Mulackstraße

Butterflysoulfire

Butterflysoulfire

Mulackstrasse 11 

Berlin 

www.butterflysoulfire.com

Black Antoinette

An impressive exhibition celebrating the launch of Olaf Hajek’s latest book, Black Antoinette.

Hajek’s work questions the differences between painting and illustration. The artist mixes bursts of folk, ethnic, mythological and all manners of exotic imagery, creating allegorical panels that reach far beyond what is normally known as ‘illustration’ in terms of composition and texture.

Black Antoinette
An Exhibition by Olaf Hajek

5th until 29th of July

Gestalten Space
Sophie-Gips-Höfe
Sophienstraße 21
Berlin

www.gestalten.com

Thanks for coming – A Casting Diary

In the past seven years fashion photographer Mark Pillai has photographed around 1200 models at castings in his Parisian apartment and studio. Pillai spends an unusually long time with each model because it is the only time that model and photographer meet alone – different to fashion shoots where they are constantly surrounded by stylists, make-up artists and assistants. Pillai is looking for a personal interaction with the models. He wants to find out what makes each model unique. During these castings Pillai works with whatever the sitter, the lighting and space in that moment have to offer.

The results of these intimate encounters are spontaneous and often very natural portraits of young women, far from the typical casting-„polaroid“. Effortlessly, these instantaneous portraits bring to light a glimpse of the personality of each model.

The images selected for the exhibition will be shown as a slideshow on a custom-made wall inside the gallery. Here, the distance between the projector and wall simulates the distance between photographer and model. In this way the viewer can re-live the intimacy of this moment.

Mark Pillai (*1975 in Pforzheim, Germany) is a fashion photographer and lives in Paris with his family. His images have been published in international magazines such as Dazed&Confused, Ten, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and many others. His clients also include Hugo Boss, Joop, Givenchy and H&M. This is his first solo-exhibition.

Mark Pillai
Thanks for coming – A Casting Diary
6th until 28th of July

Galerie Pavlov’s Dog
Bergstraße 19
Berlin

www.pavlovsdog.org

8 Questions to Mark Pillai

What is your background and how did you end up doing what you are doing today? 

I have to admit that I always was fascinated by this technical miracle capturing a moment of our life and seeing it projected on a wall or appearing magically on a print in the darkroom.

Well, times have changed and digital photographs can instantly be viewed on the back of the cameras. A good thing I assume. I don’t care so much about the technical side anymore. I focus only on what’s happening in front of the camera and eventually check rapidly after if, for example, the exposure was correct. Going through the shoot still has its surprises though – almost like when shooting on film.

I have assisted other Photographers for many years and traveled a bit through the world - shooting catalogs for mail-order-houses, advertising campaigns for cars or editorials for sports & health magazines. But rarely fashion – (un)fortunately ! I guess that’s why I had to leave Germany.

Becoming a fashion photographer was not because of the fashion but what it allows you to do with it. Transforming and directing the models how to pose in front of the camera is only a part of many others that I love. And so you can see at my current exhibition at Pavlovs Dog, the process of the casting is another major aspect of my work that I enjoy.

What is your motivation?

Good question! I don’t know anything else I’m good at! Not saying I’m a good photographer – it just happens to work out for me – at least for the moment! And what else can be more exciting in photography than shooting women and experiencing the aesthetics of the female body!?

Who would you like to work with?

I still ask myself how it would feel to photograph a blind person. Would it be like with kids that don’t have this self-perception like models do…? And how would I feel about the fact that they would never see the result of their effort?

What is your favorite subject in your photography?

See answer to question no.2

If your weren´t a Photographer, what else would you be?

I grew up in the country side in the south of Germany. As kids we spent most of time outside on the fields or in the forests. Before taking it more seriously with photography I thougt I should do something considered ecological, following an ideal.

What is your favorite place to be?

Behind my camera! Best place to hide and to observe! Feels sometimes like wearing a magic mask that allows you to do things you wouldn’t dare with out it!

What does a typical Sunday morning look like for you?

Sunday, Monday or Friday is all kind of the same. Except that most people don´t work on the weekends, so I don´t have to stick to anyone´s schedule. that’s why I enjoy the weekend more – there isn’t any rush!

If you were a color, what color would it be and why?

I reckon it would be something simple, subtle. Look at the colour of my skin, I would probably be just that colour. But to be honest, I find it quite a difficult to point out a color. I´m kind of scared of colours, and if you look around my place, there´s hardly any colour that jumps out. 60% grey is a bit boring, but I reckon that might do the job… 



www.markpillai.com

dottirDOTTIR

dottirDOTTIR is a pop-up shop that shows exciting North-Atlantic avant-garde, street and exclusive fashion design. Designers exhibiting are: Barbara i Gongini (FO), Bibi Chemnitz (GRL), MUNDI (IS), EYGLO (IS), STEINUM (FO), Hlin Reykdal (IS), Hringa (IS), Inuik (GRL), DisDis(IS).

The Berlin-based, Reykjavik-bred artist, designer, filmmaker Hulda Ros Gudnadottir transformed the BOLD Room in a unique retail installation.

The Pop-Up Shop will be open from 

5th until 28th of July

BOLD ROOM
Torstraße 68
Berlin

www.dottirdottir.com

Café Fleury

Café Fleury

Weinbergsweg 20
Berlin