Meeting place for a long list of sailors and sailing amateurs, the 6th edition of the SAIL IN festival took place in Bilbao earlier last month. The occasion for Panthalassa to meet sailing legend Carlo Borlenghi. Building a bridge between sailing and people, Carlo Borlenghi creates a powerful connection with the sea through his lens only.  »I’m not a sailor, not a swimmer but I like to shoot everything about the sea.« Growing up in Lake Como, Italy, Carlo Borlenghi is considered a pioneer in sailing photography today. « My main house is still situated in Lake Como, I feel lucky living near the border where I have a private beach with a small boat. That’s nice place. I also have a small flat in Milan.«

Thanks to his long-time valuable experience and distinct knowledge, the Italian photographer shares with us some pieces of wisdom about the vital need for a photographer to learn to adapt. »I didn’t change my vision and concept too much, I just use the technology to create the shot that was impossible before. It’s good to know exactly how difficult it was before to appreciate how easy is today.« Before going back to his native city by the sea, the 78-year-old world-renowned sailing photographer found time to talk to us about the evolution of sailing photography. »When we first used a drone, it was like putting up a tripod to the sky.« From analog photography to digital, he evokes the end of an era for the magazine industry, the use of social medias in the communication process today and a balanced vision between pioneer skills and the need to use new digital technology to take better photos.

Carlo, let’s start by talking about your collaboration with the SAIL IN festival. When did it start?

They first contacted me 10 years ago. They wanted to meet me but I was pretty busy with America’s Cup at the time. I ended up sending a selection of pictures and they used one of them for the poster of the very first edition of the SAIL IN Festival. We kinda lost contact until this year when Javier Sobrino invited me to join them. I was available and free from work at the studio so here I am today in Bilbao.

How did you work on this selection of pictures?

These photos are a little bit what represent both me and my job. For example, the »Brava« shot with the upside down boat was taken during my very first regatta. Some other pictures represent some good moments of my job, like »The big cloud« taken in Australia. Whenever I go out, I try to get one shot, not just for business but for me. Priority is obviously given to the client but I try to come back home with one single good shot. If I eventually have 4 or 5 different good ones, I’m happy. It’s hard to find good angles. When I go to bed, I think and dream of an angle. It’s easier to shoot when you have a picture in mind. You go out and just wait for the best moment and create the shot you have in mind. The picture is there. Shooting outside is not like shooting in studio where you can just put the light on or move the model as you like. You have to play with nature, with the sea, with the ocean. You never know, it can be flat, it can be huge and full of waves. I’m only scared to miss a picture for technical reason or regarding the focus. I want to stand out among other photographers, making different pictures.

Your shots are not only about people sailing, but there’s some real tragedy in there. Are you looking for stories?

Yes, story first. Now that the magazine industry is done, there’s no room for story. Magazines used to give us like 8 pages to play around one story, but now is different. The approach is different depending on the client and depending on the regatta, but 90% of the time today, I look for the single shot. A good and strong one. Nobody cares about the story on the regatta anymore. For an event like America’s Cup when we can eventually create a book, in this case, yes I look for the story. Otherwise, it’s hard to look for a story by yourself, in the sea, everything is expensive. You need to charter the boat, the helicopter and go to remote places. It costs a lot to reach nice places. For example, I’m planning to go to Australia today to cover the migration of the crabs to one special island, but it’s so expensive to go there and there’re only two flights each week.

Why considering to cover the crabs migration and move out of the sailing field?

Because it’s incredible! The crabs go out from the forest and go to the sea, crossing the village. crawling down the cliff. So the island, the village, the streets and the cliffs suddenly become totally red, moving. It feels alive. I try to do some different and unusual photography. This crab thing could become a series I could sell at Paris Photo or in Italy.

Tell us about the techniques you use…

Today, I’m working only with digital. Digital gives you more chances to do pictures that was impossible to do before. Drone is a good example. When we first started to use things like this, we put the drone up, it was like to get a tripod to the sky. Before you had to shoot from a helicopter, and then it was difficult to find a client that would pay the expenses. then you have to push film up to 2000 ISO to get rid of all the grainy… the quality was not very good. Now with the drone, you go up, you shoot with the long exposure, you put the ISO, you stay there and get the perfect picture.

Are you working in respect of the technological advances?

Yes because there are so many new ideas, new angles and new cameras! For example, we also like using the drone while shooting a boat going full speed. Today, you can follow it. It was impossible before, there was a limit. Today, you can use these new toys to get new angles and new pictures. I didn’t change my vision and concept too much, I just use the technology to create the shot that was impossible before. It’s good to know exactly how difficult it was before to appreciate how easy it’s today. In the past, when you did black & white and when you had a black sky, you had to make a mask at the lab, you had to do it manually, because there was no correct picture, there was no reality, you played with the dark or with the lighting in the face or this kind of things.

You mentioned working with black & white… Tell us more about that.

Yes, I like black and white a lot. The thing is that, when I started to do this job, I used the go around like a street photographer, I wanted to go into the heart of things, move from my country to another one and come back with different stories to tell. In the past, it was easy. I remember being in England to cover a regatta and ended up making a story about Stonehenge. I spent two or three days in Stonehenge in order to see the crazy people there. I shot only black & white, even for the sunsets and sunrises. This was my dream – use sailing as a mean to travel and create other stories. Then the sailing thing became bigger and bigger for me and there was no time left.

What are the few places you like the most for pictures?

