Natalia talks vintage fashion and gay Russian politicians

By Ryan Keating-Lambert.

Last week we spent some time with the grunge and vintage fashion inspired Natalia. Immersed among a range of delicate, modern and inspiring outfits and accessories, she gave us an insight into her shop ‘The Item’ nestled in the heart of Prague’s old town, her glorious life in the Bohemian capital, as well as her challenging past in Russia and Moldavia. Read on and let us know what you think.

Where are you from Natalia?

I’m from Saint Petersburg in Russia. I’ve lived here already for 11 years.

I’ve always wanted to go there. Do you go back often?

I was there 1 month ago, but that was the first time in 5 years.

What brought you to Prague?

Nothing. I just decided to start my life on a new page. And it was easy and fast to move to the Czech Republic, so I chose Prague.

Tell us about growing up in Saint Petersburg….

Ok so it’ll be a story about my family. My family are originally from different regions in the Urals and after WWII my grandfather was sent to Moldavia to bring it to life after the war. Then my parents, after they finished university, were also sent there. So I was born and grew up there and stayed until I was 17. But then there was a war there when Moldavia decided to break away from the Soviet Union. No one really knows about this war, it was scary. Because we were Russian, my parents last their jobs. So we had to move back to Russia, that’s when I moved to Saint Petersburg, when I was 17. It was a local war, similar to what is going on now in Ukraine.

Were you personally exposed to any violence?

Some of my friends were beaten on the street because we didn’t speak Moldavian well. At that time we were only 15, so it was quite rough. But I was only harmed psychologically (laughs).

I’m glad you have a sense of humour about it now. Do you still know anyone there?

A couple of friends. I studied in a Russian school there and 80% of my classmates emigrated immediately after finishing.

Russians are known generally for having a hard time here. Have you ever ran into any trouble?

Yeah.. I cannot say that it has happened quite often, but for example the most disgusting thing was in Riegrovy Sady one year ago. About one year ago there was a hockey championship on the big screen in the beer garden, Czech vs. Russia, and I was by myself with my beautiful dog and ordered some water. The bartender said “no Russian pigs”… I started to cry – I really didn’t expect that. So my Czech friends helped me and then I called the garden to complain in the end . I told the owner the story and he said to me “But you know what? If I pay attention to these complaints, I will have no bartenders.” After that I decided that I would never step into this stupid place anymore.

That’s terrible.

It’s not the kind of reaction that a woman should expect from a man.

What’s your opinion on the recent events involving Russia?

You know I am really afraid that there will be a war. So many people have died already. Have you seen the photos of the ones (in Kyiv) that have died already? It’s terrible! I hope that all sides will be wise enough not to escalate this. It should be stopped.

Tell us a little bit about your store!

Well, I opened my first store two months after I moved to the Czech Republic. I started to sell vintage clothes at the beginning. I think I was one of the first or maybe the first in Prague. In the beginning it was quite difficult because people were asking “are they clothes from dead people?” or “ah you get everything for free and then sell it…” It was quite stupid. But from the beginning I’ve had some interesting customers that I still have today. Now I mainly concentrate on new clothes – I buy designs from South Korea, Japan, Italy, the USA, the UK and I also now have my own line of fashion.

Did you study fashion design?

No. I studied Chinese language and sinology, but that was tonnes of years ago. I’ve always liked old fashion.

Who would be your fashion icon?

I think Yves Saint Lauren, I love his style. And also Dior and his new look with those dresses.

What inspires you to design?

The 50s! This is my favourite period if we are talking about clothes.

What is your favourite piece that you’ve designed?

Last year I was lucky to get some great material factory by Dolce and Gabbana and I did a Marilyn Monroe dress (pictured).

It’s beautiful. How do you find fashion in Prague?

Generally it’s quite boring. But the situation has changed a lot in the last couple of years. Now people are becoming generally more brave. Before I couldn’t allow myself to wear this, it would be too bright or strange or something. Now people are becoming more brave.

Where do you like to hang out in Prague?

Wow! Ok, my favourite places! Chapeau Rouge, Druhé Patro, Bukanýr and Follow me Cafe which is new… and Le Clan as well! I also used to go to Termix and Valentino a lot.

I guess you have quite a few gay friends then?

80% of my friends are gay.

What do you think about the situation in Russia right now?

