masthead

Company No. 6920738. I AM LDN Limited - All rights reserved. 44 Lower Addiscombe Road, Addiscombe, Croydon, Cr0 6AA. I AM LDN Limited hold no responsibility for the opinions expressed within this magazine. All rights reserved to the producers.

DIRECTOR & EDITOR-IN-CHIEFKOFI BOAMAH

KBOAMAH@IAMLDNMAGAZINE.COMCO - DIRECTOR

MEHMET ALPTEKINMANAGING ASSISTANT

ALICE DANIELSASSISTANT DIRECTOR

JAMES LOVEDAY

INTERNS:DIANA LOLA CHIRE, ROOPALI SHARMA, ARINA BORODINA,

SEDGE BESWICK & NORMANDIE HOCHE

MY DREAMS ARE OF FASHION: PHOTOGRAPHY: JAMES LOVEDAY, STYLIST : YUKO NAKAO HAIR : SHINGO SHIBATA

MAKE UP : CANACO TAKASE MODELS : LUCCI @ TRUMP & TONIA @ MUSE

MELISSA BUGARELLA, BLUE CURRY, NASTASIA ALBERTI, ITAMAR, UMA GAVISH & ASPECKS

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CONTENTS 05 THE ENIGMATIC:

THE INTRODUCTION: Q & A

MY DREAMS ARE OF FASHION

I AM ART: MELISSA BUGARELLA

STREET WATCH

STYLE GUIDE

ASPECKS

I AM POETRY

I AM COMEDY

ESCAPE TO SOMEWHERE..

I AM LDN INTERVIEW WITH ITAMAR

I AM BLUE CURRY

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boom boom pow ILLUMINATE YOUR LIGHT. Q & A WITH THE EDITOR. Questions: Co-Director: M. Alptekin

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What made you start the I AM LDN project?To rule the world. Really Kofi....I’m just a big kid really. I do it just for fun and for the love of the art. And the culture. I love LDN.What’s this issue about?At first it was going to be about aliens and secret societies but we ended with this theme: ‘The Enigmatic’. Its more concept driven, arts and fashion based. But, I love my guide to chatting up birds. I had fun writing it.You’ve had a big influence on I AM LDN who exactly are you?A quiet alien.What music do you listen to?N*E*R*D, Last Shadow puppets, Tempa T, Ghostface and The xx. That Jay-Z tune ‘So Ambitious’ is my tune but I should just say everything really.Any thoughts on the recession?I hope it gets better.What’s your I AM LDN vision?Not to be deep but I think society is just full of so much crap these days. I honestly feel that there needs to be a refreshing voice amongst all the corporate pillaging and

celeb madness. It really does offer creatives an opportunity to interact with an arts media publication that isn’t focused on money.It’s been one year since we started this, what’s your favourite moment?A girl emailed me and she wrote about how much she loves I AM LDN and how a poem in the first issue gave her a fresh perspective on life. I know I’m being deep but it actually gave me more enthusiasm. It was more profound than someone just saying I really like the art or the photography is nice.What are you looking forward to at the moment?I AM LDN Apparel is going to be fun and a challenge...Any last words?We’re heavy on the Twitter game, deep in the Facebook world, savvy on the blogs and always updating our news section. And we’re on Youtube. I think we spread a lot of fun and discussion and I hope to spread more controversy!

Peace & Love

INTRODUCTION

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my dreams are of

fashionphotography: james loveday

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STYLIST : YUKO NAKAO HAIR STYLIST : SHINGO SHIBATA

MAKE UP ARTIST : CANACO TAKASE MODELS : LUCCI & TONIA

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Previous page: Top: Barneys New YorkSkirt: DKNYCurrent page:Dress: DKNYNecklace: Anthropologie

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Top left picture: Dress: Saks Fifth AvenueBottom left & above picture: Jacket: VintageSkirt: TopshopBelt: Cecilia De Bucourt

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Picture below: Dress: BCBG

Max AzriaPicture on the

right:Dress: Yves

Saint LaurentNecklace: TopShop

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Melissa Bugarella (b.1981, Italy) is an Italian artist and composer based in London. She was one of the artists featured in the BBC Documentary ‘Goldsmiths: is it art?’ in which she was portrayed in her studio, performing a psychedelic self-portrait over one of her recent musical composition’s; “ Vowels in the Snow”. Her work evokes ego-fantastic scenarios and expanded fantasies, swinging between vivid dreams and cult-like images. Her sculptures, videos and music

emerge raw from the world of the personal in order to reach out to the collective. ‘She graduated from the Goldsmiths MFA in 2009, and has since been actively exhibiting work in the UK and other parts of Europe. Her videos have been screened at the Camden Art Centre, and most recently her work was included in the show “Cross Currents” at The Barbican in London.’

