Flux : The TerryMansfield Fashion Publication Award_ Zoe Robertson-Tingle GFW23

FLUX
by definition is the movement of any
substance through an area per unit of time .
If something is in a state of flux, it is
constantly changing.
The world is currently in an incredibly
rapid state of Flux. Big shift changes are
happening and this uncertainty can be hard
to deal with.
Breaking down the Flux equation, this
publication creates connections between
the physical law of Flux and the human
reaction to change. Through a series of
interviews we learn the influence of Flux in
creative process and how the arts can be a
coping mechanism for change.
Ask yourself, what is your current
relationship with change?

FLOW PG 09
LIGHT PG 27
VELOCITY PG 43
VOLUME PG 55

Q = V t

FLUXFOCUS_
8
[FLOW]
THE MOVEMENT
OF WATER, AIR
THROUGH A
SPACE
Q = V t
In the context of Flux, Flow is described as
the movement of air and water through a
space. This chapter is focused on the fluidity
and flow of water.
For me water is a form of escapism, in many
forms, with a particular affinity for rain and
naturally occurring bodies of water.
When submerged in water sounds are
muffled and warped, light is refracted; you
become weightless, This chapter explores
this feeling accompanied by an interview with
fine artist Amelia Mullins who incorporates
flow into her multidisciplinary creative
practice.

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Creative flow allows scope to work intuitively; think
conceptually and let go of artistic ego when it
comes to production of artworks. Those who define
themselves as multidisciplinary artists posses this
ability to flow and integrate between mediums;
creating continuity between contrasting materials.
Amelia Mullins is an interdisciplinary artist, creating
connections between art, design, textiles and
painting. Committed to sharing knowledge and
encouraging conceptual ideas within students and
young creatives we explore how her personal work
has developed throughout her career and how
change and challenge can be seen in her treatment
of material.
ZRT : How do you define yourself and your creative practice?
AM: I used to work in a really painful way. I wanted
to be really meticulous and photo-real even in my
drawings and I think I spent a really long time not
really feeling satisfied and feeling quite pained by
the work I did and. It was not until I started actually
working commercially where you don’t have time
to think and you were just kind of feeling things
and just trusting your instincts that I found that I
became much happier in my practise and it stopped
me from caring so much about what people think,
so I think I define my practice as really quite selfish.
I don’t expect everyone to like it in anyway; I don’t
know if I even mind at all if they don’t at this point
I just do it because I really enjoy it and it’s such
a therapeutic process for me. I love colour and
movement and feeling things.
I sometimes look at my work and think there’s
loads of different handwritings almost. I use a lot
of different techniques but they’re all for me. It
depends how I feel that day and it depends what
medium I like. I define myself as someone that just
really loves playing and I love the fact that art can
be just a form of outlet and expression. I don’t think
it needs to be arrogant.
ZRT : How would you define the word Flux the word?
AM: I know it means change by definition for me
almost feels like a heartbeat or breathing in and
out. It feels very calm actually, it’s peaks and
troughs and has rhythm. How I practice now is this
stillness, this silence. My definition of the word Flux
would be the idea of rhythm and movement.
ZRT : What materials do you USUALLY work with?
AM: I work with absolutely everything and I love
trying new things. I love the personality that each
single form of medium can bring it’s so exciting. Like
inks for example, allow them to move themselves
you are just guiding them, so I love that about
inks. I love the fact that guache is matt, I love that
acrylics are really bold I love the fact that I can
incorporate any form of material or textile into my
work which is just amazing. I always say that to my
students actually that I want them to be locked in
the bathroom and be able to make a masterpiece
and I find that really exciting.
ZRT : Where do you get your ideas from? Is there a certain sector that
influences work e.g., Fashion/Music/Architecture/History/Science?
AM: My ideas are a mix of things and it’s really
interesting actually because sometimes I have been
known to be a bit self-critical for the fact that
I’ve always thought there’s so many artists out
there that have these huge concepts and I found
that when I did my masters I would over think and
I’d overcomplicate things and it was like a form of
insecurity. I would over analyse everything and like I
said before my ideas have come from observation
and feeling and viewing. My practise is so much
of me just loving this feeling of movement and
just being in the material and expressing myself.
Sometimes they are just a feeling or just a colour
and I love that; I really do.
I’ve stop beating myself up about that because for
years I’d have to find these really intense concepts
that were really deep and dark and emotional and
I just thought oh this is really boring and actually
I’m not enjoying this anymore. I bring in alot about
woman hood. I’ve had alot of things go on in my
personal life to do with my woman hood and you
know health issues and I suppose reproductive
health so i find that kind of trying to embody my
own womanhood has come in alot. I think that also
comes with this mindfulness of just being so grateful
to be able to express.
I research alot so the things that start to come
to me start popping up like deities or certain
iconography or huge shapes and its nothing
necessarily specific but it starts to create its own
theme and I try to trust that.
ZRT: Talk through your process; when you start a project how do you
carry it out? Is this process logical and rooted in routine/habits? Is
it free and open to change and more focused on intuition?
AM: I would 100% say my process is more focused
on intuition. At the same time what I’ve decided
to do over summer is I really want to start doing
sketchbooks again because I actually haven’t done
a lot of sketchbooks for a long time. I think that’s
because I work with students that are constantly
doing sketchbooks I almost feel a bit envious that
I haven’t got this beautiful really liberating free
body of work that I can refer to all the time. On the
flip side I think it’s because my process… it almost
comes to itself ; I’ll be working with a material and
get ideas from the movement of material or the way
in which a behaves so it’s kind of a really holistic and
intuitive process for sure.
ZRT: When do you feel you are in flow state?
AM: I feel I’m in a flow state when I’m working or
painting and sometimes things just don’t work out
and I’ll just walk away and leave them for a while.
The flow state for me apart from it being creative is
actually very silent, Its like when you’re only able to
hear your breath, that present quiet place.