Pure stupidity. Everything that is going on there with gays right now is stupid. Especially because I know from a close friend that a huge percentage of our government officials are gay orientated.

And what do you think about Putin? Is he gay?

(Laughs) No I don’t think so.

If there was a movie about your life, which actress would play you?

You know all actresses that I really love are old. For example Meryl Streep or Susan Sarandon. I like very much Courtney Love as well.

If you could go back in time, what would you see?

I would go to the 60s to the Woodstock festival! And also, I would go to Montreux to see Marvin Gaye live in concert!!! I have goosebumps just thinking about that!

How would you describe Prague in adjectives?

Strange, because it’s not really Czech Republic at all. There are so many good things and so many bad things. Locals and guests always complain about Prague, but if they leave they miss it and take any chance to come back. But generally I like it.

Would you ever leave Prague?

Yeah, I think so. I want to live nearby the sea. If here was a warm sea here, it would be the most perfect city in the world…

What do you miss most about Saint Petersburg?

Opera. The Mariinsky theatre. I used to go there often and I really miss it.

Will you ever go back and live there?

I don’t think so.

Why not?

Mainly because of the climate. Plus it is still quite unstable. I remember the financial crisis in 1998 when in one night we lost all of our money. Almost everyone who had their money in the bank lost it. Would you live in a country like that? Anyway the borders are still open for now, I can go there when I need to.

What kind of dog is she?

She is a shih-tzu, 8 years old. A real Czech girl from Budejovice! She is so smart and loving and the most amazing creature in the world. She quite often travels with me. I think she was a stewardess in a past life. She’s amazing except for this (starts brushing the hair off her dress).

What are your plans with your store for the future?

The store is going well. I have very good customers. Very interesting customers. I never make any big plans. I make plans for the next month and that’s all. Sometimes I work with customers who are involved with costumes for films and series. Some of my pieces are in the series The Borgias and also for the movie Snowpiercer , an American Korean film with Tilda Swinton that will be released this year. I love Tilda Swinton.

Me too! She is great.

There are quite a lot of Czech models, singers and celebrities that are now coming to the store too. They are so good.

And do you custom make things for people?

Sure! We are quite open. I have very good tailors. Mainly we do female clothes.

For more information on designs and other details, please refer to The Item website and Facebook.

Written and transcribed by Ryan Keating. Photography by Petr Kurečka.

Puppet master Mirek talks about Czech marionettes

From my childhood I can remember seeing a number of different puppet shows. From freakish horror movie mannequins that talk to local children’s productions in my primary school, there has never been a puppet that lacks intrigue for me. I even owned a cheap marionette for a few years. The Czech Republic has a long and rich tradition of puppets and Mirek and his carefully crafted creations have been a big part of it. The chance to sit down in the centre of Mirek’s workshop surrounded by puppets and torsos of all walks of life was certainly a memorable experience. Read the interview below for an inside look at a puppet master and his craft, and the fascinating past, present and future of this industry in the Czech Republic and Central Europe.

Where are you from originally Mirek?

I moved to Prague at the age of 15 to study wood carving and art and craft. But I’m originally from Hradec Králové.

A nice city, and how did you get into the puppet industry?

With puppets I started at the age of 6. I was a visitor of a very good puppet theatre called Drak or Dragon in English. That was a big influence. In high school we did a lot of carving but I didn’t think about puppets until later when I studied at a theatre academy for puppet design. Now I also teach design at our workshops. I make them both for theatres and for shows. About 15 years ago, my wife Leah started to do workshops where people could learn the rich tradition of Czech puppetry. Then about ten years ago we started to work with the Hafan puppet film studio and have since developed quite unique and original animators for film animation, not to mention the professionals that we have also worked with there. The studio is now very well known and we teach a lot of foreign students the tradition of film puppet making in our workshops. These days, it’s mainly about a combination of theatre and film puppets.

How many teachers are in this field of puppets?

For marionette making workshops we have about 10 or 12 people working with us. 4 or 5 of them are wood carvers. We also have some people teaching manipulation – professional puppeteers. And we have professional painters and professional costume designers like Dana here (pictured). We also have puppet or theatre directors who make short shows with our students. Altogether the process involves drawing, cutting wood, carving, painting, stringing and manipulation.

