Issuu

20TH ISSUE

IN CONVERSATION WITH TROYE SIVAN NURA - FKA.M4A - MAYA BAKLANOVA - NAMILIA ANDREA OCAMPO - OHII KATYA - LARASEVERA BARRY BRANDON - ORKIDEH DAROODI EVÎN - RICHARD KRANZIN ALEXANDRA S. ADERHOLD - EDWARD MUTEBI 1

www.ttswtrs.com

studio183.co 5

Meet the Team Editor-in-Chief Fashion Editor Art Direction Marcel Schlutt @marcel_schlutt mschlutt@kaltblut-magazine.com

Culture Editor Johanna Urbancik @johannaurbancik johannaurbancik@kaltblut-magazine.com

Music Editor Nicola Phillips @nicphilf nphillips@kaltblut-magazine.com Fashion Editors Nico Sutor @nico_sutor_

Welcome to the 20th issue of KALTBLUT.

nsutor@kaltblut-magazine.com

There are hardly any words to use in times like these that can sum up or do justice to what each and every one of is going through – no matter where in the world you are. We’re all dreaming of a world that celebrates diversity and equality. That's why this issue is dedicated to everyone fighting for their rights and beliefs. Only together we can be united against hatred.

Marcel Schlutt @marcel_schlutt mschlutt@kaltblut-magazine.com

Contributors Lina-Luisa Sittig Nik Pate Lewin Berninger Alessandro Amarante Mert Degirmendereli Myriam Tisbo Davide Corona Nicky De Silva Angel Ruiz Julian Freyberg Sebastian Kiener DZHUS Omid Aghdami Oscar Latorre David Kaminsky Elys Berroteran

We hope you enjoy this magazine. With love, The KALTBLUT team

Follow us www.kaltblut-magazine.com Instagram @kaltblut_magazine Twitter @KALTBLUTMAG Facebook @kaltblut.magazine Spotify Youtube

On the Cover

Concept/Photography/Edit - Nik Pate www.nikpate.com @Nikpatestudio Model - Chay Needs @Chayneeds_ Hair & Makeup - Rosie Mcginn Using Fenty Beauty & Refy www.rosiemcginnmakeup.com / @Rosiemcginnmakeup All Fashion Pieces - Brian De Carvalho www.briandecarvalho.co.uk @Briandecarvalho Millinary Piece - Rafa Peinador www.rafapeinador.com @Rafa_peinador

KALTBLUT MAGAZINE is published by Marcel Schlutt KALTBLUT MAGAZINE I Danzigerstr. 162 I 10407 Berlin I Germany

All Copyright at KALTBLUT.

All of KALTBLUT´s contributors are responsible and retain the reproduction rights of their own words and images. Reproductions of any kind are prohibited without the permission of the magazine, editor and each contributor. 6

P. 008 Namilia Interview

P. 044 Maya Baklanova Interview P. 072 Andrea Ocampo Interview P. 098 Troye Sivan Interview P. 130 Ohii Katya Interview

Nura Interview P. 242 fka.m4a Interview P. 316 Evîn Interview P. 362 Alexandra S. Aderhold Interview P. 166

AMILI 8

Welcome to the world of Namilia, Germany's number one brand when it comes to capturing the essence of fashion. Known for seamlessly blending political opinions, dreams, convictions, and conflicts into their unique, progressive, and finely crafted high fashion pieces, Namilia continues to push boundaries and challenge societal norms. The brand's outstanding creativity is once again showcased in their breathtaking Spring/Summer 2024 collection, which took the center stage at Berlin Fashion Week. Get ready to be captivated as Namilia effortlessly breaks down barriers and redefines fashion with their unparalleled vision and artistic expression. Photographer: Lewin Berninger - @lewin.ber Digital Assistant: Nico Graggo - @_graggo Light Assistant: Alex Kain - @alexrkain Stylist: Anastasia Sheel - @anastasia.she Styling Assistant: Tracy Ahimie - @_tracy_a_ Make-Up Artist: Alisa Fun - @alisafunnn Hair Stylist: Hoang Linh Nguyen - @naturalhairsty.linh Production: Helena Florenz - @helena.florenz Production Assistant: Karo Kosenko - @__k.aro_ Production Assistant: Tim Berninger - @timberninger Casting Director: Cameron Nedrick - @camerondavid__ Model: Aries Liu @MAJIN Scouting GBR - @ariesuil - @majin__scouting Model: Fatou Ndure @IZAIO Management - @am.ndure @izaio.modelmanagement - @izaio.development

Earring: ASTERISK Veil: NAMILIA Overall: NAMILIA

Hat: GIUSEPPE TELLA Earring: MODELS OWN Necklace: ASTERISK Blazer: MODELS OWN Skirt: NAMILIA Corset: NAMILIA Shoes: NAMILIA

AMILI

The Heritage of Rebellion - Namilia's heritage is infused with a rebellious spirit. How does the Spring/Summer 2024 collection pay homage to the brand's provocative and trailblazing roots?

Our runway shows always channel a topic that encompasses several political arguments and aesthetic themes. Certainly, this collection was no different and reaffirmed many of our beliefs, especially around sex positivity, social depictions of femininity, and referencing pop culture. Some of Namilia’s favourite runway motifs appeared throughout “In Loving Memory of My Sugar Daddy,” like voluminous hoop skirts, unexpected backless dresses, and cheeky slogans, but in many ways, this collection marked a new era for us. This new collection seamlessly blends boldness and delicacy. How does Namilia strike the perfect equilibrium between audacious and ethereal in their designs? The entire Spring/Summer collection followed this ethos, where we wanted to create these gorgeous silhouettes inspired by old school couture, but infused with the Namilia sensibility that is super sexy, provocative, and has a sense of humor. That really is our brand identity at the core. Fashion as Storytelling - Each Namilia collection tells a powerful story. What narrative threads can we unravel from the Spring/Summer 2024 collection, and how do they captivate the imagination? When we first shared a teaser on Instagram with the collection title, the theme of a sugar daddy funeral really excited people. Many in our audience at the show dressed up as though they really were going to their sugar daddy’s funeral and it was so iconic! The references to the cross and Christianity also certainly ignited a lot of.... discourse. The comments and DMs were insane, so many people said really offensive and aggressive stuff to us, but of course the people that got it were obsessed. The show’s concept focuses on reclaiming the stereotype of the gold digger as a figure of transcending misogynistic social norms and class stratification. Namilia is inspired by the entrepreneurial savviness of deploying sexuality to navigate modern day capitalism. In the Bible, women are depicted in one of two mutually exclusive ways: as the virgin, or as the whore. The myth of Adam and Eve establishes women as the demonic seductress responsible for the downfall of mankind. Western European societys` inequality and rigid views on gender have been oppressively enforced across the globe. A legacy that remains throughout modern society.

Hatpiece: GIUSEPPE TELLA Necklace: ASTERISK Corset: NAMILIA Skirt: NAMILIA

Necklace: ASTERISK Bodysuit: NAMILIA Gloves: NAMILIA Boots: NAMILIA

Necklace: ASTERISK Bodysuit: NAMILIA

FATOU: Earrings: ASTERISK Vest: NAMILIA Skirt: NAMILIA ARIES: Dress: NAMILIA String: NAMILIA

AMILI

Subverting Stereotypes - Namilia constantly challenges societal norms through fashion. How does the new collection disrupt traditional gender roles and redefine expressions of femininity and masculinity? Our S/S24 collection is a very queer interpretation of fashion, both conceptually in how we’ve interpreted and resignified motifs, as well as aesthetically in styling and casting. Our depiction of gender has always been about blending symbols of masculinity and femininity to subvert expectations and push for new, more progressive, and more fluid understandings of gender. Namilia's designs embrace fluidity and liberation. How does the Spring/Summer 2024 collection empower wearers to embrace their bodies and celebrate the beauty of movement? With Namilia S/S 24 “In Loving Memory of My Sugar Daddy,” the cliche of the gold digger is turned on its head as we play with visual cues to challenge sexist assumptions. We celebrate using hyperfemininity and sexuality to get what you want—and what you fucking deserve. Sex work is the most literal application of capitalism, of selling our beings and our bodies to survive. In this era of digital identity, late-stage capitalism, and neoliberal politics, sex work should be decriminalized as one of the oldest forms of labor. Interview by Marcel Schlutt Follow: @_namilia_ namilia.com

Earrings: ASTERISK Dress: NAMILIA Boots: NEW ROCK 19

Earring: ASTERISK Veil: NAMILIA Overall: NAMILIA Slip: NAMILIA 20

Earrings: ASTERISK Vest: NAMILIA

Hat: GIUSEPPE TELLA Earring: MODELS OWN Necklace: ASTERISK Blazer: MODELS OWN Corset: NAMILIA

Hatpiece: GIUSEPPE TELLA Necklace: ASTERISK Corset: NAMILIA

Crochet F Art Director / Photographer / Stylist / Hair & Make up Artist: Alessandro Amarante @alessandro_amarante_ Crochet Designer: Lurdes Lino @lurdeslino Photography Assistent: Corina Cacoilo @corkypages Model: Mário Clara (Modelwerk / We are Models) @mario.clara

Nastia, 13 y.o

Fairy Tale

Art work by Christian Achenbach

BEYOND REACH Galerie Sara Lily Perez presents:

An exhibition till November 18th 2023 /Berlin

EXPLORING LONGING IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Welcome to an exquisite new exhibition at Galerie Sara Lily Perez, where the boundaries of human connection are reimagined. Join us on a captivating journey titled "BEYOND REACH: Navigating Longing in the Modern World," featuring the breathtaking works of renowned artists Christian Achenbach, Wei Tan, and Jack Hughes. As we plunge into the depths of this exhibition, the innate human desire for genuine connections becomes ever more apparent. Against the backdrop of virtual relationships and the yearning for physical touch, BEYOND REACH strives to intertwine our longing for authenticity with the challenges posed by modern technologies. Prepare to be captivated by a carefully curated selection of artworks that delve into the profound impact of isolation, urbanisation, and technological progress on our personal relationships. Experience a poignant reflection on the tenderness and fragility of the bonds that unite us in this fast-paced world. Step into a realm that defies the notion of closeness and distance, as we challenge conventional perspectives. Uncover the paradox of our hyper-connected yet emotionally distant lives, where technology influences our every interaction. Join us for this extraordinary exhibition, running till November 18th, and prepare to be mesmerised by BEYOND REACH: Navigating Longing in the Modern World. Find out more via www.saralilyperez.com

Christian Achenbach studied at Hochschule der Künste Berlin from 2001 to 2007. He had artist residencies in Copenhagen and Switzerland. Achenbach is also a co-founder of the "Artistweekend". The Berlin-based sculptor and painter reinterprets 20th-century art history with a fresh postmodern perspective, akin to composing a symphony. He shares a love for music with Kandinsky, and their art resonates with a "synesthetic" connection between colours and sounds. Achenbach's works cleverly explore modernity, particularly postmodernism. His pieces lack central motifs, featuring rhizomatic combinations of geometric shapes and symbols, evoking Modernity, Dadaism, and Cubism. Just as music blurs clear contours and employs an explosive color palette, Achenbach's art follows a similar path. www.christianachenbach.de

Art work by Jack Hughes

Jack Hughes is a Welsh artist. He holds a BA in Fine Art from the Arts University Bournemouth (2018) and currently resides in London. He specialises in creating large-scale oil paintings characterised by bold under-painting and contrasting colours. Initially exploring existential themes, Hughes has transitioned his artistic focus towards vivid, densely saturated depictions of his upbringing. His current work is firmly rooted in his childhood experiences, drawing from his dreams and memories to evoke a sense of nostalgia. Hughes' creative process now often begins with his dreams, which serve as the inspiration for his paintings. He maintains a dream diary, documenting dreams connected to his personal memories of people and places.

Wei Tan is a Malaysian painter and sculptor based in Berlin, who transitioned from music composition to abstract painting in 2015, drawing inspiration from Abstract Expressionists. Her art serves as spontaneous self-expression, with each painting reflecting subconscious thoughts through spontaneous gestures and the mingling of materials. In her later works, she combined tangible objects, like chairs and tables with abstract elements, evoking a range of emotions. Her art offers a glimpse into her emotional world and prompts viewers to explore their own feelings. weitanart.com

Art work by Wei Tan 42

Art work by Christian Achenbach

MAYA BAKLANOVA

“WE'VE ALL FINALLY REALISED THAT THERE'S NO ROOM FOR ILLUSIONS!”

Next to Berlin, Kyiv is seen as one of the hubs for nightlife and underground electronic music. Due to russia’s full-scale invasion over two and a half years ago, the nightlife is slowly recovering with collectives and clubs putting on events to collect money for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. But how has the war changed the electronic music scene, and is it possible to separate the art from the artist? Maya Baklanova tells me it’s not possible. Alongside the communications manager of Cxema, Amina Akhmed, she shared an open letter signed by almost all representatives of the Ukrainian scene aimed at the international scene demanding decisive action against the russian imperialism machine, against the war and against the disregard of Ukrainian values. “It's a call to support those who are fighting at the forefront for these values right now”, the letter concludes. I spoke to Maya, who calls herself a Cultural front fighter working in the Ukrainian electronic music scene. Based in Kyiv, she is using her social media accounts to inform the international community of the cultural connections in russia to the war, such as her post on russia’s Outline festival showing a military conscription tent just outside the festival grounds. Her call out has reached international media organisations, such as Deutschlandfunk, and reached several thousand people on social media. Of course, this brings along troll accounts who are designed to bully and harass. KALTBLUT had a chat with Maya asking her about her role as a digital activist and the state of the Ukrainian electronic music scene. How has the war changed your view on the national and international electronic music scene and industry? The war has definitely changed my perspective on both the national and international electronic music scenes. Personally, it led to a big shift in my life – I switched my professional area from working in communications at K41 club to focusing on mental health issues among Ukrainian youth through an NGO. This change reflects the changing priorities we've all had to face during these times. Firstly, the Ukrainian electronic music scene has undergone a significant transformation. It's no longer holding onto any connections with the russian scene. We've all finally realised that there's no room for illusions. Also, the Ukrainian scene went back to its roots, rediscovering and drawing inspiration from our own musical, cultural heritage, as well as reflections on the ongoing war.

When it comes to the international music scene, I've taken a step back. The international music scene can sometimes feel like this massive corporate machine where ‘business as usual' seems to be the motto. Regardless of what's happening in the world, 'the scene' continues to celebrate life with russian money and pro-putin artists, prioritising life celebration over the values upon which minority communities are built. But I still have some great artists from around the world who've been a part of my journey over the years. They continue to show interest in Ukraine and what we are doing here, support us, and even come to play for us. Among them collectives like Mala Hunta – they've always been politically active and have stayed connected. Do you find there’s a stronger unity in the Ukrainian electronic music scene? For sure, the Ukrainian electronic music scene is more united than ever. We all understand our responsibility. There are some tensions, though, especially between those who left Ukraine and those who stay here. Plus, there's a strong push to distance ourselves from Ukrainian artists who collaborate with russians. But when it comes to the great danger to our freedom, culture, and its existence, unity is paramount. You’re a digital activist, informing your followers and beyond of artists that are playing at festivals in russia funded or affiliated with oligarchs. Why would you say it’s so important to call those organisations and artists out? I believe it's essential to move beyond discussions about the russian electronic music scene and oligarchs. We must acknowledge the historical and cultural dimensions of the situation. russia has a long history as an empire that has never decolonised and is still moving in the totally opposite direction. For years, russia has appropriated or tried to erase Ukrainian culture, often suppressing it. 45

We must not forget the countless Ukrainian cultural figures who were persecuted and killed by russian governments simply for expressing and preserving their Ukrainian identity. During the recent occupation of Izum, we tragically witnessed the death of Ukrainian writer Volodymyr Vakulenko, who was killed by russians. This is a clear example of ongoing genocide by russia. The reason it's so important for me to speak out is that any form of cooperation with those who contribute to this genocide amounts to support or tolerance of it. I am sure that neutrality in the situation that is happening in Ukraine is fascism and a cover-up for crimes. I know that all these crimes will be proven and those who remained silent will become accomplices of the russian crime against humanity. It’s impossible to start a conversation on the internet without receiving either hate or troll comments. Have you noticed that with your work on Instagram you’ve changed some minds? It's a bit hard to measure, but I really hope I've made a difference. I've tried to help people understand the situation by sharing information and resources. I've received messages from people in the music industry saying things like, "We won't work with those artists anymore," or "We've cancelled shows," especially when an artist has performed in russia. And there have been cases where festivals seem to have decided not to book artists like Nina Kraviz, for example. I see these as signs that some minds are changing, which is a positive step forward. It shows that raising awareness and speaking out can lead to real changes in the music world and elsewhere.

"THE UKRAINIAN SCENE WENT BACK TO ITS ROOTS, REDISCOVERING AND DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM OUR OWN MUSICAL, CULTURAL HERITAGE, AS WELL AS REFLECTIONS ON THE ONGOING WAR."

What does the culture and music scene look like in Kyiv right now?

How can readers support Ukrainians?

It's a really broad question. On a government level, there might be some challenges that can affect things negatively due to unqualified people being appointed in government roles, which can create problems for culture and not help those involved in cultural activities. So, most progress in the cultural sector happens despite these challenges.

