INSIGHT Magazine | Issue #20

8/3/2019 INSIGHT Magazine | Issue #20

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VOLUME II | ISSUE

WWW.ONEFOKUS.ORG/INSI


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Founded in the summer of 2003 byAlma Davila-Toro and Atiba T. Edwards,

F.O.K.U.S. was created to form diverse communitiesand support the arts in various ways, including concerts,workshops, art shows, lm screenings and our magazine, INSIGHT.

We believe the arts enable people to rise above barriers in society asevidenced in the diverse audiences that attend our events.

F.O.K.U.S. brings together art forms, both traditionaland non-traditional, to expand the views

on what is considered art.


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02 LEER FROM HE EDIOR03 SREE SYLE04 REDUCE, REUSE, REIMAGINE10 SLICK A PANOUM11 CAUGH IN LOVE12 IED OGEHER16 I AKES A VILLAGE O RAISE A PANDA22 RUNNING A CON26 BY HE PEN OF HOR34 BROKEN38 HE WORLD IN FOCUS

46 INFINIE PLAYLIS48 COVER AR

CONENSVolume II | Issue 4

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER / ATIBA T. EDWARDSAtiba is a perpetual visionary who likes to do art in the dark since it is easier to see the true light.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / MAYA POPE-CHAPPELLMaya is an Oakland, CA native that moved to New York last year to pursue her Master of Arts degree in journalism. She's

a story teller of things unseen and voices unheard.

LAYOUT & DESIGN / JEFF ALBERTJeff is a creative type whose favorite questions are Why? and What if...? In that order.

CONTRIBUTORS / JEFF ALBERT / MAHOGANY BROWN / ATIBA T. EDWARDS /

HELEN HOMAN / THORBJRN INGASON / JAHSE / CHANEL KENNEBREW /KAZ MCNELLIE / SHERYL OPPENHEIM / JAMIE TOLLEFSON

WWW.ONEFOKUS.ORG/INSIGH

CONTACT US!Questions and comments: [email protected] inquiries: [email protected]

Advertising inquiries: [email protected]

INSIGHT is published by F.O.K.U.S. Inc.All rights reserved on entire contents. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Opinionsexpressed in articles are those of the author and do not necessarily reect those of F.O.K.U.S. or its subsidaries.


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5/51"NaIVE aMERICaN SYLE"Massa Mas, New York, NY


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REDUCE, REUSE, REIMaGINEChnel Kennebrew


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Chnel Kennebrew

THE BIG DUFFLE (ABOVE)This over-sized duffel is handmade completely from upcycledmaterials, which are used or recycled items combined to create a

new product with a higher quality or value. The upcycled materials

used here are belt supplies that were gleaned from a defunct belt

factory.

ITS COLD (RIGHT)This look is a group of my new apparel creations, all of which were

handmade in limited edition. The Wool and Buttons coat, PegLeggings, and Sidewalk Bag were all made from designer surplusfabric and upcycled materials.


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HAIRY HAIR TEE

This tee was created out of a need to let go. Too many of us, espe-

cially Black women, carry around unnecessary baggage about hair.Whatever you decide to do with what grows out of your head is

your business, but I feel like a lot of the energy spent in 'hair' couldbe redirected into something way more powerful. Manage your

efforts ladies.

Chnel Kennebrew


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DO IT WITH GRACE TEE

Who wouldn't do it with Grace? She's freakin awesome and shepaved the way for many. This tee is an ode to Grace Jones and areminder to do whatever you do with Grace and Style!

Chnel Kennebr


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lead to an adventurous journeyand passion for creating bags.

Years have gone by since then

and in the winter of 2007, Itraveled to Northern Thailandand fell in love with the city of

Chiang Mai, which is known

for being a handicraft mecca

where nomatic tribes come

through to trade handmade

items in markets. Here iswhere I began crafting bags

When I was living in Kyoto,Japan as a student, I oftenvisited this vintage kimono

shop and lingered for hours

digging through piles of used

kimono. I was drawn to uniqueand nostalgic prints but could

only afford scraps. Even if Ididnt buy them, I was stillsatised with looking and feel-ing. At that time, I had no ideathat collecting materials would

*Names have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals

I aKES a VILLaGE O RaISE a PaNDaHelen Homn

LAOS HmONG

A Hong tribe lady hand-stitching soe patches.

These sort of traditional

handicraftsare a ain surce

of incoe for these tribesLocation: LaosPhoto by Helen Homan


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GREEN WARRIOR LOGO

Redpanda VillageLocation: New York

Photo by John Jansen


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that merge ethnic beauty with

contemporary design. I calledthem Redpanda Village, a bagproject dedicated to local arti-sans within marginalized tribes.