www.melissabugarella.com

I AM ART

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LDN artist focus:Melissa Bugarella

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Unite. Reborn/ Iridescence

Plaster, resin, iridescent paint, rabbit fur

2009

Dimension: (approx.) 120 cm x 70 cm x 60 cm

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Arching my back to the sun

Plaster, resin, synthetic feathers, pigments

2009

Dimensions: (approx) 110 cm x 120 cm x 60 cm

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Unite. Reborn/ I come back to Ecstasy

Plaster, resin, varnish gloss, synthetic and natural feathers

2009

Dimension: (approx) 200 cm x 40 cm x 60 cm

STREET WATCH:

Chris. Studying Spanish. Wearing: Bantum Bowtie. Style Icon: Jay-Z. Fav place in LDN: Shoreditch.

Tommi T. Hair Dresser. Wearing: KT and Paul Tee. Pavillion hat and Kickers. Style Icon: Josh Beeston. Fav place: Covent Garden.

Bea. Product Design. Style Icon: Sienna Miller. Fav place: Tate Museum.

Sacha. Fashion Marketing. Wearing: River Island. Style Icon: Alexa chung.

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Occupation. Wearing. Style Icon & Fav place in LDN?

TOP STREET WATCH STYLING

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Charlotte. Fashion Design.

Wearing Primark. Style Icon: Agyness

Deyn. Fav Place in LDN:

Camden.Photography: Sedge Beswick

Button Detail Camisole £29.00Miss Selfridge

Disco Woven

Bow Clutch

£25 Accessorize

ASOS Belt

£12

White just for brides? No way, on the contrary! If you are a party animal, light colours and pastel shades are just what you need to glow in the dark and be easily

spotted! So swap your little black dress for this Miss Selfridge’s camisole top and this fantastic bow clutch handbag from Accessorize. Then grab those French

Connection shoes, ASOS belt to add a rock’n’roll twist to your outfit, and I bet that you’ll look good on the dance floor…

French Connection: White Pointed

Stuff Court: £110

STYLE GUIDE: THE SUMMER SCRAPBOOK

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Words: Normandie Hoche

Liberty patterns and flowers are exerting their power on our closets. Get the look with this stunning bustier or dress from French Connection.

They’re just the thing if you want that sexy demure look. Patchworks are also big again this summer. If you fancy that look, then slip into those

back-to-the-seventies jeans by ASOS. Also try these ASOS shorts; they’ll be perfect for a summer of love!

ASOS SS10 DenimPatchwork Shorts £25

ASOS Iggy

Patchwork

Jean £30

China Rose Bustier: £45French Connection

China Rose

Strappy Dress:

£75French Connection

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ASPECKS THESOCIAL ENTERPRISE

I AM SOCIALLY AWARE

Aspecks is a social enterprising network founded on the belief that society needs change. Aspecks finds that being based and living in London (a microcosm of global society itself), it is hard not to be inspired by the cosmopolitan spirit and richness of diversity that it is possible to encounter on a daily basis. Aspecks strives to emulate this spirit and promote it. Aspecks is on a mission, one that seeks to engage people and bring them together using the Internet and other media to communicate. They work through alliance building (with initiatives such as I AM LDN) and skills exchange to harness the collective power of global society for positive change. Check out the Aspecks Global Citizen Campaign creative competition, which is aimed

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WWW.IAMLDNMAGAZINE.COMPHOTOGRAPHY: JAMES LOVEDAY

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at students and young people (16 and above); asking them to find the most suitable articulation of what it means to be a global citizen. Aspecks is challenging all inhabitants of London to showcase their creative talent, subjective cultures and identities. The winning entrant will gain an opportunity to complete a month-long internship with ‘Global Mamas’ based in Accra, Ghana (a nice change of scenery as well as an opportunity for cultural exchange). Global Mamas is a non-profit and fair trade organization set up by the ‘Women In Progress’ network that assists women to become economically independent. Note: the exact job description for the internship will be matched to the winning entrant’s skill; set by ‘Global Mamas’. Your first step - become a member of the Aspecks online community, buy one of the limited edition Global Citizen t-shirts and submit some creative content to the website about what it means to be a Global Citizen. The competition has been designed to facilitate

