#jade suarez

[theprimemanila]

ALEYN COMPRENDIO: Destinations and film rolls

As a photography enthusiast, having the best camera is only a secondary requirement in capturing a breathtaking photo. Photography is a special and unique form of art because it is the only one capable of stealing a millisecond of a moment that you can never revisit again.Photographer Aleyn Comprendio caught Prime Manila's eye because of the wonderful creative shots she executes in her photos. Aleyn shares with Prime Manila her story of how analog photography chose her, her humble beginnings and what she does when far (well, not really) from her camera.

When did you start taking photographs and what prompted this?

I started taking film photographs in the summer of 2010, quite accidentally actually when a friend of mine brought his film camera when vacationing in Iloilo and had me try it. I didn’t know what to make of it but I went for it anyway. My first roll was poorly exposed but still had that dreamy feel / effect to it that my friend insisted I keep the camera and shoot more. The rest is history, as they all say.

Prior to that, have been taking pictures using digital point and shoot cameras and dslr as early as 2005 for Friendster and Myspace purposes.

What are the different cameras you use and other gadgets related to photography?

Funny that I share this but I’ve never spent a cent for a camera ever in my life. All of the cameras I use were either freely given or borrowed.

I am using a beat-up Pentax K1000 that my aunt saw at a garage sale. The camera that my friend gave me was a Pentax ME and I have two Fuji Instax cameras that were also given to me. I’m blessed enough to be working in a photography and videography company and be surrounded by creative folks with all the latest cameras around that I could just borrow or rent, should the need arises. My only digital camera is the camera built in my iPhone.

What made you choose analog photography? 

I didn’t choose it, it chose me.

Before I started using film, my digital photographs have that dreamy/ film-like quality to them that I thought to myself why process to look like that when I can achieve it by shooting in an actual analog camera and save me from endless post-processing? Even with that thought, I still didn’t dare purchase an analog camera until it presented itself to me through my generous friends and family.

I didn’t research much about it but dove immediately because I was that excited to try my first roll. It took me about 3-4 rolls to achieve the quality and style that I like and though I’ve gone through troubles with my other rolls (eg. wrong loading, unsecured lock etc) and lost some memories that came along with it, it helped me understand and appreciate the process and the art of analog photography more because I experienced it first-hand.

Do you have any inspirational figures in different fields of art that you look up to?

Oh my! There are so many! Tim Walker, Yelena Yemchuk, Mary T.S. Schaffer, David Hamilton, Shona Heath, Sofia Coppola, Jane Campion, and Orla Kiely to name a few.

You’ve been to so many places and different countries! Any food for the soul that you got from travelling?

I haven’t been to that many as compared to other people but thank you! There is no better advice than for inspiring people to travel and see the world. The places you will go, the people you will meet, the culture you will savour and the memories you will make will never amount to any tangible thing.

Other hobbies besides writing and photography?

I love doing sets and styling. My full time job is being the Creative Director for a photography and videography company that focuses on weddings and part of that is doing set design and styling.

I love thrifting for furnitures and accessories too as I have a deep love for interior design and I do that for work as well.

I like reading and perusing bookstores. My book and magazine-buying addiction is evident in this Instagram account.

I am fond of going to well-designed and curated cafes within Metro Manila and abroad where I take endless photos and post them on my main Instagram.

When I am not doing any of those things, I go to art fairs, exhibitions and music-related events.

What are your notable achievements in photography?

I have been blessed to be noticed by people and by the industry that I admire. My photos had been on the cover of a novel by a young Canadian author, album cover art by a Paris-based indie-folk band and I have been featured on The Philippine Star, Lomography.com, Vogue China online and have exhibited at one of my favourite places in Manila, Heima and other group exhibitions.

Top 5 travel destinations:

Since I have traveled mostly in Asia and have talked a bit about my travels on my blog, I'll list instead the places I would love to explore in the future

My top 5 would be:

Iceland

I have so long been wanting to go to that piece of heaven (I even tried learning Icelandic 6 years ago but failed tremendously)

Czech Republic

Ever since I started collecting postage stamps at age 10, I’ve always been fascinated by the Czechoslovakian ones and noted that I will one day be able to go there

Denmark

Because Hans Christian Andersen and The Faroe Islands

Peru

Two words: Machu Picchu

Germany

Because of the culture and the history

Get in touch with Aleyn through her Twitter and Facebook accounts!

- Jade Suarez

[jadesuarez]

Model: Pau Quirol (@NoOtherPau)

[theprimemanila]

KRIZIA BANOGON: Keeping it real

Realistic artworks always make a great illusion that something seems real when it isn’t. Krizia Banogon’s style gives an impression of realism as she focuses more on the detail of her artwork to give her craft the life it has been longing. Creating something real out of illustrations always fascinated her although, believe it or not, Krizia’s love for her craft started with anime sketches. Her eye for detail intrigued Prime Manila resulting to an interview.

