CONTRA
DENISA RAHMA
The Rage Magazine is a platform where fashion and art are not just what you see, but a powerful medium to express yourself.
Modern day social media has connected us, but it has also divided the art scene, leaving those with stories to tell overlooked by algorithms.
The Rage was started to reclaim the digital world to showcase both the art and the artist; a platform to create, a platform to inspire, and a platform to reconnect.
This is issue three.
THIS ISSUE IS DIFFERENT. This issue is worldwide.
The prompt was simple: how does your work challenge the norm?
We have featured artists and creators from all disciplines and all backgrounds, and the answers we received told an intricate story of each one.
We invite you to dive in, to ask questions, to engage with the work and the meaning behind it.
In this issue, we focused on our mission to challenge the algorithm and depict what it is to be a (human) creator.
As always, thank you to our contributors and their boundless creativity for inspiring us endlessly.
Ashley Hilbers & Salma Abu Hijleh
(01) Denisa Rahma
(02) Safa Zanad
(03) Tiya Bremer
(04) Vodchenko Anastasiia
(05)
(06)
(07)
Omar Esaadi
Hayaka Morita
Emma Davis
(08) Shelly Kositsky
(09) Adam Biddulph
(10) Emiliano Díaz García
(11) Meghane Gicquel
(12) Clarence Kitt
(13) Lemstella Rickard
(14) Marija Nikolic
I’M AN INDONESIAN PHOTOGRAPHER & CG ARTIST BASED IN TORONTO. IN MY WORK, I DELVE INTO THE LANDSCAPES OF IDENTITY AND FREEDOM, EXPLORING THE TURBULENT JOURNEY OF BREAKING FREE FROM GENERATIONAL CURSES AND SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS.
INSPIRED BY MYSTICISM, BRUTALISM, AND SCI-FI, MY PIECES AIM TO CAPTURE THE EMOTIONAL TERRAIN OF SELF-DISCOVERY AND RESILIENCE IN A WORLD THAT OFTEN RESISTS WHAT IT DOESN’T UNDERSTAND. I SEEK TO VISUALIZE THE TENSION BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE, SHOWING THE DISCONNECT THAT ARISES WHEN ONE CHOOSES TO LIVE LIFE ON THEIR OWN TERMS.
FREEDOM IS IMPORTANT TO ME, THE CHARACTERS AND FORMS I CREATE EMBODY THE RESILIENCE TOWARDS EXTERNAL PRESSURES BUT ALSO THE DEEPLY INGRAINED CONDITIONING PASSED DOWN THROUGH GENERATIONS.
FOR RAGE MAGAZINE’S CONTRA ISSUE, I AIM TO ARTICULATE THE STRUGGLE AND BEAUTY OF THIS PERSONAL REBELLION. IT IS A JOURNEY OF RECONCILING PAST AND FUTURE, SEEKING TO UNDERSTAND ONESELF IN A WORLD THAT SEEKS CONFORMITY.
AS A CG ARTIST, I FIND THAT THE DIGITAL MEDIUM ALLOWS ME THE FREEDOM TO ABSTRACT AND RECONFIGURE FAMILIAR ELEMENTS. THROUGH MY WORK, I QUESTION THE FEARS, MISUNDERSTANDINGS, AND BIASES THAT SHAPE OUR LIVES, REVEALING HOW THESE UNSEEN FORCES INFLUENCE AND SOMETIMES OPPRESS US.
Denisa Rahma
(01) Night Raid
(02) Empty Vessels Ring True
(03) Woman Clothed in Mischief
(04) State We’re In
(05) Playing God
(06) Promised Land
Denisa Rahma
Photographer and CG artist
(01) NIGHT RAID
Rahma is an Indonesian photographer and CG artist based in Toronto.
Denisa
(03) WOMAN CLOTHED IN MISCHIEF
“THE DIGITAL MEDIUM ALLOWS ME THE FREEDOM TO
abstract reconfigure
FAMILIAR OBJECTS”
(04) STATE WE’RE IN
(05) PLAYING GOD
Denisa Rahma
(06) PROMISED LAND
BY CHALLENGING THESE PERSPECTIVES, I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW THE NARRATIVE OF GROWTH AND LIBERATION.
