All posts filed under: New

hæst © Oliver Hultqvist

Of gratitude and wonder: Oliver Hultqvist

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Wrapped under his Oh, my moniker, Oliver Hultqvist’s instagram bio reads like that of a man wearing many different hats: Creator. One hell of a lover (apparently). 35mm photographer. Producer. Poet. Quite extensive, really. For now let’s focus on his photography persona and the wordsmithery that goes alongside it. And hey, there’s plenty to unpack, really. Hello Oliver. Please tell us a little bit about yourself. My upbringing took place in a small village deep within a Swedish forest. My parents moved here to partake in a commune they had come to be a part of a few years earlier. My family had their own place, but spent a lot of time at the commune, where we shared an enormous house together with what might have been 100 people – at least that is what it felt like being a kid. The communal house being placed by a lake in the forest offered a beautiful place to explore and play growing up, and so did my actual home. Seems like a fantastic, wholesome upbringing to me. Absolutely. …

© Ben Battaglia

Through the kaleidscope: Ben Battaglia

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Sometimes I wonder about limits. The limits of exposure – not strictly photographically speaking, but rather the number of images the human eye can spot, process and assess. What are our precast or learned definition of what’s worth a second look and what isn’t? When it comes to film photography, one thing’s for sure: I have a soft spot for bright, bold, unusual compositions. And if you throw some interesting perspectives, multiple exposures and an interesting choice of film stock – I’m looking at you, Lomochrome Purple! – into the mix, we’ve got a match. Ben Battaglia‘s photos were pretty much calling out Bingo! in that respect, so it was only fair to enlist the compadre from the Southern English seaside town of Bournemouth for a little Q&A. Here we go! Let’s get the obvious one out the way: How and when did you figure out that shooting on film was for you? I was initially introduced to shooting film while studying for my photography A-level in 2009. The course focused on darkroom and we were required …

Against the current: SelfieOnFilm

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The selfie. Once considered as the artist’s go-to tool for self-presentation. Nowadays though, it’s more of an epitome of the disposable and (to some) an ailment of our digital world. Shot in every variation imaginable, played to the gallery, until somewhat happy with the result(s), selfies not only clutter our smartphone camera rolls, but rules supreme over today’s social media and photo apps. On Instagram, some 367m photos, and counting, are tagged with #selfie and there are no signs of slowing down. Infinite tries are not necessarily an option if you’re shooting film and so SelfieOnFilm features those who do it the old fashioned way and tell a story or two about the snap along the way. It is driven by what I like most about film photography: Not about the perfect shot, but about character, the little flaws, the grainy bits and distortions that make these images worthwhile and timeless.            

Laura Pannack: Separation

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Brexit’s a tough topic, a sore spot, especially if you’re experiencing it in the midst of it all, have family and friends who are or will be affected by the aftermath that nobody fully understands, least the country’s politicians. A lot, maybe too much has been said, written, lied, complained and argued about it, yet it’s an issue that’s in a way affecting everyone in Europe. And may it only tell us about the state the European project is in and how people perceive it, struggle with it, give up on it. Having lived in the UK before and after the horrendous decision as an expat myself before moving back to home soil, I know of the lingering questions that have put many relationships to the test. Shall we stay or do we have to leave? Does anyone still want us here? Should we get married to be on the safe side? In her intimate portrait series ‘Separation’, commissioned by British Journal of Photography, photographer Laura Pannack explores these feelings of uncertainty between London-based couples …

Going round & round: YamanoteYamanote

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Travelling around Japan earlier this year has got me seriously falling in love with the country’s beautiful places, people, food and culture. Give me a little nudge, a gentle reminder of Nippon life and I’m easily thrown into a nostalgia-induced state of wanderlust and itching to jump on the next flight eastward. Thus, I was more than fair game for Tokyo-based Swiss graphic designers Julien Mercier and Julien Wulff, who yanked me from my daily routine with excellent poster project YamanoteYamanote. Following the eponymous circular train line that whirls around the bustling metropolis and serves downtown hotspots Shibuya, Shinjuku or Akihabara, the duo creates two corresponding designs for each of the 29 Yamanote stations and their characteristic surroundings. Every new design, combining minimalism, hushed colours, a clever mix of Japanese kanji and Latin letters, is then presented at a one-time exhibition at a venue near each station. 素晴らしい! Keep up to date with the Yamanote Yamanote project here: yamanoteyamanote.com @instagram @facebook

