MAEKAN
By MAEKAN
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
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MAEKANNov 25, 2018
Indestructible: The DSPTCH Origin Story With Richard Liu
For the MAEKAN and DSPTCH family, we’ve watched each other grow with great interest. Both of us share a similar perspective on creating and putting things out into the world. So when we first decided to explore creating product, DSPTCH was a natural first partner. Their flexible in-house manufacturing meant lower minimums and utilitarian design philosophy vibed with our perspective on what we wished to put out into an already crowded world.
The timeline for putting this tote out into the world took longer than anticipated, yet the conversation that supported this project and the underlying premise behind how we collectively run our companies remains unchanged.
We’re excited to both share this thoughtful conversation and the release of our MAEKAN x DSPTCH “Done Slow, Done Right” Tote Bag.
See the images, read the transcript, and shop the bag at MAEKAN.com
Building the Brand — Adam Studios
After a long hiatus, we’re back with another episode of Building The Brand. Most crucially, this episode is hosted by MAEKAN founders Eugene Kan and Alex Maeland, who talk about the inception of Adam Studios, the creative agency they founded that ties into and supports MAEKAN as a company and independent publication.
See the whole episode and transcript over at MAEKAN.com.
Two Acres at a Time — Kristyn Leach of Namu Farm
Namu Farm is a quaint two-acre property located an hour and a half outside of San Francisco. In a time when the topic of food and industry generally focuses on scale and size, a visit to the farm is a timely reminder of where our food comes from. The whole operation is overseen by Kristyn Leach, an unexpected representation of the modern-day farmer who aims not only to produce honest, ethical food, but also empowers communities through narratives of food and experience. As a Korean-American adoptee, some of the crops that grace the rows of the farm were not part of her upbringing, but their existence has allowed her to gain a very unique insight into a heritage that was never second nature.
Namu Farm exists as a partnership between both Kristyn and Namu Gaji, a brother-run restaurant group that also includes the more casual dining establishment known as Namu Stonepot. The two have been staunch supporters of revisiting what farming means today and willingly absorbing all the challenges that have come along the way.
A few hours spent shadowing Kristyn with the bright sun beating down overhead yielded some fascinating insights into the complexities of not only how our food makes its way to the table, but also how food and ethnic culture have some positive externalities that help bring light to the stories of the otherwise voiceless.
See the images over at MAEKAN.com.
Lars Williams — Creating Sense Memories with Empirical Spirts
In a past lifetime, Copenhagen’s Refshaleøen island was far different than today. The massive infrastructure was home to a huge boat building operation. But it has since come to represent the bedrock of some of Copenhagen’s, and Denmark’s, most respected culinary projects.
Started only a few years ago, Empirical Spirits is a self-described flavor company. They’re creating new definitions around flavor and while there are plans down the line, they primarily focus on this concept through the vehicle of spirits. On a recent trip to Copenhagen where I met Lars after lunch at Amass, I stopped by the distillery just a stone’s throw away to understand what happens when culinary acumen and scientific method meet under one roof.
See the images over at MAEKAN.com.
MAEKAN & BYBORRE — Redefining Comfort: Céline Pham
Comfort. It’s something essential to our lives.
The degree of comfort we experience can impact how we view the world around us. Comfort can take shape in a practical sense. Are we dry? Are we able to move freely? Are we confident about how we look?
Comfort can also apply psychologically. Are we comfortable with the challenge ahead and the uncertainty of not knowing what’s next?
Interview & Photos by Eugene Kan
Video by Ralph Sarmo
See the full story here: https://maekan.com/article/maekan-byborre-redefining-comfort-celine-pham/
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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502 Bad Gateway — An Antidote to Online Fast Fashion
502 Bad Gateway is the best life decision Seth Footring has made in recent years. By day, Seth works in the photo and eCommerce department of ASOS in London, by night—and in all other spare waking hours—he focuses his efforts on being the creator and Editor-in-Chief of a brand new men’s fashion publication. The first issue of 502 Bad Gateway was released in January this year and contains long articles about Tender, Olubiyi Thomas, the Massimo Osti Archive, and Sampaix Studio, plus graphic elements that are decidedly in the opposite direction of the average glossy fashion mags. After making the decision to start and complete a personally driven project, Seth’s choices revolved around bringing to life the type of publication he wanted to read and indicating that there is a “right” way to operate in the fashion industry that isn’t talked about sufficiently. Charis Poon spoke with Seth in London about the necessity for 502 Bad Gateway’s existence and the trials he underwent to make it happen.
