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power couple : esser & elisha : 2 : elisha smith-leverock
-Powerdreamcouple part 2. Director Elisha Smith-Leverock has been going back and forth between fashion and music.
Her fashion films collaborations with designer Fred Butler, scored by Benjamin Esser, have been both acclaimed and rewarded.
She made the first music video for Esser before directing for Cocknbullkid, Pixie Lott, Sunday Girl and now… Esser.
Interview by Filep Motwary & Antoine Asseraf.
Elisha Smith-Leverock.
Your new video for Esser is very strong, and seems to show more confidence, perhaps because of the success of “I Want Muscle” ? I would like to hear your thoughts on “I Want Muscle”, how the story was perceived and how difficult or easy it was working for the film.
I think the Esser video and I Want Muscle might seem more confident because they are both very personal projects.
Making ‘I Want Muscle’ was a great experience. I set out to explore what physical strength can mean for women and I also wanted to challenge and expand peoples ideas of female beauty.
Obviously there were some difficulties, especially trying to find clothes for Kizzy to wear. Some designers just flat out did not want their clothes to be seen on a bodybuilder and others were willing to lend but sample sizes are generally tailored to fit a very specific kind of figure, so they did not fit her.
The reactions to the finished film were overwhelmingly positive, from winning the ASVOFF Grand Prix, down to the number of people that watched to film and how they reacted to it.A lot of people have said to me that they had never seen a female body builder portrayed in this way, without the fake tan and irony. But there was a time when people were more appreciating of ‘strong’ women and different body types, just think of Lisa Lyon for example.
I WANT MUSCLE by Elisha Smith-Leverock.
You made, if I’m not mistaken, the first music video for Esser, as well as the one for his hit “Headlock” – how is it working with someone you know intimately, to be simultaneously in tune with his world and able to step back to connect it to a bigger picture?
It’s the best and the worst thing at the same time. It’s amazing because you have great mutual trust and it’s really easy to communicate and yet it’s the scariest thing because you feel so much more pressure. You don’t want to let the other person down when they have done something so great and have worked so hard for it. You don’t want to let them down by not getting your end right.
When I shot Ben’s first video and successively the video for Headlock the approach was somewhat naive. These were also amongst my first experiments with moving image and it was really fun because Ben was just finding his feet as a solo artist so we both didn’t feel any pressure going into it.
The process for his new video was more conceptual which very much mirrors Ben’s approach to making the track.What are your inspirational catalysts and how they help you form what you do today?
Most recently I’ve ben watching a lot of Hans Richter films, this has been a great influence for the ‘Enmity’ video.
Esser: Enmity on Nowness.com by Elisha Smith-Leverock.
How do you approach making music videos versus fashion films ?
I think generally making fashion films gives me a little bit more freedom so my approach varies. It will alway depend on if it’s a personal project where fashion aspect is a byproduct to the story or the visual idea or if I am working with a specific designer to actually showcase their collection. With personal projects the idea is more important to me than the clothes but obviously if working for a designer then you need to focus on showing the collection as well. I think this approach bares similarities to how I do music videos.
With music videos, the idea/concept always becomes secondary to how the artist is presented.
How do you see the future of fashion film ?
I’m not sure how the future will be but I know how I would want it to turn out.
I would love to see a stronger move towards actual content. Director-driven fashion films. Less ‘moving photographs’ as I like to call them. Whilst these type of films can be beautiful, I personally don’t find it very interesting to make them or to watch them. Seeing someone swishing around for 3 minutes gives me nothing.I think its far more interesting to watch something more abstracted, a story or mood film that tells me more about the ideas behind the collection. A well crafted film that really brings you into the world of the designer and the collection rather than just straight up showing the clothes.
What is the last thing which stimulated you ?
Charles and Ray Eames.00 -
power couple : esser & elisha : 1 : benjamin esser
-Musician Benjamin Esser & director Elisha Smith-Leverock are not just a dream couple, they’re a power couple.
She directs his music videos, he scores her fashion films.Now as they prepare to release the first single/video from the upcoming second ESSER album, a radical shift from the first LP’s pop mood to darker synth pop, we talk to them about music, film, fashion, and what it’s like to work with your significant other.
Interview by Filep Motwary & Antoine Asseraf.
Benjamin Esser by Filep Motwary.
Since the release of your debut album back in 2009, what are the changes to the way you perceive your own music, and how it has evolved?
Benjamin Esser: I think the beauty in first records is naivety, which you can never regain.
But I feel a lot less pressure in a lot of ways with this second one, there’s a confidence that means I can let the music take its time.
I think people might immediately assume that I ‘discovered’ a whole genre of music that I’d never listened to before. But that’s not true, I’ve always been into bands like Cluster, Tones on Tail, Suicide, Add N To X (mixtape – coming soon!)…What is inspiration for you ? Do you consider yourself as eccentric?
I find inspiration in repetition.
Inspiration for me isn’t about looking outwards its about looking further inwards – into the core of things.
No I definitely wouldn’t say I’m an eccentric, I guess I have my own ways of doing things. But everyone does.People would tell you my views on organization and timekeeping are fairly abstract. I strongly disagree.
ESSER performing at Hyères 2012 Fashion & Photo Festival, with Stage of the Art.
What are you looking for in music? And how do you measure success?
I’m looking for complete submergence.
What does it mean to you to have an image change, beyond the need to convey a change musically?
Do you care about fashion or style?Well I completely agree with artists like David Bowie. His concept of reinvention was incredible and the conceptual way he approached his records is a big influence for me.
Of course the amazing thing about fashion is anyone can become whoever they want to be – I could be a different person by tomorrow.
ESSER performing at Hyères 2012 Fashion & Photography Festival, by René Habermacher.
How is it to work with your wife – when she’s directing you around, when she’s making videos for other music acts or when you’re the one scoring her films?
I like it.
People always asume that you can’t be objective if you’re working with someone close to you, but I think it’s the complete opposite. We work together constantly actually and I’ll always ask her opinion on whatever I’m doing and vice-versa.
In fact we’re the only ones that can give each other honest opinions because we know each other so well.As far as working on music for her films, she always has a really strong idea about what she wants. Which is great. It’s often a reinterpretation of a song (“I want muscle,” Donna Summers). So it’s always satisfying to do that.
What is the last thing that stimulated you?
Charles and Ray Eames.COMING SOON : II : Elisha.
ESSER, ENMITY on Green United Music.
Thank you: Laurence Alvart, Pierre LeNy.
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pilori, beyond the wall & simone fehlinger
-If you didn’t make it for the 3 days of the Hyères Fashion & Photography Festival, you still have until May 26, 2012 to see the exhibitions of the festival at the Villa Noailles in town, including Yohji Yamamoto, Jason Evans, Anouk Kruithof, Ina Jang, Cunningston & Sanderson, Chronique Curiosité, Inez & Vinoodh and… Lynsey Peisinger + The Stimuleye’s performance/installation/video hybrid, PILORI.
