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Ever since I remember myself I loved photography. In school I was the class photographer. Later on my subjects were my family and the countries where I lived or travelled to. I have a Masters Degree in psychology and I later studied photography. My Aesthetics of Photography professor, Laura Dodson @lauradodsonphoto, always professed, ‘don’t photograph babies, pretty young girls or sunsets, as these subjects are beautiful in themselves and you don’t need to make any effort or put any thought into capturing them. Also, Laura encouraged me to exhibit during my studies and I never stopped since. I usually make a book to complement my exhibition. From the eight books that I have published, three were published for special events and the rest accompanied my exhibitions. My last book, ‘Casablanca’, was published for the exhibition of the same name at Benaki Museum of Islamic Art in Athens. I contributed my photos for the book ‘Quartier Réservé’ or ‘Red light District’ under the direction of Jean-Francois Stazsak and Raphaël Pieroni, which was done for an exhibition scheduled for April 2019 in Casablanca and later in Geneva but was postponed indefinitely because of the pandemic. In Casablanca I belong to an association called Casamemoire, which was created to safeguard of Casablanca’s heritage. In 2015 I photographed Casablanca as our goal was to include Casablanca’s twentieth century architecture among the World Heritage Sites. I also photographed the interior of the buildings, which gave me the opportunity to talk to people, to get acquainted with their everyday lives and understand the reasons why they effected changes in the buildings. This experience was beneficial in helping me overcome my apprehension and shyness when asking people on the street if I could take a picture of them. I am a people photographer and I tried to include pictures of people in the architectural photos as much as possible, which was what the UNESCO committee really liked. A couple of years ago I started posting pictures on Instagram. I enjoy it but find it involves much more effort than I expected, and leaves little time for my other photographic activities. I am grateful to Sean Tucker who through his YouTube channel, helped me put Instagram into perspective. MELITA VANGELATOU Ever since I remember myself I loved photography. In school I was the class photographer. Later on my subjects were my family and the countries where I lived or travelled to. I have a Masters Degree in psychology and I later studied photography. My Aesthetics of Photography professor, Laura Dodson @lauradodsonphoto, always professed, ‘don’t photograph babies, pretty young girls or sunsets, as these subjects are beautiful in themselves and you don’t need to make any effort or put any thought into capturing them. Also, Laura encouraged me to exhibit during my studies and I never stopped since. I usually make a book to complement my exhibition. From the eight books that I have published, three were published for special events and the rest accompanied my exhibitions. My last book, ‘Casablanca’, was published for the exhibition of the same name at Benaki Museum of Islamic Art in Athens. I contributed my photos for the book ‘Quartier Réservé’ or ‘Red light District’ under the direction of Jean-Francois Stazsak and Raphaël Pieroni, which was done for an exhibition scheduled for April 2019 in Casablanca and later in Geneva but was postponed indefinitely because of the pandemic. In Casablanca I belong to an association called Casamemoire, which was created to safeguard of Casablanca’s heritage. In 2015 I photographed Casablanca as our goal was to include Casablanca’s twentieth century architecture among the World Heritage Sites. I also photographed the interior of the buildings, which gave me the opportunity to talk to people, to get acquainted with their everyday lives and understand the reasons why they effected changes in the buildings. This experience was beneficial in helping me overcome my apprehension and shyness when asking people on the street if I could take a picture of them. I am a people photographer and I tried to include pictures of people in the architectural photos as much as possible, which was what the UNESCO committee really liked. A couple of years ago I started posting pictures on Instagram. I enjoy it but find it involves much more effort than I expected, and leaves little time for my other photographic activities. I am grateful to Sean Tucker who through his YouTube channel, helped me put Instagram into perspective. LOCATION Casablanca MOROCCO CAMERA/S Leica @MELITAVANGELATOS FEATURES // Casablanca Now Telling Stories

AWAKENING INSTINCTS Marilena Filaiti is living proof of the importance that photography can make in your life. An enlightening experience that gave her more understanding of herself and the world she exists in. AWAKENING INSTINCTS November 11, 2022 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Marilena Filaiti INTERVIEW Karen Ghostlaw Pomarico Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Marilena Filaiti is living proof of the importance that photography can make in your life. It was an enlightening experience for Marilena, giving her more understanding of herself and the world she exists in. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Marilena's father worked for the United Nations and was appointed to work in Africa where he lived with his wife for eleven years and where Marilena was born. They returned to Greece when Marilena was four years old, and her mother was pregnant with her brother, who was born in Athens. Both of their parents had a cosmopolitan upbringing. Marilena’s father, a descendant from the Egyptian Greeks and her mother from Istanbul, with a lineage of Greek descent, felt it important to pass their culture and heritage to their children. Marilena fell in love with the man she then married at a very young age and they soon started their family, a value important to Marilena, a legacy from her Mother. Caring and parenting three children created a demanding life that challenged Marilena, taking on many different jobs along the way to help make a good home for her family. Marilena ultimately took a job that gave her exposure and a chance to learn about marketing utilizing specialized multimedia tools that related to photography. These tools and their applications gave Marilena the inspiration to take up and explore the “Art of Photography”. Fascinated by Photography, she bought her first camera and started experimenting with her new tool, it wasn't long before she entered her first photography contest and was hooked. She decided to penetrate the world of photography and learn as much as she could. Her first teacher, Tolis Chatzignatiou, inspired her first steps and for three years he supported Marilena's development as a photographer. Tolis Chatzignatiou taught Marilena the principles of photography and how to clearly choose for herself what she wishes to include in her frame. She made many educational trips with the photographic group “Routes”, even getting close to her father's birthplace, an experience powerful for Marilena. Marilena was thirsty to learn more and more about photography, to go deeper and deeper, to be able to create meaningful photographs of her own. Marilena wanted to expand her knowledge and understanding of photography and immersed herself in photography workshops led by Lukas Vasilikos in October 2021. He has been an excellent teacher and mentor to Marilena, guiding her in her search within herself to find what she wants to express, while exposing her to new ideologies, working with his direction to create powerful sensational images that have much meaning. This motivating and influential experience gave birth to Marilena's first solo project, AWAKENING INSTINCTS, through which Marilena shares her insightful presentation of her project and her photography. We wish her much inspiration in her quest to create powerful intimate images that speak from the heart. “For the first time I saw my work complete. I continue today to grow personally and as a photographer by studying with Lukas. He keeps pushing me to work on new projects that allow me to express myself. Less need for words, more opportunities for visual inspiration.” IN CONVERSATION WITH MARILENA FILAITI THE PICTORIAL LIST: Marilena, tell us about Athens and what life in Greece has brought to your work AWAKENING INSTINCTS. We see how important your family members are to your work, tell us what inspiration they bring to this collection MARILENA FILIATI: Greece is a unique country worth visiting. Athens is a city with its beauties and its difficulties. Like all over the world, the pandemic touched us here, where photography became an excellent outlet for me. The pandemic directly connected the project with my inner world. Many photographs were taken in different parts of Greece during this period. There is nothing more important to me than my family and my home. My friends