a communal discussion of what makes a global citizen and why is it important to express oneself as a member of global society. Entries will be judged on the basis of creative thought and effort, and a cross-section of entries will be posted on the website. So don’t delay and make yourself heard! Aspecks itself is a social enterprise that has three main branches; it is an evolving creative endeavour (focused on unearthing creativity in a variety of forms – especially in London!), a social community (interacting via a sharedblog - with thought-provoking blog posts) and lastly, a business, that designs and prints t-shirts (as well as printing commercially for other businesses, campaigns and individuals); their t-shirts are printed on fair trade and sustainable garments, and their designs reflect their desire to celebrate the diversity of global culture.

Find out more here: www.aspecks.com

SPEAKING TO MY HEART. HOW?--A SPOKEN WORD POEM--

SPEAK.WORDS RUNNING AWRY

ACTIONS ARE MISUNDERTOOD SHROUDED.

DARK.SPEAK.

I MEAN SPOKEN.I CAN’T UNDERSTAND

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I AM POETRY

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LIFE.I JUST WANT TO BE

UNDERSTOOD.I JUST WANT TO BE UNDERSTOOD.

BUT, I DON’T WANT TO EXPLAIN.

WORDS:ALICE

DANIELSPART 2 OF: ‘I SPEAK POETRY,

TO GOD & WOMEN’

THE ARTISTIC ETHOS BEHIND THE ISSUE

PH: ARINA BORODINA

I AM LDN GUIDE TO - CHATTING UP ‘BIRDS’

I AM COMEDY

As much as women like to act as if they don’t like to be chatted up, this is just not true. Women want it just as much as men. But, what women really want is to be chatted up properly. Fortunately for you I AM LDN is here to guide you. Here are eleven laws to guide you into being a stud:

Taking action is nine tenth of the law:It doesn’t benefit anyone to be a wuss. The more women you speak to the better chance of success. Confidence is the name of the game. Regardless of how you look, without confidence you’re struggling. Don’t underestimate your attraction and assume better looking guys get more

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women. It’s not actually a truism as the barriers to entry for some women are higher if they perceive that you could be a ‘player’. So it may help to be average looking, as you can catch your prey off guard.

Make sure you wash your ass: This is 101 in basic courting. If you forget to wash yourself in the morning it’s best to perhaps spare her the attack of the body odour. You really can’t get around this one. Bad breath, bio and dirty clothes are just going to make your life unnecessarily difficult. Fix up.

Don’t underestimate your opponent:This is a key element in the art of seduction. To make a generalization, all women whether downright ugly or supermodel looking, attract male attention. You will rarely be the first person to have ever chatted a girl up, unless you’re chatting up kids, and that’s not really advisable. So expect resistance, be prepared to be original and show a genuine interest in her.

Fine line between aggression and charm:Not allowing women to sidetrack

you whilst you remain charming is really the killer instinct in becoming big in the game. Allowing yourself to delve into why she may be in a bad mood or why she doesn’t like cornflakes in the morning is all well and good. But, if the conversation doesn’t get to the juicy parts, like; “do you think we could go to a disco together and grind up a little bit?” then you’re only taking yourself down frustration lane and having a walk around annoying avenue. Toe the line between being pushy and keeping her on her toes. No girl likes a pushover.

The art of conversation: All women want a man that has ‘good’ conversational skills. Well, ‘good’ really means the ability to allow her to speak. The ability to allow her to speak about how her sister is always trying to upstage her or how her workmate keeps copying her is crucial. Making a women feel comfortable is indispensable in becoming big in the game. Become big in the art of small talk.

Respect the process: Understand that unless you’re trying to chat up a lady that’s easy

you need to respect the process. Appreciate that whether you’re the man of her dreams or not she has to take you through a vetting process. The speed at which she takes you through this process is a direct reflection on her perception of your charm, looks and your patience. Being over eager is a sign of desperation and is never cool. So, chill out.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket: Spread your wings. There’s nothing wrong with checking the produce in the fruit market.

The secret of mystery: Yes she wants to get to know you but she doesn’t need to know that you like dancing along to the songs when watching Glee on Channel 4 or that sometimes you pick your nose. Keep some things to yourself. An air of mystery is imperative in seduction. It comes natural to some. But, if you’re just not able to shut your mouth for longer than twenty seconds you need to learn immediately!

