SHIBUI Issue 3 by SHIBUI & Co.

parisian neo-pop expressionism is NEO-NOW! snap to it

Adventures of Lil Nicki

origami

JUMPING OFF THE PAGE IN CAPE TOWN

culture

craftsmanship

global connection

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S H I B U I HELLO

CELEBRATE THE GOOD THINGS Welcome to our third edition of SHIBUI Issue! What an amazing few months it’s been for us since launching SHIBUI & Co in July. Heading into our first new year gives us so many reasons to reflect, celebrate and be thankful. We’re slowly mapping our way around the globe and have been so inspired by the calibre of contributors who’ve joined us on the journey so far. This edition is no different. The more talent we uncover, the more we realise the unlimited number of incredible stories there are to share. This Issue, our contributors span north from New York to Norway, and south from Africa to the Australian outback. We’ve also got some superb giveaways for you this edition, including a week’s resort stay (valued at over $5000) and a summer reading package. Now that’s reason to celebrate this new year! Wherever you’re heading to in 2018, remember to refer back to our online directory as we continue to add makers, designers and photographers from around the world so you can delve deeper culturally. We hope our magazine inspires your senses and reminds you of all the good rather than the gloom. Happy reading and happy New Year!

and

SUPER DUPER PRIZE TO BE WON!

WIN A WEEK’S STAY AT A THIRDHOME AFFILIATE RESORT VALUED AT OVER $5000! Click here for details.

S H I B U I & Co. EST. JULY 2017 SHIBUI Issue is a free, bi-monthly online publication published by S H I B U I & Co. CO-FOUNDER / CURATOR / OPERATIONS KARINA EASTWAY CO-FOUNDER / CURATOR / CREATIVE BRISEIS ONFRAY PROOFREADER MERAN SALSKI ALL ENQUIRIES hello@shibuiandco.com SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHIBUI TRIBE shibuiandco.com © Copyright 2017. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

THIS PHOTO was taken while roaming in search for coffee on a sleepy Sunday in the clifftop village of Rocamadour, France, by SHIBUI's creative co-founder Briseis Onfray @walklikeagypysy

HELLO S H I B U I

CONTENTS

SHIBUI. A JAPANESE WORD USED TO DESCRIBE AN UNDERSTATED, CLASSIC KINDA COOL. ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S AN ENRICHED BEAUTY ACHIEVED THOUGH MINIMALISM AND PURPOSE RATHER THAN ADORNMENT AND EXTRAVAGANCE. ITS VALUE MUST BE DISCOVERED AND UNDERSTOOD RATHER THAN BOUGHT OR WON.

S H I B U I CONTENTS

MEET THE MAKER

4. NORWAY Andreas Söderlund is a self-taught wood craftsman exploring modern designs through one of the oldest traditions around.

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10. ALASKA Alaskan photographer Nicole Smoot has a passion for the wildest of frontiers.

MODERN MAKER

18. SOUTH AFRICA Ross Symons’ origami creations are jumping into some major animation projects. 26. AUSTRALIA We talk to fifth generation Akubra owner, Stephen Keir about the art of felt making.

TRAVEL MODE

25. HAPPY DAYS Taking the sunshine too.

DESTINATION DESIGNER

33. PARIS Meet visual artist Raphael Federici: neo-pop expressionism never popped so bright.

CULTURE CONNECTION

38. NEW YORK Brothers Darrell and Oliver Hartman have created a window to the unfamiliar world through photography and film.

DIRECTORY

45. Find our SHIBUI makers, photographers and designers here.

COVER IMAGE Origami artwork by Ross Symons, White On Rice (page 30). THIS PAGE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT The studio of wood-worker Andreas Söderlund in Bergen, Norway (page 4); French artist Raphael Federici is making a colourful impression world-wide, starting with street art in his home town of Aix en Provence, France (page 33); Kyrgyz children playing in Karakul, Gorno Badakshan Autonomous Oblast, Tajikistan, by Alaskan travel photographer Nicole Smoot. (page 10).

CONTENTS S H I B U I

meet the MAKER

CARVING HIS NICHE curator Karina Eastway THE MAKER Andreas Sรถderlund PHOTOs Andreas SรถderlunD COUNTRY Norway

ANDREAS Sร DERLUND IS EXPLORING MODERN DESIGNS AND IDEAS THROUGH ONE OF THE OLDEST CULTURAL TRADITIONS AROUND: WOODWORKING.

S H I B U I MEet the MAKER

Where are you from originally and where are you based now? I’m originally from Ostrobothnia, Finland, from a small town called Nykarleby. I moved to Bergen, Norway with my wife this fall. What materials do you choose to work with and what are their particular characteristics? I work exclusively with wood, dry wood more than green wood. Mostly birch, maple and walnut. Why I love working with wood is because it’s a living thing and each piece of wood has its own >

Andreas Söderlund S H I B U I

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WHERE I’M FROM THE WOODWORKING TRADITION WAS MAKING WOODEN BOATS. BACK IN THE DAYS THEY MADE BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED BOATS FROM LOCALLY GROWN TREES. EVERY VILLAGE HAD AT LEAST ONE BOAT BUILDER WHO HAD HIS OWN STYLE.

