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December 31, 2010
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INTERVIEW | Dina Maani

Sitting Down with The One and Only Panda
Dina Maani
Editor -in- Chief

If this shit isn’t bananas, then it must all be strawberry rhubarb tartines and purple coloured palm trees or else the world don’t make no sense. Two years ago, this strong willed banana put on her shiny panda coat and decided to start a magazine. Not only has she gone from 0 to 60 on the meter of ridiculous accomplishments, but she has also been managing to become even more damn great to talk to at any given point in time. So now, on the brink of saying goodbye, Dina code name: Weena will start by saying hello. Let’s enter her world for a dash, shall we?

[0] THE HELLO
D: Hi, my name is Dina. How are you today? Nice to meet you.
L: Nice to meet you too. Should I move on this side of you? I hate hearing my voice.
D: You’re fine.

Skewed 03 | Cover Artist: Goh Iromoto | 2009

[1] THE INTRODUCTIONS
L: Who is Dina Maani and why is she here today?
D: We’re gonna need to make this short, so that you don’t have to listen through. Who is she?
L: The people need to know…What’s your sign? “People” may care about these things…
D: A Virgo…
L: In three words: Dina Maani is…
D: I am…
L: How would you describe yourself?
D: I am…Sorry, am I the hardest interviewee you’ve ever had?
L: No.
D: There’s been worse?
L: Not really.
D: I’m a difficult person…
L: Maybe you should state that…
D: I’m a difficult person.
L: Do you think there’s cross static?
D: I doubt it…

We pause to chit chatter about recorder placement and the likes.

L: So you’re a difficult person…
D: No I’m not. I’m not. That’s not true. I’m awesome…(laughs). Don’t write that, ha ha, shit. I should shut up. Who isn’t a difficult person?
L: Boring people.
D: I am… I am currently between figuring out what am. And that’s fun, always. I am here because Lexa tricked me into thinking that I’m having coffee with her. And chatting, not having an actual recorded interview, thank you very much.

(For “the record” this is the first and only “Skewednapping” and no pandas were physically harmed in the process)

[2] THE BACKGROUNDER
L: What does your artistic background entail?
D: My artistic background entails being surrounded by art and design since pretty much coming out of my mother. Don’t quote that either. My parents were always supportive about us playing around with anything and everything. It continued on in high school with graphic design, playing around with programs, and then at university, here in Vancouver, where I did Visual Arts at UBC. I recently just graduated.
L: What do your parents do?
D: They are architects.
L: Were they always architects or were they involved in other art forms too?
D: No, architecture has been their thing for a long time. They’ve dabbled. My dad does a lot of photography, so that’s always been a good influence, and he’s constantly into the latest gadgets. Not everybody had digital cameras when digital cameras used floppy disks for memory, so having one around as a kid was awesome. Ha ha. We were the only ones carrying around packs of floppy disks, taking five pictures at a time, then changing each disk really slowly. And I’ve always loved looking through my mom’s old sketchbooks. She used to draw a lot.
L: Who taught you how to draw?
D: I’d say… indirectly, my parents. They never actually taught me, but they’d always buy us books to teach us how to do things… They would surround us with art. Those books, other books, art books, art history ones, museums, etc. The rest of my family as well. My aunts and my uncles are really into it. One of my uncles used to help me out. My brothers became an influence later on. I’d always see how they’d work on drawings and programs like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, and that helped me too. I know that’s not exactly drawing, but it goes along the lines of creating things. It’s always been mix and match. And then me teaching myself or drawing off of things and playing around.
L: When was the first time you were introduced to digital artwork, and how did that progress into layout design?
D: I think my first ever intro to digital was when my parents bought my brothers their first iMac. It was one of those pretty coloured ones. I can’t remember which model that is. Insert research here. But it was funny, because to us it was all shiny and non-PC and we were able to draw on something that wasn’t the Paint program. We got Illustrator for the first time, or I might be mistaken, but there was one program I used to love drawing faces on. Very badly might I add, but whatever… And I think the first real intro, was IGCSE in Grade 9 and 10. We started a class called Graphic Art, which I’d never taken as a formal class, and we had to produce numerous projects. Either making a graphic logo or taking a word and incorporating it into something graphic. My first year was botched. When I looked at the old portfolio, it was so bad. But after a year, I kind of practiced on my own, as I was saying, learning from my brothers or my family or anything else and so I completely redid it. The whole last year was so much more fun, because I actually knew how to use Illustrator. You learn as you go, and you could tell by the end of your portfolio you knew more and more, so it was great.