There certainly are a lot of people involved. It seems like a big industry. Is there always something going on?

In some segments it’s easier. With film animation, if you have a budget you can have a job for two or three years, then one year without…. or 5 years without. You need to find other things to survive. With puppets and theatre, you can try to sell a show to them or perform with them. Yes, it’s hard but they must do what they can. It’s not an easy field right now sure. Probably a lawyer would be a better option! (laughs)

But without the creativity and the fun! Do you just make the puppets or are you also a puppeteer?

I’m not trained as a puppeteer. I studied puppet design. I also perform with Leah; we have made several shows but we don’t want to take jobs from professional puppeteers. Leah is performing with young kids in kindergartens or special workshops. We also organise small puppet festivals like Teatro Toch festival which is always on the last day of the summer holidays in Kampa.

How much does it cost to make an average sized puppet?

It can be around 8000-16000Kč. It depends on how carefully detailed it is carved and painted. And it also depends on costumes.

Do you have one that you think is your favourite?

Hmmm well right now we have some puppets here for the Snow White show. I like this bad queen a lot! She is special and has character.

And how does the Czech Republic compare to other countries?

Of course, we are the best! (laughs)

It wouldn’t surprise me, I’ve seen puppets everywhere here in Prague.

It is a central European tradition – especially the marionettes. Because of history when there was the nationalist movement in the 19th century, puppet theatre became very popular. It was the only cultural theatre performed in Czech.

The only one?

Yes, there was a movement of amateur puppet theatres and family theatres. At the beginning of the 20th century, every family had a puppet theatre in their home, but that was killed by TV.

I think a lot of people say similar things about TV. And where would you say this culture is heading for the future?

Jiří Trnka – he merged puppets in film using animation and that is going well. There are some professional film studios in Prague that have survived. Both film and advertising use puppets from time to time too.

And how did you meet your wife Leah? Did you meet through your work?

Yes, about 20 years ago. She moved just after the revolution to teach English but eventually moved to theatre because she worked in and studied literature and theatre in America. She combined education with theatre and puppets.

Which puppet would you make real if you could?

I think an angel.. That would be nice, no? Not a skeleton.

So your next workshop is specifically focused on skeleton puppets?

Yes, this Spring workshop is smaller than the big ones that we do in summer and focuses on acrobatic puppets used centuries ago, they are very special. It’s mainly for specialists. A lot of mechanisms and unique characters. For shows, the Wizard of Oz will be the next big one and the premiere will be on the 5th of April, around the same time that we’re doing the skeleton workshops. Then on the 1st of May we will have a film animation workshop.

What films or shows inspire you? How can someone get a good idea of the Czech puppet industry?

I think no one will make a mistake if they watch a Jiří Trnka film, these would be the best here. Hand won a lot of prizes, it was actually forbidden here in the Czech Republic.

It was forbidden? Why?

Because it was criticising Stalin’s dictatorship, but they let it be shown abroad and it did very well. And the Mechanical Grandmother also – very futuristic and very modern short film only 10 or 15 minutes long. You can find it online.

How would you describe Prague?

Puppets, puppets, puppets! (laughs) Also beer. A lot of interesting theatres, you just have to find them – they are a little bit hidden.

If you could go back in time and see anything, what would you choose to see?

It would be wonderful to see Prague and how it looked in the past. My son would enjoy a short trip to see the dinosaurs and I would definitely join him for that. So that’s only about 170,000,000 years ago.

Not very far back at all! What is your favourite thing to do in Prague on a Sunday?

Take a bike and ride somewhere. Maybe the river.

What are your plans for summer?

That’s our working season – three big workshops and the last one will be a theatre performance in a big festival. We will be working most of the time, but we might visit some friends in Ireland too.

Have you spent any time in the USA with Leah?

We usually go there once every two years to visit relatives and just stay there. We are in touch with a lot of puppeteers there and we also advertise our workshops in a magazine. A big part of our students come from the United states. We know the community quite well; it’s big and alive. They also have the Muppets.

Perhaps the most famous of all puppets! Mirek, thank you so much for your time. It’s been an absolute pleasure.

For more information on the upcoming workshops, visit the Puppets in Prague Facebook page or their website.

Written and transcribed by Ryan Keating. Photography by Petr Kurečka.

