r magazine_issue 8_omnis

OMNIS Qua

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ly o

nlin

e m

agaz

ine

of A

’S d

e la

Per

fect

ion.

- IS

SN 2

369-

0313

no 8

Letter from the editor

OMNIS Mag

azin

e tr

imes

trie

l d ‘A

’S d

e la

Per

fect

ion.

- IS

SN 2

369-

0313

no 8

Photo : Barrie MacLeod

R Model : Bassam Sabbagh

©2013-2015 R Magazine

All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited.

Omnis!

Qu’es aquò?

The origins of this word are to be discussed. It is even said that it is one of those words for which the plural preceded the singular.

But what we will remember here is that omnis may be said about things that take all genres.

If we swap things with men and we take the word “omnipotent” or “omnigenus”, then it will be about people, for example, which can respectively do everything or produce every kind of things.

I am one of those people. I wear several hats, just to say the least...

From the life of accountant to that of rag selector through humanitarian work or even the creation of a magazine, I know what an omni can feel.

If truth be told, it is as energy consuming as energiz-ing.

Therefore, as Cicero said: “omnis omnia facere deb-et”*!

* Everyone must do everything

Blacky Gyan

TeamAngelique Marguerite Berthe Diène aka Blacky Gyan

Senegal - CanadaBesides her training in business management and business administration, Angeli-ca also has an innate passion for fashion and design. As a little girl, she painted bird feathers to make pendants. Later, she began creating accessories with everything she could put her hands on (cloth, shells, beads ...). She also specializes in cus-tomized clothing and manufactures decorative objects. Creator of this magazine, Angelica, who is no longer a little girl but has not reached the thirties yet, has many strings to her bow: Editor for Volup°2, Management Consultant, Co-founder of A’s de la Perfection, Professor of Senegalese languages (Wolof and Serer) and French, Advisor in business Management, writer for le Courrier des enfants (a Montreal organism), Intern for international solidarity in Nicaragua...

WRITING

Myriam Annick TchameniCameroon - Canada

Born in Cameroun, Myriam moved to Canada six years ago with her family. She spends her time between her communication studies and her interest in art and fashion.

Laura BonnieuFrance - Canada

Laura is from Montpellier in the south of France and lives in Montreal, Canada since 2013. Eager for travel, discovery and experience, she is driven by her dreams and her permanent challenges. After her studies in communication, she developed her personal art website in order to share her best picks in that area. Having devel-oped a passion for writing for ten years, she naturally joined the magazine’s editorial team for the release of the second issue. Passionate by numerical and graphical communication, she participates in R Maga-zine’s web promotion by animating people on social media such as Facebook, Twit-ter and Pinterest. Having more than one string to her bow, she also participates in the layout of the magazine in collaboration with other graphic designers.

Ayayi Senam D’AlmeidaTogo

At 26, Ayayi is a consultant in strategy, management and finance and is about to become a certified accountant. Very passionate about music and mangas, he is a bit charismatic and dreams of having his own music production company and launch his clothing line, even if he is aware that this is not compatible with the accounting world. He intends to release two novels by 2016 and after that he plans on working on professional literature.

From Angers, Karima has lived and worked in a dozen of cities before settling per-manently in Montreal in 2014. After studying in model making, this fashion keen now finds herself in assistant-ship against her will. In order to give a sense to her career, she voluntarily writes articles for R Magazine to satisfy her curiosity for art.

Karima Kebabi aka Karima KaFrance - Canada

Maëva CruchetFrance - Canada

This 25-year-old French woman has been working for three years in the field of communication and project management in Paris before moving in Montreal. She likes changes and fights daily against monotony. This journey passionate enjoys encounters and discoveries. Full of energy and ideas, she expresses her passion through drawing and writing. As an art animator, she regularly visits museums and exhibitions in order to satisfy her curiosity.

Alanie Genest aka AméthysteCanada

She is a 28 years old women, Aquarius, besides engaged to guide human being in the path of light during this end of the world. She has always had, Iike everyone, a great need to know herself, and I didn’t know what was going to happen to her higher self, if there was one. And so, after making thousand of errors, the first one believing she could live with no effort, without a true word, the truth got to her and she had to start, in 2012, a 6 months therapy to reformulate what was life meaning to her. She then studied in hairdressing and found a job as a weekly columnist. The harmonious string of events of her existential field was however to become perfected in her affiliated vocation to writing: music. 10 imperfect songs but phil-osophically very extensive, recorded under the name Améthyste, made her believe she could still write for visual, and therfore, it’s in this marvellous artistic exutory which is R-Magazine that she chose to make work her pen.

Born in Nicaragua and having grown up in Montreal, Julietta is certified accoun-tant by profession. It is following her university studies in business administra-tion that she devotes more time to her great passion, fashion. When she was a little girl, she browsed magazines specialized in fashion and arts that her mother borrowed at the library of the district. That’s how she developed her curiosity for the history of fashion, garment manufacturing and design. By the years, fashion as well as culture became for her a way to express a personality. Today, as writer, Julietta involves regularly in the field of arts and culture but equally as model and designer since many years.

With politic science studies and a keen interest for international relationship and cooperation , this girl is also passionate of fashion, art and culture “I am a girl of all trades “, this is how this young Senegalese who established in 2008 in Canada describes herself. Between modeling, her professional life, sport and her leisure, Marie Edouard takes the time to devote to her favorite activity: making of cosmet-ics hence her dream to create her own brand of natural cosmetics.She will talk to you in R magazine of beauty, health and welfare, topics which are of big interest for her.

Julieta RosibelNicaragua - Canada

Marie Édouard Diouf Senegal - Canada

Young architect of 24 years, Gabrielle lives actually in Canada. Native from Tou-louse, in France, she seeks nourishing herself from new experiences in travelling, meetings and her activities. After a transition of one year in Peru, she established in Montreal to participate in the life without respite of a North American metrop-olis and meet immense wild landscapes. Keen of art, graphic, and of course of architecture, she goes for writing of some articles for R magazine.

Ivan Alejandro Velasco-Davalos is a Mexican PhD candidate in energy science at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS). Specialized in the use of semiconductor ceramics for memory devices and solar cells, he was recently awarded a Étudiants-chercheurs étoiles prize by the Quebec government. Outside of school, his interests include the promotion of gender equality, the rights of First Nation communities, as well as science education for the youth. In addi-tion, Ivan Alejandro loves doing photography.

Gabrielle OvinetFrance - Canada

Ivan AlejandroVelascoMexico - Canada

Candy is a little bit the acid drop of literature: she will make you cobblestones for delicious sweets “ (Anais Caura , motion designer France )Keen of literature and of the transmission of this same passion, Candy Hoffman has recently obtained her PHD in literature at Montreal University and Paris IV Sorbonne.Like an Amazon, she is straddling between teaching (she has been several time in charge of courses at Montreal university) and journalism (drafting of literary column and animation of radio programs.Then, pen in hand, muses in head, looking for exact words to express thousand ideas and feelings, she will do her utmost to open you to fabulous and fascinating literary and artistic worlds, to make you travel in time and space, to make you touch by finger a gap of reality and fictional surely boundary-breaking.

Candy HoffmannFrance - Canada

Barbara WilbertFrance - Germany

Mummy of two children, she is 28 years old and she lives in Bavaria with her hus-band, she has a fairly catastrophic career path .She just does a redeployment, after months of thinking. She indeed goes for phyto-aromatherapy and will be official-ly advisor in one year .Since many years she used essential oils in her daily life just as well for health as for beauty and welfare. She has banished since months household and beauty products… sold in supermarkets and prefer rather prepare them herself at home.Keen of writing and TV series, she is bitchy, kind and strong minded and claims her vegetarian, ecologist and feminist aspect but with her own definition for the two latter. Between walking, music, reading, drawing, cooking and photography, she sets time aside to take care of her tykes.

Linda ChaabnaFrance - Canada

Pop culture’s fairies have passed by Linda’s cradle one autumn evening in the 80s. Being creative and curious, cinema, series, music and fashion have rocked her daily since then. It is then naturally that she studied in audiovisual and worked for several years in TV production in Paris. Attracted by Montreal’s creative en-ergy, she decided last year to move in that city where she works in the music in-dustry during the day, and volunteers as an R magazine’s editor during the night. Everything interests her: the latest trends, news, movies playing, cooking and even knitting! Her slogan: creativity.

Very experienced ... with strong writing skills ... elegant ... guilty of being con-cerned about using the right words ... this is the perfect translator for anyone who wants to solve word puzzles in the language of Shakespeare!

REVISION

Anne Solange DièneSenegal - Canada

Marie Agathe NdiayeSenegal

Passionate about travel and charity, she is very imaginative with a curious mind and she pays attention to details. Her careers is diametrically opposed to that, but she perfectly knows how to mix numbers and letters. She brings in her translations a hint of England where she has lived for several years.

TRANSLATION

Jérémie is 28 years old, married and father of two kids. It’s a quiet and calm person. During elementary school he discovered volcanoes of which he fell in love. Logi-cally he ended up studying Earth sciences and specialized in Geophysics. In Sep-tember 2015 he obtained his Doctor’s degree after 4 years of PhD thesis at the experimental volcanology group of the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany. His job is a passion: lab experiments, field trips, conferences, publications, etc. he can’t stop. He always finds, however, some time to take his family to the mountains or to bike. At home he is the pastry and pancakes specialist. He likes to cook too, especially pumpkins, which he appreciates roasted. He is also passionated about history and geography (and trust us, he knows his geography!). He is a scientist who doesn’t escape the rule: he kinda lives in another world and, as for many men, can’t do two things at once (which has the knack of getting on his wife’s nerves). He currently spends quiet days with his family, still in Bavaria.

Jérémie VasseurFrance - Germany

Djamilatou DiagneSenegal

Graduated in marketing and international trade, Marie Djamilatou Diagne, com-monly called Jamila or even Marie by the family, is passionate about music, horror movies and reading (even if it now needs to find time to read). She translates once in a while because she likes english but also because it gives an opportunity to learn new words.

Abdoulaye CoulibalyIvory Coast - Canada

Abdoulaye graduated from the University of Abidjan where he got a Bachelor’s degree in English linguistics before entering the teacher training school. There, he obtained the vocational training certificates for teaching students of modern secondary schools in 1998 and that of teaching high school students in 2004. After his higher education, he started starting teaching English as a foreign lan-guage to learners aged between 12 and 18 years for about fifteen years. That career led him to many public secondary schools of his country, Côte d’Ivoire before he decided to immigrate in Quebec to undertake a career shift in Translating from English to French at the Université de Montreal.

Lynda Alinstant lives in the Eastern Townships. She is graduated in political sci-ence from Concordia University in Montreal, specializing in Canadian and inter-national Political Structures.She is passionate about literature and writings especially in governmental and legal matters. She is devoted, judicious and naturally equipped with a sense of initiative and spirit of leadership. She loves to get involved in the community by helping and seizing opportunities or causes which serve to progressively enhance the image of our great society. Moreover, she is currently in the process of com-pleting the requirements to become a professional in insurance and investments industry for a financial institution and she is part of McGill MOCC group Facili-tator as a teacher assistant (TA). Recently, she joined the R Magazine (ex-Teen’Art) as a translator.

Lanciné KouyatéFrance - Canada

Arrived in Montreal with a working holiday program, he completely took advan-tage of this experience to discover Canada. Graduated with a master’s degree in finance and management, he is also attracted by the world of the press, literature and fashion. R magazine allows him to live this passion and to continue to exer-cise his English.

Lynda AlinstantCanada

Madjiguène DiopSenegal

This senegalese citizen joined the bachelor program of ISM Dakar after studies in telecommunications at Louis de Broglie engineering school. Finally she obtained the bachelor degree in Management in 2011, but she decided not to stop here and enroll in master classes in international Finance at esc Rennes school of business. Now, she is 28 years old and she is looking for an internship in the field of finance which will allow her to validate her master degree. Polyglot, her master of lan-guages leads her to join the team of the magazine.

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Axelle Port-LisGuadeloupe - Canada

Axelle is from Guadeloupe. She has lived 6 years in different cities in France for her studies, starting from the bottom each time. She describes herself as adven-turous and recently moved to Montreal in search of new adventures, hoping to gain professional experience in graphic design which is a profession she is pas-sionate about.

Jonas SimbergBrazil - Canada

Graphic designer by formation, he wears several caps: illustrations, animations, graphic design, and design. Music, cinema, image and creative design has al-ways passionate him.

Laura BonnieuFrance - Canada

CORRESPONDENCE

Bernie DièneSenegal - France

Parisian in her thirties and working with numbers, Bernie has a great passion for photography which she does in her spare time under the nickname “The glob’girl.” Photography is in fact a way for her to express the artistic streak that has always been in her since childhood, a period during which she loved to draw. Besides, it often happens that she takes back her pencil to jot down ideas for future photo shoots. Her current inspirations valorize femininity, when she does not try to deliver messages about love and racial harmony. However, one of her next chal-lenges will be to work with male models.

He was born in July 1981 in the municipality of Gáldar in Gran Canaria. After obtaining his bachelor degree, he met the fascinating world of photography and began photographing landscapes, architecture, etc. in a self-taught way. Just as photography, fashion met his way. He worked in fashion consultation, personal styling, events, and he still works in these areas. He has also shown his abilities as a radio speaker, and now collaborates as a fashion and news editor in various blogs, online magazines and for a television channel.