What prompted you to pursue art? At what age did you start to love it?

I remember at the age of 8 or 9, my dream job was to be an animator because I had a friend whose father is an animator. I also started buying sketch pads, drawing tools and A LOT of How to Draw Manga books (lol) at that age.

I thought drawing was just a hobby until this year, when I started posting my works on Instagram and Behance, I also started receiving so many positive feedback/reaction from my family, friends and many other people from here and other countries and I am really happy about it and it FINALLY became clear to me that this is the career that I want to pursue.

Did you take an art course or was illustrating just a past-time that turned into something bigger than what you expected?

I am actually taking up Fashion Design which apparently has Fashion Illustration and CAD (Computer-Aided Design) classes but before entering SoFA, my goal was to be a fashion designer, not a fashion illustrator. ​Obviously, I was confused haha!

How did you come up with such style in illustrating?

I’ve always loved realism. Realistic drawings fascinate me all the time! I love the feeling of being able to make something looks somewhat realistic and I love getting into the details especially hair and eye details. As you’ll notice, my first few posts on Instagram are eye drawings.

What is/are your notable achievement/s in art?

I am still a newbie in this industry. I have always loved drawing/art but it’s just recently (this year) that I decided that this is the path that I want to take.​

So far, my biggest project was for The Philippine Star’s Ystyle and the other one is a magazine project that hasn’t been published yet haha​!​ I am so happy and thankful that opportunities are already coming my way. And also, seeing other people recognize and appreciate my works and being able to inspire and do what I love every single day are already achievements for me.

Who is/are your favorite artist/s and the ones that inspired you the most?

So many but Kelly Smith and Soleil Ignacio are my two most favorite illustrators! They are amazing; their works are worth staring at!

Kelly Smith’s illustrations are very elegant looking and her style is also realistic which I love. Also, I really love the contrast of her works and it is amazing how she gives attention to the details.

Kelly Smith's Giambattista Valli.

Soleil Ignacio’s works are exceptional! I love how she layouts textures and stuff. Her style isn’t realistic BUT the eyes, hands and HAIR are very expressive. And I also love how she translates the actual appearance of a person to her own personal style.

Soleil Ignacio's 1/5 of Vesti Ladies.

Besides doing art, what are your other hobbies?

Wakeboarding! It’s the only thing I love to do when I am not working. I would rather spend my one whole day at the wakepark instead of being at the mall just shopping. It’s tiring but F U N ​and fulfilling.​ ​

Message to aspiring artists and your favorite quote to get them by:

Whatever form of art you want to do, it is important that you do it as often as you can. Be inspired and practice every day if possible, not only to get better but also to discover​/​develop your style. It is okay to get inspiration from others, but be sure to develop your own style and BE an inspiration as well.​ ​

Take advantage of the​ internet and get yourself out there! Promote yourself by creating blogs and stuff. There are so many websites where you can create an online portfolio for free! One good example is Behance (behance.net) where I got my first client. Thank God for technology!

And most importantly, be sure that you’re passionate with what you’re doing because if not, you might give up when it gets tough.

Favorite quote? [That would be] “Bloom where you are planted.” You get what it means!

Get updates from Krizia through her Facebook, Instagram and Behance accounts!

- Feature by Jade Suarez

[theprimemanila]

OURSELVES THE ELVES: They wouldn't mind

True friendship, unevitable fate and extraordinary commitment to music – these are the things that brought the 3 man band, Ourselves the Elves, play together in one stage despite the different career paths they chose to take.

“Fun” could simply summarize the story of how the band started. Ourselves the Elves was the product of an out of the blue thought of starting a band and an unpremeditated jam at Kalayaan Dorm in the University of the Philippines, Diliman. They have met and jammed with a lot of different people. Like any ordinary band, Ourselves the Elves had former members that quit for different reasons but that did not stop Aly Cabral and Tel (former bassist) to continue making music with the band they started.

The band is an active member of U.P. Underground Music Community (an organization from the university that arranges gigs in and around U.P.) which brought them to their first gig at Tomato Kick, Diliman, Quezon City that turned out to be the beginning of something bigger for Ourselves the Elves.

Subsequently, they started to get invitations from different people asking them to play for different events which, in turn, inspired them to create better music and to be more serious in regards to their being a band. This gig also marked the band’s “formal birth” for it was when the name Ourselves the Elves, with 4 official members, was established.

