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DESIGN ARCHITECTUREINTERIORS ILLUSTRATION

PHOTOGRAPHY MUSIC FASHION TRENDS

EXHIBITIONSAND EVERYTHING THAT

INSPIRES US






















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FocMagazine.pdf 1 17/03/11 12:45

GREY GOOSE IS CONSIDERED WORLD’S BEST VODKA

Grey Goose vodka has been recognized as No. 1 vodka* by the most prestigious international institutions

*Awarded as “The Number One Vodka” by The Luxury Institute in 2007**Honored as “The world’s best tasting Vodka” by Beverage Institute of Chicago in 1998.

Grey Goose Vodka, world’s favourite luxury vodka**, is created with one goal – to be the world’s best tasting vodka. Grey Goose is the vodka chosen for the most important and glamorous international events, such as Cannes, Oscars, Golden Globes and the Baftas film festivals.

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Grey Goose Cosmopolitan

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FocMagazine_GG.pdf 1 21/03/11 14:26

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Meet the FOCers

us focers

we arewhat we arewe arewhat we are

Reedy

Ruth

L JKoniAndy

Andy ClarkPublisher

The leader of the pack. Keeps us in check anddemands Cadbury’s via text.

Koni / The Mexi”can”Designer

Nothing this girl can’t do,except find time toget dressed!

ReedyEditor

FOC’s equivalent to the white Rabbit - Anywhere, every-where and nowhere... some-one buy this girl a watch!

Saud RifatPhotographer

Busy taking a bite out of the Big Apple. Saud’s photog-raphy is jaw dropping and he would be as awesome in front of the camera as he is behind it!

Ruth “Badger” JonesPhotographer

Keeps herself busy snappin’ and gets the shot every time! Keep an eye on her though - she tends to wander!

foc is published quarterly by: Icon Publishing S.L.Deposito Legal:MA 1559-2010CIF: B93035210

No part of foc may be reproduced or copied in any way without the prior writ-ten consent ofIcon Publishing ®

L JFeatures Editor

A lover of the commercial and the cheesy but, all the same, always in the know!

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Meet the FOCers

Saud

IanSweeney Rebecca Caisie

Ian KuahJournalist

The pro on all things that fly, drive and float! If it isn’t ap-proved by Ian, it won’t make the cut!

DaisyAssociate Editor

For FOC sake and for the sake of politics! Daisy tries to keep us in line - poor girl!

Rebecca CannerfeltJournalist

Our Scandi based sweetheart who keeps us clued up about what’s hot, or at least keep-ing them warm, in Northern Europe.

Caisie DilksJournalist

A true, raw talent, as long as you can keep her awake!

[email protected]

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[email protected]

[email protected]

ADVERTISING & GENERAL [email protected]

Jamie SweeneyJournalist

Our favourite Norf Landaner! Charming, witty and a writer that Hunter.S would tip his hat to.

Our magazine is born out of a desire to illustrate the global talent that surrounds us and away from the generic and mundane satu-rating the media. FOC is a celebration of urban subcultures and the contemporary arts. Many beliefs are merely social constructs and our capabilities are as limitless as our imagination. However, our world has limits... and there is an increasing awareness ofthis reality!

This launch issue of FOC celebrates the creators and professionals that express themselves through aesthetic beauties that drill home the need to start compensating for some of the damage we have caused to our planet. We follow the development of the inspira-tional work of Jason deCaires Taylor in the deep blues of Mexico, where he demonstrates creation can not only be environmentally friendly but also life sustainable.

We are inspired by artists such as JR who not only celebrates the beauty found in the favelas of Rio, but also helps to improve thequality of life for his subjects with the application of his work.

We are not intending to portray ourselves as perfect eco-warriors; we just appreciate when visually exceptional design isn’t compro-mised by its functionality.

As the boundaries of communication lessen, we take thisopportunity to promote these unsung heroes and showcase theup-and-coming new talents who are making their mark on the design forum. Our cover girl Miss Led is the perfect example of a young individual bringing a new genre of art to the forefront of the design industry and we feel the necessity to support such driveand ambition.

From our award winning photographer Saud Rifat in New York, to roving reporter Rebecca Cannerfelt who keeps us up to date witheverything Scandanavian, we are constantly keeping our finger on the pulse. Our London based rogue, Jamie Sweeney keeps us aware of the latest happenings with his informative and edgy editorials and our home-grown Caisie Dilks let’s her passion for style and beauty shine through in her words and reviews. I could go on and on...

My largest shout out has to be to our core team. Our in-house graphic designer, Koni truly is my inspiration. The talent andstrive for perfection is visible on every single page and herdedication is a true testament to her character! L-J has a passion for journalism, the like of which I have never seen before and can only be summed up as the backbone of FOC. And then there’s Andy - without whose drive and determination none of thiswould be possible.

Principally, this publication is an open forum, a platform for thetalented and, yes, the opinionated! We want your feedback – which articles you liked and the ones you didn’t. We are always keen to receive information on other raw talents you think would benefit from a bit of FOC. Bring it on!

If you share our vision and wish to distribute FOC from your premises just get in touch, and if you dig the magazine as much as we do, subscription is available via our websitewww.focmagazine.com

Editor’s Letter

Reedy |

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Contents

12 THE EXHIBITIONIST: Reedy’s take on the latest trade fair in Paris and the developments in the design

industry 26 UNDERWATER MUSEUM: Sustaining nature and the future of our earth with art

32 FOC ME: Exclusive interview with design idol Eric Kuster and his movements in 2011 36 TRANSFORMERS:

Prepare to expect the exceptional 40 BLUEPRINT: Architects to set the bar by 50 VIRTUAL REALITY:

Exploring the phenomenon of 3D rendering 58 THE VICTIM: The newest urban whispers influencing future

fashion 65 RISE OF THE VALKYRIES: The latest Scandinavian happenings in fashion, architecture, design…

you name it, we got it 70 GRAFIK: Rob Jones’ work and the reasons why graphic designers win Grammy awards

too! 71 WORTH SELLING YOUR GRANNY FOR!: A quirky collection of revolutionary gifts and gizmos

73 MINE’S BIGGER: World exclusive of the big boys’ toy most of us can’t afford 76 THE SWEENEY: An

insight into the movement of street artist JR 78 ON THE CAIS: Caisie Dilks explores how a digital generation

records life with hard-impacting imagery, creating approachable pieces of art through their life experiences. 80

THE DARK ROOM: Digitalise your life with photographer Tom Chambers 86 FRONT DESK: Reviewing one hot

hotel you won’t want to check out of 92 FOC IT, LET’S PARTY: Where the elite raise a glass or two! 97

INK’D: Jamie Sweeney hooks up with fellow “Landana”, Miss Led, to discover her plans for world domination

102 EARGASMS: Giving you a taste of some of the artists who are set to dominate the stereo106 THROW

A SICKIE: FOC’s reasons to forge a sick note

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www.redcollarproject.com

Under the Oaks; Spring & Summer 2011

RCP.indd 1 2011-03-17 09:27:35

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Exhibitionist

MAISON& OBJET

There are many trade fairs throughout the world, bringing the design industry together. They enable the professionals to source new suppliers and keep their finger on the pulse as far as the transient trends in design are concerned. These shows are a platform for the manufacturers to display their development and current collections. An exemplary model of such a show is the bi-annual MAISON&OBJET trade fair located in the Parc des Exposicions on the outskirts of the French capital, in Villepinte, Ile de France. The show is a must for all professionals seeking to keep track of the latest fashions and progressions. The exhibition halls provide over 250,000-square metres of display space. The sheer size of this furniture fair attracts designers, architects and tradesmen from the world over, and consequently there is an automatic sense of competition amongst the exhibitors. There is also a sense of hierarchy between companies, each square metre of their purchased space is used to its best capabilities to attract and captivate a determined and no-nonsense flow of potential clients. As the suppliers display their metaphoric tail feathers in all their glory, this showcase creates a brief, dream-like world of interiors, each stand a micro world of textures and sheens.

This was no more apparent than at this year’s first exhibition. The fashions and trends demonstrated at

©AE-THION

©GREG. SEVAZ

By Reedy

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Exhibitionist

MAISON&OBJET only heightened this fairytale-like twist on reality that seems to be a current trend. I felt as if I had followed Alice down the white rabbit’s warren and emerged several days later full of inspiration and burst-ing at the seams with an understanding and saturation of all that’s new and fresh.

The wonderland is made up of eight halls, divided and labelled in categories to help the visitors plan their time at the show. There is always such a strong temptation to try and cover every square metre of the exhibition, endeavouring to cram in a brief glance at everything the industry has to offer. The experts will tell you this is a school boy error, to the point that even the organisers have introduced an E-plan service on their website. With the E-plan, you can identify and select the exhibitors that interest you in advance, and save your selection so that you can come back to it and modify it as often as you need to. It enables you to look up their information in order to contact them before the show, if need be, and

Natura CollectionBy Antolini

I felt as if I hadfollowed Alice down the white rabbit’s warren and emerged several days later full of inspiration

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even allows you to add the comments you want for each stand; such as pre-arrangedappointments, products you want to specifically see and much more.

The justification for all this extravagance and detail is down to a simple case of human nature and how we react in a kid-like enthusiasm to bright colours, flashing lights and a dramatised reality full of distractions and fantasy. Don’t be fooled that the exhibition doesn’t take dedication and commitment from the visitors too. It is exhausting physically and socially.

There’s an amount of repetitiveness in the interaction with the suppliers in order to gain catalogues, pricelists and to build up a good rapport with providers. It means long days under the florescent lights and breathing synthetic air. There is a Vegas like quality to it where, although you know that it is impermanent, you allow yourself to relish in the whim-sical creations for this brief period of time.

The organisers, SAFI, are true professionals. The level of organisation, professionalism and class is something that you are reminded of at each entry and exit, and at regular informa-tion points on the perimeter of each hall. There are no gimmicks. The staff’s simple dark suit uniforms with a fuchsia accent contrast with the striking spectacle, which lies beyond their guard.

If you are among the honoured few, the exhibition has a member’s club that was estab-lished when the show began. Le Club has a limited number of members and boasts a list of the elite purchasers and architects in the industry. The organisers create a member’s only lounge each exhibition, inviting a specific designer or exhibitor to design the private space to best demonstrate their flare and capabilities. Within this exclusive zone, the most influ-ential movers and shakers have a place to relax at the complimentary bar, a place to store their jackets and luggage, as well as a concierge service and a business centre with private conference rooms to conduct meetings with potential business associates.

This year’s congregation of creativity displayed at MAISON&OBJET restored my faith in the creative geniuses we have in the trade and the ever-evolving, ever-improving products.

Exhibitionist

Greg et lucasBy Metylos - © Metylos

NatureBy Fabrice Berrux - © dix heures dix©AE-THION

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I think many professionals would agree with me that there has been a noticeable lull in the creative development of products in some companies as a result of the reces-sion, but I was pleasantly surprised this January. The exhibitors pulled out all the stops and I had a real sense that they had been hard at work, and it showed in the flare, presentation and enchantment cre-ated. The technology and the individuality behind many of the collections on the mar-ket now are admirable. I mentioned there are numerous trade fairs held every year around the world but I always enjoy the diversity of the products and companies exhibiting at MAISON&OBJET. The mélange of market leaders and independents allows designers and buyers to source everything from ceramics to cushions, sculptures to bathtubs.

MAISON&OBJET encompasses all the creativity and design intuition you would dream to expect from the design capital of Europe; a truly refreshing exhibition that is definitely bookmarked in my calendar for the future.

Exhibitionist

Carpanelli©Greg. Sevaz

Wardrobe JimmyBy Du Bout Du Monde - © Du Bout Du Monde

Turin SlideboardBy Baltus

a truly refreshingexhibition that is definitely bookmarked in my calendar for the future.

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MAISON&OBJET Scènes d’intérieur | Now! design à vivreMAISON&OBJET éditeursMAISON&OBJET musées trade shows

Next showsFrom September 9 to 13, 2011From January 21 to 25, 2012 (dates to be confirmed)

Opening timesFirst four days: 09:30am to 07:00pm. Last day: 09:30am to 06:00pm.

Location Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre

MAISON&OBJET badgeFor the five days of the show, it gives you direct access to all of the hallsOnline order 56€ (58€ at the show)

Essential toolsMAISON&OBJET cataloguePresentation of MAISON&OBJET, Scènes d’intérieur, Now! design à vivre, MAISON&OBJET éditeurs et MAISON&OBJET musées exhibitors.33€ VAT incl.

Inspirations book n°18A true tool for reflection and design, it allows new trends to be deciphered and new sources of inspiration to be picked out.112€ VAT incl. (130€ VAT incl.after the show).

E-plan service In three steps, create your personalised itinerary, hall by hall.Take advantage of MAISON&OBJET’s special offer: 6€ VAT incl. when buying the offical catalogue of MAISON&OBJET.

