There are no-nonsense people and there are nonsense people. And it's been my experience that nonsense people tend to consume Cocoa Krispies and Lucky Charms and Cap'n Crunch ('nonsense food,' if you will). Consequently, we nonsense types spend hours and hours staring at cardboard creatures like the Trix Rabbit and absorbing his ethos, slowly ingesting the principles of exclusionary coolness while rapidly ingesting sugar-saturated spoonfuls of Vitamin B-12.
-Chuck Klosterman
-Chuck Klosterman
Wednesday Playlist
Perhaps I will start making this a weekly ritual...shuffling my itunes to create a 20 song playlist for a mid-week pick me up.
This Week:
1. Mississauga Goddam - The Hidden Cameras
1. Mississauga Goddam - The Hidden Cameras
2. He Knows - The Futureheads
3. Peace Beneath the City - Iron and Wine
4. The Weather Girl - Shiny Toy Guns
5. Crown on the Ground - Sleigh Bells
6. Back to Sleep - Frank Turner
7. In September - Hayden
8. Let There be Light - Justice
9. A Reasonable Man - The National
10. Magic - The Cars
11. Robot Rock - Daft Punk
12. Stop - People Press Play
13. Havana - Jesse Cook
14. Never Destroy Us - The Dears
15. Valerie (ft Amy Winehouse) - Mark Ronson
16. You and I - Ingrid Michaelson
17. 06M - Wangwen
18. Picture This - Blondie
19. The King of Carrot Flowers - Neutral Milk Hotel
20. I Want you Back - Discovery
Toronto Food and Wine Expo
Journalism interns may never see a paycheck, but once in a while we get some free tickets. I'll take it.
Fashion Blogs Rob the Magazine Industry
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| Photo from the Satorialist |
A few short years ago, it wasn’t uncommon to spot a fashionista with their staple accessory- an issue of their favourite magazine, in hand. The glossy pages filled with rich colours and seasonal designs were the source of fashion news and inspiration. Fashion journalism has since shifted. Magazine sales have decreased, and fashion blogs have increased. People are looking on independent fashion blogs and websites such as the Satorialist to get their daily dose of fashion. Those in the fashion magazine industry are beginning to wonder whether magazines will be around in the next decade or if the online phenomenon will take over for good.
Back in September The Observer wrote that 13-year-old blogger Tavi Gevinson was the ‘star of New York Fashion Week.’ This young fashionista is the perfect example of how a regular person with a unique view of fashion can use the internet as a tool for fashion stardom. The article stated that “Her swift rise to fashion fame highlights the role the internet has played in breaking down traditional barriers to entry, with bloggers being cited as influences by high-profile designers including Marc Jacobs.” Her eccentric wardrobe and intriguing observations caught the eye of many, all thanks to launching a free website.
Fashion depends heavily on the use of imagery. The photographs presented in magazines are clean and professional, but as of late people seem to be more interested in ‘real’ images. Photos of young women and men who have similar budgets and a big imagination are appealing because they are relatable. Lookbook.nu is a perfect example of this phenomenon. Fashion bloggers sign up, post their ensembles daily and await comments. Yuri Lee was the creator of the site which now has 50,000 members and gets over a million unique views per month.
Shreya Patel worked in the Toronto fashion industry then decided last year that she wanted a more culturally rich experience. She moved back to where she was born, Mumbai, India, and worked for Vogue. She believes that the established magazines are here to stay, in one form or another. “Magazines like Vogue are a classic, I think in 10 years people still will be reading and buying magazines like Vogue,” says Patel. “If online journalism does take over, maybe Vogue will open an online subscription but people will still have to pay for it.” Patel stated that she was surprised that even internationally, online fashion trends are spreading everywhere. “There were fashion bloggers sitting in the front row at fashion week in Dubai. They are pretty much at the same level as magazine editors now, it’s crazy!”
Another shift that has occurred is the trend in images. Photographs that have a vintage look have made a comeback. Magazines are trying to make their shoots look less professional and more natural- but independent blogs accomplish this with ease. Amateur photographers display their style all over the internet- capturing the realism and imperfect images that fashion consumers crave today.
