Shamelessly Pimping

I've recently rekindled a friendship that, you know, kinda was there but was not really 'active'. After years of g-chat we finally joined forces and worked together on a project initiated by the fabulous Emma Bell, on which I shall write soon.

Margarita Louca aka Mirrored Palm started off as an illustrator and graphic designer, but her ventures into fashion film and music video directing has earned her a reputation of a highly professional creative, that oozes style and substance in a language of her own. Which is hard to come by these days. Margarita's recent collaborations include Wetdog and Piers Atkinson, Sky Larkin, Male Bonding and Not Cool. Her portfolio ranges from film editing for high-end fashion brands to specially commissioned illustrations and contributions for the likes of Lurve, Vice and Dazed. She describes her work as: 'Video & Image Production for disenfranchised psyches. Nothing too serious; it's all a learning curve.'

Check out her work at www.mirroredpalm.com.

                                    Untouched, sketches, ©Margarita Louca

                      Dark Horses, group show with Anna Peaker and Kitty Clark. Limited run 
                      of accompanying zines printed by FAMICON. ©Margarita Louca

                         Stolen, found internet image collage for exhibition at the
                         L-13 Light Industrial Workshop
                         © Margarita Louca

Permission to Begin

New Year's Resolutions to be put to practice now, is it? For sure. Everyone is talking about healthier food, more exercise and quitting various things. I, myself am guilty of making some purchases that I am hoping will completely change my life... Soon. This Year. 2011. I swear.

But that's the thing. I need to completely change my life. Now all I am doing is pondering on how to go about it, and amassing the right 'equipment' when the time comes, etc. So I salute everyone who sticks to their guns and just goes for it. 

I will, however, until the utmost urge sets in to unpack those trainers, keep on looking at Awkward Family and Pet Photos website, that never disappoints in giving me a good diaphragm workout. Happy New Beginnings, everyone! Thank you and good night.

©Awkward Family Photos, Molly

The Best Of

Surely, if this venture was about for a while, this would've been a logical way of finishing off what was a great year. Sadly not. But, again, I will try to celebrate the New Year with great things to come. The one thing I am really looking forward to is the BALKAN BRASS BATTLE featuring Fanfare Ciocarlia and Boban Markovic Orkestar that is descending on London's Koko in Camden in May 2011. 'Balkanalia' was made famous by Emir Kusturica and his films (notably Underground, Arizona Dream, Black Cat, White Cat and earlier Yugoslav gems such as Maratonci trce pocasni krug and Tata na sluzbenom putu and Sjecas li se Dolly Bell). It was his collaboration with Goran Bregovic and the success of the soundtrack from Underground that got the Ex-Pats swinging. Kusturica himself has a very successful band called The No Smoking Orchestra, but sadly, hasn't achieved the epic success Bregovic enjoys all over the world. London finally gave in with the recent influx of Eastern European Immigrants and the appearance of indie-hipster-king, Eugene Hutz of Gogol Bordello. One of my personal faves is also Miss Platnum, a Romanian Missy Elliot and Magnifico, a Roma Cowboy, hailing from the bosoms of my Motherland (that gave birth to Laibach as well, don't you know..). If you catch the bug, you shouldn't miss the Guca Brass Festival in Serbia, where all the brass bands from the region come to compete for the Golden Trumpet. There are concerts 24/7 and spit-roasts on every step of the way. A bit commercial nowadays, it hosts more people than Glasto, and is considerably cheaper and...wilder, I guess in it's Balkan ways. Next year it kicks off on 10th August. So, be there!
I hope this rattles your appetite, if you haven't yet thought of jumping into the Bal-kan-kan mosh-pit, 2011 is certainly the time to do it. See you all then. Thank you and good night!