Donate. It's crucial. And raise awareness. Watch Timothy Snyder’s lectures about Ukraine.

But when you look at what's happening in communities, it's a different story. There's a real cultural renaissance going on. As a good example, we've seen five new bookstores pop up in Kyiv in just one month, and Ukrainian authors are topping the bestseller lists. It's like there's a newfound passion for Ukrainian literature.

Interview by @johannaurbancik Photos by Anton Orehov @oorehov Maya can be found on Instagram at @mayabaklanova

Additionally, the cultural community plays a crucial role in raising awareness about Ukraine on a global scale. Many cultural events, album releases, and art exhibitions are dedicated to promoting Ukrainian culture and identity to the world. This is quite an important mission, especially during challenging times.

Open yourself to Ukrainian culture, and then you'll have no questions about where to donate and why it's so important for all of us, including you, dear reader.

You might have noticed that russia isn’t capitalised in this text. Since the full scale invasion on February 24, 2022, several media outlets and organisations have adopted the convention of writing "putin," "moscow," "russia," and "russian federation" with lowercase letters as a sign of contempt.

"WHEN IT COMES TO THE GREAT DANGER TO OUR FREEDOM, CULTURE, AND ITS EXISTENCE, UNITY IS PARAMOUNT."

NUNS IN BAD Animation by Mert Degirmendereli / mertder.com / Instagram: @mertder1 Model is Christy, Tara, Viv, Sophie, Madeline, Kara digital asset of mertder.com Styling & Clothes by Mert Degirmendereli / mertder.com / Instagram: @mertder1 MUA: Mert Degirmendereli

HABITS 51

A Fusion of Tradition and Avant-Garde The series titled 'Nuns in Bad Habits' is an exploration that draws inspiration from the iconic architectural elements of traditional nun habits, which have long adorned the heads of these religious figures. The title encapsulates a double entendre, alluding to both their distinctive head garments and their veiled indiscretions. Within this series, the fusion of fashion and art is combined together. It marries the traditional with the avant-garde, taking essential elements from the source material and elevating them to an exaggerated and structured silhouette. The result is a collection of fashion portraiture that invites viewers to ponder the interplay between tradition and contemporary expression. 52

WHAT IS BEAUTY?

"When we asked ourselves what beauty is, we looked inside and understood that beauty is the opportunity and the courage to give people a voice, to tell their story and their version of beauty. In a world where inclusion is not yet outdated, our "What is Beauty?" project really wants to create beauty with images that should be accepted, admired and respected with greater love. In this case, we choose to tell the story of Michele, Sharon and Sara."

Photography by Myriam Tisbo / www.myriamtisbo.com / @myriamtisbo Styling by Sofia Roma / @sofiaroma_____ Makeup by Federica Omenetto / @feliciaeccentric Hair by Sergio Sorbello / @sergiosorbello Photography assistant is Nicole Nicora / @nicole.nicora Video by Matteo Mastrogiuseppe / @matteomastrogiuseppe Assistants Styling are Bahar Khatony / @baharr.kt and Lorena Brunco / @lorena_brunco Producer is Ilaria Ionata / @jaja_su_tela Talents are Michele Bianchini / @mich.palle Sharon Malatesta / @tsk.sha Sara Santi / @_miro_______ 60

Left Jumpsuit by Shunting Qui Mesh Belt by Linden Festival Belt by Inan Studio Right Shirt by Shunting Qui Top by Vivetta 61 Shorts by Relish

"JOIN US ON THIS EXTRAORDINARY VOYAGE AS WE UNVEIL THE RAW, UNFILTERED BEAUTY THAT RESIDES WITHIN US ALL." 62

Skirt and bra by Dennj

Dress by Patchouli Studio Earring by Bea Bongiasca Neck Belt by Inan Studio

Corset by Dennj Slip by Patchouli Studio Jeans by Lois Bag by Rosantica

Earring by Rosantica Shirt 100% Lino Blazer by Tarea Studio

Total look by Windowsen

Dress by John Richmond Ring by Rosantica

Blazer by Annakiki Belt by John Richmond

Skirt by Dennj Bra by Dennj Mask by Agglomerati

Body by Patchouli Studio

ANDREA OCAMPO: THE DEPTHS OF EDITORIAL ILLUSTRATION In a world, where emotions are masterfully captured through strokes of a pen, Andrea Ocampo stands out as an exceptional illustrator. With a journey marked by determination and a passion for art, Ocampo's exploration of editorial illustration has brought us into a realm where stories are told through a collision of imagination and visual imagery. We had the pleasure of delving into the mind and artistic process of the talented artist. Throughout Ocampo's artistic evolution, her style has undergone a metamorphosis, defying categorisation in its ever-changing nature. However, one can often find a figurative emphasis in her work, with the human form serving as a central element. Yet, it is the emotional depth that truly sets her illustrations apart. Each piece is a window into a world imbued with hints of melancholy, inviting viewers to explore the complexities of their own emotions.

Can you tell us about your journey as an illustrator and how you developed an interest in editorial illustration? Well, my journey as an illustrator has been kind of difficult and has had its ups and downs and downs as life itself. I have always loved to draw even when I started to study a degree I didn’t like. I was always thinking about drawing or illustrating or just art. I decided to finish my degree (the one I hated) to get a job as an environmental engineer during the day and to study illustration at night in an academy in Bogotá, Colombia. I think this was the best decision I made. When I was studying illustration, our professors always had references and I always identified with those who draw about themselves (exploring graphic novels), or just imagining a world for a simple story or even a word. That’s when my interest in editorial illustration started.

How would you describe your artistic style and what elements or influences are prominent in your work? It’s hard to explain my own style because I feel my artistic style is constantly mutating, but sometimes I feel my art is in pupa and I don’t know how much time to take for a new idea. However, I can say my artistic style has a figurative emphasis, using the human figure as a central element always accompanied by emotional depth; my art conveys a sense of melancholy, suggestions and exploration of deep and complex emotions. On the other hand, I enjoy incorporating masks, anthropomorphic beings and reflections on the mirror in my illustrations.

Could you share an example of how you translate written or auditory language into visual images in your illustrations? It’s not always the same way. Nevertheless, my creative process is kind of chaotic (in my mind at the beginning). I start with an idea, wich could be -for example- a song that a musician gives me, the first thing I do is listen to the song, then I think about how I feel, and always ask if there is a preconceived concept. If there isn’t any, and I am free to draw, I make two or three sketches. These are about the feelings I had and about a phrase or word that the song has caught my attention or I consider to be the clue of the song. Sometimes I write the ideas and feelings, I’m also looking for references about the emotions I want to transmit. During my day-to-day, before I start to draw, I am very attentive to details and how I can relate them to the ideas I have. Sometimes I change everything because I see something in my day that is better than the initial idea. It is for this reason I said my process sometimes is chaotic but just in the beginning, once I have the sketch everything is easier and organic. 75

What role do small details and hidden messages play in your work? Can you give us an example? I mostly draw these small details and hidden messages in my personal work, but sometimes I can incorporate them in other paid jobs. The main role of these details is to reinforce an idea, this idea could be a “wink” or could be a clue for viewers who are free to interpret it. An example of this “wink” could be in my illustration “Fly” (“Vuelo”) where there is a moth girl who is letting butterflies fly away from her hands. It’s a metaphor for flying.

How do you find inspiration in everyday life and the fiction of the human mind? Can you share a specific experience or instance that inspired one of your most notable works? Observation is the clue. Observation and daydreaming. Sometimes we are immersed in our activities and our minds and we do not observe anything. We forget to be amazed. If you stop for one minute in the middle of the street and simply watch people walking around, you find yourself asking many things about these people. You can find beauty in chaos. Human emotions and personal experiences are a rich source of inspiration to me. A specific experience (that I can share) was one day when I was overthinking, meanwhile, I was taking a shower, so I saw my feet and they had hair strains from my head I realised that they looked like leaves, and I felt like a leafless tree. (So I drew it).

Can you tell us about your experience working on illustrations for virtual magazines? What challenges did you face, and what techniques or approaches did you employ? Whenever I start a new project, I always feel excited and anxious. I have had the chance to work for some magazines where writers share their fiction, so my work there is to interpret the stories. Sometimes, I’ve had to read them more than twice to find the best way to translate these stories into illustrations. As I read, I tend to figure out how I could draw some characters or situations, usually, I prefer being metaphoric and don’t give a direct drawing about a specific phrase – scene, unless the editorial director asked me to.

How do you approach creating infographics? Are there any specific guidelines or principles you follow to effectively communicate information through illustrations? When I have the chance to create infographics, the first thing I do is reading so much about the issue I have to work on. I make a summary and mind map about how would be the best way to diagram, incorporating illustrations and text, and obviously making my idea to be easily understood through the infographic. I think that specific guidelines to effectively communicate information through illustrations are being simple, using a proper colour palette and always knowing the context.

What has been your favorite project working with independent musicians? How do you collaborate with them to achieve a visually appealing representation of their music or brand? There is a band whose main character is a Snail, and all their album covers have this snail, snail skating, snail in space, snail surfing and all of those were made by me. I think this is my favourite project until now. The frontman always tells me what they want. He gives me an idea and I reply with three sketches about this idea, sometimes he chooses one and other times he wants a mix of two ideas. 80

Can you elaborate on your perspective on humor in your illustrations? How do you incorporate humor, and what do you hope to convey to the viewers through it? Hard question! Thinking about humour in my illustrations is hard because I think my sense of humour is absurd. However, I don’t know if this humour is in my art. Sometimes, I think it is, always using little details and thinking how this could be accurate for viewers.

How does your heritage or cultural background influence your work as an illustrator? Are there any particular themes or elements from your heritage that you incorporate into your illustrations? In some way my cultural background influences me, even if I don’t consider it as a reference. Everything surrounding my life so far has been an influence on me, even on my academic choices, like having started a career outside of art. The context where I grew up delayed my choice to study illustration, but in the end, I was able to do it. The nature of things has allowed me to keep my eye, find beauty and even be inspired by the ugly things of a social context. However, that’s not usually the main focus of my art. Recently, I made an illustration about the town where I grew up, and I had to stop and think about all the places where I have enjoyed and cried; the people who surrounded me and everything, it gave me a new perspective about my place as an artist here. Interview by Marcel Schlutt Follow Andrea at @ancrioca www.behance.net/ancrioca

@fashionclash_festival

Family Affair

The young boy came from a very strict and traditional family. He had always been pressured by his parents and society to behave in a certain way and conform to certain standards. However, since he was very young, he had always felt a strong attraction to the female world and fashion. Despite this, he had always kept these feelings hidden, even from himself. After finishing his studies at university, he was hired as a young lawyer in a prestigious law firm in Paris, where his father also worked. He was proud to be part of an outstanding team and to have the opportunity to work alongside his father, whom he had always considered his mentor. However, despite this success, he felt that something was wrong. He felt uncomfortable in the clothes he wore and in his own skin. As time went on, this dissatisfaction increased more and more. One day, he decided it was time to make an important decision. With his heart pounding, he decided to go to work dressed and made up as a woman. He was nervous about how his colleagues and especially his father would react, but he was also determined to follow his true nature.His father's reaction was exactly what he feared. When he entered the law office dressed as a woman, his father was shocked and disappointed. He did not understand how his son could have made such a decision and told him that such behaviour was inappropriate and would damage the reputation of the law firm. Despite the negative reactions of his father and some colleagues, he was happy to finally be himself. He began to appreciate his work even more and to receive praise for his talent and dedication. As time passed, his father also began to accept his choice and to see the value and importance of being himself, regardless of society's expectations. He continued to work successfully in the prestigious law firm and to be himself, dressed and made up as a woman. He was happy and fulfilled and knew that he had made the right decision. This story shows that love and acceptance can overcome any obstacle. Photography By Davide Corona Davidecoronaphoto.com / @Davide._.Corona_ Styling By Laura Aguilera / Laura-Aguilera.com / @Lauraaguilera.m Makeup By Sabine Leib / @Sabinemakeupartist Nails By Nita Garcia / @Nita_garcia_ Model Is Hana Bithek / @Hanabithek Photo Assisting By Karla Varas / @Karla.das Styling Assisting By Laura Manotas

Top and bottom by Morfium

Top and bottom by Morfium Boots by Selected

Top and bottom by Morfium Heels by Selected

Dress by Lena Erziak

Top and bottom by Morfium

Actor, model, singer, and queer icon—these labels just touch the surface of the multi-faceted superstar, Troye Sivan. Hailing from Australia, he embarked on his artistic journey in 2007, sharing videos of him singing on YouTube at the young age of 12. Since those early days, Troye has been immersed in a whirlwind of projects, gifting us with two studio albums, numerous EPs, and taking on various acting roles, including a notable appearance in Sam Levinson's, The Idol. After the successful release of the singles "Rush" and "Got Me Started" preceding his acclaimed third studio album, "Something To Give To Each Other," Troye has proven that he’s here to stay. The distinctive sound of "Rush" combined with an exceptionally cool video, followed by "Got Me Started" featuring a sample by Bag Raiders's "Shooting Stars," has showcased Troye's seemingly unstoppable momentum. From dancing with Tube Girl in London to gracing the catwalk for Miu Miu, and culminating in the release of his third album, 2023 has proven to be Troye's year.

TROYE SIVAN KALTBLUT had the opportunity to catch up with the singer prior to the album release, discussing Berlin, his favourite track from the latest album, and the current crucial importance of togetherness.

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How are you feeling with the album release coming up? Are you nervous? I'm feeling really good. I'm not really that nervous. It's been such a long build-up and I feel very ready, which is nice. I'm just so proud of the album. It's obviously a release, but it's also such a release when the album finally comes out, emotionally. I'm mentally preparing myself for that because it's a very intense experience. How long have you been working on the album? I want to say two and a half, three years, maybe. How does it feel releasing it now after such a long time? Have the songs changed for you since having recorded them? It changes the second something comes out and becomes a totally different thing to me. They still feel fresh to me now. Seeing the way that people reacted to a song like "Rush" brings all of this fresh excitement and energy back into the song and my life. I love it. You've released two songs before the album release, "Rush", which you just mentioned, and "Got Me Started". Both songs went viral and were really well-perceived. Does that take pressure off the album release? It kind of takes the pressure off a little bit, to be honest. For me, that's never really the goal. It's often when it happens, but it's never really the goal. For me, the pressure I feel more so is that by the time someone is finished listening to the album, they feel like they know where I'm at and connected to me, themselves and the people around them. That's the pressure I feel. You've probably been asked this several times, especially by German journalists. You filmed “Rush” in Berlin. Why? "Rush" is a party song. It's about the euphoria you feel when you're surrounded by people on a dance floor, it's hot and sweaty and the music is right. I've had spiritual experiences in those moments. When it came to filming the video, we could have tried to fake it. But the entire album cycle, I wanted everything to feel real. It had to be genuine and vulnerable. That's why I decided to do the real thing. And if you're going to party, where else do you go but Berlin? So we went, partied for a few days and filmed it. Besides the choreography, the video was not structured in any way. We sort of threw ourselves into these various rooms, partied, had fun and filmed it.

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While recording the song, did you already have Berlin in mind? I've been to Berlin before. I don't know that I necessarily thought about it in the studio besides partying. I genuinely don't think many places, if anywhere, do it better. It felt like an obvious thought. I wasn't sure it was going to get approved as far as budget and flying everyone to Berlin to make this video. When they said yes, I was over the moon. The video would not be what it is without Berlin. The video for "Got Me Started" was then filmed in Bangkok. Why did you choose Bangkok? Bangkok always stuck out to me as visually striking and it feels like the most alive city I've ever been to. The streets have this energy I've never felt before. On top of that, it's also a very queer city, which is inspiring to me. I've always wanted to make something there. "Rush" felt like a daytime party, "Got Me Started" felt very night, which is why I wanted to go to Bangkok and film it at night with the beautiful lights and people. It was important to me that this album felt like something that’s all about togetherness. I wanted to show that and me traversing through the world, having these beautiful experiences with beautiful people.