BY CHALLENGING THESE PERSPECTIVES, I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW THE NARRATIVE OF GROWTH AND LIBERATION.
By challenging these perspectives, I would like to show the narrative of growth and liberation.
By challenging these perspectives, I would like to show the narrative of growth and liberation.
Denisa Rahma Photographer and CG artist
The Rage Magazine Contra
Denisa Rahma
Photographer and CG artist
The Rage Magazine Contra
and
Art direction, styling,
photography by Safa Zanad
I’m a Swiss-North African designer based in London, dedicated to pushing the boundaries of traditional graphic design to reimagine our world in a more inclusive way. As a socially engaged designer, I explore identities and cultural representations through a decolonial feminist lens. Using art direction, photography, and publication design, I strive to empower marginalised communities and foster community.
The Ordinary Swiss.
“The Ordinary Swiss” is a series of portraits and supporting 20-minutes multiscreen documentary that explores the representation of racialized Swiss people, directly challenging the silent norm that nationality and race are inextricably linked. It prompts us to reflect on our contemporary Switzerland and to cement the presence of these often invisible and discriminated individuals in the collective Swiss imaginary as they truly are: ordinary Swiss nationals.
By disrupting the current conservative representation of Switzerland, I am making brown and black bodies the face of ‘Swissness’ through the process of reappropriating and subverting nationalist elements as the Swiss landscape and national icons (ie. Heidi). The current portrait that I dress of these women is one that is joyful in the face of oppression, active, proud, confident, and united.
The shoot was inspired by the DAZED winter 2023 issue cover in honour of French Muslim women, representing colours of the Swiss flag through a politicised piece of clothing: abayas. These Black Hijabi women show that they also are the contemporary Heidi. To further understand our identity and define our position in the Swiss public sphere, our [marginalised] gaze is put at the center and starts the deep work of defining our own reality and changing the current outdated norm through conversations archived in the format of a documentary.
THE FACE OF
‘SWISSNESS’
AND BLACK BODIES
BY DISRUPTING THE CURRENT CONSERVATIVE REPRESENTATION OF SWITZERLAND, I AM MAKING BROWN
THE ORDINARY SWISS
Photo Assistants: Gabriella Arrabaco, Munira, Sam Lucibello
Models: Nasra, Khadra, Maxuba, Muna Abayas from Sayia Shop
y practice has always been somewhat political, drawing towards themes of consumerism, capitalism and womanhood, reactionarily putting my anger to work as a way of understanding, coping and learning. By confronting these themes, I aim to explore the tension of my anti-domestic art practice with my personal affinity for domestic hobbies which I blend in this piece to challenge the home’s conventional associations of warmth, stability and cleanliness. Confronting for me means disrupting the image and notions we traditionally associate with women and domesticity.
I originally started using found objects in my pieces as a way to “use things up”, in response to my family’s history of disordered consumption. Still cathartic, it has simultaneously grown into an anti-consumerist practice, while creating pieces that allow me to delve into my own struggle with the notion of ‘home’, ‘family’, ‘domesticity’ and ‘womanhood’ which have been ongoing irregular experiences throughout my life.
The 1950’s came into fascination through its aesthetic resurgence in pop culture, combined with my interest in it being a symbolic culmination of these three issues. This series of sculptures which form a single installation, combine female human form with 1950’s appliances. Unravelling a narrative of discontent with domestic life as objects come to form one or separate entities, objects becoming human or human becoming objects.
Through deliberately distressing the pieces: molding, burning, breaking, and rusting, the aesthetic horror of the piece turns the ‘becoming’ of the piece
birth, invention, and modernization
death, decay, and ruin to
This destruction highlights the hidden pessimism coated by the era’s rose colours, while exploring my own personal aversions to these issues through my process and practice.
Tiya Bremer Artist
Assorted found appliances, mannequin parts, super sculpey, bioplastic, kitchen cabinetry, resin teeth, bread, crochet string, oven mitt, rubber glove, tights, high heel, apron, plywood, plaster, coffee grounds, cocoa powder, antiquing solution, contact paper, acrylic paint
[01]
Vodchenko Anastasiia is a black and white photographer based in Kyiv.
