Y2K Revival: The Moments That Maketh

Jan 6, 2022 | Community

I have found it fascinating to watch the last two years of a 00s revival underway – particularly on social media, and led by Gen-Zs – and for many millennials there is a nostalgic, almost anachronistic relationship with that decade, and yet those coming of age now are experiencing y2k trends as a novel-vintage hybrid. I was born in ‘95; the very last year of the millennials, and so to be a cusp-baby is a strange mix of relating across a spectrum of two generations; and while I was only a teenager in the very last years of the 2000s, the cultural and ideological impact formed a huge part of my individuation in the 2010s; for better, and definitely for worse. This y2k revival is a very particular flavour of that time, because that decade was also the birth of emo – colourful skinny jeans from JayJays paired with fedoras, and not to mention Mary-Kate and Ashley’s launch of The Row in 2006, which was then very boho-chic – and now, just incredibly chic. 

This article was inspired by a very hilarious deep-dive into the vortex of useless celebrity trivia the day after Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker got engaged. If you know that vortex- you’ll know that reading about Kravis, leads to reading about Shanna Moakler, which ties into beauty pageantry culture – and to end up in a rabbit hole like that is, well, disturbing to say the least. I like to think I have moved on from my obsessive Heat Magazine days, or pouring over the back pages of my mom’s YOU magazine’s to see the latest gossip and red carpet looks – that I am now far more cultured, intellectual and aware to buy into the monolithic machine of the cult of celebrity – and yet I couldn’t help be totally fascinated with this whole “Kravis” debacle. On one hand, we have the lithe, tattooed noughties-punk icon of Blink 182 – a band that pretty much ruled rock music in the early 2000s – and one of reality TVs’ most successful women – whose family ended up creating an entire culture of BBL infused influencers, an emblem of cultural appropriation & capitalism that has us in a chokehold to this day. And yet, what seems like this supremely intriguing clashing of two worlds – rockstar versus. Glam-girl – is in fact, a tale as old as time; two iterations of the same face, the slightly more wholesome version of Pam & Tommy – and this is really the theme of the 2000s, it is attention grabbing, crisis-saturated information that is inconsequential, frankly vapid, and yet still is a momentous cultural decade in which culottes, velour tracksuits and blackberries were at the top of every teenager girl’s agenda. But I digress. 

This conversation has to begin in 1999; the year the Matrix was released, as well as music streaming service Napster (Limewire, anyone?)  –  South Africa is in its fifth year of democracy, and I am four years old – needless to say, my memories from that year include little more than my brother’s recent birth and Disney VHS tapes. The last year of an entire century unfolds as Google launches their search engine, and the world wide web is less of a fever-dream and starting looking more like the information medium set to chart humanity’s course into the future. There was mass hysteria around the “Y2K bug” – prophecies of impending doom, in which it was thought that computers would not be able to update its calendar into the millennium – and these computers had pretty much become the central figure around which we had decided to organize society. MTV had been around since 1981, and was very much a key-piece in marketing American culture, music and celebrities to the rest of the world. Total Request Live, TRL, would be the program that defined the 2000s for any artist set for stardom – pop princesses, boy-bands, rockstars and even Disney stars were considered legitimate to the public if they were featured on a TRL count-down, or better yet live with Carson Daly. 

The early 2000s is where we begin to see RnB, hip-hop and pop music truly intersect – Kelly Rowland and Nelly release Dilemma in 2002, and Pharrell launches Billionaires Boys Club with sub-labels such as ICECREAM & Bape – which I feel is a precursor to Ye’s venture in fashion. Pharell walked so Ye could run. Britney is re-defining pop-stardom and marries her backup dancer, K-Fed, and Beyoncé goes solo with “Crazy in Love’’ – releasing her first album with that iconic diamond top paired with menswear D&G jeans. The Osbourne family started their reality TV show, followed by Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson in Newlyweds – and all my friend’s older brothers thought Jackass was the height of masculine rebellion. There are so many threads to draw on – too many for one piece – but to look at these moments is to also acknowledge a culture then that was wrapped in celebrities, and still largely today, and that this “culture” is founded on the standard of skinny, blonde white women; so much so that when Heidi Montag was asked about the lack of diversity in the show The Hills – this was her genuine, earnest response;

“We don’t all look the same. I mean, Audrina has darker hair, I feel like Mischa has darker hair. We’re just California girls and we’re a group of friends, and that just happens to be the group that came together.”

