Monthly Archives: July 2016

Flabjacks “Survival Kit”

July 15, 2016 2016年7月15日

 

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Neocha recently collaborated with Ton Mak, the illustrator behind the Flabjacks series. Despite never having officially studied art, her love of doodling led her onto the path of becoming an artist. Now based between Hong Kong and Shanghai, she has created an imaginary world populated with pudgy, goofy creatures. She’s even been known to turn inanimate object, such as avocados or pots of cacti, into her chubby Flabjacks characters.

近期，Neocha与Ton Mak进行了一次联手合作。她是Flabjacks系列背后的插画师，尽管从未正经学艺，但对涂涂画画的爱让她走上了艺术家之路。如今身居香港和上海两地的她，已经一手打造出了一个想象世界，在这个世界里充满了傻乎乎、胖墩墩的各种角色设定。她甚至还将牛油果和仙人掌等物体进行拟人化，并加入到她的肥仔角色中去，并以此被广为所知。

For this collaboration, Ton Mak worked alongside Neocha and Moleskine® to created a limited edition Flabjacks “Survival Kit” that’s now available in our online shop. Check out the video to see Ton’s mischievous Flabjacks characters escaping her studio for a day of shenanigans in Shanghai.

在这次的联手合作中，我们与Ton Mak以及Moleskine®一起，创作了限量版Flabjacks “Survival Kit”，并已于Neocha在线商店出售。点击视频，观看Ton那些Flabjacks淘气包们从她的工作室出逃，在上海调皮捣蛋的一天。

The Flabjacks “Survival Kit” includes: Puff Ville, a limited-edition black-and-white risograph print; a limited-edition Flabjacks notebook done in collaboration with Moleskine®; and a Flabjacks tote bag. Each limited-edition Moleskine® notebook is debossed with the Flabjacks logo and features different fun characters hand-doodled by Ton Mak throughout the pages.

Flabjacks “Survival Kit”中包含有一副限量黑白孔版印刷版画《Puff Ville》，一个Flabjacks和Moleskine®限量合作笔记本，一个Flabjacks帆布袋。每一本限量Moleskine®笔记本都凹印有Flabjacks的标志，内页中则有各种不同的有趣角色，由Ton Mak手绘而成。

The Puff Ville print measures 30.3 cm x 30.3 cm, and is a risograph print done on high-quality Olin 300gsm art paper. Everything is packaged in its own customized Flabjacks pizza box. The Flabjacks “Survival Kit” can be purchased now exclusively on the Neocha Shop. It’s available in a limited edition of only 15.

孔版印刷版画《Puff Ville》尺寸为30.3 cm x 30.3 cm，印于300克欧林艺术纸上。以上物品包装于定制的Flabjacks披萨盒中。Flabjacks “Survival Kit”现已在Neocha商店独家上线，限量15份。

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Buy "Flabjacks Survival Kit" by Ton Mak

Full Product Details:

  • Custom Flabjacks pizza box
  • Limited-edition Flabjacks Puff Ville print (details below)
  • Limited-edition Flabjacks Moleskine® notebook of 15
  • Flabjacks Tote Bag
  • Price: $150

 

Print Details:

  • Limited-edition Puff Ville black-and-white risograph print
  • Edition size: 15
  • Print size: 30.3 cm x 30.3 cm
  • Paper: 300gsm Olin Art Paper

套装详情:

  • Flabjacks定制披萨盒
  • Flabjacks限量孔版印刷版画《Puff Ville》
  • Flabjacks限量Moleskine®笔记本
  • Flabjacks帆布袋
  • 价格: $150

 

版画详情:

  • 限量黑白孔版印刷版画《Puff Ville》
  • 版数: 15
  • 尺寸: 30.3 cm x 30.3 cm
  • 用纸: 300克欧林艺术纸

Website: flabjacks.com

 

Contributor: David Yen
Videographers: Winnie Chi, Gerhan, Patti Ruan
Photographers: Crown Wang, Leon Yan

网站: flabjacks.com

 

供稿人: David Yen
视频摄影师: Winnie Chi, Gerhan, Patti Ruan
图片摄影师: Crown Wang, Leon Yan

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GRAF&WU

July 14, 2016 2016年7月14日

Street culture embodies the spirit of freedom. It is a culture that emphasizes the importance of confidently expressing yourself. Modern street culture has already broken through many geographic and cultural boundaries and is deeply rooted in today’s youth culture on a global scale. The youth of China have been attempting to find their own voice amidst the endlessly changing trends. Many phenomenal streetwear brands have already emerged from the country, but there are still a lot of misconceptions in China about streetwear with many people believing it is only t-shirts, button downs, hoodies, and so on. Many brands look to transcend the generic designs cluttering the streetwear scene in China and establish a unique brand identity of their very own. GRAF&WU is one of those brands that have successfully done so.

街头文化因着它倡导更自由、更自信地去表达自己、证明自己，而打破地域和文化壁垒，渗透到全球青年中去。一直以来，中国的年轻人也在这股潮流中摸索前进，并逐渐创立自己的街服品牌。尽管，认为做做T恤、衬衫、帽衫、休闲裤就是街头品牌在这里还是广泛的认识误区，但是还是有少数成功做到了拥有自己很明确的品牌文化或者特色，GRAF&WU便是其中之一。

GRAF&WU’s logo is a giraffe, but the “GRAF” in the brand name is actually an acronym that stands for “Generation Represent Artistic Fashion”. This reflects their brand ethos that aspires to have a generation of people using fashion as an artistic medium. The “WU” represents Wuhan, the city that the founder and brand director Graf grew up in. Graf is an illustrator, designer, and 3D modeler who is currently studying at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. The entire concept for GRAF&WU began in 2013 when she was studying in Beijing, and it followed her to the U.S. where it continued to grow as she explored her love affair with hip-hop. It was in San Francisco where GRAF&WU started coming into its own as a brand. As the brand continued to refine their aesthetic and vision, their fanbase in China has grown along with it. Read our interview with Graf below.

GRAF&WU以长颈鹿为标志，其”GRAF” 为 “Generation Represent Artistic Fashion” 的缩写，意为“用时尚的媒介传达艺术理念的一代人”；”WU”则为武汉，是品牌创始人和主理人Graf成长的地方。Graf是一名插画师、设计师以及3D建模师，现今就读旧金山艺术大学3D建模专业。GRAF&WU于2013作为一个概念便是诞生于她在北京求学时期，随后随着她赴美并追寻自己热爱的hip hop文化，品牌在旧金山不断发展壮大，而今在中国本土拥有大量拥趸。阅读以下采访，了解更多。

Neocha: When did you start GRAF&WU? What inspired you to launch the brand?

Graf: In 2015, the brand was officially registered as a business in China. In the beginning, I noticed certain societal issues on Weibo that I wanted to address. I felt frustrated at my inability to fully articulate my thoughts through words, but at the same time, I enjoyed expressing myself through illustrations. I then realized even if I make a hundred, or a thousand pieces of work, it wouldn’t guarantee that people will look at them. The internet, magazines, and other kinds of print matter are all mediums people use to communicate ideas. I studied fashion design, so I thought perhaps I could use textile and fabric as a medium to express my ideas. Nothing will makes people pay closer attention to your work than if they spend money on it. Also, if someone wore my work and walked around in it, then aren’t my creative concepts being displayed even more effectively? So then I decided to create something basic: t-shirts. That was how the first GRAF t-shirt came to be. From then until now, I’ve lost track of how many I’ve designed.

Neocha: 最初是什么激发你创立GRAF&WU？

Graf: 2015年正式注册成公司。最初，我在微博上看到一些社会问题就想表达自己的想法。无奈文采不好，可我喜欢用插画的形式表现。但络上千百个画作，不一定会有人仔细去看。于是我就想，网络、杂志、纸张都是传播媒介，而我在念服装设计，是不是应该用服装面料去传递我的想法呢? 而没有什么比让一个人花钱消费你的作品更能使他仔细观赏了。另外，假若有人穿着我的作品四处走动，那岂不是更有效的传达了我的设计理念？于是，我决定用所有人都能想到的: T恤。就这样开始了GRAF第一件T恤，然后到今天，有了第N件。

Neocha: What do you consider to be the distinctive characteristics of the GRAF&WU brand? How did you develop this style?

GRAF: Originality in design. Many of my illustrations and images requires careful observation or understanding of a certain culture to fully comprehend it. In that regard, my customer base is a fairly select group of people. But there are also a large number of people that just like the aesthetic qualities of the images. Most of my designs are closely related to rap music, which is something that I really love. Sometimes I might be feeling the lyrics of a song and I will want to turn it into an image. My focus generally revolves around cultural aspects from the ’80s and ’90s, but my work will also sometimes touch on more recent events.

Neocha: GRAF&WU的品牌风格特点是什么？为什么选择这种风格的?

Graf: 原创设计，非常多的插画和图案，内涵要仔细观察或者你懂某个文化才会理解，有一点挑客人。不过光是喜欢图案的客人也很多。大部分设计和我喜欢的Rap Music有关，有可能是某一句歌词我特别喜欢,就用一个画面表达出来. 许多80-90年代的文化都是我关注的重点，跟随时事推出相关设计也有。

选择一个街头潮流品牌风格，一是因为喜欢这个文化。二则是在从初中开始就非常喜欢美国说唱音乐，自己也会写歌录歌，然后认识了不少国内同好。刚开始做衣服的时候，这些朋友是最开始支持我的一批客人。

Neocha: Wuhan is obviously important to you, as can be seen in your deliberate choice to call out the city in your brand name. How do you think Wuhan influences your work?

Graf: To be honest, Wuhan isn’t a huge influence on my work. I just wanted to be constantly reminded about where I came from. Many streetwear brands originated from Chinese cities, but they will force an “LA” or “NY” somewhere in their brand name. When it comes to a person’s creation process, I think it’s important to keep it real. That’s why I included Wuhan into my brand name.

Neocha: 你在品牌名字里强调了武汉，那么武汉对你现在的创作有什么影响吗？

Graf: 武汉本身并没有太大的影响，单纯只是希望自己时刻记得来自哪里。很多原创潮牌其实也来自中国的某个城市，可是他们要在自己的品牌后面加LA，NY。我认为keep it real在一个人的创作态度里很重要，所以干脆加到品牌名字里面。

Neocha: What are the concepts behind the brand. What message do you intend to communicate through your brand?