Untitled | Acrylic on Canvas, 2008

[3] THE PANCAKE PANDEMONIUM
L: What made you decide you wanted to start a magazine?
D: I’ve somehow always had the idea of doing a magazine. For my graduating project for my IB (International Baccalaureate) Visual Art class in high school Grade 11 and 12, we had to do this huge show at the end. You had to have a set amount of pieces, revolving around a theme and I had media as a theme. I think my main reason for choosing that theme: I was dying to make a magazine. And my favourite part about doing that and my first kind of motivation to do that was to create layouts, do the photography and set up photo shoots, no matter how badly they were executed at the time. It was just me and my friends messing around in their closets and taking photos. When I look at it now, the Photoshop jobs for half the things I did are hilarious, but it was still such a good learning experience and I think that stuck with me, it was one of my favourite memories of that time. Just printing it, and looking at it in the end as a printed product. It was so great, and all my friends loved seeing themselves as cover pages. It was more like a fashion kind of thing, just playing around. So with the memory of that experience, and not doing any creative work outside of university… outside of class, while at UBC, was kind of boring to me in the end. I wanted to get involved in something. Not wanting to join a club, or a project that was already going, I decided to start my own and suddenly a magazine popped into mind. Starting something that UBC didn’t have at the time. What I thought they didn’t have represented. So again, it started with a bunch of friends, got some ideas rolling and went for it.
L: Why did you actually do it?
D: ‘Cause I’m crazy!!!

(We pause).

D: I remember coming back from vacation, adamant on proving to everyone I told the idea to, who just nodded politely, that it was gonna happen. Not just that though… once you start a project like that, all the effort and exhaustion turns into something so satisfying when it’s done, that to see it as an end project, to see people actually talk about it… people you don’t know… When you hear them talk about it, it’s kind of exciting and fun. So you keep going.
L: Is that what has kept you going?
D: I don’t know, I think just not wanting to end something that has been successful. To end it so abruptly, it kind of pushes you to keep going and I think with every issue we did, we were always even more proud than the last time, so for us, it kind of kept us going. The excitement after interviewing someone really awesome. The excitement of putting a layout out that beat the last layout, even though we love them all, but that would always keep us going. And I’ve had lots of times when…dum…dum….dum… energy goes low, but this girl named Lexa…
L: Silence!!
D: It’s all about the people. When we hear that people are excited and read about themselves, or see themselves in a layout… For us to help them get promoted, it’s always exciting, so everything is ending in a so…
L: Comma…
D: Pause for London Fog?
L: That’s OK, here’s a long question: From issue one to the latest one, what do you feel has changed the most? What do you consider the biggest accomplishment, and what has become your biggest pet peeve?
D: Pet peeve: commas!!!! Comma comma comma. Commas.
L: Why?
D: Answer, Comma, Answer. It’s because, comma, joke… It’s funny, ‘cause it’s not necessarily a pet peeve, but it’s something that we have to laugh about. A minute before we’re exporting our last PDF draft we always look back, read something and think “Does it need a comma?” “Yes” or “Does it not need that comma?” That one in one remote page is always an issue, but it’s part of the process. It sounds like a stupid pet peeve, but whatever…

[4] THE FALAFEL RIVER
D: From issue number one to the latest… I think the biggest [accomplishment]… something for me to see everyday actually is the new site and the blog. That was one of the biggest changes for me, because when we first started, the site was so static. Even though it was a good look and it did what it needed to do, I thought it could be so much more engaging, especially for nowadays, with where everything is going on the Internet and how social everything is. So working on a new site and launching it, that was really exciting for me. And something that kind of really resonates. In terms of specific issues, just the evolution of the features and the issues themselves. The way we’ve kind of changed subtly, the sections, the way we profile people. Going from having that tag line, as the “unofficial UBC magazine,” which we just started in order to highlight that we wanted to support the UBC community, but unfortunately people took that as “oh, how unofficial of you.”
Regardless, now we know that we can standby growing as our own entity, our own magazine. A Vancouver magazine. We’ve included students, non-students, established artists, newcomers, beginners, and we’re completely proud of that. And we’re proud of everything that we’ve highlighted in our magazine so I think that really stands out for me. We did this kind of nostalgic look back at all of our issues, before launching the last one, and there’s not one that I’m not proud of. Every time that we look at the newer ones, between layout and content, I always think “This is awesome,” and “I love them all.” That’s not making a coherent answer, but yay…
L: That’s quite alright, it gives us a chance to talk about the artists. How do you feel about them and the artwork that you get to handle on a regular basis and decide the outcome of how it’s going to be presented?
D: I always want to present them as best as we can. “Lexa” and I always have to make sure that each artist is presented in their own style, but without overshadowing the Skewed style. We don’t want to put somebody out there that is misrepresented, and we definitely don’t want to make their art look bad, because their art makes our magazine look better, and vice versa. I’d never want to get a reaction of “oh, I’m kind of disappointed of how this looks in this issue because that’s not how I see my art presented.” I really love it when people are so happy to see their work out there and get comments and reactions. And that’s always exciting, and it’s amazing every time. If you (Lexa) send me an email of someone you just found, who is on board with being in Skewed, the minute I open the attachments of the artwork, I’m just like “Yaaaaay!” Literally. It’s always so exciting when you see really good artwork and artists that work so hard and you can tell. You’re just that much more excited to make their work look so good and that much more excited to promote the next issue, work on it, put together a layout that’s gonna look amazing, between being a magazine, and being a representation of artwork. If that makes sense…

