Nicolaia Rips: Hi Marika, what’s your sign?
Marika Thunder: I’m a Virgo.
NR: Do you feel like one?
MT: I’m definitely controlling. And competitive. I used to do competitive sports growing up. Swimming, running, MMA. And I’m an artist, which is a relatively competitive field. I don’t like to think of it as competitive, I like to tune that out.
NR: Yeah, how do you navigate that? You’re in a studio, you’re creating something and then it has to be perceived by an outside source.
MT: I’ve been very fortunate that I don’t curate toward a specific market. I’m not represented by a gallery, I can kind of do what I want because I’m not desperate for money. A lot of artists get successful doing one thing and then that’s what people expect from them, their gallerists, their collectors. I’ve been fortunate that I can make what I want, and if people want to see it, they trust I’ll make something cool. I don’t pay much attention to Instagram. It is my portfolio, so in that sense I take it seriously, but I have a website too. I just go to shows I like, sometimes by myself, take in the work. I like a lot of historical stuff.
NR: What kind of historical stuff?
MT: I like a lot of Constructivist stuff during the Industrial Revolution. So like the 1930s. I guess they call it the Machinists or the Futurists. I like German Expressionism, Art Nouveau and the Viennese Secession are like the periods of art that made me want to start making art again. It’s funny...I love the Industrial Revolution art but also the art in response to it. When they were like, we want to go back to making stuff with our hands.
NR: Favorite museum in New York?
MT: Maybe The Met because of the variety. I want to go to the archives and explore. Also the Neue Galerie. And Paula Cooper Gallery, though it's not a museum.
NR: Three references to understand you.
MT: Franz Klein, Albert Ohlen, Mike Kelley.
NR: I love how your paintings have female names.
MT: I would go to junk yards and look at car parts or exercise machines. And I feel like cars and exercise machines are the last machines that embody human desire. They look very anthropomorphic to me. I looked at an elliptical and it looked like a human. Maybe because of how they're designed to fit the human body…
NR: How would you describe your style?
MT: Maybe like...an accident? Growing up in New York and having artsy parents, through osmosis subconsciously. I had an emo phase. My mom and I would go to mall stores and get white skinny jeans and dye them different colors and I would draw checkerboards on them with a sharpie. I would make stuff, I’m grateful for my mom for cultivating that. I moved to Texas when I was 14 so mall core, the only stores I would identify with were PacSun and Zumiez and Hot Topic. That style has never really left me. I wanted to be like Bella Swan, obviously. Gap was pretty mall core. Abercrombie didn’t fit me right so I was like Gap it is. The jeans? Slay. Really good basics.
NR: What’s your favorite way to style denim?
MT: Tank top and hoodie, and a sneaker. When I’m at the studio it’s raggedy jeans or raggedy shorts.
NR: I also have an artist mom. It’s such a specific relationship when you're also an artist.
MT: I rebelled for a while, it wasn’t until later in life when I was like, okay I’m an artist. I had to come out as an artist and humble myself. Our work is very stylistically different so I didn’t even know how to ask her for advice, even though I was so inspired by her as an artist and a person. I mean art is life, so like life advice stuff. We talk to each other about everything. We critique each other’s work too. I try not to take it personally. Big shoes to fill. We’re in such different times now. The way our moms had to navigate the art world is so different than how we have to. I’m so grateful to have her.
"That style has never really left me. I wanted to be like Bella Swan, obviously." -MARIKA THUNDER
NR: What are your favorite places in the city?
MT: Socially Chinatown, I love Flatiron, I love Bushwick.
NR: Last thing you bought?
MT: Dior Lip Addict Glow at the Duty Free. I had to! It was on discount!
NR: Last thing that inspired you creatively.
MT: "Magnolia" directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. And a show at The American Folk Art Musician about Francesc Tosquelle.
NR: And stylistically?
MT: A runway show by Yohji Tamamoto 2002 spring/summer. It reminded me of Lisa Frank. That’s my girl.
NR: What are you looking forward to?
MT: I’m in a forensic biology class at Hunter. I'm so excited for that. I think it's going to inspire my work. I do love mechanical science-y stuff, like science in the future. Sci-fi shit. It's going to be like fingerprint analysis and DNA and legality.
NR: How does style impact your work?
MT: Intuitive thinking. I try not to second guess myself. That's when the best moments in fashion and art happen.
Nicolaia Rips: I'm obsessed with your tooth gems. Did they put those on you for this?
India Bradley: Babe, I went downtown to a place that apparently had the best tooth gems in the city. Damn right. I've had them for two years! I forget that I have them and people will look at me and I'll be like, do I have something in my teeth??
NR: When is your birthday?
