PASSION IN ALL FORMS
MAGAZINE
ISSUE 01
CREATIVES IN THIS ISSUE
SPIRITUAL
HEALING
ISSUE 01
NHYLAR
POETRY
NHYLAR is a 24 year old QPOC who currently resides in Toronto. She uses poetry as a creative outlet for her existential rage. She writes about queer representation, living away from home, intimacy and anything that intrigues her.
spiritual healing is a gateway
to your higher self
it exists to reunite and realign
your soul with your ego
with simple acts of breathing,
meditating and light stretching
it's crazy how we get so lost in the
hustle and bustle of life
it's crazy to think that we become
so far from ourselves that we forget
the true reason for our existence-
la raison d'etre as the french say
spiritual healing exists to remind us
of the powers that exist within
it validates cheesy concepts like the secret
that anything is possible,
if we ask with love and true intention
a manifestation of our passion or dreams
how surreal and wild
it is to think
that the answers lie within us
enclosed in a higher consciousness
that we can only access
after trials and tribulations
that lead us towards a spiritual path
or a quick acid trip to euphoria
the choice is ours
PIECE BY PIECE
ZARA MOFFETT
PHOTOGRAPHY
When I was young I was afraid of growing up. Not because of the added responsibility or the extra schoolwork, but rather because I was afraid of losing myself. I had seen so many friends and relatives and adults on tv give up pieces of themselves to fit into someone else’s life. The thought of giving pieces of myself away to others or to give them up entirely frightened me, because who would I be without them? As we grow, our image of ourselves changes, that person that used to make us feel beautiful slowly gets harder and harder to look at in a mirror. Maybe that’s why we give up pieces of ourselves, to like what we see in our reflection. Maybe we break ourselves into pieces to be hurt less or to carry less metaphorical weight on our conscience. Either way, I’m still growing and I’m still afraid and maybe that will never go away but I know that these pieces we break ourselves into are never really gone. We just need to want to put ourselves back together.
OPUS
ISSUE 01
LUI$A
LUISA BOSHNJAKU
MUSIC
I am Luisa Boshnjaku, (stage name LUI$A), I started singing since I was a toddler, I play the piano. I produce and am currently learning music theory. I started releasing original songs since 2019. My first cover was “Valerie” by Amy Winehouse in 2014
I was born in Long Island, New York and lived in Queens, New York. After a while, me and family moved back to Prishtina, Kosovo.
My style of music is very diverse. I used to listen to a lot of heavy metal and punk music. Both of my parents are musicians (my mom is a soprano and my dad is a music producer).
My music is inspired by Jun Fukamachi, Rina Sawayama, Sade, A tribe called quest, Jimi Hendrix and Asap Rocky, each of them displaying a different and unique type of style, all of which can be recognized on my tracks, thus presenting a contemporary yet ageless sound to the mainstream scene.
I have recently performed in VFILES Pass the Aux Remote sessions 5\21\2020. Previous gigs; I have performed in many charity events in Kosovo, one of them being Kosovo's Philanthropist. I had about three gigs in Kosovo (School graduation events, and many more)
I wrote many songs for Kosovar and German artists. I am currently working on my EP.
The EP is being recorded in Dreamhouse Studio, Kosovo. It is inspired by the 80s underground ballroom culture and Club Kids in New York. I feel like I experiment a lot with my style and not afraid to try something new and look out of the ordinary. I strive on being diverse and unique through my music, as well as my style, and am always prepared to bring something new to the public.
“I want to influence the youth to produce and create, to accept their flaws, and unleash their creativity through art.”
PHOTOS BY ANDI DECANI
OPUS
ISSUE 01
OPUS
OPUS
ISSUE 01
MAXIMILIAN
MAXIMILIAN
ART
Maximilian was born in Milan, Italy, on December 17, 1969. He started painting as a child and despite his art school training, he has maintained an instinctive approach to his work, letting his subconscious dictate his subject matter. The recurring figure of a pre-adolescent child, neither male nor female, lends coherence to this free-form universe. Since moving to Paris, France, in 2012, his work has focused on that unripe phase of human existence when gender is still undefined and sexuality has yet to be expressed. The melancholy and reflective characters he portrays are experiencing the often difficult and painful transition from childhood games and innocence to the first upsets of adolescence and adulthood.