are also family. My teacher Lukas Vasilikos urged me to dig deeper and express photographically how important my family members are to me. TPL: Tell us about this project, Marilena; how it came about, what you were looking for, what you finally discovered. What surprised you? MF: When the workshop started, I had no idea what the outcome would be. Step by step we started to build this project gradually through the course of the study cycle. When I saw my photos on the wall I was impressed. I didn't know this side of myself. The most important reason besides my love for photography is that I don't have to talk too much with my images. That's how I've wanted to express myself for the last few years. I was surprised by the result because I finally managed to have a meaningful conversation through this project. TPL: You told us how important your teacher here was to you for this project, how you worked side by side. What were his influences on you, what were the gifts he gave you. What was his role as you created this project? MF: Master Lukas Vasilikos is an experienced and inspiring photographer himself, quite strict with himself but with unlimited patience and acceptance for his students. This characteristic of his allowed me to be inspired by him and many world photographers. Lukas also dared me to express myself freely and personally during our classes. He led me through the photographic process accepting and correcting any technical difficulties I had, while supporting me to move forward to my personal artistic identity through paths I admit, I didn't know I could take. TPL: There is depth in your shadows, creating intimate spaces for your subjects. Tell us about these shadows, darkness and what they represent in your photographs. MF: Within those shadows are important gifts of awareness. I like to create new worlds; escaping from reality. I like after instinctively creating them, to revisit my works as a viewer and have them transform into new stories. I listen to my silence and find the peace of mind I seek. TPL: Your colors are deep and saturated, adding to the depth of space and creating thought provoking connections to your subject matter. Tell us about the role color plays in these images. MF: I originally worked mostly in black and white and through my work with Lukas, I discovered color. I saw color as a tool for individual expression. It transformed the world around me into something else, something colorful, something much more dreamy, lyrical, focusing inward, allowing me to express my deeper self. Saturation is a medium that transports me to these other worlds. The bright color seems fake to me and does not represent my own reality. TPL: When you began this journey of self discovery, where did you start? Why? MF: I started this journey of self exploration with themes familiar to me, close to me, subjects accessible to me, so that I could venture deeper to see them in another dimension. an imaginary transformation of them. Thus my one son was transformed into a creature of my imagination, he effortlessly played this role since he trustingly allowed me to create another reality by "rebirthing" him through my photograph. My daughter, seen through another gaze that perhaps she herself did not initially accept, as the unconventional realistic image that she was, but she quickly realized how redemptive the freedom of a different gaze is. My little son, who grew up through our collaboration, agrees that the result has rewarded us both. My friends showed me the same trust by posing and allowing me to play freely with the lens. I like to create new worlds; escaping from reality. I listen to my silence and find the peace of mind I seek. TPL: What new discoveries have you made while doing this project? Has this project been completed? MF: Expression itself is a great discovery for me who doesn't like words much and is more of a sensory person. That is to speak through a medium that I share with so many people, even globally, and to “say it all” through the common language of the Image. My work has now become synonymous with my existence and as I evolve, it will evolve too. Each new experience I experience motivates me to 'lock in' the moment. Our lives are made up of moments. TPL: Can you recall that defining moment when you understood how to use photography to create what you wanted to say or see with your eyes, heart and soul? When you photograph, how much is instinct and spontaneity programmed? Do you pose your subjects? MF: When I realized that photography was a love for me and that I could express through it whatever I was hiding inside, I decided to leave my job to follow it in whatever path it took me. Because of my love for photography, I decided to only work in the field professionally. There is absolutely no programming in the way I photograph, I work on impulse and instinct, I ‘shoot’ non-stop even if I don't have a camera at that moment. Of course this requires one to have acquired a solid technical base and to have incorporated it. I would say my impulsiveness has gotten me into trouble at times. However, when I work as a professional, I try to listen to the needs of the subject matter but always through the freedom of my personal view. TPL: What are the lasting impressions you want to leave on the viewer, what is their 'Take Away'? What was yours? MF: I have no intention of leaving a lasting impression on the viewer. Everyone is free to make whatever impression they wish based on their reading. I wish to converse and evoke emotions. My takeaway is to have a photograph I see speak to me. TPL: Does the equipment you use help you achieve your vision in your photography? What camera do you use? Do you have a preferred lens/focal distance? MF: So far it has been adequate. Currently I have developed a need to try even more sophisticated gear. I am on a quest. Initially I was shooting with my mobile phone. Then I was accompanied on my journey by a Nikon D3400, a Panasonic Lumix DC Vario with which I also shoot with in water, a Canon EOS R, and I have a collection of analogs, mostly old pieces. I've been trying different lenses and haven't settled on a recommended one yet. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist or photographer? Where do you hope to see yourself in five years? MF: This journey is a journey of freedom for me. It's a journey that matters, the destination of which I myself will know in five years. MF: “When I don't go out to photograph, I like to... I like to travel, drive, walk with my friends, read and often enjoy my ‘solitude’.” 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.

AN OBSERVED REALISM Inspired by her local relaxed beach lifestyle in Australia, Melanie Meggs' photographs combine an observed realism with a touch of quirkiness. AN OBSERVED REALISM March 5, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Melanie Meggs INTERVIEW Karin Svadlenak Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE As people, we are often defined by our experiences – some good, some bad – that shape who we are and how we interact with the world around us. For one Australian visual artist, her near-death experience was the light that shone a new path in her life, leading her to explore photography as a creative outlet and a way to escape from reality. Melanie Meggs is an artist and visionary photographer, whose work speaks to the depths of the human experience. With a background in Fine Arts and years of field experience, Melanie has a unique talent for creating scenarios through strangers on the streets, exploring the intersections of reality and fiction. Her photography is often satirical humorous and serves as a psychological representation of her escape from the everyday. The creative mind behind The Pictorial List, Melanie's artistry runs deep and her thought-provoking works give viewers a rare insight into her world. Through her lens, she invites us to join her on a journey of exploration, allowing us to take a glimpse of the reality she has created for herself. Her works are captivating, mysterious and simply beautiful. Melanie's story is inspiring and her works serve as a reminder that art can be used to explore and express the depths of our inner lives. Join us as we go behind the lens with Melanie Meggs to discover how photography changed her life. You'll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut. - Dr. Seuss “From a young age, I have been completely mesmerized by people and their complex interactions in different scenarios. I intently observe and analyse their behavior and social relationships, as I find it incredibly fascinating.” IN CONVERSATION WITH MELANIE MEGGS THE PICTORIAL LIST: Melanie, when did you start getting interested in photography? MELANIE MEGGS: As far back as I can remember, I have always had a passion for photography. It all started when I was a young child and I would snap pictures of everything around me with my trusty camera. When I began studying art, I was overjoyed to receive my first SLR camera - a secondhand Nikon FE. I still have that camera to this day and it holds a special place in my heart. While I was initially more interested in the theoretical side of photography, I loved the experience of working in the darkroom and seeing my images come to life before my eyes. Although it's been many years since then, those memories remain vivid and exciting. A few years ago, my life was almost taken away from me by Sepsis (Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome), but I used that experience to change my perspective on life. I was very lucky to have survived. I began to appreciate life in a new light, taking a camera out with me on my daily rehab walks to keep me company. Through my viewfinder, I was able to escape the reality of my illness and everyday life. Even today, photography remains a place of solace for me. TPL: Where do you find your inspiration? MM: I derive my inspiration from my passion for painting. Though I can no longer paint with the same skill as before, I have discovered a way to incorporate my love for painting into my photography. I now paint with my eyes, capturing beauty through the lens of my camera. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? MM: I have forever been inspired by artists such as Jeffrey Smart, Edward Hopper and David Hockney. The way they created these precisionist depicted scenes of urban landscapes that were full of playful allusions appealed to me very early on in my life. I recently have found inspiration in the conceptual photographic works of Ben Thomas and Maria Svarbova. TPL: Has your style of photographing changed since you first started? MM: Certainly, my approach to photography has evolved over time, and I anticipate that it will continue to evolve as I gain new insights and knowledge. TPL: Where is your favourite place to photograph? MM: I really enjoy taking photos at the beach these days. People there seem more carefree and happy, which makes for great photos. I recently visited Japan, and it was a photographer's dream come true. There were endless opportunities for amazing shots, and the people there were wonderful. I'm already planning to go back again in the future. I also love experimenting with different techniques in art galleries and museums. It's a fun way to challenge myself and create something unique. I now paint with my eyes, capturing beauty through the lens of my camera. TPL: Do you think equipment is important in achieving your vision in your photography? What is your current camera and why did you choose it? Is there anything on your wishlist? MM: I would love to have a camera with weather-sealed medium format or full frame capabilities to successfully achieve my photography objectives. This feature is crucial to my work, as I often capture images in sandy or wet surroundings, and it is essential to the quality of my work. Additionally, I aspire to produce enormous prints in the future, and having a camera with more megapixels will help me achieve this goal. I currently use the Olympus OMD EM II and mostly use my prime lenses 17mm (35mm equiv) and 85mm (170mm equiv). I have a deep affection for my Olympus camera. Its 5-point stabilization, lightweight design, and ability to produce stunning colors makes me hesitant to invest in a new camera at the moment. On my wishlist, emphasis on WISH!...a Leica or a Hasselblad...I shall just keep dreaming at the moment though. TPL: Have you ever been involved in the artistic world before photography? MM: I have a diverse background in the arts, having studied Fine Arts with a focus on art history, painting, and printmaking. Additionally, I studied music and can play the tenor horn, trumpet, and tuba. From 2012, I co-owned a homewares, florist store, and gallery with my close friend, where we showcased the work of talented Australian artisans. Our store also featured our own handmade timber furniture and homeware designs. Sadly in 2018, we had to close the store due to my illness. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? MM: The Pictorial List!...A worldwide online community photography platform that delves into the intricacies and splendor of all types of photography. We have numerous exciting concepts in the works and can't wait to share them with you! TPL: “When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… MM: Something creative! Enjoying life on sunny days.” 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.

PICTORIAL STORY 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. February 8, 2026 PICTORIAL STORY PHOTOGRAPHY Mohammed Nahi STORY Mohammed Nahi INTRODUCTION Melanie Meggs SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link 4320 Minutes Without Color is a photographic and written work by Algerian photographer Mohammed Nahi that examines perception at the moment visual certainty begins to falter. Structured around a defined duration, the project does not advance a narrative of loss or recovery. Instead, it maintains attention on a suspended interval, one in which seeing becomes unreliable and experience must be renegotiated in real time. Developed following a temporary corneal injury, the work marks a deliberate shift in Mohammed’s photographic approach. The camera is no longer employed to stabilize the world or to confirm what is visible. It functions instead as a means of negotiating instability. Images resist clarity, favouring partial focus, tonal ambiguity, and spatial hesitation. These decisions are not stylistic deviations, but methodological ones, aligned with a period in which vision itself could not be assumed. By removing chromatic information, Mohammed foregrounds the fragility of visual interpretation and the psychological weight carried by contrast, shadow, and proximity. The images hold moments of suspension, where recognition remains unresolved. The accompanying narrative neither explains nor contextualizes the photographs; it extends their internal logic. Time is treated as elastic rather than sequential. While the title asserts numerical precision, the experience described unfolds in durations that expand, contract, and lose coherence. 4320 Minutes Without Color positions photography as a practice of attention when visual certainty withdraws. What follows is Mohammed’s own account — an unfolding of images and words shaped by duration rather than event, written from inside the interval itself, where perception loosens, time shifts, and seeing must be relearned moment by moment. I did not lose my sight abruptly. There was no single moment to point at, no dramatic fracture. Vision withdrew quietly, almost politely, as if it did not wish to alarm me. At first, I distrusted the experience. I blamed exhaustion, light, dust. But soon, color itself began to hesitate. Reds softened. Blues thinned. The world did not vanish, it became uncertain. Those 4320 minutes unfolded slowly, pressing their weight into every ordinary gesture. When sight weakens, the body learns to listen. Footsteps grow louder. Air gains texture. Light is no longer something seen, but something sensed against the skin. I began to move carefully, measuring space with memory rather than confidence. Familiar places lost their authority. Distances stretched unpredictably. Walls appeared where I did not expect them. The certainty I had always assigned to vision dissolved. Photography entered this moment not as a profession, but as a necessity. I was no longer photographing what I saw. I was photographing what I could not fully trust. Time, during those days, abandoned its logic. Minutes expanded into long corridors of waiting. Nights felt endless, while days slipped by without form. Appointments, silence, and internal negotiations replaced routine. I became acutely aware of how much our sense of stability depends on uninterrupted sight. When vision falters, identity trembles alongside it. The camera, once an extension of my eye, became an extension of doubt. I stopped seeking clarity. Sharpness felt dishonest. Instead, I allowed blur to enter the frame, not as an effect, but as a condition. Shadows grew dominant. Subjects drifted out of focus or escaped the frame entirely. These images were not meant to explain my experience; they were meant to inhabit it. Black and white emerged naturally, almost inevitably. Color felt excessive, even intrusive. Its absence mirrored my internal state, a world reduced to essentials, stripped of decoration, governed by uncertainty. Contrast became emotional rather than optical. White was not hope. Black was not despair. They coexisted, uneasy and unresolved, just as fear and resilience coexisted within me. I chose not to photograph portraits. The body appears only indirectly through movement, through traces, through spaces left behind. This absence was deliberate. During those minutes, I did not recognize myself. I existed somewhere between before and after, fragmented and suspended. To show a face would have been false. Instead, I photographed thresholds, corridors, light barely held, figures dissolving into motion. These were not metaphors. They were realities. What