Why Love

"TO BE GIVEN THE LABEL "PLUS-SIZE" WAS MOST LIKELY THE HAPPIEST DAY I CAN REMEMBER." - THE STORY OF KAROLIN WOLTER

Posted by Hell , , Thursday, October 11, 2012 6:58 AM

After three years of successful runway modeling for top labels like Marc Jacobs, Lanvin, and Yves Saint Laurent, Karolin Wolter was tired of rigid diets and self-loathing in front of the mirror, so she made a risky decision. She became a plus-size model.

Read her story written in her own words after the jump.

I started modeling in August 2008 by sending snapshots to some agencies in Hamburg. I met with all of them and decided to go with m4 models. (A very good decision, I can safely say now!) Two months later I moved to New York. I’ve experienced so many amazing things during my time in New York. I’ve known joy and happiness, and crushing pain as well. While I wouldn’t give up these memories, and the many things I’ve learned, I would never want to go through these years again. Working in an industry that constantly judges you, your look, and your body isn’t easy. Especially for someone like me, who was never skinny enough. I’m 181 cm tall. Before getting into modeling I was 62kg, a normal weight for a girl, and rather slim for an average non-fashion person. I was 57kg when I first got into fashion modeling. At that time I still felt fat, people were telling me I had to lose weight.

Now, when I look at my very first set of Polaroids I can’t believe how good I looked. Worse, I can’t believe I seriously thought I was FAT . During my first fashion week in February 2009 I was 53-55kg — almost 10kg under my natural body weight. I did well, I did really well, but even then my agents were telling me “You know Karolin, next season are the spring/summer shows, you have to be even skinnier.” At the time I honestly thought it was totally fine to weigh less than 55 kg. Now, while writing this, I am shaking my head, I can’t quite believe it. In those days I rarely, if ever, had the feeling that anyone in the industry actually thought I was perfect the way I was. I am not surprised it completely fucked with my mind.

My natural eating behavior disappeared entirely. I didn’t know if I was hungry or what I was hungry for. Every time I looked in the mirror I had this feeling of not being the way I was supposed to be. Every day the burden became heavier. Work became exhausting, I was afraid of disappointing the client. For some reason it usually went well on set, not always, but most of the time. The actual struggle was when I wasn’t at work. At home, before a big job, I was absolutely useless because of the unbelievable mental pressure.

In the beginning of 2011 I quit. I didn’t have a choice. It was very hard to turn down numerous jobs and therefore lose money, but when I realized I couldn’t look in the mirror anymore, I knew something was wrong. I decided to go back to Europe for a couple of months to go hiking in the Alps alone. This was something I always wanted to do and I was glad I did. In fact, I hope I’m able to find time to make this a yearly trip. I also decided to spend more time in Europe in general. I got an apartment in Berlin which has

been a good experience. At the end of 2011 I said to my agents, “You know what, I think I’m ready to work again, under one condition: You have to put my real measurements on my card.” To my surprise, they agreed. Then I said to my agent in NY “Maybe I could be a plus-size model?” “No way, you are not big enough,” he said, but I didn’t give up. I made him measure my body and told him I could see what the plus-size agents had to say. He agreed, and when I went to see them they were happy to take me in. (An important note, I was only a plus-size in New York. The seven agencies I was working with internationally were still promoting me as a “straight” size.)

A few months later, we all realized that this hadn’t been the best idea. I hardly got any work, and when I did, I needed to wear pads to make me look bigger. Suddenly, I was too slim. On top of that, The Cut, the online version of New York Magazine, wrote a few lines about me being plus-size. After being picked up by the fashion blogs, it was the first thing to pop up when ‘Karolin Wolter’ was googled.

That’s why my agents in Europe were having trouble booking me, because everyone thought I was big. My German agent, made me take new Polaroids every week, but many clients thought the photos weren’t real. Ironically, as of a few days ago, I am a straight-size model in New York again, back with my old crew at the Ford High Fashion board. I am thrilled about this change. At the same time, I am also saddened by it. I was proud — I actually loved being called plus-size. I told everyone I was plus-size. I love the words “plus-size.” To be given this label was most likely the happiest day I can remember. The funny thing is, the day that it happened, I instantly lost about two kg. The pressure was gone, and my natural eating behavior came back. I have no clue what is going to happen with me in the fashion industry. I am no longer pressuring myself, I try to go with the flow while keeping my priorities straight. These days I enjoy working with smaller clients, or even shooting just for fun with photographer friends. Even then, I have earned

more in the last three months then ever before. There just isn’t any rule. It’s not about how big you are, how small you are or what label you are given. It’s about how you carry yourself. If you are comfortable with your body you can sell pretty much anything.

