PICTORIAL STORY MY CAPE OF GOOD HOPE November 27, 2020 PICTORIAL STORY Photography and story by Annette Lang Introduction by Karin Svadlenak Gomez SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link German photographer Annette Lang has lived in Nice from 2002 to 2016 and, after some years away in Northern France, moved back to Nice in September 2019. With her three sons growing up in Nice and considering themselves as Niçois through and through, Annette feels strongly attached to this city and now considers it home. She shared with us her very personal account about the Nice waterfront, which she likes to think of as a sort of Cape of Good Hope . For many people, the mere evocation of Nice conjures up postcard pictures of the azure tinted Mediterranean and the scenic waterfront. The best-known stretch is undoubtedly the Promenade des Anglais, competing with the Parisian Champs Elysées and the Croisette in Cannes for the title of the most iconic boulevard. If the Parisian luxury boulevard has its own song by Joe Dassin, the Promenade has its perfume by Guerlain, combining fig, mimosa, rose and bergamot notes. Similar to the namesake perfume, the Promenade, too, comes in different notes and layers and is best appreciated beyond the first obvious scent you pick up. Rather than being a mere logistic connection between the airport to the west and the port to the east, or the place to be for a stroll, the Promenade is a complex living space. It is a hub towards which people of all age groups, backgrounds, cultures and passions converge. It is a bit like the proverbial trees hiding the forest. It is all out in the open, and yet we overlook much, blinded by our travel tinted sunglasses. This story is an invitation to stroll down the Promenade with me and look at the Nice waterfront through a different kind of lens. Right from its origins, the Promenade has been a story of contrasts. Founded by Greeks from what was then Phocaea around 350 BC, Nice was originally called Nikaia. If some see it as derived from Nike, the Greek goddess of Victory, historians tend to see the name as a hellenised version of Nisse, the name of a fresh water source near the port. In Nissart, the local language, Nice is still called Nissa and the local hymn is Nissa la Bella. In any case, Nice quickly became a busy trading port on the Ligurian coast. Interestingly enough, the Roman town Cemenelum developed as a distinct city up on the hills until they were united into a rather modest fishing and trading town under the protection of the Counts of Savoy in 1388. Nice only became French in 1860. From the early 19th century onward, Nice became a much loved destination for British tourists. Nowadays, travellers are fascinated by the Old Town bordering the Mediterranean, thrilled by the narrow alleys and numerous churches and some of the somewhat decrepit buildings. Back in the 19th century, the Old Town was frowned upon as smelly and noisy, convincing the British winter residents to build Newborough – today the New Town in Nice. Nevertheless, the visitors wanted to stroll along the Mediterranean sea. The existing sandy beach path between the Old Town and the Sea lacked the lustre they knew from British seaside resorts. In 1822, Reverend Lewis Way therefore started collecting funds for the construction of a Promenade. The seafront in Nice is often reduced to a tourist destination or a place for a summer stroll. But the story is so much broader and deeper, providing insight into a moving history, a fragmented society, tradition and tragedy, summer and sorrow. Historically speaking, the sea front tells a story stretching from 17th century jail that kept convicts to be sent to the French colonies, to a public space that displays contemporary art alongside luxury yachts next to the small colourful fishing boats, still lovingly maintained and used. Running from the Old Town dating back to the 16th century, the seafront stretches all the way to the airport, past socially disadvantaged areas as much as rich villas. During the day, some unfortunate homeless people tempt their luck in the little alleys of the Old Town or on the Promenade. The laneways leading from the Old Town to the Promenade are both wonderfully scenic and the only shelter for the many homeless people trooping to the South of France. The blue chairs are a true landmark of the Promenade. Beyond being iconic urban furniture, they host so many moments they must have heard and seen it all. The tender whisper of budding love as much as desperate sobbing, loud laughter, and silent grief. Not to talk about the many phone conversations they could eavesdrop on. The blue chairs, too, have their very own monument, created by the Niçois artist Sabine Géraudie in 2014 — 3m high and popped up on top of a cement base, it can be seen from afar and has given rise to quite a number of merchandised products. The distinction the Niçois make between singular and plural when meeting at “the blue chair” and not “blue chairs” becomes obvious when you see how much the sculpture stands out. It has become a landmark in its own right. The Promenade is the only place in the Old Town offering good reception. The thick old walls and narrow alleys make the Old Town the worst part of the city for WIFI – you often see people holding their phones out of the windows in hopes of catching the weak signal. The more scenic option is to zip over to the Promenade and sit on the blue chairs or a bench – something you will find anyone from teenagers to octogenarians doing. Many Niçois children learn how to ride a bike here, often followed by parents running after them with worried shouts. Skaters and inline bladers enjoy the space as much as joggers and cyclists. With the pedestrian part of the Promenade being regularly tarred and maintained, it is not only the perfect playground for children and sports, but also barrier free. As such it is a largely wheelie space. Sports play an important role on the Promenade, motivated by the scenic view. There might be the occasional quarrel between runners nearly tripping over a dog leash or the inexperienced kids bowling you over on their bikes, but the Promenade is a peaceful place. Or so we thought. Theatre for elating moments of happiness and utter joy, the Promenade also saw the most devastating terrorist attack in 2016. A TERRIBLE NIGHT It is July 14, 2016, and the Niçois and many guests are out on the Promenade, enjoying the Bastille Day fireworks traditionally fired from platforms a little off the shore in the sea. The place is packed in that joyful mood of melted chocolate running down your hands from a Nutella crêpe, the incessant snapping of souvenir photos and the impatiently repeated questions from children when it will start. The sky is lit in all colors of the rainbow from 10–10.20 pm. When the sky goes dark again people start moving, totally unaware that their understanding of dark will change forever. At 10.32 pm the terrorist starts mowing people down with his truck, driving his four-wheel murder weapon at high speed over 700 murderous meters. 86 people die, 458 are injured. Grief and sorrow have been part of the Promenade ever since. A memorial has been erected in the garden of the Villa Masséna. Every Bastille Day 86 candles are lit at the memorial and red roses are handed out to everybody who wants to pay their respect through a floral gesture. The 86 victims are also referred to as the Bay's Angels, since the bay at the sea front is called the Angel's Bay. LOVE PREVAILS Permanent messages of love and peace have also been painted on the Promenade itself. Today, life, joy and hope are claiming the space back. People skate and walk and run over it, sometimes unaware of the paintings. I was upset about this for a long time, but now have come to consider it as a symbol of resilience. It is soothing and endearing to see many couples enjoying a moment of love and tenderness on the Promenade, from the first tender cooing to official wedding photos. Strolling hand in hand, watching the ballet of parasails or enjoying the sound of the surf, couples choose the Promenade for romantic moments. That romance might eventually lead the couples a little further down the waterfront to Lenval Hospital, where one of Nice´s biggest maternity wards is located. The striking turquoise and blue glass fronted building belongs to the Lenval foundation. This most beautiful of the Niçois hospitals was founded in 1884 with a Polish man’s grief over losing his ten year old son. Baron Leon Wladyslaw Lenval donated 150 000 francs d’or (gold francs) to create a children’s hospital. Today, Lenval is the biggest pediatric hospital in the Niçois region and includes a specialized children’s psychiatric ward and also a breast cancer center. More than 2000 new citizens are born in the labour rooms overlooking the Mediterranean every year. Two of the best known among them are Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s twins Knox and Vivienne. As is so often the case, joy and sorrow, elation and anxiety are close neighbours. Looking out from Lenval Hospital onto the Mediterranean Sea offers a mental escape for those who wait for exam results or tend to a sick child. The Nice waterfront has its very own Cape of Good Hope , as I call it. Across the street from the hospital, the boulders lining the beach are actually a tidal structure and access to them is officially forbidden. But you often spot people sitting down there, deep in thought. The waterfront boasts another sculpture that is often met with scorn and contempt. Bernar Venet's Nine Oblique Lines were erected in 2010 for the 150th birthday of the annexation of Nice County by the French Republic. The nine rusty lines, reaching 30 m up each represent one of the nine valleys forming Nice County. Their story is amusingly similar to that of the Eiffel Tower. Nowadays a globally recognised icon of French refinement, the Eiffel Tower did not get a warm welcome from Parisians. Back in 1887, 40 celebrities from the arts signed a manifesto protesting against the “monstrous” Eiffel Tower “maligning” the beauty of the French capital. Among these critics were the architect Charles Garnier and such well known writers as Alexandre Dumas and Guy de Maupassant, with the latter taking to having his lunch on the “odious bolted column of steel plates” (Maupassant 1890), the only place allowing him not to see the much hated structure. The Niçois react in a similar, yet more relaxed way. They sit down on the blue chairs turning their backs on the Nine Oblique Lines, opting for the sea view instead. Contemporary art does not always have an easy start. Many more stories could be told about the waterfront. As one of the major traffic arteries, life pulsates on the Promenade that has seen so much. What happens here provides a sort of X-ray of what animates the Niçois. Now, COVID-19 is leaving its mark on the Promenade. With restaurants closed, people sit around with take-away food. Even with all blue chairs and benches taken away for the second lockdown, Niçois troop to the waterfront, displaying a slightly rebellious French mindset by not always obeying restrictions or wearing the prescribed masks. © Annette Lang The blue chairs, too, have their very own monument, created by the Niçois artist Sabine Géraudie in 2014 — 3m high and popped up on top of a cement base, it can be seen from afar and has given rise to quite a number of merchandised products. © Annette Lang © Annette Lang © Annette Lang Mounir has known a difficult life leading him to Nice after entering Europe through Italy. He often plays the accordion or harmonica, hoping for a kind gesture from those strolling past. I often wonder what photos he would take, observing us day in day out. © Annette Lang Some residents have to make a living as street performers and use the benches on the Promenade for much needed rest. © Annette Lang © Annette Lang © Annette Lang With the pedestrian part of the Promenade being regularly tarred and maintained, it