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#Milan Artist Run Space
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Hi Sea. Just wanted to come and talk about last night. I was in Milan and it was just… beyond words. The show was insane. From the fireworks, to the large crowd, to the atmosphere, to Louis, it was all more than I could ever imagine. And I had seen him live 3 times before during this tour.
If this is the direction the next tour is going into, then sign me up for all of it. It was intense. It was breathtaking, it was sublime.
And to top it all off, I took one of my friends who wasn’t a Louis fan. Didn’t really know any of his songs. She kinda tagged along because she wanted to see Milan and indulged me. She actually knows more Harry songs than any Louis.
She was blown away. She was in awe. When she said that she liked his songs way better than she did Harry’s, I was so happy. She described it quite accurate.
“Harry’s songs are more like doobie doobie doo. Louis songs have body, they have meaning, they have the lyrics”.
Faith in the future. Bring it on!
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And as a little bonus, we got a “hi” from Oli 😁
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Oh wow, Mr. Oli Wright looking very rugged there!
Wasn’t last night so amazing….! I know someone from BMG (was it Alistair Norbury?) mentioned one of their artists having the first stadium shows next year, but in a selfish way, I hope Louis still plays to arena-sized crowds, because this size is perfect to appreciate him. Louis thrives from the feedback from his fans. You can feel the emotion coming off him, and the passion going out from the fans. I’ve seldom seen artists have this kind of devotion.
That stage is so gorgeous (Louis said he was “knackered” from running around the massive stage). A bigger space gave the musicians the proper space they needed. And we got strings for so many songs!
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Most of all, I’m so happy this tour went without a hitch. It was a crucial part of Louis’ career; it had to happen for his confidence. Louis was right. Every single fan who bought a ticket to the concert helped to make it happen. I’m so glad we all shared in this together.
Much love to you!
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starmakermachine · 2 years
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The Immortal Star: David Bowie
By Kitty Quinn, Co-written by Milan Lazovski, Photographed by Milan Lazovski, Makeup by Kitty Quinn, Styled by Milan Lazovski & Kitty Quinn, Model: Vanessa Yousif
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It’s a bird, it’s a plane— it’s a starman! While there were several icons that came out of the glam rock era, none were quite as influential and striking as David Bowie. From his distinct eyes to his stylistic shape-shifting, Bowie hit the world like a musical meteorite. Dancing onto the scene with his first hit “Space Oddity”, Bowie’s career got its official start after an unsuccessful run in folk music. Though Bowie is most well known as a musician, it could be argued that his biggest impact can be seen in the way the world now views gender identity and sexuality. With personas like Ziggy Stardust, Bowie was seen wearing makeup, heels, and tight lurex, which had never been seen before within mainstream culture. 
Throughout his career, Bowie never shied from using shock and flair to grab the attention of audiences, even coming out on several different occasions. Perhaps the most shocking instance was during 1972, when he came out as gay to Melody Maker magazine. However, even then wasn’t his first time diverging from the norm. As young as 17 years old, Bowie was seen as the spokesperson for “Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men”, which argued against the idea that men with long hair were feminine. With these examples alone it can be seen that Bowie was never one to follow the status quo, thus inspiring generations to come. 
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Although Bowie never intended to be the face of global change, his desire for personal expression and an enhanced way of performing unknowingly sparked a revolution. In fact, he admitted that his personas were a form of escape in a 1983 interview with Musician, “I didn't really have the nerve to sing my songs on stage and nobody else was doing them. I decided to do them in disguise so that I didn't have to actually go through the humiliation of going on stage and being myself”. However, with colors so vibrant and a star burning so bright— the world was forced to pay attention. Whether they were ready for the change or not, the shock and awe around Bowie made him inescapable. By 1972, with the release of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Bowie became the shot heard around the world. The alter ego he created, Ziggy Stardust, an extraterrestrial hailing from a planet unlike earth, was unchained to the gender expectations that humans have created. By referring to this character as an alien, Bowie was able to detach from himself and feel true liberation exploring his identity as both a person and artist. By creating this alter ego, Bowie didn’t have to take responsibility for his onstage exploration. It could be argued that his onstage persona and the real David Bowie fused— an unapologetic enigma.
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Bowie was not the first artist to chip away at the seemingly unmoved gender norms of the 20th century. It can be noted that musicians like Little Richard and Elvis Presley aided in this deconstruction with subtle acts of rebellion— wearing eyeliner, flashy clothes and even sporting the color pink. Though these instances may seem tame by today’s standards, they provided the stepping stones that Bowie would later use to trail-blaze a movement. What set Bowie apart from other artists of the time was the sheer extravagance and worldwide popularity that he commanded. It’s not that he was the only one doing this, but it’s the fact that he was able to achieve commercial success and longevity without compromising his artistic vision. That being said, it’s important to note that this type of acclaim would not have been possible without the privileges of being a part of a dominating social class. Nevertheless, Bowie’s impact is undeniable and can be seen as a cornerstone for a shift in the perception of gender.
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The current social climate allows for men to be more comfortable in their masculinity and explore their femininity, even earning high praise and being commended for their bravery. Small actions such as painting their nails or wearing feminine clothing are seen as remarkable acts of “ending toxic masculinity”. While these actions do diverge from the norm and can be considered small triumphs for those who aim to deconstruct the current gender binary, it’s important to recognize those who pioneered the redefining of gender norms like David Bowie. Today’s top performing artists such as Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, and even Janelle Monàe, have all taken inspiration from the legend. Bowie may not be in the current sphere of conversation but his significance in the music, art, and fashion world is unlike any other. Before solely crediting current figures within pop culture for breaking down gender barriers, it’s imperative to look into the past and acknowledge that Bowie and other historical figures have done it first. 
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janlesak · 2 months
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The aim of the Inner Image. Appearing / disappearing images exhibition is to present the complex structure of artistic reflection which is often concerned with issues of truth in the artwork and its relation to the real world. In their work, artists draw a boundary between the image of reality and its internal reflection.
The nature of contemporary artwork reveals artists’ ability to respond to latest technologies. They are, in a sense, a medium of humanization, or making the world of people ‘human’. If we try to generalize and present in an artwork a formal truth which finds its way to the surface, into the space of the image, then we confine our attention to the shape that has been immortalized in the truth – and to the truth immortalized in the shape.*
Some works displayed at the show may appear simple, and yet they hide elaborate content based on philosophical reflection, social and political relations, scientific concepts or, sometimes, pure intuition. But they all refer to the ‘inner truth’ of the work which stems from the impulse to take a critical look at reality. Western culture and philosophy pushes disappearance, void and nothingness into the background as phenomena related to passing, eradication or concealment. Still, representing nothingness is meaningful.
In Jaromír Novotný’s work the properties of material, the transparency of light and the surface of picture are brought about by numerous fairly simple interactions. Aleš Čermák’s magic images – especially the AISandSIA video – display themes of both sophisticated state-of-the-art technology and primitivism which evidence the softness and brutality of religious and political institutions or totalitarian regimes as instruments that erase human traces. In Echo, a series of acoustic drawings by Daniel Hanzlík, the artist’s gesture, guided by a mental sound signal, becomes an instrument harmonizing the inner rhythms of the sound and the author’s thoughts. His almost mechanical precision brings a machine to mind. In the Light Sleep project, the artistic duo Julia Gryboś and Barbora Zentková investigate sleep as a state of apparent inactivity. Yet we know very well that many actions and changes happen during sleep. Milan Houser uses fluorescent varnish which produce effects of darkness and light. As a result, his works show a new reality and gain a different dimension. Jan Lesák explores the limits of the medium of photography. In his project called Running in Haze, he suggests unclear and blurred boundaries between reality and representation. Svätopluk Mikyta is a distinguished figure on the Czechoslovak art scene. In his prints, he refers to the ideological communist past, as well as to history in general, or to local traditions and memory. Josef Mladějovski examines the basic problem of modernism: ideas of utopian meanings and gestures. Their significance is critically revaluated in his work. Pavel Mrkus’s video installation addresses the question of media which appropriate privacy – after all, the drone is a surveillance device. The principle behind the work consists in relaxing the form by radical repetition of fast changing image frequency. Gregor Eldarb’s work is an extension of spectacular urban visions, turned by the artist into unforgettable structural models. Libor Novotný’s object Wooden Web signals a characteristic feature of the artist’s reflections. For him, the work tends to be a semantic code, whose processual and ephemeral nature makes it changeable in accordance with physical phenomena, targeted at the viewer’s attention. We would like to foreground the critical and social role of art, communicated in a universal language. The participating artists employ a wide range of techniques and methods of creative work: installations, painting, drawing and video. -
* M. Heidegger, ‘The Origin of the Work of Art’, [in:] M. Heidegger, Basic Writings, New York: HarperCollins, 2008.
Inner Image Appearing / disappearing images
‘Internal reflection, minimal exposure between two concepts.’
Western philosophy and culture are chiefly preoccupied with the concept of discovery, while the question of disappearance tends to be disregarded: aesthetics, epistemology, religious or technical experience rely on the premise that something will emerge/appear that can be sensed, imagined and conceptualized. In this ontological preference the emphasis is on arising and realizing, while the process of decomposition, decay, destruction or destabilization of forms and relations is neglected. Still, disappearance is of utmost importance despite its inferior place in Western thought. Religious and political institutions as well as logic have tried their hardest to destroy and nullify everything contrary or problematic, not to mention totalitarian regimes which obliterate human traces. This is most conspicuous in high-tech societies, accountable for dramatic disappearance (of bodies, realities, forms, etc.), virtualization and dematerialization.
At the notional level, discovery and disappearance can be revealed through art. Disappearance may be linked to passing, destruction, removing from view or repositioning. Identity of a concealed picture (virtual world) is defined by destruction and the speed at which each forms here disappears. This is emptiness which is not nothingness but virtuality; it embraces all possible forms that can be uncovered so that they can instantly vanish without consequence. Nothing causes more disquiet than Something. An idea which disappears is, to a large degree, shaped by forgetting.
It is therefore practically impossible to analyze these two processes separately. They permeate each other and pose the question of place and time: where/when something disappears and where/when something appears?
‘…painting perceives itself as a model (pure view) and keeps returning to itself by obsessively repeating the code. Let us remember that behind simulation of reality there is always the reality of painting which will never surpass its own shadow.’
‘And so art is everywhere, since artifice is at the very heart of reality. And so art is dead, not only because its critical transcendence is gone, but because reality itself, entirely impregnated by an aesthetic which is inseparable from its own structure, has been confused with its own image. Reality no longer has the time to take on the appearance of reality. It no longer even surpasses fiction: it captures every dream even before it takes on the appearance of a dream. Schizophrenic vertigo of these serial signs, for which no counterfeit, no sublimation is possible, immanent in their repetition-who could say what the reality is that these signs simulate? They no longer even repress anything (which is why, if you will, simulation pushes us close to the sphere of psychosis). Even the primary processes are abolished in them. The cool universe of digitality has absorbed the world of metaphor and metonymy. The principle of simulation wins out over the reality principle just as over the principle of pleasure.’*
* J. Baudrillard, excerpt from Simulations, 1983, http://www.english.txstate.edu/cohen_p/postmodern/theory/baudrillard.html.
Curator - František Kowolowski
Installation view, INNER PICTURE. APPEARING AND DISAPPEARING IMAGES. Galeria Arsenale, Bialystok, Poland, 2017
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rufamaeferrer · 6 months
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THE ITALIAN GRAND TOUR: A JOURNEY THROUGH HISTORY
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Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II:
A Timeless Milanese Marvel
As soon as I arrived in the center of Milan, I immersed myself into gallant arms of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. It’s not just a shopping center, but also an architectural masterpiece and at the same time demonstrates Italy’s unique artistic atmosphere. As I walked beneath the enormous glass ceiling, it seemed like I was in Nineteenth-century America at the beginning of this architectural masterpiece. The enormous interiors of Milan’s shopping arcades – the Galleria.
It appears that the Galleria’s ironwork and decorations are worth checking out, they looked great for centuries. Reality of the matter, in the midst of our arcade is Vittorio Emanuele II’s statue – The King and unifier of Italy an Italian practice dictates that those who visit this site run round it fastly passing through a passage below ground level with great speed as they look upwards there was fine glass dome which had been beautifully painted depicting different contin This dome allowed a lot of natural daylight into this space making it look quite captivating. Whether it was savoring the rich taste of Italian coffee in one of its historical cafées at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, strolling through world class boutique stores or simply watching what’s going on around me; every moment I spent there made me more hooked than ever to this unique chimera between tradition and modernity that is Italy’s permanent magnet.
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Luxury and Elegance: My Great Days at Hotel Danieli in Venice.
The Hotel Danieli, located in the heart of Venice demonstrates that this ancient city is yet attractive and heroic as before. As soon as I stepped into this wondrous place it seemed to me a kingdom of luxury and pomp.
As soon as I was in the lobby, I got mesmerized by its stunning architecture. Exquisitely suspended from high vaulted ceilings, the chandeliers spread their warm golden light over marbled pavements. The hotel was decorated in the sensational Venetian Gothic design that stunned me as I attempted to push my thoughts of its long distant history trailing from every inch of it away. Each step I took on my journey seemed to be turning back time and make me eager for more discovery.
When I walked into my suite decorated beautifully that had a perfectly amazing view of St. Mark’s square and the shining waters of Venetian lagoon. The room was a luxury sanctuary furnished with every kind of comfortable furniture, rich accoutrements and high-tech comfort in an atmosphere that only wealthy people can afford. Throughout the time of my staying at Danieli’s hotel, I was accompanied by perfect service of staff that treated me with hospitality and granted all wishes. Prestigious restaurant of the hotel gave me a ride into fascinating tastes, Venetian flavours that are both traditional and modern.
So to summarize, my stay at Hotel Danieli was like a fairy tale experience. It became a journey into the past Venice with all necessary modern features implemented. My stay at this Venetian jewel is one of life’s most treasured moments, and I eagerly anticipate returning to this Palazzo Paradiso anytime when in Venice.