I stayed in Northern Thailandfor a few months and then

returned back to Brooklyn witha suitcase full of handmadematerials and an uncontrol-

lable desire to make bags. My

mother and I bonded as ateam. I created designs andmade the patterns, and she

sewed the main structure of

each bag. After that I appliedthe odds and ends to eachbag.

After about four months of

being in New York, I was againrestless with the itch to travel.

This time I had a single visionto travel to old villages to lookfor rare tribal materials and

witness the process of produc-

ing the bags in Thailand. I didsome research and got on the

plane to Japan because it was

LAOS VILLAGE

A sall village in northern Laos where I passed through in

search of aterials. Up in the ountains the ethnic tribes try

to live a siple life, although things are not

the way it used to be before odern

developent.

Location: LaosPhoto by Helen Homan


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the closest landing in Asia and

I could get some more kimonofabric from a vintage shop inTokyo. After hanging with artist

hippies and checking out the

local traditions, I made my wayto Laos. There I watched theHmong tribe cultivate hemp

by spinning it into yarn beforebeing woven by hand or with

wooden tools into fabric.

Eventually, I was leaving Laoson a dusty van, making my

way back into Chiang Mai

where I would make my rst

batch of Redpanda bags fromall the materials I collectedduring my travels. There Imet a woman named *LadyD who became my source of

production and introduced

me to a team of women that

would help me produce therst batch of Redpanda bags.I worked closely with thewomen to cut fabric and cre-

ate patterns, often staying over

at Lady D's place, which wasa traditional Northern-style

TRIBESPEOPLE

Hong tribal woen

in traditional dress

celebrating the new

year.Location: LaosPhoto by Helen

Homan


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F.O.K.U.S.: How did you getyour start with Comic Con?

Lance Fensterman: I origi-nally began by selling booksat an independent bookstore.

Eventually, I became exposedto graphic novels, particularly

the way Todd McFarlane drew

Spider-Man. Afterwards I got

a job with the BookExpo Amer-ica. This eventually led to me

becoming the stage manager

of the New York Comic Con.

F: What do you remember

most about a past Comic

Con?LF: There are two coolmemories. One was Stan Leestanding above the crowd at

the morning opening and the

crowd chanting Stan Lee, as ifhe were the Pope. The second

was during a panel on Hellboy2 when they turned off the

lights to show a clip from the

movie. When the lights came

back on, they had four of the

robots from the lm whichwere brought in while the lights

Lnce Fenstermn is the current Show Mnger o New York Com-ic Con (NYCC). Strted in 2006, NYCC serves s n nnul conven-tion held t New Yorks Jcob Jvits Center eturing comic booksgrphic novels, nime, movies nd more.

One unique prt o the nnul event re the ns, which provide unique ttrction t Comic Con s they dress in costumes romtheir vorite video gmes, movies nd comics in wht is knowns costume ply k cosply.

F.O.K.U.S. members Kz McNelie nd atib . Edwrds cught upwith Fenstermn or quick converstion bout NYCC, it's nsnd comic bsed movies.

RUNNING a CONan Interview with Lnce Fenstermn by KzMcNellie nd atib . Edwrds


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New York Comic Con fan


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Lnce Fenstermn

were out. The crowd of 3,500

people [were all] awestruck at

once.

F: In recent years, weve seenan increase in the numberof comic based movies in

theaters. Why do you think

movies based on comics do

better relative to movies based

on video games?

LF: Movies based on comicstend to do better becausethere is more of a natural plot

to comics, with a narrative

arc naturally built in. It is alsoeasier to nd the charactersmore empathetic in comics

than video games.

F: With the success of comic

based movies, do you think

there will be more movies that

remain true to their origin, like

The Watchmen, or ones that

tell their own story, like TheDark Knight?

LF: It is important to dis-tinguish niche comics from

comics that can be blockbust-

ers. As the studios do more

comic-based lms, I think it

will depend on the comic, its

following, and how marketable

it is. I dont think there is a def-inite answer but you will see

certain lms stay true to thecomic books and others createtheir own story. Mainstream

comics such as Spider-Man

can be rewritten and retold.

The main comics that stay true

to origin may be ones with a

niche dedicated following likethe upcoming movies,Jonah

Hexor Kick Ass. By stayingtrue to the comics, the studios

get a tangible reaction from

their audience. This is the way

to get such comics' hardcore

fans excited.

