I am a multidisciplinary visual artist based in Dumaguete City, the Philippines. During my time at Foundation University, I was lucky enough to have been given sponsored equipment and to be mentored by LA Times photographer Luis Sinco. Upon graduating, I did a stint as an Art & Photography course teacher, and also conducted - along with Sir Luis, and Magnum photographer Eli Reed - a series of South Pacific photography workshops. Now, as a full-time artist-in-residence at Foundation University, when I'm not in the studio creating art, I'm out on the streets with my camera in hand. Over the years, I've often been quick to the scene of local historical events, unable to resist the potential for a good picture, and from time-to-time my photographs are featured in local newspapers, as well as national and international publications. As I mature as a photographer, and as a person, I find myself becoming increasingly aware of the transience of human beings, particularly in the context of wherever they may be, or whatever they may be doing, at any given time. I am fascinated by the fact that every time I click the shutter in front of a stranger moving and interacting within their environment, I have captured a little piece of the absolute randomness of life, a snapshot of an otherwise unremarkable moment in history, that is timely, comical, tricky to the eye or just plain beautiful. It really is an incredible feeling when suddenly, out from the mundane, the Universe delivers a fleeting and uncanny moment of magic and 'click', it's not lost forever, and becomes a recorded and tangible piece of art. HERSLEY-VEN CASERO I am a multidisciplinary visual artist based in Dumaguete City, the Philippines. During my time at Foundation University, I was lucky enough to have been given sponsored equipment and to be mentored by LA Times photographer Luis Sinco. Upon graduating, I did a stint as an Art & Photography course teacher, and also conducted - along with Sir Luis, and Magnum photographer Eli Reed - a series of South Pacific photography workshops. Now, as a full-time artist-in-residence at Foundation University, when I'm not in the studio creating art, I'm out on the streets with my camera in hand. Over the years, I've often been quick to the scene of local historical events, unable to resist the potential for a good picture, and from time-to-time my photographs are featured in local newspapers, as well as national and international publications. As I mature as a photographer, and as a person, I find myself becoming increasingly aware of the transience of human beings, particularly in the context of wherever they may be, or whatever they may be doing, at any given time. I am fascinated by the fact that every time I click the shutter in front of a stranger moving and interacting within their environment, I have captured a little piece of the absolute randomness of life, a snapshot of an otherwise unremarkable moment in history, that is timely, comical, tricky to the eye or just plain beautiful. It really is an incredible feeling when suddenly, out from the mundane, the Universe delivers a fleeting and uncanny moment of magic and 'click', it's not lost forever, and becomes a recorded and tangible piece of art. LOCATION Dumaguete City PHILIPPINES CAMERA/S Fujifilm XT100, Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon EOS 60D, Canon EOS Rebel XT, Canon EOS Rebel T2i, Canon EOS Rebel T3i, Canon EOS Rebel T4i WEBSITE https://www.hersleycasero.com/ @HERSLEYVENCASERO @HCASERO FEATURES // Quarantine Chronicle All in Good Time

PICTORIAL STORY LIGHT IS WHAT WE SEE For Michèle Polak, light is also what we feel. Her work moves beyond representation, using light as a tool to shape her own vision of nature — a space where time dissolves and the reality becomes quietly transcendent. March 11, 2022 PICTORIAL STORY photography MICHÈLE POLAK story KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Bergen is a village in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is known for its magical light. Bergen is positioned between the North Sea to the west, and Ijsselmeer, and Markermeer two large lakes to the east. These three bodies of water act like a tripod of mirrors reflecting the light through the atmosphere meeting at their apex, then reflecting the concentrated illumination back down onto North Holland’s Village of Bergen. This luminous light drew many artists to the countryside of North Holland in the beginning of the twentieth century. Between 1915 and 1925, a new school of painters developed around the French painter Henri Le Fauconnier called De Bergense School. With innovative creative thinkers, like that of Leo Gestel, Dirk Filarski, Arnout Colnot, Matthieu Wiegman and Charley Toorop, began the artistic movement that was to become known as Dutch Expressionism. This movement in Dutch painting embraces influences of dark colors found in cubism, while exploring characteristics inherent in expressionism. Michèle Polak has been influenced from an early age by light, and by the way light is captured with a camera. Michèle was given her first camera at the age of 14, a Yashica B medium format camera, using 120mm film, producing 6x6cm negatives. Over the years of her exploration in different fields of photography, light has remained a focus in personal work. In this feature on Michèle we will explore the inspirational light of the Village of Bergen portrayed in her work over the years. “You are so a part of the light; the light becomes part of you. Light is what we see. Most importantly, if there was no light, we wouldn't see anything would we?” - Michèle Polak The first series of photographs reflect similar landscapes of color and light as that of De Bergense School painters from the twentieth century. It is interesting how the light begins to take on a personality all its own. It is that magical light of the Village of Bergen. Come saturate yourself in the color and light that has moved and inspired Michèle for more than a decade. Michèle Polak was born in Amsterdam into a family within an artistic milieu. Michèle’s family has had an association with De Kring since the 1950’s. De Kring is a club of Artists, Scientists, and Art Lovers, founded in 1922. It has been the place to be for writers, poets, painters, actors since it was first established and has remained the center of cultural Amsterdam. Michèle met her husband at her interview for membership to the club. He was Chairman of the board. She was shy, but he was taken with her and made himself important in her life. His persistent devotion led to a close friendship and relationship for almost forty years, united in marriage for thirty-eight. A true love story. Michèle and her husband moved to the village of Bergen thirteen years ago, while their two daughters stayed in Amsterdam to study, and still reside there today with their children. It gives Michèle much joy to share the magic of the Village of Bergen with her grandchildren, and to spend time playing in the special light that illuminates the streets and landscapes inspiring a unique way of seeing. Michèle has a