is not only the perfect playground for children and sports, but also barrier free. As such it is a largely wheelie space. © Annette Lang © Annette Lang © Annette Lang The "Jetée", a pier, was the only vestige of the Crystal Palace like Casino, which disappeared in 1946. It has now also been demolished, and the Niçois are quite sad about it, as it was the last remnant of the Promenade´s former glory. © Annette Lang A fisherman paints his boat in quintessentially Mediterranean turquoise and white colours. © Annette Lang Interestingly, the world "angel" in the Angel Bay´s name does not refer to the winged beings, but to a specific fish often caught here by the fishermen. © Annette Lang Sports play an important role on the Promenade, motivated by the scenic view. © Annette Lang © Annette Lang © Annette Lang That romance might eventually lead the couples a little further down the waterfront to Lenval Hospital, where one of Nice´s biggest maternity wards is located. © Annette Lang Lenval Hospital © Annette Lang "L’amour triomphera toujours” – Love will always triumph. © Annette Lang The nine rusty lines, reaching 30 m up each represent one of the nine valleys forming Nice County. © Annette Lang © Annette Lang © Annette Lang © Annette Lang © Annette Lang The Nice waterfront encompasses a lot of complex memories and manifold emotions. It also offers room for all our quirkiness, and it is definitely the horizon of our hopes. Strolling the waterfront comes close to walking an intense album of memory snapshots for me. My sons mistook their bikes for bumper vehicles here learning how to ride them, scratched their knees trying to imitate Action Man on their roller blades, lived through appendicitis, bubbly excesses and skater moments here and probably numerous moments I don't know about. I spent long exhausting hours here training for the half-marathon Nice Monaco and the Cannes Nice marathon in teams. It was such an obvious living space, it took me a while to discover it through my lens. It is a joy for me to share stories about it that go beyond its scenic views. view Ann's portfolio Read an interview with Annette >>> Instagram >>> Sources used in story - Bottaro, A. (2019). Hôtels et palaces de Nice: Une histoire du tourisme de 1780 à nos jours. Paris: Collectif. Compan, A. e M. Compan (2019). Histoire de Nice et de son comté. Paris: Editions Campanile. De Maupassant, G. (1890). “Lassitude”, in La Vie Errante. Paris: La Pléiade. Fontana, J.L. (2018). Nice et le comté. Une histoire multimillénaire. Nice: Mémoires millénaires. Sentenac, A. et al. (2020). Promenade de la Mémoire. Paris: Les ronds dans l’O. 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 >>> 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. 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PICTORIAL STORY MOMMIE A heartfelt tribute to the strength of family across three generations of women, capturing the timeless threads of love, loss, and resilience that bind them together. May 12, 2024 PICTORIAL STORY IN MEMORY OF ARLENE GOTTFRIED 1950-2017 photography ARLENE GOTTFRIED story ARLENE GOTTFRIED introduction KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link The Pictorial List is honored to present to you a gift for Mother’s Day from the archives of late photographer Arlene Gottfried. Arlene Gottfried is not only one of the most profound photographers of their time, but a testament to the unconditional love and devotion she shared with her family. For generations, the women of her family were strong role models and the matriarchs of the family. They were her strength, wisdom, mentoring her and supporting her, while simply loving her. Arlene captured the essence of New York City’s vibrant tapestry throughout her adult life through her photography. Brilliant visual storyteller, Arlene was born in Brooklyn in 1950. Arlene’s work resonates with authenticity, empathy, and a keen eye for the human experience. Her photography spans decades, reflecting the city’s evolution and the diverse lives that inhabit its streets. With a unique blend of humor, warmth, and candidness, Arlene’s images offer glimpses into the lives of everyday people, often marginalized or overlooked, yet pulsating with vitality and resilience. She immortalized the raw beauty and undeniable charm of New York’s neighborhoods, portraying moments of joy, sorrow, celebration, and solitude with equal reverence. Arlene’s legacy as a photographer is defined not only by her technical prowess but also by her unwavering dedication to capturing the heart and soul of the city and its inhabitants. Mommie , a book Arlene carefully created and published with Powerhouse Books , offers a compelling glimpse into the intimate world of motherhood through the lens of a gifted photographer. In this captivating collection, Arlene invites readers to embark on a visual journey that celebrates the complexity, tenderness, and resilience of maternal love. She was an observer, seeing all the intricacies in different personalities while understanding the dynamics this can bring to relationships. Arlene never imposed herself into the photograph, she was a quiet listener, retaining the important visuals to depict the true story. Arlene captures the ordinary moments that shape the extraordinary bond between mothers and their children. Each photograph is a poignant reflection of the joys, challenges, strengths, weaknesses, reflecting the timeless beauty found within the realm of motherhood. She invites us to explore the universal experiences of nurturing, sacrifice, and unbreakable familial ties, creating a timeless homage to the profound and enduring role of mothers in our lives. Mommie is not just a book of photographs, but a heartfelt tribute to the essence of motherhood in all its raw and unfiltered glory. Arlene’s portrayal of her family through photography reflects the bond and shared experiences they cherished. Karen, Arlene’s sister, was a source of inspiration and support, playing an integral role in Arlene's artistic journey, influencing her perspective and contributing to the rich volumes of visual stories depicted in her photographs. Often, they navigated the busy streets of the city, finding beauty in the everyday moments that unfolded before them. Their sisterly connection and the colorful tapestry of New York City were immortalized through Arlene’s photography, leaving behind a legacy of artistry and sisterhood that continues to resonate with audiences worldwide. EXCERPT FROM “MOMMIE” (Pages 18-22) To my Dear Mother Lillian Gottfried Grandmother Minnie Zimmerman Sister Karen Gottfried I never really had a project and then went out to photograph for it, except for the gospel. But I started photographing my family in my early days of photography and I would photograph at different times or different occasions, just the way I still pretty much do it. Casual. It wasn't anything planned out. The photographs in this book go back to 1972, when I took a picture of my grandmother. I think that's about when it began. The picture of my father was taken in ‘72, I would say, and it’s the only color picture I have of him. My family was something I photographed, but not with the consciousness that this was a project of mine. I would see things and maybe I would take a photograph. We would meet at my sister Karen’s house for dinner and I’d take a picture over there, if something special were happening. Then as my mother and grandmother started to get older, I began photographing them more, as it was a way of documenting their aging and getting near the finality of life. One time I remember my mother got into a bad mood. She had diabetes pretty severely. It affected her vision and her stamina. And she used to get a little angry. But a lot of the time I would have the camera or bring it over to my sister’s house. If we were eating there or if we were going to visit my grandmother, I would take it. And when they were getting older and I thought things would change drastically, I left a camera at my mother’s house. I would have it there if I didn't feel like carrying it and I could still take some pictures of her. Photographing my mother as she was dying was very hard. I guess that was the only way I could cope with it and kind of hold on to her as much as I could at that time. That was extremely difficult. She became very ill and she got sent through different hospitals and nursing homes and back to the hospital again. Back and forth and back and forth. I felt so bad for her, being shuttled around like that and being ill. I don’t know how to describe it myself but I know it was something so important and so heartfelt and upsetting that I had to capture it. It was very hard to deal with her illness and watching her getting worse. It still hurts to look at the photos. It means a lot to me when people pay attention to the work. They have to be brave enough to feel the feelings. I think it’s a story that most everyone experiences: Losing your parents. The nice touch is my sister giving birth at the end. You think the story is over, but it continues. My grandmother was a traveler. (laughs) She got around until she couldn't anymore. Even when she couldn't get around anymore, in her retirement home, she’d say “Let's go outside.” It could be bitterly cold and she would go out, and if we did’'t have a pass, we would sneak around to the hospital side where there was a stairway. She was over 100 at this point and she would walk. I would help her go down the steps. Then I’d take the wheelchair down and we’d go out. She wanted to get out of that atmosphere and she wanted to get into the air. She was always like that when she came to visit us. We’d go to the Botanical Gardens or something. She wasn't about sitting inside for very long. She liked to go out and move around and my mother said to me once, “You're like Bubbie.” Because I can’t stand staying locked up inside. (laughs) When my grandmother died, it was a sad day, even though she was 104 years old. It was a quiet day in the kitchen when we all met to wait for the car to go to the funeral. That’s what I remember very intensely. She was a great part of our lives. Her mind was sharp on her last day so it wasn’t a sad situation like that. My mother actually said about her, that she lived till she died, which was true. My grandmother had gone with members of the senior home where she lived to the planetarium the day before she passed on. So I thought she went to that sky, in the universe. She loved life. She wanted to be part of things. She was very aware of what was going on. She read her forward every day, you know, the Jewish newspaper. She wasn’t someone to just fade into the woodwork. Mommie has been germinating in me for a while. It changed when my sister gave birth to my nephew, as that kind of extended the story. I always think things are happening at the right time when they happen. I couldn’t have done it sooner, this was the right time. I showed the last maquette to my sister. She was very quiet. She looked at every picture and then she said that she can’t get it out of her head. That’s all she said about it. I know it was intense for her to look at it. I am sure my mother would have had some things to say about showing her so ill. I am not really sure what they would say about it. Generally speaking, my mother was proud of the work I did. She would ask me questions and keep reminding me about things I was supposed to do. My mom was the agent I never had. Not forceful though. She was very supportive in her way and I miss that. I feel their energies, not just for the book, but I feel them every once in a while, their presence. I think they gave me a lot of creativity in a lot of different ways. When I think back, my grandmother on my father’s side was a singer. Not a professional singer, but they would say she would always sing and be very warm hearted at gatherings. (laughs) I think, “Oh, look at that, she loved to sing. Just like me.” My mother called me “the singing photographer.” There