Audio by Elphick Wo
Photos by Sebastian Petrovski
Design of 502 Bad Gateway by Xuan Phan
See the full story here: https://maekan.com/article/502-bad-gateway-an-antidote-to-online-fast-fashion/
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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Understanding Our World Through Objects — Johanna Agerman Ross
The value of an object is different for everyone. If you’re practical above all else, an object’s function, efficiency, and affordability are probably the most important aspects. If you’re drawn to beautiful things, the way an object looks and fits within an environment are more appealing. If you’re curious how the puzzle pieces of geography, politics, and history fit together, you might find an object’s inspiration, fabrication, and evolution of the most interest. Someone who is a combination of all of the above plus interested in telling the stories of objects to better enable society is Johanna Agerman Ross.
Hosted, Narrated, & Text by Charis Poon
Audio by Elphick Wo
Photos by Chris Tang
See the full story here: https://maekan.com/article/understanding-our-world-through-objects-johanna-agerman-ross/
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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Remembering Triple X — Hong Kong's Underground Mecca
Gone before its time, XXX (known popularly as “Triple X”) was a club not far from the MAEKAN Office that was a hotspot for underground culture and music on Hong Kong’s Kowloon side. The venue of choice for acts like OKOKOK, Yeti Out and Eric Lau, among many others, it closed in late 2018 amid a background of public noise complaints, sky high rents and lack of official support from the city. When street culture meccas like this one go down, it deals a serious blow to the independent community, especially one eking out an existence in a decidedly creatively inhospitable city like Hong Kong.
Audio by Elphick Wo
See the full story here: https://maekan.com/article/remembering-triple-x-hong-kongs-underground-hot-spot/
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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MAEKAN & BYBORRE — Redefining Comfort: Rebecca Kelley
Comfort. It’s something essential to our lives.
The degree of comfort we experience can impact how we view the world around us. Comfort can take shape in a practical sense. Are we dry? Are we able to move freely? Are we confident about how we look?
Comfort can also apply psychologically. Are we comfortable with the challenge ahead and the uncertainty of not knowing what’s next?
In abundance, some would say too much of it creates complacency. Too little of it, and you’re unable to settle into a rhythm, because you’re only focused on reducing the discomfort.
Interview & Photos by Eugene Kan
Video by Ralph Sarmo
See the full story here: https://www.maekan.com/article/maekan-byborre-redefining-comfort-rebecca-kelley
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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Floating in Time — Daniel Arsham Brings Us Static Mythologies
“Looking back at it, it feels like I’m jumping around a lot, but all of the different types of work, whether it’s an installation or in the architecture studio that I have, they’re all in service of the same goal—which is to take our everyday experience, things that we know, and, sort of, make them do things or make them act in ways we don’t expect. And that subtle shift outside of our everyday experience is a kind of invitation to explore that region outside of our everyday.”
A rack of sixteen Spalding basketballs—except they’re made of pink selenite crystal with gaping erosions in their forms. A Los Angeles Lakers bomber jacket with logo stitching across the front—except it’s unwearable, made of pyrite and ash, the crystals emerging from erosions on the shoulder and sides. What appears to be the hydrostone likenesses of Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, and Big Bird hanging out together, but they’re wrapped in cloth and tied with rope, ready for delivery or perhaps for unwrapping—immediately familiar and uncomfortably unfamiliar at the same time. Issues of National Geographic, Vogue, Life Magazine, and Sports Illustrated from the year 3018—the year that, apparently, the Cleveland Browns win the Super Bowl.
