Androgyny and Identity: Kathryn Walsh's Capsule Collection 'Flare'

Words: Saskia Edwards

Images: Jonathan Rae
Models: Jess Little and Thornton Wood

SE: What’s your capsule collection about?

KW: I’ve designed a range of staples that are designed with both men and women in mind and they’re sort of subtly disrupted. I’ll have some asymmetry interrupting a t-shirt or hand fraying a pair of trousers.

SE: Is there a reason why you wanted to make it unisex?

KW: I feel like we’re all made up of masculine and feminine elements and the degrees to which we hold these traits makes up our individual personalities. I think as a designer I wanted to represent identity through clothing and I think that’s what attracted me to design in the first place. 

SE: Do you get frustrated about what’s meant to be masculine/feminine or menswear/womenswear?

KW: I don’t find it frustrating. I do think that it’s fantastic that there’s so much attention being drawn to gender at the moment - identification and sexuality. Because I think it means that we’re questioning the roles and stereotypes in society.

SE: Is this what you’re planning to do now you’re graduated?

KW: It was quite taxing being at uni, so I wanted to take some time off and re-centre and I just got really creative and wanted to start making some clothes.

SE: What about within yourself personally, you say people’s personalities are made up of masculine and feminine elements. Is that something you’ve identified in your own personality?

KW: Oh, of course. I tend to feel that generally I’m a bit more masculine than feminine. In a certain way, like I find it easier to talk to guys because I’m quite direct and I see that as a more masculine trait. And I’ve always felt more comfortable dressing in menswear than womenswear.

SE: Do you find it hard to find things [clothing] that’s like you?

KW: No, but I think it’s really interesting to figure it out as you go. In creating you’re learning about who you are.

SE: What have you learnt then?

KW: It’s a hard thing to put into words, but if you gave me a moment I'll have a think about it.

(Later via text) Flare was really an extension of my graduate collection which was guided by an investigation into balance, making something messy look clean and finding a point between masculinity and femininity that felt interesting to me. And I think through the process I was able to resolve a kind of tension between these dualistic elements within my own personality, identifying how they can coexist in harmony.

SE: What are you planning to do after this?

KW: I’m hoping to head down to Melbourne at some point and I’d love to work in any kind of design role. But until then I’m just kind of being a bit of a punk, I suppose, doing everything myself because I’m just really enjoying it. I want to make some art and keep making clothes and keep pushing to figure out what I’m about because I think it’s a process of unveiling that. 

www.grammarlabel.com

Niqui Toldi’s Unbeing exhibition at Junky Comics: girls and anxiety

Words: Saskia Edwards

Images: Jonathan Rae

In Niqui Toldi’s illustrations there’re lots of girls - short hair, long hair, smoking, angry, pierced, bound.

But really, all these girls are Niqui. They’re like a self-portrait - a manifestation of how she feels and is. And they’re a way of grappling with her own life and self-identity. 

She says: “it’s just sort of a way for me to deal with how I’m feeling internally because I’m not always good at externalising how I feel to other people.

“It’s sort of a way for me to separate myself from being too vulnerable at the same time. It’s being vulnerable but without being completely vulnerable.

“Because it’s not always necessarily completely obvious that they are almost me.”

The girls seem sad at times, self-destructive, lost, with hands anxiously clasping at the ground or onto a cigarette or a match or a scalpel. And they do really display anxiety quite well - where nothing bad is happening immediately but you’re trapped sitting there half naked smoking and feeling helpless with a whirlwind in your brain.

This ‘Unbeing’ series looks at the last year of Niqui’s life. 

“A lot of things happened - a relationship I had of four years had just ended, my grandmother who lives alone and I’m her only blood relative... had a stroke so I’m her main contact.

“Then I was getting more responsibilities at work and it was the first year I’d been medicated and properly diagnosed for my anxiety.

“So it was a huge collection of all these things happening in the one year.

“I just started to deal with it - started drawing it.”

But it’s not that easy. Putting on a solo exhibition was a big deal for Niqui. 

“Because of my anxious nature and shyness I’ve always been really reluctant and I almost hold myself back.

“So this is the first time that I’ve really let myself put myself out there.

“Even last night at the launch, it was exciting and I was nervous and people had started coming in.

“And maybe five people had come in that I didn’t know and I just started crying up the back, which is really ridiculous because this is a really good thing, this is a fun time.”

Of course it went really well. People sardined themselves into Junky Comics, admiring what I guess they thought were imaginary sirens. 