To me, being an artist comes from a deep-rooted necessity. It’s a natural way to transform your emotions, fears and desires into a concrete object like a painting. It’s the representation of an idea, using a language made up of images – much of it channelled directly from my subconscious, with little in the way of filters. I’ve been making art since I was a child and it’s always been my favourite way to spend my time, to be alone and to be able to visit my inner world. Since arriving in Paris, I’ve started a new series of artworks representing pre-adolescent boys – an age when the games and innocence of childhood give way to adult thoughts and concerns. That phase when boys turn into men, between the ages of 10 and 14, is a stage when sexuality is still not fully expressed and when gender is still fairly fluid. My characters are androgynous precisely because I want to represent that sexual duality.
OPUS
ISSUE 01
THRIVING AMIDST A PANDEMIC
MICHAEL ILISOI
ART
I wanted to respond to the current pandemic that the world is facing. During a pandemic, many people will be very negative and pessimistic, so I decided to convey the idea of how something can thrive during a pandemic. To show this concept I decided to use plants and cell organisms as my subject matter. For the plants, I used some from my dining room table, put them in various positions, and drew them into the composition of the piece. Working from observation enabled me to draw the plants in an infinite number of positions, which helped with what I could achieve with the drawing. With this, I used a lizard-like patterning (Nawa-Ami) to create depth in the piece and to propel my concept. Also, in the piece, I wanted to show organized chaos by using a complicated composition balanced by the various sections of black. I hope whoever views this piece will come to the realization or will be reminded that beauty can exist during a pandemic.
YOUR TIME IS COMING
GOLDENGEN
ILLUSTRATION
We are definitely changing and redefining ourselves. The thing is, you truly never know or realize until it becomes a memory. Although, I do notice that I am slowly becoming the person I should have been a long time ago. The girl is walking away, feeling strong and confident with what's next are representing this feeling in my artwork.
OPUS
ISSUE 01
OPUS
ISSUE 01
NAUTICS
NAUTICS
MUSIC
“Now I’m in a shitty/ teen rock band,” Kenzo Repola sings on the 2017 song “Cosmonaut.” However, a listen to their years of “space-rock” suggests Nautics is far more than that. Formed in 2014, the band’s first album, IV: The Misadventures of an Indestructibly Melancholy City, was released in 2015 on Bandcamp. A mature debut, the album contained “I’ll Be Waiting,” a nostalgia-inducing song which continues to be one of the band’s most played. A natural successor to 2000s New York rock, the band has played in local landmark venues like Sidewalk Cafe and Webster Hall. However, their music is being heard well past the NYC limits as their loyal fanbase, who choose to continue their voyage in the band’s universe with every new album, continues to grow.
OPUS: Introduce yourselves and your positions in the band
LEVITT: Hey I am Levitt, and I am the drummer of Nautics.
KENZO: I'm Kenzo, I am sort of the front person/singer/guitarist.
AMIR: I’m Amir, I play keys and sometimes lead guitar if I’ve finished all my vegetables.
VAN: I’m Van, I’m the tallest.
OPUS: What motivated you to start playing music?
LEVITT: I took musical instrument lessons as a kid, so that was my motivation towards being a musician in a band
KENZO: I did a lot of theatre growing up, so I was always surrounded by musicians. I ended up picking up some of my brother's old instruments, making little tunes, and it grew from there
AMIR: I was classically trained in piano from like the first grade through high school but being part of the band definitely motivated me to branch out and begin writing and performing non-classical music
OPUS: Who were your musical influences, idols, or bands growing up that have helped mold you into the musicians you are today?
VAN: Growing up I really liked the Gorillaz. I wanted to be a cartoon character
OPUS: How would you describe the music that you typically create?
LEVITT: Indie Rock Pop
KENZO: Indie pop rock
OPUS: What is your creative process like?
LEVITT: We send each other song ideas in a group chat, then each of us add to those ideas with our own flare
OPUS: What is the ultimate goal you want your music to achieve?
LEVITT: Our ultimate goal is to make more music
OPUS: How do you feel the internet has impacted the music industry?