Who can attend the shows?Shows are strictly reserved for professionals. A business card for in-ternational visitors must be presented in order to obtain an entrance badge for the show. You will not be allowed to access the show without any professional I.D. The show is not open to children.

Where to obtain your badgeFor the five days of the show, the badge gives you direct access to all of the exhibitions: MAISON&OBJET, Scènes d’intérieur, Now! De-sign à Vivre, MAISON&OBJET éditeurs and MAISON&OBJET musées.

Exhibitionist

Glamour BedBy Ennio Arosio - Ivano Redaelli

Lady Smoon Floor Lamp 100% LED By Beau & Bien

Beijing Coffee TableBy Baltus

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MAISON&OBJET publicationsPick up your publications at the show’s information stands situated in the visitors reception areas.

Book my travelFlights:Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre is located about 10km from Charles De Gaulle International Airport.

Book your flight early – it is a busy week and prices reflect this. MAISON&OBJET lists a special discounted rate which you can take advan-tage of, with KLM and AirFrance, by quoting an access code.

Look out for the reservation code on the MAISON&OBJET website prior to each exhibition. It enables up to 47% discount.(The offers are available online on www.airfranceklm-globalmeetings.com)

Exhibitionist

HAUTE TENSIONBy Elizabeth Leriche

MAISON&OBJET’s trends report

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Trains:Company: SNCF A special rate for the regular return train fare is available via MAISON&OBJET website.This offer is valid for any round trip made between the dates of the trade fair on the main line trains travelling outside Ile de France, in 1st and 2nd class.

Information and reservations is available from SNCF sta-tions, approved SNCF travel agencies and SNCF travel shops or by phone: +33 (0) 8 92 35 35 35.

Book your accommodation MAISON&OBJET recommends you to a specific selection of hotels, in Paris or close to Paris, ensuring you easy access to the exhibition centre.

The hotel reservation service available via the MAISON&OBJET website allows visitors, exhibitors and journalists to reserve their stay in a referenced Parisian hotel, during the show.

To access the showBy carFrom Paris, take the A1 or the A3 motorway towards Lille, then the A104 motorway towards Soissons and follow the signs for “Parc des Expositions Visiteurs”.

By public transportFrom Paris, take the RER B direction Roissy Charles de Gaulle and stop at “Parc des Expositions”. From Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport, take the RER B direc-tion Paris and stop at “Parc des Expositions” (first stop after the airport).* Save time! From the Chatelet and Gare du Nord RER sta-tions, direct « RER » express trains are at your disposal. RATP / SNCF

MAISON&OBJET free shuttle serviceA free shuttle service is available during the show: Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport ‹ › Paris Nord Villepinte- From the three airport terminals*: Every 30 minutes, from 09:00am to 12:00am - From Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre: Every 30 minutes, from 06:00pm to 07:30pm and 05:00pm to 6:00pm on the last day.

* Terminal 1: gate 8, departure level; Terminal 2D: gate 8; Terminal 2F : gallery 6.

By taxiThe Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre provides taxi terminals, which allow you to easily access the show from the two main show entrances (show entrances of hall 1 and hall 5B).

http://www.maison-objet.com/

Exhibitionist

Hypnoticfor Vincent Grégoire (Agence NellyRodi)

©Fillioux&Fillioux

Sticker PARCMETRE, NATURE DECOPLAGE SA 2010/2011 – Hofpils - Fotolia

Cubic DreamBy Wonderable

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Where to stay and what to do

The close proximity to Villepinte and Roissy means that the hotels are only a short complimentary shuttle service away or a single stop on the train. A variety of quality hotels are clustered near the small town of Roissy. The town benefits from the various shows that are organised and held at Parc des Exposicions, and caters for the needs of the thousands of visitors that have evenings to fill.

The Place restaurant is an exhibitor’s secret that serves French and International favourites in a funky, colourful environment. It is even equipped with a massage room with two deluxe leather massage chairs, mellowing music and soft ambient lighting. It is the perfect place to wind down after a busy day at MAISON&OBJET.

If you are fortunate enough to be able to enjoy a few extra days in Paris after the furniture fair, then Paris central is always a charming cultural experience to be embraced. Besides the glorious depth of world music talent, you can’t go to Paris and not enjoy the Louvre, the Musée D’Orsay, the Opéra, the Pompidou Centre, Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower – perhaps not all possible in the one trip.

The Latin Quarter is the preferred choice of areas to stay in but you’ll be able to find decent hotels, bars and cafés around almost every corner. For bars and restaurants it’s always worth poking around the smaller streets for culinary gems. A must for me is to spoil myself at one of Hotel Coste’s stunning restaurants. Another recommendation is the Bound Bar in 49 Avenue George V. This popular baris home to Paris’ young and beautiful people, where theycome to enjoy a refined atmosphere, which feels exclusive and chic.

The Place

T. 01.34.29.89.80F. 01.34.29.02.14

58, avenue Charles De Gaulle95799 Roissy en FranceOpen Hours: 12:00-14:30 & 18:00-22:30

Exhibitionist

Hypnoticfor Vincent Grégoire (Agence NellyRodi)

©Fillioux&Fillioux

GribouillageBy Lucie Bourreau © Lucie Bourreau

Exhibitionist

Royal FashionBy Javier Martin

In the design industry there is currently a real movement for the dreamy and the distorted. Many designers are demon-strating a sense of an internal childishness through their work. Although this playful style may not be to everyone’s taste, here are some examples of how the design world has developed a sense of humour.

DESIGNCONCEPTS

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Exhibitionist

This five-arm master-piece is a stunning example of surrealism being used to give furnishings a twist. The Burlesque Giant is available in black and white, and has two themes. The macabre, gothic style of the pieces is complement-ed by the simple, matt colour finish.

Hats off to the La BoiteConcept boys and their ingen-ious, multi-purpose speaker station. There’s no more need to listen to your favourite music downloads through your typical tinny laptop speakers. The compact leather and piano-lacquered desk is principally a high-end dock designed specifi-cally for laptops. With an inte-grated anti-vibration leather laptop plate, laptop dock, seven drivers, all exclusively designed for La Boite Concept, and a Hi-Fi sound card to improve the sound quality of your laptop, the compact desk is a dream edition to any contemporary home.Available in four different colour finishes and producing a sound like no other docking

These cuddly bookshelves named Joe are brought to you from the beautifully original French company ibride. ibride creates stun-ningly crafted, animal-inspired fixtures and furniture for the home. Made from high pres-sure laminate, this darling décor is available in iced grey or brushed black for realistic results. These pieces bring a magical touch to any room with their unique storage methods and lifelike presence. ibride offers a wide range of enchanting, novelty storage units all inspired by the beauty of nature’s creatures.

No Evil Monkeys

Cuddly Bookshelf Music Furniture

www.ibride.fr

www.laboiteconcept.com

www.seletti.com

www.seletti.com

station we have experienced, FOC magazine gives this inven-tion two thumbs up. We gently remind the sound engineering geniuses at La Boite Concept that we have reserved the perfect place in our offices for the LD120.

Keytlery

The whimsical and unusual theme makes an appearance in this 2011 collection by Seletti. The stunning cutlery series Keylery, uses traditional rustic key design and merges it with a practical element. The collec-tion is a 24-piece set made from stainless steel that comes with a keyhole kitchen display to complete the package.

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Exhibitionist

We fell in love with these little commemorative trinkets from Undergrowth Design. The beautiful wine glasses are hand-blown in London, and have a special message encased in a glass bubble at the bottom. The ready-made messages available for their special offer are: With love or Love you. The butterflies come in an array of light pastel colours and are hand inserted, further personalising this bespoke collection.

A little tip... they are best used with light-coloured bever-

ages since the wording and detail becomes magnified through the liquid. A Sauvignon Blanc will do nicely!

This naughty party piece was another eye-catcher. An upside-down wom-an with an up-turned skirt form the bowl, and her stunning pins create the spoon. Inspired by Marilyn Monroe’s

famous vent scene, it also features the

words Eat Me on her hat. Available with gold, red or black shoes, or in a limited edition pink glaze.

Ice cream just became even more fun to eat.

You can’t help imagin-ing a Femme Fatale sipping her poison from one of these sexy glasses. The seductive sting is available in four colours and indicates the perfect measure whether shaken, not stirred or with a twist.

www.undergrowthdesign.com

Butterfliesin my stomach

UNDERGROWTH DESIGN

Ouch!BlaueBloom!

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Exhibitionist

Thinking about colourBy Javier Martin

UNDERGROWTH DESIGN

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Exhibitionist

Blindness MondayBy Javier Martin

Javier Martin boasts a more than versatile technique. His works show a clear influence from current fashion and this sensibility for combining colour, texture and photography make this innovative artist unique in the world of contemporary art.

At just 25 years old he has alreadyexhibited in the USA and Paris, two of theMeccas of the art world, as well as atEstampa Madrid, Arte Lisboa, Baltus Miami, LA and Chicago.

javiermartinart.com

JAVIERMARTIN

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Exhibitionist

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BACSAC is an idea that grew from the desire to grow. Designer Godefroy de Virieu and landscapers Virgile Desurmont and Louis de Fleurieu, joined forces to create an alternative method of growing, transporting, storing and displaying plants and soil. BACSAC is a new generation of flexible plant containers. Its double-walled, 100% recyclable, geo-textile fabric maintains the necessary balancebetween air, soil and water, and is sun and frost resistant. It’s nature in a bag!

Portablegarden

CUBIC DREAM

SecretLover

Sicis are renowned world leaders in decorative surfaces and their stun-ning tones and finishes have created mosaic art throughout the globe. Forever pushing their boundaries, Sicis showcased their latest venture at the Maison et Objet show in Paris. Out of a collaboration with artist, and the protégé of the infamous Gorgio Di Viricho, Carla Tolomeo “Next Art” is born. This jaw-drop-ping, opulent collection of decora-tive chairs mixes velvets, silks and a blend of Sicis’ limitless mosaic inlays. Available in diverse colour varia-tions or personalised to the client’s specification, these “dreams of art” are almost too good to sit on!

www.wonderable.com

www.bacsac.fr

www.sicis.it

Portable

Wonderable’s hand-made accessories for the home are a feast for the eyes. In her Won-derables collection, Carla Peters combines the clear lines of western design with age-old craft techniques from faraway lands. This way of working leads to exciting new creations, which are full of references and commentary. The mother-of-pearl patterns on the Cubic Dream series of cubes/side tables are hand-cut and embedded in 18 coats of lacquer, which are applied and sanded one by one.A beautifully unique touch to any home.

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Any form of art is respected and valued by the FOC team, but surely there’s nothing better than art that looks amazing, is symbolic and actively supports and regenerates the environment at the same time?Well, that’s what Jason deCaires Taylor has achieved with the world’s first underwater sculpture park in Grenada, the Museo Subaquatico de Arte (MUSA).

He has received vast international recognition for his unique work and in 2009, he embarked on his most ambitious project yet – a modern underwater art mu-seum in The National Marine Park of Cancún, Mexico. Each year, over 750,000 people visit The National Marine Park in Cancún, putting great pressure on the existing reefs. Taylor’s aim is to draw tourists away from the natural reefs, allow-ing them to regenerate and develop. What better way to do this than to create an underwater museum?

The MUSA now consists of more than 400 life-size sculptures creating artifi-cial reefs for marine life to inhabit. Through his artwork, Taylor explores the inter-relationships between modern art, man and the environment. “It’s a stage, it’s environmental, an evolution, art intervention as growth or a balancing of relationships,” he explains. His exceptional work inspires the possibility for a sustainable future, showing human invention in nature as both positive and reviving. This project is unique in combining public art with environmental conservation on a really impressive scale.

The Museo Subaquatico de Arte includes various different breath-taking feature sculptures, including Man on Fire, The Gardener of Hope, The Archive of Lost Dreams and The Silent Evolution. Each sculpture tells a story, for example Man on Fire is a cast from Joachim, a local Mexican fisherman – an imposing figure built at a depth of eight metres, drilled with over 75 holes and planted with live cuttings of fire coral. The man is on fire, yet unaware of his situation, highlight-ing our dependence and over use of limited natural resources, such as fossil fuels. Not only has Taylor created a beautifully imaginative piece of artwork, but

Man on Fire foc:| 27

By Caisie Dilks

he has created a message visible to everyone. “If this generation continues to live by its current values, by the time I am 75 we could have lost over 80 percent of our natural reef formations. How on earth can I justify that to my grandchildren?”

The Silent Evolution forms a monumental artificial reef, and is one of the largest underwater attractions in the World, across 420 square meters and with a total weight of 180 tons. It was installed near the Machones Reef in September 2010 and displays 400 life-size casts taken from a diverse section of society. The installation shows an assembly of people, demonstrating how we are all facing serious concerns regarding our environment and the impact we have on the natural world. Sculptures range from Rosario, an 85-year old nun, to Santiago, a 3-year boy, with various occupations represented from around the globe, including an accountant, yoga instructor, fisherman, student, acrobat, carpenter and park ranger. The sculptures will be changed in their appearance over time, as coral grows and marine life establishes itself. Aesthetic control is left to nature in pure physical display of the symbolic message be-hind the work. “All my work is about change and forming objects that mirror the transient nature of our lives”. The manifestation of living organisms cohabitating and rooted in our being is intended to remind us of our close dependency on nature and the respect we should present it, defining an integral role in the planets future.

