Episode #012 of ‘At Your Service’ is out now! Dua reflects on her experience of recording the podcast, talks about the lessons she’s learnt on the way, answers fan questions and more.

 

Listen here: https://t.co/tiRrVx9ZW5

Issue 012:

Joel Benjamin

 

5 Visual Artists I’m Loving Right Now

 

I love discovering new and emerging artists from all over the world, so whenever I have any spare time, I try to get to an art exhibition or gallery. I find out a lot through tried-and-true institutions, and even social media. But lately, I’ve found some new favourites through my friend Bernie, who really knows his stuff when it comes to art. With his help, I’ve compiled a list of five artists that are new-ish to me, but all successes in their fields – brilliant talent that I think you should check out.

 

Dua x

1. Alvaro Barrington – Born in Venezuela to Grenadian and Haitian migrant parents, Alvaro is primarily a painter, but he also uses non-traditional materials and techniques (such as burlap and sewing) to reference his cultural history.
2. George Rouy – This London-based artist has such a singular approach to the human body and its relationship to gender and form. I feel hypnotised when I look at his work!
3. Ida Ekblad – A Norwegian artist, she uses a bold application of colour in works that depict human-like figures and landscapes, across mediums including painting, sculpture and poetry.
4. Reggie Burrows Hodges – Drawing inspiration from his childhood growing up in Compton, California, he paints everyday scenes with an undeniable emotional pull.
5. Tschabalala Self – Born in Harlem, New York, her large-scale paintings integrate textiles, drawing, print-making and collage techniques.

 

Untitled (100 Yen), 1982 © The Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York

 

The Genius Of Jean-Michel Basquiat: “He Was The Last Of Himself. He Cannot Be Recreated”

 

To coincide with the new exhibition Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure in New York, the late artist’s close friend and muse, creative director and stylist Karen Binns, looks back on their time together

 

In the early ’80s, I used to attend poetry readings in the East Village in New York. It was the beginning of the graffiti art, creative and hip-hop scene so marked a great moment. It was here that I’d see Jean. But I didn’t know who he was. Soon afterwards I went to the famous Roxy club and an artist friend of mine introduced me to Jean and I suddenly realised, ‘That was the guy from the poetry meetings!’ We didn’t hit it off; he was joking around and slapped me on the arse so I threw a drink in his face. A week later, I saw him at another club and he said, “Please can I buy you a drink?” It was his way of trying to apologise.

 

Later, he said, “I’m having an art opening tomorrow and I have my little sister with me, but I don’t want her to be exposed to the press. Could you meet me at the gallery beforehand and take her to get ice cream?” I was a little suspicious, but in the end I agreed. It was only when I got to the gallery that I realised exactly who he was. He was smoking a big joint and wore a white-pyjama look with flip-flops. He sold every piece that night and we went back to his studio to celebrate. He said, “I really like you because you didn’t like me when we first met, and probably still don’t, but I feel I can trust you.” And so our friendship began.

 

We got on well because everyone around him was always trying to get something from him, but I never asked him for anything – not a painting, nothing. I just felt and knew he was brilliant. We hung out a lot, watching movies, at clubs, at events and at local restaurants.

 

We weren’t ever lovers; Jean was like a brother to me. We connected because we were constantly aware of what it was like being Black in New York in the ’80s: being misunderstood, being looked over and being treated like sh*t. We would have a lot of conversations about this. And about art. He once dragged in three old doors bolted together that he found on the street, painted on them and it became one of his most famous pieces. Andy Warhol was a great friend of Jean. One night I had a handkerchief that I spilled red wine on and both Andy and Jean signed it. I lost it. That would be worth so much now…

 

Eventually, drugs – especially in the ’80s – destroyed so many creatives. I was in London when I was told he’d died. I get choked up even now talking about it. He had his whole life ahead of him. The devastation was impossible to bear.

 

Still, he left me and the world with so much. He was also very conscious of where he came from; he lived right across from a homeless shelter and used to say, “I live here because I’ll always remember that I too was once homeless.”

 

‘Legacy’ was one of his main words to me. He always said if we don’t leave legacies, what we have will not continue. That’s why a lot of his paintings drew from the past; he was really into ancient writings and Egyptian art.

 

He was the last of himself. He cannot be recreated. He cannot be copied. He cannot be blueprinted. He was the first to defy the fact that he could be one of the world’s greatest artists. This Haitian boy, once homeless and later absorbed by drugs, actually had all the keys to the kingdom.

 

Karen Binns is a creative director and stylist, and was a close friend of the late artist Jean-Michel Basquiat

 

 

© Anje Jager

 

Riz Ahmed’s Top 5 Favourite Movies Of All Time

 

In the 11th episode of our podcast Dua Lipa: At Your Service – out Friday 22 April – actor and musician Riz Ahmed shares the films you should add to your watch list.

1. La Haine. It’s such a cool, funny, entertaining, hard-hitting, political movie about growing up on a housing project in Paris.
2. The Thin Red Line, a Terrence Malick film about war and loneliness, is so beautiful and has an amazing soundtrack.
3. The Godfather: Part II – I like the first one more, but part two has got both Al Pacino and Robert De Niro and you can’t really beat that. Growing up, watching Italian-American stories, I was seeing my experience on screen – the immigrant, outsider experience.
4. For that same reason, Goodfellas comes in at number one. If you haven’t seen Goodfellas, stop everything and do that now!
5. I am going to be biased and say a film I was lucky enough to be a producer on recently, which made history for being the first film nominated for Best Foreign Language, Best Documentary and Best Animation: Flee. It is a beautiful and moving story about a gay Afghan refugee; a story that will live on, as it is sadly becoming more and more relevant.

Lagareh – The Last Born, 2022 © Alberta Whittle. Matthew Arthur Williams, Scotland + Venice, Forma

 

The Venice Biennale Need-To-Knows

 

The buzz in the art world right now is centred on the 59th edition of the Venice Biennale – the world’s oldest and, arguably, most prestigious art exhibition. Why is it such a big deal? Well, it only happens every two years but, due to the pandemic, it has had an extended absence and, this month, it is finally back.

 

Often nicknamed the Olympics of the art world, this year’s Biennale runs from 23 April to 27 November and is curated by Cecilia Alemani, director and chief curator of New York’s much-lauded High Line Art. This year’s theme will offer both new and historical perspectives with a surrealist slant. Hence the title – The Milk Of Dreams (Il Latte Dei Sogni in Italian) – is inspired by artist Leonora Carrington’s book for children, where imaginary new worlds are conceived with otherworldly elements.

 

This sentiment takes on particular resonance in light of the pandemic and the ways in which our lives have altered, at times, beyond recognition. The main exhibition will include 213 artists from 58 countries spread across the Biennale’s Giardini and Arsenale venues, as well as 80 national pavilions (several countries including Namibia and Uganda are exhibiting at the Biennale for the first time) and many more collateral events across the city of Venice. So, if you’re heading to the Biennale this year, here are a few tips:

1. Two artists everyone has been talking about this year are Simone Leigh and Sonia Boyce. They are the first Black women to represent their countries (the US and UK respectively) at the Biennale. Don’t miss the work of these boundary-breaking artists.
2. Outside of the official Biennale venues, there are numerous exhibitions dotted across the city worth exploring. Scotland + Venice pavilion, which features Alberta Whittle’s Deep Dive (Pause) Uncoiling Memory and Parasol Unit’s group exhibition Uncombed, Unforeseen, Unconstrained, is on the art world’s radar, alongside Danh Vo’s show with Isamu Noguchi and Park Seo-Bo at Fondazione Querini Stampalia, and Louise Nevelson at the Procuratie Vecchie.
3. Visit some of Venice’s contemporary art institutions open all year round, such as the Surrealism And Magic: Enchanted Modernity exhibition at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Fondazione Prada Venice will be showing Human Brains.
4. For atmosphere alone, the Caffè La Serra, close to the Giardini on Via Garibaldi, is a must – it is a 19th-century greenhouse built for the first art Biennale in 1894. For amazing pizza and pasta, try Trattoria Dai Tosi, also within walking distance of the Biennale.
5. There is so much to see that you will invariably spend more time outside than in; however, if you want a hotel that delivers an incredibly indulgent Venetian experience, the Ca Maria Adele is one of the best in town.

Vanessa Peterson is a writer and associate editor of Frieze magazine, based in London

 

© Karen Wang, © Dayna Turnblom

 

“Run Into The Forest And Be The Queer Little Fairy You Are” – Drag Queen Pattie Gonia Is Reclaiming The Outdoors For All

 

Drag queen and social media star Pattie Gonia represents an unexpected side of the great outdoors. Just by existing in their technicolour glory amid the wonders of the open air, they’re breaking down the idea that nature is a place limited to straight, non-minorities. From their glammed-out Instagram to running a LGBTQIA+ job board to fundraising for Bipoc non-profits, the environmental drag queen has become a major voice with this message: everyone belongs outdoors. 

 

It’s a lesson they internalised while playing on their grandparents’ ranch in Nebraska as a child. “The clear narrative [for LGBTQIA+ kids] is to run to cities for acceptance,” they explain. “I feel like running into the forest and being the queer little fairy you are is the most amazing way to connect with this planet and with yourself – so that’s what I’m doing.”  

 

Since their first video went viral in 2018, Gonia’s nature-inspired looks have grown to elaborate heights, including nods to The Sound Of Music, Ariana Grande in Don’t Look Up, and even Marie Antoinette, featuring a dress created from 1,000 wrappers and plastic bags they collected during quarantine. Even amid their  impressive theatrics, the takeaway is always clear: you don’t have to fit into a predetermined mould to enjoy nature and want to protect it. It’s a message that Gonia also drives home by leading group hikes across the US, fabulously hitting the trail in six-inch heels. (If you want to join, keep an eye on their social media. They promise more will be scheduled across the US throughout 2022.)  

