Minus 101

MINUS

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identity society culture

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-101 is an exploration of culture, society and identity from the perspective of today’s generation of creative arts students. We are a platform for students to express their opinions and feelings about the world around them. -101 is created by students for students, and anyone else with an open mindset. Each issue will be edited and curated by Paris College of Art students with content featuring both current and alumni students from various art institutions across Paris and beyond.

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Issue 1 Editors

Content Beginning with Light 10 Carte Blanche 12 Jeune

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26 Sisterhood Kona

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44 Life Half Alive 52 Clara Poe

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76 Pushing Gender of Fashion

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The Symbol

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In Conversation

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Reflect

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Adjusting

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Lama Alissa

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Sasha Betzer

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132 Provoke

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What is Ar t?

A question asked by Chase R. McCurdy

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- Jioh Kang

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Beginning with Light

Light works in multiples. It can mean many things, both literally and metaphorically, and it can be manipulated in countless ways.

Two fine arts students at Paris College of Art are working at doing just that. Ethan Logan (left), a 22 year old transfer student from Connecticut, United States, and Jorge Ayllon (above), a 22 year old transfer student from Lima, Peru.

Two different perspectives, two different outcomes and one common medium. Light.

Photography and words by Chase R. McCurdy

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Carte Blanche A blank canvas for five students to share what’s on their minds

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YeEun Kim Fine Arts PCA

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Judy Karkour Fine Arts PCA carte blanche

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Charles Abbot Fashion Design PCA carte blanche

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INTIMACY

intimacy is a feeling, a sensation, and everything in between

INTIMACY

Emily Tse Transdisciplinary New Media PCA carte blanche

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Annika Kafcaloudis Photography PCA carte blanche

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JeUNE

Photography by Chase R. McCurdy Styling(& Mom) Mary Saisselin Model Lucie Sasselin

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jeune - photo story

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Sweat burns sugar on the tongue a crude awakening, and where’s it from?

Sliding up on cement and skin fidgety light thrown into the bin Soggy burgers with no one to tell accepting mindful pigs only to dwell All of this and none of that True freedom in a hat - Ethan Logan

what is art?

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What is Ar t?

what is art?

SISTERHOOD

Photography Styling and make up by Alma Rosaz Model Camille Mascarrell Model Chloe Alexandre Clothes stylist’s own

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sisterhood - fashion story

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Kona Portraits of artists in their favourite corner Photography by Dhruvin

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Zac Dillon Writer kona - portrait story

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Mary Saisselin Set Designer Paris College of Art kona - portrait story

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Angeline Aron Make-up Artist/Model Make Up Forever Academy kona - portrait story

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Yumna Dania Mirza Aspiring Art Critique Istituto Marangoni kona - portrait story

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Art liver must’ers And ball eyed busters Frequent visual fetish makers On supreme aesthetic fuckers Sensualizing the unsensual Freaky flying by ideas Creatively inclined Through precievers note Melodies of colors Beyond recievers joke Mass member ego maniac road Subtle projectin man machine Scattered brush batter Clicking shot light catcher Clothing masher Plaster basher Pe r f o r m a n c e d a s h e r What the fuck is art?

- Philipp Rossini

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What is Ar t?

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Life

Photography by Chase R. McCurdy

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life - photo story

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MEMO WANG

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half alive

Photography by Dhruvin Styled by Prairie Siripim Hair by Sumiyo Kyoshima Make-up by Amelle Jacob Model Anne Lise Maulin Assistants Vimoinat Thongsaard & Pimtip Paosila

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Belt Scarf: Flynow White Label Jacket: Vintage

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Belt Scarf: Flynow White Label Jacket: Dries Van Noten Top: Stylist’s own

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Top: Flynow White Label Jacket: Model’s own

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Dress: Flynow White Label Turtleneck: United Colors of Benetton Jacket: Vintage

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Top: Vintage Scarf: Stylist’s own Clutch: Sirivannavari

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Printed Top: Flynow White Label Leather Gloves: Stylist’s own

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Tanks: Alexander Wang X H&M Belt: Vintage Skirt: Stylist’s own

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Bodysuit: Vintage Boots: Stylist’s own

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Belt Scarf: Balmain X H&M Long Sleeve Top: Vivienne Westwood Black Bustier Top: Sirivannavari Wide Leg Pants: Flynow White Label

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Printed Top: Flynow White Label Leather Gloves: Stylist’s own Leather Skirt: Stylist’s own

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Trench Coat: Stylist’s own White Tanks: Flynow White Label Shirt: Stylist’s own

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Trench Coat: Stylist’s own White Tanks: Flynow White Label Shirt: Stylist’s own Pants: Flynow White Label

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Scarf: Stylist’s own Coat: Vintage Camisole: Stylist’s own Pants: Stylist’s own

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Turtleneck: Stylist’s own Tanks: Flynow White Label Pants: Flynow White Label

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CLARA POE

Inter view with Fashion Design graduate student from MJM Nantes, France

Inter view by Alma Rosaz Photography by Clara Poe

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I. The origin of my passion for fashion When I was a child I used to spend hours dressing my Barbies and my dolls up and not even necessarily play with them afterwards.