One the best places is South Africa. Because in 300 km2, you get everything. You start from the forest with all the animals like lions and giraffes, then you go to Cape Town where you get to see whales and penguins. Then you can go to the desert of Namibia very close. In the center town, you also have some good wine and vineyards. It’s a really nice place. I have never been in a cage but you can go out to see the sharks in the cage. South Africa is nice. I also love Australia, especially for the regatta. It is one of the best places in the world, especially during Sydney Open. For us as photographers, it’s very good for the action part. Sardinia is also good, you can get good pictures there. But sailing changed recently. Now, they don’t do long-distance races anymore. For me, they used to be the best ones, because I could use the light in the night, capture sunrise and this kind of light. Now they start at 12 o’ clock and are back on the dock at 3pm.

Over the years, you became one of the most famous sailing photographer indeed. What’s your relationship with the sea?

I’m not sailor nor a swimmer. The first regatta I made was a nightmare for me I had no idea what was going on. I started to do the regatta at the Lake with a friend who owned a boat. I observed those sailors going different ways and didn’t understand anything. Then later I realized it’s a very intelligent sport, I like the strategy it needs. In one way, I think it’s better for me not being a sailor because I don’t look at the technical things. I’m just out to shoot the aesthetic aspects. My mind is free mind. I realized it quickly. People who go to the photo fair are not sailors. So I’m bridging two worlds.

What do you like shooting the most?

I like to shoot everything about the sea. For many years, I used to cover a windsurf regatta in Maui, Hawaii. At the time, Robby Naish or this kind of surfers were there. You could sell the picture of a surfer at the time, now you cannot. Nobody care about surfing anymore. There is just maybe the big wave in Nazaré, Portugal, if ever you’re lucky to be there in this period. This is the problem. You could go to Maui for yourself and make very good pictures but it doesn’t pay the bills. Now, you have to work for sponsors to survive.

The job of sailing photographer evolved. Would you say your job relies more on sponsors than on print publications today?

Totally. Magazines don’t commission you anymore. The only way to collaborate with magazines is showing behind the scenes shots of the regatta. But you definitely have to work for sponsors to survive. For example, I work for Rolex. As a freelance photographer, it’s quite impossible because you need to chart the helicopter. For a 27-hour helicopter tour, it costs approximately 45K AUS$. Impossible for one single freelance to pay. The good compromise is to do the best you can for the sponsor because the priority remains the client. Then if you have the chance to get some free minutes for you, you can do one picture for you.

What about analog photography?

Nobody want analog photography anymore, especially for commercial projects. Clients want the picture for… yesterday! Today, you need to shoot and sent the shot right away. Everybody became crazy about the bloody Instagram and social things. Social medias go way more faster than magazine. People post pictures quickly because using an iPhone helps you shoot quickly and post it straight away.

As a photographer, do you feel you needed to adapt to this new era of social medias and all-things digital?

It’s just another challenge. I have my Instagram account but I use it for myself. However, sometimes it’s too much. There’re so many posts and so many stories that don’t say anything. They’re just here to fill the space. To me, if there’s no good picture, there’s no reason to post it. But for most people, it you didn’t pos anything, you didn’t exist that day. If you post a rubbish, it remains rubbish. I know I may be wrong because there’s some rubbish that work, but I stay with my concept. I don’t want to publish just for the sake of publishing. I’m not in the rush. When working on regattas, I have two assistants. They often want to publish a picture quickly but I say « wait, wait… » We get our name under the picture and nobody cares, nobody knows there was no wind this day, nobody cares if there was rain, or… forget it. Give space for the other ones. If there are good conditions the day after, we’ll publish a picture. Our picture must be different than the others’.

Do you also make videos?

Just taking photos. I’m not trying to do both but I work with a guy at the studio who’s in charge of the video part. We sometimes do our post-production ourselves as well cause I find digital a bit flat. There’s no depth. During a race, we just work on the contrasts of the pictures and equalize the horizon. In the big sea, it’s not easy to get the balance. Then if we have five or ten good pictures , we can play a little bit more after the regatta. When it comes to printing a sailing picture in limited edition, we look more at the details in order to make it a little bit more accurate. But we don’t change the subject, we just clean up the color a bit. Normally, we just spend one minute for each picture. Otherwise, you’ll not survive.

We, at Panthalassa, are working around projects that take care about the ocean, around themes like sustainability, overfishing, plastic pollution like with the Plastic Family displayed here at the Festival. You spend a lot of time in the ocean, on boats,  did you witness any changes?

Of course, you see some environmental differences. Dirty things are happening. There are a lot of dirty deals in the water, and when you are in the helicopter you can see big ships throwing all kinds of things in the water. They clear out the tank in the open sea. When you do the long distance races, you can witness this kind of things. The only thing I can do is publishing pictures about those things to show the problem but I’m just a tiny guy and it doesn’t work. They do what they want, and it’s a shame. The short film entitled « Albatross » has been one of the first pieces of art able to touch these issues in a beautiful and powerful way. When I see these kind of things, I do want to make a movie. Because it was a really good story. The more I talk to people about pollution, the more I realize people care more than 10 years ago. We destroyed so many things in the past and nobody cared. Now the moment comes to talk about plastic. But for me, cleaning up the beach from the plastic bags is just for aesthetic purposes. You have to civilize and educate people to avoid putting plastic on the beach. If you watch “Albatross”, you realize there’s plastic everywhere, even in the birds. It’s part of the ocean. We eat plastic every day. This is the huge problem. And you cannot solve this problem with a “Save the Ocean!” slogan or by picking up the plastic trash from the beach. We need to educate people again and then the rest will come. Maybe slowly, but it’ll come.

Follow Carlo Borlenghi’s work on his website.

 Sailing Photos: Carlo Borlenghi

Portrait Photo: Xabier Aldazabal / SAIN IN Festival

The post Stories and wisdom from Carlo Borlenghi appeared first on PANTHALASSA.