VAN: It completely shifted the entire music industry. The internet has allowed us as a band to flourish. We have been able to self release all our own music, and build an amazing following all from essentially nothing. However there are downsides. Access to free music has devalued a lot of music in general, so monetization without concerts and touring is essentially impossible. This isn’t any individuals fault, but it’s clear people aren’t really willing to buy music. Services like Spotify are amazing for sharing music and completely changed the way we think about music, but they do make it hard for musicians to make a living. I suppose you have to take the good with the bad though. I don’t think Nautics would be where we are without the internet, so I can’t complain at all, but I hope artists can find a way to work with audiences to be able to live off their art.
OPUS: What is the best advice you've been given?
AMIR: Surround yourself with creative motivated people, it’ll always lead to your self improvement
OPUS: What is your favourite song to perform?
LEVITT: Cosmonaut
AMIR: Sotheby’s is really fun to perform live. We just can build a really fun energy.
OPUS: What are your goals for the bands within the next year? Where do you see yourselves?
LEVITT: To continue to make music
OPUS: Anything else you wish to say about yourselves or your music?
LEVITT: We hope everyone is staying safe during this crazy time
PHOTO BY EVARISTE
OPUS
ISSUE 01
OPUS
ISSUE 01
TRANS EXCELLENCE
NIK NOEL
PHOTOGRAPHY
Trans Excellence is a work in progress with collaborator Elle Conant. Through this summer we've documented one another as a wordless conversation and reflection on transness. The goal of the work is to provide continued visibility to trans bodies, as well as explore intimacy photographically. Through the work we hope to better understand ourselves, and give the viewer a sense of curiosity and approachability to the concept of being transgender. The images have been taken in Rock Creek Park, and Harper's Ferry, WV.
OPUS
ISSUE 01
WRETCHED GUARDIANS
TEARS OF MANIA
ILLUSTRATION
Having read somewhere that when you're angry. It's your mind telling you that you are not being treated the way you deserve to be. A very thought provoking phrase. Later, applying this phrase to sadness. These two emotions have surprisingly similar qualities. We often suppress these feelings because we are afraid of how we'll be viewed by others. Anger brings out our aggression and sadness brings out our vulnerability. Personally speaking, having ignored these moods for too long. Drive home the fact that we should pay attention to our anger and sadness more. From their perspective, they are protecting us in ways that we will not enjoy. Unfortunately, it is our responsibility to keep them in check. The damage would be too great if we let them out of control. Anger and Sadness, though they may bring out our flaws. Help us understand when we are entitled to fight for better treatment and our happiness.
OPUS
ISSUE 01
BLUE THREAD
EEVIE
POETRY
Piecing my world back together with vibrant
Blue thread,
I catch myself thinking,
“this is right.”
This is how it’s meant to be.
This makes sense to me.
It isn’t turtles all the way down—
But our precious universe hanging on by a string.
And you just know it’ll break
One day.
But until that day comes
We patch the holes in our exteriors
Reconnect our joints with as much thread as we can carry—
Marionette dolls in denial,
We glue each hair back onto our head,
Sodder teeth into place,
And then do it all again tomorrow.
Because the only thing worse than facing reality
Is closing your eyes
And hoping
It won’t
Get
You.
OPUS
ISSUE 01
BACK TO OUR SALAD DAYS
ISABELLA BLUE
ART
a child sitting on the ground, knees covered in dirt, infatuated with the lady bird that crawls across the flower in the garden.
the child, now picking up the lady bird ever so gently and placing it on their infant hand, watches intently as it ambles from one end of the middle finger to the other.
still deeply besotted with this creature, they watch until the lady bird flies off and is no longer in sight. and as it flies away, the clocks begin their anthem once more and the clouds continue their dance across the sky.
OPUS
ISSUE 01
SCREENING IN A TRAIN CAR
AZKA NAWAL
POETRY
we’ve always done things with half the effort,
but a formulaic liaison doesn’t call for it.
I think that’s why I can’t understand
what the thuds in the night mean.
we’re on a train exchanging profiteroles,
as I pretend our cylinder of conversation starters isn’t hollow.
I tell you about the last film I watched,
an epic about an exiled knight who
still keeps the king’s heart stashed in his armor for safe keeping.
you claim it plagiarized us
I’m inclined to agree,
except our story was stashed in a vault and never seen again,
until now.
try not to pull at the seat’s threads, darling,
the conductor is watching.
and don’t try and leave your seat, dear,
this train has no intentions of stopping
the ruling and the exiled
would be brought together
by our sitting together.
we’re a sordid distraction in their warring looks.
something about this whole situation
sounds like a dark joke
catered to your humor.
just let me know when you’ll stop laughing
so i can continue.
