Author: Mathias

Luminescent Neon Portraits by Hid Saib

Published by

We’ve seen some remarkable portrait photography in almost every imaginable facet, form and variation. Brazilian photographer Hid Saib however treads a truly electrifying path far from the norm, delving into the medium of neon paint for his most recent project. Fusing the mysterious with the animally, the enticing with the svelte, ‘Neon’ (2013) and follow-up series ‘Neonzinhos’ (2014) create a bold showcase of glittering aesthetics that simply left me with a gaping mouth. Ace. ‘I wanted to figure out how to translate each emotion into an almost cosmic visual—an entire world in itself. There was an immediate need to see through the smokescreen we use to shield ourselves. You could say that seeing these unseasonal shades of neon set off a trigger. Colours and expressions, two unadulterated truths, became one in my head.’ (Hid Saib) Check out these links for more of his works. Hidsaib.com Facebook instagram

Being European

Published by

With a natural thirst for the arts, reading the culture and history of Europe at universities both on the continent as well as in the UK, I’d say I had a good shot at both ‘worlds’. When I started studying in London, the melting pot of cultures and nationalities, my very first lecture – called ‘What is Europe?’ – started off with a bang. Our small group consisted of some English, Irish, Scottish and one non-native speaker from abroad. Me. Entering the room, before even taking off his jacket, our tutor fired out the first question: ‘So, who of you considers himself or herself as European?’ A chuckle here, a murmur there. But suddenly, it turned pretty quiet in our crammed study room. ‘A trivial question’, so I thought, yet everyone started to look around with questioning looks. I could feel the stares, eventually. It was me, who dared to lift his hand. The only one. After having lived in the capital for only a few weeks, that was probably the moment I realised some people …

© Sergej Vutuc

Into the Wastelands: Interview with Sergej Vutuc

Published by

Up until a friend from Hamburg told me about an exhibition called ‘As something could be…’ a few weeks ago, I had practically no clue who photographer Sergej Vutuc is. Outright intrigued and eagerly browsing the web for his portfolio, my eyes fixated on the stunningly disturbing b/w shots he brought back from his trip to Japan. Fukushima, to be more precise. So I dropped him a line if he wants to do an interview for Wildland Mag. He was instantly hooked. After a lengthy back and forth between Scotland, Germany and the US (where he’s currently residing) we eventually pulled off an exciting Q&A that gives a short glimpse into Sergej’s upbringings, the way he understands and lives photography, the DIY culture, skateboarding and his fearless journey to the wastelands around Fukushima on the hunt for crazy spots. Hello Sergej, let’s start with a small introduction. Tell us a bit about yourself and how would you describe your photographic work? Well, it’s always the hardest thing to talk about yourself. I was born in …

Acrylic Etchings by Takashi Yamamoto

Published by

‘Well, Hello Sir. I like your style.’ That was probably the initial thought resting on the tip of my tongue when I came across Takashi Yamamoto’s cool portfolio and my eyes couldn’t help but cling to his acrylic etching works. Looking closely at everyday life objects and random sights of his native surroundings, the printmaker and illustrator from Saitama, Japan combines a dainty yet sharp technique with ambient shading and colouration.

The Cloud

Published by

Thunder and Lightning. In a room. Yeah right! ‘The Cloud is an interactive lamp and speaker system, designed to mimic a thundercloud in both appearance and entertainment. Using motion sensors the cloud detects a user’s presence and creates a unique lightning and thunder show dictated by their movement. The system features a powerful speaker system from which the user can stream music via any Bluetooth compatible device. Using color-changing lights the cloud is able to adapt to the desired lighting color and brightness. The cloud also has alternative modes such as a nightlight and music reactive mode.’ That’s how experimental product, lighting and furniture designer Richard Clarkson describes his fluffy creation. Pretty damn clever, if you ask me. Richardclarkson.com Facebook twitter

