All posts by jiali

Surgery & Beauty

June 18, 2016 2016年6月18日

Ji Yeo is a photographer from South Korea whose work explores beauty and outward appearances, which stem from her own personal experiences growing up as a teenager in Seoul. Influenced by the culture of plastic surgery in South Korea, Ji Yeo initially intended to have plastic surgery done on herself and sat through multiple consultations with various surgeons. Soon after realizing that the truths surrounding plastic surgery were rarely made clear, Yeo began using photography as a means of investigating the process. By capturing unsightly “after” photos and the sterile surgery centers, Yeo’s photos of South Korea’s booming plastic surgery industry show the great lengths that some women go to in the pursuit of beauty and the repercussions experienced by women who choose to go down this route. Neocha spoke to Yeo recently about her series of powerful images.

여 지는 서울에서의 자신의 십대의 경험을 토대로 아름다움과 외모를 탐구하는 작업을 하는 한국의 사진 작가이다. 한국 성형 수술 문화의 영향을 받은, 여씨는 처음에는 자신의 성형 수술을 받기 위해 여러 의사들과 상담 했다. 그러나, 성형 수술을 둘러싼 진실이 대부분 명확하지 않다는 점을 인식하고, 여씨는 그 과정을 조사하기 위한 수단으로 사진 기술을 사용하였다. 수술 “후”의 보기 흉한 사진 및 무균 수술실 사진들과 같이 한국에서 성업 중인 성형 수술 산업에 대한 여씨의 사진은 이 길을 선택한 여성들이 경험하는 고생과 영향을 보여 준다. 최근 우리는 그녀의 작업에 대하여 이야기하기 위하여 그녀를 만났다.

Neocha: Can you tell us a little bit about your background, growing up in Korea, and what initially drew you to photography as a medium?

Ji Yeo: My mom has always been an amazing photographer, and I grew up with a bunch of instant film cameras. She loved taking photos of the family. When I first started learning photography during college, I knew right away that I wanted to become a photographer.

Neocha: 저희에게 당신의 배경에 대해 조금 말 해 주시겠습니까? 한국에서는 어떻게 자랐고 처음에 왜 사진을 매체로 선택하게 되셨나요?

여 지: 제 어머니는 항상 놀라운 사진가였고 따라서 저는 즉석 필름 카메라와 아주 친근하게 자랐습니다. 어머니는 가족 사진 찍는 것을 좋아하셨죠. 제가 대학에 진학해서 처음 사진을 배웠을 때, 저는 제가 사진가가 되기를 원한다는 것을 바로 알 수 있었습니다.

Neocha: Your work explores the subject of outward appearances. How is this a defining trait of Korean, or Asian culture?

Ji Yeo: There are many traits that defines Korean or Asian culture. All of my work revolves around issues with women, which initially started from my own personal relationship with the world and other people. Growing up in Korea, I sometimes felt quite overwhelmed by all the conversations about appearances. Being “well-presented” is one of the most important priorities in life here in this country. One method to look good was to literally change your looks completely, and that was easily available to you in Korea.

Neocha: 지 여씨의 작업은 주로 외모에 관련된 것입니다. 이 것을 어떻게 한국적인 것 또는 동양적인 것이라고 정의할 수 있을까요?

여 지: 한국적 또는 동양적이라고 정의할 수 있는 것들은 많습니다. 저의 모든 작업들은 여성에 관련된 것인데, 이것은 처음에는 세상과 타인과 관련된 저의 개인적 경험에서 비롯된 것입니다. 한국에서 성장하면서, 저는 가끔 외모와 관련된 대화에서 부담을 느끼곤 했습니다. 자신을 잘 표현하는 것은 삶의 우선 순위에서 가장 중요한 요소 중 하나입니다. 외모를 보기 좋게 만드는 방법 중 하나는 자신의 외모를 정말로 바꾸어 버리는 것입니다. 그리고 그것은 한국에서는 쉽게 가능한 일입니다.

Neocha: What do you have coming up or what are you looking forward to in the future? Are there any artists or collaborators you’d like to work with?

Ji Yeo: I will be launching a publishing company that will only release work that I love, and promote how I envision things to be in life. I hope I can find people who have similar tastes as me. I often work with professionals who are producers, designers, painters, videographers, and models. I love working on projects with many different talented people. However, when it comes to my own personal work, I enjoy working alone without any disruptions to my thought process, time, or space.

Neocha: 앞으로 어떤 일을 계획하고 계시고 있고 어떤 일을 하시고 싶으신가요? 같이 작업하고 싶은 예술가나 동료가 있으신지요?

여 지: 저는 삶에서 제가 사랑하는 것과 구상하는 일만을 독점으로 출판하는 퍼블리싱 컴퍼니를 런칭할 예정에 있습니다. 저와 비슷한 취향의 사람들을 만나고 싶고요. 저는 가끔은 프로듀서나, 디자이너, 화가, 영화 관련자나 모델 같은 전문직종의 사람들과 작업 하기도 합니다. 저는 다양한 재능의 사람들을 모야서 한 가지 프로젝트를 만들어 내는 것을 좋아합니다. 하지만 제 개인적인 작업 만큼은 생각이나, 시간 또는 공간의 방해를 받지 않고 혼자 작업하는 것을 즐깁니다.

Neocha: The dialogue surrounding appearances is an important one. What continues to intrigue you about it, or what about it are you obsessed by?

Ji Yeo: As I interacted with people who are in the industry, and with those who have gone through several plastic surgeries, I became more and more obsessed with the phenomena. The plastic surgery industry in Korea has grown dramatically over the years, and the country is encouraging the industry due to how it is bringing in so many tourist and patients. People started to love the extreme plastic surgery look even though it’s the complete opposite of natural beauty.

Neocha: 외모에 관한 대화는 중요하죠 – 어떤 점에 계속해서 호기심을 불러 일으켰나요? 어떤 점이 여씨를 이 문제에 계속 집착하게 만들었나요?

여 지: 수 차례의 성형 수술을 한 이 업게의 사람들과 접촉하면서 저는 이 현상에 더욱 집착하게 되었습니다. 최근 몇 년간 한국의 성형 수술 산업이 괄목할 만한 성장을 함에 따라 관광객과 환자들이 몰리자 국가를 이를 장려하고 있습니다. 사람들은 자연스러움과 정반대의 극단적인 모습을 사랑하게 되었죠.

Neocha: Your images are powerful, direct, and honest. How do you find your subjects and gain their trust – and how would you describe the rapport you have with them?

Ji Yeo: With some subjects, it is true I did become close and I ended up maintaining a good relationship with them afterwards. But I have lost contact with some of the others – they are usually the ones who fall out of touch. When I am shooting my subjects, I try to be as honest as possible by explaining why I am taking these pictures before I point the camera at their face.

Neocha: 지 여씨의 사진은 파워풀하고 직설적이고 또 정직합니다. 어떻게 사진의 소재를 찾고 그들의 신뢰를 얻나요? 사진 소재들과의 교감을 어떻게 설명하실 수 있습니까?

여 지: 어떤 분들과는 사실 계속 가깝게 지내고 관계를 유지합니다. 하지만 대부분의 경우는 연락이 끊어집니다. 보통 그들 쪽에서 연락을 끊죠. 저는 가능한 정직하려고 노력합니다. 카메라 렌즈를 들여 대기 전에 왜 제가 이 사진을 찍는 지 설명드립니다.

Neocha: In having created so many projects on the topic of plastic surgery, what have you learned about it that is surprising? How has your own attitude or thinking of it changed?