was always humor with my family, a lot of humor from a lot of different people. When I think of family I think of humor and I think of my grandmother sewing and cooking and her creativity. My mother was an intellectual in a way. She went to college at a time when women didn't go to college. I think all of this was funneled into me. It is my inheritance. “Mommie” book, by Arlene Gottfried published by powerHouse Books. “I have been photographing the three generations of women in my family - my grandmother, mother and sister - consistently since I began more than 40 years ago. This documentation of my family grew stronger as I got older and saw time passing, my mother's diabetes worsening, and my grandmother approaching 104 years of age. It was time to concentrate on them the only way I knew how, which was with a camera.” © Arlene Gottfried “Karen Eating Crayfish” © Arlene Gottfried “The only color photograph ever taken of my father, in my early days of doing photography. He passed away at 66 years of age.” © Arlene Gottfried “My sister Karen at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.” © Arlene Gottfried © Arlene Gottfried “Mommie and Bubbie at East 14th street. As always saying goodbye, then kissing on the lips.” © Arlene Gottfried © Arlene Gottfried “Mommie Laughing on Balcony” © Arlene Gottfried © Arlene Gottfried © Arlene Gottfried © Arlene Gottfried © Arlene Gottfried “My grandmother taught herself to read English, worked as a hand worker in a factory from a very early age, protested for workers' rights, and made all her beautiful, unique fashions herself. She always knitted sweaters for ger grandchildren.” © Arlene Gottfried © Arlene Gottfried © Arlene Gottfried © Arlene Gottfried © Arlene Gottfried “After a dinner at my house, getting ready to walk to the bus stop in the dark.” © Arlene Gottfried “One day Mommie was on the phone, when she put down the phone for a second to yell at me, "Stop taking so many pictures! Man Ray only took a few!” © Arlene Gottfried © Arlene Gottfried © Arlene Gottfried © Arlene Gottfried “Mommie Pushing Bubbie” © Arlene Gottfried “On July 1, 2000, my grandmother, Minnie Zimmerman, passed from this world. She was 104 years of age, and in full possession of her mind, intelligence, and wisdom.” © Arlene Gottfried “My mother was my friend and the rock I leaned upon. Even as a grown woman, I asked her opinion about everything, turned to her for laughter, and confided in her.” © Arlene Gottfried © Arlene Gottfried “My sister decided this was not to be the ending and became a mother, having a child later in life.” © Arlene Gottfried © Arlene Gottfried Arlene Gottfried’s poignant exploration of motherhood in Mommie is not just a collection of photographs but a profound tribute to the enduring bonds of family and the universal experiences of love, loss, and resilience. Through her photography, she immortalizes the ordinary moments that shape extraordinary relationships, capturing the essence of maternal love with authenticity and empathy. Arlene not only recorded but captured her family’s experiences, from the joyful moments to the heartbreaking ones, reflecting the richness of human connection and the complexities of life as we age. Her ability to capture the raw emotions and intimate moments of her loved ones, even in the face of illness and loss, speaks to the power of photography as a means of both coping with while cherishing life’s most profound moments. As Arlene reflects on her family’s legacy of creativity, humor, and resilience, she acknowledges the profound influence they have had on her own artistic journey. Through her photographs, she not only pays tribute to her family but also carries forward their legacy, infusing her work with their spirit and energy. In Mommie , Arlene invites us to celebrate the timeless beauty of motherhood and the enduring bonds of family, reminding us of the importance of cherishing every moment and honoring the legacies that shape who we are. Arlene’s family extended beyond the women, they were loved and guided by their father and shared a very close relationship with their brother comedian Gilbert Gottfried, who passed away not long after Arlene. Mommie was dedicated to the women of the family, but the men also were cherished and deeply loved. It was a genuine family bond they all shared and carried with them until their death. Karen, the living survivor of their immediate family, along with Gilbert’s wife, Dara have their own children to pass these values down to, sharing the significance of commitment to family. As single mothers Karen and Dara have a wealth of memories to rely on for wisdom. Arlene, Karen, and Gilbert were truly gifted the understanding of family values lovingly passed down by the good hearts and souls of their mother and grandmother. The sisterhood of motherhood is the resilient common thread that unifies and strengthens the bond for all mothers everywhere, each and every day. Arlene's body of work reflects a deep engagement with New York City’s diverse cultures and communities. From her documentation of Puerto Rican culture in Bacalaitos and Fireworks to her exploration of schizophrenia in Midnight and her portrayal of gospel choirs in The Eternal Light , her photographs offer intimate glimpses into the lives of her subjects. Her ability to capture the essence of her subjects has earned her international recognition, with exhibitions in various countries and her photographs being included in prestigious collections such as The Brooklyn Museum of Art and The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. Additionally, her photojournalistic work has graced the pages of numerous publications, showcasing her talent for storytelling through images. Living in New York City and its boroughs, Arlene’s surroundings undoubtedly provided endless inspiration for her work, but her real ability to document life with genuine authenticity comes from her deep roots in her family. Her passion for photography is evident in her dedication to family and diligence to visual storytelling in its truest form, capturing the vibrancy of the city and all its inhabitants. Arlene’s surviving family, Karen Gottfried, and her sister-in-law Dara Gottfried are doing their best to care for Arlene’s treasures. Karen cares for her family photos, and memorabilia and helps to keep her sister’s photography alive through social media. Dara has begun safely organizing, documenting and archiving Arlene’s extensive library of negatives, Cibachromes, Kodachromes, as well as countless photo paper boxes filled with beautiful analog prints. This is a tremendous amount of work, and a daunting task for any family. One reality we as photographers we all have to face, that day of reckoning. It is important to think about and prepare for. Richard Wexler, original founder of The Arlene Gottfried Legacy Project , an offshoot of the Vintage Annals Archive , began around 2013-14 with a simple aim: to showcase and promote Arlene’s remarkable body of work on Instagram. Over time, it evolved into a multifaceted endeavor, including a dedicated webpage, presentations, and now a three-part podcast series, spearheaded by a collaboration between the project founder and Karen Gottfried. Through interviews with key figures and consistent social media updates, the project aims to honor Arlene’s legacy and preserve her contributions to photography. For further engagement, audiences can follow the project on Instagram and listen to the podcast series. A story like this takes many contributions, considerable effort from numerous people, all working together to share the memories and visual stories Arlene has gifted to us. We feel honored to share with our readers her exceptional photographic journey as she witnessed and defined the world around her. The Pictorial List thanks Karen and Dara Gottfried, and their families, for allowing us to experience Arlene in such a real and touching way. Spending time in her archives, visiting the family, looking through her photographs, holding her cameras, made me feel her presence at times. It was a gift for me to experience such a brilliant photographer with such a personal hands-on exposure to their work. We thank Daniel Power, from Powerhouse Books , for sharing the intimacy of Arlene's family through her photography, allowing us to share their brilliant publication of the Mommie book, by Arlene Gottfried. If there is one thing that is evident with absolutely everyone I have spoken with, the genuine kind and generous person Arlene was, and how she touched people and created a lifelong connection and bond, that translates beyond her death, carrying her authentic inciteful photography into the future. Finally, we thank Arlene for sharing the intimacy of the relationships between the women in her family through her book, Mommie . What an inspirational read on Mother’s Day. We are reminded of the strength and value of the commitment to family, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as we all shall live. The vows transcend marriage and are the very family values we raise our families with. Happy Mother’s Day to all mother’s, each and every day of the year! In loving Memory of the Gottfried family - Minnie Zimmerman | September 15, 1896 - July 1, 2000 Max Gottfried | May 18, 1909 - September 11, 1975 Lillian Gottfried | April 13, 1919 - January 7, 2002 Arlene Gottfried | August 26, 1950 - August 8, 2017 Gilbert Jeremy Gottfried | February 28, 1955 - April 12, 2022 view Arlene Gottfried's website IMPORTANT LINKS Simon and Schuster site to purchase "Mommie" book >>> powerHouse Books >> Richard Wexler has compiled a lot of articles and resources that can be found here >>> Arlene Gottfried Legacy Project >>> Instagram >> Arlene Gottfried Podcast Series >>> 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 >>> 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. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold. THE GHOST SELF Buku Sarkar stages her refusal to vanish. Her photographs are unflinching, lyrical acts of documentation, mapping a body in flux and a mind grappling with the epistemic dissonance of chronic illness. WHISPERS On Mother’s Day, Regina Melo's story asks us to pause. To remember. To feel. It honors the profound, often quiet sacrifices that mothers make, and the invisible threads that bind us to them. 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. FRAGMENTS OF TIME Each of jfk's diptychs functions as a microcosm of the city, allowing viewers to experience urban life as constant fragmented glimpses, mirroring the unpredictable nature of human interactions. VANISHING VENICE Lorenzo Vitali’s portrayal of Venice is an almost surreal experience — where time dissolves, and the viewer is left with the sensation of stepping into a dreamscape. CLAY AND ASHES Abdulla Shinose CK explores the challenges faced by Kumhar Gram's potters, balancing tradition and adaptation in the face of modern pressures. ISLAND Enzo Crispino’s photographic series, “Nêsos,” invites viewers into an introspective journey that mirrors the artist’s rediscovery of his voice in photography after a prolonged period of creative estrangement. BEYOND THE BRICKS Amid Bangladesh’s dynamic urban growth, Anwar Ehtesham’s photography takes us beyond statistics and headlines, revealing the hidden lives of the laborers working tirelessly in the nation’s brick kilns. OAXACA In Oaxaca, Tommaso Stefanori captures Día de los Muertos, exploring the convergence of life and death, human connections, and enduring cultural rituals through evocative photographs of tradition and emotion. BEHIND THE PLANTS Wayan Barre documents Cancer Alley residents facing pollution and economic challenges, shedding light on their resilience and the impacts of environmental injustice. THE RED POPPY AND THE SUN By blending archival and contemporary images, Mei Seva creates a visual story that captures the ongoing struggles and moments of triumph for those impacted by displacement and circumstance.