Fun fact. Nantes-born photographer Thomas Lodin doesn’t call the ocean, the ocean. « We call it the sea, it’s always been like this. » Thomas discovered surfing thanks to his brother when he was 16. Before that, he was playing around with his BMX bike, dreaming of becoming a pro and traveling the world. « But since I got my very first surfboard, I never stopped. I quitted my graphic arts school a year before getting my diploma and I moved to Biarritz. It was 5 years ago. »

Today, Thomas belongs to the small network of artists whose work and adventure are great to watch and follow. « In Biarritz, life is a bit different everyday. Beyond the simple fact of checking the forecast, planning some photoshoots or photos just for fun, I spend a lot of time behind my screen, never far from my notebook. Treating the images, planning the next shoots with clients depending on our schedule, developping pictures, sending orders and thinking of future ideas. That’s what my weeks are about. » We sat down with French photographer Thomas Lodin to discuss his art, the process that he uses to make it, his shared love for digital and analog photography, his passion for old surfboards, his trips around the world, collaboration with France-based Oxbow brand, and his coming projects like « Impressions », a printed book project gathering a selection of 150 pictures taken along these past years.

Either in the basque country, in California, Australia or Mexico, Thomas has this peculiar way of capturing the inner spirit of surfing. Inspired by the greatest icons of the 60s, his steady, unflinching passion for surfing remains relatively unchanged since the first time he took a camera. As art aficionados, ocean lovers and design amateurs, that’s what caught our eyes the first time we met. Thomas has a true fascination for images. « I have the same approach with surfing as with photography. I usually spend more time on the aesthetic aspect of a camera than on the technical side. It’s like when choosing a surfboard, » he says. « Most of the time, I opt for cameras that carry an interesting history and unique design. »

Digital or analog? That’s a question we dared asking. Fortunately for us, Thomas didn’t choose. Digital for work, analog for fun. We asked him to go back on this precious selection of 35mm shots displayed in this article. « These last rolls are mostly black and white pictures I took last year in Biarritz and during trips. The black and white rolls allow me to develop them myself cause it’s quite easy to do and I can save a bit money as well. I shot around 25 rolls and developed some in September. But the rolls ended up stating on top of my desk, » he explains. « So once the rain season arrived, I started to develop the 13 rolls left! These rolls represent generally the off moments while on shoots, on trips or just when with friends. Some have been taken during surf sessions in Biarritz, some others in Paris or during Baiona Bestak (Fêtes de Bayonne, France). Most of them were shot in California during my last trip, from Venice to San Onofre and Malibu, including a short visit in Mexico. I also got some pictures from the opening ceremony of the Blue Factory in San Sebastian and there are some views from New York as well while a shoot for Oxbow. » Thomas has been working as a staff photographer for the french brand called Oxbow for the last 3 years. « My mission is to create most of their visual content and bring a little thing to their brand image. That’s why I collaborate a lot with their ambassadors, especially with French surfer Clovis Donizetti. Before every new season, I also organize the collection photoshoots for their catalogue and lookbooks. We tend to head to coastal cities in order to link up clothes to the ocean, and bridge city and surfing. It’s always great to discover interesting places and see how humans adapted and developed their lifestyle ad activities depending on the continents and cultures. »

Thomas remembers his very first travel for the brand. A 10-days surf trip to the French island of Guadeloupe, just a month after signing with them. « We also left to California in 2017 before discovering the rough winter in Oregon. No sun for 9 days. We’ve also been chasing waves in Italy and our last trip was in Sweden in order to shoot the next winter’s collection. A nice discovery in terms of both landscape, culture and lifestyle. » The french photographer shoots with all that passes through his way. « I mainly shot this series (seen in this article) of analog pictures with a Canon AE-1 with a 50mm, as well as with a point-and-shoot Olympus mju camera including a 35mm lent by a friend. I also have a Nikonos II to shoot in the water, famous design coming directly from Cousteau’s mind in the early 60s, then Nikon bought it back. I also recently acquired a Russian camera, called Horizon, panoramic style that I can’t wait to try. I also shoot with a Pentax 6×7, quite massive but amazing. It’s not easy to carry it especially on trip due to its weight and format (120mm). »

Weight and format are no big deal for Thomas as he draws inspiration from surf culture legends like Leroy Grannis who created some of the most memorable images that surfing has ever seen. « I remember the DVDs of the X Games and of « Nuits de la Glisse » (Night of the ride). At that time, as a teenager, surfing made me dream but I missed something. I didn’t look further than that at the time. I was hooked by this freestyle culture of BMX and its hectic aspect created from scratch by this american culture. I read the magazines and looked at those guys touring across the US. At age 13,in my teenager’s bedroom in Nantes, I imagined myself riding my bike and taking pictures of these crazy spots, » he says. « Later, I stumbled upon One California Day, which came out 10 years ago. It was probably my first  introduction to the story of longboarding. I wanted to dig into archives, portraits of unique characters in order to learn more about this historical grace of surfing. I discovered the work of Leroy Grannis, through Ron Stoner, Don James and Leo Hetzel. I’ve been blown away by their work. I remember the beach, the light and unique atmosphere from California and Hawaii, the crazy cars with amazing designs, testimony of a past era. Pictures from Arnaud de Rosnay in France in the 60s are also iconic shots. I like the soul of these shots and films, that’s why I slowly try to go back to these cameras, as well as with my surfboards, they both embody this era. I try to do it my way though. »

His way, that’s what makes Thomas’s work stand out. Recently he worked on a book project entitled Impressions. « Last year, I started to search in my external discs of these past 3 years, ended up with 4000 images that I found potentially interesting to use. Choosing the final selection has been a long and difficult process but I managed to gather 150 pictures, » he explains. « Then, I started the layout listening to some jazz to get inspired. After trying among 30 covers and starting from 300 pages, I finally have a final version. The book will be ready and out next week (mid-March, 2019)! » Biarritz-based Thomas Lodin photographer reminds us the aesthetics appeal of surfing and it feels good. 

More of Thomas Lodin’s work on his website.

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At number 50 Avenida de Navarra, behind the large windows of the San Sebastian-based Blue Factory, Dani Garreton draws at her desk, reminding the visitors her enthusiasm to paint daily. On one of the sunny days of an endless Spring season, the Chilean artist receives me with smiles, folk music blasting out and her adorable little Shiba Inu laid on a pillow.

When we enter the former abandoned building converted into a high ceiling creative space, we are struck by an inimitable fascination for the blue color. Seafarers, surfers, seagulls and fish canvas sit near windows that touch the ceiling. A penchant for the ocean is clearly visible through the Chilean artist’s work who finds »all sea creatures so fascinating«. Stuffed full with wooden planks, watercolor paint sets, drawings on paper, buckets of pencils and brushes, Dani’s studio is an opportunity to better understand her innate creativity.

As a youngster, Dani left Chile for Europe. A few years later, she settled down in the Basque Country where she enjoys every single piece of surrounding nature. »Nature is my first love,« she says. »It helps me keep my sanity.« As we discuss  her childhood in Chile, her attachment to the Panthalassa Society family and desire to raise awareness through art, Daniela reminds us that the ocean is what keeps her creatively moving forward. »Using my art as a message for a more conscious living. Expressing myself and finding that freedom I had as a child.«

Let’s get started. Can you begin by telling us how you would define yourself?

I was born in Chile, a very long country with more than 4000 km of coasts. From an early age, I was influenced by the sea. I still remember those endless summers at the beach with my little sister, collecting shells, building fantastic worlds in the sand, swimming and just having this feeling of total freedom. I grew up in a very creative family and we were always pushed to express ourselves through art.

How has your approach to drawing and painting developed over the years?

I think there is this rollercoaster with drawing and painting through the years. When you’re a kid, the creative process is very organic and intuitive. It’s purely about feelings and emotions. A splash of color, some crazy lines and suddenly you have a giraffe! Everything is allowed. When you approach the teenage years, you become more perfectionist, you try to draw realistic, you want to learn to draw and paint as perfect as possible and finally get the perfect technique. Then the challenge is to unlearn all this and find the freedom you had as a kid. Be able to let yourself go and not be obsessed with getting the perfect result but the closest to your real emotion. Feed that confidence you had as a kid. As Picasso said “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”

Based in San-Sebastian today, you tend to immerse yourself in nature. Can you tell us a bit about your daily routine?

Nature is my first love. It helps me keep my sanity. First thing I do in the morning is kiss and pet my dog, then same to my man. Then we go for a walk with my pup, I breathe, I admire the ocean, and we walk to the Blue Factory where I have my studio. I never take the car in the city, I walk or ride my bike. Being able to get to your workplace without the need of a car or public transport is a major privilege. You get to work with such a good mood. In  the evening, we take a long stroll in the beach with my pup and if the sea is gentle, I go for a surf or swim.

What does the ocean mean to you?

The ocean is life. Its change. Its constant movement. It teaches you so much. It really forces you to be in the present moment, be aware and in synch with nature’s rhythm. Life starts floating in amniotic fluid, which has a similar composition to ocean water, so I feel we have this very primitive connection to the sea.

A penchant for the ocean is clearly revealed through your work since you depict water, capture seafarers, surfers, seagulls and fish on your canvas. What kind of sea creatures or ocean-related characters do you find particularly inspiring?

I find all sea creatures so fascinating. After I read the book DEEP I became so fascinated by whales and how the communicate. It’s out of this world.

Panthalassa translates the ocean into stories with powerful voices. Today, you’re one of them appearing as a major member of the Panthalassa Society. Can you tell us more about this collaboration?

Panthalassa embodies all the love and respect I feel for the ocean. I have been a part of the Panthalassa society since the beginning and it’s like a family. We are all driven by the same force of blue love so it’s really a perfect match for me to collaborate with them.

Today, through your work, you bring awareness to some environmental issues. You’ve been part of numerous projects like the recent “Stop Sucking: Say not to plastic straws!” campaign, reminding us that 500 million plastic straws are used every single day in the US today. According to you, do you use your creativity as a tool for climate action?

I think communicating through art is such a powerful tool, art knows no language, it speaks to the emotions so you feel touched and want to be a part of the solution. As individuals, we all have a responsibility to support a good cause we feel close to our hearts. First hand, I see how plastic pollution is destroying our oceans, how climate change is killing entire ecosystems so I do whaterver I can to help.

Do you have a favorite artwork so far?

Probably one of the first fisherman I ever draw that was inspired by Jacques Cousteau, named “Jacques”. I hold that one dearly because it really opened some kind of doors I had locked inside.

Earlier this year, you set your studio in the Panthalassa’s Blue Factory in San Sebastian, an interdisciplinary place, crossroad of the Panthalassa Society. Can you pay us a visit?

I used to work from home and was pretty much like a lone wolf. I had convinced myself the life of an artist was that of solitude. After a few years, it really started messing with my head and I found harder and harder to draw the border between work life and home life. Having my own studio is the best feeling in the world. Having my own space is sacred. I cannot wait for Mondays because I love coming to the Blue Factory so much. It has such a nice vibe, you can breathe creativity, you can smell the ocean. Since we opened it, a lot of people just knock at the door and come in. We’ve had people visiting from all over the world and it has this awesome sinergy going on.

Looking to the future, what can we look forward to coming up with you?

I am working on some collaborations and a future exhibition next summer at the Blue Factory Gallery.

Discover more of Dani Garreton’s work on her website.

The post Dani Garreton’s childlike creativity appeared first on PANTHALASSA.