The band declared their genre as Pop-Folk-Rock which was mainly influenced by the band’s vocalist who also happened to be their main songwriter. Moreover, the band members’ different styles in playing their instruments also contributed on how this genre sprung out.

Photo by RA Rivera

Ourselves the Elves was inspired and influenced by Ang Bandang Shirley and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Ourselves the Elves is Aly Cabral (vocals, guitars), Aki Medina (guitars, vocals) and Ponch Salvador (drums) with sessionists Ean Aguila (bass), Dom Zinapan (bass), Mariah Reodica (keyboard) and April Hernandez (drums).

It’ll be Alright is their latest EP launched last September 2013 under the production of Ean Aguila. The EP is a compilation of the first songs they have written. Contact them for EP orders or download the EP and other singles from their Bandcamp account.

Furthermore, Geography Lessons (EP) will be launched later this year which includes the songs they produced for Lisyun Qng Geographia. For more updates about this EP launch, visit their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

- Feature by Jade Suarez

[theprimemanila]

THE WARRIOR POET ART x CAFÉ: Turning passion into action

“If there is no art scene in Cubao X, I will make an art scene for Cubao X. I will be the lighthouse where artsy guys in the north, and wherever else, can come.” says Noel Santos, owner of The Warrior Poet Art x Café, in a short interview with Prime Manila where he shares how he’s turning his passion into action and his dreams to a reality.

Photo of the café's interior taken from their Facebook account.

“I built this so that I could tell more stories – stories about people … stories about everything.”

The dream

Noel is many things you cannot imagine. While exploring the wilderness of the corporate world of accounting, he at the same time is a storyteller to children from 7 to 11 years old. The art café, established at Cubao X, sprung from his original dream to make a library for the kids he has been sharing his skill and time with.

The Warrior Poet's menu written on the café's fridge.

The Warrior Poet Art x Café was built out of passion and the hunger of putting it into action. The café was put up with the idea of making a community – a family of painters, comic book artists, writers and the like where everyone knows everyone who comes to the place. Noel wanted the café to be a sanctuary for artists.

Novelties and postcards from Raine Sarmiento and other artists displayed at the café.

Clutch on

“I wanted to do art for art’s sake. That’s why my target is really the young; the youth because they’re still in that level where they build something out of their heart.“

Comic books by various independent local artists showcased at the café.

A dream is certainly nothing without belief and hardwork. Just recently, The Warrior Poet reached its first month and yet, there are already numerous aligned projects for it like Spoken Word (August 15, a poetry night), showing of classic films every Saturday evening and even plans of putting up a bazaar anytime soon, with more artworks and novelties. Surely, the plans and goals he's set would exceed even the highest limitations.

Anticipating what greatness this art café has in store, more to come, Noel!

Noel Santos' "mug shot".

Visit The Warrior Poet Art x Café at:

64C Cubao Expo, General Romulo Ave., Socorro, Cubao 1109 Quezon City, Philippines

Store hours:

Tue - Thu: 3:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Fri - Sat: 2:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Sun: 3:00 pm - 9:00 pm

- Jade Suarez x Dior Acuzar

[theprimemanila]

REESE LANSANGAN: The Anomalous

Artist Reese Lansangan is all about living childhood fantasies and seeing the beautiful in the mundane. If catching one’s attention is considered a talent, then the girl has tons of it. May it be through her colorful and quirky outfits, her catchy tunes, or maybe through her unique collages that often features Japanese iconography. There is bound to be something that will make you take notice.

But passing fancy or a head turner, she’s the kind of person that once you notice, it’s hard not to strike up a conversation. There’s something about her that makes you want to climb inside her mind and take up residence there to figure out what makes her tick.

With the desire to further know Reese, Prime Manila invaded her colorful mind through an exclusive interview.

  How did you come up with such style in your artworks? I mean, I only know few local artists who do collages and all of them have different styles. How did you come up with yours?

“My favorite visual art form is making collages or mixed media pieces. I think the reason why I got attracted to the idea of making “assemblages” is it both involves borrowing and improvisation. A lot of the images and materials I use for my art are fragments from old photographs and vintage ephemera that I’ve collected throughout the years of making collages.

Collaging involves borrowing from history, then letting that old material go through a reinterpretation based on the stories I decide to weave together. I find that responsibility exciting.

My style has a lot to do with negative space. I like designing around the empty space, filling it up with things that seem to perfectly fit. I have no logic when it comes to making collages - I just literally go with what feels right. Sometimes I would spend 15 minutes deciding on the placement of a single element. I won’t rest until I get it right. I also like incorporating my own illustrations on my collages. It adds grit and a personal dimension to the art.”

