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input x output T H E AVA N T g A R D E D I A R I E S interview nADA CARLs, Text PETE WiLLiAms
With the assistance of Mercedes-Benz, an allnew and highly anticipated, NY-based online magazine called “The Avantgarde Diaries” will launch in July 2011. The publication takes the idea of an interview magazine to a new level, whereby each week they call upon cultural figures to introduce the people and ideas that inspire them – whether in fashion, music or design. International pioneers like Raf Simons expose who and what inspires them and their work. Presented mainly via video, The Avantgarde Diaries promises interesting encounters and personal insights from innovative, creative individuals. For example, Belgian designer Raf Simons, counts artist and long-time friend Peter de Potter as a key source of inspiration. Simons has admired de Potters style since the early '90s when he was in art school in Antwerp. De Potter's images, visuals, words, slogans and collages have even been seen on several t-shirts collaborations with Simons between 2000 and 2009. When working with Simons, Potter was given complete creative freedom. “People often asked why I did not have my own gallery yet but in my opinion I had one: having exhibitions on
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t-shirts every six months!” de Potter tells us in one of his rare interviews. Peter de Potter previously published his artwork on his blog, but now he is ready for the next level in art business: “Art is not about showing your stuff in a hidden cellar in front of three people. I have to admit that as an artist you need the machine. And I’m not against it.” In terms of being avant-garde, de Potter thinks that Mercedes-Benz is a convenient partner to support the project: “If you can turn your logo into an icon, which they did, then you must be doing something right. And I loved the Belgian kids wearing their logo around their necks.” Raf Simons also shared his thoughts on the company: “Mercedes counts very much for me individually. It has had an influence on me from my early childhood onwards.” Offline, The Avantgarde Diaries concept will be extended to quarterly art festivals. The first edition, “Transmission1,” was curated by Raf Simons and will be shown in Berlin this July 2011. As an avowed Joy Division fan, Simons pulled
the title of the festival from the 1979 song of the same name, and even brought graphic designer Peter Saville (who famously designed several record covers for Joy Division) on board alongside german industrial designer Konstantin grcic and British art rockers These New Puritans. Fittingly, Raf Simons also chose Peter de Potter as one of the participating artists in the show, who submitted a series of 33 unreleased works titled “The image machine.” “What I'm trying to achieve is a reflection of the way we use and see images nowadays. It's very important and new to me that people don't want to know what the image is from or who made. The young generation judges an image only by its basics. What I do is to rip out the references of the images put them together again and try to have an emotional impact on the viewer - no matter if he is 18 or 88." Mercedes-Benz will also introduce their latest “vanguard” statement of aesthetic and design, at Transmission1, their Concept A-Class Showcar. If you’re in Berlin from July 15-17, 2011, be sure not to miss Transmission1 at BCC. http://www.theavantgardediaries.com