August 3, 2009

PMKFA (SE/JPN)

Multi-talented and Tokyo based Swede, Michael Thorsby aka PMKFA, stayed at the capsule version of Creators Inn by Elvine at LAT, while in Gothenburg to play records and showcase some animations at club Colors, Nefertiti. More pictures and a previously recorded video interview found after the jump.

Who is PMKFA and what do you do?
I’m a graphic designer and also co-founder of the graphic clothing label It’s Our Thing that operates out of Tokyo and Osaka.

You are based in Tokyo, but this was your first time staying in a “capsule hotel”. How was it, and what do you think about the Creators Inn by Elvine concept?
Yeah that felt funny, like crossing the river for water right, haha. I’ve always liked small spaces, more or less lived in small rooms all my life, in fact I always imagine how I would plan it when I enter a small space, like a toilet or storage etc. I draw up imaginary plans on where the sleeping area should be, office, cooking area etc, even when the place is 3-4 square meters. I can recommend it, at least it make visiting public toilets a bit more enjoyable.

The capsules at Creators Inn was first class! I was really impressed, clean, odd shapes (a plus) and enough space for everything needed to sleep well in there and I even managed to reach to work a bit from bed. The minus was that I was there so briefly, I only got to spend something like 5-6 hours there because of my rather tight schedule, very unfortunate. I was stoked though to stay where Scottie B had stayed just a week or to prior to my arrival, I could feel it in the walls, I felt that Bmore gutter feeling.

What was your reason for visiting Gothenburg, and what happened while you were here?
I DJ’ed at the superior club Colors at Nefertiti and had a good time even tough after spending two weeks in the forests of Småland my pulse was still synced to the trees and felt a bit slow bot socially and definately when mixing, but it was great after all and I was very happy to see Mattias who’s organizing the club and some other friends from Gothenburg like the Dahlstrom brothers and my good friend Johanna.

Gothenburg was my second to last stop on my summer holiday that lasted for a month and took me to Greece, south of France, Sweden and Denmark.

Any tips and recommendations for future guests? What’s to like about Gothenburg?
I don’t know really, I don’t think I ever got a good grip about Gothenburg even though I’ve been here quite a few times as my dear brother is living south of the city, but I think it’s nice. As with most Swedish cities people are so excited about the summer, and after trying to deal with the super-humid Japanese summer I miss those beautiful Scandinavian summers with a cool breeze always around the corner.

Do we dare to ask you what PMKFA stands for?
You don’t.

What’s next?
As my holiday is now over another year of hard work lies ahead. Quite intimidating but I also feel very excited as things are really looking good and many good things will happen the coming year. New stuff for It’s Our Thing is in the work and also a brand new PMKFA.com will go live sometime in a not so distant future.

This is a previous video interview with PMKFA about the difference between working creatively in Sweden and Japan, followed by some pictures of Tokyo and his clothing brand It’s out thing below.