 

“If you are feeling disconnected from this world, put your screen down, put a pair of shoes on and just go outside,” they say. “For me, there are many days that’s [simply] me painting my nails in my backyard… More people are getting outside than ever, especially more queer people and more people who’ve been systemically left out. I’m just grateful to be a leader in some capacity, and a follower in many others.” 

 

Laura Studarus is a Los Angeles-based travel journalist who has written for BBC, Thrillist, Vice and Marie Claire

Issue 013:

Anje Jager

 

On Reflection...

 

After five months of recording, I’ve just finished taping the finale of the first series of my podcast, Dua Lipa: At Your Service – 12 episodes, done! From chats with loved ones to deep dives with new friends, I’ve had the most incredible time researching, preparing and conducting these interviews and conversations. Not only have I been able to give people I admire the space to tell their stories, but I’ve also realised so much, from the things that make me curious to the incredible, surprising, and universal commonalities so many of us share. Tomorrow, make sure you listen to our finale, and read below to see just a sliver of what I learned in the process. See you for Series Two!

 

Dua x

1. Trust my own instincts. I’ve realised that if I ask something I’m curious about, then others are likely curious about it too. I’ve changed my mindset to think about the podcast more like a conversation than an interview, which has led to some incredible moments.
2. Let my guests know I’m listening without saying so. Little cues such as nodding or smiling, on video and in person, gives them the space to keep talking without cutting them off. A constant reminder I give myself.
3. Preparation! Organisation is really important to me. I get the most out of the experience when I prepare in advance. Being on the other end of the microphone can be draining, so being prepared is a way I take care of myself.
4. Relax. Sometimes, the best moments come spontaneously. I can (and do!) prepare all I want, but the conversation flows best when it feels natural and organic.
5. Enjoy the experience. I love my job! I can’t believe how much fun I’ve had creating our first season, and I’m beyond excited to start planning the next!

© Rudy Willingham

 

This One Thing: Artist Rudy Willingham

Brennan Carley

 

One of the greatest de-stressors in our lives lately hasn’t been fitness, a good meal out, or even a hug from a friend. Instead, we’ve found tranquillity in the multidimensional and mesmerising work of artist Rudy Willingham, who uses (seemingly) simple paper cutouts and transforms them into optical illusions and splashy, pop-art tributes to icons such as Betty White and Mariah Carey. Some are stop-motion masterpieces; others are transformative street art that turn everyday objects into something much more fun. All of them will make you smile.

 

© Delfino Sisto Legnani, © Prada

 

Faux-Fur Carpet, Pink Sand & Distorting Mirrors: Inside Milanese Art Reuse Start-Up Spazio Meta

Marianna Cerini

 

Tucked away in the once-industrial district of Bovisa, on the northern outskirts of Milan, is a 300-square-metre warehouse neatly filled with discarded materials from fashion shows, art exhibitions, temporary installations and photo shoots. There are carpets in every thickness – including the faux-fur olive one that covered the interiors of the Prada show during Milan Fashion Week in February 2022 – fabric in a plethora of hues, glass in a variety of shapes and everything is on sale at affordable prices. This is Spazio Meta, a start-up launched last spring by friends-turned-entrepreneurs Martina Bragadin, Margherita Crespi and Benedetta Pomini with the idea to create an alternative – and cost-effective – response to the overproduction and waste of resources stemming from the art, fashion and design sectors.

 

The three women share similar backgrounds: Bragadin and Crespi studied scenography together in Milan, while Pomini used to work in art galleries and exhibition spaces, overseeing production processes. “We all witnessed first-hand how unsustainable the creative field can be when it comes to temporary events,” Bragadin tells me, “from the huge amount of resources that go into a set design meant to last only a few hours, to the fact that most of the materials used for a fashion show or an art display are usually just thrown away once the event is over – even though they’re still perfectly fine and recyclable.” Founding Spazio Meta was their way to “counteract this culture of waste”, she says.

 

Their small team does so by assessing and selecting used materials from different clients and suppliers – including fashion brands such as Prada and design fairs including Salone del Mobile.

 

The offer is wide-ranging: besides conventional materials, there were also, at the time of writing, 600 kilos of pink sand, giant cabbage props and distorting mirrors up for grabs.

 

Unusually, Spazio Meta’s showroom is not just for industry insiders, it is also open to the public. “We want to serve as a community space for anyone who might have artistic inclinations,” Pomini says. “It’s all about fostering a more responsible, circular approach to making art in all its forms and facilitating the use and sharing of resources.”

 

Marianna Cerini is a freelance journalist writing about travel, fashion, the arts and cultural trends and has been published in Conde Nast Traveller, The Telegraph, Time Out Beijing, Forbes and Vogue Italia

 

There was a piece about sex toys which I have excluded here Sad the first series of the podcast is over now :(

@1524740245643743232

 

Still charting despite the series being over!

Catching up on the newsletters...

 

Issue 014:

Elizabeth Miranda

 

Travelling The World, Close To Home

 

One of the great joys of touring is exploring places close to home that I’ve never spent proper time in before – such as Dublin, a vibrant city in which I’ve just finished playing two shows. From a daylong detour to Wicklow (when they say the Irish countryside has the most gorgeous views, they’re not lying) to meals and pints all over town, these have been some of the most welcoming, warm and lively days of my time on the road. Below are just a few of the Dublin spots I fell in love with, followed by our incredible Issue 014 – don’t miss our story with Beata Heuman, the first in a new Service95 series – The Way We Work – in which creatives will tell us about what inspires their work life.

 

Dua x

1. Grogans – for a pint and a toastie, it cannot be beaten.
2. Hugo’s – the chicest little food spot right off St Stephen’s Green.
3. Fish Shop – if you like seafood even a bit, this is your new go-to.
4. Toners Pub – this has been around since 1734, and it’s exactly what I expected when I thought of a traditional Irish bar.
5. Peruke & Periwig – a cocktail list broken down by genre of music? I dare you not to be intrigued…

© Emman Montalvan

 

The Socially Conscious Jewellery Brand Keeping Filipino Craftsmanship Alive

Juli Suazo

 

In the Philippines, jewellery making is a craft passed on from generation to generation. But as costs for gold and diamonds continue to rise, craftsmen struggle to keep up with the pricing competition and the waning demand for locally made goods. Filipino artisans now dissuade their children from jewellery making as a career and turn to other jobs as they grow less confident in the industry as a source of livelihood.

 

With the looming danger of losing Filipino craftsmanship altogether, Limnia brings the work of these goldsmiths into a global light and restores their faith in the future of their craft. “I believe the Philippines has so much talent, and it becomes more apparent when you leave,” says founder Annette Lasala Spillane – born and raised in the Philippines – who is now based in New York. She collaborates with TSKI, a Philippine non-profit focused on eradicating poverty through entrepreneurship, to work with the craftsmen as they cast, set, and polish jewellery.

 

Characterised by modularity and a sense of renewal, Limnia pieces are designed to always feel new. Describing her jewellery as “pliable”, Spillane says, “The idea is that one piece is actually never just one piece.” Each design invites the creativity of its wearer by being able to instantaneously bend into anything you want it to be. Pendants turn into earrings, necklaces turn into anklets and earrings turn into rings. The flexibility of the pieces speaks to the concept of renewability – it allows the wearer to make their jewellery new again. The endless transformability of Limnia not only withstands the wearer’s evolution in style but also reflects the changes weathered by the craftsmen in the Philippines. “It is,” enthuses Spillane, “a piece of wearable art, an extension of yourself, and an expression of the people who made it.”

 

Juli Suazo is a freelance lifestyle journalist for CNN and Eater, based in Manila and London

 

Happiest Season, Lacey Terrell/Hulu; Heartstopper, Rob Youngson/Netflix; Marry Me, Alamy; Think Like A Man Too, Alamy; Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Netflix

 

Why The Romcom Will Never Die

Scott Meslow

 

Has any movie genre been treated more unfairly than the romantic comedy? Ignored by awards shows, sneered at by snobbish critics, and described (even by people that like them!) as ‘guilty pleasures’.

 

But what is there to feel guilty about? In my book From Hollywood With Love: The Rise And Fall (And Rise Again) Of The Romantic Comedy, I unpack the golden era of romantic comedies – from Pretty Woman to Crazy Rich Asians and more. It was thrilling to talk to the people who made them and learn behind-the-scenes stories about how they came together. By the time I completed my interviews with the writers, directors and actors making romcoms today, I was even more convinced that, despite the detractors, romantic comedies will never die. They are, however, evolving. For too many years, Hollywood romcoms tended to centre on the same kind of couples: white, cishet, upper-middle-class, living in New York and working as journalists or architects or architecture journalists. The movies also tended to end when the central couple got together – which is, frankly, just when those stories start to get really interesting.

 

But all those tropes are changing. No one does romance quite like Bollywood – Jab We Met and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani are just two on the longlist of diehard Bollywood romcom fans. Romantic comedies with Black leads – cult classics include Boomerang with Eddie Murphy and Halle Berry, Love And Basketball with Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps, and Think Like A Man with Kevin Hart and Taraji P Henson – are also hugely successful, increasingly putting paid to the idea that only certain love stories are worthy of depiction. In 2020, Hulu’s Happiest Season, centred on a romance between Kristin Stewart and Mackenzie Davis, scored the biggest debut in the streaming service’s history. In 2021, Netflix’s buzziest holiday romcom was Single All The Way, starring the male-identifying Michael Urie and Philemon Chambers as best friends who realise they might be something more. And that came less than a year after Netflix’s To All the Boys: Always And Forever, which – in addition to centring the perspective of a Korean-American girl – uses its status as the third movie in a franchise to go much deeper on its central relationship than would ever have been possible in the original movie.