THE BODY AS A CHRONICLE
y photography series explores the perception of physical changes and so-called “flaws” in the body, questioning societal standards of beauty and perfection. Why does appearance become the primary measure of a person’s value? Why are scars, wrinkles, or deformities considered something that needs to be hidden or corrected?
In my work, I challenge these norms by showing that these physical traits are reflections of each individual’s uniqueness and life story. My goal is to shift the perspective on what is considered “imperfect” and highlight the beauty and strength found in authenticity and self-acceptance. Through these images, I aim to convey that a person’s true worth is not defined by their appearance, but by their inner strength and experiences.
Models: Oksana Besedina, Zoya Kovtunets, Kseniya Bobrovnik
Why are scars, wrinkles, or deformities considered something that needs to be hidden or corrected?
omar esaadi
XXtremeSports is my brand and creative practice that I founded whilst developing my graduate collection at University. The brand is a culmination of my thoughts, experiences, interests and personal taste, as well as a reflection of the communities around me.
Through the lens of sportswear and functional design, as well as modernity and kitsch, I am interested in exploring notions around cultural identity, queer expression, rave and nightlife spaces and youth culture, and how these communities overlap with each other and contrast each other.
Omar
Esaadi Designer
“I WAS INSPIRED PARTICULARLY BY THE DISTINCT AESTHETICS OF YOUTH CULTURE IN EAST LONDON, THE PARTY SCENE AND IN QUEER AND CULTURAL COMMUNITIES”
My process for this brand stemmed from my experiences living in London and embracing various aspects of my intersectionality. I was inspired particularly by the distinct aesthetics of youth culture in East London, the party scene and in queer and cultural communities.
I found sportswear to be a common thread in each of these ‘uniforms’, and how it can be used in a versatile manner for aesthetics and social commentary. I was also at a point in my life where I was taking better care of my mental and physical health, and was fascinated by the idea of ‘sexy’ and what that relationship looked like between the wearer and the clothing.
At the root of the clothing and my storytelling, I want everyone to feel hot, sexy, sporty and slay in my clothes, and contribute to the wearer’s sense of confidence and fulfillment.
(01)
“My process for this brand stemmed from my experiences living in London and embracing various aspects of my intersectionality.”
Omar Esaadi
(02)
Omar
designer of
HAYAKA MORITA, ANYLUCK.”
ANYLUCK is an apparel brand that combines tarot card symbolism with the spirit of Zen. I conceptualize each collection by distilling inspiration from daily life into a single card image.
I was born in a rural Japanese temple, where I grew up contemplating philosophical questions from a young age. As I entered the larger world, I realized that many adults prioritize visible, practical outcomes or numbers over their inner spirit, and I struggled with this gap. I wondered what life would be like if everyone lived “from the heart.”
Through ANYLUCK, I hope to help adults rediscover their childlike spirit and act from a place of love. ANYLUCK may be an apparel brand, but it is only one of the channels I use to share my message.
To you, reading this: I ask that we each take a moment to question ourselves: “Do I truly love what I am doing? Am I able to love myself and others around me?”
The future is ours to create. I will continue to follow the things I love, and if ANYLUCK resonates with you, that would be my greatest joy.
Models: Sou Tokuoka, Arino, Shannon
Photo: Taiyou Amano
Hair and Makeup: Neiro Amemiya
Direction: Hayaka Morita
“I was born in a rural Japanese temple, where I grew up contemplating philosophical questions from a young age.”
ANYLUCK HAYAKA MORITA
Hayaka Morita is a designer based in Tokyo
Do I truly love what I am doing?
Am I able to love myself and others around me?
Model: Kanon Onodera
Photo: Taiyou Amano Hair and Makeup: Nezu Yuna Direction: Hayaka Morita
I was raised to appreciate and experience life in its most raw forms. My dad always told me where my food came from and took me to farms to connect with the materials at their source. This has translated itself into my art.
