowering nature almost eats the building it surrounds..So what is the relationship between the buildings and the environment in these works? Do they complement each other or fight each other?

Davis’s hand cut stencil technique is vital to achieve the particular look in his paintings. There’s a certain friction that builds up: the building seems almost trapped by the nature that surrounds it. With California as his base, the colours of nature are even more vibrant in his work.

“Columns” (next page), is stylish, almost monochrome, it is exactly those few shades of blue that stand out on some of the windows that make the painting puzzling.The overall effect is like nature merging into bricks and mortar, which is a key style to Davis’ work.

It makes one wonder, whilst looking at some of these canvases, how his work would look like had it been created whilst in England. Would the lines be so smooth and the colours so vivid? Would Nature be so dark?

There is always a definitive sense of darkness in between the buildings and the surrounding landscape, but with our rainy landscapes in Britain, this might be portrayed in a more subtle manner….

Reading his Artist’s Statement, it is Davis’ aim to connect the building to the landscape, sometimes mixing a few locations in the process, but the integral part of the painting

is just in that meeting: the one of the natural landscape and the man-made one.

Davis’s last show in London, (where he sold

Paul Davis’s artwork has a certain je ne sais quoi about it, but at times, it can also scare the viewer.Art has to create a reaction from the observer’s point of view... or is this really not the case….?

Originally from Australia, Davis recently moved to West Hollywood and says that the neighbouring Palm Springs has been a big inspiration for his work.

This is easy to see, as big spaces are intermingled with nature and deposited, in the middle of nowhere; Most often surrounded by trees, bushes, and occasionally swimming pools. Evidently a reminder of his native Australia, these works contain lots of big spaces, but with a slight twist.

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17out) some of his works were purchased by a client who also owns a lot of Banksy artwork. Clearly appealing to the bold, I can only admire Banksy’s artwork: graffiti, murals or street art. It generates something in all of us, whether that is repulsion or absolute adoration. Davis’s artwork is more like kiss on the cheek, not one in the mouth like a Banksy. There are peculiarities in his paintings, and he invites us to ponder because there are no people. We will never find any. The emphasis is put entirely on the buildings and the surrounding area, making them less personalized and more static- but in doing so, leaves more to our imagination.

The focus on the modern aspect of architecture is paramount in Davis’s canvases. Without this we wouldn’t be able to be confronted by one of the most universal of themes: the isolation of the human being in an unknown future.

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pauldavies.com.auheatherjames.com

Davis will hold a solo exhibition in January 2015 at James Fine Art Gallery in Palm Desert.

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SMOKING

Grooming - Monika Swiatek using Mac Cosmetics, Kryolen and SchwarzkopfModels - Anton Wormann at Established & Nick Radley at AMCKPhoto Assistant Will Same

BARRELSPhotographer - Christopher SimsFashion Editor - Sara Darling

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Anton Check suit- Kaushal NiraulaGrey hoodie- DIETrainers- Nike

Nick Jacket w/leather sleeves- Monta HeritageSuede jogging bottoms- Monta HeritageBoots- Oliver Sweeney

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Check suit- Aston Martin Black knit top- TopmanWatch- Police

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Overcoat - Atelier Scotch Vest- Rokit Check trousers- GabicciWhite shoes- Topman Watch- SeikoMirror shades- Police

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Overcoat with fur collar- Scotch & Soda Grey suit- Atelier ScotchNecklace- Tom & LynCap- RokitVest - Calvin Klein

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20Suit- Uniforms for the Dedicated Spotty shirt- Paul & JoeWatch - Ice Watch UK

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AntonCheck suit- VillainBlue vest- TopmanBlack boots- Filippa KScarf- Atelier Scotch

Nick Check shirt- Brutus slim fitTrousers- Duck & CoverSilver boots- TopmanWatch- Seiko

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22Blue roll neck- VillainBlue pinstripe suit- Ben Sherman

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HORSTArticla - Christopher George

THE MASTER OF LIGHT

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The current exhibition at the V & A, ‘HORST Photographer of Style’ , is not only an exploration into the history of photography and fashion, but an education in art direction, production and set design by the legendary German photographer, the master of light.HORST’s technique consisted of using several lights to create dramatic effects mirroring classical paintings and artists’ use of light and shade.