“When everything started I thought there is no way there is going to be violence” – Ukrainian expat Lilia on the shootings in Kyiv

Almost everyone has heard about the major political problems that are currently plaguing Ukraine. There are a number of opinions on both sides that deserve attention. Lilia, a Ukrainian citizen living in Prague caught up with us to give you the chance to hear an opinion from a local rather than a sensational news agency.

Lilia discusses a number of fascinating and controversial issues in Ukraine including the Czech Republic’s supportive response to the bloodshed in Kyiv, as well as the ‘information war’ sweeping through the media, especially in Crimea. What started off as a regular People in Prague interview in her kitchen turned into something incredibly informative and inspiring. Lilia’s positive attitude is infectious and will surely make an impact on many of you. Take the time to read the interview and please feel free to comment and express your opinion on this dire situation.

So where are you from in Ukraine, Lilia?

I’m originally from a small town in Western Ukraine, but I studied in Kyiv for four years so that’s where my conscientious life began!

What did you study?

I did a BA in History and an MA in Interdisciplinary Political/History/Cultural Studies in the Netherlands.

Tell us a little bit about your childhood.

I grew up in a kind of rural area. My dad is a farmer, we lived in a house surrounded by chickens and stuff. But I went to school in the town and it’s a very kind of core Ukrainian nationalistic part of the country. Everybody speaks Ukrainian. When I was growing up there I never spoke Russian nor met a Russian speaking person – yeah, it’s very very Ukrainian.

So quite different to the east.

Yeah definitely, because Western Ukraine was a part of Poland and then the Austro-Hungarian Empire after that. It only became a part of the Soviet Union in 1939 when they came to rescue us from Hitler. So, that’s where all the core differences come from; the fact that we belonged to different empires for such a long time.

How do you think Ukraine is seen by the rest of the world generally?

Well first of all Ukraine is on the map now, woohoo! Most of the world that knows anything about this situation, they tend to oversimplify it. That’s why the idea of Ukraine being so equally divided, that it’s just Russian versus Ukrainian stuff going on and Ukraine actually becoming two different countries based on the language is sort of bullshit.

When it started, the problem was that most of the world believed that it was about the EU only and that we wanted to join Europe so much that we were prepared to die for it – which is nonsense. It started like that and it was really small. It was more about showing the government that they can’t treat us like that. We have something to say and we’re going to say it, so fuck you (laughs).
And now, we have a new government that has no choice but to listen, at least for now. We, the people, are still at the square in Kyiv and we’re not going anywhere until we’ve got what we want. But I think now, after everything, that people are finally starting to realise that the Ukrainian revolution was so much more than just the EU, and that we actually has a chance. The problem is that Russia has so much more money and influence, resources and power. So we are seeing what we have seen so many times before in history… Other countries not wanting to poke the bear and saying ‘yeah, you know we condemn it so much. That’s so not nice Russia, don’t do that!’ (laughs).

How do you think Ukrainian people are seen by the Czechs?

Well the Czech Republic really don’t like Russia at all. They’ve been supporting Ukraine a lot. They send tonnes of money and aid and we have had so many demonstrations with so many Czechs. They started their own initiatives and they actually understand what’s going on, that’s the difference. In countries like Germany or France or the US, it’s completely different. Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, countries that have been through these Soviet camps – they get it. I feel so proud being Ukrainian here. I wear blue and yellow ribbons on my bag all the time.

Yeah? That’s great.

People actually talk to me about it. They will come up to me and say ‘oh we’re supporting Ukraine and how can we help?’ – it’s really nice. They also made a pegasus sculpture out of tires recently in Václavské náměstí to honor us. In Kyiv a lot of people were burning tires in the square.

Generally speaking, let’s say that Czechs are not very tolerant, and they don’t like Ukrainians so much. There are a lot of prejudices and clichés about Ukrainians being cleaning ladies and construction workers only and that they are stealing their jobs, it’s just insane. But, in this situation they have been great. I feel super lucky being here actually. Czech Republic – thumbs up.

Ok good, would you say that these common stereotypes of Ukrainians here have changed now as a result of the situation or are they still there?

No, that’s not going to change. They are still the same. Frankly, a lot of them have these jobs but they are still highly educated. There is so much more to them than that.

Ok. Now is it the language barrier that puts them into these jobs? Or is it to do with the Czech Republic not always recognising Ukrainian education?