I was born in 1992. I have a Bachelor's degree in Graphics and a graduate of photography at Karnameh Institute. I have attended several group exhibitions in Tehran. And have had my photos published in many books and magazines such as Glamour Affair, MP Magazine, and Articulate. I have obtained a diploma of honour in the conceptual minimalism section of 35 Awards in Russia and acceptance of my photos and participation in the exhibition at the Durbin Net and Image of the Year festivals in Tehran. My photographs are formed based on my initial mental image. After my mental imaging I will look for it in the outside world. My photographs are minimalist style and concept by expressing my mental images of liberation, flight, freedom and silence and thinking. NAZANIN DAVARI I was born in 1992. I have a Bachelor's degree in Graphics and a graduate of photography at Karnameh Institute. I have attended several group exhibitions in Tehran. And have had my photos published in many books and magazines such as Glamour Affair, MP Magazine, and Articulate. I have obtained a diploma of honour in the conceptual minimalism section of 35 Awards in Russia and acceptance of my photos and participation in the exhibition at the Durbin Net and Image of the Year festivals in Tehran. My photographs are formed based on my initial mental image. After my mental imaging I will look for it in the outside world. My photographs are minimalist style and concept by expressing my mental images of liberation, flight, freedom and silence and thinking. LOCATION Tehran IRAN CAMERA/S Canon 30D, iPhone 13 @NAZANIN_DAVARI71 FEATURES // Minimalist Reverie

STREET BEATS You will most likely find Mark Davidson hunting the light and shadows in the laneways of his home city of Melbourne to get that elusive shot. STREET BEATS May 27, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Mark Davidson INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Mark Davidson has discovered the power of capturing the beauty of life through the lens of a camera. After a work trip to the Philippines sparked his interest in photography, the Melbourne-based radio producer and photographer has become a master of street photography, creating scenes full of emotion and contrast. His journey began with a Sony Cybershot and trips to Southeast Asia, and his self-taught skills have taken him around the world. Join us as we explore Mark’s story and gain an insight into his passion for photography. “I first came to photography through travel. The first camera I bought for myself was a Sony Cybershot and I loved taking pictures with my mates on trips through South East Asia. And I think I got some okay results, even in those early days. But while I was focusing on my radio producing career in my twenties, photography remained a hobby, it was always relegated to something I did on holiday. I decided to take photography more seriously around a year and a half ago, following a work trip to the Philippines. I travelled to Cebu in the Philippines with a group of journalists to cover the launch of an airline and roomed with a photographer from Melbourne. He’s an amazing photographer and we spoke a lot about the craft on that trip, and spent some time shooting in Manila. His enthusiasm inspired me to take it more seriously when I got home. While I’m largely self-trained, I did do a 10-week course at a community college in London while I was living there. Other than that I’ve just been figuring it out for myself. Wish I hadn’t have left it so late to be honest.” IN CONVERSATION WITH MARK DAVIDSON THE PICTORIAL LIST: Mark, where do you find your inspiration to photograph? MARK DAVIDSON: I find inspiration on the streets of Melbourne, hunting the light and shadows in the laneways. I also read a lot of articles by foreign correspondents and have a list of places I want to travel to with my camera. TPL: Where is your favourite place(s) to photograph? MD: I shoot mainly in Melbourne’s CBD. North Melbourne train station has been a particularly fruitful location for me. But I keep returning to the lanes and alleys of Melbourne. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us? MD: I love the work of Trent Parke, Alexey Titarenko, Fan Ho, Josef Koudelka and Robert Frank. No surprises there...they’re all masters of photography. I’m also a big fan of modern photographers like Antonio Ojeda and Dimpy Bhalotia. But closer to home, there is a great community of Melbourne street photographers that I follow with keen interest. I am constantly amazed by the top-shelf, innovative work they produce. TPL: Has your style of photographing changed since you first started? MD: Yes, absolutely. I’ve only been shooting street photography seriously for around a year but in that time I have moved away slightly from the long-exposure, black-and-white street stuff I was doing to focus more on high-contrast, deep shadow scenes and mixing it up with colour and black and white. TPL: Do you think equipment is important in achieving your vision in your photography? What would you say to someone just starting out? MD: No, not at all. Ansel Adams and Henri Cartier-Bresson had far less capable cameras than the ones we use today. People get way too hung up on gear. Find out what style of photography interests you and get the equipment that best suits that purpose. Obviously your choice of lens will differ if you’re a landscape photographer as opposed to a wedding photographer. But don’t stress too much about your camera. You can still produce some incredible work with a camera that doesn’t have the latest and greatest specs. Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing. - Aristotle TPL: What characteristics do you think you need to become a 'good' photographer? What's your tips or advice for someone in your genre? MD: Patience. 100 percent. There are few locations around Melbourne of note where the light hits the wall at a certain time of day and creates these incredible colours and shapes. I’ve returned to these spots around ten times in the past few weeks but still haven’t got the shot I’m after. I’ve also camped out in other locations for an hour or more to get a frame. That’s my style - a lot of other photographers don’t like to work that way and won’t agree. But I’m completely happy working solo; even if I don’t come away with a great shot I’ll just wander the streets for hours looking for the light. Patience pays you dividends in the long run. TPL: Have you ever been involved in the arts before photography? MD: Not really. Unless you count playing in a band. We put out a couple of EPs and gained a bit of traction in our hometown. We were pretty shit to be honest. I’m hopeless at drawing and painting. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? MD: No, not at the moment. I would love to find a project that combines my love of travel to far-flung locations and photography. But that’s not possible right at this moment. TPL: "If I wasn't photographing what would I be doing?... MD: Working as a radio producer and journalist, which is what I’m currently doing! I work on a breakfast radio program, which gives me the freedom to photograph in the afternoon and evening." Mark Davidson's journey serves as an inspiring example of the power of pursuing one's passions. He has honed his craft through a combination of self-taught skills, dedication and an affinity for street photography. His work has taken him all over the world, creating stunning images that capture the beauty of life and convey emotion. To follow Mark's journey, his creative process and the various places he has visited, follow him on his street photography journey. VIEW MARK'S PORTFOLIO Mark's website >>> Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> 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. EVERYDAY BLACKNESS Parvathi Kumar’s book is a profound tribute to the resilience, and contributions of incredible Black women from all walks of life, making it a vital addition to the conversation around International Women’s Month. A VOYAGE TO DISCOVERY Fanja Hubers’ journey in photography is one of continuous exploration, balancing documentation with artistic self-reflection. MARCH FORWARD Through photography, Suzanne Phoenix creates a space for representation, recognition, and resistance — ensuring that the voices of women and gender-diverse people are seen, heard, and celebrated. FLUX: Exploring Form, Luminescence, and Motion Amy Newton-McConnel embraces unpredictability, finding structure within chaos and allowing light to guide the composition. AN ODE TO SPONTANEITY AND SERENDIPITY Meera Nerurkar captures not just what is seen but also what is felt, turning the everyday into something worth a second glance. THAT’S HOW IT IS Luisa Montagna explores the fluid nature of reality - how it shifts depending on the observer, emphasizing that subjective perception takes precedence over objective truth.