The shift has been noted by fashion designers as well. Jessica Biffi is a Canadian designer who stumbled into fame after her appearance on Project Runway. Biffi has certainly recognized the change even since her days as a student a few short years ago. “With the web and the ease of access to fashion these days everything is viral. The new crop of bloggers is changing the way that people intake their fashion news,” she says. However Biffi isn’t willing to give up on print. “I read magazines on lazy Sundays, I love the images. For me a magazine is a great tool to create inspiration boards. I love editorial spreads.” Surprisingly, Biffi admits that she doesn’t pay much attention to fashion blogs. Perhaps the importance and love for magazines from fashion professionals will keep them in demand.
Real people reporting from their homes on blogs isn’t just occurring in the fashion world- it’s happening everywhere. The past few years citizen journalism has greatly increased in popularity. Derick Chetty is a fashion reporter for the Toronto Star and recently published an article about the death of magazines. He pointed out that blogs face the problem of little means of income. “Blogs, for all their web hits and burgeoning influence, are as barren as Siberia when it comes to commanding advertising dollars,” he says. Unless online sources can find a new way to make a profit off of their views, that struggle will continue.
Otiena Ellwand interned at an online magazine called Cheek Magazine. She says that connecting with other journalists is easier when things are published online, and that’s what she likes about it. “I like how people have such unique and niche interests and how blogs foster a sense of community. You start following someone's blog, you add them on Twitter, you may correspond, and you have a bit of a new friend.” Although Ellwand endorses the online world, she doesn’t believe that magazines and online journalism is comparable. “I would skim a blog, I would read a magazine through.”
Although fashion is known for recycled trends, the online phenomenon seems to be here to stay. No one can say exactly where the fashion journalism world is headed. However it’s hard to imagine a world without magazines, and the ability to physically hold fashion imagery in our hands. Perhaps the magazine is like the little black dress- a classic concept that will transcend through history.
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| Theodora Richards |
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| Fashion Week 09 |
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| Fashion Week 09 |
I love the style rookie. At 13 I was wearing strange things but not nearly as creative..and not resulting in being interviewed by Pop magazine either. I love when she writes about being teased by her classmates because she just brushes it off.
Dialogue under this photo:
Kid in History: You look like you're a fairy godmother.
Me: How do you know I'm not?
Kid in History: (Looks skeptical. Slowly relaxes face. Squints eyes. Smiles. Eyes widen.) Whoa!
Me: How do you know I'm not?
Kid in History: (Looks skeptical. Slowly relaxes face. Squints eyes. Smiles. Eyes widen.) Whoa!
33 Years of Media Art, and Counting
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| This is an article I wrote about my favourite non-profit arts centre. |
It has been said that art is everywhere. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t just some small, concentrated artistic spaces sprinkled throughout moderately sized cities. Spaces where there is art etched in the walls, flowing through the air and circulating in the minds of only a few people dedicated people. People enjoy the product of these spaces, but they may not necessarily know where it comes from, or how it comes to be.
Many people in the city of Guelph have heard the name ‘Ed Video,’ or maybe they have seen posters with the familiar logo around the bulletin boards downtown. Although it may ring a bell, they don’t quite know what Ed Video is, or what Ed Video does.
Locals who are familiar with the downtown area may avoid the location. Below is a youth centre often crowded with gaggles of ‘intimidating’ teenagers. However, upstairs a haven for local artists is producing creativity and contributing to the unique reputation that is downtown Guelph. As you walk into their fairly new location on 40 Baker Street you are greeted by a gallery space before you enter the office. Currently, intriguing projections that are part of the project ‘Put the Moves On’ light the white walls of the 1150 square foot room. The artist who created the installation attached a small camera to her her bicycle to get her footage all in one take. The video shows a dying cultured community in Shanghai. As the image continues to pan you see a variety of human activities, artists and people working.
With a motto like “Ed Video is artists supporting artists” one can imagine that many different types of people walk into the doors of these offices everyday. Ed Video is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to providing support to independent media artists through rentals, workshops, shows and anything else they may need. It was first established in 1976 and continues to help individuals not just in Guelph but in various parts of Canada to express themselves and opinions through media art. Ed Video offers their rentals and workshops at very reasonable prices allowing just about anyone, including students to take full advantage of all the centre has to offer.