Audio by Elphick Wo
See the full story here: https://www.maekan.com/article/floating-in-time-daniel-arsham-brings-us-static-mythologies
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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MAEKAN Session — The Need for Criticism
The growth of social media gives off the perception that the world’s smaller and more connected, but conversely, this doesn’t necessarily make the world easier to understand. In our MAEKAN Session titled The Need for Criticism, we focused on the concept of critique in a social-media dominated creative landscape.
This session was our most globally expansive to date, with a panel dialing in from Australia, Asia, and America. The panel members originally met through a WhatsApp group centered around film photography. Through this connection, the speakers often spoke about critique and how that has changed in relation to a social media-driven environment. How does critique affect the creative landscape of 2018, and how can we grow more accustomed to the ways in which we receive critique?
Text by Alek Rose
Moderated by Eugene Kan
Panelists featuring Sean Marc Lee, Young Kim, Jovell Rennie, James Bailey, and Donnel Barroso
See the full story here: https://www.maekan.com/article/maekan-session-the-need-for-criticism
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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To Be a Member of a Club You Never Wanted to Join — Conversing with Mike Shinoda
Interview, Narration, and Text by Samantha Goretski
Audio by Elphick Wo
Photos by Christina Choi
See the full story here: www.maekan.com/article/to-be-a-member-of-a-club-you-never-wanted-to-join-conversing-with-mike-shinoda
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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Building the Brand — Community Governance
Observations Abroad with Joan Wong — Part II
Celebrating and Evaluating — A Recap of Unexpected Connections
Long Beach wound up being important as a location, more so than just being the neighborhood Imprint and InterTrend are located in (InterTrend and Imprint Venture Lab are both managed by Julia Huang, the mastermind behind the conference) though it was important to us that we show support for local culture. What wound up making Long Beach appropriate was its removal from downtown LA—the people present really thought about being there and made a commitment to stay at the conference for an extended period of time. Rather than people floating in for the specific talk they were interested in and then coasting out again, there was a dedicated group of people prepared for deep engagement. People would recognize each other and conversations that were started in the morning continued on to the afternoon and then flowed into drinks at the Long Beach Museum of Art. Speakers being present for more than just their appointed slot of time also demonstrated commitment to availability and the sharing of knowledge.
Text by Charis Poon
Photos by Christina Choi
See the full recap here: www.maekan.com/article/celebrating-and-evaluating-a-recap-of-unexpected-connections
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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Good Earth for Good Herb — Summerland and the Perfect Ceramic Bong
From the Portfolio of Guillaume Ferrand
Illustrations by Guillaume Ferrand
Audio by Elphick Wo
Follow this podcast with the visuals for the full story here: www.maekan.com/article/from-the-portfolio-of-guillaume-ferrand
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
MAEKAN.com
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An Hour with Tan Dun — Master Composer and Force of Culture
Shochu & Soju — Yardbird's Elliot Faber Breaks Down The World's Favorite Rice Wines
Authenticity and Transparency in Fashion Media — The Fashion Law with Julie Zerbo
There is No Handbook — Chapter-by-Chapter with Director Decatur Dan
Product Research Through Culture — Behzod Sirjani and How Slack Humanizes Work
MAEKAN Travel Diary — Conversing through Football in Egypt
Egypt is a place I’ve wanted to visit for so long. It’s known in Arabic as Umm al-Dunya which means “mother of the world”. And I thought it would be an amazing opportunity to spend some time this summer exploring the land of our ancestors.
Narrated and text by Umar Issa
Audio by Elphick Wo
Photos by Umar Issa
See the full story here: www.maekan.com/article/maekan-travel-diary-conversing-through-football-in-egypt
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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Anything Can be Fascinating — Avery Trufelman of 99% Invisible on Telling Stories Well
Hosted, narrated, and text by Charis Poon
Audio by Elphick Wo
Photos by Stanley Cheng
See the whole story: www.maekan.com/article/anything-can-be-fascinating-avery-trufelman-of-99-invisible-on-telling-stories-well
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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Sights & Sounds — Chris da Canha
A regular contributing photographer for MAEKAN, he has shot many of our stories in Seoul, where he is currently based. These include our stories on RYSE, Cody Hudson and most recently Kang Seunghyuk of WORKSOUT.