Photographer Tyler Haughey grew up less than a mile from the beach just outside of Asbury Park, in New Jersey. On weekends, he used to spend time at his grandparents’ beach house in Barnegat Light where started a true fascination for coastal towns and regions.

Earlier this year, New York-based photographer released his new photobook entitled Everything is Regional, a print project described as a monograph that examines the built environment of northeastern coastal towns and explores how we use, interact with, and remember places designed and known for summer recreation. 

This new body of works led Tyler to explore memory, leisure and architecture as common threads in this popular summer destination where « US Presidents have summered here, while at the same time the middle class was vacationing a short distance away. » We had a chat with Tyler to learn more about his deep connection to the Jersey Shore and evoke the dichotomy that this wildly popular and often controversial northeast region embodies.

Hi Tyler, can you tell us a bit about your background?

I grew up at the Jersey Shore, less than a mile from the beach just outside of Asbury Park. I’ve always been innately drawn to the vernacular architecture and characteristics of the state, especially along the coast. My dad was a union sign painter and artist in his own right, and I would go on drives and walks on the beach with him as a kid. He’d always be actively looking, pointing out the unique, strange things we would pass or come across, and he would ask me what I liked about this or about that, colors and logos, that kind of thing. That had a big impact on what I would become visually drawn to as I got older and really started thinking about my own interests and perspective.

You’ve been studying in Philadelphia, PA. Tell us more about your studies.

I went to Drexel University in Philadelphia, where I studied Photography and Art History. I was intuitively interested in similar subject matters and ideas as a few of the teachers there, so they were able to read that very early on and make recommendations for whose work I should be looking at and studying, which was super instrumental in my growth as a photographer. Drexel isn’t necessarily known for the arts, but their photography program is seriously top notch and on par with any other art school in the northeast.

How did you get introduced to photography?

I started taking pictures in middle school. My dad had gotten one of those really early point and shoot digital cameras in the late 90s, the ones where you had to carry a battery pack around in your pocket in order to use it, and I used to shoot photos of my friends skateboarding and fooling around. I kept an interest in it throughout high school, while also working with video. I was lucky enough to be able to pursue and study photography on a more serious level in college.

Earlier this year, you released your photobook entitled Everything is Regional. Was it a way to celebrate and pay tribute to your native Jersey Shore?

That was definitely a major reason why I started making much of the work that ended up in the book: documenting the part of the world that I’m most connected with and showing this often misrepresented place with regard and from a local’s point of view is something I’ve always been interested in. Expanding on that idea and bringing it to a larger area (the northeast) for the book, while still keeping New Jersey as its nucleus, was both challenging and important to me.

Where does the title Everything is Regional come from?

Everything Is Regional is the opening line to a poem by Robert Pinsky, a former US Poet Laureate, about his hometown, which is a few miles down the road from mine. The first two stanzas of the poem, “Long Branch, New Jersey”, are:

Everything is regional,

And this is where I was born, dear,

And conceived,

And first moved to tears,

And last irritated to the same point.

It is bounded on three sides by similar places

And on one side by vast, uncouth houses

A glum boardwalk and,

As we say, The Beach.

For the non-american, it’s important to remind that the Jersey Shore used to be a popular summer destination in the 1950s. How would you describe the northeastern coastal area?

It’s actually been a popular summer destination since the late 19th century, when train travel became accessible. With New Jersey specifically, the diversity that arises along its relatively small 130-mile coastline is amazing – from military bases and massive summer homes to untouched wildlife preservations and blue-collar beach towns. US Presidents have summered here, while at the same time the middle class was vacationing a short distance away. This dichotomy still exists today, and that juxtaposition is part of what keeps me exploring and photographing these areas. There’s a place for everybody, no matter which socioeconomic level you’re a part of.

For this new book, you’ve been combining photographs taken since 2010. What do all these photos have in common?

Though taken in different locales throughout the northeast, all of the photographs in the book examine similar themes – memory, leisure, vernacular characteristics and architecture, land-use, history, disillusionment. These are things that I’ve been exploring since I began to take photography seriously, and it was a lot of fun to go back through my work from the last eight years and see how presumably disparate images from different time periods and projects worked together.

As shown in your previous project « Ebb Tide », you seem hugely influenced by the off-season vacancy of a tourist destination. Tell us more about this specific unpopulated emptiness of the winter months that fascinates you…

This stems from growing up near the beach. The post-summer months, when the tourists have left and the area becomes quiet again, are always what you look forward to. There’s something both interesting and eerie about seeing places that were so recently bustling with life just sitting empty. They’re vacant, but still suggest a palpable recent human presence. Choosing to photograph during this time of year stems from a desire to show these places in a way that most people don’t get to see. It also allows me to strip away any distractions that might arise during the summertime.

How would you define your relationship to the ocean and water in general?

The ocean has always been in my life, and some of both my earliest and best memories involve it. If I go any substantial amount of time without seeing it, I find myself unconsciously thinking about it and being drawn to it – this has been especially true while living in New York City for the last five years and while I was at school in Philadelphia. My fiancé is from Rockaway Beach, NY, so we both have a strong connection to the water and are lucky enough to be able to go back to either of our respective hometowns when we need a fix!

What’s next for you Tyler?

I’m beginning to bounce around ideas for my next project – I’m in the research phase at the moment. I’m looking forward to seeing where that leads me and eventually getting back out there to start shooting again soon.

Discover Tyler Haughey’s work on his website.

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In many of my images I aim to create a compositional waltz between the subjects and their own shadows.

Over the years, composition around food has made photographer Suzanne Saroff’s reputation. Arranging items, playing with fish, fruits and flowers, New York-based artist alters our perception of everyday objects.