Until the end of May you can see at the villa the PILORI installation featuring footage of the performance (with the cooperation of Yohji Yamamoto Inc.) and video contributions by Antoine Asseraf & René Habermacher, starring François Sagat, by Jason Last & Jaime Rubiano, Clément Roncier, Sebastien Meunier + Romain Dja Douadji + Tomek Jarolim, and the winner of our internet contest, Simone Fehlinger, who met up with Filep Motwary.
PILORI (“PILLORY”) is a unique collaboration between choreographer Lynsey Peisinger and The Stimuleye for the Hyères Festival. Drawing on a pool of both local and Paris-based performers, Lynsey Peisinger conceived 2-hour performances inside a specially built space in the Villa Noailles’ Sautoir space: a wall with 4 pairs of legs poking out, moving, at rest, ignoring or harassing each other…
For its exhibition phase, the performance footage is augmented and interrupted by the footage of BEYOND THE WALL, different video artists’ renderings of what lies beyond the wall which cuts the performers in half.
CLONES starring François Sagat, by Antoine Asseraf & René Habermacher.
Sebastien Meunier, Romain Dja Douadji & Tomek Jarolim for BEYOND THE WALL.
Clément Roncier for BEYOND THE WALL/PILORI.
Jason Last & Jaime Rubiano for BEYOND THE WALL/PILORI.
Simone Fehlinger for BEYOND THE WALL / PILORI.
Filep Motwary: What is your video about?
Simone Fehlinger: my videos visualize the stories of walls. Parts of these walls are broken : colors, wallpapers peel off and uncover it’s past… The videos invite to a personal imagination of what this wall’s history is about… Now, these walls have moved to Hyères 2012 and will be part of a new story…Filep Motwary: Why have you chosen white as your “backwards” canvas?
Surfaces are extremely exciting ! But the interesting part is not the perfectly clean, virgin, new, white layer.
It’s the layer underneath…What is your opinion about Hyeres.
It’s legendary ! I’m really happy and honoured to be a part of…What would be your next projects about?
My new big project is my own graphic and video design studio in Paris.Simone Fehlinger, winner of BEYOND THE WALL contest.
PILORI at Villa Noailles
Until May 26, 2012
Hyères, FRANCE.Special thanks to Coralie Gaultier & the Yohji Yamamoto Inc team,
Simone Fehlinger for her contribution,
and all the performers who gave their time to participate in this project. -
comme des garçons white drama
-A few weeks before the Hyères madness, I had the incredible opportunity to once again spend a few days with Galliera curator Olivier Saillard as he put together not 1 but 2 special exhibitions in a brand new space dedicated to fashion in Paris : Les Docks / Cité de la Mode et du Design.
Alongside a special Cristobal Balenciaga Collector exhibition contrasting the 20th Century designer’s creations with unseen objects in his personal collection, Saillard was putting together a second exhibition more anchored in the present, and even in the future:
WHITE DRAMA, an exhibition of Comme Des Garçons’ current SS 2012 collection, with an eye-popping scenography by Rei Kawakubo herself…
a PREMICES FILMS production
Directed by: Antoine Asseraf
Assisted by: Thibault Della Gaspera
Sound by: Pierre Emmanuel MartinetCOMME DES GARÇONS WHITE DRAMA /
CRISTOBAL BALENCIAGA COLLECTORCité de la Mode & du Design / Les Docks
34 Quai d’Austerlitz, Paris,
Until October 7, 2012. -
hyères 2012 live
-For the first time ever, follow the Hyères Festival 2012 Fashion Show at the Palais de Tokyo and on The Stimuleye…
Fashion Show Production: EYESIGHT
Fashion Show Art Direction: Maida Gregory – Boina
Live Stream Production: Premices Films
Live Stream Direction: The Stimuleye
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télé hyères
-The Stimuleye presents Télé-Hyères…
Télé-Hyères
A The Stimuleye Production
Directed by Antoine Asseraf
Filmed by Thibault Della Gaspera & Jason Last
Postproduction by Clément Roncier
Interviews by Filep Motwary
Music by Ça Va Chéri -
stage of the art at Hyères preview : the shoes
-After wowing everyone last year with their acoustic concert set in the suspended gardens, The Shoes return to Hyères for a DJ Set, accompanied by their GUM label mate Esser, as part of Stage of the Art‘s special music line-up.Interview by Mali of Skattie What Are You Wearing ?
You’re playing at Hyères this year and you also played last year. What does the association mean to you? Is it important to associate yourselves with the fashion world?We love the fashion world and the human size of the festival. The mood is just so great. We really enjoyed being there last year so we are more than happy to come back play at la Villa Noailles.You’ve had quite a journey so far and you have collaborated with some of the more edgier and interesting names in music. How has all of that influenced how you approach your music?It’s always really creative and interesting : we learn a lot about ourselves, and we have the chance to produce only for artist we like. Benjamin and i are not good for the same things, so depending on the project, it’s more him, more me or more us. Anyway, it’s always surprising. Concerning remixes, it’s different. We learned that we are more talented remixing a track we don’t especially love, because it’s challenging, it means creating something we love from something we don’t like. It’s exciting.Nowadays the internet, social media, youtube etc play a big part and are often used as the main tools to build a brand/band and get musicians out there, has this been a reality for you ? How has it impacted your come-up ?It’s been a reality for The Shoes, yes. Well, we are from the myspace generation : we were in several bands, we did a lot of different stuff, and one day we wanted to do something different, so we created a fake band account on myspace, with the first fake band name that came in mind and put some new tracks on. 3 months later, we were signed on Green United Music. It was in 2008. Now it’s 2012, we are about to play the Olympia in 2 months, which is the most famous venue in Paris, and it’s gonna be quite ironic and funny to see our band name in huge red neon letters as we still have this first fake band name that came in mind…You’ve also done a lot of production for other artists, is this something you are going to continue with or are you focusing mainly on your own work going forward ?Both ! We are always producing for other bands at the same time, it’s more healthy because if we were only working together all the time on our stuff, i think we’d kill each other !How did your collaboration with Jake Gyllenhaal come about?Daniel Wolfe directed the video for Stay The Same, and we loved it. We wanted to work with him again, and he really likes our music. So we talked about doing a new video for Time to Dance, and he was really into it. Daniel is working a lot with actors, in Stay the Same it was with Johnny Harris (This is england), this time it was with Jake Gyllenhaal.Would it be fair to see it as symbolic of a full-on cross-over to mainstream fame?No, we don’t think so. We’ve never been more indie ! It’s about a famous british director doing a video for an indie french band with a mainstream A-listed american actor, and about this same actor who likes our music, playing a psychopath serial hipster killer in our video, because it’s far away from roles he usually plays.And how has his presence in your video affected your popularity as a band?Everybody was talking about it, about him and then about us. But we won’t play at le Stade De France like David Guetta because of that.A lot of bands that are viewed as underground in the early stages of their careers often adjust their sound as they get popular, has your sound changed as you’ve