Traditional renaissance art is a genre that was created with a central focus on European history, religion and identity which was mainly if not entirely centred around whiteness. However upon our recent discovery of the Atlanta based visual artist Osaze Akil’s work, we found ourselves moved by his method of re-framing some of these traditionally white narratives to include black identities, while also offering contemporary takes on themes of black divinity with influences from African cultures spirituality and fashion. His work speaks volumes in such a way where it uses different elements and smaller details that ultimately come together to tell stories that speak proudly to both modern & traditional black heritage and culture. Which is why Twin chose to sit down with the artist himself to gain a more accurate idea of the process, inspirations and aspirations behind his work.
Tell me about your journey, how did you first start painting ?
I’ve been painting for most of my life. As a child, my mother painted leisurely so I think I picked that up from her. I started painting for myself when I was about six or seven, but I was drawing and sketching well before that. I had all of these ideas and ways that I saw and interpreted the world, and putting them on canvas always felt like a sweet release. If I didn’t have the language [verbally], I had the language to express myself through the art I created.
Security Rising by Osaze Akil
What or who would you say is your biggest influence/s?
I have major influences that all contribute to my art in different ways. The first would be Toni Morrison. She’s one of my favorite authors and I’ve always been drawn to the mysticism that she alludes to in her work. The idea that black people have a sort of magic, that isn’t self contained, but shared and experienced communally was always something that intrigued me. With my paintings, I definitely want them to feel magical- that there’s an inherent magic that isn’t forced, but still felt by anyone looking at the piece. Another big influence of mine is Axel Vervoordt.
He is an interior designer and art collector, and often references the energy of a space or of an object being transformative. For me, I think of “spaces” more metaphorically. I think about the spaces that black people have been provided, and have been made by us for ourselves, and how they hold the weight that they do because of the energy that we’ve brought into them. Most of the subjects in my paintings are indoors, or enclosed in some sense, which reinforces my idea of us bringing our magic and our energy into the confines of our reality and making it work for us. We’re often put in boxes, and yet we make them beautiful, exciting, and influential.
Revolutionized Luxury by Osaze Akil
A lot of your work in many ways feel quite sacred, with some even holding biblical titles , what part does religion or spirituality play in your process ?
I grew up in church. Although I don’t consider myself to be a fundamentalist, I’ve always felt that I am guided, protected, and supported by something much larger than myself. My belief in God is a core part of my identity, if not the most important. I feel that God has given me a gift, which is my talent, and I honor that by referencing God’s work through me in my pieces. Painting has become not only a meditative practice for me but a form of worship. I also often reflect on the importance that spirituality has held in my culture, as an African American. Since slavery, our connection to God and the way that we worship has been the foundation for a lot of ways that we operate today, intraculturally and with the world in general.
Tignon Law by Osaze Akil
As a contemporary artist, what role would you like your work to play in modern day society ?
I feel that I’m rewriting history, and telling a new story. When walking through art museums as a child, I never saw depictions of black people being exalted, significant, worthy of comfort, or abundance. I feel that had I seen more of that growing up, I wouldn’t have lived thinking that so many positive things that we can get from life could only be afforded to me if I wasn’t who I was. I want those younger than me to have that representation, and to know that even though our past in this country started in bondage, our future can be free.
Shadrach, Meshac, and Abednego in the Fiery Furnace by Osaze Akil
What’s the part of your process that you find most exciting?
I love when I first get an idea, and I do the pre-sketch. I sketch out my paintings on paper about 4-5 times before I actually put anything on canvas. Going through that process, being introspective, and understanding what I want to say through it is very gratifying. Also, the end when it’s completed is also a very exciting feeling.
Do you have a favourite piece of yours?
I don’t think I’ve yet made my favorite piece. If I had to choose, it would be my “Madonna and Child” piece. We haven’t seen many depictions of Christ or the Virgin Mary as anything other than white. So, challenging that felt important to me.
Peaceful Isolation by Osaze Akil
How was your lockdown experience? Did you find yourself more or less inspired?
I am definitely more inspired in lockdown than before. Before, there were so many distractions and interactions that I had on a daily basis that took my mind away from creating. Now, I’m forced to sit with myself, learn new things, and focus on things in different ways which automatically sparks inspiration.
Where can one purchase your work ?
My work can be purchased on my website! osazeakil.com
Earlier this year Museum für Kunst & Gewerbe Hamburg inaugurated their run of the ongoing exhibition Peter Lindbergh: Untold Stories. The exhibit features unseen work of the iconic German fashion photographer and is the first ever survey exhibition curated by Peter Lindbergh himself prior to his passing in September 2019. It celebrates the legacy of his work with a collection of 140 photographs accumulated over two years which offer an insight into his extensive oeuvre, spanning from the 1980’s the present day.