José VidalSpain

Photograph and graphic designer for famous artists of Senegalese scene, Africa correspondent of a French American magazine, or also production manager of TV show with success on two famous Senegalese television channels, he recently participated to a reality show with key element being for the winner a recogni-tion towards Africa as designer among others.

Ray is an Indonesian-born photographer based in Paris. Self-taught, his works essentially focus on photographs taken during trips mainly made in Asia and Europe. He actually works on a project featuring different portraits of people met in the 4 corners of the world and their perception of life.

Stéphane André Pierre Diène aka StefdekardaSenegal

Ray SenpaiIndonesia - France

THEY ALSO JOINED US ...

Anaïs Michella Yameogo - Burkina Faso/EnglandAndrea Deloche - France

Andrew Kennedy - CanadaBriana Farrell - Canada

Carène Samuel - Haiti-Syria/CanadaFadji Vovor - Togo/Canada

Germaine Deilhes Ndour - Senegal/FranceJayne Mandat - Haiti/Canada

Jean Vigo - FranceJoseph Barrera- Mexico/Canada

Liliana Lemus - Colombia/CanadaLucie Barrol - France

Lanh Nguyễn - VietnamMarcel Lamarre - Canada

Marie Clémence Modoux - France/CanadaMouhamed Dieng - Senegal

Ndeye Fatou Kane - Senegal/FranceOlivier Badin - Canada

Patrick Coakley - IrlandSacha Hemel - Ivory Coast

Samantha Graham - CanadaTomas Larivière - Canada

Victoire Ndong - Senegal/United StatesXippil Xole Studio - Senegal

Yolande Hyjazi - Senegal/FranceYankhoba Kouyaté - Senegal

Sommaire

Architecture Evolutionary housing environment, an apartment double side

muLtidiScipLinAry ArtSEvolutionary housing environment, an apartment double side: Narcisse Soulsinger

cinemA Movies with a thousand and one senses

hAirdreSSing A hairdresser inspired by music

cookery Mimi, the seamstress in her cake palace

LifeStyLe - The mutliple facets of couchsurfing- I am a unicorn!

LiterAture The baroque and these “binary two-steps” in the romanesque’s universe of the Quebecer writer, Hubert Aquin

fAShion - Christina Manuel or a life between spatulas and heels- Designer Stefdekarda is revolutionizing Dakar’s fashion scene!

muSic - “I’m Olivia Pope in the day, Angélique Kid-jo during evenings and weekends”- Discovering the Balinese gamelan- The financial rapper auditor photogrAphy- Genetic portraits Ulric Collette- Doublefaced

r modeLBassam Sabbagh

heALth, beAuty & weLL-being The magic powder with many virtues!

Society Johannes Drewling aka Mister JD, The Black White

Architecture

On the technical plan

The idea of evolution in the accommodation crossed numerous currents of thought and showed itself under diverse examples. Its technical origin comes from the industrialization and the standardization of the buil-dings of house. Kitchens, bathrooms, toilets are pro-

Evolutionary housing environment, an apart-ment double side

Far from numerous inventions imagined to develop our housing environment, we have all, once, drea-med to transform profoundly our accommodation ac-cording to our daily activities. Imagine the possibility of modify your apartment, not only the decoration which you chose as walls, but also arrangement of your kitchen, size of the living room when you receive friends or to add one more room in the coming of the third child. The internal arrangement is a thing. Concrete buildings, similar detached houses or iden-tical and aligned houses created a growing desire to personalize its housing environment, to differ from its neighborhood as far as possible. It is mainly since the 1920s when the research for an evolutionary housing environment seemed to offer a field of personal free-dom, in spite of the high demand and the density of the housing of this time.

posed under standard shape; so, the size of rooms or living room are standardized. These elements become fixed components (as the kitchen, the bathroom, the staircases, etc.) or mobile components (room, living room etc.) of the housing environment. The arrival or the intensive use at the same time of reinforced concrete, metallic stalks which strengthen its performances, is going to allow a greater flexibility of the internal subdivision. The “free plan” refer to a construction which, in its arrangement, allows unli-mited developments or who allows the inhabitant or every user to have a free space, flexible as he wishes.

The transformed facade

The facade previously seemed to express the indivi-

duality of housing. Called them Housing units in the

projects of large sets, housing presented the same

characteristics of facade and, soon, no distinction was

made between an housing and its neighborhood. The

facade of the accommodation becomes an autono-

mous element, separated from the internal distribu-

tion of the different rooms. It is now the public ex-

pression of a private lifestyle.

On the technical plan

The idea of evolution in the accommodation crossed numerous currents of thought and showed itself under diverse examples. Its technical origin comes from the industrialization and the standardization of the buil-dings of house. Kitchens, bathrooms, toilets are pro-

Evolutionary housing environment, an apart-ment double side

Far from numerous inventions imagined to develop our housing environment, we have all, once, drea-med to transform profoundly our accommodation ac-cording to our daily activities. Imagine the possibility of modify your apartment, not only the decoration which you chose as walls, but also arrangement of your kitchen, size of the living room when you receive friends or to add one more room in the coming of the third child. The internal arrangement is a thing. Concrete buildings, similar detached houses or iden-tical and aligned houses created a growing desire to personalize its housing environment, to differ from its neighborhood as far as possible. It is mainly since the 1920s when the research for an evolutionary housing environment seemed to offer a field of personal free-dom, in spite of the high demand and the density of the housing of this time.

posed under standard shape; so, the size of rooms or living room are standardized. These elements become fixed components (as the kitchen, the bathroom, the staircases, etc.) or mobile components (room, living room etc.) of the housing environment. The arrival or the intensive use at the same time of reinforced concrete, metallic stalks which strengthen its performances, is going to allow a greater flexibility of the internal subdivision. The “free plan” refer to a construction which, in its arrangement, allows unli-mited developments or who allows the inhabitant or every user to have a free space, flexible as he wishes.

The transformed facade

The facade previously seemed to express the indivi-

duality of housing. Called them Housing units in the

projects of large sets, housing presented the same

characteristics of facade and, soon, no distinction was

made between an housing and its neighborhood. The

facade of the accommodation becomes an autono-

mous element, separated from the internal distribu-

tion of the different rooms. It is now the public ex-

pression of a private lifestyle.

A flexible inside

In the 1970s, Plan Construction and Architecture uses two terms to define the evolution capacities of the accommodation. The flexibility and the elasticity de-fine, respectively, the internal transformation and the enlargement or the deletion of surface to meet the needs of every inhabitant. The design takes an im-portant place in the debate. By proposing a variety of

furniture to replace the subdivision, it transforms our vision of the house. So, we see appearing libraries by way of partition, flexible partitions made by fabric stretched out on cable, etc. … A beautiful example and, maybe, the significant first one in Europe is in the Netherlands, in Utrecht. Drawn by the architect G. Rietveld, the house Schröder offers, by a light Ja-panese influence, a quasi-total flexibility. The sliding partitions propose either a partition of several rooms, or free the floor to create just one. We also observe other arrangements more utopian as mobile kitchens connected in Wi-Fi or housing on which come to settle additions of living space bought in kit, on catalog.

A societal question

The idea of a customizable housing environment sends back to the place of the individual in the society, the

importance of its implication in the conception of its own accommodation. The appearance of the notion of evolution in the housing environment seems to point out a fracture with a stiff said construction and the diversity of the individuals which lives in it. The Nor-th American houses which I was able to discover du-ring my journey on Canadian north-side allowed me to understand the culture profoundly anchored in a permanent evolution of the lifestyles. Houses, prefa-bricated in wooden panels, for the greater part, leave

the possibility to their owners to modify them, enlarge or reduce, according to their needs. Some of them moves their houses according to their seasonal works and develop very singular changeable and mobile ar-chitecture.

The housing environment is a problem which affects all of us in an equal way. The solutions proposed are sometimes well beyond our needs and question us about the ways to live in our housing. Am I more mo-bile than my accommodation or is it my apartment which should be mobile according to my desires?

Writing: Gabrielle Ovinet Translation: Lanciné KouyatéLayout: Jonas Simberg

multidisciplinaryarts

geniuses. It is the case for Narcisse Soulsinger, alto-gether a zootherapy worker, director, producer, son-gwriter, poet, and of course model, actor and singer. During the day, he is involved in zootherapy. In the evening, he is a director and producer for Soul Diva Records Music Entertainment Label (www.souldivare-cords.com). At night, he tries to finish the two graphic novels he is writing. It will be distributed before the release of the two films, web series that fill all his

In ancient times, many prodigies excelled in several disciplines such as Balzac the writer, who was also a doctor. Some men and women were talented in mul-tiple branches of arts and sciences being both a mu-sician, architect, scientist, etc ... The left and right parts of their brain were constantly solicited for these

weekends («My Guardian Angel» and «The ArtSoul Saga «). Other weekends, he is on set for filming of movies and video clips (Channel «NarcisSoulsinger-VEVO»). «I’m so overwhelmed that I had to cancel important

photo sessions in Montreal and Miami, seeing that I’m a superhero disposing 24 hours a day, seven days a week to move forward not just in my project but collaborating artists’ ones”, he says, laughing. «But when I gave my word, my time, my energy and my image for a project I think I’m willing to slow down my career to benefit the project of another artist. It is very difficult for me to refuse contracts because I am interested to art and life. I am open minded, creative but also passionate. I promote multiculturalism and

Zootherapy and Multidisciplinary Arts

acceptance in my projects. So it’s important for me to deliver a project with my heart and my soul. Because I know that this will raise awareness among listeners and thus contributing to the development of the so-ciety. It goes as far as changing their lives completely. Also the universality of arts makes it reachable to any human as there is no longer a social barrier. When the audience enjoy an art, it can be in any languages, yet he stills understand the emotion and vibration

of it. The essence emanating from arts is universal, that is why I sing in 5 languages and make my ac-tors-actresses learn their text in both languages”, he answered feverishly. «It was precisely zootherapy that has opened my eyes. Through pet therapy session, it allowed me to see that my clients have decreased their blood pres-sure by doing what they love; by enjoying activities with animals. So I told myself that I will do more than make happy people who consult me in zootherapy. In the same pattern, I have the possibility to make all people happy through art. I’m more than just a singer. I am also a producer. So I produce artistic material that delivers messages of love, passion, acceptance

and openness to difference: among others, diversity and multiculturalism. Racism and discrimination have no place in my projects; that’s why everyone loves working with me because we gravitate around the universality of art, regardless of the field. « «You could say I’m the sandman who is not just selling dreams but I also grant them. All artists and techni-cians who wish to evolve in my projects are welcome and get a fair deal. This is why I nickname my label

as a «sandbox», a place open to billions of creative possibilities. Together we create something beautiful, unique and wonderful, reflecting the collaboration of all artists/contributors. My projects become their pro-jects and they earn knowledge transferring, visibility and a network. In short, everyone is benefiting and the results make all of them winners somehow! « «Everything happens for a reason; my passion for zootherapy led me to love the arts in general. I could call it «art therapy»! He concludes with a smile.

Interview: Blacky GyanTranslation: Narcisse SoulsingerLayout: Jonas Simberg

cinemaacceptance in my projects. So it’s important for me to deliver a project with my heart and my soul. Because I know that this will raise awareness among listeners and thus contributing to the development of the so-ciety. It goes as far as changing their lives completely. Also the universality of arts makes it reachable to any human as there is no longer a social barrier. When the audience enjoy an art, it can be in any languages, yet he stills understand the emotion and vibration

of it. The essence emanating from arts is universal, that is why I sing in 5 languages and make my ac-tors-actresses learn their text in both languages”, he answered feverishly. «It was precisely zootherapy that has opened my eyes. Through pet therapy session, it allowed me to see that my clients have decreased their blood pres-sure by doing what they love; by enjoying activities with animals. So I told myself that I will do more than make happy people who consult me in zootherapy. In the same pattern, I have the possibility to make all people happy through art. I’m more than just a singer. I am also a producer. So I produce artistic material that delivers messages of love, passion, acceptance

and openness to difference: among others, diversity and multiculturalism. Racism and discrimination have no place in my projects; that’s why everyone loves working with me because we gravitate around the universality of art, regardless of the field. « «You could say I’m the sandman who is not just selling dreams but I also grant them. All artists and techni-cians who wish to evolve in my projects are welcome and get a fair deal. This is why I nickname my label

as a «sandbox», a place open to billions of creative possibilities. Together we create something beautiful, unique and wonderful, reflecting the collaboration of all artists/contributors. My projects become their pro-jects and they earn knowledge transferring, visibility and a network. In short, everyone is benefiting and the results make all of them winners somehow! « «Everything happens for a reason; my passion for zootherapy led me to love the arts in general. I could call it «art therapy»! He concludes with a smile.

Interview: Blacky GyanTranslation: Narcisse SoulsingerLayout: Jonas Simberg

Donnie Darko (2001) par Richard Kel-ly, USA

Story

Donnie Darko is an intelligent, imaginative and dis-rupted teenager who sees and talks to a mysterious creature in the looks of a morbid rabbit called Frank. After having miraculously escaped a mortal accident, Donnie receives the proposition of a strange contract on the part of Frank. Secrets, doubtful events, fate and end of the world are at stake.

Decryption for informed readers

The theme of fate is a central point of the movie. Ac-cording to some, the choices of the hero permits him to go out of the way beforehand established. From his channel, according to the terms he uses during a conversation with his teacher, «a type of journey in the time». According to others, Donnie Darko ex-plores the theory of parallel universes, which would explain that the crushed reactor doesn’t come from any plane. However, the movie calls to interpretation

and no meaning seems official.

