Elena Skoko aka Sugar Babe is a multifaceted artist born in Croatia. She holds a degree in language and literature from Bologna University (Italy), where she graduated cum laude. In 2001 she founded Sugarbabe.org, the artistic project and website where all her productions get channelled. Born in Croatia, she now lives between Bali and Rome.


MUSIC

Elena Skoko got her nickname Sugar Babe while singing in the Italian indie band CUT. From 1996 to 2001 they published three records together. She was active member of the Italian indie scene. In 2008 Elena started a new band called Bluebird & Skoko, singing original songs influenced by blues, jazz and rock’n’roll.

2009

• BLUEBIRD & SKOKO, “Trust Your Mojo, Sista” album (OmOm Music)
• Pecha Kucha Night, Bali, “Trust Your Mojo, Sista” presentation, 25/04/2009
• Pecha Kucha Night, Bali, “The Ghost In Our Video” presentation with Bluebird, 13/08/2009

2008

• ”Watching Ya”, song published in “Love Hotel” compilation (Suoni di Jato)

2003

• 2B1C, “Proleter-k Poetika Electronika” (Sugarbabe.org)

2002

• CUT, ”TORTURE” mini ep (Gamma Pop)

2001

• CUT, ”WILL U DIE 4 ME?”, album, (Gamma Pop)
• Guest vocal in JULIE’S HAIRCUT, “STARS NEVER LOOKED SO BRIGHT” (Gamma Pop)
• Guest vocal in TIMORIA “EL TOPO GRAND HOTEL” (Universal, 2001)

2000

• Guest vocal in JULIE’S HAIRCUT, “FEVER IN THE FUNK HOUSE” (Gamma Pop)

1998

• ”OPERATION MANITOBA”, album (Gamma Pop)

1997

• ”AA.VV. “METAL MACHINE MUZAK” compilation (Gamma Pop)

1996

• CUT, ”TROUBLE/DESIRE” (demo)

FASHION

She grew up in her mother’s atelier. In 2001 she decided to get involved deeper into fashion. She started designing two collections: OphLove, a line of feminine garments focused on craftwork and experimentation, and Proleter-K, a line of graphic t-shirts. She opened a shop in Bologna in 2004 with DJ Omnidrive. Her creations have been featured in Vogue Italia, Sportswear International, D di Repubblica ecc., and sold in Italy, Japan, Swiss, Greece and Croatia. She’s skilled in pattern making, tailoring, sewing, knitting and production managing. Since the beginning her creations have been presented in form of multimedia performances and installations.

2008

• Group exhibition ”Mapiranje grada” (curator Branka Bencic), Galeria Karas, Zagreb, Croazia, 2-14/09/2008, http://mapiranjegrada.blogspot.com
• Group exhibition “Airswap” (curator Arianna Callegaro), at Manifesta 7, The European Biennale of Contemporary Arts, Trentino-South Tyrol, Italy, 19/07-2/11/2008, www.airswap.net
• Exhibiting at Margin Trade Show London, January 2008

2007

• Exhibiting at Bread and Butter Barcelona, June 2007
• Exhibiting at Bread and Butter Barcelona, January 2007
• Group exhibition”Mapiranje grada” (curator Branka Bencic), MMC LUka, Pula, Croazia, 4/05/2007

2005

• Group exhibition ”Fashionable Discourse” (curator Branka Bencic), MMC LUka, Pula, Croazia, 4/11/2005

2004

• Opening of Sugar Babe Shop, Bologna

2002

• ”proleter-k fashion-no-show”, fashion, poetry, DJs, turnablism, visuals, Bologna, Guasto Garden, 1/05/2002
• ”proleter-k fashion-no-show”, fashion, poetry, DJs, turnablism, visuals, Firenze, ex Leopolda Station, 27/03/2002

2001

• ”ophLove 3”, poetry-fashion performance, Bologna, la linea, 9/12/2001
• ”ophLove - metaperformance”, poetry-fashion performance, Palermo, Spasimo, 12/10/2001
• ”ophLove 2”, poetry-fashion performance, Modena, Festa dell’Unità, Spazio EDGE, 9/09/2001
• ”ophLove 1” - poetry-fashion performance, Rimini “Night Wave 2001” 25-26/03/2001

2000

• ”SUGAR BABE COLLECTION SHOW - Rock’n’roll girls wear 2000” , Rimini 4/07/2000, Young Fashion Designer Prize “Night Wave 2000”
• ”SUGAR BABE COLLECTION SHOW - Rock’n’roll girls wear 2000” , Brescia (Brescia Music Art) 2/07/2000

POETRY

She published her first poem at the age of 12, and continued writing poetry since then. She sang her own lyrics on songs recorded with the band. Later on she experimented with electronic poetry and computer created sounds matching her words. She’s been MCing and performing with DJs and turntablists. In several occasions, she did installations with laser poetry, projecting her verses on city walls and buildings.