grown? if it has, how has it changed? If not, then how do you stay true to it?In the beginning our music was more electronical, but also because we just through out few tracks one day on myspace, and producing electro music at this time was a good way to become famous and produce for others. We have always been a pop rock band. So as we get popular, we also get closer to what we are really : a pop-rock band. We are just becoming what we trully are.The imagery used in some of your videos is pretty dark, and all the way to gruesomely violent in your video for Time to Dance, what’s the deal? What is the narrative behind the Time to Dance video?Ha ! This is Daniel Wolfe style ! We let him free to decide about his imagery because it’s his job. We won’t give him advices because we don’t ask for his opinion on our music productions.We adore what he did the two times we worked together.The songs I’ve heard from you are in English, why English over French?Because English is internationnal, and pop music is english, rock too.There’s an opulent and somewhat camp disco sound that comes across in your music, amongst other influences, and it has also been described as dark electro pop. Are these intentional influences? If they are, where do these influences come from for you? If not, what are your influences?We have this common interest for pop music since forever, and separatelly we can say we are influenced by almost everything musical. Benjamin in more into french music, french rock, some folk music. I like hip hop, rap and electro music. We were in many bands, we had that drum & bass band when we were young, we then had a french rock band, we did some electro music too, we produced instrumental and classical music for Woodkid recently. So many things.What is on your playlists currently?You’re gonna laugh but i have a lot of my music label’s artists in my ipod, because some are friends too. Anyway the music is always good : Woodkid, Part Company, Rocky…How important is image to you?As important as music. Nowdays a great single has to come up with a great video.What is the next step for The Shoes?Holidays ! And maybe a new ep, or album, and many new collaborationsCan we hope to see you playing in South Africa one day?We wish ! Please invite us we want to meet Die Antwoord ! -
hyères just a taste… steven tai
-Meet Steven Tai, our final Hyères designer.
Steven. Photo by Filep Motwary
How does it feel for you being selected for this year’s edition of Hyeres?
I feel incredibly honored to be selected for this year’s Hyeres. I vividly remember that when I first discover the festival I did not even begin my education at Central Saint Martins. But at that point I already felt a strong connection to the competition and I knew I would try to be apart of the festival one day. Therefore, being selected as a finalist really means a great deal to me because it means that an audience I truly respect understands my work.
How would you describe Hyeres in three words?
Natural, familiar, friendly..
What has been your favorite part of the process so far?
The entire process has been incredible. It really is difficult to pick just one favorite part. Having the name Hyeres backing you means you are granted opportunities that I could not normally even dream of. A selection of those moments include: – having countless fabric companies at Premiere Vision sponsoring my work – working with the prestigious Givaudan Fragrances to create a personal perfume – having the opportunity to create a look for the house of Chloé – coming to Hyeres and meeting all the wonderful designers and the team at Villa Noailles
In three words , what is your collection about?
Geeky, Awkward, confident
Steven Tai / CANADA / Central St-Martin's London. Photo: Rene Habermacher.
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hyères just a taste… ELINA LAITINEN, SIIRI RAASAKA & TIIA SIREN
-Elina Laitinen, Siiri Raasakka and Tiia Sirén come from Finland and design menswear together. They have been selected for Hyeres 2012.
Tiia. Photo by Filep Motwary
How does it feel for you being selected for this year’s edition of Hyeres?We feel really honored to be selected regardless of the fact that this is the first collection we have ever put together. We want to break every boundary there is, and it’s exciting that other people can understand our world as well.How would you describe Hyeres in three words?Coolest thing EVER!What has been your favorite part of the process so far?We have totally enjoyed the whole process of making the collection since we like to get our hands dirty and here in Hyères its really amazing to be able to work with a professional team.In three words , what is your collection about?Boys! Youth! Revolution!Elina Laitinen + Siiri Raasaka + Tiia Siren / FINLAND / Aalto University Helsinki
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hyères just a taste… daniel hurlin
-Meet French-born Daniel Hurlin, one more talented original from this year’s selection of Hyeres’ Festival.
Daniel. Photo by Filep Motwary
How does it feel for you being selected for this year’s edition of Hyeres?
I am very happy. I am also very worried, because I want to make my collection the best it can be! But I am very happy, and proud.
How would you describe Hyeres in three words?
My world is in colors, so : Azure, emerald and beige
What has been your favorite part of the process so far?
Meeting the other selected designers help you rationalize everything, and make the whole process more human. Fashion design is an isolating process, even though you are constantly brought to collaborate with other people for all the bits of your collection. Being able to share with people who perfectly understand your dilemmas, is invaluable.
In three words , what is your collection about?
While I’m tempted to say “Perfect Blue Tamara” (title of my collection), I think this will be more enlightening : colours, materials, bodies.
Daniel Hurlin / "Perfect Blue Tamara" / FRANCE / IFM Paris
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hyères just a taste… lucas sponchiado
-Continuing the introduction of the Hyeres 2012 selected designers. Meet Belgian womenswear designer, Lucas Sponchiado.
Lucas. Photo by Filep Motwary
How does it feel for you being selected for this year’s edition of Hyeres?
It is incredibly great! It is an honor to be selected…
The Hyeres Festival is a huge event and a great opportunity for me to show my work. I am glad to be selected, exited and very enthusiastic about it.
How would you describe Hyeres in three words?
Opportunity, meeting with other creatives from around the world and creativity.
What has been your favorite part of the process so far?
It is very hard to answer because there is a lot of different things happening during the process of the festival. Meeting all the different contestants and the festival crew is great. Professionally, presenting my collection to Maida Gregory-Boina was a great experience.
In three words , what is your collection about?
Contrast, sensuality and architecture.
Lucas Sponchiado / "out of vacuum" / BELGIUM / La Cambre Brussels
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hyères just a taste… ragne kikas
-We have started introducing the Hyeres 2012 selected designers. Meet womenswear designer, Ragne Kikas from Estonia.
Ragne.Photo by Filep Motwary.
How does it feel for you being selected for this year’s edition of Hyeres?
It is an honor to be one of the ten finalists and present my newest knitwear collection to such a wonderful audience. It makes me feel happy and proud.
How would you describe Hyeres in three words?
Creative, forward-looking, inspirational.
What has been your favorite part of the process so far?