Haven’t you ever watch a movie whose meaning doesn’t get clear to you? Strange universe, tortures dialogues, imbricated stories, double signification: welcome in the world of complex movies to decrypt.

* To read only after having seen the movie.

Story

The quiet life of the University teacher Adam is sho-ved by his encounter with his perfect double, Antho-ny, an extrovert actor. A strange obsession for this man settles in him. He begins to observe him and soughts to enter in his life.


The trouble and tension are present throughout this complex movie. The main question for the viewer is to know if the two characters really exist. A line of thought proposes the theory of split personality. This one being caught in a stifling everyday life from whom he tries to escape by all the means; particu-larly by multiples adulteries. The loop concept, infi-nite repetition of actions and errors, is approached from the movie opening and can explain the end: the return in the lie and of a life of debauchery. As for the spider, a strange symbol present throughout the movie, does it not represent the figure of woman, in a repellent and imprisoning vision of the couple?

Enemy by Denis Villeneuve. Canada, Spain

Movies with a thousand and one senses

Donnie Darko (2001) par Richard Kel-ly, USA

Story

Donnie Darko is an intelligent, imaginative and dis-rupted teenager who sees and talks to a mysterious creature in the looks of a morbid rabbit called Frank. After having miraculously escaped a mortal accident, Donnie receives the proposition of a strange contract on the part of Frank. Secrets, doubtful events, fate and end of the world are at stake.


The theme of fate is a central point of the movie. Ac-cording to some, the choices of the hero permits him to go out of the way beforehand established. From his channel, according to the terms he uses during a conversation with his teacher, «a type of journey in the time». According to others, Donnie Darko ex-plores the theory of parallel universes, which would explain that the crushed reactor doesn’t come from any plane. However, the movie calls to interpretation

and no meaning seems official.

Haven’t you ever watch a movie whose meaning doesn’t get clear to you? Strange universe, tortures dialogues, imbricated stories, double signification: welcome in the world of complex movies to decrypt.

* To read only after having seen the movie.

Story

The quiet life of the University teacher Adam is sho-ved by his encounter with his perfect double, Antho-ny, an extrovert actor. A strange obsession for this man settles in him. He begins to observe him and soughts to enter in his life.


The trouble and tension are present throughout this complex movie. The main question for the viewer is to know if the two characters really exist. A line of thought proposes the theory of split personality. This one being caught in a stifling everyday life from whom he tries to escape by all the means; particu-larly by multiples adulteries. The loop concept, infi-nite repetition of actions and errors, is approached from the movie opening and can explain the end: the return in the lie and of a life of debauchery. As for the spider, a strange symbol present throughout the movie, does it not represent the figure of woman, in a repellent and imprisoning vision of the couple?

Enemy by Denis Villeneuve. Canada, Spain

Movies with a thousand and one senses

Mulholland Drive (2001) by David Lynch, USA, France

Story

Confused and suffering of amnesia following a car accident having taken place on Mulholland Drive in Hollywood, Rita takes refuge at Betty’s house, a young naïve actress, freshly arrived in Los Angeles. The two woman make friends and tempt together to drill the mystery surrounding Rita.


LThe spectators having already seen Mulholland Drive know the moment of rupture which marks the movie dozens of minutes before its end. The story takes a confusing bend there. A coherent si-gnification can nevertheless demystify it: the ma-jor part of the movie constitutes the inclusion of a dream in the reality. The fantasy of a frustrated and abandoned woman, who imagines a new life of which she is the principal heroine. Nevertheless, the dark elements appear to it, in different forms. As for the key, present indication throughout the mo-vie, it takes the meaning of death, the answer to the whole story.

Lost highway (1997) by David Lynch, USA, France

Story

Meeting with a pale disturbing men, reception of video-tapes filming his sleep inside of their house, suspicion of adulteries: the everyday life of Fred Madison becomes more and more disrupted. Until the murder of his wife, of whom he is declared guilty and condemned to capital punishment. It is then that he metamorphoses in another men and almost starts a normal life again.


This time again, the director David Lynch cuts the

movie in plural stories of which the semantic breaks

perturbs the spectator. The metamorphosis of Fred

can be explained by a halving of identity. It would

be a question of the fantastic exploration of his as-

sassination depending on the different vies of his

personalities. The mysterious character illustrates

the diabolic and perturbed aspect of the hero.

Writing: Maeva CruchetTranslation: Alanie Genest

Layout: Jonas Simberg

hairdressing

I am born and raised as an artist, and I have always believed that, no matter how, I would live of my art. But for a few years, I was fixed with the idea

that I would be miserable having a career like other people. I expected from my social relations lot of creativity and prosperity. Somehow, magnetized by people, this made pop up in me or at least, relive feelings that could be named hope and love. But I was forgetting one thing: all of those senses that those persons tossed in me did not have the material strength of a long-term investment on myself and on my professional projects. I was beginning to suspect that, maybe, I had more of abilities than only being a social value. Therefore, to achieve that, I needed some concrete work tools and it would be my hairdresser kit. Nevertheless, since hairstyling is also very limited because we often have to bend to our client’s wills, in myself continued to settle a longing to transpose all of my mettle through song, and it totally rushed my life. I was heckled by hairdressing at the age of four. I said at a loudly: «When I’ll be a grown-up, I will be a hairdresser. » There were grace and harmony that had the desire to move inside of me, but I was,

let’s say it, quite young to seize on the meaning of it. Today, we are not unaware that if we have the capacity to morph the top of our body, it should be the same for its low part too. A type of alchemy that pushes us to become a sex-symbol from the deepest cove of our ancestor is done. As long as this body, bearer of our fate, must be glorified. Nevertheless, it is true that the decision I took to study in that field was hastive. The fees were pretty expensive and the school ambient quite demanding, but I stood still until the end of my one semester course. However, the art of transmuting hair has taught me two way important things: the head we have given us wings and our hair is the seat of thoughts. Ever since, it appeared to me as obvious that the human is important in its entirety and that nothing has to be neglected on him. It’s a highly demanding being who wants to attain very difficult ultimate beauty and who is willing to pay a good amount to remake a haircut or a hairstyle in the height of fashion. My big strength is funky hairdos. I love racy styles, hair blended in nest, braids here and there. It’s somehow a way to possess life before it possesses us, for no reason. From my hairstyles emerged the delight

A hairdresser inspired by music.

I am born and raised as an artist, and I have always believed that, no matter how, I would live of my art. But for a few years, I was fixed with the idea

that I would be miserable having a career like other people. I expected from my social relations lot of creativity and prosperity. Somehow, magnetized by people, this made pop up in me or at least, relive feelings that could be named hope and love. But I was forgetting one thing: all of those senses that those persons tossed in me did not have the material strength of a long-term investment on myself and on my professional projects. I was beginning to suspect that, maybe, I had more of abilities than only being a social value. Therefore, to achieve that, I needed some concrete work tools and it would be my hairdresser kit. Nevertheless, since hairstyling is also very limited because we often have to bend to our client’s wills, in myself continued to settle a longing to transpose all of my mettle through song, and it totally rushed my life. I was heckled by hairdressing at the age of four. I said at a loudly: «When I’ll be a grown-up, I will be a hairdresser. » There were grace and harmony that had the desire to move inside of me, but I was,

let’s say it, quite young to seize on the meaning of it. Today, we are not unaware that if we have the capacity to morph the top of our body, it should be the same for its low part too. A type of alchemy that pushes us to become a sex-symbol from the deepest cove of our ancestor is done. As long as this body, bearer of our fate, must be glorified. Nevertheless, it is true that the decision I took to study in that field was hastive. The fees were pretty expensive and the school ambient quite demanding, but I stood still until the end of my one semester course. However, the art of transmuting hair has taught me two way important things: the head we have given us wings and our hair is the seat of thoughts. Ever since, it appeared to me as obvious that the human is important in its entirety and that nothing has to be neglected on him. It’s a highly demanding being who wants to attain very difficult ultimate beauty and who is willing to pay a good amount to remake a haircut or a hairstyle in the height of fashion. My big strength is funky hairdos. I love racy styles, hair blended in nest, braids here and there. It’s somehow a way to possess life before it possesses us, for no reason. From my hairstyles emerged the delight

A hairdresser inspired by music.

of having one’s way, without feeling different. Being a singer is accepting to be a different woman, who sings in her own fashion, who waggles as she wishes so, and who wants to create her own happiness in music lover’s ears. I began to sing at a really young age. To my elementary and high school schedules joined three hours of weekly vocals, over and above three hours in each of the other artistic field. I have been a chorister two years and one year a singer in the Blues Band of my high school. The questioning I made to myself about what is my real mission except being part of the existing world deeply triggered something off my mind. When I saw that music lied in me like a warrior who has paced up and down in my soul during a period of my Montrealer’s existence time, I decided to take a professional singing class, only to have the power in my voice, something I did not have since I was not able to sing my own songs. Effectively, I could only interpret other’s melodies, and yet still slightly in their own way. I knew where my voice came from, and through lack of money, I had to work really hard at my place to know my voice tonality as well as my emotion and their accuracy. Singing is by far something easy and I have learned it in the last year. One of the reason why the impacts of my musical career aren’t still enormous is that I haven’t had a finished product fairly perfected. To create a structured melody is a lot more of work than simply taking a beat from the internet made by other musicians dabbler of the MIDI* system and offered on well-known sites such as YouTube. I had various advices from aspiring musicians available to record a dozen of songs in the last year. It went to «give more» to » do that» but roughly, those were only

general outlines, and I hope that the new song I’m recording at the Underketch studio since the month of August will create a real furor. I also plan to enter University to follow a course in contemporary singing interpretation and this way, having the good tools to start up a career like a great artist must do. I was planning to work with youth in interventional art, then I realized that my passion for music could open me more doors than just in intervention. With music, I will go where I want and be able, from then on, to write my songs from A to Z. In both avenues, hairdressing and music, I learn a hell a lot to let go my creativity and this is terrific because happiness is found where our being can experiment the ultimate of life: what we do best.

*MIDI is a complex and very polyvalent software that permits to create melodies from a keyboard connected to the program. It contains sounds, instrument, musical litters on screen and looks like a computer that transmits cardiac frequency once the melody is in.

En 2014, avec mes cheveux faits pendant mon cours de coiffure.Writing: Alanie GenestLayout: Axelle Port-Lis

En répétition dans le Blues Band.

cookery

Swapping pattern and thimble with a pastry chef’s hat, Marie Emilie Sambou alias Madame Mimi gets herself talked about in the world of creams and in Montreal. Af-ter serving breakfasts (in shops) and catering, the seam-stress unveils its teacher side with her school offering 100% practical training to pastry enthusiasts and others.

Why did you decide to start being a pas-try chef “to the detriment” of the seam-stress?

At first glance, these two fields seem very different to you. It is the opposite. These are fields in which one must have skilful hands, like to create and test new things, have in-terpersonal skills, like to play with people’s taste… The list is long.In short, I found that the field of fashion is very saturated and we are flooded with ready-to-wear coming from low income countries. So I told myself that I had to do something that I really like, that excites me and is universal. Since I like to create and sculpt, and I have a very pronounced sense of taste, which by the way allows me to dis-tinguish different flavours of a dish, I simply quickly realised that baking is what I needed.

From which people or experiences have you learned the most to get where you are?

From my father! He was a very relentless and very motivated person in everything he started.

Does one need love for what you do, or does professionalism suffice?

I think it requires a lot of love. First, love from the people and the public, and then that of the transmission of knowledge. With love, one is able to persevere, to invent new things and to bring people together around a common project. So, love is essential in everything.

Can we say that this is the junction be-tween fashion and gastronomy?

Indeed, as said before, these are similar oc-cupations on certain points and that’s the reason why my career change was not dif-ficult.

Mimi, the seamstress in her cake palace

If you are told that baking has become the high fashion of cuisine and that now on we not only eat the good but also the beautiful...

Indeed, we eat good and beautiful food. Cus-tomers are more and more demanding and their orders more sophisticated. Therefore, combining good taste, aesthetics and cus-tomers’ requirements should always be a priority.

Are you aware that you give pleasure to people because baking is not intended to feed but, as the French pastry chef Dominique Ansel said, to bring a bit of happiness to everyone?

A customer stepping out of my cake shop, his/her order in the hands and a smile on the face or a student who experiences a total satisfaction after a successful cake decora-tion: that’s real life, I think.

Do you think that if you had not become a seamstress, you would not have be-come a pastry chef given the fact that creativity is an essential quality in this profession?

Basically, I like cooking, so I think even with-out sewing, baking would have been there.

Tell us about this training school!

Le Goût du Palais chez Mimi Inc. was found-ed in October 2014. However, I worked from home.

The pastry and catering services training school in which only motivation counts to sign up. This school trains people who want to become future pastry chefs but also those who want to only bake at home. All ages meet there. My youngest student is 18 and the eldest 68. The school Le Goût du Palais chez Mimi fits students’ needs by offering flexible hours: there are courses during day-time (9am-13pm), in the evenings (6-9pm) and on Saturdays (9am-2pm). And at the end of the 100% practical training, which al-lows students to join as quickly as possible the labour market, a one-year internship and a remote monitoring are offered.

The various courses are:

• Unit 1: Decoration (cream)

• Unit 2: Decoration (fondant and paste)• Unit 3: French pastry• Unit 4: Cake baking (birthday, wed-ding, etc.)• Unit 5: Bread baking and pastries

Between 2 and 5pm, I’m busy producing for the shop and for external orders. Besides, I am assisted by trainees from the first promo-tion in the execution of my cake orders (for weddings, birthdays, etc.) and catering ser-vices for various events. This is an opportu-nity for them to improve their technique and to learn the tricks of the job in depth.