Ji Yeo: My attitude changed a lot over the course of the six to seven years I spent working about this topic. When I first started in 2005, I approached with a critical eye, but I captured the images as objectively as possible. My goal was to reveal what is hidden and taboo to try and raise a discussion. However, I am now more keen on plastic surgery – I might even go through some kind of procedure myself.

Neocha: 앞으로 어떤 일을 계획하고 계시고 있고 어떤 일을 하시고 싶으신가요? 같이 작업하고 싶은 예술가나 동료가 있으신지요?

여 지: 저는 삶에서 제가 사랑하는 것과 구상하는 일만을 독점으로 출판하는 퍼블리싱 컴퍼니를 런칭할 예정에 있습니다. 저와 비슷한 취향의 사람들을 만나고 싶고요. 저는 가끔은 프로듀서나, 디자이너, 화가, 영화 관련자나 모델 같은 전문직종의 사람들과 작업 하기도 합니다. 저는 다양한 재능의 사람들을 모야서 한 가지 프로젝트를 만들어 내는 것을 좋아합니다. 하지만 제 개인적인 작업 만큼은 생각이나, 시간 또는 공간의 방해를 받지 않고 혼자 작업하는 것을 즐깁니다.

Website: jiyeo.com
Instagram: @jiyeo

 

Contributor: Jia Li

웹사이트: jiyeo.com
Instagram: @jiyeo

 

글 쓴 사람: Jia Li 

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A Matter of TASTE

May 23, 2016 2016年5月23日

TASTE is hidden deep in Shanghai’s Tianzifang area, a dense compound of small alleyways and shops on the edge of the French Concession. At once a shop space, gallery, café and restaurant, TASTE is the treasure trove and creative playground of owners Viko and Yutaka, a husband and wife duo whose combined backgrounds in photography and fashion design make their mark on every inch of the space. On the ground level of the shop, the deceptively small space holds a carefully curated collection of goods sourced from the owners’ travels around the world. Upstairs, a minimal display room leads visitors into a spacious café, a dramatic alcove, and an expansive lounge area set to become a restaurant in the near future.

TASTE深藏于上海法租界边上的田子坊，在这片密集的弄堂小巷和商铺间，大隐隐于市。既算购物空间、画廊，又作咖啡馆，餐厅，这里是藏宝地，也是Viko和Yutaka夫妻二人的乐园。作为这里的店主，他们拥有摄影和服装设计的背景，这个空间的一尺一寸都打着他们的个人印记。楼下的门面，出乎意料的小，但摆着店主们世界各地旅行中精心挑选出来的货品。楼上，穿过一个极简展示的空间，便是开阔的咖啡厅，引人注目的壁龛，宽阔的沙发区，这些将在不久的将来汇合成一个餐厅。

The concept of TASTE is playfully modeled on the idea of brainwaves, says Viko. Entering TASTE is meant to be like walking into a person’s brain. The space can be defined infinitely – it’s unlimited in its possibilities. The space itself is constantly growing and learning as humans do.

TASTE的概念玩味性地建立在脑波的主意上，Viko说。走进TASTE就像走进一个人的大脑。这个空间可以有无限种定义，无限种可能。它本身在不停地成长变化，犹如人类一样渐学渐进。

Coming from a family who loves antiques, Viko started collecting as a young child. Small objects and perfumes were especially attractive to her. After becoming a documentary photographer in 2009, she traveled around the world, bringing small objects from far-flung places. As her collection grew, she decided to open a shop so that these carefully selected treasures could be shared with more friends and outsiders. TASTE is the result: an ever-changing space filled with many curiosities, stories, and experiences.

来自一个古董钟爱者家庭的Viko，自小便开始收藏。小物件和香水对她来说总有特别的吸引力。在2009年成了一名纪实摄影师之后，她行走世界各地，把远方的小物件搬运了回来。随着藏品越来越多，她决定开一个店铺。这样，她就可以把这些经过细心挑选的宝贝分享给更多朋友了。TASTE就是这么来的，一个总在变化的空间，一个充满了奇珍异品、经历故事的空间。

Walking through the TASTE space, there are markedly distinct personality shifts in each room. Viko says, “For the new TASTE Space, we had this idea that it would be like a musical score. The first floor is weird and decorative, while the second floor is warm and light-filled. There’s a friendly and sunny coffee area. Finally there’s a quiet and solemn exhibition zone. The space gives surprises, which I love, and it’s a surprise for everyone.”

在TASTE，每个房间都有着各自独特的个性。Viko说: “关于这个新的TASTE Space，我们当时有这样一个想法，就是让它看起来像个乐章。现在，一楼古古怪怪，富有装饰性的；二楼是温暖的，灯光盈盈；还有一个阳光直射得到的、轻松友好的咖啡区。最后，我们还有一个安静、单独的展览区。这个空间常给人带来惊喜，这点我很喜欢，这种惊喜是为每一个人准备的。”

In the megacity of Shanghai there are few things which can’t be found; however, the collection at TASTE includes perfumes, cutlery, leather goods, and beautiful objects that have no functional use. One-of-a-kind things or product sourced from small international labels are clustered together, ranging from jewelry, coffee devices, stationary, money clips and wallets, to tailor-made scissors, rare scents and aromas, and unique ceramic pieces.

在上海这样的大城市，很少有你找不到的东西。尽管如此，TASTE充满了香水、餐具、皮具，还有一堆并没有实际用途的漂亮东西。来自全球各种小品牌的孤品，在这里汇集在一起，从珠宝、咖啡具、文具、钱夹钱包，到裁缝剪刀、稀有香氛，再到独特的陶瓷器品，应有尽有。

“I’m looking for creations which grab my eye, no matter where it’s from, who made it, if it is new or antique. I want to share these wonderful things with more people. That is the essence of TASTE,” says Viko Wu.

“我正在寻找的是能够抓住我眼球的东西，不管它来自哪里，由谁创作，也不管它是新的，还是旧的。我想把这些美好的东西和更多的人分享。这也是TASTE的本质。”Viko Wu说道。

Address:
Room: 105, Bld: 3rd, Lane: 210 Taikang Rd
200025 Shanghai, China

Website: taste-shop.com
Facebook: ~/thetasteshop
Weibo: TASTESHOP

 

Contributor & Photographer: Jia Li

地址：
中国，上海市
泰康路210弄3号楼105室

网站: taste-shop.com
脸书: ~/thetasteshop
微博: TASTESHOP

 

供稿人与摄影师: Jia Li

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Exploring Hidden Hong Kong 发现鲜为人知的香港

May 9, 2016 2016年5月9日

 

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Urban exploration dates back many centuries. In 1861, Walt Whitman wrote about New York City’s first abandoned subway tunnel. In the 1970s, the notorious Suicide Club of San Francisco set the precedent for many of the traditions in modern day urban exploration. The secret society would explore abandoned utility tunnels, old hospitals, government structures, and other disused urban locales. This sparked the thriving urban exploration movement of today, where many avid and curious explorers attempt to remind people of the value that exists in forgotten areas of our vast, urban landscape. It’s this same sense of endless curiosity and dedication that brings the members of HK Urbex together in Hong Kong, one of the world’s densest cities.