If you aren’t Asian don’t expect to

get an Asian girl unless you have reached level 10: Asian women in London are difficult to get as they have a culture that engenders a community that sticks together. If you want an Asian girl you’ll have to have studied the game and fully appreciated the process and the art of seduction. I suggest that you study them in their natural habitat first.

Have some money: No woman likes to live her life on the edge. As much as we don’t like gold diggers, money plays a role in women feeling protected by you. You don’t need to be Puff Daddy but at least have a plan.

Actually have a personality: This is the diamond in your crown. Without a life, personality or goals no woman is going to want to willingly go out with you. Go out, socialize, travel and get something to actually talk about. There’s no benefit to being a boring prick.

Words: Kofi BoamahPhotography: Sedge Beswick

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ESCAPE TO SOMEWHERE..PHOTOGRAPHY: NASTASIA ALBERTIMODEL: MARGHERITA VISCONTI

ESCAPE TO SOMEWHERE..

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ECLECTIC INTERVIEW WITH

ITAMAR(Band members from left to right): Pete, Simon,

Itamar and Jon.

PHOTOGRAPHY: OKE OGALI

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I AM MUSIC

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Honestly, you have a cool name. What’s the story? You can make one up if there isn’t one.Well, actually, Itamar is my name. I (sounds like E) means island in Hebrew and Tamar means palm. My mom likes palm trees so she called me Itamar. It’s quite a common name in Israel, but I found you also have Itamars in Spain and Brazil. Anyways, before I came to the UK, I recorded an EP, and since I was on my own back then, I used my name - Itamar. The EP was then played on a lot of stations here in the UK,

so when I got the band together, the name stayed.

Music is better than sex? They’re both great!

Your musical inspirations?I have a varied taste, but influences on my writing would probably be Depeche Mode, Suede, Smiths, Pulp, Radiohead, The Cure, Smash-ing Pumpkins, Placebo, Muse, Tori Amos, Roy Orbison etc etc.. The list is very long; I could go on all day long!

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Tell us a cool band story that makes us wish we were in your band...We get to do lots of funny things together. Like last month, we were featured on a show on BRMB radio in Birmingham, we were asked by the presenter to teach 20 random girls the chorus of one of our songs and we had 15 minutes to do it before performing it on the air. I think we did rather well, and the girls were really into it, it was a fun experience. The explosive interview question: do you like ice cream or cake? And tell us why?I’d say ice cream, something to do with the texture, and it also reminds me of summer and the beach.

Favourite place in the big LDN?Golders Green probably, it almost feels like back home, it’s where you have the best food in LDN!

Favourite song?Oh that’s an unfair question! Too many to mention.

Would you rather be a ghost or a zombie? I think I’d rather be a ghost. They can fly through walls and stuff, and make things move to spook others, so at least there should be some good entertainment. Zombies are just creepy!

Tell us a few things that are coming up for the band, shows etc?We’re currently working very hard on our new single, ‘Step On It’, and are planning to go into the studio in July to record it.

Sexual partners; ugly face and beautiful body or beautiful face and fugly body?I’d say the best combination would be a beautiful face and a beautiful body!

Any final words....Come check out our music on: www.myspace.com/itamarts

I AM Blue Curry

Blue Curry is an artist also recently seen on the BBC documentary ‘Goldsmiths: But is it Art?’ which took us on his interesting journey through London’s contemporary art scene. He was recently selected for inclusion in the Catlin Guide to the 40 important emerging artists

in the UK for 2010. We caught up with Blue and he is currently busy preparing for shows in France, the Dominican Republic and Selfridges. Blue Curry’s work connects us with fantasies of the native, the tropical and the exotic and considers how these constructs are

Photographer: Jens Marott

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created, reinforced and knowingly played into. His elegant yet shambolic sculptural pieces sit somewhere between the ethnographic find, tourist souvenir and contemporary art object. Born in Nassau, Bahamas in 1974, he is a recent graduate of the Goldsmiths MFA Fine Art program and has shown work at Art Basel Miami Beach, The Nassauischer Kunstverein, Germany and Real Art Ways, Connecticut.

www.bluecurry.com

Untitled

Conch shell,stroboscopic lamp

(flash rate variable)

25 x 20 x 15cm

2009

Untitled

Rope, polystyrene buoys, resin,crystal rhinestones

1,100 x 25 x 25 cm

2010

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Untitled

Rope, bull shark jaw, 567 hours cassette tape

300 x 50 x 50 cm

2009

Our deepest fear is not that we

are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we aren’t stylish. Style is the new substance.

- I AM LDN APPARELComing soon.

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