The Silent Evolution is interactive, so people can swim around the sculptures exploring them in greater detail. Or for those of us who don’t want to get our hair wet, there are glass-bottomed boats. The light changes constantly in the water, new life grows, fish begin to mark out their territories, creating an underwater kingdom of man and nature entwined. “Taking art off of the white

walls of a gallery offers the viewer a sense of discovery and a sense of participation,” Taylor reflects. “As we all originate from the sea, I believe all humans have an intrinsic, built-in desire and fascination to return.” The location of the sculptures, off the shores of Cancún, is also strategic. Notorious for its endless facilities and lively atmosphere, as a relatively new city, Cancún is not known for its cultural activi-ties or environmental awareness. The Silent Evolution aims to attract a new age of responsible and sustainable tourism. It hopes to define the region as both progressive and forward-thinking, forming a catalyst of social change.

Fortunately, The Silent Evolution is ever evolving, and the third stage of the museum will commence this year. This will involve commissioning local and international artists to contribute further sculptural installations to the museum and host special underwater cultural events celebrating the Arts and Science.

The Museo Subaquatico de Arte, in my mind, is some of the most exciting artistic work I have come across. And the man behind the art is equally inspiring. Growing up in Europe and Asia with his English father and Guyanese mother inspired his passion for exploration and discovery. Much of his childhood was spent on the coral reefs of Malaysia, where he developed a profound love of the sea and a fascination with the natural world. This would later lead him to spend several years working as a scuba diving instruc-tor in numerous locations across the globe, developing a strong interest in conservation, underwater naturalism and photography. He found other artistic influences far from the oceans.

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During his teenage years, work as a graffiti artist excited his inter-est in the relationship between art and the environment, producing an ambition to create art in public spaces and directing the focus of his formal art training.

He graduated in 1998 from the London Institute of Arts, with a BA Honors in Sculpture and Ceramics. Later, experience in Canterbury Cathedral taught him traditional stone carving techniques, while five years working in set design and concert installations exposed him to cranes, lifting, logistics and completing projects on a grand scale.

His entire life and experience have equipped him the skills, desire and drive to create the ambitious and innovative underwater projects that have given him worldwide recognition. I am in complete awe of such a purposeful art project with such breath-taking results.

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ERICKUSTER

By L-JPhotos by Paul Barbera

Eric Kuster is one of the most glamorous interior designers the world knows. His designs are sexy, luxurious and dynamic, ranging from boutique hotels and villas, to nightclubs. He talks exclusively to FOC regarding his projects, his inspirations and the future trends for 2011.

How did you initially get into design?

My career began in fashion designing; this was my original passion. However, a friend of mine started a company in exterior textiles, so I began working there, which developed my skills as a designer and my creativity.

How long have you been in this industry?

I have worked in this industry for 23 years now. I have never been professionally trained as an interior designer. My skills developed from working my way up the ranks, starting at a textile printing company. I actually saw myself working in the fashion industry from a very young age, but I am very hands-on in my creations today, and that all stemmed from working my way up from the bottom.

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What has been your favourite creation?

That’s one of the hardest questions I am ever asked. The Jimmy Woo nightclub and lounge in Amsterdam was one of my favourite to design, as I was able to express my creativity and also it was a bit of a challenge. The ceiling alone is decorated with 12,000 bulbs, which illuminates the club and completely brings the room to life.Also there is a house in Thailand, which I fea-ture in my new book Metropolitan Luxury Volume II, which is another of my favourites.

Who is your favourite designer or who inspires you?

My biggest inspiration is Tom Ford, the fashion designer. His work is much like mine; it isn’t experimental, just creative and classic. We both want to create a beautiful envi-ronment for the client; he does it through fashion and I create it through generating an atmosphere. The furniture obviously has to be comfortable for the client, but I like to add a sexy touch to it, the same way that Tom does with his clothes.

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What’s your favourite part aboutconceptualising a design?

The beginning and end of a design would have to be my favourites. The initial meeting with the clients is the most exciting, as there is no telling what they are going to ask for. This part of creating the concept is great because the majority of my clients are self-made and appreciate being involved throughout. My clients are also such positive people because they have had to work hard for their money, and they enjoy the finished project as much as I do. The energy people give off when you reveal their finished creation is one of the greatest things about my job.

What are your biggest accomplishments as a designer?

Receiving compliments from the client is the most humbling part of being a designer. I also count this as being my main accomplishment. Most of my clients have started from the bottom and have moved their way up through hard work and dedication, so they appreciate all of my designs.

How have your designs developed? Have you always envisioned your designs the way they are now or has your style developed through your experiences and travels?

I believe travelling is a very important part of developing my ideas. You see different types of creativity all over the world, and this enriches my personal culture. People’s perceptions and design ideas worldwide are so diverse that it’s a great way to gain a new perspective and develop my tastes.

You mentioned your new book earlier -Metropolitan Luxury Volume II - how does this differ to Volume I?

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You can see the development of my style throughout the two books. Volume I was written five years ago, and since then I have been blessed with bigger projects and my style has developed. The collection has become more interesting, and the budgets have grown; you can actually see the progress in my designs over the years. Volume II is more of an international book, as I have been designing all over the world in the last four years, whereas Volume I was more local. I have also developed a signature design, which you can see stamped on all of my projects. Even though I obviously have to adapt my designs to the location and client, I always like to highlight the fact that it is my design and creation.

What are your current new projects?

I am currently working on a private villa in Ibiza, which is a fantastic island; the energy there is like no other and really inspires me. Also, I am working on large villas in Dubai and Russia, so I am travelling between the locations.

Do you ever find the time to relax yourself?

My motto is “work hard…play hard”. I work for over 16 hours a day, and then when I’m not working, I am planning and brainstorm-ing other ideas and designs. It’s like one life for me; I find it hard to distinguish between working and relaxing because they both amalgamate into one. This doesn’t bother me though, as luckily I work with such a fantastic team, they’re like family to me. I chose each and every one of them based on their integrity and drive, because you can teach anyone the raw skills, but not personality.

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With all the travelling you do, what is your favourite place to be?

Places with high energy levels are my favour-ite places to work. Places such as Ibiza, New York and London, where you can literally see the culture and personality of the place; this is what excites me.

What city do you find most inspirational?

I would have to say Istanbul or Dubai; I just love the desert and the relaxing, but also the positive affect it has on me. Also, anywhere where my friends and family are; I am fortu-nate to have clients all over the world and have such a close affinity with them. The fact

that even three years after designing for them I can still call them friends is a great achieve-ment. This way, I always feel at home, and as long as I’ve got my laptop with me, then I’m home.

What do you foresee for trends in interiors for 2011?

I think quality will return to the design world in 2011. Everyone is changing his or her lifestyle to become greener and more environmentally friendly, and I believe that the interior world will follow suit. Clients would rather spend more on furniture and have it last for 10-20 years, than purchase cheap and have to keep replacing.

ERIC KUSTERwww.erickuster.com

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Transformers

QUAY PROPERTY GROUPTransforms Luxury Marbella Property

When a client instructed Quay Property Group to open up the living spaces of a high-end apartment, situated in an exclu-sive Marbella development, the subtext of the design and build brief was clear: modernise my home and make it feel as privileged as its value demands.

A number of broad, bold strokes were chosen to frame myriad complementary improvements, all under the direct supervi-sion of experienced property developer and company founder, John May.

Out went the wall between the lounge and kitchen, the latter being rejuvenated with state-of-the-art German-supplied white gloss worktops and fittings. Sliding frameless glass doors and folding glass screens replaced the dated patio doors and

Photos by sparrowphotography.net

EXPECTTHE EXCEPTIONAL

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windows, adding 30 percent to the internal footprint and allowing the whole apart-ment to be opened up to the outside on warm Marbella days.

To emphasise the new spacious look, Quay Property Group utilised the wrap-around terrace to visually extend the inside. Ex-trapolating floor, wall and ceiling detail and decoration to the limits created seamless lines between the apartment’s old internal footprint and the newly reclaimed terrace.

A part of the terrace was used to create a signature bathroom with a raised platform for the double walk-in shower area and stand-alone bath, extending the master bedroom. Designed to open up into the ex-tended terrace area too, this new bathroom further blurred the demarcations between living spaces, allowing the owners to enjoy the sense of bathing in the lounge.

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Our style is constantly evolving with the

introduction of new materials and technologies

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Meanwhile, a natural, luxurious Pebble Tec finish in Caribbean Blue reinvigorated the newly extended plunge pool, which was reframed in hardwood decking.

Working closely with world-renowned interior designer Eric Kuster, who chose a variety of neutral colours and furnishings to create a warm but modern living area, Quay Property Group emphasised the hearth as the central focus of the space by doubling it in size and installing a stunning, raised, single-strip, gel flame fireplace.

The tired, old, gloss marble floors were ground to a stunning and contemporary flat matt finish, and the mood of homely mo-

dernity was underpinned with the addition of an audio-visual home intelligent control system, lending a luxurious final flourish to this bold and ambitious project.

As with any Quay Property Group design, this rejuvenated apartment lives up to John May’s company motto: expect the exceptional.

If you would like a design and build quotation from Quay Property Group to improve your home, contact them: Marbella: +34 951 319 728London: +44 0800 112 [email protected]

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That’s what we strive to do as a business; create one-off pieces for the client

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LUXURY HOME BUILDER“Formed in 2007 by experienced property developer

John May, Quay Property Group is a luxury building contractorfor clients in Marbella and London.” www.quaypropertygroup.com

Mellior Vasari La Alzambra Local 3-1Puerto Banús - Marbella - 29660Spain +34 951 319 728UK +44 0800 112 [email protected]

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Blueprint

Creative Spaces

The Eastwest Recording Studios building was originally con-structed in the 1930s as an open plan, concrete wall and wood bow truss roof structure for the Cassius Grocery Store. It later became a recording studio in the 50s, and subsequently underwent numerous additions and alterations to the original structure and layout. Frank Sinatra recorded in studio 1. In studio 3, The Beach Boys recorded the epic album Pet Sounds, and The Mamas and the Papas recorded California Dreamin’ here too.

Derelict, the building was rescued from the auction block by their client, Doug Rogers. Hughes Umbanhowar Architects directed a scheme in conjunction with interior designer, Philippe Starck, to strip all interior elements from the building, revealing the original structure and spirit of the construction. The only original features

The ideals and images conjured by the thought of a typical recording studio is four grey padded walls and a stationary microphone….drab and dull! However, Hughes Umbanhower Architects have thought outside the box and have created an inspirational, creative space for the eccentric artists of today. They have pushed the boundaries to ensure that this is the perfect backdrop for talent to record their future hits, from the decadent halls right to the vintage private lounges, and FOC looks on in awe.

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are the five analogue recording studios, which were kept wholly intact. The building is a series of historical, visual, experimental layers; vintage on the exterior, fresh and new on the primary layer and again vintage on the inner layer. Shiny and lush materials are contrasted with dull and weathered materials, making for a rich composition as one moves through the space, through the material and through time.

The updated building program now includes a chef’s kitchen, spa-cious lobby, multiple private artist lounges, exterior sun terrace, conference room and programming/administrative offices. The lighting is kept to a minimum in order to reduce the awareness of exterior time, a preferred environment for musicians and their days-long recording sessions.

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Completed 2009Los Angeles, California 20,500 square feetPrimary components:Extensive Interior and Exterior Renovation of Concrete structure/wood bow truss building: polished concrete, bamboo, epoxy floors, 20’ velvet curtains, leather walls, fluorescent paint, black light, car-rera marble, recycled rubber wainscott, painted canvas walls.

Blueprint

www.huum.com

Become a professional interior designer with KLC’s comprehensive, vocational diploma course validated by the University of Brighton.

Flexible study methods are available with the option of either an intensive one year programme or blended learning over 28 months, both supported by online study resources.

KLC is the only design school to be accredited by both the British Accreditation Council (BAC) and the Open & Distance Learning Quality Council (ODQLC). Places are limited and interviews are now taking place.

TO FIND OUT MORE, CALL 020 7376 3377 OR VISIT WWW.KLC.CO.UK

SEE YOUR INTERIOR DESIGN CAREER TAKE SHAPE

15136-2_KLC_ADVERTISING_MASTER_210x270_AW.indd 1 18/03/2011 13:12

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Blueprint

GeometricIllusion

Whoever said Tetris was boring? The guys at Hughes Umbanhower Architects have taken what everyone associates with a contemporary house; the industrial, flat and mundane residence and has proven these assumptions incorrect. The depth of the building, the height of the walls, the range of materials used and the expanse of light emphasises there is nothing boring about this inspired structure.