 

And just in case anyone doubted it, 2022 shows promise for the longevity of this genre. Marry Me marked J.Lo’s triumphant return to the romcom (with Shotgun Wedding out this summer); The Lost City sees Sandra Bullock choose between Channing Tatum and Brad Pitt; while Bros, a Billy Eicher passion project, and Heartstopper focus on romances between two men. Romcoms aren’t dead – they’re stronger than ever – and look likely to run and run because, as they say: real love stories never have endings.

 

Scott Meslow is a senior editor at The Week magazine and a writer and critic for publications including GQ, New York and The Atlantic. From Hollywood With Love is his first book

 

 

© Arthur Elgort/Trunk Archive

 

This One Thing: Proximities

Funmi Fetto

 

For the most part, the majority of the news consumed in the West is centred on what is happening in, well, the West. At Service95 however, we are all about global narratives. Which is why we love Proximities. This indie Substack newsletter, run by journalist Barry Malone, highlights three non-Western news stories to read every single day. From Palestine to China to Burkina Faso to Lebanon, Proximities is a simple but brilliant way to help us engage with powerful stories from around the world flying under the radar. It’s a smart read that will hopefully go some way in shifting the dominance of Western-centric news.

 

 

© Chris Gloag, © Simon Brown

 

 

The Way We Work... Interior Designer Beata Heuman

 

In our new series, we look at the things, places and people that inspire a creative’s working life. New York Times bestselling author Fatima Mirza spoke to the interior designer Beata Heuman about everything from childhood inspirations to the best interiors accounts to follow on Instagram. Here are her thoughts…

On letting your inner child create your home: I focus a lot on listening to the voice of your inner child. I want to unlock that in people because we all have it within us. That can be really healthy and make you happier in your home. One way is thinking about the things you grew up with. There’s always something sentimental or that has meaning. Our jumbo gingham fabric is very much part of my childhood and growing up in Sweden, and the colours I chose are connected to memories of our farm and gardens. And don’t worry too much about what the right thing is – just find things that speak to you.

 

On her sartorial choices: I don’t have a work ‘uniform’, but I do enjoy making an effort with clothes. I tend to sit with my legs pulled up (like a five-year-old!) so I like something with a comfy waistband. I’m a big fan of Bode. It’s a big brand now but when I first came across it, it was hugely inspiring. It’s a unique way of making clothes, and the aesthetic really appeals. In theory, it’s a menswear brand, but that makes me enjoy wearing its clothes even more. Loretta Caponi in Florence is another shop I love. It’s very old fashioned and has lots of comfy smock dresses. To be honest, I’m just drawn to anything that feels ‘olde worlde’.

 

On music while you work: There’s a great app called Radiooooo. It’s a map of the world, and you can choose any country and decade – whether something from the 1910s or 1970s – and play music that was popular at the time in that country. Recently, I’ve been listening to Can I Get There By Candlelight by David McWilliams, Starálfur by Sigur Rós and Ohne Chanteuse by Yonderboi.

 

Le Sirenuse, Positano

 

On her fragrance of choice: It took me years to come across a scent I liked, but ever since we stayed at Le Sirenuse in Positano, Italy I wear Eau d’Italie by Le Sirenuse. It isn’t overly feminine and smells fresh. I often have scented candles burning in the office, such as Moro Dabron’s or Ortigia’s Florio. They help me focus but also make me feel cosy.

 

On spaces to inspire: Growing up, we used to go to the Landskrona Museum in Sweden. You’d go from room to room and be given time-typical outfits and get into character. I loved it. More recently, I went to the beautiful Swedish Grace exhibition, about art and design in the 1920s, at the National Museum in Stockholm. I’m really inspired by that time and designers such as Anna Petrus. I especially love museums with preserved interiors (it’s the closest to time travel you can get), hence I love Sir John Soane’s Museum in London, Charleston in Sussex, England, and Svindersvik in Stockholm. There is an amazing house called Villa Santo Sospir in St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat [in the South of France]. It was designed by Madeleine Castaing, and Jean Cocteau had a hand in it too. Sadly, it’s closed for renovation, but I’m hoping they will open the doors to the public once again.

 

On learning: I read Get Your House Right by Marianne Cusato and Ben Pentreath. It’s all about traditional detailing in architecture and I learned a lot. It’s made me better at reading the architecture of a house.

 

On her favourite Instagram accounts: @leahoconnelldesign; @tom__morris; @james_coviello; @tat.london; @the_london_list and @savedny.

 

On how to decorate your home: Whenever you see images of interiors you like, save them, and build up a little library. Then do a proper furniture plan. If you have a layout of your home, work out how you want to place the furniture. Then you can populate it. If you know what you’re looking for, that’s reassuring, but even if the pieces themselves are still missing, wait for the right thing – you don’t have to get everything at once.

 

Beata Heuman’s book Every Room Should Sing is out now

 

Issue 015:

Dua Lipa

 

The Best Of Berlin

 

If you were wandering the streets of Berlin this past week, you may well have seen me strolling around and soaking in one of my favourite European cities – a vibrant and eclectic hub for food, art, and some of the best nights out I’ve ever had. I can clearly envision myself living here someday but, for now, holidays and days off from tour will have to do. Here’s my must-do list for Berlin newcomers – as someone who’s fallen in love with this city, I can confidently say we’re only scratching the surface.

 

Dua x

1. Boros Foundation – a contemporary art gallery housed in a former bunker.
2. Photoautomat – you’ll find these memory-making booths in pretty much every corner of the city.
3. Mauerpark Flea Market – in the mood for thrift shopping, antique finds, delicious street food, or all the above? Then head to Mauerpark, Berlin’s biggest flea market. I can think of worse ways to spend a Sunday.
4. Lavanderia Vecchia – an Italian restaurant that is in a remodelled old laundry.
5. Rent a bike – it’s such a fun way to see Berlin but be sure to wrap up on colder days.

© Mouadh Ben Mohamed

 

Takoua Ben Mohamed: Breaking Down Stereotypes One Graphic Novel At A Time

Marianna Cerini

 

“If there’s one thing I dislike, it is being flattened to a one-dimensional figure,” Takoua Ben Mohamed tells me when we ‘meet’ on Zoom. “A Muslim woman. A second-generation immigrant. Or even worse, a sort of extraordinary exception: the girl with the veil who – lo and behold – managed to become a cartoonist. Or the Tunisian outsider who ‘broke the ranks’. It’s just so limiting. I am a Muslim, yes. I am Tunisian. But I am also Italian, a graphic journalist. I contain multitudes. I try to reflect that in anything I do.”

 

And she is succeeding. Ben Mohamed was born 31 years ago in southern Tunisia, but has lived in Rome since 1999, where she moved with the rest of her family – she’s the sixth of seven siblings – to join her father, a political exile. Today, she’s a cartoonist, illustrator, film producer, graphic journalist and author of four comic books, whose work tackles social issues spanning racism, Islamophobia and sexism.

 

In Italy, a country that’s still grappling with all the above, she’s one of the boldest, most compelling voices fighting for local social justice.

 

“Activism has always been part of my life,” she says. “When I was little, my parents used to take me to human rights demonstrations because they saw it as the most normal thing to do. It shaped me. I decided early on that I wanted to try and make a difference.”

 

Indeed, Ben Mohamed started young – first volunteering with youth and humanitarian organisations when she was 10, just after the 9/11 attacks, which, she says, made life “really quite hard” for Muslims around the world, and then with an online comics project called Intercultural, which she launched, aged 14. Taking the form of a blog, it narrated Ben Mohamed’s everyday life through drawings and vignettes, including the episodes of bullying and discrimination she was subjected to. “Comics turned out to be the perfect channel to share my experience,” she says. “They allowed me to explore themes I care about in a way that was easy to grasp and could even be ‘light’, ironic.”

 

Soon enough, publishing houses and magazines came calling with book proposals and collaborations. Then came the awards for her graphic journalism, and her testimonial in the EU-backed Look Beyond Prejudice campaign, aimed at combating discrimination and raising awareness among Muslim girls.

 

Latterly, together with two of her brothers, she founded BM Entertainment, a production company that makes documentaries on youth culture, social change, and integration (Ben Mohamed has a degree in film animation). Their docu-film Hijab Style, on the myriad ways of wearing the veil, aired on Al Jazeera in 2020.

 

“I want to tell stories about people like me that are different from those you usually read in mainstream media,” she says. “Muslim women are so often portrayed as sad looking, subjugated, voiceless. But the reality I know couldn’t be further from that. For instance, I decided to wear the veil. My family didn’t force me.”

 

One of her biggest dreams is to bring her comics to the Arab world, reaching a whole new audience. And her ultimate goal? Smiling, she says: “A Nobel Prize for a graphic novel. You’ve got to aim high, right?”

 

Marianna Cerini is a Milan-based journalist who lived in Asia for over a decade. Her work has appeared in Vogue Italia, Condé Nast Traveler and CNN Style

 

 

© Gallery Stock

 

Food For Thought: David Chang Wants Us To Think About How We Eat

Chris Mandle

 

Reinventing the wheel wasn’t necessarily on the menu for David Chang when he released his docu-series The Next Thing You Eat last year. Instead, the Momofuku founder and meat evangelist implored us to ‘recalibrate’ our attitude towards the foods we eat. Across all six episodes of his (occasionally harrowing) exploration of the future of food, there’s a sense of change on the horizon – from steakhouses using robots and automation to cook the ‘perfect steak’, to modern consumers that expect less environmentally damaging ways to nourish themselves.

 

You might not even know it, but the ‘future’ of food is already in the present – born out of innovation and necessity. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that cattle are responsible for 65% of the livestock sector’s emissions. They are also devastating in terms of the amount of land and water they devour. In its place, ‘cultivated meat’ – a more sophisticated way of referring to lab-grown chicken, steak, or salmon – is already being created from animal cells, causing them no harm. Chang even ponders if one can identify as vegan if they eat cultivated chicken, which contains no bones, blood, or skin; it’s framed as an ethical quandary as well as an environmental one.