To me as a photographer, HORST’s ability to combine the classics with fashion is what we strive to achieve, and is still extremely desired. Now with our extent of digital and post production, seeing these finished imag-es produced so precisely over half a century ago is quite astonishing.

With HORST’s photography career spanning over 60 years, the V&A have intensively researched thousands of archival editorials to compile credits accompanying the work. These credits give a rich identity as well as information of the collaboration behind the images and the fashion designers’ collec-tions.

His works having a classical yet modern identity to them, each image retains a dis-tance between then and now. Fashion itself always regenerates, but the subjects have now changed completely.

At a time when the European Royal families were depleting and movie stars began assuming this vacant position (with the rise in the popularity of cinema) HORST’s work offers a photographic record of society life. These days the fashion industry if anything, crosses all boarders of social class, but back then fashion was a very elitist institution.

HORST is somewhat overlooked in the grand scale of photography and fashion with the pass-ing of time, although his association with Coco Chanel and Bette Davis opened many doors for all parties at the time.

Maybe with this rather unfashionable nature of high-society subjects and the femininity of his models, a new school of fashion photographer came into the lime light, and the likes of Guy Bourdin and Helmut Newton took women’s sen-suality to a different level.

The V&A has created a retrospective of HORST’s work, bringing to light one of the pioneers of photography and fashion. While we have an at-tachment to the images and many of the people in them, we are also viewing a period of time and a glimpse of society that no longer exists.

Our saturation now of bland celebrity, fashion and imagery has become diluted, but with this exhibition at the V&A we see some purity with a hell of a lot of glamour!! Exhibition runs from 6th September - 4th January 2015

www.vam.ac.uk

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Article - Jonathan Bright

James Hobson

Article - Jonathan Bright

personal views of humanity and moral code

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I’m not angry with Richard Dawkins. His recent and perhaps ill-thought comments have ignited fires in even the darkest corners of Twitter, but I don’t think science’s Frankie Boyle meant to imply that all foetuses known to have Down’s syndrome should be aborted.

It’s an issue of morality associated with the very real contention of addressing genetic disorders, but opportunistic as ever, Richard Dawkins prefers the sledgehammer to the scalpel technique of asking a question.

Luckily in our enlightened nation of free speakers there’s always someone with an answer of comparable frankness.

James Hobson is a 20-year-old photographer from the North East, whose portrait subjects are people with Down’s syndrome.

James’s photographs ask deep-seated questions about our personal views of humanity and the moral code, though he tends to prompt discussion rather than court disgust.

James’s project is deeply personal, arising from his number one subject, David, a dear and lifelong friend who has Down’s syndrome.

James says he’s always seen the real person David is, not the pigeonholed disability. He wants to challenge stereotyping of the disor-der, and that includes the portrayal of people with Down’s syndrome as invariably joyful.

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“I am trying to photograph them with the understanding that I have from knowing David so well,” explains James. “People with Down’s syndrome have exactly the same emotions as we have and I want to present them in a way that isn’t false.”

The Richard Dawkins controversy is perhaps not so much in the comment about abortion; that was a hype catalyst; rather it was the

suggestion that a person with Down’s will inevitably have an unhappy time. Is it morally unjust to grant such a person those aspects of life?

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jamesrhobson.com@brightywriting

Many of James’s photographs show those affected by Down’s syndrome very starkly in their unhappier moments. It captures their stresses and hardships, their family struggles, their everyday toils in an otherwise accepting society.

Thing is, we can all relate to that.