What are your professional goals for the future?

Open a bakery in Dakar, Senegal, my country of origin in order to take my knowledge to my countrymen.

Some random questions:

In which style or trend do you classify?

I like the Afro-European style.

How is/was your clientele?

I had a varied clientele: Lebanese-Senega-lese, Senegalese, but especially young and less young.

How did you start developing that tal-ent? Is it coming from your childhood?

I always had a creative mind and I am also very manual. So I can say that it’s an innate talent.

Are you not afraid to lost your sewing skills?

Not at all! It happens to me from time to time to make alterations as needed, for my family, for me, etc. but also at events such as Miss Burkina Faso 2014 where I had to alter dresses.

A fun sewing anecdote you can tell us?

The first time I sewed a dress, I put the sleeve at the neckline. And when it came to try it by wearing it, my head would not come through and so I had to undo everything.

What training in baking did you take?

Just like in my school, I had 100% practical training.

Where and how did you get your first job as a professional pastry chef?

This has materialized in the form of an in-ternship. My trainer, who quickly spotted my talents and my motivation, had urged me to do an internship at her school, which allowed me to work on multiple orders.

How would you define your style?

Innovative!

What is your emblematic pastry, or your favourite cake recipe?

The black forest! It is basically a cocoa sponge cake flavoured with kirsch, and stuffed with syrup cherries and whipped cream. It is cov-ered with whipped cream and decorated with chocolate shavings.

What has been your biggest challenge in your career?

This is an insurmountable challenge: prepare and deliver a 3-storey cake in... 3 hours, and I successfully managed it. Since then, I draw my inspiration from this experience.

What advice would you give to someone who studies and thinks about starting his career in baking?

Believe in your project and please do not give up because you never know how far the success is.

Interview: Blacky GyanTranslation: Jérémie Vasseur

Layout: Blacky Gyan

Lifestyle

Some random questions:

In which style or trend do you classify?

I like the Afro-European style.

How is/was your clientele?

I had a varied clientele: Lebanese-Senega-lese, Senegalese, but especially young and less young.

How did you start developing that tal-ent? Is it coming from your childhood?

I always had a creative mind and I am also very manual. So I can say that it’s an innate talent.

Are you not afraid to lost your sewing skills?

Not at all! It happens to me from time to time to make alterations as needed, for my family, for me, etc. but also at events such as Miss Burkina Faso 2014 where I had to alter dresses.

A fun sewing anecdote you can tell us?

The first time I sewed a dress, I put the sleeve at the neckline. And when it came to try it by wearing it, my head would not come through and so I had to undo everything.

What training in baking did you take?

Just like in my school, I had 100% practical training.

Where and how did you get your first job as a professional pastry chef?

This has materialized in the form of an in-ternship. My trainer, who quickly spotted my talents and my motivation, had urged me to do an internship at her school, which allowed me to work on multiple orders.

How would you define your style?

Innovative!

What is your emblematic pastry, or your favourite cake recipe?

The black forest! It is basically a cocoa sponge cake flavoured with kirsch, and stuffed with syrup cherries and whipped cream. It is cov-ered with whipped cream and decorated with chocolate shavings.

What has been your biggest challenge in your career?

This is an insurmountable challenge: prepare and deliver a 3-storey cake in... 3 hours, and I successfully managed it. Since then, I draw my inspiration from this experience.

What advice would you give to someone who studies and thinks about starting his career in baking?

Believe in your project and please do not give up because you never know how far the success is.

Interview: Blacky GyanTranslation: Jérémie Vasseur

Layout: Blacky Gyan

The multiple facets of couchsurfing

Do you know couchsurfing? This alternative way to travel relays on the free accommodation to stay with the locals. Zoom on a practice of mutual aid with va-rious faces

Couchsurfing was imaginated in 2004 by Casey Fen-ton, Daniel Hoffer Sebastian Le Tuan and Leonardo Bassani da Silveira, after the sending of an e-mail to a group of Icelandic students. Their departure’s suppo-sition: everywhere around the world, there are people ready to open their home to strangers in order to ex-change with «friends they haven’t meet». An idea that takes form, afterward, thanks to a site which puts in relation trippers of the whole world, via a system of profile and mutual appreciations.

Travelling like a local

To choose couchsurfing for a trip, it’s going to the closest of the inhabitant. You enter in his house, his in-timacy and his practices of life. It’s the occasion to dis-cuss with him about his culture and of the city in which he lives. He informs you on what he knows and what he likes: the not-to-miss visits as the best addresses to go out. Briefly, it’s a way to measure neighborhood as a local and not as a simple tourist. Let us remind you that couchsurfing is free. You do gain in personal and financial plan.

Travelling staying at home

To accommodate strangers in your house, it’s the oc-

casion to exchange on your nation, your life habits et

on things you like. It’s a way to get out of your comfort

zone and to rediscover your environment with the eyes

of a stranger. It’s also a way to return the favor to your

precedents hosts or the ones to come. A personal ex-

perience that enriches you more than money does.

Belonging to worldwide community

Couchsurfing is a movement that counts, today, ten

million people in more than two hundred thousand ci-

ties in the world. This community relays on values of

sharing, connection between people, kindness and cu-

riosity on the world that surrounds us. To better inte-

grate it, here are some practical advices:

-Draft cleanly your profile describing your world vision,

your tastes and your expectations regarding couchsur-

fing.

-Consult attentively other’s profile and send them per-

sonal messages to show you are interested in them.

-Give some time to them, learn about them and espe-

cially, respect their culture and their practices.

Rédaction: Maëva CruchetMise en page: Jonas Simberg

And the safety in all this?

Couchsurfing may be based on altruism, it is essential to respect those security rules.-Trust the references left by the other members of the site before meeting with a person.-Trust your instinct. If you feel the slightest embar-rassment, communicate on your fears without being afraid of looking impolite.-Conserve your personal informations confidential un-til feeling comfortable to transmit it.-During your trips, prepare a list of optional alternative housing, in case of a problem.-Don’t hesitate to postpone any problem.

Writing: Maëva CruchetTranslation: Alanie Genest


IuniCOrn

aman

Do you know Peter S. Beagle’s novel The Last Unicorn which inspired the movie of the same name released in 1982? I was watching this movie when I was a child and curiously, I recognized myself in the character of The Unicorn. Living alone in its forest, the unicorn believed that she was the last one of her species until she decides to leave it forest to find its own. Circumstances brought a magician to transform it into a young woman. Step by step, the memories of its past as a unicorn faded and made its more and more human. But its real nature caught up it and it remembered itself of its mission: to find unicorns. This story ends when all the unicorns are found and freed released from a bad character who retained its prisoners.

Now, I am going to tell you a little bit about my story. I was a solitary, melancholic and uncommuni-cative child. From my very young age, the existential questions invaded my spirit. I felt comfortable nowhere. Not only because I lived on the summons during my childhood and adolescence, but also because I did not recognize myself in the society in which I lived, questioned it every time. Meanwhile I had an escape: my passion for “history” and the drawing. I wanted to become an archaeologist or a fashion designer or to study to the School of Fine Arts of Montreal. I felt marginal, but paradoxically, I wanted to be normal, being a part of the average and being socially accepted. I wanted to avoid this idea that there was something wrong with me. I was wondering if other people felt the same thing or if I was alone in my forest; I was this unicorn.

Then, I was transformed, (it was my turn) into human; shape in this mold which tells us what is good for us. Yes, I know that deep down inside, I wanted to be normal because it is reassuring and encouraged by the society. So I don’t have any regret to be graduated from an academic training in business administration. I led, during several years, the life of a young professional with beautiful clothes, a beautiful automobile and a beautiful apartment. It was after I obtaining my accountant’s title Approved Professional - Chartered accountant (CPA-CA), I tempt to re-find this artistic sense which I had given up by implying me in the field of the arts and of the culture, mainly, as model. I was accountant from 9 to 5 only. Being lack of a real profes-sional ambition in this domain, I felt myself like an impostor. And two years ago, this click: why did I accept this «normal» life?

I do not have to live a normal life. I am a unicorn and I have to live my real nature. I had a security employment in a prestigious accounting firm; but, the little stimulating environment, the working routine, the lack of autonomy and especially my need for increasing creativity led me to a change my life. Today, being student in fashion, I have neither the need, nor the ambition to pursue a traditional life because it is the life which does not look like me. Far from the standards and the big structures, I lived from now on with the mini-mum and I perceive my entrepreneur future as filled with new challenges. I am proud to have had the courage to make this step. I am a totally atypical model, I am a stylist, editor and artistic manager. I want to create, to upset the conventions and to make blow a wind of change in the fashion world. I have hope that I shall find one day the forest where I come from. I am a unicorn and I have to remain it.

I UNICORNamanWriting: Julieta Rosibel

Translation: Lanciné KouyatéLayout: Axelle Port-Lis

Literature

The baroque and these “binary two-steps»

in the romanesque’s universe of the Quebecer writer,

Hubert Aquin

The baroque and these “binary two-steps»

in the romanesque’s universe of the Quebecer writer,

Hubert Aquin

Baroque’s aesthetics opted by Hubert Aquin, who was born on the same day the New York stock market crashed in October 24, 1929,

has committed suicide and died in March 15, 1977. Particularly, in Blackout his second novel published in 1968 is characterized by hostility to the idea of completion. It is, resuming the words of a specialist on the issue Jean Rousset, the ``enemy of all stable shapes, he is driven by his demon to always surpass itself and undo its form at time he invents it to bring towards in another form.’’ The decomposition that he implies leads to the perpetual metamorphosis of the lines, demanding the viewer or the reader that he (she) multiplies the viewpoints. Among the traits attributed to the Baroque include, in particular, movement and inconstancy. Whereas the form of a classic work is well defined, fixed and halted, the Baroque work tends to be indefinite, boundless and changing. This opposition holds from the difference in perception of reality, it is perceived as stable (in the first case) or as diverse, moving, misleading (in the second). In the baroque’s aesthetics, the universe seems to lose its unity, ground, solidity, beings and identity; everything is subject to continuous questioning. It is also ``the humiliation of reason’’ that the baroque attitude wishes for, unlike the classic attitude. Baroque’s aesthetics is driven by the «rigid refusal of impossibilities, reason and received the standard under which it sees an undue violence, an exercised tyranny against innate rights of life to come into bloom and manifest in its multiple tendencies.”

For Baroque man, the reality is illusory, similar to a decor set in a theater, and nothing can be certain. Baroque’s art finds its truth in the interspace between illusion and reality. The utilized processes, such as masks, the multiplied illusions to infinity, etc ... translate the uncertainty that has won everything. In literature, Baroque attitude tends to mitigate the discourse and reduce it to nothingness. In Blackout, every situation, every concept is in a state of incessant movement and is perpetually on the threshold of its own cancellation. The reality was wobbly and changing, as a result, the subject can only be that. Baroque man appears, as if, he is still being at odds with himself; he keeps changing and escaping from himself, this to what, Hubert Aquin and its characters correspond to. Indeed, these appear as deeply divided, split, fragmented. The chosen

title by Françoise Maccabee-Iqbal for one of his writings on Hubert Aquin, Desafinado, meaning is “detuned, lack of harmony» applies perfectly to the author and its beings on paper. Aquiniens’s characters are condemned to “spacing»; that is to say, quoting the definition given by Jacques Derrida on this term, it is “the impossibility for an identity from closing in on itself, on the inside within its own interiority or on its coincidence with oneself.’’ Due to their inability to unify their character, thereof results in a constant oscillation between high and low, between rising and falling or relapsing.

In Next Episode, the author’s first novel that came out in 1965, this last depicts the narrator’s painful

affliction, the disjunction of which he is the prey and place, causing a « ondulatory mechanics» from drowning at the bottom of Leman lake and brought to the surface. The character’s confession, P. X. Magnant, in Blackout is also marked by continual back-and-forth between the affirmation of his omnipotence and that of his impotence, between euphoria and dysphoria, delirium and lucidity, mastery and dispossession. The characters are not the only ones that suffer from this lack of inner continuity. Aquin himself declares in a letter that «to pass from fullness

to emptiness without progression, exaltation of the moment to extreme disempowerment «. This ambivalence can be explained politically. This ambivalence can be explained politically. If we stick to the theory that the author has exposed in his article entitled “The Cultural fatigue of French Canada» Quebecers showed all the symptoms of extreme tiredness: they «want to simultaneously yield to cultural fatigue and triumph over; they preach in the same sermon, renunciation and ambition». They «aspire to both, strength and rest, existential intensity and suicide, independence and dependence.” Hence, the French-Canadian culture agonize, then reborn and agonize again and thus lives «a life made of anticipations and slumps.» These “binary two-steps «, this “nauseated back and forth between elation and

narcosis” would belong to the colonized.