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The River Road House, completed in 2009, is a complex composi-tion; it is reminiscent of the canvases of Georges Braque, in which geometric forms appear and disappear in a constant dance of illusion and materiality. The house comprises a series of distinct, yet interlocking rectilinear volumes conjoined by a transparent longitudinal axis. Positive volumes are balanced atop negative, cre-ating heightened tension and intrigue. A glass-skinned throughway connects and distinguishes the two dominant volumes, or towers, capturing light and adding to the sense of interior capaciousness. Exterior glass, limestone, stucco and mahogany outline, augment and anchor what otherwise might be a cacophony of disparate forms.

Whether allegro, andante or largo, the varied rhythms of the internal structure are adroitly composed. Denizens move with leisure or efficiency, depending on need and mood. Interior spaces are carefully orchestrated to conceal and reveal dramatic views to the water. Surprise and delight are amplified by skilful interior and exterior framing. In the same way, the arrangement of program and use moves inhabitants through a logical gradient from public to private space, from activity to slumber, from conviviality to introspection. At either end of the longitudinal axis that connects the two domestic partitions, separate stairways enhance circulation and provide discrete access to the three-storied parapets.

Afternoon sun is mitigated by aluminium louvers and astute struc-tural arrangement. The bulthaup kitchen is enhanced by a sliding window wall, which opens to an exterior courtyard, further collaps-ing the distinction between exterior and interior space, allowing cooling ocean breezes to breathe easily through the house. This effect further underscores the sense of spontaneous yet calculated arrangement.

Blueprint

Blue Print

Completion 2009Sewall’s Point, Florida12,300 sq feetPrimary components:Stucco, Corten, Minnesota Limestone, Mahogany windows, sliding window wall, aluminium louvers, cork floors, river rock, carrera marble, bulthaup kitchen

Blueprint

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Blueprint

Architecture is a fascinating subject involving a wide range of academic, practical and vocational activities. It requires creativity, imagination, and technical and practical know-how, and encourages in-depth study of the cultural context of environments and societies.

Qualifying as an architect in the United Kingdom involves a combination of academic study in a school of architecture, and professional experience within an architectural practice, taking a minimum of seven years to complete. The path to becoming an architect takes time because architecture is a wide rangingdiscipline based on a large body of design, technical and profes-sional knowledge.

Many students interested in becoming an architect often ask what subjects they need to have studied before they begin their degree, and are often surprised when they learn that almost all subjects taught at secondary school level are relevant. Although it is not al-ways necessary to study art at GCSE, students should enjoy draw-ing freehand and have an interest in design and making 3D work, and will usually need GCSE mathematics and English at grade C or above. Some universities may also require A level mathematicsand physics.

When it comes to choosing a school of architecture, it is important to research the available courses thoroughly, as the approach to architectural education differs between schools. The RIBA currently validates courses at over 40 schools of architecture in the UK, but does not rank schools or issue a list of ‘best schools’; if a course is recognised by both RIBA and ARB, it has met the UK’s minimum required standards. Open days are a great time to ask currentstudents and tutors questions about the course, and the degree shows provide an excellent idea of the focus and orientation of work in a particular school.

BECOMING AN ARCHITECT IN THE UK

by RIBA President Ruth Reed

BMW Welt (c) Richard Walch, RIBA Award winner 2008

British Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo (c) Daniele Mattioli, RIBA Award winner 2010

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Architecture is taught in a different way to the majority of other subjects although design work, or tutorials and ‘crits’ (critiques where students present their design project work to tutors and other students) are usually conducted in a studio. Students also attend history, theory and technology lectures and computer-aided design tutorials, have essays to write, and undertake site visits.

Having completed an undergraduate degree at Part 1, students go on to complete their Stage 1 Professional Experience, which is a paid placement in an architect’s office. Having completed this, students progress onto RIBA Part 2, which is a two-year full-time University degree. Students then complete a minimum of one year paid professional placement in an architectural practice, which is known as the Stage 2 Professional Experience.

The final requirement before qualification is the RIBA Part 3, which candidates can choose to study with any RIBA validated course. Having gained the Part 1, 2 & 3 qualifications graduates can register as architects with the Architects Registration Board (ARB).

Alternative routes to qualification as an architect are available, for example, if someone is already working in practice, the RIBA Office-based Examination may be a more appropriate route. For anyone who has studied or qualified to be an architect outside the UK, qualifications need to be assessed for equivalence to the UK Parts 1 & 2 by the Architects Registration Board (ARB), and candidates will then have to undertake a Part 3 qualification once they have met the required criteria.

The RIBA currently validates courses at over 40 schools of architecture in the UK

Ruth Reed

Clapham Manor School (c) Jonas Lencer, RIBA Award winner 2010

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VirtualVirtualRealityRealityIn an ever-changing and ever-evolving world, we need to keep up to date with the latest trends in fashion, music and now architecture. The evolution of 3D rendering is helping design businesses all over the world create vivid, tan-gible images that allow their clients to clearly visualise their designs before any physical work is carried out. Here, we catch up withJason Harris, head of U Design, an interiordesign company, and Andrea Maggi ofEstudio Arque, a company dedicated tooffering elite finishes for private residences, that are using 3D rendering as a principalselling tool to its full advantage...withamazing results!

By L-JArtwork by U design

How did you initially begin interior designing?

I never actually studied interior designing, it somehow just hap-pened. It was when I worked in the real estate industry and was taken to one of the show houses that I realised the interior of a house is one of the most important factors in a building. I’ve been working at UDesign for the past three years now, and my passion grows day by day.

How did this evolve into the manufacturing of pieces?

We would rarely find furniture in the specifications that we want-ed. The colour, size, material that the client desired was so difficult to find that we began to design and make our own.

What is the signature style of your furnishings?

Our style is constantly evolving with the introduction of new materials and technologies, but we like to combine different types of natural woods with modern materials and different textures. Our style is quite simple and contemporary, but interesting. We tend to stick to more neutral and natural colours such as grey and oatmeal, but we can tailor our designs to the clients’ needs.

What are the benefits of using 3D modelling?

The main benefit of using 3D modelling is that we are able to visu-alise, and to show our clients, a complete design project. It gives us the opportunity to experiment with different options of colours, furniture and materials before choosing the final design. It also eliminates any room for error, as you can see exactly how the de-sign is going to come out. It’s really a failsafe method of ensuring that both the client and the designer are satisfied with the design before anything is made. It allows us to be much more creative as we have the ability to change anything before we begin.

How has it affected the development of the business?

It has had a huge effect on the development of the business

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because it allows us to create new designs; from individual pieces of furniture to exciting new feature wall installations. We are now able to offer our clients a one-stop solution to a full interior design package.

Is 3D rendering a costly service?

The 3D virtual design technology eliminates costly expenses that can occur if you haven’t completely understood a client’s vision and have to make expensive amends half way through, or at the end, of the project. It also gives you the opportunity to experiment with different ideas, which will ultimately give you the best result for your budget.

Do you need training?

You need to take a one-year course on 3D rendering software, and it’s not particularly cheap. You have to see it as an investment in the business as it is such a powerful tool.

Are there any negatives or limits?

The only limits to designing in virtual 3D are your imagination and creativity. We create the furniture, we have our own in-house upholsterers and carpenters, so there are no limitations as to what we can design and make.

Have you had a good response from your clients since you intro-duced 3D technology?

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Clients are now able to not only see their home decorated before they spend any money, but also avoid any costly mistakes, as I mentioned earlier. They are much more confident and enthusiastic about moving forward with a clear vision of how everything will look. It is such an invaluable tool in developing the business, and I predict that all interior designers will use it in the future.

Are there any projects you are particularly proud of?

Each project is different and has certain elements that give us the opportunity to experiment with new ideas. Every time we create something unique that the client is happy with, we feel a sense of achievement. That’s what we strive to do as a business; create one-off pieces for the client.

What are you concentrating on at the moment?

Currently we are working in Holland and Morocco on commercial projects. Also, we are designing a boutique hotel in Spain, so we are very busy at the minute. It makes us excited as it gives us the opportunity to create different pieces every time, while retain-ing our signature style of combining contemporary and simple textures.

What are your aims and plans for 2011?

We are looking to develop the 3D part of the company with more training, while expanding our creativity and imagination.

U DESIGN Malaga, Spain | T. +34 952 794 117 | www.udesign.es | [email protected]

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ESTUDIO ARQUÉwww.estudioarque.com

How did you start out in the design industry?

Estudio Arqué is a fairly new company, I personally studiedeconomics in Milan but my whole family are involved inarchitecture and it was a natural progression.After three months of opening our showroom, we gained our first substantial contract: for a 15,000,000€ villa in construction, whose owners were looking for marble, mosaics and a full 3D presentation of the property. This really helped to put us on the map.

Tell us a bit about Estudio Arqué?

Estudio Arqué is a company designed to follow the whole process of sourcing, designing, control and installation of the most exclusive finishes for private houses. We use the most advanced 3D technolo-gies to demonstrate our products in situ, to aid our clients’ decision making throughout the entire process. Our constant research for the highest qualities enabled us to establish our own stone factory in Italy and our own team of installers who are selected from the most experienced Italian artisan in order to control the project from initial concept to the finished result.

How do you incorporate the textures and colours that you aresuggesting to use into 3D renders?

3D renders are a real design tool for us and our clients. We normally decide the best finishes available in our databases and adjust the colour tones of the materials to realistically represent the materials we are suggesting to use.The client will have a designer or an architect involved in theprocess and we play around together to prepare the final images for the presentation.

How does 3D rendering work?

The process is divided in two parts: modeling and rendering.In modeling you build the volumes of the space in 3D up to the detail required. For example in a bathroom, you can model the 2mm joins between tiles and even the screws of the towel rail. The rendering is the photographic process; here you add light, textures and shoot the photos.

What are the positives of using 3D rendering?

The control. Everybody from the client to the builder can visualize the final result and with this, avoid misunderstandings in the build-ing process.

What is the best aspect of using 3D when a client asksfor your opinion?

We have the space to scale in front of us, a simple opinion can be explained with another image or a mockup that demonstrates our suggestion or design.

What is your most extravagant design?

Maybe not a particular design of ours, but working on plans of private houses for eccentric clients has had its interesting moments! One had a hairdressing salon built into the basement and another chateau boasted a proper professional bowling alley.

How has 3D rendering developed your company?

It has given us such an advantage right from the beginning. Two

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years ago we were designing 3D images for other companies, now we are using this unique set of tools to demonstrate our capabilities to our ever-growing clientele.

Is 3D software constantly developing?

Yes, constantly and there is an amount of technical understanding required but nothing overly taxing

What has been the client feedback since you began using 3D?

Always very positive unless, once we have created the client’s vision into 3D, they have realized they do not like their own ideas! However, we can usually suggest an alternative that makes the concept work!

Do you have a signature style that you try to incorporate into all of your designs?

No, we have a collaborative approach with architects and designers and work on both classic and contemporary designs.

What do you see as the future styles and trends in 2011?

In stone, the satin finish for definite. The matt look will be afavourite for 2011. The designs in mosaics are becoming more and more adventurous, with richer tones and deeper colours.The finishes and designs being offered by such companiesas Sicis really are works of art!

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The Victim

VISIONThe whole concept is a new way of exhibiting artwork of up-and-coming artists; like wearing a piece of fabulous 1960s conceptual art. They also donate part of their sales to Operation Sunshine Charity to help poverty in Africa.

WHO ARE ALPHA KINFive guys from the UK who want to make a difference to fashion.Ollie Pym, the artist, and Dom Shabbo, Adam Shabbo,Nick Kennedy and Nils Mordt, the creative brains.

WHAT THEY STAND FORThe whole concept is wearable art; their clothing line doesn’t conform to fashion trends as they follow the work of their artists for inspiration.

WHERE CAN YOU GET ITMenswear exclusively at Selfridg-es and womenswear exclu-sively at Harvey Nichols Knightsbridge. This elite collection is a limited edition of only 100 pieces.

Established: Late 2009.ALPHA KIN

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REGU LARLY

SEEN OUT ONThe likes of Danny Cipriani

(English rugby player), Ali Bastain (British soap actress), and JLS boys

Marvin Humes and JB (UK boyband).

FUTURE PLANSThe second collection is in its early stages, cur-

rently being painted by Ollie. Over the next few years, they hope to have a series of artists working for Alpha Kin, all producing their own limited edition collections.

SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T KNOW

Besides Alexander McQueen, Alpha Kin is the first ever brand to launch into both Harvey

Nichols and Selfridges.

www.alphakin.com

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SODAPOPROCKS!

Soda Pop clothing by Jessica Abou Nassar is bright, colourful and in your face! This edgy brand smashed onto the scene in 2010 with its unique attention to hard patterns, sexy shapes and fluorescent fashion. Jessica Abou Nassar has been on a mission ever since she launched her powerful, feminine concept – Soda Pop now has stores in Marbella, New York and Madrid, as well as an online store for all of you desperate to get an instant fix!