Best,

Karolin

Photos: Daemian Smith + Christine Suarez
Fashion: Laura Jones
Hair: ordan M for Bumble and Bumble
Make-Up: Talia Shobrook for Hourglass
Model: Karolin Wolter at M4 Models
Set Designer: Julie Hollis Feldman
Manicurist: Gina Edwards at Kate Ryan Inc for Anthony Defranco
Salon + Spa
Photo Assistant: Chiaki Hara & Catherine Berry
Location: Root [Drive-In] www.driveinstudios.com
Story photographed with the Leica S2

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"I AM JUST THERE TO GIVE STRUCTURE TO A PREFABRICATED FANTASY" IN A CONVERSATION WITH KAMILLA FILIPCIKOVA

Posted by Hell , , Wednesday, October 10, 2012 11:24 AM

Kamila Filipcikova was discovered at the age of 14 in her hometown Bratislava. Since then the slovakian girl made it on the cover of Vogue Italia and danish Rodeo Magazine, worked together with Juergen Teller and Steven Meisel and appeared in editorials for magazines such as W, Cover and Love Magazine. Having that in my mind it's quite surprising getting to know her in her outstanding appearance. Outstanding - in a very down-to-earth way. We met Kamila for a talk about the ego from the view of a full-time-model, her experiences and the craving for the simplest things in life. The fact that we had to capture her (superficial) beauty trough a photo series aswell becomes unquestionable.

Read the whole interview after the jump.

Where are you from?
I was born and still live in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. We have a big family — I’m the oldest of seven children.

What is Slovakia like?
I love road trips with no planned route. As a child we went hiking in the mountains and when I got older I would spent weeks there with my friends — camping and visiting art festivals in the middle of nowhere. It was so simple, yet beautiful. My fondest memories are connected with nature and people from my country. They are a bit reserved but very welcoming. When I travel I miss this kind of real life stereotype that you normally want to escape from.

When did you start modeling?
At the age of 15, but at first it was a joke. I never believed modeling would work out. My parents were completely against the business so I kept sneaking around, more or less just to make them angry. I didn’t feel pretty at all. No one in my field does.

You’ve already worked with Steven Meisel and Juergen Teller. How were your experiences with them?
They were very different. I shot with Steven at the very beginning of my career. It was my first big break, and, honestly, I’m ashamed to say it, but at that time I had no idea what was going on or who he was.I flew with a backpack full of dirty clothes to L.A. It was November, but over there it was all sun and heat and there’s me with my ugly winter clothes on — you got the picture? A limousine was waiting for me at Arrivals. Yes, for me. The tired, shitty-looking kid from mid-Europe. The five-star hotel on Sunset Boulevard didn’t want to check me in because I had no credit card, only a student account card that had a limit of 40 dollars. Finding my washed socks all around the bathroom was probably a surprise for the cleaning woman. The shoot itself was amazing — far away from all the shoots I had experienced before. It felt like being in a movie. Steven himself was quiet, very polite, and respectful. The set was built, and he let us in and allowed us to play out the way we felt about the theme of the shoot. He wanted us to stimulate his imagination. The shoot with Juergen Teller came much later. I was more experienced, but more stressed as well. It was an intense shoot, many people, different locations, fast-paced, and with a very different energy. Most of the pictures he took looked like they were done by accident, but there is a lot of work behind them. You are not able to catch that by looking at them superficially, only if you were a part of it.

When you look at a magazine cover with your face on it — is it like looking in the mirror or do you see a stranger?
It’s not me, it’s an illusion — an imagined version of someone’s picture of someone. I am just there to give structure to a prefabricated fantasy.

How important is fashion to you in your private life?
It’s a question of creativity, what you can implement with your style using all different kinds of art to connect at this one point. It is the projection of yourself to the audience. It is the first thing other people are able to see. But the so-called
“fashion world” doesn’t matter to me. I think you can see this in my way of dressing.

