Aesthetica Magazine Issue 62

December / January 2015

One of the most thrilling discoveries is someone who is breaking new ground and embodying the word “innovation.” It’s important to look at both established and emerging artists that are the driving force behind this type of progress. At Aesthetica, we are interested in people who are experimenting while stepping outside of the everyday. We want to engage with works that challenge us and change perspective.

This issue of Aesthetica focuses on the idea of the unconventional. It’s a celebration of practitioners who are experimenting in their field by working in interdisciplinary ways and introducing concepts from other areas of art and design into their work. It’s this cross-pollination and Zeitgeist that reinvigorates the way people are experiencing the world. We take a look at Anne Collier’s show at MCA Chicago and how she is critiquing commercial photography, autobiography and the act of looking. Frank Gehry’s surreal architecture is explored in a major retrospective at Centre Pompidou. The nature of lighting design and how the electric light has revolutionised our environment is discussed in Lightopia, which is currently on at the Design Museum Gent. Sculptor and conceptual artist Reiner Ruthenbeck contemplates the geometric form at London’s Serpentine Galleries.

Photographers Emily Shur and Joël Tettamanti explore structures and location in their series, while Todd Hido captures light in an atmospheric way. The rising stars of Swedish photography are surveyed as the spotlight shines on Sweden’s latest talent, and we also present an overview of the seminal work of Guy Bourdin’s provocative fashion photography. Eugenio Recuenco uses narrative devices to create dramatic and powerful images. Much in the same way, Bryn Higgins’s film Electricity tells an affecting story of self-discovery, with a highly visual and encompassing narrative. Also, there is an opportunity for you to watch films from this year’s Aesthetica Short Film Festival. Finally, the last words go to Julie Cockburn who is using found photography in new and exciting ways.

Cinematic Explorations

BAFTA accredited Aesthetica Short Film Festival showcases international short films, highlighting established and emerging filmmakers across 10 genres.

Redefining the Lens

Representations of pop, advertising, psychology and autobiography through the eyes of photographer Anne Collier.

Lazar Khidekel & Suprematism

This book is the first dedicated to Lazar Khidekel’s work and explores the importance of Suprematism in his oeuvre.

The Golden Dream

The Golden Dream tells the story of three teenagers who jump “The Beast”, the train that illegal immigrants board in a bid to reach the American border.

Hello Carter

Brit-caper Hello Carter straddles the lines of standard rom-com fare, with a few belly laughs and a healthy amount of meet-cutes along the way.

Alex Highton

Nobody Knows Anything is a much more satisfying listen when in reflective mode, but it maintains a satisfying pace and lyrical intimacy throughout.

Pinkshinyultrablast

Opening with the distant ghostly vocals of lead-singer Lyubov, Everything Else Matters is a soothing and dynamic album.

Full Moon

Almond travelled the world waiting for the right lunar phase, using an extra long exposure to capture nature at night. His quiet observance, still by necessity, has produced hauntingly beautiful results.

Stylised Innovation

Starting out as Man Ray’s protégé in the 1950s, Guy Bourdin’s influential 40-year career was founded on a unique approach to 20th century fashion.

Micah P. Hinson and the Gospel of Progress

Though much has changed for Hinson, still recovering from a near-fatal car accident, these songs have weathered the years with bittersweet grandeur and honesty.

Robin Williamson

Robin Williamson returns with his fourth album for ECM, adding to his solo The Seed-At-Zero and his group discs, Skirting the River Road and The Iron Stone.

Two Days, One Night

The Dardenne brothers’ latest film is an insightful examination into the management of a moral dilemma.

Yin Xiuzhen

This fascinating insight into the life of prolific installation artist Yin Xiuzhen consists of a number of interviews and revealing photographs.

Fictional Landscapes

Eugenio Recuenco recounts fantastical tales using exquisite sets and imaginative styling. His fairytale productions combine fine art with high-end fashion, creating theatrically surreal imagery.

Luminous Transformation

An exhibition at the Design Museum Gent showcases the greatest lighting design of the last century and anticipates creative possibilities.

Implied Presence

Produced on analogue film with no additional staging or editing from the photographer, Todd Hido’s Homes at Night plays on the interaction of artificial lighting with the shadows of night.

The Wands

Danish psych duo The Wands deliver a colourful and confident debut album of acid rock, filled with light, haze and just a small amount of darkness.

Alternate Perspective

Electricity opens up the world of epilepsy by creating a unique visual narrative which captures the first-person experience of living with the condition.

Egon Schiele – Jenny Saville

The pairing of Austrian artist Egon Schiele with Young British Artist Jenny Saville is an unusual one but this book reveals their stylistic and thematic similarities.

Intrinsic Dialogue

Produced by Art and Theory Publishing, Contemporary Swedish Photography is an overview of the stunning imagery being captured by Swedish artists.