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desertmountaintribe

Interview - Hannah FullerPhotography - Christopher SimsStyling - Sara Darling Grooming - Yelena Konnova

A band true to themselves

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It sounds like the name of a tropical country ‘clan’ who partake in rituals and are earthly and spiritual. But this isn’t that sort of tribe – this is a musical trio comprising of members Jonty Balls (Guitar, Vocals), Philipp Jahn (Bass) and Felix Jahn (Drums). It’s a far cry from the west coast mountains of Africa. Brothers Philipp and Felix grew up in Cologne, Germany and Jonty hails from Croydon.The underlying similarity is that these three chaps are ‘down to earth’ and they do have ‘real spirit’. For them, music is all about what they want to create, for a simple reason – they like it.It’s not about producing what are acknowledged as ‘safe’ sounds that their audience like; it’s more that the band are true to themselves.With this in mind, we caught up with the self confessed psychedelic rock ‘n’ roll band to find out more about their musical beliefs, their views on art and what their journey was like before there was Desert Mountain Tribe....

55 - Before Desert Mountain Tribe, you were in a band together called Young Men Dead. Can you tell us abit more about this? Are you still in contact with the other two members?

DMT- We formed Young Men Dead about three and a half years ago. We played well together but after a while we all wanted to go into different creative directions, which is why we split. Luckily though, we are still very good friends with the other two.

55 - Your passion for psychedelic music was said to be sparked after you listened to ‘Directions To See A Ghost’ by Black Angels. What was it about this CD that you drew you in and how did that pave the way to the music you are making today?

DMT - We came across this record at a time when we were fed up with the amount of indie music that was to be found back then. The album sounded so refreshingly different as it’s heavy and dark whilst at the same time remaining a haunting atmosphere. From the very first riff of the opener ‘You On The Run’ you are drawn into the album, which is why it inspired us to try out music we haven’t played before. Even after six years we are still listen-ing to the album on a weekly basis, although we are not aiming to recreate that sound because over the years we have developed our own style.

55 - You describe your music as ‘psychedel-ic rock ‘n’ roll’. Which artists influenced you and who do you listen to when you’re not making music yourselves?

DMT - Yeah, obviously we’re influenced by contemporary psych bands such as the previously mentioned Black Angels, Dead Skeletons or Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, but we also draw inspiration from rock bands such as Led Zeppelin, The Stooges, Black Sabbath, The Doors, The Velvet Underground, The Stone Roses and Spiritualized.

55 - What really strikes us about you is your love for making music that YOU love, and purely for that reason. With so many manu-factured bands around these days, it’s rare for bands such as yours not to conform. What are your thoughts on this?

DMT - What we do is not about conforming. As soon as you try and create a sound that is conforming, you lose all your authenticity and eventually you end up piss-bored and not having fun at all. We do this every day so if it wasn’t fun or at least interesting or we’d might as well get an office job.

55 - You each bring something different to the band – what element does each member brings to make the band what it is?

DMT - We are all best mates so when we make music it comes together very naturally. Each of us is doing his part inside and outside the studio to make the band work.

55 - What are your honest thoughts on shows like The X Factor and The Voice?

DMT - Honestly, we’ve never followed it. We feel very disconnected to whatever they are doing in those shows. The impression we get from casting shows is that they are exploiting the contestants. In X-Factor terms, I guess-fame and success is a chain.

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55 - The artwork for your double A-side is really interesting. Talk us through the impact you are looking to achieve with how your EPs look and visually for your live shows.

DMT - Philipp designed the logo and artwork himself and he also edits the visual projections for our live shows. For us, visuals are an im-portant part in our live performances because they emphasise the cinematic atmosphere of our songs.

55 - You are all skilled musicians. Do you have skills in other areas you’d like to tell us about?

DMT - We do have a life outside the band. We all share a passion for football and lagers. Funny that as we’re an Anglo-German opera-tion! Ha! Felix has just got a degree in drama so he’s got that going for himself, which is great.

55 - Philipp and Felix as brothers– you obviously get on well seeing as you are in a band together. Were you always close growing up? Was your love for music shared from a young age?