‘SHITS AND GIGGLES’
A2 - INK, PASTEL, GAUCHE AND
PEN ON WATER COLOUR PAPER
AMELIA MULLINS
19

“THE
GREATEST
BLESSING
THAT
CREATIVES
HAVE IS THE
ABILITY TO
PLAY”
AMELIA MULLINS

ZRT: Do you take influence from the same things spanning across your
textiles, paintings and illustrations?
AM:Yes is the answer to that! I Think its all just
an amalgamation or an embodiment of what I’m
creating at the time and it is forever changing,
which I love.
ZRT :Do you think your outcome and style is guided by the material you
choose to work with, whether that be fabric, acrylic, ink etc.
AM: Absolutely and I love that. I love allowing the
material to dictate a big part of where the piece is
going. Its almost like getting to know someone or
finding out what they can do and that is a really big
part of my practice now and it means that I’ve kind
of relinquished a bit of control as well and that feels
really special and therapeutic.
ZRT: Has there been anything within your journey as an artist that you
have felt to be impossible or still do?
AM: I know that I am not where I would like to be
within my practice but I’m okay with that. Whereas
I used to get very frustrated like I just want to do
this kind of work and why am I not getting there;
and I see it with my students and young people alot
where they’re like ‘ah it just doesn’t look how I want
it to’ and actually I’ve somehow very peacefully
learnt to let that go completely and started
enjoying the journey.
I know my work is evolving all the time but I am really
enjoying that level of exploration.
Things are forever changing and actually its not the
moment you’re in that’s bad, its just where you’re at
now. I find that really exhilarating to know that I am
going to keep progressing and keep evolving and all
the different stages of that.
Back to the question of have I felt anything to be
impossible in my practice? No I don’t think have
actually. There are levels within any practitioner
where you would like your confidence to be at a
point where you’re able to push work into certain
places, but I am hoping that will come in time.
ZRT:How does your work differ when you are working on a your own
on a project or collaborating?
AM: I really love both actually. I recently did a
knitwear collection with a designer and its really
beautiful to bounce off other peoples ideas . I think
that one can stay a bit limited if they aren’t at least
talking through things with other practitioners and
creatives. Even being in a room with other people
you’re able to get different perspectives and an
insight into yourself that makes you take a step
back and review what you’re doing. But I really enjoy
collaborating as much as I enjoy working on my own;
I think the only difference is that you don’t have
any one else’s voice. I mean it depends on who you
work with but you always have to be very careful
with who because you’ve got to be able to mesh well
and to hear eachother and conversate. I think with
any artist there;s a level of control we like to have
and a level of indulgence so that’s always got to be
considered but collaboration is a really lovely way to
mix things up.
ZRT:It is said that achieving a flow state is most achievable in isolation,
would you agree?
AM: If its a momentary flow then perhaps yes; but
actually to get to your flow state you’ve got to be able
to have perspective.
There has to be this background of gaining perspective
and being a little but outside of yourself to then be able
to access that flow state. The fact that I work with
students all the time and its allows me to think outside
of being too internalised I’m able to come into that flow
state much easier.
ZRT: Do you find yourself working across multiple projects at once? If so,
how do you navigate the change from one piece to another?
AM: Sometimes I like to layout 3 massive pieces of paper
at once and just lay things down in layers and stages.
You know when you look up too close at something you
can get really anal and it really affects your flow so I
actaully find that jumping from one piece to another
really helps to keep my in a rhythmic state.
ZRT: WHAT Advice DO YOU HAVE for young creatives ?
AM:There is so much advice I would like to give and also
try to instil in young people. Firstly, trust.
When you are creative and view the world from this
perspective, you are constantly building up a little
archive of ideas even if you don’t know it. Trust the
process, don’t try and assume all the answers and
outcomes and DO NOT OVER THINK! Trust that you do
know and just go for it.
Be brave and don’t be too precious. The greatest
blessing creatives have is the ability to play. Embrace
that and just allow yourself to enjoy your journey and
your practice. Don’t be so hard on yourself. We are
learning and growing all the time and once we can
embrace that and be present, much better work begins
to be made. Be ready for harsh critiques and criticism.
As you are learning you will get feedback from teachers
and practitioners and this can really help your progress
but as with all creative practices, not everyone will like
or understand your work. Be willing to learn, grow and
take advice but also know when to trust yourself and
produce with conviction.
ZRT: Do you think recent work differs in themes and style to earlier pieces?
AM: Yes absolutely! Again I go through these phases. I
think again it changes with mood as well; there was a
period of time where I was feeling much more sensitive
and I wanted things to feel almost more like a dance or
they tended to evolve alot like that. Then there was this
evolution into stuff that was a bit stronger and more
definite. When I was doing my masters I actually really
admired things like couture and working in a really quite
detailed way; which I found wasn’t where I was happiest
and there was another point where I really liked working
kind of more graphically. I think although my work
evolves and the themes definitely change depending on
where I am in my life or what I’m finding inspiring I think
luckily there always a bit of me that flows throughout
AMELIA MULLINS
those different times so it feels almost like a map of
life.
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ΦV = Φ *Vλ *