城市探险的历史可以追溯到多个世纪前。 1861年，沃尔特·惠特曼（Walt Whitman）写下有关纽约城首个废弃地铁隧道的文字。上个世纪70年代，旧金山Suicide Club虽臭名昭著，却奠定了现代城市探险的多项传统。这个秘密的社会团体在诸多地方留下了足迹：废弃的公用隧道、古旧的医院、政府机构，以及其他荒芜的城市地带……这一切点燃了当今蓬勃发展的城市探险运动的燎原之火，在这个运动中，一腔好奇的探险者们以他们的行动，提醒着人们莫大城市中那些被遗忘的角落中的价值。正是出于同样强烈的好奇心和致力精神，在香港，这个全球最为密集的城市之一，HK Urbex 的成员们走到了一起。

Formed by a band of artists, journalists, and media workers, HK Urbex emphasizes a deep respect and connection to the locations they explore. Urbex is not about selfies, egos, or “rooftopping” acts of bravado, they say. It should help to form an understanding of the legacy behind neighborhoods and structures in our cities, to help connect the dots of why heritage is important in places undergoing rapid and destructive urbanization.

由艺术家、新闻工作者和媒体工作者组成的HK Urbex，对于每一个探索之地都深怀敬意，并着重探究他们与所探索之地间的联系。 HK Urbex 无关自拍，无关自我，更无关爬楼党那种单纯的冒险，他们表示。这一行为应该是去帮助人们对城市中社区和建筑背后的故事和遗产形成理解，是在疾速和具破坏性的城市化进程中，帮助人们明白传统的重要性。

Urban exploration comes with its fair share of dangers and nuisances. Stealth, athleticism, and a level-headed disposition are a few of the crucial attributes an explorer should possess. The members of HK Urbex are anonymous, but each contribute their own set of skills to round out the group. They include climbers, drone-operators, photographers, and writers, local and international Hong Kong dwellers. They produce albums, videos, and essays about each location they explore. Before deciding on a site, they research and scout the location first, gathering background information and clues that can enrich the context of the story. “Abandon porn” is not interesting, says Echo Delta, one of the founders of the group. To them, exploring a location without knowing anything about its background is pointless.

城市探险伴随着一定的危险和麻烦。所以参与人员做事隐秘，身手矫捷以及冷静的头脑都是关键。 HK Urbex成员虽然都保持匿名，但每个人都各怀技能，组成强大的团队。这个团队中有攀爬者，有无人机操作员，有摄影师，有作家，有香港的当地和国际居民。他们为每个所探索之地创作相关的专辑、视频，以及文章。在进行踩点时，他们首先会仔细研究和勘探具体位置，然后收集大量背景信息，不放过任何能使整个故事更为饱满的线索。团队创始人之一Echo Delta表示，“废弃大片”并没有意思，不了解其背景只是单纯过一个地方并不是他们的目的。

Seeing a side of Hong Kong that many people overlook is a special experience, says Ghost, another founder of HK Urbex. In a city where noise, people, and relentless traffic swirls around you at all times, it’s almost zen-like to find an abandoned space in the middle of it all – quiet and untouched for years. They’ve explored over a hundred locations since forming: the Hong Kong MTR tunnels, an abandoned island resort, a rundown psychiatric hospital, a haunted school, and a disused slaughterhouse are just a few of the places they’ve visited. “These gems often espouse Hong Kong culture, Hong Kong heritage, and in the face of an ever-gentrifying city, we are in the past few years in danger of losing our physical culture… our heritage.”

HK Urbex 的另一位创始人 Ghost 说，去捕捉香港鲜为人知的另一面是一种非常特别的体验。在一个无时无刻不喧嚣的城市当中，找到一处静置多年无人探访的地方几乎不可能。在过去的几年时间里，HK Urbex已探索了上百个地方：香港地铁隧道、荒废的小岛度假村、破败的精神病院、闹鬼的学校、废弃的屠宰场，这些只是他们发现的隐藏珍宝中的几处。 “这些珍宝，与香港文化、香港传统是一脉相承的。面对不停中产化的城市，我们在过去几年里，面临着丢失我们的物质文化遗产的危险。“

Website:  hkurbex.com
Facebook: ~/hkurbex
Instagram: @hkurbex

网站： hkurbex.com
脸书: ~/hkurbex
Instagram: @hkurbex

Contributor, Videographer & Photographer: Jia Li
Additional Footage Courtesy of Echo Delta

供稿人，图片摄影师与视频摄影师: Jia Li
附加视频脚本来自Echo Delta

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In the Studio with TWOONE

May 4, 2016 2016年5月4日

 

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TWOONE, otherwise known as Hiroyasu Tsuri, leads a charmed and freewheeling life painting in and out of his studio. Born in Yokohama, Japan, Hiro started getting into graffiti in high school, influenced by the street art he saw while skateboarding through Yokohama. He soon after began experimenting with various artistic styles. Having little formal art education, he wasn’t sure what to do after high school – so at the age of 18, he decided to move to Melbourne, Australia, on a whim.

TWOONE，即Hiroyasu Tsuri，常常出入于画室过着一种随心所欲的创作生活。Hiro出生于日本横滨市，从高中开始接触涂鸦。他在玩滑板时深受沿途的街头艺术所启发，至此他开始试验不同的艺术创作风格。高中毕业后，并没有受过很多正统的艺术教育的他不知道接下来该做些什么。一时兴起，18岁的时他决定搬去澳洲的墨尔本。

In Melbourne, Hiro couldn’t speak too much English. Street art and skateboarding turned into a form of language through which he communicated. Over the years, he slowly became a rather well-known fixture in the Melbourne street art scene. Since then, he’s painted murals indoors and outdoors all over the world. But as an regular sketcher and versatile illustrator, Hiro is equally well versed in the studio and has exhibited his art in galleries worldwide.

初到墨尔本，Hiro说不了很多英文，因此街头艺术和滑板变成了他独特的交流方式。过去的几年，他渐渐的成为了墨尔本街头艺术圈的一张名片。从那时开始，他在全世界创作室内外的壁画。不过作为一个熟练的绘画者和多才多艺的插画家，Hiro在艺术家工作室同样游刃有余并且在世界各地的画廊都展出过他的艺术作品。

Hiro’s work is bold and dynamic – loose yet grounded. His lines are fluid and he embraces spontaneity. Citing the need to use materials that are relevant and more representative of our times, he often prefers to work with fluorescent paint colors, which have only really existed in the modern era.

Hiro的作品很大胆多元——看似松散却接地气。他的线条笔触很流畅却又显随意。他倾向于用更当代的材料像是荧光色去创作，以此来强调和针对我们这个时代的特殊性。

Hiro is now working on a series of portraits of a hundred different faces for a gallery show later in the year. Often, he takes photos on film to use as reference material – or he simply sits and observes people on public transportation, in an attempt to grasp the stranger’s personality and impression to turn into a quick sketch. He later expands on these sketches with watercolor, markers, white-out, paint, and layers of paper. Hiro says his work isn’t particularly rooted in any one culture – it’s neither Eastern or Western, but his spatial sense may be influenced by his Japanese roots.

Hiro正在为他年后的一个画廊展出准备，这个展包含一系列百人脸肖像。他经常从电影画面中截取拍摄作为参考材料，又或者随意地观察乘坐公共交通的陌生人来获取他们的特质，然后转化成素描。他之后把这些速写用水彩马克笔，涂改液，颜料和多层纸来填色拓充。Hiro说他的作品并不是扎根于某一个特定的文化－－非东方或西方，但是他的空间感也许是受到了他日本文化背景的影响。

Looking through his diverse portfolio of artwork, skulls seem to make recurring appearances. “The skull is more like a self-portrait,” he explains. “Because you are always judged everywhere you go, the skull is really what you are.”

浏览他多元的艺术作品集时，骷髅似乎总是循复出现。“骷髅更像是自画像，因为哪里都会以貌取人，而骷髅才是真正的你“，他解释道。

Drawing is a constant, says Hiro, and he draws whenever he can; whether it’s done on a small or large scale is irrelevant to him. Moving from building-sized murals to book-sized sketches, the emotive quality of his lines seamlessly carries his ideas and thoughts through the different mediums he employs.