DMT - The age gap meant that for a long time we were just brothers. But when we started playing together in our first band in Germany, when Felix was 13 and Philipp was 17, we quickly became best friends.

55 - Jonty, we hear you’re a huge fan of Prince! Did you get to see him perform when he was over in London recently?

DMT - Yeah, I saw him a couple of times. A friend in the know tipped me off and wangled us in couple of times to the smaller shows. Camden Electric Ballroom was a pretty cool day. He’s a top artist who is still creatively bang-on!

55 - You’ve been really busy recently tour-ing across the UK and Europe – how’s that going?

DMT - It’s going well considering we are going on a little UK tour in September as a warm up to our extended European tour throughout October. Touring is still new to us so we are enjoying the experience and meeting good people and seeing new places.

55 - What’s next for Desert Mountain Tribe?

DMT - At the moment we are finishing off our second EP which is due late October / early November. We are also currently working on a songwriting project for a film and radio pro-ducer which is something we’ve never done before. She has won awards and stuff and the project is shaping up really well. After our European tour we will be focusing on writing songs for our debut album.

Shirt- Les BenjaminsOvercoat- Mohsin AliPatterned shirt- SoullandBlack trousers- Gap

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Group Shot FelixGreen jacket- Universal WorksGrey T shirt- Monta Herit-ge (as before)Green suede trousers- Monta HeritageBoots- Palladium

JontyLeather jacket- Monta HeritageVest- Model’s ownBlack harem pants- Mon-ta HeritageBoots- YMC

PhillipLeather sleeve jacket- Monta HeritageStripy T shirt- Joseph

Grooming - Bumble and Bumble hair Skin Bobbi Brown

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Waistcoat- Universal WorksGrey T Shirt- Monta HeritageJeans- Lee

facebook.com/desertmountaintribe@Fullershiitchristophersims.comsaradarling.com

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AlbaniaArticle - Karolina Kivimaki

THE BRAVE EAGLE IS EMERGING

WE MIGHT BE QUICK TO ASSUME THAT ALL ALBANIANS ARE DRUG DEALERS, PIMPS AND CRIMINALS – LIKE THE ONES WHO HAVE FOUND THEIR WAY TO THE UK. THIS IS NOT THE CASE WITH ALBANIANS IN ALBANIA, AS I DISCOVERED WHILE TOURING AROUND THE COUNTRY AS PART OF THE EU’S ADRISTORICAL LANDS PROJECT.

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Despite being on a slow train when it comes to tourism, I saw some interesting places, enjoyed amazing local food and wine and met friendly and hospitable natives.

Sharing borders with Montenegro’s mountains in the north and sunny Greece in the south, Albania is bang on the Adriatic sea with a pristine coastline and Mediterranean climate. Prices are very wallet friendly, making it an ideal budget holiday destination.

The burning question is, now that Albania’s EU membership application was officially accepted at the end of June, is it fit to join? Deputy editor of JAVA and contributor to Al Jazeera Balkans TV station, Ben Andoni voices doubts about his country’s readiness: “The corruption and organized crime are our plagues, they need time to be sorted. Albania is coming from strange traditions, having lived under the Turkish Empire, Kingdom of Zog I, fascism and almost 45 years in a communist regime of Enver Hoxha. All economical-social systems are unhealthy for prosperity and often bring corruption and crime.”

If underground edginess appeals, it’s got to be worth checking out for a long weekend...

Tirana (the capital) how to get there:

It’s best to rent a car from the airport so you’re free to drive across the country. Europcar, Sixt and Avis all operate from the airport.It’s not until I saw traffic filled with old banged up cars _ Mercedes being the car of choice - that I realised the communist flavour is still present in the every day life in Tirana.

What to see:

Walk around the centre by Skanderbeg Square and see the contrast of the new and old. Mosques and orthodox churches (the national religious ban was lifted in 1991) rise amongst communist era buildings that have been repainted in bright colours and sparkling new high-rise buildings as part of Tirana’s urban renaissance. Edi Rama, ex-mayor of Ti-rana and now Albania’s prime minister, was an artist before becoming a politician and it was his idea to transform old grey building blocks with splashes of colour.