IB: October 1998. I’m a Libra. A libra, libra, libra, I’m hella libra too. My friends would describe me as socially vibrant but loses battery really quickly. I really give myself up to a social situation. I care if everyone’s having a good time. I can be indecisive but only because I’m an overthinker. I’ve heard people describe libras as really visual people, who love art, aesthetics. Maybe that’s why I do ballet? I met a girl at a club once and she was like you dress like a libra, you present like a libra.
NR: Omg, where do the ballerina’s go on a night out?
IB: At the ripe age of 25, honestly she’s not out and about like she was. A wine bar is always more of the vibe. The energy is a little more calm these days. I’m moving into a new apartment literally this week and it has an outdoor space so that’s where I want to be these days — secluded with the people I love and trust.
NR: Where would you go dancing?
IB: Somewhere in Brooklyn for sure. What’s that street? It’s nearish Knickerbocker...I never know a single place. We just pop out when we do. We went to Paul’s Baby Grand for my friend’s 27th birthday and we were like...this might be over for us.
NR: How many of your friends are ballerinas?
IB: 78%. That’s generous. 80%.
NR: If I was out at Paul’s Baby Grand and a squad of ballerinas pulled up…
IB: That’s how it used to be! But we get busy. People have big girl jobs. At the end of the night we’re like should we just get drinks? We can dance at home!
"Jeans and a shirt, my favorite ballet flats, my favorite little work bag, and that’s just it." -India Bradley
NR: How do you wind down?
IB: I recharge by being alone. Doing something alone. Being in my apartment, going to a farmers market. Watching something. I just rewatched “White Lotus”. RIP Tanya.
NR: How long have you lived in New York?
IB: Going on twelve years. It’s insane. It’s half my life at this point. I know this city better than I know home. I also don’t have a license and I’m from Michigan.
NR: That’s the most New Yorker Thing, not having a license, being a passenger princess. How do you feel your style has changed since you moved here?
IB: Imagine me twelve years ago. Wearing some really cute jeansI got from L Train Vintage and a flannel. Some Supreme jacket I found at a sale. I thought I was so cool. I looked insane. Combat boots. This is pre-tiktok, so the only people who were going to see you were the people who were going to see you. I was living in Harlem and I was thirteen. That’s what was cool. There wasn’t as much internet influence over fashion. I’ve also gotten a lot more casual. How would you describe your style? Something chic and simple and straight to the point. With a pop of color or a statement bag or statement shoe.
NR: I feel like being an artist it’s nice to have something you’re not thinking about all the time.
IB: Exactly, one thing to not overthink. I’ve really tried to master that. I also love this Gap situation. I’m like, that plain white tee, yes, that shirt, yes, those jeans, yes.
NR: What are your favorite fashion moments in ballet? And your dream role?
IB: Firebird. It’s a 30 minute ballet and there are like 20 monsters and everybody has on a full body suit and just goes crazy. It’s 80% improv. You run toward the principal guy and you jump onto him and the music goes CAK! We have improv wars. We twerk on stage. You can’t see anybody’s face so it’s even more fun. The principle of it is a completely different experience. I was watching it on Youtube recently and thought... Maybe I want to do that. The costumes are these iconic costumes by Marc Chagall. I think dream roles in ballet are interesting because they change with maturity.
NR: What’s your signature move?
IB: I feel like... Saut de chat...how do I spell that...should I call a friend? It’s a jump from the right side, right leg, where you stretch your right leg out in front of you and your left leg in back and do a split in the air.
NR: Can you give me a ballerina beauty secret?
IB: When we’re in season putting on stage makeup twice a day, my best beauty secret is toner. Not a toner with alcohol in it though. It’s so hydrating. Also Vaseline on the eyelids. Keeps the eyelashes soft and supple.
NR: What was it like being Dewdrop?
IB: So rewarding but also a lot. Something I learned from the older dancers is that sometimes you have to go in. A day off before a really hard show is really difficult. I went in on Christmas. I was the only one in the entire building besides our security guards.
NR: Does creativity run in your family?
IB: I was pretty much raised by my mom. And it was loud. She sings, she dances. Sunday morning Gospel is blasting. When I was little she would play Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and Gene Kelly and musicals. We didn't have cable for a while so it was all old school musicals and music videos. Dance history. She showed me “A Chorus Line” when I was seven and covered my eyes when there were tits and ass. I would put on shows and make my mom and my sister watch my performances. Sometimes my mom would cry. I remember being like what's her problem? Why is she so sad? And I came to realize she was like omg I think my daughter is going to be a dancer.
NR: Was there ever a moment where you're like what have I gotten myself into?
IB: I mean, maybe a couple times every season (laughs). Some days I'm like, this isn't what my twelve-year-old self thought being a professional dancer would look like, but then I'm like what did I think it would look like? It's emotional and physical as well as spiritual. It's a physical sport that's also art. You're just putting your entire self into it. Sometimes it's a lot in a great way and sometimes it's a lot in a learning way. Sometimes your worst days are when you're learning the most.