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unique patterns and colours. Even from the same tree you can find many different variations. So opening up a chunk of wood is quite exciting since you never know what you’ll find inside. The wood itself can often be a good source of inspiration when deciding what to make. I like working with birch and maple since they both have a very white and pale colour, a good contrast to the chocolate brown colour of walnut wood. So varying between those trees is a good mix I think. What sparked your interest in woodwork? Since I was a kid I have always been interested in creating things and working with my hands. My dad gave me my first knife when I was five years old, so that opened up the possibility to shape wood. Back then during my childhood years I always had a knife nearby, even in school. So whenever I got bored I found myself a stick and started making shavings. It was mostly that, making shavings, the fascination that the sharp edge could cut wood like it was butter. One day in fifth grade, my teacher saw what I had carved during a short break. It was a wooden knife I’d carved and he was thrilled that I was able to form 6

S H I B U I meet the MAKER

something like that with just a knife in so short a time. The piece ended up in an exhibition in school. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that my interest in woodwork is something that has evolved over a long period of time. A few years ago I had a hard time, struggled with depression. One day I started carving on a spoon, and I found it to be so peaceful and therapeutic that I couldn’t stop. So I continued and got well, and since then my interest for woodworking has grown even more. Can you tell us a little about the tradition of woodwork where you’re from? (what was it used for, the designs or materials used) Where I’m from the woodworking tradition was making wooden boats. Back in the day they made beautifully crafted boats from locally grown trees. Every village had at least one boat builder who had his own style. They still make boats in Ostrobothnia, but not wooden boats anymore, unfortunately. However there’s still a lot of fine woodworking with these fancy new boats, like Nautor Swan and Baltic Yachts, they all need beautifully crafted interiors. So the woodworking tradition lives on.

What’s your favourite piece to make? I can’t say that I have a favourite thing to make, because I tend to design and make new things. I find that more exciting, exploring new ideas and designs. So guess I can say that my favourite thing to make is something that I haven’t made before. Can you describe your studio (where you work)? Right now my workshop is in the attic of the house we live in. It’s a small space, but very cosy and filled with history. The room has only one small roof window, with a magnificent view over the city of Bergen. Since room is so limited, I have no fancy machines,

I keep myself busy instead working with traditional hand tools. When you climb up the ladder to the attic it’s like stepping into another world, long forgotten. There you can see an old workbench with a few hand tools on it, lit up by the light from the window above. You can also see a three legged chopping block with an axe stuck in its centre. In one corner there’s a couch where I can sit and ponder over new ideas, or for my wife to sit and read a book while I’m working. Without big and loud machines, it is a very peaceful place where the mind can be free. Is this what you always dreamed of doing as a child? No not as a child, but in my teen years I believe the dream of being a woodworker started to take form. >

Andreas Söderlund S H I B U I

S H I B U I MEet the MAKER

What inspires your designs? (Where do your design ideas come from?) That is a question I have always had a hard time finding a short and straight answer to. I often get ideas for new designs when I’m about to go to sleep, or when I sit on my couch in the attic pondering about life, or when I hold a strange piece of wood in my hand and a design kind of just pops out. I believe the inspiration for new designs comes from everything around us, everything you experience during a day, a week or more. I have found inspiration in the landscape around me, from a good book or a tragic movie. A conversation with a good friend over the phone can turn into a great design from the doodles you’ve done while talking. To sum this up, I guess my head gives me ideas for new designs from a mix of everything, good or bad, that has happened around me. How does the new landscape and location (in Bergen) influence your work? I can’t say it has influenced my work that much yet since we just have lived here for a few months. But I believe it will open me up to many new ideas, that’s for sure. I come from a very flat landscape in Finland, so moving to Bergen was a huge contrast to what I’m used to. Here there are mountains

everywhere, fjords and waterfalls and the sea is just a few minutes away. So I can’t wait to see what form and direction my work will take after some time in this beautiful city. What has surprised and delighted you about your new home, Bergen? The closeness to nature is partly why we moved here. There are seven mountains surrounding the city, so you can basically pick any direction and you’ll end up on a mountaintop with a stunning view. Our apartment is also placed on the hillside of a mountain, with a view over Bergen. So that was sure a delightful catch. We can probably live here for several years without running out of new things to explore. Your photography is beautiful as well. What’s your favourite thing to capture? My favourite thing to shoot in the workshop is a good progress shot that tries to capture the atmosphere of the moment. I want the picture to give the same felling as I have myself while working. What’s your top travel tip? Be spontaneous! Then you can find adventures in the most unexpected places. Keeping an open mind goes hand in hand with spontaneity, you can never go wrong with that. And if you travel to Bergen, bring rain gear. Southgrovecrafts.com Instagram.com/aesoderlund

Andreas Söderlund S H I B U I

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OFF THE

RADAR curator karina eastway photographer nicole smoot COUNTRy alaska

S H I B U I snap to it

ALASKAN PHOTOGRAPHER NICOLE SMOOT EXPLORES THE WILDEST AND REMOTEST OF PLACES, WITH A PASSION FOR ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. Where are you from originally and where are you based now? I was born in Southcentral Alaska, and am still based there at the moment. What camera do you usually shoot with (and why if applicable)? I shoot with a Canon 5DS-R. I made the decision when leaping to a fullframe camera to go with the 5DS-R because of its performance in low light as I spend a lot of time shooting the aurora and astrophotography, but I also needed a good all-round camera that was durable and fared well in many settings. I use three lenses: the Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 for shooting the night sky and architecture; the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD for the majority of my landscape shots; and the Tamron 70200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD telephoto for wildlife. How did you get into adventure travel? The interest has always been there, and growing up in Alaska didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t exactly curb it either. Most of my >

nicole smoot S H I B U I

S H I B U I SNAP TO IT

PREVIOUS PAGE Vinicunca, aka The Rainbow Mountain, deep in the Andes Mountains, Peru CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW Dragonblood Tree in the Dixam Plateau, Socotra Island, Yemen; Bactrian camels in the Kyzylkum Desert, Uzbekistan; Khafrazdara Lake in the Bartang Valley located in the Central Pamir Mountains of the Gorno Badakshan Autonomous Oblast, Tajikistan; Kyrgyz Cemetery near Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan

travels were not anything out of the ordinary when I started out: eastern Europe, the Balkans, Southeast Asia. But shortly after my 27th birthday I found myself in Yemen and Socotra and I’d have to say that is where it really started. Travelling in a country seen as a failing state, camping in the open under the stars, catching fish for dinner and seeing that people still carry on with their lives even in cities that are often under attack by militant and terrorist groups. Can you tell us a little about the travel expeditions you’re working on at the moment? At the moment I am currently working on some new venture-leading tours. The first one will involve me taking a small group to Iran to explore ancient Persia; the second will take another small group on an expedition in the Pamir Mountains of Tajikistan, the Silk Road cities of Kashgar and Tashkurgan, and onto the northern territory of Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan. They are slated to take place 24 May through 3 June and 9 June through 24 June of 2018, respectively.

As far as personal expeditions go, my future plans include more thoroughly exploring the eastern third of Tajikistan, further exploration into Afghanistan, and visiting the remote island of Astola in the Arabian Sea. Not so much an expedition but an exciting thing that will happen for me next fall will be the first international exhibition of my photographs at the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam in the fall of 2018. What’s an absolute ‘wow’ destination you’ve visited and what was it that made it so special? That’s difficult to answer with just one response as I’ve been to so many ‘wow’ destinations. If I had to name a few they would include Tajikistan for its stunning mountainscapes and mirror-like lakes; the Afghan Wakhan corridor for its incredibly warm and welcoming people; the dramatic Hindu Kush with the Big Pamir mountains cutting it off from the rest of the world; Socotra Island in Yemen because of its unique trees and wild, remote beaches; visiting Peru’s Vinicunca before it was even on >

nicole smoot S H I B U I

any tourist’s radar; cruising between ice floes in the middle of the Ross Sea and coming face to face with a leopard seal on my expedition to Antarctica earlier this year; and finally Alaska. Even though it’s home it still never disappoints me to stand inside ice caves, have wildlife just off my front porch and the many mountains and lakes that keep me occupied year after year. Can you tell us a little about your favourite subject to photograph – people, animals or places? I’d have to say my favourite subject would be places. I love to show people places that may have never

S H I B U I SNAP TO IT

been on their radar, or that they’ve likely never even heard of. Top photography tip for beginners? The only way you’re going to figure it out is to go out there and try. You don’t need a giant expensive camera and you don’t need a degree in photography, there are great photographers who only use an iPhone and have zero formal education in photography. My number one tip is to figure out composition and how to work it into your style of photography. No camera, lens, filter or editing program is going to teach you that eye for composition.

What’s your top travel tip? Prepare for the worst, hope for the best, say yes to an adventure and don’t forget to pack Loperamide. What is it about being “beyond the beaten path” that inspires your travels? It’s probably all due to a complex that Alaska instills into every kid that grows up there: most of us can’t handle crowded places. I have a friend who grew up here and moved to Sydney five years ago, and she still has struggles at times with the sheer volume of people in the city, even though she absolutely loves it. There’s something special about trekking > somewhere and only meeting a

nicole smoot S H I B U I

PREVIOUS PAGE Trunk Bay Beach, St. John, US Virgin Islands CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE The Aurora Borealis dancing above, just across the street from Nicoleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home in Eagle River, Alaska; Inside an ice cave on the face of Spencer Glacier near Girdwood, Alaska; Sunset over the Lemaire Channel in the Antarctic Peninsula

SHIBUI

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shepherd or two on the trail, visiting a perfect lake in a bowl of mountains with no one else in sight, having a beautiful beach completely to yourself, or getting to sit down for tea with someone in a rarely visited country who is over the moon that you’re there to experience their lost land, nearly forgotten traditions, and then go back home to share a piece of them with your family and friends. Which shot in particular really means a great deal to you and why? I think one shot in particular of myself with a dragon blood tree on Socotra Island. The photo was taken long before I ever considered becoming a photographer, let alone a travel photographer. It means so much because it resonates with how long I had wanted to visit the island and what a series of incredibly difficult life events lead to me ending up out

there. Then of course anything shot in the mountains of Central Asia, because they signify the length of time I had spent dreaming of visiting the place and the resilience and strength it took to reach some of the places. What location is still on your bucket list to visit? A few to start would be Syria, Iraq, Gabon, Somalia, Western Australia, Madagascar and New Caledonia. A final inspiring travel quote for our readers? “The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready.”(Henry David Thoreau) So many people are flabbergasted at the places I’ve gone, and in complete shock when they find out that I’ve gone to most alone. This quote explains exactly why. Adventuresoflilnicki.com Instagram.com/adventuresoflilnicki

nicole smoot S H I B U I

modern maker

curator BRISEIS ONFRAY THE maker Ross Symons (CREATIVE FOUNDER, WHITE ON RICE) PHOTOs contributed by WHITE ON RICE COUNTRy South Africa

S H I B U I Modern maker

Photo Ockie Fourie

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S A RARE PROFESSION, BUT ROSS SYMONS IS FOLDING HIS IMAGINATION TO MAKE THE CUT AS AN ORIGAMI ARTIST AND ANIMATOR FOR SOME MEGA BRANDS. FORGET PAPER PLANES. HIS PULP-FICTION CHARACTERS ARE LITERALLY, JUMPING OFF THE PAGE!

