One weekend of self publishing goodness at Motto, Berlin
First weekend of September has been the weekend of publication madness in Berlin. Miss Read book fair at the well-known Kunstwerke, parallel to this across the street an exhibition of books related to Miss Read at doyoureadme?! and as well Motto bookstore in Kreuzberg hosted a self publishing fair “Unter dem Motto” (list of participants here).
JB. dropped by at Motto on Sunday to have a look, birthday child mono.kultur organized a little talk about “Alternatives in Editorial Design” with themselves speaking, plus NODE Design Studio (early 032c, Monopol) and Mario Lombardo, former art director of German music magazine Spex and Liebling Zeitung, presenting some great examples. Tons of self publishers showing their books and magazines from the big art sphere, too much to mention here, too much to explore but some outstanding examples from the likes of Nieves Books or illustration magazine Fukt, mono.kultur or Werkplaats Typografie. Not only for magazine freaks! Read more …
Yesterday I met the nice guys Michael Leon and Scott A. Sant’ Angelo from Arkitip for a short chat. Michael is preparing his solo exhibition right now at pool gallery and it got me even more exciting about what to see on Thursday, Sept. 2nd. If you have never heard of Arkitip before, it’s that “traveling exhibition from LA that you can take home”, a high class fanzine. Each issue features an artist or collaborations, who are creating site specific work for the magazine. Michael Leon was already featured with issue No. 0027, learn about all Arkitip issues and have a look at the variety of artists.
Please check back on the weekend for a bunch of pictures of the opening and the artworks, plus a few words by the artist himself! Head over to pool gallery in Berlin for the opening:
Michael Leon, Vexhall
Curated by Arkitip (… get a glimpse right here)
2 September – 1 October 2010
Opening reception 2 September 2010
19:00 – 22:00
Pool Gallery
Tucholskystrasse 38
10117 Berlin, Germany
What? Already a new issue of Berlin’s famous Graffiti and art (that’s not supposed to hang in galleries) exhibition? On Friday, August 27th was the opening of Backjumps 4.2 — Junior Issue, an exhibition for kids and those who remained kids. First thoughts and some pictures from Backjumps 4.2 …
Since the first Backjumps in 2001, I haven’t missed any of the exhibitions that all have been going down at Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien, Berlin. Definitely one of the most progressive, special and notable art events of this city.
The Junior issue shows works by artists that all share their roots more or less in graffiti: Mode2, Skki, Poet, Delta or Martha Cooper … Every contribution should be for both, kids and adults, but with the known aesthetics as always, in the way how the artists would usually work, not only suited for kids. The artists are dealing with their experiences of handling of space and visual oversupply and transport them to the exhibition space and adapt them for children’s eyes. Read more …
Still from the video "Light, Shape, Color", directed by Matt Irving
SKATE&CREATE is initiated by the known TRANSWORLD Skateboarding Magazine where they give four skate teams a couple of days to create a video and a feature article for the mag with photos. This year the teams had been Adidas, Fallen, Lakai and etnies, all of them are shoe companies. Each team has the same rules and opportunities to get it done the best way, the winner gets the cover shot of the magazine and will be one of the next four competitors in 2011.
All results are great, totally different approaches, a high level of skating, directing and filming. But I have to pick one video as my favourite (picture shown above), Adidas — Light, Shape, Color directed by Matt Irving. This guy is an awesome designer and artist, in my category of favourite artists together with people like Geoff McFetridge or Michael Leon. Matt Irving runs Delphi Collective and is art director at Element Skateboards. His recognizable graphic elements create that special setting, simple forms, playing with perspectives and shapes. Great skating in there by the Adidas team: Benny Fairfax, Nestor Judkins, Dennis Busenitz, Lem Villemin (from Germany), Jake Donnelly and the mighty Mark Gonzales.
It is not possible to embed the video, so watch it right here: Light, Shape, Color Read more …
Champfest Mag, Issue One / The God Bless Cut & Paste Issue
On my short trip to Frankfurt last week I went to see the highly acclaimed Dieter Rams retrospective “Less And More” and met my long-time friend Thomas for some beers and an extraordinarily good Schnitzel at Restaurant Mosebach. Awesome! During the sunny walk through the city earlier that day I stopped by the nice Azita store. As their rags would have hurt my pocket money really bad, I decided to spend the rest of my bucks on magazines from their small selection. Next to the really well done and very personal Aortica Magazine, an alternative city guide and their first issue features the hometown of the makers: Frankfurt (check the feature on magculture). I picked the new mono.kultur #24 featuring French artist Cyprien Gaillard. The issue is simply incredible, as always. But more on this in a few days.
That was actually the discovery of the day: Champfest Mag, by the sisters Joanna and Monique Kawecki, based in Melbourne and London. A great designed magazine with the charm of a fanzine, printed on matt paper in about A5 format, with some great features. Read more …
Valerie "Valle" Rosomako in The Journey to The Center of The Earth
You don’t have to be a obsessed with skateboards to like skate flics, they are thrilling and highly entertaining. But not all of them are pleasing as much as the movies by filmer and photographer Jonathan Peters, who is currently living and working in Berlin. It was his work that I got excited about two years ago and made my skateboarder heart bounce real high: Objectif Lune. Great filming, anything else than loudmouthed, passion for the detail and revealing personality both of the creator and the protagonists: some of the most progressive skaters of Berlin. Pure skateboarding and a special Berlin story starring the locals Carsten Beneker, Maxim Rosenbauer, Lenny Burmeister and the unbelievable Valerie Rosomako!
His newest project The Journey to The Center of The Earth has been screening last June. I stumbled upon the idea again, featuring this film on JB. as I met my friend Barnes last week for a short skate session. He said it is highly recommended, as Objectif Lune already has been. Until now I have only seen the trailers but I will investigate and hopefully meet up with Jonathan and write some more about him and the background of his new skate movie.
Until then check the unmissable Objectif Lune in full length here:
Big drum roll for the next musicdesign column! Within the next days, To Our Disco (Design) Friends #04 is coming from Give Up Art, the hyperactive design studio from London that has been brilliantly featured in the recent issue of XLR8R Magazine (p.74-81). We’ve been talking about this ace studio a couple of times. Stuart — founder and creative head of GUA, and a super nice guy by the way — selected some finds he recently spotted somewhere in the dusty crates of Barcelona during his stay for the Sonar festival. Just got it in my inbox, so be well prepared, some real highlights in there. A full feature about the works of Give Up Art and the people behind it, soon on JB. — online and, yeah… on printed paper!
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The Dusty Cabinets Show — the DJ Mixshow of JB. with great music by various DJs and artists. Get all episodes on our Soundcloud Archive
September
25.09. @ Crackers, Berlin. John Osborn b2b Jenne Grabowski
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19.10. @ Cookies, Berlin. with Keith Worthy, John Osborn, Jenne Grabowski
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@ Horst Krzbrg, Berlin. tbc
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Futura @ about blank … has been postponed. New date soon.
Jenne Grabowski + René Loewe (Vainqueur)
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