PICTORIAL STORY SHADES OF THE COALMAN In the wooded hills of Tuscany, an ancient craft still breathes. Simone Batini follows the fading trail of the coalman — capturing the rhythm and legacy of a trade passed down through generations. This is more than documentation; it’s a tribute to hands that keep history alive. April 14, 2023 PICTORIAL STORY photography SIMONE BATINI story SIMONE BATINI SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link In the small town of Pescaglia, located in the Serchio Valley, immersed in the woods of the Italian hills of the Tuscany region, the art of the Coalman is handed down. An ancient and very important trade in the past for this area, because coal was at that time the engine of every house and of many craft activities such as the ironworks present in this area. Luigi Massei is nicknamed “the last charcoal burner” who still today, keeps this trade alive, which Luigi has passed on with passion to his son Arturo and grandchildren Diego and Fabio. It is a hard and complex process that begins with the accumulation of wood, deposited outdoors in a flat area usually close to the forest. From here, the process to obtain coal starts, which develops in the phases of winding, shoeing, veneering, combustion, drawing, cooking, leavening and finally packaging. A hard job, between sweat and smoke, no distractions are allowed for the entire process, where the charcoal pit is kept under control day and night. In the end, the result obtained is an excellent quality coal, which today is no longer used as a lucrative activity. At the end of a long day, in the main image above, Luigi's worn, and dirty hands hold a photo that has a very important meaning for him, between the hope and the feeling that this art will be preserved for many more years and generations for the Massi family. An old farmhouse in the first light of the morning, frames the place where the processing takes place to obtain the coal. The eye (circular access hole) is located at the top of the Carbonaia, and is used in the subsequent phases to feed the fire inside. Luigi and his son Arturo seek the right balance to correctly position the first part of the wood. With a lot of patience Luigi continues the work and arranges the wood in a circular way, the charcoal pit slowly takes shape. The covering phase, carried out with care, consists in covering the charcoal pile from the bottom upwards first with a layer of hay. And then with one layer of earth. Continued, then ending with the positioning of a circular basket which acts as a temporary cap, so as to keep intact the only access point to the heart of Carbonaia. The infuocatura is undoubtedly the most spectacular process. The charcoal burner equipped with a wooden ladder reaches the top of the Carbonaia from where they light the fire inside. A powerful smoke is released. The fire is fed slowly with the addition of small pieces of wood. Then Arturo manually closes the hole/eye using portions of earth obtained from the nearby field. The fire in the absence of oxygen burns slowly and without flame so as to transform the wood into coal. Between dust and smoke the Carbonai carry out the decarbonation, a phase in which the coal is separated from the earth and isolated to be collected with a lot of effort and sweat. © Simone Batini The work is carried out non-stop. © Simone Batini The coal is finally collected and placed in ancient cloth sacks to then be weighed, each sack is partially closed using wooden twigs where the exact weight is written above. © Simone Batini © Simone Batini Simone Batini’s Shades of the Coalman project strives to document the traditional trades and crafts that are slowly being replaced by industry and social changes in the Tuscany region of Italy. Through this project, Simone has done an incredible job of capturing the beauty of the hard and complex process of making coal and telling Luigi Massei’s story of passing on his trade to his son and grandkids. It is clear from this project that Simone wants to preserve and document this ancient art for future generations. To see more of these projects please visit Simone's portfolio and read his stories. view Simone's portfolio View other projects by Simone - Times Past >>> An Artist's Place >>> Read an interview with Simone >>> 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 >>> 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. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold. THE GHOST SELF Buku Sarkar stages her refusal to vanish. Her photographs are unflinching, lyrical acts of documentation, mapping a body in flux and a mind grappling with the epistemic dissonance of chronic illness. WHISPERS On Mother’s Day, Regina Melo's story asks us to pause. To remember. To feel. It honors the profound, often quiet sacrifices that mothers make, and the invisible threads that bind us to them. 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. FRAGMENTS OF TIME Each of jfk's diptychs functions as a microcosm of the city, allowing viewers to experience urban life as constant fragmented glimpses, mirroring the unpredictable nature of human interactions. VANISHING VENICE Lorenzo Vitali’s portrayal of Venice is an almost surreal experience — where time dissolves, and the viewer is left with the sensation of stepping into a dreamscape. CLAY AND ASHES Abdulla Shinose CK explores the challenges faced by Kumhar Gram's potters, balancing tradition and adaptation in the face of modern pressures. ISLAND Enzo Crispino’s photographic series, “Nêsos,” invites viewers into an introspective journey that mirrors the artist’s rediscovery of his voice in photography after a prolonged period of creative estrangement. BEYOND THE BRICKS Amid Bangladesh’s dynamic urban growth, Anwar Ehtesham’s photography takes us beyond statistics and headlines, revealing the hidden lives of the laborers working tirelessly in the nation’s brick kilns. OAXACA In Oaxaca, Tommaso Stefanori captures Día de los Muertos, exploring the convergence of life and death, human connections, and enduring cultural rituals through evocative photographs of tradition and emotion. BEHIND THE PLANTS Wayan Barre documents Cancer Alley residents facing pollution and economic challenges, shedding light on their resilience and the impacts of environmental injustice. THE RED POPPY AND THE SUN By blending archival and contemporary images, Mei Seva creates a visual story that captures the ongoing struggles and moments of triumph for those impacted by displacement and circumstance.

STOPPING TIME Angel Carnicer kicks the streets to feel that strange and healthy feeling of stopping time. He simply lets any reality invoke him. STOPPING TIME May 21, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Angel Carnicer INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Dive into a world full of beauty and diversity, a world of life and stories, a world that is frozen in time – and discover the captivating photography of Angel Carnicer. His passion for the art is evident in every photograph he takes, as his unique perspective helps to bring his subjects to life in a way that no other photographer can. Whether it's a candid portrait of a stranger or a stunning landscape shot, Angel knows how to make every picture special. He has an eye for the extraordinary and captures moments that are both fleeting and timeless. He has a way of allowing the world to speak for itself, allowing the viewer to be drawn into the beauty of the moment. Join Angel on his journey as he explores the vast, ever-changing world around us, and you'll never look at the world the same way again. “Inept for order and academia, perhaps my style is to have none. I simply let reality, any reality, invoke me.” IN CONVERSATION WITH ANGEL CARNICER THE PICTORIAL LIST: Angel, when did you start getting interested in photography? ANGEL CARNICER: It was a professor at my institute who introduced me to the world of photography, at that time exclusively analog. After the Institute, I was able to set up my own home photography lab. My first serious camera was a Zenit SLR, a gift from my older brother. That lasted 4-5 years of self-taught learning. Other concerns and circumstances made photography pass into the background; so for about 30 years I dedicated myself to taking typical photos of family, friends and trips. I suppose that experience left a deep mark; because about 3 years ago I bought a Nikon D3300 and resumed my youth hobby. Today, therefore, I consider myself a novice. TPL: Where do you find your inspiration to photograph? AC: I don't think inspiration is something to find, look for or wait for. One carries in his backpack a cultural heritage (photographs, readings, paintings, experiences, a peculiar sensitivity, etc.) and works with it even without realizing it. Sometimes the spark jumps and sometimes it doesn't. It can happen anywhere. TPL: Have you ever been involved in the artistic world before photography? AC: In my youth I wrote poetry. The most I achieved was winning the poetry contest organized every year by the University where I studied. Fortunately, someone very special took Hermes' winged sandals from me and I discovered the pleasure of walking barefoot on earth. TPL: Has your style of photographing changed since you first started? AC: Of course, I no longer photograph with my eyes closed. TPL: Where is your favourite place to photograph? AC: Any place is good to do it: the bustling streets of a city or the calm ones of a town, the cement or the grass, the sea or the mountain. I mean, I don't dream of going to New York, London or Tokyo. Seeing, with some exceptions, is natural; looking requires will, courage and learning. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? AC: I am not a mythomaniac and more than favorite artists or photographers what I like are their creations. I mean, for example, that I like Goya's black paintings and his 'Disasters of War' engravings. However, here is a list where not everyone is. Writers: Juan Rulfo, Cervantes, Raymond Carver, William Faulkner, and F. García Lorca. Thinkers: Emil Cioran, Hans Magnus Enzensberger, Georges Bataille, and Zygmunt Bauman. Painters: Velázquez, Murillo, Goya, Hopper, Monet, Paul Klee, and German Expressionism (Nolde, Kirchner). Photographers: Sergio Larrain, Cristina García Rodero, Gervasio Sánchez, Walker Evans, Robert Frank, Fan-Ho, André Kertész, Saul Leiter, Vivian Maier, Garry Winogrand, Aart Klein, Daido Moriyama, and Markus Hartel. TPL: What characteristics do you think you need to become a better photographer? What’s your tips or advice for someone in your genre? AC: For street photography I would like to be invisible. For another type of photography I would need all the time in the world; but I have other responsibilities. TPL: Do you think equipment is important in achieving your vision in your photography? What would you say to someone just starting out? AC: Of course. "Photography is manipulation" (Hans Magnus Enzensberger). An iPhone is not the same as a Leica S3. This means your use will determine part of the result. Of course, this does not mean that a Leica S3 turns you into a Cartier-Bresson overnight. My experience is brief, therefore, the only thing I can say to someone who starts is: love what you do and remember, as Cartier-Bresson said, "that your first ten thousand photos are your worst photos". TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? AC: I don't work on projects. I only take photos. I would like each photo I take to be unique, independent, capable of conveying some emotion or idea without having to embed it into a coherent whole. I don't know, maybe when I retire I will try. TPL: If I wasn't photographing what would I be doing?... AC: In my case, the last question would be the following: if you weren't working, what would you be doing? Angel kicks the streets to feel that strange and healthy feeling of stopping time. He simply lets any reality invoke him. To see more of his photography please use the links below. VIEW ANGEL'S PORTFOLIO Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> 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. EVERYDAY BLACKNESS Parvathi Kumar’s book is a profound tribute to the resilience, and contributions of incredible Black women from all walks of life, making it a vital addition to the conversation around International Women’s Month. A VOYAGE TO DISCOVERY Fanja Hubers’ journey in photography is one of continuous exploration, balancing documentation with artistic self-reflection. MARCH FORWARD Through photography, Suzanne Phoenix creates a space for representation, recognition, and resistance — ensuring that the voices of women and gender-diverse people are seen, heard, and celebrated. FLUX: Exploring Form, Luminescence, and Motion Amy Newton-McConnel embraces unpredictability, finding structure within chaos and allowing light to guide the composition. AN ODE TO SPONTANEITY AND SERENDIPITY Meera Nerurkar captures not just what is seen but also what is felt, turning the everyday into something worth a second glance. THAT’S HOW IT IS Luisa Montagna explores the fluid nature of reality - how it shifts depending on the observer, emphasizing that subjective perception takes precedence over objective truth.