Ross Symons S H I B U I

WHERE ARE YOU FROM ORIGINALLY? AND WHERE ARE YOU BASED NOW? I grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa but I now live in Cape Town. YOU HAVE A UNIQUE AND ENGAGING PROFESSION. HOW, WHEN AND WHY DID YOU BECOME AN ORIGAMI ARTIST? I’ve worked in a few industries but my last job, back in 2013, was working in advertising as a web developer. At the time, I had this fascination with folding paper. It was just something to keep me from losing my mind in a corporate job. I had all these folded shapes around my computer screen and I realised that I was pretty obsessed. So I decided to focus on getting better at this origami thing. In 2014 I committed to folding one figure every day for a year and posted each piece onto Instagram. That kicked off my journey to becoming an origami professional. It was also the year the I quit my corporate job to do freelance work. Fast forward to the end of 2014 and I had quite a large following on Instagram and brands started

S H I B U I Modern maker

approaching me to do custom origami installations and origami stop motion animations. It was at this point that I realised that this was what I wanted to do. I now create content for social media campaigns, custom origami installations and custom origami pieces. ORIGAMI IS AS JAPANESE AS ‘SHIBUI’. DO YOU HAVE A PERSONAL OR CULTURAL CONNECTION WITH JAPAN? Definitely a personal connection. Since I was a kid I’ve had a deep interest in Japanese culture. I just love how they are so professional in their approach to creating. I am also crazy about Japanese animation.

WHEN AND HOW DID YOU LEARN THE ART OF ORIGAMI? I’m still learning every day and I think I will be for a long long time. But in 2014 I got my hands on a book called Origami Designs Secrets by Robert Lang. That book is the origami design bible and has helped me learn how how to design origami figures. That coupled with meeting one of the origami rockstars of the world, Sipho Mabona. He has been a mentor to me since I started designing. PAPER COMES IN MANY FORMS. DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE STOCK TO WORK WITH? I like working with thicker paper which can be dampened a bit without tearing. This can be anything from 100 to 200gsm. By wetting the paper it helps create more organic shapes. But I also like working with very thin paper which allows you to create more detailed designs. AS THE CREATIVE FOUNDER BEHIND ‘WHITE ON RICE’, WHAT IS IT THAT CLIENTS LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR ARTWORK? I think it’s the magic of seeing a sheet of paper turning into a figure that is recognisable as something lifelike, ie. a dragon, horse, butterfly or whatever. That and a bit of humour. I like adding some quirkiness to the work too. Life is too short to be serious all the time. And also, origami is thought of as a craft for kids. When they see my work or any other origami artist’s work, there is a new-found understanding of what can be achieved with paper and the amount of work that goes into creating a single original piece. IT’S A DIGITAL WORLD, SO FINDING DEMAND FOR HAND-MADE DESIGN MUST BE REWARDING AS AN ARTIST. WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOUR WORK THAT IS SO POPULAR TO CLIENTS? Origami is something that not many people do professionally so clients find my work very different. I operate

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I HAD QUITE A LARGE FOLLOWING ON INSTAGRAM AND BRANDS STARTED APPROACHING ME TO DO CUSTOM ORIGAMI INSTALLATIONS AND ORIGAMI STOP MOTION ANIMATIONS.

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in both the digital as well as the physical realm which for me is really important. I love both of these worlds equally. I think clients appreciate the fact that I’ve managed to use paper to create folded creatures and figures and then animate or photograph them so they go back into the digital world. It’s taken me a while but I’m now good at presenting the origami shapes in a way that is not often seen. In animated stories or still shots. FROM 2-D TO 3-D INSTALLATIONS AND ANIMATIONS, WHAT IS THE LARGEST PROJECT YOU HAVE CREATED, AND WHAT WAS IT FOR? I did a project in Johannesburg in 2016 which was 2 animations and 1600 origami butterflies for a brand activation. A brand called Strongbow was relaunching in South Africa and they wanted something different to create hype around the product. WHERE DOES CREATIVE DIRECTION FOR AN ORIGAMI PROJECT COME FROM? If it’s for a client that wants something specific designed then I will go in a direction based on their concept. >

Ross Symons S H I B U I

S H I B U I Modern maker

But if I’m doing an animation for my Instagram account or designing an origami animal just for kicks, then that inspiration can come from anywhere really. The internet is a great place to find cool ideas but generally I will be walking down the road or drinking coffee and an idea will just rock up. I keep paper with me all the time so if an idea does descend, then I’m ready to go. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE TRAVEL DESTINATION AND WHY? I love Tokyo and I will go back there over and over again, but every place I visit has its own charm. I do have a soft spot for island destinations too.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? If you’re reading this and you are arguing with yourself about whether you should put your new creative idea out there… stop arguing. Don’t think about it and just put it out there. Don’t worry if someone is going to steal your idea. Don’t worry if someone says your work is s**t. Don’t worry if this is going to become an internet sensation. Just get out of your own way and make. That’s what creatives do. We make stuff. So go and make stuff.

white-onrice.com instagram.com/white_onrice/

Ross Symons S H I B U I

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travel mode

happy days IF YOU’RE HEADING ANYWHERE NEAR SUNSHINE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, BE SURE TO TAKE A SNAPPY VIVRA, A GOOD BOOK AND SUN SMART ESSENTIALS. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT VIVRA POUCHES are the snappy new way to carry essentials on the go. Available in a wide range of styles, it’s the modern day bum-bag, except this time smart, streamlined and stylish. Starting at RRP 44.95AUD vivra.com.au/collections AKUBRA ‘Cattleman’ in Bran. Traditional stockman style with pinched crown and broad brim. RRP 185.00AUD akubra.com.au Be sure to take AVEDA SUN CARE PROTECTIVE HAIR VEIL with you. It’s a lightweight, water-resistant, UV defence mist that forms an invisible screen to help protect hair from sun exposure to minimise damage and dryness. With Aveda’s own pure-fume™ aroma blend, it will protect naturally. For all hair types. 100ml, RRP 49.95AUD aveda.com