Skewed 11 | Feature: Jessica Mueller | 2010

[5] MOONWALKS
L: Let’s backtrack for a second. You’re from a semi-controversial place, Jordan… How do you feel that has affected your view and approach to media, arts and design?
D: Interesting. I don’t know if Jordan’s controversial, but sure…
L: Is it? Maybe I’m wrong here.
D: Jordan’s pretty “Hello”!!!
L: Perhaps to the outside world… we don’t know nothing.
D: To the outside world…
L: Maybe tell us what it’s like to be an artist in Jordan vs. being an artist here, and being a representative of other artists, as a collection of a whole, because we are curating, picking and choosing here…
D: I grew up in Jordan. When I finally realized that art was what I wanted to continue on with, I don’t think that I was in a situation where I could use all the… let’s say, resources. When I lived there, I was between finishing up high school and hanging out with friends, when you don’t have time to fully engross yourself in the art scene, so I don’t know how much of an artistic perspective I’ve gained in Jordan. It grew more here. I don’t know as much as I would have had I stayed in Jordan and learnt more about the art culture there, because it does exist. There are a lot of underground projects going around now. I hear a lot about what’s going on in Jordan and it’s exciting. There are collectives and studios opening up, even though they’re small, and for you to say that you’ve graduated as an artist, or that you’re an artist, period, I don’t think that it’s the most widely accepted view in Jordan. The norm is still to be an engineer, a business person, a doctor, etc. and art is more of a hobby, which is the usual in lots of places. I think the difference is that here it’s much more open, it’s much more accepted. Within the five years of moving here, I’ve realized you can work hard and find more underground things, but you can also look around and art is all over. There, you really have to dig. And about representing art… The more I hear about things popping up in Jordan, and the more I hear artists trying to work, and do workshops, and bring workshops to Jordan, whether it’s in film or theatre or visual art, I’d really like to do something that really represents or brings that into focus here. I would’ve loved to have an international issue to highlight things that people don’t know about. I don’t know how much people know about Middle Eastern Art in general, in art history, let alone modern contemporary art. Especially Jordan for example, which I don’t even know much about right now, but it’d be nice to learn. That’s my answer… Do not quote.
L: It’s a surprise interview, of course I will quote.

[6] SERENDIPITY
L: Why is Skewed free?
D: Everybody asks me that, jeez.
L: It has been our broken record for the past many months.
D: Skewed is free because it’s hard to compete with an online world that charges for things. When we started, I don’t think that we could have been as successfully launched if we were charging, because people were slow to pick up in the first place. So to have to pay for something, I don’t know if that would’ve been a better deal or a kind of more off- putting deal. But it’s still free, because I know a few online magazines that I used to personally follow and download, and then they suddenly started charging. As valid as I think that is and I completely support it, because it makes sense, I know how much effort and time it takes, and it’s your entire livelihood at some point, and not being paid for it sucks, at the same time you see this number, and then it’s like “oh, I have to pay for that and that”, so suddenly this magazine has to kind of take a backseat. I really didn’t want that to happen to Skewed. I like it being available for anybody that wants to get it, whether they’re students, or anybody surfing the net randomly, I bet they’ll download it more likely than if they had to pay for it. And yeah, it’s a hard enough life….
L: Where do you see your own artistic career going after having this experience? Has it had an influence on your approach, on how you will be doing art?
D: My own approach… hmmm. It’s funny. Every time that we look at new artists that we’re gonna talk about, or new artists in general, it just kind of reminds you. Especially interviewing them, having studio shoots, etc. It kind of gives you this little push to work harder on your stuff. It motivates you. It gives you this new spark of inspiration, if that’s not too lame to say. But I think it’s a bit different than looking at a magazine that is produced by somebody else, because you just see it from scratch, to being built up into a magazine, and you hear all the nitty gritty about the artists. Well as much as you can hear, as much as they want to tell us. I think… I lost my train of thought. I think for myself, going on from here, Skewed will definitely be an influence, because aside from building my own skills in certain areas, I just want to have this as the starting point of my career, or life in design. Challenge myself to go on from here. Build on it and build bigger projects. Involve my own art, as well as my own design. I’ve submitted some of my own pieces, but not too many, because I haven’t had time to work on them really, so I can’t wait to have some time to do that. We’ll see where things go. It’s an in between phase right now. Too many projects in my head and too little time.