diverse background in a variety of disciplines related to photography and the arts. She has worked and interned in the Dutch film industry, dabbling for a while in the world of still photography, working on documentaries. The constant demands and pressures led Michèle to take some time to travel. Traveling gave Michèle a new perspective and need for independence. She returned to an unexpected position as a Resident Photographer for the De Nederlandse Opera House in Amsterdam. Her disciplines in photography were nourished with the abundance of different things she had to photograph. Michele honed her skills in storytelling, cataloging the details of the performances. Her photographs became the instructions with explicit details of how to reconstruct the production from ground up. Everything from the costumes, to makeup, sets, lighting, and props, including the sets and their designs, were then able to be reproduced to perfection. Michèle relies on her motor memory skills and utilizes what she has learned instantly, giving her the ability to apply technique without thinking, but by just doing. Michèle has been greatly influenced by art, and one person in particular has made an indelible impression on Michèle, Kees Wieringa, a world-renowned pianist, composer, writer and cultural entrepreneur. Michèle talks about his influence and inspiration. “Kees Wieringa takes chances, with an incredible personality. His Canto Ostinato was for me, a life changing experience, as it is for many people. It’s like meditation, hypnotic and all consuming. Simeon ten Holt is the composer of Canto Ostinato and lived and worked in Bergen.” Michèle has always found nature and the light of the Village of Bergen to be a focus in her personal work. Michèle believes that “You are so a part of the light, the light becomes part of you. Light is what we see. Most importantly, if there was no light, we wouldn't see anything would we?” She remembers one time in particular that made a significant impression. Michèle and her husband were flying home to Holland from Scandinavia, and they could see in the sky that Holland was blanketed with a flame of yellow. This yellow comforter was a thick layer of pollution. During the Pandemic, when stay at home restrictions were put in place in the Village of Bergen, Michèle instantly noticed changes in the sky. Without all the cars and business as usual, the polluted and yellow flame over Holland was being extinguished. This led Michèle to her project Blue Diamonds . Michèle began to document the sky over the Village of Bergen, and the restoration of the clean atmosphere with no pollution. She decided to take a mirror into her garden three times a day, morning, noon, and night. She photographed the reflection of the sky above her. Michèle was fascinated with the changes and the positive influences the pandemic has had with the quality of the air over the Village of Bergen. I found these images to be provocative and hypnotizing. I asked Michèle what these blues meant to her, what they represented. Michèle told me, “Blue can represent many things. Blue can be melancholy, it can reflect grief, sadness and sorrow. Blue can be a solemn place where there is purity, beauty and eternal light. These images represent clarity, a guiding light of hope, that embraces love and inner reflection. They became peaceful and liberating, and healing. They were my ritual of joy. Like a fresh breath, when you inhale deep, you look to the sky.” Michèle sees beauty in the sky whether it rains, snows, or the sun shines. Michèle's work outside of this project addresses nature and the elements in nature. She explores color, light, shape and form, allowing them all to become elements in her creative thought process. Michèle investigates the atmosphere, the fire of the sun, the air we breathe and the illumination and colors of light in the sky above the Village of Bergen. Michèle explains, “My work is not a translation of reality, my work is an interpretation of nature in the universe, it’s a timeless view.” Michèle believes, “Color does not necessarily have to be true to life but should evoke a special emotion and a passionate response to nature. I am endlessly fascinated by the slow motion of nature, as well as the elements. They become dialogue in the now and the future.” Michèle uses sharp color contrasts to emphasize the beauty of nature. Michèle is always working on numerous projects, and there is no surprise that she found even more inspiration and new direction during the Pandemic beginning a new collaboration with another artist Paul Allender. Paul is a painter residing in Sheffield in the North of England, with his partner. He has been painting for ten years and says his work is very influenced by his early childhood years. I talked with Paul, and he describes his work, “Formally my work is trying to find a place/space between abstraction and figuration, and its content is autobiographical, even when it doesn’t look like it is. The paintings often use bright, saturated colour combinations. The drawings and paintings are very direct and maybe somewhat naive.” I asked Michèle how their project began. “Paul and I have followed each other on Instagram for many years. We began to chat early in 2020. We had a mutual admiration for each other’s work. Our discussions focused on our work. Then, in August 2020, I asked Paul if he would consider collaborating with me. He said yes immediately, and the work began. At that point the type of images we worked on were very organic, somewhat geological in appearance. There was a great delight for Paul in working into these images with oil sticks, oil pastels and paint.” This project gave Michèle and Paul an artistic outlet for creating something new and exciting, while adapting to life during the pandemic. Michèle found Paul to be an intellectual, inspiring in thought as well as process. He had a willingness to compromise, and to allow equal collaboration, always respectful of her work. He allowed their work to progress naturally. All the ingredients for a successful project! I asked Paul what was his direction...what was his intent? What surprised him, inspired him, even while challenging him. Paul explains this part of their collaboration. “Our original intention was to work together and see what happened - simple as that. For me to paint and draw on Michèle’s original digital images. What initially surprised me was how easy it felt. I had great admiration for Michèle’s work and felt that I couldn’t ‘improve’ them in any way! But she gave me total permission to do whatever I wanted - so I did! And images that were quite different to her originals began to appear. It was beautiful. It was easy with the more organic, abstract images. This was not the case though with the figurative images. I felt very hesitant to work on them. They seemed so complete, delicate and, in some ways, fragile. I didn’t want to upset their equilibrium. So, Michèle very gently guided me with these - giving me ideas about what I might do. As I had worked on the pieces, back in Sheffield, my confidence began to grow. Michèle