2009

• Electronic Poetry performance with DJ Electrondust, Chromatic Forest, Bali (Indonesia), 10/06/2009

2008

• Collaboration with sound artist Mind for the installation Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi, Firenze, 09/2008

2007

• “Lisentocy” poetry-music-video jam session with Luca Pagani, Lorenzo Capello and Giorgio Rinolfi, Savona, 09/08/2007

2005

• 2B1C electronic poetry live show, FNAC, Torino, 13/03/2005

2004

• 2B1C electronic poetry live show, Museo Zauli, Faenza, 24/09/2004
• 2B1C electronic poetry live show, Modo Infoshop, Bologna, 13/05/2004

2003

• 2B1C, ”proleter-k 2003: 2B1C poetika elektronika (live show), TPO, Bologna, 06/12/2003
• 2B1C, “proleter-k 2003: poetika elektronika (live show) + vizuals + laser poetik”, Ladyfest Hamburg, MS Stubnitz, 22/08/2003
• 2B1C  ”proleter-k 2003: poetika elektronika (live show) + vizuals + laser poetic”, Zurich, World’s End, 05/04/2003
• 2B1C ”proleter-k 2003: poetika elektronika (live show) + vizuals + laser poetik” Bologna, Distorsonie Festival - Link, 12/04/2003

2002

• ”laser poetry performance”, Bologna, Hackmeeting 2002, TPO, 21/05/2002
• ”laser poetry performance”, Bologna, SHE-vilization dj girls convention, Cassero, 24/05/2002
• ”laser poetry performance”, Bologna, Angelica Festival, 15/05/2002

• ”proleter-k fashion-no-show” MC, DJs, turnablism, visuals, fashion, Ravenna, Zanzibar, 16/06/2002
• ”proleter-k fashion-no-show”, MC, DJs, turnablism, visuals, fashion, Bologna, Guasto Garden, 1/05/2002

2001

• ”ophLove 3”, poetry-fashion performance, Bologna, la linea, 9/12/2001
• ”ophLove - metaperformance”, poetry-fashion performance, Palermo, Spasimo, 12/10/2001
• ”ophLove 2”, poetry-fashion performance, Modena, Festa dell’Unità, Spazio EDGE, 9/09/2001
• ”ophLove 1” - poetry-fashion performance, Rimini “Night Wave 2001” 25-26/03/2001

PHOTOGRAPHY

Her fascination for the camera begins in high school. The passion for photography follows her numerous artistic urges and becomes part of it. She’s been using pictures to present her fashion creations, as well as other artistic visions. She’s passionate about documenting life and live performances. Her shots have been included in art installations and published in papers and magazines. She exhibited in Croatia. Recently she did a photo shooting for two music albums for OmOm Music.
2008

• Group exhibition ”Mapiranje grada” (curator Branka Bencic), Galeria Karas, Zagreb, Croatia, 2-14/09/2008

2006

• Group exhibition ”Do You Celebrate Christmas?” (curator Irena Bekic), Galerija Prozori - Knjiznica S.S. Kranjcevica, Zagreb, Croazia, 20/12/2006

VIDEO

“Will U Die 4 Me?” is her first short film done in 2001. It received a nomination on a festival in Brescia. After that Sugar Babe has been creating short video stories involving fashion. In 2005 she attended a workshop with Ila Bêka and made “Permesso di Soggiorno” in “millimetraggio” format. Videos are part of her art installations. Here recent activities involve music videos.
2009

• “Trust Your Mojo, Sista” music video for Bluebird & Skoko (OmOm Music), 06/2009

2008

• Group exhibition “Risque d’Attente” (curators Branka Bencic and Lorena Tadorni), Galerija Karas, Zagreb, 28/10-9/11/2008
• “Hand By Hand” music video for Mattia (OmOm Music)

2003

• Actress in ”J. D’A.”, short film directed by Anna Albertarelli and Roberto Passuti

2000

• Nomination for short film “Will U Die 4 Me?”, Brescia Music Art Festival, 2/07/2000

GRAPHICS

The approach to graphics is the expression of a need to give visual shape to many aspects of her creativity, from the fashion item and prints to the promotion of the brand, the shop and the whole Sugarbabe.org concept. Sugar Babe has been passionate about street and sticker art, thus you can find her stickers in European cities and cool places. She’s been often identified by her logo and avatar, the impatient girl with the gun. Her clients include Sugarbabe.org, Sugar Babe Shop, OmOm srl.