NICOLAS JAAR the Electronica Pin-Up "
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PEOPLE BON A/W 2012 NICOLAS JAAR The electronica pin-up " WORDS Giovanna Maselli PHOT OGRAPHY Samantha Casolari icolas Jaar is a music visionary, if ever there was one. I was so young. I made my frst song when I was 14 years old, and it Equally comfortable with R&B beats and South sounds a lot like the music I make now. I think it helped that I had American rhythms – valiantly rearranged, overturned a girlfriend from age 14 to 19, for fve years, a long time. It made me N and combined with synth sounds – the 22-year-old feel loved, I had everything that I wanted and didn’t need to try to has managed to redefne electronica in only a few years. Nicolas ft in with something bigger. I have always accepted that I’m difer- was raised between Chile and New York, and started jamming his ent. If I have sufered from something, it wasn’t that. frst tunes in his early teens (he released his frst tracks when he What was it, then? was 17). His music subverts all ideas of what a dance track should When you are diferent or when you’re doing things your own be. He isn’t afraid to quote music from the Renaissance, or to slow way, in a way that isn’t considered normal, and you aren’t good at it, down the pace, even to the point of undanceability – somehow people hate you and tell you that you suck. If you do things difer- without ever reaching the point of pretentiousness. ently and you’re good at them, everyone praises you. If I sufered, Sold-out shows, screaming crowds and groupies (at a gig it was because for a very long time I did things diferently and in Paris earlier this year, one member of the audience swung her badly. And that’s the worst way to do things. panties over her head) testify to the opposite of pretence. In a So when do you think you started doing things world well provided with old, rehashed material, his music is far differently and well? from trite, but never too conceptual. There is only one label Nico- I don’t think it will ever happen. The important thing is to las is comfortable with, and that is Clown & Sunset, the artistic keep getting better all the time. I’ve reached a level where I’m collective he founded in 2011 with Noah Kraft. It allows him to happy with what I do on a technical level, but now it’s about doing release his records independently while working on several artistic it honestly and giving it real feeling. And that’s harder than you’d endeavours, including collaborations with like-minded artists – think, because it’s got to do with your whole life and everything such as the MoMA PS1 performance that took place early this year you do. with Sasha Spielberg and Will Epstein – and is emblematic of how Today, you’re loved both by critics and the the mind of this ingenious creator works. audience. Are you afraid that money will interfere You famously avoid labelling your music. Why? with your work? I think a lot of people try hard to put labels on things, and to You get lazy if you get a lot of money. You might start to spend me that’s part of a bigger problem where you simplify things to your time thinking about what to do with that money, instead of make it easier to sell them. Something like the tech-house chart – thinking about creating new work. It’s not necessarily a negative that’s how you sell music. I think it’s more interesting to have it be thing, but it can be a problem, and it’s important to be aware of music frst, and then people can think of it any way they want. the possibility that money could change your music. If you live in It frees both you and the audience from expectations. a mansion, and you try to make music in that mansion, how will Have you trained yourself to think outside of that afect your music? those given labels? Then what is your ideal environment to work in? I made music before I knew what was considered cool or not. Just a quiet room that I can have complete control of So I developed my musical expression not from holding on to Nicolas Jaar is currently on tour. His next release will be out early next year. something external, but just from holding on to myself, because 48 49 Travel Saturday Guardian 10.03.12 11 Set in stone A luxury Sicilian villa in an old quarry Design guardian.co.uk/travel/sicily Art of the possible A flavour of the new Favara … (clockwise from left) murals in the town’s maze of little streets and squares; a