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SERHII FETT I grew up in Ukraine, where the contrast between environments and emotional experiences shaped the way I see images. I do not come from a fine art background. Instead, my education has been self-directed through studying photography, contemporary art, philosophy, visual culture, and the work of artists whose practice challenged conventional storytelling. My work explores the fragile boundary between reality and psychological perception through conceptual photography. Rather than documenting the world as it is, I use photography to question memory, identity, absence, and the emotional tensions embedded in everyday life. My visual language is defined by restrained compositions, use of color, and symbolic objects that transform scenes into open-ended narratives. I am interested in images that resist interpretation and invite the viewer to complete the story from their own experience. Alongside my artistic practice, I write about visual culture, conceptual photography, and the evolving relationship between art, technology, and society. LOCATION Münster GERMANY CAMERA/S Hasselblad WEBSITE https://serhiifett.com @SERHIIFETT FEATURES // Contours of Absence

BOOK OLD CUSTOMS October 9, 2020 BOOK PHOTOGRAPHY Chris Suspect TEXT Melanie Meggs SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link A whimsical take on street photography, Chris Suspect’s new book OLD CUSTOMS combines visual references to Romanian fairy tales, turn of the century embroidery patterns and scenes from a remote fishing village. Chris is a street and documentary photographer from the Washington DC area in the United States. His street work specialises in capturing absurd and profound moments in the quotidian and his documentary work deep dives into various subcultures. His exploration of sub-cultures have resulted in images that are raw and intimate, making us think or evoke a reaction. They contain something unexpected. Chris’s latest book OLD CUSTOMS gathers images that were photographed over a period of three years in Vama Veche, a seaside town in Romania. Originally visiting as a guest of a photography and visual arts festival called VSLO in 2017, he was curious about the first generation of Romanians who did not have the personal experience of what it was like to live under the rule of Nicolae Ceausescu’s dictatorial state. His curiosity stemmed from his own personal experience growing up in Moscow in the seventies during the reign of Leonid Brezhnev. He recalls how dark, bleak and miserable it was for him as a young person during that time. To be separated from this political ideology by the sliver of one generation was interesting to Chris, and he wanted to explore these ideas photographically. He returned to Vama Veche in August 2018 and 2019 to work on his project. Vama Veche became known as a bastion of freedom from the prying eyes of Ceausescu in the late 1960s through the 1980s, which really intrigued Chris. To him it seemed the polar opposite of what he had experienced. The challenge for Chris was to express the experience of his youth in Communist Russia and juxtapose that with what he was seeing in the young people he met in Vama Veche in photographs. “The goal for me photographically was how to express not having known this type of oppression in my imagery. To be free from it in a sense, while acknowledging its presence without showing it’s presence, if that makes any sense,” he explains. Vama Veche is a remote village off the shore of the Black Sea in Romania´s far southeast, on the border of Romania and Bulgaria. The literal translation of “Vama Veche” to English is “old customs”. The perfect title for this project and book. The settlement of Vama Veche was founded in 1811 by Turkic people. With the rise of Ceausescu in 1965, it became known as an oasis of freedom, a rebel town where poets and writers commingled with the local fishermen. The village grew into a colony of intellectuals living in tents or renting rooms from the locals. Since those times, Vama Veche has become known as a nontraditional tourist destination. According to Chris, it has “this Woodstock hippie vibe” to it that retains the original spirit of the village, although over the course of the three years working on his project, Chris did start to notice Vama Veche changing. His main goal was to capture the sense of freedom he was experiencing through the people he met. He focused on the ideas of freedom and youth tethered to history by referencing Romanian mythology and Soviet-era propaganda, capturing the evidence of Western culture and commercialisation through his street photography, conceptual ideas, and some nude portraiture. Instead of taking a literal or documentarian approach to the layout of the book, Chris sequenced all the images together in the style of a modern fairy tale filled with beauty, magic, myth and mystery. A lot of the photographs in the book are straight street photography observations that Chris shot spontaneously, mixed with a few traditional portraits and nudes. He also shot several conceptual photographs using a mirror as a prop. This was an interesting development to his process and was something completely new for Chris. After hearing the song “I’ll Be Your Mirror” by The Velvet Underground on the radio whilst in his kitchen, he pondered the popular idea of a photograph being the mirror of the photographer and he wondered how he could turn that idea around by placing a mirror on people’s heads. In Romania, Chris created a mirror mask consisting of a round mirror mounted on a pair of protective goggles, to incorporate this idea into his project. Mirrors can connote many different interpretations and they have historically been used in art and literature to symbolise ideas of truth, discovery, wisdom, awareness, the conscious and the unconscious. When Chris discovered that he could create a sunburst with the mirror, he became enthralled with the idea that he could conceptually elevate the people he photographed into gods or goddesses. The resulting photographs reminded him of some of the iconography in old Communist propaganda posters. When showing his work to one of his Romanian friends, she told Chris that they reminded her of the legend of the Sanzienale, beautiful mythological nymphs often seen with bright yellow flowers on the crowns of their heads. During the editing process this new information opened Chris’s eyes to a potentially deeper connection with the framework of the book. The idea of incorporating this mythological interpretation of the story of the Sanzienale tied in nicely to his photographs' theme of youth and freedom tethered to the history of Romania. As Chris was creating the book he came up with the ideas of using old Romanian embroidery patterns to delineate the sequences of different segments instead of the customary blank page that is commonly used in photographic narratives. After researching such patterns on the internet, Chris found some from around the turn of the 20th century and recreated them using Adobe Illustrator. What he learned by doing this is that many of the patterns formed a secret code or language that was synonymous to that specific region in Romania. They reinforced the idea of history throughout his book. In essence, “Old Customs” is a mix of different approaches that work well together within the context of Chris’s body of work. Reflective and whimsical, this book opens up other possibilities for street photography, taking us on a journey to discover traditions, customs, folk stories and mythology, and revealing the incredible richness of ordinary human life experiences in Vama Veche. Old Customs is the third of four photo books that Chris is publishing this year. The first was Gratuity Included and the second was Leather Boyz. You can buy Chris' books through his website. PORTFOLIO CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team.

