Tag: digital

Artist Jack Brindley with curator Tim Dixon are 'Open File'. The curatorial duo present a line-up of new and established artists at the ICA in the first of a triptych of performances and screenings. The events reflect what it is to curate in an increasingly virtual age and in a time where 'digitalization and the virtualisation of space implies a crucial shift where the human scale of industry and society have disappeared, and therefore social products are no longer manipulated totally materially'. Linking the argument to the human body, evolution of human interaction, design and object function, 'Long Live the New Flesh' poses questions about the boundaries and confluence between body and technology. Benedict Drew and John Gerrard feature in the one off event that brings together emerging and established practitioners in an evening of live bodies and digital image.

Here David Burrows from collective Plastique Fantastique answers some questions on 'the new flesh' and their performance that will 'summon the Neuropatheme'...

Dazed Digital: 
Are there any references that specifically tie in?
David Burrows: Texts, YouTube films, references include the ideas of Thomas Metzinger, a philosopher who has been working with neuroscientists and who wrote the ‘Ego Tunnel’. Metzinger argues thatno one has ever been a selfand suggests that this concept and the counter-intuitive discoveries of neuroscience will be difficult for people to accept but that the technologies produced as a result of these discoveries will effect everyday life and culture. As well as this we have been thinking about Norbert Weiner and his ideas about feedback loops, Scot Bakker’s novelNeuropathand other writing, Ray Brassier’s text on noise and genre, the animated film seriesghost in the shell, the propaganda of the virtual Buddhist terrorists and various myths of the extreme past and future.

DD: 
How would you describe the current human relationship to technology?
David Burrows: The nature of these relationships can only be guessed at. The development of various technologies will be seen as an evolutionary process in the future. Evolution can be thought of as realising many potential forms or organisations. In this, both chance and contingency may be involved in evolution. Most potential forms remain virtual, only some become actual.

If someone’s phone rings or pings and you reach to check your own phone, or you sense a vibration and think you have received a text but discover none has been sent or you check your phone when you see others doing so, your body has already been prepared for the next evolutionary stage.

As well as this, in the past, the relation of technology and humans has been understood through metaphors, fiction, images and myth, all of which can have an effect of the development of different technologies and everyday life. This is true today (an example being The Cloud) and will be so in the future.

DD: How does your work address this?
David Burrows: The work is a mytheme (or mysteme) for Neuropatheme (aka subject-without-experience, fux-the-shadow, otalP-the-empty-cave). Neuropatheme processes affects as information. Neuropatheme when fully plugged in realises that Neuropatheme is a sequence of processes and connections (exactly the same as being unplugged). Neuropatheme, feeling everything and nothing, is free of having to produce meaning and experiments with producing different feedback loops.


DD: 
How has thinking, theory and practice developed to address emergent technologies?
David Burrows: In diverse ways but always in part as imaginary, fiction or myth.


DD: 
How do you think art and the art world is adapting?
David Burrows: In the 60s and 70s, artists now called conceptual artists or associated with expanded art practice or expanded cinema where seen as radical but today they might be seen as pioneers and promoters of new and relatively available technology (fax machines, video, cheap air flights, Xerox, telephones, TV monitors) which transformed the world, commerce, leisure and culture. In the future, the same observation will probably be made about many of today’s artists.



DD: Most prescient and predictive artist/writer?
David Burrows: Nick Land and Sadie Plant

DD: 

What are the dangers with our current mode of technological interaction?
David Burrows: Narcissism



New year, new clothes. The AW13 collections are earlier than ever this season, as the second London Collections: Men kicks off today ahead of Pitti, Milan and Paris, following the success of the capital's AW12 standalone schedule. As designers put the finishing touches to their collections; carry out castings, fittings and hair tests, we go on a series of studio visits to get a feel of what to expect. Our final behind-the-scenes peek is Richard Nicoll, who makes immaculately balancedclassicist designs from his work-space on east London's Kingsland Road.

Dazed Digital: What was the biggest challenge in putting the collection together?
Richard Nicoll:Christmas.