was great - hugely supportive of what I did. We established huge trust, However, there was still some nervousness about how she would respond to them.” Their work began in August of 2020 and their commitment to their disciplines and inspiration found in their work culminated in an exhibition together in Paris in October 2021 titled We Could Breathe . Michèle would send her digital images to Paul, printed on a very special photographic paper, Hahnemühle printed with premium pigment inks. Paul then worked with oil sticks, oil pastels, oil paint, and acrylic paint to create the new work from Michèle’s images. For fourteen months while Paul worked on their pieces in his studio in Sheffield, only Paul saw the completed pieces in person. Paul describes this union, “Up until that time, Michele had seen only photographs. Unveiling the work in our Paris hotel was quite an occasion. We were both delighted with it. Then, within an hour, we took it to the gallery to hang it.” Michèle and Paul are now working on a new project together De Bergense School . The project is in its infancy. Michèle has given her images to Paul for his interpretation, and collaboration. Michèle chose some new elements like figure and form to share processes with. She also understands the collaboration process, and what the finished pieces feel and look like when completed and seen in real life. She can adapt her choices now to better accept Paul's influences and inspirations with his painting. Paul continues to explain his part of this process. “I have begun to work on one of Michele’s images - and the first impressions are very good. I usually focus on one image and do multiple versions of working on it. These can get amalgamated, be used in their own right or rejected. So, we will work together on this in the coming weeks and months, and we hope to show this work in North Holland. It is looking good.” They are inspired by their past work together, growing and adapting to change and applying what they have learned to create new work. By re-evaluating and understanding what their collaboration has evolved from, is developing into, will propel their project to new heights of understanding and awareness. Paul is presently mentoring classes with Turps Banana , a painting magazine and educational set-up in London. He has exhibited with them online in 2021-2022 and is currently writing an article for the magazine on George McNeil, a little-known New York Abstract Expressionist. Paul is also organizing a solo show of his work in Sheffield, at a wonderful venue, the Yellow Arch studios. This is taking place between the 8th and 24th June 2021. It will be a large exhibition, showing a cross section of his paintings and drawings over the last ten years. Michèle has had some incredible exhibitions in the last few years from Songs of the Night , Warszawa Polen 2019, the De Winter Salon 2019-2020, People's Revolution Paris 2020, Venice Photo Lab October 2021, Rebirth Venice 2021, to Instant Éphémère Paris 2021. Michèle’s future exhibition at De Kring is very special. Together they will celebrate 100 Years De Kring , 100 artists, for 100 days through September. If you have a chance go see her work, be transformed and have your soul enlightened. © Michele Polak © Michele Polak Michèle with her first camera. Michèle began to document the Sky over the Village of Bergen. She took a mirror into her garden three times a day, morning, noon, and night. She photographed the reflection of the sky above her. Here is a grid image of all her sky photographs. © Michele Polak © Michele Polak © Michele Polak © Michele Polak © Michele Polak © Michele Polak © Michele Polak © Michele Polak © Michele Polak © Michele Polak © Michele Polak © Michele Polak © Michele Polak © Michele Polak © Michele Polak © Collaboration between Michèle Polak and Paul Allender © Collaboration between Michèle Polak and Paul Allender © Collaboration between Michèle Polak and Paul Allender © Collaboration between Michèle Polak and Paul Allender Self-portrait of Michèle in recent times. © Michele Polak Michèle Polak is an inspirational woman that has found photography to be a way of investigating the world around her, her explorations have led to discoveries of a lifetime. She has had exceptional discipline to create throughout the years, finding joy in her process, never needing for finality. She always has a camera around her neck and will be constantly observing the environment around her. She is always engaged with her process, body and mind. Michèle feels herself as just another element in the universe. She is always smiling, which makes her very approachable, and immediately her contagious smile ignites yours, and she inspires thought and communication. I said to Michèle, “You are a true artist!” she immediately replied, “NO! I am a life, the love of life, so much so it is the air I breathe deep.” These elements of landscape and light she studies and explores transcend her work, illuminating her soul. view Michèle's portfolio Instagram >>> OF IMPORTANCE TO MICHÉLE - @societeit_de_kring @kunst672 @xgras @gosiawww @lebonheurestdanslinstant @fabiocavessago @venicephotolab @lab77associazione @pauliepaul55 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 >>> ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? 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MOMMIE 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. BIFRÖST Amidst the breathtaking scenery of Norway, Romain Coudrier discovered the allure of rare light and subtle shades, immortalizing each moment in striking black and white with every click of his camera shutter. MUD Dedipya Basak's documentary project explores the struggle of an 800 year old lake against the impacts of global warming, revealing its continued relevance and urgent story in today’s changing climate.

I am a fine art film photographer who uses analogue film and traditional darkroom printing in my practice. Early in my career, I was a digital artist, creating abstract and conceptual images by incorporating digital photos into multiple layers. Over time, I developed a preference for analogue film, drawn to its timeless tonal qualities and distinctive grain. I am captivated by the rules of negative and traditional printing methods, finding the hands-on approach required to create a silver gelatin print incredibly rewarding. My diverse body of work includes an eclectic collection of prints that span various photographic genres. My works have been featured in numerous publications, including TIME Magazine and Italian Vogue, used in television, and showcased in a number of global exhibitions. PAUL COOKLIN I am a fine art film photographer who uses analogue film and traditional darkroom printing in my practice. Early in my career, I was a digital artist, creating abstract and conceptual images by incorporating digital photos into multiple layers. Over time, I developed a preference for analogue film, drawn to its timeless tonal qualities and distinctive grain. I am captivated by the rules of negative and traditional printing methods, finding the hands-on approach required to create a silver gelatin print incredibly rewarding. My diverse body of work includes an eclectic collection of prints that span various photographic genres. My works have been featured in numerous publications, including TIME Magazine and Italian Vogue, used in television, and showcased in a number of global exhibitions. LOCATION UNITED KINGDOM CAMERA/S Leica M6 M7, Hasselblad 500cm, Leica R4 WEBSITE https://www.paulcooklin.com/ @PCOOKLIN FEATURES // The Art of Analogue