unsettled me most was not the possibility of permanent blindness, but the realization of how unquestioningly I had trusted sight. Vision had always been my authority. Without it, I felt exposed, stripped of certainty, forced into vulnerability. Yet within that vulnerability, something unexpected surfaced: awareness. I began to notice how the world reveals itself beyond sight. Sound, rhythm, texture, memory all stepped forward. Silence gained weight. Darkness carried information. I learned that seeing is not the same as perceiving, and that perception is never neutral. It is shaped by fear, expectation, and desire. In this context, photography became an act of resistance. An insistence on remaining present when presence itself felt fragile. Each image in 4320 Minutes Without Color functions less as a photograph than as a pause. A hesitation. A question left deliberately open. The work refuses narrative closure because the experience itself offered none. Recovery, when it arrived, was gradual and uncertain. Color did not return triumphantly. It crept back cautiously, as if testing whether it was welcome. Even after vision stabilized, something remained altered. I no longer trust clarity the way I once did. Sharp images feel suspicious. Certainty feels temporary. This project is not solely about loss, but about what emerges in its aftermath: a slower gaze, heightened sensitivity, and a deeper respect for fragility. The 4320 minutes named in the title are both exact and meaningless. They measure something that cannot truly be quantified. They mark a suspended state, a liminal space where identity, perception, and time loosen their grip. In naming them, I do not seek control over the experience, but acknowledgment of its weight. This work invites the viewer not to look harder, but to look differently. To accept discomfort. To remain ambiguous. To recognize that seeing is not an absolute right, but a fragile privilege. The images ask for no sympathy and offer no resolution. They stand as quiet witnesses to a moment when the world slipped out of focus and revealed its most honest form not as it appears, but as it is felt. 4320 Minutes Without Color is a testimony of presence during uncertainty. A visual echo of a body learning how to inhabit the world again. It is not a declaration of strength, but an admission of fragility and within that fragility, a deeper kind of awareness. © Mohammed Nahi © Mohammed Nahi © Mohammed Nahi © Mohammed Nahi © Mohammed Nahi © Mohammed Nahi © Mohammed Nahi © Mohammed Nahi © Mohammed Nahi © Mohammed Nahi © Mohammed Nahi © Mohammed Nahi © Mohammed Nahi © Mohammed Nahi © Mohammed Nahi © Mohammed Nahi 4320 Minutes Without Color leaves us with a sustained awareness of perception as something provisional, shaped by interruption, memory, and adaptation. Mohammed Nahi does not reclaim vision as authority; he approaches it with caution. Clarity is no longer neutral. Sharpness no longer guarantees truth. What lingers is not the absence of color, but the knowledge it produced. A slower gaze. A heightened sensitivity to what is partial, uncertain, and unresolved. In this sense, 4320 Minutes Without Color does not conclude an experience; it marks a shift in how experience is held. It asks the viewer to carry that attentiveness forward, aware that vision is never guaranteed, and that perception, once unsettled, is never entirely restored to innocence. view Mohammed Nahi's portfolio 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. 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.

I am a photo artist and documentary photographer based in Azerbaijan. My work explores the intersection of culture, nature, and everyday life. Through long-term projects, I aim to capture the essence of remote villages, urban landscapes, and the deep human connections that shape life across Azerbaijan. My photographic journey began in 2009, and over the years, I’ve experimented with various genres — from documentary and street photography to landscape, minimalism, and conceptual work. I’ve had the privilege of participating in prestigious masterclasses, including those led by acclaimed Magnum photographers such as Chien-Chi Chang, Thomas Dworzak, and Sabiha Çimen. My work has been featured in international competitions, exhibitions, and publications — all of which continue to inspire and shape my evolving perspective as an artist. ZAMIN JAFAROV I am a photo artist and documentary photographer based in Azerbaijan. My work explores the intersection of culture, nature, and everyday life. Through long-term projects, I aim to capture the essence of remote villages, urban landscapes, and the deep human connections that shape life across Azerbaijan. My photographic journey began in 2009, and over the years, I’ve experimented with various genres — from documentary and street photography to landscape, minimalism, and conceptual work. I’ve had the privilege of participating in prestigious masterclasses, including those led by acclaimed Magnum photographers such as Chien-Chi Chang, Thomas Dworzak, and Sabiha Çimen. My work has been featured in international competitions, exhibitions, and publications — all of which continue to inspire and shape my evolving perspective as an artist. LOCATION Baku AZERBAIJAN CAMERA/S Canon Eos 5D Mark IV @ZAMINJAFAROW FEATURES // Traces Of Time

PICTORIAL STORY RESILIENCE July 10, 2020 PICTORIAL STORY Photography by Anwar Sadat Story by Karin Svadlenak Gomez SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Anwar Sadat is a Kenyan photographer whose vibrant scenes from his Kibera neighbourhood tell poignant stories — stories of community, of life's everyday joys and difficulties. Anwar (known by his artist name Sirdart ) photographs both beautiful portraits of people in his community, and raw, in your face, street reportages. I interviewed him about life in Kibera. He wants us to see the oneness of people, their resilience, their hope for a better tomorrow, their willingness to take initiative, and their humble pride. Kibera is famous for all the wrong reasons, when there are so many good reasons the world should know about it. Kenyan photographer Anwar Sadat calls it home. He regularly sets out to take photos that show life in the largest slum in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, in all its facets. Anwar's photos go beyond the skin deep. Yes, they show a hard reality, but also the many residents who live life with a purpose, strive for improvement, and have a positive outlook. Growing up there, he neither liked nor understood it. “I couldn’t wait to move out,” he admits. “But as I grew older, I began to understand and see the reality of the people of Kibera and just how hard they work to achieve something better for themselves and their loved ones.” It is this reality that inspires his documentary photos. Kibera, which in the Kinubi language means forest or jungle, started as a settlement in the forest outskirts of Nairobi, when the British colonial government allotted plots of land there to soldiers returning from service with the British Colonial regiment, the 'King's African Rifles' in 1904. Today it is the largest urban slum settlement in Africa, with population estimates varying wildly between approximately 170,000 to as many as a million people. Most of Kibera's residents live in extreme poverty. And although it is by no means the only slum in Nairobi, it is the most famous, probably for sheer size. AN UPHILL STRUGGLE Kibera's problems are many. The ground in much of Kibera is literally composed of refuse, and dwellings are often constructed atop this unstable ground. The environment is polluted from a lack of sanitation and waste management infrastructure, there is violence and crime, and residents often suffer from illnesses caused at least in part by poor nutrition and the inadequate hygiene facilities. Good work is hard to come by. There have been and continue to be many upgrade projects by Non-government Organisations (NGOs) and the nearby United Nations Habitat programme. Moreover, there are also many locally grown initiatives to improve the lot of the community's poorest. It is an uphill struggle. Sometimes, small accidents such as an overturned candle can lead to tragedy. In such cramped conditions, fires can spread quickly. Anwar witnessed such an event in 2019. Residents of a section of Kibera were left to count their losses as an early morning fire consumed all that they called their own. “I have seen instances before where the community of Kibera has come together to support each other during a crisis, but none of them were like this,” he tells us. “Fire can be a good slave but a terrible master. As terrible as it can be, it can never beat the spirit of the people of Kibera.” But amidst all that, life goes on. Anwar's photos show people living their busy lives, children going to school, a group of girls performing a dance. Every day, men and women wake up early, mostly small business owners, go to Gikomba market (a larger flea market) to restock. Most