Photos by Chris da Canha
Audio by Elphick Wo
See the whole story: www.maekan.com/article/sights-sounds-chris-da-canha
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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Building A True Cannabis Lifestyle Brand — Ariel Stark-Benz of Mister Green
Every region, person, and demographic seemingly have their own preferred definition for cannabis. Mind you, the short list above only spans the English language. The universal nature of cannabis has made it a particular interesting part of popular culture fabric. The fact that so many differing perspectives exist mean that the resulting experiences we create for them also have the likehood to change and adapt whether it be a user, grower, storyteller, or in the case of Ariel Stark-Benz, the retailer.
Hosted by Alex Maeland
Transcript by Alek Rose
Audio by Elphick Wo
Photos by Carmen Chan
See the whole story: www.maekan.com/article/building-a-true-cannabis-lifestyle-brand-ariel-stark-benz-of-mister-green
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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Straight Outta Saigon — Jenni Trang Le Talks Vietnam's Film Industry
Script by Nate Kan
Transcript by Charis Poon
Audio by Elphick Wo
Photos by Christopher Lim
See the whole story: www.maekan.com/article/straight-outta-saigon-jenni-trang-le-talks-vietnams-film-industry
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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Calming the Freelance Rollercoaster — Cushion App Built by Jonnie Hallman
Building the Brand — 28 Days with Alek Rose
Rooted in Californian Nostalgia — 40s and Shorties Grows Up
Sights & Sounds — Gideon de Kock
After moving to Hong Kong, Gideon cut his teeth as a photographer shooting the streets and back-alleys of the city. His approach to photography is loose, with a focus on details and salt-of-the-earth subjects. Gideon currently works at a boutique creative agency and will be releasing a solo photo book this August.
Photos by Gideon de Kock
Audio by Elphick Wo
See the whole story: www.maekan.com/article/sights-sounds-gideon-de-kock
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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The Golden Years — Detroit Techno's Warehouse Scene
See the whole story: www.maekan.com/article/the-golden-years-detroit-technos-warehouse-scene
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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Depression is Like Anything Else — Neal Brennan Mic'd Up
Shedding Vanity — Establishing Purpose with Alex Valdman of Rapha
Hosted by Eugene Kan
Audio by Elphick Wo
Photos by Mia Haggi
See the whole story: www.maekan.com/article/shedding-vanity-establishing-purpose-with-alex-valdman-of-rapha
What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture.
We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking.
Sign-Up Today
If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions.
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War Machine
David Kenji Chang spoke with Brendon Babenzien, creator of the apparel brand Noah, about taking a stand, not pulling punches, and balancing contradictions. Continue reading for the full story or listen to a condensed version of the interview above.
Text and interview by David Kenji Chang
Audio mixing by Elphick Wo
Photos by Heather Sten
See the whole story here.
What is MAEKAN? MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, participating, and connecting with a global community on a deeper level that social media just doesn't provide. We’re defining the future of creative culture. We don't have all the answers, but our curiosity ensures we never stop looking. Sign-Up Today If you've enjoyed this story from the archives and want to see what else MAEKAN has to offer, sign-up for your membership at MAEKAN.com. You'll unlock all of our stories, be given exclusive member-only-access to our Slack community, and have the opportunity to participate in our monthly digital panel discussions. MAEKAN.com Follow Us instagram.com/maekan facebook.com/storiesforthecurious twitter.com/maekan stories@maekan.comMade To Last — The Knives of Hinoki
The brand Hinoki may be best known for the S1 Gyuto Chefs Knife, but 24-year-old founder Hamish Grace is doing a lot more than just selling blades on the internet with this project.
Behind what appears to be a sleek knife brand is actually a mission to c
Trusting Your Senses — Eric Lau on Music Shaping Society
Eric Lau is a London based music producer focused on making music that connects people and has a positive impact on society. He looks intentionally for ways that his music and his skills can inspire and encourage others, whether it’s through mixing albums, producing original work, or teaching young people. His desire to shift society towards goodness as much as possible can be traced back to how he got started making music.
