Author: Charlotte

Solomiya

[vc_row][vc_column width='1/5'][/vc_column][vc_column width='3/5'] Among the legendary stories of art practiced as resistance, few ring as powerfully as that of Olivier Messiaen and his iconic Quartet for the End of Time. While held as a prisoner-of-war in WWII, the legendary French composer used the decrepit instruments at hand–namely a clarinet, violin, cello, and piano–to create what would ultimately become his most celebrated work. It was premiered in front of the prisoners and their (most likely stunned) guards, going down in history as a triumphant symbol of the resilience of the human spirit.

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13 März, 2024

Sound Space Sense – DNA 21

[vc_row][vc_column width='1/5'][/vc_column][vc_column width='3/5'] We’re going to go out on a limb here: what if the best time of year is happening right now? Visualize the word “February” in your mind. Sure, it’s rainy, cold, dark, gray, and bleak; yes, you may curse the fact that you are not kicking it on a beach in Greece or Miami; but think of all the fabulous things you have been doing to get through this long short winter month. Dinners, galleries, museums, movies, lounging in bed…wonderful experiences all of them.     And let’s not forget music! Whether you prefer hanging at the Berlin Philharmonie or doing some big time clubbing at Berghain, winter is the true season of music for all sound lovers–and a perfect time for this month’s surprise subscription pick (especially if you missed our recent launch event).

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14 Februar, 2024

Dirty Furniture – Bed

[vc_row][vc_column width='1/5'][/vc_column][vc_column width='3/5'] So here we are in the year 2024! Well done, you made it out of bed!    We here at do you read me?! understand the challenges of leaving your bed during this dark and cold season. So when we saw that Dirty Furniture–an independent design magazine that uncovers the relationship between people and the things they live with–had set their sights on this holiest article of household furniture for their last issue, we simply could not resist making it this month’s Surprise Subscription pick. 

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17 Januar, 2024

What the Final Fuck!

[vc_row][vc_column width='1/5'][/vc_column][vc_column width='3/5'] We’re once again staring down the close of another year, and while it’s fitting and even natural to spend this time thinking about endings/the end times, and so on and so forth, we also think it’s a good time to let loose and have, dare we say it, a bit of…fun? Enter ‘The Final Fuck.’

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09 Dezember, 2023

Famous For My Dinner Parties

[vc_row][vc_column width='1/5'][/vc_column][vc_column width='3/5'] Food is the ultimate subject of conversation. Whether when making dinner plans or debating the merits of a particular restaurant or complaining about the rising price of your favorite breakfast cereal, the subject is both ubiquitous and relevant. Think about it: is there anything stranger than someone who doesn’t have a ready answer to the simple question, “What’s your favourite food?”

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08 Dezember, 2023

Nansen

[vc_row][vc_column width='1/5'][/vc_column][vc_column width='3/5'] “We tell ourselves stories in order to live”, Joan Didion once wrote. Awash in histories both political and personal, we navigate our way through the present by relying on our own narratives of the past. And unless Didion is wrong (which she rarely is), we might go on to say that we tell each other stories in order to live together–so that our communities become a mosaic of interwoven individual experiences, so that the personal can become collective. Nansen, this month’s Surprise Subscription pick, is a moving exercise in precisely this kind of nourishing communal storytelling.

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18 Oktober, 2023

Sick #5

SICK is an independent and thoughtful magazine created by individuals living with chronic illnesses and disabilities. Its primary goal is to enhance representation while challenging the harmful stereotypes and misconceptions that often surround disability.⁠ ⁠ Furthermore, SICK aims to foster a work environment characterized by respect and support. Within this context, a unique approach is embraced – working at a pace that aligns with individual needs, allowing for pauses and moments of rest. The foundation of this workplace is rooted in belief, active listening, and support for one another. Productivity is rejected as a measure of value, and the focus is on celebrating the strength and resilience of sick and disabled bodies.⁠ ⁠ Sounds to us like an approach to work that would be healthy for everyone, really.⁠ Buy...

18 Oktober, 2023

Modern Instances

Derived from the invaluable teachings of photographer Stephen Shore, this serves as an indispensable guide for those eager to refine their craft and understand the diverse elements that shape a unique creative voice. Modern Instances offers a fresh perspective on how we perceive the world around us, emphasizing that even the smallest moments hold immense potential for inspiration if we remain attentive.⁠ ⁠ ⁠Now available in an updated and expanded edition, this release features additional essays not found in the hardcover version, more than forty new images, and an extensive notes section. In these notes, Shore delves into various aspects of the original text and further explores themes such as inspiration, gifts, tragedy, and vernacular photography.⁠ Buy...

05 Oktober, 2023

Every day is a new day

Last years this calendar was ripped out of our hands faster than you can rip off one of its pages! So this year be quick to get your hands on this beautiful tear-off calendar for 2024 by Dutch graphic designer Karel Martens.⁠ ⁠ One page and one number for each day of the year - constructed with Martens signature method of printing letterpress monoprints from found metal forms. Every day is a new day!⁠ Buy...

02 Oktober, 2023

Hässlichkeit

Vom Sehen und Gesehenwerden, von Selbstbildern und Selbstzweifeln – Moshtari Hilal schreibt über Hässlichkeit. Dichte Körperbehaarung, braune Zähne, große Nasen: Moshtari Hilal befragt Ideen von Hässlichkeit. In ihrem einzigartigen Buch schreibt sie von Beauty Salons in Kabul als Teil der US-Invasion, von Darwins Evolutionstheorie, von Kim Kardashian und von einem utopischen Ort im Schatten der Nase. Ihre Erkundungen, Analysen und Erinnerungen, ihre Bildzitate und eigenen Zeichnungen führen in jenen innersten Bereich, in dem jedes Selbstverständnis auf dem Prüfstand steht. Warum fürchten wir uns vor dem Hässlichen? Poetisch und berührend, intim und hochpolitisch erzählt Moshtari Hilal von uns allen, wenn sie von den Normen erzählt, mit denen wir uns traktieren. Buy...

02 Oktober, 2023