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Umbria Unveiled: The Greenheart of Italy: An Enchanting Trip.
Umbria is a well-kept secret within Italy’s countryside. In my recent trip to Umbria, I somehow embarked on an odyssey in which I journeyed much further than the energetic cities of Rome and Florence. The beautiful region in the center of Italy, Umbria is considered as “Italy’s green heart” – a territory that boasts breathtaking rolling hills and dense vineyards; absolutely charming historical cities and many small but equally picturesque villages all covered
The trip to the beautiful town of Assisi , where St. Francis and St . Clara were born, was an enjoyable part of my Umbria journey. The religious ambiance is enhanced by the calm streets, with their ancient buildings and perfumed gardens. The visit to Basilica di San Francesco took my breath away as I saw beautiful frescoes created by Giotto and Cimabue. When strolling through the winding lanes, I could not help but feel an unexpected peacefulness and affinity for its historical heritage. I was also surprised by Umbrian food. Local olive oils stained my table, truffles of every kind coloured the menu and wines whose names alone presaged luxury. As a journey, it was unique to the point where our hosts were genuinely warm and Welcoming with what seemed like such deep roots on their country’s tradition that they are admirable towards preserving it. Umbria is another place in which one can never forget after having visited it once.It has rolled hills, historic wonders and also tasty food that makes up the great Italian culture.
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Majestic Duomo di Milano: Medieval Architecture of Northern Italy.
In front me – towered the grand Duomo di Milano .Immediately , in my eyes opened-the universe of past frozen- time; each stone spoke silence through where history whispers its teeth. As I was walking towards the grand facade of this Gothic masterpiece, it literally took my breath away by its grandeur. A majestic elaborate façade made up of thousands of statues, reliefs and gothic arches. Standing here you are under the spell of history, it’s an architectural masterpiece designed and built over six centuries by thousands of people and one cannot but wonder. In addition to the humongous church, a huge great dome of 3700 square meters is also massive with spires totaling about 135; these symbolize man’s yearning towards sky. As I walked into the dimly lit space, my eye was drawn to all of these colors that filtered through stained glass windows onto marble columns and mosaic floors creating a spellbinding play on light-shadow patterns.
Stepping into Duomo was like walking through an open-air history book. The appropriate thing is that a building as big as the cathedral can be matched in its silent grandeur. I was amazed by the elaborate stained glass windows, which depicted bible stories in bright colors and amazing artistic skill. The spiral stairs to the roof-top where you could see all of Milan was a kind adventure by itself; I stood and stared in wonder at what it had shown me. It looked like a dream: under the teeming streets of the City of Spires and distant Swiss Alps. “There at the piazza, I recognized that much dedication was dedicated into creation of this thing of amazement and outright beauty an edifice known as Duomo. My rambles through time at the Duomo di Milano an encounter with art and piety, it placed in me recollections that I would still carry forever-a testimony; of human intelligence for devotion worship.
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A Day At Trevi Fountain: A Magical Encounter In Rome
With such a wonderful grandeur and incommunicable beauty, I could not help myself at once being near the gorgeous fountain of Trevi. Having incredible architectural beauty and enchanting environment the Colosseum in Rome is considered to be the landmark of central city. the fountain in itself is an architectural wonder, designed using a Baroque style that features beautifully carved decorations of mythological beings and flowing water – it can truly be termed as art. As I walked down the dimly lit path, filled with sound of conversation and lit by flickering light from some streetlights, it seemed that walking into an old-world Italian movie set.
The trip to Rome was now complete when I partook in tossing a coin over my shoulder and into the Fountain because it would assure me of an immediate return back home. The glorious silver dollar descended effortlessly and touched down into translucent pristine waters, filling my heart with a wish and eyes with curiosity. The ritual gave a chance to pause and refresh, an attachment with all the wishers who had previously stood on top of this bridge crossing. Upon leaving the fountain, there was a melodic sound of gushing water that echoed like an urgent call from afar. The experience was surreal. The city seemed charmed, mysterious and untamed fountain.
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Venice: Venice, a City of Canals –a Dreamy Odyssey.
After getting off the train and touching down on Venice’s Santa Lucia station, it seemed as if my dream place was real in front of me! My first stop was Venice, a mysterious city sited on the water where old buildings were covered in mist. That very early morning, the Grand Canal reflecting first light of sun was a sight to behold. It enchanted how the Venetian palaces lying alongside it were shimmering. I got off to my start with the vaporetto journey, a typical Venetian water bus that went through very tight canals and afforded me such splendid views as of the Grand Canal. It was the image of gondoliers gracefully propelling their boats and those beautiful melodies echoing from walls harkening back to yesterday –Venice.
One of the high points in my journey to Venice was definitely venturing into St. Mark’s Square. As soon as I crossed the piazza, my eye caught St. Mark’s church with its radiant mosaic gleaming in the light of daytime sun almost immediately If one climbed the beautiful St.Mark’s Campanile, which was taller than any other building in Venice and towered above a sea of red roof tops amidst numerous church steeps overlooking it at sunset time . So, sipping an Italian espresso in one of the cafes facing Piazza di San Marco where live orchestras were playing everything Venetian that could be had at this moment made me happy. It was such a sensory overload of history, art and romance that it seemed my spirit had crystallized in this place. My time at Venice felt very like a dream and not wanting to end.
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designdekko · 7 months
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Sans Souci reveals an ambitious new design direction
Sans Souci, a leading designer and producer of glass and lighting installations, has unveiled its latest portfolio with an ambitious new direction for the brand. The new design concept focuses on discovering beauty and innovation from contrasting perspectives, which was the inspiration behind an impressive 15 new collections set to be launched during the 2023 Milan Design Week.
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Also Read | 10 kitchen design ideas inspired by farmhouse style
The new collections mark a creative milestone for Sans Souci, which has experienced substantial global growth in recent years. Among the most exciting designs are collaborations with renowned designers Karim Rashid and William Sawaya.
William Sawaya’s BRANCHY collection is sleek and artistic, inspired by the natural world. It features long crystal tubes in sandblasted, clear and metallic finishes, fitted together with metal bindings. Each component has an LED light source running through it, offering the flexibility to create various ambiences depending on how you choose to illuminate your interior.
Also Read | Beginners guide: Creative ideas for styling your new living space
Karim Rashid’s exquisite CHIN CHIN collection plays with perception. Flawless installations consist of crystal components shaped into golden drinking glasses suspended from glass rings, finished with gradient nano-coating. The resulting effect is a fascinating paradox – the glasses appear full, but they are empty; they hang upside down, yet nothing spills. This design is both opulent and contemporary and serves as a dramatic focal point for any interior.
Each of the new collections builds on Sans Souci’s central design concept – seeking harmony in contrasting ideas and aesthetics. This approach reflects the brand’s response to the most pressing questions in the interior design industry. It is focused on embracing the contrasts and equilibrium between different perspectives – the space between luxury and responsibility to the planet, between craftsmanship and sophisticated technologies, and between classical design and contemporary ideas.  
Also Read | How to select a dinnerware set that matches your home decor?
Martin Chab, Founder and CEO of Sans Souci commented, “Our new direction and collections are testament to our commitment to design and innovation. They show that we are not afraid to combine diverse elements and ideas to create truly captivating pieces. We’re delighted to launch our 15 collections in Milan at one of the biggest design celebrations in the calendar – Fuorisalone and Euroluce. It will be exciting to get feedback from our partners and the wider industry, but this is just the beginning as we continue to grow our brand and portfolio.”
Also Read | Tips to care for your houseplants this winter
Sans Souci’s exhibition ‘The Harmony of Contrast’ was showcased in April at the 2023 Design Week in Milan. One of the highlights was HARK, an immersive exhibit featuring Sans Souci’s bold designs and cutting-edge lighting technologies. The multimedia piece featured exquisite crystal cuboids that dynamically respond to the surrounding audio, emitting a different ambience depending on the tone of the sound. It offers a design experience that engages all your senses as it reveals the contrasts between cool and warm, darkness and light, silence and sound. 
Also Read | Timber hybrid office ensemble EDGE Suedkreuz Berlin
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biglisbonnews · 1 year
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Indian Couturier Rahul Mishra on Creating Zendaya and Gigi Hadid's Mumbai Looks A cavalcade of international heavy-hitters in the worlds of fashion, art and culture converged in Mumbai last weekend for the three-day opening of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, a world-class space for art shows, fashion exhibits and theatrical performances.For the exhibit India in Fashion: The Impact of Indian Dress and Textiles on the Fashionable Imagination, curator Hamish Bowles presented a stunning assortment of Indian and international fashion in a space about 10 times bigger than the Met’s Costume Institute.Related | 8 Breakout Stars Headlining India's Entertainment RevolutionOne of the standout designers featured was Rahul Mishra, the first Indian to present during Couture Week in Paris. Mishra is known for intricate and immaculate embroidery and, in addition to being part of the exhibit, he also dressed Zendaya, Law Roach and Gigi Hadid for the gala opening weekend.“I felt very regal and beautiful the first time I wore his clothes," Zendaya told PAPER. "So it felt like a natural fit. But what I admire the most is the detail. He spoke to me about the story of the gown, which I think is really special. Literally, everything represents something about India. There's tigers on here. It's gorgeous, the details. And then this is the night sky and then I have birds.”Roach said he let the designer choose what he wore. “You know what? You have to trust the creative. You have to trust the artist," Roach said. "And I'm coming to your country. I'm wearing your clothes. Dress us the way you see fit.”I talked to Law last night and I was surprised he said that for him and Zendaya, they just let you do whatever you wanted. They just said, "What do you want us to wear?"I was very surprised. When I made these two outfits, I thought they would have quite a few options to choose from. It was her first time being in India and maybe experiencing this kind of dressing once in lifetime. I dressed Zendaya in 2000 in a beautiful jacket coat and usually most of the celebs I would dress in western clothes.I realized this might be a great time to dress her in a sari. So I sent a few sketches, they both liked four, five. They said, "Whatever you like, you make." And actually I made one gown also in case the sari didn't work out. Maybe she can wear the gown, but this is the first look we tried and she just loved it instantly. Gigi's look was also pretty major.Gigi was very clear what she wanted. We sent over a few lookbooks and then had to customize the trousers and sky blue color. We made it pink to go with the hair. So I think in both occasions the freedom, the trust they've shown in us was incredible. And Gigi I was dressing for the first time and yet she had so much trust, there was no other option, apart from that look. Because of this, because they were just trying one look, for both of them I went to the fitting personally so that I can look at where the pinning is needed.The day before they wore it?Yeah, and just pinned it. I also actually, for Gigi's look, we tightened it by a couple of inches. I’m actually a tailor and a pattern maker, so I personally have marked all the pins where the seam has to run, so that everything is precise. It needed to be very precise and very, very well-fitted.Gigi told me she loved her look and that couture is normal for India ... to think of Zendaya in such a sari that's so sexy. And then you also dressed Bjork, who is gorgeous and legendary but is not ... Her look is so different than Zendaya, but so what was that like?I'm more like a designer because I got trained in design and then later on I studied fashion on a scholarship in Milan at Istituto Maringoni. And studying design somehow enables you to not fall in trap of a certain style of certain thing.I think it also allows me to remain a bit original in my approach in what I want to project. I want to work like an artist right now. That is what I'm incredibly happy about and that's what haute couture in Paris is allowing me. A lot of people have been coming to the shop so we were getting feedback. A lot of them are buying looks (for the NMACC opening). So here, 50 to 100 odd people, if they're wearing in one night, it might be a problem that you walk into somebody who's wearing the same look. It's going to be such a bad moment for anybody. So I think yesterday I realized that's a big strength, which we have as a brand.That you design a variety of styles?Even a hundred people, they can still hold their individuality and they are not going to look the same. I think this is something which reflects when you look at Bjork's look or when you look at Zendaya's look, and you look at Zendaya's earlier look. I think as a designer, I'm very grateful to this idea that I'm sometimes a bit like a chameleon. So inspiration is as if, what is inspiring you, you become that. And actually a lot of celebs have worn us last week from China.Fan Bingbing?She wore us. Our Instagram account is not able to keep pace with it all.That's a good problem to have. Do you see the difference for your business when celebrities wear things or is it more for just image?Yes.Do you think people will say, "I saw Zendaya wearing that sari, I want something like that."?Definitely it helps business as well it helps image. What it does, which is most valuable, which you can't feel in real time is what it does to your creativity, your craftsmanship. It's a big validation for our work. It is also big acceptance because I always believe every product of mine should have a fragrance of the country where it comes from.I don't want to create a poetry which can be found... For me, I don’t like if somebody says, "Oh wow, you look so international. I can't believe this is made in India." I really feel like people should understand this is made in India. That's a distinct nature. That's beauty.When you think about Chanel haute couture, it is French, or when you look at somebody like Issey Miyake, it shouts Japanese. So in the same way I really feel like a real strength would come when you showcase your Indianness in the best possible way and create something which is acceptable, which is approachable, where even somebody like Zendaya or Gigi, anybody can relate and wear it. I think this impacts our future collections.I love the Dirty magazine shoot with Uorfi and she was someone who many designers would maybe not dress because she's a little bit scandalous and a bit controversial. How did you feel about dressing her for that shoot?I think it was amazing because what I really like about her, she's very strong girl. It shows she has got a lot of courage. So to me when I was asked for that and she was the first person who would wear our latest haute couture from Paris, I really liked the idea. I jumped for it, because somebody like her who's also very creative in her own way, who has used social media as a tool, being a normal girl. She's not a celeb, she does not come from the background and all that. And she has created social media tool as a strength to show her individuality, to show her courageous voice. I think it was a great thing.Last night was the first time you saw the fashion exhibit?It was completely surreal. If you look at even Sabyasachi or Manish Malhotra or Anamika Khanna, contemporary Indian designers, I was studying when they were at their prime. So for me being there exhibiting my work alongside these people and brands like Chanel and McQueen, all that was completely surreal.Gandhi talked about instead of seeing the primary objective as consumption production. We need to look at how everything can create participation from people. So that is all the whole objective right now. And I think the more these things happen, the more I will take risks, the more I will employ more people. And I always say as a fashion designer, I don't have choice to make something which cannot have embroidery. Even if I’d like to make it, we need to employ the 1500 people which I work with. It needs to create purpose for them.That's great.It's their work, it's their beauty, what they create. And I get emotional because I also come from a very small village. I've seen very bad hardships. I come from a small village in Uttar Pradesh, and first 10 years of my life, I only lived in the village. I did not see anything. The big dream is to be able to employ 1 million people one day. I don't know.Top photo via BFA https://www.papermag.com/rahul-mishra-india-fashion-2659736890.html
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nuncaestarassolo · 1 year
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Hippie Breaker, 2021 Glazed Stoneware, Overgrip Tape, Untreated Wood 50 x 22 x 22 cm 19 3/4 x 8 5/8 x 8 5/8 in
2. Father Stomper, 2021 Glazed Stoneware, Overgrip Tape, Untreated Wood 78 x 26 x 26 cm 30 3/4 x 10 1/4 x 10 1/4 in
3. Alpha Skiver, 2021 Glazed Stoneware 35 x 10 cm 13 3/4 x 4 in
4. Anprim Talon, 2021 Glazed Stoneware 32 x 6 cm 12 5/8 x 2 3/8 in
5. Chadslayer, 2021 Glazed Stoneware, Leather, Faux Fur 80 x 18 cm 31 1/2 x 7 1/8 in
6. Kristal Klaw, 2021 Glazed Stoneware 12 x 11 x 5 cm 4 3/4 x 4 3/8 x 2 in
7. Stormbringer, 2021 Glazed Stoneware, Overgrip Tape, Hair Extentions, Dice 157 x 54 cm 61 3/4 x 21 1/4 in
8. Wrong Side of Freedom, 2021 Glazed Stoneware, Handlebar Tape, Laser Cut Acrylic, Stainless Steel 164 x 42 cm 64 5/8 x 16 1/2 in
In Milan, from June 3 to September 25 2021, NOVO is pleased to present “Radicalization Pipeline”, a solo show of ceramics and software works by Theo Triantafyllidis. The exhibition opens the new location of Eduardo Secci’s project space in Milan.