If you really think about it, Niqui’s works remind you of the true purpose of art. They show that out of anxiety, self-doubt and heart ache you can make something. And it can be beautiful.

Anthony Lister on toilet democracy, living hard and what's new?

Words: Saskia Edwards

Images: Jonathan Rae

I've done hundreds of interviews in my life, but none as strange as with Anthony Lister. He's somewhat of a deity in the street art realm. He's achieved international success and has, arguably, helped redefine the concept of low-fi art. I spoke to Lister, on loudspeaker, while he was driving, and navigating through traffic. I couldn't hear him very well, or sometimes make out what he was talking about. So here's how it went:

SE: What have you been up to recently?

AL: I've been traveling to New York and Paris. Now I'm back in Australia.

SE: I know you do travel around a lot. Do you feel like the different places you go to perhaps influence your practice?

AL: I guess everywhere influences my practice.

SE: I noticed recently you were talking about cleaning up graffiti. You might know in Queensland here we've got the 'Tag Them Back' campaign and I spoke the guys from Jugglers and stuff about it a while ago. And I was just wondering what your thoughts were on this kind of campaign against street art?

AL: I don't know what that campaign is about.... I don't know anything about that campaign. You want to talk to me about it? Are you an advocate for that shit?

SE: Basically it's about, they've got all these signs everywhere on the trains and everything and it's basically saying, 'if you see someone doing any kind of graffiti, you should report them'. And it's kind of got all these stereotypical portrayals of people vandalising things. And when I spoke to the guys from Jugglers they were pretty upset about it because they felt like it was perpetuating a pretty bad stereotype.

AL: Yeah exactly. Look Brisbane's just been all about stereotypes from the get go. 

SE: Is there anything you're working on at the moment in particular?

AL: What am I working on? I'm working on a bunch of paintings for a show in London...

SE: What's the themes throughout the paintings, if there is one?

AL: The themes there always about famous quotes from history - Martin Luther King, guided message, misguided men.... Even Chopper Read. There famous quotes that all make all this work out of it. I don't know, what am I interested in? I'm interested in freedom of visual speech, I think it's quite ironic and very contradictory of any governments to get rid of graffiti when the very act of them advertising it is graffiti. The sort of contradictory propaganda that goes on about creativity. I can't see anything more sickening than someone stealing someone else's fun from them. 

SE: Is there anything in this particular series that you're trying to get across or that you're focusing on?

AL: Well, yeah. Women in roller skates, shadow, reflection in mirrors. I'm interested in black rooms as much as Matisse was interested in red rooms... It's just a conversation about the history of our species. As far as the freedom of visual speech goes. It's part of the public intervention this visual public intervention. It's only been illegal for 30 years you know, our species has been alive on this earth for eight thousand years. So I don't know what we're talking about.

SE: Now this is something my photographer was really interested in, he wanted me to ask you about the kind of distinctive style that you use. And he particularly interested in the faces that you paint and he kind of wanted to know what was behind the face, and what led you to depict people in that way.

AL: I don't know. You should just put this online as a recording. Honestly, I don't know if you've looked at my work or anything. I don't know, have you read any interviews and shit that I've done before? Because I've kind of said a lot of this stuff before. I'll tell you what's behind the face, it's just more paint, it's just other faces. The faces change, you know. I don't make work that's pretty, I'm not interested in making things pretty, it's just about process you know. Things grow on you.

SE: What do you want to to talk about then?

AL: I'll talk to you about anything. I'll talk to you about new things. Let's talk about new things.

SE: Well what's new in your life, what are you interested in outside of your art?

AL: It's not about my life. Let's talk about the people... What's new in the world? Let's talk about legislation changes, let's talk about activating change. I'm very interested in activating change. Not that I have any power to do it. We're powerless people. You know what I do when I go to a public toilet? I write 'vote here' above the toilet roll. I mean, it's one devil or the other... It's got to start in education. We spend so much time at school. I just knew what needed to happen... Too many people are just living soft and partying hard. 

SE: So what do you want to see happen, what legislation are you interested in? What do you think needs to happen?