 

The documentary is alarming, both because these innovations are necessary, but also successful. There is a sense of urgency, too; as oceans continue to become desolate and toxic, the very notion of ordering and eating sushi seems untenable. So, too, is industrialised animal slaughter – approximately nine billion factory-farmed chickens are slaughtered in the United States every year, even though we all likely know of the issues at play (terrible working conditions in abattoirs, mistreatment of animals, and industrial deforestation, which is responsible for hundreds of millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases every year).

 

Lab-grown meat, however, could be one way to ensure people don’t have to radically alter their lifestyles in order to do good – if it looks like a steak, and tastes like a steak, that might be good enough!

 

Many might think veganism alone could help but, frustratingly, a steadfast devotion to fruit and vegetables could also prove harmful to the environment. A study by the University of Manchester found air-transported fruit and vegetables have five times the impact on the environment than home-grown ones. The takeaway? Buy locally and eat seasonally.

 

Here are other small shifts we can make to ensure our relationship with food doesn’t negatively impact the planet.

• Share your and other people’s leftovers. My food newsletter, Scraps, is a love letter to the things you can make with yesterday’s leftovers. Olio is a neighbourhood-based resource for picking up food in your community (with five million users across 49 countries), while the Karma app (available in London and Brighton in the UK, as well as across Europe) lets users rescue food from local restaurants, bakeries, cafes and even wholesalers that are otherwise destined for the bin.
• Manage your own food waste better. Nosh is an app that uses AI to track the food in your fridge, alerting you when expiry dates are coming up.
• Listen and learn. Podcasts such as Big Ideas Into Action and Zero Waste Kode explore food waste and its environmental impact.

Chris Mandle is a writer and editor based in South London. He currently works as a staff writer at New York Magazine’s The Strategist, and he writes the food newsletter Scraps on Substack

 

© Sheila Bridges, Wedgwood

 

This One Thing... Sheila Bridges x Wedgwood 

Funmi Fetto

 

While African-American interior designer Sheila Bridges loved traditional French toile – colourful prints featuring pastoral motifs, popularised in the 18th century – she couldn’t find one that spoke to her and her history. So, in 2005, she created her own; the Harlem Toile de Jouy. The reimagined fabric and wallpaper feature Black characters to “address the stereotypes commonly associated with Black people, but in a way that feels celebratory”.

 

Seventeen years on, Bridges’ love of history, nature and Black culture has led to a collaboration with Wedgwood, the iconic British luxury tableware brand, which sees bone-china pieces adorned in the renowned Harlem Toile. What might seem an unlikely alliance is actually founded on common ground. Josiah Wedgwood, the designer and entrepreneur behind the brand, was active in the British anti-slavery movement in the 18th century. The Wedgwood anti-slavery medallion – originally produced in 1787, which depicted a kneeling and chained slave with the words ‘Am I not a man and a brother’ – was distributed across Britain to spread the anti-slave-trade message.

 

Speaking of Wedgwood, Bridges says, “I loved that he was willing to use his expertise, position and privilege to create something beautiful and meaningful that also expressed his conscience about something he deeply believed was wrong.’’

Sheila Bridges x Wedgwood is currently exclusive to Bloomingdales and will be available at Wedgwood later in 2022.

 

Funmi Fetto is the Global Editorial Director of Service95 and a Contributing Editor at British Vogue

 

 

Katelyn Yen Fang Lo, Daniel Charkow, Dan Lowe

 

The Shoemaker Creating Beauty From Junk

Pia Brynteson

 

Fascinated by Lady Gaga’s love for beautiful but unwearable shoes, Daniel Charkow, a London-based, Canadian-born shoemaker, created his first pair aged 12. Ten years on, branded as @Shoe_Man_Dan, he is on a mission to bring craftsmanship and sustainability to the forefront of footwear

 

Daniel Charkow loves rummaging through London’s textile factories for dead-stock leather or any other material he can get his hands on. “One of the factories does the heels and soles for brands such as Church’s and John Lobb, and another supplies the leather for the Royal Air Force, so I just go in and take their scraps. Obviously,” he continues, “if you are cutting from a big sheet there are going to be leftovers, so my job is to utilise them.”

 

This drive to create beauty from scraps leads Charkow down unusual paths, hence he will take a chair found on the side of a road and turn it into an amazing pair of shoes. “The body is made from the chair cover, the heel is made from the leg and the cushioning is made from the foam found inside the chair,” he explains.

 

Having collaborated with multiple graduate designers from the likes of Central Saint Martins, Charkow is now launching his own brand this summer. His hope is to breathe his innovative energy into changing how we view our shoes, one step at a time.

 

Pia Brynteson  is Editorial Assistant at Service95

Issue 016:

 

Exploring Amsterdam

 

Since childhood, I’ve been coming to Amsterdam quite regularly – more times than I can count! – because my mother’s side of the family lives here. The city has left me with some of my best memories. So when I’m not touring or working on Service95 (how cool are the hair extensions from Tomihiro Kono in this issue?), I love exploring what Amsterdam has to offer. Read below for my recommendations.

 

Dua x

1. Rent a boat on the canal and stop off at different restaurants along the way. Keep your eye out for traditional Dutch bites such as bitterballen (meatballs) and kroketten (croquettes). The poffertjes (tiny Dutch pancakes) are also not to be missed.
2. Plantage – a superb, bright and airy restaurant that’s a must for every trip.
3. Restaurant de Kas – delicious food, which is mostly grown onsite, that’s picked in the morning and served in the afternoon.
4. Winkel43 – you have to go for the apple pie!
5. Play Padel NEXT – a sport in the racquetball family, slightly similar to tennis, and great to play if you’re visiting with a group.

“For me, history and truth matter” – Gillian Mosely’s Film On The Israel-Palestine Conflict

 

Bafta-winning director Gillian Mosely grew up as a Jew in a strong Zionist home. A friendship with a gay Muslim Palestinian, however, forced her to challenge what she had long been brought up to believe about Palestine. This, she tells Service95, is what inspired her to make The Tinderbox, a film that explores the past and present of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

 

When I was about 17, I met Tamer at Taboo – Leigh Bowery’s iconic London nightclub. At that point, all we cared about was nightclubs and parties and what we were wearing to them. It was a good five years before we realised that I was Jewish, and he was Palestinian. At his house, I’d hear things over the dinner table that had happened to his family and so much of it just didn’t add up to what I’d been taught by my largely Zionist family.

 

I started to look into it and the more I discovered, the more I thought, ‘Wait a second, this isn’t right.’ And so, my film – although scathing about Britain’s role in the erosion of Palestinian rights – is also about holding up a mirror to the Jewish community. It’s not a mirror that certain Jews want to look in. As a Jew myself, that has been difficult. My family members and other people I know have avoided watching the film. But I believe that this is something we Jews need to get to grips with – because if we don’t, other people will do it for us.

 

There have been some interesting moments of change in the last year, much of which I believe is thanks to the Black Lives Matter movement. Young liberal Jews who were supportive of the Black Lives Matter campaign couldn’t understand why their friends were then turning around and supporting the Palestinians. There have been many mini identity crises over that sort of thing, and I have a lot of sympathy for that. But, for me, history and truth matter. I’d rather know the truth and deal with it than keep sticking my head in the sand.

 

One argument that has been bandied around is that the criticism of Israel in this matter is simply part of anti-Semitic rhetoric, but I think it depends on who it’s coming from and how it’s phrased. I am not at all in agreement with people who say that being anti the Israel government is anti-Semitic. It’s eminently possible to criticise the government without being anti-Semitic.

 

I had been to the West Bank in the past, but when I went to Hebron, that gave me the most pause for thought. Hebron is a microcosm of the conflict writ large. You have this place where there are literally about a thousand Jewish settlers, and they’re the hard-line settlers, and they torment the Palestinians. My team and I saw a lot of this. They have the Israeli army around them, protecting them, and they harass Palestinians, and the Israeli army doesn’t do anything about it.

 

There are 200,000 Palestinians in the city, yet the thousand Jews living in the Old City have completely taken over. I was shocked by it. It’s also worth mentioning that we are talking about the world’s longest-existing refugee crisis. Before the Ukraine war, a third of the world’s refugees were Palestinians – and as a people, they’ve been refugees for around 70 years. The average is 20 years.

 

That said, I don’t think I’m going to change the minds of hard-line Jews. So the film is aimed at people (Jews and non-Jews) sitting on the fence. It’s asking them to engage with the story – a story I felt I had to tell. I come from three long lines of rabbis – we were some of Britain’s earliest chief rabbis – I’m a community leader, and as a history filmmaker with that background I felt, if I can’t say anything about this situation, no one can.

 

As a family, we had to take the Israel-Palestine conversation off the table early on as it would just turn into a screaming row. But something needed to be said. Often you read things people say and they get labelled a self-hating Jew, which is absurd. In my opinion, Jews who are endangering the rest of Jews because of their hard-line stance are putting us all in jeopardy. That, to me, would seem a more logical way to frame ‘self-hating Jew’.

 

The Tinderbox is on Curzon Home Cinema

 

 

Tomihiro Kono

 

This One Thing: Tomihiro Kono Hair Extensions

Funmi Fetto

 

Is it art? Or is it hair? Actually, it’s both. These avant-garde clip-on hair extensions have been treated and hand-painted in a myriad of prints. Not only are they a fun and versatile way to change your look, but you can do so without the trauma of bleaching your own hair. And if you wear a hat, you’ll fool everyone into believing the hair is yours.