Dressing them up was what was important for me.

Then, growing up, I started drawing fashion figures and inventing motifs and shapes in clothes, all influenced by magazines such as Vogue and runways that I used to see on TV. On top of that, I have always seen my grand mother sewing and creating her own clothes, which was fascinating for me and I quickly asked her for some tips. This is when I started making my own clothes. My grand mother is one of my biggest influences; I have always seen her paint, sew and draw and she made me want to try it all.

And at 10, I told my parents I was going to become a stylist or a fashion designer when I grow up. And I never gave up on that idea: I am a stylist and designer today!

II. My main influences In terms of my main influences, I am attracted to Antonio Marras, Valentino and Delpozo with a penchant on Chanel which style is quite present in my work.

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III. Message in my work My work explores an excursion; a voyage in space and time. The themes present in my work are ethnicities, costume history (especially the beginning of the 20th Century), the Japanese clothes’ shapes, the masculine/ feminine style and the organic.

I have always been intrigued by the passed centuries, and I relive these years in my work.

For me, looking at the world around us brings us so much beauty. In my work, I am looking at expressing this richness that is present around us and above us.

IV. My education I attended the LISAA School of Art and Design in Nantes for two years. My first year was at MANAA where I studied fashion design, which was a very intense year but I have learned a lot from it in terms of drawing. I really enjoyed it.

My second year I did a BTS (Bachelor) in Fashion Design and Textile. I completed the year and changed schools; LISAA wasn’t for me after all.

I then attended MJM School of Art in Nantes still. This school might not be well known yet, but I really recommend it; I was very happy there and impressed by the atmosphere of the school. It was magical - even if the work was quite hard.

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VI. Final Year Project At MJM, we had to create two collections for our final: a main one with 4 panoplies and one where we had to create a coat. The main one was on the theme of medieval times, on vegetation, and on Japanese masculine and feminine shapes.

The second one was on the 70s, voluminous shapes, masculine/feminine, chevron, geometric prints and tapestry.

VII. Finding a job Let’s be real, it is quite complicated for me to get a job right now. I am still in that “student” status more than professional, so it is hard to get internships and of course, job contracts. I am not getting responses from the companies I am contacting. I don’t really know where to place myself but I am doing my best to find somewhere to work at … I have however found and sewing internships in Paris and at the Opera of Tours. I also use social media to publish my work, and I am currently working on a new collection.

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Always pushing me away

Photography by Isabella Puitti

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I know what the boys want

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I’ll call you back, my husbands

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Tell Lolita to pass by

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Don’t be so shy

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Why so sharp?

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Fuori testa

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Le freak, c’est chic

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The domestic goddess

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Ready your weapon

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Gender of Fashion

by Kinga Kurek fashion student at Central Saint Martins, UAL

For those of who closely watch fashion I think it’s safe to admit that something interesting is going, and have been for couple of seasons now. With Yves Saint Laurent male models walking down the catwalk dressed in pink fur coats and long top (it might actually be a dress) during AW ’15 shows to female models walking in tuxedos and trainers in nearly every designers show around the globe. However this is slowly changing as designers are challenging the gender boundaries on the catwalk, from men’s spring, summer shows of Saint Laurent, who is known for constantly blending fashion between genders, in both men’s and women’s shows, to J.W. Anderson who now has opened a unisex section in Selfridges. One thing is sure, one of the biggest trends for 2016 is unisex fashion. Following the androgynous model trend, Andreja Pejic –previously known as Andrej- is the best example of that, walking both men and women shows as well as appearing in the biggest fashion and beauty campaigns showing that the demand on change of how the separation between fashions genders is there.

As more acceptable the society is becoming about this there’s still lot’s of work to be done in this matter. There is a certain double standard to fashion and dress code between genders. There is defiantly a double standard between men and women fashion. It’s easier for women to shop in men’s section than for a man to shop in women’s,

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Photography by Alma Rosaz Models: Djamila Imani & Emmanuelle Lacou

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even if it’s for something basics such as t-shirts. But even sometimes when I, as a woman, go to men’s section to get a t-shirt (way more comfortable!) there are times when the judgment looks are lurking, and if you’re selling an item, as long as you sell it why does it matter who is going to wear it?