Translating my feelings, inspirations and impressions into garments/outfits and collaborating with great companies like Swarovski or Givaudan to name just a few. It was also a great experience to create a look for Chloé and pair my own visions with the heritage of Chloé.
In three words , what is your collection about?
Knitting, plate Armour, femininity.
Ragne Kikas / ESTONIA / HAW Hamburg. By René Habermacher.
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HYERES 2012: PALAIS DE TOKYO AWARD & LIVE STREAMING
-For the first time, Paris’ Palais de Tokyo contemporary art center will allow everyone to experience LIVE! the fashion shows of the Hyères International Fashion & Photography Festival, during a special event with The Woolmark Company and the Galeries Lafayette group.
On April 28 2012, guests and public at the Palais de Tokyo will participate, through direct commentaries by fashion journalist Daphne Burki and interaction between Paris & Hyères, in the immediate selection of a public prize for their favorite designer.The event will unfold in the salle Epstein, a mythical projection room in the Palais de Tokyo, built by the Cinémathèque Française in the end of the 1980’s, and given a second life after 20 years of abandon.
Those who cannot attend at Palais de Tokyo will be able to follow the fashion show live on The Stimuleye.
PUBLIC AWARD
Villa Noailles/Palais de Tokyo
Saturday April 28th, 8:45 PM C.E.T.
Salle Epstein of the Palais de Tokyo
Paris 16th Arrondissement.All times C.E.T. (GMT + 2)
19:45 Cocktail by invitation
20:45 Doors open to the public + beginning of broadcast Paris – Hyères
21:00 Fashion show begins, with on-site commentaries by Daphen Burki:
10 designers in competition
2 winners of 2011
10 special looks for Chloé
22:30 Palais de Tokyo Public Prize Award -
hyères just a taste…maxime rappaz
-Continuing the introduction of the Hyeres 2012 selected designers. Meet Swiss womenswear designer, Maxime Rappaz.
Maxime. Photo by Filep Motwary.
How does it feel for you being selected for this year’s edition of Hyeres?
A chance to show what I’m working on and the opportunity to learn more through rewarding meetings.
How would you describe Hyeres in three words?
Professional. Stimulation. Fashion
What has been your favorite part of the process so far?
The challenge to update my collection and take decisions in a short time.
In three words , what is your collection about?
Geometry. Femininity. Poetry.
Maxime Rappaz / SWISS / HEAD Geneva.
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hyères just a taste…KIM CHOONG-WILKINS
-Introducing the Hyeres 2012 selected designers. Meet menswear designer, Kim Choong Wilkins from the U.K
Kim. Photography by Filep Motwary.
How does it feel for you being selected as one of the ten designers for this edition of Hyeres Festival ?
For me this is the culmination of a very long journey. The idea that during the selection process many esteemed fashion specialists, including Yamamoto, have given their approval to my work is very encouraging. It is a crucial milestone.
I graduated as textile designer and moved to Milan to follow my dream-job which turned out to be my nightmare job. I was a bit naive. I learn t a lot about what fashion was and what it emphatically wasn’t. Returning to London to take up my masters in menswear, allowed me to figure a few things out in terms of what fashion means to me. Personally, it is a medium to rally against mediocrity.
I went to work for a handful of designers, sometimes as a seamstress, sometimes as a designer and all the time developing my signature and allowing me to mature.
For me this is a kind of compulsion, I can only do this; to draw and make and knit and sew. Its not always so rational.
Being selected for Hyeres gives this kind of obsession a context to nurture your neurosis and be part of a wider, critical audience.
How would you describe Hyeres in three words?
Limitless, creative , freedom…
What has been your favorite part of the process so far?
Being involved in a festival this prestigious has a huge focusing effect, simply being granted the brief has allowed me to find my voice. Working to develop a perfume, being given free rein to use a multitude of fabrics and an exclusive print..
Basically to be a mega-brand for a month, lucky does not even describe it. The festival is both a very slick operation and a compassionate nurse for our creative ambitions. The festival is both a very slick operation and a compassionate nurse for our creative ambitions.
What is your collection about in three words.
Subversive, dazzling, dystopia
Kim Choon-Wilkins / UK / Royal College of Art London
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hyères just a taste…narelle dore
-We have started introducing the Hyeres 2012 selected designers. Meet womenswear designer, Narelle Dore from Australia.
Narelle. Photo by Filep Motwary
How does it feel for you being selected for this year’s edition of Hyeres?
I feel not only honored to be selected for Hyeres but also overwhelmed that my work will stay in the wonderful archive forever.
How would you describe Hyeres in three words?
Sunny, open-minded and wonderful!!
What has been your favorite part of the process so far?
Well, arriving at Hyeres, at the Villa was wonderful also the preparation for the show, the presentation while meeting the rest of the contenstants and people who work at the Villa Noailles
In three words , what is your collection about?
Macrame, salt crystals and women
Narelle Dore / AUSTRALIA / Royal Academy Antwerp, Photo by Rene Habermacher
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hyères just a taste… paula selby avellaneda
-Starting today, we will be introducing the Hyeres 2012 selected designers. The first is 26 year-old Paula Selby Avellaneda from Argentina..
How does it feel for you being selected for this year’s edition of Hyeres?
It is an honor-It’s motivating because it makes you feel as if you are doing something right, you‘re on the right track. The Festival is a good chance to make a collection for the sake of creativity, a boundless opportunity.
How would you describe Hyeres in three words?
Independent, for the love of art and generous.
What has been your favorite part of the process so far?
I am studying business at the same time so getting back to “stitching” for me was great. Before sending the work I was dreaming of the concept, the collection as a whole, trying the fabrics, carefully choosing and combining them. This time though the process felt different, as it was the first time I had created a collection respecting my archetypal sketches and drawings.
In three words , what is your collection about?
Materials, couture and Rock&Roll.
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hyères just a taste… entering Villa Noailles
-In a few days, one more Hyères Festival will be taking place at the Villa Noailles.
The house is an exceptional building amenity that combines amazing spaces, light, the most amazing view of the Hyères peninsula, the most romantic botanical garden, with cement paths and staircases, inside and outside whilst cubism is visible on every corner….
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hyères just a taste… pascale mussard
-“Ready to fight like a lionness.”
It’s hard to imagine those words coming from the mouth of Pascale Mussard.
But as art director in a very special company, the “petit h” division of Hermès, she knows how to wait for the right moment before springing into action, while in the meantime keeping an eye for that special quality — talent.Which makes her the perfect Hyères 2012 jury member.
Pascale Mussard, photography Rene Habermacher © Hyeres 2012
How should luxury be interpreted within a young creator’s work?