For this new body of works, Theo Triantafyllidis draws inspiration from video games and recent events of civil disorder in America. Looking at phenomena such as the rise of QAnon, the artist suggests connections between gamification, fantasy, and political radicalization.
The gallery space brings together a series of ceramic weapons. These dark glazed stoneware works are adorned with decorative details like tennis overgrip tapes, hair extensions and laser-cut acrylics. With titles such as Chadslayer, Snowflake Skorcher and, Stormbringer, they are reminiscent of the exaggerated forms often seen in video games and extremist ideologies which the internet culture has accelerated.
The ceramic surfaces reflect the light from a large display playing Radicalization Pipeline, a Live Simulation piece that runs on a gaming PC. Two seemingly endless hordes clash into a violent free-for-all, swinging large melee weapons and shouting with distorted voices. A wide range of characters – from citizen militias to fantastical creatures – enter the screen only to kill each other, wave after wave, sinking their virtual bodies slowly into a muddy landscape. The mood occasionally lightens up by the medieval covers of familiar pop songs that complete the soundscape conceived by the composer and sound designer Diego Navarro.
Source: https://www.seccigallery.com/exhibition/radicalization-pipeline/
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adamharkus · 3 years
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A True Art Lover's Guide to Milan
A True Art Lover’s Guide to Milan
Upon mentioning Milan, the first association for most people is the works of Leonardo da Vinci, in particular, his Last Supper mural in the Santa Maria delle Grazie convent. This is undoubtedly one of the most famous paintings in history and every year, thousands of tourists flock there to see it.  However, this is not all Milan has to offer especially to true art lovers. If you’re planning a…
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ravenbrenna09 · 4 years
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Jij Verliest - Chapter Eight: Clip 8&9
master list
...
the final clips of Jij Verliest... *sob(be)s* the final chapter will be posted later this evening or tomorrow morning
...
Donderdag 18:28
When his mama arrived home to find Zoë and Robbe already working in the kitchen, she was beside herself, with her anxiety rolling off of her in waves. Her boss, Margot, had held her back at work and she had texted Robbe frantically to let him know that she was running late. Even though Robbe had a spare key and assured his mama that everything would be alright, she was still nervous. Once she arrived at the apartment, she tossed her purse into one of the living room chairs and started to set the table. 
But Zoë was having none of it. 
Before his mama could put down the empty vase that once held Senne’s daffodils, Zoë was taking the vase from her hands. Placing it on the kitchen counter, Zoë shuffled his mama out of the kitchen and toward her bedroom to take a shower. As Robbe stirred the sauce in the pan he held, he could hear Zoë assuring his mama that they were fine and if she needed one, she should take a shower. When Zoë returned to the kitchen, Robbe could barely hear the sound of running water down the hall. 
“How is she?” Robbe asked. 
“She’s pretty nervous,” Zoë said. “But the shower should help her relax a little.” Robbe nodded and gave her the spoon when she asked for it. Before she tasted the sauce, she turned to Robbe. “If you want to set the table before she gets out, I can handle the food for a few minutes.”
As Zoë returned to cooking, Robbe reached into the cabinets and grabbed out five plates. Placing them on the counter, he moved the rest of his mother’s table decorations to the counter beside the empty vase. Robbe set the plates down at each of the chairs with the fifth plate at one of the ends. Once he grabbed one of the folded chairs from the hall closet, the table was set. 
Once his mother exited the bathroom with a fresh set of clothes and mostly dry hair, she looked more relaxed. Like Robbe and Zoë, she wore a pair of jeans that looked practically new and a nice blouse. When she noticed the table was set, she pivoted to the two of them at the stove and said, “You could’ve at least left me one thing to do before they get here.” 
Robbe chuckled, shaking his head, as Zoë announced, “It’s alright, Mama. Dinner's nearly ready.” As if summoned, the buzzer rang through the apartment. His mama shuffled out of the room to buzz them in. Zoë nudged Robbe with her hip before she moved to place the food on the counter. As Robbe pulled the bread from the oven, he heard the front door open and Senne’s voice filtered in from the living room. 
“Good evening, Marie,” Senne said.
“It’s good to see you, Senne,” his mama said. There was a brief pause and a hush of mumbled voices as Zoë scurried out to greet them as well. Through the cut out in the kitchen, Robbe could see that Senne had a bottle in his hands. “You didn’t have to bring anything!” 
“I know,” Senne said, grinning sheepishly. “My parents taught me to never show up empty-handed and it’s non-alcoholic.” Robbe thought the last part was directed to Zoë. 
As Robbe placed the bread into a basket, the deep drum of Sander’s voice caught his attention. “We also brought you these,” he said. Robbe bent down a little and his eyes caught sight of Sander. Even though he had gotten off work less than thirty minutes ago, he was dressed in a black button up shirt and a pair of blue jeans. In his hand, he held a bundle of flowers—bright yellow daffodils with orange tulips—which he handed over to Robbe’s mother. “Senne and I wanted to bring you some more since your last bouquet is probably wilted by now.”
His mother laughed. A slight nervous tilt trembled her voice. “Yes, they are,” she said. She took the bouquet of flowers and beamed up to Sander, who was similarly nervous. “Thank you so much! These are beautiful flowers.” 
“I’m Sander,” he said, holding out his hand. 
“Yes, it’s so nice to finally meet you,” his mama said. She took his hand and shook it quickly before ushering him inside the rest of the way. “Robbe has told me so much about you.” As soon as Sander stepped fully inside of the foyer, his mama was closing the door. Smiling to himself, Robbe returned to placing the rest of the bed in the basket. “I’m so glad we were able to meet today!” 
“Me too,” Sander said. “Robbe has told me a lot about you as well. It’s nice to finally meet you, Ms. IJzermans.”
“Oh, please, call me Marie.” His mother stepped into the kitchen. Sander was on her heels, with Zoë and Senne trailing behind with the bottle of non-alcoholic wine. As his mother immediately went to put the brand new bouquet of flowers into the vase, Sander sent a flirtatious grin his way. Robbe didn’t miss the way Sander’s eyes did a quick once over of his body. “All good things I hope,” his mama said. 
“Of course, they’re good things, Mama,” Robbe said. He placed the bread on the table before turning to Sander, who snaked one arm around his waist. 
His mother giggled as she filled the vase with water. “I’m sorry,” she said, shaking her head. 
“Hey,” Robbe said. 
“Hey,” Sander echoed before he closed the distance between their lips. Sander’s kiss was gentle and soft. Even in the enclosed space with his mama, Senne, and Zoë, Robbe half-expected Sander to push open his mouth and lick inside. But he was also thankful that Sander kept it chaste as he could. There was a hint of added pressure at the end with a small tug of his shorter hair. When their kiss broke, Sander beamed at him, tugging at the collar of Robbe’s own button up. “You didn’t have to get dressed up for me.”
Robbe raised his eyebrow and tugged on Sander’s collar. “You should take your own advice.” Sander grinned and kissed him again. 
One of the cabinets was thrown open too hard and the entire group turned to Zoë, who was checking to make sure that the cabinet was okay. She turned to them with a sheepish look on her face. “Sorry! I always miscalculate with your cabinets, Mama.”
“It’s alright,” his mama said. She turned to Senne, who was leaning against the door frame. “You said it’s non-alcoholic, right?” Senne nodded as Zoë started pulling wine glasses from the cabinets. Sander moved over and grabbed the wine bottle from the counter. “Good, good,” she said. “Alcohol messes with my medication and I need to make sure that I don’t take too much.” 
Even though everyone in the room knew that his mama took medication, Robbe could see the brief second of her shoulders stiffening up. It was like her brain had caught up to what she said and she was beginning to panic internally. Robbe could feel the gears turning in his own head, to try and divert attention back to the dinner at hand, but before he could even think of it, Sander was saying, “Yeah. Alcohol messes with my medication, too. My therapist keeps telling me not to drink more than a glass.”
When his mother’s shoulders loosened, Robbe let out a breath of relief. 
“Yeah,” Senne said, already laughing. “And yet, you still end up having more than a glass anyways.”
As Sander poured a glass, he didn’t spare Senne a second glance. “Yeah, yeah, I know that but sometimes, I just can’t stop myself, okay?” Senne laughed loudly as Zoë handed him another glass. Like clockwork, the two of them alternated until there were five even glasses on the table. 
“The food is getting cold,” Zoë said, handing the last wine glass to his mama. 
As the rest of them settled down at the table, Robbe glanced at his mama. She was staring at the flowers and holding the glass of wine in one hand. But even though part of her face was obscured by hair, Robbe could see a smile growing. Turning to them, she moved over and sat down in the only remaining chair between Zoë and Sander (as Sander had promptly claimed the folding chair). 
Taking a sip of the wine as Zoë passed out the food, his mama asked, “So, what do you do, Sander?”
“Wow, you really don’t tell anyone about me, do you?” 
The remark was directed towards Robbe, who simply shrugged, but there was a fond smile on Sander’s face nonetheless. “I don’t know. I’ve always had more important things to talk about than your job.” 
Sander grinned, patting his knee beneath the table, before answering his mama, “I’m a tattoo artist.” 
“Oh, and do you like your work?”
“Very much so.”
“Good. That’s what everyone should strive for. If you like your work and you enjoy what you do, you’re doing something right.”
Vrijdag 22:41
In the end, Robbe knew that they would have to return to this bar eventually. 
It was the bar where Robbe had gone with the Broerrrs to have a guy’s night—a futile attempt to get his mind off Sander—and it was the bar where Robbe had run into the person who would change his entire world. It was the bar where Sander had seen him for the first time. It was the bar where, pardon the cliché, everything had changed… for the better. And it was where he was heading to now. 
About halfway through his typical Friday night stream, his phone had buzzed. When he checked his phone on one of his breaks, he found a text from Sander: You’ll never guess who I found. There was a photo attached and it was of Sander… with Jens, Lucas, and Aaron. In the background, he could see Moyo with one arm around Noor. 
Robbe had gotten the post-stream invite to meet up but he hadn’t known if he was going to meet up with them. His typical post-stream regime was to sleep away the exhaustion of talking nearly non-stop for three hours. But, still, once the stream had ended and his computer had shut off, Robbe found himself reaching for his tennis shoes and lacing them up. Once he called goodbye to Jonathan and Milan, he was headed out the door and down to his bike. 
The bike ride over to the bar—Lilly’s bar—didn’t take a long time, or at least that was what it felt like. But, that might’ve been because Robbe was so eager to get there, so eager to be with his friends, with his boyfriend, and his boyfriend’s friends, that he might’ve biked a little harder than he normally would’ve. Once he locked his bike against the rack, Robbe quickly moved in the direction of the bar. 
From the windows, it looked busier than it had been when Robbe had originally been there. Still, Robbe had no trouble picking out Sander’s bleach blond hair amongst everyone at the bar. The yellow glow of the light was flattering and made him look like he was surrounded in a halo. Sander was standing at the back at the bar with his camera in his hands. Lucas stepped into view beside him with two beers in hand. Sander took one of the beers and they continued talking. 
Feeling warmth flood his entire body, he practically sprinted to the front door in an effort to get inside quicker. However, even in his rush, Robbe managed to catch the sight of the door opening. In an instant, Robbe snapped back into focus and jumped away from the door as it swung open. Someone stepped out with dark brown hair, a pair of shorts, and a to-go bag on one wrist. 
Robbe was so eager to get inside that he didn’t even pay attention to who it was until—
“Robbe?” 
Stopping short of the door, he turned. In the bright spotlight outside the front door, Robbe could see the features of the person. But his mind was so consumed with thoughts of going inside that it took a few seconds to realize that he knew the man. It took him a handful of moments after to realize who it was.