I really believe the y2k era will make for compelling thesis subjects in years to come – if not already – as it’s not just a cute Von Dutch trucker hats were paired with a halter top and baguette bag – it never is – it is our very human interpretation of the mass-media complex; the culture that arises when old men in boardrooms use aspiring artists as economic pawns – and the culture that without a doubt, led to the 2010s Tumblr era of thigh-gap hysteria, and a continual, collective avoidance of addressing systemic oppression and rapid technocratic globalization. 

Written by: Holly Bell Beaton

Bob Ele Releases Newest Single ‘Elizabeth’

Dec 13, 2021 | New Release, Music

Singer/songwriter/producer Bob Ele has a distinctively warm, light rasp to his voice, and has been described as “a multi-instrumentalist blending indie-electronic with a bedroom pop sound production”.

Campbell Robert College, known by his stage name as Bob Ele was raised in Durban, South Africa, where his love for music was born. After developing his song writing skills and growing into his unique sound, Bob started to pursue his passion as a career.

Bob describes his musical style as having been influenced and inspired the most by his relationship with God, friends, and family. Alongside his love for music, is his ability to make everyone around him laugh with his quirky nature and theatrical persona. Bob says “ Music inspires me, it drives me, it makes me who I am and I hope it helps you do the same. A sound that everyone can relate to and be moved by”.

‘Elizabeth’, ‘Bob Ele’s newest single, is basically all about Bobs’ hopes and fears moving to a new city without his lover, Elizabeth. The two are deeply in love and are willing to fight for the bond to continue at a distance, but Bob doesn’t want to fall away from her love. She makes life better and helps him feel a sense of worth.

The melody moves one to a place of nostalgia and gentle melona. Momentamori, shooter and director of the music video, captures the essence of what Bob is feeling in a real and personal way. Bob was incredibly sick on the shoot and even vomited once or twice, but the director felt Bob’s exhaustion on the day added to the character’s reality appropriately.

The song ends with the repeated words “I don’t wanna fall” and the imagery slowed down into a beautiful shot of the two kissing on signal hill; Sounds cheesy but the misty evening makes it feel as though the scene was shot in Switzerland somewhere.

Stream and Watch ‘Elizabeth’ here:

YouTube

Spotify

Apple Music

Phrazes, South African Photographer/ Musician, Robin Molteno – Brings Us His First Release

Dec 8, 2021 | New Release, Music

Phrazes – South African photographer / musician, Robin Molteno – brings us his first music release. 

Growing up in Cape Town and now living in Berlin,  Phrazes is doing his best to manifest a life focused on pursuing his artistic practice. Having spent his life immersed in sound as his lens through this reality, it was high time he released some of his own orchestration.

Midway through the year, Phrazes found himself trapped between the covid-regulated borders of Cape Town and Berlin, stranded in Utrecht (a mini-Amsterdam town in the Netherlands) with a green tent and music gear. When faced with deciding between a cramped kitchen-lounge floor or absurdly expensive Airbnb – a large inflatable mattress and a power line was procured, and a studio tent space was built on the roof of an apartment building. Wrapping it in a 20m long string of fairy-lights brought from Cape Town, and carefully mapping out his recording gear, Phrazes spent almost a month living in his own private canopy, next to those of trees, accessible via a ladder bolted to the outer wall of the building.

You can hear this ladder being climbed at the start of the track ‘Tent, Alone’.

There were strings of days of almost total solitude which kept him working in the tent, along with the light Dutch rain, which is very audible on the improvised track (Tent, Alone), recorded with his long-suffering iPhone 8 mic.