At Hermes, an object, a creation, must “speak”. It is nourished by the soul and hand of craftsman. It is designed, created, pampered, shaped, dreamed, ennobled, sublimated. It is made with respect, love, passion. Young creators work must inscribe beauty in use, and use in beauty. Nothing superfluous, only honesty every step of the way: from design to production. As heirs of a noble tradition of craftsmanship, our initiatives must be loyal and the innovative expression of this tradition. It must show our optimism and wonderful ingenuity, that last long and leave all horizons open.
What would you say is key to sustaining a fashion brand in a world like ours which is ever changing?
Innovation?
“L’obligation ardente de toute culture” Hélène Ahrweiller [the impassioned obligation of any culture]
Integrity : Never forget our values, from where you come from and invent objects that will last long, be transmitted and bring joy.
Continue to give testament to the relationship between man and the wisdom flowing from acceptance of nature and the unchangeable beauty of usefulness, by reflecting through craftmanship on the meaning of objects and the importance of the ties within mankind.
New petit h film, produced by Partizan.
The art at Petit h is so colourful, fun, happy. Do you feel that ‘happy’ is a keyword for our fashion era now? For our Hyeres contest, would you look for ‘happiness’ to be an aspect in choosing the winner?
My uncle Jean Louis Dumas was saying “où que vous soyez , refusez de vous embêter, dans un milieu de qualité , ce serait du gâchis.» [wherever you may be, refuse to be bored, in a place of quality it would be a waste.]
Petit h : May be not happy as « youthful» Petit h is indeed linked to childhood, particularly in the way to perceive objects and materials, in a new way without preconceptions or prejudice. It is a light, constant, free creation process which makes this petit “h” the legitimate child of Hermès: though sometimes impertinent, a child that does not cease to grow while learning on the materials, the hands that create, and the values of Hermès. For Hyères, it is a “team” judgment under a very innovative President: Mr Y Yamamoto.
Happiness is always a positive value for me, but innovation, fantasy and talent are more important.
Working for a house as historic and of great heritage as Hermès, how do you encounter the challenge to align new ideas with the skills of traditional craftsmanship?
“During a long time I worked on a one-on-one basis with artists and designers. Then, in 2009, the project truly took off and we started working with a cabinet of accumulated materials and craftsmen who worked closely with the artists (at the time Gilles Joneman, Christian Astuguevielle and Godefroy de Vireu) in the recreation process. The pieces created were then submitted to the family and the artistic direction, and the project was approved for a first sale which went very well, allowing us to keep growing.”
“An artist, designer, “geotrouvetout” [inventor] is invited by me to come to the atelier and to dive into the cabinet of materials – the materials are the source of inspiration for all creations, They must work with what is available. These materials will spark the creative process and discussion between the craftsmen and designers to find a solution that is concrete, realizable and esthetic according to Hermes values and procedures. The creation at Petit h comes primarily from a dialogue between the hands of the craftsmen, the materials and the ideas of the designer.”
Craftsmen and designers do not necessarily have the same priorities. What is the collaboration like?
Si vous écoutez vous finissez par entendre. Et un bon entendeur est plus facilement entendu…
[if you listen you will hear. and a good hearer is more easily heard…]
They have to be able to work together well, be able to respond to their partner. I frequently act as a middle person or a kind of midwife. I encourage the team members and say: “We have never done anything like this before, but why don’t we try it out?” If the designer knows exactly what he wants, then the craftsman has to use all his memory, skill and bring out all the techniques that he knows. Currently, we are working on a life-sized bear which is intended for the exhibition in Berlin (23 April – 12 May). The leather is folded using the origami technique – which is something that is for us completely without precedent. The designer Charles Kaisin calls up frequently to find out how we’re getting on. Last week, one of our craftsmen said he thought he would never be able to realize the idea. But eventually everyone in the studio found a method which works.
An inner connection must be forged between the designer and the craftsman. If this happens then I am prepared to defend their work within the company like a lioness.
What is the last thing that you experienced, saw or heard that stimulated you?
Recently I had the chance , the luck to visit really inspiring places, Naoshima (Japan), Inhotim (Brazil) two sites that offer a unique combination of major contemporary art collection and nature.
Two wonderful projects: A DREAM. Brazil and Japan, two countries very energetic and inspiring for me. A great encounter in Brazil: the architect Marcio Kogan ( Sao Paulo)
This summer a beautiful and peaceful trip: Ladakh.
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hyères just a taste… irene silvagni
-With one of the longest careers in the industry, Irène Silvagni is considered as one the master-keys that open every door in fashion.
As creative director of Vogue Paris in the late 80’s, she initiated collaborations with Peter Lindbergh, Paolo Roversi, Steven Meisel and Ellen Von Unwerth.
One of the 2012 Hyères festival fashion jury members, picked by president Yohji Yamamoto, for whom she does creative direction, we asked for her view on ethics, talent and achievement…
Irene Silvagni photo by Elise Toide ©
What are the ethics a young designer should have?
The most important is the “freedom”. One needs to follow what ever what he/she believes in.
Stick to your style.
In your career you have introduced to the industry and the world a lot of new talent. Do you still find yourself as excited by the new crop of talent today? And do you find there is a lot of progression in terms of work that is coming out today?
I remember the time when we were a few editors fighting to have Azzedine Alaia recognized, wearing his clothes at the shows, fighting to have editors and buyers get to rue de Bellechasse; and those were moments of intense happiness.
I also remember when the Japanese designers arrived in Paris, Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto. It was a shock, a new kind beauty, a page was turned but in a way it seemed like a battle against a certain form of journalism which did not understand and accept this evolution.
A revolution that opened all the Belgian movement, which is to this day still at the top.
What do you think is the most challenging thing for young designers to conquer to achieve success today?
The main problem is of course to resist the pressure of economics and the space given to big advertisers in magazines, also to be able to produce and deliver.
The success of Carven, Rochas, Giambattista Valli, all of the independent designers has given a new energy to fashion… The placement of Raf Simons at Dior, the return of Slimane at YSL will bring new challenges in term of aesthetics…
Irene Silvagni photo by Elise Toide ©
How do you relate fashion with elegance?
I do think that elegance is related to the woman or the man wearing clothes.
Though, some clothing are not supposed to be “elegant”, they have style, magic, they are strong or soft, black or white all and its contrary. A piece of cloth wrapped around the body is elegant. I could go on and on talking on elegance. Sometimes I cross some girls in the street and I feel amazed by their creativity in putting clothes together. It’s amazing, inspiring and elegant!!
There are more magazines then ever, yet the paper publishing is in crisis. How do you see fashion magazine publishing today? What excites you or you are missing to see?
I miss the space given to young designers and new talents, I miss being surprised, I miss the adrenaline.
These days, while turning the pages I often know what I am going to see, I read the same news on every magazine, see always the same people. As a professional and a reader I am disappointed most of the time, although there are still some magazines that I find exciting!