I am a 30 year old music teacher, cook, street and documentary photographer from Valparaiso, Chile. Currently living in Istanbul, Turkey. Since finishing my music degree, I have started to travel throughout the world in order to gather as many experiences as possible. I have been on the go for more than four years and have lived and worked in countries such as Morocco, Sweden, and France among others. I approach photography with curiosity about life and my love of light. Travelling I learned to embrace light and shadow. I feel deeply the influence it has had on my way to seeing and approaching the world. In this series, Pamukkale, which means "cotton castle", is one of those highlights you cannot miss. For a day, those days were masks and restrictions were long forgotten. Covid-19, for me and those present there that day, Corona was merely a fragment of a bad dream. EDUARDO ORTIZ I am a 30 year old music teacher, cook, street and documentary photographer from Valparaiso, Chile. Currently living in Istanbul, Turkey. Since finishing my music degree, I have started to travel throughout the world in order to gather as many experiences as possible. I have been on the go for more than four years and have lived and worked in countries such as Morocco, Sweden, and France among others. I approach photography with curiosity about life and my love of light. Travelling I learned to embrace light and shadow. I feel deeply the influence it has had on my way to seeing and approaching the world. In this series, Pamukkale, which means "cotton castle", is one of those highlights you cannot miss. For a day, those days were masks and restrictions were long forgotten. Covid-19, for me and those present there that day, Corona was merely a fragment of a bad dream. LOCATION Valparaiso CHILE CAMERA/S Fujifilm x-pro 2 WEBSITE https://eortizdelacruz.com/ @EORTIZPHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES // A Curiosity of Life

THE UNPREDICTABLE André Lobão leans towards social documentary and storytelling, detaching himself from the objective reality of the world. THE UNPREDICTABLE April 16, 2021 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY André Lobão INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE For those interested in social documentary and storytelling, André Lobão is a photographer worth taking note of. As an autodidact street photographer, André has used the camera as an instrument of self expression, offering up thoughtful reflections on the world around us. His interest in photography was ignited in 2019 when he first encountered the work and writings of Henri Cartier-Bresson. André quickly found himself captivated by Cartier-Bresson’s humanist vision and poetic geometry, leading him to delve further into the works of other old masters such as André Kertész and Robert Frank. Fueled by a deep appreciation of the power of the lens to capture moments and stories, André photographs with the intention of detaching himself from the objective reality of the world. He invites us to take a journey with him, engaging with his photographs to explore the world in a new light. “I am originally from Portugal and I have been living and working in London since 2017. My first contact with photography started when I was 12 years old and my father gave me a Pentax film camera. As time passed, I pursued different fields of creativity while studying arts and architecture, and only rediscovered this passion three years ago when I bought, first, an instant film camera, and later, a mirrorless one.” IN CONVERSATION WITH ANDRÉ LOBÃO THE PICTORIAL LIST: André, where do you find your inspiration to photograph? ANDRÉ LOBÃO: In philosophy and literature, mainly. Then in music and other forms of art. In reality, everything is connected and whatever makes me think, inspires me. It can be a dead poet’s book, a brand new song or a simple conversation between strangers I heard at the bus stop. The source doesn’t really matter, it’s what you do with your thoughts, I suppose. TPL: What is it that you enjoy about street photography? Explain your technique? What do you want to express through your photography? AL: I like the unpredictability, you never know what you are going to get. I also like the challenge of capturing unposed moments, the ability to blend into your environment while staying aware and curious. I think the ultimate - and today’s most forgotten - goal of photography is a true form of humanism. If you look to the world and understand that we are all here together, then something meaningful can potentially emerge from inside you, no matter the type of work you are trying to create. You need to make it personal and it needs to be subjective, but the real value of your work will always be in someone else's emotional response. I hope to include in my photographs that reaction, first, by using visual composition, to eliminate distractions, and, second, by implying more than the visible. I believe it is important to leave room in the frame for the viewer’s heart and imagination. TPL: Do you have any favourite spots to go photographing? How has the pandemic affected you personally and your photography? AL: No, I do not. I started photographing consistently in the beginning of the pandemic simply because before that I did not have a camera with full manual control. I made plans for seven trips abroad last year and only managed to do one of them. Like everyone else, I wanted to travel as much as possible and make great pictures. With my photography, the pandemic situation was a complete U-turn and ended up pushing me into my immediate surroundings: first my city, then my neighbourhood and, lastly, my own house. It was a tough change of plans, but, eventually, it taught me that very often a good photograph is just around the corner. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists and photographers? AL: Between the classicism of Henri Cartier-Bresson, the poetic vision of ordinary life from André Kertész and the rawness and bold impulse of Robert Frank. TPL: Does the equipment you use help you in achieving your vision in your photography? What camera do you use? Do you have a preferred lens/focal length? AL: Not really. I see the camera as only a tool. Same way as I see a pencil. You can use it to write your grocery list or to write a poem. I use a budget Olympus E-M10 Mark II with a 35mm full frame equivalent lens these days. However, most of the pictures here on display were made with a 28-84mm kit lens. On a personal level, the pandemic showed me how important it is to create ways to truly reconnect with other human beings. TPL: When you go out photographing, do you have a concept in mind of what you want to shoot, or do you let the images just "come to you", or is it both? AL: It depends. If I am out for street shooting, I try to be like a sponge: I want to absorb the moments that catch my attention. If I am out shooting for a specific documentary or storytelling project, I am more intentional. Usually I draft a list of shots I need to get in order to complete the narrative. They are two completely different mindsets. One is mostly random, the other needs to be more rational. TPL: Have you ever been involved in the creative world before photography? AL: I have been a creative person since an early age. I wrote poetry, drew and played in some underground rock bands. All of those to different degrees of success. Photography is my newest (and hopefully last) creative endeavour. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist? Where do you see yourself or hope to see yourself in five years? AL: The only possible goal is to aim to create meaningful work that resonates with people. I want to grow technically and conceptually in order to achieve it. I also hope to keep developing my own documentary projects and publish them in books. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? AL: I am currently working on two long-term projects that are in different stages of development. One is conceptual, the other thematic. I am planning to share them, at the right time, in the future. In the meantime, I have also self-published a book called “Oblivion/Revelations” that summarises the best work of my first year of street photography. TPL: "When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… AL: Live fulfilled." Thank you. I would like to express my gratitude to The Pictorial List Team for this opportunity and for doing such an extraordinary work building up this community. PORTFOLIO WEBSITE INSTAGRAM read more interviews >>> THE ART OF ATTENTION Curiosity turns portraits, objects, and places into discoveries as Len Irish reflects on a life shaped by the camera’s attention. WHERE EMOTIONS BREATHE Simple encounters Irina Sedletskaya almost missed become photographs shaped by silence, distance, uncertainty, memory, hope, and resilience. THE VILLAGE A workers’ neighbourhood becomes a living archive as Virginia Cassano photographs the people, streets, and memories that continue to shape Villaggio Piaggio. MUTABLE MORPHOGENESIS By merging scientific methodologies with photographic experimentation, Emma Varga creates images that challenge fixed distinctions between human and non-human, visible and invisible. THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Chad Coombs’ Polaroids are small psychological scenes where identity, memory, culture, and belief push against each other. WHERE WE BELONG Community storytelling lies at the heart of The Pictorial List’s mission, and Marlon Ramos’ photographs reflects the spirit of the place we now call home. GUIDED BY A WHISPER Guided by reflection and the quiet presence of art history, Isolda Fabregat Sanz makes photographs that resist certainty and invite the viewer to remain inside the act of looking. WHAT REMAINS, WHAT EMERGES Laetitia Heisler transforms risk, memory, and the body into layered analogue visions — feminist rituals of seeing that reveal what endures, and what quietly emerges beyond visibility. WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE DO Culture lives where art and community meet, and in this space Alejandro Dávila’s photographs reveal the unseen labor and devotion that sustain creation. ANALOGICAL LIMBO Nicola Cappellari reminds us that the photograph’s power lies not in what it shows, but in what it leaves unsaid. THREADS OF MOROCCAN LIFE Through gestures of work and moments of community, Kat Puchowska reveals Morocco’s overlooked beauty. IT STARTED AS LIGHT…ENDED IN SHIVERS… Between intimacy and estrangement, Anton Bou’s photographs wander — restless fragments of light and shadow, mapping the fragile terrain where self unravels into sensation. WITH EYES THAT LISTEN AND A HEART THAT SEES For decades, Rivka Shifman Katvan has documented the unseen backstage world of Broadway, capturing authenticity where performance and humanity intersect. DIPTYCH DIALOGUES Through the beautiful language of diptychs, Taiwanese photographer Jay Hsu invites us into a world where quiet images speak of memory, resilience, and hope. UNKNOWN ABYSSINIA In Ethiopia, Sebastian Piatek found a new way of seeing — where architecture endures, but women in motion carry the narrative forward. THE PULSE OF THE STREET Moments vanish, yet Suvam Saha holds them still — the pulse of India’s streets captured in fragments of life that will never repeat. WHAT DO WE WANT? More than documentation, David Gray reveals the human pulse of resistance and asks us to see beyond the surface of unrest. CRACKED RIBS 2016 Cynthia Karalla opens up about the art of survival, the power of perspective, and why she believes each of us holds a monopoly on our own narrative. STREETS OF KOLKATA Ayanava Sil’s reveals Kolkata’s soul, capturing moments with empathy, presence and humility while offering deep insight into both city and self. PERIPHERAL PLACES A project by Catia Montagna that distills fleeting encounters and spatial poetics into triptychs - visual short stories that capture the in-between, where meaning often hides. POINTE-AU-CHIEN IS NOT DEAD Through Wayan Barre’s documentary, we are invited not only to see but to feel the lived realities of a community standing at the crossroads of environmental collapse and cultural survival. QUEER HAPPENED HERE Author Marc Zinaman sheds light on the valuable contributions that LGBTQ+ individuals have made to the cultural and social fabric of New York City. TRACES OF TIME Marked by an ongoing visual dialogue with time, memory, and impermanence, Zamin Jafarov’s long-term projects highlight the quiet power of observation and the emotional depth of simplicity. THERE MY LITTLE EYES Guillermo Franco’s book is an exploration of seeing beyond the obvious. His work invites us to embrace patience, curiosity, and the unexpected in a world that often rushes past the details. VISUAL HEALING BEYOND THE DIAGNOSIS Betty Goh’s photography exemplifies the transformative power of visual storytelling, where personal adversity becomes a canvas for resilience, illuminating the connection between art, healing, and self-reclamation.

