We are living in a state of flux. Across the world, far-right marches are gaining momentum, violence is spilling into public spaces and racism and fascism threaten to shape the future we inherit. This is a moment that demands attention, courage and action – we cannot allow history’s darkest patterns to define our era. And yet, even in the face of such turbulence, art reminds us of what is possible. It is more than aesthetic pleasure – it is a compass, a bridge and a vessel for connection. It carries voices across boundaries, illuminates hidden truths and offers spaces where empathy, understanding and solidarity can take root. Art inspires us to imagine a different world and recognise the threads that bind us together.
It is against this backdrop of urgency that those featured in this issue resonate so strongly. They hold light, time and perception at their core. The Brigitte Kowanz retrospective, currently on view at the Albertina Museum in Vienna, reminds us that light is not just a medium but the very condition of seeing, collapsing the distance between experience and representation. Lachlan Turczan, a Lumen Prize finalist, expands our sensorial thresholds. ScanLAB Projects’ FRAMERATE: Desert Pulse, exhibited at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona, captures ecological change, transforming data with stark precision.
In this issue, photography acts not only as a witness, but as a transformative force. Tommy Goguely experiments with glitches, whilst Albarrán Cabrera weaves metaphysical questions into delicate landscapes. Marine Lanier’s gaze carries a mythic sensibility, revealing the haunting presence of nature as both sanctuary and spectre. Satijn Panyigay offers a stark quietude, architectural and meditative, where absence itself becomes the subject. Cristina Spagnolo provides portraits bathed in a light and shadow. And on our cover, Margeaux Walter draws attention to the landscape through playfully surreal staged interventions. Finally, the Last Words go to Jennie Baptiste, a defining voice in British photography.