of these individuals run their business from Toi market, another flea market located on the outskirts of Kibera. Although Kibera has a railway station, most people take buses and the small and not altogether safe matatus (minibus) to get from place to place. HOPE People in Kibera are keen on education. Most education centres in Kibera are informal or not regulated by the government, but there are also some government-run schools. At the Kibera School for Girls, which is run by a non-governmental organisation, they even hold mock United Nations leadership conferences, aimed at teaching girls about leadership and ways of finding solutions as leaders. The PCEA Emmanuel Education Centre in Kibera makes do with the most basic of resources. All except the youngest students share a classroom, and the teachers have to teach different levels simultaneously. And yet, they hosted an International Day of Literacy event in 2019, when Anwar visited the school. The teacher, Benson Arita, was trying to multitask between being part of the event and making sure lessons run as usual in class. The school received an honorable mention for its dedication to teaching. Basic necessities we take for granted are not necessarily available — things like sanitary towels for young women. A dance performance organised by a ballerina school in Kibera helped to raise awareness on children's talents and needs, while at the same time raising funds to purchase a three-month supply of hygiene products for 1000 schoolgirls. People find creative ways to deal with their needs. Sports are also a very important aspect of life in Kibera. “Mostly it’s a good thing because it helps keep the youth busy away from crime and drugs,” says Anwar. There are many sports associations and organisations. Few players make it to play for national or even international teams, although it is every player's dream to play outside Kibera. But facilities are rather limited. The best equipped basketball court in Kibera belongs to a secondary school. SELF-MADE Many initiatives to improve the lives of Kibera residents are homegrown. For example, in the face of the current added difficulty of the global Covid-19 pandemic, which is especially hard to contain when people are living in such close proximity, some residents are using their initiative to deal with the crisis. Daniel Owino, a musician and music producer popularly known as Futwax by the locals, is using his talent, popularity and influence to sensitise his community. Kibera Town Centre is also stepping up the fight to raise awareness in the community on the necessity of protecting themselves and others against the spread of the virus. One of the more creative ways to encourage new initiatives is the annual 'Miss' and 'Mister' contest. The show focuses on promoting talent and nurturing leadership skills. All the contestants are trained for a one-month period in modelling skills and leadership. The actual contest involves a fashion show where the contestant's model professional wear, casual wear, traditional wear and evening wear. But the contest is much more than a fashion show. Contestants must come up with ideas that could help resolve some of the difficult challenges facing the people of Kibera. Judges — experts in different fields — select the winners based on how comprehensively they answer the questions and on their level of creativity. Mr. Kibera 2019/20, Dennis Andere, hopes to represent his people in the government in the next elections, to be held in the year 2022. And in the words of Miss Kibera 2018/19, Wendy Ojalla "If only the world knew better, Kibera would not be defined by structures, but by the beautiful people who live there." Her idea was to find ways of giving Kibera's handicapped people a voice and have a chance to discuss access to equal opportunities. Given a chance, Kibera's handicapped could acquire the livelihood skills to allow them to live independently. The Uganda/Kenya Railway Line, a metre-gauge railway system dating back to Colonial times, passes through the centre of the neighbourhood. © Anwar Sadat George has a desire to learn but he rarely has time to attend classes because he works as a casual laborer. These jobs are physically exhausting, and he uses his spare time to distract himself with his friend's laptop. © Anwar Sadat When fire goes on a rampage through the neighbourhood, people jump to help. © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat Matatus are privately owned minibuses that are an important means of transport in Kenya. © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat Children learning at the PCEA Emmanuel centre. © Anwar Sadat Girls learning leadership skills. © Anwar Sadat Dreaming of playing basketball. © Anwar Sadat Football on rough ground. © Anwar Sadat Contestants in the Miss and Mister Kibera contest. © Anwar Sadat He is a winner: Mister Kibera 2019/20, near his house. © Anwar Sadat What Anwar wants us to take away from this story is that this is a vibrant strong community. "I have experienced love, care, friendship, family, humility and respect in Kibera. I have learned to always work hard even with no hope, because hope is not always there. Kibera is not a desirable place to stay, it is most often forgotten and neglected by the government development projects. But having lived here long enough, I believe in the power of a sense of oneness and the people's will to create a better tomorrow for themselves regardless of all the difficulties and obstacles." Where there is hope, there is initiative, and where there is initiative, there is a chance to overcome obstacles. This is what Anwar's documentary work shows very impressively. view Anwar's portfolio Read an interview with Anwar >>> Website >>> Instagram >>> 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. 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 ISOLATION PORTRAITS August 14, 2020 BOOK PHOTOGRAPHY Suzanne Phoenix TEXT Melanie Meggs SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Late in March 2020 Coronavirus entered the common vernacular of Australians. Our borders were closed, and social distancing rules started, followed by the state government of Victoria closing ‘non-essential’ services. The places we gathered including pubs, clubs, festivals and sports were shut down. For Victorian photographer Suzanne Phoenix who is usually documenting live music and performances, festivals, street photography and daily life, her entire occupation ground to a halt. Spending the first few weeks in fear of who was going to die, and every moment being consumed by the virus, daily walks were a sanctioned luxury where Suzanne could go outside and be in nature. On one of her daily walks, Suzanne met people from two households who let her photograph them. A man seated in his driveway who volunteered that he hadn’t had a drink for ten days and a woman massaging a sick chook that was wrapped in a tea towel. These encounters gave her the idea to document local households if she was able to reach them on foot. Subsequently, Suzanne made a series of intimate portraits and the Project “Isolation Portraits” was hatched. The photographs were made starting on 18th April and capture households located in the Upper Yarra, an area of the Yarra Valley that finishes at the very edge of greater Melbourne. Safety precautions and social distancing measures were kept, and all photos of the households capture people just as they were in isolation, no one dressed up for their photographs. Suzanne’s project documents an eclectic community, including drag kings, cowgirls, families, and their many and varied pets. Photography for Suzanne has always been the love of her life, learning the importance of photographs from her family, especially her grandmother. “My Nana was terrible at it, always with a thumb over the lens, a shadow, or missing the subject completely,” Suzanne says fondly of her grandmother. “I now adore and treasure her photos, they are completely surreal, you couldn’t make these photos if you tried.” Photographing since before she was ten years of age, she got more serious about it around 2012. Suzanne is a self-trained photographer, learning through artist master classes with Stephen Dupont and being mentored by Kate Baker for several years. For Suzanne, this project was a way of re-engaging with her local community after a traumatic experience in 2019, when her trust was betrayed and it significantly impacted her connection with her hometown. “This created its own challenges and many conversations were had along the way, some that I would have preferred to have avoided. But it has enabled me to reconnect and reclaim my place in my community,” says Suzanne. Connecting with the people and places gave Suzanne access to lives that before Covid-19 she normally would not have had a chance to be a part of, and she saw new opportunities that could open the door for her to work in more depth with in the future. “I just asked people," she recalls. “I started with people I knew personally and people I