Subbacultcha Magazine – Issue 07
Magazine // NewsThe Spring Issue of the Subbacultcha quarterly magazine is out now
Fascinated by the uneasiness that comes with being a teenager, for this video director Jacobine van Hellemond contrasted everyone’s favourite Bijlmer export with the provincial backdrop of Uden. Upon her arrival, the town pulled out all the stops and showed up with Ferraris and horses. Local teens were hoisted into misplaced ball gowns and tuxedos and stood around waiting in an improvised school dance setting. SMIB on the other hand, just showed up.
In a superficial reading of the video we can imagine an overachieving pupil with a degree in Youtube convincing his school direction to invite his favourite rap group to play their school dance. But it was Van Hellemond who was on a mission to disorganize and disquiet: shouting directions, granting one request only to dismiss another, and at one point putting all of SMIB in the corner, like misbehaving toddlers on a time-out.
In between one thing and the next, the crew found a way to steal moments and beautifully strip away the attitude to reveal that discomfort and self-awareness is universal amongst teens. This video may not be what it initially seems, but clever editing thankfully allows for reading between the lines.
SMIB only reluctantly approves this message, and you’re looking at the directors cut because it’s the arrogance, the ignorance and the innocence in those sneaky shots in which we feel everything and everything hurts. Pay attention, because it subtly shows that stereotyping happens when you’re not.