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Do you think that sense of togetherness is ever more important now? I do think it was a response to a lot of things. I've been living in the US throughout the Trump presidency, then COVID, and physically being not able to connect with people in the same ways we had before. At the time of writing the album during COVID, it was almost a fantasy as much as it was something that was happening to me at that time. It was an ambition to feel that connection again. I feel that comes through when listening to the album. You announced the tracklist a week before the release and revealed that "One Of Your Girls" is your favourite song. Why? I didn't know how I felt about that situation and used songwriting to help untangle it for myself. Through not knowing what I was feeling, I captured a lot of the layers and the nuance of the experience. It's an interesting song from a songwriter's perspective. I love the production, we really pushed ourselves. And to me, it's one of the songs I'm most proud of in my whole career. When you perform those songs, does it bring back those emotions or new emotions? I'm not sure because I haven't played these songs live yet. I haven't played live really since 2019, it's been a long time. I'm a little bit nervous about it. I am curious to see how it feels to sing, especially some of the older stuff, because I'm in such a different place now. It's gonna be really interesting and I don't know what it's gonna feel like. When looking at your social media accounts, you seem to be everywhere. How do you manage to do all that, including learning the choreographies for the videos? The days leading up to the videos were definitely some of the most stressful moments of the campaign. I was doing a million things. You've got this heavy, heavy weight on your shoulders, and in the back of your mind, you think about also having to learn the dance. I carved out time where I could rehearse. We rehearsed for "Rush" maybe for around two days, and for "Got Me Started", I had four days. I was doing stuff in the morning and then went rehearsing in the afternoon. There's a physical limit to how much I can dance because I'm not a dancer. I'm not that fit. After a couple of hours of dance rehearsals, you have to go home at a certain point and accept it as what it is. I also spent a lot of time on shoot day rehearsing. Well, my flatmate, who’s an ex-dancer, said earlier that your dancing looks great! Thank you for taking the time to speak to me, Troye! Stream the album here. Interview by @johannaurbancik Follow @troyesivan on Instagram to keep up with his projects. Photos by Stuart Winecoff and Universal Music This interview was conducted a week before Troye released his third studio album “Something To Give To Each Other” on October 13. 104

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Follow @dragracegermany / @paramountplusde

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Follow @dragracegermany / @paramountplusde

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NEW SNEAKERS Welcome to our sneaker guide, where we highlight three must-have sneakers that deserve a place in every wardrobe. Prepare to be inspired by these timeless classics blending style, comfort, and versatility. From iconic silhouettes to modern innovations, we proudly present the sneakers that will take your footwear game to the next level. Discover the perfect balance between fashion and function, as we showcase the essential sneakers everybody needs to own. Lace up and get ready to elevate your shoe collection!

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Introducing the Fresh Foam X 1080: The Ultimate Running Shoe Experience the perfect fusion of comfort and performance in New Balance remarkable creation, the Fresh Foam X 1080. From your everyday outings to the most exhilarating race days, this shoe delivers unrivaled versatility. Prepare to indulge in the smoothest transitions, thanks to the Fresh Foam X midsole cushioning, engineered for seamless landings and powerful push-offs. With its second-skin style mesh upper, this marvel offers exceptional breathability and unwavering support. It's time to elevate your running game to new heights with the Fresh Foam X 1080. 109

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ASICS x GmbH GEL-KAYANO Legacy Sneaker The GEL-KAYANO LEGACY sneaker draws inspiration from different GEL-KAYANO designs and the milestones that influenced the series' 30-year history. ASICS started with the GEL-KAYANO 14 sneaker for this silhouette's base construction and modified its upper with various materials and badge details that were taken from various eras of the GEL-KAYANO timeline.

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SALOMON AND BORIS BIDJAN SABERI For the first time, Salomon and 11 by Boris Bidjan Saberi have collaborated on a unique Athletic Bouldering FW23 collection which will live alongside the eponymous 11 by Boris Bidjan Saberi seasonal dyed range. The ongoing partnership has evolved to incorporate footwear, apparel and packs through a unique athletic bouldering concept. The collection takes inspiration from Salomon’s heritage in mountain sports and the athletic outdoors and Boris’ passion for climbing, resulting in a very specific design language attributed to both the specificities of bouldering and adapted utilitarianism.

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MR NEEDS CONCEPT/PHOTOGRAPHY/EDIT - NIK PATE WWW.NIKPATE.COM @NIKPATESTUDIO MODEL - CHAY NEEDS @CHAYNEEDS_ HAIR & MAKEUP - ROSIE MCGINN USING FENTY BEAUTY & REFY WWW.ROSIEMCGINNMAKEUP.COM / @ROSIEMCGINNMAKEUP ALL FASHION PIECES - BRIAN DE CARVALHO WWW.BRIANDECARVALHO.CO.UK @BRIANDECARVALHO MILLINARY PIECE - RAFA PEINADOR WWW.RAFAPEINADOR.COM @RAFA_PEINADOR

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EXPLORING THE INTERSECTION OF ART, HERITAGE, AND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES!

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Interview by Marcel Schlutt

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Materialistic

Ohii Katya, a self-taught Ukrainian artist currently residing in Rome, Italy, thrives in creating immersive installations, sculptures, and performances. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for her craft, her work transcends boundaries and stimulates the senses. In this exclusive interview, we delve deep into Ohii Katya's artistic journey, the influence of her heritage, and the captivating world she creates.

Your work has a truly mesmerizing quality. Can you share your artistic influences and how they shape your creative process? I would say nature, which is constantly changing, mutating, taking on bizarre and sometimes grotesque forms. It’s so familiar, but at the same time inexplicable and often frightening. It is a main source of inspiration for me and shaped my interest in a central topic in my practice - metamorphosis and the allure of the odd.

I feel inspired by the cosy rainy greyness of an autumn morning when you can put on headphones and walk the familiar concrete for hours, while your brain explodes with creative ideas. Spring and summer with their incredible air, as bright and short as a flash, when you live an intense life for a short period, you gain more impressions and get prepared to fall into the white coma of winter with its tasty hot tea.

Your heritage plays a significant role in your artistic expression. How does Ukraine, your home country, inspire and inform your work, even while being based in Rome?

Immersive installations are a prominent aspect of your artistic repertoire. Could you tell us more about the experience you aim to create for viewers and the emotions you hope to evoke?

The place we live in creeps into our pores most efficiently through the small details of everyday life, changing us and, of course, influencing everything we do.

I like creating realms and bringing people in. I am happy to immerse the viewer and their senses by travelling through these fairytale terrains.

For me, it was the contrast between the baroque, blooming forest and the faceless walls of the buildings. It was the fairytales grandmothers told me, filled with magic.

I am very curious how the repetitive patterns, and the rituals we do influence our consciousness. I am attracted to the odd, unknown, and mysterious. I am fascinated by nature.

It was the constantly changing and economically unstable atmosphere of my childhood. I was also influenced by friends and family members, each original in their own way, like book characters.

An old memory comes to mind: I lived next to a fairly large forest. Being a kid, I used to play one game with my friends. 133

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When it was getting dark, we sneaked to the border where the forest began. Lots were drawn and the one who lost had to go into the depths alone, as far as their courage would let them while the rest waited outside. The forest hung like a solid impenetrable wall. The trees were tall. The darkness in the depths was so black and dense, it even seemed tangible. And when you entered it, your child’s brain began to draw all the most unimaginable things and creatures that could hide in there. You feel you are completely alone, and even if you start screaming, your friends will run away. You are pierced by a numbing fear, not of a specific danger but of the unknown. Nature, of which you are a part, seems alien, inexplicable, almost divine as if you are faced with a completely different logic that you cannot understand. You want to simultaneously run away and climb deeper into this impenetrable forest, merge with it. There for the first time, I had an acute feeling of something weird, odd, present in nature, and therefore in ourselves, in our bodies. Maybe I am always trying to recreate that forest in different ways within my art. Sculpture is another medium where your talent shines. Can you explain the connection between the physical presence of your sculptures and the conceptual ideas behind them? The main theme behind my art is the process of metamorphosis. Sculptural pieces represent the hybrid entities in a certain phase of their persistent formation as if we could witness a greatly speeded-up evolutionary process, occurring right before our eyes. Imagine the movement, the boiling mass, the constant growth, as if something was tearing the fleshy vessel from the inside, or, on the contrary, twisting and sapping it. When I thought about this, an image came to mind of how clumps of obscure substance, either liquid or viscous, were sprouting out tearing the body or a surface, how the number of limbs was increasing and decreasing, how they changed size and structure. Now imagine it as a video sequence, where you pick only one frame from the ongoing process, where the process of change is frozen in time. I guess somehow similar to how we observe the mutation and evolution of a species, everything is changing, but the timing of this change is so slow for us as if we were able to see only that one frame from a video sequence for a lifetime. Performance art is an integral part of your portfolio. How do you use live performances to complement your installations and sculptures, and what do you aim to communicate through these performances? Performances are the pieces of the puzzle, together with sculptures and installations, that form the odious fictional world, where the underlying tension between eroticism and abjection, the fear of the unknown, and the lure of the new and odd is evoked, where the characters undergo grotesque transformations in search of their identity and place in the world. 138

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Your website showcases a diverse range of projects. Is there a particular body of work that you consider your most significant or personally meaningful? If so, could you share why it holds such importance for you? I love all my projects! Complimenting each other, they shape one solid world. Probably the most significant for me was my first solo exhibition, Morula, curated by Stefania Plaza Mora because within that show so many things happened first. This was my first massive multidisciplinary project that spanned sculpture, installation, and performance. Even more: within Morula I experimented with installation and performance for the first time! The show also included collaborations with the Australian video artist Finn O’Hanlon, the Italian composer Michele Papa, and many other people who helped me along the way. And last but not least, straight after Morula, the idea of an imaginary world, stratified into castes was born. This world now serves as a conceptual basis for some of my current projects. Your works seem to blur the lines between reality and imagination. Could you elucidate on this concept and how it manifests in your art? This effect is visible in my installations made from organic materials. Composed of dried branches and burnt sugar, often inhabited by living insects, these bizarre structures, seemingly completely natural, mimic something bizarre and alienating, causing a disturbing feeling, on the verge of sleep and reality. The same game between reality and imagination manifests itself in my sculptural works. Especially in the series about Voyeurs, creatures inhabiting a dystopian fictional realm, stratified into castes. With their sleek and shiny black shapes, I was playing with the perception of what is real and what is virtual. They seem to be digital 3D models, while in reality they are meticulously sculpted and painted by hand. Collaboration often yields interesting results. Have you ever worked with other artists or art collectives, and if so, how did it influence your artistic direction? In such a complex media, like installation, collaboration is even a necessity. Most often I collaborate with video and sound artists. It helps me get expertise I do not have straight from the professionals; it helps to make a piece more diverse and complete by adding different layers. 143

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There is also a community-building element, creating a world together with the artists you appreciate, sharing ideas and emotions is one of the best activities ever! My recent favourite collaboration is the installation and live performance, Feast, the sound for which was composed by the music duo from Milan, Grotesque (Alessandro Vignati and Simone Chiodini). The performance took place at Como Contemporanea (CoCo), a former silk factory, where I was transformed into a human/insect hybrid creature, carousing on a baroque 100kg still-life hanging from the factory ceiling. Another collaboration is the video work, BALIA, directed by Finn O’Hanlon, and featuring my same-name live performance, showing a creature with silicone-glued eyes awakened inside a makeshift womb, shaped like the body of a huge woodlice. Last but not least, I collaborated with the Italian band Archivio Futuro for their music video Deserto Giallo, directed by Leonardo Parata. For this project, I created the masks Volto and Venetian Devil, and an installation IZBA.

Like the Cannibal Buffet performance, whose grotesque story unfolds on the altar of an abandoned monastery, the choice of place was not random; the well-known tradition of eating the body of Christ in Christian churches, nowadays symbolic, is an echo of ancient pagan rituals associated with cannibalism. Looking to the future, what exciting projects or ideas are you currently exploring? Any hints you can give us about your next artistic venture? I have several long-term projects I’m working on. The main and the most complex is taking place in the dystopian realm stratified into reigning and subaltern castes: Voyeurs and Executors, involved in ceremonial spectacle. This fictional world is obsessed with persistent metamorphosis and a craving for the unknown, which results in the performance of phantasmagoric rites that distort and transform participants and often involve the erotic confluence of executors with the elements of nonhuman chimerical nature.

Many of your pieces are site-specific, interacting seamlessly with their surroundings. Can you share with us the significance of this approach and how it integrates with your artistic vision? There is always a certain narrative behind each piece. I perceive my works as nonlinear fairytale chapters; each project is a part of the world or an ecosystem that functions in a particular way. With this approach, specific events serve specific places, like a certain type of animal or plant that inhabits a certain area and does not exist in another. Since the central theme in my art is the process of metamorphosis, the places are either in a state of change or destruction. The characters and materials chosen for the projects not only visually adapt and harmonize with the architectural structure of the building or landscape but also have a conceptual connection with the places.

FOLLOW OHII ON INSTAGRAM @OHIIKATYA TO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST ARTWORKS. WWW.OHIIKATYA.COM 146

ONE TO WATCH LARASEVERA

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Redefining Knitwear, One Stitch at a Time Welcome to our exclusive interview with LARASEVERA, the innovative knitwear brand that has set the fashion industry ablaze with its groundbreaking designs. In this comversation, we delve into the creative process and inspirations behind this up-and-coming label, as it takes the world by storm with its debut collection. LARASEVERA, founded by the visionary designer Lara Severa, challenges conventions and redefines the perception of knitwear. What sets this brand apart is its ability to seamlessly blend timeless design with a modern understanding of silhouettes and shapes. Lara's keen eye for magnifying the potential of knitted fabrics has resulted in a collection that transcends traditional notions of knitwear, offering a diverse range of unisex suits, coats, fine dresses, and accessories. The brand effortlessly combines the comfort we associate with knitwear, with a distinct contemporary edge. The Spring/Summer 2024 collection from LARASEVERA is a testament to the brand's fearless approach to fashion. By fusing unisex ready-to-wear pieces with avant-garde all-black knit couture, Lara Severa demonstrates her audacious vision. Join us as we delve into the world of LARASEVERA, where tradition meets cutting-edge innovation, and where the limits of knitwear are shattered, giving birth to a new era in fashion. Take a front-row seat and prepare to be captivated by the magic woven with every stitch. www.larasevera.com / @larasevera 149

What was the inspiration behind LARASEVERA's debut collection at Soho House Berlin? The Inspiration for me for my first and my second Collection is people and conversations. I love making people smile with my knits and hearing more what people like and just seeing what everyone is wearing always inspires me to knit. Plus I always love surprising people with Knits that are “unusual” like knitted male skirts or Pants. Besides that, I just like to get inspired by the Yarns and the Process itself. Sometimes I start knitting and I don’t even know where it's going. I just let myself “ flow “ and listen to Jazz music. Sometimes the music just takes me to a place. I actually designed some pieces just based on a song. Could you share the significance of showcasing the new work on the opening day of Paris Fashion Week? It was definitely a dream come true for me. Paris has such a big place in my heart as I am originally a tailor and love the craftsmanship of creating garments I always felt like Paris is the right place for my brand. After showing in Berlin and Los Angeles it felt only right to bring my next Collection to Paris. But I have to say I was nervous because the standards for PfW are high and it was out of my comfort zone showing my work in Paris. I was worried about getting ‘ accepted ‘into the Paris Fashion world for sure. But it was such a beautiful experience and the feedback has been amazing so I can’t wait for the next. How did LARASEVERA aim to redefine the perception of knitwear through its Spring/ Summer 2024 collection? Most people when they think of Knitwear immediately think about nice colorful sweaters and comfort.I try to show that Knitwear can be more than a sweater that’s why I really tried to create Unisex suits, Coats, Fine dresses, sunglasses cases and all types of accessories. 150

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Can you elaborate on the fusion of unisex ready-to-wear and all-black knit couture in the collection? Yes. I have been getting a lot more feedback about how I have to kind of choose if I want to do women's, men's, couture or RTW because it doesn’t make sense to mix everything in one Collection. I just don’t like to be put in one box so I tried to combine everything and still have it harmonised with each other. I am a big Jazz lover and when I knit, I always listen to jazz and get inspired by the music. The collection is like a jazz jam session. A bit all over the place but at the end it still harmonizes. That's why the Campaign shoot was shot on a stage and we added a trumpet in some images. In the end, the yarns and everything being knitted combine everything. What motivated you to personally handcraft each garment in the collection? To be honest, I do it all by hand because I can’t afford to do everything with industrial Machines. Sampling industrially is very expensive. I've been wanting to do my own brand for years and I kept having the excuse I can’t do it because knitting with industrial machines is too expensive. One day I just decided I could still show what I can do with the resources that I have. I started knitting in my apartment nonstop. I do love making things by hand and putting all of my love in each garment. Long term I need to find a way to industrialise part of it because it just takes too long to do everything by hand. How does LARASEVERA combine timeless design with a modern understanding of silhouettes and shapes? I always try to “honour“ the heritage of knitwear and craftsmanship behind it but at the same time, I try to push the boundaries to make it modern so it fits in the present fashion landscape. Knitwear is still something very timeless and I hope doing chunky knit pants and other more unusual knitted pieces won't lose its appeal through time and stay timeless like a knit sweater. If that makes sense. Can you tell us more about the traditional knitting styles that you utilize in your designs? I use anything from hand knitting with needles and crochet. To handknitting machines that I have in my Apartment. It is a very old school way of knitting, back in the day a lot of our grandmas would have a hand-knit machine in their basement to knit sweaters or scarves. I used to learn how to use them ten years ago in my tailor apprenticeship. You are very limited in what you can do compared to industrial machines but it is still a fun way of knitting and a way to knit finer yarns.