[7] FUTURAMATRONIC
L: What else are you working on right now?
D: I’m working on freelance projects for some companies around Vancouver. So just a bunch of photography and design here and there, web stuff. Webzes. You look pretty like that… And I’m also hopefully about to launch a jewelry and accessories line soon. Getting some of my handmade designs online at the moment, to see what happens with that. I love making things with my hands, whether it’s painting, which I haven’t done in a long time, and I also want to start [that] again soon, but I also like making accessories, and necklaces, and bags and stuff. It’s fun.

[8] THEM OTHERS
L: Why do you think art and drama go hand in hand in most societies?
D: Oh, ‘cause it’s so dramatic. Ha ha. You can quote this.
L: This will be the title. You gotta answer this one though. Why is it that art brings on drama?
D: As in theatre drama or (snaps fingers) “drama”?
L: The second “drama.”
D: Because, ha ha, oh my god. Because I think it’s a small community in the end, and we like to involve drama in small spaces, small situations. Not small, that makes no sense. It’s because we’re all starving artists trying to get somewhere, so we have to claw our way sometimes. These are all very uneducated guesses, but without thinking of it too deeply I guess, it’s either you get yourself really out there, which I think will immediately put “drama” in situations, because you have to meet people, you have to network. Or whether it’s a group project, or a film, you have to work in a close knit environment with other people, whether you know them or don’t know them….

Pause, as we spot Jesus’ potential twin slowly walk in and out of the coffee shop.

D: So yeah, I think “drama” always occurs and you’re always tired too, so that doesn’t help. I think everyone is nice, but you get run down often, whether you like it or not.
L: Alright. Who are your greatest role models and current artistic/life inspirations, living or dead?
D: Living or not? Umm. I hate these questions. I’m not prepared for this ambush.
L: This is better, nobody prepares anyway.
D: Ambush!!
L: I know…
D: Can I think about this for a sec?
L: Yep.

Skewed 10 | Cover Artist: Jonathan Reid Seveigny | 2010

[9] THE OTHER OTHERS
D: Role models…
L: It doesn’t have to be anyone like Ghandi or the guy screaming like a chicken right now.
D: That guy, exactly!! Enter Blenz… near the washroom. There are many role models in general, but my family comes to mind. It’s so huge, that so many of my family members are inspirational, and whether they work in art or not they just have a really awesome ethic and view about making things, about creating projects that influence life. I really like that approach of whatever you build, you want to build it towards some kind of purpose and positive influence. Whether it’s for world peace or artistic growth and culture, I think it’s valid in either case. Definitely my family, my parents, my aunts and uncles, friends as well. I’m trying to think of some of the more famous people, I’m sure there are tons of artists… and when you look at the way they do things and they work. Just seeing artists work…That’s not a specific role model because there are many, but I recently just watched a video of Supakitch and Koralie making a wall mural. And when you watch them draw and paint and the detail and the colours!!! The video is so well shot that you just want to go: “Oh, my god, I want to go make stuff now.” I just love seeing things like that. Which is another point that goes back to Skewed. Having people hand over their work, which they’ve spent a lot of time on, and then allow us a peak into their studios, or talk to us about what they do and how they do it, is so unbelievably inspirational. To read it, edit it, work on it, put it into a layout and get so excited about making your own stuff. So many quotes that we’ve come across throughout the eleven issues have made us say: “Holy crap!!! This person is awesome,” or “This issue is awesome” or “Let’s go make something.” “Let’s finish this issue to do our stuff for god sake.”
L: Let’s start on the next one…
D: Yeah, exactly.
L: If you could interview anyone right now, who would it be and why?
D: It would be Lexa Naicu and it would be because she just friggin’ pulled an interview on me.
L: What would be your first question?
D: It would be: why the hell have you been working with me for eleven issues in a row?
L: How do you think they would answer it?
D: ‘Cause I’m fuckin’ crazy.
L: That’s not really true…
D: But you know… you never know.
L: Give us one piece of advice that will change our lives for good.
D: Never start your own magazine. (Laughs) No, actually do start your own project. Go big and start it. At some point in your life, you have to start something that’s completely yours from scratch. It’s awesome. Is that a good piece of advice?
L: Yep.
D: Is it, Lexa?
L: Yes.
D: Do you validate?
L: I advise you to make sure you get validation.
D: I need a certificate.
L: Last one: panda is to bamboo like Dina is to…
D: Panda!!