Hosted by Charis Poon & Elphick Wo
Music by Eric Lau
Mixed by st
A Playing Field for All — New Opportunities for Creatives of Color
The creative world sees itself as progressive and liberal. The beliefs that make up this mindset are easy to understand on a theoretical level, but they don’t always translate directly into practice. Each life is a collection of unique experiences: a combination of our background, our history, and our culture. Taking that complexity and simplifying it into an easy-to-follow line of progress can be difficult. Good decisions, just as much as the bad decisions, are a culmination of everything that got us to this particular point in time.
The democratization of cre
Muted Music — The Private Spaces of Karachi’s Underground
Faraz Siddiqui and Hassan Khan, Co-Founders of lifestyle brand HeF.
" data-reactid=".twey87g0iy.3.$4.2.2.0.0:$17836000003.0.0.0.0" />Imagine moving ‘home’ for the first time in your life.
Having spent almost the entirety of her life abroad, Mahira returned to Karachi, Pakistan to explore the the city of her father’s childhood and mother’s early adulthood. Brought up on the stories of Karachi’s past, of ‘the good old days’ that seemed to have withered away under the dust and debris in the forgotten parts of town, she embarked on a journey to explore the city she was told was once filled with bars, nightclubs and discotheques—the city
Joshua Kissi on True Diversity in Stock Photography — TONL's Take on Equality
Joshua Kissi’s initial foray into the world of creative culture started at a unique point in time. The fashion forums were a place of digital congregation and represented an era before the emergence of social media as we know it today. The in-depth conversations Joshua engaged in about the underlying aspects of fashion would transcend the forum pages into real-world interactions that resulted in the creative agency Street Etiquette, and more recently, TONL, a modern inclusive stock photography platform that has taken a massive step forward in redefining an old-school industry.
Hosted by Eugene Kan
Audio by Elphick Wo
Photos by Rog Walker
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Creating a Neighborhood Hotel — RYSE Makes Its Mark on Hongdae
In the face of the sharing economy, the modern idea of a hotel has largely been upended and put on the defensive. When on-demand rental places offer a plethora of choices in prime neighborhoods and with potentially more competitive prices, it pushes hoteliers to reimagine what role they should play as fosterers of hospitality and community.
RYSE is a modern hotel concept borne out of Jason Schlabach and Leo Moon’s vision. Together, the two have drawn from their wealth of different cultural and business experience to create globally-unique and locally-relevant experiences. Several cultural pillars are well-represented within the confines of RYSE, ranging from world-class cuisine by San Francisco’s Tartine and David Thompson’s Long Chim, and local fashion retail heavyweight WORKSOUT.
Script & Narration by Eugene Kan
Audio by
The Outlier Way — Clothing Unwavering Against Compromise
The philosophy behind Outlier may not be abundantly clear but several moments spent with their product or their visuals should evoke something. A moment of intrigue. A sense of movement. It takes a bit of dedication and experience with the brand but with it comes the ability to draw out a series of characteristics that exude a sense of innovation and value. The products they create, which is careful not to present itself as fashion, unite an understanding of design and technical function.
Hosted by Eugene Kan
Photos by Collin Hughes
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What is MAEKAN?
Spinning Wheels — Ceramics and Music with Sloane Angell
It was an off chance that MAEKAN connected with fashion designer and DJ turned ceramicist Sloane Angell. It’s funny how things manage to work themselves out. At the time, MAEKAN had just moved into a new office and the lingering odor from a fresh coat of paint had various people ritualistically (or desperately?) reaching for a stick of incense every day.
Generally speaking, acquiring the incense is easy and effortless. It’s readily available in most “lifestyle shops,” and can range from branded and pretentious, to downright cheap and accessible. What doesn’t really factor in until after the fact is the holder. Call it ingenuity or simply being on a #startupbudget, Eugene basically poked a hole in a plastic film canister(Eugene actual
Block Parties & Music History — Philadelphia's DJ Matthew Law
Back in Summer 2017, Elphick took a trip to North America to visit friend and fellow producer Tee (who helped to produce our Sounds of Hong Kong and Sounds of Tokyo stories). Following his stays in Toronto and New York, he decided to drop by Philadelphia to meet with DJ Matthew Law, who Elphick had met in Hong Kong a few years prior to MAEKAN’s inception.