Graf: I often hide slogans in the details of my clothes, such as “Hustle Hard,” “Be Great,” and so on. These can be found on the inside of sleeves and at the bottom of shirts. The concept here is to encourage being persistent and doing everything to the best of your abilities. It’s about pushing your potential to the absolute limit. It’s easy in theory, but hard to actually do. We live in a comfortable world now, and many people think that working eight or nine hours is a hardship. The people that are actually working hard are trying to push themselves and improve themselves every second and every minute. They’re never satisfied. The images on my clothing might just be a fun little cartoon, or just some text, but I intend for these details to become a constant reminder to the wearer. I want to remind them to always be determined and push themselves to do everything to the best of their abilities. This is a big part of street mentality.

Neocha: 品牌背后的理念是什么？通过这个品牌你想传达给别人的是什么样的信息？

Graf: 我经常会在衣服的小细节里标注一些口号例如“Hustle Hard” “Be Great” 等，在一些袖口、衣服底摆之类的小地方。从这里看出GRAF&WU的理念就是努力去做好每一件事，做到最好，把自己的能力发挥到极致。乍一看很简单，要做到这一点很难。现在环境好，很多人以为工作8,9小时就算艰苦。其实真正努力地人时时刻刻都在提升自己，永远不能自满。可能衣服的图案就是一个好玩的卡通或者字母，但是这些小细节会时刻提醒着穿着这件衣服的人，你需要努力，你需要做到最好。这也是street mentality(街头的思维方式)。

Neocha: Does your personal work and your designs for GRAF&WU conflict with one another?

Graf: Some people say it is impossible to turn your hobby into a career, because once a hobby becomes a job then the pressure of work will make you hate it. But this mentality doesn’t apply to me. I love working. I am basically at home creating everyday, or looking for new inspiration in my travels. Even if I am attending some party or event, it will be related to the brand. The majority of my personal artistic creations have turned into products for GRAF&WU and can be found as products. It’s a perfect example of killing two birds with one stone.

Neocha: 你的个人创作和你在GRAF&WU品牌中的设计互相之间有什么影响吗？

Graf: 总有人说，人不可能把爱好变成工作，因为一旦爱好成了工作便不会再喜欢它带来的压力。在我这里并没有发生。我是一个超级热爱工作的人，基本每天我就是在家创作，或出去旅游找寻灵感，即使有派对和活动也是和品牌有关联的。平日创作的作品大部分都变成了艺术衍生品作为GRAF&WU的产品进行销售了，可以说一举两得。

Neocha: Can you tell us about the collaboration between GRAF&WU and Vital? Do you plan on working on more collaborative projects in the future?

Graf: Vital is a very talented rapper on the West Coast. He’s collaborated with the likes of Snoop Dogg and Berner. Currently, his label just finished a coast to coast tour in the U.S. and he is preparing to release his brand new album. I am already working closely with his team to start planning out their next tour. GRAF&WU will be designing and supplying all of the products and merchandise for it. Our clothing will also appear on stage during the tour. I am also talking with many other U.S. artists about possible collaboration. These will all be announced on our Weibo or on our online shop in the near future. In China, besides our upcoming Fall/Winter collection, GRAF&WU will also be working with Yo It’s Free between August and October to host a street dance competition. We also plan on working together with Japanese street dancer Kato to release some new products. The street dance competition will make stops in cities all over China. Everyone is welcome to join!

Neocha: 可以谈谈GRAF&WU和Vital的合作吗？往后还有更多跨界合作计划吗？

Graf: Vital是西海岸很有实力的说唱歌手，他和Snoop Dogg还有Berner都有歌曲合作。目前他的唱片公司刚做完一个全美巡演，正在筹备新专辑的发售。我和他的团队已经在制定下一次巡演的计划，将由GRAF&WU来设计和赞助下一次演出的周边商品，整个巡演也只会出现我们的服装。美国方面我有联系更多艺术家合作，这些都会随后在微博或者我们得店铺更新消息。国内方面,除了固定的秋冬新品发布，在8月到10月，GRAF&WU将和Yo Its Free街舞赛事一起做很多有意思的活动，包括和日本街舞大师Kato的联名产品等等。全国都会有站点，有兴趣的朋友不妨关注起来！

Website: grafwu.com
Instagram: @grafwu
Weibo: GRAF原创品牌
WeChat: GRAFCLOTHING
Taobao: GRAFWU

 

Contributor: Banny Wang
Images Courtesy of GRAF&WU

网站: grafwu.com
Instagram: @grafwu
微博: GRAF原创品牌
微信: GRAFCLOTHING
淘宝: GRAFWU

 

供稿人: Banny Wang
图片由GRAF&WU提供

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“Gosh” by Jamie XX

July 13, 2016 2016年7月13日

 

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China has often been associated with shanzhai counterfeit culture, from brand name apparels to electronic gadgets. But it is not just consumer goods being copied, even cities are vulnerable when it comes to Chinese cloning. As odd as it might seem to replicate an entire city, it is actually a common practice in China that can be traced all the way back to the Qin dynasty where the emperor would commission replicas of conquered palaces. On the outskirts of Beijing, there is a replica of Jackson Hole, Wyoming; in Guangdong, there’s an entire fake Austrian village; and then there’s Tianducheng, a town located in the suburbs of Hangzhou, which has a scaled-down replica of Paris, complete with Parisian architecture and even a 354-foot high Eiffel Tower.

从名牌服装到电子产品，中国的山寨文化随处可见。但不仅仅是仿冒消费品，这股风潮还影响到中国的城市建设。在西方要复制一个城市这听上去是个非常怪诞的想法，但是在中国并不是什么新鲜事，其实早在秦朝，中国就有这样的先例，在那个时候，帝王就会下令复制出其征服的地方。在北京一郊区，有个完全模仿美国怀俄明州的小镇—— 杰克逊霍尔；广东有个村庄完整地复制了澳大利亚的乡村风格；杭州的市郊有一个迷你版的巴黎——天都城，这里不仅模仿了巴黎的建筑风格，甚至还修建了354英尺高的“埃菲尔铁塔”。

For Jamie XX’s “Gosh”, filmmaker Romain Gavras chose this faux Paris to be the backdrop for his music video. The video starts in a dark neon-lit room where an albino protagonist, played by Hassan Kone, lays on a large couch lost deep in his thoughts. Surrounding him on the couches are people wearing glowing goggles, seemingly immersed in virtual reality. The pace quickly ramps up as the video drops viewers in the middle of a clone of Paris and Jamie XX’s minimalistic electro sounds begin kicking into gear. Dressed in all white, the protagonist races down the street in a Subaru driven by a man in a mask, riding with his entourage.

Jamie XX单曲《Gosh》的MV由Romain Gavras执导，他选了这个复制版巴黎城为背景。MV在一个霓虹闪烁的昏暗房间拉开序幕，由Hassan Kone扮演的白化病男主角躺在一个大沙发上，陷入沉思。在他的周围，沙发上还围着一群带着亮眼护目镜的人，在虚拟世界中如梦似幻。随着MV中带着观众空投城市中心场景，节奏加快，Jamie XX极简化的电子音效开始进入指令式的重复。一身白装的的男主，带着他的随从，在一个面具男开车的Subaru车里沿着街道狂奔。

At the same time, hundreds of Chinese children in identical clothing and hair color are dashing through the empty streets. All of them moving with purpose as they close in on the replica of the Eiffel Tower looming ominously in the distance. The horde of doppelgänger children finally converges on the protagonist at the base of the tower where they begin orbiting him in a synchronized dance as his entourage looks on. The bizarre and dystopian vibes are reminiscent of the director’s earlier work for Kanye West’s “No Church in the Wild” and Justice’s “Stress”. Gavras’ impressive video involved a cast of 400 people and was shot without the use of CGI or 3D effects. Jamie XX’s In Colour album is available for purchase on his official website.

同时，数百个穿着相同的衣服，留着相同的发型的中国孩子，在空荡荡的街道，朝着复制版埃菲尔铁塔列步前进，建筑在远处或隐或现，诡异而不详。这一群幽灵般的少年最终在埃菲尔铁塔下将男主包围，以整齐划一的轨道围着他，男主的随从就在不远处静静观望。该古怪而带着反乌托邦式的MV风格让人想起导演早期的作品，如Kanye West的《No Church in the Wild》和Justice的《Stress》。整个MV个性十足，动用了400名群演，全程没有一个镜头使用CG或3D效果。Jamie XX的专辑《In Colour》可以在他的官网上购买。

Neocha Selects is a curated selection of some of the most inspiring and innovative video content from Asia. To see more stories like this, click here. To see original Neocha videos, click here.

Neocha Selects为来自亚洲地区内最具启发性和革新性的视频内容精选。查看更多类似文章，请点击此处。查看Neocha原创视频，请点击此处。

Website: jamiexx.com
Soundcloud: ~/jamie-xx-official
Vimeo: ~/gavras

 

Contributor: David Yen
Video & Images Courtesy of Romain Gavras

 

网站: jamiexx.com
Soundcloud: ~/jamie-xx-official
Vimeo: ~/gavras

 

供稿人: David Yen
视频和图片由Romain Gavras提供

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#whatmyhandsdoing

July 12, 2016 2016年7月12日

22-year old Romo Jack is an Indonesian visual artist who’s more commonly known as @ponypork on Instagram. He is most well known for his #whatmyhandsdoing project, which has become a viral sensation in recent years. This series of photos shot from an overhead bird’s-eye perspective depicting Romo’s own two hands perform everyday tasks, ranging from simple activities like picking eggs to mixing paint. Romo’s tasteful sense of aesthetics and his skillful eye for stylizing scenes has transformed these mundane activities into compelling images.

Usia 22 tahun Romo Jack adalah seniman visual yang lebih umum dikenal sebagai @ponypork di Instagram. Dia lebih terkenal dengan proyek #whatmyhandsdoing, yang mana telah menjadi sensasi viral baru-baru ini. Seri pengambilan foto dari sudut pandang mata seekor burung menggambarkan Romo memiliki sepasang tangan yang melakukan tugas sehari-hari, yang mana tingkatannya dari kegiatan yang sederhana seperti memungut telur hingga memadukan lukisan. Cita rasa Romo akan keindahan dan kemampuan mata nya untuk menyesuaikan dengan keadaan telah mengubah kegiatan duniawi kedalam kesan yang sangat menarik.