A Czech self-proclaimed starting photographer based in Bristol, trying to capture the beauty in every day, the mundane and living in the present. To me, photography is all about emotions and feelings and creating photographs that evoke and reflect the sentiments and feelings of warmth, happiness and memories but also sadness, nostalgia and emptiness. TOMAS CIHAK A Czech self-proclaimed starting photographer based in Bristol, trying to capture the beauty in every day, the mundane and living in the present. To me, photography is all about emotions and feelings and creating photographs that evoke and reflect the sentiments and feelings of warmth, happiness and memories but also sadness, nostalgia and emptiness. LOCATION Bristol UNITED KINGDOM CAMERA/S Panasonic Lumix LX100 @TOMCIHAK FEATURES // Living in the Moment

PICTORIAL STORY ABYSSINIAN DIARIES With his camera in hand, Rpnunyez wanted to capture the real Ethiopia. In his own words, these are his tales of a futile journey. November 25, 2022 PICTORIAL STORY photography RPNUNYEZ story RPNUNYEZ SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link I wanted to check, camera in hand, if the real Ethiopia is as they describe it: an extraordinary, exciting, exotic country; mountains of exuberant vegetation and volcanic depressions where life is barely possible, glass-enclosed towers of extemporaneous luxury surrounded by oceans of humble tin dwellings, rock-hewn churches and legendary holy cities of Islam, orthodox rites with millennial traditions and tribal ceremonies that have barely varied since the Bronze Age. Nothing could be further from reality. Nothing exotic. Are their tribal dances essentially different from our popular festivals? No strange rituals. Are their scarifications stranger than our cosmetic surgeries? Are their celebrations based on fermented sorghum different from our large bottles? No extraordinarily good or excessively evil people. Have divine or human laws, lived here or there, prevented the human species from ceasing to be what it essentially is? Are their crooks, swindlers or abusers worse than ours for not wearing Armani? No incomprehensible tragedies, exiles or great migrations. Don't we already live among them without being aware? There, as here, what is extraordinary, what is exciting, is life itself, ordinary life, ordinary life even anodyne, that same life that wherever it appears - among gold or among filth - floods us with dreams and hopes, with laughter and tears, with irrepressible desires to love and be loved, with the memory of the past, with the hope in the future. Here, we, blinded by our persistent ethnocentrism, exacerbate their lack of freedom - polygamy, foreign religions, ancestral customs. Here, we are, as slaves of our mortgage contracts, slaves of our labor contracts, slaves of our exorbitant consumerism...are we, perhaps, freer than those we judge, perhaps rightly, as oppressed? Here, we, owners of almost everything except time, devour thousands and thousands of images from "other worlds", but we have a moral obligation to observe them, to go beyond their aesthetic dimension, to use them to understand who we really are. Perhaps we will discover that these "other worlds" are not such. This is the story of a useless trip: nothing I saw was essentially strange to me but, paraphrasing Celaya - "I keep hoping that photography is not just a cultural luxury consumed by neutrals who, washing their hands, disregard and evade." ABYSSINIAN DIARIES I // Ethiopia : A country between the past and the future Situated at an altitude of 2300m in the western border of the Great Rift Valley, with more than three million registered people, not taking into account an undetermined amount of them who survive in an administrative limbo. Addis Abeba is a city with enormous, sometimes cruel, contrasts. The raised tram, recently built by the Chinese, crosses the city similar to a giant dorsal spine which symbolises a great metaphor of the Ethiopia of the beginning of the 21st century: a tense pulse between past and future, between poverty and wealth, between patriotic affirmation and neocolonialist economy. A tram, perhaps, for hope. Substantial national and international businesses and next-generation enveloping crystal buildings, analogous to enormous distant islands, let themselves be seen to children, the youth and to the elderly who survive between the ordinary, mundane misery and the enigmatic presence of a new unreachable world. Like in any other metropolis, in no other city of Ethiopia can such a big number of disinherited people be found. There is almost no space for optimism in an ever-repeated story. Similar to an immense onion, adjacent layers and layers unconnected to each other; take over quite rapidly from streets full of luxurious jewelry to small settlements of modest homes of undulated plate. Amidst them, aging grand houses whose origin can be traced back to the brief Italian incursion, try to futilely maintain the colonial ambient mixed with misery and dignity. People of all kinds, prostitutes in shacks who offer themselves to passers-by next to their own children, thieves, pickpockets…And among all of them, in vast numbers, hundreds of white mannequins who, in spite of their static way of living, bear stoically, like a metaphor, the enormous contradictions of the world they have been placed in. To the north, around Lake Tana, millenary religious traditions coexist in perfect harmony. At the start of every day, the morning fog envelops the peninsula of Zége. Covered by thick vegetation where wild coffee beans are found in abundance; a natural habitat of a multitude of tropical species that is the location of one of the most impressive abbeys of the area: Ura Kidane Mehret. The religion, be it orthodox Christian or Muslim, is radically present in the public and private life of the Ethiopian people. Mosques, churches, orthodox priests, veiled Muslim women, kneeling people and muezzins of both religions are part of the urban and rural landscape. Mothers and grandmothers alike in their white tunics with their babies over their shoulders, or teenagers recite their pledges in the intimacy of some isolated nook. And hundreds of kilometres south of Addis… Sunset approaches in Arba, dozens of Chinese motorbikes, Indian tuk-tuks and lorries create an immense dust cloud which takes hold of the surroundings. It finally disappears when it confronts the interminable and dull routine of dozens of women and girl carriers who ascend from the River Kulfo to the highest place in Sikela; a journey close to twelve kilometres of length for which they get paid a