Thomas. 
“Hey, Thomas,” Robbe said. Glancing inside to find Sander still engrossed in a conversation with Lucas, Robbe took a step back. Thomas was dressed in a pair of denim shorts and a simple maroon shirt. The bag of to-go containers was cutting deeply into his wrist, but he didn’t seem eager to go anywhere. He just remained halted across from Robbe and rocked from one foot to the other. Swallowing, Robbe asked, “How are you doing?”
“Okay,” Thomas said, shrugging. “The trial is finally over with so that’s good.” Robbe nodded absent-mindedly, glancing back into the bar to find Sander still deep in conversation with Lucas. “What about you? How have you been?”
“I’m great,” Robbe said. He shoved his hands in his pockets as Thomas switched the to-go bag to his other hand. “My streams have been doing well lately. Plus, Mama has been having a lot of good days lately, which is always good. So, it’s all been going good.” 
Thomas nodded, smiling. “That’s good. So, what are you doing here at this old place?” 
“Oh,” Robbe said. “Well, I finished my stream and Jens invited me out earlier so I—”
As if on cue, the door swung open. But, instead of Jens, it was Sander. 
Nodding nonchalantly to Thomas, Sander made a beeline to him. There was a smile on his face, brightening up his face instantaneously. “There you are,” Sander said, softly as though it was only the two of them on the street. Even though Thomas was an arm’s length away, Robbe couldn’t resist the urge to place his hands on Sander’s chest, feeling the drum of his heartbeat against his palm. “I was starting to think that you weren’t going to come and I was going to have to come drag you out of your bed.” 
Robbe grinned. “Or I dragged you in it.”
“Or that, too.” 
Sander cupped his jaw before pulling him into a short but positively blinding kiss—as though Thomas wasn’t even there. Despite the short length, it was by far one of the dirtiest kisses that Sander had ever given him… in public. Almost instantly, Robbe’s mouth was pushed open and Sander’s tongue had slipped past his teeth. He clung tightly to his shirt, bit down on his bottom lip, and pulled them close at the hips. All at once, a warmth of love and safety enveloped him and Robbe wanted to hold onto it for as long as he could. The kiss was gone too soon, but the warmth lingered in his chest as Robbe blinked up at him, a little dazed. 
“Come on,” Sander said, grinning triumphantly. “Lucas and I were just talking about cameras.”
“Okay,” Robbe said, giggling. He was barely able to manage a dazed goodbye to Thomas before Sander was tugging him into the bar. Once they were safely inside, a vaguely familiar song blasting over the speakers, Sander wrapped an arm around Robbe. He mirrored his boyfriend’s movement before grinning up at Sander. “What was that for?”
“What was what for?” Sander asked innocently. 
As Sander tugged him through the crowd, Robbe searched out their friends. He spotted Zoë with one arm draped over Senne’s shoulder as she talked excitedly with Yasmina. Moyo and Noor were dancing in the shadows, wrapped up in each other’s presence. Britt had one arm around Alicia’s waist as she talked with Amber, Luca, and Aaron. If Milan weren’t sick or Jana in America, Robbe figured that they would’ve been here,too. All of their friends in one place… somehow, the thought of all of them together warmed Robbe further. 
“You know exactly what I mean,” Robbe said, tugging at Sander’s waist. 
Sander let out a sigh. There was a look on his face that was an almost convincing attempt at annoyance, but Robbe could see the corners of his lips upturned in a slight smile. “I don’t have any problem showing the fact that I’m absolutely in love with you.” Robbe felt his cheeks flush up. “Thomas was foolish enough to lose you and I’m not about to make the same mistake that he did.”
Robbe shook his head as they neared Lucas, who was holding onto a camera. Even though they were close to their friends, Robbe couldn’t find it in himself to care. Without hesitation, he turned fully to Sander, who dropped his hands to Robbe’s hips to guide him backward. Robbe smiled at him and said, “I love you, you know that?” 
“I do,” Sander said. “I love you, too.” 
As soon as the words left his mouth, Robbe was rising up to press a kiss against his lips. Because they were in a more public place—and maybe because Thomas was no longer around—this kiss was a lot more chaste, simple and loving. Robbe pulled Sander closer to his body, fisted his fingers in the hair on the nape of his neck, and kissed him a little deeper. 
But the kiss didn’t last long before it was interrupted. Only, instead of Senne with a pillow, it was Jens. “Hey, lovebirds,” Jens said. Robbe turned toward Jens, who had arrived at Lucas’s side, and Sander settled against Robbe’s side. He had one arm thrown over his shoulder with an extra beer in his hand. Lucas was focused on the camera in his hands. “You can eat each other’s faces off later. Right now, we’re hanging out and having beers.” 
Without pulling away from Sander, who had his nose pressed against his cheek, Robbe said, “I’m sorry. Who was the one that is continuously ten minutes late to meeting up with his friends because he always stops to make out with his boyfriend?” 
Lucas laughed, turning to press a kiss against the curve of Jens’s jaw. “He got you there, babe!” 
Jens flipped Robbe off. 
Still wrapped in his arms, Sander chuckled. His breath brushed across his cheek as his arms tightened around Robbe’s waist. Instead of turning out of Sander’s arms toward his friend, Robbe turned back to Sander and placed a gentle kiss against his lips. He ignored the sound of Jens’s whistle and the gentle slap that Lucas made against Jens’s cheek. Robbe just pulled Sander closer and kissed him a little deeper.
Robbe broke their kiss, beaming at Sander. Once Sander patted his side, Robbe snatched the extra beer from Jens’s grasp, and Sander restarted the camera conversation that he quickly got lost in. Zoë showed up a few seconds later, wrapping her arms around the both of them. With her electric blue hair falling down in waves, Alicia was there soon after and hugged Robbe tightly. After a while, Sander put the camera away and the group started sharing embarrassing stories. The smaller groups had merged into one gigantic group of melodious laughter and the bartender kept refilling their beers promptly.
As the night drew on, Robbe would have a few drinks and so would Sander. They would lean on each other a little too much and laugh a little too loudly before going back to the flatshare together. In the morning, Robbe would wake up in Sander’s arms with his nose pressed against his neck. In the evening, Robbe would nervously stumble through his words as Sander’s father and step-mother beamed brightly at him and Amber would be doing the same with Aaron at her side. For every day after that, they would live their lives one minute to the next—even the long ones, even the bad ones. 
Robbe knew that he had forever and a day to be with Sander. 
And he was looking forward to it.
...
thank you all <3
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tianyushi14 · 3 years
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0711 case study of mapping
(Topics and modalities)
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1.De Magnalibus Urbis Mediolani
The architects made a mapping about immigrants of Milan, as Milan is the most popular destination of refugees. But there are obstacles, so based on this mapping they design some architecture to help and guide refugees and immigrants. this topic impressed me most,designer started from a social issue and through mapping, find a way to help solve this problem.
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2. PAINTING REALITY – A Brushstroke by Society
The artist poured water on the intersection, and every vehicle and passerby will leave their traces and footprints. So the tracks are presented with lines of different colores. The intersection of the roads was translated into a reality map, showing people’s movement and traffic flow. It was a living mapping indicating that particular area in during particular time.
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3.1989后的艺术与中国:世界剧场
Qui translated historical events about art of china since 1989 into a geographical map, showing these events with a nonlinear narrative way. Time is flattened in his work. In his own personal style, Qiu also make a series of map of mythology, history and other topics that are usually beyond 2 dimensions.
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4. Hippocampus
Genetically-encoded fluorescent proteins illuminate neurons in different colors in a modern version of the Golgi stain.In this project, bio nature are translated into visual language, indicating themselves with color and light.
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5. Weather for the blind
http://weatherfortheblind.org/
In this project, weather datas are transformed into digital signals, which will driven the installation to compose a music for everyday. So the music of everyday will never be the same. very clever transformation,and lead to a solution to a real problem(weather forecast for the blind)
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6.south London arteries
The traditional paper map is reprocessed to refine the information and highlight what the designer want to express.But its form is still limited by the paper.
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7. Jerusalem created from The New Testament, The Torah, The Armenian Bible and The Koran
A city always has its own stories and rumors,Jerusalem is known as the holy city of many religions, and the story of this city render this city. So these religious scriptures are also filled with narratives about the city. In this program, Jerusalem is rebuilt by those stories and legends. The author transferred story and words into mapping.
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8.La elipsis arquitectónica en el CCU Tlatelolco
Visualize the relationship between people and space, and record the moving lines and trajectories of people. Based on this, the authors use these data to plan the exhibition space and reorganize the relationship between man and space.
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9. where people runs in the cities
This series of mapping shows the route preferences of runners in various cities, showing the density and route, and at the same time, these lines also form the pulse of the city
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10. writing without words
The author broke the book into chapters, broke the chapters into paragraphs and etc. In this way the book is broke into words. A linear narrative becomes a nonlinear form.
Through aimless drift, we sense the environment with our bodies, build connections with other people and other beings. And explore with all the senses ,not just our eyes,but also with hearing, smelling and haptic all sensory and etc.
Through mapping, we are able to expand the details that we noticed.
Experience,sensory, storytelling Break formations
0712 field research
Keywords of felling and experience
1. Paradox
Some Interesting contradictions are noticed ,  weird and unusual phenomena in this magic city. for example, sculpture telling a Chinese story is decorated with a Greek carving; a combination of Chinese garden style window and gothic gable; people selling on underwear in the door of a hot pot store.
2. Feeling of the city is trying to trade every minute.
All the tags,labels,posters, on the street and in Metro stations seems to imply us some informal commerce.
Examples: vendor transferred money receiving QR-codes into necklaces, sharing people QR-codes and while persuading passerby to buy their products.
So I bought some dried shrimps, which is also called 开洋(kaiyang),and it is also a kind of traditional Chinese medicine while being a kind of food. As the vendor told me that I can only got these shrimps today, I will never be able to buy any of them in Shanghai this years. So I believe these dried shrimps can represent today’s Shanghai.
3.dialect
Come across with different groups of people, 4 out of 10 speaks Shanghainese, one group of people are talking in hakkien, police speaks mandarin and the dialect of nurse is a combination of mandarin & shanghainese. Different dialect represent different cultures and even different immigrants. So are cultures mixing or are they still isolated from each other.
4.air flow / wind
In the scorching summer, the most significant thing I can feel is the air flow. The air flow is felt differently in different spaces and locations, and different winds seems have different personality characteristics, some feels like a lover ,some are like robber ,some feels like silent friends, etc.
Another feeling about air flow is that when I was in a metro station, the air flow seems like showing me the way to the exit, guide me with its coolness and gentle touch.
5.symbiosis
There are lots of symbiosis relationships in this city, people selling desserts and clothes in the same store, metro station is constructed underneath the jingan temple.
Otherwise, locals and immigrants are living in a symbiosis relationship, and people live in the city, then here comes a question: this city raised those people or immigrants feed this city…
6.trace
Airplanes leave traces in the sky, vehicles leave traces, and people leave traces of living. Everything in life co-exists and growing together, and all beings leave their marks. These traces can be visual and haptic even a sudden sound.
7. relationship between our body & the city
1)The traditional way to visit a city is to visit along the planned route. The city is considered static, but when floating, it is often felt as if the city revolves around people, who become the leading role. Just as in the novel Folding Beijing, the city begins to move, rather than people.
2) The interrelation between man and space
In different places, the sense of distance between people and space is different, and the sense of pressure for pedestrians is also different(From open to moderate distance to crowded ). There is a sense of dynamic repression.
8.tiny particles carried by our bodies
Tiny particles(ash, little fruits, leaves ) will fell on our shoulders and fell into our hairs or bags.This is also a kind of symbiosis, human and other beings travel across the city together.
Learn to transfer one sensory into another one.(light -(data-)sound, haptic-sound(pitch))
Practice 2
We transferred haptic samples of group4 into sound by dropping those samples into a glass of water(a glass of water act as a acoustic generator). Different textures and bumps produced quiet different sounds. But still limited by the material of those haptic samples(clay).
Keywords for tomorrow: air flow / wind
Sub-keywords: the relationship between our body and the city, symbiosis.
Air flow is a medium between our body and the city. Air flow act as a interpreter to help us communicate with the cityscape. As I felt, sometimes we go with the wind, sometimes we must go against the wind.
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jennyquill · 4 years
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portrait of a lady on fire drabble
hey guys. wishing ya’ll love and peace. 
so this movie fucking decked me in the face. i really wasn’t prepared for how beautiful and tragic it would be. ik there’s reasons for having characters not be together in the end and i respect the artistic vision of the film. i just want some happy héloïse/marianne action ya feel. this film HURTS. it just felt good to write again. 
some spoilers from the film, not really. it’s all gay and yearning. 
xx jenny
~~~
how long does a love last? 
Paris, 1799
The ending is a lie. Marianne sees her another last time. 
New Year’s. Winter bites, but frost melts at the window panes from the heat of bodies. Wine flows freely, as do the guests – mouths hang open, laughing, and drunks step on skirts and boots as the minute hand creeps towards the hour. Marianne has curled herself into an armchair, happy to watch a happy atmosphere, detached. 
In practical terms, it’s a simple happening. Marianne will never find the need nor strength to recount it in writing or in speech. She will paint, but it will come out abstract, and she will not understand it anymore than she does now. 
A gaggle of drunks waddle away from her towards the bar, and through satin and silk comes the vision of Héloïse. Héloïse, beautiful, ageless, bored Héloïse, sits across the room. She is no more than ten long strides away. Marianne stops breathing and burns – alcohol, loneliness, desire – it’s all jumbled at this point. Mostly, she is tired. 
Héloïse is talking to a man – or rather, he is talking at her while she gazes, unfocused, into the crowd. 