The misfortune of the man victim of colonization is precisely that, he almost never happens to coincide with himself. PX Magnant remarks in Blackout are according to Jean-Pierre Martel critic’s “that of a Quebecer (to whom are denied all paschal future) aware of being colonized and to coexist alongside others” and lives thereby, “in desperate way, and extreme fatigue.» The disintegration of the subject in depth can also be understood outside of Quebec political context, in a more

existential point of view, so to speak. Because of “spiritual lowering» the aquinien (me) is involved in a process of dissolution. Christine for instance, The Antiphonary’s character, third novel of this Quebecer author published in 1969, is constantly threatened to sink into a disintegrator crisis; she fails to bring together eclat of her personality and set herself up as autonomous self. Any access to her fullness seems to be barred beforehand; in her case, existence is «a series of broken sequences, self-sufficient, of which addition will never equal to the totality.» The writing akin to a «Sinister graphic spasmophilia» giving to see a character that «deforms», «explodes», « merges,» «pulverizes.» In his image, phrases are lost in mazes, in meander. The prose goes haywire, degrades as in the novel. The writing, «Became ulcer» constitutes itself a «disintegrating agent». The nonsense finally triumphed; the discourse collapse. Christine fails to carry out her image, the artwork she plans to project because she can not be it. Aquiniens’ characters have the sensation of sinking into a liquid pit, because they feel deeply nothingness in them and around them, because they are in a serious state of inner dispersion. Drowning and engulfment are well-known symptoms in psychoanalysis of the ontological insecurity.

Lastly, According to Gaston Bachelard, water symbolizes immobility, to see the risk of annihilation, death. Leman Lake, in Next episode, is thus presented as a symbolic image, psychic dissolution of the character. Aquin’s novels have ultimately more tragic signatures than burlesque subjects that are condemned to nothingness.

Writing: Candy HoffmanTranslation: Lynda Alinstant

Illustrations : DonkeeehLayout : Axelle Port-Lis

Hubert AquinPhoto : Ministry for Communications

fashionto emptiness without progression, exaltation of the moment to extreme disempowerment «. This ambivalence can be explained politically. This ambivalence can be explained politically. If we stick to the theory that the author has exposed in his article entitled “The Cultural fatigue of French Canada» Quebecers showed all the symptoms of extreme tiredness: they «want to simultaneously yield to cultural fatigue and triumph over; they preach in the same sermon, renunciation and ambition». They «aspire to both, strength and rest, existential intensity and suicide, independence and dependence.” Hence, the French-Canadian culture agonize, then reborn and agonize again and thus lives «a life made of anticipations and slumps.» These “binary two-steps «, this “nauseated back and forth between elation and

narcosis” would belong to the colonized.

The misfortune of the man victim of colonization is precisely that, he almost never happens to coincide with himself. PX Magnant remarks in Blackout are according to Jean-Pierre Martel critic’s “that of a Quebecer (to whom are denied all paschal future) aware of being colonized and to coexist alongside others” and lives thereby, “in desperate way, and extreme fatigue.» The disintegration of the subject in depth can also be understood outside of Quebec political context, in a more

existential point of view, so to speak. Because of “spiritual lowering» the aquinien (me) is involved in a process of dissolution. Christine for instance, The Antiphonary’s character, third novel of this Quebecer author published in 1969, is constantly threatened to sink into a disintegrator crisis; she fails to bring together eclat of her personality and set herself up as autonomous self. Any access to her fullness seems to be barred beforehand; in her case, existence is «a series of broken sequences, self-sufficient, of which addition will never equal to the totality.» The writing akin to a «Sinister graphic spasmophilia» giving to see a character that «deforms», «explodes», « merges,» «pulverizes.» In his image, phrases are lost in mazes, in meander. The prose goes haywire, degrades as in the novel. The writing, «Became ulcer» constitutes itself a «disintegrating agent». The nonsense finally triumphed; the discourse collapse. Christine fails to carry out her image, the artwork she plans to project because she can not be it. Aquiniens’ characters have the sensation of sinking into a liquid pit, because they feel deeply nothingness in them and around them, because they are in a serious state of inner dispersion. Drowning and engulfment are well-known symptoms in psychoanalysis of the ontological insecurity.

Lastly, According to Gaston Bachelard, water symbolizes immobility, to see the risk of annihilation, death. Leman Lake, in Next episode, is thus presented as a symbolic image, psychic dissolution of the character. Aquin’s novels have ultimately more tragic signatures than burlesque subjects that are condemned to nothingness.

Writing: Candy HoffmanTranslation: Lynda Alinstant

Illustrations : DonkeeehLayout : Axelle Port-Lis

Hubert AquinPhoto : Ministry for Communications

First of all, can you explain where this passion

for fashion comes from and tell us about your

school path?

DSince I was young, my parents wanted me to be-

come a lawyer. However, on my second year of high

Christina Manuel, a young chef from Angola, is

building herself a strong reputation on social

media, in Montreal, Canada, and elsewhere as

a model, an extra, … in order to make people

know and share her other passion: fashion. As

I am privileged enough to know her, I could not

help but ask her a few questions so she could

talk to us about spatulas and heels. You can find

her on Instagram with her 40 000 followers.

school, everyone knew what they wanted to do ex-

cept me. My counsellor made me visit 3 classes where

three different things I appreciated were taking place.

There were cooking classes, fashion classes and arts.

I fell in love with the three of them at the same time

and I ended up doing them all. After high school, I

went to a cooking school in Calgary. I then worked in

hotel restaurants and catering, but in 2014 my love

for fashion came back so strongly that I decided to

leave the kitchen and move on with fashion. Today, I

am a stylist, a model and a fashion editor.

How would you define fashion?

For me, fashion is a way to express myself and my

emotions through colours and fabrics. Fashion is not

being afraid to show who you really are.

Cooking and Christina! Since when? Tell us the

story, please!

Cooking and I will always be one.... When I was young,

I was always in the kitchen admiring my grandmo-

ther cooking for me. It was just beautiful to see how

she was able to turn a simple tomato into a delicious

sauce. And when I started cooking, people seemed

to love it and the joy in their eyes made me want

to create more, to cook more. I love making people

happy and whenever I cook for someone, I put my

soul and my love in it because I tell myself that after

eating, the person will be well.

Cooking is a part of who I am.

If I tell you: fashion or cooking, you answer …

I honestly can’t make a choice because they are both

dear to my heart and have very different roles in my

life: I love seeing the expression on people’s faces

every time they taste my food, and fashion is a way I

found to express myself and express who I truly am.

Christina Manuel or a lifebetween spatulas and heels

First of all, can you explain where this passion

for fashion comes from and tell us about your

school path?

DSince I was young, my parents wanted me to be-

come a lawyer. However, on my second year of high

Christina Manuel, a young chef from Angola, is

building herself a strong reputation on social

media, in Montreal, Canada, and elsewhere as

a model, an extra, … in order to make people

know and share her other passion: fashion. As

I am privileged enough to know her, I could not

help but ask her a few questions so she could

talk to us about spatulas and heels. You can find

her on Instagram with her 40 000 followers.

school, everyone knew what they wanted to do ex-

cept me. My counsellor made me visit 3 classes where

three different things I appreciated were taking place.

There were cooking classes, fashion classes and arts.

I fell in love with the three of them at the same time

and I ended up doing them all. After high school, I

went to a cooking school in Calgary. I then worked in

hotel restaurants and catering, but in 2014 my love

for fashion came back so strongly that I decided to

leave the kitchen and move on with fashion. Today, I

am a stylist, a model and a fashion editor.

How would you define fashion?

For me, fashion is a way to express myself and my

emotions through colours and fabrics. Fashion is not

being afraid to show who you really are.

Cooking and Christina! Since when? Tell us the

story, please!

Cooking and I will always be one.... When I was young,

I was always in the kitchen admiring my grandmo-

ther cooking for me. It was just beautiful to see how

she was able to turn a simple tomato into a delicious

sauce. And when I started cooking, people seemed

to love it and the joy in their eyes made me want

to create more, to cook more. I love making people

happy and whenever I cook for someone, I put my

soul and my love in it because I tell myself that after

eating, the person will be well.

Cooking is a part of who I am.

If I tell you: fashion or cooking, you answer …

I honestly can’t make a choice because they are both

dear to my heart and have very different roles in my

life: I love seeing the expression on people’s faces

every time they taste my food, and fashion is a way I

found to express myself and express who I truly am.

Christina Manuel or a lifebetween spatulas and heels

How do you do daily to combine the

two?

I work hard alone on both of them. I love

to create different dishes every day for my

kids, or I always invite my friends to come

over so I can cook.

Concerning fashion, I can’t leave the house

if what I am wearing is not matching or if I

am not representing fashion.

What are your favorite dishes (Angolan

and/or international) as well as your

Angolan speciality - with the recipe,

please, for our readers - and why do

you love cooking it?

My favourite dish from Angola is mufete.

It’s grilled fish with sweet potatoes, manioc

and beans cooked with palm oil. It’s the

most delicious dish from Angola in my opi-

nion. But if I have to choose one favourite

dish out of Angola, I will say burger. I love

burgers.

Interview and translation: Blacky Gyan


Designer Stefdekarda is revolutionizingDakar’s fashion scene!

Designer Stefdekarda is revolutionizingDakar’s fashion scene!

Dakar, capital of African fashion. This is even truer with the “ethnic” trend arousing the desire of Western designers to come drawing their inspiration from the black continent where African designers converge and this several times a year, especially with events such as the Fashion Week of Adama Paris who is, besides, one of the inspiring people for this young Senegalese named Stéphane André Pierre Diène or commonly known as Stefdekarda. He is surprising with his trai-ning in computer graphics and multimedia embelli-shed with a few years of photography practicing of which some shots are used as evidence of his fashio-nable getaways.

This year Stefdekarda presented us some collections and the latest to date is Ansata.

The style is ambitious but especially audacious: showing that fashion can be done with anybody and especially that African fabrics should not be jealous.

Common thread

The gateway leading to a space with very represen-tative graphic sections; namely: letters, magazines, adverts, videos, visual identities, we enter the 8th art that is photography (wedding, artistic, fashion, etc.) and immediately fall in a world of clothes. Here is

what we fall on when trying to unravel the mysteries of the universe of the “Famous teen of Karda*”.

Throughout the writing of the book of his life, pages are getting filled up with stories, encounters and achievements. The story begins with his refusal to follow what society demands. Why should one wait until the end of school studies to decide on future career plans if one can follow another path that gives the same result in the end? That is the question which had occurred to him and its answer has simply led him to computer graphics and multimedia studies accom-panied by a zoom on photography. The path would not be long before it branches off towards fashion. Each activity takes a different path. But he knows perfectly well that these paths will eventually join.

From his inspiration drawn from the sources of music, street art, tattoos or contemporary design, and the game of playing with harmonious colours and hap-

py patterns of tissue from the African heritage, the “blaring” computer graphics designer Stefdekarda has imagined to start clothes collections as daring and graphical as colourful.

Same remark on his photographic work for which we note the omnipresence of fashion: the importance of clothing style and the respect of his watchword: da-ring can be felt in his pictures.

Interview and translation: Blacky Gyan


music

Enam Ayélé, whose real name is Lauriane Ayivi, is a 29-year-old woman who works as a Media Relations Specialist at Torchia Communications during the day, and enjoys her passion for music in her spare time.

From Benin, Lauriane holds a certificate in English she obtained at the University of Legon in Ghana. She then went to France where she began studies in Eco-nomics, and she finally obtained a Bachelor’s degree in the same field at the University of Montreal. It is also at this institution she obtained a certificate in Pu-blic Relations which has allowed her to reach her cur-

rent position along with some professio-nal experiences. “In many groups where I was, either at the choir or elsewhere, I was always helping with writing, disse-mination of information and organization of events,” she says. “That’s why I went into the field of communication.” At work,

Lauriane is motivated by the family atmosphere in the company. She also appreciates the fact that there is no routine. “The terms are very varied. Our clients are different from each other. Even for a same client, events are not the same from one edition to another.” Lauriane and music

Lauriane entered the musical world by taking piano lessons at the age of 4. “It is my parents who enrolled me there, but I gave up very quickly because I was not disciplined and focused enough. It was a group course and the teacher said I was disturbing his class. He asked my parents to find me a private teacher, but it didn’t go very far either.”

In high school, she began singing in choirs. She has been in choirs in Cotonou, Accra, and Montreal. After choirs, Lauriane began singing at small events with some of her friends. She then worked with Veeby as her backup singer from 2012 to 2014. “It allowed me to participate in interesting things like the Internatio-nal Nuits d’Afrique Festival in Montreal in 2014, and the Franco-Ontarian Festival in Ottawa that same year. We also sung together in some Montreal events that were interesting,” she adds. She participated in the International Jazz Festival of Montreal in 2009 with the Montreal Intercultural Choir, and was also part of the 1000 singers accompanying Charles Aznavour du-ring the Mondial Choral de Laval. “It was a special experience. I kept admiration for all the musicians who have worked hard. It was really special to work so closely with someone as experienced as Charles Aznavour who still has so much love and passion for music at his age.”

Last year, Lauriane has decided to go on her own in terms of music. Although her favorite style of music is gospel, she tries to bring out her African origins through rhythm, percussion or the language in which she sings. This can be noticed when listening to her

Enam Ayélé, whose real name is Lauriane Ayivi, is a 29-year-old woman who works as a Media Relations Specialist at Torchia Communications during the day, and enjoys her passion for music in her spare time.

From Benin, Lauriane holds a certificate in English she obtained at the University of Legon in Ghana. She then went to France where she began studies in Eco-nomics, and she finally obtained a Bachelor’s degree in the same field at the University of Montreal. It is also at this institution she obtained a certificate in Pu-blic Relations which has allowed her to reach her cur-

rent position along with some professio-nal experiences. “In many groups where I was, either at the choir or elsewhere, I was always helping with writing, disse-mination of information and organization of events,” she says. “That’s why I went into the field of communication.” At work,

Lauriane is motivated by the family atmosphere in the company. She also appreciates the fact that there is no routine. “The terms are very varied. Our clients are different from each other. Even for a same client, events are not the same from one edition to another.” Lauriane and music

Lauriane entered the musical world by taking piano lessons at the age of 4. “It is my parents who enrolled me there, but I gave up very quickly because I was not disciplined and focused enough. It was a group course and the teacher said I was disturbing his class. He asked my parents to find me a private teacher, but it didn’t go very far either.”