Tomihiro Kono Hair Extensions, from £70, available at apoc-store.com

 

Funmi Fetto is the Global Editorial Director at Service95 and a Contributing Editor at British Vogue

Issue 017:

CJ Hendry, @cj_hendry

 

Use Your Power

 

Just 10 days after a horrific mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, another unfathomable act of mass violence has occurred in Uvalde, Texas, with a gunman taking the lives of 19 children – please read that again: children – and two teachers, as of the time I’m writing this. I join the world in grieving these monumental losses and stand firm that we are long past the time for just thoughts and prayers in response. In America, something must change, and it must change now. If you’re US-based, call your elected officials and tell them to abolish the filibuster and do all they can to stop gun violence; demand that the politicians taking up airtime with their empty condolences cancel their appearances at the National Rifle Association’s conference in Texas tomorrow and boycott the event instead; march with your community, and donate to organisations such as Everytown, which are seeking to prevent gun violence.

 

Mass shootings are preventable. Join me in using your power to help get us closer to that reality.

 

Dua x

 

 

Maya Nije © Jacob Lilis, Chris Collins, Neela Vermeire © Neela Vermeire Creations, Pissara Umavijani

 

The New Scent Vanguard Decolonising The Fragrance Industry

Suzy Nightingale

 

Fragrance dares us to dream in technicolour and travel with our noses, yet the faces behind their creation have been predominantly middle-class white men from France. Now, a new guard of perfumers and brand founders is finally infiltrating the scent space that was once the reserve of the privileged few.

 

The town of Grasse in France is often referred to as ‘the perfume capital of the world’, yet the perfumers who happen to be born there, or have the funds to travel and study there, have populated the world’s perfume shelves with their creations. There have been attempts to bottle ‘exotic’ locations, sacred traditions and ancient mythologies but, when mainly expressed by white men, it’s the kind of cultural appropriation that’s recently (and rightly) been closely examined in practically any other art form – yet, in the world of perfumery, it has been accepted as the scented status quo.

 

This isn’t to say many perfumers and brands don’t extensively research their inspirations and the ingredients they use but, until very recently, the ethnicity and heritage of the ‘noses’ asked to compose the fragrances wasn’t even considered. Historic racism aside, the root cause has often been simple: perfumery is the meeting place of art and science, and to train as a chemist – even to know perfumery can be a career – is the domain of the privileged. Add to this the Grasse tradition of handing the perfumer mantle from father to son, along with the usual workplace complications of non-flexible working or childcare facilities, and the unconscious bias of male mentors tending to hire people who look like them, and you have the perfect storm for perfumed prejudice.

 

Until recently, apart from a few outliers who made a name for themselves in the late ’70s, people of colour and women were not generally encouraged or supported to study STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects. At the Institute of Education at University College London, Louise Archer and her team have created ASPIRES – a long-term research project investigating the phenomenon that although girls do well at science in secondary education exams, “they still think they’re not good enough or clever enough to go on to do it at university,” says Archer. “We see this attitude particularly in girls from working-class and non-white backgrounds.” As people of colour are the majority of the world’s population, doesn’t that make it even more bizarre to have excluded these voices (and noses)?

 

“It felt so far away and removed from my life [growing up],” says perfumer and brand owner Maya Njie, who now celebrates her West African and Swedish heritage through her eponymous brand. Chris Collins, a perfumer who was one of the first African-American models to work with Ralph Lauren and now owns a fragrance house honouring Black culture, agrees that for perfume to truly reflect the people who wear it, we need a diversity of voices. “My stories come from my unique perspective,” he says. “The more diversity we have, the more stories we get to hear.”

 

Here are five culturally rich fragrance houses to have on your radar.

1. The first Turkish fragrance house Nishane has a mission to put Istanbul on the scent map.
2. Self-taught Thai perfumer Prin Lomros expresses his heritage through scent memories.
3. Catherine Omai is inspired by “the culture, landscape and tradition of the people of Nigeria”.
4. Neela Vermeire showcases her Indian heritage through exquisite, historically inspired perfumes.
5. Pissara Umavijani, who grew up in Thailand, celebrates her father’s poetry in fragrant form with her brand Parfums Dusita.

Suzy Nightingale is an award-winning freelance fragrance journalist who has written for The Perfume Society, Grazia Middle East, Rakes Progress, and is the co-host of On The Scent podcast

 

 

© Greg Endries/Showtime

 

“I Love Questioning Everything”: The Unorthodox Talk Show Host Exploring Race Through Comedy

Anna Peele

 

Ziwe, the Nigerian-American comedian, was catapulted to fame by her riotously funny and cringe-inducing YouTube and Instagram Live shows. In both, Ziwe grilled people from Rose McGowan to chef Alison Roman on issues of race. The eponymous comedy series that followed builds on the concept to feature interviews, game show quizzes and music videos where the host once again asks guests and audience members purposely uncomfortable questions: “How many Black friends do you have?” “When you say ‘Black people’, do you capitalise the ‘B’?”, “Did your ancestors own slaves?” It’s a provocative but deliberately “clueless” persona Ziwe calls “a Bratz doll with a diploma”. (The real Ziwe studied radio, television, film and African-American studies at Northwestern University in Illinois.)

 

As Ziwe enters the second season, its creator says that the intention isn’t to make anyone look dumb; it’s to make us think about why the questions are so hard to answer. “Behind the question is another question,” explains Ziwe. “‘What is the right way to answer that question? Why do I feel stumped?’ I’m just trying to question what we deem as good, what we deem as bad, what we deem as facts, what we deem as fiction.”

 

Much of the humour lies in the gulf between what game guests may want for the interview and how their time with Ziwe actually turns out. Moments such as Charlamagne Tha God saying, “Black men don’t cheat,” then promptly clarifying that he committed infidelity during the last election cycle create a crackling awkwardness on screen. On set, however, Ziwe says “the interviews are really warm and hospitable and funny, and people are laughing. I don’t have to hog-tie them and throw them in front of cameras. They’re willing adults.”

 

The 30-year-old Ziwe remembers a childhood idolisation of Britney Spears and talks about how the reversal in public opinion around Spears shaped some of Ziwe’s later views on celebrity culture. “Within the span of two, three years, the girl we loved, America’s sweetheart [became] ‘We hate her. She’s the devil,’” Ziwe says. “As an adult, I look back on that time and think, ‘Wow.’ You just consume it and treat it as truth because it is in print or because it is on TV.” That dissonance created a desire in Ziwe. “I love questioning everything,” she says, noting her love of being surprised by what she doesn’t know or didn’t expect. “How good was it [during] Gloria Steinem[’s interview], when we say, ‘Hey, Gloria, is the song WAP – Wet Ass Pussy – female empowerment?’ [We] watch her in real-time listen to the song and be like, ‘Not really.’”

 

So is the goal of Ziwe to change people’s minds? She recalls critics who called the show too “performative”, saying it “didn’t go far enough”. “Well, I wasn’t planning on solving racism in six episodes, but maybe I should try harder,” Ziwe says sarcastically. “I have no expectations for what my comedy will do. The only expectation I have is laughter.”

Watch Ziwe on Showtime

 

Anna Peele is based in New York and writes for publications including New York Magazine, Vanity Fair and The Washington Post Magazine

 

 

Terence Donovan © Terence Donovan Archive

 

This One Thing... In The Que

Pia Brynteson

 

The Museum & Art Gallery in Birmingham, UK is now hosting an exhibition of previously unseen work by renowned British fashion photographer Terence Donovan. This time, however, supermodels aren’t the subject. Instead, the focus is on ravers from the Que Club, a historic nightclub located in Methodist Central Hall, built in 1904, where Donovan spent many hours capturing the hedonism of Birmingham’s ’90s techno scene.

In The Que runs until 30 October 2022

 

Pia Brynteson is Editorial Assistant at Service95

 

© Bharat Agarwal, Shubhank Vyas, Evgeny Nelmin

 

The Old-World Charm Of Jaipur’s Hottest New Boutique Hotel

Praachi Raniwala

 

Jaipur: India’s famed Pink City that attracts well-heeled travellers from across the globe seeking a taste of its magnificent palaces, royal heritage and eclectic charm. Now picture this: A bustling by-lane in Jaipur’s pink-walled bazaar (one of the oldest in the city, and a UNESCO World Heritage site), where perched in the centre of the organised chaos is The Johri, a 19th-century merchant’s haveli (mansion)-turned-hotel that is a far cry from the city’s many five-star palace hotels. Instead, the three-storey intimate boutique hotel is a classic-meets-contemporary oasis that serves as a relic of the past while reimagining it for a new generation of urban nomads. Here, Rajasthani heritage – think antique furniture, textiles, murals and art from across the state – mingles with a mood that’s almost Wes Andersonian.

 

The hotel is serious about borrowing from its surroundings. Its name, for starters, takes after the location Johri Bazaar, which essentially means jeweller’s market. The five elegant suites are also named after five different jewels, which have led the way for their distinct interiors and personalities. Even though it was launched during the pandemic, what gave the hotel an instant leg-up was the dynamic duo behind it – renowned hospitality entrepreneur Abhishek Honawar and seventh-generation jeweller Siddharth Kasliwal of The Gem Palace, who already have another boutique property in the city, 28 Kothi, to their credit. And the two have stayed true to their reputation of preserving local culture with modern spruces with The Johri.

 

If you’re not checking in, check out its season-focused vegetarian restaurant for a meal of Indian classics. Or make a beeline for the lounge that serves high chai in the afternoons and cocktails post sundown. Either way, The Johri is the perfect vantage point to immerse yourself in the many charms of Jaipur’s old city and all the history it has to offer.