“The first time I saw my photographs on the walls of the exhibition mock-up, I was startled, but in a positive way. It was overwhelming to be thus confronted with who I am,” Lindbergh explained during an interview in 2019. His famous black and white work is known for transcending their own context and giving an alternate spin on fashion photography by finding ways to not have his images centred around the fashion.
“The exhibition allowed me to reconsider my images in a non fashion context. The presentation aims to open the photographs to different interpretations and perspectives. However, I don’t try to claim that my pictures aren’t fashion photographs, that wouldn’t be true either. I insist on the definition “fashion photography because for me that terms doesn’t mean that one has to depict fashion — photography is much bigger than fashion, it is a part of contemporary culture, ” he commented.
The showcase is divided into three chapters, two of which are large scale installations: opening with Manifest, which offers an insightful thought provoking immersive introduction to the late photographer’s perspective of fashion photography; while the central section features never before experimental works of the photographers shown in pairs or groups; and it then closes with a film installation entitled Testament (2014) which is an unveiling of a hither unknown side of the character of the iconic image maker featuring some unexpected and emotionally moving subjects. The exhibition is currently on at the Museum für Kunst & Gewerbe Hamburg until the the 1st of November and is also accompanied by a 320 page hardcover catalogue with 150 images and exclusive interviews with the photographer. For more information visit MKG.
This week The Auction Collective officially launched a residency at Browns East London in celebration of the arts in efforts to showcase some of the finest emerging global talent with themes ranging from the art of seduction , icons and the future. The selection of artists include carefully curated exciting up and coming names in contemporary including Rayvenn D’Clark, Realf Heygate, Claudia Legge, James Rogers, Andrew Hardy among others whose work in the exhibit will all be available for purchase.
“We have long been admirers of Browns. Their 50 year history of curating top quality collections of the latest designers is an inspiration to us and our drive to give a voice to the rising stars of the contemporary art scene,” explained Tom Best, Founder of The Auction Collective. The exhibit is currently on show at Browns East London and will run until December this year.
Claudia Legge, Havana Street, 2016
Archival pigment print on German Etching paper
40 x 60 cm
James Rogers, And he rolled his vision up into a telescope (tunnel vision), 2020
In efforts to support young designers through what has been a substantially difficult year, MATCHESFASHION recently announced the upcoming launch of The Innovators Programme. Scheduled to launch in September the project was created with the objective of championing young talent , and will include 12 menswear & womenswear designers from across the world to participate in mentorship projects, as well as partnerships with preferential business terms and marketing.
“I am delighted that we have formalised our support for emerging talent, developing The Innovators into a programme that actually helps futureproof their businesses in what has been a tough year for the creative industry. I have work with many of these designer for a long time and I am so happy that we are committing to their visionary collections in a practical , material way,” explained MATCHESFASHION Buying Director Natalie Kingham
The names included in the program are Art School, Ahluwalia, Chopova Lowena, Stefan Cooke, Germanier, Halpern, Harris Reed, Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY, Thebe Magugu, Ludovic de Saint Sernin, Bianca Saunders & Wales Bonner, who all worked closely with the MATCHESFASHION team during the pandemic after the need for practical support and ongoing commitment was expressed.
“Emerging talent has always been at the heart of our business but often these businesses exist outside of traditional production cycles and need additional help and support to grow. This programme solidifies what we have always done, recognising talent and promoting their inspiring collections. We’ve worked closely with many of these designers already and I’m excited to continue our journey together,” commented MATCHESFASHION Head of Menswear Damien Paul . The Innovators Programme will officially take shape in September with original content and amplification of each talent that will continue throughout the year.
On the occasion of the launch of their FW20-21 collection, Dior recently announced their partnership with Harrods in the opening of a new pop-up store in London. The pop-up which will be hosted by the boutique in the city’s centre from August 1st to 30th is a dedication to some of new additions to the collection. The grand velvet space will feature new versions of bags such as Dior’s signature bags in the same fabric, including the Saddle, Lady D-Lite and Dior Book Tote with the distinctive Dior Oblique motifs. The bags aptly accompany the ready to wear looks from collection that also feature signature Dior codes, from exclusive bob hats, scarves and other pieces that reflect on the house’s excellence of savour faire. A selection of pieces like the Diorcamp, Lady D-Lite among other may also be personalized using the ABCDior service. The Dior x Harrods Pop Up is currently active and will run until the end of the month.