Born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia, Romo simply describes himself as “creative worker”. Looking to prove that art should know no bounds, he has been fervently exploring different methods of self-expression. But surprisingly, prior to working on his #whatmyhandsdoing series, Romo had initially intended to pursue a degree in accounting and information systems, as well as learn Mandarin Chinese. In the end, both of these things didn’t feel right for him, and Romo ended up pursuing the arts. He admits he wasn’t always into art, and had never considered himself as an “artsy” person. But as time went by, he realized that art was something that can be found in every aspect of life.

Lahir dan besar di Jakarta, Indonesia, Romo secara sederhana menggambarkan dirinya seorang “pekerja yang kreatif”. Mencari cara untuk membuktikan bahwa seni tidak memiliki batasan, dia sepenuhnya menggali cara yang berbeda dalam mengekspresikan diri.Tapi tak disangka, sebelum seri #whatmyhandsdoing, pada awalnya Romo bermaksud mengejar gelar sistem akuntansi dan informasi, serta mempelajari Mandarin Cina. Pada akhirnya, kedua hal tersebut terasa tidak sesuai untuk dirinya, dan pada akhinya Romo mengejar seni. Dia mengakui dia tidak selalu dalam seni, dan tidak pernah berpikir bahwa dirinya adalah individu yang “berseni”. Tapi seiring berjalannya waktu, dia menyadari bahwa seni adalah sesuatu yang ditemukan dalam segala aspek kehidupan.

Laughing about his failure to learn Chinese, Romo recounts meeting a group of talented Instagrammers while studying in China in 2015. Instagram, being the creatively nurturing platform it is, has cultivated a healthy community of young creatives. Meeting these creative minds was pivotal to his growth as an artist, leading to an endless yearning to create. His #whatmyhandsdoing series was conceptualized not too long after. “I found out that you don’t need to spend too much time coming up with a concept – which can just lead you to do nothing in the end. The important thing is to take a look around and just do it!”

Menertawakan kegagalannya belajar bahasa Cina, Romo menceritakan pertemuan dengan grup Instagrammers berbakat ketika dia belajar di Cina pada tahun 2015. Instagram, menjadi lebih kreatif dalam memelihara mimbarnya, telah dibudidayakan komunitas yang sehat dari kaula muda kreatif. Bertemu dengan pemikiran kreatif sangat penting untuk pertumbuhannya sebagai seorang seniman, menyebabkan kerinduan tak berujung yang tercipta. Seri #whatmyhandsdoing miliknya di jadikan konsep tak lama kemudian. “Saya menemukan bahwa Anda tidak butuh menghabiskan terlalu banyak waktu memikirkan sebuah konsep, dan tidak satupun terlaksana pada akhirnya. Hal terpenting adalah melihat sekeliling dan mulai melakukan.”

Through this project, Romo wanted to showcase the process of simple everyday activities such as cooking, which is one of his favorite pastimes, and much more. He tells us, “What my eyes always see when I wake up from bed until I fall back asleep are what my hands are doing. There might be thousands, or even millions of things our hands have to do. So I thought, ‘why don’t I try to visualize this idea?’ We need to be more sensitive to the environment around us. No matter how small or trivial something appears, it could still have an interesting story to tell.”

Melalui proyek ini, Romo ingin menunjukkan proses kegiatan sederhana sehari-hari seperti memasak, yang mana merupakan hiburan favorit, dan masih banyak lagi. Dia berkata”Apa yang mata saya selalu lihat pada saat saya bangun sampai saya kembali tidur adalah apa yang dilakukan oleh tangan saya. Bisa jadi ada ribuan, atau bahkan jutaan hal yang tangan kita lakukan. Sehingga saya berpikir “kenapa tidak kita coba untuk menggambarkan ide ini?” Kita harus lebih sensitif terhadap lingkungan sekitar kita. Tidak perduli bagaimana hal kecil atau sepele yang muncul, itu masih memiliki hal yang menarik untuk diceritakan.”

On social media nowadays, people only spend a second or two viewing an image before scrolling onto the next one. So to many people, the #whatmyhandsdoing project might appear to be a bit simple at very first glance. But in reality, from the conceptualizing to collecting the necessary material, and creating the final photo will generally take Romo at least an entire week. Many times, it might even be upwards of two weeks from start to completion. “To create an image is not a hard thing to do, especially since my photos are just daily activities. It’s a matter of how we arrange things to make it more aesthetically pleasing and artistic,” he admits. “Sometimes I find myself with ideas in mind, but find it really difficult to bring to life. The idea would be just stuck in my mind, and I wouldn’t be able to get over it. So I began scavenging alleyways and browsing traditional markets in order to find the items necessary for me to bring these ideas to life.”

Sekarang pada media sosial, orang-orang hanya menghabiskan satu atau dua detik melihat gambar sebelum bergulir ke gambar lainnya. Sehingga untuk banyak orang, proyek #whatmyhandsdoing boleh jadi muncul lebih sederhana pada pandangan pertama. Tapi pada kenyataannya, dari mengkonsep, hingga mengumpulkan materi yang dibutuhkan, dan menciptakan hasil akhir foto umumnya Romo membutuhkan waktu paling tidak selama seminggu penuh. Berulang kali, itu bahkan membutuhkan lebih dari 2 minggu dari awal hingga penyelesaian. “Untuk menciptakan sebuah gambar bukanlah hal yang sulit untuk dilakukan, terutama karena foto saya hanyalah kegiatan sehari-hari. Ini adalah salah satu cara bagaimana kita mengatur sesuatu untuk menjadikan keindahan yang menyenangkan dan artistik dalam beberapa hal,” ujarnya. “Terkadang saya menemukan diri saya dengan ide dalam pikiran, tapi sulit untuk membawanya dalam kehidupan. Mereka hanya akan terpaku dalam pikiran saya, dan saya tidak akan mampu melampaui hal itu. Sehingga saya mulai mengais lorong-lorong dan menjelajahi pasar tradisional untuk menemukan barang yang dibutuhkan oleh saya untuk membawa ide kedalam kehidupan.”

In this project, one of the most prominent feature is undoubtedly Romo’s tattooed forearms. “They’re traditional tattoos from the Mentawai tribe, which is known for having designed the oldest tattoos in the world. Also they were created with the hand-tapped method and not done by a machine. These tattoos symbolizes power and strength, and represents the sago palm. The Mentawai lived in the forest, and everything they consume is given by nature, so they tattooed themselves with an overview of these plants. It is a way for them to give thanks to nature,” Romo explains. For the Mentawai tribe, the culture of tattooing themselves with specific symbols and lines is known as Titi. Romo further elaborates by saying, “Tattoos have close ties with their identity, ancestral beliefs, and Sabulungan Arat, which is a system of values that organizes the social and spiritual life of the Mentawai tribe. Each tattoo motif represents something spiritual and meaningful. From the tattoos found on their bodies, it is possible to identify the sub-clan and profession of a Mentawai. Tattooing is like spiritual make-up, and tattooed human bodies are considered to be beautiful in the eyes of spirits that control human destiny and the surrounding world. It is believed tattoos also makes one recognizable to their ancestors when they meet them in the afterlife.”

Pada proyek ini, fitur yang menonjol adalah lengan bertato Romo. Itu adalah tato tradisional dari suku Mentawai, yang dikenal sebagai desain tato tertua didunia. Juga mereka diciptakan dengan metode tangan-diketuk dan tidak dilakukan dengan mesin. Tato itu menyimbolkan kekuasaan dan kekuatan, dan mewakili pohon sagu. Suku Mentawai tinggal di dalam hutan, dan apapun yang mereka konsumsi diberikan oleh alam, sehingga mereka mentato diri sendiri dengan gambaran dari tanaman ini. Itulah cara mereka berterima kasih kepada alam,” Romo menjelaskan. Untuk suku Mentawai, Titi adalah kebuadayaan tato mereka dengan simbol khas dan garis. Romo menerangkan lebih lanjut, dan berkata “Tato memiliki hubungan dekat dengan identitas mereka, kepercayaan nenek moyang, dan Sabulungan Arat, yang mana merupakan sistem nilai yang mengatur kehidupan sosial dan spiritual dari suku Mentawai. Tiap motif tato mewakili sesuatu yang bersifat spiritual dan penuh arti. Dari tato yang ditemukan di badan mereka, ini memungkinkan untuk mengidentifikasi klan keturunan dan profesi seseorang dari Mentawai.Tato adalah polesan spiritual, dan badan orang yang memiliki tato dianggap indah dimata roh yang mengontrol tujuan hidup manusia dan dunia sekitarnya. Tato juga membuat seseorang mudah dikenali oleh nenek moyangnya ketika mereka bertemu di alam baka.”

Romo believes with enough willpower and persistence anyone can create, but the difficulty of creating is doing so with consistency. He greatly admires artists who are able to do so. Despite facing creative blocks from time to time, the challenge of maintaining consistency motivates Romo to continue his #whatmyhandsdoing series. As for where the series will eventually lead him, Romo is unsure, nor does it matter much to him. He only wants to keep creating, and tells us that not every piece of his work might make it to the internet. He plans to complete a hundred pieces of work and host a solo exhibition sometime in the near future.

Romo percaya dengan tekad yang kuat dan kegigihan seseorang dapat menciptakan sesuatu, tapi kesulitan dalam menciptakan adalah melakukan dengan konsisten. Dia sangat mengagumi seniman yang dapat melakukan hal itu. Walaupun menghadapi halangan kreatifitas dari waktu ke waktu, tantangan untuk memelihara konsistensi memotivasi Romo untuk melanjutkan proyek dari seri #whatmyhandsdoing. Demikian seri tersebut pada akhirnya akan menuntunnya, Romo tidak yakin ataukah akan mendatangkan banyak masalah baginya. Dia hanya ingin tetap berkreasi, dan memberitahu kita bahwa itu bukan setiap potongan dari pekerjaannya yang dibuat ke internet. Tujuannya adalah untuk menyelesaikan ratusan potongan pekerjaan dan menjadi Tuan Rumah eksibisi tunggal dimasa depan.