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

I graduated in economics, studied painting and drawing at the Art Museum of Lima. My economic training integrated with photography allows me to understand the aesthetics and the human condition that people project. I work independently with different national and international non-government organisations. I have participated in exhibitions in Dubai, Italy, India and Peru. I have been awarded in national competitions and was a finalist in Photography Salons of France, the United States, and Peru. DOWNTOWN LIMA PROJECT: On the basis of my photographic intention, which is: the search for the relationship of the individual within his urban environment, whether from the social, economic, religious, political, racial, etc. point of view, and all those ethnographic elements that allow us to identify this process of linking and identifying the individual and the city to which he belongs. For this reason, it is precisely this search that is posed in the images that I present, through the pretext of using the camera; flashes; color filter; slow speed technique combined with the dynamics and technique of street photography. This project started 6 years ago in the city of Lima, a city that lives at every moment, and its characters are combined in different facets, ages, colors, cultures, countries, etc. It is worth mentioning that my project started with black and white photography, then the use of the cell phone and now using artificial lighting techniques. DOWNTOWN LIMA tries to portray in a particular way on the basis of the above, the main subject of our city: OURSELVES. ARTURO CAÑEDO I graduated in economics, studied painting and drawing at the Art Museum of Lima. My economic training integrated with photography allows me to understand the aesthetics and the human condition that people project. I work independently with different national and international non-government organisations. I have participated in exhibitions in Dubai, Italy, India and Peru. I have been awarded in national competitions and was a finalist in Photography Salons of France, the United States, and Peru. DOWNTOWN LIMA PROJECT: On the basis of my photographic intention, which is: the search for the relationship of the individual within his urban environment, whether from the social, economic, religious, political, racial, etc. point of view, and all those ethnographic elements that allow us to identify this process of linking and identifying the individual and the city to which he belongs. For this reason, it is precisely this search that is posed in the images that I present, through the pretext of using the camera; flashes; color filter; slow speed technique combined with the dynamics and technique of street photography. This project started 6 years ago in the city of Lima, a city that lives at every moment, and its characters are combined in different facets, ages, colors, cultures, countries, etc. It is worth mentioning that my project started with black and white photography, then the use of the cell phone and now using artificial lighting techniques. DOWNTOWN LIMA tries to portray in a particular way on the basis of the above, the main subject of our city: OURSELVES. LOCATION Lima PERU CAMERA/S Nikon, smart phone WEBSITE https://www.arturocanedo.com/ @ARTUROCANEDO @ARTUROCANEDOIMAGENES FEATURES // Downtown Lima

MY VISUAL DIARY Using photography as his visual diary, Luca Strippoli conveys his emotional participation through the subject and composition in his photographs. MY VISUAL DIARY June 7, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Luca Strippoli INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Discover the captivating work of Luca Strippoli, an award-winning Italian street photographer whose passionate improvisations capture the emotion of his subjects and ignite the imagination. His stunning black and white photos embody a visual diary of his feelings, yet his remarkable talent transcends beyond the boundaries of monochrome imagery - his vivid, thought-provoking colour compositions evoke a sense of creativity, daring us to look beyond the literal and embrace the unexpected. Luca's remarkable talent challenges us to be bold and decisive with our camera shutter and to explore new, exciting perspectives. “I like to define myself a passionate improviser. Photography is, from my point of view, a kind of diary, I talk of myself through others.” IN CONVERSATION WITH LUCA STRIPPOLI THE PICTORIAL LIST: Luca, when did you start getting interested in photography? LUCA STRIPPOLI: I’ve studied graphics when I was younger and I have always been fascinated by art and images. TPL: Where do you find your inspiration? LS: Wandering in the streets, visiting a museum, listening to music…in my opinion inspiration can come from different situations...it can be an unusual light beam, a detail, an interesting backlight or trivially a street scene I must portray. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? LS: I try to take pictures my way, with all the limits. Photographing is like writing for a writer, you can use a typewriter, a word processor, a pencil…but what counts the most are the words. However, between my favorite photographers my beloved ones are Mario Giacomelli, for his landscapes and people; Elliott Erwitt, storyteller of meaningful little stories; Sebastiao Salgado, with his amazing frames and; finally Henri Cartier-Bresson, a photography aesthete. TPL: Has your style of shooting changed since you first started? LS: Absolutely. I’ve understood that photography was becoming more and more part of my life when I introduced people in my photos. I was then aware of my emotional participation in everything included in the composition of the picture. TPL: Where is your favourite place to shoot? LS: I like wandering without a destination. It’s the first symptom of a disease called photography…I stray in the city just to catch little stories, fragments of life that ordinary life gives to me. I don’t know the subjects but in that moment they become unconsciously my models. Photographing is like writing for a writer, you can use a typewriter, a word processor, a pencil…but what counts the most are the words. TPL: What characteristics do you think you need to become a 'good' photographer? What’s your tips or advice for someone in your genre? LS: The continuous bombing of photos we are getting used to on social media, without an adequate visual education that can provide the right tools to correctly evaluate an image, can now destabilize how we judge a shot. Therefore, to emerge now as a photographer has become even harder, but I like thinking there is still a place where talented people sooner or later will be valued and acknowledged for their work. TPL: Have you ever been involved in the arts before photography? LS: No TPL: Do you think equipment is important in achieving your vision in your photography? What would you say to someone just starting out? LS: The equipment I am using right now is the smartphone but in the past I have used several kinds of equipment. Nowadays, I need something to catch the moment immediately and here the smartphone comes into play because you always have it in your pocket...simple to use and fast to catch the best timing in a specific moment. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? LS: I have just started a project about photo composition, many photos balanced to create a singular one. TPL: "If I wasn't photographing what would I be doing?... LS: I would come back to paint." Luca's work is a captivating invitation to explore a new world of photography. His inspiring photography encourages us to challenge ourselves and look for new perspectives. To further discover the captivating work of Luca Strippoli, connect with him today and be inspired by his work. VIEW LUCA'S PROFILE Luca's website >>> Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> 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. EVERYDAY BLACKNESS Parvathi Kumar’s book is a profound tribute to the resilience, and contributions of incredible Black women from all walks of life, making it a vital addition to the conversation around International Women’s Month. A VOYAGE TO DISCOVERY Fanja Hubers’ journey in photography is one of continuous exploration, balancing documentation with artistic self-reflection. MARCH FORWARD Through photography, Suzanne Phoenix creates a space for representation, recognition, and resistance — ensuring that the voices of women and gender-diverse people are seen, heard, and celebrated. FLUX: Exploring Form, Luminescence, and Motion Amy Newton-McConnel embraces unpredictability, finding structure within chaos and allowing light to guide the composition. AN ODE TO SPONTANEITY AND SERENDIPITY Meera Nerurkar captures not just what is seen but also what is felt, turning the everyday into something worth a second glance. THAT’S HOW IT IS Luisa Montagna explores the fluid nature of reality - how it shifts depending on the observer, emphasizing that subjective perception takes precedence over objective truth.

18 >> 20 Elsa Arrais composed a simultaneously artistic, emotional, poetic and imagery portrait of her city in a predetermined period of time. 18 >> 20 October 18, 2023 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Elsa Arrais INTERVIEW Karen Ghostlaw Pomarico Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Elsa Arrais is a photographer living and creating impressive work in Leiria, Portugal. Born in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Elsa has become a beautiful thread in the tapestry of Portugal. With a background in Engineering, her attraction to visual arts emerged almost imperceptibly and gradually photography became her means of expression and artistic object. Elsa is married and the mother of two beautiful children, living and being inspired by the intricacies of the city of Leiria. Here Elsa has forged a path for her photography by embracing the artists and writers that bring life and character to Leiria in new and exciting ways. In 2021 began an important journey in photography contributing to the collaborative group Fotographar Palavras, and becoming an integral part of their project. Fotographar Palavras is a group founded by Paulo Kellerman, that combines the talent of writers and photographers, engaging them to collaborate on translating words into photography. Elsa shares her inspiration. “Since 2021, I have contributed to the Fotografar Palavras project, where I often search the self-portrait for the defining elements of meaning. With a predilection for minimalist black and white, my visual exploration is guided by local and temporal ephemera, transforming the peculiarities of the details that I find, in the streets I wander, into brief windows, fragments or reflections of memories and personal essences.” Despite all these years living in Leiria, Elsa never felt a real connection with the city. As a mother of two children, it can be hard to find time to call your own, to focus on what inspires you as an artist, and to commit to making the time to create work. These disconnections became the motivation for the photographic base concept of this project ‘18>>20’, which was conceived to embrace these challenges, and create meaningful work. Elsa shares the creative and critical thinking processes that helped her breathe life into her project and give it a powerful direction. “This project emerged with the intention of connecting me with the city and naturally with myself. The use of a 28mm lens served to reinforce this aim of proximity and intimacy with the city, both metaphorically and technically. From this reflection of my relationship with the city, capturing both details and subtleties as well as the city's identity marks, at the end of this project I came across a series of images that subtly lead to a city-shelter. This theme ended up being as personal as it was universal and will therefore serve as the basis for a cycle of reflective conversations developed in partnership with the municipality of Leiria, publisher of the book.” With critical thoughts and ideologies in place, the creative process becomes the focus. Elsa was driven to make the commitment to create this work in a meaningful way. “During one year, always at the same time of the day (between 18 and 20 o’clock), I wandered around the city and photographed Leiria freely. I created a collection of hundreds of images, composing a subtle and emotional portrait of the city, capturing details and subtleties, permanence and mutations, the subtle identity marks that define the soul of constructions and nature, of spaces, of people. From each weekly selected photograph by Paulo Kellerman, he created a brief text (amalgamation of fiction, philosophical reflection and poetic narrative) that offers new possibilities of reading for those images. The aim of this collaborative work (52 weeks, 52 photos, 52 texts) was to compose a simultaneously artistic, emotional, poetic and imagery portrait of the city in a predetermined period of time, in an intimate relationship between emotion and reflection, urbanism and privacy, collective and individual, space and time, image and word.” One can make a significant statement through their personal work, while sometimes the power can be amplified by combining artistic energy and vision from another artist to create an entity larger than oneself. This was the dynamic and inspiration for both artists to produce this relevant work together. Elsa explains the relationship between her and Paulo Kellerman, and how effective they have become at exchanging artistic concepts and visions through photography and word. “Fascinated by the various