Without the safety of the drunks, Marianne feels large. The armchair is red and pompous and sticks out against the navy blues of the room like a sore thumb. It is only a matter of time until she is spotted. She wrestles momentarily with running, but she doesn’t trust that her feet would take her away from the scene, not with Héloïse this close. Perhaps she wants to be seen, just this once. 
Ten long strides. Her feet would only need five. 
Heloise looks as if she’s going to fall asleep. She seems detached in her own way, from her conversation, from the party, from noticing Marianne in her big, glaringly red armchair. Marianne watches her intently. At this point, she’s convinced that she must be damned to watch Héloïse live life without her for eternity. 
But, against all odds, Héloïse sees her too. 
Héloïse shoots up, awake, and startles the man out of conversation as she does so. 
“Excuse me,” she says, and that’s all she gives before turning on her heel and marching out of the room. 
.
Marianne’s feet betray her. They trip as she gets up from the armchair. They take her, in seven ungraceful stomps, across the hardwood floors, swerving spilled drinks and glass that multiply as midnight grows closer. Perhaps the universe is kind, because no one notices two women disappear just as the countdown begins. 
.
Héloïse hasn’t gotten very far. She stands deathly still in the middle of a dark hallway, much like that apparition which still haunts Marianne’s dreams, day and night. Her body is half turned away, half caught by the sound of Marianne’s heavy footsteps. A rabbit, poised to run at a moment’s notice. 
The hallway shrouds them in darkness. A single window sits at the end. Héloïse stands between Marianne and the moonlight. 
Marianne counts her breaths. She minds the gap of space between her inhale and her exhale. In that gap, she drinks in the sight of Héloïse and is thrilled when she feels Héloïse’s eyes scan her with just as much….pain? Hunger? No, Marianne realizes, as she feels her own eyes start to grow hot. Relief. 
How long does a stalemate last? Three steps. 
Héloïse runs towards her, and Marianne’s arms are already open. 
.
How long does a truce last? Desperately. 
Their kisses start frantic, open mouthed, mostly breath. Héloïse knocks them into a wall, and Marianne grips the fabric of her dress with shaky, sure hands, the heat of her unbearable. Marianne feels sixteen again, sneaking into her father’s studio and grabbing at all the oil paints she can hold before getting caught. 
They kiss like they’re already guilty. Marianne supposes they are. Héloïse tastes the same, and feels just as heavenly. They press against each other, breaths slowing together, chests rising and falling until they are doing nothing more than leaning towards each others’ warmth. Marianne closes her eyes, and when she opens them Héloïse is staring straight into her. 
On the other side of the wall cheers erupt, a thunderous and triumphant sound that vibrates against Marianne’s back. On the tip of her tongue, there’s a barely formed joke about receiving a New Year’s kiss from a pretty, past lover. 
But judging from the intensity of Héloïse’s stare, there is no humor left in their situation. 
“How is this possible?” Marianne feels herself speak, voice hoarse. It seems to break the spell casted over them. Héloïse blinks, and reality comes crashing down. Marianne senses it before Héloïse can turn, and she grabs at the other woman’s arms with both hands as Héloïse makes a move to run. 
“Don’t - stop, don’t leave,” Marianne says. “Please.” 
“Why are you here?” Héloïse demands. 
“My client,” Marianne says, slowly trying to find her wits. “This is her party.” She frowns. “Why are you here?” 
Héloïse’s eyes, even in the dim light, are alert and ever present. They glisten with unshed tears. “My husband,” she whispers. 
The warmth from their frantic embrace is gone, and in its place is a stone. The gap between their bodies holds so many years between them. And yet, in so many ways, hidden in some dark, hopeful place, Marianne wants to believe they are supposed to meet like this. Héloïse is distracted, torn, eyes flitting towards the light from the party. The words come rushing out of Marianne before she can stop them. 
“I saw your portrait in Milan and I stood in front of it for hours. I drew stares. I look for you at the market, in churches, in the street. I hear music and I think of you, and I wonder what you are doing and where you are and if you are happy. I saw you at the orchestra.” Marianne pauses, breathless. “I wanted to run to you then, too.” 
Héloïse stares. The silence that stretches afterwards lets doubt creep down Marianne’s spine. Oh, maybe this was bad. 
Marianne, heart racing, itches to hold her again, to run away, to forget, to remember, just hold on and remember – 
“You clever girl,” Héloïse breathes. She pulls Marianne in for one last bone-crushing kiss, and Marianne melts into it, nearly cries into Héloïse’s mouth. When they break apart Héloïse holds Marianne’s face in her hands, and smiles, eyes teary and delirious with hope, dangerous hope. “Find me. Find me again.”  
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ghosttotheparty · 4 years
Text
say my name and say it twice (cotton candy skies)
12.
also on AO3 chapter eleven
They did end up calling again. Of course, it was hours later, and by that time, the sky was dim, the sun a dying light bulb as the moon peeked out from between clouds. Jens had told Lucas that Lotte was in bed and his grandpa and his mom were chatting in the kitchen over dinner, and Lucas had said that Milan was probably out at a club and Zoë and Senne were on a date, to which Jens laughed and held his hand out, wiggling it back and forth, saying, “Different family dynamics.”
Jens had thrown himself on his bed (Lucas smiles at his hair as it flopped) and said, “Okay, I showed you my guitar, show me some art.”
So Lucas did.
Just some paintings he had laying around, some paint-splattered canvases, some portraits of people who don’t exist. Lucas didn’t show him the portraits of Jens, obviously.
He couldn’t help but smile at Jens’s reaction to them, the way he sat up and pulled his phone closer to his face as Lucas held up the first one. Jens was smiling too, his brows raised in an expression of wonder as he gazed at the colours. There was an air of curiosity around him, even though Lucas was only seeing him through a screen.
“Who are they?” he’d asked after the third or fourth portrait.
“Just faces I make up, I guess.”
“They’re beautiful,” Jens breathed, looking closer.
“Thank you,” Lucas replied softly, reframing from telling Jens that he’s beautiful.
Even though he really is.
Lucas also reframed from taking a screenshot as Jens looked, his eyes wide and shining, his lips parted, despite how tempted he was.
But Jens really is beautiful.
The way his soft, fluffy hair falls on his forehead (Lucas had to hold back from pushing it out of the way), the way he runs his fingers through it when he’s nervous. He does it often. It’s adorable. The way his eyes shine and sparkle under light, no matter if it’s sunlight, moonlight, streetlight, the lights of his bedroom. The way his lashes are so dark it looks like he’s wearing eyeliner (which, is Lucas is honest, would look incredible on Jens). The way his cheeks flush sometimes when Lucas looks at him, either soft pink or bright red, and how he looks away as he blushes, his smiles shy and bashful. And those lips. The way they felt against Lucas’s was beautiful, those few, short (too short) seconds, where the world felt like it had disappeared.
Part of him had hoped Jens would pull him back, would crash his mouth against Lucas’s, would press his hands to Lucas’s face and neck, and wouldn’t let go.
But Jens looked too… blissed out to do anything, so Lucas just squeezed his hand.
Lucas doesn’t know when he’ll kiss him again. Maybe he’ll wait for Jens to kiss him.
Even though he wants to kiss him outside the studio again, wants to push past the dancers, push Jens’s friends out of the way, reach up and pull Jens down to meet him.
Jens doesn’t see him at first, so Lucas takes the opportunity to admire him.
Jens had on a red hoodie (red looks good on him), a dark jacket over it, with jeans and sneakers, a skateboard tucked under his arm, a smile on his face as the red-haired girl says something.
Jens’s friends seem nice. There’s definitely something between the guy and the curly-haired girl. Lucas can see it in the way they glance at each other as they laugh, the way he fingers linger just a second too long as she fixes his collar that didn’t really need to be fixed. Lucas wonders if that’s what he and Jens look like.
Lucas rolls his skateboard back and forth with his foot as he watches, and he grins as Jens laughs, loud and unfiltered. The red-haired girl shoves him, laughing as well, and he tries to catch her arms, but she’s walking away. Lucas hears her voice, a throaty, scratchy voice, yell, “See you next week, asshole!” and Jens yells back, “Love you-u-u!”
Lucas shakes his head, laughing, as Jens hugs the curly-haired girl, pressing a quick kiss to the top of her head, and hugs the other boy, knocking their shoulders together as they pull apart. Lucas catches Jens giving the boy a pointed look, nodding at the girl, who has begun to walk away. They communicate nonverbally, the boy giving Jens a look back before Jens pushes him so he falls into her. Jens covers his mouth in a sarcastic oops gesture as the boy glares at him, and then he wraps his arm around the girl’s shoulders softly as they walk away.
Jens watches them for a second before he turns and catches Lucas’s eye, smiling like he already knew he was there. Lucas grins and puts his weight on his skateboard, kicking off and skating until he’s in front of Jens, who reaches out to stop his as he gets close.
“Hey.”
“Hi.”
He considers leaning up and kissing him quickly, but he doesn’t.
“Are they dating?” he asks instead, nodding to the two who are just beginning to disappear from his sight.
Jens looks at him in confusion before looking at where Lucas is looking and saying, “Oh,” chuckling as he looks back at him.
“Not officially, but it’s obvious they like each other isn’t it?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“That’s Damien and Rosa,” Jens continues, glancing back at them. “You should meet them sometimes, I think you’ll like them. Especially Rosa.”
“Why?” Lucas asks curiously.
Jens hums as he thinks, scanning Lucas’s face.
“She’s soft-spoken.” He thinks again and pushes a curl out of Lucas’s face that he hadn’t noticed had fallen. “She acts like a ballerina even when she’s not in the studio.”
“The others don’t?”
“Lena definitely doesn’t.”
“Red hair?”
Jens laughs, nodding.
“What does she act like?”
“Uhm…” Jens looks away, shrugging slightly. “She’s very… punk.”
Lucas laughs.
“But you’d like her too, I think, she’s fun to talk to.”
They gaze at each other for a minute before Jens quirks his eyebrows.
“Ready to go?”
“Where are the guys?” Lucas asks as Jens starts down the sidewalk, following on his own board. They skate past a few pedestrians, a couple with a small child, an old woman wearing a pearl necklace.
“Some party or whatever,” Jens calls over the sound of their wheels on the rough pavement.
Lucas smiles at the idea that Jens would rather skate with him than go to “some party.”
They stop at a skate park and Lucas stops, taking a picture on his phone before following Jens, who sits on a halfpipe, taking his bag off and setting it to his side. He looks up at Lucas, smiling, and Lucas could die from how cute he is.
“Do a trick,” Jens says, nodding to the space in front of him, and Lucas scoffs.
“Now?”
“Yeah.” Jens gives him a look like What else?
Lucas looks away, only half-trying to suppress a grin, and he secedes, sighing as he jumps down into the halfpipe. He’s aware of Jens’s eyes on him as he does the trick, desperately hoping, praying that he doesn’t fuck it up.
And he doesn’t.
He looks up at Jens when it’s done, and Jens is clapping, saying, “Ooooh,” as he watches Lucas run and jump up, tossing his board as he catches himself and pulls himself up next to Jens.
“Good?”
“Yeah.”
“Broke my arm trying to do that once.”
“What?”
Lucas laughs as Jens’s eyes widen and his head turns to look at him.
“Yep.”
“And you still did it now?”
“Well yeah, I had to impress you, obviously.” He looks away, reaching out and pulling his board closer.
“Well it worked, I am thoroughly impressed.”
Lucas looks at him, cocking his head as Jens smiles softly. Really, the only word for the way Lucas looks at Jens is admire. He lifts a hand and touches the small gold hoop hanging from Jens’s ear, rubbing it between his index finger and thumb. Jens doesn’t react, his eyes locked on Lucas’s face.
Lucas takes a breath to say something, but Jens interrupts him.
“Don’t say it.”
Lucas blinks in confusion, his fingers stilling on Jens’s earring, before he realises with an, “Oh,” and a sharp laugh, pulling his hand away as he turns away, laughing.
“I wasn’t going to say it.”
“I know you were.”
“I literally wasn’t!” He pushes Jens’s shoulder, giggling, and Jens catches his hand, holding it for a second before pushing it away. “I wasn’t gonna say—”
“No!”
“God was having a good day when he made you!” Lucas manages to say as Jens pushes him, the words cutting between laughter, and he falls, catching and pulling himself back up.
“That’s what you get,” Jens says, even though he extended his arms on instinct when Lucas fell.
“I really wasn’t going to say it, I didn’t even think about it.”
“Then what were you going to say?” Jens asks, obviously not believing him.
“I don’t know, that I like your earring or something.”
“I know you like my earring.”
“Oh, yeah?” Lucas reaches out and touches it again. “Is that why you’re wearing it every time I see you?”
“No,” Jens says defensively.
“No?”
“I wear it because it’s my thing.”
Lucas laughs.
“That’s how people know you, as the earring guy?”
“Yes, exactly,” Jens says as he laughs.
“Is it in your name?”
Jens laughs harder and Lucas marvels at how his eyes squint under his smile.
“Yes, my name is Jens Earring Stoffels.”
“You were born and your mom just went ‘Oh, his vibes…’”
Jens leans forward as he laughs, falling against Lucas.
“Yeah, I came out of the womb and she just knew I was going to be an earring guy.”
“You mean you weren’t born with the earring?”
“You’re stupid.”
“I’m hilarious.”
They look at each other and Jens has his lips pressed together to stop himself from laughing.
“He really was, though,” Lucas teaches, tilting his head and raising his eyebrows, and Jens rolls his eyes dramatically. “He was!” Lucas lifts a hand and gently touches the mole next to Jens’s eye. “He’s a true artist.”
Jens gives a quiet chuckle as Lucas trails his finger across his forehead, much like he did as Jens slept on his lap, and Jens shakes his head softly.
“So pretty,” Lucas says, his hand coming to rest at the side of Jens’s neck, his thumb brushing back and forth over his jaw.
Jens’s eyes are soft on him, his hand on the pavement between them as he leans closer, ever so slightly, and Lucas thinks he might kiss him.
