ISSUE 35 APR 2022
CRISTINA OTERO Exclusive Interview
Welcome on board Hello everyone I’d like to give a very warm and special mention to Luca Veronesi our new Contributing Editor for a beautiful job on this issue and his continuous commitment to Faddy Magazine and all of the creative community who made this issue great. Thank you Luca. I would also like to thank our writer Gaby Smith for her wonderful work interviewing our cover story. Editor and Chief Biagio De Giovanni
L
uca Veronesi is a Professional Cinema&Fashion photographer, Photoshop Postproducer, Photo-web journalist based in Ferrara, Italy.
He works for fashion Brands across Milan, Rome, Bologna and oc-
copywriter. The London College of Fashion alumna has written widely about fashion and culture, with her work
published in numerous magazines such as; Harper’s Bazaar UK,
casionally abroad, Paris and London usually.
House of Solo Magazine, French Fries Magazine, Overdue Mag-
Thanks to Brad&k S.r.l. SMM Film Agency, since 2005 he has
azine etc.
worked for Disney, Warner Bros. and Universal Studios.
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G
abrielle Smith is a freelance journalist and creative
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FOLLOW, CONTACTS Instagram: faddymagazine Facebook Page: faddymag Email: info@faddymag.com, faddymagazine@gmail.com Web Page: http://faddymag.com EDITOR IN CHIEF Biagio De Giovanni CONTRIBUTING EDITOR & SVP SALES AND ADVERTISING Candice Valentine Solomon FADDY SHOWCASE REVIEW CHIEF Alessandra Galati JOURNALIST/WRITER Linda Arroz Gabrielle Smith GRAPHIC DESIGN CONSULTING Massimo Storari GRAPHIC Giulio Cesare Silvestri & Biagio De Giovanni FADDY MAGAZINE HEADQUARTERS FERRARA - 44124 - Via Giglioli 28/A
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Cristina Otero
Petra
EXCLUSIVE I N T E RV I E W C R I S T I N A O T E RO I N T E RV I E W B Y G A B Y S M I T H
It is a pleasure to sit down and speak with visual artist
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
and fine art photographer, Cristina Otero. The Madrid based, self-taught photographer has an intriguing way
Inspiration comes from anywhere and anything. It may
with self-portraiture and is known for transforming
come from a conversation I had with a friend the other
herself into the most compelling characters. Talented
day, or something I’ve seen, read or experienced. I al-
both in front of and behind the lens, Cristina’s imagery
ways carry a small notebook to write words, phrases or
is dramatic and often slightly haunting. Since becom-
thoughts that could spark a future idea.
ing the youngest Spanish artist to exhibit individually in a gallery, Cristina Otero has received many acco-
Based in Madrid, does your Spanish heritage influ-
lades with her work showcased worldwide. Renowned
ence your work?
for her captivating presence and visual eccentricities, Cristina has given new meaning to the term selfie. Her
This could be possible, but I started photography in the
striking self-portraits ignite the imagination through a
Internet era and my first references were artists from
balance of fashion-influenced styles, makeup artistry,
other parts of the world, such as Zhang Jingna and Lara
and technical use of colour and Photoshop manipu-
Jade. My work and probably its concepts indeed fit into
lations.
the Western culture (we cannot detach ourselves from our roots), but current globalism makes cultural bar-
You started photography at the tender age of 13,
riers increasingly thin, and this, of course, also affects
what initially sparked your interest in photography
art.
and the arts? What has been your favourite camera to shoot As a child, I always remember drawing, painting and
with and why? Vintage or modern?
writing poetry. Art has been a part of me for as long as I can remember. I was very interested in portraiture, so
The camera I’ve been using for several years is the
my drawings were often of female faces. When I dis-
Pentax K1, a tough, full-frame camera that I take every-
covered that photography could be used as an artistic
where I go. I’ve also been experimenting with mobile
tool, I began to experiment and quickly discovered that
cameras for a couple of years, and I’m quite impressed
the camera and the dynamics of a shoot were what
with how fast such technology is improving.
excited me. As a creative, you must have tried various techDoes being self-taught allow for more freedom and
niques and skills when perfecting your art. Are you
experimentation?
still learning/discovering new ways of shooting and creating?
I believe being self-taught gives you greater satisfaction when you discover something on your own. It also
Of course! I believe you never stop learning when you
enhances important qualities such as dedication and
have a passion for what you do. No matter how much
the overcoming of obstacles. You are in turn, not being
you know, there will always be something new to dis-
“contaminated” theoretically by others and do not have
cover and experience, if you are willing to keep an
prejudices or fears when experimenting. You have the
open mind.
freedom to explore without being judged by others or even by yourself. 10
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Advena
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Afterparty
Candice
MArc Le Bihan Fas h ion Desig ner
Marc Le Bihan is a fashion designer, artist, and craftsman who creates clothes like a second skin. His work goes beyond any classification. In a transitional era, where everything looks unstable and meaningless, his persistent artisanal contribution makes the difference.
Every single garment begins with an idea and the desire to make it happen.
Designs are realized in a spectrum of near whites and saturated tones of black, realized through traditional dye methods including dip dying and shibori dye techniques. The graphic colors and tonalities within the collection represent Le Bihan’s polar inspirations of “alpha and omega, swaddling cloth and shroud”.