Robin grew up with a classical-music fanatic mother whose 6 CD changer would be turned on at 7am, and switched off at midnight or 1am.

This musical education met itself at the crossroads of early high school interest in early music psychedelia and eastern philosophy, and in turn Indian classical. Drone notes and pivot-tones are used subtly throughout the pop of DEMOTAPE 1.

There is also a taste of the odd signatures that will come in later releases: measures of ‘Tent, Alone’ roll between 7/8 and 4/4. A childhood dream had been to find and learn Indian instruments (bansuri and sitar), of which just the bansuri makes a feature on this release. A Korg minilogue (small analog synth) takes over the second section. Kashaka (West African shakers) open the track ‘Kerosene’, and in this panned percussion intro, you can hear the sound of streets below squeezing past the heavy ‘gating’ of the sound. 

A dreamy, bird-space period: DEMOTAPE 1.

Listen to Phrazes’ DEMOTAPE 1 here on:

Apple Music

Soundcloud

Spotify

Mantua Silkwear: Producing Slow Wear For a Fast World in an African Context

Dec 2, 2021 | Fashion

Mindful of the centuries-old traditions of ancient China’s Mulberry Culture, Mantua Silkwear produces slow wear for a fast world in an African context. One considered piece at a time.

Mantua Silkwear is inspired by the ethereal luminosity of silk and how it transforms to the body. As a counterpoint to disposable fashion, the Mantua Collection of silk scarves and is trans-seasonal and beyond trends. Watercolour artworks are printed onto silk scarves in limited editions. The design process is driven by an intrinsic awareness of colour, space and shape, and of the body as a canvas for wearable art. The scarves are cut and hemmed at a small home studio nestled in the heart of the winelands, Stellenbosch, using only the finest Chinese silk.

‘In Dreams’ is a collection of printed silk scarves, robes, dresses and accessories. Mantua Silkwear creates ceremonial day and nightwear to celebrate and honour daily rituals, the Mantua wardrobe becomes a treasured accessory to living in these moments.

This season’s collection is inspired by the dreamers and artisans, the believers and the hopeful hearted! A tapestry born of psychedelic dreams and subconscious awareness, flow into a myriad of colour patterns coming alive in each individually crafted silk garment and scarf. Unique patterns are serendipitous, soft, and soothingly dulcet. Subtle pastel palettes marry prints together with violet and lilac accentuations. Washes of green, pink and yellow are dynamic variations to this ensemble. Fruit, flowers, leaves and berries live symbolically across fabrics inspiring an escape to a world of hope and natural abundance.

From voluminous robes and kaftans that drape and fall, to the elegantly figure-hugging cut-on-slant slips, Mantua’s silk garments compliment and accentuate the female body in its many desirable forms. Resplendent scarves and sui generis kimonos complete the Mantua Silkwear collective with a luxurious nod to ceremonial “dream-wear”.

Shop the collection www.mantua.co.za

“Virgil Was Here”

Dec 1, 2021 | Fashion, Community

“Virgil was here.”

Virgil Abloh (September 30, 1980 – November 28, 2021)

 

I am not sure I have mourned the passing of a cultural figurehead in quite the same way as I have this past week, since the news broke of Virgil Abloh’s transition from this earth on Sunday evening. I was only 15 when Lee McQueen died, and although I was enamoured by his macabre and guttural contribution to fashion – I think I was too young to comprehend the heaviness left behind when creators of such a magnitude leave us; in a moment’s breathe, suddenly and abruptly the seat of their essence moves with them, leaving only a trail of their work behind in their wake. The endless tributes on social media from intersecting spaces of fashion, design, music, architecture and media reflect the multi-dimensional nature of Virgil’s presence, as he made his mark across all manner of fascination with material and structure-function and form – with his ceaseless inquiring (and answering) the many ways we can experience the full range of our own design signature as human beings. 