BOOK BUSTER GIVEAWAY WIN a copy of our three featured books IGNI, Pidapipó and Tivoli Road Baker valued at 160.00AUD. Head to the giveaway page on our website for details! shibuiandco.com/giveaway

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT A celebration of authentic gelato, PIDAPIPÓ – GELATO EIGHT DAYS A WEEK is a summer lovin’ book for anyone who enjoys classic Italian desserts. By Lisa Valmorbida with illustrations by Jean Jullien. RRP 39.99AUD. Documenting what it takes to open a new restaurant, IGNI – A RESTAURANT’S FIRST YEAR by Aaron Turner is told through diary entries and stunning photography by Julian Kingma. RRP 60.00AUD. Learn the skills of creating amazing bread and pastries from British-born pasty chef Michael James and his team. The book includes basic to advanced techniques plus shines a light on produce and the role of the farmers. THE TIVOLI ROAD BAKER by Michael James and Pippa James. RRP $60.00AUD. hardiegrant.com travel mode S H I B U I

modern MAKER

Outback Front â&#x20AC;&#x2122;n CentrE

curator KARINA EASTWAY Maker akubra INTERVIEW with Stephen Keir, Managing Director of Akubra PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED by AKUBRA COUNTRY australia

THE ANCIENT ART OF FELT MAKING HAS A MODERN HOME IN AUSTRALIA THANKS TO FIVE GENERATIONS OF THE KEIR FAMILY.

S H I B U I modern MAKER

CAN YOU TELL US YOUR NAME AND POSITION WITH AKUBRA? My name is Stephen Keir and I am the Managing Director of Akubra Hats. I am also part of the fifth generation owners of Akubra along with my sisters Nikki McLeod and Stacey McIntyre. IS IT CORRECT THAT THE NAME AKUBRA COMES FROM AN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE FOR HEAD COVERING? IS THERE A STORY AROUND HOW THAT CAME ABOUT? For many years it was believed that the name Akubra had its origins as

an Aboriginal word meaning head covering. The Akubra trademark was registered in 1912 and it was always believed that this was the case. It was not until the Keir family finally decided to write a book on the history of Akubra that it was discovered that our original belief was incorrect. The name was created and registered by Arthur P. Stewart, who at the time owned a menswear store and sold the newly-named Akubra hats, as well as acting as a distributor to other hat retailers around the city of Sydney. >

Akubra S H I B U I

RIGHT Stephen Keir, Managing Director and one of the fifth generation of Akubra owners.

S H I B U I Modern MAKER

CAN YOU BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE 800-YEAR OLD PROCESS OF MAKING THE RAW MATERIAL, FELT (BEFORE THE FORMING PROCESS STARTS)? WHAT MAKES RABBIT FUR PERFECT FOR THE FELT-MAKING PROCESS? As we understand it, legend suggests during the Middle Ages Saint Clement was a wondering monk who happened upon the process of making felt by accident. It was said that he stuffed his sandals with linen fibres in order to make them more comfortable. St Clement discovered that the combination of moisture and perspiration and ground dampness, coupled with pressure from his feet, matted these fibres together to produce a cloth. St Clement became the patron saint for hat makers, and the theory outlined above is consistent with our manufacturing process today. Rabbit fur is ideal for the felt-making process because rabbit fur (under a microscope) has tiny barbs that actually assist in knitting together when we start our hat forming process.

WHO ARE THE FELT MAKERS AND HOW DID THEY LEARN THE ART OF FELT MAKING? ARE THEY DESIGNERS OR MILLINERS? The felt makers represent the 100 staff working on our manufacturing floor. Employees are required to complete a four-year apprenticeship to become a felt hatter. Usually each felt hatter can complete with expertise four specialised tasks or processes. The apprenticeship process is internal to the business, with experienced tradesmen and women training new apprentices. As such the craft is handed down from generation to generation. The design of hats usually represents a team effort between the Managing Director and Operations Manager, along with input from the sales team. MAKING AN AKUBRA HAT IS A VERY TIME-INTENSIVE, HANDMADE PROCESS. HOW IMPORTANT IS THE HANDMADE ASPECT TO THE BRAND? It is critical – we see our manufacturing process as more like a craft. Each process and set of hands is crucial to producing a >

Akubra S H I B U I

quality product. There are 162 steps in the process, each hat is handled 200 times in manufacture and passes through 60 pairs of hands with each pair of hands acting as a quality check. Quality is paramount for us. IS THERE A STORY OR INSPIRATION BEHIND THE ORIGINAL DESIGN/SHAPE? I am not sure that there is an original design. We make more than 100 different styles to suit all people and all markets. Certainly styling has changed over the 140 years we have been in business as consumer tastes change. Fortunately, we have the capability to move with the times. THERE’S BEEN FIVE GENERATIONS OF THE KEIR FAMILY BEHIND AKUBRA ... WHAT DOES TRADITION MEAN TO THE FAMILY? It is much the fabric of who we are. Through my father and grandfather, I learnt the important values of our business, as they learnt from their forefathers. Tradition and respect sit high in my personal values and I believe that business is much more than simply maximising profits.

