“Zu Verschenken” by Hue Hale and George Murray

“Zu Verschenken” an exclusive art photography story, by visual artist Hue Hale and designer George Murray, both based in Berlin. This vibrant, avant garde project reflects on queer club culture and at the same time raises awareness about sustainability as all the clothes in this shoot were created from used items. Hue and George elaborate further:

“Visual artists Hue Hale and George Murray decided to bring together their creative processes out of the need for an escape from the stifling monotony they had become accustomed to during the pandemic. “Zu Verschenken” is a common German phrase meaning: “To give away / To be given away.” On the streets of Berlin, you are likely to see boxes of miscellaneous items that no longer hold value to the former owner. These boxes can appear anywhere and are usually accompanied by a note stating “Zu Verschenken”.

Due to previous projects concerning sustainability, all of the clothing used for this project has been sourced from the street. Each piece of clothing was thought of as just fabric and in turn, would be taken apart to create something new. It was interesting to use Zu Verschenken as a creative process as Murray utilised materials that he normally wouldn’t have used. When gathering from the street Murray tried to use fabrics from the same box/area to create one singular finished look to stay true to where the pieces were found and thus letting the act of finding influence how each piece turned out. The makeup that accompanied each look was heavily influenced by fantasy and queer club culture to give an element of escapism from the pandemic. Sticking with a zero-waste theme, all of the accessories shown were second-hand or borrowed from friends around Berlin. Queer club sensibilities and the want to escape reality were also present in the creative direction of this collaboration. Hale wanted to emulate the vibrant lighting and unique energy found in clubs around Berlin in the images. The backdrops, sets and props were likewise found in the streets and combined in the makeshift home studio Hale was confined to during the pandemic.

The objective of this collaboration was to create something meaningful out of the insignificant collected items. Testing the self to be able to make a thing of value from items that are considered valueless is the heart of what “Zu Verschenken” means to Hale and Murray. This collaboration is a product of both of their efforts using the items that were being given away. Now Hale and Murray are giving away this collaboration and inviting you the viewer while passing by to take part in Zu Verschenken.”

Creative Direction, Photography, Editing: Hue Hale @huehale     https://huehale.online

Design, MUA, Model:  George Murray @geomurr

Fashion: all handmade original pieces made from old clothing, Shoes: Marc Wilson, Sword: Quentin Barthassat, Accessories: Jack Batchelor

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