3950, MSB Ka Rasta, Johri Bazaar, Ghat Darwaza, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302003; thejohrijaipur.com

 

Praachi Raniwala is a lifestyle and fashion journalist whose work has been published in The New York Times, Vogue India, Condé Nast Traveller India, Washington Post and Financial Times’ How To Spend It

Issue 018:

© Cookie Moon, 2022; @thecookiemoon

 

Back To The Start

 

Reading over this week’s newsletter fills me with such pride – it’s the sort of considered and curated mix of global stories I’d thought possible when I first dreamed of Service95. From a sharp profile of Nigerian author Akwaeke Emezi to a feature on the eco-conscious fashion resale platform Reluxe, I’m thrilled to continue expanding our worldview with pieces like these. And this week’s This One Thing… pick, the new movie Fire Island – which stars the brilliant Saturday Night Live cast member (and friend of mine) Bowen Yang – inspired me to think about other summer movies that transport you to another place and make you feel, despite the weight of the world, like anything is still possible. Here are some of the films that still tick that box for me – I hope they, and Issue 018, bring you the same joy they brought me.

 

Dua x

 

Little Miss SunshineThe Talented Mr RipleyTrue RomanceMoonstruckHow To Lose A Guy In 10 Days

 

© Omofolarin Omolayole, Anna Morrison, Faber

 

“My Novels Are Definitely Not Happy. So I Wanted To Write Something Happy For Once”: Akwaeke Emezi Is Deviating Into Romance

Marie-Claire Chappet

 

“I’m not very good at relaxing,” confesses celebrated author Akwaeke Emezi, talking to me from their home in New Orleans which, once they decided to make home decor a hobby, became a full-on renovation project worthy of Architectural Digest. “The problem is, I don’t know how to do anything on a small scale,” they say with a laugh. It is the full-throated, infectious giggle of a prolific creative at the top of their game, for whom even home DIY becomes an art form.

 

This year alone, the award-winning Nigerian writer has published three works; a young adult novel, Bitter, a debut poetry collection, Content Warning: Everything, and, most recently, You Made A Fool Of Death With Your Beauty – their first romance novel. It is the latter which may come as the biggest surprise. Emezi has carved out a career as a literary titan, who recently became a TIME magazine Next Generation Leader. Their sparkling prose has thus far been an unflinching investigation of ontology, spirituality and heritage. Their debut novel, Freshwater, a semi-autobiographical novel about a girl embodying multiple ogbanjes (an Igbo term referring to a reincarnating spirit that moves through different worlds) was a sensation, which The New Yorker named its book of the year in 2018. Their follow-ups have received markedly similar praise and have foregrounded trans and queer narratives. Theirs was hardly the career trajectory headed for the mushy love story. “My novels are definitely not happy,” they say. “So I wanted to write something happy for once. I read a lot of romance novels!”

 

Because, of course, to define Akwaeke Emezi as a certain type of writer would be foolish. They exist, by their own description, in “liminal spaces”. Emezi is non-binary and identifies as ogbanje; proudly never quite one thing or the other. Their writing follows suit – a fluid and ever-evolving, prolific body of work that has already spanned genres, from memoir to verse. “My agent told me all my books sound like me, and none of them sound like each other.”

 

Emezi has a track record for taking risks, and their latest ‘deviation’ to a genre misogynistically referred to as ‘chick lit’ is further testament to that. “I think that literary hierarchy is nonsense, to be quite honest…” they say with a shrug. “I started out with this weird book that a lot of people weren’t really going to understand, and it gave me the confidence to continue just writing as myself.”

 

Hence, in Emezi’s career, they never seek external validation – only their own. Yet this was a hard-won lesson, discovered when their debut novel was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction. When their non-binary identity was revealed, Emezi says they received a deluge of online abuse. This only increased when they removed themselves from contention for their second novel The Death Of Vivek Oji after the Women’s Prize asked for their “sex as defined by law”. “Because I don’t have a gender because I don’t fit neatly into the boxes, I realised that I was going to be penalised for it by the industry, by the media, by the public,” they say. “I thought, ‘why would I wait for people who don’t even respect who I am to then tell me that I’m good at what I do?’”

 

Yet it is tempting to see Emezi as a commercial success story. After all, Freshwater is being turned into a limited series, and You Made A Fool Of Death With Your Beauty has already been bought by Michael B Jordan’s film production company in a rumoured seven-figure deal. But it is not that cut and dry, argues Emezi. “You still are not going to see Black non-binary or trans writers winning awards because our work is just not considered on its own merits. People focus on other things about us more than our work. That was a rude awakening for me.” Emezi then segues neatly into a discussion about their now-infamous ‘twitter beef’ with esteemed fellow Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, which began in 2021. Emezi accused Adichie of being transphobic and Adichie launched a thinly disguised critique of Emezi via an open letter. This, says Emezi, resulted in an avalanche of abusive messages online.

 

Today, however, Emezi laughs and swiftly begins to speak of other things; their compulsive writing, their garden. There is that joy again, trying desperately to poke through and remind us never to define anyone by only their worst days. Then, they surprise me again: “You know, I’ve always wanted to write a fantasy novel; I’ve been trying for years but my books keep… becoming something else.” But whatever they become, much like the ever-evolving Akwaeke Emezi, they will, undoubtedly, be unabashedly themselves.

 

Marie-Claire Chappet is a London-based arts and culture journalist and contributing editor at Harper’s Bazaar

 

Searchlight Pictures

 

This One Thing... Fire Island

Brennan Carley

 

Written by and starring comedian Joel Kim Booster (who will also debut his Netflix stand-up special Joel Kim Booster: Psychosexual later this month), Fire Island chronicles a close-knit group of queer friends – including SNL comedian Bowen Yang (also a guest on Dua Lipa: At Your Service), his Las Culturistas co-host Matt Rogers, and comedy legend Margaret Cho – as they holiday together in New York’s premier gay enclave. Bursting with warmth and queer joy, the film cherishes the little moments, such as inside jokes funny only to the closest of chosen families. Though there’s a core plot, the movie unfolds best in these quieter pockets, returning time and again to the value of finding your tribe.

 

Brennan Carley is US Editor and Culture Director of Service95

 

Clare Richardson, Reluxe © Dan Martensen, Reluxe; Matchesfashion; Noelle Bonner, The Nobo © Hillary Jeanne Photography

 

Reduce, Reuse, Reluxe: The Fashion Resale Platform Bringing Luxury, Thrill And Ethics Into Bargain Hunting

Yelena Grelet

 

With the detrimental impact the fashion industry has undeniably had on the environment, consumers have been forced to re-evaluate their buying habits. As a result, the stigma around purchasing vintage and second-hand items has shifted over the last couple of years, and reselling markets are no longer seen as second-best. Sadly, there is a downside. An increasing number of these sites have become overwhelming to the point of distraction, flooded with counterfeit goods and a below-par service to boot. Hence a well-curated, trusted, and ethical source has become the Holy Grail.

 

Which is where Clare Richardson comes in. The highly sought-after fashion stylist and brand consultant has launched Reluxe, a reselling website and concierge service that is already proving a hit with time-poor and eco-conscious style hunters. “I felt like there was a gap in the market for people like me who wanted to shop resale but didn’t want to look through tons of products,” explains Richardson. Her reputation as an industry tastemaker (she’s recently collaborated with Matchesfashion and is a favourite with some of the world’s most prestigious fashion houses – including Hermès and Balenciaga), her knack for effortless styling and her long-time romance with vintage fashion have seen Richardson garner a vast and loyal clientele. She hand-picks their timeless, statement and everyday pieces to grow her treasure trove. Surprisingly, the price points are (relatively) inclusive. This, says Richardson, was intentional.

 

Within Reluxe’s carefully curated platform of mid to high-end, second-hand, and vintage, you can expect to find a mixture of little-worn treats – in sublime condition – that are far less than a fraction of the original price. At the time of writing there was a black Isabel Marant tassel skirt for £120, embellished Manolo Blahnik satin pumps for £350, Simone Rocha flats for £250 (the designer’s shoes can retail close to three times that price) and, for those looking for investment pieces that will always hold their value, a range of pristine, classic, candy-coloured Chanel tweed blazers for £1,000 (bought new, expect to pay upwards of an eye-watering £4,000). While, of course, the range by no means reflects mass-produced high-street prices, Richardson’s vision is that Reluxe will inspire people to shop in a way that is ultimately better for the planet; however, she is realistic about this dream. “I hope that in five years’ time, customers will shift more to pre-loved products. But if they’re buying new items, I hope they’re well-made, investment pieces that stand the test of time.”

 

Here are four other luxury reselling platforms that are bringing the thrill back into pre-loved shopping:

 

Designer Exchange

With a thriving online and in-store presence, Designer Exchange transports you to a wonderland of bags presented alongside the latest – as well as vintage – clothing and accessories to revamp your wardrobe.

 

Open For Vintage

The regular deals on Open For Vintage allow you to grow your accessories wardrobe at a steal. With a handbag Repair And Restore portal, customers can breathe new life into their pre-owned bags.

 

The Hosta

Founded by the luxury bag connoisseur Danni Dance, The Hosta offers a carefully curated website of highly sought-after pre-loved bags – expect to find everything from a classic Chanel to the Louis Vuitton pochette handbag.

 

The Nobo

Noelle Bonner is the first to put a creative spin on the luxury consignment service – her e-commerce platform The Nobo allows you to swap items with a similar value at a smaller fee.

 

Yelena Grelet is a London-based multimedia journalist and filmmaker

Issue 019:

© Anthony Gerace

 

Learning to Love Being ‘Selfish’

 

Maybe it’s increasingly restrictive abortion laws, or perhaps it’s just the state of misogyny more generally but, lately, I’ve been thinking about what is expected of us as women in today’s society. It’s why the messaging behind the documentary My So-Called Selfish Life, about women’s choice not to have children and how that can be seen as ‘selfish’, has stuck with me. Not having children somehow remains taboo, but faced with a litany of stark realities – global warming, overpopulation, gun violence and, most plainly, the respectable lack of desire to have a ‘traditional’ family – it is becoming more of an attractive choice for many. I’m proud to surround myself with women comfortable enough to have these sorts of conversations, touching on the choices we make and the reasons we make them. My hope is that more conversations – with women and men – might be started by films such as My So-Called Selfish Life, which is why, for this week’s list, I’ve chosen five pieces of pop culture presenting norm-defying views on womanhood. Let’s keep talking.