How do you know you’re alive? What grounds you as a “human”? Breaking down my life experiences into their most raw forms has helped me process my existence.
Through my art, I hope to create a sense of grounding and safe places for others to identify and feel themself freely.
In this series of works, I was mostly examining my experience of gender fluidity within societal expectations placed upon those with “womanly” bodies.
I objectified myself by creating literal objects I can hold - creating a type of ownership and association that I haven’t been able to feel for my own body.
Photography by Mia Baric
Acrylic yarn, polyfill, water based dye (2024)
P**** Pedestal
Wood, upholstery foam, metal, plaster, spray paint, polyester (20232024)
How do you know you’re alive? What grounds you as a “human”?
EMMA DAVIS
EMMA DAVIS IS AN ARTIST AND DESIGNER BASED IN NEW YORK CITY
CORSET
Cotton, polyester, plaster, copper (2022)
BOOB TUBE
Wool and polyfill stuffing (2024)
Metal Marriage
Metal Marriage (2024) emerged from a desire to combine tenderness with boldness to create a wearable artwork that feels daring and simultaneously gentle.
The piece consists of a corset made from discarded metal and a satin skirt adorned with roughly cut metal—contrasting the harshness of rust and degradation with delicate, pure white textiles.
Metal Marriage was inspired by themes of romance, marriage, femininity, as well as toughness, the machine, and transformation— transformation in the decay of metal, the transformation of metal into a “fabric”, and the evolution of a delicate figure into one that is fierce.
Shelly Kositsky is an artist based in Vancouver.
The theme of Contra resonates with my practice because I’m constantly grappling with material and thematic contrasts in my work, whether I’m creating with textiles, ceramics, metal, etc.
As an artist making wearable artwork, I’m often making materials do what they aren’t meant to do, such as stitching together sheets of discarded metal into a corset.
Looking for methodological parallels between disparate materials and applying “unwearable” materials to the body is how I question the boundaries between fashion and sculpture—If a sculpture is held, can it be a purse? If metal is sewn together, can it be clothing?
Interpreting materials like metal through a textile, corporeal lens is the way I investigate how the body can be transformed through material extension, and how the connotations of materials can transform through their placement on the body.
I wanted to present these contrasts to combine two “opposite” directions I take in my work –one which is personal and delicate, and another which is
bold, intense, and perfor - mance–driven;
I was curious to see how I could create a wearable piece that feels daring while simultaneously gentle.
Adam Biddulph
sometimes makes collages,
clipping and piecing together worlds that don’t quite mesh.
While Adam has always had an interest in visual arts, collage became a favourite pastime of Adam’s during his early adulthood. Eventually, collaging provided an opportunity for Adam to both curb his existential dread, and to comment on the beauty and terror of the fast moving life around him.
A strong proponent of “finding themes,” he believes that his own visual work touches on ideas such as consumerism, queerness, resilience, and connection to land. Through his art, he seeks not only to express his unique perspective on education and life, but also to connect with others, sharing a story that is at once deeply personal and profoundly universal.
In each piece, he invites viewers into a dialogue, weaving together fragments of the everyday and the extraordinary.
ALL HIS PIECES ARE DONE WITH FOUND PRINT MATERIALS.
Adam Biddulph is an artist based in Edmonton.
he believes that his own visual work touches on ideas such as consumerism, queerness, resilience, & connection to land.
NAUGHTY (2024)
In my 22 years on this earth, I’ve realized that my existence is uncomfortable—primarily for other people but sometimes for myself. I’m a reminder to the people living in the binary, living in systems that can’t function without us, that it’s all made up. And they hate to see it.
But Art, or at least the one I appreciate, plays with the idea of making people uncomfortable, making them think and view life through a different lens. Through my art, I invoke this feeling of otherness by transforming myself into an Alienlike Diva, Finding beauty as I create this character that is also quite intimidating and eerie, reminding myself and the world of how powerful being at the margins of society can be. My transness, my immigration status, where I come from and who I am allows me to feel this, and I allow it to evolve into my art and concepts.