For a dose of culture and art, National Art Gal-lery on the edge of Rinia Park offers an insight to Albanian cultural heritage spanning seven centuries. Next to it is hotel Dajti, Tirana’s only luxury hotel in post-WWII times, which was closed down in the 1990s. Designed by Italian architect, its walls now covered in graffiti and looking sad in its abandoned state. It’s also worth popping by Tirana Ekspres on Rruga Karl Gega, a non-profit art project in a converted warehouse behind the old train sta-tion that hosts contemporary exhibitions and installations for the arty Tirana crowd.

Blloku (the block) in southwest is Tirana’s upmarket neighbourhood with many shops, restaurants, cafes and trendy bars. Formerly secluded residential area for the Communist Party leaders, this area was closed off from general public until 1991.

Besides taking in the colourful culture around Tirana, I had the pleasure of visiting New Beginnings Children’s Home, which is run by charismatic pastor Paulin Vilajeti, who also heads the Albanian Christian Centre. To get there, I was driven through unpaved bumpy roads to a residential area (apparently the government only keeps the main streets paved).

New Beginnings houses 13 children aged

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between 4 and 17, all with their own stories of poor families and abandonment. Paulin calls them ‘social orphans’, children who have mother or a father but who are too poor to look after them.

I met a cheerful 6-year old boy called Prenga, who had arrived two weeks before my visit. He had been living with his mother in a primitive shed without floor, running water, toilet or any other basic facilities. There he was sitting next to me on the floor, excitingly showing me how he can write numbers.

What these children have found at New Begin-nings is a second chance in life, in a safe and clean home environment. Many of them are staying right through adolescence and school. I’m shown photos of grown up women and men who have all spent part of their lives at the

home, now working, married or with families of their own. Part of the funding comes from UK based charity Karuna Action, although large chunk is still privately funded. Seems like there’s no system in place for support from the Albanian government.

“New Beginnings started in 1994, in the early days of Albania becoming a democratic country. There was no safety net for orphaned children, who would disappear or fall victims of organ trafficking.” said Paulin. They work together with Mother Theresa foundation to locate and save children in need.

Where to stay, where to eat:

The Rooms Hotel is conveniently located next to the National Park and near Blloku. Modern rooms come equipped with an iPad and Apple TV. Double rooms from 70 euros including breakfast.

Family-owned Bujtina e Gjelit is a converted chicken farm on the edge of city centre. The ottoman style house has a cosy courtyard and outdoor pool. Double rooms from 80 euros. Their restaurant is worth visiting even without staying in the hotel, although it’s on the expensive side at 20 euros a head without drinks. Everything on the plate is organic and comes from their own Gjeli’s Farm, located by Dajt Mountain.

Lezhë, how to get there:

Lezhë is approximately 60km northwest from Tirana, along the coastline.

What to see, where to eat:

Known as an ancient Greek colony named Lissus, dating back at least to 8th century BC, Lezhë is considered as the site where Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg united the Albanian princes in the fight against the Ottoman Em-pire. Regarded as one of the most important national heroes, Skanderbeg is buried in Saint Nicholas cathedral in the centre of Lezhë. The ruins of the cathedral still play a central part in the town life, many activities revolving around it.

Just outside Lezhë in Fishtë village is a farm restaurant Mrizi Zanave. Run by brothers Altin and Anton Prenga, this charming slow food place is the best thing that has happened to Albanian food, even by international stan-

Blinisht VillagePhoto - Karolina Kivimaki

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dards. Second generation of chefs after their father Pjeter, who worked in Trentino Alto Adige, neither of them has had fancy chef training, just working hard for several years in well-known hotels across Italy.The brothers are determined to provide what they call ‘no cut and paste’ cuisine, using fresh and naturally organic produce (pesticide spraying is a foreign concept) from their own and neighbouring farms. “We are proud to work with 200 families and have daily deliv-eries of fresh fruit, goat’s milk, butter, meat, chicken and herbs,” said Altin.