© Sam Baxter

A natural connection: Interview with Sam Baxter

Published by

Everyone responds differently to art. There is art we instantly feel comfortable with, art that just doesn’t appeal to us, art that inspires our fantasy and then there is art that has that little something, which makes us look more closely. That’s how I felt with Sam Baxter’s organic plant sculptures. The Dundee-based fine art graduate – who has honed her skills at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design – sees the world around her from a refreshingly different perspective and re-discovers the beauty of the outdoors with children’s eyes. As I was curious to find out more about Sam and her work, I decided to give her a heads up and shoot over a few questions about the life as a young artist, the scene up north and her natural connection with Mother Earth. Here we go! Hello Sam. For those unfamiliar with your work, please tell us a bit about yourself? I’m a Dundee based artist primarily working with plants, producing sculpture and photography. The work is inspired from plant design, my own …

Exhibit B: Third World Bunfight

Published by

As my descent might imply, I’ve been growing up with the slowly fading burden of a sombre history, inevitably reminded of the gruelling atrocities of our ancestors in the 1930’s and 40’s. Whether it’s through exhibitions and talks, TV programs and films or simply school education, I’d say most Germans have a good awareness of their past, the debt towards other nations and especially the Jewish survivors of the Nazi torment. We mustn’t keep quiet about the bygone era – even though my generation shouldn’t be directly associated with the collective guilt – we address it, embrace it and remember from an early age. Because we owe it to ourselves. Maybe that’s why I don’t quite understand the hostile voices that call ‘Exhibit B: Third World Bunfight’ a racist art concept that oversteps boundaries, yet demanding a boycott of the exhibition-performance-hybrid. Based on the phenomenon of the ‘Human Zoos’ of the mid-19th century, emphasizing the racial superiority of ‘civilized’ Europe over the black African population, artist and project curator Brett Bailey vividly depicts the suffering of the oppressed throughout the centuries until the …

The King’s Peace: Realism and War @ Stills Photography

Published by

Of late, the topic of war is unfortunately as present as ever. It almost feels as if there’s nothing else the media is reporting about. Whether it’s the Ukraine crisis, the Syrian Civil War, the struggle for supremacy in Iraq or the Gaza conflict. It makes us realize again and again that visual media is a powerful tool, which easily influences how we perceive a situation of conflict, threat and peace. Do we only get to see the Palestinian suffering or do we just close our eyes from the countless Hamas rocket attacks on Israel on the daily broadcast? Do we buy Israel’s repeated self-defence claims or is the grueling seizure of Gaza and its horrendous attacks on civilians an act of war crime? True or false, it is a matter of perspective. As part of this year’s Edinburgh Art Festival and the nationwide GENERATION programme, ‘The King’s Peace: Realism and War’ at Stills Photography questions the illusion of reality so easily achieved through the camera lens. Initially centered around Owen Logan’s brilliant photo-essay ‘Masquerade: Michael Jackson alive in …

Spot On: Google’s ‘Street Art Project’

Published by

Maybe you’ve already noticed, but google has officially launched their newest interactive feature a few weeks ago. The ‘Street Art project’ is proudly advertised as a digital exhibition space, library and immortalisation of urban art for future generations. Sounds like a wholehearted call, but let’s face it: Practically, Maps & Street View are (a) predestined tools to locate all the awesomeness on our big city walls and (b) longevity is unfortunately a pressing issue with street art – quite often unappreciated and removed, painted over by other artists or those who shouldn’t consider themselves as such. Well, is this the end of those countless street art blogs, which so many of us have come to appreciate? Probably not. Rather just another – more organised and quickly growing – source of inspiration for art lovers, under the watchful eye of the media giant’s ‘Cultural Institute’. And after all, there’s something both things can’t replace anyways: The real thrill of exploration and discoveries, wandering the streets of Brooklyn, Paris, East London or Downtown L.A., always on the hunt for exciting bits and …

Feature: Kareena Zerefos

Published by

Kareena is an incredible illustrator I wanted to feature for quite some time now. The Australian traveller, dog-lover and self-styled occasional artist impresses with a quirky and playful drawing style as well as her versatile use of different media and techniques – including pencil, tea, ink and graphite – and yet skilfully envelops her illustrations with a pinch of graveness, fragility and childhood nostalgia. Pretty effing great for something occasional, if you ask me. Follow Kareena’s work over here: kareenazerefos.com Facebook Instagram Twitter