Interview with Alex Singh of etc. on the boutique label’s most recent project, Swami Safari. What’s the concept behind the Swami Safari project? ‘The basic concept is exploring this Swami character we’ve created, who’s running around on his inner safari in the ether. During his safari he interacts and meets all kinds of gods, crazy creatures and fantastical people and places taken out of ancient mythology. A new tee is designed and produced each month in association with a specific artist’. How does this fit in with everything else that you’re doing? ‘This is the first phase of Project Marrakech, an online exploration and transition of real world fashion into a digital space. Swami Safari is a side project for the etc. label but its also part of a totally different direction. Currently the fashion industry is very backwards, very archaic, very traditional. We’re trying to break that model and the inflexibility behind it by going online and direct to our (potential) customers’. What are the core themes inspiring Swami Safari each month? ‘The main theme is mythology, then ancient history and culture. The underlying creative themes are obviously the story telling aspect and James’ artistic style too. But purely in terms of monthly inspiration I’d also consider contemporary and ancient religions, spirituality and all things airy and fairy that are difficult to define. The things science can’t measure or comprehend – which mean that it avoids definition and one-minded interpretation’. We’ve got three Swami Safari tees to give away. Leave a comment telling us which mythology you’d like to see explored by the Swami in an upcoming month and we’ll announce the three lucky winners with a comment on Friday Dec 22.
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Also by ANDY
Struth! We’re now stocking the beautifully designed and overtly Australian range of products by Aussie illustrator, Eamo. Perfect for those of us living abroad, who miss the taste of Vegemite and the smell of the beach, or those whose fleeting connection with the big brown land has left them longing for more.
We’re now stocking your creations
Our online store has been kicking along nicely for a while now, featuring prints by Andy Smith [pictured], tees by Das Monk and jewellery by This Charming Man to name a few. We have visitors from all across the globe and some of our pieces have been racing out the virtual door faster than we imagined possible. Aw, shucks! Now it’s your turn. If you design, create, or distribute products and artwork that fits with our style, and you’d like to see your goodies stocked on our shelves in time for Christmas, drop us a note introducing yourself and we’ll take it from there. Psst … we’re planning some Christmas gift ideas and subscriber offers too. We reckon you’ll like them.
The knuckle sandwich charm necklace by This Charming Man features two pieces of bread on either side of a tiny set of brass knuckle dusters. Rad huh? Get yours now for $140.
YOU'RE SAYING (16)
Es said | 15 December, 2006
The Olympians are always a good one. I would like to see Athena being featured, seeing as though she’s the goddess of domestic arts & war. It can be the war against bad taste, and as her symbol is the owl, maybe you can have a owl perched into a crayon tree where the branches are crayons & the colours spill into the sky. Or a monochrome version of what I just described.
I’m also a fan of Romulus & Remus drinking the milk from the tits of the she-wolf. That would make a lovely detailed drawing on a T don’t you think.
Ian M. said | 15 December, 2006
the surf gods…we need a good surf swell due to having crap waves recently :[
Gary said | 15 December, 2006
Honestly, I believe everyone will be intrigued to see Swami exploring the Egyptian mythology as, of today, amazingly it’s still shrouded in mystery with its ancient hieroglyphs, tombs and pyramids.
Legendary and historic. Complex yet alluring. The physical and spiritual attraction it offers will definitely lead Swami and inevitably us to further explore and experience the adventure of a lifetime!
Dittmar said | 16 December, 2006
Tarot mythology. All cards indicate that I want a shirt.
hussy said | 16 December, 2006
the mythology of rockology … wolfmother; leather pants; and the mighty heavy metal salute.
lastworthy said | 18 December, 2006
how about slavic mythology? all kinds of fun/underappreciated stuff, Koschei the deathless, baba yaga, underwater kingdoms, prophetic birds: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Vasnetsov_Sirin_Alkonost.jpg
luchinko said | 21 December, 2006
I think any exploration should start within, Swami should realise him/herself as a baby, new to the world and excited by ordinary objects… a sort of renewed vision of life and all the coolness within it!!!
George said | 21 December, 2006
If your really trying to break the cycle of the ‘backwards’ fashion world:
1) go study fashion
2) try doing something stussy hasn’t already done
3) do something forward…….starting a t’shirt label isn’t the most ‘OUT OF THE BOX’ thing
….why don’t you try colouring books.
Alex said | 21 December, 2006
Gypsy (Roma) mythology, such as vampires and werewolves would be kind of cool. The less well known stories and characters/creatures could be explored as well.