In this series of still-life photographs, the photographer is looking for experimental explorations. Oranges, lobsters, mangos, watermelons, avocados or papayas slowly become abstract, strange and beautiful. Through light, colors and evolving shapes, food and flowers are first stretched then multiplied.

Using glasses and cylinders of all shapes and sizes filled with different amounts of water, Suzanne Saroff distords the shape of the original object, thus changing the perspectives and the way viewers interact with well-known objects.

Follow Suzanne Saroff’s work on her website.

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Born at the Blue Factory in San Sebastian, the Plastic Family made their way to the Côte des Basques in Biarritz. To celebrate World CleanUp Day, the colorful family of three visited the French beach town on September, 15.

Using the plastic found on the beaches of the Basque Country (Spain & France), Panthalassa decided to ‘dress’ the family in order to help raise awareness about the plastic problem the ocean is facing. 

Over the years, throughout the « Sea and Gather » initiative, Rebecca Kudela, a member of the Panthalassa Society, has been proving her obsession for beach-combing and her passion for design. Her work was a key inspiration for the idea of using art and creativity to encourage people to consume and use less single-use plastics. 

As part of a global environmental movement, the Plastic Family art installation will be travelling around Europe to save our ocean’s biggest threat. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to see the Plastic Family in Biarritz!

Stay tuned to find out where the family is heading next!

Photos: Rebecca Kudela

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On Friday the 27th of July, we’ve been happy and proud to launch the Panthalassa Blue Factory into the world. Over the years, Panthalassa, brainchild of creative director Sergio Penzo, became a platform known for bringing together some of the world’s most talented creators. Our main motivation is putting a light on the beauty and fragility of the ocean.  According to Sergio Penzo’s words,»this love for the big blue is what inspires the Panthalassa Society so it was natural to choose San Sebastian, a city that lives from and for the sea, as the place to start this new voyage.«

Thank you very much for coming to join in on the celebrations, we hope you had as much fun as we did. Life is all Ocean.

Photos : Philipp von Buch

Photo Clovis Donizetti: Thomas Lodin

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From May to September 2018, the city of Bruges is hosting the 2018 edition of the Triennial. Contemporary artists and architects from all over the world are brought together around one main topic, the liquid city. Many of them sought inspiration for their work in the role of liquidity in the city that is literally criss-crossed and surrounded by water.  »The world is changing rapidly. Some forms of life are under pressure,« says curator Michel Dewilde. »Fluidity is a symbol for change, for sociological change, political change and economic change.«

We’ve been amazed by the installation created by StudioKCA, a whale rising up from the Canal. Made up of 5 tons of plastic waste pulled out of the ocean, »Skyscraper is a physical example of why we need to change, how we use and dispose of plastic in the world today,« explain architects Jason Klimoski and Lesley Chang, co-founders of the innovative architecture and design agency StudioKCA.

Toilet seats, kids bowls, hangers … The artists collected all the plastic that they found in Hawaii, cleaned it and started to assemble it. »The whale is almost 4 stories tall and weights several tons. And there’s a tremendous mode of engineering that’s going to keep it stable.« We sat down with StudioKCA to learn more about their newest large-scale installation.

Hi guys, tell us a bit about the StudioKCA…

STUDIOKCA is an award-winning architecture and design firm led by Jason Klimoski and Lesley Chang. We’re based in Brooklyn, New York and have projects ranging in scale and complexity from lighting fixtures and interiors, to public installations, sculptures and buildings. The practice explores the ways in which context and locality offer opportunities to design and create objects and spaces that respond directly to the demands of their programs and site-specific environmental conditions. With each project, they are interested in how materials can be crafted or purposed to solve a problem, shape a narrative, create a sense of place, and offer a unique solution that resonates with visitors and clients.

From May to September 2018, the city of Bruges is hosting the Triennial. « The Liquid city » is the main topic of this year’s event. What about your process of creation?

When we first heard the term »liquid city«, we started thinking about the ocean (the first »liquid city«) and our city’s interaction with it, namely through waste.  This led us to find out that 8 million tons a year of plastic waste flow from our cities into this first liquid city, and that there is 150 million tons of plastic waste in the oceans right now. So, we decided to create a piece that would highlight this relationship and help to bring awareness to the issue of plastic waste in our oceans.

You ended up creating a gigantic whale rising up from the canal. Tell us more about your installation…

»Skyscraper«, or »the Bruges Whale«, is a 12 meters-tall whale made from 5 tons of plastic waste that we pulled out of the ocean. A whale, breaching the water is really the first skyscraper of the »liquid city« so it felt like the right form for our piece. Also, even though the whale is the biggest animal in the ocean, there is currently 150 million tons of plastic in our waters. That means, pound for pound, there is more plastic swimming in the ocean than there are whales, and we wanted to put the scale and scope of the problem into perspective.

You collaborated with the Hawaii Wild Fund, organizing major clean ups. Tell us a bit about these beachcombing sessions.

The HWF is a fantastic non-profit organization, and they became a great partner in our effort to collect Plastic Waste out of the ocean.  It takes about 2 hours of driving over lava rock to get to the coves littered with plastic waste from the great Pacific Garbage Patch. We worked with the HWF’s army of volunteers to fill up trucks and trailers full of waste to bring back to a container we kept in Hawaii.  In 6 short months, we had 5 tons of waste collected.  The sad part is, we could go out there for a day and clean a beach, and then go out there the very next day and find it covered, all over again.

Was it difficult to make this huge plastic whale stand up?

It is a very challenging structure. The foundation is underwater so we needed divers to make the connection to it and the main structure.  The whale is also tall, 12m, and cantilevers off of a 1.2m base. What makes this even more tricky, are two enormous fins that needed to be accounted for in order to make sure the whale doesn’t torque or twist.  We worked very closely with our engineering partners, Thornton Thomasetti to develop a cost-effective structural solution that is very safe and also straightforward to assemble on site (and underwater).