The real is as elusive as the essential is invisible. And yet photography is true, like life. Looking is like seeing, but with feeling; like thinking, but with the eyes; like observing, but with the soul. I make my own the words of Ramón Gómez de la Serna: "I am neither a thinker nor a writer, I am a viewer." GUILLERMO FRANCO The real is as elusive as the essential is invisible. And yet photography is true, like life. Looking is like seeing, but with feeling; like thinking, but with the eyes; like observing, but with the soul. I make my own the words of Ramón Gómez de la Serna: "I am neither a thinker nor a writer, I am a viewer." LOCATION Córdoba ARGENTINA CAMERA/S Nikon FM2 @GFGALERIAFOTOGRAFICA FEATURES // There My Little Eyes

My work focuses on experimental black-and-white photography, particularly the deformation possibilities of the human body. I often use long exposure techniques as a way to see the figure differently — to push beyond what’s immediately visible. By centering my practice on the human form, I’m constantly searching for new ways to transform it, to reimagine its meaning and emotional depth. NASOS KARABELAS My work focuses on experimental black-and-white photography, particularly the deformation possibilities of the human body. I often use long exposure techniques as a way to see the figure differently — to push beyond what’s immediately visible. By centering my practice on the human form, I’m constantly searching for new ways to transform it, to reimagine its meaning and emotional depth. LOCATION Greece ATHENS CAMERA/S Nikon D60, Nikon D7200 WEBSITE https://www.behance.net/Nasos-Karabelas @NASOS_KARABELAS @NASOSSKARABELAS FEATURES // Unfigured

I began exploring photography many years ago, when the first mobile phones with cameras became available. Back then, I mostly photographed family and friends. Over time, as I started to travel - especially to India - my interest deepened, and my style began to evolve. India became an incredible source of inspiration. In the beginning, I was drawn to capturing the chaos, colors, craziness - trying to fit as many people and as much life as possible into a single frame. But with time, and through recent travels beyond India, I started to realize that sometimes, less is more. A recent trip to Ethiopia had a profound impact on me and shifted my perspective very much. The few places I visited there deeply influenced how I want to approach my work in the future, in a more simplistic way. I know I’ll return to Ethiopia, and I’m eager to explore other parts of Africa as well - to capture its beauty in a much more minimal and also cleaner way. SEBASTIAN PIATEK I began exploring photography many years ago, when the first mobile phones with cameras became available. Back then, I mostly photographed family and friends. Over time, as I started to travel - especially to India - my interest deepened, and my style began to evolve. India became an incredible source of inspiration. In the beginning, I was drawn to capturing the chaos, colors, craziness - trying to fit as many people and as much life as possible into a single frame. But with time, and through recent travels beyond India, I started to realize that sometimes, less is more. A recent trip to Ethiopia had a profound impact on me and shifted my perspective very much. The few places I visited there deeply influenced how I want to approach my work in the future, in a more simplistic way. I know I’ll return to Ethiopia, and I’m eager to explore other parts of Africa as well - to capture its beauty in a much more minimal and also cleaner way. LOCATION Duesseldorf GERMANY CAMERA/S Fuji X100V @SE6ASTIANOWICZ FEATURES // Unknown Abyssinia

PICTORIAL STORY BEYOND THE MASK By stepping beyond the scripted world of professional wrestling and into the raw terrain of mental health, Matteo Bergami and Fabio Giarratano challenge long-held myths about masculinity, endurance, and heroism. April 20, 2025 PICTORIAL STORY photography MATTEO BERGAMI story MATTEO BERGAMI with RED SCORPION introduction MELANIE MEGGS SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link He enters the ring. The crowd rises. A mask. A name. Red Scorpion. Applause like thunder. And beneath it all — a silence no one hears. This is not just a story of sport. It is not about victory. Not about belts, titles, or bruises won in the spotlight. This is a story of what happens after the lights go out. When the mask is peeled away. When the body, sculpted and celebrated, begins to ache in quieter ways. In his project Wrestling vs Depression , Italian photographer Matteo Bergami peels back the theatrics of professional wrestling to reveal a far more complex and urgent narrative. Through intimate images and documentary storytelling, Matteo invites us into the personal life of Red Scorpion — not as a spectacle, but as a man whose greatest opponent is not in the ring, but in his own mind. The project goes beyond sports photography; it is a human narrative about stigma, vulnerability, and the power of showing up — for oneself and for others. Matteo, whose work often focuses on the overlooked narratives within contemporary society, approaches this subject with the same clarity and respect that defines his best-known projects. From Pamela: Storia di Lotta Dentro e Fuori il Ring , which follows the double life of a nurse and boxing champion, to his sociological lens on ultras subculture in Faith – Identity of an Ultras Group , his photography consistently centers stories of identity, struggle, and quiet resilience. In this latest series, he shifts his focus to the high-stakes world of professional wrestling, only to reveal the internal stakes that remain largely hidden. In a world where athletes are celebrated for their endurance and punished for their humanity, Matteo offers a necessary counter-narrative. It asks us to reconsider what it means to be a hero. It reminds us that resilience isn’t always visible, and that the fight for mental health is as real — and as noble — as any championship belt. Matteo doesn’t dramatize this admission. Instead, he captures the moments in between. The glaze of eyes in thought. The posture between matches. The solitude between stages. These images are not of defeat, but of the emotional endurance of feeling. In Matteo Bergami’s hands, the camera does not intrude — it listens. Through the story of Red Scorpion, he extends an invitation: To look again. To look deeper. To acknowledge that behind every performance, there is a person, and that the bravest thing that person can do, is to take off the mask. Behind the mask and sculpted muscles of Fabio Giarratano, known to the world as Red Scorpion, lies a warrior soul that has fought far beyond the ring. Born in Palermo in 1990, Fabio built his legacy through sacrifice, discipline, and passion, becoming a seven-time Italian champion, a three-time European champion, and reaching the pinnacle of his career with the world championship title in 2023. But his greatest story is not measured in trophies — it is a silent, invisible battle against depression that has made him a true symbol of