S H I B U I Modern MAKER

WHAT STARTED IN 1876 IS NOW AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE AUSTRALIAN IDENTITY. WHAT’S BEEN THE SECRET TO KEEPING THE BRAND AND PRODUCT ALIVE FOR OVER A CENTURY? I couldn’t tell you in a few sentences. There have been many highs and lows over the past 140 years. Through that time we have always endeavoured to stay true to our corporate values. The most important attributes for business success are honesty, fairness, quality and generosity. We always reflect back on these values. I think overall we have a great reputation with the various stakeholders in our business and again these values are about more than just profit. Having said that if you don’t have a great product and great people you are unlikely to survive long. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE TRADITION OF STOMPING ON YOUR BRAND NEW AKUBRA? In one respect this tradition perplexes me. Why would people do this to a brand new hat? I expect they want

to give it that worn-in look that you see from our core customer – the outback man and woman. Their beaten-up hats have their own personality and form part of their identity. Indeed, we are often asked to manufacture a worn looking hat, I guess a little like the jeans you see with holes in them today. Hats have had this trend for decades I would suggest. WHAT COMMUNITY (OR CULTURAL) CONNECTION DOES AKUBRA HAVE WITH THE AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK (OR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES)? I guess our hats have become part of the fabric of the Australian outback. I would struggle to put my finger on how this evolved over time but we now see the term ‘iconic’ used when referring to our brand. Of course, it is something we are very proud of

and work extremely hard to live up to and outback people are the most important supporters of our brand. Without them we could not remain ‘Australian Made’. WHAT COUNTRY (OR CULTURE) OUTSIDE OF AUSTRALIA WEAR THE AKUBRA MOST? We have been exporting since the 1960s. The USA was our largest market and during the time we sponsored Greg Norman, who happened to be the world’s #1 golfer, sales exploded so much so that we had to place all customers on quotas. We simply could not keep up with demand. Today we export all around the world with our largest markets being China and Tibet – seems there is a thirst for internationally made products in these countries. Akubra.com.au Instagram.com/akubraofficial

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NEO-POP IS NEO-NOW curator BRISEIS ONFRAY DESIGNER Raphael Federici photoS contributed by Raphael Federici COUNTRy FRANCE

SHARING HIS MESSAGE ON WALLS IN PARIS AND BEYOND, RAPHAEL REDERICI IS MAKING A COLOURFUL IMPRESSION WORLD-WIDE. WHERE DID YOU GROW UP, AND WHERE ARE YOU BASED NOW? I grew up in the South of France in a little provincial town called Aix-en-Provence. I left my home town for Paris, where I have lived for the past 10 years now. Since my departure, I have travelled a lot. Still, France will always be my favourite country to live in. >

Raphael Federici S H I B U I

LEFT TO RIGHT French artist Raphael Federici; Wall art Ivry (94), Paris 2016; Street art in Raphael's home town Aix en Provence.

PARIS IS STILL CONSIDERED ONE OF EUROPE’S MOST BEAUTIFUL CITIES AND IS THE EPICENTRE OF ONE OF THE FINEST ART CULTURES OF THE WORLD. WITH SUCH A RICH HISTORY TO FOLLOW, WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOUR NEO-POP, CONTEMPORARY STYLE THAT PARISIANS (AND TOURISTS) LOVE SO MUCH? Paris is so inspiring and I admire it daily. I am in love with its imposing cultural energy. I call my movement “Neo pop expressionism”, because I feed off childhood memories. I grew up with a language that was specific to my generation – American comics, blockbuster movies and very colourful videos games – but I also deeply admire the work of the Old Masters. I do not consider myself as a graffiti artist even though I much appreciate this form of art. My work is less harsh and more universal. I think that this is why some of my frescoes are so appreciated by tourists.

S H I B U I DESTINATION DESIGNER

YOU HAVE A UNIQUE YET INFLUENTIAL TALENT AS A VISUAL ARTIST. WHEN DID YOU KNOW THAT STREET ART WOULD BECOME YOUR CREATIVE PROFESSION? Street art is a unique and rapid way to share work. As I travel, I enjoy taking over walls that inspire me. They mark my journeys and are an indicator of the places I have been to. Through these walls, which are accessible to all, I want to share my message and why not make passersby smile as I do it? DID YOU ATTEND A DESIGN SCHOOL OR IS ILLUSTRATION A HOBBY THAT YOU MASTERED FROM CHILDHOOD? HOW DID YOU FIND YOUR STYLE? Both! When I was a kid, I relentlessly depicted fictional characters on every bit of paper I could find. I am literally obsessed with drawing and creating. I went to a design school and specialised in object design. But

somehow this pathway didn’t suit me. I wanted to be free of conventions and guidelines and let my characters escape into the city. WHEN AND WHERE WAS YOUR FIRST OUTDOOR ARTWORK, AND WHY? My first outdoor artwork was in a street in the South of France. I drew a character on the wall, just for fun. I was just a teenager at the time! My first ‘officially’ recognised outdoor piece was a collaboration with an artist named Combo, 6 years ago. He invited me to a street art ‘session’ with him and I loved it. Now it’s more of an obsession. I feel the need to immerse the streets with my characters and share my vision of the world with as many as I can reach. I think that social media is a crucial tool when it comes to judging the impact of my work on its surroundings. If it is shared, commented on,

hash-tagged … I can have an approximate idea of how other people interpret it and I am often surprised by the amount of foreigners who have picked up on it. AS ‘PUBLIC’ ART, WHAT MESSAGE OR ROLE DOES YOUR STREET ARTWORK REPRESENT TO THE COMMUNITY? The messages are many and various. But my work is often a reflection on how I perceive society. Sometimes it’s more of a criticism, sometimes it’s more of a positive message. I try not be too sanctimonious. I gave up trying to control the interpretations others give to my creations. I still believe that artists have a tremendous impact on civilisation today. They help us see things differently and raise questions to problems in ways we hadn’t thought of before. >

Raphael Federici S H I B U I

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Matelot, 2014. MIxed media; Sketching in the studio in Paris; On location for a workshop.

