07/02/2012

Slavs And Tatars

Slavs And Tatars

Ever since I’ve been conscious of my existence I’ve felt a ‘second class’ person due to my Yugoslavian origin. Coming from the ‘east’ can make you feel poorer, less intelligent and generally less adequate, especially when you’re an immigrant in a Western European country. I wasn’t quite aware of my feelings until I found them described to perfection in a book. The strangely familiar book’s title was “Kidnapping Mountains” and it was compiled by Slavs and Tatars. While the book addresses the complex questions of the identity, languages and cultural independency of Eurasian countries, it also gave me a perfect insight into collective’s work. Slavs and Tatars defines itself as an artistic collective (their work has been in the MOMA collection for a while now) whose practice is dedicated on tracing the cultural, political and social perturbations of a particular geopolitical trait between Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia.

One of the latest recognitions, that underlines the quality of their work, that spaces between art and design, theory and critical assumption, practice and speculation, is the “Fernand Baudin prize” attributed for the book “Molla Nasreddin, a magazine that would’ve, could’ve, should’ve”. The book that was published by JRP Ringier, the corner stone of art and design publishing, and designed by Boy Vereecken, tries to re-discuss in a contemporary context the origins and reposition the importance of the early twentieth century publication for the Azeri, and generally muslim, culture in the global political and cultural asset.

I haven’t quite understood yet all the hustle about the eastern countries arisen lately but Slavs and Tatars have surely contributed for its reassessment. Hopefully this publication is only the starting point for a deeper revaluation of the depth and importance of the usually disregarded eastern culture, and it could also make me feel more proud about where I come from.

Rujana Rebernjak – Images courtesy of Slavs And Tatars and Molla Nasreddin 

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06/02/2012

Made In Italy – A Label Or A Concept?

Made In Italy – A Label Or A Concept?

When a class of Fashion Marketing & Communication students got the question of what first comes to their mind when thinking of the phrase “Made in Italy”, most of them answered quality, followed by other affirmative expressions. The following question, if a label spelling Made in Italy today brings out the same favourable words with the same level of certainty, got a more inconsistent reaction from the group. The matter is, as of today, does a label promising Made in Italy truly equal high-end quality?

It’s a fact that the Italian craftsmanship and production quality have had a rough ride during the recent years, and questions regarding what actually constitutes Made in Italy have been intensely discussed. Renowned and prestigious fashion houses, such as Gucci and Fendi, are trying to keep up with their legacy, sustaining the quality level and maintaining the reputation as true Made in Italy companies. By the end of 2010, Fendi published the book “The Whispered Directory of Craftsmanship: A Contemporary Guide to the Italian Hand Making Ability” and on Gucci.com the visitor can find a section dedicated to the subject, communicating their focal point; “Made in Italy is an integral part of the essence of Gucci and goes beyond being a mere slogan.” Part of the problem lies in the fact that many brands have moved a great deal of the production overseas, while keeping the label marking “Made in Italy”. Borders are being pushed and the difficulty lies in determine how big part of the goods have to be manufactured in Italy to earn the right for the label.


Further hitches have been found for example in the situation of Prato, the famous Italian production district. In the late 1980’s, Chinese labourers began to settle down in this little city, right outside the legendary fashion city Florence, transforming the textile centre into a fast-fashion and low-end production area. Today Prato holds more than 3000 businesses using Chinese workers to produce low-end garments, shoes and accessories. Materials are often imported from China and products are sold through mid-price and low-end retailers. The line between Made in Italy and Made in China has become very fine, and high-end manufacturers are having a hard time competing with the Chinese factories’ low prices.

In the middle of this discussion it is refreshing to discover young, small companies who still have the inspiration and boldness to start up Made in Italy businesses. These are creative young people who are taking their Italian heritage with them into the future. Organizations such as Mad in Italy and Cento per cento Italiano are actively working to protect the status of Made in Italy. The question that we find important for the future is what we want to do with this legacy. Protect it, or protect and re-launch it in a way that is adaptable to how the market is looking today. Is Made in Italy a label, or is it a concept and a way of thinking and feeling “I wear quality”?

Lisa Olsson Hjerpe – Photos courtesy of HALO Labels

 

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02/02/2012

Ocularpation: Wall Street

Ocularpation: Wall Street

Inspired as much by the comic genius Andy Kaufman as he is with the philosophies of John Cage, Zefrey Throwell is no stranger to controversy, and has become an expert at getting people to pay attention. Whether through paint, film, or performance pieces, the New York-based artist has spent his career drumming up wildly ambitious projects that deliberately try to turn heads as a means of sparking up conversation. His work has been displayed at MoMA, the Whitney, and Lincoln Center, but he prefers the street to the confines of the gallery.

In the past year he’s “painted” with the garbage-riddled pavement of New York by dressing up in a white jumpsuit and dragging his belly across Union Square; in November he organized and participated in a seven day strip poker game as a means of exploring contrasting economic models, and, in an adventurous project titled “Midtown Games,” had 100 people take part in a 250 meter run through Times Square at morning rush hour. In another, titled “Why Not Take All Of Me New York?”, Throwell lived with complete strangers in a different borough of New Year each month for an entire year. The idea was conceived as an attempt to break his commuting habits—to break free from the constraints of routine—and it worked well. For him, there is nothing more uncomfortable than contentment.

But these days he’s best known for his work in the financial sector. This August, he and 50 volunteers acted out what he calls “a Freudian nightmare” and marched down to Wall Street dressed as businessmen, vendors, street sweepers, and prostitutes, took off their clothes, and proceeded to do their “jobs” for five minutes completely naked. Three people were arrested. Onlookers, many themselves on their way to work, were both amused and baffled. The press, meanwhile, went wild, and the event was covered by major media outlets around the world. The aim of Ocularpation: Wall Street was, in his words, to “bring a sense of transparency to one of the most mysterious streets in the world…and draw attention to the absurdity of the modern economic model.” The performance brought a much-needed media focus back to the financial district, two months before the Occupy movement took over Zuccotti Park and captured the world’s attention.

I spoke with Zefrey at his Ocularpation: Wall Street exhibit, which runs through February 11th at Gasser and Grunert on 19th Street. In addition to video footage from the performance, the exhibition features paintings and generic mass-market objects (phones, coffee cups and Yankee hats, to name a few) uniformly coated in artificial gold spray paint. After Ocularpation, Zefrey will head to California for his next project, Entropy Symphony: Movement III, a 1000 car horn performance that will take place on highways throughout the Los Angeles area during rush hour on February 15th.

Make sure you won’t miss Lane Koivu’s interview of Zefrey Throwell next week.

Lane Koivu – Images courtesy of Zefrey Throwell 

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