I want the viewer to not only confront this feeling of alienation but also to reflect on their perceptions of identity, pushing them to question the constructs they take for granted. Through this discomfort, I aim to provoke introspection, ultimately revealing the beauty and power found in existing beyond society’s margins.
I often explore alienation through my art in search of sharing with the viewer an uncanny feeling from looking at something or someone who could be a human but can’t quite see it as one. This is where I find power in queerness, power in otherness, and power to the marginalized.
Meghane Gicquel Photographer
Models: Ayshea, Kezia, Ewa
Makeup Artist: Justine Alba
In my photography,
every face holds a unique energy, a story that I’m drawn to translate into a portrait layered with mood and emotion.
I find inspiration in each person
I have the privilege to capture, bringing out the subtle details that showcase their own kind of beauty.
Influenced by the music I listen to and the films I admire,
my work often balances between beauty and melancholy, aiming to evoke a sense of timelessness.
Through my lens,
I hope to reveal the quiet, intricate emotions that reside in each of us and invite viewers to see both the strength and vulnerability that make us human.
Meghane Gicquel is a photographer based in Seoul.
eremonial C Clarence Kitt
Ibegan exploring men’s fashion after struggling to connect with stereotypical portrayals of masculinity in Western media.
To challenge these visual narratives, I draw deeply from my culture. Growing up, my mother—a dedicated Chinese painter— introduced me to a vibrant world of Asian art and folklore.
I’ve always been captivated by the range of accessories, colors, textures, and silhouettes that characterized men’s fashion throughout Asian history. My hope is to reinterpret these aesthetics and present them in an unfamiliar and exciting way.
For this series, I’m paying tribute to the mythology of the first herbal medicine forager. Inspired by both sculptural and painterly depictions of this figure, I wanted to create statuesque portraits that exude a sense of scholarliness, calm and reverence.
Kitt is a photoggrapher based in Toronto, Canada.
Clarence
THE MYTHOLOGY OF THE FIRST HERBAL MEDICINE FORAGER
Models: Ricardo Ayalew of Lizbell Agency and Michael Jow of Stranger Agency
Photographer: Clarence Kitt
Make Up Artist: Hailey Park
Stylist: Porchea V. Mertineit
INSPIRED BY BOTH SCULPTURAL AND PAINTERLY DEPICTIONS
OF THIS FIGURE
Garments from Jason Ross, Michaels, Velveteen Vintage, Indian Fashion Boutique, Dressew
“Growing up, my mother—a dedicated Chinese painter—introduced me to a vibrant world of Asian art and folklore.”
IN MY RECENT WORKS, I’VE BEEN EXPLORING THE FRAGILE BOUNDARY BETWEEN REALITY AND DREAMS, OFTEN INSPIRED BY THE BLURRED RECOLLECTION OF MOMENTS THAT FEEL LIKE MEMORIES YET REMAIN ELUSIVE, LIKE A HALF-REMEMBERED DREAM.
ATTEMPTING TO CAPTURE THE FLUID NATURE OF PERCEPTION, INVITING VIEWERS TO QUESTION THE CLARITY OF WHAT THEY SEE AND TO EMBRACE THE AMBIGUITY THAT OFTEN ACCOMPANIES LIFE’S MOST PROFOUND EXPERIENCES. THE SUBTLE, HAZY QUALITY OF WATERCOLOR MIRRORS THIS FLUIDITY AND LACK OF DEFINITION, CREATING SPACES THAT HOVER BETWEEN CLARITY AND OBSCURITY, BETWEEN ORDER AND CHAOS.
THIS APPROACH REFLECTS MY FASCINATION WITH THE INTERPLAY OF HARMONY AND DISCORD, A DANCE THAT MIRRORS THE UNPREDICTABLE RHYTHMS OF THE NATURAL AND PERSONAL WORLD. BY JUXTAPOSING OP-
POSING ELEMENTS, SOFTNESS AND STRUCTURE, LIGHT AND DARK, COURAGE AND FEAR, HOPEFULLY CHALLENGING CONVENTIONAL BOUNDARIES AND PROVOKING INTROSPECTION.