Fanfare Ciocarlia ©Asphalt Tango


Boban Markovic Orkestar ©Asphalt Tango


©Magnifico

For the Love of Beer

This is not to propagate alcohol. That's quite offensive. No, this is about the small pleasures of humble human beings. I am talking about a beer before bedtime. And yes, my better half does sometimes refer to me as a pseudo-alkie (which is really upsetting by the way), however it's not like I indulge every day... Only when my fave lager is re-stocked at OddBins. Preferred and sworn by, by my ex-flatmate Charlie, DAB (aka Dortmunder Actien Brewery) is brewed according to the strict purity standards of the German Purity Law of 1516, and that's why it's so delish. And good for preventing (or flishing) kidney stones. Another favourite is India Pale Ale from St Peter's Brewery. Posh, I know. Especially when it comes recommended with Heston's feast in Waitrose. Bah.
Beer in mind (oh, dear...) I only enjoy one, responsibly, kids! Aother one that shone through in the last summer was Schwechater Zwickl. I think the packaging gets me every time, but also the slightly lemony zing and the not-so fizzyness. It's cloudy as well, as it's unprocessed, therefore you could compare it to an Erdinger or a Hoegaarden. Finally, I discovered this one in the local booze shop in Shoreditch, where the demand for novelty drinks is such that I had the luck of discovering: He'Brew Beer! Or as they like to call it: The Chosen Beer. This is more similar to a very yeasty ale. Though bearable, it doesn't beat the DAB, however the comedy value makes it more of a delicacy than a cure. *burps*
Thank you and good night.

Pina

Today was a good day. And the one of the most important reasons for it is this: the Wim Wenders film on Pina Bausch, the goddess of Dance-Theatre made famous by her TanzTheater Wuppertal in Germany, who sadly passed away last year. She was a muse with a capital 'M', naming Pedro Almodovar and Yohji Yamamoto amongst her fans. Her shows put people off in early 80s London, but the same performances have now drawn in crowds with sell-out performances at Sadler's Wells and the Barbican. Always ahead of her time, her work has ripped my heart out in many ways. And I can't wait for Wim's take on this legend in 3D (what in the world..?!). The film premieres at the next Berlin Film Festival that takes place in February next year. I am buying my glasses right now! Thank you and good night!

White T-Shirt

Today's look: Chanel Pour Clochard, bought at Little Joe's Gang vintage emporium in Vienna. I mean, it is bowling we're going to? Still, a girl needs a bit of 'chic' to carry off a semi-sporty affair, like a ginormous T-shirt (it is that time of the year, not that I don't make a feeding frenzy the most important part of the day anyway..). I am aware that New Rave Mania seems to have succumbed to a reminiscence of a flashy print, I seem to still crave all that is fluoro, ironic and tie-dyed. Having recently broken away from the demure, black and conceptual (as soon as the world started again looking up to the kings and queens of Black, notably - Yohji Yamamoto, Helmut Lang and Ann Demeulemeester), my e-Bay searches now comprise of: anything+colourful+vintage+preferably+80s+Flora+Kung. Which obviously freaks some people out, myself included. But there is something familiar and clean about a plain 'ole white T-shirt, something safe. Even if I undoubtedly end up looking like the Michelin Man or a Pollock if red wine is served (not bad!) I keep running back to it's sanctuary. Here's a little selection of some of the fun you can have to a T from some lovely typofreaks. Off bowling now.
Thank you and Good night!


©Superfuture

Voilà! Karass.

..meaningless associations aside - I am starting this journey today of all days, as I am bereft of any other ideas how to fill my time (apart from tweeting every second of it, or at least trying to..) and as a professional cynic, I need an output to vent for the sake of all that is desirable, inventive, mad, purely pointless, nostalgic and sometimes mildly entertaining or useful.
Hailing from the bosoms of the Faux-Balkans, I am temporarily settled in London, where I am blessed with chance acquaintances, that have grown up to be bona-fide friendships and relationships. Learning every step of the way, I shall attempt to share anything that I stumble upon this journey of restrained mediocrity. Observing from the background, silently taking part, secretly gorging on how much talent there is out there, and try to come up with ideal scenarios to put them to more use. In my own perverted universe, of course, which at the moment consists of living off a credit card, counting perished teabags and learning how to smoke at home. It's a dangerous life.
So in this current state of affairs, I would like to share SlashStroke with the masses. SlashStroke is currently an online Art and Design, Fashion and Lifestyle magazine, with an open pool of contributors it addresses topics such as What's Good About New and Second Skin, keeping us up to date with a prolific blog and enticing travelogues, art and philosophy ponderings, as well as interviews with fashion prodigies of the current and past scene. Always a fascinating read (you can find my humble contributions here and here) the ease of it's spirit and it's endless scope, sure has us looking forward to what the future has in store.
Thank you and good night.







All images ©SlashStroke