Hiro说绘画是一个常态，他到哪里都会创作各种规模的作品，不管是大还是小。从大型建筑的壁画到书本大小的素描，他用不一样的创作媒介和充满情感的线条来承载他的主意和想法。

Besides the types of creations in his current portfolio of work, public sculptures and films are also mediums he intends to explore in the near future. Hiro says, “Street art is only one part of what I do. I don’t even think of myself as a street artist. You might as well just call me an artist.”

除了他已经在创作的媒介种类，Hiro对公共雕塑和电影也很感兴趣。他说“我不只创作街头艺术，也从来不把自己看成街头艺术家，叫我艺术家就好。”

Tumblr: ~/TWOONE
Facebook: ~/TWOONE
Instagram: @t_w_o_o_n_e

 

Contributor, Videographer & Photographer: Jia Li

Tumblr: ~/TWOONE
Facebook: ~/TWOONE
Instagram: @t_w_o_o_n_e

 

寄稿者、カメラマン&ビデオ撮影: Jia Li

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The World of ARDNEKS

April 29, 2016 2016年4月29日

 

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ARDNEKS is the pseudonym of Kendra Ahimsa, a Jakarta-based artist whose psychedelic visual style recreates a curious world of bright bold colors, pop culture, intergalactic deities, and dreamy tropicália. Originally a designer by training, Kendra likes to mix his love of typography, musical subcultures, and Japanese comics with some subtle spiritual themes and the lush colors of tropical Indonesia.

ARDNEKS dalah nama samaran dari Kendra Ahimsa, artis yang berbasis di Jakarta yang gaya psychedelic merayakan dunia yang aneh tentang warna-warna cerah, budaya pop, dewa intergalaksi, dan tropicalia impian. Seorang desainer dengan pelatihan, Kendra mencampur cintanya akan tipografi, subkultur musik, dan komik Jepang dengan warna panas dan spiritualitas berdasarkan Indonesia yang tropis.

Kendra’s studio overlooks a quiet, suburban neighborhood in the sprawling city of Jakarta, where traffic and daily life have been known to be notoriously dangerous. He confesses that he can sometimes just hole up in his studio, put on some music, and draw all day, going wherever the music takes him. This kind of concentration and level of obsessive focus is what has allowed him to spend years painstakingly perfecting his color palette. Using a rare type of colored pencil, which he has been collecting, Kendra colors his images with a particular and highly specific shade of red. The methodic use of color is a distinctive hallmark of his work.

Studio Kendra menghadap lingkungan yang tenang, di pinggiran kota luas Jakarta, di mana lalu lintas dan kehidupan sehari-hari bisa terkenal mengancam. Sebagai seorang seniman, dia bisa mendekam di studio, memasang musik, dan menggambar sepanjang hari, di mana pun musik membawanya. Konsentrasi dan fokus obsesif semacam ini adalah apa yang memungkinkan dia susah payah menghabiskan bertahun-tahun menyempurnakan palet warna nya. Dia menggunakan warna merah tertentu yang berasal dari warna pensil langka yang ia kumpulkan. Sepanjang karya ini, penggunaan warna Kendra jelas merupakan ciri khas.

Music is a prominent aspect of Kendra’s life, and not only is he an accomplished artist, he spearheads one of Jakarta’s most vibrant communities where musicians and visual artists collaborate and perform together. STUDIORAMA sessions is a monthly event that brings audiovisual artists together in freeform sessions, and showcases some of the most promising and unknown acts in Indonesia today. The sense of community, strong turnout, and camaraderie has been an integral part of his work, Kendra says. Although many local artists might end up choosing to move away, the quality work of his fellow artists that remain in Jakarta is one of his main source of inspiration, and also what keeps him motivated to continue working in the city.

Sifat musik mencolok dalam kehidupan Kendra, dan tidak hanya dia seorang seniman ulung, dia ujung tombak salah satu komunitas paling bersemangat Jakarta di mana musisi dan seniman visual yang berkolaborasi dan tampil bersama. Sesi STUDIORAMA dalah acara bulanan yang membawa artis audiovisual bersama dalam sesi bentuk yang unik yang menampilkan beberapa tindakan yang paling menjanjikan dan tidak dikenal di Indonesia saat ini. Rasa komunitas, jumlah pemilih yang kuat, dan kekerabatan merupakan bagian integral dari pekerjaannya, kata Kendra. Banyak yang memilih untuk pergi atau ke luar negeri, tetapi inspirasi dan kualitas tinggi dari sesama seniman di Jakarta merupakan bagian utuh yang membuat dia bekerja di sana.

Under the ARDNEKS moniker, Kendra produces album artwork, band posters, film posters, t-shirts, and digital art for himself and likeminded collaborators. As a self-professed connoisseur of all things trivial, Kendra’s artwork is loaded with minute details. Iconic rock musicians, Japanese typography, Martian landscapes, religious figures, flora and fauna all come together in a fantastical balancing act of organic, handdrawn pop clutter and precise, almost geometric design.

Sebagai ARDNEKS, Kendra menghasilkan karya seni album, poster band, poster film, kaos, dan seni digital untuk dirinya sendiri dan kolaborator pemikiran serupa. Sebagai seorang ahli diri mengaku dari semua hal-hal sepele, karya seni Kendra adalah sarat dengan rincian kecil. Ikon musik, karakter Jepang, tanah Mars, flora, fauna dan tokoh agama dicampur bersama-sama dalam satu keseimbangan fantastis antara kekacauan pop organik dan tepat, desain geometris.

Website: ardneks.com
Facebook: ~/ardneks
Instagram: @ardneks
Soundcloud: ~/ardneks

Website: ardneks.com
Facebook: ~/ardneks 
Instagram: @ardneks
Soundcloud: ~/ardneks

Contributor, Videographer & Photographer: Jia Li
Additional Images Courtesy of ARDNEKS

Kontributor, Videographer & Fotografer: Jia Li
Gambar Tambahan Courtesy of ARDNEKS

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The Water Splashing Festival

April 27, 2016 2016年4月27日

Far southwest in China’s Yunnan province lies the city of Jinghong, the capital of the Xishuangbanna autonomous prefecture. Bordering Myanmar and Laos, the area is known for its Dai ethnic culture, Buddhist temples, and tropical climate. Every year, the city celebrates Dai New Year according to the Dai calendar. Usually, it takes place in April as a three-day celebration that brings thousands of people to Jinghong to take part in the riotous festivities.

西双版纳自治州首府景洪市位于中国西南边陲云南省。该区毗邻缅甸和老挝，以独特傣族文化、佛教寺庙风情以及热带气候景观闻名于世。景洪市每年都会以泰历时间为标准，通常是四月间的某三天，举行仪式庆祝傣族新年。成千上万的人慕名前来景洪市，参加这场狂欢庆祝活动。

The Water Splashing Festival happens during the hottest days of the year in the region, making it a perfect time to douse strangers and friends with buckets of water. The celebration also happens further downstream the Mekong river in Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar. In Yunnan, the festival is carnival-like, bringing dragon boats, lanterns, barbecue stalls, and tourists to the banks of the river.

每年的泼水节也是这里最炎热之际。沿着湄公河流域，包括其流经的老挝、泰国、越南和缅甸，人们都为之热情庆贺。在云南，这场嘉年华般的节日盛会上，龙舟游划，灯笼高挂，露天美食摊位应有尽有，两岸游人比肩接踵。

As with Thais, Laotians, and the Shan in Myanmar, the Dai people also practice Buddhism. High-ranking monks perform water rituals such as blessings in the temples and bathing Buddha with holy water. On the last day of the festival, monks bless the water from the Mekong river and bring it from the river banks to the city’s biggest public square, where thousands of people eagerly await the cue to start splashing.