miserable 50 birrs (approximately 2 euros). Their slow and steady pace, their almost horizontal trunk where they deposit their heavy load of wood, their arms exempt from any attempt of strength, their expression of painful resignation and their concentrated stare at the irregular floor beneath them so as to not fall, are images and emotions difficult to forget. When it seems that the only thing they can cope with is to perpetuate that monotone routine, they still have the strength to respond in an educated manner with a reverence and smile to the “selam” that I dedicate in a signal of respect and admiration. ABYSSINIAN DIARIES II // The Magic Mirror of Lalibela From hundreds of kilometres away and for days, weeks and even months, hundreds, thousands of pilgrims flock to Lalibela on the occasion of Genna, the Ethiopian Christmas. Lalibela, the African Jerusalem, is not only an extraordinary complex of monolithic churches, tunnels and secret passages; it is also an authentic journey to the beginning of our era. Piously welcomed by the locals with food and foot washing, the pilgrims accommodate themselves on the slopes of the mountain next to the set, unique in the world, of monolithic churches carved into red rock at 2450 metres of altitude. Hundreds of tunics, impeccably white, give an air of dignity to the environment and to those who accumulate so many days and fatigue on their cracked feet. Their humble and rural origin provides them with a genuine closeness and innocence, capable of breaking any language barrier and making it materially impossible to remain emotionally indifferent to them. They rarely allow themselves to be photographed individually because, for them, being photographed is an exceptional event full of hidden meanings. And that's precisely why this exceptionality provokes a subtle change of roles between the model and the photographer himself, who comes from a remote and unknown world for them. Their innocent gazes scrutinise us between fear and overconfidence; they disarm us of prejudices and return to us, like magic mirrors, those same questions that we want to ask them. ABYSSINIAN DIARIES III // The Banna of Key Afer and The Clan of Tifa Dabo They gradually get nearer the traditional meeting point. Today is market day in Key Afer, Red Land in Amharic. Starting at dawn, Harner, Banna, Tsmay and Ari carry, from tens of kilometers away, all types of products: fruits, vegetables, trinkets, wood and cattle, the essential richness of those ethnic groups. The market is a social act that promotes activity, it’s a place of exchanges, a meet-up point; so, it’s the ideal occasion to say farewell to friends and family who live at a distance of various days away. A few kilometres away, Wantó, who like the rest of the Banna, doesn't know her age, isolated in the savannah in a place with mythical resonances, Saba, lives peacefully with her husband, her numerous children, her sorghum plantation and her sling which she calls "rosso". Near them, Wado Gaya prepares an injection for his cattle, which is infected by the dangerous fly tsé tsé . Meanwhile, his wife Jinka Shello, helped by one of her six sons, prepares an infusion with coffee beans and a rudimentary campfire. The Banna relies on an economy of mere subsistence where the women, similar to the cattle, are a question of wealth for their family: each woman contributes her work and that of her children to the family. And on the opposite slope of the gentle hills of Yinya that shelter them, Tifa Dabo, head of a Banna clan, prepares himself for a special day: one of his teenage sons will have to celebrate his initiation ceremony, his passage to adulthood. Tifa is a rich man, his three wives Hailo, Faka and Barki, his 19 children, a considerable number of cattle, a ceremonial feather, a mirror, a pair of ragged pants, which he keeps as a real treasure, attest to this. From dawn, young bachelors gather around gourds filled with fermented sorghum; they laugh, joke and sharpen their "alphas" sheathed in rudimentary leather holsters decorated with multicolored beads. Meanwhile, one of Tifa's young daughters, decorated with face paintings, is looking for a young man with a bundle of wicker; she has the privilege of choosing the wicker with which she wants to be whipped and demonstrate with a leap forward, chest to chest, how willing she is to bear the hard burden that awaits her if she is finally accepted by her suitor. Her scars on her back, frequently bleeding, attest to her bravery and submission to tradition. Evening is falling in Yinya and millions of stars are already appearing on its hills. The increasingly distant echoes of the monotonous chants put an end to a ceremony repeated a thousand times for ages. Sunset in downtown Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2014. The elevated tramway, recently built by the Chinese, runs through the city like a huge spine, becoming, in the process, a great metaphor for Ethiopia at the beginning of the 21st century: a tense struggle between past and future, between poverty and wealth. © Rpnunyez Building under construction in local style in Merkato. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2014. © Rpnunyez Merkato. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2014. To enter Merkato, the biggest market in the African continent and socioeconomic centre of the capital, is to make a trip to the Addis of the beginning of last century. To intern oneself in Merkato camera in hand requires, despite the renowned Ethiopian hospitality, a certain dose of cold-bloodedness if not recklessness; as you feel the pressure of the stares coming from all sides. © Rpnunyez Brothel house in Merkato. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2014. Group of women prostitutes with their children waiting for their clients at the door of their homes. © Rpnunyez Sugar cane seller Merkato. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2014. © Rpnunyez The Carrier. Downtown Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2014. © Rpnunyez Shopping centre in Merkato. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2014. © Rpnunyez Clothing shop in Merkato. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2014. Merkato is itself a world within the city. Flocks of goats competing with encroaching traffic of luxury 4WDs, endlessly unemployed people letting time pass in the mild euphoria of qat, porters of excessive volumes, executives in iridescent suits and miserable beggars whose lives are literally spent on the ground. And among all of them, everywhere, hundreds of white dummies who, even in their static way of life, stoically endure, like a great metaphor, the enormous contradictions of the world they have been placed in. © Rpnunyez Portrait of two women by the Grand Mosque of Bahar Dar, Ethiopia, 2016. I arrived in Bahir Dar, the Amhara heartland of Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, days after visiting Lalibela, the African Jerusalem. By midday the heat was already unbearable and, seeking the shade of some gardens in the distance, I found myself under the huge minarets of the Great Mosque and, without interruption, I was surrounded by Ethiopian Muslims from all parts of the city making their way to the mosque for the usual prayers. I was again surprised, as I had been on previous occasions throughout the country, to realise how naturally Christians and Muslims live and relate to each other in Ethiopia. I took my time looking for the frame and waiting for someone to enter it. As luck would have it, these two girls dressed in impeccable chadors brought life to these two slender minarets illuminated by a blinding sun. © Rpnunyez Orthodox teenage girl praying alone. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2015. © Rpnunyez Ura Kidane Mihret Monastery. Zege peninsula, Ethiopia, 2016. © Rpnunyez Seminarian in a religious school Bahar Dar, Ethiopia, 2016. © Rpnunyez The great sacred tree “Warka” in Zege town, Ethiopia, 2016. © Rpnunyez Woman porter in Sikela Arba Minch. Ethiopia, 2014. © Rpnunyez Bricklayer preparing traditional formwork for a new construction in Secha Arba Minch. Ethiopia, 2014. © Rpnunyez Pilgrims staying in traditional stone houses in Lalibela. Ethiopia, 2016. © Rpnunyez Family of pilgrims during the Ethiopian Christmas. Lalibela Ethiopia, 2016. © Rpnunyez Shepherdess of Lalibela. Ethiopia, 2016. © Rpnunyez Young pilgrim arriving at the subway passages of Lalibela. Ethiopia, 2016. © Rpnunyez Pilgrims resting next to a monolithic church. Lalibela, Ethiopia, 2016. © Rpnunyez Subway labyrinths of Lalibela. Ethiopia, 2016. © Rpnunyez Orthodox altar boy during the Ethiopian Christmas "Genna". Lalibela, Ethiopia 2016. © Rpnunyez Bete Giorgis during Genna. Lalibela, Ethiopia, 2016. © Rpnunyez The Garden of Olives. Lalibela, Ethiopia, 2016. Dawn at San Giorgis. As the first light gradually hides the infinite number of stars in the unpolluted firmament, centuries-old olive trees are transformed into improvised retreats where lonely old men raise their psalms or into natural shelters where entire families prepare themselves for the final liturgy. © Rpnunyez A family of pilgrims resting next to a monolithic church in Lalibela. Ethiopia, 2016. © Rpnunyez Family of pilgrims in the subway labyrinths of Lalibela. Ethiopia, 2016. © Rpnunyez Family of pilgrims in Lalibela. Ethiopia, 2016. © Rpnunyez A family of pilgrims resting next to a monolithic church in Lalibela. Ethiopia, 2016. © Rpnunyez Key Afer Ethiopia. Market Day, 2014. Key Afer, red and dusty, is full of life on all four sides, even in the middle of the day, when the sun invites you to linger under the huge acacia trees. From dawn, from the nearby settlements, they slowly approach the traditional meeting point. Today is market day in Key Afer. The market is a social event that structures their life, it is a place of exchange, a meeting point, the ideal occasion to talk with acquaintances and relatives who live, perhaps, several days away. © Rpnunyez Jinka Shello protecting his sorghum plantation by shouting to the birds Saba. Ethiopia, 2014. © Rpnunyez Wanto protecting his sorghum plantation with his sling. Saba, Ethiopia, 2014. Wantó, like the rest of the other Banna, doesn't know her age; isolated in the savannah in a place with mythical resonances, Saba, she lives peacefully with her husband, her numerous children, her sorghum plantation and her sling, which they call "rosso". © Rpnunyez Noon in the shadow of the Banna settlement in Yinya. Ethiopia, 2014. © Rpnunyez Sunset on Saba Ethiopia, 2014. © Rpnunyez Tifa Dabo is the leader of the clan and he is a rich man, his three wives Hailo, Faka and Barki, his 19 children, a considerable number of cattle, a ceremonial feather, a mirror, a pair of ragged pants, which he keeps as a real treasure, attest to this. © Rpnunyez The family pantry. Saba, Ethiopia, 2014. © Rpnunyez Ceremonial paintings in Yinya, Ethiopia, 2014. © Rpnunyez Young farmers Banna. Saba Ethiopia, 2014. © Rpnunyez From dawn, unmarried boys gather around gourds filled with fermented sorghum; they laugh, joke, dance and sharpen their knives "alpha" sheathed in rudimentary leather sheaths decorated with multicoloured beads. Young unmarried boys of the Tifa Dabo clan ready for a ceremonial dance. Yinya, Ethiopia, 2014. © Rpnunyez Young marriageable girls welcome a potential suitor. Yinya Settlement. Ethiopia, 2014. © Rpnunyez Young Banna girl in the apogee of a ceremonial dance. Yinya, Ethiopia 2014. © Rpnunyez Ceremonial paintings in Yinya, Ethiopia, 2014. © Rpnunyez Banna teenager during his initiation rite in Yinya Ethiopia, 2014. © Rpnunyez Ceremonial hairstyles in the Banna of Yinya, Ethiopia, 2014. © Rpnunyez Rpnunyez is a Spanish documentary photographer who does not photograph what he sees but what he says he is. He never thinks of his photographs as art objects or consumer items, and as he states, they have nothing to do with ephemerality either. Rpnunyez thinks of them as tools at the service of a simple idea so masterfully summarised by American photographer, Wayne Miller's words - “the universal truths of being human”. Rpnunyez firmly believes that, “the value of a photograph is shared, at least in equal parts, between the photographer and his models, who tolerate and accept his presence, who endure on many occasions his intrusion and insolence, and who in the end, are converted into paper and unaware of the passage of time, allow themselves to be observed, returning to us. like mirrors, some unknown part of ourselves.” In a certain sense, the photographer's job is none other than to compose stories where the central character and various visual clues weave a tapestry of sensations, of emotions, that give voice to that story. view Rpnunyez's portfolio Read an interview with Rpnunyez >>> Website >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> 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. FIRE AND FORGE Alexandros Zilos delves deep into the harsh reality of sulfur mining, while also capturing the allure of the blue fire phenomenon created by sulfur deposits in the crater. IN-VISIBLE PAIN Through black and white self-portraiture, Isabelle Coordes brings to light the stark reality of living with chronic pain — a reality often dismissed by a world that requires physical evidence to believe in one’s suffering. CELEBRATION OF LIFE Ahsanul Haque Fahim's photography captures Holi in Bangladesh, celebrating life with vibrant colors and reflecting human emotions, diversity, and interconnectedness in Dhaka's streets. KOALA COUNTRY Sean Paris invites viewers on a transformative journey, challenging our perceptions and fostering a new appreciation for rural Australia through mesmerizing infrared photography. MOMMIE 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. BIFRÖST Amidst the breathtaking scenery of Norway, Romain Coudrier discovered the allure of rare light and subtle shades, immortalizing each moment in striking black and white with every click of his camera shutter. MUD Dedipya Basak's documentary project explores the struggle of an 800 year old lake against the impacts of global warming, revealing its continued relevance and urgent story in today’s changing climate.