But there are too many people around, too many skaters laughing and talking, and Lucas could swear he heard “... fucking gay,” from under a boy’s breath as he passed them.
Jens heard it too, and Lucas can tell from the way his eyes follow the boy as he passes, slightly wide, anxious, and maybe even a little mad. Lucas lifts his hand from Jens’s skin, not wanting him to be uncomfortable, and turns away, looking out at the park, at the sky.
The air between them has shifted, but not much, and Lucas still feels relaxed, still feels at peace with him.
He hears Jens sigh, and Jens scoots closer, lifting his leg and placing it on top of Lucas’s. Lucas smiles, letting his hand drift so he’s holding Jens’s knee, his fingers gentle as they brush over the fabric of his jeans. Jens leans, an arm going behind Lucas, holding himself up and he looks at him, analyzing the side of his face. Jens shrugs a shoulder, his cheek pressing to it as Lucas turns to look at him.
There’s a soft smile on Jens’s face, a soft smile that reads I don’t care, do you?
And Lucas drops his head to Jens’s shoulder, his forehead bumping Jens’s face, not caring at all.
After a second, he lifts his head and looks out in front of them again, closing his eyes, and breathing in the sunshine. It shoulder start raining at any minute, the sun peering out from between grey clouds that look drawn onto the sky.
He can sense Jens get closer, smiling as he feels him press a slow, careful kiss to the line of his jaw. There’s a moment, a pause, as Jens pulls back, just far enough that he can see Lucas’s smile, and then he kisses him again. Lucas can feel his lips curve into a smile against his skin.
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gagosiangallery · 4 years
Text
Theaster Gates at Gagosian 555 West 24th Street, New York
September 10, 2020
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THEASTER GATES Black Vessel October 10–December 19, 2020 555 West 24th Street, New York __________ I always find myself returning to the vessel. It is part of the intellectual life force of my practice and it precedes all other forms of making. —Theaster Gates Gagosian is pleased to present Black Vessel, Theaster Gates’s first-ever solo exhibition in New York. Gates’s oeuvre is among the most conceptually and materially rich in contemporary art, anchored equally in the canons of art history and the racial ideology of the Black diaspora. Through an art practice predicated on cultural reclamation and social empowerment, Gates exchanges and recharges objects and ideas, creating a cyclical ecosystem of renewal. Traversing a broad range of media, from painting, sculpture, sound, and performance to the processes of salvaging, archiving, and space making, he delivers penetrating social commentary on labor, material, spiritual capital, and commodity, within a close examination of the urban condition. With potent synergies of material and meaning, Gates promotes the vessel as a container of the concrete, the symbolic, and the spiritual—a metaphor for embodied existence and a means by which to gather communities together in time and space. For Gates, who trained as a potter, the ceramic vessel is a universal object of ritual significance. In a new series of unique large-scale works in glazed and fired clay, he unites ancient traditions with modernist aesthetics, drawing elective affinities between Eastern, Western, and African techne.
Using black bricks custom-made from reconstituted materials, Gates has dramatically transformed the gallery into a resonant vessel for shared experience. An elegiac sound installation scored by the Black Monks—Gates’s renowned experimental music ensemble whose references range from Southern gospel blues to John Cage—further activates and sacralizes the space. Inspired by his father’s occupation as a roofer, in 2012 Gates began fusing together sections of torch down and finishing the resulting compositions with enamel paint and tar. For Black Vessel, he has produced a suite of “tar paintings” on a newly imposing scale, some in modulated white, others blocked out in bold, contrasting colors. Just as postwar artists set themselves apart from gestural abstraction by utilizing mass-produced industrial materials and techniques in place of paint and canvas, Gates has imbued abstract painting with new form and meaning, first with the Civil Tapestries that charge Minimalist language with the stuff of racial injustice, and now in raw, elegant, and powerful works that employ the signifying materials and labor methodologies of rigorous building technology. Throughout his career, Gates has rescued vast collections of Black cultural artifacts—music, books, images, photographs—housing them in restored and repurposed buildings in Chicago, or setting them in circulation throughout the world’s museums. For the Spine works, of which Walking Prayer (2018) is a key example, Gates took periodicals from the legendary Black-owned Johnson Publishing Company—which produced such magazines as Negro Digest (later named Black World) to promote and celebrate Black life—bound them into volumes, and arranged them side by side on running shelves. From one spine to the next, and the next, gilt-embossed titles form a hallowed and poetic invocation, thus proposing the library as a processional and meditative tool and the gallery as a latent warehouse of emotional and spiritual devices. Theaster Gates was born in Chicago, where he lives and works. Public collections include the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Museum of Modern Art, New York; Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; and Tate, London. Solo museum exhibitions and projects include An Epitaph for Civil Rights, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (2011–12); Processions, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC (2016–19); True Value, Fondazione Prada, Milan (2016); Black Archive, Kunsthaus Bregenz, Austria (2016); How to Build a House Museum, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto (2016); The Minor Arts, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC (2017); Black Madonna, Kunstmuseum Basel (2018, traveled to Sprengel Museum, Hannover, Germany); Black Image Corporation, Fondazione Prada Osservatorio, Milan (2018–19, traveled to Gropius Bau, Berlin); Amalgam, Palais de Tokyo, Paris (2019, traveled to Tate Liverpool, England); Assembly Hall, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis (2019); and Black Chapel, Haus der Kunst, Munich (2019­–20). He participated in the Whitney Biennial, New York (2010); Documenta 13, Kassel, Germany (2012); the 56th Biennale di Venezia (2015); and the Chicago Architecture Biennial (2015 and 2019). Gates is the founder and executive director of Rebuild Foundation, a nonprofit platform for art, cultural development, and neighborhood transformation that supports artists and strengthens communities through free arts programming and innovative cultural amenities in Chicago’s South Side. Rebuild’s work is informed by three core values: Black people matter; Black spaces matter; and Black objects matter. Gates is the recipient of international honors including the Artes Mundi Prize (2015), the Kurt Schwitters Prize (2017), the Nasher Prize (2018), and the Crystal Award (2020). He was artist-in-residence at the Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, in 2018–19 and is currently distinguished visiting artist and director of artist initiatives at the Lunder Institute for American Art, Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine. _____ Theaster Gates, Flag Sketch, 2020, industrial oil-based enamel, rubber torch down, wood, and copper nails, 72 × 72 inches (182.9 × 182.9 cm) © Theaster Gates
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kevkesblog · 4 years
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Translation: kicker magazine profile about Julian Brandt (July 27, 2020)
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By Thomas Hennecke and Matthias Dersch
Had he made this artistic pass during the corona pandemic with empty stands in the stadium, it would have been a pity. A week before Christmas however, there is almost no free space in the Signal Iduna Park left. Everybody is ripped off their seats – except the RB Leipzig fans – the moment Julian Brandt marks the second goal. Brandt digs deep into his toolbox. Receiving the pass by Sancho, processing the ball, shot. Three actions in one fluent move, south American suppleness with ice-cold efficiency, a master class. Goal of the month December.
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This cool blonde with the jersey number 19 – he is a man for the special moments. A player who makes a difference. And a gambler. A footballer having fun and who lets the difficult things look easy and made his relaxed demeanor a trademark. You can guess why he named Diego (the Bremer, not Maradona”, like Brandt said in BVB-TV) is his idol. The Brazilian used to have the blessings to do great things on the pitch. Diego also had a dream goal in his repertoire: 62,5 meter distance on April 20, 2007 against Alemannia Aachen. End score: 3:1.
The fact Brandt coolness also comes from a sometimes fatal way of risking things, relativizes his actions. You are torn a bit. People who appreciate show, spontaneity, art and creativity will love him more than people adding statistics and all mistakes and how they translate onto the pitch. The ‘Süddeutsche Zeitung’ looks beyond that and celebrated Brandt as a “Player with the Wow-Effect”. Brandt plays passes, so precise they will find almost every gap. As if they were managed by an electronic brain. He celebrates chop passes which look good and find their goals. But he also screws up counter chances with sloppy passes. He gives goals to his opponents with carless back passes. Or he shoots x-times against the goal, without a slightest danger to the goal keepers.
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2019 is the second year with coach Lucien Favre and the so-called “restart”. BVB manager Zorc took a lot of money into his hands, in order to optimize the team. Looking back he wouldn’t be as passionate about some transfers as he was back then – but the 25 million euros for Brandt are still a good and useful investment, Zorc thinks: “Julian is a talented football player and has a lot of potential. He is very active on the pitch, demanding the ball, plays in a self-confidend way and doesn’t hide.”
Then follows the “but”. Zorc follows everything very closely from his box seat on the team bench. He sees mistakes by Brandt, unnecessary mistakes – calles “unforced errors” in tennis. “He still does a lot of them”, Zorc complains. “He has still work to do when it comes to working against the ball, Julian knows that best himself.” Indeed one doesn’t have to look far to find weaknesses. He himself is his biggest critic, the professional once claimed. Yet, he never lets that sort of self-reflection get out of his hands: “I always question myself, whenever I’m not performing well. But I never question the fact that I still can do it.”
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It’s easy to spot: this Brandt-guy is not Mr. Perfect nor a football-playing robot. Rather he is an un-adjusted fine spirit on the pitch. Always in a good mood, with a fresh quote on his lips. During the USA-journey to Seattle last year, he was walking interested through the Museum of Pop Culture where Borussia was celebrating its “Black and Yellow night”. He had some small talk with journalists, he seems relaxed, approachable and cool. The opposite of the footballer clicheé of being arrogant. Brandt is “a fantastic guy” says Captian Marco Reus, “he’s a funny and open guy”.
As engaging, positive and uncomplicated his persona comes across: sometimes however Brandt appears to be less serious about stuff. It’s seems as if an extra scoop of ambition is missing, based on his body language. Unlike many other professionals. “I heard from many people before, about me looking like I’m sort of listlessness I embody”, Brandt said during an interview with the former BVB-player Patrick Owomoyela. Yet he assures: “My inner drive is always there.”
Brandt shows both faces during the game against Leipzig. Magical and faulty. He serves Timo Werner the 2:2-goal on a silver platter with his horrible wrong pass. “Perhaps someday there will be the award: wrong pass of the month”, says the 24 year-old. “I’m sure, I’ll get into the top 5.” BVB-boss Hans Joachim Watzke is face-palming on the stands in that moment. With some distance he likes Brandt’s way of playing. The BVB-boss says: “Julian makes extraordinary mistakes, because you can only play extraordinary if you take risky passes or have risky ideas.”
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Five months later, both major teams in Germany play against each other on the evening of May 26. Borussia against Bayern; light house 2 against light house 1. Dortmund has to win, otherwise the Bundesliga title will be gone and Dortmund starts in a rush. Erling Haaland gets the ball in the midfield after 17 seconds, by winning a head ball against Joshua Kimmich. From the back Brandt storms in front like a speed train, captures the situation, speeds up the game and passes over to Thorgan Hazard with his left foot. The clock ticks – 19 seconds into the game – Manuel Neuer gets out of his goal and saves the situation for Bayern at the last moment. But he passes the ball into Haalands feet. His shot rushes through Neuers feet until Jerome Boating saves it for Bayern on the goal line. Brandt goal celebration dies on his lips. The blitz goal after just one minute – it would have been his act as well.
Same game, 43rd minute. Mats Hummels defending for Dortmund, the ball moves a few meters to the left. Kimmich gets the ball, looks up, sees Roman Bürki standing a bit too far away from the goal, shoots and scores. The guy standing the closest to Kimmich: Brandt. It would have been unfair to make him responsible for the goal alone, half of the team is responsible as well. Yet some people who’s heart is beating for black and yellow would have preferred Brandt at least trying to hinder Kimmich on making his genius shot. He does: nothing.
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He's a day dreamer, Brandt once said. Day dreamers keep strolling through their thoughts. A study found out: day dreamers are capable finding time to dream because their brains have enough space left. In the past day dreaming was understood as a sign of lack of concentration and attention – today people see it as a sign of intelligence and creativity. Like a lost professor: brilliant, sharp mind, yet sunk into his own world.
 It is however no explanation for him being passive in front of the goal in May that basically pre-decided the German championship. Brandt made his day dreamer confession in a different context – when asked about a career plan. He doesn’t have one, he said: “Everything that happens in my life, happens spontaneously. I don’t even know what I will be doing in three weeks from now.” Brandt lives his live as free and individual as possible and as disciplined as necessary. He likes to sleep long in the morning and only leave “shortly” in order to just barley making it on time at the training ground. “Every minute is sacred” he says with a wink of an eye. “I don’t know how often I had to pay a penalty for being too late.”
A year Brandt is employed in Dortmund. The statistics are showing respectable numbers. 42 games, seven goals, 13 assists, ten second-pass assists. The season prior in Leverkusen he had seven goals and 15 assists – just in the Bundesliga. He added six scorer points in the DFB Cup then and the Europa League. “I had to find my place during the first months. I played on many positions and didn’t know many of the boys yet. It’s why it was a bit un-harmonic”, says Brandt. “Nevertheless, now I’m “in”. I had a nice year with great moments. I have to say: I’m really satisfied. Everything can get much better. However its was fine for the first year.”
Brandt wanders through the BVB team, gets put into five different roles. The center midfield is the place where he can show his class the best – whenever he has the game in front of him. He can put his instincts and creativity into force and can create chances with his passes. He is basically a lost force when playing way in front. Except against Slavia Prag in the Champions League he confirmed with two assists, Favre decision putting him into the front as a striker. His abilities are also limited once he plays on the wings.
He never has a lack of commitment and engagement. Brandt is running on average 11,85 kilometers in 90 minutes. Nobody of the permanent Dortmund players is running more. He wins 52,4 % of his one-on-ones – more than Sancho (45,6%), Marco Reus (44,6%), Hazard (42,0%) or Haaland (41,4%). His passing with a 84 percent accuracy however still has room for improvement compared to the other specialists like Axel Witsel (94,1%), Dan-Axel Zagadou (91,1%) or Raphael Guerreiro (89,2%).