To take one look at Soda Pop is to fall in love with the brand – bare skin and bright colours – what’s not to love? Jessica pays attention to significant details, including funky sunglasses, high socks and hoodies. The launch of her autumn 2011 collection “Sister Hood” has us all on the edge of our seats with our purses at the ready.

Soda Pop is not for the shy or light-hearted. It takes a certain kind of attitude to pull off Soda Pop, and with the tight hot-pants, crop tops and tri-kinis, FOC love the raw hard style!

www.sodapoprocks.com

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New online store open

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You could say Scandinavian design style is the Johnny Depp of the international design world – it’s cool, it’s edgy, what you see is what you get. It also has intelligent creativity, yet it never goes too far as to lose touch with the primary aim of function andpracticality. The best thing about design from this part of the world, however, is that it seems to possess an inherent timeless quality, making it immune to trends. Its simplicity also always tends to hint to the future, but in a less intimidating way than, for example, Lady Gaga’s costumes.At the moment, the famous and fashionable NK department store in Stockholm (www.nk.se) is running a spring campaign called Future Classics. Each of the departments select and highlight, to customers, a few key items that they think will become clas-

sics; items that they believe will be loved now and used again by future generations. Here are the guidelines they use to make these choices:High qualityTimeless styleSimplicityInnovationCrafts / Technique / SignatureThe campaign inspired me to look into the collections of some of the most talented Scandinavian designers out there today, and to see if I could pinpoint any current signature styles that are “of the moment”, but at the same time have potential as international fu-ture classics. It was a tough assignment but someone had to do it.

BLIVANDE KLASSIKER.FUTURE CLASSICS.

By Rebecca Cannerfelt

VIANDESIGN

CANDINA

Rise of the Valkyries

Pearl & Ivywww.pearlandivy.co.uk

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The puffy shoulders make this cardi-gan instantly fun. Definitely one to add to the list.

Swedish designer Anna Holtblad has won several design awards and in her SS11 collection there were many potential nominees. Here are my choices:

Combining a colour such as Dijonyellow, which is going to be super-trendy this spring. The material se-lected for this garment gives it instant kudos. Forget the LBD, this season it’s all about the LYD (Little Yellow Dress).

Danish label By Malene Birger is the Scandinavian equivalent of Chloé and is very popular with the Scandinavian fashion pack. These pieces particularly caught my attention:

Cute, sexy and different. This skirt is bound to be a future classic due to its uniqueness and simplicity. Whether wearing underwear is even a possibil-ity is an entirely different question.

Acne is one of the trendiest and coolest fashion lifestyle brands in Scandinavia. The whole spring/sum-mer 2011 collection could be stamped with the label “future classic”, as every piece breathes timelessness, innovation and high quality. Here are a few highlights from the women’s collection:

The cut of this dress may be simple and the colour discrete, but the black contrasting zip in the front makes this dress uber cool.

Apart from looking extremely comfort-able, the fabric follows the curves of the body perfectly. It is, however, the details on the chest that provide the dress with sultry edginess.

FOR YOUR WARDROBE

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This cute little dress confirms that Khaki has a future in our wardrobes. The kooky block colour pockets on top of the plain khaki material make this dress iconic in its own right.

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www.annaholtblad.com www.bymalenebirger.com

www.acnestudios.com


This hat is simply marvellous, protect-ing against the sun, yet adding unde-niable Scandinavian style points. It is also incredibly versatile and can easily be matched with any outfit.

This skirt has future classic written all over it. Who knew black and white could be so exciting?

www.rodebjer.com

Efva Attling is one of Scandina-via’s absolute favourite jewellery de-signers. Through simple and beautiful designs she manages to create entire collections of future classics, waiting to be shared with the world.

Design House Stockholm is a Mecca for any style junky worth his or her salt. Head to this store or go online for some playful inspiration.

Simplicity is style with this piece from Efva. A conversation starter and what we hope will be a deal closer for the wearer. Efva creates items for both men and women.

www.efvaattling.com

Who knew heaven was only a chair away? This piece was inspired by the clouds and how it would feel to rest on one. It gets my vote due to its creativity and high quality design.

Designer: Lisa Widénwww.designhousestockholm.com

Swedish designer, Carin Rodebjer paradoxically creates fashion that is both trendy and classic.

Danish company Georg Jensen is famous for exquisite simplicity and elegance when it comes to jewellery. Who said elegance had to be boring?

This Vivianna watch is simply inspired. I never wear a watch, but for this stunning timepiece I could make an exception.

www.georgjensen.com

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The sleek and different design makes me think this candleholder could have pride of place in any home for many years to come. It blends in with many an interior design style, and is both functional and innovative.

Designer: Pia Törnellwww.designhousestockholm.com

This little coffee table has a top that you can slide to the side. The combina-tion of the bright, white glass-fibre base with the brown, walnut wood top and interior divisions along with the fact you can hide things inside the table, makes this a must for any style-savvy Scandinavian.

Designer: Rikke Frostwww.bolia.com

OK, so at first glance this shelf looks like something you could find at IKEA, but all of the shelves are fully adjust-able, so you can allocate space just the way you like it. This gets an A+ for its practicality.

This crystal skull candleholder is the perfect present for anyone you know who is too cool for the more subtle Kosta Boda collectables.

Designer: Ludvig Löfgrenwww.kostaboda.com

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Danish company Bolia has Scandi-navians eagerly anticipating its new catalogue each season.

Swedish Kosta Boda is one of the world’s most famous brands for glass design. Any Kosta Boda piece has future classic potential, but this one will have you laughing in agree-ment.

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Under the Oaks; Spring & Summer 2011

RCP.indd 1 2011-03-16 15:39:59

THE WHOLE PACKAGE

Grafik

In the music industry, compiling the best dozen tunes to create an album is not enough; they also have to be wrapped in a unique package. After all, it’s the image that’s being sold, not just music.

In a digital era, where songs are freely downloaded, both major and independent labels have strived to push boundaries in graphics and formats to give the consumers added value: acollector’s relic instead of a file name on iTunes.Fortunately, these efforts has not been ignored. This year’s Grammy award for best artwork went to the White Stripes Under the Great White Northern, a DVD/CD box set designed by New York native and Texas resident, Rob Jones.

His remarkable journey in becoming the White Stripes’ artist is as singular as the custom-made pink leather suit he wore to pick up the golden award.His first work on the band was an unauthorised poster publicising one of their concerts in Lyon, France. Needless to say, The White Stripes’ management team was not happy when they discovered the “bootlegged” artwork, but the posters made such a powerful impression on front man Jack White that he decided to hire Rob

as their official designer. Talk about sneaking in through the back door! Rob doesn’t do anything the conventional way, judging by his extravagant and eccentric style, and, of course, by the very nature of his stunning work. By manipulating antique prints, tex-tures and a limited use of colour he evokes dramatic scenes with a surreal darkness and depth, a perfect match for the image of the White Stripes.

Rob Jones has also worked on movie memorabilia posters for movies such as Star Wars, but he is recognised mainly on the music scene, collaborating with bands such as The Black Keys, Spoon, Avett Brothers, The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather.

Sadly, it was the last Grammy for the White Stripes, as they had previously announced their split, but we certainly hope it won’t be the last for the talented Rob Jones.

It’s definitely worth visiting his website to view more of his truly inspiring work and his hilariously implausible bio.

www.animalrummy.com

By Koni

Worth selling your granny for!

Being a FOC reader, you are bound to travel now and again. So, it’s only fair that you travel in style. This is a fun cover for your passport, in the traditional classic Penguin book cover colours of orange and cream. The cover depicts the novel, On The Road, by Jack Kerouac.www.giftedpenguin.co.uk

The ultimate organiser! The GRID-IT!™ system pro-vides endless configurations for your digital devices and personal effects. Its convenient size makes it a great companion for your current laptop bag or travel case.www.cocooninnovations.com

The most innovative and advanced amplifier to emerge on the hi-fi scene in years, comes direct to you from France. The D-Premier is an extraordinary audio device, which is as beauti-ful on the inside as it is on the outside. It is a fusion of bleeding-edge technology and free-thinking innova-tion, culminating in perfectly realised form and function. It embodies high-end product design and engineering at its finest, delivering a uniquely desirable audio concept.www.devialet.com

One day, robots will do everything for us. Until then, Cox and Cox offer this android memory stick. It looks cute sitting on your desk waiting for its orders, and when you use it his little LED eyes flash red. I found it in the “young at heart” section on the website, but who cares?It is still cool!www.coxandcox.co.uk

The Banclock

ALL IN ONE

ROAD TRIP

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MEMORY ANDROID

GRID IT!

An alarm clock and a coin bank all in one. Designed to look like the national debt ticker, it cannot be shut off in the morning unless you deposit money into it. Seemingly cruel but endlessly amusing, the Banclock makes a great motivational device!www.uncommongoods.com

This is a new, cloud-based, digital music service. It allows users to stream music and add it into a personal music library using a range of different gadgets including Sony’s PlayStation 3, Blu-ray disc player, Bravia televisions, personal computers and smartphones.www.sony.com

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focers

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T: 0044 (0)1202 901721 E: [email protected]

www.carineyachts.com

Poole | Antibes | Palma | Sandbanks

Mangusta 105’ - €4,250,000 Tax Not Paid

Quality motor yacht brokerage

Mine’s bigger...

The Spanish winter sun beat down on the Ascari Race Resortas prospective clients waited with bated breath for the eagerly-anticipated roll out of the latest ultra-lightweight,road legal, trackday car. The signal is given, the pit garage door opens, and mechanics wheel out the Briggs Automotive Company Ltd (BAC) MONO, so-called because this 490kg, mostly carbon-fibre road racer is a pure single-seater. Powered by a version of the naturally aspirated, four-cylinder 1,999cc Cosworth motor, rated at 265bhp at 8,500rpm, with 240Nm of torque at 7,200rpm, the MONO has a Hewland six-speed sequential gearbox with paddle-shifters and alimited-slip differential.

With a power-to-weight ratio of 540bhp/tonne that bests that of the Bugatti Veyron, the MONO has a claimed 0-100km/h time of 2.8 sec, with 0-160km/h coming up in 6.7 sec on the way to its 272km/h top speed. In engineering terms, the MONO is as minimalist as can be, but at the same time it has attractive aesthetics, and an aerodynamic

approach that goes a step beyond that of conceptually similar cars such as the Aerial Atom or KTM X-Bow. BAC Director, Neil Briggs, explained that while many car enthusi-asts look for positive downforce in a trackday car, the MONO is de-signed to have zero lift over its front and rear axles. “The problem with positive downforce in such a light car is that if you mount a kerb when you are cornering on the limit of mechanical grip, you can lose control abruptly,” he explained. Although BAC is a 100 percent British company, the MONO is a joint effort between its in-house engineers in Cheshire, England and the design team of Adaptive Space, who are based both in the UK and in Stuttgart, Germany. While most people have not heard of Adaptive Space, their roll call of prominent clients includes Audi, Ford, Leitz, Lufthansa and Mercedes-Benz. In line with its multi-national design team, the MONO’s com-ponent sourcing is as pan-European as Airbus. Think AP Racing, Cosworth, Hella, Hewland, OZ Racing and Sachs, and you will get the general idea. The suspension is by double wishbones with pushrod-operated

Trackday Car

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By Ian Kuah

T: 0044 (0)1202 901721 E: [email protected]

www.carineyachts.com

Poole | Antibes | Palma | Sandbanks

Mangusta 105’ - €4,250,000 Tax Not Paid

Quality motor yacht brokerage

dampers at each corner, and some of the suspension arms are aerofoil shaped. To facilitate fine-tuning, the Sachs Racing dampers have a wide range of bounce and rebound adjustment, as does the anti-roll bar for each axle. Because the MONO has a near 50/50 weight distribution, the engineers elected to use the same 295mm diameter, vented, cross-drilled brake disc on each wheel. That said, the front four-pot callipers of this AP Racing set-up are larger than the rears, which have a parking brake facility as required by law to register the car for use on UK roads.

Mine’s bigger...

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The minimalist cockpit is designed to be comfortable for drivers from 1.57 to 1.96m, and is constructed to the current UK National RACMSA safety standards. The detachable steering wheel helps you climb in, while the moveable pedal box and steering column make it easy to establish an ideal driving position. This roll out at Ascari Racecourse in Southern Spain is literally a first look, and the team who built the 80,000-euro (including taxes) MONO still has many more weeks of hard work ahead before their car’s credentials can be proven. So, while we were privileged to be there, impressions from behind the wheel will have to wait until the summer.

Mine’s bigger...