与泰国人、老挝人和缅甸掸族人一样，傣族人信奉佛教。节庆上，位份高的僧侣会进行各种与水相关的仪式，比如寺庙祈福或以圣水“浴佛”。在节日最后一天，僧侣们在湄公河取水为之祈福，并带到市中最大的公共广场上，成千上万的人聚集于此，等待着泼水节的开始。

Traditionally, water splashing symbolizes good fortune, and getting splashed-on is meant to bring good luck. For one day, the main square in Jinghong transforms into possibly the biggest water fight in the world, with records of up to 100,000 people attending. The participants are armed with buckets, squirt guns, hoses, and water balloons. Even the local police and security personnels are fair game for a splashing during the festival.

在传说中，泼水是好运的象征，被水泼到更是代表了好运连连。在这一天，景洪市的主要广场已然变成了可能是全球最大的打水仗阵地。据数据统计，约有十万人到场参与其中。泼水节上，人们各拿装备：有的用桶，有的用喷水枪，有的用水管，还有的用水气球，见人就泼，即使是当地警察和维纪部队也不免俗。

Water is regarded by the Dai as a symbol of religious purification and goodwill. Washing away the year’s past dirt and sorrows, it helps to bring in prosperity and luck. In Yunnan, it’s a mark of the distinctive culture of the Dai minority in the region. Whether you’re old or young, male or female, tourist or local – all inhibitions can be tossed aside for a day of water-soaked debauchery.

在傣族文化中，水被视为一种宗教净化和善意的象征。水能洗过去一年的尘土和悲伤，有望带来富足和幸运。这是独属于云南傣族文化的人文风情。这一天，无论性别，不分老少，不管地域，所有禁忌都通通抛诸脑后，尽兴玩一场泼水节！

Website: yunnanexplorer.com

 

Contributor & Photographer: Jia Li

网站: yunnanexplorer.com

 

供稿人与摄影师: Jia Li

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WILD$TYLE & YoungQueenz

April 26, 2016 2016年4月26日

Meet WILD$TYLE, an independent label that has aspirations of becoming the main defining force of the hip-hop scene in Hong Kong. Their name comes from the 1983 American movie Wild Style, which is one of the most influential hip-hop films of all time. First established in 2011, WILD$TYLE has held the same unwavering mindset of creating the “purest and dopest hip-hop” to this very day. Since then, they have collaborated across the globe, working with talented artists in Japan, Taiwan, and even France.

WILD$TYLE，中文亦為撒野作風，是個獨立音樂廠牌，擁有著定義香港嘻哈界的遠大抱負。他們的名字來自1983年美國電影《Wild Style》，一部有史以來最有影響力的街舞電影之一。 WILD$TYLE作為一個嘻哈團體，最初成立於2011年，一直堅守著製作“最純最酷嘻哈”的堅定心態至今。從建立之日起，他們已和來自全球各地的卓越藝術家們合作過，包括日本、台灣，甚至法國。

Listen to select tracks from YoungQueenz’s last album THE TUESDAY  below.

YoungQueenz – DEEP ft. Matt-Force
YoungQueenz – What a Life ft. GrymeMan
YoungQueenz – THE TUESDAY

以下曲目来自YoungQueenz的过往专辑《異常火曜日》，欢迎试听。

YoungQueenz – DEEP ft. Matt-Force
YoungQueenz – What a Life ft. GrymeMan
YoungQueenz – 異常火曜日

WILD$TYLE is different from the typical hip-hop crew, where members often adapt a similar style and rap around related themes. “We’re not a crew – every artist has their own style. We try to promote every one of them individually.” WILD$TYLE’s roster consists of numerous producers and rappers, and each artist taps into their own stylistic niche. The core rappers are: MicLi, who’s known for his weed-fueled rap; Matt-Force, who has a mellow boom bap style; Triple G, known for his hipster rap; and Grymeman, who both produces and raps in his signature 90s style. And then of course, there’s YoungQueenz – the man behind it all.

典型的嘻哈crew中，通常成員間會形成相似風格和相關主題的說唱。 WILD$TYLE則與此不同。 “我們不是一個crew，每個人都有著有自己的風格。推出這些藝術家的時候都是以獨立個體的形式運行。”WILD$TYLE有著各種製作人和說唱歌手，每個都有自己的風格定位。核心說唱歌手有：MicLi，葉子主題說唱；Triple G，hipster說唱；Matt-Force，溫柔爆發的BAP風；Grymeman，90年代風格的製作和說唱；當然，還有YoungQueenz——這一切幕後的男人。

Rapper extraordinaire YoungQueenz is the founder, creative director, and overall mastermind behind WILD$TYLE. Inspired by the lyricism and energy of local rap legend LMF, he started to pen his own lyrics as a teenager. He admits that ever since he started rapping, he felt that this was going to be his life’s destined path. YoungQueenz is able to find artistic inspiration in many things, like the city vibes of Hong Kong, the violence of Takeshi Kitano’s films, and his mentality of having a “huge ego but with super low self-esteem”. Bringing together all of his influences and inspirations, he recently released “Kiko Mizuhara”, the first single off of his upcoming Otaku Mobb mixtape.

創始人兼出色說唱歌手的YoungQueenz，是WILD$TYLE背後的創意總監和總策劃。受當地說唱傳奇LMF的抒情和精神啟發，他十幾歲時便開始書寫自己的歌詞。他坦言，自從開始rap，他就一直覺得這一切是天生注定。香港都市的氛圍、北野武電影的暴力、自卑背後的自負，YoungQueenz似乎能夠從一切事物中找到一種美感。融合了接受的所有影響和啟發，他最近發布了“水原希子”——即將到來的《禦宅MOBB》混音專輯中的第一彈。

 

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This latest YoungQueenz track is a bizarre combination of different things, like drugs, anime, video games, and anti-social tendencies, that he manages to make work. The music video switches locations from the neon-lit streets of Hong Kong, to an old school arcade with flickering screens, to fluorescent-lit hallways lined with anime posters. YoungQueenz delivers a frenzied visceral flow of words, in a smooth mix of Cantonese and English, over a trap beat crafted by Floyd Cheung, a producer and also one of the original members of WILD$TYLE. YoungQueenz’s lyrics sometimes mention drugs like DMT and PCP – and other times, he mentions his otaku-related interests, by name-dropping anime protagonists and Japanese video games. “This world is evil, you know – but for me, otaku love is pure and real.” YoungQueenz cohesively glues these unlikely themes together with a chorus that echoes his endless infatuation with famous Japanese model Kiko Mizuhara.

YoungQueenz的最新曲目，由藥物、動漫、電動遊戲和反社會傾向構成，成就一個奇異卻又奏效的混合體。香港霓虹燈閃閃的街道間、屏幕忽閃的老派電玩遊樂場，以及貼滿動漫海報、熒光燈爍爍的走廊，這首曲子的MV就是拍攝於這些場景之間。伴著WILD$TYLE製作人和原始成員之一Floyd Cheung創作的trap節拍，YoungQueenz以粵語和英語帶來了發自肺腑的狂亂爆發。他的歌詞在各種題材間切換——有從不同的藥物，如DMT和PCP; 而他的御宅相關愛好，也通過在作品裡甩出動漫主角和日本電動遊戲的名字等以融合進去。 “世界很邪惡，但宅男的愛情純粹又真實。”YoungQueenz設法把這些看似不可思議的主題膠合在一起，副歌裡迴盪著他對日本著名模特水原希子無盡的迷戀。

YoungQueenz is still keeping an eye out for new producers to work with. “I need more beats. I feel like I am trapped and can’t maximize my vision, concept and ability because of this,” he said. “I don’t want to rap over non-exclusive beats. It’s personal. I need originality, and to work with a producer who’s feeling my mind so I can make better music and show my big picture to the audience.” Besides the upcoming Otaku Mobb mixtape, he also hinted at another album and a couple more trap EPs coming in the near future.

