Cosmopolitan Boys Sunday Snippets #012
Ugly Bastard on top of a car in Slawn's studio.
07/28/2024, Sunday, 4:24 PM @ Centro, São Paulo
I find myself in the process of launching one of the biggest projects I have ever been a part of, and I have been reflecting a lot on how to access more corporate spaces. How to make myself heard/understood by them, how not to lose my essence, and not to stop defending the things I believe in. There is a significant discrepancy between what happens on the street and what they think in offices, especially in Brazil, and it is a huge challenge to be able to build these dialogues. But I can see a promising future, speaking for myself and for creative youths like me.
These are some things that made me think this week, I hope you enjoy:
*Each topic is dissected a little more. Click the arrows and/or links.
WHAT I'M READING:
Slawn - The good, the bad, and the Ugly Bastard
Slawn is one of the most relevant contemporary artists in my opinion. I don't think there has been a day that I haven't seen something involving him lately. His interview with Avant Arte discusses a new sculpture, creative process, controversies about his works, etc. His café in London was one of the coolest places I've ever been to. And if you're wondering who is the baby that Central Cee is always seen holding, it's his son. Here are some translated excerpts from the interview:
about the sculpture: as God made us in His image. I do this in my image, some kid does something in his image, and then his son does something in the image of someone else, and so on, but it all comes back to God.
When I was younger, I had some friends who could draw Ben 10 and other cartoons very quickly, and I couldn't do that. It annoyed me. The only thing I could draw was Diary of a Wimpy Kid, so I kept drawing that and it evolved into this. The whole point of the art I make is that it’s easy for me to do.
Now it's muscle memory – I can't help it. That's where my style comes from, but it also continues to send me back to where I've been.
I was rebellious, dude. My teacher told me I was worthless. I said, fine, I'll make sure to be the biggest and best artist in the world. I have a problem with people telling me I can't do things. That's my main problem. I'm going to prove to you that I can. So I convinced everyone that this shit I make is amazing. So far, it's working.
I set out to do this. Definitely. I can't make art that people look at and cry from beauty. My technical skills don't reach that point because I'm too fast-paced. I need a quick burst of something, and the only way to get that quick response is through emotion. You don't always get that with happiness, but with anger and fury, it works every time. There's always something to get angry about. It spreads like fire.
about controversies of his art being racist: It's more the conversation. I see what happened on Twitter, and there are people responding "what is Jim Crow? I've never heard of that before." All it took was me being the villain in their lives, and now they know something they didn't know before. Now, if they walk into a strange house and see those objects, they know what it is. Run!
I like being the villain in things because often you discover that the villain is just someone who was trying, if not to save you, then to tell you something. It makes the movie much more interesting. Everyone loves a eureka moment, like when you're doing math and it ends up working. People who are smart enough to stop and research always discover that even if the work isn't revolutionary, it's interesting!
I'm a student of the game. I never start talking about something I don't know. People say "the only reason they are working with him is because he is an idiot." No, it’s because I create conversations for people, and they like that.
That's why I created Ugly Bastard. Never, ever did I think I was ugly. People call me ugly – dude, there’s a good chance your girlfriend might want me. Or they call me self-destructive – no, you just hate that I love myself. The problem is they really want me not to like myself, and that’s not possible.
Since I was 13, I have been practicing lucid dreaming. I have two or three minutes every time I wake from any type of sleep, where my brain is so active. It's unparalleled. I wake up and write down ideas.
My brain gives me the puzzle; all I have to do is put the pieces together to move forward. So when I'm painting, I don't focus on the work. I think that's called flow state. When I finish, it feels like I traveled through time; there's a piece of work, and I didn’t have to worry.
Some artists feel fulfilled when they see a beautiful piece they made. I usually think, "I'm going to make another one that’s better." Not necessarily "better" – I have works I painted three years ago that are much prettier than what I'm doing now. But that's because time makes things more beautiful. That’s why I always finish a piece, even if I don't like it.
The possibilities are endless. Movement is humanity. You have to keep moving. Maybe I’ll make one of him moving constantly. Maybe change the color.
Avant Arte: Finally, what do you have to say to the world? Slawn: Fuck off. But that’s what you were expecting.
STÉPHANE ASHPOOL: “I DO, AND I THINK AFTER”
I met Pigalle - a brand founded by Stephane - many years ago, probably because of A$ap Rocky and all the Tumblr culture, but it was only more recently that I started to understand Stephane's cultural importance to the city of Paris and streetwear as a whole (more precisely after last year's Fashion Week, when I realized he was the person behind the Stussy electric trio). The basketball court from the video of ‘Thiago Silva' by Dave with AJ Tracey, was an abandoned parking lot in the neighborhood that he turned into a court to reduce violence in the area through sports. This year he was the creative director of the uniforms for the French Olympic and Paralympic delegations. The article discusses all of this in more detail.
There is a lot of momentum for the native Parisian at the moment, who founded the streetwear brand Pigalle in 2008. Almost everything Ashpool does involves his community, country, and sport — his holy trinity, you might say.
With keywords and anecdotes from the athletes fueling his sartorial steps, Ashpool spent endless nights in his studio — or “kitchen,” as he calls it (he sees himself as a baker exploring new techniques and layers) — weaving together and connecting with his list of suppliers and vendors he’s worked with over the years.