What is the last thing that you experienced, saw or heard that stimulated you?
The last Azzedine Alaia fashion show…
Olivier Saillard exhibitions and performances.
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hyères juste a taste…Alan Bilzerian
-Among the crew of fashion wisemen assembled by Yohji Yamamoto in the Hyères 2012 jury is Alan Bilzerian, owner of the eponym Boston boutique, who was kind enough to answer the questions of the Hyères partner blogs…
Alan Bilzerian by René Habermacher.
How important is craftsmanship in a collection for you?
Actually, its one of the first points that bring me closer to the designer. It puts a skip in my step when young designers succeed in translating quality.
When looking at the Hyères ranges, what is more important to you, the designer’s ability to conceptualize a range and see it through to its most artistic and expressive, or do you focus strongly on the commercial viability of the ranges?
I feel very uncomfortable about looking at large ranges of any designer. I believe you can exhibit your emotion of design very clearly in short exhibitions. But I look at both the commercial side as well as artistic expression.
How supportive are your consumers to young designers? What is the most challenging aspect of trying to sell a young designer, and what can the designers do about it?
The consumer will listen to us about any new designer and will certainly give it a chance with a try on or touch. The competition is so strong because of the immense amount of product, we feel you need a little push from the editorial side and a strong support system with shops of high caliber.
The corporate fashion conglomerates are assembling more and more brands under their umbrella and control through advertising the exposure of fashion in the editorials.This makes it harder for young, independent designers to create visibility and establish their vision and brands. How do you see this affecting your work as a buyer?
Its always very challenging to move into new names because in my shops I like consistency to prove that I made the right decision for the customer. The fashion umbrella of the conglomerates are needed as well because of the visible progress shown to the consumer, it helps momentum.
What is the last thing that you experienced, saw or heard that stimulated you?
Nostalgia…
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monsieur chypre – a short film with erotokritos
-Exclusively on Vogue Italia
MONSIEUR CHYPREA Short Film With Erotokritosa film by ANTOINE ASSERAF & RENE HABERMACHERa THE STIMULEYE productionSTARRINGCONSTANTINO KOUYIALIS as MONSIEUR CHYPRELOAN CHABANOL (ELITE) as MADEMOISELLE PARISPARIS UNITSTYLING – MICHAELA DOSAMANTESHAIR – ROMINA MANENTI @ AIRPORTMAKE-UP – TIINA ROIVANEN @ AIRPORTPRODUCTION ASSISTANT – LYNSEY PEISINGERLOCATION – HIROMI OTSUKACATERING – EROKITCHENVOICE by LYNSEY PEISINGERMUSIC by LORI SCHONBERG + SHANE ASPEGRENPOSTPRODUCTION by THE STIMULEYE -
monsieur chypre: postcards
-Coming April 11, 2012 to Vogue Italia.
Cypriot countryside. By Antoine Asseraf & René Habermacher.
"Come and get it". By Antoine Asseraf & René Habermacher.
Hala Sultan Tekke / Larnaca. By Antoine Asseraf & René Habermacher.
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films of the season: monsieur chypre
-An erotic fashion epic, one year in the making, THE STIMULEYE is proud to present Monsieur Chypre – A Short Film With Erotokritos, coming April 11th on Vogue Italia.
Starring Constantino Kouyialis & Loan Chabanol, styled by Michaela Dosamantes, and directed by Antoine Asseraf & René Habermacher.
“He knows women, and women know him.”
Erotokritos, it’s a strange name for a fashion brand.It’s an even stranger name for a person.And yet, he is truly called Erotokritos Antoniadis, named after the main protagonist of medieval epic poem, a hero “born from the labors of love”. For 15 years, his label has been seducing women of all ages, drawn to collections that go back and forth between the sophistication of Paris and the dolce vita of Cyprus…“They call him Monsieur Chypre.”
France and Cyprus, Paris and Nicosia, it’s a long-distance couple.In Monsieur Chypre, by Antoine Asseraf & René Habermacher, they come to life: Loan Chabanol, channeling the nostalgia of Marguerite Duras’ The Lover, plays the tormented Parisian woman, cracking at the surface, while Constantino Kouyialis, in his first first on-screen role, is a revelation as the seductive eponym hero, a modern day Alexis Zorbas.“An erotic fashion epic” we call it.“Erotic,” how could it not be with a name like Erotokritos ?“Fashion,” of course: stylist Michaela Dosamantes, fresh from winning Best Fashion Award at La Jolla Fashion Film Festival for La Main Dans Le Sac, mixes the season’s classic looks to capture the heroine’s transformation from “bluesy” in Vuitton to “red-hot” in Valentino.And “epic” ? What else do you call a fashion film 10 months in the making, taking place not only in Paris but in numerous locations in Nicosia, in the salt lake facing the Hala Sultan Tekke mosque in Larnaca, in the Almyra and Anassa deluxe hotels, in small taverns by the side of the road, or in the majestic monument carved directed in the stone, the tomb of the Kings in Paphos ? And we haven’t even mentioned the upcoming almost 10 minutes long directors’ cut….“His voice is a song.”
All this, to the original soundtrack of Lori Schonberg and Shane Aspegren, members of transnational surrealist indie outfit The Berg Sans Nipple.So, now the tough questions.Is Cyprus really like this ? A little bit. Not at all. It depends how you look at it.It is an island of freedom in the east mediterranean, where couples from Israel and Lebanon come to escape religion. It is the birthplace of Aphrodite. You go, you decide.So how can I meet this Mister Cyprus ? We hear that one a lot. From women (and men) of all ages. Maybe he’s real, maybe he’s a figment of our collective imagination, our repressed desires. One thing’s for sure — we can’t give you his number.“Attempting to charm him is useless. He is the one who will find.”MONSIEUR CHYPREa film by ANTOINE ASSERAF & RENE HABERMACHERa THE STIMULEYE productionSTARRINGCONSTANTINO KOUYIALIS as MONSIEUR CHYPRELOAN CHABANOL (ELITE) as MADEMOISELLE PARISPARIS UNITSTYLING – MICHAELA DOSAMANTESHAIR – ROMINA MANENTIMAKE-UP – TIINA ROIVANENPRODUCTION ASSISTANT – LYNSEY PEISINGERLOCATION – HIROMI OTSUKACATERING – EROKITCHENVOICE by LYNSEY PEISINGERMUSIC by LORI SCHONBERG + SHANE ASPEGRENPOSTPRODUCTION by THE STIMULEYECYPRUS UNITALSO STARRINGMYRTO KOUYIALISDIVA MODELS:ALEXANDRA BUNETSKAYAKLELIA YIASEMIDOUANNA DOROTHEOULOCATIONS:ALMYRA & ANASSATHANOS HOTELSALL CLOTHES CYPRUS: EROTOKRITOS ARCHIVESPARIS CLOTHES featuringLOUIS VUITTON, EROTOKRITOS, LOUIS VUITTON JEWELRY, APERLAI, MARC JACOBS, DIOR, FELIPE OLIVEIRA BAPTISTA, AURELIE BIDERMAN, OLATZ, KIKI DE MONTPARNASSE, BURBERRY AND VALENTINOTHANK YOUDimitris Dimitriou / Cyprus Tourist Organisation in ParisPhilippos Philippou / Cyprus AirwaysPavlos Metaxas / Diva modelsAntonakis BarEleni ChrysostomidouLida PhilippidouMary NicolaidouMaroulla AntoniadouGallery Argo NicosiaKostas MantzalosThe city of NicosiaThe city of PaphosANDFilep Motwary -
Everything You Need To Know About Hyères 2012 Fashion + Photo Festival
-Everything you need to know about the
Hyères International Fashion + Photography Festival 2012.