AL: I'm interested in land rights and culture. I'm not interested in sport... It's only interesting if you're interested, I guess. I'm not really even concerning myself with these things. It's just too sad, there's too many tragedies in the world. You know something's gone terribly wrong when a disaster is dressed as entertainment... You know something's gone terribly wrong when public art is dressed... when terror is dressed as public art. There's a car here in Sydney that's been crushed with a rock, and it's public art. Apparently, in a private public space. I don't know how that exists. This rock, and calling it art. In a lot third world countries right now they're war torn and children are dying at the hands of these pigs with weapons. They dress up a car here in Sydney and call it art. I mean Sydney's great... but it's got a leniency towards acts of public intervention, creatively. To put all that art and take some kid to court of give them jail for popping a tag on it, it's ridiculous.

SE: Is there anything else you want to add, is there anything you want to talk about, is there anything you want to get out there?

AL: No, not that I haven't said before. I didn't need to do this shit, but I said yes because I thought there'd be a new question. But it's alright... I'm not really sure what the world's going to get out of me being set up with reading about myself.

SE: Well I think a lot of people look up to you. Particularly in Queensland here. Come on, what have we got around? There's not many people saying they don't like sport, so you've certainly broken that mould.

AL: Awesome, I like it.

SE: Well you're legacy will be the only Queenslander who didn't like sport. Trust me, you're already my idol.

AL: Yeah baby. Have you seen my new book? I've got a new book out.

SE: Oh yeah? What's it all about?

AL: It's called 'Adventure Painter'. So I don't know if it's in book shops yet, but you can order it online. And it's a big hard cover book.

SE: Well good luck, thanks for chatting with me. And I'm sorry if I bored you with my questions.

AL: No no no, you didn't you didn't you didn't. You're great.

Danny Camara behind the scenes

Images: Saskia Edwards

Words: Saskia Edwards

Video: Danny Camara in collaboration with Aesthetic Fixation

For the record, Danny Camara’s surname is no joke. While it seems absurdly coincidental that he’s a director and filmmaker, it’s no lame fabrication.  But what is gospel is his ability to create incredible cinematography. I got inside his brains here:

SE: What’s your all time favourite scene from a movie?

DC: The first one that comes to mind is the Greyhound Bus scene from Royal Tenembaums when Margot Tenembaum is meeting Richie. It’s shot in slow-mo, there’s stuff happening in the background, it’s a really nice moment. It’s one of those real moments that great in movies where you really feel what’s happening. Another that I re-watch that’s in Lost In Translation. There’s lots of good scenes in that. There’s this scene where it’s just Scarlet Johansson in her room just chilling doing nothing. In that movie there’s a lot of nothing happening, but at the same there’s so much happening underneath, between the lines. That’s what I like and that’s what I try to do.

SE: Directors sometimes have one thing that they constantly use in their works – something like hyper-realism or long tracks or a particular style of music. If you did have one, what would be your trademark?

DC: I guess from what I’ve done in the past and I haven’t planned it. But I try to do something serious and it ends up becoming a little bit funny, but it’s kind of black humour. So I guess mixing drama and comedy.

SE: If you were to have any cast you wanted, who would you pick?

DC: I just watched Thin Red Line by Terrence Malick last night and Adrian Brody is in that. I’ve always had a bit of a man crush on him. For actresses, I like Jennifer Lawrence. That’s the first one that comes to my head.

SE: If you could shoot anywhere, where would you choose as a location?

DC: I guess my favourite place in the world that I’ve been to is Barcelona. It’s a beautiful city, nice weather and lots of skating. So I guess skating has a lot to do with it. I was thinking the other day I’d like to do a non-shit film about skating or involving skating. So I guess Barcelona would be a pretty good city.

SE: Tell me about how skating has influenced you to get into this line of work or interjects with what you’re doing.

DC: I guess watching skate videos for hours each day when I was growing up gave me a bit of an eye for making videos. Choosing angles, choosing music, editing to music. A lot of stuff I learnt from making skate videos I apply to my work today. I guess I'd like that influence to come across in my work, not really sure how. I have booked jobs in the past because of being a skater, so hopefully more of those!

SE: What kind of equipment do you like to work with?

DC: I would like to work with a better digital camera, but I just work with a Cannon 5D mark iii. I play around with Super8, I just got a 16mm camera, which I’m pretty excited about. I play around with my mentor’s Red Epic.

Disclaimer (FULL DISCLOSURE: The author has a personal relationship with Danny Camara)

Edwina Sinclair and Soot. the Label, Life After the Kid’s Table

 Words: Saskia Edwards

Images: Jonathan Rae
Video Source: Danny Camara

Founder and designer at Soot Edwina Sinclair has been a long time poster girl for Brisbane’s emerging designers.