A lot of people come here in their 30 or 40s, they don’t speak Czech and can’t get anything better. I’m not sure about diploma recognition. I know it is possible, but very difficult.

How have the recent incidents in Kyiv and Crimea affected you?

When everything started I was like ‘there is no way there is going to be violence’ because we had the Orange revolution in 2004, where there was zero violence and millions of people on the streets. Then when they beat up the students the first time, I thought ‘come on, this is crazy. This is my country and this is impossible’. And then, when they started shooting, I thought ‘what the fuck! This is not possible’. Things like that don’t happen in Ukraine. And we thought that Russia would never bring the army into the country, this is insane. And then they did. Myself and tonnes of other Ukrainians have just been watching the news non-stop.

It’s been very emotional for me. I really want to go there, I want to be there and be a part of it. The band 30 seconds to Mars were recently there and spoke out about it, and the atmosphere was just incredible. That’s what it is like in Kyiv and other big cities at the moment. We’re witnessing the birth of a political nation in Ukraine. Putin actually managed to unite the country more than our politicians have in the last 22 years.

Wow, that’s interesting.

Yes, it’s because of the common enemy we have right now. It started off as being against Yanukovych and also because a small portion wanted to join the EU, but then it was about freedom and dignity – that brought a lot of people to the streets. But it still didn’t gain support from the eastern and southern regions, and then Putin brought the army in, and now the people are chanting things in the streets! They are marching and proud to be Ukrainian, and that’s a good thing.

And have these protests affected anyone you know?

My sister has been volunteering a lot everywhere. Fortunately, nobody I know was hurt. No one I know lost any relatives, but I don’t know if our country will ever be the same again. It was a tragedy and at the same time, it’s a necessary thing for Ukraine to become a true political nation. We can do it!

Great! And on a different note, do you like 30 seconds to Mars?

(Laughs) They’re good, I don’t know too many of their songs though. But Jared Leto is cool.

I believe he also mentioned Ukraine as well as Venezuela at the Oscars?

Yes, he did which was great. Apparently that part was cut out in Russia when they were broadcasting it.

Do you think that really happened or do you think it’s just a rumour?

I’m pretty sure that they really did that.

Ok then, since we’re talking about the media now. There are posters glorifying Putin as the new Hitler. What’s your opinion on those?

We have an information war going on right now. In Crimea, there are posters that show the region as Russian and prosperous, or as a Ukrainian fascist state with a swastika… In Russia they are showing people in Kyiv as ultra nationalistic and fascist. They also say that everyone in the square are drugged to pump them up more. It’s crazy!

Do you believe the Western media when they say that Putin is going to continue to invade countries or do you think it’s a bit too sensational?

Putin wouldn’t mind becoming the new great collector of the lands or become the new Russian Peter the Great. I’m pretty sure he has ambitions like that of course. He has grandeur issues… Well, pretty sure he has a lot of issues (laughs). When Georgia happened, some people, President Kaczynski for example, were saying ‘today it’s Georgia, tomorrow it will be Kyiv and then Warsaw.’ Everyone thought that was ridiculous. But now people are starting to think ‘ok, how did this happen!?’ At this point, I’m not going to be surprised by anything he does.

But Russia has no chances when it comes to real war. Even if you compare military budgets of some of the major countries, there is just no way. But, he might try to bite off some small pieces of countries around him instead. He is walking on thin ice though because Russia in the end is just a bunch of different republics and quite a few of them wouldn’t mind being independent themselves.

What can people here in Prague do to help out?

Well they can spread the word. Make sure people understand what is really going on and don’t get into the trap of Russian propaganda or oversimplify things. It’s important to raise awareness and of course donate money. There are more than 100 people in critical conditions in the hospital now. There are victims being treated for free in Czech hospitals too which is great.

I’m curious. What’s your general opinion on the Czech government?

Well, Zeman is a ‘bubble bum’ (laughs). For those that don’t know, he was in the European commission and he wanted to say bubble gum, not bubble bum… Check out the video on Youtube. Fortunately, the president doesn’t have that much power, but he is the face of the country.

Anyway, I know there have been struggles here, but the government is functional unlike the Ukrainian one. There is no need for revolution.

Now tell us a little bit about the language, a lot of people presume that Ukrainian is similar or almost the same as Russian.