FLUXFOCUS_
[LIGHT]
ENERGY FROM
A LUMINOUS
OBJECT
ΦV = Φ *Vλ *
Luminous Flux dictates how quickly light
moves from one luminous object to another.
Photography deems light as a tool;
transforming it into a malleable object. It paints
subject in areas of light and shadow sculpting
out new proportions. Like moths we gravitate
towards light because of these qualities.
Everyday we are plunged into darkness
to mark the end of a day; and woken by its
presence. Our routines are intertwined with
light. Here we explore lights ability to alter
perception of our surroundings.

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Manipulating light through the mechanisms of
a camera is a skill mastered by photographers;
each approaching the control of light source in
their own individualistic process.
Photography student Meg approaches her
photographic process through an embodied
practice; utilising the properties of paint and
illustration, she is guided by the act of using
materials and creates a dialogue between
herself and the subject. We speak to Meg
about her unique discipline and conceptual
projects.
ZRT : How do you define yourself and your creative practice?
MEG: My name is Meg, and I am in my 3rd year
studying Photography in Bristol. Originally from
Lands End, Cornwall, the unconventionality, and
curious energy of my childhood growing up in
such a weird and wonderful, isolated place is
the fundamental driving force of my creative
practice. Growing up somewhere where to be
creatively inventive is key to creating your own
fun has shaped my practice into one of pure
obsessive curiosity and experimental play with
the world around me through art. My practice
is my way of life, art is the medium in which
I grow, develop, learn, and explore the world
inside my head and the world in which I live in.
ZRT : How would you define the word Flux the word?
MEG: When I think of the word Flux, I
immediately catalyse the notion of constant
change. The fact that the only constant in
life is change. The eternal recurrence of life
within the world, the changing of seasons, the
constant evolution of the natural world and
humanity.
ZRT : Talk through your process; when you start a project
how do you carry it out? Is this process logical and rooted in
routine/habits or is it free and more focused on intuition?
MEG: The start of a project is one of deep
insecurity and anxiety in the unknowing of
what my project will be. I feel as if I am digging
in the sand, trying to find the clues which
will lead me to the precious treasure of my
future project. My attitude is one which is
deterministic, I fully believe my projects are
determined to happen, I believe they are
meant to happen. They are the building blocks
of my life and myself as a person and artist.
My projects always begin with questioning,
asking why and how that life is the way it is.
Although the content of my projects is intuitive
in nature, the structure of my projects is one
of logical, routine discoveries. I treat the topic
of my projects as a mathematical equation or
scientific experiment. I must begin a path of
consumption in knowledge, and I must show all
my workings. No stone must be left unturned.