This past week, Elena Cremona , photographer, founder and creative director of The Earth Issue launched a series of black & white images entitled Postcards from the Past. The series, which will be offered in 20 black and white plates is a powerful series of images that document the landscape of Joshua Tree, California.
“In relativity to human experience, landscapes are static things – their changes are slow, their ecosystems cyclical, and any given day is likely to unfold within them much the same as the one prior; it is us that moves through landscapes, shapes and colours them with our emotions, and remembers them ‘before, ’ Cremona explained.
In several ways the twenty black and white images captured showcase the creeping splits of the surfaces and rocks , and the Joshua trees that are most often seen alone. Her journey through the Mojave Desert was paralleled with the ending of her relationship and the images speak of that story.
The images are currently available for Pre-Order, find out more at Guest Editions.
Celine Homme SS21 , entitled “The Dancing Kid,” was centred around the idea of teen spirit as creative director Hedi Slimane drew inspiration from the work he did with Tik Tok star Non Eubanks as one of the faces of his SS20 campaign. This year’s collection, prepared in parallel with the winter collection centred around ideas of youth culture as a sartorial documentary about the e-boys, skate culture and an attempt in capturing the essence of an entire generation that turned boredom and confinement into creativity and innovation.
For the collection, Slimane worked with six artists including Tyson Reeder, Jesse Harris, Gregory Edwards, Ryan Ford, Amy Sillman & Turpentine who all contributed in different ways to shape the final result. Each piece told a different story, which ranged from luminous embroidered leather jackets, to lacerated jeans alla Slimane, as well as new Celine Z trainers that will be available for purchase later this year. View the full “The Dancing Kid” show below.
Just last week Dior’s Maria Grazia Chiuri presented her Cruise 2021 collection with a scenic backdrop of Lecce, Italy. The show was a celebration of the magical beauty of arts and crafts, which was set to the melodic rhythms of a cathartic dance by the La Notte della Taranta Foundation, choreographed by Sharon Eyal to the music of Paolo Buonvino
. Throughout the collection, even the silhouettes pay tribute to the Pugliese region with drawings that celebrate the beauty of nature in the region. They also all bear the motto of the workshops at the Costantine Foundation. Maria Grazia Chiuri collaborated with artist Pietro Ruffo, who paid homage to Chrisitian Dior’s iconic Dior dress from 1949, imagined a field with a constellation of wheat sheaves, while narratives of of untamed nature were transposed onto shirts and shorts. Over three months the duo produced over 250 illustrations with inspiration from the book De Florum Cultura , which was published in 1638 by Giovanni Battista Ferrari.
Fendi’s latest episode in their #MeAndMyPeekaboo series features LA based pop culture superstar duo Chloe x Halle. In creation of the campaign, the duo was given complete creative control to conceive the project with the creative team of their choice.
Shot at their home in LA, the video was created with the Art Direction of Andrew Makadsi, the vision of videographer Derek and photographer Julian Dakdouk, who manage to capture the unbreakable bond between the sisters.
For the video, they commence with a stylish breakfast accessorised with the FENDI Peekaboo bags, after which we’re treated to shots of the duos divine natural beauty as they take a dive in the pool and enjoy a day by the pool. Following this they preparing for a performance of their lates with some major hair and makeup glam.
Throughout the video, the wardrobe features pieces of FENDI’s Pre-Fall 2020 collection styled by Zerina Akers , complemented with some of the brand’s latest Peekaboo bags including and edition with an accordion-frame shape & inside pockets offered in smooth leather or precious skins.
The #MeAndMyPeekaboo series began last year featuring 10 iconic women across the world which included names like Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner and North West. Each episode includes versions of the Peekaboo bags which have been seen on the latest runways. To shop the Peekaboo visit Fendi.
Cover image: America Seen Through Stars and Stripes, New York City, NewYork Painted, 1976, by Ming Smith
Ming Smith, not necessarily a name widely known in photography, was the first Black woman to have her photographic work accepted into the Museum of Modern Art, in 1975.
The only female member of the Kamoinge Collective, and a dedicated image maker to capturing the humanity for the Black Experience, Ming Smith’s imagery and life trajectory is due a mighty relook. Currently staging an online exhibition of a selection of Smith’s work, from her image of Grace Jones as a Ballerina, to the playwright August Wilson, Pippy Houldsworth Gallery has moved the exhibition online through Vortic.
We caught up with the photographer from her apartment in New York.
Flower Lady 1996, by Ming Smith
David Murray in the Wings, Padova, Italy, 1978 by Ming Smith
How did you first get into photography?