This idea of “what is your signature” is the opening slide for Virgil’s infamous lecture at the Harvard School of Design – in which he relays a distilled version of his roadmap and shortcuts to students. It is with this spirit of sharing that Virgil has come to be known for – as someone who has opened doors and broken boundaries in ways that we may only truly comprehend in years to come. In an industry built on the back of white supremacy and capitalism, fashion is no stranger to exploitation, cultural appropriation and violence – and it tends to require a good dose of cognitive dissonance to remain consistently in awe of the feats of design held in place by such a distorted systemic structure. I think Virgil came into a decade in which fashion was at a major cross-roads, particularly in 2011 – 2013 in which he established Off-White – and it had become apparent that fashion as the gatekept, insular monolith would no longer hold off in a society that desperately required de-constructing – and if you ask me, demolishing. As the first Black artistic director of Louis Vuitton menswear, Virgil re-invigorated the rigid stiffness of French luxury, and he serves as an icon in translating streetwear into its rightful place as one of the most important aesthetic and cultural movements of the 20th and 21st century. It was never about requiring the validation of luxury in order for streetwear to be recognized, but in merging the two – creators like Virgil have sought to widen the foundation from which design can be imagined – beyond class and into capturing the true anima of the human, visual experience. Fashion is a reflection of what needs to be shown, what is occurring and being discussed, so it can be translated from the inner worlds of us all. It knows no bounds; and when under the watchful eye of someone like Virgil Abloh, it has the power to draw connection between people and craft through the pursuit of beauty. 

On Wednesday 1 December, at 00h30 (SA time) – a livestream of Virgil’s final show for Louis Vuitton opened with a short film. A young kid rides his bicycle through Miami (exact locations, I am not sure) – stopping at certain points to observe the contrast of the sun with the structures around him. Virgil often spoke of his younger self as being the motivation for his path forward; that his sensory wonder as a child and a teenager never waned, and was only amplified the more he was able to move between his studies as an architect, to his foray into streetwear in Chicago, his work with Yeezy, Off-White and Louis Vuitton – with many, many collaborations and orchestrations in between across many disciplines. The presence of the crimson red hot air balloon in both the opening film, and as a feature in the show, captures the floating, flying – soaring manner in which he moved through his life; communicating to his audience, community and loved ones that this was true for them all to do, too. 

A voice recording opens the show with Virgil’s recorded voice saying “I have been on this focus, in terms of my art and creativity, in which I have been getting adults to behave like children again. To get them back to this sense of wonderment –where they stop using their minds and they start using their imagination.” 

Leaving many signatures throughout the show, Virgil’s final offering to us is a distillation of the sheer joy he found in the appreciation and application of colour theory – with many appearances of cobalt blue, acid green, solar yellow, crimson red, oatmeal, bubble-gum pink – aqua, silver, and black. I have always been struck by how Virgil and his team sought to take the LV monogram and elevate it in ways that make it feel tangible and exciting rather than exclusionary. “Virgil was here” is no different in this sense, with lockbox bags with ombré spills are tempered against broad shouldered tailored pieces – sometimes in tie-dye, other times in print or leather. Pleated and hooped skirts layered over draped trousers appear as the models (among them, Kid Cudi) weave delicately through the trees, a nod to the ever-evolving notions of masculine dressing in 2021 and beyond. 

This is Virgil’s memory in a collection; the drive to bring fashion out of an archaic time-frame, and into a context that is relevant and present. It is a homage to the sheer amount that he has created in such a short space of time; with always maintaining the great affection he has for the sheer experience of being alive. 

Virgil was here.

– Courtesy of Louis Vuitton.

Written by Holly Bell Beaton

Sunman Release ‘Left Here for Dead’

Nov 30, 2021 | New Release, Music

SunMan was formed in Zac, Luca and Claus’s last year of high school. Completely by chance and almost accidentally, one day they found themselves in the same room and realised that they all shared a passion for music: Zac for blues and jazz, Claus for techno and deep house and Luca for classical music. The trio encourages a fresh perspective on popular music but remains tight and commercial. They seek to entertain and create a deeply emotional experience for their listeners.