Instagram: @ponypork

 

Contributor: Banny Wang
Images Courtesy of Romo Jack

Instagram: @ponypork

 

Kontributor: Banny Wang
Hak milik gambar Romo Jack

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Kouhei Nakama

July 11, 2016 2016年7月11日

 

无法观看？前往优酷

In his work DIFFUSION, Japanese director Kouhei Nakama asks the question, “Why don’t humans have patterned textures like animals?” In his research, he discovers that the human skin is, in fact, covered with patterns, called Blaschko’s lines. These fine lines are normally invisible to the naked eye and form as a part of natural cell development in the skin. DIFFUSION, an experimental personal work from Nakama, is a highly stylized and abstract visual exploration that fantastically reimagines the morphogenesis of the human form. The complex patterns created are generated by mathematical formulas, called reaction-diffusion systems, which bear many visual similarities to the natural patterns existing in animals, insects, and plants.

ビジュアルアートディレクター中間耕平氏は、自身の作品DIFFUSIONで問いかけます、「なぜ人間の体には動物のような模様がないのだろう」と。耕平氏は調査の過程で、人間の皮膚が実はブラシュコ線という模様で覆われていることを発見しました。この細かい線は通常肉眼では見えないもので、皮膚内の自然な細胞発生の一環として形成するものです。耕平氏の実験的かつ独自の作品であるDIFFUSIONは、人間の形態形成を幻想的な形で再考する、高度に定型化された抽象的な視覚探索なのです。創造された複雑な模様は、動物、昆虫、植物に見られる自然の模様との視覚的類似性を数多く有する反応拡散系と呼ばれる数式で生成されています。

Nakama speculates that “there is the possibility that people could obtain patterns like animals in the future. We have found solutions for the environment, medical treatment, and food by using biotechnologies – such as cell fusion and genetic recombination. If in the future, we were to have a drastic environmental change, for example, radioactive contamination or strong UV radiation due to the ozone depletion, we would need to recombine our DNA with that of different species for protection.” Why not then wouldn’t the human skin also develop new different patterns through genetic recombination?

耕平氏は、「いつか将来、人間も動物のような模様を手に入れる可能性があります。細胞融合や遺伝子組み換えといったバイオテクノロジーを利用した環境、治療、食品における解決策が既に発見されています。もし未来において、オゾン層破壊が原因で、人類が例えば劇的な環境変化や放射能汚染や強い紫外線放射を被るとしたら、私達は自らの保護のために別の生物とDNAを再結合する必要があるでしょう」と推測しています。その際に、遺伝子組み換えにより人間の皮膚に新たな異なる模様が発生しても不思議はないでしょう。

For DIFFUSION, Nakama intentionally did not use any photographs or hand-drawn illustrations. The patterns and skin textures were generated by programming, and the 3D human model was also created by a computer. He explains that “in the video, you will see human beings having DNA transferred from other natural organisms such as luminescent coral and a shell absorbing metal into its body.” At the end of the video, Kouhei depicts the humans forming a colony of individuals, representing the end of the individual. He asks us, “To what extent will we transform ourselves? What then will define us as human beings?”.

DIFFUSIONの制作に際し、耕平氏は写真や手描きのイラストを敢えて使用しませんでした。模様や皮膚のテクスチャーがプログラミングで生成され、3D人体モデルもコンピュータで作成されました。彼は、「この映像には、発光サンゴや金属を体内に取り込む貝といった他の生物から転換されたDNAを持つ人間が登場します」と解説しています。映像の最後に耕平氏は、個人としての人間の終焉を表す意味で、人のコロニーを形成する人間を描いています。彼は問いかけます、「人間はどこまで自らを変形させるのだろう。そしてその時、人間はどう定義されるのだろう」と。

The textures of materials and different elements are a recurring visual obsession and source of exploration in Nakama’s design and motion work, whether they are imagined layers of biomimetic skin, water drops, fiber optics, shattered glass, intertwining threads, or cold sheets of metal. Even if the elements are industrial and rigid, they can even take on an organic, expressive, even anthropomorphic quality; in another personal work of his, Shatter, the forms of shattered pieces of glass are explored in a variety of ways, representing different emotional states and facial expressions.

物質や様々な要素のテクスチャーは、それが想像上の生体模倣の皮膚層にしろ、あるいは水滴、ファイバーオプティクス、粉々に割れたガラス、絡み合う糸、冷たい金属板にしろ、耕平氏のデザイン＆モーションの作品において繰り返し起きる視覚的強迫観念であり、探索源なのです。たとえそれらの要素が工業用の硬質のものであったとしても、有機的で表現豊かな擬人化した性質と同化できるのです。彼の別の作品であるShatterでは、粉砕したガラスの破片の形態が、感情の状態や顔の表情を示し、様々な形で探求されています。

When asked if there were any underlying concepts or overall philosophy guiding his visual work, Kouhei quotes the German-American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe by saying “less is more”. This basic tenet of minimalism and oft-quoted expression of the modernist ethic can palpably be felt in the digitally perfect and cleanly distilled forms of Kouhei Nakama’s work. But there is also an imaginative, otherworldly element of fantasy in his work, which he attributes to the abstract world of dreams, where he often finds inspiration. Two of his favorite artists who have influenced him in the past, revealingly and perhaps surprisingly, are Osamu Tezuka and Sanpei Shiratsuchi – both prominent Japanese cartoonists. One of his upcoming projects entitled Double Exposure, which we can look forward to, is an intriguingly described attempt to express and visualize double exposures in a three-dimensional space.

彼のビジュアル作品を導く潜在的なコンセプトまたは全般的な哲学があるのかと尋ねたところ、耕平氏は、ドイツ出身でのちにアメリカに亡命した建築家ミース・ファン・デル・ローエの言葉、「Less is more」を引用しました。ミニマリズムの基礎であり、たびたび引き合いに出されるこのモダニスト倫理の表現を、デジタル的に完璧で見事に処理された中間耕平氏の作品で手に取るように感じることができるのです。とはいえ、彼の作品には、彼自身がインスピレーションを得ることの多い抽象的な夢の世界から生まれた想像力あふれる空想的なファンタジーの要素も見られます。かつて彼に影響を与えたお気に入りのアーティストは、意義深くも、そしておそらく意外にも、二人の有名な漫画家、手塚治虫と白土三平です。期待が高まるDouble Exposureと題された彼の次回作は、3次元空間における二重露出の表現と視覚化の試みを興味く表現したものです。

Website: kouheinakama.com

 

Contributor: Leon Yan

ウェブサイト: kouheinakama.com

 

寄稿者: Leon Yan

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The Surf Coasters

July 8, 2016 2016年7月8日

 

无法观看？前往优酷

The Surf Coasters were formed about two decades ago in early 1994, by guitarist Shigeo Naka with a small group of friends from his hometown in Yokosuka. It was around this time when Quentin Tarantino’s now classic Pulp Fiction was released with Dick Dale’s surf guitar rock classic “Misirlou” as its opening theme song. The film’s great success and popularity helped inspire a third wave of surf guitar rock in the U.S., and similarly in Japan, there was a revival of interest in surf rock. Fittingly named after a rollercoaster ride called the Surf Coaster in an amusement park in Yokosuka, the band has a wildly kinetic instrumental surf guitar sound that is bound to thrill listeners.

ザ・サーフコースターズは、約20年前の1994年初頭、ギタリストの中シゲヲ氏を中心に、彼の地元横須賀の少人数の友人グループにより結成されました。当時、今では古典となったクエンティン・タランティーノ監督作品『パルプ・フィクション』が、オープニング曲にディック・デイルのサーフギターロックの名曲『Misirlou』を掲げて公開された頃でした。『パルプ・フィクション』の大ヒットと知名度により、サーフギターロックの第三の波がアメリカに押し寄せ、日本でも同様に、サーフ・ロックへの興味がリバイバル現象を起こしたのです。横須賀に隣接する横浜・八景島シーパラダイスのローラーコースター、サーフコースターにちなんで名付けられたバンドは、ワイルドでキネティックなインストゥルメンタルのサーフギターサウンドで聴く者をしびれさせます。

Take a listen below to a few select tracks from The Surf Coasters:

 The Surf Coasters – The Clash

 The Surf Coasters – Tsunami Struck

 The Surf Coasters – Jack the Ripper

こちらで、ザ・サーフコースターズの曲からの選曲をいくつかお聴きください。

 ザ・サーフコースターズ – The Clash

 ザ・サーフコースターズ – Tsunami Struck

 ザ・サーフコースターズ – Jack the Ripper

Looking for their big break, the band auditioned for a Japanese TV show called Ebisu-Onsen, in which contestants competed for a recording contract. Most of the acts were bland pop singers, making The Surf Coasters one of the crowd favorites with their unique brand of instrumental surf guitar rock. Yuzo Sasaki, the editor of New Eleki Dynamica, a Japanese magazine dedicated to instrumental surf music, remembers his delight on seeing a surf rock band shred through “Misirlou” on Japanese television.

大ブレークを目指すザ・サーフコースターズは、出場者がレコード契約をかけて競うテレビの音楽バラエティ番組『えびす温泉』のオーディションを受けました。刺激のないポップ歌手が大半の中、ザ・サーフコースターズはそのインストゥルメンタル・サーフミュージックのユニークな個性で異彩を放ち、聴衆のお気に入りバンドの一つとなったのです。インストゥルメンタル・サーフミュージックの専門誌『New Eleki Dynamica』の編集者、佐々木雄三氏は、『Misirlou』を速弾きするサーフロックバンドをテレビで観た喜びを覚えています。

Although the band finished second overall, this still led to a recording contract and their first album Surf Panic ’95. That year, the band even got the chance to perform with the “King of the Surf Guitar” himself, Dick Dale, on his first tour of Japan. So impressed was Dale by Naka’s guitar performances that he later dubbed him the “Prince of the Surf Guitar”. In more recent years, the band’s line-up has changed with Nobuhiro Kurita (aka “Zen Punk”) joining the band on bass and cozy joining on drums. This year, they will release a new record, their first in eight years!