DD: Favourite advice you've had from someone?
Richard Nicoll:
When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

DD: Any tips for staying calm during fashion week?

Richard Nicoll:Xanax.

DD: ...Or staying awake when there's so much work to do?

Richard Nicoll:Strong Coffee.

DD: What were the first pieces in the collection you designed?

Richard Nicoll:The parkas and the leather pieces.

DD: What are you most proud of?
Richard Nicoll:I'm really proud of the collection as a whole and proud of my team for making it happen.


DD: What other shows are you looking forward to seeing?
Richard Nicoll:
I'm actually looking forward to seeing it all.

DD: Who embodies the spirit of your collection?

Richard Nicoll:David Byrne.


DD: Sum up AW13 in three words…

Richard Nicoll:No-Wave, Industrial and Classical.

DD: What difference does fashion make?
Richard Nicoll:It makes none in the grand scheme of things but being able to dream is important.

New year, new clothes. The AW13 collections are earlier than ever this season, as the second London Collections: Men begins on Monday ahead of Pitti, Milan and Paris, following the success of the capital's AW12 standalone schedule. As designers put the finishing touches to their collections; carry out castings, fittings and hair tests, we go on a series of studio visits to get a feel of what to expect...

Dazed Digital: What was the biggest challenge in putting the collection together?
Lou Dalton: We had such a great response to the SS13 collection that I am constantly looking back over the collection and questioning whether it is as strong as, the challenge to put something out there that is as well received as before is a constant worry...

DD: Favourite advice you've had from someone?
Lou Dalton:My father always told me that I could have or achieve whatever I wanted if I kept my head down & worked hard. I pretty much live by this.

DD: Any tips for staying calm during fashion week?
Lou Dalton: Just write a to do list & stick with it, having all what you have to in front of you can be a little overwhelming however; to have in an order of sorts mentally keeps you on track of what you need to do.

DD: ...Or staying awake when there's so much work to do?
Lou Dalton: Coffee, water and lots of loud upbeat music, preferably a playlist by the fabulousness that is HORSE MEAT DISCO.

DD: What were the first pieces in the collection you designed?
Lou Dalton: The knitwear as this takes the longest to develop, I wanted to catch the rawness of the land in terms of terrain.

DD: What are you most proud of?
Lou Dalton: It's a little to early to say at the moment, I feel a strong connection to it all.

DD: What about the soundtrack?
Lou Dalton: I leave the music in the capable hands of of Jim Stanton, one part of Horse Meat Disco, his taste in music is sublime.

DD: What other shows are you looking forward to seeing?
Lou Dalton: Chris Shannon, James Long and Craig Green. Love the boys.

DD: What's your favourite look on a man?
Lou Dalton: A good shoe / boot, every man should invest in a good shoe, it can help carry the poorest of clothes.In terms of ideal man, I just want who ever where's the clothes to feel special & confident when wearing a bit of Lou Dalton.

DD: Sum up AW13 in three words...
Lou Dalton: Autumn Winter Thirteen.

DD: What difference does fashion make?
Lou Dalton: Fashion allows you to lose yourself, to be creative, to inspire to be inspired. It makes the world are far more colourful and exciting place to be...

Mariacarla Boscono is one of the faces from the Dazed fashion team's always and forever board. That's to say she has an enduring look and personality that continues to shine, year after year. A part of Riccardo Tisci's world since the designer presented guerilla shows in Milan under his own name, featuring supermodels BMXing in tulle gowns and life-size crucifixes, when he took the reins at Givenchy in 2005, Boscono went with him, becoming an ambassador on catwalks and in campaigns, from ready-to-wear to the first Tisci-directed fragrance, Dahlia Noir. Giving birth to daughter Marialucas last August, after a few months' time out Boscono is back to reclaim her throne at Givenchy, lensed by Mert & Marcus in the SS13 campaign alongside Kate Moss, Marina Abramovic, matador Jose Maria Manzanares and artist Jared Buckhiester. We spoke to Boscono about life since Marialucas – and discover she's a natural on set.