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The Sweeney

JRAn artist with a causeBy Jamie Sweeney

At FOC, we appreciate beauty, creativity and freedom of expression. The transition from a single thought or feeling, onto a canvas, a wall, a building, whatever, represents this expression, and makes it visible to the world. Many of us appreciate mooching around a gallery or museum, roaming around a city glaring at the terrific feats of architecture, or skimming through a publication that gives us access to the beauty of the mind’s creation. We often do not need to leave the comfort of our own homes to do so, with initiatives such as the Google Art Project; the masses can explore museums from all corners of the globe on their computer screens. However, an unshackled, unsanctioned and uninhibited pervasive art form has been created; the powerful platform of the street – street art.

For me, the Parisian street artist known as JR is at the forefront of this movement right now. His utilisation of public space allows him to exhibit his socially relevant work in “the largest art gallery in the world”. His creativity and expression are given a free reign as they

are spared the usual limitations that arenas such as galleries or museums often require. JR has recently gained great recognition for his work, including win-ning a US$100,000 prize from the guys at TED (a small non-profit organisation devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading), to help fund future projects in making the world a better place through his innovations.

JR is a 25-year-old Parisian with Tunisian and Eastern European herit-age, who describes himself as a hybrid “photograffeur”. He was described last year in an article by The Sunday Times as: “The hippest street artist since Banksy”. The superlatives just seem to keep coming for the lad. Organisers of TED described JR as a “true humanitarian” whose art inspires people to look at the world differently and want to work to make it better. “JR’s mind-blowing creations have inspired people to see art where they wouldn’t expect it and to create it when they didn’t know they could,” said TED prize director Amy Novogratz.“He’s putting a human face on some of the most critical social issues while redefining how we view, make and display art.”

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Israel from the West Bank. JR claims he is not political, but that he is an “artist with a cause”. His art certainly causes people to think. He has never caused more of a rumpus than he did in Israel and Pal-estine, where he pasted photographs of three religious worthies – a rabbi, an imam and a priest – pulling silly faces. JR put their pictures everywhere: in Ramallah, in Tel Aviv and, most famously, on the wall that separates Israel from the West Bank. He was even arrested by the Israeli army for his “meddling”.

JR is certainly bold, brave and brazen, willing to be a maverick, pariah artist if it means getting his message across. His engagement and edification of the world’s poorest people is not only commend-able but also artistically inspiring and interesting. Most fascinating and credit-worthy is the fact that he reinvests the profits back into his projects. Indeed, the trade in his pictures – created in third world slums, bought by affluent westerners, reinvested in the slums – makes him somewhat of a Robin Hood figure.

The Sweeney

www.jr-art.net

The hippest street artist since Banksy

The artist doesn’t reveal his identity or the intended meaning of his work. He embodies a pure form of guerilla art. His works, like the Ladj Ly – a photograph that captures all the tensions of the 2004 Paris suburb riots, is perhaps his most poignant, while there is a plethora of other works that are eye-opening and challenge many issues on modern society. It is his projects in some of the poorest regions of the world that have attracted such great international attention, appreciation and applause.

JR’s experimenting turned Kibera, Kenya, one of Africa’s biggest slums, into a vast exhibition space. He initially visited Kibera to take photographs of its residents, and then he returned a year later to plaster their portraits on train carriages and on the roofs of their houses. By using waterproof vinyl material, he ensured his art might have a practical purpose. “By making their roofs rainproof, what we did made sense. They loved it.”JR seeks to aggrandise ordinary people. His community projects also led him to the Favelas of Rio and the conflicted region that separates

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On the Cais

Being a member of the FOCers might seem like easy work – inter-viewing amazing artists and musicians, and getting cups of tea on demand from Andy – but believe me, it’s got its downsides. Lately I’ve started to feel like the least creative person alive! That’s why I was happy to learn that photos of your personal life experiences can potentially become some of the most interesting and relatable artwork of this century. That means my Facebook is generally a wonderful mess of art!

Photo journals are becoming more and more popular without be-ing appropriately recognised; people take photos on a regular basis without seeing the potential to create something incredible.

In 1979, a photographer called Jamie Livingston took a Polaroid photograph every day for almost 20 years until he died, creating a library of more than 6,500 images. His work is now displayed at an exhibit at the Bertelsmann Campus Center at Bard College called “Photo of the Day”, which opened in 2007. The exhibit included photographs of every Polaroid and took up a 7 x 120-foot space.

I recently came across another story like this, and it blew me away. In 2008, following the death of his mother, photographer Phillip Toledano found himself taking care of his father, who suffered from severe memory loss. He started a blog on which he posted photographs and accompanying reflections on his father’s chang-ing state, describing it as, “A journal. An ongoing record of my father and of our relationship.” Essentially, Days With My Father is a son’s photo journal of his aging father’s last years, and the ups and downs of their lives. “I wanted to remember my father’s stories, and how he told them.

What emerged was not a story of death, but a story of life. Our life together.”The result is a deeply moving photo journal depicting the love between father and son.

Phillip began posting his work online in the summer of 2008, and after just a few days the site was getting thousands of hits each day. To date, more than 1.2 million people have visited the site and posted more than 20,000 comments. Toledano reflects, “I’m not really sure why I did it. Perhaps, in some way, I just needed to unburden myself, and it was easier to do it with people I couldn’t see. I certainly didn’t expect anyone to be listening.”

Days with My Father eventually became a book and was pub-lished in June 2010. Phillip Toledano has recently been approached about the potential of turning his story into a film. On reflection he says, “What a kick my dad would have gotten out of that.” Since completing Days With My Father, Toledano has become a father himself, and is now recording his baby daughter’s development.

Photo journals deliver a visual impact impossible to achieve through words alone, but have the ability to speak to everyone in some way. The beautiful (and slightly scary) thing about sharing these journals online is that, especially these days, there is always someone listening. In Toledano’s words, “A photo should be like an unfinished sentence….” It’s comforting to think that images can overcome language barriers and capture moments of raw emotion and life-changing experiences forever. After seeing this I’m definitely inspired to take my camera with me wherever I go.

Photos © Phillip Toledano From Days With My FatherBy Caisie Dilks

Life ThroughA Lense

Book Cover Phillip Toledano

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On the Cais

What emerged was not a story of death,but a story of life.Our life together

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www.dayswithmyfather.comphotooftheday.hughcrawford.com

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The Dark Room MagicRealism

Sacchrine Perch

By Caisie Dilks

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The Dark Room

TOMCHAMBERSWe love it when we find an artist whose work can unite us FOC’ers in unanimous appreciation. Tom Chambers is most definitely one of those artists, and it’s not difficult to see why… Kudos Tom!

Charmers

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Tom was born and raised on a farm in the Amish county of Lan-caster, Pennsylvania, USA, and has grown up surrounded by the inspiration and beauty of such a natural environment. Since 1998, Tom has devoted himself to photomontage (the process of creating a composite picture made up of many parts of photographs) to share the intriguing unspoken stories that reflect his view of the world and provoke feelings in the viewer.

In 1985, Tom completed a B.F.A. from the Ringling School of Art in Florida with an emphasis in graphic design and a strong interest in photography. Currently, Tom is represented by a number of gal-leries in the United States and Europe. His work has been shown nationally and internationally through solo and group exhibitions, as well as in a wide range of print and online publications. If that’s not enough to impress you, Tom has received recognition for his photography through a variety of awards and gained fellowships from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

Photomontage is a form of artistic photography many people may not be familiar with. Can you explain the process by which you create your images?

I initially sketch a concept or idea that I have for an image. Then, I photograph each piece of the photomontage using a Nikon D700 or a medium format film camera, generally a Mamiya Pro TL or a Fuji Rangefinder. The greatest challenge is making sure that the light intensity and direction are similar in each of these shots. The process of creating a photomontage may take a month or more, depending how quickly I am able to get all the shots and sort through them, selecting the ones that work best together. “Pieces” of the final image may include the landscape or back-ground, often shot in sections, as well as the sky, a human figure, an animal, or another object. The processed film is scanned at a high resolution, approximately 80 megabytes per frame. Then, I use Photoshop software with a Macintosh computer to combine each “piece”, thus creating the final image. Lastly, the photomontage is printed with archival pigment inks on cotton rag paper.

The outcome is breathtaking and almost magical, is this balance of reality and fantasy one you seek in all your work?

Each photomontage is carefully constructed using both images that have been planned, and those that unexpectedly enhance the story. With digital photography I desire to move beyond documen-

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The Dark Room

Afternoon with Octavio -8

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tation of the present, and seek to merge reality and dreams in musing about possibilities of the future.

Where does your inspiration come from?

I grew up on my grandfather’s farm in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Not only was I lucky enough to have an idyllic childhood romping in the farm fields, but I was also fortunate to have been influenced by the artistic talents of my grandparents. Both were classically trained artists from Philadelphia, and they continued their passion for painting throughout their lives.My grandfather, Wilson Chambers, made his living illustrating books and magazines, as well as creating grand oil paintings. The illustrative nature of my photomontages was definitely shaped by my grandfather’s artwork.

Your photomontages have been described as unspoken stories that reflect your view of the world. Do you agree with the saying that, “a photo speaks a thousand words”?

Absolutely! The power of visual imagery stays with the viewer much longer than any written description of the image.

Why do you think your imagery elicits such powerful feelings and emotions in the viewer?

I attempt to connect with the viewer on an emotional level through leaving some unresolved element of the photomontage. In addition, many of my photomontages address the fragility of childhood or the delicate transition experienced by a child passing into adolescence and then adulthood. Others express the tension in the uncertain co-existence between man and his environment, a delicate balance too often ignored and damaged. Tapping into that vulnerability invites an emotional response.

Much of your work is very unusual and unconventional. Where do you your ideas come from for such pieces as Once Bitten Twice Shy (Rite of Passage Series), and Afternoon with Octavio (Dreaming in Reverse Series)?

Writers, such as Cormac McCarthy, and film directors, such as Guillermo del Toro, have inspired my imagery through their use of magic realism.And, I clearly believe that my photomontage fits well within the genre of magic realism. Magic realism is a term used in art and

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The Dark Room

Ring of Fire

The power of visualimagery stays withthe viewer much longer than any written description of the image

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literature referring to a situation or setting in which all seems true and believable, except for one or more elements which lend an air of improbability. Many of my inspirations for photography come from musings or dreams, which I refer to as improbable dreams. In my recent Dreaming in Reverse series I employ magic realism to express the loss experienced by the indigenous Mexican people, as well as to celebrate the beauty of the Mexican culture.

Do you feel your work can be an expression of yourfeelings at any time?

My photomontages are more a way of reflecting my view of the world, rather than a personal daily journal.

If you could have any profession other than your own, what would you choose?

Music of all genres is a regular source of inspiration for my art-work.What a treat it would be to review and select music for music venues.

If you were king of your country, which one law would youchange or create?

Children would be given “Blue Sky Time” – time to lie in the grass and gaze at the sky without the interference of technology.Children need time and encouragement to use their imagination.

Which of the five senses would you give up, and would you say you had a sixth sense for anything?

I would be willing to give up taste, because I derive the least enjoyment from experiencing food. I treasure the experiences that come from my other senses and that translate into imagery. Per-haps a sixth sense of intuition serves me best in picturing fleeting moments, which inspire my images.

If you were to have your dream dinner party of six people (from any time) who would it be?

My wife, daughter, mother, and three of my four brothers. I will let my brothers figure out who is not invited.

When you get to heaven’s gates, what do you hopeGod says to you?

Firstly, I hope that I make it to heaven’s gates, but not for quite some time! Secondly, I hope that God says that he has some good music and old friends for me to join!

Thank you Tom Chambers for answering FOC’s questions and for creating such beautiful pieces of artwork to brighten up our imaginations!

www.tomchambersphoto.com

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The Dark Room

Black Dog’s Retreat

Many of my inspirations for photography come from

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Front Desk

ParadiseRoad

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By L-J

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Front Desk

4455 Paradise Road,Las Vegas NV 89169(702) 693-5000

www.hardrockhotel.com

Hard Rock Hoteland Casino

The first thing I spot when standing at the foot of the hotel is the gigantic, fluorescent guitar. I stare in awe at the size and prominence of it, and the momentous occasion that is the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

Las Vegas is one of the most iconic destinations for holidays, honeymoons, hen and stag parties and celebrations. I had the pleasure of playing and staying at the Hard Rock Hotel, which provided stunning interiors, gorgeous design innovation and is one of the most exciting venues I have ever had the pleasure of staying at.

The hotel is situated in 26 acres of the widely famous Las Vegas strip of exclusive hotels, casinos, and the site of many Hollywood Blockbuster films including the hugely popular film The Hangover (2009). First established in 1995, this premier destination entertainment resort offers somewhere to stay, party, dine, listen, relax and shop. The hotel has so much to offer – there is never a dull moment – and offers guests anything imaginable all under one roof. Having just undergone a US$750 million expansion, the Hard Rock Hotel is exciting, fulfilling and breathtaking.