ザ・サーフコースターズは結局総合2位に終わったものの、これがレコード契約と彼らのファーストアルバム『Surf Panic ’95』に繋がりました。その年、バンドは初の日本ツアー中であった「サーフギターのキング」ディック・デイル本人と共演する機会をも得ました。中シゲヲ氏のギター演奏に感動したデイルは、中氏を「サーフギターのプリンス」と名付けたのです。近年では、栗田伸広氏（またの名を『禅パンク』）をベースに、cozyこと伊藤こずえ氏をドラムスに迎え、バンドのラインナップが変わりました。今年、彼らは新譜をリリース予定で、実に8年ぶりのことです！

When asked what he loves most about the surf guitar sound, guitarist Shigeo Naka says that he “likes the ‘wetness’ of the guitar sound and the depth that you feel in the rhythm.” Dick Dale is an obvious influence on their guitar sound, but the band enjoys many other kinds of music outside of surf rock. Kurita really likes the music of Jaco Pastorius, the American jazz musician, for example, and says, “in terms of bass players, there are so many people that have a really unique sound, so I really get inspired by the ones that have something that stands out, be it in their dress sense or their sound – or both.” Drummer cozy recently got to see Brian Wilson when he came to Japan, “so right now I’m quite into the Beach Boys,” she admits.

ギタリストの中シゲヲ氏に、サーフギターサウンドの最大の魅力について聞いてみたところ、「ギターサウンドの”湿気”とリズムに感じる深みが好き」とのこと。ディック・デイルは確かに彼らのギターサウンドに影響を与えた存在ではありますが、バンドのメンバーはサーフギターの他にも様々なタイプの音楽を楽しんでいます。栗田氏は、例えばアメリカのジャズミュージシャン、ジャコ・パストリアスの音楽の大ファンであり、「ベースプレイヤーに関しては、実にユニークなサウンドを持ち味とするミュージシャンが多いので、私は、服装のセンスにしてもサウンドにしても、またはその両方で、何か傑出したものを持つ人に影響を受けます」と語っています。ドラマーのcozyは最近、来日中のブライアン・ウィルソンに会う機会があり、「だから、今はザ・ビーチ・ボーイズにハマってます」。

The upcoming new record will be the first album with the new band members. Naka tells us, “I did wonder what kind of sound we would produce, but I feel like it’s quite a relaxed sound that we’ve been able to produce. We tried to keep the sound of the guitar clean, for instance, and to do things that we hadn’t been able to do on previous Surf Coaster albums.” The band admits that it can be a challenge to play their style of music in Japan as they are one of the country’s only very few surf guitar rock bands. “There are some young bands who play this music, but it hasn’t really become big yet, so I would like to see it continue to grow,” Naka says, “I would also like to do more events, with some friends too. In time, it would also be nice to do something in Japan with other bands from around the world.”

まもなく発売される新譜は、新メンバーによる初のアルバムとなります。中氏は、「どんなサウンドになるのか気になっていましたが、自分達が制作できる範囲で、かなりリラックスしたサウンドだと感じています。例えば、ギターの音色をクリーンに保つように心がけたり、過去のザ・サーフコースターズでできなかったことを形にしようと努めました」と話してくれました。自分達が日本の数少ないサーフギターロックバンドの一つであるため、日本において彼らの音楽スタイルで演奏することは挑戦でもあると認識しています。「この音楽を演奏する若いバンドが若干存在しますが、まだそれほど有名ではないので、まだまだ盛り上がってほしいと思っています」と中氏は言います。さらに、「イベントももっとやりたいですね。友人達とも。いつか、世界中のバンドと一緒に日本で何かできたらいいなとも思っています」。

Website: surfcoasters.com
Facebook: ~/thesurfcoasters
Twitter: @thesurfcoasters
YouTube: The Surf Coasters

 

Contributor & Videographer: Leon Yan
Photographer: Banny Wang

ウェブサイト: surfcoasters.com
Facebook: ~/thesurfcoasters
Twitter: @thesurfcoasters
YouTube: The Surf Coasters

 

寄稿者&ビデオ撮影: Leon Yan
カメラマン: Banny Wang

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Boven Magazine Library

July 7, 2016 2016年7月7日

Print isn’t dead in Taipei. It’s being kept alive at Boven, a magazine library tucked away in an unassuming Dongchu alleyway. The passionate people behind Boven are Spencer Chou, Ken Peng, and Shawn Hsu. These three are working tirelessly to preserve print. Spencer and Ken met each other while serving in the Taiwanese military, and bonded over their shared interests in printed publications, literature, and design. Together, they founded Boven. Later on, Ken’s high school friend Shawn joined the team and has been invaluable with his expertise in marketing, publishing, and exhibition production. This trio is pushing Boven forward towards becoming more than being a simple magazine library. They aspire for Boven to evolve into a platform where their magazines can be shared and easily accessible by everybody.

在台北，印刷尚未絕跡。 Boven雜誌圖書館藏身於台北東區一個不起眼的小巷子裡，在這裡，印刷仍保持著活力。雜誌背後的愛好者是周延川、彭緯豪與徐元祥，他們三個不辭辛勞，只為讓印刷出版物能一直存續下去。周延川與彭緯豪在台灣服兵役期間結識，發現彼此在印刷出版、文學與設計方面志趣相投。接下來，他們便一起建立了Boven雜誌。之後，彭緯豪的高中同學徐元祥也加入進來，因其在市場營銷、出版以及展覽製作方面的專業成為團隊不可或缺的一員。這個三人組共同推動Boven的發展，使它遠不僅僅是一個簡單的雜誌圖書館。他們希望Boven最終能成為一個平台，令每個人都能在這裡輕易地分享與閱讀雜誌。

The name Boven comes from the Dutch word that means “upstairs”. This name originated from their first location ten years ago in a four-story building in Shilin. This building brought several different businesses together, such as a café, bar, clothing store, and magazine shop. Seeing how successfully these different elements complemented one another led to Boven becoming the magazine library and café that it is today. The concept of “upstairs” is also meant to be a metaphor that represents their persistent step-by-step climb towards achieving their goals.

Boven這個名字源於意為“樓上”的荷蘭語詞彙。取這個名字是因為十年前，他們原本第一個地址是在士林區的一個四層小樓裡。這座小樓聚集了各種各樣的商家，如咖啡廳、酒吧、服裝店與頂樓的雜誌商店。正是因為看到了這些不同元素的商店如何成功地互為補充，Boven才成長為今日這個集雜誌圖書館與咖啡廳與一身的商店。 “樓上”的概念同時隱喻了他們一步一步向上，最終實現目標的內涵。

Boven was finally revived in January of 2015. This new space is a subterranean layer that provides safe haven from the rapid digitalization of the world outside. Currently boasting an impressive collection of over 16,000 magazines from all over the world that cover an entire spectrum of subjects, such as art, fashion, design, architecture, and lifestyle just to name a few. The intended coziness and homeliness of the store is further reinforced through their visitor guidelines, which requires everyone to remove their shoes and change into a pair of slippers. The space is separated into two areas by a black divider. One space is furnished with rows of long tables and lit by white fluorescent light, which fittingly to their title, resembles an actual library. On the other hand, the main area consists of comfortable couches, and the lay out makes it almost feel like a living room. The overall ambience is inviting and beckons visitors to stay a while, read a magazine or two, and relax for an afternoon.

2015年1月，Boven終於重新開張。新地址選在地下層，成為人們逃離外面數碼世界的安全的避風港。如今，這裡收集了全世界超過16,000本雜誌，涵蓋各個領域，如藝術、時尚、設計、建築與生活方式等等，十分驚人。新店的遊客守則要求每個人必須換上拖鞋，這令人感覺更加舒適，更有家庭氣氛。整個空間由一個黑色間隔分為兩個區域。一個區域配有長台與白色日光燈，像一間真正的圖書館一樣，正符合它的名字。主區域配有舒適的長沙發，佈置得像客廳一樣。整體的氣氛十分吸引人，好像在呼喚遊客在這停留一會，讀一、兩本雜誌，下午放鬆一下。

Every month, at least three hundred new magazines are added to their collection. Spencer is in charge of curating the entire magazine collection, and he adoringly views each and every single one of these magazines as priceless treasures. Having read every magazine in the library, he’s even been dubbed as a “human search engine” who’s capable of locating any magazine in the library. Spencer sees print as an important instrument that has recorded the history and culture of countless cities and countries over the course of time, and this mindset is why he believes it’s more important than ever to preserve the disappearing medium.

每個月他們都至少收集到300份新的雜誌。負責雜誌收藏與整理的是周延川，他將每一份雜誌都視為無價的珍寶。他讀過館內所有雜誌，號稱“人肉搜索引擎”，可以精准定位每一份雜誌放在哪個地方。周延川認為，在時間的長河中，印刷是記錄無數城邦歷史與文化的重要方式，正是有了這個想法，他才認為保存這個正在消失的媒介比以往任何時候都更加重要。

Boven has plans of expanding the scope of their project. They’re attempting to make print publications even more accessible to people all over Taipei, and to do so, they’re working to construct over a hundred micro libraries within the city. Their plan involves selecting and leasing publications to various businesses looking to provide reading material for customers; this would in return reduce time, cost, and inventory build up for the business owners. Their ambitious vision is for Boven to be found in every part of Taiwan and allow the country itself to be known as the world’s biggest magazine library.

Boven有計劃擴大項目的範圍。他們正試著在全台北範圍內，令印刷出版物更容易被大眾接觸。為此，他們正在全市建立超過100個微型圖書館。他們的計劃是，挑選出一些雜誌，租賃給各種希望為客戶提供閱讀材料的商戶；作為回饋，這個項目也可以為商戶節省時間與成本，降低庫存。他們對Boven寄予厚望，希望它遍及台灣，最終，讓這個城市本身作為世界最大的雜誌圖書館揚名四海。

Address:
Fuxing Nan Lu. 107 Alley 5 #18 B1
Taipei, Da’an District
Taiwan

Tel:
+886 2 2778 7526

Facebook: ~/boven437

 

Contributor & Photographer: David Yen
Additional Image Courtesy of Boven

地址:
台灣
台北市 大安區
復興南路一段107巷5弄18號B1

電話:
+886 2 2778 7526

臉書: ~/boven437

 

供稿人與攝影師: David Yen
附加圖片由Boven提供

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The Culture of Night Markets

July 6, 2016 2016年7月6日

People tend to have a preconceived notion of what night markets are, considering them simply as places where people can gluttonously eat and drink to their heart’s content. But in reality, that’s barely scratching the surface; there is more to night markets than meets the eye. The rich selection of local street food is definitely a big part of night market culture, but there are also vendors selling cheap clothing, print publications, vinyl records, and various household items. You can even find more peculiar services, such as palm reading and fortune telling. Although not immediately obvious, night markets are actually intrinsically linked to the daily lives of the locals and their traditions.