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I CALL MY MOVEMENT “NEO-POP EXPRESSIONISM”, BECAUSE I FEED OFF CHILDHOOD MEMORIES. YOUR WORK IS TYPICALLY VIBRANT AND COLOURFUL. HOW DO YOU CHOOSE A WALL OR VENUE, AND WHAT INSPIRES EACH DESIGN? My travels have played a giant role in the colour palettes, subjects and themes I chose to expose. The graphic aspect is very important to me, but the environment is not always as essential, even if I love adapting my works to each environment and vice versa. I believe that our urban landscapes need to be constantly upgraded, the more ingeniously, the better! I mostly look for walls that are visible and easily noticeable. I want to bring a touch of colour to all the areas I find too grey. YOU HAVE BEEN PAINTING YOUR WAY AROUND THE WORLD SINCE 2012. WHAT WAS THE MOST INTERESTING PROJECT AND PLACE THAT YOU HAVE VISITED? AND WHAT WAS IT THAT YOU PAINTED AND WHY? My favourite place to paint was Rio, in the Favela Babylonia. It was a journey full of strong emotions and a bit of danger, but the contact with the locals and the country in general was very impressive. The trip to Brazil was an amazing experience. One of my biggest frescoes was in Cape Town. It was in front of a schoolyard and thousands of kids played around me every day as I painted. We also created a fresco all together. An epic and very emotional moment. WHAT IS THE LARGEST OR FAVOURITE PROJECT YOU HAVE CREATED, AND WHERE IS IT? My largest project was for the “Nuit Blanche” event in Paris. The Town Hall of the 3rd arrondissement of Paris gave me carte blanche, allowing me to do whatever I wanted in it. It was a huge challenge. It took me

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over 3 months to prepare for it: a solo show with works on canvas, sculpture, an orchestra, light installations, goodies. Fortunately, it turned out great! DID YOU ALWAYS WANT TO TRAVEL OR DID YOUR TALENTS TAKE YOU AROUND THE WORLD? I never travelled much as a kid. My parents lived modestly and we couldn’t afford big journeys. As soon I was able to travel independently and for the purpose of my work, I vowed to never stop travelling and discovering new environments. WHERE DO YOU THINK STREET ART ORIGINATED FROM? The Lascaux caves, hieroglyphics, revolutionary mural paintings in Mexico … to me street art is a way of expression before being a movement. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE TRAVEL DESTINATION AND WHY? My favourite travel destination is Ibiza. I have friends there who showed me some of its many secrets and I have fallen in love with it. WHERE IN PARIS DO WE FIND YOUR BEST WORK? The 2nd district is my playground. WHAT’S IN THE SKETCHBOOK FOR 2018? Yes. In January 2018, I will go to Miami with two street artist friends. Our goal is to make a film of the entire adventure. The project will depend on the success of the crowd funding campaign we just started on Kiss Kiss Bank Bank. Our goal is to paint frescoes, meet other artists, visit galleries and document our discoveries and collaborations along the way. There is a Facebook page you can follow us on, with daily exclusives and cool bonuses for investors. Join us! raphaelfederici.com instagram.com/raphael_federici/ youtube.com/user/RaphaelFed

Raphael Federici S H I B U I

CULTURE CONNECTION

CIRCLE OF

LIFE curator KARINA EASTWAY INTERVIEW WITH Darrell Hartman (co-founder of Jungles in Paris, website editor)

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED by JUNGLES IN PARIS COUNTRY USA

S H I B U I culture connection

NEW YORK BASED BROTHERS DARRELL AND OLIVER HARTMAN EXPLORE THE WORLD’S MOST UNFAMILIAR PEOPLE, ENDANGERED CULTURES AND REMARKABLE PLACES THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY AND FILM. WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND WHERE ARE YOU BASED NOW? Born in Maine, now based in New York City. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT JUNGLES IN PARIS WHICH YOU COFOUNDED WITH YOUR BROTHER, OLIVER, IN 2013 – WHAT’S THE PURPOSE AND PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE PROJECT? We wanted to show people a layer of the world that is often overlooked. In academic terms, our focus is largely geography and anthropology. In more emotional terms, it’s things that feel authentic and rooted. We tell stories about longstanding cultural traditions, ways of living that are in >

Story 1 Thick-skinned Beauty Omo Valley, Ethiopia. Photographer Drew Doggett

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WE WANTED TO SHOW PEOPLE A LAYER OF THE WORLD THAT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED. DARRELL HARTMAN

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harmony with nature, remarkable wild places and animal species. My brother was running a commercial production company when we founded Jungles, and I was writing mostly for glossy magazines. We weren’t getting outdoors as much as we had when we were kids in Maine. On a more philosophical level I think we started to realise that a lot of modern values don’t really speak to us that much. So we wanted to direct more of our mental efforts, our attention, towards things that did. We really wanted to explore the sense of place, which is underrated in our hyper-connected global present. And having done a lot of work that was commercial and disposable, we wanted to show respect for the crafts of filmmaking, writing, and photography. So we emphasise quality over quantity – I think this goes against the grain of a lot of media these days, including independent and especially online media. But it’s the only way we could do Jungles and be happy with it. IT’S A QUIRKY NAME – WHAT’S THE STORY? We get asked this a lot! It speaks to the idea of a great, wild, untamed, unknown world – and having an encounter with this world within a curated context. It’s also a reference to the painter Henri Rousseau, and

