Issue Two
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Ill Illu us s tr tra at ti io on ns s by by B Br ri ie e M M o or re en no o
Issue Two is % Here! Amongst the sea of a thousand think pieces, faux acts of feminism and the women’s rights movement making its way in to the mainstream media, many saw 2014 as the year feminism became a fad. Whether this is correct or not, what’s important is that the issues discussed do not fade away. Polyester’s mission has always been to shine light on artists and creative people working online who are represented as part of a ‘trend’, or who’s work is subliminally communicated as being temporarily important. For this reason, our second edition doesn’t have a theme. As Angela Washko said, “Twitter is the new public space in which you can loudly and publicly air grievances against companies. Secret Facebook groups are the new salon, in which discourse is being debated into the late hours of the evening and early morning.” In short, just because a conversation was initiated on the net, that doesn’t make the thoughts raised any less valid offline. So instead of tying a reductionist theme to our second issue, we’ve featured a bunch of artists exploring different motivations through their chosen medium. Whether it’s Hobbes Ginsburg’s exploration of gender and depression, Elizabeth Ilsley’s sexually saturated clothing and digital canvas’ or Celia Edell taking her Tumblr inbox in to the IRL becoming our agony aunt, all are taking important steps to shaping the way we view current social issues. Whether that be through a computer screen or in this zine.
-Ione Gamble EDITOR IN CHIEF
www.polyesterzine.com
SENIOR EDITOR
FASHION EDITOR
Claudia Walder
Rosie Williams
ART DIRECTOR
JUNIOR FASHION EDITOR
Kayla Martinez
Jilian Banjoko
Special thanks to Afi Baaqi, Alfie Gleeson Amy Exton and Siobhan Hogan
COPYRIGHT & DISCLAIMER All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without written permission from publishers. © 2014 Polyester. The views expressed in Polyester are those of the respective contributors and Editor, and are not necessarily shared by the publisher. These parties cannot be held responsible for them. Cover by Ione Gamble. Tallulah wears Meadham Kirchhoff
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Despite also citing Jenny Holzer, Sarah Lucas, Tracey Emin and So how Petra Collins as major influences to did Ilsey get to her work, Ilsey is cautious to not this point? “Probably just by use the word inspire, “because I being an attention seeking don’t want to copy any of these little shit,” she says, “but wonderful artists that I follow. I when Damien Hirst held his feel more like I’m part of the girl big retrospective at the Tate gang. Girl gangs are the best gangs Modern in 2012, I watched after all.” Her work is undeniably it on TV and when I saw it female orientated. She believes, in person, I just couldn’t get “us women make certain choices over how smart he was. and I’m embracing the taboos we That’s when I knew I could share.” Ilsey certainly doesn’t and would do this for a shy away from sharing her own living.” In the New Year, she’s personal experiences, like many teaming up with good friend of the artists she admires. With and “fellow trashy artist” Jack phrases such as ‘We were lying Marder, creating a one off zine on the floor fucked on gin and and online exhibition called beak when he said I think I love you’, her work can seem painfully ‘Cherub’. Showcasing different works through submission - or personal. For the more prudish from Birmingham School of Art types amongst us, Ilsley’s by past and present students, work could be interpreted as confrontational, but she believes, ‘Cherub’ will highlight work they find important, “we just want to “the crude, tongue-in-cheek show off amazing artists to the aspect of my work is just my personality and humour showing world!” Ilsey’s short term plans also include, “collaborating with through. I don’t want to arouse artists I admire, holding a lot of as such; I would rather make shows in 2015 and seeing where my audience laugh. I guess it’s it takes me.” She also hopes to just my cheeky character release more work, make some and dry sense of “huge ass” sculptures, and take humour.” her art across borders over to the states. So, a pretty chilled out schedule then. Not bad for a girl who in school and college, “could print quite well, but never drew a dog with a graphite pencil.” Words by Beccy Hill
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William Howell-Jackson
Elizabeth Farrell
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Remember the messages Edward: Freedom is not reality, change is a possibility, but we choose to ignore the real problems. That’s why I called the SS15 collection ‘Reject Everything’. It’s literally just reject it all, get rid of everything you don’t need, don’t want and just do your way. For me, that is the only way activism makes any difference. I made this heavily punk influenced collection referencing things that were seen as shocking 35 years ago, and people still found it shocking today, and I just think that’s ridiculous, you know? You’re still shocked by this, so you still need to be confronted by it. Confrontation is the best kind of activism and the best source of change, even if it’s in a small, private way. Ione:
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The Selfie Queen: An interview with Hobbes Ginsberg
Hobbes Ginsberg’s work is a harmony of contradictions. It’s light and dark, glamourous and stark all at once. It’s a contemporary cocktail, cinematic like the works Harmony Korine, emotional like the pages of your pre teen diary. Hobbes is currently 20 years old, living in L.A., taking photos and dying her hair more regularly than I have my period. A member of The Coven, (a feminist art collective that showcases the work of female and non-binary artists), Hobbes’ work has a fashion, gender and identity focus that translates into what the current image of American youth looks like, think Palo Alto meets David LaChapelle.
Images by Hobbes Ginsberg
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