They are really different languages. Just because everyone in Ukraine is to some extent bilingual, it doesn’t mean they’re the same. And Russians don’t understand us when we speak Ukrainian. Ukrainian, vocabulary wise, is much closer to Polish. Not only is the language different but our mentalities are also. These differences kind of stem from the language as well. For example, the role of Ukrainian women in society. In Russian, a man marries ON a woman, but in Ukrainian he marries WITH the woman. Also the word man as a human being in Ukrainian is of female gender.

Does this mean that women have or had quite a significant role in Ukraine?

Of course it’s not as significant now, but this role is somewhat still there, yes.

That’s very interesting. Will you ever go back and live in Ukraine?

I would love to, but things change so often. When I left the first time to study, I was convinced I was going to be back in 18 months. But then I got a job, and it was a question of gaining experience here and going back and starting from scratch. Of course right now with everything that is going on, I really want to be there. I wanna be a part of it. I feel kindof deprived of a chance to witness and participate in all of this. I totally see myself going back though, I love Kyiv, I love Ukraine.

Would you say that Prague is home for now?

I think Prague is a very comfortable city to live in. At first it was too peaceful for me. In Kyiv everyone is in a rush and it gives me a rush as well. Prague is much more slow and peaceful, but now I’m so used to this comfortable life, and I have friends here. I have a job, I have a choir and a very active life.

How would you describe Prague in adjectives?

Delicate – architecture wise especially, sunny (laughs), no but I feel like it is, really!

What do you miss the most from home?

Being able to speak Ukrainian everywhere! I work in Ukrainian but it’s writing so it doesn’t really count. I miss using it in everyday life.

Where do you like to hang out in Prague?

My weeks are VERY busy. I learn German, I go to quizzes, I go to the movies, I meet my friends, I go to the gym.

Wow, very busy.

I love house parties too AND I love baking.

What’s your favourite thing to bake?

I try not to bake the same thing twice. But I am proud of my carrot cake and chocolate cake!

So… I guess you like cake?

YES.

If you could go back in time and see anything, what would you see?

That’s a tough one. There are too many options! Maybe I would go back and be a part of a Native American tribe, but not a violent one! (laughs) Yeah I think that would be cool.

Thank you so much for your time, Lilia! Please comment and let us know your thoughts on the present situation in Crimea. All opinions arewelcome.

Written and transcribed by Ryan Keating. Photography by Petr Kurečka.

Sarah on Mozart and her 9/11 experience

English/American Sarah Coffey recently invited us over for a home cooked meal and to also have a chat about Mozart, books, and a chilling account of 9/11. With two beautiful cats and an old bookshelf full of character and memory, this flat was the instigator for a number of our questions that brought out some fascinating stories about the Drew Barrymore look alike.

Thanks for lunch, Sarah! Firstly, I have to ask you about your surname.. Coffey? Do you pronounce it like the delicious morning beverage?

You do pronounce it the same as coffee, but it’s spelt different, as the guy in The Green Mile said.

Nice! Sarah, how long have you been in Prague now?

3 years.

Ok, and why Prague?

Probably because I’m such a nerd. I came here on holiday once and wanted to come back. I just fell in love with the place, it’s so beautiful. I’m such a history and music freak. It’s a very musical city. So being able to see Don Giovanni in the same theatre where Mozart premièred it in 1787… That was such a big “nerdgasm”. Mozart was very popular in his day in Prague – he said Prague understands him.

Tell us a bit about your job at the university.

I do a mix of things; I prepare visa paper work for incoming students at NYU (New York University), and I’m also involved with organising trips and cultural events for them.

That sounds really nice. I understand that you’re half English and half American?

My Dad is American, but his Mum was English. I was born in Ipswich, which most people only know because there is a football team there. It was good though, I had fun growing up there.

What do you miss the most about there?

Hmm. It’s kinda funny because I spent time there and also time in the states. I’m not sure where I kinda fit now! Of course I miss my friends, TV shows, food. At the time we moved to the States there was no internet or anything, you had to write actual letters so it was hard to keep in touch. But generally I feel like I don’t really know England any more.

How long did you live in NYC?