In high school, she began singing in choirs. She has been in choirs in Cotonou, Accra, and Montreal. After choirs, Lauriane began singing at small events with some of her friends. She then worked with Veeby as her backup singer from 2012 to 2014. “It allowed me to participate in interesting things like the Internatio-nal Nuits d’Afrique Festival in Montreal in 2014, and the Franco-Ontarian Festival in Ottawa that same year. We also sung together in some Montreal events that were interesting,” she adds. She participated in the International Jazz Festival of Montreal in 2009 with the Montreal Intercultural Choir, and was also part of the 1000 singers accompanying Charles Aznavour du-ring the Mondial Choral de Laval. “It was a special experience. I kept admiration for all the musicians who have worked hard. It was really special to work so closely with someone as experienced as Charles Aznavour who still has so much love and passion for music at his age.”

Last year, Lauriane has decided to go on her own in terms of music. Although her favorite style of music is gospel, she tries to bring out her African origins through rhythm, percussion or the language in which she sings. This can be noticed when listening to her

first single SO KE’M whose chorus is sung in her na-tive language and whose main theme is forgiveness in any type of relationship. The song was released on September 18, 2015. “When I got the soundtrack, I don’t know why but this is the theme that came to my mind,” she says. “Sir Kory, the person with whom I co-wrote the song, also had the same theme in mind. Like it or not, I consider that forgiveness is something that is really beyond our human nature. It is in our hu-man nature to be angry and to hold a grudge against people when they hurt us, but those people too are human and make mistakes. I think it takes a divine part in us to be able to forgive. In the chorus of the song, I say ‘I’m sorry if I have offended you, forgive me and may God give you peace of heart.’”

Her short-term projects

Lauriane is working on an album which, she hopes,

will be ready next year. “I want to do something va-

ried and diversified that many people can hear and

relate to. I don’t want people to catalog me now into

something, even though I’m already kind of cataloged

into gospel.” When writing, she gets her inspiration

from her life experiences and everyday relationships

with people around her. She would also like to take

singing and guitar lessons. “I have no musical trai-

ning, I just listen to music and I do it. I think I’m rea-

ching the ceiling and I would like to progress vocally.” Writing & Translation: Myriam AnnickLayout: Jonas Simberg

she also intends to do shows after the release of her

album.

On the professional level, Lauriane plans to go back to

school in two or three years from now for a Master’s

degree in the area she is currently working in. She

also thinks about retiring in 10 years from now to be

able to do music.

A little advice from her

«Whether on the professional or musical level, I think

we should find out what we are made for. Each one

of us has a talent, it could be good speaking, singing,

writing, or treating. We should listen to ourselves to

find out what we are good in and get better at it.

We should also be courageous to face all difficulties.

Hardships, whether professional or personal ones, can

be painful, but we must live them and find a way to

get through. All these things allow someone to build

a personality.”

Link to So KE’M, her single:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQrJuzxJwFU

Indonesian-born Ray Senpai talks about his passion for the Balinese gamelan, an Indonesian music instrument, which he has been playing in Paris for nearly two years with

his band Puspa Warna.

Gamelan is a set of traditional music instruments found on the islands of Java and Bali. It consists mainly of percussions including gongs, metallophones, xylophones and drums.My band is composed of fifteen people from several countries including France, Poland, Taiwan, Brazil, Venezuela and, of course, Indonesia :)

Can you explain what is a gamelan?

How did you hear about this instrument?I started listening to Javanese gamelan during my childhood, at wedding ceremonies. I especially like its pace and mesmerizing effect. Besides, Claude Debussy, the famous French composer, was impressed by its “exotic” sound and took inspiration from it for his compositions after listening to it at the Exposition Universelle of 1889 in Paris.As for me, I started playing Balinese gamelan after attending a concert of my current band at a festival organized by the Indonesian embassy in Paris.

Is it easy to play gamelan?The difficulty varies depending on the instrument but the gamelan has the particularity of being played collectively by many participants, regardless of their musical level. As for me, I play the “calung” which is quite easy to handle.

Can you tell us about your band?My band Puspa Warna was created in 2011 in Paris by three talented musicians: Jeremie Abt, Tseng Hsiao Yun and Théo Mérigeau. We are used to play pieces of the Balinese music repertoire such as Panyembrama (welcome dance) while accompanying female Balinese dancers. One of the most memorable concerts was held at l’espace Aimé Césaire – in the city of Gennevilliers (about 10 km away from the Eiffel tower) in March 2015. We did six performances over two days with more than 900 attendees in total, composed of children, adults and artists who had greatly appreciated the show. Not being a professional musician myself, I was obviously delighted to participate in this event.

Discovering the Balinese gamelanInterview with Ray Senpai, senior manager in the French financial sector

Indonesian-born Ray Senpai talks about his passion for the Balinese gamelan, an Indonesian music instrument, which he has been playing in Paris for nearly two years with

his band Puspa Warna.

Gamelan is a set of traditional music instruments found on the islands of Java and Bali. It consists mainly of percussions including gongs, metallophones, xylophones and drums.My band is composed of fifteen people from several countries including France, Poland, Taiwan, Brazil, Venezuela and, of course, Indonesia :)

Can you explain what is a gamelan?

How did you hear about this instrument?I started listening to Javanese gamelan during my childhood, at wedding ceremonies. I especially like its pace and mesmerizing effect. Besides, Claude Debussy, the famous French composer, was impressed by its “exotic” sound and took inspiration from it for his compositions after listening to it at the Exposition Universelle of 1889 in Paris.As for me, I started playing Balinese gamelan after attending a concert of my current band at a festival organized by the Indonesian embassy in Paris.

Is it easy to play gamelan?The difficulty varies depending on the instrument but the gamelan has the particularity of being played collectively by many participants, regardless of their musical level. As for me, I play the “calung” which is quite easy to handle.

Can you tell us about your band?My band Puspa Warna was created in 2011 in Paris by three talented musicians: Jeremie Abt, Tseng Hsiao Yun and Théo Mérigeau. We are used to play pieces of the Balinese music repertoire such as Panyembrama (welcome dance) while accompanying female Balinese dancers. One of the most memorable concerts was held at l’espace Aimé Césaire – in the city of Gennevilliers (about 10 km away from the Eiffel tower) in March 2015. We did six performances over two days with more than 900 attendees in total, composed of children, adults and artists who had greatly appreciated the show. Not being a professional musician myself, I was obviously delighted to participate in this event.

Discovering the Balinese gamelanInterview with Ray Senpai, senior manager in the French financial sector

You can preview a video of the concert given by Pantcha Indra on 27 September 2015 by fol-lowing the link below:

https://youtu.be/YU0GdWOWQuUvideo by Katherine Hibbs

Contacts

Indonesian Embassy47 Rue Cortambert,

75116 Paris - France

Tél : + 33 (0) 1 45 03 07 60

Cité de la Musisque de Paris 221 Avenue Jean Jaurès

75019 Paris - France

Tél : + 33 (0) 1 44 84 44 84

How can we learn?If you live in Paris, you have the possibility to join the Balinese gamelan group by contacting the Indonesian Embassy. You can also sign up for Javanese gamelan courses at the Cité de la Mu-sique. The instruments are not always the same for both types of gamelan but I would say that the Balinese Gamelan is much more rhythmic, whereas the Javanese gamelan gives a zen feeling.

Interview: S.Translation: Jérémie Vasseur

Layout: Axelle Port-Lis

My name is Abies and I am a rapper.

My story is quite common. In the 2000th, being a tee-

nager living in bamako and fond of hip hop was quite

natural. Not to be could have been questionable. No

wonder it was always about who had the latest album

or video clip, who knew the lyrics or was the first to

discover new rap star, etc.

At the time, I was nicknamed “lil’rabies”. I can’t even

remember how it happened but truth is, I was proud

of it. I had a nickname like Fabolous, Bow Wow, Snoop

Doog, 50 cent, Ludacris… and it was good enough.

But becoming a rapper was out of calculations, even 5

years later when I wrote my first rap, being a rapper

was still out of question. I didn’t even know I could

until I met Artex, Bb and Samtaiwo.

Artex was the coach, Bb my muse, Sam was the beat

maker. This was how everything was set in motion.

With Artex and a fellow going by the name of Kaïd we

formed the u-clan in 2007. It was at the same time

that I changed my name from “lil’rabies” to “Abies”.

We were young passionate dreamers and rapping was

supposed to be enough, but when you grow up, at

the end of the day you’re supposed to make a living.

And rapping is not the option when you’re graduated

in audit and management control from a business

school, at least here.

My name is Tony and I’m an auditor.

My story is quite common. I’m a graduate from a re-nowned West Africa business school and have reliable people covering my back so prospering is quite natu-ral. Not being could be questionable. No wonder my mind is full of projects and time never seems enough for what I have to do.

I’m actually a senior auditor, head of a mission and local audit firm and also a freelancer in business con-sultation. As a head of mission in the audit firm I work eight to twelve hours a day, five to six days a week. I used to travel a lot for work but start focusing on local missions about two years ago when I started do-ing consultancies. I’m specialized in auditing develop-ment projects, corporate advisory and trainings. I’m based in Togo but often travel to other West or Central Africa countries.

My life basically is work hard without the play hard. Wake up call at 4am, sleeping at 11pm, ener-gy-drinks-hollic, I’m not at fan of clubs, I’m more the type that calls friends over for a movie, a diner or a trip.

I love singing. As you can guess it started with a girl I wanted to impress and I ended up liking it. Since then, from time to time, i wear a mask and unleash the crazy me. I don’t need anything but one mic. I al-ready know it’s never going to last. I’m an auditor and rapping is probably not how I should behave.

My name is Abies and I am a rapper.

My story is quite common. In the 2000th, being a tee-

nager living in bamako and fond of hip hop was quite

natural. Not to be could have been questionable. No

wonder it was always about who had the latest album

or video clip, who knew the lyrics or was the first to

discover new rap star, etc.

At the time, I was nicknamed “lil’rabies”. I can’t even

remember how it happened but truth is, I was proud

of it. I had a nickname like Fabolous, Bow Wow, Snoop

Doog, 50 cent, Ludacris… and it was good enough.

But becoming a rapper was out of calculations, even 5

years later when I wrote my first rap, being a rapper

was still out of question. I didn’t even know I could

until I met Artex, Bb and Samtaiwo.

Artex was the coach, Bb my muse, Sam was the beat

maker. This was how everything was set in motion.

With Artex and a fellow going by the name of Kaïd we

formed the u-clan in 2007. It was at the same time

that I changed my name from “lil’rabies” to “Abies”.

We were young passionate dreamers and rapping was

supposed to be enough, but when you grow up, at

the end of the day you’re supposed to make a living.

And rapping is not the option when you’re graduated

in audit and management control from a business

school, at least here.

My name is Tony and I’m an auditor.

My story is quite common. I’m a graduate from a re-nowned West Africa business school and have reliable people covering my back so prospering is quite natu-ral. Not being could be questionable. No wonder my mind is full of projects and time never seems enough for what I have to do.

I’m actually a senior auditor, head of a mission and local audit firm and also a freelancer in business con-sultation. As a head of mission in the audit firm I work eight to twelve hours a day, five to six days a week. I used to travel a lot for work but start focusing on local missions about two years ago when I started do-ing consultancies. I’m specialized in auditing develop-ment projects, corporate advisory and trainings. I’m based in Togo but often travel to other West or Central Africa countries.

My life basically is work hard without the play hard. Wake up call at 4am, sleeping at 11pm, ener-gy-drinks-hollic, I’m not at fan of clubs, I’m more the type that calls friends over for a movie, a diner or a trip.

I love singing. As you can guess it started with a girl I wanted to impress and I ended up liking it. Since then, from time to time, i wear a mask and unleash the crazy me. I don’t need anything but one mic. I al-ready know it’s never going to last. I’m an auditor and rapping is probably not how I should behave.

My name is Tony, but you can also call me Abies.

Depending on where we meet I’m an auditor or a rapper.

Nowadays you have to rely on the image, as the CEO of your com-pany, then on the work of the guy you saw rapping on stage last time you took your kids out. The man who was nothing more than a distraction at the time, has been sent to audit your company, and is asking you to hand over confidential information.

Where I’m from, this kind of situation would not be acceptable, mean-ing it should never happen. But when you’ve been a rapper long be-fore you ever graduate and you still love rapping, you can’t just stop. On the other hand when you have to make a living and see opportu-nities as an auditor, you can’t simply turn them down. So here I am, Tony at work, “Abies” outside. I’m not supposed to live two different lives but I am and trust me, it’s worth the ride. My advice to all of you having hard time choosing is to ask yourself first: why you should choose and not keep it all. There is always a way, find it.