What is your relationship to selfstaging?
My job is to be able to convince others. During a shoot it works out pretty well. It took me some time before I got used to behaving normally and was able to forget about all the people watching me on the set while I was wearing make-up and styled with some
weird hair-do. But I, Kamila, can hide behind a new character. Anonymity matters to me. I keep my business miles away from my ordinary life.

Did modeling change your personality?
I am sure it did, in many different ways. Everything you touch leaves some marks, sometimes regrettably. If I can count one thing that’s definitely a good change, I was always late before my modeling career — that needed to be improved.

And what are you planning after your modeling career?
A while ago, I found I have a passion for cooking. I can spend hours in the kitchen and I am planting herbs, peas, and tomatoes on my balcony. I was thinking of how nice it would be to have chickens as well, but I guess the neighbors would kill me. I don’t have
definite plans for the future. The few things I might dream of need to wait anyway.

Interview: Zsuzsanna Toth
Photos: Stefan Heinrichs
Fashion: Kathi Kauder
Hair & Make-Up: Stelli using Tom Ford Cosmetics
Model: Kamila Filipcikova @ elite model management London
PHOTO Assistant: christian rinke
Fashion Assistants: Fernando Torres, Emily Gessner

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"THE ONLY THING THAT IS OBSCENE IS CENSORSHIP." (Craig Bruce) Introducing: "Censored Dresses" by David Siepert

Posted by Hell , , Tuesday, October 9, 2012 7:26 AM

David Siepert is a German artist living in Switzerland, whose works deal with human behavior within environments marked by processes of change and tension. The concept for his latest work originates from the artist’s time spent in the Middle East, performing research in places such as Lebanon, Egypt, Bahrain, and Dubai. It was here that he first encountered the censorship of advertisements in women’s fashion magazines. These are not cases of straightforward censorship, where the magazines themselves are prevented from being published because of their content. The magazines appear for public purchase via translational processes between cultural conventions of dress — painstakingly applied to individual images. With magazines that are produced in these Middle Eastern countries, or specifically for them, these adjustments are created pre-press. However, in the case of imported Western magazines, which are available uncensored, it is usually the shop owner who takes responsibility for the images. Often whole pages will be removed from magazines, because too much of woman’s skin is shown. But some shopkeepers take it upon themselves to cover these exposed areas by hand, using felt-tip pens or markers. These cases of self-censorship, as the images themselves are not prohibited, can be seen as acts of translating cultural conventions. By covering areas that are shown unclothed, fashion is adjusted and transformed into the image of something that does not exist in reality. Chosen from a collection put together over several years, several of these aesthetically and culturally sensitive alterations formed the starting point for the ‟Censored Dresses” project. Working with the concept of fashion producing fashion, Siepert took the hand-censored fashion advertisements to professional dressmakers in Cairo’s Islamic quarter and asked them to recreate the clothing as depicted. Adding another dimension to the translational process, these instructions left the practical parameters of the design open to the women’s interpretation. The finished dresses are a product of a complex relationship between different cultural conventions, which are simultaneously mediated through individual interpretations. The final phase of the project consisted of a performance in the form of a fashion show with the dresses at Zurich’s historic Cabaret Voltaire in May of 2012, followed by exhibitions both in Zurich and Beirut. Photographs of models wearing the dresses, referencing the conventions of fashion photography, were part of the exhibits. Translating the work back into the arena of publishing, an editorial fashion shoot with the dresses was done, thus treading on the mixed territory between fashion, advertising, copyrights, and art.

Read the interview we did with David Siepert after the jump.

Tell us about the concept behind your project “Censored Dresses”. Where did the idea come from?

In some Middle Eastern countries imported western magazines go through a process of censorship. A couple of years ago I was working on a project in Dubai when I stumbled across some censored magazines. First I thought about doing a project using censored material. Over the course of three years I collected these altered magazines, refining my huge collection to a few especially interesting advertisements that now form the basis of my project “Censored Dresses.” The one thing the adverts I selected have in common is that they were all censored by hand with felt-tip markers. Covering areas that are shown unclothed, fashion is transformed into the image of something that does not exist in reality but now exists within specific cultural conventions. Working with the concept of fashion producing fashion, I took the hand-censored advertisements to professional dressmakers in Cairo’s Islamic quarter and asked them to recreate the clothing as depicted. As not all parts of the dresses are visible in the adverts I left the practical parameters of the design open to the women’s interpretation. The outcome of this is the materialization of a reality that exists only in the translation between public and private, between East and West. The result of the fashion shoot by I Love You is an interpretation within the process of the piece and adds another vital layer to the artwork.