As an extension of the Hard Rock Cafés that are scattered all over the world, the relationship between hotel, café and concert is an amalgamation that is clear to see through all mediums. The eclectic décor, atmosphere and character that Hard Rock evokes is known throughout the world, and you instantly have an idea of what your experience is going to be before setting foot inside.

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Front Desk

OK, so here are the all-important stats of the hotel:

STAY an 11-story Hard Rock Hotel tower with 640 guest rooms, 17-story Paradise Tower with 490 rooms and suites, not to men-tion the all-suite HRH Tower with 359 suites, eight spa villas and seven penthouses

MEET 80,000 square feet of flexible meeting and convention space

PARTY the luxurious Vanity nightclub; Rehab, the trendsetting Sunday afternoon pool party; numerous cocktail lounges; and The Joint by Rogue concert venue, home to Supernatural Santana: A Trip Through the Hits

PLAY 72,000 square feet of casino space including high limit ta-ble games, slots, blackjack, swim-up gaming and a Poker Lounge

RELAX Reliquary Water Sanctuary & Spa; BrannonHair salon; 4.8 acres of tropical pool paradise and the Fitness Center

DINE restaurants including Rare 120 steakhouse, the Tuscan-style Italian eatery AGO, world-renowned Nobu, Johnny Smalls, Pink Taco and Mr.Lucky’s 24/7 diner

SHOP several retail stores including the Hard Rock Store and Rocks the Jewellers

AccomodationThe newly built HRH Tower includes 359 standard suites, eight spa villas opening directly to the pool areas, and sevenpenthouses on the 16th floor offering panoramic views of the iconic Vegas strip and mountains. Located at the south end of the Hard Rock property, it has now been open for a year. Sophistication and fantasy reign supreme throughout this spacious and modern and luxury tower. An exclusive check-in service instantly greets you, with valet parking available. There are also spa facilities and services only available for HRH Tower guests.All standard suites offer a lustrous room product with an inte-grated wet bar, sitting area, and suite bathroom with cast iron tubs. Each suite in the Tower includes a Sound Matters Sound Bar – an AMX 12” Touch Panel music system with iPod dock and includes over 2,000 HRH owned songs and playlists for guests’ personalisation and enjoyment, as well as two 40” Sony Bravia LCD TV with DVD players. This is the absolute crown jewel of the Hard Rock Hotel, as it appeals to all needs.Each of the new tower’s 374 custom suites and penthouses range from 701 to 4,300 square feet. The Nirvana Penthouse, is designed with a Moroccan flair. The entrance leads to an outside oasis with a private soaking tub and lounge area; the ultimate in relaxation and bliss. The sleeping area consists of a white lacquer wall headboard with a custom stiletto light fixture to highlight the custom mahogany and leather sleigh bed. The ultra luxurious designer bedding and black out drapes made of raw linen silt ensure a deep rest after all the excitement. The bath area is a generous 148 square feet, showcasing black porcelain tile with Chinese marble and a custom bath vanity, in-shower seat, and cast iron “tea for two” tubs. The rooms at the Hard Rock Hotel are spacious, luxurious and host everything you desire to relax and recuperate.

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Front Desk

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Front Desk

VanityThis is THE place to party, visited by partygoers, celebrities and socialites. The interiors are absolutely stunning and jaw-droppingly glamorous. The entrance welcomes with a sparkling collage of reflective tile and antique vanity mirrors. The interior, courtesy of Mr. Important Designs, transports guests into an eclectic jewel box adorned with pearls, hand cut crystals and reflective walls of bronze fused with metallic gold. The heart-beat of the nightclub is a spectacular million dollar cyclone chandelier lit from within by 20,000 LED lights that can change colour and even broadcast images, which overlooks the entire dance floor. The 14,000 square-foot venue features two marble bars, a sunken dance floor, 50 intimate VIP booths, an outdoor terrace including five cabanas with direct access to a sky bar and a ladies’ lounge that will truly impress. The ladies’ lounge will include six individual vanity stations and two full-length three-way mirrors with staff on-hand to fix broken nails, style hair and spruce up makeup. VIP seating lines the 1,400 square-foot sunken dance floor, while a larger centre seating area borders an onyx catwalk lined with tall lanterns. Staff in rocker-style uniforms offer champagne menus engraved on handheld antique mirrors.

CasinoWhat do you associate with Vegas? Gambling! And the Hard Rock Hotel is certainly not short of all things to do with betting. They have an array of slots, craps, blackjack, roulette and poker lounges. They even have swim-up gaming, meaning that you don’t even have to leave the pool to enjoy the excitement of 21. Want to join the hottest players club in Las Vegas? Visit The Rockstar Club, where the points really do mean prizes. Every US$1 coin played means one point for all machines, and great discounts off food and shopping.

DineYou need your energy levels up to be able to keep up with the pace of the Hard Rock Hotel. There’s a vast selection of cuisines to choose from. Rare 120 steakhouse uses organic and farm-raised meats, and you can pretty much build your own meal, choosing your own sides and accompaniments. Restau-rateur Agostino Sciandri owns his own restaurant; AGO, with authentic Tuscan-style Italian food that attracts A-list clientele nightly. Japanese restaurant owner and chef Nobu Matsuhisa is highly recognised throughout the world for his ground-break-ing modern and authentic Japanese cuisine, and offers exotic and fresh sushi and seafood. All ingredients used throughout all eateries are of the freshest variety, and all décor incorporates crisp lines and modern edging.

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Front Desk

Reliquary Water Sanctuary & SpaAfter all that partying and gambling, we all need to relax. The Reliquary Water Sanctuary & Spa inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino leaves guests relaxed, rejuvenated and ready for the limitless and provocative nights Sin City is known for. It is the ultimate place to unwind and re-energise. The centrepiece of the 25,000 foot spa is the Bath House for guests to be seen, socialise and relax in the hot thermal waters. The stylish spa with decorative mosaic tiling is reminiscent of a Turkish bath house where guests mingle in private cabana-style alcoves and lounge space. The Bath House can be turned into an entertain-ment area for small parties and group functions. It has 21 treat-

ment rooms; a private studio for pole dancing lessons; a fitness centre and, directly across from Reliquary, is the all-new 2,300 square-foot Brannon hair salon. So you can be as selfish as you like and completely self-indulge.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino offers an energetic entertainment and gaming experience with the services and amenities associated with a boutique luxury resort hotel. The hotel hosts everything you require under one roof; there really is no reason to leave. It is beautifully modern, eccentric and stunning.

In my case, what happens in Vegas, need not stay in Vegas, because I just cannot stop talking about my visit.

FOC It, Let’s Party

Mi casa,tu casa

It’s more than safe to say, we love a good party! House parties aren’t a particular favourite of mine – plastic cups, bags of ice and, of course, the iPod playlist on shuffle – but nothing could be further from this than a MyHouse party.

Open since 2008, SHG’s MyHouse club in Hollywood, is the epitome of luxury, with all the comforts of a home…and when I say all, I really do mean all. David Judaken’s 10,000 square-foot, multi-million-dollar lounge called MyHouse (formerly known as Garden of Eden), has a second-floor bedroom, functional kitchen, patio and hot tub. This nightlife-king is responsible for celeb hangouts such as Opera, Mood and Crimson – so we trust him when he says, “it’s perfect.”

According to Judaken, design is a vital component of SHG’s MyHouse. “It’s all about guest retention,” he says. “The response I’ve been getting is exactly what I wanted to achieve. When guests say, ‘I’ve never felt comfortable like this in a club,’ I know they will be back.”

I can imagine it would be extremely difficult not to be comfort-able on the US$8.000 Mogul couches. Thanks to designer, Dodd Mitchell, stepping into MyHouse, is like stepping into a double storey Bentley with all the extras. He says, “I wanted this to have that accessible earthy feeling you get from a great house.Nightclubs by nature have an industrial vibe.”

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By Caisie Dilks


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Stars like Lindsay Lohan, Kanye West and Leonardo DiCaprio are amongst the cloud of celebrities to haunt MyHouse


The nickel-scaled ceilings, dramatic glass-lined staircase, second-floor bedroom and practical kitchen (one of the venue’s bars) def-initely take the homely-club concept to a whole new level. In the sunken living room (shag carpet included), sofas can be moved around to accommodate the guests’ needs; up close and personal for quiet conversations by the fireplace, or open and out-cast for those movers and shakers – it sure beats dancing around your coffee table at home.

“People who go out in Los Angeles are increasingly venue-savvy,” Jaduken reflects. “If you are going to change the Garden of Eden (where Judaken had a decade-long run), you better wow them. Our audience today is so much more sophisticated than they were four years ago.”

It goes without saying that such luxury and comfort also brings big bills and famous faces. Stars like Lindsay Lohan, Kanye West and Leonardo DiCaprio are amongst the cloud of celebrities to haunt MyHouse. It has also been host to InStyle’s Oscar-viewing party and the Belvedere IX Vodka launch party, to name just a few. But the icing on the club-cake has got to be that they serve freshly baked cookies throughout the night. So that’s me sold, I’ll get my coat (and passport)!

www.myhousehollywood.com

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ADV

COFFEE I BISTRO I LUNCH I CATERING I TAKE-A-WAYDALAGATAN 28 I NYBROGATAN 61 I KUNGSHOLMSGATAN 16

WE MAKE IT DIFFERENT

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Joanna Henly, (aka Miss Led) is an award-winning live painter and illustrator. Miss Led has grabbed the industry by the scruff of the neck and everyone has taken notice. Her distinctive, nuanced style celebrates a mélange of disciplines, from portraiture to graffiti, and has all the playful and puckish trimmings to be iconic, impish and impressive. I had the pleasure of meeting her in sunny North London for a pint and a chat, and I soon found out that we have lots in common. We both love author Gabriel García Marquez and our favourite brand of crisps is Space Raiders – I knew at once we were going to get along swimmingly…

So Miss Led, how did you get started in this industry?

I didn’t plan to be an illustrator. I just started drawing from MySpace profiles. I loved the MySpace concept when it first exploded. I would draw people’s profile pictures, people I didn’t know but who were special and on the cusp of some-thing amazing. It was very much about that individual’s style and attitude. It was a conceptual thing for me, self-effacing, with the whole “rule of the artist” idea out of the window.

I like the celebration of self-projection. Making a private moment public is so compelling for me; it’s a juxtaposition I suppose. I’ve always been interested in portraiture, style, and fashion. From the very beginning of this crazy journey, I would spend six to eight hours sending my portraits to people’s profiles all around the world. I wanted to make sure as many people as possible saw my work.

You’ve been described as the “First Lady” of street art, how does it feel to be kicking men’s asses in a field that is es-sentially male dominated?

When it’s happening it’s great; I get such a buzz from com-peting in tournaments and winning. However, I am not the first female in this business, Lucy McLauchlan, for example, has been doing a great job for many years before me. I don’t know, perhaps it’s the way I style myself that inspired the term “lady”. I think being a female has been good for me in this industry. It gives me more of an opportunity to stand out. I’ve also been in the right places at the right time.

Ledster, you are no shrinking violet, what is the most rascally thing you’ve ever done?

Getting banned from the Vibe Bar Garden on Brick Lane for climbing trees; finding slices of pizza in my bag the morning after a night out; learning to ride home and around rounda-bouts without my hands on the handlebars of a bicycle, after consuming gallons of whiskey. I wasn’t drawing for about eight years, between 1998 and 2006, I needed something to fill the void – a buzz, stimulation, a rush, a bit of excitement. These days I get this when I’m painting. Thankfully I’m not so kamikaze now. When I wasn’t drawing, I found myself getting a little misled.

So is that where the name Miss Led comes from?

Yes. When I wasn’t drawing or painting, I didn’t feel that I had my own direction, my own flow. I found myself being misled. In fact, guys like you, always call me “Miss LED”, girls always call me misled, but it is supposed to be a play on words so that’s understandable. Initially, when I did a business start up course, I transferred Miss Led to be a concept of Led, like the led of a pencil. Not as many people were using pencils at that time to draw, it was more digital, but also I used led as a trajectory.

She’s allshe’s got

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By Jamie Sweeney

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If a salesman came a knocking on your front door, trying to sell you something called a “Dream DVD player”, that allows you to watch your dreams, in full DVD quality, whenever you desire. BUT, all of your friends and family had to watch it with you. Would you buy this contraption?

Ha Ha. No, I get myself into enough trouble as it is choosing to speak the truth over making nice at times. With my dreams I have even less control, so it’s a definite no!

You’ve had your drawings in Diesel’s flagship store; you’ve deco-rated Selfridge’s windows; and you’ve even designed your own Reebok trainer. What’s next?

I’d really like to start my own t-shirt line. Working with Topshop would be great. The artwork I’m doing now for a project with Lynx is going onto t-shirts – they will be prizes in a Lynx competition.

What are the pros and cons of being an artist in London?

I’m from Lllaneli in Wales, but have lived in London for 12 years now. I really like the sense of anonymity in London. I struggled for years when I first got here, I thought the roads would be paved with gold, but it’s been a lot of hard work. The attitude in London is great, but it’s dog-eat-dog. I think London can be the best launch pad for the rest of the world, but still I can’t seem to leave!