Writing: Ayayi Senam D’AlmeidaTranslation: Ayayi Senam D’AlmeidaLayout: Jonas Simberg

photography

Genetic portraits

ULRIC COLLETTE

[A photographic

research on

the genetic

similarities

between members

of the same

family]

Have you ever been told that you had your father’s nose or your mother’s

cheekbones when she smiles? Everyone finds it obvious, except you? The artist Ulric Collette can make these similarities apparent, there is no doubt!

e f

This Quebec photograph and designer studied art and graphic design in Quebec. Today he is mainly known for its genetic portraits. Indeed, Ulric draws similarities and genetic differences among members of the same family. He photographs two people of the same lineage and retouch his image in order to gather the left half of a member and the right half of the other in order to become one single portrait. This is a kind of physical bonding where the gene is highlighted. We see how it physically unites members of the same descent. The result is stunning!

Cou

sins:

Just

ine,

29

yrs

&

Ulri

c, 29

n yr

sTw

ins:

Laur

ence

&

C

hrist

ine,

20

yrs

Fath

er /

Son

: L

aval

, 56

yrs

& V

ince

nt,

29 y

rs

Mot

her /

Dau

ghte

r : F

ranc

ine,

56 yr

s & C

athe

rine,

23 yr

sSi

ster

/ B

roth

er :

Kar

ine,

29 y

rs &

Dan

y, 25

yrs

Son

/ Fa

ther

:

Nat

han,

7

yrs

&

Ulri

c, 29

yr

sFa

ther

/ S

on :

Den

is, 5

3 yr

s &

Will

iam

, 28

yrs

Dau

gthe

r / M

othe

r : M

arie

-Pie

r, 18

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ira, 4

9 yr

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Dau

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Clau

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Some portraits appear normal while others are strange and unsettling. The series of pictures leaves no one indifferent. Naturally the public begins to look for similarities and differences in various parts of the presented faces of brothers and sisters, father and son, mother and daughter or cousin/cousin.

The self-taught artist, now artistic director at Collette and Associates, a communication studio in Quebec City, said he had some nice surprises in attempting to assemble the faces that had, a priori, little resemblance. He thought the shooting and facial expressions play an important role in his work.

e DEFINITION fGenetics is the science that studies heredity and genes, is a biology sub-discipline. She is interested in the transmission of hereditary characteristics from generation to generation and their variations

Writing & Layout : Laura BonnieuTranslation : Marie Agathe Ndiaye

DOU LB e

FAc de

Let’s head to Berlin, capital of

Germany with this artist for

the least original!

An arts degree from one

hand and another in film

and television, on the other

hand, Sebastian Bieniek is a

complete and versatile artist.

Painting, photography, video

are skills with which he juggles

with dexterity.

Today it is his photographic cap

that interests me as well as that

of an innovator in the artistic

field. Strolling on the Internet

and on social networks, you

inevitably crossed one of the

clichés that I will present. This

artist became known to the

general public by making a

buzz on Facebook through his

series of photographs entitled

«Doublefaced».

In 2013, Sebastian Bieniek,

a dad approaching forty,

amusing his feverish child,

awkwardly drawing an eye, a

nose and a mouth on the pro-

file of his face. It is with this

picture that he called «Dou-

blefaced 1» that begin the

long series of 34 photographs

of women with two sides that

are reminiscent of the Cubist

period.

Also on the same principle,

he designed an eye, a mouth

and nostrils on faces tips. Fi-

nally we can say that it draws

a virtual face on a living face.

The plot is simple and rude,

almost childlike. Another face

is gradually taking life like a

sham. The artist plays with

the hair and the positions to

destabilize the viewer.

From «Doublefaced 11» the

artist changes the rules of

the game and actually make

his models front pose, the

face cut by the hair or by

everyday objects such as a

lamp, a gun, a cup etc. The

plots the artist added to

this split, multiply the eyes,

mouths and noses duplicate.

I let you discover his work

and I invite you to come

closer, bending your head,

squinting your eyes to grasp

their meaning. Let the artist

playing with your senses,

let him give the illusion, you

will discover that his work is

amazing as well as troubling.

Writing : Laura Bonnieu

Layout : Laura Bonnieu

Translation : Marie Agathe Ndiaye

r model

Bassam Sabbagh, R Model

R Model: Interview with photographer Bassam

Sabbagh, aerospace industry executive

He has worked in senior executive positions in

the aerospace industry; he is a photographer but

also a husband and father. He works days, eve-

nings and weekends and he’s away from home

most of the time. Is it difficult for him to balance

the various aspects of his daily life (professional

duties, couple and family moments)? Through

this interview, he will answer that question by

providing an overview of negative impacts and

benefits of his «atypical» lifestyle on his profes-

sional and family life.

Tell us about yourself!

Let’s start with the basics. I am 53 years old, from

Lebanon, and have lived most of my life in Montreal.

I have been married to Patricia for 27 years and we

have two children: Andrew, 23, and Christine, 21.

With an engineering degree and an MBA from McGill

University, I have mostly spent my professional life in

the aerospace industry. I have spent the last 23 years

in the same company mainly in management and va-

rious senior and executive-level positions.

For the first 50 years of my life, I did not really have

any specific hobby or something outside my work and

family life I could call passion. Over the last couple of

years, and almost out of nowhere, photography has

become a passion for me. It has quickly evolved from

a simple curiosity to a hobby, and now it is a passion

that has pushed me into something I can’t really put

a label on. I believe that many photographers have a

similar story and know exactly what I mean. It’s that

period in your evolution as a photographer when eve-

rything seems to be coming together fast and pushing

you towards a direction that seems inevitable.

When did you first start doing photography; how

did that hobby got started?

I took a photography course right after high school, a

very long time ago, and spent about one year taking

pictures. I used to set up a darkroom in the bathroom

of my apartment to develop my black and white pho-

tos. However, that was the extent of it. I stopped

there and did nothing more with it until three years

ago when a colleague of mine who is also an amateur

photographer inspired me to buy a new camera and

start taking pictures again.

I started with landscape and travel photography.

About eighteen months ago, I met a Montreal fashion

photographer and I quickly joined his studio. I also

invested in studio lighting and in another higher-end

camera and set of lenses. That was quite a commit-

ment, but it turned out to be the best thing that could

have happened to me.

You are photographing models and landscapes

with great passion while working as an impor-

tant manager in the aerospace industry. How

hard is it to conciliate both domains?

My full-time job always has priority, as it involves

commitments to others with professional and family

responsibilities that I would not compromise. So for

me, the balance point is where that commitment is

not violated.

Is photography an escape from the challenges

of your professional life (such as stress, fatigue,

etc.)? Or was it the birth of a desire for creati-

vity and freedom?

R Model: Interview with photographer Bassam

Sabbagh, aerospace industry executive

He has worked in senior executive positions in

the aerospace industry; he is a photographer but

also a husband and father. He works days, eve-

nings and weekends and he’s away from home

most of the time. Is it difficult for him to balance

the various aspects of his daily life (professional

duties, couple and family moments)? Through

this interview, he will answer that question by

providing an overview of negative impacts and

benefits of his «atypical» lifestyle on his profes-

sional and family life.

Tell us about yourself!

Let’s start with the basics. I am 53 years old, from

Lebanon, and have lived most of my life in Montreal.

I have been married to Patricia for 27 years and we

have two children: Andrew, 23, and Christine, 21.

With an engineering degree and an MBA from McGill

University, I have mostly spent my professional life in

the aerospace industry. I have spent the last 23 years

in the same company mainly in management and va-

rious senior and executive-level positions.

For the first 50 years of my life, I did not really have

any specific hobby or something outside my work and

family life I could call passion. Over the last couple of

years, and almost out of nowhere, photography has

become a passion for me. It has quickly evolved from

a simple curiosity to a hobby, and now it is a passion

that has pushed me into something I can’t really put

a label on. I believe that many photographers have a

similar story and know exactly what I mean. It’s that

period in your evolution as a photographer when eve-

rything seems to be coming together fast and pushing

you towards a direction that seems inevitable.

When did you first start doing photography; how

did that hobby got started?

I took a photography course right after high school, a

very long time ago, and spent about one year taking

pictures. I used to set up a darkroom in the bathroom

of my apartment to develop my black and white pho-

tos. However, that was the extent of it. I stopped

there and did nothing more with it until three years

ago when a colleague of mine who is also an amateur

photographer inspired me to buy a new camera and

start taking pictures again.

I started with landscape and travel photography.

About eighteen months ago, I met a Montreal fashion

photographer and I quickly joined his studio. I also

invested in studio lighting and in another higher-end

camera and set of lenses. That was quite a commit-

ment, but it turned out to be the best thing that could

have happened to me.

You are photographing models and landscapes

with great passion while working as an impor-

tant manager in the aerospace industry. How

hard is it to conciliate both domains?

My full-time job always has priority, as it involves

commitments to others with professional and family

responsibilities that I would not compromise. So for

me, the balance point is where that commitment is

not violated.

Is photography an escape from the challenges

of your professional life (such as stress, fatigue,

etc.)? Or was it the birth of a desire for creati-

vity and freedom?

There is no doubt that photography sometimes helps

in alleviating my professional life’s stress, but I also

well dealt with it for over 30 years without photo-

graphy. So for me it’s more about the discovery of

a world I did not know before and the emergence of

the creative person inside me that I did not know was

existing.

Where do you get the energy and time to spend

in capturing images assuming you have such a

loaded agenda at work?

I believe it’s about making choices of what to do with

your time. When you are passionate about something,

you find the time to do it. As an example, when trave-

ling for business, some people choose to get up early

to exercise, or jog, or swim before starting their day

at work. In my case, I choose to get up early and go

out at sunrise and take pictures, then come back and

get ready for my work day.

I am also one of those people who are fortunate

enough to be quite well productive during both mor-

nings and nights, so I am able to spend time late in

the evening working or retouching photos.

Do you have any frustration and guilt or anxiety

about your surroundings?

To be honest with you, this is the toughest part to deal

with for me. My wife is 100% supportive of my new-

found passion and is encouraging me in whatever I

want to do. However, I can’t help but feel some guilt

about what sometimes seems to me as a selfish un-

dertaking. As I said, you choose what to do with your

time and it always seems to be a pull in many direc-

tions and finding a balance is not easy.

Does having a job that captivate you and your

passion act as a vector of positive values for you

and those around you?

Absolutely. No matter how you look at it, it’s an ex-

tremely fortunate and healthy position to be in. It’s

having the best of both worlds.

Does it cross your mind sometime to exercise

photography as your main job?

Yes. That thought is often in the back of my mind.

Maybe one day I will do that, but I don’t feel like that

is a decision I have to deal with right now.

Interestingly, I left my full time job very recently and

am now taking some time off to decide what I want

to do next and explore possibilities and opportunities.

So the question of being a full-time photographer may

become relevant faster than I thought.

What does the theme of this 7th edition from R

Magazine inspires you on the level of business

vs passion and in terms of the pictures you have

taken (pictures hereby attached) ?

I have always admired people that excel at multiple

things and have the capacity to deal with extremes

and opposites and reconcile and balance them in a

way that seems impossible to others. I also don’t be-

lieve we need to be labeled one way or another to

define ourselves. The theme of this issue definitely

reinforces this.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Your photography training?

I am essentially self-taught. I read a lot and watch

on-line video and invest in photography training ma-

terial. And of course, I learn best through my practical

experience in taking pictures, doing photoshoots, and

learning from the many mistakes I have made.

What’s your favorite kind of photography?

It is still early for me to answer that question based

on experience, as I have barely scratched the surface

of all the possibilities. However, I would say at this

stage I mostly enjoy portraiture and glamour photo-

graphy.

What kind of preparation do you do before star-

ting to photography?

Preparing for studio shoots with people is very diffe-

rent than for shooting landscapes and such. For lands-

capes, preparation tends to be relatively technical.

It’s about choosing the location, timing, and weather

conditions if you can, and then exploring the area for

different angles, positions, and perspectives before

starting to take pictures.

For a studio shoot with people, preparation for me is

more about the nature and amount of interaction and

exchange I have with my subject prior to the shoot,

sometimes days or weeks before. I like to discuss the

shoot in advance, exchange ideas and photos for ins-

piration, agree on outfits, hairstyles, and make-up,

and get us both excited about it. Bringing out the best

in people and conveying emotions through pictures is

not a mechanical process. I find that developing that

relationship with my subject prior to the shoot is the

most critical part of the preparation.

Are you photographying with premade ideas or

you prefer to be inspired by the events?

I always start out with an idea or a general direction

of what I want to do to make sure that everyone in-

volved is somewhat prepared in advance. However,

being flexible is very important as opportunities to do

other things and go with the flow, as we say, usually

make the shoot more interesting and often more suc-

cessful.

Are you a good promoter of your passion aka

photography? What should you improve?

As you know my main focus has been on my full-time

job, and because of that I have had to make choices on

my approach to photography. So far, I have invested

my spare time on learning as much as I can about it,

doing many shoots, and improving my photographic

and retouching skills. Going forward, I would like to

spend more time exploring possibilities and opportu-

nities for marketing, selling my art and my services,

and learning the business side of photography.

There is a difference between the professional

photographer and the amateur one. Is editing

and technology covering it?

That depends on what you mean by «professional».

I do believe that technology and digital retouching

make it easier for people to get into photography.

However, everyone including «professionals» has ac-

cess to that technology, and professionals can always

differentiate themselves from amateurs.

Are you more a technician or an artist?

I don’t think it’s one or the other. I am constantly

learning and there is always a technical aspect to

whatever I am doing. The trick is to get comfortable

with that as fast as possible and focus on the creative

or artistic side of it. I don’t believe in labels as they

unfairly narrow down what in reality is a continuum of

multiple ways of being that we all have to excel at to

be successful.