I borrowed my mother’s camera on my first day of school in kindergarten and I took photographs of some of my school mates. The class was predominantly white, and we were about 10% of the class. I had a lot of friends and classmates that I took photographs of.
Did you feel looking back that there was a central focus for your photographs?
It was just a natural thing. My father was a photographer. He was a hobbyist but he was really artistic: he drew, painted, did films and things like that. However he worked 12 hours a day as a pharmacist, so he didn’t do photography a lot, however I think it then became for me a natural thing to do.
You trained to be a doctor initially, and then you decided to focus on a career in photography.
My grandfather would always say that he wanted me to be a doctor. I liked that because he taught bible school, and my grandmother was helping all the neighbours, so I felt that being a doctor was a way of helping people. I know that might sound pretty naive but that was what I wanted to do. I did volunteer work at the children’s hospital when I was young. I saw a lot of pain around me, so I wanted to help. Being a doctor was a way of trying to help. Then I read something about artists, and they were talking about the system and how your work could help humanity, and you work could be outside of the system, instead focusing and turning ideas into something that would be healing.
Child Porter, Abidjan, Ivory Coast, 1972 by Ming Smith
There is such a sense of intimacy and connectivity about your images. How do you capture that? What do you look for in your subject matter?
Well there are stereotypes of the Black community, but there is so much love in the community, from people who were making and doing the best spiritually or going to church. There was just this stereotype of Black people, you know, and I never saw those types of images with the love and the empathy and the humanity with the people that were around me in my community.
You have become renowned for your portraiture for Black cultural figures and icons What did you hope to profess or present in these images of these icons?
I hope that other young people or students will find inspiration in what they are teaching: the struggles and what they went through to get to where we are now. For example, August Wilson, I went to Pittsburgh and photographed his hometown and economically depressed neighbourhoods and shot some of the places he talked about in his plays. He documented the comic and the tragic aspects of the African American experience in the 20th Century. The characters in Pittsburgh were the same characters that I knew in Ohio where I grew up, or Detroit, where I was born.
Lou Drapper’s Pick, 1973 by Ming Smith
What would you say the main challenges you have faced in your career?
I would say being taken seriously. I am a better photographer than a talker. I am quiet, and I like that with photography you can be by yourself, you don’t have to talk. Being shy, photography was a way of me being in it but out of it at the same time. If you are a quiet person it’s harder to take you seriously.
I went to a gallery seeking representation, and the gallerist didn’t hardly even look at my photographs; it was very disappointing. Just like “ok, thank you”. Just total dismissal.
Did you have a lot of other female counterparts and friends that were experiencing the same in the art industry or the creative industry?
I am sure there was, and I’m sure there is, but I have really continued to be a loner and doing photography was almost like a friend or a companion and was how I spent my time. Being a photographer was a way of expressing yourself and going through your own challenges, and needs, and so I spent my time not really talking to anyone else.
Ethiopian Crew, 1973 by Ming Smith
What was New York like when you arrived? What were you focussing your photography on?
When I got to New York I was photographing but I came for money, and one of the first jobs I had was as a model. It was like 100 dollars an hour: an Ohio pharmacist back then was making 100 dollars a week.
Someone told me ‘you should be a model’, and so I tried it for a bit. When I first met Grace Jones, she was an aspiring model also.
You were part of the Kamoinge Workshop: did you feel like things changed then, that you were a part of a group of like-minded individuals?
Going to the meetings, I was first introduced to photography as an art form. Prior to this I had not committed myself to being an artist. I didn’t think of myself as a photographer as I was still studying pre-med curriculum. So when I came to Kamoinge, I had first heard about the collective on an assignment, where a photographer was talking about whether photography was an art form. I was invited into Kamoinge by Lou Draper, who also printed for Eugene Smith. He used to tell me stories about Lorraine Hansberry, who I loved. that was when I first learned about the goal of Kamoinge: to own and interpret our own images. Roy Decarava was one of the founders of Kamoinge, which came out of the Black Arts Movement, where they started plays, and there were writers, musicians, painters, artists. That is where I learnt about lighting. I remember one member saying that his neighbourhood grew up in Harlem, and that all the young men that he grew up with were all dead. That opened my eyes to the politics.
Oolong’s Nightmare,Save The Children (for Marvin Gaye), New York City, New York 1979 by Ming Smith
Tell us about your experience of fashion photography.