In the catch-up that followed, Matthew shared a bit about his past and progression as a DJ and the block parties in the musically rich city that cross genres and unite generations of locals.
Audio by Elphick Wo
Photos by
How Long Did That Take to Paint? — The Art of Matt McCormick
Every day is a culmination of all our past experiences. Seemingly innocuous moments snowball with major life-altering events to shape how we look and perceive the world around us.
For Matt McCormick, the tattoo turned fine artist wasn’t somebody who entered the world of art with everything figured out. The early stages of life afforded him access to the art world courtesy of his parents, but it didn’t result in a clearly defined path from adolescence to professional artist.
Hosted by Kevin Chau
Audio by Elphick Wo
Photos by Alex Maeland & Eugene Kan
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What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based
Ballers for Hire — China's Underground Basketball Scene
When you hear the term “pro athlete,” it’s understandable you’d think almost exclusively of the superstars on TV playing before sold-out audiences in the major leagues. But what if the athletes were getting paid to play for different teams by-the-match and in venues that swing between urban gymnasiums and rainy asphalt courts in the boonies?
Welcome to the world of Wild Ball.
Audio by Elphick Wo
Photos by To Cheuk Yin
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What is MAEKAN?
MAEKAN is a membership-based publication and community focused on the sights and sounds of creative culture. We're about learning, partici
Equidistant — Ms Banks & Fotan Laiki Contrast and Compare Their Musical Worlds
As a native of Hong Kong, I’m confronted with the duplicity of being a creative in a market full of opportunity, but with little structure to support it. Hong Kong is vexing in that it’s a globalized financial and cultural center similar to New York and London, but unlike those cities, it still lacks on the cultural front.
The underground creative industry, far removed from the fine art and luxury fashion arenas Hong Kong has long been renowned for, is young. The city’s imagination is often limited by a cultural attachment to convenience at the expense of passion. The overwhelming problem of exorbitant rent benefits the landlords only, and an archaic system makes innovation difficult. And yet, artists are fighting, and optimism remains. Each works towards unlocking the city’s full creative potential.
Text & Narration by Keshia Hannam
Imperfectly Perfect — Cody Hudson for RYSE Hotel
Cody Hudson is a mutual friend that has become in many ways, the artist who’s everybody’s friend. It’s hard not to like the soft-spoken artist based in Chicago. He carries himself with this outward calm that frankly puts you at ease. His work itself feels intimately connected with himself as an individual. It’s about putting something out and not getting caught up in the details. His process is both liberating and calming despite the loose lines.
Cody’s path has often been guided by curiosity. It’s been his passion to learn and take on new experiences that have served as his guiding principles towards life.
Hosted by Eugene Kan
Audio by Elphick Wo
Photos by Chris Da Canha
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Into the South — Connecting with The Mississippi Delta Chinese
In this story, Nate chats with NY-based photographers Emanuel Hahn and Andrew Kung. While both have a large body of experience with commercial work, the two left the big city behind for a few weeks in October 2017 to personally connect with a community in the South that’s been rooted there for generations, but remains largely misunderstood—if known at all—by the rest of America.
Part photojournalism project, part personal exploration of racial and regional identity, The Mississippi Delta Chinese is audiovisual narrative that captures the co
YETI — ORIGINS
Earlier this year, we paid a visit to friend, long-time collaborator and neighbor Arthur Bray, better known as Yeti.
A native Hong Konger that attended university in the UK, his career as a DJ developed through weekend trips throughout the country and its diverse club scene and alongside his partner in crime, his twin brother Tom.
We sat down in his Tai Kok Tsui apartment and studio to hear about how far he’s come and the evolution of his role in music, what things look like down the line and of course, the you-couldn’t-make-this-up tale of the college roommate that inspired his name.
Script by Nate Kan
Narration by Kevin Chau
Audio by Elphick Wo
Photos by Christopher Lim
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