I had the best chicken I’ve had in my life – massive legs of nearly full-grown hen – and skillfully executed starters and desserts to rival any Michelin starred restaurants. René Redze-pi, eat your heart out! It won’t blow you budget either, three-course lunch costs 10-12 euros. A short drive away is Kantina Kallmeti Winery, run by the Gjini brothers. Both white and red wines are produced with local Kallmet grape. It’s worth popping by for a tasting and to buy some stock. They also produce their own Kallmet olive oil.

www.karolinakivimaki.comwww.therooms-hotel.comwww.bujtinaegjelit.comwww.mrizizanave.comwww.kantinakallmeti.comwww.rafaelohotel.com

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Where to stay:

Rafaelo Hotel sits on the seaside in Shengjin by a long beach line and bright turquoise Adriatic Sea. Hotel might be lacking in Tirana standard, yet it’s forgotten with the stunning view and close proximity to the beach – and the price tag of 35 euros for a double room!

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Interview - Benjamin Murphy - GCAK

PANGInterview - Benjamin Murphy - GCAK

if someone says it’s art, then it’s art

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55 – Do you believe that anyone can learn to draw or become an artist, or is that something that comes from somewhere else?

P – I do think that anyone can learn to draw. I went to a school that is living proof of that because they taught you a method that was so stringent, with so many technicalities and rules that you would inevitably learn to draw. But, of course, the people who had a more natural talent for drawing came out with the most beautiful work.

55 – Do you believe that anyone can become an artist?

P – That all depends on how you would classify ‘an artist’, but let’s say that in the loosest sense of the word, if someone calls himself or herself an artist, then they are an artist.

55 – Which leads nicely onto my next question – do you believe that the correct dialogue is whether something is or isn’t art? Or should it be whether a piece of art is successful or unsuccessful, good or bad?

P – I don’t like it when you read a review of something and the opinion given is so concrete that it sounds like fact; I find it really arrogant.

55 – Is there any true objectivity in art?

P – I guess there is shit art, but if someone says it is art, then it’s art. This kind of thing never used to be a question back in the day, but concepts change. Art was just draftsmanship before, whereas nowadays you have Tracey Emin’s Unmade Bed in a gallery. In that sense, every child is an artist, and so is every slob. Art is purely subjective.

55 – Do you think there are any original ideas left, or are we as artists just

rehashing and recreating previous ideas?

P – I definitely think there are original ideas, but again if you mean the backstory of the artwork then yeah maybe it is more difficult to find an original idea. If you’re talking about the outcome of the artwork then yes, there are definitely original ideas. There never won’t be original outcomes; that would be terrible.

55 – Obviously you have your classical painting side and your street art side – how do you turn off your classical side to draw the freer and less perfectly proportioned things that you do in the street, and is that more fun?

P – There’s definitely less pressure on the street because most of the time when I’m doing a portrait, it’s as a job, and with a job comes pressure because you have to make it right for someone else. So generally yes, I do the street art more for myself and I’d say it’s freer and I can enjoy it more. But at the same time when I’m painting a classical head I realise how much I love it. It adheres to another side of me that I do intend to make as satisfyingly perfect and as much of a likeness as I can. It’s a real discipline, but without the added pressure of it being for someone else it can be just as enjoyable. When I left art school I had to start painting with my left hand, because I couldn’t do anything free with my right hand anymore. The cowboy motif that I paint now came out of this period; I went to Vienna with another artist and did a big left-handed painting show.

55 – Social media has – especially in the street art world – made anyone believe that they can become an artist. People can create something, post it up and it will eventually get photographed and shared regardless of its quality or merits. Is this a good thing because it encourages people to get into art, or is it oversaturating and unnecessary?

P – It’s a good thing. I like the fact that people can do whatever they want. I like the naked idea that anyone can have the confidence to do art.