How did you earn the skill to capture an image

at the right moment?

There isn’t necessarily a right moment to push the

button. When photographing people, I try to figure

out, very early in the shoot, how my subject moves,

poses, and interacts with me, the camera, and the en-

vironment. Once the lighting and technical things are

in place, I simply focus on guiding them with simple

instructions and feedback and I click the shutter as

we go along.

Any online website on the art of photography

that you are navigating currently?

I visit 500px.com on a daily basis. It’s a great website

to see fresh work by photographers from around the

world. I get most of my inspiration from there and I

learn by analyzing certain photos and paying attention

to the concept, technique, lighting, and retouching.

I also like fstoppers.com for it’s interesting articles by pho-

tographers for photographers on all aspects of photography.

What’s your favorite kind of photography?

It is still early for me to answer that question based

on experience, as I have barely scratched the surface

of all the possibilities. However, I would say at this

stage I mostly enjoy portraiture and glamour photo-

graphy.

What kind of preparation do you do before star-

ting to photography?

Preparing for studio shoots with people is very diffe-

rent than for shooting landscapes and such. For lands-

capes, preparation tends to be relatively technical.

It’s about choosing the location, timing, and weather

conditions if you can, and then exploring the area for

different angles, positions, and perspectives before

starting to take pictures.

For a studio shoot with people, preparation for me is

more about the nature and amount of interaction and

exchange I have with my subject prior to the shoot,

sometimes days or weeks before. I like to discuss the

shoot in advance, exchange ideas and photos for ins-

piration, agree on outfits, hairstyles, and make-up,

and get us both excited about it. Bringing out the best

in people and conveying emotions through pictures is

not a mechanical process. I find that developing that

relationship with my subject prior to the shoot is the

most critical part of the preparation.

Are you photographying with premade ideas or

you prefer to be inspired by the events?

I always start out with an idea or a general direction

of what I want to do to make sure that everyone in-

volved is somewhat prepared in advance. However,

being flexible is very important as opportunities to do

other things and go with the flow, as we say, usually

make the shoot more interesting and often more suc-

cessful.

Are you a good promoter of your passion aka

photography? What should you improve?

As you know my main focus has been on my full-time

job, and because of that I have had to make choices on

my approach to photography. So far, I have invested

my spare time on learning as much as I can about it,

doing many shoots, and improving my photographic

and retouching skills. Going forward, I would like to

spend more time exploring possibilities and opportu-

nities for marketing, selling my art and my services,

and learning the business side of photography.

There is a difference between the professional

photographer and the amateur one. Is editing

and technology covering it?

That depends on what you mean by «professional».

I do believe that technology and digital retouching

make it easier for people to get into photography.

However, everyone including «professionals» has ac-

cess to that technology, and professionals can always

differentiate themselves from amateurs.

Are you more a technician or an artist?

I don’t think it’s one or the other. I am constantly

learning and there is always a technical aspect to

whatever I am doing. The trick is to get comfortable

with that as fast as possible and focus on the creative

or artistic side of it. I don’t believe in labels as they

unfairly narrow down what in reality is a continuum of

multiple ways of being that we all have to excel at to

be successful.

How did you earn the skill to capture an image

at the right moment?

There isn’t necessarily a right moment to push the

button. When photographing people, I try to figure

out, very early in the shoot, how my subject moves,

poses, and interacts with me, the camera, and the en-

vironment. Once the lighting and technical things are

in place, I simply focus on guiding them with simple

instructions and feedback and I click the shutter as

we go along.

Any online website on the art of photography

that you are navigating currently?

I visit 500px.com on a daily basis. It’s a great website

to see fresh work by photographers from around the

world. I get most of my inspiration from there and I

learn by analyzing certain photos and paying attention

to the concept, technique, lighting, and retouching.

I also like fstoppers.com for it’s interesting articles by pho-

tographers for photographers on all aspects of photography.

Lake George - New York

Model & MUA: Lea Valente

Neuremberg - Germany

Model & MUA: Marie-Julie Di QuinzioModel: Dasha SadraMUA: Dorota Sobkowiak-Goulet

Model & MUA: Marie-Julie Di QuinzioModel: Dasha SadraMUA: Dorota Sobkowiak-Goulet

Riviera Maya - Mexico

Venice - Italy

Model: Roxanne Mäité NaultMUA: Katherine Galarneau


Model: Miss SweetMUA: Katherine Galarneau

Montreal Sunrise - Canada


Model: Miss SweetMUA: Katherine Galarneau

Montreal Sunrise - Canada

Model & MUA: Olivia Kurth

www.bassamsabbagh.com www.facebook.com/bassamsabbaghphotography www.instagram.com/bassam.sabbagh.photography

Interview and translation: Blacky GyanLayout: Jonas Simberg

health, beauty & well-being

Thinking green or organic; this is what many of us try

to do when we choose our personal care, our domestic

cleaning products and especially in what we eat.

And if I offered you a solution, a product with multiple

facets, with multiple uses? Dear readers let me talk

about baking soda (or sodium bicarbonate) that often

grainy white powder soluble in water.

For your health….

You should know that baking soda is produced from

natural extracts of salt and limestone. It is much used

by athletes as an antacid which facilitates the removal

of the accumulated lactic acid during physical or mus-

cular effort. But it is not just for athletes it can be

effective; baking soda is indeed a good toothpaste.

Yes its abrasive properties are used to whiten teeth to

regain a beautiful smile, but should be used sparingly.

A teaspoon of baking soda diluted in a glass of water

is an excellent remedy against heartburn and also fa-

cilitates digestion.

Do you suffer from rheumatism, arthritis, pains, sore

feet; a hot bath in which you will dissolve a big spoon-

ful tablespoon of baking soda will relieve you.

For a homemade body scrub, consider baking soda.

Take care of your body and at lower cost. With a damp

washcloth on which you sprinkled the equivalent of

one tablespoon baking, rub your body. Remember to

rinse your Farewell impurities and dead skin. You still

doubt the virtues of this white powder? I tested it for

you, but this time on the face. Know dear that baking

soda is as valuable to help you take care of your facial

skin without stripping or invade the cover chemicals

products. Besides being a natural scrub, you can also

just have a peeling effect with a paste of baking soda

(3 tablespoons powder mixed with a little water to get

a paste-like consistency) that will be applied on clean

skin. Let stand 2 minutes and rinse with warm water.

To rid the hair of all the products that weighed gels,

hairspray ... rinse with baking soda. Do not forget

to add a spoonful of white powder when you make

a shampoo. Effective action to reduce dandruff and

scalp clean.

Housekeeping cheap...

Baking soda can be an effective, economical and envi-

ronmentally friendly for cleanliness and daily hygiene.

Would you scouring your bathtub or sink? Think of

baking soda. It is also very effective for deodorizing

your carpets, carpet just by sprinkling the powder on

it. To eliminate odors of tobacco or the fridge put the

soda in an open container and place it where you like

to neutralize odors.

Add one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soup at the last

rinse water to soften and smooth your laundry.

I know this topic can’tfinish without not talking about

our dear foods, which also do not escape the baking

soda. Besides digestive effects that our grandmothers

recognized him, they did not hesitate to add in a pinch

of baking powder to soften the white your vegetables.

Make it a habit to clean your fruits and vegetables

with this product; it removes pesticides and maintains

minerals present on the skin thereof.

Do not forget to add a pinch of baking soda to your

baking, it will make it mellower.

Wait no longer will you get the white powder multifa-

ceted!

Writing: Marie Edouard DioufTranslation: Jérémie Vasseur Layout: Jonas Simberg

a paste-like consistency) that will be applied on clean

skin. Let stand 2 minutes and rinse with warm water.

To rid the hair of all the products that weighed gels,

hairspray ... rinse with baking soda. Do not forget

to add a spoonful of white powder when you make

a shampoo. Effective action to reduce dandruff and

scalp clean.

Housekeeping cheap...

Baking soda can be an effective, economical and envi-

ronmentally friendly for cleanliness and daily hygiene.

Would you scouring your bathtub or sink? Think of

baking soda. It is also very effective for deodorizing

your carpets, carpet just by sprinkling the powder on

it. To eliminate odors of tobacco or the fridge put the

soda in an open container and place it where you like

to neutralize odors.

Add one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soup at the last

rinse water to soften and smooth your laundry.

I know this topic can’tfinish without not talking about

our dear foods, which also do not escape the baking

soda. Besides digestive effects that our grandmothers

recognized him, they did not hesitate to add in a pinch

of baking powder to soften the white your vegetables.

Make it a habit to clean your fruits and vegetables

with this product; it removes pesticides and maintains

minerals present on the skin thereof.

Do not forget to add a pinch of baking soda to your

baking, it will make it mellower.

Wait no longer will you get the white powder multifa-

ceted!

Writing: Marie Edouard DioufTranslation: Jérémie Vasseur Layout: Jonas Simberg

Society

INTERVIEW

Johannes Drewling aka Mister JD, the black white

By Blacky Gyan

Mister JD’s real name Johannes Drewling is at the crossroad of various

cultures. German, by his father and Lebanese and French by his mother, this man, as he approach his forties but all still young was born in the Senegalese capital, After studies in Foreign Languages and tourism between Senegal, Germany and France, this passionate of blues, gospel and their derivative: soul, will become an artist with many hats: performer, author, composer and above all a soul poet, passionate about writing and the meaning of the words.

Today, under the influence of his many travels through the world and his love for the Big Easy, New Orleans, this slammer that could be compared to Grand Corps Malade enjoys writing and the meaning of the words and stand by his writings in which he recited the background of his thoughts and where interrelated writing techniques.

During this interview, you will notice that we are not here to talk about Mister JD or his albums « The Duo » and « The White African » but rather Johannes Drewling, a white skin singer but black in the soul.

And yes, big shade!

Can we say that you have discovered the African soil a bit « by accident » because you were born there? Did you spent all your childhood and/or your youth there?I would use more the word « fate »…

because I wasn’t there just passing

through, but I lived there and

discovered the premises of life.

I was born in Dakar but I grew up

between Ngueniene and Mbour. I’ve

done there almost all of my studies

before the baccalaureate.

I left Senegal after obtaining my

baccalaureate at Cours Sainte Marie

de Hann.

We can say that one from one end to

the other, I spent about fifteen years

of my physical life in Senegal…but my

spirit and my soul remain there.

How did you become a lover of the black continent and where the term « White African » come from?This is a continent that I always had in

my heart. I am certainly born there,

but my relation with the African soil

and especially Senegal goes well

belong this.

Ever since I was a little boy, I preferred

discover the joys of life with my

«black» friends and not «whites». I

remember our soccer matches and

more specifically the «nawetanes»

where I was the one white on the

ground and the sleepless nights that

we spent around our famous « ataya »

to remake the world…

A little story before I explain to you

where the term « the White Africa »

come from…

Since my arrival in France, when I

have a telephone interview that leads

to an appointment, people are often

surprised when they meet me because

they expect to see a black, it is the

effect of my focus.

People see me as an ambassador of

culture « galsen » and it is right that I

claim it. I am skin white but black deep

inside of me…The black culture is deep

in my soul.

I can say that my most loyal friends

are black.

I am used to say that « Appearance

does not the monk ». This is an

expression that fits me well.

The term « white African » comes

from that contrast which is in total

adequation with my character.

Artists who fell under the spell of this continent are judged by their peers or even by African, post-colonial lovers of the exotic. What is your opinion on this? I will say that each person is different

in his own way of perceiving things

and analyzing them. But it’s always

important not to rush to judgement.

And I think that this is valuable in both

directions because many African artists

have fallen under the spell of United

States Of America and Europe.

I think that a person foreign to an

environment, falling in love to this one,

only can be a great showcase.

« People tell us everything about how Africans die but nothing about how they live. » stated once Henning Mankell. A Swedish writer living a part of the year in Mozambique land. What inspire you this thinking?Henning Mankell had a personal

relationship with Africa, he has discover

there the real meaning to his profession

of writer.

It is right that Africa is often put

forward for its civil wars, its conflicts,

its epidemics…and so on…

Personally, I consider Africa as the

richest continent and African people as

the warmest and the most welcoming

people. The Senegalese « teranga » is

worldwide recognized.

Our role to us artists is precisely to inverse

that quote by highlighting the wealth

Some ignorant people who don’t belong to the black continent assimilate a country like for example Senegal Africa or Africa as a country. What would you answer them?That they are just ignorant…

All countries and people composing our

earth planet have their own memories

and cultures.

In addition to that, the African continent

has an ethnic diversity in each of its

countries and each of these ethnics

have its history.

It is therefore impossible to assimilate

a continent to a country and vice versa.

If we told you poet of the occident that link art and Africa…I will answer: « universal poet using his

open-mindedness to married different

cultures… »

Your last album entitle « the white African ». Should we see in your texts elements to decrypt the love that can feel a person of white skin for the black continent?My texts and I are in perfect symbiosis.

They describe my way of seeing things

and the way of how I feel them.

They show how a simple open-minded

can help to overcome a lot of taboos

and avoid tragedies.

Some of them retrace my path and

recount my love for the black continent.

I can say that my text are rich and

deep but still politically correct.

Do not ever forget that this is not the

color of skin that make the person but

his soul and his spirit.

My particular relationship with this

continent, cradle of the humanity gave

me innumerable treasures including

open-minded, humanism, simplicity

and cultural diversity.

Web: www.mister-jd.com Facebook: Mister-JD

Interview : Blacky GyanTranslation : Djamilatou DiagneLayout : Laura Bonnieu

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