In New York I never knew about fashion photographers and advertising: it was a completely new world. I had a chance to go into both of those worlds, as I was modelling. I met people like James Moore who was a beauty photographer, or Arthur Elgort or Deborah Turberville, who I loved. She photographed my lips for a Bloomingdales bag! She did fine art photography besides that; I really liked her. I lived in the Village, so I knew Lisette Model, and I would go eat at this little dinner, the Waverley – the cheapest diner! You could buy a meal for five dollars there, and that was where Lisette Model would eat too! She would tell me stories about Diane Arbus, and she would call her Dion. For the longest time, I didn’t realise she was talking about Diane Arbus as she called her Dion!
You documented some of the greatest spokespeople of the African American experience.
August Wilson really told our stories through his plays: the comic and the tragic of the African American experience. That is what connected me to him, to go to Pittsburgh and photograph him. Eugene Smith did a famous series on Pittsburgh, but the African American experience wasn’t documented. This is another aspect of my work. We also have Katherine Dunham. She was an anthropologist, choreographer, writer. She was an activist as well: she wouldn’t perform in places unless they de-segregated the audiences. There is always a struggle, that is extremely distressing of the black American community. They simplified the experiences of the black community in the 20th Century. Katherine went to Haiti and Africa and notarised the dance technique. When she won the Kennedy award, she talked about how hip hop came out of her technique, meaning the isolations and different notations of moves and contractions and release. Now we have dance, twerk, afro-latin, west African, Haitian, rumba, Caribbean, west African beats. We have had all these different classes come out of the diaspora. That is what Katherine Dunham did.
Flying High, Coney Island, 1976, by Ming Smith
How do you get inspired?
I follow mainly instincts and my heart about things. I hope to say these things in my work: that is the intention.
Would you say your photography is driven by intuition?
Definitely. Intuition, which is also very spiritual. It is like there is a spirit that speaks within me, and I go with that. I trust that more than I trust my brain.
What changes do you see in the photography industry now?
There is a lot more inclusion, and participation. There are different avenues for photographers – there are now young black American fashion photographers, and I think a lot of the hip hop generation are participating in that inclusion, you can go into documentaries, they work with the NYT. I think this is not only in America, but globally.
Beauty, Coney Island, 1976 by Ming Smith
Do you think there are still many racial obstacles that need to be overcome in the art industry?
I think of course, but I am in the middle of it, and sometimes it is harder to see, but of course I think there has been many steps in the right direction. Dr Deborah Willis, she started doing books on black images, she started this in publishing and the School – she has made a life of that. I remember she came to Kamoinge to do a book. It wasn’t easy for her to receive support so I think that we have a voice now greater than before and it is growing. People are conscious of it, and they are trying to make it right, or more honest: the documentation of us, including us. Not just the stereotypes. More human.
Do you see more women photographers being showcased?
Most definitely, but I also think that there is more of an option. Before, it was a question of what could you even do with photography! Photographers and artists now, there are different avenues and you can earn a living from it! I see this more and more. Before, what could you do with it, how could you earn a living? Now, photographers both men and women are like ‘oh I could do photography, portraiture.’
There wasn’t any kind of show, exhibitions, talks, creating a book… there wasn’t those options. You did it out of pure love in the beginning. You did photography as an art form.
Self Portrait Nursing (Total), 1986 by Ming Smith
Do you still photograph regularly?
Yes I do! The main obstacle with that is everything is digital now. I am doing a book at the moment for Aperture, and so taking it from film to digitising it, to having to re-edit everything over again… it’s a lot! I need a lot of help with the translating of it.
What do you hope viewers take away from your works?
I think just the personal struggles, the empathy or the humanity or the altruism or just being supportive. Maybe the humanity, and that being exposed to the people I have photographed, they will know what to do. It was like when I heard my first August Wilson play, or the drum, and I went and took my first dance class and the teacher told me he was a Katherine Dunham dancer. People will get what they get from my photography: hopefully an experience that will inspire them in some kind of way.
Last week on the occasion of Milan Digital Fashion Week, Prada put their best virtual feet forward with a presentation entitled “Multiple Views SS21 – The Show That Never Happened.” The digital show — which is allegedly Miuccia Prada’s last solo show before the Raf Simons partnership — took the form of a 10 minute live video, that showcase the SS21 collection interpreted through the lenses of 5 different creatives, being Terence Nance, Joanna Piotrowska, Martine Syms, Juergen Teller and Willy Vanderperre. Each artist created a film that showcased a different view of the Prada collection and at large , the Prada ideology and identity, which served as a representation of flexibility and multiplicity, in a time where many are not able to commune, a different kind of community is then established.