F: Where does NYCC go fromhere?LF: The ultimate goal is tomake New York Comic Cona citywide cultural happening

each year. It will be bigger nextyear, but the challenge will be

to stay true to comics. As we

grow, there is increased inter-

est from corporations to get

involved and play various roles

in what takes place at Comic


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Lnce Fensterm

Con. As Comic Con becomes

a stage for the studios, there

is a risk that studios may try

to exert more inuence on the

event.

F: What aspect of Comic Con

do you nd most rewarding?LF: The most rewarding aspectis with the fans. If they arehappy I'm happy. On the rst

day of each years show, thereare thousands of people linedup outside. I love Saturdaymorning when the doors are

opened.


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Atiba T. Edwards: Introduceyourself to the INSIGHT read-

ers.Thorbjrn Ingason: My nameis Thorbjrn Ingason. Im anart director, graphic designer

and illustrator. I was bornin Sweden but grew up in

Iceland. I studied Sociology

& International Marketing andstarted my career in 1998

at the advertising agency,

McCann-Erickson. I spent overa year [as a graphic designer]

at Winkreative [a global design

and branding company] in

London 2000-2001 and ranmy own design studio, Fabrik,

in Copenhagen, Denmark fortwo years. I then worked forthe strategic design company

e-Types, mostly on the jewelrybrand Georg Jensen from2003 to 2005. Ive been doingart direction, illustration and

graphic design for a variety ofclients, both commercial and

editorial in both Europe and

the U.S since 2000. I reside inIceland.

AE: How would you describe

Somewhere in the middle o the summer, I hd the strnge desireto go to Icelnd. I met someone who ws born there nd lsohd people tell me how gret plce it is nd the vrious photoopportunities to hve there. Strnge becuse I plnned to go inthe end o September rther thn heding to somewhere wrmwith beches, bikinis nd ruity drinks with umbrells in them.I picked Icelnd becuse it oered something new nd dierentplus Ive never been to Europe but hd lielong desire to visit.In preprtion or going, I ound ll the vegetrin eteries nd

ll the rtsy people, plces nd things both were to prevent merom becoming mished. I cme cross guide to Icelnd with cover designed by Torbjrn Ingson. So I looked him up ndeventully reched out to him to lern bout the rts oerings inIcelnd nd lso to setup n interview with him or INSIGH.

BY HE PEN OF HORan Interview with Torbjrn Ingson byatib . Edwrds


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Torbjrn Ingson

your art?TI: Im attered that you regardmy works as art, but then

again the notion of art is such

a malleable concept. I guess

my art can be described asbeing simplistic and graphical.

AE: You have done a range of

pieces from works with Dock-

ers and Georg Jensen to CDcovers and personal illustra-

tions. How do each differ in theway you approach them?TI: When I do personal projectsI dont have to take into con-sideration [the] clients expec-tations. I can do whatever I feellike without thinking about its

purpose. There are no con-

straints and then there is room

for discovery. For a period of

time I was so busy that I didn'thave time to do personal

projects or pro bono work andwhen I look back that was themost "uncreative" period in my

career; I got bored and lost in-terest in what I was doing. Sofor me it is imperative to keep

a healthy balance between

personal projects versuscommissions.

Working for a brand like

Georg Jensen you are work-ing towards an outcome that

symbolizes and communicates

the spirit of the brand, so inthat case its a more structuredapproach. Brands with [an]unclear idea of itself tends to

struggle with its brand identity,

and it can also be hell to work

for them. Georg Jensen hada very clear idea of what thebrand stood for, which made

it much easier to develop con-

cepts that expanded the idea

behind the identity into differ-

ent directions, giving it some

elasticity so it comes alive on

multiple levels not just the onbusiness card or envelope.

AE: I noticed a good amount ofworks in your portfolio, includ-

ing your Paper Cuts illustra-

tions and Kron Kron, are done

in paper. Is paper your favoritemedium?TI: Its probably what Im mostexcited about right now, as

it combines graphic design,

illustration and my love for

still life photography. Some


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people dont understand whyI bother spending all this timecutting out paper forms and

constructing paper sculptures

to photograph, while I couldprobably get away with doing

something similar by using

Photoshop, but you can never


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Torbjrn Ings

which I like. The Paper Cutillustrations and my Ofcestill-life series that I did are allheavily inuenced by [the Ger-

man artist] Thomas Demand.His work looks simple butcomplex at the same time.

AE: Speaking of the perfect

balance between elements,

your style seems to be very

simple, clean and clear. Wouldyou agree with this?vTI: I agree I hardly ever dostuff that is busy with all

kinds of elements, dense with

typography and visual noise.

Its a matter of taste I guess. I

try to please myself with theworks I do and I guess that isvery important, and the type of

style I like is simple, graphicaland clean.