Dazed Digital: How has motherhood affected your outlook?
Mariacarla Boscono: Now everything makes sense.

DD: You're back as a face of Givenchy, with Marialucas. Has the dynamic changed at all?
Mariacarla Boscono: It is always an honour and a pleasure to work with Riccardo, not just because he is my best friend but also because he is an incredibly talented artist. Of course this time my focus was on Marialucas. I was curious to see how she was going to react. But Mert and Marcus are exceptional people. They are already like family to her. So she was totally content of her iconic role, actually so content that when I had to feed her I had to bring her back on set... She couldn’t be away from the set.

DD: You have a special relationship with Riccardo. Were you best friends instantly?
Mariacarla Boscono: We were best friends at first sight. And we hold each other's hands always, in personal life and work. We have millions of amazing stories; from family reunions to incredible vacations. Every day is an adventure for us. We enjoy life and each other’s company.

DD: Would you encourage Marialucas if she wanted to model in the future?
Mariacarla Boscono: I'll encourage Marialucas in any dreams she will have. But I think she has too much of a wild soul to go into modelling. We'll see.

Photography Mert & Marcus

Taken from her recent experimental lo-fi LP, Will Happiness Find Me? on Not Not Fun Records - London-based, Estonia-raised pop-referencing electronic producer/singer Maria Minerva's track Never Give Up is subtly dark and haunting, made up of her signature softly off-key vocals backed by dreamy piano keys and disparate synths. The accompanying video which we premiere here sees Maria Juur in a monochrome light, gently moving to the melodies she's created - not too far removed from her DIY-feel music videos she first made her name with. Here we fired our some-intimate, some-plain weird questions at her to find out more about her worrying sleeping patterns and coming off like a 7-year-old...

Dazed Digital: Where is the weirdest place you’ve ever put your hands?
Maria Minerva: I think touching other people's heads is pretty weird

When abroad, besides pleasantries, which phrase should you always learn?
Just something to impress the locals, show that you are interested in their culture/language. when I was living in Lisbon I told people I met the days of the week in Portuguese and people thought it's super cute though I felt like an 7-yr-old/retarded person... Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday... I was there for 4 months and all i could say was that basically.

Who is your nemesis?
My own dark thoughts! They come and go.

What’s the best thing you’ve ever done?
Making something out of nothing, becoming independent and courageous, learning how to cope with both love & criticism.

What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?
I do not usually regret stuff but I hate myself when I start playing games with people, it's not fair, it's not cool, it's stereotypically immature, girl-seeking-for-attention type of behaviour and I hate it, though it does occur.

Describe your swimming style in three words.
I think in Estonian we call it "doing the frog". Froggy style. The normal style? I go swimming like three times a week. I get really angry sometimes cause people are not very considerate. The other day I asked a guy if he could have his splashfest in a row further down. Bet he thought I was annoying.

How do you sleep at night?
Soundly, but not always. Apparently I grind my teeth at night and scratch my wounds til they start bleeding... I also get insomnia. I am armed with some Latvian prescription sleeping pills that my mother sent me from Estonia. Even those don't work sometimes cause my mind is unstoppable. Mainly worried about not being able to fall asleep but also thinking about breakfast. I love breakfast. Sometimes I go to bed just so I could have breakfast sooner, if that makes sense.

What’s the scariest word to you?
I think it is scary when people give you silence, refuse to say sorry, and so on

What is your go-to fancy dress outfit?
I can't do fancy clothes until I know where I'm gonna be living, right now I only own like cotton t-shirts/functional boring wear. Just a hustler in leggings.

If you were a (Roman, or otherwise) goddess for a day, what would you do?
Naomi Klein says we are all goddesses, right. But if I actually were a goddess then yeah, would be great to help women/people around the world to become intellectually and sexually satisfied - at the same time.

What would be the title of your cookbook?
Fucking up with Maria Minerva... or 101 Creative Ways of After-Midnight Munching

What is your spirit animal?
Really love dogs, what can I say.

Who is your hair icon?
Chinese crested dog fo sho'

What was the last sound you heard?
Filling out this questionnaire I accidentally pushed the CD drive eject button, so that made a sound.