resilience. Since ancient times, the line between strength and vulnerability has been thin. Greek heroes, fearless in battle, carried inner torment and fear, proving that even the strongest have the right to fall and rise again. Red Scorpion embodies this truth without filters. Before every match, Fabio shares videos and testimonies from famous figures, such as singer-songwriter Mario Biondi, to raise awareness about the importance of mental health. With courage, he challenges the stigma surrounding mood disorders, showing that speaking about one’s struggles is not a sign of weakness but of true strength. The life of an elite athlete is a constant swing between glory and sacrifice. Behind the spotlight lie immense pressures, isolation, and injuries that affect not only the body but also the mind. In wrestling, the blows taken in the ring are not just for show — concussions can have devastating long term effects, leading to memory problems, difficulty concentrating, mood swings, and, in extreme cases, an increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases. It is an invisible fight, yet one that takes a daily toll. Fabio is not alone in this battle. World-renowned champions like Michael Phelps, Simone Biles, Chris Rock, and David Beckham have shared the weight of their anxiety and depression. Their testimonies shine a light on a truth often ignored: mental health is just as crucial as physical health. Over 300 million people worldwide live with mood disorders — a silent epidemic that makes no distinctions between athletes, artists, or ordinary people. Red Scorpion’s story is a tribute to the courage of showing oneself as they truly are, beyond the armor of fame and physical strength. The greatest victory is not won in the ring but against one’s own shadows. Only by embracing this reality can we build a more humane sport, where psychological and physical well-being matter more than any trophy. Wrestling is not just a sport — it is an art form where deep emotions are channeled. Behind every hold, every acrobatics, every takedown, there is a powerful energy that turns pain into spectacle and struggle into rebirth. Red Scorpion is living proof of this: a warrior fighting not only against opponents but for a greater cause. And in this battle, his greatest strength is his humanity. © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami © Matteo Bergami Red Scorpion’s journey, as seen through the empathetic lens of Matteo Bergami, is more than a portrait of an athlete — it is a powerful reminder that vulnerability and strength are not opposites, but partners in the human experience. By stepping beyond the scripted world of professional wrestling and into the raw terrain of mental health, Matteo and Fabio challenge long-held myths about masculinity, endurance, and heroism. In a time when the conversation around mental wellbeing is more urgent than ever, Wrestling vs Depression stands as a timely and necessary documentary. It invites reflection not just on the struggles of a single man, but on the silent battles fought by many. In telling Red Scorpion’s story with honesty and care, Matteo elevates documentary photography to its highest purpose — bearing witness, breaking silence, and reminding us all, that the most courageous act is often removing the mask. view Matteo's portfolio Website >>> Matteo's Instagram >>> Fabio's (Red Scorpion) Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author/s, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> PROSCENIUM GHOSTS Said Manseur honors these young actors, their courage, and the unseen work they give to keep theatre alive against the odds. REGINA: BOARDING SCHOOL LIFE AND DREAMS A boarding school room becomes the frame for Cleopatra Joint’s portrait of ambition, instability, and a young woman’s search for freedom. LIFE ALONG THE RIVER Along the Hooghly, Shubhodeep Roy photographs Kolkata through faith, labour and memory, revealing a city shaped by water, inheritance and shared life. A HOME OF MEMORIES AND THE PRESENT Davide Santangelo returns to his family home by moonlight, tracing how absence, memory, and love continue to live within place, objects, and atmosphere after loss. THE PULL OF THE EARTH This is more than a record of rural Bengal. It looks at the bond between Sayan Biswas and the place that shaped him, even after distance has changed that relationship. ARE THOSE WINDS Along Istanbul’s northern edge, Ci Demi photographs the last water buffalo herders as they keep working, remembering, and staying put while the city closes in. COLORS OF HÜZÜN Through fragments and gestures, Pedro Vidal traces Istanbul as shared melancholy lingers in everyday life, the city unfolding slowly and refusing to settle into a single, definitive understanding. OUT OF PLAY An exploration of abandoned interiors in which Marco Lugli examines how objects, light, and space carry memory beyond human presence, establishing absence as a condition of material continuity rather than loss. REIMAGINING TALIESIN Form gives way to flux in Amy Newton-McConnel’s photographs, where architecture unfolds as a field of shifting relations and perception moves with light, geometry, and time. WHERE THE MUSIC BEGINS Before the strings, Jeevan Akash Jayavarthanan leaves the movement of the street for the rhythm of the workshop, where time holds, hands work, and each moment forms what will later be heard. LAND, LABOR, AND THE GOLDEN FIBER In West Bengal’s jute fields, Rajesh Dhar examines the systems of land and labor, tracing how a single material sustains communities and informs a changing ecological future. WITH GRATITUDE AND DEVOTION A quiet and intimate account of devotion in Zaraza, Venezuela, Rafael Ayala Páez reflects on faith, memory, and community through photographs and words that honor the enduring power of small gestures. SILVER AND BREATH Within this fragile space between looking and being seen, Eva Christina Nielsen has developed a practice that is both restrained and deeply attentive. RUPTURE REPAIR REMNANT In this reflection on rupture, Donna Bassin invites us to consider how grief settles into the body and the image, and how the slow work of witnessing becomes a form of repair. DELTA DUSK John Agather weaves image and text into a single current, tracing how music, memory, and daily life continue to move through the Mississippi Delta. SILENT BEAUTY Tamara Quadrelli photographs the world by slowing down inside it. There is no rush to explain what we are seeing. The pleasure comes from staying with it. SOLITUDE UNDER A TECHNIFIED SUN Tracing the space between movement and stillness, Héctor Morón reveals a city that persists as human presence slips by. 4320 MINUTES WITHOUT COLOR Moving between photography and narration, Mohammed Nahi traces a period in which sight could no longer be assumed as reliable, and attention shifted toward memory and duration. THE PAINTED VILLAGE OF LABANDHAR Anjan Ghosh’s photographs carry us to Labandhar, where painting becomes language, tradition stays present, and art grows through shared ground. ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes.