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Brandt is brilliant in games like against Gladbach (DFB Cup, kicker-grade: 1,5), against Fortuna Düsseldorf or Schalke in the Bundesliga (both 1,5). He has personal low points in Freiburg (sub in and out of the same game; grade: 5), in Munich (grade: 6) and against Milan in the Champions League, where he basically loses the ball in almost every scene. Every game becomes a personal balancing act for the highly skilled national player: he dances on a high wire – here and there he loses his grip and crashes down.
His time in Dortmund started with a glitch. He makes a mistake and drives onto the parking lot of the youth time at 7.45am in the morning. A BVB employee has to show him the way. Brandt decided to leave the comfort zone Leverkusen on purpose. “Dortmund” – he says, “Dortmund is much bigger in terms of media interest, the stadium, the number of fans and in terms of pressure. It’s a different game here. It could make a mark on me and will serve me good.” And then there is the wish to win a title which made him to transfer to Dortmund. It’s about a basic attitude in sports, Brandt said a year ago, “everybody should have the drive to win every game.”
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Because Dortmund only won 28 of their 46 games this past season (seven draws, eleven defeats) a lively debate about coach Favré heats up as well as a discussion about the mentality of the team. No fans will get together in Dortmund and celebrate the fifth second place finish of the team since 2013. Nobody will fill extra pages in historic club chronicles, some BVB players are now suspecting. “We are not satisfied to finish second”, Brandt confesses. “We aren’t angry, but also not satisfied. We want more.” He then sticks up for his colleagues who get criticized for some bad performances and whenever there are doubts about their mentality and the harsh criticism: “We want to the big price. The team is hungry, they are in for it to win titles. The team is capable of that. You have to always aim high.”
Children who are having their first day of school this year, have lived a life only knowing Bayern Munich as German football champions. In order for them to understand that other teams can be successful as well, Dortmund needs to win the “all-or-nothing”-games, Brandt thinks. The duels with the other Bundesliga havy weights: Bayern Munich, Leipzig, Mönchengladbach, Leverkusen. “You have to win those games, if you want to stay on top”, he says. “Yet you also have to take smaller teams seriously. Something like a 3-3 draw against Paderborn is fatal.”
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Borussia Dortmund gave the players four weeks vacation. This Thursday the team will come back together well rested. The months during the corona crisis, the tough hygiene rules of the German Bundesliga, left a mark on Brandt. “It does something to you”, he confesses, “you don’t see many people. You see your family, perhaps a few friends. Otherwise: nobody. You are happy to be able to go out and have some freedoms again.” Now he can go out again – at least a bit.
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designdekko · 2 years
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The Mill Project by Quirk Studio
The balmy city of Erode is the nucleus of Tamil Nadu’s thriving textile industry and is cloaked in a riot of sound and colour. The location celebrates the harmonious binary coexistence of the old and new, both tingeing the city’s history. With its terrain dotted with the presence of factories and industrial plants, Erode is a melting pot of modernised trade and an enduring heritage that its residents have kept alive.
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Sequestered in one such remote factory premises, abuzz with activity is The Mill Project (?lai - translates to ‘Mill’ in Tamil) — an office crafted for a family-run enterprise wherein the patriarchal head and his two sons shoulder the operations. The rugged natural landscape on the fringes of the city, houses the built mass in its vast entirety, offering the space a unique topography to occupy, and evocative of creating an oasis amid barren lands.
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A mandate of the client’s needs dictates the requirement for a workplace that is an ode to the rooted context within which the built form is situated, a tribute to the suburban habitat where it all began. The inspiration to sculpt the blank industrial canvas stems from the architecture of the building intrinsically — towering fourteen-foot-high ceilings punctuated with large floor-to-ceiling fenestrations overlooking abundant stretches of tropical verdure and the azure skies above.
The design atelier has created pragmatic zones within the bare shell of the industrial enclosure. This forms functional spaces that work jointly to induce a functional flow in the office. The minimalism sewn into the workplace’s construct allows each space to honour the brief while engaging playfully with elements of scale, light, and materials that ink the saga of the office. A raw material profile encompassing cement finishes, lime plaster textures, and wooden nuances is juxtaposed against the panache of marbles in monochrome palettes. The omnipresence of glass partition systems in the interior layout ties together the floor plan visually, lending it a seamless character while the intriguing interplay of light and shadow through the glazed surfaces washes the interior fleeting daylight.
Also Read: Easy Guide To Choose A Color Palette For Your Space
The workplace’s narrative is a compelling collage of Wabi-Sabi and Mid-Century Modern timeless design styles that converge to create a functional and luxe work environment. The commonalities that make the chosen design styles the idyllic fit are derived from their shared penchant for clean geometry which departs from inessential ornamentation, the celebration of materials in their untainted form, and the prevalence of an understated yet artistic simplicity across spaces and their objects. A sense of calm continuity presides over the segments of the office with curated furniture, curios, and lighting fixtures endowing the space with a harmonious vision through the mediums of colour, texture, and sleek silhouettes. The doses of greenery introduced indoors don a sculptural presence with their form and tall forms scaling up to ten feet, iterating the voluminous spaces.
Also Read | Visioarq wins Architizer 2022 Architecture + Wood
The office’s unassuming exterior façade composed of a double-tiered band of rectilinear wood and glass windows steals glimpses of the interior workspace and is speckled with modernist black and white gooseneck wall sconces, planters, and a spindled bench. Attributed to its remote location, the site often faces prolonged spells of power outages, hence the need for active air ventilation and the presence of natural light assumes pivotal importance. The windows lining the exterior elevation enable conducive flow between the factory and the office, allowing spaces indoors to maintain habitable indoor conditions during unforeseen outages.
The entrance leads into the compact reception space that is framed by a stone veneer adorned by swirling marbling patterns in charcoal, grey, and brown. A monolithic concrete-body reception desk is coupled with a black and white globe cluster chandelier; this preliminary space acknowledges the ingrained design inclination of the office.
Also Read | 4 ways to style your interior spaces with copper
The communal workstation bay is the epicentre of the open-plan layout and is devoid of obsolete mammoth partitions witnessed in bygone corporate spaces. The articulate placement of furniture defines the zones and renders it with a clean aesthetic via the employment of ergonomic wood and black metal furniture — a material alliance synonymous with Mid-Century modern aesthetics. The placement of community desks encourages conversation and interaction among end-users while maintaining viable circulation.
Also Read | Arabic Resin art decor launches by Artist Madhavi Adalja
The ensemble of cement-finished flooring, bright ivory walls, and the grid of wooden rafters on the ceiling create a pared-down yet stimulating aura. Bordered by the window-lined façade wall on one end and wood and fluted glass partition system on the other, the workstation bay is coherently distinguished from the private cabins by a spinal circulation passageway. The custom partition administers privacy for the private cabins towards the rear of the layout and also filters in light into the main workspace, eliminating the need to utilize mechanical lighting until dusk. A private discussion room occupies a glass-enclosed cabin within the workspace which is bathed in a monotone palette and can host concentrated groups around its suave round table and upholstered taupe chairs.
Also Read | Kareena Kapoor Khan’s new home in Bandra with European styled decor & wooden detailing
Tucked into the quiet perimeter of the layout beholding external views, the conference room bears a stated demeanour that exudes tactful material play and creates vignettes of alluring design. The pièce de résistance is the expansive ten-seater marble conference table that commands the room. A vision in monochrome with stunning accentuated veining that envelopes its body, the table is paired with slender off-white upholstered chairs that build on the tonal play. The restrained lime plastered walls and deep-toned wooden flooring humbly bear themselves to allow the design elements to take the spotlight. The ceiling bedecked in teak finishes is layered with a grid pattern of rafters, lending it an added sense of dimension in the poised contemporary black minimalist chandelier. the grid motif of the ceiling trickles onto the wall, creating a visual linkage between the surfaces.
Also Read | Interior stylist Bhawana Bhatnagar on smart lockers at residential spaces
A crossover amidst modernist sensibilities and intuitive forms, the Managing Director’s cabin is set apart by its grooved wooden focal wall which poses as the backdrop to the space. A suede grey sofa dominates the lounge in the cabin, a stark marble desk rests boldly in the foreground, and is complemented by classic Jeanneret-inspired chairs in an olive hue. The desk area is canopied by a neoteric pendant that unites spherical and cylindrical forms gracefully. The cabin soaks in boundless views of the topography through its lofty fenestrations whilst experiencing uninterrupted privacy.
Also Read | 4 ways to style your interior spaces with copper
The two private cabins have been conceptualised with a shared vision in which functionality layered with statement materials, hues and textures manifest the design scheme. The former cabin employs slate grey grooved panelling that assembles to form an array of rectilinear motifs; this pattern is replicated on opposite walls to generate visual symmetry in the space. The second cabin sheaths its walls in a mild grey grid box panelling which is carried over to the opposing wall of the room. Both private cabins are peppered with marble work desks, olive-tone chairs, off-white lounge sofas, sculpturesque indoor plants, and geometric-inspired monotone task lighting. The cabins too witness the stretched-out scenic views through their ample windows that look into the surroundings.
Supplemental zones in the office are a cluster of the pantry and the powder bathroom. The utilitarian pantry assumes an L-configuration and emanates minimalism which is summoned forth by the usage of marble as a running countertop and backsplash material and muted cabinetry. The tessellated indigo, black and grey cement tile flooring pervades the pantry and dining nook, adding a touch of zest to the space. The slick powder bathroom is veiled in black-veined marble ubiquitously, where the framed mirror, dapper wall sconce, and Venetian blinds accent the space.
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The Mill Project is a dexterous design endeavour that has inverted the approach toward conceiving spaces in the realm of industrialisation. Its acute devotion towards the adapted design grammar has allowed the workplace to redefine stated opulence in a novel light! The project liberates itself from archaic design directives to bestow its end-users with a venue that honours their bona fide roots while weaving together a perceptive narrative that straddles the past, present, and future with empathy.
Design Firm: Quirk Studio
Year of Completion: December 2020
Project Typology: Commercial Office Design
Square Footage: 2,100 Square Feet
Photography Credits: Kuber Shah
PRODUCTS / VENDORS
ACP / Glass / Concrete: 3D Panelling, Veneer, Stone veneer, Limocoat – Magalogue, Glass – K.K. Interior Sanitary ware / Fittings: K.K. Interior
Flooring: Wooden flooring, Marble - Magalogue, Tiles (Grey & Printed) - Belleza,
Furnishing: Interworld furnishings (India) Pvt. Ltd, Novelty
Furniture: Inex Corporation, Rocking chair, Urban ladder, Oblique comforts, Customized (K.K Interiors)
Lighting: Lightique concept
Paint: K.K. Interior
Arts / Artefacts: Objects of interest, Ikea
Automation: Digital Dreams
CONTRACTORS
Structural: K.K. Interior
Electrical: K.K. Interior
Civil: K.K. Interior
Carpentry: K.K. Interior
Landscape: Surabhi Nursery
Plumbing: K.K. Interior
Façade: K.K. Interior
Also Read | Chicago Architecture Biennial Announces Contributors for Fourth Edition: The Available City
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architectuul · 4 years
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FOMA 35: Albania - Future Stories For The Past
The selection of this Forgotten Masterpieces is developed under the reference of the book Albania - Decades of Architecture in Political Context written by Sotir Dhamo, Besnik Aliaj and Saimir Kristo. 
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This first volume of FOMA presented by Saimir Kristo include architectures from the administrative and governmental ranks, culture and education buildings, rehabilitation facilities, hotels and hospitalities and remains of regimes.
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Authors of the book Besnik Aliaj, Saimir Kristo and Sotir Dhamo (from left).
Albanian projects realized between an intense and particular social and political scene involve buildings from the self-declared monarch of King Zog I, to the colony of Imperial Italy under the fascist regime before World War II, up to the rule of the party of labor and the dictatorial regime of Hoxha. 
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The Royal Villa in Durres constructed by Florestano Di Fausto, Gherardo Bosio, Kristo Sotiri and Armando Brasini was the summer residence of king Zog I and his family. The fashionably styled building has survived as a symbol of the monarchy. According to some sources it was a gift to the king from the business community of Durres, according to another it was given to the king by the Italian government with the intention to strengthen relations between Albania and Italy.
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The Royal Villa is situated on top of an adjacent central hill of the city.| Photo via National Technical Archive of Construction Albania
The presence of the kind and his family in Durres, despite his main headquarters in the new capital Tirana, brought about a type of political balance between the two cities and the role they played in the history of the country. 
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The first concept of the Royal Villa with its own European style was designed by Italian architect Armando Brasini (1929). The final project was finalized by Florestano Di Fausto, assisted by the engineer Antonino Chiesa (1928-1929). Documentation found in the archives show that the original design was in an eclectic style and retained a pre existing structure, which was partially demolished. The intervention of the Italian architect Gherardo Bosio was limited to the interior, transforming the former royal palace into the office of the lieutenant governor as documented in a series of undated sketches.
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This building designed by architect Kristo Sotir was later on substituted by the building designed by Florestano Di Fausto. The designs of Bosio and Di Fausto show the dilemma of Italian architects of the 1930s generation, operating between principles of the nineteenth century and rationalism (Giusti, 2006).
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With its 360-degree panorama, it offered a view of both, the sea and the land, especially the historic city. Construction of the vila started in 1926 based on the art nouveau concept of the local architect Kristo Sotiri (educated in Padova and Venice) who had previously worked for the Romanina royal family. The works were completed in 1937. After the Italian invasion of 1939 the king and his family were exiled. During World War II and thereafter, the residence was used for government receptions and events. The building was unfortunately looted and damaged during the social and political turmoil of the Albanian rebellion in 1997, and is undergoing a gradual process of reconstruction.