12 years. I worked for a newspaper called the Village voice in East village and before that I worked for a dot com company in 1999. It was a video service, we still had VHS then. You could go on the website and order a movie and it would be delivered by a bike messanger within the hour. There was also a huge porn collection, this was before the free internet porn, not that I know anything about that (laughs).

I bet you had some interesting people calling up….

Yes. There was this one guy who called every Friday and he would say ”just send me two gay porn.” There was 2 hour and 4 hour and he always wanted the 4 hour ones. So I would go and pick the ones with the stupidest titles (laughs). Then he would call back all thetime and ask to speak to me. Apparently he liked what I picked.

You do have a beautiful phone voice.

It’s funny you should say that, because I was offered a job doing phone sex. But I was afraid that I would just start laughing. It was during the boom of the dot coms. It was young and edgy and fun back then.

Were you in New York for 9/11?

Yes, I was working at the voice then which was a safe distance, but close enough to see everything. I had just gotten to work and a friend sent me a message with the news – I didn’t believe him. We went outside to look and I saw at that point the hole in the north tower, and the smoke pouring out. My first thought was “How are they going to fix that?” We didn’t know that something was happening, we thought it was an accident. I remember thinking that so many people were dead in that moment, so I went in and didn’t want to look any more. We were trapped there, they closed all the tunnels and bridges so we went to the park across the street, smoked cigarettes and drank beer. We didn’t know what else to do. That’s when we started to see this long column of people walking from downtown covered in dust.

That must have been horrible.

It was so so quiet, a very heavy atmosphere. The most painful thing was seeing the home made posters looking for family members and friends, it was strange that they all adopted the same format. They were everywhere, and you would start to see the same faces and names all over the place. It was very hard to face that every day. Thankfully, I didn’t lose any friends in that. Everyone had someone or they knew someone that had died there. The smell was also really bad because of the smoke and maybe some other things. That smell was on me for a long time.

What other things do you do here?

I teach piano to kids and I also sing in some choirs. I was just accepted into a professional choir actually. We’re going to sing at Municipal House soon. I also got to sing Beethoven’s 9th at Rudolfinum a while ago which was great. And in New York, I sang Mozart at Carnegie Hall – another nerdgasm.

When did you discover that you could sing?

That’s a good question because I never really thought that I could. I’ve always been an instrumentalist. Flute, piano and violin. I would sing in my car, you know. But I didn’t discover it until about maybe 5 years ago when I auditioned for a choir in New York and got in.

Do you sing in the shower? And if so, what do you sing?

Of course. Umm, I think it depends on my mood, whatever is stuck in my head. From Dvořák to the Clash, maybe ‘Sabotage’ by the Beastie Boys (laughs).

I love your cats. How long have you had them for?

Thank you! I’m a proud cat Mum. Lola is 15 but she was already a year old when I adopted her, and Diablo is 12. I probably pay more attention to them than maybe a normal person might. But what is normal?

You’ve got a lot of incredible books on that shelf. Which books do you love the most?

Definitely this one by Art Speigelman, ‘In the Shadow of No Towers’, I knew the ‘Maus’ books from when I was younger, and I was lucky enough to meet him and get the book signed. I also love this copy of Dickens’ ‘Our Mutual Friend’, I think it’s from the 1800’s – very old! And I also have some old editions of ‘Tom Sawyer’ and ‘The Prose of Oscar Wilde’. This one is maybe the most morbid, ‘Pictures of the Ghetto of Warsaw’, they were taken by a German soldier.

You also have a lot of Titanic stuff!

Yes, since I was a girl. I have several books along with a replica of the menu and china, as well as posters and things like that.

If you could go back in time and see anything, what would you see?

Hmmm, god this is really hard. So many things. I would like to meet Mozart and definitely see some sort of performance by him, but most of all I would really want to hang out with him. He had a really dirty sense of humour like me. If I ever had that opportunity, I think my head would explode – that’s how much of a nerd I am.

How would you describe Prague in adjectives?

It’s definitely weird, but in a positive way. It’s interesting. I’d say rough, not as in dangerous, but more rough around the edges. It’s really random. It’s like a bizarreness with fun underneath it. For instance I was on a bus one night and there was very thick fog and the driver was watching TV whilst driving – that type of stuff is just really odd.

Would you ever go back to the USA to live again?

No, I don’t think so.

Why not?