PICTORIAL STORY UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. August 3, 2025 PICTORIAL STORY PHOTOGRAPHY Nasos Karabelas STORY Melanie Meggs SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link In his series Figures , Nasos Karabelas interrogates the human form as both subject and substrate, treating the body not as a static object to be represented, but as a mutable, expressive force capable of evoking the immaterial dimensions of thought and feeling. Born in Pyrgos, Greece, and now based in Athens, Nasos approaches photography not as a documentary device, but as a mode of emotional inquiry. His work unfolds at the intersection of photography, painting, and performance, resisting the notion of the camera as a neutral observer. Instead, it becomes an instrument for articulating the instability of perception, the fragmentation of memory, and the psychological weight of embodiment. Through the deformation of the human figure, Nasos opens a space in which inner states — often ambiguous and unresolved — can be rendered visible. “It started as an emotional need,” Nasos reflects. “I’ve always felt that the way we show ourselves on the outside doesn’t always match what’s going on inside. Distorting the body gave me a way to express that — the confusion, the movement, the moments when emotions feel too big or too unclear to put into words.” Positioned at the intersection of visual abstraction and emotional inquiry, Figures invites a reconsideration of how the body can be represented, encountered, and felt. What follows is an exploration of how Figures mobilizes photographic techniques to construct an image-world where psychological states take visual form and where the instability of perception becomes both subject and method. At the core of Figures lies a formally restrained yet conceptually radical intervention: the deliberate disruption of the human figure as a means of articulating what resists verbal expression. In this series, the body is not approached as a fixed subject to be depicted, but as a mutable site. One shaped by psychological rupture, transformation, and emotional residue. Nasos’ use of long exposure undermines the traditional photographic impulse to arrest time, instead allowing duration and instability to surface. What he captures is not the external likeness of the body, but the lived sensation of inhabiting one. “I think of time almost like a texture in my work,” Nasos explains. “Long exposure lets me go beyond the idea of a single, frozen moment. It brings in movement, which means I can show change, emotion, and instability — things that are always happening beneath the surface.” This reflects key ideas from post-structuralist and phenomenological theory: that the body is not a container of truth, but a fluctuating site of experience and perception. The result is a series of images where limbs smear into the dark, faces dissolve into formlessness, and the figure itself becomes a threshold between presence and disappearance. This conceptual logic is reinforced by Nasos’ restrained yet intentional visual strategies. Across the series, he employs blur, movement, and tonal minimalism to destabilize the body's legibility. His reliance on a monochrome palette displaces the figure from its representational anchoring. Occasionally, subdued color is introduced, most notably in the form of red, which acts not as decoration but as a rupture. “Color is a kind of interruption,” Nasos says. “It pushes the viewer to feel differently… it’s something that black and white alone can’t fully express.” Rather than serving as an index of identity or physicality, the body in these images becomes elusive, disarticulated. His use of darkness as an enveloping visual field further abstracts the body, isolating it within an existential void — a liminal zone where the viewer must fill in what cannot be seen. The material character of the images plays a critical role in this process. The use of grain, evoking analog processes, amplifies a sense of tactility and impermanence. In the black-and-white compositions, tonal contrast is pushed to its extremes: highlights glow, while shadows engulf. The skin is rendered not as flesh but as surface, subject to visual erosion. In this context, grain functions not merely as texture, but as a metaphor for instability: the image itself becomes a fragile membrane through which sensation, memory, and uncertainty flicker into view. The photograph becomes an emotive topology, mapping internal states onto blurred contours. Each composition operates as an autonomous psychic portrait, less about who is being depicted than what is being revealed. As Nasos conveys, “Since I include self-portraits, the work is definitely partly about me. But at the same time, the forms go beyond just one person. They represent feelings and struggles that many people share — like vulnerability, confusion, or change.” In this framework, the self is articulated as both singular and relational, at once introspective and emblematic of broader emotional terrains. The body, rendered unstable, becomes a conduit for shared psychological experience. Building on this, Figures may be understood as a form of visual resistance. One that challenges dominant visual paradigms predicated on clarity and stable identity. Nasos deliberately unsettles the viewer’s gaze, foregrounding the instability of perception and the fragmentary nature of selfhood. By disrupting legibility through movement and absence, the work subverts the photographic imperative to define and contain. Instead, it opens a discursive space wherein trauma, vulnerability, and psychological opacity are given form. As Nasos notes, “If I had to describe what Figures feels like, it would be like standing inside a moment of emotional uncertainty — like being in between clarity and confusion, presence and disappearance. There’s beauty in it, but also fragility.” It is precisely this interplay between formal experimentation and affective intensity that positions Nasos’ work as both conceptually rigorous and emotionally resonant — inviting reflection not only on what is seen, but on how it is felt. © Nasos Karabelas © Nasos Karabelas © Nasos Karabelas © Nasos Karabelas © Nasos Karabelas © Nasos Karabelas © Nasos Karabelas © Nasos Karabelas © Nasos Karabelas © Nasos Karabelas © Nasos Karabelas © Nasos Karabelas © Nasos Karabelas © Nasos Karabelas © Nasos Karabelas © Nasos Karabelas © Nasos Karabelas © Nasos Karabelas What Nasos Karabelas ultimately offers in Figures is not resolution, but an invitation to inhabit the image as a space of vulnerability and transformation. In resisting coherence, the work does not collapse into obscurity; rather, it opens up new possibilities for how the photographic image might function as a mode of embodied thinking. Figures does not seek to define the human form, but to question the terms by which we have come to understand it. The body, here, is not a conclusion but a question — unfixed, unresolved, and continually becoming. This refusal to settle into recognizable tropes of identity or representation gives the series its critical urgency. As the boundaries between self and other, surface and depth, presence and absence are made unstable, Nasos gestures toward a broader visual ethics, one that privileges emotional complexity over visual certainty. Figures chooses to withhold, to destabilise, and in doing so, to more honestly approach the ineffable contours of human experience. view Nasos Karabelas’ portfolio Website >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author/s and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List. read more stories >>> 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. FIRE AND FORGE Alexandros Zilos delves deep into the harsh reality of sulfur mining, while also capturing the allure of the blue fire phenomenon created by sulfur deposits in the crater. IN-VISIBLE PAIN Through black and white self-portraiture, Isabelle Coordes brings to light the stark reality of living with chronic pain — a reality often dismissed by a world that requires physical evidence to believe in one’s suffering. CELEBRATION OF LIFE Ahsanul Haque Fahim's photography captures Holi in Bangladesh, celebrating life with vibrant colors and reflecting human emotions, diversity, and interconnectedness in Dhaka's streets. KOALA COUNTRY Sean Paris invites viewers on a transformative journey, challenging our perceptions and fostering a new appreciation for rural Australia through mesmerizing infrared photography. MOMMIE 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. BIFRÖST Amidst the breathtaking scenery of Norway, Romain Coudrier discovered the allure of rare light and subtle shades, immortalizing each moment in striking black and white with every click of his camera shutter. MUD Dedipya Basak's documentary project explores the struggle of an 800 year old lake against the impacts of global warming, revealing its continued relevance and urgent story in today’s changing climate.