In which countries does this censorship appear?

The Middle East contains a multitude of societies with different traditions and conventions, so there’s no simple answer. Censorship related to fash- ion appears in different forms in the countries of this region. In many cases it is self-imposed. Besides this, it is not necessar- ily possible to draw any conclusions from the censorship in magazines to what the actual fashion and dress regulations are. For example the handcensored adverts that I used for my project come from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Iran. Even though the magazines are censored in this way and sometimes even whole pages would be ripped out of the magazines due to “nudity,” it is possible to buy the depicted fashion, without censorship, to wear in private. Also in some magazines that are produced in Muslim countries the censorship is applied very skillfully pre-press with Photoshop. Often you need a trained eye to spot the alterations.

How do you feel about the censorship?

The tactics of disguise in many cases do not really accomplish their goals as it draws extra attention to the covered areas and feeds one’s imagination. I always have to think about the person who is sitting somewhere, flipping through magazines while rubbing the tip of his marker against naked body parts covering them with ink — this makes me smile!

In what aspect are you most interested as an artist?

I am very interested in the discrepancy between the printed censored adverts and the fact that the clothes can actually be bought in their original state in these countries. I find it fascinating how much time and energy people, sometimes even the shopkeepers, put into censoring the photos. Often the marker and felt-tip pen adjustments are amazingly creative. I like the idea of reading the symbolical gesture of this censorship literally and thus being able to transform something that can be seen as destructive into something productive. My work is very much about destabilizing existing discussions and providing new entry points into the discourse of censorship, clothing, cultural conditions, et cetera.

Can you tell us more about dress regulations?

Dress regulations vary in the Middle East and often are applied differently to locals, foreigners, and tourists. Something that might be acceptable for a tourist to wear could be socially unacceptable for a local. In some of the stricter Islamic countries, like Iran, it is compulsory for women to wear a headscarf and to cover their bodies; likewise, arms should not be bare. There is a whole fashion industry developing because of these dress regulations. There are lots of women designing their own contemporary fashion within the respective restrictions of dress codes. Besides that, it is important to be aware that just because somebody is wearing an abaya (black cloak) does not mean that the woman is not wearing high fashion underneath.

Can you tell us a particular story of your experiences?

When I was showing the hand-censored advertisement to one of the dressmakers in Cairo and explaining what I wanted her to do, she just smiled and took out her mobile phone. She had taken pictures of billboards around the city advertising a new TV series. The billboards were showing the very same picture, but it was photoshopped differently for each neighborhood. In the expat area the lady in the poster was wearing a strapless dress, in the next neighborhood the lady was wearing a spaghetti strap dress, and in the most conservative part of Cairo the dress had supplementary sleeves. In my eyes this shows
that censorship is also about respect for the beliefs of others. All the dresses were tailored in the Islamic part of Cairo but the reactions of the dressmakers were very diverse. Some found the project very interesting, others were indifferent, and some found it
a bit offensive.

Did you achieve your goals within this project?

Sometimes projects develop a life of their own. I see “Censored Dresses” as an ongoing process, and I am sure that some layers of translation will be added in the near future. A special quality of the project might be that it enables a discussion without necessarily having to talk about politics and religion. I feel privileged that besides showcasing
the piece in Zurich, I also have the opportunity to show the dresses in the Middle East. The project is building a bridge between East and West and will hopefully trigger many more interesting conversations and discussions.

Can you tell us something about your upcoming projects?

Well, first of all there will be some more events related to “Censored Dresses,” such as a fashion show at Cabaret Voltaire in Zurich, and then, just to give you a hint, I will be smoking like a German, hanging out in a bathtub made of Swiss Ricola cough drops, and making people bump into each other while the sound of contemporary art is playing in
the background.

Find out more about David Siepert on his website and our interpretation trough a photo series in THE EGO ISSUE, available online and in selected stores worldwide.