piece by street artist collective Dott Porka; a bright spot in a side alley; the Farm’s concept store; and portraits by Australian fashion photographer Brian Walker An ambitious project has transformed the rundown and semi-abandoned heart of a historic Sicilian town into a modern art exhibition t is impossible not to be inspired by Andrea Bartoli. In less than two years, the self-confessed “notary by profession and cultural agitator by passion” has achieved the near impossible: turning an impoverished town in the south of Sicily into the Iisland’s capital of cool. With one of Italy’s highest rates of unemployment and an unparalleled Exteriors of buildings are used fashion photographer Terry Richardson. regardless of whether you’re a worldly reputation for urban eyesores, Favara, as canvases for huge paintings The idea came about when Bartoli traveller, an art expert or someone who which is just 8km from Agrigento’s and sculptures by artists such as bought several empty dwellings in has never even left the town. monumental Valley of the Temples, Fabio Melosu; courtyards feature Favara’s semi-abandoned centre. “In Italy nobody does anything has never featured on any tourist map. installations, including Fabio Inspired by places such as Djemaa el- before securing public funds,” says Nor was it ever likely to. But since Farm Novembre’s giant pot-chairs; and one Fna in Marrakech, he thought that the Bartoli. “But if you’re always waiting, Cultural Park (farm-culturalpark.com, building houses the world’s biggest maze of stone houses, with its alleys, what’s the difference between you and free entry, closed Mondays) opened in permanent collection of work by US central square and small castle were a those you are criticising?” 2010, the town has attracted artists and perfect setting for an art marketplace, Giovanna Maselli visitors from all over the world. rather like a Sicilian kasbah. • Belmonte Hotel in Favara (+39 0922 The project is a contemporary art ‘We were tired “We were tired of always having to 437146, belmontehotel.com) has doubles complex that occupies the entire go to places like New York or London to from €80. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies historic centre of Favara. The idea see anything interesting,” he says. “We from Stansted to Palermo from £90 return ORTUESI of having to go P E is to draw visitors in to a handful of wanted to find a way to transform and PP structures entwined together like an to places like improve the area we were living in, for art gallery – there’s a design corner, ourselves but also for our kids.” HS: GIUSE HS: P a tea garden and a bookshop, a New York to see Bartoli’s brainchild deliberately sandwich shop, a champagne bar, and presents art in a manner and style PHOTOGRA a concept store. interesting art’ that relates and speaks to anyone, 1893930 1875131 Soo Joo INTERVIEW TEXT by Giovanna Maselli THE FIRST THING THAT STRIKES YOU ABOUT SOO JOO IS NOT HER of each other the better you get at the bottom she found a trea- not anything against you per- STUNNING PEROXIDE MANE, NOR HER IMPECCABLE FLAWLESS SKIN AND at understanding each other. sure chest surrounded by corals sonally, so you can’t take it per- SINEWY FIGURE. IT IS HOW CHEERFUL AND UNPRETENTIOUS SHE IS. THIS reefs, inside there were rubies sonally. PAST SEASON SHE WALKED EXCLUSIVELY FOR CHANEL’S COUTURE SHOW, and garnets, so she called me Why did you decide to use What’s your favorite moment GRACED THE PAGES OF VOGUE ITALIA AND DAZED AND CONFUSED, AND Soo Joo. I love that she had that your Korean name, Soo Joo, so far in your career? MODELED FOR JUST CAVALLI, TOM FORD AND FENDI TO NAME A FEW. AT dream and she was able to give as opposed to your Ameri- There’s been a lot now, I’ve been 26 YEARS OF AGE, SHE IS OLDER THAN THE AVERAGE MODEL, BUT ALSO me this really awesome name. can name Cindy? Well I was very fortunate in the last year, SAVVIER: SHE KNOWS THAT IT TAKES MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY FACE born with Soo Joo; it’s just that What does your career but some of the highlights were TO STAY RELEVANT IN THIS BUSINESS, BUT WITH A STRONG PERSONALITY when I moved to America it in fashion mean for you? meeting a person like Carine THAT MATCHES HER GOOD LOOKS, THE KOREAN BORN GIRL LOOKS LIKE SHE was being butchered like your Coming from a very protective Roitfeld. She’s everyone’s HAS ALL THE CARDS TO BE A FASHION ICON IN THE MAKING.