As Cape Town embraces modern culture and grows into a metropolis; its art and fashion are beginning to evolve. SunMan embodies a digital flavour that is taking the city by storm, balancing classic guitar rock with sparkly synths and electronic texture. The three-piece are both exciting and nostalgic as they imagine more than just music, but an entirely novel sonic and visual aesthetic.

‘Left Here For Dead’ or “LHFD” is a search for direction. Anguished and desirous vocals are slowly enveloped in melancholy guitar melodies as the singer confronts his loneliness in the verse. The verse then unfolds into a dramatic, swelling chorus of thick and crunchy guitar chords and imploring vocals. The singer escapes abandonment for an instant, only to be engulfed once again in the aimless and shifting soundscape of the verse. ‘Left Here for Dead’ embodies the most fundamental human choice, a choice between despair and hope.

Listen to ‘Left Here for Dead’ on:

Spotify

Apple Music

Deezer

Youtube

Colours of My Body with Lea Colombo

Nov 25, 2021 | Interviews, Creatives, Art

Although Lea Colombo remains unconfined by any point on this vast planet, it was the return to her birthplace in Cape Town that served as the rooting and arising of the revealing of her inner-most Self in both tenderness and vulnerability – through many dynamic channels as an artist. Her debut show, Colours of My Body, exhibited at Spaceby in Cape Town and Terminal27 in Los Angeles, as a ceremonial walk-through through of Lea’s most sacred essence; the anima that she has always imbued within her photographic work, yet amplified in this context with the reverberating signature of her spirit’s intention. The show acted as a device for communicating so many awakenings; as though the last decade of Lea’s venture across the globe, both personally and professionally, was a cosmically-orchestrated path of collecting aspects of her Self – and thus a ritual was required to consecrate this journey, as with any cycle, in order to share this state with other beings in two cities that reside as reflective points in Lea’s life. In as many ways as Lea’s show was for herself, by the very nature of our collective unity, it cast an incredible light for the possibilities of expanding on all the dimensions of expression that can be realized by creators if we only allowed ourself the spaciousness to go deep enough to undertake the excavation required. I note this specifically for her sculptural work; having seen process updates via Lea’s IG stories, in which Lea gave insight into polishing huge pieces of mineral Jasper – with complex colour and luster of the ochre Earth. This is an astounding entry into the art-space; while also a gentle reminder that we are never separated from our creative expression – in any life, across any age. We are just asked to return every now and again. 

There are no limitations as Lea explicitly states in this conversation – and would never impose any on herself again; a beautiful anecdote to relay the 77 works of art spanning across Colours of My Body.

Congratulations on a truly exceptional show – Colours of my Body. I find it so beautiful how, after nearly a decade as a photographer, you have turned the figurative and literal lens upon yourself; casting yourself as the muse, and the subject of exploration. How did that process arise?

The ‘shift’ had been imminent for a while. So when I started to let my guard down and trust in the process which was unfolding – to go deeper, to express myself in new ways whilst peeling back any previous layers of vulnerability I jumped at the opportunity. It felt incredibly natural and liberating. To move my body in front of the lens in a totally new explorative way. This new space which unfolded offered a ‘safe space’ where I was able to process any previous fears/ self-doubts/ criticism. I had intuitively created a mirror to presence – a real reflection and introspection of self.

Your relationship with colour, across many bodies of work throughout the years, is so tangible – possessing an almost energetic charge that comes through your work. How does colour inform your practice?

I harness colour and colour therapy, with its connection to emotion and impact on the mind, body and soul in all my work. My intuitive understanding of colour has enabled me to be guided by it – always tapping into its energies and forcing myself and all those that interact with my work to see it, to feel it. I am fascinated in the gravitational pull of colour and how this influences every souls interaction with it. Take the Yellow Room from Colours of My Body. For some, this room offered a sense of calmness, inviting one to give way to the yellow carpet. To lounge on it, and take a moment to breathe. Yet, for others the overwhelming ‘yellowing’ effect combined with the strong energy vibrations from the Shiva Lingam Sculptures left some feeling invigorated and rejuvenated in the sacral chakra. There is so much that can be told and felt with the use of colour.