knew via online relationships. As I carried out the project I would ask each household to make a referral of one person or family they thought would be interesting and interested. The experience was overwhelmingly positive and although it had its complexities, like any photographic project might have, it has been very rewarding.” Diversity and inclusion are always a priority for Suzanne as a photographer, and she struggled with this aspect of the project from a number of different viewpoints, as the Upper Yarra Valley is not a very diverse demographic from a cultural and linguistic background. Suzanne also wanted to include people who were not having a positive experience of isolation. Always conscious of the fact that the area has some of the highest statistics of family violence in Victoria, she knew that naturally the people in these situations were very unlikely to want to participate in the project. She was concerned along the way that she might not be able to appropriately represent the breadth of the experiences of the community. She created a framework for the project for herself and a brief for the subjects, which covered consent and Suzanne’s intention to produce a self-publication and an exhibition. “My desire was to release a magazine within the month following the completion of the work that would preserve everyone’s thoughts about this unique period of time as it was being experienced, rather than written about in hindsight,” she says. “I was adamant that every household would be included in the magazine and that no one would be left out, unless they opted out, which some did. This meant I needed to do everyone justice and create images that were both publication worthy and that the people were comfortable being made public.” From an artistic practice viewpoint, Suzanne’s preference is to work with a small camera and lens and getting up close to people, as she has a fascination for focusing on small details. The pandemic meant that she needed to modify her approach in this project, to keep her distance and use a large camera with a long zoom lens. Suzanne remembers the feeling of being alive, normal and grounded when she shot that very first portrait of the series after weeks of not photographing people. She photographed a total of seven households on that first day. Suzanne recalls being exhausted, “people wanted to talk, as for most in this project I was one of the few people who visited them at their home during isolation.” She wanted to try to keep her shoots to no more than half an hour, purely due to Covid considerations. Her process of arriving at a household, most of whom she had never visited before, and with people she had never met, making people feel comfortable and finding where to make the portraits, all in less than thirty minutes in retrospect now sounds a little crazy to Suzanne. Suzanne photographed more than 60 households in total and made a series of portraits that included more than 120 people and dozens of animals. Every household was provided with a selection of images and Suzanne’s preferences for use for their approval. Running alongside this, everyone was encouraged to write of their isolation experience. These texts were included in the magazine without any editing. Suzanne selected a quote from each person’s words as a highlight in the magazine and in doing so was very mindful of creating a prevailing focus or feeling of each person. Meeting all sorts of people, Suzanne learned a lot about their lives and heard stories of trauma and how isolation was impacting their mental health. At the end of the second stage of the shooting on 30th June 2020, she felt privileged to have so many households involved, but was quite physically and mentally exhausted. Through her photography Suzanne has a ‘knack’ for storytelling, her portraits have a quietness and secrecy about them, but at the same time they are dynamic and send a powerful message. When asked about this, Suzanne says that she respects people's privacy even when she photographs them, creating a safe space so they can show her something of themselves. “I think I see them, and they see me.” Consent is critical to Suzanne. She is skilled at meeting people where they are at, and sees herself as an honest, strong and confident person, which enables trust. As a result of this project, Suzanne’s personal relationships with people she already knew, or knew of, have deepened, and she has made a few new friends throughout this project. Ned, The Wobbly Wizard, stands out as someone who has enlightened and inspired Suzanne the most, so much so that she told him he was her new muse. At the time Ned was living in a tent in the forest and he certainly challenged her assumptions on COVID-19 being a more difficult time for those living in similar situations. He shared that the restrictions were making life better, he was not being moved on and hassled by people and could stay in one place. As he jovially told Suzanne, “finally personal space is in fashion!” Since that first shoot Suzanne has created nudes in the forest and river with Ned, a first for both of them. Without a doubt, Suzanne’s “Isolation Portraits” has proven to be a success. The first magazine was launched online as part of Yarra Valley Writers Festival and soundbite podcasts are being created in collaboration with YVWF also. All these outcomes help raise the profile of the small region of the Yarra Valley. “Ultimately,” explains Suzanne, “I wanted to document the lives of the community through this global pandemic for historical purposes.”Within a couple of months of its release over 100 copies of the magazines had been purchased by the local community and from people all over the world. All of the portraits have been printed as transparencies and exhibited in windows of four local businesses. Being able to exhibit these images, when all galleries are closed, is a rare opportunity and among the feedback Suzanne has received, people have told her that they feel like they are connected and can see their community again. The self-published magazines “Isolation Portraits 1” and “Isolation Portraits 2” by Suzanne Phoenix can be bought online through Suzanne's website. Suzanne is currently working on “Isolation Portraits” - Stage 3 while Victoria is in stage 3 and 4 restrictions. The Pictorial List will be thinking of all Victorians as they go through this tough time ahead. Stay safe. 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'm a Finland based self-taught photographer. As a photographer I am mostly interested in people, places and details. My love for old Finnish black and white movies, Italian neorealism and Akira Kurosawa's and Sergei Eisenstein's production partly explain why I photograph as I do. And if you don't understand Daido Moriyama or Junichiro Tanizaki you don't know me. I'm a dad with a wife and one lovely daughter. I was born and raised in Finland. Despite my travels I could give you 100 reasons why Finland is 'The Most Kick-Ass-Country' in the world. SIMO VÄISÄNEN I'm a Finland based self-taught photographer. As a photographer I am mostly interested in people, places and details. My love for old Finnish black and white movies, Italian neorealism and Akira Kurosawa's and Sergei Eisenstein's production partly explain why I photograph as I do. And if you don't understand Daido Moriyama or Junichiro Tanizaki you don't know me. I'm a dad with a wife and one lovely daughter. I was born and raised in Finland. Despite my travels I could give you 100 reasons why Finland is 'The Most Kick-Ass-Country' in the world. LOCATION Mikkeli FINLAND CAMERA/S Nikon Z WEBSITE http://www.simovaisanen.fi/ @SIMOVAISANEN @SIMOVAISANEN FEATURES // The Show Must Go On The Finns