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How do you go about selecting high-quality yarns for your creations? I go to Italy to one of the biggest yarn trade shows called PITTI FILATTI and make appointments directly with all the Italian suppliers to see and touch the full Yarn Collection. I also get sponsored with yarn by Marc Cain which is the company that trained me back in the day. They do all knit Production in Germany with yarns from Italy. They sponsored me with 1,8 tonnes of Italian Yarns they didn’t need anymore. That way it's more sustainable and I still get to use Yarns that I usually couldn’t afford on my own. High-quality yarns are very expensive. I also started a GoFundMe to develop a yarn custom in Italy to create a yarn that looks a bit like fake leather for some of my looks. What steps did LARASEVERA take to establish itself as a globally connected brand? I did three shows now in three different countries from Berlin to Los Angeles and now Paris to gain a wider audience. Knits are for everybody even in Los Angeles where it's mostly warm. I felt like whatever happened in Berlin took a while Roget more attention abroad. For me, after my first show here it was clear to me to try everything I could to gain a more global audience. What message does LARASEVERA want to convey about the potential of knitwear in the fashion industry? Knitwear is so much more than a sweater. I feel like I said that now multiple time. But really Knitwear is such a versatile medium for artistic expression, Innovation but also sustainability. Knitting is the most sustainable way of making garments as you knit in shape and have no waste. If more brands would do more knits the fashion industry wouldn’t be one of the most polluting industries in the world. The waste that comes with cutting and sewing is such a big problem. Besides that knitting can be used in technology and there are really endless possibilities. The Machines nowadays are incredible. I can’t wait to have my own machines one day hopefully soon and show what more knitwear can be. How does LARASEVERA's heritage as a German brand influence its creative process? A difficult question to be honest. I come from a small town in southern Germany. When I go home to my family in the black forest, it definitely helps me to calm down and breathe. Often when I come back to the city from being home, I feel more clear and motivated to get back to work. Life at home is more simple which helps sometimes to get "back to reality" if that makes sense. 154

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Could you describe the labour of love involved in the handcrafting of each LARASEVERA garment? It starts with sourcing the right yarn. Sometimes I hand-dye them at home and hang up the yarns on my balcony to dry. I start swatching to see how the yarn looks knitted. From there I start sketching or if I don’t think of something, I just start knitting. Then I start writing the knit pattern of each pattern piece to knit in shape. I crochet or stitch the pieces together. Sometimes I don’t leave the house for days because I am in such a tunnel with a knit. I even talk to the knits sometimes. I hope that doesn’t make me sound crazy. I really love each piece I make. They are now in Paris at a showroom and I cried when I left them there. They are all alone now so far away from me. What differentiates LARASEVERA from other knitwear brands in terms of pushing the boundaries of the craft? When I started I looked at what is out there right now to see what I could do differently, as there as so many beautiful knitwear brands out there right now. It was very focused on the female market, colourful knits or had the old school brands that make beautiful sweaters. I saw a lack in the menswear market and in full-knit looks. So knitted suits and pants. It was really focused more on tops and dresses. That's when I decided to focus on unisex and try to really work on knitting full looks. But in general, there are not that many fully Knitwear brands out there. Most come from London, there are some incredible knit designers. But as knit is so expensive to sample most knit brands struggle or start doing other products as well. In what ways will LARASEVERA convince people that knitwear is more than just knitwear? I want to push more boundaries of traditional knitwear and really show that anything can be knitted. My goal is through the next years to really build a knit universe that goes beyond clothing.If you look closer you already see that furniture for example is already a lot more knits than most people realize. It gives me so much joy spreading my love for knits and seeing people get inspired to get some yarn and create. Interview by Marcel Schlutt Concept & Creative Direction: @lenaklennert Photographer: @arnaud.ele Photographer Assistant: @noemiebalazs_ Fashion Direction & Styling: @ahmedtohamyy Models: @clumsy__b @akflowerboi @hnnngspnhlz @chanelllla @highigherhai H&MU: @labiosthetiqueparis_pro @labiosthetiqueparis @fritzenwanker @christinaoesterhaus 159

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A HOT CHOCOLATE FOR MORE JUSTICE A SWEET COLLABORATION BETWEEN MONO AND INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE MISSION GERMANY

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In a harmonious blend of style and philanthropy, the renowned family business Mono and International Justice Mission Germany (IJM) join forces again, creating a delightful partnership that will captivate Mono enthusiasts. With a touch of elegance, the Mono A cutlery series lends its graceful coffee spoon to a special chocolate edition, ensuring that 100% of the proceeds go towards charity.

FROM COFFEE SPOON TO CHOCOLATE SPOON The birth of the Mono A cutlery series marked a pivotal moment in establishing the Mono brand. Since its introduction in 1959, Peter Raacke's timeless cutlery design has remained unrivalled. Now, the Mono A family welcomes a new member, albeit temporarily: the coffee spoon transforms into the chocolate spoon. This elegant spoon gracefully dips into a portion of exquisite hot chocolate. A solid chocolate cube, Fairtrade-certified and hailing from a Dutch family business located a mere 200km from Mono's headquarters in Mettmann, simply needs to be submerged in warm milk and stirred, swiftly transforming into a cup of comforting hot chocolate, perfect for cold days.

HUMANITARIAN BENEFIT IJM holds steadfast in its commitment to protecting the rights of marginalized individuals worldwide who suffer from extreme violence. Focusing particularly on combating human trafficking and modern slavery, IJM CEO, Dietmar Roller, emphasizes the organization's efforts in addressing exploitative child labour in Ghana. The chocolate spoon, a remarkable catalyst for change, ensures a 100% donation. Each spoon sold enables a direct contribution of €30 to support the tireless work of IJM's team in Ghana. Collaborating closely with local authorities, this initiative has already secured the rescue of numerous children from inhumane conditions and has brought perpetrators to justice. "Countless boys and girls are denied the joy of education and play as they are forcefully coerced into labour," adds Dietmar Roller. "The spoon's donation empowers our work, granting more children a life of safety.

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STYLISH IN BLUE At the heart of the Mono A series lies its iconic minimalism: clean lines, functional stainless steel, and a silky matte finish. The Mono x IJM chocolate spoon adheres to this elegant design philosophy, demanding attention with its remarkable features. The front of the handle end features a dishwasher-safe screen print in the visually pleasing IJM blue, capturing the imagination with a touch of charm. Further enchantment awaits upon closer inspection, as the back of the handle bears a distinctive laser engraving—a captivating seal of unity between both partners, akin to a signature of their commitment. The IJM x Mono chocolate spoon is not merely a meaningful product—it is a charming gift that serves a triple purpose. It offers the perfect gift idea, eschewing unnecessary consumption in favour of supporting a worthy project. Simultaneously, it tempts the senses as a delectable culinary delight, soon becoming a cherished favourite for the lucky recipient.

THE MUCH-AWAITED LAUNCH IS SET FOR NOVEMBER 7TH, 2023, PROMISING TO ENRAPTURE HEARTS AND TANTALIZE TASTE BUDS ALIKE. The IJM x Mono Chocolate Spoon is a product that is both useful and charming, serving a triple purpose: a perfect gift idea without unnecessary consumption, a donation to a worthy project, and a delightful temptation and new favorite spoon all at once.

PRICE: 30 EUR DONATION PORTION: 100% www.mono.de @monogermany www. ijm-deutschland.de @ijm_deutschland

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NURA IN CONVERSATION WITH

KALTBLUT caught up with German musician, actor and bestselling author, Nura, to delve deep into the thought processes behind her work, the challenges she faces in the industry, and what’s next on her musical horizon. While her new album features an eclectic mix of sounds and vibes, its genesis and inspiration are deeply rooted in Nura's own experiences and beliefs. From collaborating with her dog, to a surprise jazz-inspired track, and a fearless statement made with her album cover, Nura’s creativity knows no bounds.

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"I SEE MYSELF FIRST AND FOREMOST AS A BLACK WOMAN IN RAP, WHICH IS HOW I POSITION MYSELF."

Let's talk about your new album “Periodt”, out since October, 6. Your dog Chili is also on it. How did that collaboration come about? In fact, Chili is featured in the song “Bella” with a really loud bark. It wasn't easy to record her barking, I had to beg for it. I wanted her to have a proper artist credit, featuring Chili But dogs are not registered with GEMA. Crazy, right? Registering her would have taken a lot of time, which meant the release would’ve been pushed back. For me, this is 100 % a reason to postpone an album, but I can't release the album after the tour... so: sorry Chili, next album. Your album contains different sounds and vibes. Was that intentional? All in all, I have been working on “Periodt” for over one and a half years now. Other musicians have a read thread following through their albums, I don't think I ever had that, not with any album. I make the music I'm in the mood for at that moment, which means different phases of life come together. I don't need a concept for that. Some songs are out there, some are calmer, and others are statements through and through. 169

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Musically, the song “Diego” stands out with its jazzy vibes. What inspired you to write it? At some point, I heard a melody on the way to the studio. It was Radio Paradiso-like, and I had this rhythm in my head all day. I recorded this kind of elevatorstyle music in the studio and rhymed everything with the same ending as a joke. The whole thing came about as a freestyle and fun song. I sent the track to friends and suddenly everyone had it stuck in their heads. The song wasn't originally supposed to be on the album either, but one thing led to another. In the end, I'm very happy the song that took me the least time to write and came out of nowhere is now part of the album. It proves there are no rules. Nobody can tell me I am a rapper, a songwriter or a singer. I don't have to make a certain kind of music. I like to try out different things and find out what suits me. If I wanted to, I could do Schlager tomorrow - that would be a shame for Helene Fischer, though. Is there a Diego out there, or is he fictional? If he exists and someone feels addressed, send them through to me! My girls asked me: where is Diego? In the end, the song is an appeal to the male world: it doesn't take much to treat a woman well. It's not about "buy me Gucci, a car and all of Dubai". It's sweet and nice when a man takes you home at night, asks if you´ve arrived safely, or holds the door open for you... be attentive and a nice, good person – it doesn´t matter what gender you are. Meanwhile, women are slowly more represented in German Rap. Do you see it as a challenge to be represented as a queer woman? I see myself first and foremost as a Black woman in Rap, which is how I position myself. You don't see my queerness directly on my face, but my blackness. Although I don't want to make it a topic in every song, at the end of the day, that's my reality, my life. This perspective is part of my music because I like to talk about it, and I think it's important, not because the public expects me to be. Other people write diaries, I write down my thoughts and make songs out of them.

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Some people might take this as activism, but it’s your story. It's funny that people call my music activism. I don't think it's activism, it's human. Making sure everyone has the same chance, and that everyone is treated equally so no one disadvantaged. Just be nice and sweet. It's such a beautiful thing! It's nice to look out for other people. People often don't care, and I think we've also become jaded in this respect through social media. In this context, do you have the feeling that you have to act as a role model for your community? I don't want to be a role model, because I know I'm just not in many ways. I have never wanted to be. I make a lot of mistakes, I'm sometimes irresponsible, and I don't like to be put on a pedestal. That's why I don't even try to live up to a standard that doesn't suit me. I’m a bit of a troublemaker, I don't want to let anyone take that away from me. I'm also not a role model when it comes to my health - my music and my work always have priority, and I often put myself in the back of the queue. When it comes to charity and humanity though, you can learn something from me. It's hard for me to say no and it gives me an incredible amount of love to give back to my community. For example, when someone is happy that I reply on Instagram, it makes me happy, too. Even if it's often unimaginable for me because I don't see myself that way. I could never cancel a concert either. I want my shows to be a blast and for people to get their money's worth. There will be one or two features on the album. Among other things, you did a song together with your brother for the first time. How did that come about? We've had the idea for a long time and our mum has asked us so often why we don't make music together. He's just starting again. He used to do street rap under the name Moe Stwanted, which didn't fit with my music. Now, under the stage name Yung Madara, I have brought him on board. The Song “10 Million” was the first time he worked on a political song. Being in the studio with him and bringing everything together was a great experience. I am very proud and happy he’s on two songs on the album. 172

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"IF YOU'RE NOT BLEEDING YOURSELF, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT - YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT'S LIKE TO ENDURE THIS PAIN EVERY MONTH OR TO BE AFRAID OF BEING LAUGHED AT FOR IT."

With a new album comes a new aesthetic. Your new album cover is a statement in itself. What do you associate with it? The album itself is very feminine, which is why it's called “Periodt”. The blood, the nudity, it's provocative. A nude photo still triggers certain people. I think the picture is very aesthetic, and that it can be taken as a provocation ultimately says more about our society. The fact that bleeding and menstruation are still partly taboo simply cannot be. I grew up with the disgust for it that men, in particular, instilled in me. That people who don't bleed allow themselves to judge upset me. If you're not bleeding yourself, keep your mouth shut you have no idea what it's like to endure this pain every month or to be afraid of being laughed at for it. That's exactly what happened to me, I don't want to do that anymore, and that's why this album cover exists. Besides the new album and the tour, are there any other projects in the future? For me, after one and a half years, the album is no longer new, I need new music now. I like to experiment with beats, and I tried new things on this album. I still want to do that, and I can only say this much for the future: I'm up for going in the direction of Drum'N'Bass. FOLLOW @NURA ON INSTAGRAM THIS INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED A WEEK BEFORE THE RELEASE OF NURA’S ALBUM. PHOTOS BY UNIVERSAL MUSIC & TATSIANA TRIBUNALOVA @TATSIANATRIBUNALOVA

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BERLIN

TRASH COUTURE PHOTOGRAPHY: NICKY DE SILVA / WWW.NICKYDESILVA.COM / @NICKYDESILVA TALENTS: GIA / MART / JACQUELINE DESIGNER: ADAM SHAZARD SUNDBOO / KLEIDUNGS|WERK / @KLEIDUNGS_WERK HAIR & MAKEUP: LOUISE BRUUN / @LOUISEBRUUNMAKEUPARTIST USING KEVIN MURPHY

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„Coming from the underground club scene in Berlin, we introduce to you, a view into the creative nature of expression through music , performance, design and visual art in the gothic subculture. Our models in this story live this every night through performance art and dj’ing in the clubs of Berlin. Here dressed by Kleidungswerk by Danish-Pakistanish designer Adam Sharzard Sundoo throughout the images. The gothic expression find new ways of being and developing. Shot by Danish photographer Nicky De Silva in his studio in Copenhagen together with hair and makeup artist Louise Bruun.“

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Photo courtesy of Guggenheim Bilbao

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PICASSO SCULPTOR: EXPLORING MATTER AND BODY IN THE ART WORLD

Guggenheim Bilbao presents an extraordinary exhibition that will captivate art enthusiasts, immersing them in the groundbreaking world of Pablo Picasso. The mesmerising exhibition, titled 'Picasso Sculptor: Matter and Body', will run till January 14, 2024, marking a significant milestone in the artistic legacy left by the renowned artist.

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In 2023, Guggenheim Bilbao commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of Picasso's passing, igniting a year filled with appreciation for his invaluable contributions to the artistic realm. France, Spain, and various international communities join forces to celebrate the profound impact of Picasso's work. Today, as we celebrate his enduring legacy, it becomes essential to reflect upon the relevance and significance of his artistic creations in contemporary Western modernity. This exhibition seeks to showcase the living, accessible, and timeless nature of Picasso's works. 196

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The 'Picasso Celebration 1973-2023' is a collaborative initiative led by the Musée national Picasso-Paris, serving as the primary contributor and coordinator, in conjunction with Bernard Picasso, the artist's grandson and president of FABA and the Picasso Museum in Malaga. In Spain, support is extended by the Spanish National Commission for the 50th anniversary commemoration of Pablo Picasso's demise. This grand event comprises approximately fifty exhibitions and a series of events hosted by esteemed cultural institutions across Europe and North America. Together, these gatherings offer fresh interpretations and approaches, shedding new light on the study and understanding of Picasso's artistic oeuvre. Thanks to the combined efforts of the French and Spanish governments, a bilateral commission has been established to ensure a seamless collaboration in this significant transnational event. Throughout the year, official celebrations in France and Spain will punctuate this commemoration, culminating with an international symposium in the autumn of 2023, coinciding with the opening of the Picasso Study Centre in Paris. This celebration serves as a tribute to Picasso's enduring influence and paves the way for the future Musée national Picasso-Paris.

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The cornerstone of this extraordinary exhibition, 'Picasso Sculptor: Matter and Body', curated by Carmen Giménez, accompanied by Lucía Agirre, captures nearly sixty years of Picasso's sculptural endeavors. Offering a unique artistic perspective, this exhibition navigates through Cubism, abstraction, primitivism, and the incorporation of found objects. One cannot help but marvel at the interdisciplinary inspiration reflected in Picasso's prodigious body of work. Throughout his artistic journey, Picasso fearlessly defied conventions by seamlessly merging various artistic modes. Although sculpture may be his lesser-known domain, glimpses into Picasso's personal spaces, captured in numerous photographs, reveal a constant presence of sculptures in his intimate surroundings. These sculptures, cherished additions to his private collection, served as testaments to his boundless creativity, brought to life through diverse materials such as wood, iron, plaster, cement, metal, and bronze. Presented by the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in collaboration with the Museo Picasso Málaga, 'Picasso Sculptor: Matter and Body' forms an integral part of the international program, the Picasso Celebration 1973–2023. Generously supported by the National Commission for the 50th Anniversary Commemoration of Pablo Picasso's passing and with the exceptional collaboration of the Musée national Picasso-Paris, this exhibition promises an immersive artistic experience. Telefónica joins as the Collaborating Company in Spain, further enriching this extraordinary celebration of a true artistic genius. Step into the enchanting world crafted by Picasso himself, exploring the intricate relationship between matter and body through his remarkable sculptures. Witness the convergence of painting, drawing, engraving, ceramics, and sculpture, as Picasso seamlessly transcended boundaries and ignored the limitations imposed by conventional norms. Join us on this awe-inspiring journey as Guggenheim Bilbao pays homage to the indomitable spirit and irreplaceable artistry of a true visionary - Pablo Picasso.