how he was able to create a sense of enchantment around foreign places, despite never having left France. THE AUTHENTICITY BEHIND YOUR STORYTELLING REALLY RESONATES THROUGH THE SCREEN: IS A FEELING OF REAL CONNECTION SOMETHING WE’VE LOST IN THE 21ST CENTURY? It’s nice to hear that! I do think that sense of disconnection is a symptom of 21st century existence. It’s not just that so much of our lives is mediated – if that were the beginning and end of it, then creating more media would definitely not be the solution! But I think our brains are spinning too fast for their own good, on a cultural level. The pace of change, the endless buffet of information and entertainment options, the assumption that there is an audience out there weighing in on every passing thing we see, hear, and feel – all these elements of digital life have fundamentally altered the way many of us exist on this planet. One of the most detrimental of these changes has been on our ability to concentrate, focus, enter the flow of the moment, whatever you want to call it. Meanwhile, global cultures are becoming more homogenous. All these traditions that might help us see our way out of this downward spiral are disappearing in a frenzy of development, Westernisation, and so on. >

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE Jungles in Paris founders, Darrell (right) and Oliver Hartman; Story 33 Bared Souls: Indian Sadhus Kumbh Mela, India. Photographer Pascal Mannaerts; Story 40 Holi Goes Big Vrindavan, India. Photographer Pascal Mannaerts; Story 76 Ethiopia’s Cattle-jumping Tribesman Omo Valley, Ethiopia. Photographer Claudia Loan

jungles in paris S H I B U I

CAN YOU TALK US THROUGH WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU TO RECORD SUBJECT MATTER THAT MAY SOON BE EXTINCT? DO YOU EVER FEEL LIKE YOU’RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME? There is some sense of urgency. I feel like ecologically, we are running out of time as a species to make things right, to forestall catastrophe. And assuming things keep going the way they are – growth over sustainability, ‘capabilities’ over wisdom, etc. – then this chapter of global civilisation will not end well. With regard to extinction, I don’t think I have as keen or as personal a sense of what it means as perhaps an anthropologist or a biologist would. Or, of course, as someone whose own culture is facing it. WHICH STORY HAS REALLY STRUCK A PERSONAL CHORD WITH YOU AND STUCK WITH YOU OVER THE YEARS? As editor I am involved in all the stories we publish, but to varying degrees. So when a story strikes a chord with me it’s often because I was more involved in its production – thinking about what to focus on

S H I B U I culture connection

and what the images might look like; meeting the people we filmed; worried about how it would end up, and so on. In this regard our short documentary about Vienna coffeehouses has stuck with me. I just love the fact that these places have stayed essentially the same over the years. They are living relics, windows into the past. They’re for conviviality or solitude. My impression is that the Viennese have associated the kaffeehaus with their daily routines more than other cultures have. And because these spaces are unfamiliar, (at least to a non-Austrian), they provoke us into thinking about how we might live our own lives differently. THE DOCUMENTARY-STYLE STORIES YOU TELL THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY AND FILM ARE ROOTED IN TRADITION YET HAVE A TIMELESS, ETHEREAL NATURE TO THEM. HOW IS THAT FEELING CREATED? The obvious answer is that we don’t have to force it – the subjects we choose are things that have endured for many years, often in the same place. I suppose we also try to tap

CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT Mongolia. Photographer Oliver Hartman; Story 9 Swimming Lizards Galápagos. Photographer Scott MacDonough; Story 4 A Most Disruptive Volcano Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland. Photographer Lane Coder; Story 4 A Most Disruptive Volcano Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland. Photographer Lane Coder

into a slower rhythm. To an extent we reject the aesthetics of advertising and social media. I think it’s important to bring the values of art into the documenting process. Succeed at this and you make things feel more, well, everything: timeless, essential, beautiful, inspiring, worth saving, and so on. WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE NATURAL WORLD AND TRADITIONAL CULTURES WHICH INSPIRES YOU TO CURATE THEM? For me, nature is at the root of everything. And yet I struggle to be in communion with it. Cultures that interact more directly with nature help direct lost souls like me to the most important things in life. “Curate” is a funny term. It can suggest a kind of disinterest from deeper meaning, and a prioritisation of taste over the everything else. But maybe this is because my background is as a writer, not in visual arts. For me the process is more about researching and presenting, storytelling and editing. And I suppose there’s an educational element as well. HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT DECIDING ON YOUR SUBJECT MATTER? My brother and I keep a running list of interesting topics and things to look into. Of course we can’t afford to fly all over the world so we’re usually responding to opportunities

to travel somewhere, to work with a filmmaker who’s headed somewhere, or to use images that a photographer already has in his/her portfolio. Commissioning the writing is always the last step. We need to have the visuals first. WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU MOST ABOUT THE JUNGLES IN PARIS PROJECT AND WHAT’S BEEN MOST REWARDING? The extent to which a part-time project has ended up shaping my life. When we started Jungles in 2013 I saw it as an extension to my sense of self as a travel writer, one who likes old things but also likes some of the trendy stuff that’s out there today. I didn’t realise it would guide me down this rabbit hole of mythology, anthropology, slow living, Eastern religions, etc. – to think well beyond the present commercial and cultural context. I have to credit my brother with pushing me this direction too. WHAT’S YOUR OWN PERSONAL FAVOURITE TRAVEL DESTINATION? I love mountains. The best trip I’ve taken was a five-day trek up a protected Himalayan valley in Nepal. TOP TIP FOR VISITING NEW YORK? Ask a local for directions! The New Yorker’s reputation for rudeness is overstated. junglesinparis.com Instagram.com/junglesinparis

jungles in paris S H I B U I