在多数人眼中，夜市只不过是一个吃喝闲散地儿，但事实上，又不尽其然。许多夜市除了吃喝外，还有书报杂志、影碟唱片、平价服装、日常家居等，甚至有看相、测字、算命……等等与寻常百姓日子息息相关的琐碎。

For locals, night markets are places where they can go to relax and unwind from the stress of a busy workday. They’re also convenient shopping destinations that hold a wide array of products for avid consumers. For tourists, on the other hand, night markets are places where they can go and immerse themselves in authentic local culture. A visit to the night market can give them a candid look behind the curtains of a particular city; it is a place that can provide some insight into the religious preferences, economic status, and the local traditions of the region.

对本地人而言，夜市提供了工作之余的休闲场所，这里诸多小商品的集中售卖也弥补了日间无暇购物的不便。而对外来人来讲，夜市更是与地方文化亲密接触的不二法门。所谓饮食男女，你可以通过夜市更真实的了解当地的经济状况、宗教信仰、风土人情，所有更接地气的一面在此向你铺开。

The night market in Pattaya, Thailand is as convenient as it is lively. People can drop by and buy fruits, a late night snack, or meet up with a group friends to enjoy a hot meal from one of the many street stalls. A stroll through this market reveals a near overwhelming selection of food. Every stall appears to be busy stir-frying, deep-frying, grilling, brining, or preparing dishes for the endless stream of hungry visitors. Even though it’s street food, it is obvious these stalls pay close attention to the way ingredients and seasonings mix. At one stall, I requested my dish to be prepared with a certain combination of ingredients, but the stall owner looked at me as if I was committing culinary blasphemy and dissuaded me. Rows of take-out bags can be seen hanging at many stalls, the owners of which looking to capitalize on customers on the go. The locals are fond of sweets, and a huge variety of eye-catching multicolored desserts can be found throughout the market. When you’ve finally decided on what to eat and filled your stomach, then it’s the perfect time to explore and see what the rest of the market has to offer. I browsed through old vinyl records, picked up a local newspaper, and chatted with some stall owners. The locals were friendly, humorous, and lively. Despite the language barrier, a simple smile and nod at times felt like it was all the dialogue that was needed.

在泰国芭提雅的夜市，人们可以买到蔬果、打包宵夜，或是三五人坐下热食，闲聊一二。这里沿路小吃品类繁多，少有重样的摊位，煎、炸、烤、煮、拌，各种食物做法层出不穷，所用配料也颇为讲究。我曾试图自行搭配食物与香料，却被摊主善意拒绝，似乎那样便破坏了他们的美食原则。摊主们在提供现煮的同时，也会整齐摆放出已打包扎口的分装小食袋，以方便那些没有时间坐下的顾客。当地人喜甜食，常把甜食染成极具想象力的缤纷荧光色，以此夺目。当你在大量美食中作出了选择，酒足饭饱后，散着步又可以捎张影蝶、买份报纸，与摊主唠几句家常。我在此走了几个来回，即便言语不通，也与这些热爱生活又生性幽默的人们熟络了起来，彼此点头招呼不亦乐乎。

As night turned into day, the crowds from the night market began to trickle into the morning street market around the corner. Fish and meat vendors began their prep work. At the same time, many neighboring stalls have already begun hawking fresh produce. Even with the smells and steam of breakfast foods slicing through the brisk morning air, the night market around the bend is still lively, seemingly a 24-hour nonstop affair. As the morning light illuminated the streets, I took in my surroundings. A motorcycle taxi driver finishing up his night shift picks up a fresh bouquet from a flower vendor and local monks made their way through the market, alms bowls in hand. Charitable vendors provided them with food in exchange for prayers of good fortune. Posters and framed portraits of Bhumibol Adulyadej, the King of Thailand, can be seen in the majority of the stalls. As I left the market, I felt like I had a deeper understanding of the local culture. I saw the people’s endless adoration for the king, their unwavering faith in the country, and the passion they had for life.

这熙熙攘攘的人群从夜市直奔早市，转角菜场的鱼摊、肉铺也忙活起来，边整理着时鲜货品，边做起了买卖。街边早餐已冒着腾腾热气，那外头的夜市仍旧络绎不绝，24小时都不得空，以此生生不息。刚结束一晚工作的摩的司机，也不忘在清晨的花店挑一束中意的鲜花。当地僧人在此时也托钵开始了一天一次的乞食，很多摊主会分享他们的食物给僧人，并祈求平安。泰国人民非常爱戴他们的国王，在市场摊位上随处可见悬挂张贴的国王肖像。所以你会感受到这个国家的信仰，国王与人民的和谐关系，以及他们的生活热情。

A few days later I arrived in Yangon, Myanmar. The temperature was noticeably hotter than Thailand, and I relied on gulping down mouthful after mouthful of sugar cane juice to keep me refreshed and hydrated under the blistering hot sun. Strolling through Yangon in the day, the streets were already abuzz with activity and people weaving in and out of street side stalls set up by tea vendors. As night descended, the night market came to life and the streets became even more lively. I noted many similarities and differences between the Yangon market and the Pattaya night market. Like Pattaya, the street food seemed to open up the floor for lively discussions and talks amongst friends. But the dishes in Yangon were less well-presented in terms of aesthetics and seemed to reflect the unavailability of certain ingredients in the area. The dishes here mostly rely on a variety of heavy seasoning for flavor, and the most prominent street food is wet tha dote htoe, which are skewers of pork offal boiled and cooked in soy sauce. The skewered pork sit in a circle inside a large metal pan. Occupied plastic stools surround the stalls, and people are happily eating and dipping away.

抵达缅甸仰光后，天气更炎热了，我只顾着不停地往嘴里灌甘蔗汁。街边有不少热闹的茶铺， 但是当晚的夜市才让人窥见了更多生活气。美食当前，人们必然是打开的，茶余饭后聊什么都是嘴边话。可能由于物资的相对匮乏，缅甸的食物并没有太多花里胡哨，他们喜欢用各种调味粉。这儿的夜市里，最多见的就是卤煮烫，主要是猪肉下水串成串摆在卤煮汤锅的四周，摊位周围有一圈凳子，食客可坐下来随意挑着签、蘸着汁儿吃。这里的夜市还有各种煎炸饼类和虫子；有拌着豆制品的凉面；有堆成山的榴莲；更有烧烤、粥品类，比白日里的街头食物要丰富得多。

The streets of Yangon were quite active as well. Crowds of men gathered and watched TV on the side of the street while drinking beers, others seem perfectly content to just sit outside in the cool night air and people watch. The Myanmar people are mostly Buddhists, but from brief conversations with a few locals, it seemed like they were eager to learn more about foreign religions. The more outgoing locals won’t hesitate to come up to you with flirtatious offers of taking you out for milk tea in English. On the other hand, some locals are more reserved, or perhaps wary of foreigners, and tended to keep to themselves. But for the most part, people still seemed keen to interact with visitors to try and learn more about the world outside of Myanmar.

男人们也喜欢在仰光的街头巷尾聚一起，看个电视、喝点小酒，或者只是坐着看看来往的人。缅甸当地人信奉佛教，也对外来人的信仰很感兴趣。出于腼腆或者拘谨，大多数当地人并不会与外国人多话，但也有个别会上前用英文搭讪，请你喝杯奶茶。他们都很友好，也希望接触到更多外面的世界。

Night markets are a cultural phenomenon; they’re closely linked with the local economy and societal needs. If you’re looking to experience a slice of authentic culture in southeast Asia, night markets are undoubtedly a must-visit.

夜市于一定的经济条件和社会需求之上，融入了当地民生，形成了一种独特的文化现象。若是你在旅途中，不妨入乡随俗，去夜市走走，因为在那里方能尝出地方滋味、百家烟火。

Contributor & Photographer: Chan Qu

供稿人与摄影师: Chan Qu

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Second Generation

July 5, 2016 2016年7月5日

In recent years, South Korea has undoubtedly become one of the most culturally influential countries in Asia. Hallyu, or “Korean Wave,” has permeated every nook and cranny of the region over the last decade and it’s even seeping into Western culture with the likes of PSY’s “Gangnam Style”. This has led to many Western fashion brands pairing up with various influential Korean celebrities. South Korean pop idol G-Dragon frequently appears alongside Karl Lagerfield at Chanel runway shows and has even released a footwear capsule collection with Giuseppe Zanotti. With Korean tastemakers like G-Dragon on the forefront of Asia’s fashion scene, it’s not surprising that more and more Western brands are looking to become associated with Korean pop culture. On the other side of this thriving Korean pop culture phenomenon are the local Korean brands. A number of local streetwear brands have been on the uprise in Korea following the K-pop craze. In the Seoul street style scene, these brands often appear as pieces that accompany Western luxury brands. Western luxury brands have already successfully found footing in the Korean market, but it’s not as easy for Korean fashion brands to gain traction in the Western market.