You were in Cape Town recently. I think your career has really led the way for many young creatives in South Africa to dream big and better than we were ever allowed to. How was it to be home, while having such a global presence across the planet? I have heard that Table Mountain is the Earth’s root chakra – do you find it calming and centring to be down here?

The time spent in Cape Town leading up to the show was the longest I had been in the city since leaving after school. Using Cape Town as my base and home to my first inaugural solo show seemed only fitting and paid homage to my South African roots, which have spread across the globe during the last decade. Grounding myself in nature has always provided me with the moments of clarity I need during my creative process. A cold water morning swim, a hike to watch the sun set – Cape Town provides such moments in excess. Returning ‘home’ also offered a space where I could tap into colour from an array of new mediums – especially stone (Red Jasper, Sodalite, Golden Calcite) and the chance to interact with new souls who significantly influenced the creative outcome. My ties to the city have always provided a sense of grounding, and in hindsight I needed the calmness Cape Town provided and distinct boundary it drew between my commercial work and my new venture into the art scene in order for Colours of My Body to manifest in the way it did.

Fashion, as we experience it, has always intersected across art, music and culture – but it seems like this is happening in an accelerated way, with people working across these fields, creating a synergistic relationship. What is your vision for the next chapter in your work, transcending modular concepts like “industries”?

I never want to set myself any limitations. My creative mind sees colour and energies and the more I allow them to guide the more space I’ll create to access further places and continue sharing my vision. Stepping into a space of expansion, and allowing any spaces to open.

Lastly, do you have any guidance that you could share with other aspiring artists + creatives in South Africa?

We are capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for. Trust in the process and remain present. The universe will take care of the rest.

Written by: Holly Bell Beaton

Eight Eyes & The Sun

Nov 21, 2021 | Editorial, Creatives, Fashion, Community

CONNECT EVERYTHING COLLECTIVE MEDIA PRESENTS: EIGHT EYES & THE SUN

A FILM BY MANNERS STUDIO IN COLLABORATION WITH FLOAT APPAREL.

 

Newly launched media platform Connect Everything Collective is a home for celebrating the burgeoning creativity that exists across South Africa. Their deep passion for the eclectic array of musicians, artists, designers, directors and more forms the core of their endeavour to showcase this immense talent through collaborative visuals and thoughtful writing, ever-mindful of the power inherent in highlighting & promoting the brilliant minds that weave together the tapestry of the artistic & creative communities in South Africa.

To celebrate their launch, Connect Everything Collective is thrilled to present their first time producing a fashion film; Eight Eyes & The Sun – born through chance-meetings, as an ode to connection and collaboration as the remedy for the future. 

“Eight Eyes & The Sun” distils the essence of Float Apparel’s latest capsule collection through a whirlwind short story of bliss and friendship, unfolding before our eyes against the sublime backdrop of the east-coast in South Africa – held in place by the ocean and the sun as the two defining principles for Float Apparel’s commitment to sharing the spirit of their brand. This film signifies the playfulness of spontaneity; kaleidoscopic movements & a reverence for Nature underpin the transition of frame to frame, conceptualized and filmed by Manners Studio, with reference for childhood memories and the possibility of regaining such unbridled joy and curiosity in adulthood.

The capsule collection worn by the characters of Eight Eyes & The Sun is Float Apparel’s foray into drawing from their deadstock archive, re-invigorating pieces and silhouettes from seasons’ past – challenging the pursuit of novelty in order to take risks with vivid hues, prints and summer knits that tie together the functionality that their brand is so known and loved for. 

This is a coming together & collaboration between friends whose memories together are etched in the sands across the South African coastlines; a taste of the freedom that is possible when creative minds forge a shared vision. 

Join us in seeking adventure & magic. 