AE: Complete the sentence

"Art Is..."TI: Art is all in your head.

create the same effect as

with lights and paper. There is

something that is so rewarding

about it. I can denitely say

that it is my favorite thing atthe moment.

AE: What inuences yourworks and how much does

Iceland impact your style?TI: I nd it hard to narrow down

what inuences me. Icelandmust inuence me in some-way the environment we livein is usually reected in ourwork. I have lived and workedin Scandinavia and in the U.K.

and that has inuenced me as

well. Then you have the inter-net as an inuence. There is somuch inspiration to be found

online; so much you can burnoff a whole day just browsingthrough visually pleasing im-

agery of all kinds. I have been

inuenced by Swiss graphicdesign, a bit of clich I know.The strict grid systems and

mathematically perfect bal-

ance between elements oatsmy boat. Its a very practicalway of approaching design,


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Out o pin comes rt. Tough sttement Ive lwys believed,tht notion becme rel lst yer when my youngest brother Benws killed while ghting in Irq. Not only ws Ben solider in theU.S. army, but he ws n rtist. He ws lso my biggest supporterwhen it cme to my own rt. I ws inspired to crete this piececlled Broken in honor o him.I clled this piece Broken becuse I m currently struggling toput ll the pieces o my lie bck together. My mily hs beensplintered by divorce nd deth in the lst two yers nd the eye

with ter represents the pin. Te piece is rctured montgeo imges refecting the mny prisms o this pin nd hurt. Tecollge imges I chose represent rtists tht lso hve spoken tomy hert through their words, nd struggles. Tere is blood onthe brow, ters in the eye, song in the hert, nd poetry on themind.

BROKENJmie olleson


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HE WORLD IN FOCUSJaHSE


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Te beuty o cretion exists in ll things rom the subtomic tothe universl. Tis is wht I seek to shre with the world throughmy lens. My work over the yers hs been primrily dedicted tothe study o people. Tis yer however, I hve done quite bit otrveling nd the work I hve selected refects some o those trv-

els. My photogrphy o r wy plces shows tht while otherprts o the world my be very dierent, they re illuminted bythe sme sun.

JaHSE

JAHSE has been creating art in the form of photographs for 17 years, he lives andworks in NYC. You can check out more of his photographs at www.jahse.com.


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Json Mrz Lie Is Wonderul (Mr. a-Z)1.It takes a night to make it dawn / / It takes some cold to know thesun / / It takes a loss before you're found / / It takes a toll toshow you care / It takes a hole to make a mountain / Ah la la la life iswonderful / Ah la la la life goes full circle

Donny Hthwy2. Somedy We'll all Be Free (Tese Songs

or You)Keep on walking with your head held high / Your dreams to the sky

Hrold Melvin3. + Te Blue Notes Wke Up Everybody(Wke Up Eveybody)

Te world won't get no better / If we just let it be / Te world won'tget no better / We gotta change it you and me / / Wake up all thebuilders time to build a new land / I know we can do it if we all lend

a hand / Te only thing we have to do is put it in our mind / Surelythings will work out they do it everytime

Lenny Krvitz4. Wht Did I Do With My Lie" (Bptism)Did I see all the beauty?! / Because living is an art / What did I dowith my life? / You can live any way you wanna / All you have to dois dance / Achieve anything you though of / You just have to takethe chance

I think this my be one o the sddest yers I've witnessed in

the sense o the tree o lie prticulrly the deth brnch -ficting people rom my own mily to mous olks. Te themebehind this chpter is tht we cn't let this brnch ll upon usto the point o crippling our lives due to grievnce. We tend to letdeth nd the pssing o loved ones overshdow the wonderulmircle o birth nd the celebrtion o new lie. I'm not syingone shouldn't grieve nor m I sying live ech dy like its the lst(tht's just silly nd tiring). Insted, we should nd the blnce

between lie nd deth nd mke the most o wht's in between.

INFINIE PLaYLIS: Chpter 2For Every Sunset, Tere Is a Sunriseatib . Edwrds


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Medium: Paper cut-outs

The vintage travel post-

ers from Europe knownfor the simplicity intheir composition, colorpalette and bold graph-ics was a big source ofinspiration while work-ing on this project.

This paper cut-out il-lustration was originallyintended for the coverof an in-ight magazinefor Icelandair. The coverwas supposed to fea-ture a skincare productmade out of Icelandicwild plants and herbs.

To make it interesting, Imade this paper sculp-ture to be used as a background or a universe I could photographthe product in. The client told me that I could do whatever I want,which is actually the worst brief you can get. So I presented it tothe client and they hated it and the whole thing got rejected. But Iwas quite happy with the outcome.

COVER aRTorbjrn Ingson


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