YoungQueenz仍期許和更多的製作人合作。 “我需要更多的beats。現在的我覺得像被困住，我的視像、理念、能力也因此不能最大化，”他說， “我不想用非專屬的beats來說唱。這是很個人的，我需要獨創性，需要一個可以理解我想法的製作人合作，這樣我可以做出更好的音樂，給觀眾展示我的宏圖。”除了即將推出的《禦宅MOBB》混音專輯，他也暗示了在不久的將來，還有另一張專輯，以及一些Trap EP。

Bandcamp: ~/WildstyleRecords
YouTube: ~/WildstyleRec
Facebook: ~/WildstyleRecords
Instagram: ~/WildstyleRecords
Weibo: 撒野作風WILDSTYLE_RECORDS

 

Contributor: Banny Wang
Photographer: Jia Li

Bandcamp: ~/WildstyleRecords
YouTube: ~/WildstyleRec
臉書: ~/WildstyleRecords
Instagram: ~/WildstyleRecords
微博: 撒野作風WILDSTYLE_RECORDS

 

供稿人: Banny Wang
摄影师: Jia Li

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The Balletcats

April 25, 2016 2016年4月25日

 

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The Balletcats is masterminded by Jordan Marzuki and Fatriana Zukhra, a Jakarta-based couple of self-proclaimed “felinists” – whose whimsical, absurd collection of products celebrates cat lovers and pop culture. The couple met in college and started experimenting with creating “irrational fashion.” Unexpectedly popular, they continued refining The Balletcats brand, making it more focused and broadly appealing. With their peculiar mix of humor and craft, The Balletcats make an ever-evolving line of deranged, fantastic products. We spoke to Jordan recently to learn more about his brand.

The Balletcats是由Jordan Marzuki 和Fatriana Zukhra一手策划而来。这对夫妇来自雅加达并自称“喵权主义者”，他们用古怪荒诞的的收藏品去颂扬爱猫人和波普文化。二人相识于大学，并就此开始“非理性时尚”的实验创作。结果出乎意料的大获好评，他们继续完善The Balletcats这个品牌，使之更加有针对性并有更广泛的吸引力。带着他们的幽默和手工技巧的特异结合，The Balletcats不断演变成为一个疯狂且惊艳的产品系列。我们最近与Jordan进行了对话，以进一步了解他的品牌。

Neocha: Could you tell us a little bit about your background and who you are? How did you come to start a fashion brand? Did you study or do anything related prior?

Jordan: I’m a graphic designer, and I graduated from The Basel School of Design with a major in typography and visual communication, so it’s still relevant. It all started when I was starting to feel irritated with my work. That was when I started experimenting with Fatriana Zukhra, the co-founder of The Balletcats. We were creating clothes with “irrational illustration” that I was already drawing in my free time. We tried to sell them and it received unexpectedly good responses – that’s when we decided to take this seriously.

Neocha: 可以先说说你是谁，你的背景是什么吗？你是怎么想要建立一个时尚品牌的？你先前有学过或者做过相关的东西吗？
Jordan: 我是一个平面设计师，毕业于巴塞尔设计学校的字体设计和视觉传达专业，因此它们之间还是有些联系的。这一切源于我对自己的工作开始产生了一种厌恶感。那时，我与The Balletcats的联合创始人Fatriana Zukhra玩起实验创作。我们使用我在空闲时间里完成的插画，创作了一组“非理性插画”的服装。我们尝试着售卖这些衣服，结果出乎意料的大受好评，那时开始我们决定认真地去做这个事。

Neocha: Where does the name The Balletcats come from? What inspired creating a brand for “felinists”?

Jordan: I’ve loved cats since my childhood. I think that they’re cool and mysterious creatures. If cats were humans, they would probably be the most confusing people you’d ever meet. Besides that, they have very beautiful features and shapes that could be represented in unlimited possibilities. That was mainly the reason that we wanted to stick to the theme of felines. I chose The Balletcats as the project name – it’s not from the Spandau Ballet, but came from my cat that had this unusual ballet pose whenever he was asleep.

Neocha: The Balletcats这个品牌的名字来源？启发你们为“喵权主义者”们创立一个品牌的是什么？
Jordan: 我从小就非常喜欢猫。我认为它是一种又酷又神秘的生物。如果猫是人类，它们可能会是你遇到过的最难以捉摸的人。除此之外，它们拥有非常漂亮的外型，有着可以无限发扬光大的可能性。这就是我们坚持以猫科动物为主题的原因。我为这个项目所选的名字，The Balletcats，并非自于Spandau Ballet这个乐队，而是来自我的猫，因为它在睡觉的时候总会摆出各种奇特的芭蕾造型。

Neocha: What are some of your obsessions, influences, or recurring themes?

Jordan: My inspirations come from my unearthly imagination. It’s really hard to specify what it is, but I think the biggest part of my work is influenced by my childhood. I remember one time when I was about eight years old, and I was participating in a junior drawing competition. Most of the kids there were only drawing pictures of the beach, mountains, or other kinds of beautiful things – I drew a gruesome scene of war. I can’t really explain what happened to my brain that time, but it feels like this unexplainable mentality shift seems to still happen to me to this very day.

Neocha: 你痴迷的东西，你的灵感和反复出现的主题分别是什么？
Jordan: 我的灵感来源于我奇怪的想象力。虽然这真的很难去具体地去说，但是我想我作品有很大一部分是受我童年的影响。我记得有一次，大概是8岁时，我参加了一个少年绘画比赛。大部分的孩子只会画一些沙滩、山或者其他各种美好的东西，我却画了一副恐怖的战争场景。我真的很难说清楚当时是怎么想的，但是今时今日，我仍然有着这种难以解释的心态。

Neocha: What has been the reception like so far? Where does your label sit within the world, or within the Indonesian arts and fashion community?

Jordan: It feels funny when people have already accepted your work. I mean, now they just accept whatever I do. For example, my work contains high levels of satirical content, which are deliberately used to provoke people. But, it seems like my audience will never get offended – instead they see my work as a normal, politically correct piece. I also try not to mention fashion on my label, because I’m not a fashion designer and I don’t want to limit my audience based on that.

Neocha: 你们的品牌得到的反响如何？在世界上，或者在印度尼西亚艺术和时尚圈中，你们的品牌定位在哪里？
Jordan: 当人们已经接受了你的作品，这种感觉有点意思。我是说，现在不管我做什么，他们都能接受。举个例子，比如我的作品里包含了大量的讽刺性内容，这些内容是有意用来刺激人们的。但是，似乎我的受众从来不会觉得被冒犯，反而会觉得我的作品是正常的、政治正确的。在自己的品牌中，我也试着不去提及时尚，因为我不是一个服装设计师，并且我不想将我的受众限制在某个范围。

Neocha: The Balletcats seems more than just about a line of products. What are some of the things you create, and what are some areas you’d like to explore in the future?