Fashion, becoming gender neutral, will defiantly change how we look at it. But it could also possibly change people’s lives.

Because what about transgender people? After all, fashion is about self-expression and if wearing the opposite gender’s clothes works for you, more power to you! If we would start with simple things like this maybe one day these it will be easier for transgender (and transsexual people) to be one step closer to be who they want to be.

And when it comes to fashion the most important thing is not who you wear rather how you wear it. You can use styling for instance to change the way clothes look on the body, regardless wherever it is more feminine or more masculine.

And when it comes to fashion the most important thing is not who you wear rather how you wear it. There are ways in styling to change the way clothes look on the body, regardless whenever it’s females or males.

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Body shape has also got a role in how the clothes look on the body, some will fit better than others debating on what shape we have got. It’s shouldn’t be how we look in those clothes but also, how we feel in them.

Clothing should and is about self-expression! It keeps us covered, of course. So why does it matter that much if they look too masculine or too feminine on the body? They’re just clothes. If someone feels like wearing opposite genders clothes, more power to them, fashion should be fun and fearless instead of constantly working on what other people will think.

So does fashion have gender? Should the Fashion Week be separated for both women and men? Or should they all merge together to become one and ultimately be celebrated as a piece of art, which fashion actually is? Of course due to the different biological factors of women and men, not both genders can wear the exactly same outfits due to shapes, curves and hips. However if one does, it shouldn’t be such taboo. After all fashion is there to show one’s identity.

So guys, wear what make you feel, and forget about other people’s opinion! kinga kurek - article

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Designer Sho Konishi Photography by Dhruvin

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THE SYMBoL Fashion design for me is a tangible representation of human existence. I use clothes as a way to design life. The wearer of my draperies marries his or her unique characteristics and identity with my sensibility, identity and messages. As a result a new hybrid identity is born. My creation concept focuses on forces that are a part of the natural environment and on human emotions.I concentrate on the following themes when I design: Human anatomy, Complex thoughts that human have, Optical illusions, Reincarnation, Religion, Environmental issues, I include these themes in my works by translating and presenting them in fabrics, material alterations and silhouettes in order to express my view. My plan is to use fashion as a communication tools so that I can continue leaning the complexity and depth of everything. I design in order to continue growing in the discipline which has always been the center - Sho Konishi, MA Fashion Student PCA

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What is Ar t?

what is art?

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Art Is an excuse.

To b u y t i m e .

To k i l l i t .

To m a k e u p f o r w h a t w e c a n ’ t s a y .

What we won’t say.

To s a y a l l o f i t .

Ve r b o r n o u n ?

To d e s c r i b e w h a t w e c a n ’ t e x p l a i n .

The pretty things, the ugly.

All of it.

Bullshit.

An excuse.

A complete distraction abstraction.

Selfless. Selfish.

A contradiction.

A compromise.

A conversation.

A vice.

An excuse.

A tool.

A bridge to bridge.

Etc. An excuse.

- Zet Gold

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In Conversation

A deeper look into the thoughts and ideas of today’s art students

An informal exchange between four art students based in Paris, France.

Each from different schools, different countries and each with a different perspective of life. The conversation is a time-honored method of gaining knowledge, no matter the topic being discussed.

Each new generation challenges the ones that come before. The artist challenges our conception of the world around us. Therefore, the conscious art student is a person pushing us forward. Not necessarily in a certain direction, but pushing our thoughts, our beliefs and our ideas.

“There’s not one direction, the notion of one direction doesn’t even exist anymore” - Yumna Mizra Conversation participants Judy Karkour - Kevin Brugneaux - Yumna Mizra Moderated by Chase R. McCurdy Photography by Dhruvin

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Can we find answers to mainstream philosophical beliefs through contemporary fashion and art magazines?

Chase R. McCurdy: Do you think this is a question that can be approached?

Yumna Mizra: About how fashion and art magazines will give answers to more philosophical questions?

Kevin Brugneaux: You’re really the first two people I’ve ever met who have this interest in fashion and philosophy…

YM: For me, the reason why these two can be put together so easily is that philosophy is the being, is the thinking, is the existential, and fashion is everything that is appearance, everything that is the reflection of everything else. So they’re the perfect opposites which makes them undeniably attached. If you look deep enough into the reason of fashion you would get what [I think to be] philosophical answers. Fashion is the perfect reflection of today’s society. If you look at it through a very objective, detached, sociological point of view you can extract…I think, I hope, that’s what I’m heading towards…philosophical ways of thinking of today’s world.