I think I loved you for a second,
but then the moment passed.
a thump in the night that I misinterpreted
(you tell me, hours later, that you forgot your ticket)
OPUS
ISSUE 01
THƯƠNG
EM. T
POETRY
thương
[thu-wong]
verb
Definition:
1. The most sefless yet sneaky form of love.
Usually expressed subtly and silently.
2. You can catch glimpses of it
in a warm bowl of homemade bún riêu soup.
A plate of fresh fruits cut into small
pieces after dinner for desserts.
3. Traces of it can be heard
from the broken English recited by the mother
who burned up her dreams
just to warm her children with her fire
as it adorns overworked hands with bones and veins,
dark circles under tired eyes,
in ways resembling a piece of art
that reminds you of what
beauty truly looks like.
Cheeks still glowing
Eyes still smiling
Full of life.
Full of fire.
4. The reason why most Vietnamese parents
don't tell their children "I love you".
To thương someone without putting it into words
is loud enough
because it is what keeps the fire going
to light up the place where you would call home.
OPUS
ISSUE 01
TALES OF LISBON
SEIGAR
PHOTOGRAPHY
Seigar is a passionate travel, street, social documentary and conceptual photographer based in Tenerife. He feels obsessed with pop culture which shows in his series. He is a fetishist for reflections, saturated colors, curious finds and religious icons. He also flirts with journalism and video. His main inspiration is travelling. His aim as an artist is to tell tales with his camera, creating a continuous storyline from his trips. His most ambitious projects so far are his Plastic People, a study on anthropology and sociology that focuses on the humanization of the mannequins he finds in the shop windows all over the world, and his Tales of a City, an ongoing urban photo-narrative project taken in London. He is a philologist and also works as a secondary school teacher. He is a self-taught visual artist, though he has done a two years course in advanced photography and one in cinema and television. He has participated in several exhibitions and his works have been featured in many publications. He has collaborated with different media such as VICE and WAG1. He writes for Dodho and The Cultural about photography and for Memoir Mixtapes about music. Lately, he has experimented with video forms. His last interest is documenting identity. Recently, he received the Rafael Ramos García International Photography Award.
This street photography series was taken during my visit to the Madame X Tour in January 2020, and it represents my tribute to the biggest pop icon ever. Madonna's last album was inspired by the Portuguese traditional sounds, but also Latin and African rhythms. Lisbon was the best city in the world to understand the theatre concerts she was performing as Madame X. And she did it again! It was pure emotion. I understand photography as a personal diary of my experiences in life. I think it's difficult for me not to analyse what I see in my images, maybe because as a Philologist, and also as a writer for a magazine about other photographers, I just tend to find meanings, connections and relations in the finds that I capture with my camera. Communication plays an important role in everything that I create. I'm into clear and direct messages. Tales of Lisbon tries to portray from a pop perspective my guessings about why Madonna fell in love with this city and its culture. I wanted to fantasize about the reasons that made her compose her first world music record and probably her best. A good song to visualize this set could be Extreme Occident, it will give you the perfect hint to know Madame X.
OPUS
ISSUE 01
THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME
M.C. SHERMAN
POETRY
The most dangerous thing
I could think of doing is
kiss you - someone who
I’m not sure how they’ll
truly react - while drunk
and hiding in the internal closet.
OPUS
ISSUE 01
PERICULUM
CAMILA GALLEGO
ART
Camila Gallego is a Colombian art historian and illustrator. Her work takes on traditional drawing and painting media while exploring archetypes, mythologies, power systems and themes loaded with references to pop culture and colonial art.
OPUS
ISSUE 01
OPUS
ISSUE 01
SAFFRON LILY
SAFFRON LILY
VISUAL ARTS
Saffron Lily is an emerging artist working primarily through illustration, photography and writing. She was born in the UK but is currently based in Ireland. Her work focuses on human relationships, the impact of representation in media and trying to make the intangible feelings tangible.