FIND OUR MORE ABOUT THIS EXHIBITION VIA WWW.GUGGENHEIM-BILBAO.EUS @MUSEOGUGGENHEIM 201

Graphic design concept: Stefaniia Bodnia and Aliona Ciobanu - Courtesy of the Kyiv International Biennale.

Against the Logic of War The fifth edition of Kyiv Biennial will be international and will take place in Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Uzhhorod, Vienna, Warsaw and Berlin. In view of the brutal Russian attack on Ukraine, a comprehensive biennial project in Kyiv long seemed deeply uncertain, if not impossible. But, with a cascade of openings – starting in Kyiv and Vienna in October 2023, finishing in Berlin in 2024—the fifth Kyiv Biennial will take place. This Biennial editionis conceived as a European event, with dispersed exhibitions and public programs in a number of Ukrainian and EU cities, and realized in partnership with leading European institutions in the field of contemporary art.

Find out more via 2023.kyivbiennial.org or @kyivbiennial 202

How can a country at war address political, social, cultural and societal issues? Today, the experience of artists and cultural workers in Ukraine is profoundly marked by war trauma, displacement, lack of access to basic resources and, in many cases, direct involvement in armed resistance or the experience of life under military occupation. This poses existential challenges for the future of art and cultural production in Ukraine.

Europe-wide solidarity commitment of various art institutions. "Instead of abandoning the project and thus submitting to the logic of war that attacks everything civil, the 2023 Biennial draws upon its founding idea: that of being a multi-centric initiative in a European, interconnected and solidary form."—said the organisers of the Kyiv Visual Culture Research Center and the curators of the main exhibition, Serge Klymko, Hedwig Saxenhuber and Georg Schöllhammer, who had to plan the concept and format of the Biennial on short notice and anew. Art institutions in Ukraine (in Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Uzhhorod) organise presentations and events in their endangered yet working infrastructures. Despite the late start of planning due to the war, museums and exhibition halls in Vienna (the main exhibition spot), Warsaw and Berlin, together with venues in other European cities, have freed up their spaces and platforms for exhibitions and events with Ukrainian and international artists, as well as for discursive, performative and educational activities. Together, the institutions have formed a curatorial consortium to jointly create a conceptual framework within which they develop their respective Kyiv Biennial programs.

Bridge between European and Ukrainian artistic communities – towards an emancipatory future The Kyiv Biennial 2023 is aware of the special challenges of the project. Its intention is to reintegrate the Ukrainian artistic community, divided by the war and scattered all over Europe, and to enable its actors to work and reflect together with international colleagues on the cultural, social and environmental challenges Ukraine is currently facing, while at the same time creating images and scenarios for an open and emancipatory future of the country and its cultural field in a global context. The Kyiv Biennial´s strategy, developed in the course of its four previous editions, merges artistic production, critical knowledge and social engagement in the times of emergency, where curatorship goes far beyond its contemporary meaning of an artistic and organisational practice and becomes resignified with its original sense of restoration, rehabilitation and relief, thus suggesting not a biennial, but a perennial long-run international project, a “Kyiv Perennial.” Kyiv Biennial 2023 is conceived and organised by the Visual Culture Research Center (Kyiv) together with tranzit.at (Vienna), tranzit.org (Bratislava, Budapest, Bucharest, Cluj, Iași, Prague and Vienna), Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw, Museum Crisis Center (Lviv), Other Edges, Dovzhenko Centre (Kyiv), Asortymentna Kimnata (Ivano-Frankivsk) and Sorry, No Rooms Available (Uzhhorod).

Venues: Kyiv, Ukraine: The River Wailed Like a Wounded Beast Curators: Stanislav Bytiutskyi, Aliona Penzii, Oleksandr Teliuk Dovzhenko Center, Vasylkivska, 1 Runtime: October 5 – December 29, 2023 Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine: On the Periphery of War Curators: Alona Karavai, Roman Khimei, Yarema Malashchuk, Anton Usanov Asortymentna Kimnata, Sichovykh Striltsiv, 15 Runtime: October 7–30, 2023 Uzhhorod, Ukraine: Where Are We Now, After All Those Endlessly Repeated Words? Curators: Petro Ryaska, Daria Shevtsova Sorry No Rooms Available, Intourist-Zakarpattia Hotel, Ploshcha Kyryla i Mefodiya, 5 Runtime: October 8 – November 12, 2023 Vienna, Austria: Main exhibition Curators: Serge Klymko, Hedwig Saxenhuber and Georg Schöllhammer Augarten Contemporary, Scherzergasse, 1A and independent spaces in Vienna Runtime: October 17 – December 17, 2023 Warsaw, Poland: Museum Forum: Ukrainian Museums In the War Between russia and Ukraine: Professionalism, Cooperation, Solidarity Curator: Olha Honchar Museum of Modern Art, Wybrzeże Kościuszkowskie, 22 Event Date: October 23, 2023 Lublin, Poland: This Is Just an Exhibition Curator: Waldemar Tatarczuk Galeria Labirynt, J. Popiełuszki, 5 Runtime: October 27 – January 22, 2024 Antwerp, Belgium: DISPATCHES postcard project Curators: Nav Haq, Vasyl Cherepanyn M HKA (Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp), Leuvenstraat, 32 203

Glasses: Komono, Top: Theory

PHOTO & RETOUCHING BY ANGEL RUIZ / @ANGELRUIZ_STUDIO MODELS ARE CARLO S. / @CARLOPENNETTI AND SERGEY S. / @XSYLANCE BOTH SIGNED AT AGENCY BENTŌ / @BENTOMODELS CREATIVE DIRECTION: ANGEL RUIZ / @ANGELRUIZ_STUDIO AND FERRAN BOU / @FERBOU_ MAKEUP & HAIR BY IBAR VACINO / @VACINO_OFFICIAL STYLING ASSISTANTS ARE ARIANNA PAVÍA AND FRAN ROJAS

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Jacket: Madison.maison Shirts: Munthe, Cos, Vintage Polo Ralph Lauren, & Other Stories Shoes: Martinelli, Jewelry: Colección Privada

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Blazer: Secondland Gloves: Mandarina Duck Belt: Colección privada Skirt: Ferran Bou Shoes: Martinelli

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Hat: Golden Goose Shirt: Munthe Jewelry: Colección Privada

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Glasses: Komono Top: Theory Bag: Jimmy Choo Pants: Vintage Givenchy, Vintage Bellido Shoes: Martinelli

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Glasses: Vintage Spalding Jacket: Arianna Pavía Shirt: COS Pants: Vintage Givenchy Shoes: Martinelli

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Pants: Vintage Givenchy, Nike, Vintage Bellido Shirts: COS, Scalpers, Vintage Tom Ford Shoes: Martinelli

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Hat: Golden Goose Shirt: Munthe Coats: Erika Cavallini, Pierre-Louis Mascia Shoes: Martinelli Jewelry: Colección Privada

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Jacket: Madison.Maison Shirts: Munthe, COS, Vintage Polo Ralph Lauren, & Other Stories Shoes: Martinelli Jewelry: Colección Privada

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BWA WROCŁAW

EXHIBITIONS ON THE REVOLUTIONS OF MATTER OTHERWORLDS AND EXTRACTION 214

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ANNA ORŁOWSKA and MICHAŁ ŁUCZAK have teamed up for the joint exhibition on the Revolutions of Matter: Otherworlds and Extraction at Wrocław’s BWA Galleries of Contemporary Art. As one of the media partners, KALTBLUT has travelled to the scenic town in Lower Silesia to experience the exhibition where the two artists are taking visitors on a journey through history and present of the prosperous region. The exhibition – divided into two sections – is located on the second floor of the city’s train station: Otherworlds by Anna Orłowska and Extraction by Michał Łuczak.

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OTHERWORLDS Anna Orłowska’s ‘Otherworlds’, curated by Katarzyna Roj, BWA’s programme director, delves into a personal exploration of history and presents a haunting journey embarked upon by the artist herself. “I’ve always been interested, to some extent, in my family's history – especially that which relates to the place this exhibition is about: an old water mill on the Mała Panew River in the Upper Silesia region. This holds a special significance. Once entirely self-sufficient, it's deeply embedded in my family's collective memory and has been in our possession for over 120 years,” she says, and continues, “some years ago, I worked on a family genogram – a detailed form of a family tree, mapping familial connections, behavioural patterns, and recurring ailments spanning several generations. Delving into past tales and truths has expanded my perception of what we term "our roots". I started to see this intricate web of stories – both old and recent – as a unique realm, which I named the ‘Otherworlds’. These ‘Otherworlds’ are inhabited by the departed. I recognised I had a choice – to maintain my bond with the 'beyond' or distance myself. I opted for the former because It enriches my reality, even though no one provided me the means to nurture such ties with the deceased. We're raised on the principles of memory and the theory of mourning – something to be processed and moved past. This exhibition became a medium to invoke my ‘Otherworlds’. In this light, the Watermill stands as a metaphor for the family system and the passage of time, dictated by the ebb and flow of nature.” She guides us to this watermill in Żędowice, a place that has remained consistent throughout generations, consequently becoming an intrinsic part of her family's heritage. ‘Otherworlds’, along with Orłowska’s family history, is interwoven with elements of water, forest, and bog iron – a resource commonly utilised for iron smelting in the area. Iron is a resource prominently featured in the artist’s history and the exhibition. Beyond photographs of her contemporary family members, the display includes fabric pieces such as curtains and transmission belts. During warmer periods, she sourced photos from her family archives and submerged them in a creek, together with various fabric items. This approach yielded unique imprints and rusty shades that exude an otherworldly allure. However, iron's significance isn't limited to its role as the primary ingredient in steel, a material Orłowska employed in parts of her exhibition. It also had a crucial role in life's evolution on Earth, being a key component of haemoglobin, which facilitates oxygen transportation in our bloodstream. 221

But how and why has she decided to use the iron-heavy water for her art? “A few years ago, I used a creek to dye fabrics with photographs printed on them. This marked the beginning of a multi-year process of experimentation and collaboration with this red-coloured forest laboratory. It became my darkroom, where I developed visual qualities that were new to me. Additionally, working with fabric introduced entirely new possibilities; it is an extremely malleable yet durable material. I felt a desire to work more independently, using my hands, and to engage deeply in a physical process. The fabric and the red spring provided that opportunity for me.” In addition to the exhibition at the train station, Orłowska invites visitors to a hidden room, around a 20 minute tram journey from the train station. Within the ancient wooden walls of the St John of Nepomuk church lies the "Hidden Room", serving as

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EXTRACTION

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Have you ever considered where the energy you use daily originates? It might come from gas, oil, or renewable sources. If you live in Germany or Poland, it's highly likely that it was sourced from coal mining. According to the European Commission, nearly 65% of the European Union's hard coal consumption in 2022 came from Poland (38%) and Germany (25%). But what is it like to live in a coal mining region? Photographer Michał Łuczak delves into the narrative of coal and its life cycle with his exhibition titled ‘Extraction’, the second instalment of the joint display, "Revolutions of Matter". Curated by Maciej Bujko, BWA’s director, I had the privilege of experiencing Łuczak’s showcase alongside Bujko. Over the past eight years, Łuczak has documented the mine's impact on the human body, environment, material culture, soil, and landscape. Residing in Upper Silesia, where coal mining is still an active industry, Łuczak is deeply familiar with its repercussions, which are portrayed in ‘Extraction’. The exhibition begins with a stark contrast: a miner’s body juxtaposed with sections of the socialist monument of the Mining Labor Monument in Katowice, highlighting the disparity between the worker and propaganda. Beyond photographs, ‘Extraction’ offers visitors an olfactory experience of the mines and neighbouring villages, courtesy of custom-made scents by Monika Opieka. Alongside the effects on people, Łuczak reveals the impact on housing. Photos, one intentionally hung at an angle, paradoxically make the depicted houses appear upright. Bujko elucidates that this was a conscious decision to convey the pronounced tilt of the actual homes. Accompanying the exhibition are essays and excerpts by writers, historians and scholars in the likes of Joanna Kobyłt, Szczepan Twardoch and Piotr Zdanowicz, to name a few. Łuczak and Bujko conclude the exhibition with two photographs: one capturing a coal mining area after ten years and another after a century. The latter unmistakably demonstrates that nature will ultimately reclaim its domain, “with no remnants of mining but with traces of human activity. Like a DNA left, but dinosaurs, replicated in nature will this day. Earth is regenerating herself quickly but it absorbs sour doings. In a way, it is our legacy and what will be left of us after we become extinct”, concludes Bujko.

Review by @johannaurbancik Photos by @anna_orlowska and @michal__luczak Photo of Anna Orłowska by Łukasz Sokół. Curated by @krojczy and @maciejbujko Follow @bwawroclaw or visit their website to check out current and future exhibitions.

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WHEN DID IT END? Photography and styling: JULIAN FREYBERG @julianfreybergphotography Hair and Make Up: SOPHIE LERCHE @sophielerchemakeup Model: MAXI / Kult Models 230

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A BETTER MISTAKE X ELECTRONIC BEATS INTRODUCING FKA.M4A: THE INTERSECTION OF MUSIC, ART, AND ALTERED EGOS

fka.m4a Welcome to the world of fka.m4a, a groundbreaking artist whose mixes have taken Europe's dance music scene by storm. But there is more to fka.m4a than just the music. With a passion for self-expression and the exploration of altered egos, fka.m4a goes beyond the beats to create a truly immersive experience.

"Altered Egos," a collaboration between Telekom Electronic Beats and A Better Mistake, celebrates the diverse personalities that emerge through digital platforms and telecommunication. fka.m4a identifies with this concept, acknowledging that altered egos exist in every aspect of our lives, from our online presence to our social interactions. It is in these altered egos that we find our most relaxed and authentic selves. In a world dominated by technology and social media, where filtered images and edited posts distort reality, music emerges as a counterbalance. fka.m4a believes that music offers a genuine, passionate, and emotional experience. Artists may create personas that differ from their everyday lives or perform sounds that grant them freedom from anxieties. It is through music that fka.m4a seeks to evoke a sense of authenticity. 242

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Fka.m4a, your mixes have become a staple in Europe's dance music scene. How do you use music as a form of self-expression? Music to me is the thing that accompanies me in all forms of the day and night, there is always music playing in my house, in my mind... in my heart... I use music for self-confidence, for reassurance and for inspiration. In your opinion, how does music allow individuals to explore and embrace their altered egos? Music has the power to take us to different universes if we truly allow it to do so, we transcend when we really allow ourselves to surrender. There’s music really for every mood, every ego / headspace that you’re feeling. Isn’t that what exploring altered egos is all about? “Altered Egos”, the collab between Telekom Electronic Beats and A Better Mistake celebrates the different personalities that arise through digital platforms and telecommunication. How do you interpret the concept of "Altered Ego" and how does it resonate with you? We all have altered egos, especially on our digital platforms, when we’re out socialising... when we’re even walking the street! There is always an element of “stepping out” into our alternate egos, our social ego, I believe. Whether it be a specific outfit you want to wear or posting a selfie that looks better than the 100 others that you took. I truly believe that we are at our most relaxed form in private, at home, in our own world. Technology and social media platforms like filters and edited posts often portray a distorted version of reality. In what ways do you think music can counteract this by offering a more authentic human experience? For me, music is authentic, it’s real and it’s about passion and emotion. That is what I seek when I explore more as an artist and listener. Music in some ways can offer an altered version of the reality too. Artists may create a “persona” that is very far from who they are in their daily existence or perform the sound that offers them freedom from their day to day anxieties, for me that is altered ego too. The "ALTERED EGO" collection aims to invite individuals to embrace their complexities within a world of evolving expressions. As an artist, how important is it for you to encourage self-discovery and self-awareness through your music? This is my foundation; nothing is more important to me. I consider myself a very approachable, relatable, real human being – who faces troubles, has trauma, is trying to just navigate their way around this fucking life. I always say that the single emotion I want to evoke on a dancefloor or through production is melancholia, because melancholia is sadness, its nostalgia, its love, it’s happiness. I want people to connect with themselves, to trust me to guide them to their subconscious. Whether it evokes their alter or altered ego.

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The Limited Ed. Capsule Collection features a print designed by Vakho Jappari. How does collaboration between artists from different mediums, such as music and visual arts, contribute to a more holistic and impactful creative experience? It is so important that these collaborations exist. We all as artists have very powerful tools individually that can complement each other very well for a bigger picture. I am such a lover of the collaboration between sound and fashion, between sound and visual/lighting. When we come together the experience that is created is sense tingling. A Better Mistake supports a production system that offers utmost excellence and combines rich fabrics with limited quantities of garments. How does this attention to detail and exclusivity align with your artistic vision? Thoughtfulness is a very important approach for making people feel special. We live in a modern day where all validation and success is about intensity: forever more, bigger crowds, higher number of interactions, getting more wealthy... When people feel exclusive - they feel special. If I think about what this means in connection with my artistic vision, I like to connect with individuals. I love to look in the eyes of the community, have moments with them one by one. I love to talk to them and hug them. It’s about making people feel special and connected. With digital platforms allowing individuals to experiment with different versions of themselves, how do you think fashion and personal style play a role in the expression of one's altered ego? Fashion is the expression of recreating ourselves. I have such a variety of clothes from the simplest/ blend in stuff, to the most progressive designer clothing. Fashion allows me to tap into different altered egos and feel different fantasies let’s say! Ha! As an artist who has performed at renowned events like Berghain and Boiler Room, how do you see the interplay between music and fashion in these immersive and dynamic environments? My aesthetic style and music go hand in hand. I like to dress to compliment the music I play and enjoy making the effort to put a good outfit together. It supports my self-confidence. I like to tap into my expression through both fashion and music – I feel that these spaces offer all types of expression and freedom. For me, in a space as safe as Berghain, there are no limits in exploring just how many altered egos one may have. Looking ahead, what can we expect from Fka.m4a in terms of future collaborations or projects that further explore the themes of self-expression, altered ego, and the interplay of music and fashion? You can always be sure that as long as I am an artist and creating, I will constantly be striving to create things that Inspire people to explore themselves on a deeper level. There is so much to us waiting to be explored, we just must dive in.

