Aesthetica Magazine Issue 77

June / July 2017

Now is the moment to stop and think, pause and pay attention. The dynamics of the world, as we know them, are shifting and this state of flux has created an unprecedented feeling of unease and mistrust, emanating from the news and media to politicians and world leaders. The more you read about bots and manipulation of mass opinion the more it’s as if we’ve stepped out of 1984. But we haven’t. This is our reality and, in this age of digital alienation, it’s so important to make time for reflection.

Inside this issue, we chat with veteran artist Jenny Holzer about her forthcoming exhibitions at MASS MoCA in the USA and Blenheim Palace in the UK. The beauty of her work is in its simplicity – both visually and textually – which makes the biggest impact to international audiences. We also look at how Scandinavian architecture and design are influencing buildings across the world. Sustainable is the new normal, and about that, I am relieved. J. JS LEE Studio is one of London Fashion Week’s designers to watch. The cool, urban sophisticated designs consider masculinity, femininity and identity, unpicking the notion of genderless fashion. Europe’s premier photography festival, Les Rencontres d’ Arles, opens this July and we survey one of the shows which asks questions about how history is represented in the present and what this means for the future.

In photography Steve Bainbridge explores line, space and form through a series that depicts the beauty of manmade materials. Giovanni Gastel’s images tell a story, each one depicting a character that has more than meets the eye. Reine Paradis’s series Jungle picks up on the urban theme in a surreal and playful manner. Nikola Olic queries what structures might represent and what cities mean to us, whilst Romain Thiery depicts the sublime nature of decay and Andreas Gefeller examines time and place continuing with the theme of the built environment. Finally, last words goes to Valentina Stellino, who comments on the physical and emotional effects of migration on today’s landscape.

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Radical Expression

The London-based company explores how dance can bring emotion to science with ITS new piece 8 Minutes, showcased at Sadler’s Wells.

Vivid Exposition

Filled with abandoned roads, scattered flowers and brilliant skylines – Western Cape and WHiT NY are amongst the latest colourful series by Jimmy Marble.

Absent Formations

Romain Thiery offers a visual sense of renewal to universal structures through an attention to texture, light and the notion of absence.

Socialised Languages

Jenny Holzer brings political and social topics into question, highlighting a globalised and turbulent landscape through the contemporary lens.

Angular Distortion

Serbian artist Nikola Olic reimagines environments as disorientating and dimensionless, inviting viewers to examine urban and decontextualised structures.

Digital Phenomena

Reflecting the notion of discovery, Jungle provides a bright, digitalised arena for uncanny figures, each an active participant in a number of settings.

Adapting Conventions

One of London Fashion Week’s 2017 LAUDED Designers looks to the future of expression, which is influenced by neutrality, functionality and longevity.

Idealistic Surroundings

German photographer Andreas Gefeller questions perception and truth, exploiting the possibilities of photography to highlight that which is overlooked.

Spatial Introspection

A strand of the renowned photography festival, Les Rencontres d’Arles, documents the experience of place, marrying the contemporary with the historic.

Emotive Architecture

Acclaimed Swedish firm, White Arkitekter, has won a commission to build the tallest timber building in the Nordic countries, a milestone in urban development.

Interior Perspective

Ritratti di living provides an emotional backdrop for the lifestyles advertised, combining minimalist design with voyeuristic angles.

Modern Expansion

Using primary colours, block shadows and gradient skies, Steve Bainbridge (b. 1974) showcases developments in minimalist postproduction and digital art.