"I like it oversized baggy to the floor." -Lily Chen
Nicolaia Rips: Where are you from?
LC: I'm from New York and Boston! I'm a Jazz pianist and philosophy major.
NR: What kind of philosophy do you study?
LC: Mainly I focus on the philosophy that applies to improvisation. The epistemology of improvisation as well. How do you apply what you learn into improvisation? Improv is not set music, so it's like what kind of mindset do you have to bring? In life everything is a flow, everything is changing, it's not set. It's the same as improvisation. You always have to learn how to react to different circumstances and go with the flow.
NR: What does practice mean to you?
LC: Free time I can be with myself. It’s like meditation to me.
NR: Do you have collaborators?
LC: I have my own jazz trio, The Lily Chen Trio! The members keep changing but we’ve performed in Boston and China.
NR: What’s your favorite underrated spot in New York?
LC: This Japanese store Hashi Market!
NR: What was the last thing that inspired you creatively?
LC: Oh...Neitzche.
NR: What was the last thing that inspired you stylistically?
LC: Ann Demeulemeester.
NR: What do you wear when you work?
LC: All black, or a long black dress. That's what I wear to gigs. When I was playing classical music I would wear a more formal attire, like a princess dress. Jazz fits me better. It's more free so I can wear what I want to gigs and express my style.
NR: Do you have a favorite way to wear denim?
LC: I like it oversized baggy to the floor. New York's dirty, I know, but I wear boots to make me taller.
NR: Three words to describe your style.
LC: Comfort, variety, mystery.
NR: Does creativity run in your family?
LC: My dad's a businessman and my mom's a music teacher.
NR: Did you ever play jazz with your mom?
LC: No, she plays a Chinese string instrument called Yangqin.
NR: Did she get you into music?
LC: I started with a Chinese instrument when I was five and switched to piano because one of my best friends played piano and I wanted to be like her.
NR: Do you feel like you're sentimental?
LC: Yes, I'm very sentimental that's why I'm into music! That's where most of our inspiration comes from — happiness, love, suffering, pain. But I try to be creative apart from emotion sometimes, like just make pure sound without any sound of human emotion attached to it. That’s another area. I compose my own music. I’ll sit down at the piano and record. Currently I’m working on an album, collecting all the stuff I did and producing it. I think all artists are sentimental.
Nicolaia Rips: Wow, I love this look. Where are you from Ravleen?
Ravleen Varghese: I'm from a place in South India called Kerala. It's really beautiful there. It's near the coast. It can get really hot in the summers but if you want to be in nature and go to a really good retreat for an Ayurvedic massage, this is the best place to go.
NR: Are you mostly based in India?
RV: Yes! I’ve only been in the U.S. for a week and a half. I’ve been trying to do typical New York things. You know, pizza and bagels. I had a Crumbl cookie the other day and it was insane! Something I like about New York is how everyone accepts each other. The energy is so high. I really want to visit the beach soon.
NR: You should go to the Rockaways! Beach 67 is the best. Did you always want to be a model?
RV: I was always an arts kid growing up. I always knew I wanted to study design and fashion. I believe in manifesting a lot so I put all my energy into it. I didn’t have anyone around me who modeled, so there was no one to hold my hand through it.
NR: What goes through your mind when someone photographs you?
RV: I try to communicate with the camera, give personality using my eyes. When a photographer takes an image of you, it's not just of you, it's of a whole story, so I try to channel that when someone's taking my photo.
NR: Who are your favorite models?
RV: Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss, and Naomi Campbell.
NR: Do you have any hidden talents?
RV: I am really good at sketching. I could draw you right now.
NR: Oh my god, do it! Last thing that inspired you creatively.
RV: An online UX/UI course.
NR: What do you wear when you work?
RV: When I'm going to a casting I wear a black top and a black skirt. The top keeps changing, sometimes it's a tank top. Or jeans and a top. Straight fit, low rise. It's important for casting directors to see your body and how you move.
NR: How would you describe your style in 3 words?
RV: Simple, Quirky...I love accessories and going a bit crazy with them… and comfortable.
NR: Does creativity run in your family?
RV: No! My grandma used to teach me to color inside the lines.
NR: What was your mom's style like?
RV: She used to wear a lot of Salwar Kurtas. In matching colors. It looked very '90s.
NR: How do you shop?
RV: I have to go into a store and try things on. I have extremely long legs so things don’t often fit.
NR: Okay, jealous.
RV: I just have to try things on!
NR: What else have you manifested?
RV: I manifested coming to New York! I used to go on YouTube and search NYC travel vlogs and watch random people. So…this.
Makeup Kuma
October 2024