When it comes to immersive and dynamic environments like Berghain and Boiler Room, fka.m4a recognises the interplay between music and fashion. Their aesthetic style merges harmoniously with their music, enhancing self-confidence and becoming their ultimate expression of creativity. In these spaces, there are no limits to exploring the multitude of altered egos that reside within. Looking forward, fka.m4a promises an exciting future filled with collaborations and projects that further explore the themes of self-expression, altered ego, and the interplay between music and fashion. As long as they continue to create, fka.m4a will inspire individuals to dive deeper into their true selves, uncovering the unexplored potential that awaits. Immerse yourself in the world of fka.m4a and embark on an exhilarating journey of self-discovery, where music, fashion, and altered egos intertwine in a harmonious dance of expression, authenticity, and exploration. Interview by Marcel Schlutt Follow fka.m4a @fka.m4a Electronic Beats @electronicbeats A Better Mistake @abettermistake All photos by Telekom Electronic Beats Photographer: Nils Leon Brauer @nilsleonbrauer Hair & Make-Up: Fabienne Hoppe @fabienne_hoppe 247

Photography by David Kaminsky www.davidkaminskyart.com / @david__kaminsky Creative Direction and video by Zack Gafin www.zackgafin.com / @zackgafin Styling by Aliesha Hatalovsky www.alieshahatalovsky.com / @aliesherz Brown Faux Fur Boots by Rick Owens

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ELEMENTAL EXCESS

Elemental excess provocatively contrasts extravagant fashion with our planet’s plight. Symbolic frozen elegance meets fervent action, highlighting the environmental toll of fast fashion, underscoring the urgency of curbing overconsumption and addressing climate change.

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left: Black Sunglasses by Chanel right: White Blaze Sunglasses by Yves Saint Laurent

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BERLIN SANTES Photography: Sebastian Kiener @lynxstudio.productions Lighting Assistant: Ney Tran @neytran Hand Painted Backdrop: Grüneberg @ilka_bckdrops

Santes: Darvish @thedarvishofficial Robyn @itsrobynrobin Barry Brandon @thequeerindigo Lewks - All clothing and pieces are available at The Code @the_code_berlin

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IN CONVERSATION WITH BARRY BRANDON "THE QUEER INDIGO" Your art has been described as stunning and captivating. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your unique style? Thank you! That’s kind of you. To be honest, what I try to convey is the freedom to be. Self-expression to the front in a way that makes you feel free to be. I approach most of my collaborations from a perspective of the individual community by way of togetherness mixed with individuality. Many of your pieces explore themes of queerness and identity. Could you share with us your vision for using art as a medium to express these important topics? Through some trauma many years back when my words were mixed and used against me, I turned to a visual medium to represent messaging without words. I am getting back to a place of using my voice more but my medium for the last 4 years has been imagery and videos that allow people to interpret as they wish through internal strategic curation. Your work has garnered a significant following and admiration. How do you feel about the impact your art has had on the audience and the queer community? I am taken a back by the love and admiration because, for me, I am just being myself and expressing myself as such. I quickly learned the importance of visibility when my first video went viral and I was receiving messages about what the representation meant to people. Can you tell us a bit about the collaboration between The Queer Coven and Darvish and Robyn for the photo shoot? Sure! I love them both a lot and think the world of them as individuals as well as their body autonomy and ownership over self. I was travelling to Berlin over Pride and knew I wanted to collaborate with them. Sebastian Kiener, photographer, and I were chatting via IG. I had an idea to put something together for us in a studio setting and what you see is what happened. We shot all of the photos in about an hour, maybe even less if I am not mistaken, because Darvish had something like 3697354 bookings that weekend.

What was the inspiration behind the concept for this specific photo shoot? Queerness, Togetherness. Expression. Could you share some behind-the-scenes details about the process of bringing this project to life? Darvish and I had visited The Code to pull the lewks. I am allergic to latex so I had to stand outside, essentially in the door of The Code to try things on because their store is full of fabulous latex lewks I remember being just about naked while people walked by in Berlin. Robyn couldn’t be there for the fitting because they were booked so I remember chatting with Darvish about their lewk, going through tons of pieces for myself and making decisions about Robyn. I knew instantly when I saw the pieces that they would be perfect. When we arrived at the studio, we were all together for the first time while I was on this trip so we were saying hello to each other, trying things on and laughing while at the same time we had just met the photographer. Sidenote, my skirt didn’t fit so I am wearing it sideways or backwards, one or the other, and the zipper didn’t go up so I had ass cleavage in the back. I posted a BTS video on my IG should you care to see it. A day to remember. The Queer Coven is known for creating authentic and inclusive spaces. How did you ensure that the essence of inclusivity was reflected in the collaboration with Darvish and Robyn? Inclusivity is interpreted in many different ways. Race, culture, ethnicity, body type, sexual orientation, gender identities, differently abled bodies, differently abled humans, etc, so the truth is, from a collaboration perspective, it’s nearly impossible to be 100% diverse and inclusive on all pieces of content and projects. I like to approach collaborations from a perspective of similar moral alignment and with that there is always diversity within those intersections. 257

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What impact do you hope this collaboration will have on the queer community and beyond? To be honest, unless it is a very specific project, there oftentimes isn’t specific intent. There is a shared intention of showcasing comfort in the skin that can perhaps make someone feel inclined to try to express themselves in ways that they potentially feared before. Can you share any plans or upcoming projects that The Queer Coven has in store for its audience? I’m currently working now on a print magazine called ICONIQA It will be a queer art book featuring ALOK and Amanda Lepore on our double-sided cover, as well as features on queer humans that live around the world. I have also started my Barcelona-based event titled ICONIQA. I will curate and produce four per year. We launched with our headliner Violet Chacki and had Amanda Lepore and Berin-based goddess Hungry in July. I have Gottmik as our headliner for our October 15th event and I’m working on the headliner for our event on December 3rd. What advice would you give to aspiring creative curators and influencers who aim to create more inclusive spaces within their communities? Don’t be afraid to explore. Don’t be afraid to fail. Stop looking at other people’s content for approval. Pause, Take a deep breath. See your point of view inside and create. What are your future aspirations and goals as an artist, and how do you hope to continue pushing boundaries with your work? I am a firm believer in alignment. I wish to continue on a path of open queer living and I will see what the world has in store for me. I am open.

Darvish Dress: @daijanalanziner Harness: @miss.overdose.shop Headpiece: @noraly_cyberesque Barry Bodysuit: @effenberger_couture Skirt : @noraly_cyberesque Headpiece: @noraly_cyberesque Robyn 3D Latex: @miss.overdose.shop

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ZEITGEIST TRANSFORMER OUTFITS by DZHUS / WWW.IRINADZHUS.COM / @DZHUS.CONCEPTUAL.WEAR ETHICAL FOOTWEAR by HOUSE MARTIN / HOUSEMARTIN.STORE / @HOUSEMARTIN_FOOTWEAR CREATIVE DIRECTION AND STYLING by IRINA DZHUS / @IRINA.DZHUS PHOTOGRAPHY by NATALIA VOLKOVA / @NOELWOLFPHOTO VIDEO by LUKASZ DZIATKOWIAK / @LUKAAAIMAGES MAKEUP & HAIR by KRISTINA COVA / @KRISTINACOVASTYLE MODELS: MARTINA GLEISSENEBNER-TESKEY WITH CM MODELS /@MARTINA.GT.OFFICIAL NIKOLA STRUGAŁA WITH MODELWERK / @NIKOLA_STRUGALA GLEBS STEPCENKO / @GLEBUSCHKAA JAN ANUSZ / @JANKUNIO STYLING ASSISTANTS: JIN LIANG / @JINLIIANG ANNA PAWLOWSKA / @ANIAPAWLOWSKA_ JAN ANUSZ / @JANKUNIO

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Zhenya Trifonova @firmkick She also doing a nice hand sculpted jewelry @decline.th 271

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Earlier this year, Uganda's current President, Yoweri Museveni, signed the Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2023 into law. While the country's legal system already has severe penalties for same-sex conduct, including life imprisonment, though this is rarely enforced, the new Anti-Homosexuality Act goes even further, defining vague new offences such as the "promotion of homosexuality," and introducing the death penalty for certain actions deemed "aggravated homosexuality." Additionally, the law increases the prison term for attempted same-sex conduct to ten years. To talk about this new law, KALTBLUT had a chat with “Let’s Walk Uganda’’s'' founder, Edward Mutebi, an active advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community in Uganda and neighbouring countries. His organisation, “Let's Walk Uganda'', is the first organisation openly dedicated to providing safe shelter for LGBTQIA+ individuals in the country without just offering shelter, but also helping the community – particularly the homeless – by teaching them skills for self-support. 282

EDWARD MUTEBI

ON UGANDA’S ANTI-LGBTQIA+-LAWS My name is Edward Mutebi, and I'm the founding director of “Let’s Walk Uganda'', an LGBTQIA+ human rights organisation established in Uganda. I'm currently a resident of Germany, where I moved in 2018 to seek asylum after experiencing a series of persecutions and threats to my life during my tenure as an executive director. At the moment, I am in Nairobi, Kenya, working on my master's degree thesis. My activism is, of course, driven by the numerous challenges I faced as an individual while I was still living in Uganda. It is motivated by the desire to promote love and witness the flourishing of others' lives without them being persecuted solely due to their sexuality. Doing this work must be incredibly dangerous. How did you find the bravery to become an activist and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights in Uganda? I suppose the main thing leading me to start “Let’s Walk Uganda” was the personal persecution I endured. In 2014, I was arrested for the first time due to my sexuality and was blackmailed and detained for over 14 days. During my time in police custody, I was denied most of my rights. I was subjected to torture, and my mother was extorted; they forced her to provide money for my release. This occurred when the initial anti-homosexuality law was enacted in 2013, which was later repealed in 2014. For the record, Uganda has passed two anti-homosexuality laws. The first was in 2013, and the most recent is the current one. While I eventually regained my freedom, there were no queer organisations I could reach out to for help during my detainment. I had no resources at my disposal. By that time, unemployment and homelessness were rampant among the LGBTQIA+ community in Uganda. Additionally, accessing medical services was a struggle. We needed to establish an institution, which is why I created a grassroots organisation aimed at assisting the community with these issues. I shouldn't have to witness such atrocities any longer, and I am determined to spare others from enduring the hardships I faced while in custody. I am resolute in preventing anyone else from being arrested, tortured, and extorted. Countries like Kenya and Ghana are also deliberating similar laws to those in Uganda. We find ourselves amidst a wave of homophobia, making it a challenging period to be an activist amidst such draconian legislation.

Can you safely pursue your work, or do you constantly have to look over your shoulder? I constantly find myself looking over my shoulder. The law in Uganda, signed by the country's president, criminalises individuals like me, as well as organisations and even doctors who offer support to the LGBTQIA+ community. Doctors now have to worry because the law asks them to report LGBTQIA+ people to the authorities. Being arrested and subjected to lengthy imprisonment has become a real possibility. Kenya, following Uganda's lead, has become an unsafe haven for LGBTQIA+ refugees. Despite Kenya's presence of homophobia and persecution against LGBTQIA+ individuals, it used to provide refuge for those seeking asylum based on their sexuality. This is no longer the case, and we're witnessing instances where LGBTQIA+ refugees or asylum seekers who arrived in Kenya six, seven, or eight years ago are still in limbo, awaiting acceptance. Tragically, activists have lost their lives in both Kenya and Uganda. The prevailing circumstances have created a challenging environment for LGBTQIA+ activists and human rights defenders to operate in. Recent developments include the closure of the United Nations Human Rights office in Uganda, leaving the government with an unchecked ability to violate human rights.

"I AM RESOLUTE IN PREVENTING ANYONE ELSE FROM BEING ARRESTED, TORTURED, AND EXTORTED." 283

"FELLOW LGBTQIA+ PEOPLE ARE EVEN DISTANCING THEMSELVES FROM OTHER LGBTQIA+ PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY'RE SCARED." 284

"IT'S A BROAD WORD, BUT STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE LGBTQIA+ PEOPLE IN UGANDA MEANS CONTINUING TO PRESSURE YOUR GOVERNMENTS TO REVISE THEIR TIES WITH THE UGANDAN GOVERNMENT."

WHAT DOES THE LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY IN UGANDA OR KENYA LOOK LIKE – IS THERE A STRONG SENSE OF UNITY? There is unity among the activists, but people are being forced to disperse due to safety concerns and the need for survival. At present, everyone is striving for safety and their own well-being. Previously, we used to hold a Pride event in Uganda, but it was dismantled by the government. Organising a Pride event could potentially cost you your life. In 2019, there used to be a bar where LGBTQIA+ individuals in Uganda could gather, dance freely, and express themselves through their attire. However, the government then closed down this bar. They unleashed a wave of terror on this establishment, deploying police, the army, and journalists to attack the premises and arrest a large number of people. No one wants to associate with another. Fellow LGBTQIA+ people are even distancing themselves from other LGBTQIA+ people because they're scared. Transgender individuals, for example, are confined to their homes due to persecution. Some kind-hearted people provide them with food, delivering it to their homes. A car is necessary if they require hospitalisation; they cannot go outside by themselves. That’s how dangerous it is.

DO YOU SEE ANY HOPE FOR THE FUTURE? I was always told by my mother to never lose hope. There is hope. It may not come immediately. With a lot of work and activism fighting homophobia, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. As much as it seems dark now, we still have hope in countries defending human rights, we have hope in ourselves, we still have hope in the LGBTQIA+ structures in Uganda, and we still have hope in the people currently being persecuted and their resilience. That's where hope grows.

WHAT CAN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY DO TO SUPPORT YOUR ORGANISATION AND THE LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY? People in countries can help us by standing in solidarity with us. It's a broad word, but standing in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ people in Uganda means continuing to pressure your governments to revise their ties with the Ugandan government. Germany is providing a lot of foreign aid to Uganda, which now should be revised and target only crucial sectors of the country without supporting the entire governmental structure. People should call upon their governments to impose visa bans on the politicians who initiate such laws in African countries. I'm also calling on governments to issue humanitarian visas for LGBTQIA+ activists and defenders who are being persecuted. We need them freed and lifted out of this situation into safer countries. Please stand in solidarity with us.

INTERVIEW BY @JOHANNAURBANCIK PHOTOS BY RICKY BURGER CHECK OUT EDWARD’S WORK WITH LET’S WALK UGANDA ON THEIR WEBSITE AT LWUGANDA.ORG OR THEIR INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT AT @LETSWALKUGANDA

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LICK MY DROPS

CBD FOR THE GODS LUBE

DROPS

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GET TO KNOW: ORKIDEH DAROODI, FOUNDER OF TEHRAN’S O GALLERY Orkideh Daroodi, a passionate advocate for contemporary Iranian art, is the dedicated gallerist behind Tehran's O Gallery since 2014.

As a woman-owned establishment, O Gallery showcases emerging and established Iranianartists, both locally and globally. Celebrating its 10th year, the three-story 1960s building-turned-gallery in central Tehran offers two distinct exhibition spaces and a private viewing room. Boasting a diverse roster of thirty artists, O Gallery stands as a prominent voice in the art world with an engaging schedule of physical and online exhibitions. Orkideh Daroodi, born in 1982 in Tehran, holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from UC Davis, California. After her early art immersion at Assar Art Gallery, she embarked on a remarkable journey of promoting and fostering contemporary Iranian art through O Gallery.

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How did you come to open an art gallery in Tehran? I left Iran when I was about 13 years old with my family. After I finished my studies there, I stayed for about a year and then came back to Iran in my mid-20s. For a few years, I was doing different jobs, mostly writing papers, teaching English, and things like that. Until I started working at a gallery called Assar Art Gallery. I was there for about four years. What I noticed while working there were young artists coming in with samples of their works on CDs. They would want to give the CD to the director to have a look to see if they could have a show at the gallery. Because they had a limited roster of artists, and their shows were relatively long, they couldn't show many of the younger artists. They would have one or maybe two guest artists each year. I felt there was this niche to represent young artists. There are so many young artists, either graduated from the universities or self-taught; they need a space to show their work! Not that there weren't other galleries showing the work of young artists , but I thought there was room for another gallery to focus on the work of young and emerging artists. I wanted to be in the centre because I wanted to be accessible for art students and enthusiasts. The centre has now turned into a cultural hub with lots of galleries, cafés, and bookshops. O Gallery is within walking distance of a couple of different galleries as well. Tehran is not like other cities where you have a cluster of galleries; it's nice to have a few galleries close by. I opened the gallery in 2014, and the focus has remained on finding new talent and working with young emerging artists. I also travel a lot, less now, but I still try to do studio visits outside of Tehran. I was keen to present more underrepresented artists who live in other cities besides Tehran. About 25 exhibitions I've had so far have been with artists from different cities. Another focus that I didn't even know I was interested in is paper. One of the gallery's focuses has also been showing and promoting the work of artists who work with paper, either on paper or with paper. That's something that has happened along the way and has continued in the past nine years that I've been running the gallery.