ZRT : Where do you get your inspiration from? Is there a certain
sector that influences work e.g., Fashion/Music/Architecture/
History/Science?
MEG: My source of inspiration is absolutely
everything. I view my projects as an amalgamation
of everything I have ever witnessed, read, and
thought about. When I am in the process of a
project, my brain is that project. Its constantly
collecting information from the world around me,
feeding it through my thoughts, applying everything
to the context of my project. It is as if I am wearing
glasses with lens created from the layers of my
practice, I consume life to question it, to ask
why, to understand the world through my Art. I
am constantly influenced by history, psychology,
biology, and philosophy in the context of research
of how my project content behaves in the context
of the different forms of knowledge. It is as if my
project is an egg, and I am experimenting with
all the different ways of cooking it. How does it
perform in the multitudes of different context from
different structures of life.
ZRT: Alongside your photography, have you always translated this
into paintings and illustrations. Do you see these practices as one
integrated process or do you see them as separate practices?
MEG: I have always had an interesting relationship
with the multitude of different mediums there
are. This is the most intuitive and free form of
my practice; I simply cannot be defined by the
medium I utilise. I am defined by the questions I ask,
not by the means in which I ask it. I use different
forms of art to explore my work in different
ways. I use photography in a way which is one of
documentation of what my eyes perceive, one
of capturing the shared reality of life, while I use
painting as expression of what my brain sees. Paint
is the camera which captures the images of the
reality inside my head. I am bias to the physicality of
Art, the act of physically creating something from
something, it is the most natural thing I can do. My
relationships with different mediums are themselves
always in a state of change, we fall out and we
fall in love. They are defined by the opposites in
which state the apart from each other, their unique
abilities attract a greediness and self-indulgence
which is only soothed through pure experimentation,
and combination of mixed media. My work must
be expressed through a multitude of different
languages, or otherwise I am restricting my brain
and my art.
relationship between the materials themselves. In the
context of my current project, the content is about
the Fractal patterns of the natural world, but my
practice explores these patterns while performing in
the shape of these patterns themselves, this is the
nature of Fractals. The content is the context of why
I use certain materials. I am guided by the discovering
of these patterns in the infinite forms they can take.
I dictate the materials like a mathematician utilises
different theories, and a scientist uses different forms
of equipment. My materials are the front of the ship in
which my project takes shape as, it steers us through
then open sea of life, dictating the direction from the
discoveries made through using that material
ZRT: How do you respond to change and unpredictable moments in your
practice?
MEG: It is certainly subjective to what form that
change takes but I would describe my practice as
constantly, predictably, very unpredictable. Again, the
only constant is change, so change is fundamental
to the movement of my practice. My own behaviour
can be very unpredictable, its solely dictated by the
relationship with my work at that moment of time.
When my projects twists and changes I see it as
necessary progress, the determined stages that
creates my practice and processes.
ZRT: Would you say you are guided by material when you work with
different mediums, e.g. your painting, scalpel, incorporating bark
into paintings. Does the chosen material dictate the themes and
direction of the piece?
MEG: I would say I am guided by the questions I
ask through the materials I use. I think so greatly
about the acts of using different materials, the
actual physical form of that material. Relationships
are formed through using different materials, the
process is viewed as a whole but also broken down
into fundamental components to understand the
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“If I place certainty
on the output of
my practice, I am
placing pressure
and parameters
on what I can
create.”
MEG GRIFFITHS
‘Meg in her Fractal World’
Oil & Acrylic On A2 Canvas