최근 몇 년 동안, 한국은 의심할 여지없이 아시아에서 문화적으로 가장 큰 영향을 준 국가 중 하나가 되었습니다. 한류 또는 “한류(한국의 물결),”는 지난 십 년간 해당 나라의 구석구석에 스며들었으며, 심지어 싸이의 “강남스타일”과 같은 서양 문화에도 스며들었습니다. 이는 칼 레거펠드와 함께 종종 샤넬 런웨이쇼에 나타나고 심지어 쥬세페 자노티와 함께 신발 캡슐을 출시한, 한국 메가급 스타 지드래곤과 같은 영향력이 큰 한국 연예인과 많은 서양 패션 브랜드들이 페어링하는 결과를 초래했습니다. 아시아 패션 시장 중심에 지드래곤과 같은 한국의 유행 선도자와 함께, 점점 더 많은 서양 브랜드들이 케이팝 문화와 관련되고자 찾고 있는 것은 그다지 놀라운 일이 아닙니다. 이 번영하는 케이팝의 문화 현상의 다른 반대편에는 현지 한국 브랜드가 있습니다. 수많은 현지 길거리표 브랜드는 케이팝 열풍에 따라 한국에서 떠오르고 있습니다. 서울의 길거리 스타일 업계에서, 이러한 브랜드들은 종종 럭셔리 브랜드와 함께 매칭하는 동반된 부분으로써 나타납니다. 심지어 많은 서양 브랜드들이 한국 시장에 성공적으로 토대를 마련했지만, 이는 한국 패션 브랜드들이 서양 시장에서 견인력을 얻기는 쉽지 않습니다.

Meet IISE, a streetwear brand that has set themselves apart from other Korean brands and built a devoted following online that mostly consists of a Western audience – a difficult task that many other Korean brands are having trouble achieving. Part of the appeal is IISE’s unique line of products; their collection of streetwear is an imaginative reinterpretation of traditional Korean aesthetics. The two brothers and founders behind IISE, Terrence Kim and Kevin Kim, are second generation Korean Americans. Their background ties into the brand name IISE, which translates to “second generation” in Korean. “We believe everything we create is an extension of our identity. It’s not 100% American, not 100% Korean, but a mix of both cultures,” Terrence says. The name IISE and the concept of “second generation” is also related to the brand’s approach of taking things from previous generations, such as fabrics, techniques, and design elements, and then reintroducing them through the brand’s own minimal, street-sensible aesthetics.

새로운 브랜드 IISE를 만나보자. 대부분의 한국 브랜드들은 주요 고객층이 서양인으로 구성되어 있는 두터운 온라인 시장 진출에 어려움을 겪고 있는 것이 현실이다. 이러한 한국 브랜드들과는 차별되게 IISE는 자신만의 온라인 시장 구축에 주력하고 있다. IISE의 매력 중 하나는 IISE 제품의 독창적인 선 구성에 있다; IISE의 캐주얼 웨어 콜렉션은 전통적인 한국의 미학을 창조적으로 재해석한 작품들이다. IISE를 창업한 형제인, 테렌스 김과 케빈 김은 재미교포 한인 2세대들이다. 그들의 정체성은 IISE라는 브랜드 이름에도 잘 나타나있다. IISE를 한국말로 읽으면 “2세”가 되는데, 이는 “교포 2세대”라는 뜻이다. “우리가 만들어 나가는 모든 것은 우리의 정체성의 연장선 상에 있다고 생각합니다. 100% 미국 문화도 아니고 100% 한국 문화도 아니지요. 오히려 이 두 문화를 혼합한 형태입니다.”라고 테렌스는 말한다. IISE라는 이름과 “2세대”라는 컨셉 역시 직물이나 테크놀로지 및 디자인 요소들을 전통적인 세대로 부터 차용하여 캐주얼 웨어의 미학에 어울리는 미니멀 룩으로 새롭게 재 창조해 나가는데 그 의미를 두고 있다.

IISE officially launched three years ago after the two brothers visited Seoul for the first time since they were kids. The traditional Korean architecture and art they saw there became a catalyst that set them off on a journey to learn more about Korean culture and rediscover their roots. They began looking for ways to showcase Korean culture to the rest of the world, and IISE was born as a means of fulfilling this ambitious vision. Recently, Neocha spoke to IISE to learn more about their designs and the streetwear scene in South Korea.

IISE는 그들이 아이였을 때부터 이 두 형제가 처음으로 서울을 방문한 이후, 공식적으로 출시했습니다. 전통 한국 건축과 예술은 한국 문화를 위한 열정에 불을 붙이는 촉매제가 되었으며, 이는 그들의 뿌리를 재발견하기 위한 여정을 시작할 수 있도록 했습니다. 그들은 자체 방법을 통해 한국 문화를 소개하는 방법을 찾기 시작했으며, IISE는 전 세계 나머지 국가들과 함께 전통 한국 문화를 공유하는 그들의 비전으로 가득채우기 위한 수단으로써 설립되었습니다. 최근에, Neocha는 한국에서의 그들의 디자인과 길거리 업계에 대해 더 자세히 배우도록 IISE와 인터뷰를 했습니다.

Neocha: Can you share with us about how the brand began?

IISE: The idea for the brand came when we visited Seoul, so we owe everything to this city. Other inspirations are from American streetwear and street culture, things we grew up with while living in the U.S. almost our entire lives.

Neocha: 이 브랜드를 시작하게 된 계기에 대해 말씀해 주시겠습니까?

IISE: 저희가 서울에 방문했을 때 이 브랜드에 대한 아이디어가 떠올랐으니까, 저희는 이 도시에 모든 것을 빚진 셈입니다. 다른 영감은 미국의 길거리 의류와 거리 문화, 저희 인생 전체를 통해 미국에서 살면서 성장한 것들로부터 왔습니다.

Neocha: How does your clothing match up to the cityscape of Seoul?

IISE: Each piece we design may have more traditional elements or more modern elements depending on how we approach each piece. Some pieces are heavily inspired by traditional Korean culture like our hanbok jacket (which is inspired by traditional Korean clothing). Other pieces like our leather Double Rider are our version of a classic western silhouette we’ve seen for so long. We do feel like the colors we have chosen thus far are representative of some of the neutral colors of the city. But there are also many vibrant colors found in Seoul that we have yet had the chance to explore.

Neocha: 귀하의 의류는 서울의 도시 경관과 어떻게 매치합니까?

IISE: 저희가 디자인한 각 제품은 저희가 각 제품에 접근하는 방법에 따라 더 많은 전통적인 요소와 더 많은 모던한 요소를 가질 수 있습니다. 일부 제품들은 한복 자켓(전통적인 한국 의상에 의해 영감을 받은)과 같은 전통적인 한국 문화에 의해 매우 영감을 받았습니다 저희의 가죽 더블 라이더와 같은 다른 제품들은 오랫동안 봐온 클래식한 서양의 실루엣 버전에서 영감을 받았습니다. 저희가 선정한 색상들이 이 도시의 일부 중립적인 색상을 표현한 것같은 느낌입니다. 그러나, 탐색할 기회가 있었던 서울의 많은 선명한 색상들도 있었습니다.

Neocha: What differentiates your brand from other Korea-based streetwear brands? Or even other international streetwear brands?

IISE: When we were in the States, we’ve never even heard of a Korean-inspired streetwear brand. Even when we first arrived to Korea we couldn’t find one, which was a big reason why we wanted to start one. After living in Seoul for almost four years now, we have discovered other Korean-inspired brands in design, but I think IISE differentiates from the others because we also use traditional fabrics, and natural dyeing techniques that have existed in this country for hundreds of years. Many of the things we use are often seen as “old-fashioned” to native Koreans, but for us it was something completely new and continuously discovering these age-old things has been very exciting.

Neocha: 다른 한국 기반 길거리 의류 브랜드, 아니면, 다른 국제 길거리 의류 브랜드와 귀하의 브랜드의 차이점은 무엇입니까?

IISE: 저희가 미국에 살았을 때, 한국에서 영감을 얻은 길거리 의류 브랜드를 들어본 적이 없습니다. 심지어 저희가 처음으로 한국에 도착했을 때, 저희는 이를 찾을 수 없었습니다. 그렇기 때문에 이는 사업을 시작하고자 원했던 가장 큰 이유입니다. 지금 거의 4년 동안 서울에 살면서, 저희는 디자인 측면에서 다른 한국에 영감을 받은 브랜드를 발견했지만, 저는 전통적인 패브릭과 수백년 동안 한국에 존재한 천연 염색 기술로 인해 다른 브랜드와 IISE가 다르다고 생각합니다. 저희가 사용하는 대부분의 것들은 종종 한국인들에게 “구식”으로 보여질 수 있지만, 저희에게 있어 이는 완전히 새로운 것이며 지속적으로 이러한 오래된 것들을 발견하는 것은 매우 흥미로운 일입니다,

Neocha: What sort of Korean techniques and aesthetics have you incorporated into your modern streetwear?

IISE: Our debut bag collection utilized a combination of high quality leathers mixed with a Korean silk and cotton blended fabric. What makes this fabric unique is the natural dyeing techniques that were applied to it, which gave us the color and feel that we desired. Some of the ingredients used to achieve our colors were Korean persimmon fruit, natural indigo plant, charcoal, and volcanic ash. After the fabrics were dyed with these ingredients over and over again for a four to six week period, we felt satisfied with the final outcome. The unique texture, color, and story this produced was what made our first collection really stand out in the market.

Neocha: 귀하의 모던한 길거리 의류에 어떤 종류의 한국 기술과 미학을 통합했습니까?

IISE: 저희의 데뷰 가방 컬렉션은 한국의 실크와 면을 혼합한 패브릭을 섞은 고품질 가죽의 조합을 활용했습니다. 이 패브릭을 독특하게 만드는 것은 색상과 원하는 느낌을 주기 위해 이에 적용한 자연 염색 기술입니다. 일부 자재들은 한국 과일인 감, 자연 쪽, 숯 및 화산재에서 온 색상들에서 따오기 위해 사용됩니다. 패브릭이 이러한 재료들에 의해서 4-6번 주의 기간 동안 반복해서 염색된 이후, 저희는 최종 결과에 만족했습니다. 이 독특한 텍스쳐, 색상 그리고 생산한 스토리는 이 시장에서 정말로 눈에 띄는 첫 번째 컬렉션을 구성하는 것이었습니다.

Neocha: Can you share your thoughts about the current streetwear scene in Seoul?

IISE: Streetwear and street culture in general are exploding in Seoul largely due to the internet and social media. Everyone is now able to see the minute a streetwear brand from across the world releases product now, so people are definitely more aware of what’s available. I believe it will continue to grow as time goes on. It would be amazing for a Korean brand to be known globally and we would love IISE to be one of them. I think the scene is still at its infant stages actually. Sooner or later, the world will know more about Korean fashion brands. For a long time Korea has been a third world country. Only in recent times has it risen to become an economic power where creatives now have the chance to pursue more artistic work. I believe many artists and creatives in previous generations were not able to so because of economic reasons. Now you have a wealthy country, and a whole generation of creatives ready to show what Korea can offer. We’re all waiting to see what happens.