Lalonde graduated University of Guelph in 2005 with a degree in Women’s Studies and a strong interest in filmmaking. Through the support offered at Ed Video she realized her dream of becoming a filmmaker. Lalonde made a 45 minute documentary on belly dancing, three short comedies and has many more projects up her sleeve. “Ed Video is a caring and welcoming environment. It doesn't matter if you've had 20 years of experience in media arts or have never picked up a camera before,” Lalonde says “They strive to be accessible and meet the needs of everyone who walks through the doors.”
The welcoming environment that has been established at the centre is obvious upon entering the building. Smiling faces, and eccentric personalities bring a certain energy to the place that isn’t found at many other work environments. Every staff member has to work long hard hours but they do it because they love it- another prominent aspect of this environment that remains difficult to come across in society. They want to provide help to these artists because they genuinely enjoy it.
Scott McGovern is the Program Director at Ed Video and has been at the centre for a little over four years. Although he has only been there a fraction of the lifespan of Ed Video, he has still seen many changes and growths. “I feel very strongly that interest in video and contemporary art will only continue to increase in the future,” McGovern says. “The centre is always in flux, continually working on dozens of projects with hundreds of people. Video technology and content changes rapidly, but the main focus of the centre, education, stays the same.” Not too many people can say that they love their job and working overtime. However the nature of the centre has always been about the love of art and there hasn’t been one staff member that hasn’t expressed their enjoyment in being a part of Ed Video. “I am lucky to have a job where creativity is not just tolerated, but required. Boredom never happens, although it is one of my aspirations,” jokes McGovern. “I really love it.”
Previously Ed Video occupied the space above NV lounge on Wyndham Street. However, finances and the conditions of the building among other problems moved them centre to their current location. Traces of history remain present in the fairly new location. A photo of the founders in 1976 was carried over from the old location to the current one and represents the beginning of an artistic era. Little did these few people know that 33 years later the centre they founded would still be making an impact in their city. Still images from films created in the 1990’s hang in mint condition upon walking into the office. Thousands of hours of moving history is stored in the archive room proving years of development, hard work and artistic dreams realized.
This place is constantly buzzing. A regular day at the centre assists dozens of people and yet everyday is so different. Three men sit in the editing suite cracking jokes while uploading their footage. A woman seeks help from one of the staff as she decides which camera to book for her shoot. Executive director Elizabeth Dent types quickly at her computer while answering phones. One of her main duties is to write grants to the government to keep the funding coming and the centre running smoothly. Although she explains that it is an amazing feeling seeing how happy an artist is at the end of a show, the funding can certainly be frustrating. “We could do so much more outreach and accessibility stuff if we only had enough money to make ends meet and could focus better on the task at hand,” Dent explains. “Instead I am stuck groveling for half the year to try and raise enough funds to get the job done.”
Challenges and financial shortages aren’t obstacles that Ed Video hasn’t seen before. Pay has been compromised, shows have been cancelled and budgets have been cut. However they’ve always pulled through and as long as there is an audience, the show will go on. McGovern has big visions for the future, and it is obvious that in this case, the passion trumps the technical glitches in this centre. “Sometimes I say it takes tiny steps to get to the top of a mountain, and there have been many of those. A lot has happened, dozens of staff members, hundreds of shows, thousands of members, and many more in audience watching it all happen. Ed Video has had 33 years of history so far, and I believe many more to come.”
Indie is the New Mainstream
Turn on your radio, your television; flip through the glossy pages of recent magazines, look up at the billboards.
Although this recent change in fashion and the media appears to be consuming popular culture, it seems as though it will be yet another passing fad. It is just another cycle in the recycled world of ideas only this time with an accentuated desire to be unique.
Indie stands for independent. Independent stands for the freedom from external control and constraints. Hipster stands for one who chooses to reject established culture. Yet all of these terms are being thrown around and sought after so often that the ‘unique’ and ‘independent’ aspect of them have lost all validity. As it has many a times in the past, a sub culture has taken over the mainstream and currently that happens to be the sub culture of independence. So as ironic as it is, we are all walking around following a trend that stands for something different- or lack there of. It will be interesting to see what society’s demands for new and exciting produce in years to come.
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