Throughout the collection, this season the house opted to focus on simple garments with use, value and longevity as the key themes. The collection is constructed around the quintessence of the house of Prada, its meaning, how clothes are worn , where and why. The meaning of multiplicity and compound uses , as paradoxes through sportswear, formality, classic and futurism are explored. The collection was co-ed and for menswear the silhouette was sharp, narrow and fitted , while for women couture volumes and treatments were explored. Leathers, cottons, taffeta , nylon , and other innovative fabrics are tailored with the flexibility to tell the stories that the wearer wants them to tell. Overall the SS21 collection is a much needed dose of simplicity during a time of chaos, the type of simplicity that can bend to whatever way you choose and embrace complexity yet still avoid chaos.
For Men’s SS21 , Dior’s menswear artistic director Kim Jones shared his mic with Ghanian-Born Vienna trained artist Amoako Boafo for a collaboration which presented the fruit of a cultural conversation between the two artisans. The conversation initially began in 2019, when they met at the Robell Museum in Miami and ever since, the two have been in discussion about their love and admiration for each other’s work.
Kim Jones personally has a special love for African work as he considers the continent as home having spent years of childhood travelling across Botswana, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya & Ghana which allowed him to feel a genuine connection to Boafo’s work that speaks to a contemporary African lifestyle . The artist is known for work like his Black Diaspora portraits which are an exploration of his identity and perceptions of Blackness and Black Masculinity. Aspects of these paintings are transposed onto garments with haute couture techniques. The collection used the artist’s work as base, which essentially was not only evident in the techniques used to reproduce his paintings but also through the colour palette used in the collection. Shades of fluorescent yellow, blue, coral and green create a delicate colour scheme while other pieces acted as a canvas for embroideries , knitwear and intarsia. The collection , as described by the house as “a reinvention of its passion for excellence through captivating dialogues between fashion and creation in all its forms, from painting to film .”
Dutch photographer Berber Theunissen’s project Atomic Punk offers a rare and intimate perspective on the North American road trip. Having experienced an unexpected pregnancy, a miscarriage, a marriage and a honeymoon, Theunissen and her partner took to the road to “capture the moments, emotions and memories in which these intense situations were revolving around [her].”
Theunissen addresses personal experiences in this body of work. Women often carry the burden of miscarriages – they are rarely spoken about in public or in the media, and women feel bound by the ‘13 week rule’ leaving many people isolated and alone. Atomic Punk captures this period of isolation and anxiety through the lens of the classic North American road trip. Theunissen’s work is often based on things that affect her personally: “things that I love, but things that make me feel vulnerable.” In one image, we see Theunissen slumped over a chair in her underwear. An intimate scene full of raw emotion, one that could only be captured behind closed doors.
I could never have imagined the possible impact of a miscarriage until I’d experienced it myself. One out of four women will experience a miscarriage in their life, and there is still a big taboo on the subject. So yes I’m also sharing my story so that you’re not alone, and that you are allowed to feel whatever it is you feel.
The project is full of contradictions. It is on one hand a cathartic journey to process feelings of loss. And on the other hand, a time for celebration. Wide expansive landscapes, stretching across California, contradict with private scenes in motel rooms. As Theunissen has said, “It’s all about the vibes and the mood. I think the landscapes and the portraits reinforce each other. They enhance the emotion of the story.”The camera gives Theunissen a sense of security, allowing her to “observe [her] life in a more objective way,” and so photographing these moments was the obvious reaction for her. There is a disconnect between taking images during a moment of intimacy and then publishing them after for the world to see, this takes courage as emotions are laid bare. Theunissen and her partner have a coping mechanism for this, a way of protecting themselves: “some photographs are just for us and some will be published. Sometimes it takes a while before we share the photo, when the quiet has returned.”
In another image, Theunissen and her partner are on a bed, light streaming through the window, but neither of them are looking at the camera. We wonder what has just been said, what is going to be said and by who? Sometimes these are recreations of events that have already happened, but most of the time, Theunissen is capturing it as it happens. “Before I was a mother and there was no toddler with chubby grasping hands, my camera was almost always on standby on a tripod.” This reveals how a project like this can exist, how the camera can become the third member, recording moments of intimacy, tension and vulnerability.
The romance of the North American road trip has lured photographers for years, inspired by some of the greats like Robert Frank and Stephen Shore. But these experiences are usually seen through the eyes of male photographers. The intimate approach to Atomic Punk, that explores intimacy, loss and love, shines a new angle on this type of photography. The motel rooms become places of privacy, the roads places for discussion and healing. Theunissen’s images provide a glimpse into a moment in time, allowing the camera to record and save the journey, and while it is a personal story, it has resonance for other people going through similar experiences. And as always, a Californian road trip provides a fitting backdrop for a cathartic journey to unfold.