Send us a picture of the thing you most like looking at on the internet.
Watches - just bought this from Macy's for myself for Christmas. it's white.

Last week, we took to East London's The Vault to celebrate the relaunch of Dazed Digital. An extension of the 20-year-old print magazine, the site is already an influential platform with huge creative output, across a variety of disciplines from fashion, art, music, photography and film. The new Dazed Digital site was re-launched last week with the addition of exclusive new monthly & weekly features, columns and takeovers - to bring more exciting, carefully-curated content to Dazed readers than ever before.

For the event, the prestigious record label 4AD who were celebrating their 33rd birthday, brought down some in-house talent, with a live performance from INC, and Daughter as well as a DJ set from cult new band Purity Ring. Sponsors Jameson and Peroni kept the drinks flowing, whilst London-based photographer Lydia Garnett shot the party pics throughout the night...

Shot by Nicola's frequent collaborator Matt Irwin is Angelababy, the stunning and lively actress from Hong Kong, who was first scouted as a model. Nicola Formichetti styled and directed her on set, whilst Cycy Sanders captured the moment, editing this, one of a number of behind-the-scenes vids for Dazed Digital. Take a look at the video above, and the shoot below, taken from the December issue of Dazed & Confused.

Protests, talk of boycotting, and local shop windows declaring ‘No More Chain Stores.’ All this over a mini Sainsbury’s on Lewisham way. If you’re unfamiliar with New Cross there are two things you should know; the residents hate chain stores, and they like to get shit done. It was the ideal location for comic book-maker Dimitri Pieri to hold last Sunday’s South East London zine fest. Know for supporting the local arts community, the dimly lit Amersham Arms was chosen to house the event, and saw the entire bottom floor crammed with DIY enthusiasts keen to show off their stick and paste and photocopied and printed creations. Including Oregon-based feminist Alex Wrekk of Stolen Sharpie Revolution (a respected guide to zine making and zine culture) as well as plenty of UK self-publishers.

Peter Willis, an illustration graduate from the nearby Camberwell College of Arts and zine distributor, told Dazed Digital “I started making zines when I was about 12-13 because my sister wrote for fanzines and getting into punk introduced me to a lot of DIY ideas, opening up a world of kids in bedrooms writing down their ideas and trading them with people from all over the place.” He edits a journal called Limner, a stapled illustration zine exploring the art form from a more considered perspective. Amongst contemporary black and white drawings you’ll find critical essays on the teaching of illustration as well as its role in digital media. Willis says it’s the community aspect of zine making that really draws people in, and points us toMichael Crowe. Crowe is the author of the 40 page thick Mid-Midnight. Willis says it's full of “brilliant short stories that are unobtrusively clever, and often hilarious, and leave you with that satisfied smile when you read them.” We haven’t had a chance to read it yet, so you’ll have to find out for yourself. Crowe is also behind ‘Christmas Diaries,’ a collection of Xmas day entries from famous diarists, including Andy Warhol and George Orwell. A highlight: Samuel Pepys, who, on the 25th of Dec 1664, punches his wife, and doesn’t get why she’s miffed for the rest of the day.

From the 17th century and on to a zine about obscure punk bands and comic strips of oozing brains from Russell Taysom and Charlie Mellors.Flabby Dagger’s most recent edition contains cartoons such as ‘Teenage Mutant Chicken Nuggets,’ a gory homage to the fact that, apparently, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were, actually, quite twisted back in the early 80s. The chicken nuggets bit? “There are a lot of chicken shops in London.” Hey there, New Cross! While ‘Piano From Hell’ documents an exchange between Charlie and a bespoke luxury piano company, in which he sends them a sketch for a piano shaped like a giant penis. There’s also a sketch called ‘Keep Your Pants On.’ “Flabby Dagger is a name Charlie had for a band he and I were going toform. After a few practices we realised we hated each other’s songsso we started the zine instead. It means limp penis,” explains Taysom. “It's not that bad though - I bought a zine made by girls called Knob Vomit once.”