The most recent series of Meg Griffiths’ work
looks at fractal patterns within nature whilst also
analysing her own behaviour through this lens.
Treating her projects as mathematical equations
has crossovers with other practitioners in
neighbouring chapters. Here we find out more
about the inspirations and roots of this latest
series from Meg.
ZRT: Would you be able to give a brief overview of your current
project?
MEG: My project is an investigation of the fractal
nature of the natural world and the fractal
nature of my behaviour in the context of the
natural world. I am exploring the patterns which
are prevalent and fundamental to life, the eternal
repetition, the infinite cycles. It questions what
life in the context of a particular environment
is, creating a constant in which I can explore
the constant changes which constitutes its
existence. The nature of my project is infinite,
the layers are complex and never-ending. The
content of my project explores the fractal
form of life while the project itself is a fractal
pattern through the shape its naturally taken. In
the simplest terms, imagine the content of my
project as a tree and then imagine my project
itself as a tree. This is the nature of fractals, the
ability to zoom in and out and find the recurring
pattern on any scale.
ZRT:Could you describe the elements within your own creative
practice that you consider fractal?
MEG: The nature of my practice takes a fractal
form. This is due to my way of working, my means
of experimentation. My welcoming of failure and
success, creates a space in which I place no
restrictions on what I create. The fractal nature
of work is very prevalent in this way, a constant
development, reflection, and progression turns
failures into successes. The repetitive, recurring
cycles of the fractal natural world reflects in
the shape of my creative process. There is no
pressure in what I create, there is no criteria, no
end specification which I must achieve. Just a
comfort and reassurance in the fractal pattern
of my practice and process, the tree is always
growing and even if branches break off, new ones
will always keep on growing.
ZRT: In a description of your work, you wrote that you think
about ‘only the current mark being made, never how that
mark will perform in the future’. There is a tendency to have a
preconception of how you want a piece to look before creation
and I feel this can limit the possibilities of the piece before it has
even started. How did you get comfortable with uncertainty of an
outcome and working intuitively?
MEG: I feel most comfortable with uncertainty in
terms of my creations. If I place certainty on the
output of my practice, I am placing pressure and
parameters on what I can create. I imagine it as
if my project is a forest, I don’t want to stop the
forest growing, I don’t want to predict what the
forest will look like in the future. It’s pointless to me.
Its detrimental to my work. I surf the wave of active
creation; I help each individual flower grow without
thinking about how the flower patch will look like.
Nothing is certain in life. I have learnt to not put my
faith in structure. There is no universal language in
which I can learn.
ZRT: ‘Constants and changes’ are explored within this project. How
would you say you generally cope with change and uncertainty both
within life and within your unique creative process?
MEG: Aside from my practice, uncertainty fills me
with stress due to the lack of knowing. Its rather
contradictory of the philosophy of my practice.
For someone who thrives on unknowing and the
inability to predict the future in the context of
my art, I search for the constants in the rest of
my life. The acceptance of change being the only
constant in the context of my work is what fuels
my creativeness, but the denial that change is
the constant in my life is terrifying to me. I think
the opposition explains itself, life is defined by
opposites. So, it’s fitting to me that my brain works
like this.
ZRT: Are there any visuals or motifs that you associate with these
opposite words [CONSTANT] and [CHANGE].
MEG: When I think of these words, I am immediately
teleported back into my secondary school science
classroom. I can smell the weird chemical smells
which my nose becomes slowly blind to over the
5 years spent there. When thinking of constants
and changes, I think of the science experiments I
would complete half-heartedly. The repetition of
the Teacher explaining the importance of constants
and changes during an experiment so that our
results are valid. I completely believe this education
of experimentation is so fundamental to how my
creative practice exists now. The playful curiosity
which was indulged by investigating how life works
through exploring constants and changes in a
biological, physical, and chemical context.
ZRT: How do you see your practice evolving with time? Is there a
material/discipline you would like to focus on or a project you plan
on initiating?
MEG: When I think of the future of my project, I
am not met with visuals but a feeling. That feeling
is the rope in which I am following through the
darkness. That same feeling led me to my theories
on the pattern found in the cardiovascular and
London underground comparison. I have learnt to
trust uncertainty as it takes me where I am meant
to be. I certainly feel the direction of my project is
to increase the physical size of my work. I want to
work on bigger pieces physically. I want that feeling
I feel when I stand next to my favourite tree. I feel
small and insignificant in the best possible way. Its
grounding. These patterns are so significant to me, I
want people to feel that feeling too.
35

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38

3939

v = s/ t

FLUXFOCUS_
[VELOCITY]
SPEED WITH A
DIRECTION
v = s/ t.
The terms Velocity and Speed are
commonly interchanged for one another;
however they have different meanings.
Speed is the time rate at which an object is
moving along a path, while velocity is the
rate and direction of an object’s movement.
DELTA ; the symbol used in the calculation
of velocity represents a ‘change in’.
This chapter is a photographic
representation of the delta symbol,
championing how the integration of
movement into daily life can be a coping
mechanism for change.