April 27-30 2012, Villa Noailles, Hyères, FRANCE.Fashion + photo juries, fashion shows, exhibitions by Yohji Yamamoto, Inez Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, Jason Evans, Chronique Curiosités, Maison Rondini, Matthew Cunnington & John Sanderson, Fabrics Interseason, Lynsey Peisinger & The Stimuleye, Lea Peckre, Celine Meteil, Internationales Fashion + Textile Conferences, The Shoes/TEED/Citizens…
a film by The Stimuleye,
with Lynsey Peisinger and François Sagat. -
hyères just a taste… Olivier Saillard
-His name may not ring any bells, especially if you’ve never attended one of the numerous exhibitions he curated during his years at Union des Arts Décoratifs or more recently in his new position as curator for Paris’ Galliera Fashion Museum.But his appreciation, his judgement, informed by an impressive culture and understanding of fashion in the long run, leave little to doubt.Who better to evaluate the young talent of tomorrow than one of the few people who get fashion beyond the trends of the moment ?Days before his double Comme des Garçons / Balenciaga exhibit opens at Cité de la Mode, here is Olivier Saillard.Hyères 2012 jury member, Olivier Saillard, Director of the Galliera Fashion Museum. Photo by René Habermacher.
Why should a garment be considered as important?At the risk of appearing a bit primal, because we’d be a bit cold if we had to live naked, unless we all moved to warmer pastures !
Beyond climatic considerations, I love to see a garment as a solution, and to note that some designers are, to this day, still preoccupied by the idea of solving, through a way of dressing, our natural morning wardrobe.You have produced works that straddle the line between fashion and performance. Or maybe there is no line. When looking at the collections for the festival, how important is the element of presentation to you? Would a poor presentation of a great garment influence how you score it?Now more than ever, presentation interests me less than the garment itself. I skip fashion shows and rather appreciate presentations in show rooms.
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hyères just a taste…. Marc Ascoli
-“Fashion goes out of fashion” says veteran creative director Marc Ascoli.
A jury member for the upcoming Hyères Fashion + Photography Festival, Ascoli is known as the man behind the image of Yohji Yamamoto, Martine Sitbon, Jil Sander for many years.
He knows the times change, and yet the thirst for creativity is never quenched.
Here’s a taste of Hyères.Marc Ascoli at the Hyères 2012 jury selection, by René Habermacher.
FILEP MOTWARY/UN NOUVEAU IDEAL: What makes a young designer interesting in your eyes ?
His/her sensibility before anything else, that he/she has something to say. But also the degree of creativity, the ability to show he/she doesn’t fit the mold or follow established models.
A young designer, to be interesting, needs to reflect his era and talk about the times.
MALI/SKATTIE: Once you’ve started working with a brand, what is your degree of involvement and counseling?
It really depends on the intensity of the relationship I share with the person. Today the difficulty is to know which direction a brand wants to go, how to express its singularity.
Marc Ascoli + photographer David Sims for Yohji Yamamoto.
MISHA/TOKYO FASHION DIARIES: Today, it seems essential for a designer to have a public persona. How does that affect you ?
The current situation is ambiguous. Designers are personae, they embody and diffuse the image of the brand. Taking into account the investments made by fashion houses in terms of publicity, designers have become true flag bearers.
But that’s where the error often lies, to hire people gifted in public relations but much less in terms of style.
Today there is a “bottom line” in fashion, people tend to look at things commercially. Does the buzz which personality give off equal the quality of the offering ? The question today is primordial. [In the case of] Sarah Burton for Mc Queen, we don’t see a flamboyant personality, but everyone is floored by her work.
Even though it’s a time of crisis, everything is about competitivity. Considering the number of collections (men’s, women’s, pre-collections), it’s about standing out through quality not only personality.
RENÉ / THE STIMULEYE: What is the role of the stylist in the creation of a fashion image ? How did the evolution of this role impact the role of the artistic/creative director ?
There’s now a lot of confusion between stylists and artistic directors, but I believe the two have very different roles. The artistic director works on the long term image of the brand, its DNA and visual impact, whereas the stylist reflects the brand’s fluctuating image by styling the clothes, whether it’s for ad campaigns or a fashion shows.
Marc Ascoli + photographer Craig McDean for Jil Sander
BRUNO / BRRUN: Does fashion have a political role beyond aesthetic and function ?
Fashion takes place in a different universe. It’s a universe where you’re bringing something else to reality, where there is little concern for politics, because it’s all about creation and individuals.
You can see today that there is a huge gap between fashion and the political reality of our times.
Fashion goes out of fashion; fashion is irrational so it can’t be political.ANTOINE / THE STIMULEYE: When and how does a creator, singer, artist need to work with an art or creative director ?
An artist always needs an alter ego with whom to exchange ideas, to help write his/her story. It’s not just a matter of positioning. The artistic director has to be sensitive enough to understand the artist’s universe and then catalyze it ; establish an image visually and eventually commercially.
Marc Ascoli + photographer Nick Knight for Martine Sitbon.
What is the last thing which stimulated you ?
Being a very curious person, I am constantly stimulating my creativity through various cultural activities. The exhibit of Madame Grès curated by Olivier Saillard at Musée Bourdelle really seduced me. Everything was in its place, the location, the clothes, the spirit.
I was also very stimulated by the latest Comme des Garçons fashion show. I thought it was majestic.
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HIGHER ATLAS – Marrakech Biennale
-The Arab Spring.One year later, the events seem so distant already, and yet an undeniable change has taken place in the atmosphere.
A special case: Marocco, where evolution, rather than revolution, is being encouraged through a revised constitution. And now, the Marrakech Biennale, HIGHER ATLAS, curated by Carson Chan and Nadim Samman under the patronage of Vanessa Bronson, opens its door.
