Gut Magazine in conversation with Novembre
We gave Ami Evelyn Hughes from GUT Magazine a whole carte blanche in the new issue of Novembre Magazine and chatted with her about Germany, costume, sex, demons and Halloween. Read through if you want to find out if dogs can eat pineapples.
INTERVIEW Florence Tétier
COPY EDITING Anjelica Angwin
Can you reverse your camera and take a picture?
Where are you from?
I was born in Australia as both my parents were in the army and then emigrated there after to start a new life. When I was five we moved to the East Midlands, England – we're my parents are from – and I lived there till I was 18 and went to art school in Nottingham and then Brighton, now I’ve been in London for 8 years. I live in Clissold Park, Stoke Newington and it’s so quiet and green and beautiful and I can see the park from my house. I love London because it has brought me all the things I wanted in my career and I’m now working as an art director which was my dream job.
What’s your favourite spread from the brand new issue?
What do you expect your readers to remember or understand from GUT?
I don’t have any expectations of what people take from my work, I would hope they enjoy it and feel inspired. I really don’t have an agenda and I guess that’s what actually attracts people to the magazine as it’s genuinely just work me and my friends make for pleasure, no sponsors, no influencers, no name dropping.
If GUT Magazine was…
… A sound?
Rain on the window when you’re warm and cosy inside
… A designer piece?
Not sure if it’s designer but it’s my dream look.
… A Hollywood star?
Cicciolina
… A plant/flower?
Balloon flowers 4eva.
… A smell?
Roast chicken.
… A person?
Most GUT Person
… A haircut?
Do you have a muse?
I am massively inspired by people who aren’t trying to be beautiful but are because they have their own style and imperfections which make them so alluring to me. I am a bit obsessed with Jess Maybury and Harriet Scott, I shoot them both a lot.
This is written on the back of the magazine:
Germany, costume, sex, demons and Halloween. How and why did you pick those themes?
How and why did you pick those themes?
This is one of my favourite parts of making the magazine, the themes are always decided before the previous one is even finished because I start researching other themes and wishing I’d made the mag on the current ones!
This time it’s Germany, sex, demons, costume and Halloween. I was greedy this time basically and just went full throttle into nearly all my favourite starting points. It was initially going to be just the German issue but I felt it was too niche even for me. GUT 6 is going to be a large hardback book entitled "Christmas and other dumb holidays" focusing on various folklore carnivals and old traditional street fairs from around the world.
What was the inspiration behind your carte blanche for Novembre?
After speaking with you about your themes for the issue (naked skin, squashing, the rotting process, flowers, nature and dreams) and then your suggestion that maybe I make a mini GUT inside Novembre, it instantly made sense to me. I decided to showcase all my favourite styles of working, so I made some paper collages and created a mini editorial featuring my beautiful pregnant friends. They are these slightly fairytale creatures with extended plaits and favourite childhood toy in hand. It had also just started using myself as a model – an aspect of my practice I’m really enjoying – and my Novembre dom pumpkin shot kicked it all off.
What’s your beauty routine?
I never wear makeup and I always just wear a hat or headdress, I’m a tomboy with a glamorous interior lol. I do however look after my skin, everyday, I use Weleda skin food mixed with organic rosehip oil and some SPF cream. I also use face massagers and make sure I drink at least two litres of water a day. If I remember I take my vitamin E tablets and drink collagen gel.
What’s your fave outfit?
It’s a slipknot boilersuit and I wear it with black clogs and a blackhead scarf:
Please share your favourite recipe!
I don’t have any recipe books or any handwritten recipes but I do cook a lot, I cook from memory what my mum used to make us. I make a lot of hearty English meals such as chicken stew, shepherds pie, roast dinner, and sausages and mash. Here’s a good example of the kind of recipe I would vaguely follow but with my hometown twist on it:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/9644/nofuss-shepherds-pie
What’s your favourite place in London?
My bedroom ☺️
In Paris?
I haven’t spent too much time in Paris, I’ve only been there to do Offprint twice – so I’ve only really seen that area. But Beaux-Arts de Paris, where I am during the fair is so beautiful with that little chapel and square out front. I really want to come again soon and go to the Catacombs secret locals’ tour ;)
In the world?
Anytime, anywhere, any swimming pool I’ve ever been in.
If not yourself, who would you be?
I wouldn’t want to be anyone else.
We share the same love for clowns, naked ladies, pregnant bellies and flowers!
What else do you have in common with Novembre?
I really love low-fi screenshots of YouTube videos and I can’t get enough of 70's food recipes and anything kitsch. I adore handmade wooden sculptures by non-artists. The little things I find in car boot sales and bric-a-brac shops which I call ‘goobies’.These things really inspire me a lot. I feel like you also appreciate small seemingly throw away things too, but maybe you have more of a love for the shiny ones. I’m more "covered in thick dust"! Also I think we both love dolls.
What would be your dream collaboration?
Absolutely Paul McCarthy. I could die the next day the happiest person alive, he is my constant inspiration and I can’t ever get over how wonderful his work is. The perfect mix of fairytale and the mundane.
Have you ever met John Waters?
No I haven’t unfortunately, but obviously, I love his work. My housemate is a big fan too and recently printed a tie with Wizard of Oz porn on it to give to him.
Your favourite music video ever?
What are your upcoming projects?
I am working on the agency side of GUT, I am constantly working on editorials for work and realised I really enjoy casting and putting people together and that I’m a decent art director so want to take that further and work on a freelance basis under GUT name doing creative direction.
Can you please send me a screenshot of your desktop?
The last website you visited?
Yout top 5 Instagram accounts;
@velvetcoke
@Richardsonworld
@hrhprincessjulia
@idea.ltd
@fullofhell
Favourite movie scene ever?
I think it has to be the dancing scene from Fellini’s Casanova, it’s so sexy and the costumes are unreal.
Your latest Google search?
Top 5 songs?
If I don’t choose any metal songs:
