rain and sun in the citystreets..

we are featured w/ our crowd-sourcing drive for citybirches at ROTE RAUPE · A HOME FOR MUSIC | ONLINE INDIE FANZINE

‘citybirches’ is featured at ‘Actual Colors May Vary {ACMV}’

❝ Actual colors may vary ❞ {ACMV} is an online magazine focusing mainly on photography & music, with a side dish of art, design, film and nice places worldwide.

Founded in late 2010, ACMV is edited by Julia Schiller and Oliver Schneider – both photographers and freelance Art Directors living/working in Berlin, Germany.

In 2006, when I picked up my camera and set out to give visual form to my appreciation and zest for innovative, path-breaking musicians and bands, it was the beginning of an enthusiastic long-term project. For five years, with patience and openness, I took the time to devote myself to many fascinating individuals and bands, and to piece together a detailed portrait of musicians’ everyday life on tour. Many renowned artists and young talents were enthusiastic about my idea, so that up to 2011 I was able to work together with 150 bands, including Sonic Youth, Lambchop, Explosions In The Sky, Calexico, R.E.M., Future Islands, and Deerhunter – to name just a few.

The end result is citybirches: a comprehensive, multi-faceted photography work for interested music lovers and fans.

In order to acquaint you with citybirches and actually place this project in your hands in the form of a book, I am presently negotiating with a particularly pleasant and professional publisher, the Kettler Publishing House. This publisher shares my and your own passion for music and would like to bring out citybirches as a high-quality edition of 1,000 copies in Germany and the USA. An accompanying CD-compilation presenting compositions by the portrayed artists is planned for my label, “Haywain Recordings,” and will come with the book.

In spite of my own sizeable investments and the support of Kettler Publishing, however, I do need your help to manifest citybirches as a book and to actually get the portraits of these impressive musicians out into the world. For the complete financing of the production, we still have a deficit of €10,000.

Naturally, anyone who supports the project will be rewarded! For this reason I am initiating a Crowdfunding Drive, which will not only help me but will also provide you with a signed, limited edition of citybirches. Along with the signed book, signed museum-quality prints, on highest quality 240g/m2 fine-art-paper in sizes ranging from 4.1″ x 5.8″ to 16.5″ x 23.4″ will be included as a special bonus. Additionally, all donors who acquire “parts” for over €75.- will be immortalized as patrons in the book, where their names will be listed.

Please help to bring a wonderful project to fruition! I would be deeply thankful for any kind of backing, whether in the form of monetary donations or through spreading the word to others who may also be happy for an opportunity to financially support this project!

With best regards,
Stephan

*Crowdfunding Site*

Sky Histoire debut 7″ -Sunlight- will be released on Haywain Recordings (HD16) December 9th, 2011, with a launch concert at Mme Claude, Lübbener Strasse 19, Berlin-Kreuzberg. The single is available as a six-track name-your-own-price download (yep, you can download it for free if you like) from www.skyhistoire.com

order now: [limited cassette, dl, print edition]

Lower Dens – Live at Westgermany, Berlin 2010 [limited cassette, dl, print edition]. get yr copy here!

order now: [limited cassette, dl, print edition]

you can purchase this tape/dl/print release in our store. edition of 100, signed and numbered.

[Haywain Recordings] tape release: Lower Dens – Live @Westgermany, Berlin 2010 from haywain recordings on Vimeo.

Lower Dens – Live @Westgermany, Berlin 2010

Cassette, mp3 coupon (320 kBit/s) & fine art print ‘Jana Hunter #2′, 2010.
Archival pigment print 5.8 x 8.3 in. (14.8 x 21 cm) on premium photo luster paper, courtesy of the citybirches photography works series by Stephan Laackman.

Signed and numbered.

Edition of 100.

Out on August 29, 2011

Preorder now: www.haywain.com

(c) (p) 2011 Haywain Recordings & Lower Dens.
All rights reserved.

Heroismen from Neonchocolate Gallery on Vimeo.

Künstler: Ignacio Chávarri / Jäki Hildisch / Stephan Laackman / Gwenaël Rattke
Titel der Ausstellung: “Heroismen”
Stilrichtung: Fotografie, Collage, Installation
Ausstellungsdatum: 15.01.11 – 28.01.11

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VERNISSAGE: Sa. 15.01.11 – 19 Uhr

DE

Helden haben etwas besseres verdient!
Schablonenhafte Abbildung und Reduktion auf singuläre Merkmale ermöglichen nur selten eine tiefgründigere Wahrnehmung des eigentlichen Phänomens.

„Heroismen“ vereint 4 Künstler, die sich auf unterschiedliche Weise mit Themen wie Starkult, Fanatismus, Selbstdarstellung und Inszenierung auseinandersetzen. Gezeigt werden Arbeiten aus den Bereichen der Fotografie, Collage und Installation.

Jäki Hildisch bereist als Tourmanager mit Künstlern wie Tokio Hotel und Robbie Williams die Welt. Digitale Fotografie ist für ihn ein passendes Medium um dem Betrachter einen erweiterten Blick auf die Umgebung der Stars zu ermöglichen, die hauptsächlich aus Hotelzimmern, Flughäfen und Backstageräumen besteht. Oft legt er den Fokus auf jenes, was ansonsten meist unscharf bleibt – die Fans und ihre bedingungslose Ergebenheit.

„Every Finnish man has a superhero inside: come and get photographed in underwear!“ Diesem Aufruf in einer Zeitungsannonce von Ignacio Chávarri folgten im Winter 2009 mehr als 30 finnische Männer, um sich von ihm fotografieren zu lassen. Chávarri machte sich hierbei die finnische Angewohnheit zu Nutze, sich in knallbunte, hautenge Thermowäsche zu kleiden, die von Superheldenkostümen kaum zu unterscheiden ist. So demokratisiert Chávarri in seiner „finnish superhero collection“ den klassischen Heldenbegriff.

Gwenaël Rattke setzt in seinen Collagen cineastische Helden in Szene, er entmachet die Herren der deutschen Industrie und holt versunkene Orte und ihre Epochen zurück. Rattke beschäftigt sich in seinen Arbeiten mit Ideologien der Vergangenheit; sie entstehen in zeitaufwändiger Handarbeit ohne digitale Hilfsmittel und wahren so den Geist der von ihm idealisierten Ära.

‚citybirches photography works (2006-2010)‘ von Stephan Laackman ist die visuelle Umsetzung einer musikalischen Freundschaft. Seine Momentaufnahmen erzählen von den unverfälschten Persönlichkeiten der Musiker. Hier ausgestellt findet sich ein Einblick in dieses fotografische Langzeitprojekt, welches von Ausstellungen begleitet und zusammen mit einer Musikkompilation und einem Fotobuch komplettiert wird. Dieses widmet sich Independent- und Alternative-Bands auf Tour: so u.a. Sonic Youth, Lambchop, Times New Viking, R.E.M., Mogwai und Mudhoney.

Kuratiert wird „Heroismen“ von Stefan Fähler, Illustrator aus Berlin und Gründungsmitglied der Band Château Laut.

Photo: Tim Harrington #5 (Les Savy Fav 2007) by Stephan Laackman

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EN

Heroes deserve better!
Stereotypical images and the reduction to single characteristics rarely offer a deeper perception of the actual phenomenon.

„Heroismen“ features 4 artists and their different approach to topics such as stardom, fanaticism, self-expression and -invention. The presented work ranges from photography to collage and installation.

Being a tour manager, Jäki Hildisch travels the world with artists like Tokio Hotel and Robbie Williams. Digital photography is the perfect tool for him to allow the viewer a closer look into the environment of the stars, mainly consisting of hotels, airports and backstage rooms. He likes to capture what is rarely seen in the spotlight – the fans and their absolute devotion.

„Every Finnish man has a superhero inside: come and get photographed in underwear!“ In the winter of 2009 more than 30 finnish men followed Ignacio Chávarri´s call in the classifieds to have their picture taken. Chávarri takes advantage of the finnish habit to wear multicoloured thermal underwear, which is quite hard to differentiate from typical superhero costumes. With his „finnish superhero collection“ he democratizes the classical definition of a hero.

The work of Gwenaël Rattke glorifies cineastic heroes, disempowers the gentlemen of the german industry and brings back forgotten places and their epoch. In his collages Rattke deals with ideologies of the past, assembled in a time-consuming process without the use of digital equipment to keep the spirit of his idealized era alive.

‚citybirches photography works (2006-2011)‘ by Stephan Laackman is the visual translation of a musical friendship. He captures moments that tell of the pristine personalities of the selected musicians. In this exhibition we get a glimpse of his photographical long term project, which is accompanied by exhibitions and completed by a music compilation and a photography book. His pictures focus on independent and alternative bands on tour and feature the likes of Sonic Youth, Lambchop, Times New Viking, R.E.M., Mogwai and Mudhoney.

„Heroismen“ is curated by Stefan Fähler, illustrator from Berlin and founding member of the band Château Laut.

neonchocolate.de

Stefan Fähler, Berlin based artist and founding member of experimental rock band Château Laut, has designed gig posters for a slew of awesome acts, including Ariel Pink, Aids Wolf, Damo Suzuki, Liturgy and Shonen Knife.

flog.fbiradio.com