TRUE LIFE IMPRESSIONS Matthias Godde's meticulously curates photographs that blend observation with introspection, resonating with profound emotional depth and infused with wit, irony, and occasional absurdity. TRUE LIFE IMPRESSIONS June 14, 2024 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Matthias Gödde INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Welcome to an exploration of the photographic world crafted by Matthias Gödde, a photographer whose work delves deep into the raw essence of human emotion with unparalleled authenticity. Matthias' photography transcends mere documentation; his photographs serve as windows into the very souls of his subjects, inviting viewers to contemplate the complexities of the human experience. Eschewing contrivance and artifice, his images offer unadulterated glimpses into the everyday moments that define our lives. For him, it's the people who inhabit these spaces that truly breathe life into his compositions. Through meticulous curation and a keen eye for detail, Matthias crafts series that resonate with profound emotional depth, blurring the lines between observation and introspection, infused with wit, irony, and sometimes even absurdity. Reflecting on his journey into photography, Matthias traces his passion back to a childhood encounter with a book on photography techniques. Despite initially grappling with the technicalities, the allure of capturing the visible world through chemistry left an indelible mark on him. Fueled by a voracious appetite for visual exploration, he immersed himself in the works of luminaries past and present, drawing inspiration from the rich kaleidoscope of artistic expression. With over four decades of experience behind the camera, he continues to evolve his craft, drawing inspiration from a diverse range of subjects and themes. From street photography to urban landscapes, his work remains rooted in the tradition of new color photography while embracing the ever-changing landscape of contemporary visual culture. Join us as we explore the mind of Matthias Gödde, delving into the inspirations, challenges, and triumphs that have shaped his remarkable photographic journey. “Today I see myself as an author photographer. A term that was coined in the 80s by the art critic and curator Klaus Honnef. I have been working on very different topics for years. If, like me, you have been taking photographs for 45 years, this is a tried and tested means of having different seedlings to trigger your gaze and perception again and again. My roots lie in the new color photography of the 80s with its street and urban landscape photography is something I still feel strongly connected to today.” IN CONVERSATION WITH MATTHIAS GÖDDE THE PICTORIAL LIST: Hello Matthias…welcome to The Pictorial List! Let's start by telling us about yourself. What would you say first drew you to photography? MATTHIAS: Looking back, I had no choice. When I was 10, I came across a small book about photography techniques from my older brother. It was one of those long summers that, as a child in the 60s, made the holiday season seem endless. So, with an abundance of time, I read several chapters about film processing and how to put negatives on paper in a darkroom. At the time, I didn't really understand much of what the content of the book was trying to tell me. However, the magic of the latent image that can preserve the visible world with the help of a little chemistry has remained to this day. Reading this book was the seed that took several years to sprout. There was a drugstore in town that sold darkroom supplies, but my pocket money wasn't enough. However, that same year I bet my entire pocket money on the main prize at a lottery booth at the fair and won a Kodak Instamatic 133, which became my companion on school trips. My interest was directed towards art by an uncle who painted and knew how to copy old French and Flemish masters. An intensive engagement with painting and graphics began. I got everything I could find in illustrated books about it from the city library. Because of the desire to see, I could never get enough. This also later impressed my parents, who enabled me to study visual communication at the age of 17. Here the seed sprouted and germinated. It took less than 4 weeks, and I was just hanging out in the photo workshop. The university library was a mecca for good monographs about American and European photographers. My eyes didn't get a break. In a small circle of like-minded people, we met at the cinema at least twice a week. Taken together, the best preparation for refining your own vision. TPL: How do you think your background in visual communication has influenced your perspective as a photographer? MATTHIAS: It was something like a Studium Generale. I was just 17 years old and came from a middle-class family and a small-town environment. The company of teachers and students, many a little off track, looking better than I knew it, was pure inspiration. The freedom to try out different creative disciplines alongside theoretical subjects such as art history and perceptual psychology are formative influences. Getting to know different aesthetic positions opened up a field of possibilities that still resonate today. TPL: What role does storytelling play in your photography, and how do you balance narrative with visual aesthetics? How do you approach the process of capturing the essence of human emotion in your photographs? MATTHIAS: This is a good question but not an easy one to answer. Many of my photos are still strongly influenced by the aesthetics of cinema. This is where the roots and key to my photography lie. It is these moods and the rhythm that are inherent in films and literature. When I look at documentary photos, I always make up a story about them. I see the scenes with their history and their future. Of course it's all fantasy. This creates new images in your head. Photos are the congealed part of a story. TPL: What advice would you give to aspiring photographers who are looking to develop their own unique artistic voice today in photography? MATTHIAS: Neglect the flood of digital images. Check out photographers' monographs. There is more excellence here. TPL: Can you share any memorable anecdotes or stories from your experiences as a photographer? MATTHIAS: In the 90s I drove across northern Italy with a friend to photograph the wonderful grave sculptures in cemeteries. After a week we had a day at the beach. When we got back to the camper, it had been broken into and our equipment and all the exposed films had been stolen. We only took our 35mm cameras with us so we wouldn't miss any subjects on the beach. However, large and medium format cameras were also among the stolen goods. We then visited the same cemeteries again to repeat the recordings. A fallacy. Photographs are always tied to a singular event. All newly taken pictures were missing something. The magic of the first perception was lost. TPL: Looking back on your journey as a photographer, what are you most proud of accomplishing, and what do you hope to achieve in the future? Any projects or ideas you are excited to explore? MATTHIAS: When I look back, all the photos form a quartet of memories of my life. I mix and re-arrange the images every now and then. It's always a different version of me. This quartet is still missing a few cards. Let's see which ones come along. When I look back, all the photos form a quartet of memories of my life. TPL: Can you share any insights into the technical aspects of your photography, such as your choice of equipment or preferred shooting techniques? MATTHIAS: I took analogue photographs until the 2000s. 35mm, medium format and large format were used depending on the subject. Today it is mainly digital full format and medium format cameras. A Mamiya 7 was my constant companion for a long time. A viewfinder camera has the great advantage that you can look beyond the subject and are not immediately limited to a section that excludes everything else. Even with digital cameras, I rarely look through the electronic viewfinder. I keep an eye on the scenery via the screen. TPL: Could you describe your creative process from conceptualization to execution when working on a new series? MATTHIAS: It's more of a chaotic approach. If you, like me, have been photographing for many years, you'll always end up with images that suddenly fall out of the camera outside of your own redundancy. Vague fragments that slowly develop as sediment into something that can be walked on. I often feel bored with certain topics. Perception is an open system. TPL: How do you choose your subjects or scenes to photograph, and what draws you to them? MATTHIAS: It's something like a matrix. They are reflexive and anticipatory reactions. A mélange of everything seen from dreams, books and films filtered through heart and experience. TPL: What is your takeaway from the work you do? In what ways has your photography evolved over the course of your career, and what factors have influenced these changes? MATTHIAS: In the analogue phase of photography, it was hardly possible to give the images a special look beyond the choice of film material and photo paper in post-production. The possibilities today are comparable to painting. The color grading and the selection of papers and printable substrates seem limitless. The way of taking photos, however, is almost unchanged. It seems to be something native to the language. If you haven't learned to dream in another language, your worldview and world experience are set. TPL: If you could work with any photographer for a day, from any time period, who would that be and why? What would you want to learn from them? What would you like to share with them? MATTHIAS: There is this saying: “A real voyage of discovery does not consist in seeking new lands, but in seeing with new eyes.” I would want to have a very long conversation with him about how he thinks about life. After all, we don't photograph what we see, but rather what we are. TPL: When you're not creating your visual stories, what does Matthias Gödde do for leisure? MATTHIAS: Waiting for the time when I can create visual stories. 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. 