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PLUS ART

PLUS ART PROJECTS AT THE MAYOR’S PARLOUR
Wednesday 10 October - Saturday 10 November 2012
FRIEZE WEEK PARTY FRIDAY 12 OCTOBER, 8PM UNTIL LATE

The fifth annual Frieze Week exhibition from Plus Art Projects, and the inaugural exhibition at the Mayor's Parlour showcases bold and unconventional works by 67 artists, straight from the artists’ studios. The Mayor’s Parlour is a new arts club situated in the 1930s old Bow Town Hall in East London. Established and converted to a high modern spec while reflecting the original interior of the Town Hall by the art fabricator Kerry Ryan. This elegant new curated exhibition venue opens with an immense and diverse exhibition curated by the renowned London based Plus Art Projects.

The exhibition includes a souvenir from the Chapman Brothers’ controversial Hell sculpture, neon artworks by Tracey Emin, Gavin Turk and David Batchelor, taxidermy sculpture by Polly Morgan, a myriad of paintings which range in subject and scale, amongst many other works. Art works are numbered, not conventionally listed; the viewer encounters ambitious, enticing and occasionally challenging artworks, directly, without influence of authorship. The wide range of content and making gives this exhibition a pinhole view of some of the most exciting and challenging contemporary art in London now.

Sue Arrowsmith, Peter Ashton Jones, Annie Attridge, Franko B, David Batchelor, Katrina Blannin, Sarah Blood, Sean Branagan, Tamsin Casswell, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Katy Cole, Mat Collishaw, Dan Coombs, Mark Croxford, Jason Davidge, Adam Dix, The DnA Factory, Dominic from Luton, Howard Dyke, Rosie Edwards, Tracey Emin, Damien Good, Nitin Goyal, Ken Graham, Laura Graham,Tim Holmes, Mustafa Hulusi, Nick Jeffrey, Ben Kustow, Peter Lamb, David Leeson, Sarah Lucas, Dingbot Mclatchley, Declan McMullan, Harry Meadley, Tanya Millar, Simon Mitchell, Luke Morgan, Polly Morgan, Darren Murray, Morag Myerscough, Lyle Perkin, Benedict Radcliffe, Tabita Rezaire, Kerry Ryan, Yana Ryan, Giorgio Sadotti, Peter Saville, Mark Siebert, Michael Stubbs, Jessica Temple, Sarah Tulloch, Gavin Turk, Covadonga Valdes, Harry Weller, Gillian Westgate, Alison Willoughby, Phill Wilson Perkin, David Wood, Elizabeth Wright.

Curated and produced by neonist Kerry Ryan, artist Declan McMullan and Jessica Temple

Post-private view acts for the legendary Plus Art Frieze Week party include Julie and the Fabulous Lounge Swingers, Felt Tip, The Highliners, The Meat and Onions Gang, The Unkindness of Ravens, as well as Gavin Turk, Franko B and Dave Collishaw DJing.

Opening times: 9 - 9 daily 10 – 6 Saturdays 10 – 4 Sundays

info@plusartprojects.com www.plusartprojects.com

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New Year Status Messages

Posted by Hell , Labels: New Year Status Messages , Thursday, October 4, 2012 10:33 PM

Whether u Stay Far or Near,
Whether u Ignore or Care,
U'll Alwayz be luvble & Dear,
I'm Here Missing & So Wishing U,
A Very Happy New Year in Advance...
_________
Cheerz 2 a new year and another chance 4 us 2 get it right.....

_________
"Happy New Year",
I know itz 2 Early,
but I’ve 100z of,
Handsome GUYz and,
GIRLS 2 Wish, so,
I decided 2 finish off,
Unclez and Auntiez First..
_________
Wishing u a new year rich wid the blessingz of luv, joy, warmth, and laughter....
_________
Another fresh new year iz here ,,,Another year 2 live, 2 banish wory, doubt, and fear, 2 luv and laugh n give...
_________
force the previous year intoO the
quiet midpoint of the the past
Let it go, 4 it waZ flawed,
and show gratitude God Dat it can go
_________
Let the firecracker start, permit toast the New Year..
_________
My new year resolution
I wouldn't upset about responsibility things
true system or the incorrect way.
This year,
I am gonna do things my way.

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