Lost in the moody hues: Maya Beano

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I always have a knack for brilliant analog photography, but the level of atmosphere in Maya Beano’s moody images is off the charts. If there is ever a perfect moment, the perfect weather conditions, the perfect interplay of light and shadows, she’s right there and well knows how to use and command the elements. Whether it is playing around with haunting double exposures, long exposures, different filters of beautiful monochrome, purple, violet or turquoise colour hues or shooting on simple 35mm film format, there’s always something awe-inspiring to discover in her compositions. Of course, Maya’s skill didn’t go unnoticed over the years: Her stunning work has raised eyebrows at The Independent Photographer, has been featured in #PHOTOGRAPHY magazine, selected for a fantastic Oh Comely cover or listed as part of the If You Leave Showcases 2015 and 2016. And deservedly so. Check out more of her work here on her website and social media feed: mayabeano.com @instagram @tumblr

Spot On: Marco De Masi

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Have a browse on my blog and you’ll quickly figure out that I’m in love with clever, conceptual designs and illustrations that explore an idea with simple but beautiful ingredients. Marco De Masi is an Italian freelance graphic designer and illustrator from Lecce, whose thought-provoking and eye-catching works are right on the money. His crisp and minimalist style, his selection of rich colours and the way he plays with the viewer’s perspective is just oddly satisfying. @facebook @instagram

Wee catch up: Rumana Sayed

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I vaguely memorised Rumana Sayed’s name almost a year ago when I was flicking through the truly fantastic ‘Every Woman Super Woman’ zine with its colourful aesthetics and powerful words. Fast forward half a year later, the young graphic designer becomes the new artist-in-residence at Out of the Blueprint and pretty successfully showcases a bold and punchy body of work in her first solo exhibition ‘Don’t Be Denied’. So we have a wee bit of catching up to do! Tell me a bit about your background. How did you get into making art? My name is Rumana Sayed, I’m 21 years old and live in Edinburgh. I was born in South Africa, but been brought up in the heart of Leith for 17 years. Growing up I have always been into making and creating. I didn’t know what I wanted to do leaving High School. I got into Edinburgh college to do Visual Communication & Graphic Design, studied for 3 years and it became a part of my life ever since. Its a tool for me to creative things differently in a unique way. …

Green Day © Rolling Spoke / Gus Kovac

Peddling through life on two wheels: Rolling Spoke

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I have to admit, I’m a sucker for a city like Amsterdam. Liberal, friendly, charming, lots of flowing water, a good music scene and people treat cyclists well, see them as given parts of traffic on the streets. No wonder Gus moved there. He is a tireless observer of the city and its inhabitants on two pedals and two wheels with all its little facets. Time for a chat with the man, who runs urban bicycle lifestyle blog Rolling Spoke. Hi Gus. Hoe gaat het? Please introduce yourself. My name is Gus Kovac. I’m a Canadian from Toronto and I’ve been living in Amsterdam for just over 3 years now along with my wife, 2 month old daughter and our cat. I run a blog called the Rolling Spoke derived from the simple pleasure of riding a bike in the city.It began as a creative outlet with the intent to present an unbridled view of urban life on two wheels. I aim to bring a different spin on things by infusing my passion for street …

Paving Space

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Often times skateboarders look at public space in a way others cannot necessarily relate to. They see obstacles in the city architecture as something to explore, to interpret and to creatively push the boundaries of what’s possible once more. ‘Paving Space’, a collaboration between artist and skateboarder Raphaël Zarka, Carhartt WIP and Isle Skateboards, illustrates this curious, explorative spirit of street skateboarding beautifully. At the time, Raphaël was captivated by the works of 19th century mathematician Arthur Moritz Schoenflies and his groundbreaking three-dimensional geometric models. Seeing its sculptural potential and seemingly endless possibilities, he started reconstructing them into large-scale modules for a series of shows at Palais de Tokyo in Paris, the Institute of Contemporary Art in Singapore and Sainte-Croix Museum in Poitiers. But instead of exhibiting his geometric formations as static pieces of art, Raphaël invited a group of pro skateboarders to use the spaces as creative laboratories: By riding the wooden sculptures, exploring different assembly methods and thus informing its arrangement in the different spaces, the lines between obstacle and artwork started to blur. …