43

IMAGE

IMAGE
45

Open water swimmer Blu Edmunds details the
importance of connecting with nature; for him
through wild swimming; to regulate the mind and
body. Throughout lock-down; with the shutting of
public pools and gyms, swimming in the Thames
weaved its way into Blu’s routine; evolving into a
mindful ritual and coping mechanism for chaos.
In this interview I ask Blu to talk us through his
personal definition of Flux; his relationship with
nature and how athleticism and sport has helped
him cope with the uncertainty of the everyday.

ZRT : Do you prefer swimming in a pool or open water? Do they serve different
purposes for you?
BLU: The cold and the strength of Mother Nature in
outdoor swimming connects me to divine powers that
I cannot articulate.
ZRT: How did you get used to the cold shock of open water swimming in
the Thames?
BLU: Breathing techniques, caffeine and a
competitive spirit.
ZRT: How do you generally react to change? Do you enjoy it/welcome it
or apprehensive about it?
BLU: I love change. Adaptation is challenging hence
addictive.
ZRT: Has swimming been a therapeutic outlet for you? If so in what way?
BLU: Swimming has been my only therapy and has
worked thus far. As well as the silence and distance
from my phone, the water cleanses the soul which I
am sure you can relate to.
ZRT: Do you find the discipline required to compete as an athlete and
being involved in a sport has fed into other parts of your life? If so,
how?
ZRT : COULD YOU GIVE A Brief introduction to yourself and what you
do/ are doing at the moment?
BLU: I am Blu, 22, raised in London. Currently
studying Nutrition, swimming outdoors and DJing.
ZRT : How would you define the word Flux?
BLU: Flux to me is transitioning state. I personally
can go from militantly rising at 5am to swim in a
freezing lake to DJing until 7am (sober mind you)
and it’s an extreme balance that I enjoy.
ZRT : How long have you been swimming for? What is it that drew you
to swimming as a sport?
BLU: Competitive swimming since I was 11. The
water is my home. Any issues are washed away.
Presence is attained.
BLU: Elite sports discipline has definitely infused into
my focus on music and business. Also how I carry
myself in public; I know for a fact that I have pushed
through boundaries I am proud of, so I act with
respect towards myself and radiate that outwards
as a result.
ZRT: sun light; music and movement ARE THINGS THAT PERSONALLY BRING ME
calm within chaos. Do you resonate with any of these categories too?
BLU: That is a delicious trio. When I get up before
sunrise, enter the cold water and push my limitsnothing
can phase me that day. I feel I have
conquered what I need to and all other issues are
smoothly accomplished.
ZRT: What is it about nature that you find calming?
BLU: Nature connects me to what matters. It is
raw, non-judgemental and powerful. Our ancestors
experienced both the harshness and the beauty. So
should we.
47

“Nature connects
me to what
matters. It is raw,
non-judgmental
and powerful.
Our ancestors
experienced both
the harshness
and the beauty. So
should we.”

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51

V = π r 2 h

FLUXFOCUS_
54
[VOLUME]
DIMENSIONS OF
DISTANCE/TIME
V = π r 2 h
Human tendency is to find rhythm within
chaos. Our lives are rooted in routine
and when this is disrupted we crave the
return of familiarity and rhythm.
Volumetric flux deals with dimensions
of distance and time; principles that are
engrained in music and dance.
Electronic music and ecstatic dance both
involve responding to elements of intuition.
This section focuses on a form of dance
rooted in improvisation and creative
intuition rather than choreographed
movement. Movement, music and dance
are art forms which can be used as an
emotional outlet and in turn assist people
in their coping with transitional periods; a
source of escapism.

55

57

59

61

“Removing the
safety net of
total control
can really help
to capture a
moment or
a feeling in
a song.”
Bruno Dimitroff
2023
Bruno Dimitroff creates electronic music exploring
themes of tension growth and observation.
His creative process now strongly reflects the
philosophy and principles of artistry that he
values.
Here we speak to Bruno to gain an insight on how
his eclectic music taste influences his music; how
unpredictability and randomness are integral to
his practice and how drumming introduced him to
the idea of music production.