So, you’re an award-winning painter and illustrator with a pen-chant for portraits, which 3 people would you most like to draw a portrait of?

I’ve been trying for ages to create a portrait of Paloma Faith, she’s a friend of a friend, and I think she’s great. I love the amount of theatre she injects into her persona and performance. She has a very strong attitude and knows what she wants and gets it!Dakota Statton, wow, I love her style, dress and the sensuality she oozes when she performs. Karen Olsen, she has the most amazing face.

Where outside of London really floats your boat?

I absolutely adore Barcelona. I’ve done a couple of solo trips there over the last few years and would love to do some work there. I love the geography of the place, the architecture, the vibe, the people, the weather, everything! Berlin is also really cool, I’ve actually thought about moving there.

Your artwork has been described as distinctively playful and flirta-tious; does this describe Miss Led as a person?

I’d say more playful than flirtatious. (She winks, cheeky.)

When will you know that you’ve ‘made it’?

I came out of a Fine Arts Degree with no work skills whatsoever, my parents would always tell me I could come back home, but I wanted to make my mark, (whatever that meant at the time), and didn’t want to be defeated. The parameters change, I’ve already done more than I thought I would. I’ve never been interested in forward planning or setting myself goals. There have been so many surprises in the last few years… I love surprises. I’ve always wanted to say to prospective clients “I’m booked for the next 3 months!” I did manage to do that last week…

What do you think FOC stands for?

Freedom of Choice

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What three things make you most happy?

Loved-ones, adventure and accomplishment

OK So Miss Led becomes a global phenomenon, a movie is being made about you, would you rather;(a) An Independent movie, fly-on-the-wall documentary style, bootleg footage of your real life, interviews with people you know...brutally honest.OR(b) Big Hollywood blockbuster, A-listers playing the roles of you and your acquaintances, the writers change some small facts to make the film better.

I’d choose option (a). Maybe only 10 people would watch it, but it would suit my personality more. I’d rather be judged by reality than try to be something else.

If you weren’t an artist, what do you think you would be doing now?

I thought I’d be a teacher. When I was at university, I applied to be an art teacher, and later down the line I did become an HNC course coordinator and art teacher. But after a while I thought, “Why am I teaching what I should be doing myself?” Also, I always wanted to be a ballerina, but I grew out of that. Oh, and I wanted to be in the Royal Navy, but I grew out of that too. If I wasn’t doing what I’m doing now, I’d be in trouble, and have to make up another pseudonym: “Beyond Miss Led”.

Would you rather travel around Europe for a year painting, or spend a month mooching around the moon painting craters?

I’ve always been such a workaholic, I’ve never done a gap year and have never properly travelled, so I would have to travel Europe I think.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Healing hands. My niece is three and a half years old, and when I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, she said, “A nurse, because I love everyone and I want to make people better,” I thought that was just amazing! I’ve worked in the past with people in rehabilitation. I love to help people and inspire them through the medium of art. I don’t know where I’d be If I didn’t have art.I feel it’s an amazing gift to be able to inspire people. I really loved working with communities, and supporting adults and children with specific needs, to help and support them to create their own art projects. Maybe inspiring people to do that is a superpower and I don’t need another one? I like empowering people to do what they love. With what I do now, it helps by taking myself and my ego, out of the equation. I feel more that I’m doing a service for others. People email me so much in response to the inspiration I have given them. I feel they keep me going when I’m struggling. I’m very lucky to have that.

Has Miss Led’s home got a Miss Led-style interior?

I think my personality mirrors the personality of my art. I’ve still got my Dukes of Hazard car from when I was 10 years old. Then I have lots of bits of street art around my house. I have Alfonse Mucha prints and Yoshomoto Nara pieces; people who inspire me adorn my walls. I’ve also got a lot of amazing old and tatty furniture that I’ve picked up from the street, (lots of furniture gets left on the street in Hackney), in my home.

We’ve seen your distinctive works on a variety of platforms, from shop windows to cars. Is there any platform you wouldn’t paint? Are there any monuments you’d love to shake up with your own style?

I wouldn’t paint on Tescos, as they don’t deserve it. As for monuments, I wouldn’t want to change something that already exists. I’m more about interiors, transforming the space that envelops you. I’m really looking forward to my next project that will do just that. I want to transport people back to the 1890s in an era and space of decadence and sensuality. I’m transforming two very intimate mezzanine areas in a London club. The theme will be based on the opulence of an opium den injected with theatre, dress and lots of sensual suggestion. I will create this vibe through the use of fabrics, lighting and mirrors, along with, of course, my painting on walls and ceilings. I want users of the space to be conscious of self and integrate with the playful nature of the space.

Thanks for taking the time to have a chat Miss Led, an absolute pleasure of course.

Have a gander at the new website: www.missled.co.uk.

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Eargasms

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WretchReal name: Jermaine Scott

Date of Birth: 9th March 1985

Place of Birth: Tottenham, England

Genre of music: Combination of grime, urban, rap, British hip-hop, reggae

Label: Ministry of Sound

Discography: Wretchrospective (2008), Black and White (2011)

New release: Black and White due out later this year

Tour dates: Currently on tour with Example

Associated lyrics: My life style’s terrible wild, but you’ll never catch me on The Jeremy Kyle Show

Watch out for: His performance with Diddy Dirty Money a few months ago has really put the grime genre on the map, so expect his new album to be littered with collaborations and hits

Did you know: He became a father at 21, and admits having a four-year-old son has given him extra impetus to succeed

WRETCH 32

Jessie JReal name: Jessica Cornish

Date of Birth: 27th March 1988

Place of Birth: Redbridge, England

Graduate of: BRIT School

Genre of music: Fusion of reggae, eupho-ria, dance and R&B

Label: Island Records

Discography: Who You Are (2011)

New release: Debut album Who You Are out now

Tour dates: Stand Up Tour 31st March Glasgow Academy, 1st April Bristol Academy, 2nd April Birmingham Academy, 4th April Manchester Academy, 5th April London Shepherds Bush, 7th April Dublin Academy, 9th April Belfast Mandela Hall

Associated lyrics: Rollin’ rollin’ rollin’ rol-lin’ money like a pimp, my B-I-T-C-H’s on my d*ck like this

Watch out for: Dare Jessie J; a new MySpace portal specifically designed for her, where fans can issue her a series of chal-lenges. The likes of Perez Hilton and Justin Timberlake have already begun setting her tasks

Did you know: Jessie J has an irregular heartbeat, and suffered a minor stroke at 18. As a result, she does not smoke, drink or take drugs.

JESSIE J

Eargasms

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Eargasms

In 2011, the name High Contrast needs no introduction.Signed to Hospital Records in 2000 on the strength of his mini-disc demos, Welsh wonder Lincoln Barrett has smashed his way up the D&B music scene, and a decade after being signed, he is still at the top of his game, and a Drum & Bass superstar!

His debut album True Colours released in 2002, paved the way for his arrival on to the international DJ circuit and helped him become the ‘remixer’ of choice inside and outside the drum and bass community.Autumn 2004 saw the release of the massiveHigh Society LP, featuring the epic singles Twilights Last Gleaming and Racing Green, which Knowledge Magazine voted as one of the top three jungle albums of the last 10 years.

The High Contrast success story continued throughout 2007, with the release of arguably his finest album yet: Tough Guys Don’t Dance. He rounded the year off with yet another huge remix – Axwell’s Ibiza anthem I Found You - and his DJ’ing skill saw him scoop BBC Radio 1’s Essential Mix of the year!

He continued riding his wave of success into 2008 with the remixes of Utah Saint’s Something Good, Adele’s Hometown Glory and Eric Prydz’s monster hit Pjanoo – the soundtracks to many a good night out, I might add!

Sitting at the top table with the big boys in 2009, he became one of a very small number of current recording artists to have released a “Best Of” album,High Contrast Confidential. This immense doubleCD took in the high points of his first three albums,as well as all of his ground-breaking remixes.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that High Contrast is one to keep watching, With such a busy schedule, it’s a wonder he slowed down long enough for FOC to ask him what’s up!

Hospital Hero

HighContrast

By Caisie Dilks

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Eargasms

If you could have any other profession other than your own, what would it be?

Existential detective!

As far as super powers go, would you choose to be a wicked or well behaved super hero?

Immortality must be the trump card of superpowers, but such a vast amount of time could eventually lead to some wickedness, if only to do something new.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Probably wondering where the last 10 years went, much like now.

The name of the magazine is FOC - What does your F.O.C stand for?

Forever-Opining Contrast.

Which of the five senses would you give up andwhat’s your sixth sense?

Seeing as our sense of smell makes up the majority of what we perceive as taste, getting rid of taste seems to be a cunning choice to eject! My sixth sense is judging whether an old record has good samples in it just by looking at the record sleeve. (Not infallible though.)

If you were to have your dream dinner party of six people from any time, who would you choose?

Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, Nietszche, Slavoj Zizek, GK Chesterton and Jessica Rabbit.

What’s your worst and favourite word?

I dislike the word “cog” for reasons that are surely self-evident. I do like saying the word “crepuscular”.

When you get to heaven’s gates, what do you hopeGod says to you?

God: Hey, asshole, why didn’t you believe in me? I left a manual down there and everything.Me: What, The Bible?God: No, The Beano Annual from 1987.Me: Ah.

High Contrast is a name my iTunes knows only too well by now, but why did you originally choose that name?

It seemed a natural fit, as it succinctly describes my basic philosophy of life and approach to music; that the juxta-position of opposite polarities seems to be the essential truth of the universe.

When you were growing up, who was your biggest musical influence?

I had no real interest in music until I was 17, apart from film soundtracks… Wendy Carlos’ music for A Clock-work Orange was a favourite growing up, and still is today.

Who is your favourite artist at this exact moment?

Right now, I’m consumed by Andrei Tarkovsky and JS Bach!

Ok, be honest with us now, which artist or song is your guilty pleasure? What’s your most played song?

There are no guilty pleasures! All that entrances is just. The most played song at the moment is Dark Fantasy by Kanye West.

When you began producing Drum & Bass, did you ever predict how huge the D&B community would become?

It was already a solidly founded genre on the under-ground, but its wider acceptance has been a wonderful surprise. Although I never really thought or think about it in those terms, my relationship to the music I make is really a personal one.

So I’ve been to my fair share of hospitality events, and I have to ask, what is the funniest or most outrageous story that’s happened to you at a hospitality event or set?

Autographing boobs and bums in a club is certainly quite a strange social situation when you think about it! (I wouldn’t know, I promise that wasn’t me)

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Throw a sickie

Looking for inspiration? We have pinpointed some of the most influentialand interesting exhibitions to visit over the next few months.

25 FEB-3 APRILThe Architecture of DrawingArtCentre of South Florida Gallery,USA

The Architecture of Drawing exhibition illustrates and examines the role of hand-drawing and painting in the digital age, by two architects from two generations. The joint exhibition by Errol Barron and Jacob Brillhart, will reveal how observation influ-ences design and will include sketchbooks, associated paintings, design drawings and architectural models that explore the inter-relationships of drawing, painting and architecture.

26-28 May

Habitat Expo 2011World Trade Centre, Mexico D.F.,Mexico

Habitat Expo 2011 is the only event for Mexico’s interior design, architecture and design industry. It brings together the leaders of the Mexican design world and introduces cutting-edge products. In its 10th year, Habitat promotes the culture of good design and current trends for commercial and residential sectors through presentations and discussions.

4-8 April

Hannover MesseExhibition Grounds, 30521 Hannover, Germany

Hannover Messe remains the world’s leading showcase for industrial technology. The exhibition is the ideal place to obtain the latest industrial know-how. Established sixty years ago, Hannover Messe today ranks as the leading international show place for industrial technologies, materials and product ideas.

3-7 MayInterior Home Madrid 2011Feria de Madrid, 28042 Madrid, Spain

Interior Home Madrid provides a unique platform for displaying various products and services in the interior and furniture industry. The exhibition offers a highly cost-effective medium for promotion of interior, exterior, furniture and other design accessories.

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READ & SUBSCRIBE- ONLINE -

www.confetimagazine.com

www.focmagazine.com

www.societymarbella.com

9-13 September

Maison&Objet Outdoor/IndoorParis Nord Villepinte

When interior design opens up its doors to international talents, and the most exclusive brands come together to create a new art of living.

12-17 April

Salone Internazionale de MobileStrada Statale del Sempione, 20017 Milan, Italy

The Salone Internazionale del Mobile is in its 50th year. Together with the Interna-tional Furnishing Accessories Exhibition it presents a wide and varied range of proposals. On show are A-Z domestic fur-nishing solutions both in terms of typology – from stand-alone pieces to coordinates, and in terms of style - from classical design to modern. It is a hub for the trendsetters of tomorrow.

foc

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