ANASTASIA said | 21 December, 2006
the russians are definately responsible for bringing more than just vodka to the world…. swami may care to delve into the battle between belobog & chernobog, fly with the sunbird, dive underwater and peruse vodniks’ collection of jarred souls… or bring to light many of the other much underappreciated russian jems
Rob said | 22 December, 2006
Swami should tap into the mythology of Mesopotamia (ancient Iraq). Te land of the Tigris river and the Euphrates is full of amazing myths and stories but also because Iraqs cultural heritage is being so terribly pillaged and forgotten with all the horror thats happening there now. I was particularly thinking of the story of Gilgamesh, the oldest ever recorded epic . It is about King Gilgamesh and his buddy Enkidu’s wild adventures and its full of quests and monsters and sex with sacred prostitutes and drinking and swearing and fighting and killing and grumpy gods and journeys to the underworld and so forth….lots of fantastical good stuff to draw images from.
Salimah said | 22 December, 2006
Yoruba mythology is really dynamic, beautiful and sometimes frightening, almost always allegorical.
Squee said | 22 December, 2006
How about the mythology of the Magic 8 Ball… how is it that it always knows the right answer in a time of need…
Zolton said | 22 December, 2006
Thanks to all the entries and the creative suggestions. The three winners of Swami t-shirts are Rob, Anatasia, and Es. Congrats to all. If you can email me with your postal details, we can get an awesome Swami shirt to you shortly after Christmas.
Mario said | 23 February, 2007
Urban mythology
HAVE YOUR SAY
San Francisco-based photographer Trevor Traynor’s work has appeared in New York magazine, Germany’s Lodown magazine, and Australia’s Kerb Journal. Read more
The controversial and multifaceted International contemporary art exhibition Trailblazers hits Sydney this month. Boutwell Draper Gallery will grace multimedia works by pioneering Australian, American and European artists from November 19 onwards. I’m thrilled to see groundbreaking pieces by Ben Frost, Kill Pixie, Copyright and Cleon Patterson [above], to name a few. The vast array of paintings, photography, sculpture, installation, video and digital arts is on display until December 13. C’mon, you know you want to culture your soul.
These Internal Organ Keds by Dynomoose remind me of the posters in front of Chinese foot massage places that show how different parts of the foot correspond to an organ in the body.
Hong Kong-based illustrator Man-Tsun draws dark and beautiful painterly images that look like they are straight off a high-end Japanese animated film. Read more
Our celebrity-saturated culture makes many of us irrationally hateful of the faces we see on our TV screens and magazine pages. Good thing there’s Celebrity PunchOut to let off some of that steam.
I don’t get Flight of The Concords. I just don’t find it funny. I also don’t get most comedy these days. It’s so derivative and clichéd. Everyone wants the same laughs. I like comedy that pushes the boundaries in strange ways. Fonejack is one underground unit that have had me rolling around on the floor with their real life skits. Read more
Last weekend I went to the Golden West in Baltimore to check out the What Cheer? Brigade, a marching band from Providence. I wasn’t expecting much, but when they opened with a cover of Slayer’s Raining Blood, my knees buckled. I think I could hear a musak version of that riff, and I’d still bang my head. The rest of the band’s set was just as riotous, with people dancing so hard, you’d think we were at Mardi Gras. I haven’t had that much fun at a show in ages.
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WE'RE POSTING / SOME OF THE BEST
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Good thing Kris Kuksi channelled the trauma of growing up with an alcoholic stepfather, his disdain for ‘the typical American life and pop culture’, and his fascination with the macabre into obsessive, baroque assemblages, paintings, and drawings. Read more
Scanners’ new single Salvation
I love this track by London based rock group, Scanners, which is off their latest album, Submarine. Having toured with acts such as The Horrors, The Wedding Present, The Charlatans, Electric Six, and Juliette & The Licks, Scanners could well blow up in 2010. Figuratively speaking, not literally. No, that wouldn’t be fun.
Forget battery powered vehicles. Cars made from ice are the future of transportation: no pollution, no honking horns, no painful rap music blasting out of souped up stereos. And if they melt, they melt. You just swim the rest of the way down the slipstream.
Thanks to Sony Australia, four Lost At E Minor readers will win personal audio prizes, including the new 8GB Walkman S series video MP3 player and the MDRXB500 Extra Bass headphones. Read more
Based around the iconic album cover, With the Beatles, this tee from Klaus Industries suggests that ‘the Beatles were not only ahead of their time, they were ahead of ours.’ Printed on American Apparel, we’re selling the t-shirt in our online store for just $30. Read more
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Monty said | 15 December, 2006
If the t-shirts are anywhere as cool as the photos, then I’m putting my hand up for one right now …!