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What requirements are there for up-and-coming artists to exhibit at O Gallery? Nothing really prior. I just look at their work, and if they have a collection that I think is ready to be shown, that's all we need. There is no prior experience of having any exhibitions. In the beginning, it was just me alone, but now we have a curatorial team that looks at the works we receive, mostly via email now or through recommendations of other artists. If there is anything we find of interest, we schedule a studio visit to see the works up close.. That was one of my main focuses and one of my main reasons as to why I opened the gallery. It's been important to try to cater to as many artists as possible each year but quality of work is the most important criteria and now after nine years of working we have decided to reduce the number of shows we have each year.

How would you describe the art scene in Iran? And how has it changed since you opened the gallery 14 years ago? When I opened the gallery, there were two other galleries that opened around the same time. If I'm not mistaken, one about one month prior and one about a month after. In the past nine or ten years, the number of galleries that have opened is unbelievable. I think 10, or more have opened. I keep thinking to myself, who's going to show at these galleries? And there's always more and more and more artists. The art scene has been really vibrant ever since I’ve been in the business and like any other industry it has its ups and downs. But I think the new generation of galleries are working really well. You see a lot of changes; we have the Argo Factory, which is an extraordinary space that has opened. I think that has changed the art scene tremendously; we've had nothing like it in Iran before it. That's also been great because they show artists from abroad, non-Iranian artists as well.. Not many people travel here now, and getting out of the country is difficult. So, to be able to see art from the outside is very nice for everyone. There are about 300 registered galleries in just Tehran I think; not all of them are working. I would say about 50 are working, and of those 50, I would say 20 are more active. 292

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But every Friday there is something to go see. That's been amazing for a lot of people, to have that chance to be able to go look at and talk about art in lack of museums and other institutions.

And the art itself? Are artists dealing with political or non-political topics in their works? I see less political work nowadays but that might just be me and the program of our gallery even though I try to have a look at the other galleries’ programs as much as possible. When I opened my gallery, I showed a few exhibitions that were conceptual and political. Because conceptual art is difficult to sell, production costs have risen extremely. I think it's become very difficult for artists to be able to do that kind of work.

Can everyone become an artist in Iran or is it an “upper class” profession? Culturally, the thing here was that most people would want their kids to become doctors or engineers. When someone said they wanted to go to art school, that was frowned upon. But that has changed in the past 20 years. And of course there have always been exceptions too. .But now you see artists from different backgrounds and classes. I don’t think it has even been an upper class thing. It really depends on the individual’s passion and interests. Some of them have gone to university, others have worked in different artist studios while some are self-taught. You see all sorts of different people.

From your point of view, what’s life like for artists in Iran at the moment?

Tell me about one of the more recent exhibitions, “Faces” by Donya Aalipour.

Costs are – I cannot tell you – everything doubled and tripled within months. Inflation is crazy. A lot of the artists are trying to leave, either through continuing their education or using different talent visas. They're trying to get out because they feel there is not much for them left here. Some of them have lost their studios; they cannot afford to buy material.

As I explained, most exhibiting artists are young and emerging. I have only two more established artists, such as the Berlin-based Ali Nassir. Every couple of years, he curates shows of young Iranian artists.

Of course this is not the case for everyone. A lot of artists have decided to stay and fight through all the difficulties, but I’m sure it’s tough for a lot of them. What's interesting is that with everything that has happened, even during the last year when all the protests broke, with a lot of the galleries closed for a few months, the market is still good. Even last year, right at the beginning of the protests, when we didn't even know what was going to happen, I was surprised to see that people were asking to see works, or they were buying works. That is a good sign because I think art does its own thing regardless of so many things. . It was interesting to see that people were still supporting and buying art for their collections.

The second time he did it was with Iranian artists who live abroad. Donya is based in Vienna. Nassir knew her, sent me her work, and said he was interested in showing her work in the group exhibition. When I saw her work and met her when she travelled to Tehran, I fell in love with her work. She didn't have any representation in Tehran and hadn't had any solo shows yet. She's in her late 20s. Her show was actually set for September last year. All the works were here, framed, ready to go. But with the protests, we decided to cancel her show. Over the period of one year, the amount of work that she's done and the growth that you see in her work is absolutely amazing. We decided to show a selection of the original artworks that were done for last year and a few of the ones that she had done during the past year. 297

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In the past year, you could see that even though she wasn't living here, her work was inspired by what was happening, it was as though you could see more action in her paintings. You could see the turmoil in her work. When we had her show a year later, I think it resonated a lot with many people because they could see some familiar scenes that they weren't sure if it was referring to what had happened or was just a continuation of what the artist was doing. It was a mixture of both because it wasn't something new, but she had brought in new elements so beautifully that it just worked organically into the previous collections. Her exhibition lasted for three and a half weeks and was received very well.

Since she lives and studies in Vienna, do you also see European influences in her work? She finishes school this year, so there is of course the academic aspect and learnings from the West that you can see traces of in all her work, mostly with regard to how she uses colour and forms, how they come together, that is influenced by the Western world. The subjects, I'd say, are Iranian though. Interview by @johannaurbancik Follow @ogallerytehran on Instagram to keep up with upcoming exhibitions. Photos by Mehran Danaei. 299

VIRTUOSITY OF BLUR by OMID AGHDAMI

PHOTOGRAPHY BY OMID AGHDAMI / WWW.OMIDAGHDAMI.DE / @OMIDAGHD FASHION DESIGNS & STYLING BY EGZON MALAJ & JANIS REITMANN / @JANISREITMANN @JANISPORTFOLIO @EGZONMALAJ HAIR &/ MAKE UP BY PAULA HARDER / @PAULAHARDER_ MODELS ARE HONGYU WANG & JAKOB WEISSBARTH VIA IZAIO MANAGEMENT / @WANGH0NGYU @JAKOBWEISSBARTH @IZAIO.MODELMANAGEMENT BRANDS USED ARE SOLELY DESIGNS BY EGZON MALAJ & JANIS REITMANN 300

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DIE VIRTUOSITÄT DER UNSCHÄRFE Gerhard Richter‘s concept of „Virtuosität der Unschärfe,“ which translates to the „virtuosity of blur“ challenges conventional notions of artistic precision and clarity. It invites us to contemplate the profound depth within ambiguity and uncertainty, both in art and life. Gerhard Richter‘s artistic concept of the „virtuosity of blur“ might seem unconventional at first glance, but it has the power to challenge our preconceived notions of art‘s precision and clarity. It encourages us to peer into the depths of ambiguity and uncertainty, both in the art world and in our everyday lives. Photographer Omid Aghdami takes us on a journey through themes of incompleteness and decay, echoing the fashion designs brought to life by Egzon Malaj and Janis Reitmann. These designs, (literally) molded by the two students, carry a rough, almost burdensome quality that, oddly enough, conceals a hidden, introverted beauty—a beauty that resonates with Richter‘s idea of the „virtuosity of blur.“ It‘s a peculiar kind of clarity, one that defies conventional expectations of refinement. Omid Aghdami‘s photographic storytelling delves into these ideas and the perspectives embodied by the clothing. Contrasting with the usual countless numbers of outfits/looks in mainstream fashion shoots, Omid intentionally

narrows his focus to just two distinct looks. This deliberate decision grants us the opportunity to examine each piece with an intensity that‘s often lost in the world of fashion photography. It‘s an invitation to connect with the nuances. Omid photographic technique goes even further in enhancing the sensory essence of the clothing. Through manipulation of light and shadow, overlapping exposures, and the subtle elongation of shutter speeds, the photographs breathe life into the fabric, inviting viewers to feel its textures almost tangibly. This union of tactile sensations and visual artistry creates a profound engagement that‘s both stimulating and immersive.

In the world of art and fashion, the „virtuosity of blur“ challenges us to embrace imperfections, uncertainties, and the unconventional. It‘s a reminder that beauty can reside in unexpected places, waiting for those who dare to look beyond the surface. Richter‘s concept, translated into the fashion designs by Egzon and Janis and captured by Omid Aghdami, encourages us to pause, ponder, and appreciate the intricate details that might otherwise go unnoticed.

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galeriesultana.com/artists/jean-claracq instagram: @jeanclaracq Interview: @fleur_helluin

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IN CONVERSATION WITH EVÎN

"NOW I HAVE THE SPACE, NOW I WANT TO BE 100% EVÎN" 316

Last year, I met up with Evîn in Neukölln to interview her about her upcoming EP, "It Wasn't Even For You." We ended up chatting for the whole night, thereby postponing the interview to almost a year later. Since then, I've grown incredibly fond of her music, as it emits serenity and a feeling of home – just as if everything's okay. It's a feeling we all need to experience more often in these unprecedented times we live in. Evîn was born in 1995 in Bochum, Germany, into a family of Laz and Kurdish immigrants. Raised in an environment influenced by her father, a political journalist and activist, Evîn developed a profound political consciousness at a young age, which remains a significant aspect of her life to this day. With her music, she delves beyond personal themes, aiming to address vital issues such as social injustice, female empowerment, and commemorative culture. During our conversation, we discussed her life as an artist in Berlin, her involvement in "A Song For You," and the difference between working solo and her desire to fuse her culture with her music.

What’s been happening in your life since you released your latest EP "It Wasn't Even For You" last year? One of the biggest things, without a doubt, is that I have been producing more music on my laptop and learned a lot about mixing to see how far I can actually get on my own. I've done a lot on my own before, but I always thought it needed someone else to complete the whole thing and make it official. I probably have limited myself and put obstacles in my own way in the past. I feel much more liberated now. I can express my vision much more freely and can confidently say when a project is finished. I still collaborate with other artists, but overall, that process has become more relaxed too. It's really been a beautiful journey, and I'm so grateful. I never thought I could learn so much technically, but somehow, it happened. How do you approach making music now? Do you start with the lyrics, or are you experimenting with the technical side of it? It depends. Lately, I've been trying out a lot of different things, such as playing the piano, singing, playing the guitar, and so on. I record myself with my phone, sample the recordings, experiment, and try different things, such as chopping the elements. Often, there are already lyrics that come along with it, though, and there's already a certain direction the track could take. A vibe, so to say. From there, I delve deeper into the idea. I'd say everything comes together simultaneously for me. 317

Making a track by yourself automatically also makes you solely responsible for it. Does that scare you compared to working in a team? Absolutely! I still go to the studio with other creatives and always get people involved by sending them ideas and drafts. I don’t think I could do it all completely on my own anyway. If I know a person's style, I dig it, and we're heading in a similar direction, I'm definitely up for collaborating. You’re also part of “A Song for You”, Berlin's BIPoc-centred choir. How did that come about? I found them on Instagram about a year ago and watched a few of their recordings. I was amazed. What I saw and heard was just mind-blowing. I reached out to them when they started accepting applications, and before I knew it, I became a part of it and fell in love with everyone involved. I genuinely adore this community. You can feel their main goal is to create art together, to put together a collaborative project. In Germany, there was a huge lack of an initiative like “A Song For You”. It's also focused on supporting BIPOC individuals. Now, it's expanding. "A Song For You" now also has a performance company that centres around BIPOC artists, which is incredibly inspiring. I'm so grateful to be a part of it. Does it feel different performing with such a huge group when you’re usually on stage by yourself with your band? It's a different experience, but it's enriching, you know? I love having this contrast because it's very empowering, and it's not about the individual. In those moments, I realise that it's about the music that comes to life and fills the space. It's humbling, to be honest. I didn’t have to adapt to sharing the stage. Singing in a choir at 12 years old was my first proper singing experience. It felt more like finding my way back. Being among people who understand me, people who know this world, all while having a space where not being afraid to sing. Usually, I'm the only singer, everyone else plays instruments, which is cool, of course. But suddenly, there are only singers around you,and that's awesome. It's fire. 318

Has your work with “A Song For You” changed your approach to your solo-music? Maybe? I’d say, especially in the realm of soul and – in the broadest sense – gospel music, which has always been a part of me. I feel those genres are actively shaping my life again. In terms of production, I've already gone so far in a certain direction, I have now found my own style. I have to say that I could imagine incorporating choirs into my solo music, though. A couple of months ago you released a track called “Still (Sped up Version)”. How does it feel releasing music where you’re actively changing your voice or in this case also the speed of the track? I grew up with this strong belief that the voice has to sound natural. If you tune your voice, you're cheating. But now, I've come to understand that I love tuning and modifying my voice. For me, it's a sense of freedom, and it allows me to be Evîn, but I can also go beyond that, you know? For example, in my track “best friend”, not a second of it was my real voice. I loved it, and I wanted it to sound like that. It has been a beautiful experience for me. We’ve talked about this privately before but I was wondering if you could tell me about fusing your cultural background with your music. What does that look like for you? I'm cautious – or I try to be – because it's a long process to bring these two worlds together. I was born and raised here in Germany, but I also feel so connected to my parents’ experiences in Turkey when they were involved in different protests. I feel I've been there with them, it's a significant part of me. I'm trying to understand how I can incorporate those emotions into my music. My father used to sing a lot, he had a beautiful voice. It's quite a challenging process to merge these worlds, which might sound cryptic. I listen to a lot of Kurdish music, it inspires me, and I draw small elements from it. I've set a goal to bring these worlds together even more in my debut album. How are you planning on doing that? I would definitely do it in my own way, but I would work a lot with sampling as well as melodies and language. I'm learning Kurdish right now. We mostly spoke Turkish at home, which makes it an important language for me, but Kurdish, of course, takes precedence. My parents come from a very leftist scene in Turkey, and they introduced me to some amazing artists, such as Fikret Kızılok and Cem Karaca. They have also influenced me greatly. I read their lyrics, and I see that it's also a part of what my parents lived.

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You moved to Berlin last year. How has the city changed your relationship with music? Living here has encouraged me to be who I am, to some extent. I already had it within me all along, and being here made me feel like, "Now I have the space, now I want to be 100% Evîn." I'm becoming even more daring. You’ve already talked about your passion for production. In a techno-heavy city such as Berlin, is there a temptation for you to one day produce a techno track, for example? I sample a lot. Music, in general, is a big world, and you come across different genres one way or another. But I didn't grow up with techno. I was more into electro music, and never had a strong desire to create a techno track. But if I do, you'll hear about it for sure.

I can’t DJ yet, but it’s something I find super interesting – it’s such a huge part of the culture. If you read any big musician’s biography they always talk about how they ended up DJing at this significant space all night long. Maybe that’ll be me one day, and you’ll find me DJing all night at Panorama Bar! Interview by @johannaurbancik Follow @evinevinevin Photos by @ach.liebe

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"SINGING IN A CHOIR AT 12 YEARS OLD WAS MY FIRST PROPER SINGING EXPERIENCE. IT FELT MORE LIKE FINDING MY WAY BACK. BEING AMONG PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND ME, PEOPLE WHO KNOW THIS WORLD, ALL WHILE HAVING A SPACE WHERE NOT BEING AFRAID TO SING."