I learned through Ceejay that you make music too! How would you classify your genre and how would you describe your music?

“I do, I am a songwriter and a musician and I perform both as a solo act and as a member of my other bands.

My music with Reese & Vica (an indie pop-folk duo) is very whimsical and dreamlike. Common themes we deal with are childhood, nostalgia, folk tales, the in-betweens of relationships - and our lyrics are a lot like musical storytelling. We like experimenting with our sound by adding different textures and layers to our songs. We incorporate various instruments (glockenspiel, harmonica, melodica, shakers) in our live performances and sometimes pull it all together by using loop pedals.

My music as a solo act is often humorous and self-deprecating, I would say. I like poking fun at my myself! I also like writing about things that aren’t usually talked about in songs. I pen the lyrics for everyday feelings or observations that are overlooked.

I have this song called “Where Did All The Nice Guys Go?” - which is me, wondering out loud where the chivalrous and good-meaning men of the world has gone off to. I also publicly declare my aversion to parties and clubbing. And then I have an unreleased song about the movie Mean Girls, and it’s chock-full of references and biting lines from the movie.

And then another song, “A Song About Space” - which is basically my love letter to the planets and galaxies and the entire complex universe.

Probably my most well-known song would be “Trophy Boy” - which is about my (literally hopeless) crush on my history classmate whom I never got to know. Here, I write about hoping for any sort of interaction - be it just going down the stairs with him and having a 5 second conversation.“

  How would you describe your style in fashion?

“My style of dressing is definitely colorful and unconventional. I have zero interest in simplicity and my motto is “Pile them all up”. More is more, indeed. I like bold colours, clashing patterns, childlike prints, and toy jewellery among others. I would say I am unapologetic in the way I dress.

My style in fashion designing is offbeat, intelligent, humorous, and tongue-in-cheek. I like referencing facts or bits of my childhood into the clothes I make. I tend to research A TON before I start designing. I am also a very detail-oriented type of person. I like doing tedious work like hand-painting, embroidery, and beading - just to add dimension and texture to my pieces. I would spend days beading a sleeve or shoulder that would barely get noticed. Just the fact that I know it’s there and it helps complete my story - that’s what matters to me.”

  What have been your achievements so far in every part of the convenient sushi that you are?

“For music, my band Reese & Vica has been awarded the title of "NU107’s College Band of the Year” in 2010. In 2011, the Ateneo community has awarded us with a Loyola Schools Award for the Arts in Performing Arts. In 2013, I was selected among 59 others in a nationwide search for singer-songwriters for the prestigious Elements Camp, run by the local music industry’s most prolific artists.

For art and design, my thesis (a 200-paged book on creativity and the creative process) has been awarded the Philippine Graphic Design Awards' Magenta trophy - the highest award given for student work.

For fashion, I’ve been named as one of the 8 Style Stars of Candy Magazine in 2013, and one of the 28 designers to watch out for by Philippine Star’s YStyle.

Fortunately enough, I have also been featured in various local and international publications for my creative work in the fields of music, design, and fashion.

Some notable ones:

Vogue Italia online, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Yahoo News online, Preview Magazine, Rogue Magazine, Candy Magazine, Summit Publications, international zines, etc.”

  What’s the best thing about being an artist?

”It’s getting to live by doing what you love, and endlessly meeting new people who continue to shape your artistic style and world view. It’s the endless possibility for creation and collaboration, as well as the opportunity to create things that are beautiful and worthwhile.”

  Message to aspiring artists?

“Keep at it. Never stop practicing. Never stop working. Research research research. Read up, listen to music, watch films, go to exhibits - soak up the world. Then create.“

  Top 5 artists:

Imogen Heap

Tom Sachs

Meadham Kirchhoff

Tavi Gevinson

Stefan Sagmeister

Top 5 clothing lines:

Mary Katrantzou

Meadham Kirchhoff

Romance Was Born

Tsumori Chisato

Fred Butler

Top 5 music artists / bands:

Imogen Heap

Regina Spektor

A Fine Frenzy

Freelance Whales

Bullet Dumas

Top 5 chill places around the country:

“I'm really really bad at this!!!! Can I say, anywhere where you can have a quiet moment alone, or with a few friends? Haha!”

- Ceejay Delantar x Jade Suarez

*All photos used are copyright Reese Lansangan

[theprimemanila]

Visit Original Link

Synchronizing with everyday's placidity. Calm down.

Full mixtape: http://tape.ly/make-me-feel-alive

- Ely Suarez x Jade Suarez

[jadesuarez]

"Focus on what's important."

Little Quiapo's hearty palabok and extremely good halo-halo. The only halo-halo I liked, actually.