A special case, a special place, in a special time… an interview with curator Carson Chan.
The Théatre Royal, under construction.
How was lunch?
Thanks for asking! There’s been little time for lunch these days, but the 6 dirham omelets across from one of exhibition sites, the Théâtre Royal, are great.Now that you spend so much time in Marrakech- what are your favorite places you hang out to get a fresh head?With my indispensable curatorial assistant, Marie Egger, we often duck away for an hour at the Cafe de la Poste, a beautiful colonial-era restaurant.
Did you accustom to the local rhythm?It took a few weeks, but I think I finally got a hang of how to deal with contractors, suppliers, interns, accountants and bureaucracy in Marrakech. This time around, I’ve been here for more than a month, and it’s been great to become familiar with some of the people in my neighbourhood. That being said, I’m still often my own tourist attraction!
So did you surrender? Or is it the other way around?I think everyone involved has surrendered to the biennial making process. I knew that logistics would be a challenge, but in the end, the exhibition, often spectacular, sometimes very quiet, was curated to appeal first and foremost to the senses.
How did your engagement with the Marrakech biennale and Nadim Samman come together?We were invited December 2010. I ended up meeting Vanessa Branson, the president of the Arts in Marrakech foundation at Art Basel Miami, and was hired after a brief presentation of my past exhibitions on my ipad! She had met Nadim a month earlier in London at an exhibition he made there.
You had initially planned the El Badi palace to be at the core of the Higher Atlas biennale. As I understand one of the challenges you faced with the change of administration was that at some point El Badi was no longer available. What were the consequences?The consequences of losing the El Badi palace was pretty great in the end! The show now spans five different sites in and around Marrakech, so when traveling from one location to another, visitors, both local and from abroad, will begin to see the city as part of the context of the exhibition.
The Théâtre Royal, a half completed opera house commissioned by King Hassan II, the old foundations and underground cisterns of the sacred Koutoubia Mosque, the so-called Cyber Park (it’s owned by Moroc Telecom and has perhaps the best wifi in the city!), the Bank al-Maghrib building in the historic Djemaa el-Fna square as well as an large scale sculptural installation by Elin Hansdottir in the town of Tassoultante about 15km outside of the city are all places where we have exhibitions.
Particularly in the urban public spaces like the square, the park and Koutoubia, it has been amazing to see visitors that have had very little exposure to contemporary art stay and take time to experience the work.
Installation by Ethan Hayes-Chute.
Did the “arab spring” affect you curating this project?The so-called Arab Spring (no one here would ever associate any kind of political unrest as a problem relating to other countries…) was definitely on my mind when I started conceptualizing the exhibition. Before spending time at in Marrakech, all I knew of Morocco was what I read about in the media – a politics biased reading if anything. The very fact that we made an exhibition of contemporary culture was a response to politic-heavy understanding of North Africa.
People here go shopping, go to restaurants, read books, watch movies and use the internet for YouTube just like everywhere else.
One of the biennales goals are articulating the blurred boundaries between historically discrete spheres, and the conjunction of local and global conditions. Which works would you allocate to this specific target, and how do you see their relevance?I would say Jon Nash’s work, Moroccan Drift, is a good example. When he was researching Morocco online, he came across several drift videos in which people would speed up their cars and turn in such a way that the car moves sideways. Inspired by Tokyo drift and other videos from around the world, young Moroccans made their own Moroccan drift videos.
In the end, it was the space opened up by the Internet, not, say, geo-politics, that shaped the cultural lives of the Moroccans making these videos. Morocco is used by filmmakers as stand-ins for several other places. Ridley Scott shot Prince of Persia here, and of course Morocco is no where near Persia. Large HDI balloons are often used as stand ins for the moon, and American artist, Karthik Pandian, decided to launch one of them in the Djemaa el-Fna square for one night. On that night, March 2nd, Marrakech had two moons, the real one, and the one Karthik launched, which was cubic in shape – a gigantic white cube, as it were.
Was it difficult for you to get rid of the post-colonial shades and orientalist romanticism?Post-colonialism and its echos are definitely here, but not unlike other cities like Hong Kong, Montreal or Mexico City. We worked with about 50 university students from the Cadi Ayyad University, and they definitely regard themselves as either Moroccan or simply world citizens, not products of post-colonialism. In fact, I consciously tried to bypass this framework by foregrounding art as a question of physical experience, rather than a communicator of historical conditions. Having said that, Leung Chi Wo, from Hong Kong, reflected on post-colonial identities in his work.
Right, Carson Chan, co-curator, and left, Vanessa Bronson, biennale founder.
I am curious to hear a little on the locals reactions in this context?The local reaction so far has been amazing! If anything, it has really gotten people talking. Thousands came to our opening, and we are being featured in the local media – radio, television, newspaper, magazines – on a daily basis. Our interns, who have worked for the past two months alongside myself and our artists, are our main ambassadors. They tell people on the street, friends, make their own ads and posters about the show.
I went to check up on the Koutoubia exhibition the other days and it was packed with people streaming in from the main square. At the Bank al-Maghrib, where Nine Eglantine Yamamoto-Masson curated video art as part of a walk-in screening room, I saw families sitting inside entranced by the videos.
How did you encounter the local support when approaching it?Not only do we have support from the mayor, the Wali of Marrakech and just recently the patronage of the King himself, the love and support we get from our contractors and workers has been immense. One contractor, Said Aakif, has been instrumental to the success of the biennale, and we’re all really grateful for his dedication.You recently halted your project PROGRAM in Berlin, what was the decision? And, in retrospect how do you see this curatorial experience has affected you?
Fotini Lazaridou-Hatzigoga and I ran PROGRAM for more than 5 years, and as a project that experimented in art and architecture exhibitions, we felt that we had had our run.There will definitely be more projects through PROGRAM, but the experience there has definitely shaped my work here in Marrakech. To start with, many of the artists I’ve shown there were also in the biennale.What are your plans after the Marrakech Biennale?I’m editing two magazines – editor at large for 032c, and contributing editor for Kaleidoscope – so that will take up much time. There are a few more exhibitions this year, talks and lectures, but I’m taking time to work on a conference at Yale University with David Tasman and Eeva Liisa Pelkonen about architecture exhibitions. There are a few books up my sleeve as well…
Aleksandra Domanovic's "Monument to Revolution" and the al-Ghiwane singers, performing turner-prize nominee Roger Hiorn's untitled performance.
What is the last thing that stimulated you?
The most stimulating thing was the exhibition vernissage. To see people experiencing the artworks I spent so much time thinking about and considering, to see them take it in and take their time, to see people encounter things they may never have encountered before, that has been the most stimulating.