I don’t think I’d live there again. I’m more suited to the European lifestyle. It’s more relaxed and the healthcare system is much better.

Thanks so much for having us today Sarah!

Written and transcribed by Ryan Keating. Photography by Petr Kurečka.

Charisse talks art and the “wayback machine”

Petr and I were blown away when we set foot in Charisse’s studio apartment. It was as if New Orleans’ legend Marie Laveau herself had decorated and imprinted part of her voodoo queen soul on the walls. We were now in Charisse’s world; one dedicated to the mystic, and the sublime. A candle lit art studio that brought some fascinating tales into the light.

Where are you from originally, Charisse?

I’m originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I went to a regular school and we were some the first kids that went to an all white school. That has really shaped my whole entire life, I think.

Do you miss it back home? What do you miss the most?

No, I don’t miss it (laughs). I do miss my Grandmother and her house though. I don’t miss the city, I never want to move back.

What do you miss about your grandmother?

I miss her love and her aura – you know that grandmother’s aura.

How did you get to Prague, Charisse?

I flipped a coin. It was a toss-up between here and Seville in Spain.

No way! That’s cool!

It was one of the most interesting things I’ve ever done. I was living in Minneapolis and I was thinking, do I actually do this? I went to the window and it was raining, and I thought oh god! There was a double rainbow! The only thing I knew about the Czech Republic at that point was Alfons Mucha…

What were your first impressions of Prague?

I got into the wayback machine and went back 20 years.

A wayback machine?

The cartoon TV show Rocky and Bullwinkle. Peabody and Sherman had this time travel machine called the wayback machine (laughs).. Lots of parts of Prague remind me of Milwaukee actually, because of the Polish. We have a big Polish community over there too.

Where is your favourite place to hang out in Prague?

It used to be this bar Hush on Lublanska before it closed. Now I like Vzorkovna bar.. I had some of my paintings in a show there too.

If you could describe Prague in adjectives, which would you use?

Random, Grey, lost but found opportunities. It’s very new. Everything is a rebirth. Definitely a renaissance. Freedom.

Are you religious?

I’m spiritual. I’ve discovered a lot of stuff since I’ve moved to Prague. That’s why I think of it as a rebirth.

You’re a very talented! You paint and make your own clothes and jewellery too. Anything else?

Anything! I just like to make shit! Whatever I want, I guess. I like to spend my time being creative. Pretty much everything you see in this room has been done.

What inspires you to make these things?

I like different cultures. I like the mystic and I love the sublime. I like the underdogs, the people that nobody seems to like. The person that makes you question yourself, I like that person.

What designs or projects are you most proud of? Anything you can show us?

I’ve done all of these paintings. This is my Mary Magdalene (pictures below on the far left), she is my Mona Lisa and she comes everywhere with me and I WON’T sell her!

How would you compare Czechs to Americans?

Hmmm. You can pretty much say whatever you want to Czechs, and they will leave you alone and go home and bitch about you there, American’s will do the opposite. The people here are not aggressive at all.

What makes you laugh?

I like dirty humour; stuff that sneaks up on me. Quirky and random things make me laugh, the odd and the mundane.

If you could go back in time, when would you go?

I’ll be cliché. I would go and stand next to Buddha under the Bohdi tree.

Who has made Prague especially great for you?

My friends definitely. I’ve met the most inspiring people. We’re like honey and flies; we stick to each other. This is what I was looking for in Minneapolis, and it took me years to get it there.

Do you think you make friends faster when you’re an expat?

That’s when your human instincts kick in. Especially when you travel alone. You’re forced to meet people.

Can you speak Czech?

(Silence) Ambiguity is the best. Wink, wink.

(Laughs) Very good answer. How multicultural do you think Prague is? The US must be quite different on that level. Do you miss this?

Yes, I do. I miss the diversity. I actually find myself watching a lot of television shows from when I was a kid just so I can see some diversity again (laughs). Otherwise, everybody basically looks the same…

And do you think that Prague will change in the future?

Yeah, dude! Prague is changing a lot already. Look at the fashion for example, 5 years ago it was socks and sandals central, but now everybody has stepped up their game. It is the younger generations that are changing things now.

Thanks so much for letting us crash your pad, Charisse! We loved every minute of you company.

Written and transcribed by Ryan Keating. Photography by Petr Kurečka.