Prints of the series are available to buy at Open Doors Gallery in London
This week, on the occasion of the launch of their Fall 2020 collection by Maria Grazia Chiuri , Dior officially released their new Dior Bobby Bag — a brand new accessory that carries attributes of modernity and elegance and is also the name of the late Chrisitan Dior’s beloved dog. Bobby’s name has been used as a constant source of inspiration for the house as he was one of Monsieur Dior’s muses. The Bobby bag is a subtle tribute to Bobby and features the initials “CD”, and a delicate buckle and is available in three sizes and four colours being black, cream, camel and blue. It also features matching straps that are offered in leather or Dior Oblique canvas. The Dior Bobby Bag is currently available in London boutiques and online Dior.com
See an exclusive savior-faire video below documenting the making of the bag.
Pre-Autumn Winter 20 Menswear was the season Sarah Burton opted to hone the heritage of the house of McQueen with the use of sharp lines and signature shoulders. The collection includes 5 looks that explore the signature features of the house’s standard menswear and womenswear , through the use of several techniques for each look . One presents the use of a different method including cut and splice tailoring , while another sees the a perfect suit with slashed seams and another sees the reinvention of signature blown up floral embroideries and delicate white work that were derived from an inspirational trip to Scotland. Discover more of the collection via AlexanderMcQueen.com
Exploring the self during London’s lockdown, photographer Jessica Madavo took the time she found herself immersed in to turn her photography on her own form. Being granted this time to explore her own representation, Jessica shared her images captured and spoke to us about her own motivations and artistic drive.
Tell us a little about your book you have just created
Its a book full of self portraits I took during lockdown.
What compelled you to create this book?
I’ve been alone during lockdown, and that that meant no people around me to shoot. I then started experimenting more with different ways I could capture myself and really loved the process. I did find it strange to begin with, as I don’t see as being in front of the camera.
How did you get into photography?
I moved from Johannesburg when I was 15 years old, five years ago and had the most amazing photography teacher Mr Wallace. He really encouraged me to spend as much time taking analogue photographs, building small light box cameras and working on the images in the darkroom and it kind of kept on going from there.
What subjects and themes do you explore in your photography?
I’m super interested in people, and faces specifically. It’s interesting to me, how I am able to convey how that person is making me feel in an image and that’s the collaboration that keeps me going.
What power has photography proved in the last few months for you?
Photography really has become a tool for me to look at the world, and in a sense respond visually to issues I see as important. That, and really just being able to almost have a document for each of the periods in my life.
What photographers have you taken inspiration from?
I always find this a hard question because I have a lot of love and appreciation for a few photographers, for a lot of different reasons. Someone who jumps to mind immediately because of his dreamy use of light is Paolo Roversi, while Leo Colombo’s colour images constantly catch my eye. Other favourites are include Malick Sidibé, and probably Vivanne Sassen.
What inspires you in a broader sense?
Since leaving South Africa, I’ve really loved relearning parts about my heritage that I pervious hadn’t really thought about. Music too is something that I truly love.
What is on your horizon?
I’m still studying, so I’m hoping to go back to university in October, but apart from that I’m just collaborating as much as possible and keeping an open mind to my work.
This week a new zine model entitled LIMBO made its debut which was created out of a lack of government support for the arts and creative industries during these difficult times. The LIMBO model , launched by publisher Nick Chapin (Frieze, Vice) is a community drive model with the aim of supporting out-of-work creative minds. The first issue edited by Francesca Gavin, Art Editor for Twin, Kaleidoscope, Dazed & NTS, with creative direction by David Lane of The Gourmand, features a myriad of almost 100 artists including Wolfgang Tillmans, Peaches, Collier Schorr, Tyler Mitchell, Brain Dead, Paul Noble , Georgina Johnson , Carol Bove, Honey Dijon among others who have contributed their art, ideas and humour born out of the global lockdown.
The zine is seen as somewhat of a time capsule , offering creative insight, hope , humour and vision during a time where everything seems so unsure. The publication is a 176 page book that recalls DIY magazines with a method of patchwork , created with expressive work with lo-fi techniques. The magazine also offers a non-traditional approach to publishing as all profits from advertising and issue sales will be distributed directly to the contributors and the staff who need it most. Some of whom have opted to waive their fees and agreed to allow their portions of the profits to be donated to those in need like Vivienne Westwood, Wolfgang Tillmans, Tyler Mitchell and others.
Gucci’s latest venture is a limited edition hardcover art book shot in Rome by photographer Bruce Gilden and entitled “Beaten & Blown by The Wind”. The book features a portfolio of street portraits and imagery of the house’s pre-fall 2020 collection with faces like advocate Bethann Hardison, Singer Achille Lauro and actress/model Benedetta Barzini.
“I have never made a book in this way before, which I viewed as a photographic challenge, and the end result is a creative collaboration with Alessandro Michele. Having Rome as the backdrop was great, the city really inspires me—the beauty of the architecture and its age and watching how the Roman people move around their unique surroundings, as well as discovering the statues in the park high above Rome that mix with beautiful clouds, and the panorama of the city below… it all lent itself for some good pictures,” explained photographer Bruce Gilden.
The images are all featured in black and white and give insight into the city of Rome and all its wonders through Gilden’s lens. It is presented in a format that takes inspiration from vintage tomes with a luxurious feel that create an interesting contrast with the earthy reality of its contents. ‘Beaten & Blown by the Wind’ is currently distributed by IDEA Books and will also be available at Gucci Garden in Florence and the Gucci Wooster Bookstore in New York.
London streetwear brand Aries recently launched their partnership with British luxury brand Hillier Bartley on the creation of a one-of-a-kind charm jewellery collection released earlier this week. The capsule collection is composed of 7 different charms to be worn on Hillier Bartley’s 14K gold plated paper clip earring or co-branded necklace. References from both brands are featured in the collection like an Aries Roman Column, pentagram, ket, throwing star among others . For the partnership the two brands took the opportunity to invite students from City and Islington College for a 3 day multidisciplinary arts workshop in February which spoke to branding, product development, fashion communication, art and photography and each student presented their creation in a variety of formats including film , painting, graphics , clothing, accessories and more. Throughout the process, the sessions were filmed and the students captured in their creative elements by photographer and Aries collaborator Clare Shilland. All of the imagery from the workshop is also set to be included in a book designed by Art Director Jonny Lu and made into a short film directed by Jeremy Pollard.
“This will be our second collaboration with Aries. What we love about collaborating with Sofia is the community that gets involved.. Our last collaboration really was both teams exploring and making and creating.. both HB and Aries teams have played a huge part in the collaboration process .. I think the work with the students was a really special part of this project, and has inspired us all.. The act of collaboration is often simplified, but pared back it’s what business is all about.. co-ordinating together to create new ideas, trust and an appreciation of a diversity of ideas.. we are really proud of this wonderful project…” commented Katie Hillier, Co-Founder, Hillier Bartley.
Not long ago London based boutique Browns Fashion launched an initiative entitled “A Family Affair” that celebrates different types of family like bonds. Their latest installation of this series was released today and guest edited by London based stylist extraordinaire Ib Kamara who documented his local network by exploring notions of future and community through his own lens and that of his contributors during these key moments of pause throughout the quarantine.
For the project, Kamara tapped key figures from all corners of the creative worlds including fashion, beauty, film, music, art and gaming. Namely Musician Misha Notcutt who explores the possibility for change with her ‘Mix it Up’ playlist that also features singer-songwriter Nadiah Adulting-Gyamfi in part two. In more visually impactful explorations photographers Justin French and Elliot Jerome Brown Jr share their thoughts through photography, while Rafael Pavarotti discusses his spiritual collaboration with Ib in a video interview. Filmmaker Stephen Isaac Wilson presents a number of films inspired by collections from his favourite designers at Browns while make up maverick Daniel Sallstrom does a video makeup tutorial also made into an instagram filter. Hair Guru Virginie Moreira explores the paths towards liberation in a shoot styled by Gareth Wrighton while curator critic, and art historian Osei Bonsu is interviewed by Ib on “The Power of The Editing” in the luxury space. For the project Ib shot and styled each one of the London based contributors listed above.
Yannick by Ib Kamara
Ottawa by Ib Kamara
King king by Ib Kamara
Howa by Ib Kamara
“When Browns approached me to work on a community project I immediately said yes as I wanted to celebrate some of the amazing talent that I am very humble to know and collaborate with, there are so many that I am blessed to know so it was incredibly hard to get to this list. For us to progress as people we need community as with community we can start to understand each other better, we can love each other better and we can work to build each other up – that’s the family I am part of in London. For this series, you can expect to see amazing heartfelt work from everyone contributing. I am very happy to see a body of work come together that speaks to them individually – to be able to put this out into the world is beautiful. It’s the perfect time to showcase what beauty can be cultivated when we come together and work in an equal space, a space where the colour of our skin is not determined by our brilliance, a space where everyone feels equal and able to be part of a community,” Ib commented. To view the full collaboration visit Brownsfashion.com
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