Shop the collection at floatapparel.co.za

WATCH

CREDITS ///

Produced By Connect Everything Collective – @_cecza @candice__e__
For Float Apparel – @float_apparel
A film by Manners Studio – @mannersstudio @kentandreasen @gourmetspaghettiboy
DOP- Roberto Colombo – @robocolo
Stills – @kentandreasen
Styling & Apparel – @float_apparel @keeganforeman @matteoviotti @realeels
Props – Marli Grobbelaar @marligrobbelaar
Models
Tao Havenga – @taohavenga
Snethemba Mitchell Ngcobo – @michelleclothier
Chenai Gwandure – @chegnar
Katarina Staines – @katarinastaines
Master- Field Audio – @field.audio
Poem- Ané Strydom – @ane_strydom
Voiced By – Trinidad Mora’n-Fajardo – @trinily
Thanks to the Viotti Family and Nic Schooling
Colorist – Brendon Groenewald @brendon_groenewald

 

For more news, visit the Connect Everything Collective homepage www.ceconline.co.za

Follow CEC on Instagram

Scumboy

Nov 11, 2021 | Interviews, Art

Recently, I have found myself contemplating the rapid onset of the singularity. Ironically so, the very nature of this hypothetical nexus in which technology merges indecipherably with material reality, is such that once we reach it – if we haven’t, already – it would be rather difficult to determine or pinpoint its occurrence. Technically speaking, this term “singularity” refers to the uncontrollable influence that Artificial Intelligence might have on human existence – and such, the fabric of our reality. This notion has always stirred a sense of anguish in me; mostly because my knowledge of the digital realm is hugely limited, and therefore even wrapping my head around the implications of this “event” (or rather, consecutive events) feels poorly analyzed. Our global society already courts an indistinguishable and co-dependent relationship with modern technology, and it seems ridiculous to assume we might ever revert back to anything less than continual modification. Coupled with this, is the rather strange “nostalgia” many of us seem to fawn over antiquity with – “simpler times” and other such phrases get thrown around, in reference to ages in which we experienced perpetual disease and discomfort – and yes, that is a reductive take to say the least – but the point I am attempting to coax is this;

I really do not know enough to hold an informed opinion, and while Zuckerberg’s eerily embarrassing Meta rebranding does make me squirm, speaking to someone like 3D artist and motion graphic designer Oliver Hunter Pohorille (AKA Scumboy) – leaves me intrigued and hopeful for the future of digital mediums in which to relay story-telling and art. 

Oliver’s work makes a stunning case for the possibilities of digital rendered landscapes. His acid-colour caricatures cut a beautiful aesthetic, which you will recognize from his IG presence (@scumboy.69) in which there seems to be a continual re-imagining of the human form, along with kaleidoscopic spaces in which these figures exist. This is the type of meta-verse I am into – it’s interesting, and if we are abandoning material reality, why would we go with Zuck’s corporate vitriol?

To merge the etheric with the disturbing, and deliver it through a framework as technically challenging as 3D animation is startling. Recently, Oliver’s was approached by legendary Spanish luxury brand – Paco Rabanne – as part of the launch of their latest fragrance “Phantom”. Before I elucidate the crazy-cutting-edge nature of this release, noting this collaboration is rather symbolic. Paco Rabanne was MILES ahead of his contemporaries in the 1960s – while Karl Lagerfeld was making waves at Chloé and Hubert de Givenchy was refining the LBD for Audrey Hepburn – Paco presented his very first collection in 1966 titled “Manifesto: 12 unwearable dresses in contemporary materials” and strictly dressing SCI-FI films for a time. Labelled the “enfants terrible” of fashion – an iconic title later passed onto  John-Paul Gaultier – Paco is a legendary forefather for the space-age, and it feels befitting of his legacy to launch Phantom, and even more-so for his team to recognize the innate ingenuity and vision in artists such as Oliver. 