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Photographer: Oscar Latorre www.byoscarlatorre.com Make-Up: Sandra Ruibal Petrus @Makeupetrus Stylist: Armand Rodriguez Corredera @Armands_couture Models Are Fatima Drammeh @Dede_dmm Agency: Agencia River @Agenciariver_ Serigne Sylla @Seriberi7 Agency: Fleming Models @Flemingmodels Malick Diallo @Malickidiallo Agency: Sight Management Studio @Sightmanagement Studio: The Catwalk Studio @Thecatwalkstudio www.thecatwalkstudio.com

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Necklace by VSB Joyeros Jacket by Aleksander Revas Skirt by Armand’s Couture Shirt (right) by ZARA Trousers (right) by Eñaut Shirt (left) by ZARA Trousers (left) by Fred Perry

Left: Necklance By Vsb Joyeros Jacket By Aleksander Revas Skirt By Armand’s Couture Middle: Shirt By Zara -Trousers By E’aut Right: Shirt By Zara - Trousers By Fred Perry 323

Choker by Elisheva & Constance Bracelet by Fernando Rodríguez Blouse & Jacket by Alfredo Martínez Skirt by Armand’s Couture Sweatshirt by Alessandro Enríquez Trousers by Fred Perry

Choker by Elisheva & Constance Blouse by Joaquim Moreno Design Trousers by Fred Perry

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Jacket by Lola Casademunt by Maite Trousers by Joaquim Moreno Design Shoes by Najjat Harb

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Jacket by Lola Casademunt by Maite Trousers by Joaquim Moreno Design

Blouse by Armand’s Couture Jacket & Trousers by Fernando Alberto Atelier Bag by Shein

Jacket by Armand’s Couture Dress by Giselle Matamala

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Necklace by VSB Joyeros Jacket by Aleksander Revas Skirt by Armand’s Couture

Necklace by VSB Joyeros Jacket by Aleksander Revas Skirt by Armand’s Couture Choker (right) by Elisheva & Constance Blouse (right) by Joaquim Moreno Design Trousers (right) by Fred Perry Jewellery (left) by Fernando Rodríguez Blouse (left) by Alessandro Enriquez Trousers (left) by Moiraeius

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Sweater (top) by Fred Perry Trousers (top) by Fred Perry T-Shirt (bottom) by Fred Perry Trousers (bottom) by Eñaut

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Blouse by Armand’s Couture Belt by Giselle Matamala Trousers by Aleksander Revas

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Necklace by VSB Joyeros Bracelet by Fernando Rodríguez Dress by Armand’s Couture Sweater & Trousers (left) by Fred Perry Polo (right) by Fred Perry Trousers (right) by Eñaut

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Necklace by Fernando Rodríguez Bracelet by Elisheva & Constance Jacket by Fernando Rodríguez Skirt by Armand’s Couture

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Choker by Elisheva & Constance Bracelet by Fernando Rodríguez Blouse & Jacket by Alfredo Martínez Skirt by Armand’s Couture Sweater by Fred Perry Trousers by Eñaut

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Jacket by Joaquim Moreno Design Trousers by Fred Perry

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www.thenorthface.de

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Welcome to an enchanting realm where the season of autumn and winter becomes a symphony of luxurious indulgence. While these items may not be necessities per se, their allure is simply irresistible, allowing you toinfuse your life with unparalleled beauty and sophistication. Prepare to surrender to the allure of fashion, embrace cutting-edge technology, and pamper yourself with beauty wonders. This is your invitation to indulge in these must-have delights that promise to elevate your autumn/winter experience to Extraordinary heights.

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#BOOKCLUB

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THE THREE OF US BY RICHARD KRANZIN

Photographer Richard Kranzin embarks on a captivating journey into the enchanting summer forests of Brandenburg alongside three close companions. Amidst the picturesque scenery of a forest lake, a secluded cabin, and majestic trees, a profound love story unfolds. Through his art project "The Three of Us," Kranzin skillfully captures the tender and cinematic bond shared by these three young men. This aesthetic endeavor serves as a delightful contrast to the bustle of city life, celebrating the timeless beauty of youthful affection and the myriad expressions of love. Radiating romance and an ethereal quality, Kranzin's masterful black and white analog photographs in his latest book illuminate the pages, offering a serene respite from the ubiquity of digital photography. "The Three of Us" marks the esteemed photographer's third illustrious photobook, building upon the success of his earlier works, "Boys in Nature" and "Nudes." 345

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How did the idea for "The Three Of Us" come about? Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind the book? Since I am also a filmmaker, I always love to tell stories that are an escape from daily city life. Being born in Berlin and growing up in the big city, nature was always my sanctuary. My first short film “In Beating Cells” already tells the story of four young adults, who fall in love with the idea of reuniting with nature and living their intimate dream at a small lake in the middle of the forest. A romantic foursome so to say. And the idea for “The Three Of Us” also came from that basic storytelling idea. This time it is two young city guys, who enjoy their time in the picturesque nature and explore their romantic senses as soon as they meet a new companion.

Could you elaborate on the significance of Brandenburg as the setting for your photography project? What drew you to this particular location? Well, it was actually the publisher Björn Koll, who invited me to his Brandenburg home some years ago. We wanted to work on a new film idea, using his home and nature as a setting. Since financing films is a very complicated and political thing in Germany, we put our idea aside. But the nature in this particular area of Brandenburg still catches me. It is an almost untouched piece of earth, with a lot of wildlife. The Trees might be several hundred years old. The forests are some of the biggest in Europe and are full of history. You might even find ruins of hidden war shelters in there. So me and Björn developed this idea of creating a photographic story instead.

"The Three Of Us" is described as an aesthetic antipode to life in the big city. Can you expand on this concept and how it influenced your artistic vision? As I mentioned, I was born and grew up in the big city, in 1990. But the fast-living style was never meant for me. I am a dreamer and more of a thoughtful mind, and never was interested in techno or drugs, which Berlin became famous for. The city became more and more artsy, extravagant and international. Sometimes I just felt crushed by the visual overload and competition of art in Berlin. So instead of trying to compete with many loud or extravagant artists, that “took over” Berlin, I just wanted to stick with what I know and dream of and create more peaceful, quiet and mindful art. Just like in my book “NUDES”, I wanted to create a nostalgic feeling, a softness and a very intimate observation this time as well. The analogue film always helped me to transport that idea. Sometimes I see the world in slow motion. Diving into details, soaking in the atmosphere, and embracing senses and feelings. Something you forget when you live your fast big city life. And this should be conveyed with “The Three Of Us”. 347

#BOOKCLUB How did the friendship between Jakob, Malik, and Friedrich contribute to the overall narrative of the book? Were there any challenges in capturing their dynamic on camera? The story between those three characters is a fictional idea. My three friends Artur, Ben and Tony embodied those characters for my project. So a lot of the plot points were already set by me weeks before the shooting. I really saw myself more as a director than a photographer for this project. But I have to say that I was very lucky to have chosen these three because a lot of the most intimate photos in the book were only possible due to their own intuition and ability to let go and trust the moment. I am so happy that we all built this trust with each other and that my ideas felt like a natural flow to all of them. The only challenge was to sometimes be fast enough with my camera, to capture what was already happening intuitively.

Could you share some memorable moments or experiences from your time spent in Friedrich's cottage with the three young men? We spent three nights in this cottage in the middle of nowhere. There was literally no civilisation within the next five kilometres. Being there at night was a bit scary at some point, to be honest. I remember that one night Tony started howling into the woods, but the rest of us were scared that he would attract wolves. So we were hiding away in the cottage and locking the doors. Another happy memory is all of us sitting on the porch and having breakfast every morning. I was so in my head about the shooting, that I sometimes forgot to eat. But the guys were very sweet and prepared fruit muesli for me. We really grew together during those days. 348

How did you navigate the balance between intimacy and artistry in capturing the love story between the protagonists? What were some of the emotions you aimed to evoke in your photographs? There is a thin line between artistry and eroticism. But for me showing nudity or intimacy always comes from a romantic background. In my opinion, a photo that seems to be only erotic and has no other intention is not artistic enough and won’t be selected for my artwork. I guess it’s all about the selection and choosing what you want to show and what not. I am seeking an intimate atmosphere and a sense of vulnerability in my photos, always treating the subject in a respectful way. So even the most visual intimacy can be very artistic in the right context.

As a photographer, how do you approach storytelling through visuals? How do you find ways to capture fleeting moments and emotions within a static medium? As mentioned before, I saw myself as a director much more than a photographer in this project. But indeed, it requires repetition and a lot of good observation to be able to find the little interactions that keep the moment alive and true. I often observe the natural behaviours of my models and then ask them to freeze in that position or to repeat it for my camera. In “The Three Of Us” I asked the guys to run into the water several times for example.

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What were some of the challenges you faced during the creation of "The Three Of Us"? Were there any unexpected surprises or discoveries along the way? Shooting on analogue film is always full of surprises. There is a scene in the bathroom in which the guys brush their teeth and end up in the shower together. In the middle of shooting, I accidentally opened my camera and exposed the analogue film to the daylight. So we had to redo the teeth brushing on the next day again. Other than that, I was really well prepared for the project to avoid any unforeseen challenges. Also having Björn living not too far from all our locations always felt like a safe haven, he took good care of our well-being. And even the weather played us into the cards, considering that we shot it in early September 2022.

You mentioned that you are a romantic dreamer who prefers expressing yourself through pictures rather than words. How do you hope your photographs in "The Three Of Us" will resonate with viewers and convey the essence of summer love in nature? I hope that creating a cohesive and continuous photo story really helps to dive into this feeling as a viewer. It should feel like being a part of that experience. I guess everybody had at least that one time in their life, when they spent some days in nature, with friends or lovers, being carefree and just enjoying the moment. So the photos should also bring back memories of love and inspire you to celebrate the moment.

RICHARD KRANZIN: THE THREE OF US Gebunden, 160 Seiten, 240×320 mm, 107 Fotos ISBN 978-3-95985-667-6 59,00 Euro Get the book at salzgeber.de/threeofus Follow RICHARD KRANZIN @richard_kranzin_photography richardkranzin.com Interview by Marcel Schlutt

SOMEWHERE IN TIME PHOTOGRAPHER ELYS BERROTERAN @ELYSMCM MODEL PETER @PETERDEMAS25 VERSACE @VERSACE CALVIN KLEIN @CALVINKLEIN NIDAL NOUAIHED @NIDALDESIGNER PRADA @PRADA RALPH LAURENT @RALHPLAURENT

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Photography and visual design by Alexandra S. Aderhold / www.aderholdprojects.com @aderholdprojects @earthling_aderhold Model, makeup and styling: Magdalena Piech www.magdalenapiech.com / @mpiech.art Interview by Marcel Schlutt

IN CONVERSATION WITH ALEXANDRA S. ADERHOLD 362

THE ALLURE OF "BITTER MOON"

In a captivating exploration of art, fashion, and technology, Alexandra S. Aderhold takes us on a journey into the mesmerizing world of "Bitter Moon." This exclusive interview delves into the creative process behind the project and shines a light on the philosophy that drives Aderhold's work. From a young age, Aderhold embarked on a path as a visual artist, initially discovering her passion for photography at the age of 13. Throughout her artistic evolution, she has embraced various genres, eventually focusing on vegan nude, fetish, and porn art. Her art reflects values of self-determination, consent, and the celebration of diversity. It was through this artistic journey that Aderhold found herself drawn to the "Bitter Moon" project. The fusion of fetish fashion and AI-generated imagery in "Bitter Moon" serves as a powerful statement on avant-garde creativity and animal rights. Aderhold's vision was to push the boundaries of artistic expression while highlighting the potential of technology to revolutionize the art world. She aimed to deliver a resounding message in this project - that art can captivate and inspire without exploiting animals or violating their rights.

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Latex stockings and latex top by Anoeses Latex skirt by Honor Clothing Shoes by Christian Louboutin

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Can you tell us about your journey as a visual artist and how it led you to collaborate on the “Bitter Moon” project? My journey as a visual artist began at the age of 13 when I first picked up a camera. Over the years, I’ve explored various genres, and my work has evolved into a focus on vegan nude, fetish, and porn art. The emphasis in my art is on self-determination, consent, and showcasing the beauty of diversity. The “Bitter Moon” project emerged from a desire to push creative boundaries and explore the intersection of art, fashion, technology, and ethics. What inspired you to fuse fetishist fashion with AI-generated imagery in “Bitter Moon”? The fusion of fetish fashion and AI-generated imagery in “Bitter Moon” was driven by a dual commitment to avant-garde creativity and animal rights. Embracing the potential of technology to revolutionise art, I aimed to deliver a powerful message – that in the modern era, we can create visually stunning narratives without exploiting animals and without violating animal rights. The project underscores the principle that no sentient being should be used without consent for artistic endeavours or any other purpose. After all, there is a clear connection between veganism and my nude, fetish, and porn art; we should not violate the fundamental rights of other animals and use them as objects or treat them as our property without their consent just so that we can have leather whips, whipped cream, or even real animals on set. It’s just not right. When we understand the concept of consent, we also have to think about the animals and how they are not able to consent to any of that at all. The fusion in “Bitter Moon” is a testament to avant-garde art with ethical integrity. In “Bitter Moon,” snakes are utilized as symbols of danger and desire. Can you elaborate on the significance of this motif? Snakes represent the allure of the forbidden, the sensuality that comes with an element of risk. Snakes are archetypal symbols in many cultures, often associated with transformation and hidden knowledge. In “Bitter Moon,” they become a visual metaphor for the complex interplay between danger and desire, akin to the risks one might seek in delving into a tarot session.

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Tarot cards play a pivotal role in the visual narrative of “Bitter Moon.” How do they contribute to the mystical storytelling aspect of the project?

Working with such a forward-looking material is not just incredible; it has become one of my favourite aspects of photo shoots in recent years.

Since every single card features a unique coal drawing by Magdalena Piech, the cards perfectly came with a story of their own. Each card, meticulously illustrated by Magdalena Piech in coal, carries its own narrative.

In “Bitter Moon,” both Magdalena Piech and yourself challenge artistic norms and redefine the boundaries of creativity. Can you share some insights into this boundary-pushing collaboration?

Magda’s intimate involvement is portrayed as she models with her tarot set, reflecting the countless hours invested in each motif, painstakingly drawn and brought to life through coal before finding its place on the cards, designed and photographed by me.

Magdalena Piech and I embrace a creative, out-of-the-box mindset, leading us to adopt a novel approach for this product shoot. Integrating Artificial Intelligence into our artistic toolkit alongside traditional mediums like photography and coal drawing opens up avenues for entirely unprecedented outcomes.

The fusion of sensuality and avant-garde is prominently showcased in “Bitter Moon” through the use of skin-tight latex. How does this symbolize the intersection of art, fashion, and technology? Latex is truly fascinating; its futuristic appearance and the fact that it’s derived from rubber trees give it a distinct texture and aesthetic. Personally, I believe latex represents a glimpse into the future of fashion, where plant-based materials will replace the skin of other animals, their hair, their silk, and their wool. 368

This synergy of AI and classic artistic expression mirrors the transformative impact that photography had on painting when it was first introduced. While AI doesn’t replace traditional methods, it enriches the creative process. It’s essential to note that I exclusively used ethically sourced AI, primarily from databases with copyrights, such as Firefly AI.

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How does your work capture the essence of the unconventional? In my creative journey, I avoid strict boundaries, making sure that every move respects the principle of consent. I enjoy encouraging my collaborators to break free from conventional norms, delving into discussions about animal rights, and emphasising the importance of veganism in every photoshoot. My passion lies in showcasing not only the possibility but the necessity of creating art without causing harm to others. To me, the true essence of art is lost when it becomes entangled with the exploitation of any sentient being, whether human or nonhuman. It goes beyond mere creation; it’s a joyful and consensual expression, using one’s body or others’, without violating their fundamental rights. It’s a celebration of inner creativity that doesn’t compromise the well-being of any sentient being. Could you elaborate on the level of sophistication that Magdalena Piech’s touch brings to “Bitter Moon”? Magdalena Piech’s touch in “Bitter Moon” is like adding a special flavour to a recipe, a mix of elegance and avant-garde vibes. Her knack for choosing styles and telling stories visually takes the project to a whole new level. It’s the little things, the attention to detail, and the way she blends different elements that really make “Bitter Moon” stand out. Magda, being an artist with her own unique style and loads of experience, brought so much to the table. Our combined vision, along with her creative flair, played a huge part in shaping what the shoot turned out to be! How does your keen eye for detail infuse purpose and passion into the images of work? In my images, each element, from composition and colour grading to symbolism, is thoughtfully selected to enhance the narrative. Details are not just aesthetic considerations but deliberate choices that add layers of meaning. This meticulous attention to detail, perhaps stemming from my OCD, reflects my love for scrutinizing every aspect of a picture.

It’s about making the exploration of my photos both stimulating on a deeper level and simply fun on the visual surface. “Bitter Moon” sparks conversations by pushing the boundaries of art, fashion, and technology. What impact do you hope the project will have on these creative realms? Through this project, my aim is to spotlight the intersection of animal rights with art, fashion, and technology. I firmly believe that ethical art is inseparable from the principles of consent and the rights of all sentient beings. AI, as a powerful tool, enables us to bring our creative visions to life without infringing upon the fundamental rights of others. I hope this endeavour serves as inspiration for fellow artists, fostering a future where vegan art and fashion thrive, and any practices rooted in animal exploitation become a dark part of our history books. What message or feeling do you hope viewers take away from their encounter with your extraordinary artwork? I hope that viewers feel a sense of awe, intrigue, and willingness to engage in a dialogue about ethical considerations in art, fashion, and technology. My overarching goal is to initiate conversations about animal rights, fostering a shift away from viewing animals as mere resources. The ultimate vision is a world where animals are not considered property but are recognised as sentient individuals, entitled to subjecthood status, and protected from enslavement and exploitation. This project seeks to evoke a spectrum of emotions, from sensuality to provocation, with the hope that viewers emerge empowered to challenge societal norms, particularly those rooted in nonvegan practices. Animal rights are a logical extension of human rights, rooted in our shared capacity for subjective experiences and sentience. Excluding individuals based on their DNA is a moral stance we must abolish if we aspire to create a harmonious world where no one is marginalised.

This is the essence I strive for in my work — an experience that’s not only visually enjoyable but also offers the delight of discovering intricate details. 371

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CAN U FEEL

THE RUSH? PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIKO DIONISIO @KIKODIONISIO_PHOTOGRAPHY THE MODEL IS TRAPEZIST, ACROBAT & PERFORMER MORITZ HAASE @MORITZXHAASE

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Photography: Panos Misailidis @p2photographygr Model: Dimitris Toufexis @dimitris_toufexis Fashion Director: Billy Hazel @billyhaze

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Issue 20 - In Conversation with .. 9!