BOOK MELBOURNE UNMASKED March 19, 2021 BOOK PHOTOGRAPHY from the Australian Association of Street Photographers Inc. TEXT Bill Lacey SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Through adversity comes new ideas. And in a small way, the Australian Association of Street Photographers Inc. (AASPI) have found a way to meet the challenge of the moment and produce this stunning alternative to what should have been a live gallery event that was sidelined by Covid. Their new book “Melbourne Unmasked” presents a remarkable array of street photography that features some of Australia’s finest practitioners of the art. Focusing exclusively on one city, the book presents a well rounded and compelling collection of street shots by 67 photographers arranged by various themes and styles who have focused on the eclectic hub that the city of Melbourne is today. If you are a fan of street, then there is something in this for you. The photographs are presented without attribution and require referencing an index. It’s an interesting choice, which at first may put you off but you soon realise they had made the right decision. The most important thing is the shot itself, not who took it. AASPI is a collective voice that promotes street photography in Australia and to provide Australian and Asian Pacific street photographers the opportunities to promote their work. The original idea behind it started in 2010 between Benard Peasley, Ell Pixell and Georgie Hart on Redbubble (an Australian online art marketplace), where they put a call out to all Victorian street photographers to gauge interest. Known then as SITHOM (Shot In The Heart of Melbourne) Benard, Ell and Georgie put together their first exhibition in June 2012 with 27 street photographers at the prestigious Victorian Artists Society in Melbourne. In 2015, the collective registered as the Australian Association of Street Photographers Incorporated (AASPI), and since then they have grown to have two major exhibitions per year, regular photo walks and their monthly Speakers Series on YouTube. SITHOM continues today under the curation of joint efforts of all the association's members. In August, the AASPI will be celebrating their 10 year anniversary with their annual SITHOM exhibition at Victorian Artists Society with a plan to invite previous presidents, past and current committee members to exhibit their work and provide both a contemporary and retrospective exhibition showcasing the 10 years of SITHOM. Future plans for the photography collective are to embrace their identity as Australian Street Photographers, support their interstate members, exhibit their work and provide more opportunities for their members to come together as a community. Currently they have members in New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria, and New Zealand. With approximately 150 members, they are welcoming new members from around Australia and are always on the lookout for innovative ways to showcase members' work and to support those new to street photography. The book Melbourne Unmasked is a candid homage to the people that define this eclectic Australian city everyday. It is a stronger show of SITHOM and the AASPI's talents with members' selected shots, curated as a team effort, which in the book's layout flow together with an intent of each shot complimenting and adding value to the next. If you are interested in buying the book, you can preorder a copy of "Melbourne Unmasked" through AASPI's website. Photos have been provided by AASPI and remain the copyright of their respective photographers - Brent Lukey, Susan Brunialti, Mike Reed, Adrian Whear, Suzanne Phoenix, Andrea Esposito, Joseph Chow, Emma Yench, Russell Mason, Renata Filippi, Frank Cecconi, Ben Rook, Stephen Bowater. VISIT AASPI CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team.

As a documentary photographer, my work seeks to explore the lives of communities often pushed to the margins of society. For over ten years, I have immersed myself in the fascinating yet complex world of street and documentary photography, influenced by masters such as Saul Leiter, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Josef Koudelka. What began as a journey to capture single moments on the street evolved into a deeper pursuit of storytelling through my images. I am particularly drawn to the borders and edges of society, places where cultures intersect — sometimes smoothly, other times with friction. This tension, these stories of resilience, adaptation, and struggle, continually shape my work. From documenting Serbs in Kosovo to spending time with Native Americans, I’ve had the privilege of accessing communities whose lives are rarely seen up close. Since relocating to the United States in 2022, I’ve pursued projects that reflect my passion for long-term, immersive documentation. Each project is a step further into the narratives of people whose stories often go unheard. These voices fuel my passion for social documentary photography, guiding me to tell stories that matter. WAYAN BARRE As a documentary photographer, my work seeks to explore the lives of communities often pushed to the margins of society. For over ten years, I have immersed myself in the fascinating yet complex world of street and documentary photography, influenced by masters such as Saul Leiter, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Josef Koudelka. What began as a journey to capture single moments on the street evolved into a deeper pursuit of storytelling through my images. I am particularly drawn to the borders and edges of society, places where cultures intersect — sometimes smoothly, other times with friction. This tension, these stories of resilience, adaptation, and struggle, continually shape my work. From documenting Serbs in Kosovo to spending time with Native Americans, I’ve had the privilege of accessing communities whose lives are rarely seen up close. Since relocating to the United States in 2022, I’ve pursued projects that reflect my passion for long-term, immersive documentation. Each project is a step further into the narratives of people whose stories often go unheard. These voices fuel my passion for social documentary photography, guiding me to tell stories that matter. LOCATION New Orleans UNITED STATES CAMERA/S Sony A1 WEBSITE https://wayanbarre.com/ @WAYANBARRE FEATURES // Behind The Plants Pointe-au-Chien is not dead

DISCOVERING MY COUNTRY Chichek Bayramly is an architect from Azerbaijan who loves to discover and document new places and faces of her native country. DISCOVERING MY COUNTRY July 12, 2021 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Chichek Bayramly INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Nestled between two formidable mountain ranges lies the beautiful nation of Azerbaijan, a country of immense natural beauty and centuries-old culture. For Chichek Bayramly, this land is not just home, but an opportunity to explore and capture the wonders of its rural life and stunning architecture. Through her photographic project, 'Island in the Mountains', she has sought to bring the gems of her hometown to the world. From the vibrant colors of local attire to the intricate designs of traditional buildings, Chichek has shown the beauty of Azerbaijan with her lens and earned recognition from the Tbilisi Multimedia Museum Grant program for women of Caucasus. Join us as we explore the world through her eyes and discover the hidden treasures of her homeland. “My first photo project 'Island in the Mountains' was made in the frame of Tbilisi Photography and Multimedia Museum's grant programme. It is about the specific village named Khinalig, located 2300 meters above sea level in southeast Azerbaijan. It has its own language and interesting architecture (each house roof is the terrace of the house on top at the same time) with colorful interiors, decorated carpet patterns. The main task of the programme was to show the isolation. Photographic scenes address the ambiguous narratives probe tensions between human connection and separation, women labour and