CM: I think, wholly, that you can find very base philosophical ideas and beliefs in a contemporary fashion magazine…You can look at what issues may become seemingly more popular, for example, a look at transgender and gender identity issues. If you look at the very direction from where that comes from, including it and taking on the responsibility of being a flag bearer for these kinds of movements you can see an openness, on a very broad level, that which tied with other points of view and approaches to the kind of content that’s carried, the way its distributed and who the intended audience is. It’s there, a lot of its there, not everything and not [necessarily] a deeper meaning or the meaning that we want, but I think you can see exactly, at a point in time, what a large group of society is, in base philosophical beliefs from these kinds of publications.

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On Representation vs. Appropriation KB: But I think this is the first time I think it that it goes back to mass market… (discusses recent major brand transgender ad campaign) Judy Karkour: Yeah, but even like i-D magazine or Dazed & Confused magazine, all of these contemporary art [magazines and]…even websites they work so much with the new norm. It’s an interesting approach that now bigger brands are taking this idea of wanting to be more part of the new norm.

CM: That’s where you get to the point of asking, this culture, this sub-culture, are you truly representing it or are you appropriating it?

JK: There’s a fine line.

CM: There is a fine line between really pushing forward certain cultures/sub-cultures, whether it be transgender or you look at more fashion magazines now with models of color. I remember I think it was one or two months, I saw my aunt had a bunch of covers in the States, I think it was like 10 different magazines…that traditionally would have Caucasian cover models all with black women of different shades or asian, minority or other colored women on the covers. I’m like, “ok, cool,” I dig this. Is this something that’s really an issue being taken up or is it just being thrown on the cover to fall within a trend?

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How does school affect the creation of personal artwork? Whether this be in a good way, bad way, both, neither. How do you feel about that relationship?

JK: Well, both for me, definitely.

KB: Good and bad?

JK: It started off as bad, because I thought there was a larger need for me to make things as assignments. Conforming to exactly what the teacher wants, and then I found that I was making this work, I’m not necessarily happy with it so I want to do something that I want to do, and I found a common ground between what I want to do and what the teachers expect me to do. When I figured that out it was like a weight lifted off of my shoulders.

I finally found out where I am with my work at my age and where I am with schooling, and education-wise what I’ve learned in art, and the way I think about it is evolving all the time, constantly. No matter the teacher…it’s a ripple.

KB:… I think a good teacher should really see what’s your talent and what’s your own personality, what’s your signature and really push you 300% in it. Go for it and really explore.

YM: It’s a constant challenge because school is like your perfect client, right? They’re asking you to do things, they’re giving you directions and you have specific assignments so its specific themes you need to elaborate, but that’s amazing because they give you something and you’re forced to give something back that represents you, so how you work on it, and how you make it your own I think is the biggest challenge and proud feeling you have in the end.

YM: It’s like giving each student this perfect metallic cube, there you go, make it your own. And that’s where the games begin. How you give it back, and how you started out with this cube and in the end you have this object you can call it your own. I think that’s beautiful.

CM: And that’s school if it’s done right, you know? If you’re given the challenge, the constraints, the prompt, and then allowed to address it in your way.

KB: When you’re young, in your first years, of course it’s important to experiment and take risks, but after a certain stage, you should not be fighting with this kind of thing, you should stand for yourself and be allowed to explore your own direction.

YM: But don’t you think, as you said you should be fighting for your style right? But don’t you think you fighting today will just make it even more powerful and even more your style tomorrow? If the student today has to fight for his minimalism whereas the professor is totally different he has to understand what he really likes and what he really hates.

It just forces him more.

CM: You want a teacher that pushes you, that challenges you.

JK: That guides your path instead of changing your path completely, and conforming you into what they want exactly. They have to understand your way of thinking and guide that thinking the right way. Instead of completely changing your idea into something that is nothing like what you want.

YM: But even these teachers that don’t go into your direction it’s frustrating for all the work, and all the money put in, of course, but if you see them as a metaphor of reality you become…you transfer yourself from being a creative person to maybe an artist? Even though I don’t really like that word, its…Yes, we’re creative, but how to integrate that creativity into your context

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in conversation

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and surroundings. That movement makes you an artist, I think.

YM: You just need to push your style to an extreme where you find yourself not being you, but being a version of you in a context. So it’s beautiful to write and take pictures or whatever in your own area, but when you’re forced to take part of something bigger than you, you realize that ok maybe I can’t do minimalism, but how can I do minimalism in this context? So the teacher is frustrating but is an obstacle that exists.