So, what is Phantom? As an i-D article succinctly states, “it’s been created with the input of neuroscientists and AIs to actively the mood of anyone who gives it a whiff, and its adorable robo-bottle features an NFC chip, which, when scanned brings the darling android to life.” Need I say more? In asking Oliver about how his and Paco’s world collided, he muses;

“I was literally like chilling at home, watching Hunger Games, chill as fuck. Somebody slides into my DMs – which is not unusual – and I am usually quite trepid because it tends to be people who fuck with my work, but are not serious about hiring me for pay or offering a fair budget. So I told them to email me, and they sent me this whole proposal with an NDA that I had to sign. I’m like, Paco Rabanne? What is Scumboy going to do with Paco-fucking-Rabanne? Then they sent me references of my work, and it was all the nature work I had made and they loved it. They sent me the budget, and basically gave me free reign to build my contribution for Phantom.” 

Oliver’s feature “A FUTURISTIC EFFLORESCENCE UTOPIA” showcases a magenta-filled river, totally and utterly other-worldly, and the kind of planet I hope to incarnate to in the next lifetime. 

 

“I wanted to frame humans and technology coming together in order to enhance nature, I know so much of the narrative is that technology is an opposition to the natural world, but I think we have to figure out ways to imagine that they can be symbiotic and complementary forces on our planet.”

I find this statement so refreshing – and as someone who self-confessed “stays inside most of the time” – Oliver recognizes the true need we have for integrating our reliance, and origination, from nature alongside our species’ own acceleration and expansion. 

Without giving too much away, Oliver’s latest work is yet to be released – but he does say it is an exhibition in Amsterdam, and a project that is used in partnership with AI. 

“I am creating my renders through my usual process, except I then upload it through this AI tech and input a text with key-words. The AI then takes the text, combined with your images, and based off its programmed scope of information it re-produces a whole new artwork. It’s crazy shit. I am basically collaborating with a robot – like, it’s showing me my work through its own “eyes”. I can’t give much more away, but it’s so sick.”

We chat about ethical implications around this, which I think will be the basis of these conversations for decades to come. But, Oliver’s relaxed approach – and self-taught, determined skillset – exemplifies the possibilities that are here. Using YouTube videos and sheer will-power, Oliver is paving the way for a new generation of artists, who are fearless in their pursuit of how to harness the capabilities of humankind’s development in the 21st century. 

What’s next for Oliver?

“I have mostly international clients because in South Africa, we have the talent but we don’t have the budget or infrastructure yet to nurture sustainable careers for 3D artists. I am super hopeful, because with the internet I can make a living – but I’d really love to see more of us in the country develop digital skill-sets, because with the type of artists we have here, merged with the programs I use? Unstoppable, man.”

Written by: Holly Bell Beaton

Pop Sensation Martin Magner™ Releases His Third Explosive Single ‘Walk All Over U’

Nov 8, 2021 | New Release, Music

Pop Sensation Martin Magner™ releases his third explosive single ‘Walk All Over U’.

WHY BE STILL WHEN YOU CAN BE SPARKLING? I THINK IT’S TIME WE MOVE.

This song is all about turning darkness into light. Getting over someone or something by getting up and walking all over it. It’s a positive dance pop anthem about self-love, self-belief and being the main character in the game of life. Why be still when you can be sparkling?

Martin Magner™ made this in collaboration with MISSU, going back and forth online for weeks, they perfected this high tempo pop perfection and packaged it into 2:22 seconds (an angel number hello!) single.

Head to these links to download, stream and immerse yourself in ‘Walk All Over U’

Spotify
Apple
YouTube

CREDITS
Pop Sensation – Martin Magner™
Creative Direction – Martin Magner™
Music Production – MISSU
Director – Ramon Mellet
AC – Kevin Schneider
Editor – Tomas Wells
Grade – Kyle Stroebel @Refinery
Graphic Design – Martin Magner™
Animation – Caitlin Weare
Production Coordinator & Hype Girl – Maddie Magner™
Photographer – Hana Sho
Hair – Salomé de Wet
MUA – Raine Tauber
MUA Assistants – Innes Oosthuizen & Shani Strauss
Styling – Peter Georgiades
Looks – Blünke, Nao Serati, Patrick Church, Ludovic Saint Sernin
Mixing and Mastering – Vicente Espi, Songololo Music