childhood, intimacy, and isolation.” IN CONVERSATION WITH CHICHEK BAYRAMLY THE PICTORIAL LIST: Chichek, please tell us about yourself. How did you become interested in photography? CHICHEK BAYRAMLY: I was born in Ganja city, Azerbaijan and have lived in different cities of Russia since I was 7 months old. In Kazan, Russia I studied architecture. My interest in photography started after exploring my family archive photos. Every summer holiday we came into our apartment in Ganja - the first thing I did was to sort through all the photo albums. I started my trip into photography when I was 14 years old with my fathers old Zenit 122 camera. At first I shot with no idea how that camera works, just intuitively. I fell in love with the process of shooting, the long wait for seeing pictures made me excited. I moved to Baku, Azerbaijan in 2014 and continue my photography experience here. TPL: Can you tell us what your series 'Island in the Mountains' is about? How did the idea come about? CB: My first photo project 'Island in the Mountains' was made in the frame of Tbilisi Photography and Multimedia Museum's grant programme. It is about the specific village named Khinalig, located 2300 meters above sea level in southeast Azerbaijan. It has its own language and interesting architecture (each house roof is the terrace of the house on top at the same time) with colorful interiors, decorated carpet patterns. The main task of the programme was to show the isolation. Photographic scenes address the ambiguous narratives probe tensions between human connection and separation, women labour and childhood, intimacy, and isolation. TPL: Do you have a favourite place to photograph? CB: I have found that I rarely take pictures in the city I live in: my daily life is too intensive, and I can not observe things happening around. Mostly I travel to regions of my country when I get "hungry". I find inspiration in nature, architecture of villages and people living there. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists and photographers? CB: I have photographers whose works I follow, but I do not make them my favourites, just to avoid copying them subliminally. I prefer to watch drawings of some artists to get inspiration on composition, colors, and mood. TPL: When you take pictures, do you usually have a concept in mind of what you want to shoot, or do you let the images just "come to you", or is it both? CB: Usually both Mostly I travel to regions of my country when I get 'hungry'. I find inspiration in nature, architecture of villages and people living there. TPL: Does the equipment you use help you in achieving your vision in your photography? What camera do you use? Do you have a preferred lens/focal length? CB: My favourite camera is the Fujifilm X series. Now I mostly use the Fujifilm X-E2 and sometimes I bring with me my new Sony a6400. Compared with Fuji we could not make a strong connection between us yet. But with Fujifilm I can show things as I imagine them before shooting. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist or photographer? Where do you hope to see yourself in five years? CB: I try not to make big plans for the future. Usually I find solutions spontaneously, at 'that' moment, and try to develop new things, make some experiments. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? CB: For now I have some important projects in architecture, so I can not focus on photography. TPL: "When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… CB: Make sketches, collages, sculptures, dream and just observe." PORTFOLIO INSTAGRAM read more interviews >>> THE ART OF ATTENTION Curiosity turns portraits, objects, and places into discoveries as Len Irish reflects on a life shaped by the camera’s attention. WHERE EMOTIONS BREATHE Simple encounters Irina Sedletskaya almost missed become photographs shaped by silence, distance, uncertainty, memory, hope, and resilience. THE VILLAGE A workers’ neighbourhood becomes a living archive as Virginia Cassano photographs the people, streets, and memories that continue to shape Villaggio Piaggio. MUTABLE MORPHOGENESIS By merging scientific methodologies with photographic experimentation, Emma Varga creates images that challenge fixed distinctions between human and non-human, visible and invisible. THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Chad Coombs’ Polaroids are small psychological scenes where identity, memory, culture, and belief push against each other. WHERE WE BELONG Community storytelling lies at the heart of The Pictorial List’s mission, and Marlon Ramos’ photographs reflects the spirit of the place we now call home. GUIDED BY A WHISPER Guided by reflection and the quiet presence of art history, Isolda Fabregat Sanz makes photographs that resist certainty and invite the viewer to remain inside the act of looking. WHAT REMAINS, WHAT EMERGES Laetitia Heisler transforms risk, memory, and the body into layered analogue visions — feminist rituals of seeing that reveal what endures, and what quietly emerges beyond visibility. WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE DO Culture lives where art and community meet, and in this space Alejandro Dávila’s photographs reveal the unseen labor and devotion that sustain creation. ANALOGICAL LIMBO Nicola Cappellari reminds us that the photograph’s power lies not in what it shows, but in what it leaves unsaid. THREADS OF MOROCCAN LIFE Through gestures of work and moments of community, Kat Puchowska reveals Morocco’s overlooked beauty. IT STARTED AS LIGHT…ENDED IN SHIVERS… Between intimacy and estrangement, Anton Bou’s photographs wander — restless fragments of light and shadow, mapping the fragile terrain where self unravels into sensation. WITH EYES THAT LISTEN AND A HEART THAT SEES For decades, Rivka Shifman Katvan has documented the unseen backstage world of Broadway, capturing authenticity where performance and humanity intersect. DIPTYCH DIALOGUES Through the beautiful language of diptychs, Taiwanese photographer Jay Hsu invites us into a world where quiet images speak of memory, resilience, and hope. UNKNOWN ABYSSINIA In Ethiopia, Sebastian Piatek found a new way of seeing — where architecture endures, but women in motion carry the narrative forward. THE PULSE OF THE STREET Moments vanish, yet Suvam Saha holds them still — the pulse of India’s streets captured in fragments of life that will never repeat. WHAT DO WE WANT? More than documentation, David Gray reveals the human pulse of resistance and asks us to see beyond the surface of unrest. CRACKED RIBS 2016 Cynthia Karalla opens up about the art of survival, the power of perspective, and why she believes each of us holds a monopoly on our own narrative. STREETS OF KOLKATA Ayanava Sil’s reveals Kolkata’s soul, capturing moments with empathy, presence and humility while offering deep insight into both city and self. PERIPHERAL PLACES A project by Catia Montagna that distills fleeting encounters and spatial poetics into triptychs - visual short stories that capture the in-between, where meaning often hides. POINTE-AU-CHIEN IS NOT DEAD Through Wayan Barre’s documentary, we are invited not only to see but to feel the lived realities of a community standing at the crossroads of environmental collapse and cultural survival. QUEER HAPPENED HERE Author Marc Zinaman sheds light on the valuable contributions that LGBTQ+ individuals have made to the cultural and social fabric of New York City. TRACES OF TIME Marked by an ongoing visual dialogue with time, memory, and impermanence, Zamin Jafarov’s long-term projects highlight the quiet power of observation and the emotional depth of simplicity. THERE MY LITTLE EYES Guillermo Franco’s book is an exploration of seeing beyond the obvious. His work invites us to embrace patience, curiosity, and the unexpected in a world that often rushes past the details. VISUAL HEALING BEYOND THE DIAGNOSIS Betty Goh’s photography exemplifies the transformative power of visual storytelling, where personal adversity becomes a canvas for resilience, illuminating the connection between art, healing, and self-reclamation.