The architecture and design agency StudioKCA is used to create large-scale installations. Tell us a bit about your previous sculptures like ‘Head of Clouds’ and ‘Drop’.

We like creating large-scale installations.  We have created some fairly large pieces for the city of New York, NASA, the WSF, and now Bruges.  A couple of those have also sought to address the scope of plastic waste generated by us. Head in the Clouds, is a huge cloud shaped pavilion that was on Governors Island in New York City, made from 1 hour’s worth of plastic bottles thrown away in New York City- that’s 53,780 bottles!  Drop was an installation we created for the MADE event in Sao Paolo.  It looked like three drops of water, but was made from just 8 minutes worth of plastic bottles thrown away in Sao Paolo (more than 1,000 bottles a minute!)

What’s the message you’d like to spread regarding the problem of plastic pollution?

Plastic pollution is a problem we all have to address in our daily routines.  For just 1 day, keep track of everything you touch or use that is plastic.  Now consider reducing that by half, and making sure that the plastic you do use, goes into a recyling bin.  If we all do this, we might help stem the flow of the nearly 8 million tons of plastic waste that ends up in our oceans each year. 

How would you describe your relationship to the ocean today?

We love the ocean!  The oceans are something that make our planet unique in this galaxy, and what connects of all of us together. Clogging that unique aspect of our planet with waste from things we’ve simply thrown away seems irresponsible.  We work hard to call attention to global issues affecting our planet, and in the lives we lead to minimize our footprint on the earth and our oceans.

What’s next for you guys?

We are working now on finishing a 7m disc of stars for a small town in the Midwest (their place amongst the stars), and on a bike that has the potential to deliver off-the-grid power, water, light, and shade to areas that don’t have those ammenities.

Photos: Matthias Desmet 

Discover more creations from StudioKCA on their website.

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“Because, underneath all of this is the real truth we have been avoiding: climate change isn’t an “issue” to add to the list of things to worry about, next to health care and taxes. It is a civilizational wake-up call. A powerful message—spoken in the language of fires, floods, droughts, and extinctions—telling us that we need an entirely new economic model and a new way of sharing this planet. Telling us that we need to evolve.” ― Naomi Klein, This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate.

That’s how we should start an interview with Sergio Penzo. The German creative director’s beginnings lay in Haiti and Dominican Republic. Studying business and design in Chile, he’s then been irresistibly caught up by European culture. Fascinated by the sea, Sergio Penzo wanted to create both a whole universe and a collective dedicated to and united by a common passion. »I felt there was a need for a more fluid platform that harnesses creativity and uses the power of storytelling to put a spotlight on our dependence of our fragile oceans and the immense influence it has on us.«

As an aesthetic and creative connection to our oceans, Panthalassa was born with the intention to reflect on our changing world. Today, our journal discusses contemporary culture and our unique relationship with our oceans, bringing together multiple talents, from photographers, filmmakers, writers and graphic designers. « We want to surprise our readers and bring people who are not necessarily receptive to ocean themes through beautiful aesthetics and unexpected stories. » Meet the ship master behind the creative boat.

Tell us more about your background.

I was born in Germany but spent all my childhood in Haiti and Dominican Republic. My family then moved to Chile where I finished school and studied business and design. I guess I have a nomadic spirit. I can’t keep down so I decided to try my luck in Europe. A few months later, I started working for Jung von Matt, one of the world’s biggest creative ad agencies. Influenced by authors like Naomi Klein, back then I believed in the power of brands to change the world for good or worst. So I started my own brand called TWOTHIRDS, a beautiful experiment which would lay out the blue print for what is today Panthalassa.

As a creative director, you’ve been working for prestigious clients and brands. What have been the lessons learnt along the way?

As a creative and strategist, I learnt to work around brands or companies that needed help. The solution was often a new idea, where nothing was defined. By putting together the brightest minds and talented creators, we’ve been able to shape a thought. I found this whole process fascinating and kept asking myself ‘what if we channelled this powerful energy into a good purpose?’ The essence of my work today hasn’t changed much, but the purpose has entirely shifted.

Who or what ignited your passion for the ocean?

Probably the fact of spending my childhood on an island surrounded by water did. Also, when I was 10, my mother started studying marine biology. We would spend afternoons studying together, I would do math while she’d be preparing her exams. 

Give us an insight of what your routine looks like today.

I get to our studio around 8. It’s only a 5-minute walk so I take the longer way alongside our local beach. I like the fact that the sea always looks different, so that already breaks the routine. There’s nothing certain about the sea, and I try to keep this unpredictability in my creative process. I make a break around 1 to get some things to cook at the local market, If you live in San Sebastian, eating pretty much dictates your life! I leave work around 7 and try to get some surf before the sun goes down.

You recently discovered sailing and free-diving. Tell us more about these two new water hobbies.

I just started free-diving two years ago. It was a huge discovery. Some people embark on a transformational journey through meditation or other practices. For me, it was free-diving. It made me confront many fears and embark on a shift of consciousness that is still taking place today. I only started sailing recently. It’s a total new way of experiencing the sea and, to my own surprise, it can be as exciting.

When and why did you decide to create Panthalassa? 

I was still involved with Twothirds but I felt it had shifted from a purpose driven brand. I felt there was a need for a more fluid platform that harnesses creativity and uses the power of storytelling to put a spotlight on our dependence of our fragile oceans and the immense influence it has on us.

The Panthalassa Society is an important element of the creative process. Can you officially present your team of talents? 