 

Dua x

 

Bad Feminist – Roxane GayQueenie – Candice Carty-WilliamsThe Vagina Monologues – Eve EnslerKing Kong Theory – Virginie DespentesThe Second Sex – Simone de Beauvoir

 

 

 

My So-Called Selfish Life: The New Documentary Celebrating Women Who Choose To Be Child-Free

Marianna Cerini

 

As the camera pans over a group of mothers parking their prams outside a nursery, we hear the voice of Therese Shechter. “Motherhood is an institution so deeply ingrained in our society that we take it for granted, as part of the natural order of life. It’s our biological destiny. The culmination of our female journey. From the time we’re little, it is expected that we will all have children. And that we’re selfish if we don’t.”

 

We soon learn that Shechter is from another school of thought. She is the director of My So-Called Selfish Life, a newly released documentary about a woman’s choice to be child-free. At a time when the future of reproductive rights in America is under attack, it feels timelier than ever.

 

For Shechter, who began working on the project in 2015, the still-taboo subject of women who don’t want children is a personal one. “I have known my whole life that I don’t want children, and it was something I had a lot of trouble talking about because of the stigma around it,” she says when I interview her. At the core of the film is one question: what happens if we say no to the notion that becoming a mother is the only and/or correct way to be a woman? “I wanted to explore that stigma,” explains Shechter, “and challenge the assumption that motherhood is a biological imperative.”

 

To do so, Shechter takes us from the beginnings of the child-free movement in the 1970s to the concept of pronatalism (the practice of encouraging the bearing of children) and the growing fetishisation of motherhood. Along the way, the film sheds light on the disturbing practices of eugenics that have long affected women of colour in the States and the challenges facing the fight for reproductive justice. There’s also some serious debunking: the idea of the ‘biological clock’ as a baby alarm? It was coined not by a scientist but by a male journalist, Richard Cohen, in a Washington Post article in 1978.

 

“Women have always tried to control their bodies and fertility, but so have institutions and the media,” Shechter says. “Despite all the progress we’ve made over the past century, we’re still dealing with this idea that we are essentially walking uteruses, not to be trusted with our own feelings on the subject. To me, it was important to examine that, and give people some tools and space to try to look at our culture from the outside and rethink what they have been taught.”

 

Using a historical lens and first-hand accounts, while deftly weaving in clever animations and pop-culture references, My So-Called Selfish Life paints a loving, joyful message about choice and the power that comes from taking control of your own life – societal expectations be damned.

 

“Whether you want kids – and can’t have them – or just don’t want kids, moving through the world as a woman without children is difficult,” Shechter says. “The film hopes to change that script.”

My So-Called Selfish Life is available for group and educational screenings via the film’s website

 

Marianna Cerini is a freelance journalist writing about cultural trends, travel, fashion and the arts and has been published in Conde Nast Traveller, The Telegraph, Time Out Beijing, Forbes and Vogue Italia

 

 

© Lahpet

 

This One Thing... Lahpet

Brennan Carley

 

The Burmese restaurant Lahpet has been winning fans in Shoreditch, London for the past few years, and now, its sleek, newly opened West End branch is bringing the flavours of Myanmar to the city’s hungriest diners. Among its most mouth-watering offerings: the pandan sling cocktail (fruity, funky, citrus-forward and dancing in my dreams weeks later); a traditional tea leaf salad (the titular lahpet thohk); the whole fried bream with a garlic soy glaze; a crisped pork belly and sour bamboo curry; and a chewy cassava cake with jackfruit sorbet. It’s a balanced and powerful wonderland of flavour, texture and composition. You really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu – just make a reservation and thank us later.

 

Brennan Carley is US Editor and Culture Director of Service95

 

 

© Urszula Soltys, © David Levene

 

The Immersive Experience That Takes Your Mind To Another Realm

Poppy Roy

 

Are you seeking otherworldly escapism that involves taking part in a psychedelic experiment? Now you can, but there’s just one catch: it’s completely drug-free. Dreamachine, a collaboration between some of the world’s leading neurologists, designers, architects and artists, is a totally immersive audio-visual experience to help you explore the potential world of your inner mind.

 

Dreamachine invites you to enter a womb-like space to lie back, close your eyes and focus on your breath. After 10 minutes of meditative breathing exercises, your very own spectacle begins; 360-degree surround sound envelops the space, and from the interior landscapes of your eyelids a new realm appears – one that is completely unique to you. Sonic vibrations slip you further into this psychedelic dream but, if you open one eye out of curiosity, all that is revealed is a white fluttering light.

 

Afterwards, some participants draw their transcendent visions on paper as colourful swirls or geometric patterns. Others recount lucid illusions of memories. For some, animated by the sound imagined by composer Jon Hopkins, a kaleidoscope of mood-altering colours morph into crystalline patterns. The myriad of reflections prove that the unique experiences depend on everyone’s individual neurological perceptions. If you want to go on a trippy, mind-expanding adventure – without the need for substances – then this is the experience for you.

 

The original Dreamachine was developed by avant-garde artist Brion Gysin, a friend and collaborator of the Beat Generation author William Boroughs. In 1958, he created a kinetic tabletop device constructed of a turntable, lightbulb and cylinder, with repeated shapes cut out to let the light through. A radical piece of artwork that can only be experienced with your eyes wide shut.

 

Reflecting upon the diversity within our inner worlds, the spectacle unlocks a great chasm of enquiry and begs many questions about the reality of consciousness. Can we really believe everything we see? Go and see for yourself.

 

Poppy Roy is Picture Director for Service95, previously at British Vogue, and is a model and writer

 

 

© Hugh Peterswald/Getty Images

 

“The UK Will Be Enforcing A System Of Torture”: Human Rights Defender Behrouz Boochani Warns Against The Plan To Send Asylum Seekers To Rwanda

 

After requesting asylum in Australia, author Behrouz Boochani was sent to Manus Island detention centre in Papau New Guinea for six years. Today, he writes exclusively for Service95 from his home in New Zealand about why the torture he endured will be repeated by the UK government’s Rwanda policy

 

In 2013, my life as a writer and cultural activist in Iran became untenable. My work put me in the crosshairs of the government and when guards arrested some of my colleagues, I knew I had to leave.

 

My search for a safe place was not straightforward. I went to Indonesia but, once there, I discovered the police could deport me at any moment without explanation. So I travelled to Australia because I thought, once there, I would be safe. Instead, the country I hoped would protect me from harm deported me to a remote island in the Pacific Ocean. Here, under Australia’s Operation Sovereign Borders policy, I became a prisoner who was detained for more than six years and deprived of basic human rights.

 

Many people don’t know that the UK government’s recent announcement to forcibly transport asylum seekers to Rwanda is explicitly modelled on Australia’s refugee policy. In practice, it means people seeking asylum in the UK could be flown 4,500 miles to Rwanda and housed in camps while their asylum claims are considered. Meanwhile, they will be encouraged to ‘rebuild their lives’ in an authoritarian country with a dismal human rights record.

 

When the United Nations concluded in 2015 that Australia’s immigration policy was ‘systematically violating the international Convention Against Torture’, then prime minister, Tony Abbott, reacted angrily to the findings. But as someone who has experienced life as a refugee under Australian law, I am well aware of the horrific realities of the policy.

 

My nightmare began when I arrived at Christmas Island in a boat with other asylum seekers. There we were all arrested and, after a few weeks, banished to offshore prisons on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea, and Nauru. We were effectively taken hostage by the Australian government and prevented from applying to another country for asylum or transferring to Australia where we had requested asylum.

 

We were unable to access our rights under international law and criminalised through Australia’s domestic policy, which extended beyond its borders into Papua New Guinea and Nauru. We were never given a sentence by a court of law, nor any indication as to how long we would be imprisoned. You expect something to happen but after days, months, years – for some, a decade – nothing changes. It is a detention system that is a form of torture.

 

Family separation is one of the cruellest oppressions of indefinite detention. A male partner or relative might be detained on Manus Island and their partner, relative and/or children detained in Nauru or Australia. Children are often separated from siblings; one family member is removed to another detention prison or hospital for medical treatment and the rest of the family are left behind. Others are effectively separated through the life-long effects on children and the tragedy experienced by a parent witnessing their child grow up in prison.

 

The tools of torture used to enact this policy are systematic and multi-faceted. Sexual assault in the prison camps, especially for children, single women and young men is rife and enacted with impunity. Many, who fled their countries due to violent extremes of patriarchy, are now caught by a country that is supposed to protect them but instead imprisons them within a system that encourages further violation. Daily humiliations include the removal of all personal power over even the most intimate parts of life, medical neglect and lack of food and hygiene. On Manus Island and Nauru alone, 20 people have been killed through physical assault, lack of medical treatment, state-caused suicide and self-harm, and many more continue to die once they are off the islands.

 

I was eventually granted a temporary visa to New Zealand where I was able to secure asylum. Who knows what fate awaits those who are sent to Rwanda? Politicians in the UK are trying to manipulate the public by saying that they will ensure human rights are not violated. But that is untrue. They will be forcibly transporting refugees to a place that is very difficult for media and human rights organisations to gain access to. And so, just like Australia, the UK will be enforcing a system of torture on already displaced people.

 

For years many have warned that if the world remains silent about what Australia is doing, other countries will follow. As someone who experienced that brutal system and has long written about it, I say that the UK government is creating a tragedy. It is a tragedy that will sully its history forever.