PURSUIT OF STILLNESS Maarten Rot's photographs reveal abstract qualities that can be found in everyday life, often with architecture as a prominent ingredient. PURSUIT OF STILLNESS October 2, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Maarten Rots INTERVIEW Karin Svadlenak Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Maarten Rots is a Dutch visual artist working with photography as a medium. His photographs reveal abstract qualities that can be found in everyday life, often with architecture as a prominent ingredient and a strong focus on composition, texture and colour. He started out with the production of short videos, many of which were screened at film festivals around the world, but by 2015 still photography had become his preferred medium. Maarten travels around Europe in his camper van in search of abstract images in daily surroundings. His work has been exhibited in numerous publications and platforms, and now we are honored to bring you this interview with Maarten, in which we explore his motivations, inspirations, and creative process. Join us as we discover the captivating world of Maarten Rots. “Many of my photographs are composed of a rather rigid set of ingredients; I like to play with a limited colour palette, the effects of light and shadow and I have an interest in textures. I enjoy it when a situation isn’t too clean, a weathered surface indicates the wear and tear through time, adding a hint of history to the overall picture.” IN CONVERSATION WITH MAARTEN ROTS THE PICTORIAL LIST: Maarten please tell us about yourself. You have a degree in Fine Arts and started out as a film producer, quite successfully. Your films have won awards and have been screened at many film festivals. What made you decide to move your primary focus to photography? What is it that drives you? MAARTEN ROTS: I’m originally from a relatively small town in the countryside in the East of the Netherlands called Aalten. When it comes to art there wasn’t a lot around, but I always enjoyed creating things. I used to make flyers for concerts in the area and was the vocalist in a punk band for about 10 years. After going to graphic design school I eventually ended up in Amsterdam where I attended the Gerrit Rietveld Academie. Technically I still live in Amsterdam, but for the past 5 years my wife Anne and I have been travelling with our campervan through Europe a lot so it doesn’t really feel like I still live in Amsterdam. I have always had an interest in still photography and used photography in my work, but I never had the intention to have a photograph become the final work. When my video camera broke I decided to replace it with a DSLR to be able to film and also take photographs and from that point on I quickly transitioned into photography. It wasn’t a choice at that moment, it just happened. But I was always serious about it. I still really had to develop my photographic skills and wanted to become more deliberate about what I photograph. To speed up that process I came up with a project called ‘Siting’ which had a set of rules. For one week I had arranged a gallery in Amsterdam to be my temporary workspace and restricted myself to photograph in a one-kilometre radius around that space only. Each day I chose one photo that would be printed on a large size and exhibited at the gallery after those seven days of photographing. Quite a bit of pressure, a lot of fun and it worked out really well, I definitely had a better understanding of what I wanted with my photography after this project. I developed a better comprehension of my own fascination which allowed me to focus better. TPL: Your photographs are abstracted images of surfaces, textures, colours, shadow shapes. They are sometimes reminiscent of works by the painter Mark Rothko. Tell us what particularly interests you when you think of a composition. MR: When I walk around to take photos I’m always fascinated how changing your standpoint and framing of a situation can lead to completely different interpretations of the same situation. For me the more a subject transforms through this process, the more interesting it becomes. The transformative power of the camera – translating a three dimensional setting into a two dimensional plane – is endlessly intriguing to me, all the more because the resulting picture can become ambiguous and it’s not immediately obvious what you are looking at, a reason to take a second look and change your perception. TPL: Do you plan your photographs conceptually, or do you walk about and photograph what jumps to your eyes and put them together as series later? Where do you particularly like to photograph? MR: I don’t plan my photographs, but I do have a clear idea of the conditions that can lead to the photographs I aim to take. Possibly one of the most important realisations I have had over the years is to recognise when not to take a photo. When I started out I had a much broader scope of the kinds of things I would photograph and that margin has really narrowed down. When I walk around with my camera I have a part conscious and part subconscious list of the qualities that have to be in a photograph in the back of my head. This list changes over time as my interest slowly shifts, but I try to have it as clear as possible in my head. When I encounter a situation that potentially contains an interesting photograph I always surprise myself with the eventual outcome, that is definitely something that keeps me going. I’m attracted to situations with a lot of natural light and although I like to travel to countries like Italy, Spain and Portugal where there are many more sun hours on average than in the Netherlands, I have found that I can also find these situations closer to home, or even at home. The advantage of being abroad to photograph however adds to the focus I have on my work, I have more hours to work and simply have less on my mind when I am on the road. In this perspective the location is not only important when it comes to aesthetics, but also helps me aim my attention. Untitled (Scenes From Home 2020) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Scenes From Home 2020) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Scenes From Home 2020) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Projections 2020) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Projections 2020) © Maarten Rots Stain Glass Window - Triptych (Kunsthaus Bocholt 2019) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Cologne 2018) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Cologne 2018) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Cascais 2020) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Cascais 2020) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Berlin 2019) Untitled (Berlin 2019) TPL: Your latest series is called KONVERGENZ (Convergence). Can you explain what you mean by this title? MR: In my photographs there are always multiple elements coming together and by choosing a certain standpoint and framing I control how this translates into a photograph. So in a sense the resulting photograph is the convergence of me being in a specific place at a specific time. When I made the photos that make up this series I was doing an artist residency at Sommergalerie Zöbing in Austria, hence a German title rather than its English translation. Konvergenz also functions as a title on a more personal level, referring to how things sometimes just come together at the right moment. The aforementioned residency was the result of participating in an artist’s fair in the Netherlands in 2017. I used to visit this fair every year, already before I started studying arts. When I finally took part myself I met Franz Mrkvicka, the initiator of the residency and also one of the participating artists, who later invited me to come over to Austria. TPL: Some of your work has even been turned into stained glass objects. How did that idea come about? MR: To celebrate the Bauhaus year (2019 was the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Bauhaus), the German city of Bocholt organized a project and exhibition where they invited several artists to collaborate with craftsmen. I had always wanted to work with stained glass, but never got around to it so this was the perfect opportunity to finally make it happen. Much of my photography is based on a strong division of fields of color and lines, and light is very important in my work, both are elements that are also of great importance in stained glass making. I had been experimenting with printing on transparent material and really wanted to take this a step further. It was an interesting experience in which I came across the limitations of the material which led to a different outcome than I initially expected - in a positive way: I’m very pleased with the resulting pieces. TPL: One technique that is often used in abstract and experimental photography is multiple exposure. The photos in your series Fraction could be taken by the casual viewer as multiple exposures. But they are not, are they? What was your approach in taking these images? MR: They are indeed all single exposures. The photographs in this series came about by using reflecting and transparent objects that can be found in public space. Experimenting with these conditions marked my first steps towards a more abstract direction. In my photographs there are always multiple elements coming together and by choosing a certain standpoint and framing I control how this translates into a photograph. So in a sense the resulting photograph is the convergence of me being in a specific place at a specific time. TPL: How would you say your photography has evolved? When one looks at your earlier work, it seems that you moved from the more concrete into the more abstract? Where do you see yourself going in the future? MR: My photography has become more abstract indeed. It has been a gradual process without the intention to end up where I am now. I think my development has a lot to do with the amount of time I spend looking at my own work, trying to uncover visual patterns that subconsciously influence me while I am out taking photographs. When you know these things, you can be more deliberate and conscious about what you photograph, which creates space for you to subconsciously allow new elements into your photography. And so the cycle continues, you try to uncover those new patterns, etcetera. I don’t know where I’ll end up in the future, but I’m currently very fascinated by the effects of light and shadow, so that will likely be an underlying theme for the years to come. When I am taking a photo I’m not thinking about what it is that I am trying to communicate. I’m simply trying to bring the different elements around me into the frame, to organise it on a visual level and transform the everyday situation I’m in into something miraculous. I am very aware of the influence of the elements you mention, but I try to remain open to any situation when I am out to take photos. Once I start selecting and sequencing photographs for an edition of March & Rock or for an exhibition, the underlying themes that were mostly subconscious