55 – As an artist who does only a fraction of her work outside, do you mind the term ‘street artist’, or do you dislike being pigeonholed?

Pang – Well it is art in the streets. Nah, whatever, I don’t really care that much.

London based artist Pang is a classically trained painter, who specialises in photorealistic oil portraits. As an aside to this, she also creates artwork on the streets. Trained in Italy, Pang creates her own dichotomy between the polished and perfect oils of her portraits, and the more raw and free paintings she does on the streets. Here, Pang talks to 55Pages about her approach, and in doing so addresses some of those broader, burning questions we all love to ask in this business.

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Dress - Tube galleryTop hat - VintageRing - Annelise MichelsonBracelet - Imogen Belfield

MASTER OF CEREMONIES PHOTOGRAPHY - CHRISTOPHER SIMSSTYLING - ZOE LEM

Make Up - Rene Metcalfe using Stageline and Mist AirHair – Tom Arnett @ Trevor SorbieModel - Vanessa @ D1Styling Assistant – Maddie Porra

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Black polo neck - Ashley Isham Shorts - Ada ZanditonNeck cuff - Annelise Michelson

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White fringed jacket - Tim Ryan Trousers - BasharatyanShoes - Miss L FireLeather visor - PhannatiqNecklace - Gina Stewart Cox Ring - Imogen Belfield

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Dungarees - MEAM (Ricardo Preto)Feather head piece - AstraphobiaWrist cuff - Linnie Mclarty

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Embelished vest - Ashley IshamNecklace - Maria Francesca Pepe Ring - Maria Black 50

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Tux dress - Chanel from One of a KindTrousers - Herve Leger Necklace - Maria BlackRing - Imogen Belfield

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Black shirt - Saropol. Bodice - Godiva. Trousers - BasharatyanShoes - Jerome C Rousseau. Necklace - Tatty Devine. Ring - Julia Burness

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Pop Culture

With tongue in cheek logos de-riguer, Jeremy Scott woo-ed us and wowed us with his fast food inspired collection for Moschino. Maccie D and Spongebob Squarepants made an appearance in his “would you like fries with that?” pieces. Other designers took their lead with references to pop art. Anya Hindmarch showcased a range of washing powder inspired bags and Holly Fulton’s hands were everywhere! Meaning that her actual hand-prints were all over her collection, thumbs up from us! If cartoons are not your bag and you’re more of a western fan, check out Ashley William’s pussies, ponies and dungarees that will definitely raise a smile.

AW14 trendsArticle - Sara DarlingIllustrations - Adriana Krawcewicz

Moschino

Frills and Spills

Ruffles are not just for party dresses in the noughties…Interpreted in a multitude of ways on the catwalks for AW14, House of Holland showcased ripped and ruffled jeans and coordinated shirts, ideal day to night wear. Simone and John Rocha, one can only presume, without conferring, also used frills in their collections. John went head to toe ox blood red, and Simone and John Rocha respectively, and one assumes without conferring, also used frills in their collections. Frills in Paris were more of a glamorous affair with Lanvin’s pièce de résistance in metallic strapless evening dress, proving that their are certain trends that have something for everyone whatever whatever the taste! Not just for girls, Richard Nicoll jumped on the band-wagon and offered us his version of ‘mascu-line glamour’. We likey!

www.moschino.comwww.richardnicoll.comwww.marykatrantzou.com

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saradarling.comartianadeco.com

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Winter Knit-Wits

As you might expect, a myriad of designers used wool in their AW collections- it is after all, the season to wrap up! Even digital print queen, Mary Katrantzou jumped on board, making a complete U-turn from her usual graphic prints. Crochet, embroidery and blanket ponchos made an appearance, with Cara D Develigne stealing the crown at Burberry, leading the troupe of models in their monogrammed blanket > ponchos down the catwalk. Tommy Hilfiger gave us oversized sweater dresses, and Giles Deacon turned to his darker side to collaborate with east London’s urban knit collective ‘Wool and The Gang’ to create the coolest beanies and jump-er dresses - perfect for getting snuggly!