Neocha: 서울의 현재 패션 의류 업계에 대한 귀하의 생각을 말씀해 주시겠습니까?

IISE: 일반적으로 길거리 의류 및 거리 문화는 인터넷과 소셜 미디어로 인해 크게 서울에 넘쳐나고 있습니다. 지금 모든 사람들은 전 세계에 걸쳐 출시되는 길거리 의류 브랜드를 몇 분 내에 볼 수 있으므로, 사람들은 무엇이 이용 가능한지 분명히 더 잘 인식하게 되었습니다. 저는 시간이 지남에 따라 지속적으로 성장하리라 믿고 있습니다. 한국 브랜드를 전 세계적으로 알리는 것이 놀라운 일이며, 저희는 IISE가 그들 중 일환이 되는 것을 좋아합니다. 저는 이 업계가 실제로 아직 신생 단계라고 생각합니다. 곧, 전 세계가 한국 패션 브랜드에 대해 더 자세히 알게 될 것입니다. 오랫동안, 한국은 제 3세계 국가였습니다. 최근에 더 많은 예술적인 작품을 추구할 수 있는 기회를 갖은 경제적인 파워를 갖도록 성장했습니다. 저는 많은 예술가와 이전 세대의 창의력은 경제적인 이유로 인해 이를 실시할 수 없었다고 믿고 있습니다. 지금, 한국은 부유한 나라이며, 창의력이 있는 전 세대가 한국이 무엇을 제공할 수 있는지 보여줄 준비가 되었습니다. 저희는 무엇이 발생하는지 보고자 모두 기다려 왔습니다.

Website: ii-se.co
Facebook: ~/IISE
Instagram: @iiseSeoul

웹사이트: ii-se.co
Facebook: ~/IISE
Instagram: @iiseSeoul

Contributor: David Yen
Images Courtesy of IISE

기부자: David Yen
이미지 제공IISE

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Brut Cake

July 1, 2016 2016年7月1日

Brut Cake is a brand that’s devoted to enriching people’s lives with creativity and art through functional products. Founded in 2011 by Nicole Teng, who moved from Taiwan to China in 2007. She quickly found herself captivated by the contagiously creative energy of Shanghai. So after spending a year in this city, she decided to quit her decade-long career in advertising and sate her creative needs. Nicole then became a gallery curator at the now defunct Plum Gallery and pursued different creative outlets like painting and ceramics in her free time. After dabbling in a variety of mediums and slowly building a body of creative work of her own, she finally started to hone in on her artistic voice. “I realized that making something, giving it to somebody, and seeing them use it in their daily life provided me an incredibly rewarding feeling.”

Brut Cake创立于2011年，通过功能产品，品牌专注于将创意和艺术注入日常生活。创始人Nicole Teng (邓乃瑄) 来自台湾，2007年时搬至上海后，她很快就被上海那种具有传染性的创意能量所征服。一年以后，在广告圈摸爬滚打十余年的她，毅然决然地离开了原本的工作，开始追求自己创作的梦想。之后，Nicole在如今不复存在的Plum Gallery成为一名策展人，空余时间便穿梭于绘画和陶艺等不同的创作方式中。在涉猎各种媒介、进行了各样创作后，她终于开始有了自己的艺术理念并紧紧追随。“我发现当自己亲手做出来的东西，能够在生活中为他人所用，自己会得到莫大的满足感。”

Nicole has a special gift, in that she’s able to perceive a sense of beauty in old objects that others might see as useless. Brut Cake’s entire collection of products is reflective of her vision; they’re all handcrafted using discarded items such as old furniture and antique fabrics. Nicole has a wide variety of products available underneath the brand: furniture, ceramic wares, handbags, and even oven mitts. Her vivid imagination has transformed countless unwanted items into highly coveted, functional works of art.

Nicole总能在被许多人视为无用的旧物件中发现美。Brut Cake的全系列产品就是她个人视觉的体现，它们全部由旧家具等废弃物品以及夏布经手工打造而成。品牌之下有着各种各样的产品，有家具、陶器、手包，甚至手套。她用自己的奇思妙想，将无数被人丢弃的物件转化为令人垂涎的功能艺术作品。

People are often curious as to how the name Brut Cake came about, Nicole says. “Brut is actually a French word. In English, it means ‘rough and raw’. In the 19th century, the term ’Art Brut’ came about. This type of art was created outside of the established art scene and wasn’t confined by the realities of daily life. I’m deeply influenced by this style. I’m fond of raw, rugged, and vigorous forms of creative expression. Most of my work is inspired by this. That’s why I chose to use the word ‘Brut’ in my brand. The reason I chose the word cake is a simple one: it’s meant to represent the sweetest parts in life. I hope that every single thing I make can bring a little bit of happiness to people’s everyday lives. So that’s how my brand name, or the name of this creative concept rather, became Brut Cake.”

很多人好奇为什么会给品牌取名为Brut Cake，Nicole告诉我们，“‘Brut’ 其实是个法文字，在英文里面的意思是‘rough and raw’，就是很粗旷很原生的意思。在19世纪初，有个艺术流派叫做Art Brut，这个学派的人特别喜欢未经洗礼或者未受真实生活所限制的一些创作表现。我深受这个艺术风格的影响，特别喜欢很原生态、很粗旷、很生猛地去表达你自己灵魂的创作表现。我的创作很多是受这个艺术派别的启发，所以我就把Brut作为我的一个创作语言。Cake的艺术呢，其实很简单，这个代表了生活的一点甜味，我希望我所做的每一个东西，都是可以给人们每天的生活带来一点点幸福感，所以，我就把我的品牌，或者说创作的概念取名为Brut Cake。”

To Nicole, every object has a soul and personality of its own; she might see certain items as being “arrogant” while others might seem “lazy”. This personification of inanimate objects reflects in her work and is easily seen in the facial features she includes on her products. Nicole likens her creation process to the way kids invent imaginary friends.

在Nicole看来，每个物件里都住着一个灵魂，有着自己的个性，或“高傲”，或“慵懒”。在她的作品里，在她产品的拟人化形象中，她对物件的人格化可见一斑。Nicole将她对这些创作过程，比作是小朋友在脑海中创造出自己想象中的朋友。

For International Children’s Day in 2016, Brut Cake hosted a special Children’s Day party in Shanghai on the second floor of their brand concept showroom on Anfu Road. A collection of children’s chairs, designed in the signature Brut Cake aesthetic, were the centerpieces of the event. These child-sized chairs all featured friendly, smiling faces stitched together with vintage fabrics. Like most of Nicole’s designs, the chairs more closely resembled cartoon characters than pieces of furniture. Nicole says, “I’ve always wanted to bring my imaginary world to life, and dedicate it to all the kids in the world. I would’ve wanted things like these to play with when I was a kid, so I feel like these creations will resonate with them.”

在2016年的儿童节之际，Brut Cake在安福路的品牌概念展示空间的二楼，为小朋友们举办了一场特殊的派对。在这场派对中的中心物件是一个儿童座椅系列，它们的设计沿袭Brut Cake一贯的视觉风格。这些座椅全部做成适合儿童使用的尺寸，有着由夏布缝制而成的笑脸。正如Nicole的大多数设计一样，相比于作为一件件家具，这些椅子更像是各种不同的卡通角色。Nicole说：“我想把我的想象世界落实出来，然后把这个系列献给小朋友们，我觉得我想象中的这些东西，小朋友们也一定非常有共鸣，就像我小时候那样，也很想和这样的东西玩在一起。”

Nicole has always been fascinated with traditional Chinese artisanal crafts. “If I lived a thousand years ago. I would probably enjoy the lifestyle of that time period a lot more than the lifestyle of today. Modern day development is happening too quickly. I feel like traditional crafts aren’t slowly fading away, but instead they’re rapidly being forgotten. Even if my contributions are minor, I still hope the things I make can help preserve this dying art form a little,” she says. “My work involves a lot of traditional carpentry and tailoring. Quite often, I’m working alongside older craftsmen well-versed in traditional techniques, and they help me complete my vision. To me, this is something really meaningful.”

Nicole一直痴迷于中国的传统工艺，她说：“如果生活在一千年以前，我会很享受那个生活。现在大环境发展得太快速了，所以我觉得，这些传统的工艺它不是在逐渐地消失，而是很迅速地被遗忘。我希望能够做一点什么东西，或多或少去保存它。其实我的创作里面，有很多是夹杂着传统的木工或者是裁缝，有很传统的老工艺人来配合我，一起做我想做的东西。对于我来说，这是很有意义的。”

People in our modern age of technology favor efficiency and speed, so factories are often the preferred method of production for most people. Making items by hand are seen as inefficient, and this has led to a pitiful lack of regard for the intricacies that go behind handmade creations. Nicole says, “Chinese craftsmen and Japanese craftsmen might dedicate their entire life to a particular craft. This is something I really admire. I hope to improve and make even better things . . . I want everybody to feel the the sincerity and devotion that goes into every single one of Brut Cake’s creations.”

随着各行各业机械化生产的不断普及，手工艺人低效率，费时的劳作越来越得不到应有的重视，Nicole表示：“不论是中国的匠人还是日本的匠人，他们可能终其一生钻研一项工艺，这个是我非常非常敬佩的，我也希望我能够做得更好……也希望所有的人都可以感觉到Brut Cake在创作所有东西的时候，那个很专注、很诚挚的心。”

Address:
232 Anfu Road, 1F
Xuhui District, Shanghai
People’s Republic of China

Tel:
+0086-21-5448-8159

Hours：
11am~7pm

Website: brutcake.com
Facebook: ~/brutcake
Weibo: @brut_cake
WeChat: BrutCake

 

地址:
中国
上海市徐汇区
安福路232号1楼

电话:
+0086-21-5448-8159
营业时间：
11am~7pm

网站: brutcake.com
脸书: ~/brutcake
微博: @brut_cake
微信: BrutCake

Contributor: Tom Zhang
Photographer: David Yen

供稿人: Tom Zhang
摄影师: David Yen

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