become more apparent. Adding or removing one photograph as well as changing the order in which they are presented has a significant influence on what a group of photos communicates. Sometimes this can be based on a feeling that I’d like to recreate by presenting a group of photos, sometimes it is the outcome of a specific visual fascination that becomes the criterion to which I measure what photos will form a series. TPL: Do you have any favourite photographers or artists and the reason for their significance? MR: This is always a hard question to answer, in the end it is a culmination of so many things, also the stuff you don’t like has a big influence on how you develop. And it’s not just visual art, music is also an important influence. There isn’t really one artist that stands out in that respect, but in retrospect I think seeing Saul Leiter’s work has made me realize the camera can also be used to capture and show the world in a less straightforward way. A painter I’ve long admired is Matthias Weischer, I love his use of texture and the way he depicts spaces. Growing up I often took an MC Escher book out of the bookcase, amazed by the visual complexities in his work, and I recently discovered the sculptures of Charles Ginnever that play with a similar effect but in three dimensional space. TPL: The Corona pandemic has affected everyone's ability to travel around as much as we would like. Has it affected your work? How are you dealing with it? MR: Unfortunately I am currently not travelling. However, I am doing a lot of new things that I wouldn’t have done otherwise. This pandemic is horrible on so many levels, but it also allows for us to try new things. After the pandemic had us return earlier than planned, I have found myself working differently. Before this situation I was out on the streets a lot of the time, searching for potential photographs, I only photographed what I found while walking around. Back in the Netherlands I started photographing inside the house with the same outlook, searching for compositions similar to those I find outside. The resulting photographs showed me it’s rewarding to revisit the same place at different times of the day when the light and shadows are different. The latest chapter in these Corona-related endeavours has me photographing compositions that I create by projecting light on the wall by using coloured pieces of glass and several old projectors. A lot of the conditions that I search for when I’m photographing outside on the streets also apply to this way of working and there is still the important element of surprising myself. These photographs are more abstract - shape and colour are the main ingredients. Where my street work often still provides an opportunity for the viewer to figure out what they are actually looking at, these projection works don’t give that kind of information. There is still a lot to explore in this new approach, I’m excited to see where it will take me. Parallel to this I have also been working on some non-photographic projects, making mixed-media collages and works with spray paint on panels, something I had wanted to do for a while, but never got around to. I’ve been enjoying this process very much. It’s a very different way of working in terms of materials and technique but my fascination for composition, textures, colour and the effects of light and shadow are still at the core of the work. Untitled (Zöbing Am Kamp 2019) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Torremolinos 2020) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Torremolinos 2020) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Stein An Der Donau 2019) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Rovereto 2018) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Ptuj 2019) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Maribor 2019) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Lisbon 2020) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Krems An Der Donau 2019) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Krems An Der Donau 2019) © Maarten Rots Untitled (Júzcar 2018) © Maarten Rots TPL: You have this super-cool customised camper/work van...we are a bit jealous of that! So, apart from being a great photographer, you seem to be quite crafty as well? Do you enjoy working with crafts? MR: Thanks! It’s been quite a project and I’m very pleased how it turned out. I enjoy making stuff that has a practical function, but I’m not the kind of guy that has a shed full of tools, spending all of his free time making things. Although I definitely enjoy the process of making, being able to use the thing I made is the end goal. It’s usually quite a bit of trial and error, figuring stuff out as I go, that’s how all of my creative processes work. There is a lot of information about anything you want to make on the internet, YouTube can be very helpful. And in the case of the van there were certain technical aspects where the help of friends was very welcome. TPL: Are there any new projects you are currently working on that you would like to share with us? MR: I am in the process of compiling the 20th edition of my magazine March & Rock, which is definitely a milestone. I started making a quarterly zine with my photography a little over five years ago and learned a lot along the way, it definitely pushed me through some harder times when I wasn’t sure where I was going with my photography. I initially started making this magazine with the intention of making a photobook at some point, and I’m really excited to share that I am currently working to self-publish my very first monograph! It will be a compilation of my photography from the past 3 to 4 years and I’m hoping to release it in the beginning of 2021. If you’d like to be among the first to know when it becomes available, sign up for my newsletter. Next to that I have several exhibitions coming up in the coming months: a duo exhibition in Austria and several group shows here in the Netherlands and Germany. TPL: “When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… MR: I really enjoy being outside, walking in nature with my wife Anne and our dog Laika. It’s a great way to let go of some of the daily stuff and I always come back recharged with a clearer idea about how I can deal with things that are on my mind. Another activity that makes me happy is cooking. It’s nice to improvise and experiment, I don’t really use recipes, usually I take a look at what I have and come up with an idea. I always keep a good variety of herbs and spices around and usually cook with whatever is available.” PORTFOLIO WEBSITE INSTAGRAM read more interviews >>> THE ART OF ATTENTION Curiosity turns portraits, objects, and places into discoveries as Len Irish reflects on a life shaped by the camera’s attention. WHERE EMOTIONS BREATHE Simple encounters Irina Sedletskaya almost missed become photographs shaped by silence, distance, uncertainty, memory, hope, and resilience. THE VILLAGE A workers’ neighbourhood becomes a living archive as Virginia Cassano photographs the people, streets, and memories that continue to shape Villaggio Piaggio. MUTABLE MORPHOGENESIS By merging scientific methodologies with photographic experimentation, Emma Varga creates images that challenge fixed distinctions between human and non-human, visible and invisible. THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Chad Coombs’ Polaroids are small psychological scenes where identity, memory, culture, and belief push against each other. WHERE WE BELONG Community storytelling lies at the heart of The Pictorial List’s mission, and Marlon Ramos’ photographs reflects the spirit of the place we now call home. GUIDED BY A WHISPER Guided by reflection and the quiet presence of art history, Isolda Fabregat Sanz makes photographs that resist certainty and invite the viewer to remain inside the act of looking. WHAT REMAINS, WHAT EMERGES Laetitia Heisler transforms risk, memory, and the body into layered analogue visions — feminist rituals of seeing that reveal what endures, and what quietly emerges beyond visibility. WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE DO Culture lives where art and community meet, and in this space Alejandro Dávila’s photographs reveal the unseen labor and devotion that sustain creation. ANALOGICAL LIMBO Nicola Cappellari reminds us that the photograph’s power lies not in what it shows, but in what it leaves unsaid. THREADS OF MOROCCAN LIFE Through gestures of work and moments of community, Kat Puchowska reveals Morocco’s overlooked beauty. IT STARTED AS LIGHT…ENDED IN SHIVERS… Between intimacy and estrangement, Anton Bou’s photographs wander — restless fragments of light and shadow, mapping the fragile terrain where self unravels into sensation. WITH EYES THAT LISTEN AND A HEART THAT SEES For decades, Rivka Shifman Katvan has documented the unseen backstage world of Broadway, capturing authenticity where performance and humanity intersect. DIPTYCH DIALOGUES Through the beautiful language of diptychs, Taiwanese photographer Jay Hsu invites us into a world where quiet images speak of memory, resilience, and hope. UNKNOWN ABYSSINIA In Ethiopia, Sebastian Piatek found a new way of seeing — where architecture endures, but women in motion carry the narrative forward. THE PULSE OF THE STREET Moments vanish, yet Suvam Saha holds them still — the pulse of India’s streets captured in fragments of life that will never repeat. WHAT DO WE WANT? More than documentation, David Gray reveals the human pulse of resistance and asks us to see beyond the surface of unrest. CRACKED RIBS 2016 Cynthia Karalla opens up about the art of survival, the power of perspective, and why she believes each of us holds a monopoly on our own narrative. STREETS OF KOLKATA Ayanava Sil’s reveals Kolkata’s soul, capturing moments with empathy, presence and humility while offering deep insight into both city and self. PERIPHERAL PLACES A project by Catia Montagna that distills fleeting encounters and spatial poetics into triptychs - visual short stories that capture the in-between, where meaning often hides. POINTE-AU-CHIEN IS NOT DEAD Through Wayan Barre’s documentary, we are invited not only to see but to feel the lived realities of a community standing at the crossroads of environmental collapse and cultural survival. QUEER HAPPENED HERE Author Marc Zinaman sheds light on the valuable contributions that LGBTQ+ individuals have made to the cultural and social fabric of New York City. TRACES OF TIME Marked by an ongoing visual dialogue with time, memory, and impermanence, Zamin Jafarov’s long-term projects highlight the quiet power of observation and the emotional depth of simplicity. THERE MY LITTLE EYES Guillermo Franco’s book is an exploration of seeing beyond the obvious. His work invites us to embrace patience, curiosity, and the unexpected in a world that often rushes past the details. VISUAL HEALING BEYOND THE DIAGNOSIS Betty Goh’s photography exemplifies the transformative power of visual storytelling, where personal adversity becomes a canvas for resilience, illuminating the connection between art, healing, and self-reclamation.