 

Behrouz Boochani is a Kurdish-Iranian journalist, human rights defender, writer and film producer. Janet Galbraith is the founder of Writing Through Fences, an online project that collaborates with artists and writers incarcerated in immigration detention, and edited this article

Issue 020:

Dua at Pinakothek Der Moderne, Munich

 

My European Art Trail

 

Though Europe’s been treating me well, I’m looking forward to getting back to London and catching the In The Black Fantastic exhibition (which we’ve written about in this week’s issue, below) at the Southbank Centre. While I’ve been away from home these past couple of months, I’ve tried (and I think succeeded!) to get my requisite dose of culture with a few museums and galleries I would highly recommend if you make your way to any of these incredible European cities. Happy travels!

 

Dua x

1. Pinakothek Der Moderne – Munich, Germany
2. The Rubens House – Antwerp, Belgium
3. The Uffizi Galleries – Florence, Italy
4. Fundació Joan Miró – Barcelona, Spain
5. Haus Der Kunst – Munich, Germany

 

Asha Wilson © 2022, @that_there_asha

 

Are Dating Apps Doing Enough To Protect Women?

Olivia Petter

 

In January 2022, a 31-year-old rapist named Tom Rodwell was sentenced to life in prison in the UK. During the trial, the jury heard how he had assaulted five women on multiple occasions between 2017 and 2020. The women had one thing in common: they had all met Rodwell on Tinder.

 

Today, it’s estimated that more than 323 million people worldwide are using dating apps. This number grew exponentially during the pandemic. Locked-down, lonely and single people were suddenly slaves to their screens – their only portal to intimacy.

 

It was a seismic shift, one that prompted millions more to pursue love at first swipe. This included a new demographic of people who might have previously eschewed online dating in favour of something more ‘authentic’; a fantasy that doesn’t really exist outside of Richard Curtis films but was nonetheless quickly curtailed by Coronavirus.

 

There have been consequences to this. As dating-app activity has surged, so have related instances of abuse, harassment and sexual violence. An investigation by ProPublica and Columbia Journalism Investigations found that in a survey of 1,200 women who had used a dating platform in the past 15 years, more than 30% had experienced some kind of sexual assault; of these women, more than half said they were raped.

 

“Dating apps appear to give straight men the promise of sex, and so when men are not granted it with a woman they meet on one, they are more likely to demand it because they feel sex has been assured by the very act of matching,” explains Nancy Jo Sales, author of Nothing Personal: My Secret Life In The Dating App Inferno.

 

Research indicates that while these issues disproportionately affect women, some are more likely to be impacted than others, with those from marginalised communities statistically proven to be at a greater risk of online gender-based violence. This manifests in a very specific way on dating apps, where the emphasis is on visual cues.

 

“Black women and non-binary people in particular are at a higher risk and are often navigating complex dynamics of fetishisation and misogynoir on dating platforms,” says Gabriela de Oliveira, head of policy, research and campaigns at anti-abuse charity Glitch. One report conducted in California outlined how this leads to a culture whereby racist stereotypes are amplified, creating an environment in which violence is not only rampant but normalised.

 

“It plays out in situations where white app users assume that women of colour should be ‘grateful’ for unwanted fetishisation, or cisgender users assume trans people should be ‘grateful’ for unwanted sexual comments,” says Professor Kath Albury, who has led research into violence on dating apps in Melbourne, Australia.

 

There are key socioeconomic factors to consider, too. “Inequalities often play out in dating,” Albury adds. “People who are younger or poorer may also be assumed to be ‘grateful’ for attention from older, better-off app users.” This increases the risk of exploitation, particularly in countries where sex outside marriage (and therefore the use of dating apps) is considered taboo.

 

Hence, many victims are unlikely to seek support. But even if they do, there’s no guarantee they will be taken seriously. We live in a world where victim-blaming is rife, meaning sexual violence is a difficult crime to report, with low conviction rates around the world putting many survivors off altogether. But it’s arguably harder on a dating app, where moderators are expected to resolve sexual assault claims in minutes – and without specialist training.

 

There are also numerous incidences of survivors reporting their perpetrators to apps, only to see them reappear just days later. Even if the accused are banned from one app, there’s nothing to stop them from downloading another. Hence, the system puts the onus on the victim. This was the case for Natalie Dong, who, after allegedly badgering Tinder for days to remove her rapist from the platform, ended up standing outside the company’s offices holding a giant placard reading ‘MY RAPIST IS STILL ON TINDER’ in order to get their attention. The accused was banned shortly after.

 

Dating apps are slowly beginning to take steps against violence. Photo verification is now commonplace and some companies, including Tinder, have launched background checks on their platforms. Bumble also now offers complimentary therapy sessions to users who report sexual assault.

 

How helpful any of this is remains to be seen. After all, sexual violence is a systemic issue, one that dating apps can only do so much to prevent. What does seem to make a difference though are wider conversations, such as those initiated by popular culture. Take I May Destroy You, Michaela Coel’s groundbreaking BBC One series that featured a scene in which a male character, Kwame (played by Paapa Essiedu), is sexually assaulted by a man he met on Grindr after the pair have had consensual sex. The scene prompted important discussions around consent and the safety of dating apps. It’s moments like this that educate us about the nuances of sexual violence, both on and offline. Perhaps it’s only as this understanding grows that we will start to see tangible, lasting change at a societal and legislative level.

 

Here are five progressive dating apps implementing new ways to help keep women safe:

1. Bumble – the original feminist dating app that allowed women to ‘make the first move’.
2. Her – one of the industry’s leading apps for queer and trans women.
3. S’More – where users can only see a blurred version of someone’s profile, which becomes clearer the longer you chat to them.
4. The Sauce – the app where traditional profiles are replaced with candid videos, so you can get a true sense of the person you’re talking to.
5. Safer Date – which conducts ID and background checks on all its users.

Olivia Petter is a relationships writer at The Independent and the author of Millennial Love, published by 4th Estate

 

 

© Off-White

 

This One Thing... Paperwork By Off-White

Funmi Fetto

 

Known for his polymathic approach to work, one of the many things the late Virgil Abloh was working on before his untimely death last year was Paperwork, the beauty arm of his Off-White label. Inspired by the non-conformist ethos that Abloh embodied, this playful collection of face and body pigments – AKA colourful tools of expression and individuality – are created to be used, well, however you want. Which is exactly as Abloh would have wanted it. off—white.com

 

Funmi Fetto is the Global Editorial Director of Service95 and a Contributing Editor at British Vogue

 

 

Rashaad Newsome, Stop Playing In My Face!; Tabita Rezaire, Ultra Wet – Recapitulation; Chris Ofili, Annunciation; Nick Cave, Soundsuit; Ellen Gallagher, Ecstatic Draught Of Fishes

 

In The Black Fantastic: Pushing Past The Constraints Of The Racialised Everyday

 

Ekow Eshun, curator of In The Black Fantastic – the new summer exhibition at the Hayward Gallery – shares his inspiration behind a show that uses thought-provoking and imaginative works to “grapple with the inequities of racialised society by conjuring bold new visions of Black possibility”

 

For the past several years I’ve been searching for the Black fantastic. I’ve been tracking its progress, watching it flourish in art and music, film and literature. This summer, I finally fulfilled my quest with a new exhibition I’ve curated at the Hayward Gallery in London. In The Black Fantastic is the first major exhibition to gather artists from the African diaspora who embrace myth and science fiction in their work as a way to address racial injustice and explore alternative realities.

 

The idea of the Black fantastic doesn’t describe a movement or a rigid category so much as a way of seeing, shared by artists who grapple with the inequities of racialised contemporary society by conjuring new narratives of Black possibility. It means, for example, the gorgeous, gilded imagery of artist Lina Iris Viktor, who draws on sources including African textile patterns, spiritual practices and mythologies in her work. Or the art of Ellen Gallagher, who addresses the horror of the Atlantic slave trade through paintings inspired by mythical sub-aquatic realms inhabited by the ancestors of Africans who drowned during the Middle Passage.

 

Beyond visual art, it also includes the spectacular imagery of Beyoncé’s Lemonade or the movie Black Panther, or the mesmerising novels of Toni Morrison and Octavia E Butler. In all these instances, we see Black culture at its most wildly imaginative and artistically ambitious. But why now for the Black fantastic? After all, the long history of racism and bigotry suffered by Black people in the West makes an unlikely context for art that looks to myth and fable. All the more so in the era of George Floyd and the BLM movement. But I’d argue the turn to the fantastical has nothing to do with escapism. On the contrary, it suggests a refusal to live within the constraints of a world that defines Black people as inferior and alien. And it offers instead a thrilling invitation to reach beyond the constraints of the racialised everyday and to embrace fantasy as a zone of creative and cultural liberation. The Black fantastic is what freedom looks like.

In The Black Fantastic, 29 June-18 September 2022

 

Ekow Eshun is a writer, journalist, broadcaster, curator and former director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts. His book, In The Black Fantastic, accompanies the Hayward Gallery exhibition

 

Rashaad Newsome, Stop Playing In My Face! Courtesy Rashaad Newsome Studio and Jessica Silverman, San Francisco; Tabita Rezaire, Ultra Wet – Recapitulation. Courtesy the artist and Goodman Gallery, Cape Town; Chris Ofili, Annunciation. Courtesy the artist and David Zwirner; Nick Cave, Soundsuit © Nick Cave. Courtesy the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York; Ellen Gallagher, Ecstatic Draught Of Fishes © Ellen Gallagher. Courtesy Hauser & Wirth

The cooking and yoga podcasts are now available on YouTube :cheer: :heart:

 

 

@1579137650241392641

 

:clap:

 

I would do a catch-up of the podcasts and newsletters but no one on here seems interested in them other than me :(

Legend :wub:

 

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