Le Bihan’s background is in textiles, once working at the prestigious tapestry factory, Manufacture des Gobelins in Paris, whose ancient history dates back to Louise XIV. It was while working as a weaver that Le Bihan developed his taste for hand made craftsmanship, so evident in his collection today.
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His conceptual creativity – manifested through impeccable tailoring, is the expression of a cultured and timeless approach to fashion that refuses trends and their transience. Completely disconnected from commercial fashion constraints, his couture is a rare example of consistency.
F I L O M E N A B A R B E R I O
I R E N E S C I O T I
C H I A R O
S C U R O
Art-direction & styling Filomena Barberio https://www.filomenabarberio.com/ Photography Irene Scioti https://www.irenescioti.com/ Talent Chiara Bimbatti https://www.iconicmanagement.com/ women/772-chiara-bimbatti/ Hair stylist Ernesto Montenovo https://ernestomontenovo.co.uk/ Make up Elaine Lo https://www.elainemua.com/
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I am a human being; I was born in Brooklyn New York, USA and I currently reside in Atlanta, Georgia. Like a lot of us I do and am many varying things; one of my tools for doing is photography. I use the art of photography to communicate messages, stories, ideals, humor, to entertain, to distract from, to focus on, as an artistic expression. I believe what makes each photographer unique is their “eye” or vision...basically an aggregate of what makes anyone unique. The special mixing and developing of all the dynamics that make you think the way you think and see the way you see. For me it’s’ my aesthetic. Which is based on my love for creative storytelling, films, music, poetry, my personal interest and technical background in art and architecture, my outlook on the world curated through travel and life experiences. It’s the attention to detail, the ability to be inspired by almost anything and have that inspiration grow into an entirely new entity. All these things have and will continue to influence my personal style/ vision and shape how I approach each project. I get a great deal of satisfaction creating conceptual photography. The main reason is intention. Many masterpieces have been created by accident, but to be able to consistently have an idea or vision realized with intention is a very fulfilling feeling. To know that the result has been achieved by a balanced combination of inspiration, creativity, personal style/vision, concept development, planning, technical acumen, execution and post production is very comforting. I’ve used everything I know and am to create. So I am completely invested in each project I undertake...and this is what I bring to the table. Kareem Quow
Photographer Kareem Quow @kqphotography Model Skylar Deckert by K Starr Management @skylardeckert Makeup Artist Keya Delarge @keya.mua Hair Stylist Wardrobe Stylist Jeremey Johnson @iamjeremey Fashion Designer Jkansepts @j3kansepts Assistant Christi Hector @Christi Hector
Fille Matérialiste
Photographer Biagio De Giovanni @degiovab Model Arianna Panieri @ariannapanieri Makeup Artist Hair Stylist Elisabetta Merra @elisabetta_merra Retoucher Zoia Gerasimova @retouch_gerasimova Assistant Giulio Silvestri @giuliocesaresilvestri_ph
Arianna
FADDY Reportages
Xylella by LUCA BOLOGNESE
X
ylella is a bacterium that lives and reproduces
the plant, thus preventing the arrival of a pathogen.
within the lymph conducting apparatus, caus-
like Xylella.
ing serious damage to crops and often be-
One of the solutions proposed to eradicate Xylella is
coming lethal. Its vector is an insect called Spittoon. Its
the eradication of diseased trees, a massacre, consid-
appearance in Italian agriculture dates back to around
ering the more than 65 million olive trees in Puglia.
2010, hitting and destroying hundreds of hectares of
Another alternative solution was to make the plant
the plots of ancient Salento olive groves.
and the unwanted host coexist in the best way using
In 2015 a state of calamity was declared and a very
organic-based treatments or microbiotic consortia
painful containment plan was approved: eradicating
which, in addition to revitalizing the soils, restore the
the affected plants to avoid new infections. Over the
natural balance between good and bad microorgan-
span of eight years, the epidemic has expanded and,
isms, associating good agricultural practices through
despite the application of eradication measures, in
gentle and regular plowing, frequent pruning, removal
2020 about 6 million olive trees showed symptoms of
of weeds. In October 2018, to avoid further culling of
total or partial desiccation, on an area of 350 thousand
plants, 200,000 new “Favolosa” olive seedlings began
hectares. When a plant is infected, the bacteria lead to
to be distributed, which seem to be resistant to the
the formation of a gel, obstructing the flow of water
Xylella bacterium.
through the lymphatic vessels and thus blocking nutrition. The desiccation of the olive trees is the result of a land abused for decades, mistreated with pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, which has led to the impoverishment of the microbial community in the soil or in 88
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Luca Bolognese http://www.lucabolognese.com instagram: https://instagram.com/lucabolognese_ph
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Trees before Xylella
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My name is Josh Byer and I’m an artist who lives and works in Vancouver, BC. My style is called Faux Fauvism. Recognized by the Saatchi Gallery, MoMA San Francisco and ArtFinder, Faux Fauvism is a modern art movement founded in the study of pattern recognition. Artwork attempts to create a “cloudgazing” effect by exploring elements of visual cognition. I have been painting non-stop since my mother’s passing in 2009. All of my work is dedicated to her memory. Appearing in hundreds of publications, Faux Fauvist artworks have been featured seven times on the front page of Reddit. Over 800 Faux Fauvist paintings are completed to date -- exhibiting internationally alongside the work of Matisse, Picasso, Dali, and The Group of Seven.
Fine Artist Josh Byer @vancityjoshb
There is beauty everywhere
Howling at the Moon, mixed media on cold press paper, 2022