readings, interpretations and meanings that are normally attributed to my photographs by observers, already collaborating at the time in a project that combines literature and photography and being an avid supporter of multidisciplinary and interconnection of various artistic expressions, the partnership with the local writer Paulo Kellerman came naturally. Mutual respect and trust in individual works allowed us both to be free in the process of creating images and texts. And it was from this freedom, trust, interconnection of interpretations, individual complicities with the city and complicities between photographer and writer that a new vision as collective as personal was born, created week after week. This process culminated in the publication of a book where growth and discoveries are shared.” Paulo Kellerman shares his experience collaborating with Elsa on this project together. “The project 18 » 20 was an amazing creative experience, based on the complicity between writer and photographer. We had time for this project, and that was very important to us: to have the opportunity to think about and discuss the project, to experiment, to see how it slowly materialized. Elsa is very enthusiastic, very determined, very challenging, very cooperative, very generous; it was an enormous pleasure to work with her and I think it shows in the book. I'm very proud of the work we achieved and also of the way we did it, the process in itself. It was a perfect example of co-creation: sharing and creating together, harmonizing points of views and aesthetics, learning with the other, putting the best of each one in the pursuit of a common goal.” Elsa has created new pathways she follows through the streets of Leiria with her photography. She has embraced a philosophy and vision that inspires her to utilize photography in meaningful ways to create important work. As an artist and photographer, she works with clear vision, and an open mind to learn more and to be influenced in creating new ways of seeing and understanding the world around her. “We exist in a present where photography is as accessible as it is conditioned. Accessible to everyone at the touch of a cell phone but restricted in many contexts to those who want to use it in the shared space as a form of artistic expression. Based on this dichotomy, Elsa Arrais searches in the commonplace of everyday life for a voice that many times echoes beyond the expressiveness of a face; her search for notable physical expressions, as well as places' identity details, seeks to establish words capable of awakening emotions and imaginary (and imagery) interpretations in external observers, usually keeping the identity and intimacy of those portrayed intact. The result of this balance between technique, emotion and delicacy is the creation of an ambivalent language dictionary, as complex as it is simple, which oscillates between light and shadow, geometry and emptiness, being and its outer contour, the concrete and distortion; between what remains immutable and what continues under construction; between freedom and repression. As an existential metaphor, this dictionary continues its quest for permanent growth and mutation, in the hope that one day it will become extinct or transformed into a grammar that, complete in itself, forms part of the universal language of images of the present in which we exist. The present where photography is as accessible as it is conditioned, and therefore needs dictionaries.” The Pictorial List asked Elsa some questions about her as a photographer, and co-creator of project and book ‘18>>20’. “I truly aim for the viewer to be drawn into the city of Leiria and walk in it, along with us, having a temporal journey and identifying the subtleties we came across during the one year. I wish this work can make them question their own relationship with this city and with their home cities. And also hope that, amplified by Paulo Kellerman’s words, the viewer can get carried away by imagination and create their own stories and interpretations around the shared pictures projecting this skill to others' photos.” IN CONVERSATION WITH ELSA ARRAIS THE PICTORIAL LIST: Hello Elsa, thank you for your insight into your inspiring project. Tell our readers a little about yourself and the important role that photography has come to play in your life. ELSA ARRAIS: I come from a typical middle class Portuguese family. For as long as I can remember, photography has always been present in our lives. In my parents' house I could always find framed photographs on dressers and walls. I remember my father showing photo-slides of significant family moments, seeing organized family photo albums and, later, seeing my brother experimenting with slow shutter speed or printing his photographs in an improvised darkroom at my parents' house basement. I was about sixteen years old when my brother gave me my first camera, a film point and shoot, easy to use but with a significant dimension in my ability to immortalize moments. I suppose I've always had a part of me connected to the visual aspect of the world around me, but at that time I still couldn't recognize it. This legacy of keeping significant moments in the form of photography continued to accompany me over the years and with the birth of my first daughter it was amplified, challenging me to explore and improve the photographic technique. With the arrival of Covid-19, and with it the first lockdown, the impossibility of visiting my parents and them going out led me to document the small hygienic walks, with the aim of bringing them a little of the beauty of a world they were prevented from seeing. In the beginning, they were photographs of small details that captured my attention, but as people returned to their daily routines, I began to become interested in including the human figure in my images, finally discovering my interest in street photography. On this trip I met extraordinary people with common interests, who helped me shape the artistic path I have been following. Today I can no longer imagine going out without a camera and, although there are many moments when I go out objectively to photograph for projects, it is still in the most unexpected moments that I manage to see and find the most special images. TPL: How hard was it to devote a commitment of time to balance your creative work in photography and your love for your family and the unsurmountable work that can be 24/7. Do you think it is essential for women, or men that care for their families to make this time for themselves, and if so, why? EA: It is definitely essential for anyone to have the possibility of using time for themselves in order to maintain an inner balance that allows them to remain persistent, tolerant and kind towards those around them on a daily basis. On a personal note, it was precisely photography that allowed me to balance both worlds, hiding behind the camera and using it as a physical and emotional barrier to create brief moments of detachment from family routines, even while within them. TPL: How have you grown as a person from these two hours a day, as a photographer, as a mother, as a citizen of your community? How has your family grown from this experience? When I walk through the streets of the city of Leiria, I finally feel the sensation of knowing every corner and alleys. The streets now have names, images, many stories and questions associated with them. The city is no longer just a city, it has become mine, both through the moments spent there and through seeing and reviewing the images collected and the texts created by Paulo Kellerman for them. I now understand that to have a sense of belonging, even in the case of a city, personal openness and genuine dedication are necessary. In Portugal, the time range in which we developed the 18 » 20 project includes approximately seventy percent of the year twilight or night light, which means that as a photographer I was able to widely explore low-light environments. The fact that Leiria is a relatively small city forced me to pay extra attention in order to obtain original perspectives and images week after week, making it a demanding exercise that cuts across all my photographic explorations. I often jokingly say that eighty percent of my photographs were taken with someone saying they are hungry, thirsty or need to go to the bathroom, as my children often accompany me on my photographic explorations. This project was no exception. Even so, it was never an impediment to facing it with dedication and rigor, quite the contrary, it proved to be an exercise of patience and joint growth. They were part of my vision, sometimes within the photographs, sometimes forcing me to see what my adult vision often doesn't see. My children are also co-authors of the look that is reflected in the images I produce. Deeply grateful for their precious help, when I make these forays into the life of the city, I also hope to illuminate the path to the possibilities of personal expression and forms of artistic contribution to the community. Despite the reflection on my relationship with the city being something personal ended up proving to be universal. The municipality's interest in holding a cycle of conversations on the topic of Leiria city-shelter is clear evidence of the impact that this work had on the city management responsible and that it will certainly continue to happen on the Leiria community. TPL: Since your work on this project, have you made connections to communities you did not have before, if so, explain what they are and the value or difference they have made in the way you engage your community now. EA: Regardless of having connected myself to the city itself, being a shy person, I still feel that I haven't connected myself to the humans of Leiria community. Hopefully it may happen within the cycle of conversations. Despite this, it has led me to get involved in several different projects, where I have been using all the growing know-how from this project and making me take a next step into the photography world by talking and getting to know the local people. TPL: Can you tell our readers what collaboration and working on projects have done for you, and the importance of setting goals, and committing to achieving them. EA: For me, working on both individual and collective projects is a process of permanent learning. I always try to work on something meaningful, so it becomes intuitive to maintain focus and motivation, and the work flows naturally, especially on long-term projects. Challenging myself to step out of my comfort zone is also something I try to do with each project. This helps me to continue studying and exploring more about photographic techniques, other arts, places and people. When I deliberately challenge myself, I know I'm going to do something I've never done before, I overcome my mental barriers and technical knowledge, which usually results in truly rewarding meaningful images. Working objectively for projects, whether individual or collective, also helps me to establish visual priorities when I go out and to be methodical about categorizing the photographs that I regularly add to my image collection. However, for a project to come to fruition, a certain degree of commitment is always necessary, and the first step is to clearly establish the objectives and methodology. Nevertheless, the biggest benefit I derive from involvement in all projects is undoubtedly personal. They have been a beautiful way to rediscover myself and meet other people. 18 » 20 is a clear example of this and would not have been possible without the complicity created with Paulo Kellerman. Despite the reflection on my relationship with the city being something personal ended up proving to be universal. TPL: What is some advice you can share about working on projects, and working with other people? What are some of the challenges you have come across, and how did you address them? EA: As I mentioned previously, I like to see each project as a learning process. Coming from the science field, I am always aware that the mutation and evolution of objectives throughout the implementation of a project is part of the process. This is essential for work with more significant and better results but, above all, for us to be able to be motivated. From my experience, in transdisciplinary collective projects it is important to maintain flexible thinking, without too preconceived ideas so that we are open to new perspectives and able to adjust to the ideas that emerge from the collaborative environment. This flexibility helps us learn more from individual shares, creating the right environment so that everyone can be surprised by the best of their contribution. The biggest challenge I faced in collective projects was managing individual expectations. This happens mainly in projects that involve several people with equal decision-making power, which is why I emphasize the need not to idealize something too personal and concrete when joining a work group. As an example, I can mention a project in which I participate, and which involves thirteen people. Managing expectations regarding the materialization of the project has been somewhat delicate and the solution we found to speed up decisions was to work in an open manner, where the choices approved by the majority of participants are in force. It's not the perfect solution but it's respected by the entire group, and it works. 