Jordan: Exactly. The Balletcats was the medium I used to fulfill my illustration wonderland. But right now, I’m focusing on the graphic design side – which is mostly related to works I want to publish. I’m about to release my experimental children’s book, which will premiere at the 2016 Singapore Art Book Fair – it’s called Into the Unknown, and I plan on creating a newspaper in the future.

Neocha: The Balletcats似乎并不仅限于一个产品系列。你的创作都有哪些，未来还希望探索那些领域的东西呢？
Jordan: 的确如此。The Balletcats过去不过是我用来承载自己插画的一种载体。但是此刻，我正在专注于平面设计方面，这也是和我想要出版的东西最为相关的。我将要发行自己的实验儿童绘本《Into the Unknown》，它将会参加2016年新加坡艺术书展，我也计划未来做一份报纸。

Website: theballetcats.com
Facebook: ~/theballetcatspage
Instagram: @theballetcats

 

Contributor: Jia Li

网站: theballetcats.com
脸书: ~/theballetcatspage
Instagram: @theballetcats

 

供稿人: Jia Li

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The Reincarnation of Wang Lili

April 20, 2016 2016年4月20日

 

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When Shanghai Fashion Week rolls around every year, one of the most eye-catching characters in front of the scrum is Wang Lili, a freelance street fashion photographer with an unlikely past. Born to a poor farming family in the Henan countryside, Wang had little opportunity to interact with the fashion world.

每年的上海时装周，在熙熙攘攘、争奇斗艳的人群之中，最惹人瞩目的人物之一便是王丽丽，一位街头时尚摄影师。她有着看似不可能的过去。生于河南省乡下的贫苦农民家庭，她过去几乎没有与时尚世界接触的机会。

As a young woman, Wang moved from Henan to Shenzhen to work in factories like many other young migrants. She started at the bottom, working shifts as a security guard or operating sewing machines, working 12 hours per day almost every day of the month without breaks.

作为一名年轻女性，王丽丽从河南前往深圳工作，就像许多其他年轻外来务工者一样。她从最底层做起，当过轮班的保安人员，操作过缝纫机，每天工作12个小时，一整月几乎每天如此，不见停歇。

Any spare time she had, Wang devoted to writing novels about migrant worker life for the young factory women around her. She published many of these online and gained some recognition as a migrant novelist. Restless and tired of this label, she moved to Shanghai to explore new paths.

王丽丽的所有闲暇时间，都被她用于为身边年轻女厂工创作有关民工生活的小说。她把这些小说中的许多作品发表在网络上，并以农民工小说家渐为人所知。不满于这个标签，她搬至了上海，探索新的发展之路。

Photography was an accidental discovery. Wang says, “I have never had any arts education. I think artists aren’t educated – they are born that way. I didn’t know how to use cameras before. After going to a lot of events, friends would ask me to take pictures of them with their cameras. I didn’t really know how to use a camera before that. They would set it up for me and I would press the button. That was how I started learning.”

摄影这事纯属偶然。 王丽丽说: “我从未接受过任何艺术教育，我认为艺术家不是教育出来的，他们生来如此。我之前并不知道怎样使用照相机。在参加许多活动之后，朋友们会让我用他们的照相机为他们拍照。在那之前，我还不知道怎样使用照相机。他们会为我设置好，然后我再按快门。我就是这样开始学习摄影的。”

Wang constantly browses online street photography blogs like The Sartorialist and Tommy Ton, taking cues and studying from them. Style is intuitive, she says, not everyone can pull it off. “My own style is my nature. I’m a writer, so my origins are different. I believe in yin and yang, so I dress according to that. I think a lot of what I wear is not clothing, it’s art.”

王丽丽不断地浏览诸如The Sartorialist和Tommy Ton这样的街头摄影博客，从中学习并获得启发。风格是凭直觉获得的，她说，不是每个人都能自如掌控和驾驭的。 “我自己的风格就是我的天性。我是一个作家，因此我的来源是不同的。我相信阴阳，也依此穿衣。我想我穿的很多东西，它并不是衣服，它是艺术。”

Wang can be found at major fashion events in Shanghai, picking unconventional people out of the crowd with her very unique eye and approach. Apart from street style fashion photography, Wang also focuses on other themes such as migrant children, public laundry, intimates hung out to dry, and scenes of old Shanghai.

王丽丽穿梭于上海各个大型时尚活动中，用她极为独特的眼光和方法去捕捉人群中的非同寻常者。除了街头风格的摄影之外，她也探索着其他主题，如农民工子女、老上海、当街洗衣晾裤挂贴身衣物。

Website: wanglilinovels.com
Weibo: @wanglilinovels

 

Contributor, Videographer & Photographer: Jia Li

网站: wanglilinovels.com
微博: @wanglilinovels

 

供稿人，图片摄影师与视频摄影师：Jia Li

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Designs by Nhu Duong

April 19, 2016 2016年4月19日

Nhu Duong is a Swedish Vietnamese fashion designer whose work blends sparse minimalism with traditional Asian craftsmanship. Her style is an intriguing mix of futuristic lo-fi with primarily androgynous forms, but at the same time, feminine characteristics are subtly highlighted in all the details. The daughter of a kung fu master and a tailoress, Nhu was born in Ho Chi Minh City and later immigrated to Sweden at the age of seven. After studying fashion in Florence and Stockholm, Nhu went on to work at Acne Studios. She has debuted her work at fashion week and won numerous emerging talent awards. Neocha recently spoke to Nhu as she prepared for her new Spring/Summer 2016 collection.

Nhu Duong là một nhà thiết kế thời trang người Thụy Điển gốc Việt với phong cách kết hợp chủ nghĩa tối giản và nghệ thuật truyền thống châu Á. Phong cách của cô là một sự hài hòa say đắm giữa âm thanh của tương lai cùng những chi tiết nữ tính và lưỡng tính. Là con gái của một thầy dạy võ và cô thợ may, Nhu sinh ra ở Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh và di cư đến Thụy Điển khi mới 7 tuổi. Sau khi học thời trang ở Florence và Stockholm, Nhu đã đi làm ở Acne Studios. Cô đã ra mắt ở tuần thời trang và giành được nhiều giải thưởng cho tài năng mới nổi cho các sản phẩm của mình. Chúng tôi đã có dịp nói chuyện với Nhu khi cô chuẩn bị cho mùa Spring/Summer 2016.

Neocha: You have a unique background being Vietnamese, Swedish, the daughter of a kung fu master and a tailoress. Did all of these factors come together to form the backdrop to your work? What do you think you would be doing if you were not a fashion designer?

Nhu: When you move to a new country as a child – as I emigrated from Vietnam to Sweden, you naturally try your best to adjust to new surroundings and to a certain degree reinvent yourself. Fashion can be a very direct expression of that, taking things you know from one cultural context and putting them in another. I wanted to be a fashion designer and started playing with clothing from an early age – for me, it was a form of role playing. I think that both the performative and the bodily aspect of my dad has been an influence to me, as well as the craft and improvised approach of making clothes that my mother goes with. If I didn’t choose this path, maybe I would have become an actress.

Neocha: Chị có một nền tảng khá độc đáo là người Việt, đồng thời cũng là người Thụy Điển, con của một thầy dạy võ và một cô thợ máy… liệu tất cả những yếu tố này có kết hợp với nhau để tạo nên nền tảng cho những tác phẩm của chị hay không? Chị sẽ làm gì nếu không phải là một nhà thiết kế thời trang?