This attention to detail and method of working is something Ashpool has never really let go of, especially when it comes to Pigalle (named after the neighborhood where he was born and still lives). “I’ve always told my parents that I was very lucky to be born in this area, at the border of two different worlds. It’s a melting pot,” he says. “On one side, you have the roughness of the North, and on the other is the chic Parisian sensitivity that everyone knows and loves.”
They say our brains develop and absorb more until we are five years old — and Ashpool clearly absorbed all of Pigalle during his childhood years. We are an hour into our conversation; cars are honking incessantly, neighbors wave as they pass by, but none of this bothers Ashpool, whose eyes light up as he disappears into a nostalgic haze. “Paris was and is full of eccentric people. Dad worked in fabric design. Mom was a dancer from Sarajevo. I grew up surrounded by discipline and creativity. The queer scene around my mother was electrifying; the flamboyance of some of the personalities and outfits I saw in the 60s, when she worked with Paco Rabanne, was so revealing to me,” he explains. His mother helped models perfect their walk on the runway, thanks to her performance background, so Ashpool was constantly immersed in the vibrant energy of the fashion world. “People weren’t shy, and that led to my curiosity about this world. ‘Rabanne is using metal, wow. Mugler makes me feel like I'm in a circus! Ah, Gaultier has those frilled collars!’ It was a representation of my neighborhood and the people around me. Now it’s normal, but back then, it was magical.”
Basketball dictated my life from the start,” he says. “At six, I was training four times a week until I turned twenty. My mother gave me this mentality of ‘if you're losing by 10 points, you can still win by 20,’ which seeped into my basketball and my career in general.” For 10 years, Ashpool played at the highest level for the official Paris team, turning down opportunities to pursue a career in sports equivalent to France's NBA. Now, he coaches the local youth team, Pigalle Basketball 9, and used his love for the game to continue merging sports and fashion.
You will find that Ashpool puts almost all his heart into Pigalle. All the plans he has for his brand revolve around merging the worlds of sports and fashion, whether through physical spaces, local activations, or clothing.
“My main mantra is to use fashion as a means to create different things. A show, a soundtrack, a party, a basketball court.”
Using basketball to unite the younger generation reinforces Ashpool's notion as a community-focused creative. His Pigalle court was inaugurated over a decade ago, and now, the kids who played there have all grown up. “We stuck together like a family,” Ashpool says. “My other store was taken over by this 22-year-old kid, Theo. I met him on the court when he was eight. He actually looks like me,” Ashpool laughs. “He’s an incredible creative now, so I gave him my store to develop his business.”
Ashpool proves time and again that sports can be used as a vehicle for social change. “Community is a big part of Pigalle's identity,” he says. “Being authentic to who you are is the most important thing. I’m trying to put words to things I just do without thinking, but I’m someone who is spontaneous — I do, and think later.”
And that’s it. Despite his impressive resume, Ashpool continues to evolve and remains humble. "I’m a good student, but I’m still a student, though. I try not to plan too much and be independent. Freedom is the greatest luxury, trust me. My life is like a DJ set, not an album that ends after 10 songs." The French patriot has never strayed far from his roots, his people, or his home. "You know, I watch success from afar. It’s something so personal. I just drink my coffee and stay in my own lane.”
WHAT I'M LISTENING TO:
MIKE, Wiki, Alchemist - Faith Is A Rock
I revisited this the other day, my definition of ‘music to do things to’. Independent project, beautiful cover, awesome merch, authentic artists.
I’ve mentioned Sainté here before; I really like everything he releases and listen to it daily. I had seen that this song was coming out, but I hadn't seen the video yet. And when I saw it, I found myself and Qaslu 😂:
Note the empty wine bottle
And the song is pretty awesome by the way. That day was the Fête de La Musique, one of the craziest things I’ve ever lived.
WHAT I'M WATCHING:
I was expecting something completely different from this video and was pleasantly surprised. It’s a 1-hour set of songs that could be used as samples by Alchemist. I played it during dinner while eating salami and drinking wine, and it couldn't have matched better.
Using This iPod For 30 Days Changed My Life
This guy has a really cool channel that talks about music and is now doing a series of videos about how going back to using an iPod changed his life. He talks about conscious consumption, algorithms, social media addiction, the trivialization of art, etc. Really, really awesome content.
Olympics
Any time, any sport. Just wake up and turn on the TV. I love how this event stirs our emotions. Sports are really awesome. Even cooler being broadcast by CazéTV, a media revolution emerging before our eyes.
TWEETS OF THE WEEK:
I thought I wasn’t going to find anything to bring this week, but in the end, I liked the content a lot. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I have already found the location for our next event, more information soon.
OTHER EDITIONS:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Nl1EW19QTm3t5QMA6eLtM?si=4b55e5a881ff4376
©2024, We wake up and do things, Cosmopolitan Boys.
my portfolio http://caiodosreis.com my experiences http://instagram.com/caaaaaiooooo my research http://culturalmidfielder.tumblr.com my dj sets, beats, and remixes http://soundcloud.com/reisceo things I save http://pinterest.com/reisceo little notes https://twitter.com/reisceo
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