JK: Challenging your boundaries.

YM: Yes you have your style, but will it survive on its own for you to be able to survive?

JK: It comes back to the point of being able to talk about your work and defending your work in a way that, yeah, its what they want to hear, but its something that you believe in.

You have to be able to believe in your work to be able to talk about it and sell it to them.

YM: Exactly. I think that belief will grow stronger if they didn’t agree with your vision. If they agreed you don’t even have to justify it, you just show it and you feel proud. If they don’t agree, then you start fighting.

JK: That’s the most important part of growing as an artist. That’s how you grow by being challenged. By teachers, but then once you graduate by clients, after that its by whoever is on top.

YM: You already feel your audience because you are in a context, and I think that’s your biggest challenge and your biggest power, to understand your context and then to remodel your creativity for it. For whatever you want to express, you need to remodel it for this context that is given. And that is your biggest strength, and what fucks you up.

CM: That’s where things get very difficult for the struggle when it comes to creating your personal work, your art, versus having to make a living and enter these commercial worlds that we do. I think it’s totally possible to wrap yourself around these different contexts and reasons for working and that may have an impact of sorts on your personal work, which is something that may happen with school as well. Like the exercises that the teachers give us to push us creativity or to push us in terms of being able to come to a clearer understanding of our work, but it may have a negative impact at some point too.

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in conversation

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RE:FLECT

Photography by Lulu Alsaud Styling by NESREEN NES Photo assistant SHAHAD ALISSA Make up by LAUREN, sephora make up bar.

Model ANASTASIA DANEILI Location TUILERIES GARDEN, Paris.

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SHIRT: PORTS 1961 HIGH NECK SWEATER WITH SEQUENCE: PORTS 1961 PANTS: PORTS 1961 SHOES: STAN SMITHS ADIDAS

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COAT: DOLCE AND GABBANA

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SHOES: CELINE

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Adjusting

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Photography by Chase R. McCurdy Styling by Laurel Symone Models Dave Klibanoff & Zoe Jackson Wardrobe by Zucca

L AMA ALISSA Inter view wit h Photographer/Communication Desginer

Introduce yourself and tell us a bit of your background and what you do My name is Lama Alissa. I am 21 years old and from Saudi Arabia. Currently studying in France at Paris College of Art in communication design. My work consists of analog photographs, short films and street art.

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What does “being creative� mean to you?

To me being creative is a way of using my imagination and abilities in creating something different or new.

What kind of creative patterns, routines or rituals do you have?

I enjoy going to museums and galleries to see artworks by other artists. I also consider walking around the city as a way to free my mind and at the same time become inspired by what is around me.

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Which creative medium would you love to pursue but haven’t yet?

I would love to learn more about culinary design.

What’s the best advice you ever had about how to be more creative?

I don’t this to be the best advice but if I had to choose it would be to always develop my project a step further.

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What’s your favourite thing you’ve ever created? And why?

I created my first stop motion video of a song called Fireflies by Owl City back in highschool and it is still my one of my favorite videos that I did.

I had to teach myself the process of stop motion and illustrate the lyrics using paper and words. I managed to film and create the whole video by myself which at that time made me proud.

How do you get inspired when starting a new project?

I start by looking through books that I have or doodling my ideas on a piece of paper.

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Une Petite Promenade

Paris through the lens of PCA photography student Sasha Betzer

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Art is a language used to express, share & communicate a message from one person(s) to another. It has all the characteristics of a language, including (but not limited to) the ability to tell stories, lie, persuade, exaggerate, etc. Like any language, art is impossible to 100% master.

- Joey Thunder PS I know nothing

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What is Ar t?

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“Our dream is to open a new place in Paris dedicated to the document image on the site of a former ballroom behind the Place de Clichy. An exhibition, confrontation and questioning of the many possible approaches to reality, a place resonant with history in the making.”

Raymond Depardon – Founding President In this vein, Le Bal’s most recent exhibition “Provoke” is a look into the world of the Japanese publication of the same title. Created by a collective of photographers, thinkers and poets, “Provoke” explored the changes in Japanese society resulting from Western influence as well as rebellions stemming from these changes.

The exhibition tells this story through a number of artists of various mediums in the time frame of “Provoke.” Including photographs, books and films.

6 Impasse de la Defense 75018 / M Place de Clichy Photography by Chase R. McCurdy

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Le Bal - Provoke

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Le Bal

6 Impasse de la Defense 75018 Paris Metro Place de Clichy

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