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? EA: The history of photography is full of interesting people, with whom I would love to share a day with, so it is very difficult to answer this question in a few words. Having to choose, I will opt for some of the classics and first of all I have to say Josef Koudelka. I am fascinated by his images, by the intimate relationship he managed to create with the gypsy community, by the peculiar relationship he shows with architectural aspects, by the mix of rawness and poetry he achieves in each photograph, by his simpler and complex compositions. I would love to spend a day with Saul Leiter, in a way his magnificent compositions show a certain shyness, with which I particularly identify myself, giving them a touch of intimacy in both his color and black and white work. André Kertész would also be one of those chosen, as I really like the way he used distortions to create surrealist images, decontextualized objects and used small surprise elements in his compositions. The use of small format prints also makes all your work special. As we are speaking of the Masters of Photography, I am positive that if it would be possible, I would rather learn than share. TPL: You are heavily influenced by the written word, what are some of your favorite authors, what inspires you in their words? EA: I confess that a great influence on my way of observing comes from the fact that I am an avid consumer of children's literature. Over the last twelve years I have spent a lot of time collecting and reading stories with my children by authors such as Leo Lionni, Hervé Tullet, Oliver Jeffers, Eric Carle, Jimmy Liao or Ana Juan. In these illustrated books the dynamics of composition, light and color serve a text, often very graphical and minimal. On a page, an image and a sentence, sometimes just a word, sometimes just the image, say it all. And it is in this world of saying a lot with little that I move with my camera and try to portray life. Naturally, it is inevitable to talk about the written word and not think about Fotografar Palavras, as it is a project that keeps me connected with the most diverse authors and the most diverse literary expressions. Being mostly made up of Portuguese authors, Fotografar Palavras, in the form of its founder and coordinator Paulo Kellerman, permanently challenges me to give new meanings to my photographs or create unique images with the aim of significantly filling each line presented to me. Once this process begins, for me, any author or phrase can be the target of inspiration and it is extremely rewarding when the perfect words are found to describe an image and vice versa. TPL: Do you have any new projects you are working on that you can share with us? What is their inspiration? EA: I currently have several projects underway. Mostly collaborative and multidisciplinary, in general they encompass themes that I particularly identify with, such as different areas of artistic expression and relationships between people and spaces. For example, in one of the collaborative projects we are exploring critical areas of environmental value. With a theme that is both current and future, it is perhaps one of the most challenging projects I am involved in at the moment. TPL: Where do you see Elsa Arrais in the next five years, what do you hope to achieve, are there any long-term goals? EA: My path in photography has been very natural and spontaneous. My goals have come to life as opportunities arise, and I like that. But in general, I hope to continue meeting interesting and generous people who I can establish new bridges with, challenge myself, share work and complicities, continue to learn and carry out work with its own identity, interesting and meaningful. TPL: When you are not conquering Leiria with your camera, what would we find you enjoying? EA: When I'm not photographing you can find me playing with my children, dissecting photography books, visiting museums and art galleries (especially with my eldest daughter), listening to music, discovering new places and exploring old places. Elsa Arrais has developed an eye and mind for insightful observations that she has learned to define through the lens like poetry, with much symbolism and meaning in her details. Her work is worthy of study, and with a deep look you’ll be swept away and walk the walk of the enlightened and inspired. Elsa has presented in national and international exhibitions and magazines, co-author of the book ‘18>>20’, and currently contributes to several projects that combine literature and photography. Have a look at her portfolio and follow her links for new ways of seeing and thinking about photography. VIEW ELSA'S PORTFOLIO Elsa's Instagram >>> Fotografar Palavras website >>> Paulo Kellerman's website >>> read more interviews >>> 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. EVERYDAY BLACKNESS Parvathi Kumar’s book is a profound tribute to the resilience, and contributions of incredible Black women from all walks of life, making it a vital addition to the conversation around International Women’s Month. A VOYAGE TO DISCOVERY Fanja Hubers’ journey in photography is one of continuous exploration, balancing documentation with artistic self-reflection. MARCH FORWARD Through photography, Suzanne Phoenix creates a space for representation, recognition, and resistance — ensuring that the voices of women and gender-diverse people are seen, heard, and celebrated. FLUX: Exploring Form, Luminescence, and Motion Amy Newton-McConnel embraces unpredictability, finding structure within chaos and allowing light to guide the composition. AN ODE TO SPONTANEITY AND SERENDIPITY Meera Nerurkar captures not just what is seen but also what is felt, turning the everyday into something worth a second glance. THAT’S HOW IT IS Luisa Montagna explores the fluid nature of reality - how it shifts depending on the observer, emphasizing that subjective perception takes precedence over objective truth.

MINI DOCUMENTARIES Photography helped Callie Eh to change her view of the world and to see more clearly. Each photo to her is like a mini documentary. MINI DOCUMENTARIES August 28, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Callie Eh INTERVIEW Karin Svadlenak Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE For Callie Eh photography was a lifesaver. It picked her up at a difficult time in her life and has not let her go ever since. Originally from Malaysia, Callie has lived in various countries and is now based in Switzerland. Photography has changed her view of the world and made her see things differently. Although she likes to mix genres, her greatest photographic passion right now is documentary photography, inspired by her travels, the people she meets, different cultures and different ways of life. “I love to photograph people in their daily life and tell their stories through my lens. My photos are pretty much mixed, travel, street and documentary. I hope to bring the feeling I had during each moment to the audience and hopefully warm their hearts. I love to connect with different people from various cultural backgrounds. For me, each photo is like a tiny documentary on different lifestyles and situations my subjects experienced and the feeling I had in each moment. I see different expressions from the face of each individual. Although some people lead a difficult life, for me it is important to express their happiness in my pictures. It is interesting to see that often the people who have the least are the kindest and happiest.” IN CONVERSATION WITH CALLIE EH THE PICTORIAL LIST: Callie please tell us about yourself. Can you tell us when you first became interested in photography? CALLIE EH: I am originally from Yong Peng, Malaysia. I come from a big family, I worked as a sales representative in Kuala Lumpur (the capital city of Malaysia) for over 10 years. I have been away from my home country living abroad since 2007, in the USA, Singapore, Poland, and now Switzerland. I'm blessed to have a chance to live in a different country learning different languages and cultures, increasing my knowledge and skills through different life experiences. My life wasn't easy, I managed many ups and downs and I worked very hard to get through life. At my darkest point I went through a divorce, had a depression...I was completely lost in my life, at that time I was not sure if I wanted to continue to live, that was when photography picked me up...and gave me strength and confidence. My first DSLR camera was a Nikon D3000, and I started taking photos during my travels. While I always enjoyed capturing special moments, for me becoming a photographer was not something I planned. At least not until 2015 when I moved to Poland and by coincidence I met a cafe owner, Gaston Sitbon, and he loved my photos and wanted to present my work at his cafe...he became my mentor. My passion for photography has been growing ever since. I developed my photography knowledge and skills by attending different workshops, online photography classes, and photography books. What really helped improve my work was a documentary workshop in Krakow in 2016, which was extremely intense and I learned more than I expected. It really impacted me, and it also changed my photography point of view, how to make a better picture. TPL: Where do you find your inspiration? CE: I find inspiration through my travels, the people I meet, and different cultures and different ways of life. They always inspire and enthuse me. TPL: Do you have a favourite place to photograph? CE: Anywhere. Although I would say, the more different from the city I live in now, the better. I love rural places like in Mongolia and Vietnam, or vibrant places like Cuba and Morocco. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? CE: I love Alex Webb and Henri Cartier-Bresson, I think they both really inspired my style. I learned from them to prioritise the action and the subject over the technique and composition, I am still in the learning process and try to improve constantly. TPL: Has your style of photographing changed since you first started? CE: Yes, very much so, my style absolutely changed a lot over the year. When I started out I knew nothing about composition, I used to love a Zoom lens like 24-70mm to photograph people, and I love to photograph close up portraits with the shallow depth of field. But now I photograph more with the large depth of field and focusing on telling the whole story. To me, it is important to constantly grow and evolve as a person, and that brings me to new perspectives and new knowledge. Since I found photography it really helps me to change my view of the world: I see more clearly and detailed through my lens. TPL: How does the equipment you use help you in achieving your vision in your photography? Do you have a preferred camera/lens/ focal length? CE: Since I got the Leica Q, I am more concentrated on how to take a better picture instead of focusing on constantly buying new equipment for my camera and changing lenses while I shoot. The good thing about the Q, which has a fixed lens of 28mm, is that it forces me to get out of my comfort zone (a zoom) and makes me get closer to the subject. The Leica Q is the only camera I have now. TPL: What would you say to someone wanting to start out in your genre of photography? CE: Be patient but at the same time passionate. Enjoy the ups and downs you face by going out and taking photos. Follow different photographers' work and attend different kinds of workshops to get inspired. TPL: What are some of your goals as a photographer? Where do you see yourself or hope to see yourself in five years? CE: I hope my photography will be recognised internationally and hope that I can show my work to a broader audience, and that people are enjoying and appreciating my work. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on? CE: I would like to restart the "Happiness Project" I created in 2016. I encountered a lot of projects that document the sacrifices and suffering of people, which made me feel quite sad. So the idea of this project is to show what happiness means to different people, what makes them happy? This is still a great part driving the way I take photos. The project also gave me the opportunity to get close to various people and understand more about their dreams and interests. TPL: "When I am not out photographing, I (like to)... CE: Cook! I love food and wine 😊" Photography helped Callie Eh to change her view of the world and to see more clearly. To her, each photo is like having a mini-documentary unfold before her eyes. Follow Callie's journey and to see more of her projects please use the links below. VIEW CALLIE'S PORTFOLIO Read MODERN NOMADS by Callie Website >>> Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> 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. EVERYDAY BLACKNESS Parvathi Kumar’s book is a profound tribute to the resilience, and contributions of incredible Black women from all walks of life, making it a vital addition to the conversation around International Women’s Month. A VOYAGE TO DISCOVERY Fanja Hubers’ journey in photography is one of continuous exploration, balancing documentation with artistic self-reflection. MARCH FORWARD Through photography, Suzanne Phoenix creates a space for representation, recognition, and resistance — ensuring that the voices of women and gender-diverse people are seen, heard, and celebrated. FLUX: Exploring Form, Luminescence, and Motion Amy Newton-McConnel embraces unpredictability, finding structure within chaos and allowing light to guide the composition. AN ODE TO SPONTANEITY AND SERENDIPITY Meera Nerurkar captures not just what is seen but also what is felt, turning the everyday into something worth a second glance. THAT’S HOW IT IS Luisa Montagna explores the fluid nature of reality - how it shifts depending on the observer, emphasizing that subjective perception takes precedence over objective truth.