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The legibility of this building is based on the contrast of pure volumes on different scales.| Photo via Gizmoweb
The commission for the Dajti Hotel was given to Gherardo Bosio, who was in charge of the General Regulatory Plan for Tirana and the detailed design of the Viale dell’Impero, today Martyrs of the nation Boulevard (Bulevardi Deshmoret e Kombit). Bosio situated the hotel at the boulevard’s crossing with Lana River, where the most representative buildings of the capital stood. 
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Decaying hotel, hidden behind trees on main boulevard. | Photo via Wikipedia
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Hotel Dajti just after construction. | Source © Florian Nepravishta, AQTN
The hotel has to follow the design criteria of all the other buildings along the boulevard. Based on the urban regulations issued in January 1940, those criteria concerned primarily the volume, the continuity of the facades and their front length based on multiples of 4-meter modular distances, building width in proportion to road width and the stone cover of the base areas to give them a dignified appearance.
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Bosio designed the hotel using a restrained and elegant architectural language. The legibility of this building is based on the contrast of pure volumes on different scales: first, this contrast is created by the distribution of the main corps containing the main programs of the hotel, and on a smaller scale, by carving solids and voids such as balconies and loggias at the level of facades. 
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Enver Hoxha in front of Hotel Dajti, Tirana 10.7.1945 | Photo via Albanian History
A large staircase covered by a shelter, which bears the hotel sign, marks the entrance. While the base part is of marble, the upper body is plastered. To enhance and animate the appearance of the boulevard, the opening of continuous loggias on the top floors was advised.
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The hotel is not in use anymore today. | Photo © Thomas Haemmerli
The interior, especially its public areas, reveal the complete modernity of the project and its elegance, which is characterized by rational organization of the spaces and clear legibility of the structures. The main hall impresses with light coming from the front and evokes a sense of eternity. Its double volume, supported by pillars, gives an impression of spatial grandeur. 
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City Logs exhibition by STEALTH.unlimited at the Hotel Dajti during the Tirana International Contemporary Art Biannual. | Photo © STEALTH.unlimited
On the left side of the hall a staircase leads to the upper floor. The gallery overlooking the mezzanine, used for management offices, is clearly visible. The hotel also contains a basement with services, including a late-night bar internally connected with the ground floor bar.
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The furnishing parts of the Dajti Hotel, designed in the early 1940s, were designed by Gio Ponti. | Source © Florian Nepravishta, AQTN
Dajti Hotel had everything it takes to be considered an avant-garde hotel. of that period. According to Giusti (2006), the area covered by this building that hosted, on one side, the new hotel and on the other, the offices of the Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, had a surface areas of 2000 m2. If we include atriums, parks and courtyards, the total area amounts to 12000 m2. Gazeta Tomori (in Giusti 2006) states that with i91 rooms and 125 beds, running water, bathrooms and all other amenities including a lift and dumbwaiters, Dajti was one of the largest hotels in the Balkans and the most modern in Europe.
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The National Theatre of Albania, built by the construction company Pater Costruzioni Edilizia and the Italian architect Giulio Berte, was completed in 1940. The project was part of the Italian strategy during the occupation of Albania between 1939 and 1943. Two main parallel buildings formed the complex, divided by a half-patio for relaxing, with a pool in the middle and a gym at the front end of the building. The architecture of the complex was based on the principles of the ventennio, as the twenty years of Mussolini’s regime in Italy are called. Initially, the left building was used as the Savoia Cinema for films, theatre and concerts.  
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The technical infrastructure was entirely suitable for cultural and public events because the building materials offered perfect conditions for acoustics and light technology. It was therefore for a long time also used for meetings and conferences. Albanians could here admire Greta Garbo, Laurence Olivier, Alida Valli, Anna Magnani and attend performances by the composers such as Vivaldi, Paganini, Chopin, Schumann, Verdi, Bellini and Donizetti, not to mention those of the most popular Albanian artists of that time.
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The parallel building was the main headquarters of the Skanderbeg Foundation, which undertook several studies and important applications and the forerunner of the Academy of Sciences of Albania under the motto Pro Cultura. Communist authorities use the complex for public show trials or governors accused of collaborating with other enemies. The professional Theatre of the state was located in the building until June 1991 as the Teatri Popullor (People's Theatre).
After the fall of dictatorship, the theatre building was neglected due to the lack of financing. Recently it is in the center of a citizen movement called The citizen’s alliance for the theatre, which is fighting to prevent its demolition from a political campaign that is stigmatizing the building as Fascist and built of poor-quality materials. According to the 2008 research by the Polytechnic University of Bari, the building was made with materials prefabricated in Milan composed of experimental cement mixed with poplar fibers and algae.
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The building after construction. | Photo via Balcanicaucaso
Since 2000 the municipality of Tirana and socialist governments tried at least twice to demolish it and replace it with new high rise profitable developments. Both times, tense public debate ensued among intellectuals, artists, citizens and politicians who became passionately involved. It is becoming a case on how the city need to be developed transparently in the public interest and maintaining its cultural heritage and identity.
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Actors in Albania have stormed the country’s national theatre to protest government plans to demolish the iconic building. | Photo via Teatri Kombëtar
Health-care facilities and hospitals are an architectural typology developed in Albania from 1958 to 1988. A number of different hospitals were erected in response to the needs of the country. General hospital centers were established in Berat, Gjirokastra, Tirana and Vlora, infectious disease units in Elbasan and Tirana, obstetrics and gynecology hospitals in Fier, Shkodra and Tirana, pediatric hospitals in Durres and Korce, neuropsychiatric hospitals in Elbasan, Shkodra and Tirana.
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Known as the Psychiatric Hospital of Shkodra, the ensemble was designed in 1982 by Agim Myftiu and Mergim Cano. It is located in the north-eastern part of the city. The floor plan has the shape of a cross, with continuous staggered surfaces on the external perimeter but also in its interior spaces. The space is based on a repeated module consisted by a one room accommodating for patients.  
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Window openings that allow natural light are placed near the corners of the staggered volumes, creating a unique atmosphere different from that of conventional hospitals. That supports the recovery process of the patients. This particular way of staggering the facade opens new possibilities for the architectural composition of health-care facilities. The service block, developed as a strict volume, is a separate unit positioned on one side of the ensemble with a corridor connecting the two spaces.
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The main entrance placed in the centre of the volume connects also several service entrances for the medical and administrative staff and in such way offers direct access to the various units. Apart from the main block of stairs in the service unit area, all floors accommodating patients are connected with stairs that are positioned in free-standing transparent cylindrical glass volumes. In the basement, apart from the heating and cooling systems, an underground refuge was built, a measure that was commonly taken during the dictatorship period to provide civilians with protection in case of attack. 
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The main characteristic of Tirana’s city center is its monumentality with administrative, cultural buildings and public institutions concentrated along the main boulevard. In 1985, a pyramid building was erected on a former park, today known as Pyramid Square. 
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The Pyramid of Tirana was meant to house the legacy of the Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha. Four young architects were assigned to design the Enver Hoxha Museum. Klement Kolaneci, Pranvera Hoxha, Pirro Vaso and Vladimir Bregu had to respond to the urgent request to design a monumental new structure with potential sacral character to commemorate for eternity the dictator. The names are not completely occasional since among them are the daughter and the son in law of the dictator. 
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Designing a building, which was supposed to embody a sacral character, fulfill principles of social-realism and experiment with innovative forms proved to be quite a challenge. Before the project was selected, several alternatives that used the shape of the communist state as their main inspiration, resulting in designs that were too formal and naive were presented. Architects not only drew sketches, but built clay models to assist their understanding of the volumetric relationships.
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The Pyramid’s location on the Tirana’s main boulevard between two iconic buildings, the Prime Minister’s office and the Dajti Hotel, required great sensitivity from architects. The architecture would need to respect the existing context of the boulevard and at the same time present a lithic echo of Mount Dajti, which has always been an important natural element of Tirana. Architects combined the socio-realistic principles (star shape, symmetry, processional stairs, raise into a pedestal, etc.) with a pure and articulated form attributing a modern aspect to the building. 
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The inclined façade of the Pyramid created an illusionary perspective, a unique feature at that time. The placement of the glass windows follows a radial composition around a central axis of rotation. The architectural volume rises 21 meters in height but appears lower due to the inclined planes throughout its exterior, series of platforms and stairs that lead from street level to the entrance.  All that allow human scale to prevail. An inclined platform and an underground floor enable an additional entrance on the eastern side. Seen from above, the octagonal umbrella of the façade front is reminiscent of an eagle-wing shape. According to architect Pirro Vaso, architects’ main objective was to create impressive architecture while function played a secondary role. Consequently, architects didn’t choose a grid structure with separated floors but used an open plan, allowing later transformations of the interior space of 17,000 m2. 
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A marble statue of Enver Hoxha in the 1990s.| Photo © Barry Lewis/Corbis 
High-quality imported materials and numerous expensive types of marble which covered the exterior and the interior of the Pyramid reveal the symbolic and ideologic importance this building had for the politburo in Albania. Over 4 million dollars are said to have been spent on this building in the 1980s, a time when the poverty level in the country was at its peak. The interior was designed to draw attention to the statue of the dictator, carved in pentelikon white marble (the same marble used for the construction of the Parthenon), at the center of the circular pyramid, which, like the statues of the gods in ancient Greek temples, was to demonstrate a divine presence, enhanced by the communist star on top. 
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The floor levels are designed as a series of platforms jutting out from the circumference and creating a big amphitheater with a white marble statue of the former dictator at its center. | Foto via Albania Pyramids
The characteristic structure allowed natural light to enter from all sides of the building as well as from a cupola at the very top filtering additional light through its glass cover. The realization of this structure was important not only due to its design and technological achievement but also because it expressed ideological and typological archetypes, such as the linear window development and the lack of vertical walls. As such, this project represents a conceptual shift in Albania at that time. The Pyramid served as a Museum for the dictator from 1988 until 1991. After the fall of the communist regime, the Pyramid was used as an exhibition and fair hall and the square in front became a venue for different public and private events until it was abandoned.
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In 1992, the pyramid became the National Cultural Centre, while the square in front of it started to be perceived as a public space and was used by the citizens, becoming at the same time a main tourist attraction. Only after 2000 a discussion regarding the future of this monument began, from change of its function to a preservation as a living provocation reminiscent of the communist period and of course a demolishment. 
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The Pyramid in 1990s. | Photo via Universal Pictorial Press
However, it was decided to preserve it with a process of renovation that never came to an end. An international competition in 2007 proposed a transformation of the building into a drama theatre and center for the visual arts. Another competition from 2010, won by Coop Himmelb(l)au, proposed a demolition and exchange of the pyramid with a new parliament building in its place. None of the proposals has been realized. A public debate, petitioning and many protests took place in front of the building putting an end to the project and keeping the Pyramid on its place. Instead it become a ground for many experiments including competitions organized by Tirana Architecture Weeks. Lately, a new proposal for the Pyramid was presented by MVRDV intending to convert the former museum of the dictator into a new center for technology, art and culture.
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Literature:
Giusti (2006), Albania. Architettura e Citta 1925-1943, Maschietto
Vokshi (2014), Tracce dell’architettura Italiana in Albania, DAN Editrice
Hotelet para 1990, zhvillimi i tipologjise ne Shqiperi, Thomai, F., Nepravishta, O Borici, Shtyp Flesh, 2019.
Spiro Mehilli: Botime mbi trashegimine historike te Tiranes.
Aurel Plasari: Mbi Teatrin Kombetar, Lapsi.al 02.07.2018
Spitalet Veshtrim tipologjik mbi arkitekturen shqiptare 1945-1990, Islami, Thomai, Marsida Tuxhari
Xh. Kristo (2018), “Healing Spaces” Architecture space as regeneration of senses”, Diploma Thesis, POLIS University, Tirana
Tirana – city of colours, sto Journal – aRK Magazine, UK, 2018 
Interview with Pirro Vaso, “Enver Hoxha” Museum, The Pyramid, 04.2019
Të njihemi me Laureatët e Cmimeve të Republikës, Ndërtuesi Magazine Nr 83, Albanian Ministry of Construction, 1985 
Kastriot Dervishi: Historia e Shtetit Shqiptar 1912-2005; Organizmi shteteror, jeta politike, ngjarjet kryesore, ligjvenesit, ministrat dhe kryetaret e shtetit shqiptar. (2006)
Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Ingegneria Civile e dell'Architettura (DICAR), Politecnico di Bari, Italy, VGL, A.B.Menghini, “Experimental building techniques in the 1930s: the ‘Pater’ system in the Ex-Circolo Skanderbeg of Tirana.”, 2013, Epoka-University, Tirana.
S. Kristo, J. Dhiamandi, Albania is NOT an Island. The experimental framework of spatial and architectural interventions in Albania’s capital. ARCHITHESE, Architectural Journal. 
All Photos (except the captioned) by © Saimir Kristo, Sonia Jojic, National Technical Archive of Construction, Albania
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#FOMA 35: Saimir Kristo
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Saimir Kristo is a practicing architect, urban designer, lecturer and a Vice-Dean at the Faculty of Architecture and Design POLIS University. His PhD research was focused on city morphology, urban catalysis and public-ness, linked with his experience as the Director of several Regulatory Plans in Albanian cities supported also by USAID. Saimir is an alumnus of the International Visitor Leadership Program by the State Department of the USA and member of civil society. He is a dedicated cultural ambassador into enabling inter-cultural dialogue and collaboration between academia, culture institutions, museums, artists and community developing a common platform for discussion. He curated the two most important architecture and design events in Albania, Tirana Architecture Week 2014: Visioning Future Cities and Tirana Design Week 2015: Design NOW! He was selected as European Young Curator in the CEI Venice Forum for Contemporary Art Curators. He is an international critic and writer and board member of A10 new European Architecture Cooperative, FORUM A+P, Future Architecture Platform and organizer of PechaKucha Night Tirana. He is also a board member of Fundjavë Ndryshe Foundation, a philanthropic foundation that aims to diminish poverty in Albania devoting his skills as an architect building new homes or restoring old houses for Albanians in extreme poverty.
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