Nhu: Nếu bạn từng di cư đến một đất nước mới khi còn là một đứa trẻ – như tôi đã di cư từ Việt Nam đến Thụy Điển – hiển nhiên bạn sẽ luôn cố gắng để thích ứng với môi trường mới và đến một chừng mực nào đó, sáng tạo nên một con người mới của bạn. Thời trang có thể là một sự diễn đạt rõ ràng nhất về điều này, đưa những thứ mà bạn có thể biết từ một ngữ cảnh văn hóa và đặt nó vào một không gian khác. Tôi đã luôn muốn được làm một nhà thiết kế thời trang và thích chơi với quần áo từ sớm, bởi đối với tôi nó là một dạng của trò chơi đóng vai. Tôi nghĩ rằng cả hai khía cạnh biểu hiện và cơ thể của Bố, cũng như nghệ thuật và những cách may quần áo sáng tạo của Mẹ đã có ảnh hưởng đến phong cách của tôi. Nếu tôi không chọn con đường này, có thể tôi đã trở thành một diễn viên.

Neocha: What are your influences in fashion? How should one feel when wearing your clothes?

Nhu: On the one hand, I often directly experiment with clothes and materials on myself. In this regard, styling becomes an important part of my process. The ability to change garments by mixing and matching them is intriguing. On the other hand, I get a lot of inspiration from my friends around me – especially the ones who do not work directly in fashion, such as artists and musicians. I like to look at how other people actually wear my clothes and integrate them into their own wardrobe. I am interested exactly in this transformative power of fashion.

Neocha: Ai là người đã có ảnh hưởng đến chị trong lĩnh vực thời trang? Một người sẽ có cảm giác thế nào khi mặc quần áo của chị?

Nhu: Một mặt, tôi thường tự mình thử nghiệm với quần áo và vật liệu. Xét về khía cạnh này, tạo mẫu phong cách đã trở thành một phần quan trọng trong quá trình của tôi, thay đổi trang phục theo cách phối đồ. Mặt khác, tôi nhận được rất nhiều cảm hứng từ những người bạn quanh mình, đặc biệt là những người không làm việc trực tiếp trong ngành thời trang như các nghệ sĩ và nhạc sĩ. Tôi thích nhìn ngắm cách mà mọi người mặc quần áo của tôi và tích hợp chúng vào tủ quần áo của họ. Nói một cách chính xác, tôi rất quan tâm đến sức mạnh chuyển hóa này của thời trang.

Neocha: Are there any new directions you are exploring, or what are some of your current obsessions? What do you look at or immerse yourself in for inspiration?

Nhu: The most fascinating thing about fashion is that it is positioned at the crosspoint of many cultural fields – ranging from art and music to architecture and business. I think this is where the aspect of collaboration becomes important in my work, it allows me to open up my process and question the limits of fashion. It’s rather fascinating to see how context can change the perception of your work. In my opinion, the principle of collaboration challenges or rather extends traditional notions of the fashion designer.

Neocha: Liệu chị có đang khám phá hoặc ám ảnh với một chiều hướng mới nào không? Chị thường xem hay đắm chìm vào một thứ gì để tìm cảm hứng?

Nhu: Một điểm thú vị của thời trang, là nó được đặt tại giao điểm của rất nhiều lĩnh vực văn hóa, từ nghệ thuật và âm nhạc đến kiến trúc và kinh doanh. Tôi cho rằng đây chính là điểm mà khía cạnh hợp tác trở nên quan trọng trong công việc của mình, cho phép tôi nhìn bao quát được quy trình của mình và đặt câu hỏi về giới hạn của thời trang. Việc chứng kiến cách mà ngữ cảnh có thể thay đổi nhận thức về công việc của bạn thật sự rất thú vị. Theo quan điểm của tôi, nguyên tắc hợp tác sẽ thách thức, hoặc chính xác hơn là mở rộng các quan niệm truyền thống của một nhà thiết kế thời trang.

Neocha: In this era of fast fashion, cult brands, and information at one’s fingertips via the internet, what are the challenges of being a fashion designer today? Who do you look up to?

Nhu: The internet has made fashion much more accessible. Now everybody can check fashion shows online and look through archives of imagery, which creates a heightened awareness about the history of fashion. At the same time, it was never this easy to reach a global audience and this has allowed me to experiment with different methods of producing, presenting and distributing fashion. I’m hoping to develop a sustainable model to produce fashion that’s beyond seasons and in my own pace. On one hand, I respect Rei Kawakubo for her creative approach towards branding; on the other hand, I admire Azzedine Alaïa for his timeless dedication to craft beyond season.

Neocha: Trong kỷ nguyên Internet, thời trang ăn liền và các thương hiệu được tôn thờ, các thách thức mà một nhà thiết kế thời trang phải đối mặt ngày nay là gì? Chị có thầy cô giáo hay ai đó hỗ trợ phát triển sản phẩm của mình không?

Nhu: Internet đã giúp thời trang trở nên dễ tiếp cận hơn bao giờ hết. Giờ đây, tất cả mọi người đều có thể xem các buổi trình diễn thời trang trực tuyến và tra cứu hồ sơ hình ảnh, tạo nên một cảm nhận cao hơn về lịch sử của thời trang. Cùng lúc đó, việc tiếp cận khán giả trên toàn cầu chưa bao giờ lại dễ dàng đến thế này và nó đã cho phép tôi thử nghiệm với các phương thức sản xuất, trình bày và phân phối thời trang khác nhau, hi vọng sẽ phát triển được một mô hình bền vững để sản xuất thời trang, vượt qua giới hạn các mùa và theo nhịp độ riêng của tôi. Mặt khác, tôi tôn trọng những người như Rei Kawakubo vì phương pháp tiếp cận sáng tạo của bà đối với thương hiệu; tôi cũng rất ngưỡng mộ những người như Azzedine Alaïa vì sự tận tụy không ngừng nghỉ của ông đối với nghệ thuật vượt quá giới hạn của mùa

Neocha: What has your experience as an Asian female designer in the fashion world been like? What advice would you give to young designers fresh out of school today?

Nhu: My background influences me personally. You may even recognize different cultural influences in my work. However, this is not really something I really think about or try to thematize. I think it is more important to reinvent yourself, to break away from classical stereotypes of gender and race as my own points of reference are actually way more complex and fragmented. I think one should question one’s own motives for creating fashion in the first place, and in doing so, foster a critical dialogue on the role of fashion and its history.

Neocha: Trải nghiệm của chị với tư cách là một nữ thiết kế gốc châu Á trong thế giới thời trang? Chị có lời khuyên nào cho các nhà thiết kế trẻ mới tốt nghiệp ngày nay?

Nhu: Nguồn gốc của tôi đã có ảnh hưởng cá nhân đến phong cách của tôi. Bạn thậm chí còn có thể nhận thấy các ảnh hưởng văn hóa khác trong những tác phẩm của tôi, tuy nhiên đây không phải là một điều gì đó mà tôi thật sự nghĩ đến, hay cố gắng chủ đề hóa. Tôi nghĩ việc quan trọng hơn cả là hãy sáng tạo lại bản thân bạn, để thoát khỏi những quan niệm rập khuôn cổ điển về giới tính và chủng tộc, bởi các điểm tham chiếu của tôi luôn phức tạp và phân mảnh hơn thế rất nhiều. Tôi nghĩ rằng một người trước hết nên đặt câu hỏi đối với động lực học thời trang của chính họ, và qua đó phát triển một cuộc hội thoại thiết yếu về vai trò và lịch sử của thời trang.

Website: nhuduong.com

 

Contributor: Jia Li
Photographer: Marie Angeletti
Images Courtesy of Nhu Duong & Marie Angeletti

Trang mạng: nhuduong.com

 

Người gửi bài: Jia Li
Nhiếp ảnh gia: Marie Angeletti
Ảnh do Nhu Duong & Marie Angeletti cung cấp

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