But she says it’s time she ditched her up-and-coming reputation for a more established career.

“And so I’m kind of out of that emerging designers stage.

“It’s really hard. People think of it as a new label with an emerging designer, but I’ve been like that for ages and now that I’ve graduated I want to step it up to the next level through branding.”

Ironically, now she’s kicking her new-kid-on-the-block past, Edwina’s latest collection ‘Pop’ is all about celebrating the childish.

“After I’d chosen my colour palate I realised it was looking really child-like and I really liked that over-sized smocks you’d wear in art class in primary school,” she says.

Edwina’s graduate collection was a real departure from her early monochrome collections, which coined the Soot name.  It’s like Rick Owens evolved into Muccia Prada. Soot AW14 sees a knit motif infused with tactile 3D polka dots.

“When I was in London I really wanted to learn how to knit because I saw so much cool knitwear there,” says Edwina.

“I just kind of made it like a goal. It just kind of seemed like I was missing out on a whole other world.”

Edwina’s design education started in her infancy. Her family ran a dancewear studio. While I doubt you’d see a Soot ensemble at an Eisteddfod, Edwina says it engrained her with a knowledge of tailoring.

“So I’ve always kind of been around fabric I’d say and design.

“Obviously it’s very different from dancewear, the Soot stuff. But I’ve always been bought up with terms and the language of garment construction.”

Soot’s doing much more than just the change in colour palate; with a Made in Australia stamp, longer hemlines and oversized looks, Soot’s appealing to more customers.

“I’ve always had a 15 to 25 demographic and they didn’t really care about it being Australian made.

“But now the styles are a bit more oversized and longer I think that the demographic is going to widen a lot more.

“Maybe people who are a bit more mature and who are really into design will appreciate that more and be willing to pay the higher price-point.”

Ah, they grow up so fast!

Keep your eyes and ears open for Soot’s shoe collaboration coming out soon.

(Pictured: Edwina's graduate collection)

1989 The Label on Architecture and Dogs

 Words: Saskia Edwards

Images: Jonathan Rae

In 1989 George Bush Snr was elected President of the United States, Denmark became the first country to legalise gay marriage and Ice Cube left N.W.A. It was also the year 1989 The Label’s designer Tess Gard was born.

Several years since then, she’s lived in Switzerland, London and India and created 1989 The Label.

Tess says these life experiences have formed her design perspective and her parents’ occupation as architects has been a major factor in her aesthetic reference.

“Ever since I started studying fashion, I’ve just been obsessed with buildings.

“And when I travel I come home with photographs and none of them are actual things, they’re just of like little bits of buildings and like where the lines meet each other.”

It’s pretty easy to see the architectural influences in 1989 The Label – clean lines, a cool colour palate and angular cuts.

While some designs may seem ostensibly simple, 1989 is all about the detail like slightly higher necklines, shorts and skirts at the most flattering lengths and personalised prints.

“I don’t want to make anything too complicated.

“I still want it to be really wearable, really basic, so people don’t have to buy the whole outfit. It’s something that can just fit in someone’s wardrobe.

“But obviously you can’t just be whipping out basics that are the same over and over. So I just try and focus on little details.”

Tess produced her first collection in India, after spending five weeks in Delhi. She says while the experience was enlightening, it wasn’t practical when back in Australia.

“I really changed the values of where I wanted to go with the brand.

“And I really do want to be made locally and vertically integrated as well – produce everything in house and have retail stores.”

Her latest collection is Australian made. Undeniably, the pièce de résistance of 1989 AW14 is the dog print motif. It’s a coy Maltese sitting like a human - basically an Internet sensation waiting to happen. Tess explains the beautiful symbolism behind the design.

“He’s the cutest dog in the world.

“His name’s Paso and he’s my boyfriend’s brother’s dog and I used to live with him for a few years.

“And my sister, who’s actually a photographer as well, we did a photo shoot with the dog and she took the photos, which I turned into the print.”

What’s there to look forward to in 1989? Well beyond the world’s best print, Tess is working on a unisex t-shirt line. As 1989 relocates to Melbourne and continues on, Tess hopes to add other elements to the label.

“I really want to keep the progression really slow so every step I’m expanding I’m in control of and I’m learning slowly and not making too many mistakes along the way.

“I feel more comfortable just doing things that I know I’m capable of at the moment. Every year I learn more things and am capable of doing more with it.”

You can check out the label in more detail or shop here