Art Fair Round-up 2021 – Dazed Live
On the weekend of the 9th and 10th of October, Dazed Live gave aspiring artists the chance to step into a world of fashion, music and culture, one that the iconic publication has established over the past three decades.
The event took place at the magazine’s London HQ, 180 The Strand and consisted of a two-day immersive experience of exhibitions, workshops, talks and performances led by some of the capital’s most influential young creatives.
The event got off to an early start on Saturday morning with a soundtrack by DJs Sherelle and Joyty. The crowd milled through concept stores packed with latest hot picks and opportunities to get creative including a chance to screen-print your own Dazed t-shirt. Dozens of long couches, a cafe bar, and a Mexican food truck provided a space to flick through a copy of the magazine’s latest issue in a fun relaxed atmosphere.
The first Dazed Live workshop was a life-drawing session. The harmonious tones of a harp filled the room and drew participants into the romantic dimension of Michaela Stark’s sci-fi Renaissance dreams. The London-based lingerie designer posed delicately on a large bed amongst a coterie of friends including models Jade ‘o’ Belle and artist Dodo Potato. Each of the group was wrapped up in constricting Stark clothing as they modelled for an intimate audience of budding artists.
The next stop was a live photo studio hosted by Caymanian photographer and activist Ren Mars. The studio was created in collaboration with artist and set designer Ibby Njoya and drew a crowd of enthusiastic young creatives. Their set featured a colourful, abstract painted backdrop with complementary colour lighting – all very much aligned with the vibrant feel of Dazed Live. “I shoot a lot in queer venues and queer night life locations,” said Mars, “so much of my work is heavily inspired by really intense colour, neon lights and vivid energy. I wanted to bring a little of that to the project.”
Next on the itinerary was a workshop led by Azeema – a recently-founded magazine, platform, community and creative agency, designed for women and non-binary people across north Africa and south & west Asia. Editor-in-Chief Jameela Elfaki and the team organised an engaging, hands-on workshop which gave participants the opportunity to learn and experiment with collage techniques, and encouraged each to get to know new ways of brainstorming ideas.
“For the creation of a new issue, usually what we do is create moodboards and mind-maps in a very hands-on kind of manner,” explained Naailah Khalifa, Head of Socials at Azeema. “Our theme is heritage and identity, and that’s what we explore within the magazine and what we wanted to bring to the workshop today: our first base of how we start with the magazine,” she added. With every seat in the room taken, the atmosphere buzzed with positive and creative energy.
Saturday’s performances included the talented Azekel, Nigeria-born British singer-songwriter and producer with a special live performance who brought a variety of his most loved tracks to a crowd of enthusiasts. Azekel’s sound is one of diverse references, with genres from soul to indie influencing his own musical identity beyond the boundaries of R&B.
Another remarkable performance was by musician and producer CKTRL, who played his clarinet paired with a stunning backdrop of digital artwork by Zaiba Jabbar, which served as a background to the meditative, transcendental experience.
Closing the Saturday activities with huge shades and an even bigger fur jacket was the British-Ghanaian singer-rapper-songwriter Bree Runway who topped off the day with a high energy performance.
Sunday’s event drew an even larger crowd, with events so busy it was a struggle to get a seat. One such event was a discussion between Fiona Jane Burgess, Stephen Isaac Wilson, and Joseph Wilson – a true highlight of the weekend. The three prolific filmmakers detailed their personal journeys including tips on finding your voice, the importance of authenticity, and remaining honest to your interests and instincts.
Providing direct insight into the practice of London’s leading creatives this jam packed weekend succeeded in bring the spirit of the magazine into an IRL experience
Photos by Azazel Lezeroni