ZRT: Introduce; yourself what you do and your specialism.
BRUNO: To strip it back, instrumentation and
rhythm make up the core basis of my musical
identity. Growing up with parents obsessed
with music and a piano in the living room helped
develop an instinct to pick up and play anything
lying around. The conventional idea of production
nowadays seems stale and uninspired compared
to the timeless feeling of playing an instrument.
The most contemporary manifestation of that
definitely lies within playing FM and modular
focused instruments. Drums were the first
instrument that truly gripped me, and exploring
the impact and influence of rhythm within the
club and rave environment has definitely informed
my work and reshaped my sonic palette.
ZRT: How would you define the word flux?
BRUNO: A state of constant change or evolution.
ZRT: tension, growth and observation are themes that you explore
in your practice. Why do you think these translate so well into
your music style?
BRUNO: Observation really exists as the
starting point for an idea. As for tension and
growth, songs with hyper intensified buildups
and drops tend to leave little room for nuance.
Music that unravels its narrative slowly really
lets you appreciate the twists and turns the
paths take. It is always a goal when writing to
get lost in the journey of a composition, finding
yourself somewhere you never anticipated and
then having to figure out how you ended up
there. Tension and uncertainty from a listeners
perspective give them a chance to acknowledge
oncoming change as inevitable, but without
providing an immediately clear direction as to
where it is going. Artists like An Gleann Dubh and
Djrum have really inspired a pursuit of a tapestry
like approach to arrangement as a defining
feature of the listener experience. Growth within
that journey is key. As a young person in a rapidly
changing environment, its healthy to understand
that slow impactful change over time is much
more effective than rapidly dramatic decision
making, incorporating these themes undoubtedly
helps me to cope with the reality of that.
ZRT: What got you interested in music production and when? Was
electronic the first type of music you produced?
BRUNO: A drum teacher really pushed the idea
of producing my own music at around 15 and he
was keen to show me the basics of logic and
recording. Madlib at the time inspired an attempt
at making hip hop and using samples. Searching
charity shops and record shops for samples led
me to so many bizarre corners of music. With
this the feeling of using hardware and electronic
instruments really started to feel much more
inspiring than sitting in front of a computer for
hours on end.
ZRT: Do you find unpredictability and chance play a part in your
creative process?
BRUNO: Unpredictability and chance as the
driving force for a generative approach to making
electronic music can provide you with some really
bizarre results. Removing the safety net of total
control can really help to capture a moment or a
feeling in a song. Electronic instruments typically
boast some kind of chance/probability-based
functions, so there is a lot of scope to involve
randomness into the process of making music.
ZRT: How do you generally deal with change, do you welcome it or
FEEL apprehensive about it? Has music been an outlet for this?
BRUNO: The past 5 years or so of my life have
been pretty turbulent to be honest. Embracing
change, however quickly or slowly the results
yield, provides a basis for individual growth. As
something so integral to my identity, making music
has been a constant for a long time, so looking
back at projects form a musical journal of my past.
It definitely takes some time to understand where
music fits in your life, and not having so much time
to spend making music means anything unravelling
itself in my personal life directly feeds into what
music I will make that day.
ZRT: Are there any SPECIFIC genres of music you feel inspire your style
of music production and sound?
BRUNO: Its so hard not to be impressionable
or easily influenced by others these days with
music everywhere, it feels almost risky listening
to so many different types of music because the
distinctive subtleties which make them special can
be missed so easily. I try to keep my sound focused
but informed. Right now, Grime has really found a
special place in my heart, East Man and that corner
of techno - informed grime beats really put your
head in such a focused place.
ZRT: how long do you usually work on a track, or do you work on
multiple projects simultaneously?
BRUNO: Working as a full time Line Cook, music
making has to fit itself in around a lot, and ends
up being quite spontaneous and always reactive
to an experience, feeling or thought that occurred
on the day. Bodies of works tend to emerge quite
randomly after a few months of experimenting
and you start to see the components of a project
in half baked ideas that have been toyed around
with for a bit. This obviously leads to countless
unfinished projects, but normally when something
really resonates it spends a few months finding its
place within the scope of something bigger, and it
slowly evolves into a manifestation of that feeling or
memory that informed it at first. Naming always has
to come after the fact, otherwise i get the sense
that I’m trying to define what has not been made.
63

CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT
65

FLUX
2023
PHOTOGRAPHY - ART DIRECTION - COPY
ZOE ROBERTSON-TINGLE
Thank You to the contributors;
AMELIA MULLINS
BLU EDMUNDS
MEG GRIFFITHS
BRUNO DIMITROFF