The Panthalassa Society is just a fancy word for our community of incredibly talented creators: They’re like-minded individuals who have a a great sensibility and love for the ocean. We have been able to attract some amazing people who give us their time, energy and talent because they feel that when we connect and collaborate we can contribute to something bigger than ourselves. 

Panthalassa is known for its avant-garde approach towards ocean-related stories. Tell us more about your editorial vision.

We keep this journal as a way to remind us the fascinating relationship we have built as a species with the ocean. We want to surprise our readers and bring people who are not necessarily receptive to ocean themes through beautiful aesthetics and unexpected stories.

Throughout your different projects, you tend to depict a certain philosophy of sustainability. Why is it so important to raise awareness of sustainable fishing and cooking today?

During the past few years, we’ve been working close with NGOs like Oceana and the Marine Steward Council supporting their efforts to end overfishing. We will need fish to feed the 9 billion people on this planet, and the only way is to secure healthy oceans and bring back the abundance our seas once had. I believe we can play a critical role by telling stories of sustainability and helping shift the narrative of the seafood industry.

What’s next for Panthalassa?

We are about to open a collaboration space in San Sebastian, a dream I had since starting Panthalassa. But I don’t want to give too much away. You will find out more about it soon.

Short Film: Technogym / C41 Studio

Creative director: Luca Attilio Caizzi

Photos : C41 Magazine

Read the full story on C41 Magazine.

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March 6th, 2014. 72 degrees south, speed 5 knots, -28 or less degrees celsius with wind chill.

By Nico Edwards.

It is dark and stormy, with snow blowing straight at us and we are driving blindly into pack ice. The waves seem to be growing dramatically every minute. The guy at the bow is shouting instructions and warnings back to another guy at the halfway mark, who runs across the icy deck towards the helm to tell us to go “hard to starboard!” Just as we begin turning, we see a piece of ice the size of a school bus passing along our port side, grinding along the hull as it goes. Lots of warning….and to top that off, we have to motor ahead at 3+ knots if we even remotely hope to be able to control the direction of the boat. Infinity weighs 160 tons, so even going slow it takes forever to stop. Slamming into an iceberg is like slamming into solid stone, at any speed something has to give, and it’s not likely to be the stone. The quantity of ice in the surrounding water is increasing rapidly, along with the size. Andy, our Scottish watch leader, keeps adding speed, as we lose the ability to hold course. All the while massive chunks slide past on either side. In this sobering atmosphere, Andy starts talking about “real adventure” and how hard it is to find these days.

Having lived on the high seas for the last 20 odd years, I can’t think of anyone I would rather have leading this madness then Capt. Clem. Though as he gets to the helm, even he seems a bit unnerved by the situation. “Why didn’t anyone get me fucking sooner! …I can’t hear you clearly! None of this American nuzzle buzzle. There’s a solid wall of pack ice dead ahead! Can’t you see that! That’s not water, that’s ice!” The full force of the storm has yet to arrive and we’re still 30 miles off from our intended anchorage.

As I make my way on deck the next day, I find the situation has deteriorated further. Our Canadian Electrician, David Bowie (real name) is at the bow screaming back to the helm “hard to port!” Just as a real hull cruncher passes with not much more than two feet to spare. All around us is thick pancake ice and off in the distance is a sheer wall of pack ice that we seem to be heading directly for. We soon discover that the anchorage area is socked in with ice and we have no place that is protected to anchor. It is at this point that the full force of the storm arrives. Not the 20 knot peripheral system we were hoping for at this latitude, but an 80+ knot force 12 hurricane of ice with wind gusts exceeding 160 kpm. We have no choice but to ride it out on the open ocean, but we have to quickly get away from the large fields of ice.  

It is so cold that ocean spray turns to shards of ice before it hits the deck. The waves have grown to mountains of water exceeding 18 meters tall from trough to crest. An interesting site few of us have ever seen, they are breaking on themselves in the open ocean, as if they were being pushed up by a reef or the shore. Going on watch is a sobering experience. It’s less of an active navigating experience and more of what one crew member termed “riding space mountain for three hours”.

It’s so cold, that our diesel has begun to freeze in the tanks, and from the white smoke the engine is emitting, we suspect our fuel is contaminated with seawater. We are not sure how the water made its way into our tanks, but our engine is cutting in and out and were losing fuel injectors we have no replacements for. 

To make matters worse, the waves crashing onto the bow are so strong they have bent back the steel anchor plate, allowing water into the forward anchor locker. Infinity has taken on so much water, her bow is riding noticeable lower in the water, and she’s digging ever deeper into the waves.

The engine throttled up full, we are lurching in horrible, skyward-thrusting, gut-wrenching circles. Due to the power of the wind though, we seem to be going backwards. We have to harness ourselves in and bear-hug something solid, or we’ll be ripped off the helm. If we go overboard, we’ll be dead before the person next to us realizes we are gone. 

Every couple of hours, we are forced to shut off the engine so we can clean out the rapidly clogging fuel filter. It is during one of these cleanings, the boat drifting at the mercy of the wind and waves, giant mountains of white capped waves cresting and breaking on and around us, that we spot a large iceberg, directly in the path the waves are taking us.  Fuel filter quickly back in place, and we are trying to restart the engine, before we get dashed against the ice. The starter turns and turns, but the engine refuses to catch. For what feels like forever, it just turns, straining the battery. It is in this moment, that we feel the most alive. This is what we are truly after. As we hang on for our lives, in the middle of the most dramatic storm we have ever seen, with front row seats to one of the greatest natural spectacles on earth, we have collectively reached a state of transcendent ecstasy. We’re in a giant universe of forces that are out of our control and we’re feeling very small. 

The engine catches and we apply the throttle, holding our breaths as the boat slowly increases the distance between us and the berg. We will ride space mountain for two days.

Follow their adventures online.

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