Through her work, she explores themes of transience and change, connection and identity. Words and poetry heavily influence her visual work and they often interweave in how she chooses to express her concepts. Her work has been featured in Rookie Magazine, District Magazine and hitRECord on tv, as well as published in multiple books and magazines. Her work has been exhibited nationally and has had several international collaborations. She is the founder and editor of (un)titled a platform for emerging artists encouraging diverse and varied perspectives within new media. In 2018, she co-curated BDGRL an exhibition that featured film, sculpture and fine art and explored the issue of women’s representation. She has organised events that all share a main focus on elevating the voice of diverse young artists, a topic which she is passionate about.
OPUS: Tell us a little about yourself
SL: I’m a multimedia artist and student. I am currently based in Ireland but I’m of mixed UK-Chinese heritage. I love creating art and feel at home telling stories and trying to make intangible feelings tangible.
OPUS: When did you first become interested in visual arts and writing? What are some early memories you have about them?
SL: I think I have always had a desire to create, to document and to tell stories. To make witness to the things that passed by. I always remember wanting to express things creatively from an early age, from writing untranslatable stories to making pictures and imprints on whatever surface I could find. Circumstance brought me out of a linear education system, and it is within this that I was fortunate to really dedicate time to being creative.
OPUS: What does your work aim to say?
SL: Ultimately, I hope that the work I create makes people feel seen. That it invites and documents perspective and community, wherever that may be. This can often present itself in different ways depending on the medium I use, but I’m interested in the process and representation within art and media as a whole and I always aim to provide authenticity and care within the pieces I create.
OPUS: What has been one of the most interesting projects you've gotten to work on or that you initiated yourself?
SL: I think I’ve definitely been inspired by (un)titled and the connections and collaborations I have made within that. Interviewing and engaging with other creatives and witnessing other people’s stories has been really refreshing and rewarding. Curatorial work aside, I have also really loved creating work for Rookie Mag and illustrating for writers and artists I admire.
OPUS: What is your current creative space like?
SL: My creative space is combined with my living space, so there is plenty of overlap between the two. Around me now, there’s a collection of books and magazines, a Keith Haring postcard, a messy pencil case, some A3 photo prints and a collection of notebooks I keep.
OPUS: Do you have a specific curatorial style? Which artists have you been excited about recently?
SL: It changes depending on the context of the projects I’m working on and how each work relates and converses with one another. I’m often drawn to work that is thoughtful and creative in its process and ventures to communicate in new ways. Recent artists I’ve been inspired by within this curatorial setting are creatives such as Trent Trammell, Monica Lek and Bettina Avila – this is just to name a few – there are so many more artists that I’m continually excited about.
OPUS: You are the founder and editor of (un)titled, a publication that aims to showcase the diverse voices of young and emerging artists to create a beautiful and inspiring collection of work. What ultimately lead you to create (un)titled?
SL: Originally, (un)titled was created to build a community and platform for emerging creatives. I’ve always been inspired by zine culture and publications but felt it was rare to have found representations within mainstream media I truly resonated with. (un)titled is a way to document and support different creatives and provide new perspectives that I hope more people can relate to. Since its launch, I have released three online issues, produced a limited edition print issue, organised events and aimed to uplift organisations and artists that share the same values of inclusion and the consideration of ethics, responsibility and agency within changing media. I want to create a space where individuals can feel in control of their own narrative and be included alongside both emerging and established professionals. To allow a space for these conversations to co-exist. It’s a developing platform and currently non-profit and has many ways it can grow. The contributions have been voluntary so far but I’m working really hard to change that – that’s why every social media follow, share or donation has a direct, positive impact in keeping the project going.
OPUS: Do you have any upcoming plans/goals you'd like to share?
SL: I hope to continue to grow, develop skills, keep on educating myself and be able to create work that I really believe in. I want to create a life that I can dedicate my time to documenting and telling stories of different perspectives, focus on engaging and connecting with others, cherish creativity and contribute to a world in which we can build each other up.
OPUS
ISSUE 01
COLOURS
OSSIFRAY
ART
Colours is an exploration of the popular trend of pour painting. I wanted to seamlessly blend
an abstract background with a clearly representational figure. The fluid paint creates a dream-like atmosphere. Much like a dream, the contrast creates a place that is not quite real, but notquite unreal either.