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Meryl's series “New York PARADISE LOST Bushwick Era Disco” is an intimate journey through the pandemonium and ecstasy of New York City from the 1970s to the early 1990s. Meryl documents a tumultuous time in the city’s history marred by epidemics of crime, addiction, and AIDS, intensified by a paralyzing blackout and political and fiscal crises. Frequenting Manhattan’s legendary discos that arose from the disorder, she captured hedonistic havens patronized by celebrities and revelers of the night. In contrast, daylight revealed the beauty of those who loved and thrived in burnt-out Bushwick, where Meryl worked as a public school art teacher and continuously documented her surroundings. Meryl’s effervescent photographs are a personal memoir - love letters filled with compassion, humor, and angst as well - kept secret for decades until she retired from teaching. Meryl was headed to Studio 54 the night of the ’77 blackout, and the next day, she and much of the world first heard of Bushwick - a hellish neighborhood where fires and looting had erupted. Later in 2013, at BIZARRE (a Bushwick drag/burlesque nightclub), Meryl noticed a disco ball in the restroom along with another above the dance floor. This was an epiphany. Bushwick was now THE sizzling club scene, and in her mind the disparate worlds of Bushwick and disco collided becoming intertwined strands of NYC’s story and her own journey. This is when Meryl realized her photographs of Manhattan nightlife and Bushwick daylight belonged together. Meryl’s two previous internationally acclaimed books, A Tale of Two Cities: Disco Era Bushwick (2014) and Purgatory & Paradise SASSY ‘70s Suburbia & The City (2015) were just the top of the iceberg. The artist continued to dig into her archive, finding hidden treasures. Her new book, New York PARADISE LOST Bushwick Era Disco (Parallel Pictures Press 2021) takes an unexpected turn from clandestine clubs to the classroom where students and staff create a safe space to learn despite societal ills of poverty and prejudice. Meisler’s street photographs radiate with the joys of daily life in contrast to a background of hardship. The nightlife images expose the edgiest, darkest activities the artist has shared to date. Flash forward four decades, and Bushwick is a hub of new music, art, fashion, literature, nightlife, and creative thinking. However, many bemoan the gentrification of neighborhoods like Bushwick. There is a nostalgia and sorrow for what is lost in the process of change. Meryl lives and works in New York City and Woodstock, NY, continuing the photographic memoir she began in 1973 – a uniquely American story, sweet and sassy with a pinch of mystery. Her work is represented by ClampArt. MERYL MEISLER Meryl's series “New York PARADISE LOST Bushwick Era Disco” is an intimate journey through the pandemonium and ecstasy of New York City from the 1970s to the early 1990s. Meryl documents a tumultuous time in the city’s history marred by epidemics of crime, addiction, and AIDS, intensified by a paralyzing blackout and political and fiscal crises. Frequenting Manhattan’s legendary discos that arose from the disorder, she captured hedonistic havens patronized by celebrities and revelers of the night. In contrast, daylight revealed the beauty of those who loved and thrived in burnt-out Bushwick, where Meryl worked as a public school art teacher and continuously documented her surroundings. Meryl’s effervescent photographs are a personal memoir - love letters filled with compassion, humor, and angst as well - kept secret for decades until she retired from teaching. Meryl was headed to Studio 54 the night of the ’77 blackout, and the next day, she and much of the world first heard of Bushwick - a hellish neighborhood where fires and looting had erupted. Later in 2013, at BIZARRE (a Bushwick drag/burlesque nightclub), Meryl noticed a disco ball in the restroom along with another above the dance floor. This was an epiphany. Bushwick was now THE sizzling club scene, and in her mind the disparate worlds of Bushwick and disco collided becoming intertwined strands of NYC’s story and her own journey. This is when Meryl realized her photographs of Manhattan nightlife and Bushwick daylight belonged together. Meryl’s two previous internationally acclaimed books, A Tale of Two Cities: Disco Era Bushwick (2014) and Purgatory & Paradise SASSY ‘70s Suburbia & The City (2015) were just the top of the iceberg. The artist continued to dig into her archive, finding hidden treasures. Her new book, New York PARADISE LOST Bushwick Era Disco (Parallel Pictures Press 2021) takes an unexpected turn from clandestine clubs to the classroom where students and staff create a safe space to learn despite societal ills of poverty and prejudice. Meisler’s street photographs radiate with the joys of daily life in contrast to a background of hardship. The nightlife images expose the edgiest, darkest activities the artist has shared to date. Flash forward four decades, and Bushwick is a hub of new music, art, fashion, literature, nightlife, and creative thinking. However, many bemoan the gentrification of neighborhoods like Bushwick. There is a nostalgia and sorrow for what is lost in the process of change. Meryl lives and works in New York City and Woodstock, NY, continuing the photographic memoir she began in 1973 – a uniquely American story, sweet and sassy with a pinch of mystery. Her work is represented by ClampArt. LOCATION Woodstock & New York City UNITED STATES CAMERA/S Graflex Norita (1970s & current), Minolta SRT101 (1970s), Canon Sure Short (1980s), Pentax K 1000 (1970s & 1980s), Pentax 6 x 7 (2001-2019, needs repair), Fujifilm X 100 (current) WEBSITE http://www.merylmeisler.com/ @MERYLMEISLER @MERYLMEISLER FEATURES // New York: Paradise Lost Quirkyvision

With my images I try to show the duality of things, images, thoughts. Faced with a unique reality, a "beautiful" or unique image, with the processing, with the union of several images, that reality is transformed before our eyes, it ends up presenting itself in a totally different way, harder, deeper, perhaps more reflective. I interpret photography as an interior way of expressing concerns, fears, thoughts; a deconstruction of the same reality. TONY REMARTINEZ With my images I try to show the duality of things, images, thoughts. Faced with a unique reality, a "beautiful" or unique image, with the processing, with the union of several images, that reality is transformed before our eyes, it ends up presenting itself in a totally different way, harder, deeper, perhaps more reflective. I interpret photography as an interior way of expressing concerns, fears, thoughts; a deconstruction of the same reality. LOCATION Sitges SPAIN CAMERA/S Olympus OM-D, iPad @TONYSITGES_RG FEATURES // New Realities

As a photoartist born on the border of China and Russia in the Far East, my artistic journey has been shaped by a range of experiences. Having moved frequently, I found that the shifting environments fueled my creativity, pushing me to explore the depths of human emotion through my work. When my initial economic profession lost its spark, I turned to photography, discovering a medium to express my thoughts and feelings. My work delves into the influence of color on human behavior, revealing how hues can evoke memories and shape perceptions. Embracing an interdisciplinary approach, I incorporate techniques such as embroidery, appliqué, and collage, weaving together textures and layers to create images that resonate on multiple levels. Currently, I am immersed in an art project that combines long exposure photography and light painting, capturing moments and transforming them into narratives. Through this exploration, I aim to invite viewers into a dialogue about the interplay of light, color, and the human experience, encouraging them to see the world through a different lens. ANNA TUT As a photoartist born on the border of China and Russia in the Far East, my artistic journey has been shaped by a range of experiences. Having moved frequently, I found that the shifting environments fueled my creativity, pushing me to explore the depths of human emotion through my work. When my initial economic profession lost its spark, I turned to photography, discovering a medium to express my thoughts and feelings. My work delves into the influence of color on human behavior, revealing how hues can evoke memories and shape perceptions. Embracing an interdisciplinary approach, I incorporate techniques such as embroidery, appliqué, and collage, weaving together textures and layers to create images that resonate on multiple levels. Currently, I am immersed in an art project that combines long exposure photography and light painting, capturing moments and transforming them into narratives. Through this exploration, I aim to invite viewers into a dialogue about the interplay of light, color, and the human experience, encouraging them to see the world through a different lens. LOCATION Krasnogorsk City RUSSIA CAMERA/S Nikon D780 WEBSITE https://annatut.com/ @TUT.ANNA FEATURES // Liminal Spaces