Each month this summer, Levi's® Made and Crafted™ is partnering with a young artist for a series called "Photo Assignments." Bringing to life LMC wares, the selected artists interpret the current spring/summer 2013 collection in their own distinct style. On deck now is Matin Zad, a Toronto-native and recent graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York.
Matin's work seeks to establish evocative, fully realized scenes which engage the viewer and allow the tension within the composition to drive individual readings of the photo. For the LMC shoot, Zad collaborated with Portuguese design duo GG-LL. Specialists in minimal architecture, GG-LL has previously worked with the photographer on "This Side Up," a fashion-based project for Duckie Brown.
"Inspired by the interiors of Tokyo-based architectural firm SANAA, we wanted to recontextualize Levi's® Made and Crafted™ denim while paying homage to the brand's roots," says Zad. "The idea of gardening and botany was born out of the value in beautifying one's work environment, contrasting the rugged nature of the clothes with its delicate shapes and vibrant colors. The images also speak of the likeness between the care and delicacy of tending to a garden, to the construction of the Levi's workwear, a longstanding work uniform for many gardeners and farmers."
Thus, he turns workwear (ever-so-slightly) on its head.
The next two photographers in the LMC "Photo Assignments" series will be Chloe Aftel and Marcelo Gomez.
