Stil in Toronto: Tina

Tina, stylist

Interview: Marius Leknes Snekkevåg

Portrait by Trevor Good for StilinBerlin

Marius Leknes Snekkevåg is a young playwright and actor from Oslo, recently living in Berlin to do research and work on his latest script for Haugesund theatre. Trevor Good sat down with him to get to know more about his latest play that was commissioned after his last script "I love you let me go" was selected to be staged as a part of the Norwegian playwright festival 2009. "Rabinowitz" will be performed at Haugesund theatre from april 7th 2011 and directed by Audny Chris Holsen.

Stil in New York: Aya

Aya, make-up artist

Vintage coat,
Comme des Garçons skirt

Stil in New York: Thomas

Thomas, 23, works for Damir Doma

Damir Doma coat,
Prada top,
Givenchy shirt

Stil in New York: Zippy Seven

Zippy Seven, model from New Zealand

Interview: Little Otik

Kevin Avery and Jeffrey Sfire in their restaurant "Little Otik". Photo: Trevor Good

Jeffrey Sfire and Kevin Avery, two charming New Yorkers, came to Berlin two years ago and founded what was then new in town: the "Palisaden Supper Club". Once a month, the club opened for 10 people, where Jeffrey and Kevin invited them to their home to spoil them with a dainty three course meal made from regional and seasonal products they found at the markets. It was so successful that the couple decided to go for the real deal and when they found an abandoned space on Gräfestraße they knew it was the right time to turn their business into full time: "Little Otik" was born and it is named after the czech surrealist movie by Švankmajerová. To keep their life-work-balance the restaurant is only open at night from Wednesday to Saturday, and though it was just opened in August it is already wise to make a reservation (tel. 030-50362301). We sat down and talked to them about the taste of Berliners, why it is difficult to sell the oh-so-delicious pig's head meat and in the end they even gave an insight on this week's menu starring the last performance of what is going to be missed very soon: fruity tomatoes.

Stil in Toronto: Jennifer

Jennifer, 25, photographer

Dress by Alexander Wang

Stil in Toronto: Liam

Liam, 24, artist

At home: Dominikus Müller

Sometimes people assume I bring flowers to peoples' houses or re-arrange the furniture to shoot the "At Home" pictures (I don't). This is Dominikus' flowerless office in Mitte, as I found it on that day I arrived to shoot his portrait. Dominikus spends most of his days working here as a writer focussing on contemporary art, just next to the ever-alluring bookstore Pro qm.

Stil in Toronto: Emily

Emily, 12, student

Interview: The Green Box

„Das Ende des Buches“ wurde im Laufe der digitalen Entwicklung mehrfach vorausgesagt und scheint spätestens mit Erfindung des eBook Reader eine unbestreitbare Tatsache. Wie aber lässt sich das Medium Buch im Zeitalter von web 2.0 weiterdenken und gegenüber der hohen Speicherkapazität sowie der neu entfachten Autorschaftsdebatte durch das Internet behaupten? Anja Lutz und Axel Lapp, Gründer des The Green Box-Verlages, stellen sich der Herausforderung und präsentieren seit 2005 hochwertige Künstlerbücher und -monographien, die in ihrer komplexen Verzahnung von Design und Inhalt auf dem deutschen Buchmarkt ihresgleichen suchen. Wir haben die beiden in ihren Verlagsräumen im Prenzlauer Berg besucht und mit ihnen über ihr künstlerisches Programm und die Zukunft des Buches geredet.

"The end of print" was predicted countless times and with the development of eBook readers this end seems to be irreversible. Can we think beyond the traditional form of the book in the age of web 2.0 and find a new form that stands the test against the endless digital memory capacity? Anja Lutz and Axel Lapp founded "The Green Box" publishing house to accept this challenge and present artist's books, that are unparalleled in their inticrate bond of design and content. We met them in their offices in Prenzlauer Berg to talk about their program and the future of print. Unfortunately, this interview is as yet only available in German.

Stil in Berlin: Tania Martins

Tania Martins, designer and shop owner

Dress by Ann-Sofie Back

Tania Martins has been a Toronto fashion fixture for years now, running one of Toronto's best boutiques Carte Blanche. The shop, which primarily sells young designers, also houses her own label, Pink Cobra.

Stil in Toronto: Omari

Omari, 20, musician & stylist

Ralph Lauren sweater,
Cheap Monday jeans,
Rogues Gallery bag

Stil in Toronto: Iris

Iris, film director

At home: Jessica Manthey

They say one of Berlin's advantages is its cheap rents and abundance of free space. While this might be true for Lichtenberg, Reinickendorf, Niederschönhausen and other areas at the periphery, it is certainly not easy finding the perfect place at an appropriate price in popular areas like Kreuzberg or Mitte. On top of that, it might even be called impossible to find a house on the free market in the neighbourhoods around Paul-Lincke-Ufer or Auguststraße - most of the places are passed between friends and colleagues, and you must be lucky enough to be in the place at the right time. Jessica was fortunate when she found this beautiful and spacious apartment at Lausitzer Platz in the middle of Kreuzberg (through a hint of a colleague) and finally got it after five months of negotiating. She has been following a distinct style inspired by the 1960s for years, compiling a marvelous collection of furniture and accessories at flea markets and auctions, which fit perfectly with the style of the apartment.

/mary

Interview: Ralf Ziervogel

„Nicht der Paukenschlag, nicht der Körper, der da zerballert wird ist das Ding, sondern
eher dieses Spiel damit, mit dieser Plattform.“

In dieser Woche beginnen in Berlin die Kunstmessen. Auf der renommiertesten, dem Art Forum, präsentiert die Galerie Arndt Werke von Ralf Ziervogel, der vor allem durch seine riesigen, präzis-filigranen Zeichnungen malträtierter Körpernetzwerke internationale Bekanntheit erlangte. Wir besuchten ihn vergangene Woche in seiner Atelierwohnung hoch über dem Strausberger Platz und sprachen über seine künstlerischen Einflüsse, Ressentiments sowie sein größtes, bis dato noch unrealisiertes Projekt - ein 120 mal 120 Meter großer Kubus auf dem Feld des Tempelhofer Flughafens:

We met Ralf Ziervogel, a Berlin based artist who will be presented in a solo show with Arndt gallery at Art Forum, and talked to him (in German) about his influences, resentments and his biggest, hitherto unrealised project - a cubus, measuring 120m x120m, on the field of Tempelhof airport:

Stil in Toronto: Chiara

Chiara, 23, teacher

Stil in Toronto: Nico

Nico, 26, industrial designer