Mary Katrantzou

Richard Nicoll

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international fashion BARCELONA

Article - Christopher George

Barcelona Fashion Week SS 15 was held at the impressive Recinte Modernista, now a world heritage site and worth a visit when you are feeling cultural, for its stunning architecture and rich history. Combine this with some incredible fashion talent, 55employees enjoyed a Mediterranean heat wave and stylish frenzy. Not as hectic, loud, in yer face or celeb led as London’s version, this certainly has some big players, notably the following that we heart

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The big players on every street corner in Spain cannot be missed. Next summer will be full of vibrant tropical prints and dark blues made for a more sophisticated look. Along with large leave prints, the brand has created an even bolder range with an idea of island explora-tion. Perfect for your suitcase and international beach life.

Yerse

Oversized jumpers and long sport socks always winners with 55ers, we fell in lust with Yerse’s loose and chunky knit and nerdy sport socks.

www.080barcelonafashion.catwww.desigual.comwww.yerse.comwww.kriziarobustella.comwww.miriamponsa.comwww.celiavela.com

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Krizia Robustella

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Miriam Ponsa

For the more laid back fashion, Miriam Ponsa took inspiration from the desert with Nomad inspired shapes and simple sculptured lines in a range of neutral tones. Added to this were over-sized slouchy bags, creating a striking trend we are seeing filtering through. Completely wearable and totally practical.

Krizia Robustella

Having spotted Krizia several seasons ago, she is one to watch for edgy trends.. Her knitted balaclavas are a mash up of granny-chic and Shoreditch! With big graphic prints in dark blue, there is definitely a theme of big & bold in the horizon for next seasons. Lets clash!!

Celia Vela

In contrast, Celia showed beautiful simple and unexpected designs. Grey jersey and knits take this casual sports wear and give it a redesign for the better. Just spectacular.

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57One of a Kind - www.oneofakindvintagestore.comBasharartyan - www.basharatyanv.comMEAM (Ricardo Preto) - www.girissima.comTube Gallery - www.tube-gallery.comGoddiva - www.goddiva.co.ukMiss L fire - www.Misslfire.co.ukGina Stewart Cox - www.ginastewartcox.comAstrobohemia - www.astrobohemia.comMaria Black - www.maria-black.comTim Ryan - Available at www.net-a-porter.comJerome C. Rousseau - www.jeromecrousseau.comMaria Francesca Pepe - www.mfpepe.comHerve Leger - www.herveleger.com Annelise Michelson - www.annelisemichelson.comAda Zanditon - www.adazanditon.comImogen Belfield - www.imogenbelfieldlondon-2.myshopify.comJulia Burness - www.juliaburnessjewellery.comPhannatiq - www.phannatiq.comTatty devine - www.tattydevine.comNike - www.nike.comDenim is Everything - www.denimiseverything.comOliver Sweeney - www.oliversweeney.comKaushal Niraula - www.kaushalniraula.comRokit - www.rokit.co.uk

Scotch & Soda - www.scotch-soda.comBen Sherman - www.bensherman.comPolice - www.policelifestyle.comDuck & Cover - www.duckandcover.co.ukTopman - www.topman.comSeiko - www.seiko.co.ukFilippa K - www.filippa-k.com/enBrutus Slim Fit - www.brutus-trimfit.comUniform of the Dedicated - www.uniformsforthededicated.comIce Watch - www.uk.ice-watch.comAtelier Scotch - www.webstore-uk.scotch-soda.comDuck and Cover - www.duckandcover.co.uk Villain - www.villain.uk.comGabicci - www.gabicci.com Monta Heritage - www.montaheritage.com Paul & Joe - www.paulandjoe.comJulia Burness - juliaburnessjewellery.comPhannatiq - www.phannatiq.comLinnie Mclarty - www.linniemclarty.com

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