THESE CONTRASTS ARE NOT MERELY OPPOSITIONAL, BUT SERVE AS A REMINDER THAT BEAUTY OFTEN EMERGES FROM TENSION, THAT MEANING CAN BE FOUND WITHIN THE GAPS, AND THAT UNDERSTANDING IS AS MUCH ABOUT WHAT IS LEFT UNSAID AS IT IS ABOUT WHAT IS PRESENT.
SEEKING TO EVOKE A STATE OF LUCID TRANSFORMATION, A SPACE WHERE THE CONSCIOUS MIND BRUSHES AGAINST THE SUBCONSCIOUS, WHERE CERTAINTY FADES, AND NEW PERSPECTIVES CAN EMERGE. ATTEMPTING TO ENCOURAGE THE RELINQUISHMENT OF RIGID DEFINITIONS, SUGGESTING THAT SOMETIMES, THE LOSS OF CLARITY IS NOT A WEAKNESS BUT A GATEWAY TO UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY.
Lemstella Rickard
Artist
Lemstella Rickard
FRAGILE BOUNDARY
“exploring the between reality and dreams, often inspired by the blurred recollection of moments that feel like memories yet remain elusive,
like a
dream.”
(01) Vulwarms
(02) Rhythmicaliness
I AM A CONTEMPORARY ARTIST KNOWN UNDER THE PSEUDONYM VEŠTICA WHICH MEANS “SORCERESS” IN MY LANGUAGE.
THIS TERM METAPHORICALLY SIGNIFIES DIFFERENT CONCEPTS WHICH MARK MY CREATIVE FIGURE AS AN ARTIST: SOMEONE WHO OBSERVES THE WORLD THROUGH MAGIC AND A SURREAL PRISM, BUT ALSO A FEMININE FIGURE WHO COMMITTED A CRIME, A PERVERT, BORDERLINE AND ONE WHO DENIES SOCIETAL NORMS.
MY ART REPRESENTS THE ‘ATTRACTIVE UGLINESS’ WITH THE INTENTION OF REFINED PROVOCATION, REALITY SUBVERSION, DARK HUMOR AND DREAMS.
I LIKE PLAYING WITH DIVERGENT MEDIUMS IN COMMUNICATING THESE CONCEPTS, AVOIDING TO FIT A SPECIFIC CATEGORY, FROM PHYSICAL PAINTING TO PROCESSING ART.
vulwarms
generative art collection (2023) developed by translating an auto erotic act into a visual experience using the data gathered from testing sessions of the Smart vibrator device. Each visual shape represents a portion of 15 seconds per each session and is self-generated by reading data such as body temperature, device pressure, and position through time.
rhythmicalness
Artist
Marija Nikolic
This project re-examines the field of sexual discourse in the context of the tech industry through the translation process of an auto erotic act into audio-visual experiences. Although the expression ‘Rhythmicaliness’ does not have an established meaning in the language, this term implies a rhythmic pattern of pulsating lines that convey subtlety and pleasure in the context of intimacy and erotic experience.
The work consists of a musical album available on YouTube and Spotify, processing generated animation and still posters. There are 7 songs on this album computationally composed from data collected through monitoring sessions of masturbation from several volunteers. Using data collection and processing, parameters such as body temperature, pressure intensity, and vibrator device position were converted into a musical notation system. Each song is composed from one session and accompanied by a graphic visualization that draws musical signals in real-time and a physical drawing that captures one frame from the animation.
The artwork is an audio-visual experience with 7 sound installations, each one consisting of 7 LCD screens with accompanying moving visual for each song. Music is played on the headphones. Each audio track is visually represented by a distinct poster drawing created with CNC Router Drawing Robot and gel pens, dimensions 50x70cm.
(2021-2023)
Contributors: Denisa Rahma, Safa Zanad, Tiya Bremer, Vodchenko Anastasiia, Omar Esaadi, Hayaka Morita, Emma Davis, Shelly Kositsky, Adam Biddulph, Emiliano Díaz García, Meghane Gicquel, Clarence Kitt, Lemstella Rickard, Marija Nikolic
Editors: Ashley Hilbers and Salma Abu Hijleh