PICTORIAL STORY DOMESTIC WASTELAND Domestic Wasteland is Vin Sharma’s raw and honest visual diary, documenting her family’s life during the global pandemic. Through intimate moments and everyday scenes, she captures the tension and transformation of a household navigating uncertainty. February 25, 2020 PICTORIAL STORY photography VIN SHARMA-TIMON story KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link The urban spaces of New York City changed significantly during the Global Pandemic. Sidewalks once filled with pedestrians not afraid to knock elbows with a friendly smile, became vacant solitary spaces where distance was mandated and the masked smile became the New Normal . As spaces once open for public use began to close, more restrictions were imposed, and city dwellers had to adapt to these changes. Everyone deals with change in different ways, some finding it more challenging than others. For Vin Sharma Timon, one particular day marks the beginning of her photographic documentary Domestic Wasteland . An authentic portrait of a family and their personal journey. It is a visual diary of the minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, they shared, and how that strains the best of relationships. Vin depicts with complete candor the emotions and feelings her family confronted and had to learn to manage in new and difficult times of uncertainty. I asked Vin to paint a picture of what it was like at home prior to the restrictions and confinement of the Pandemic. What was the New Normal ? What was a day in the life of the Sharma-Timon family like on any given day before the pandemic. “I often wonder what the norm was before the pandemic. Or if there is such a thing. Sometimes we feel like your typical Brooklyn family. We have a pet; we walk everywhere we need to go. We are a mixed-race family, and we encourage our children to be open. Normally, we stop to chat with our neighbors and are thankful for the local bodega. We have books in every room; we have a quaint stoop for outdoor people watching. We dance in our kitchen and manage to share our evening meals together.” Vin may have had trouble describing Normal , but she easily depicted what was normal and what was not! Sometimes this is the best way to understand change. “I know what the norm was not. Before the pandemic, it was not dreading getting out of bed every morning. It was not crying late at night with an empty bottle of wine (or two) in a bathroom with the lights turned off. It was not binge-watching reality shows on a Monday evening, ordering cases of evaporated milk and toilet paper. The norm was not wiping down groceries (I did this) and ordering 50lb bags of flour because suddenly, I became a bread maker. In the last 23 months, I have baked bread twice and refuse to discuss sourdough starters. Though I still dance in my kitchen with my children.” Vin found one change in their living patterns and daily routines and customs to be perhaps the most profound. Once real connections were made with physicality, playing, hugging, touching. These connections are now made virtually, where an image on a screen replaces the hug, and is the hand you hold. For Vin, “The norm before the pandemic was not being separated from extended family members, unable to visit them, unable to grieve with them. Suddenly, our local friends and our neighbors became a lifeline.” Vin remembers this day, “March 16th, 2020, was the day I began documenting life at home with my family. NYC schools officially closed their doors due to the global pandemic and our lives were hurled into an abyss of madness. Lockdown, shelter in place, quarantine, remote learning - these became commonplace concepts in an ocean of uncertainty.” These new daily living adjustments are not small and insignificant but require much patience and diligence to practice. A family must find the resources to help establish new processes and routines. Combine this with different personalities and the dynamics of relationships between family members, it can create an atmosphere of frustration, and agitation leading to discontent. Vin shares with us her genuine experience and thoughts during this time. “Sometimes, I don't like my family. Mostly I love them, even admire them. We are a group of four who have become so intertwined in a very complex way during the last 33 months. What has happened during this time? Need I ask? The pandemic paved the way for puppies, plants, kitchen gadgets and a complete loss of self. I have become so wrapped up in the lives of my family, that I no longer understand where I fit in. I observe, I record. Yet I am not in the frame. My perceptions are there, stamped on every single moment, but the visual sense of 'me' is absent, except in the way I perceive the people closest to me.” Vin’s story investigates feeling lost and alone even when surrounded by people. Like a super colony, it is hard to move or think independently. For every action, a reaction. Like a pebble cast in water, the ripples spread far and wide, affecting far more than the spot it dropped. Loneliness can be experienced in many different ways as Vin describes the beginning of her day. “Waking up, placing our feet on the ground and beginning the walk that leads us to the day is no longer a mundane routine. It is a feat of greatness, an act of courage. Anything more than that is a bonus.” Vin shares her honest opinion, thoughts that are not always nice, but unavoidable when confronted with the intricacies and complexities of ‘Shelter in place’. “It cannot be normal to live with the same humans every minute of every day, every week, every month, every year. With little relief. I am so tired. We are all so tired. Yet, within the uncertainty, there is a deep appreciation for life and for contemplation.” Another huge adjustment Vin and her family had to make was remote learning, new home schoolers. Confronted with a new set of challenges, their home became their new schoolhouse. “Our entire apartment functioned as a school room. Literally, Brooklyn apartments do not always offer families the generosity of indoor space. I have seen our bathroom floor serve as a reading space, wiped the kitchen table down after a science experiment, seen my 12-year-old check in for attendance from the comfort of his bed. I’ve watched my 9-year-old, lying face down on the floor with an open laptop, her camera off while eating lollipops for breakfast. Welcome to pandemic schooling.” Roles in the family changed, one day Vin was a mother, the next day she was a teacher. Her children were just siblings, playing and quarreling like siblings often do, until the school day began and then they became classmates. This brought new complexities and challenges for her two young children. Vin tells us what it was like for her, and her children transitioning between roles. “Becoming a teacher and managing remote learning was a disaster. ‘Shitshow’ is the word that comes to mind. The constant questions of ‘when can we meet for a zoom call’? became tedious. Sure, anytime is a good time because every time is a bad time. No certainty of schedule, no idea about how many apps would be required in order to read a single day’s homework, no clue as to how to connect with peers. No one hated remote learning more than parents and guardians who stayed at home with their little people, all day, every day. As classmates, my children were either embracing each other or screaming at the top of their lungs. We did our best to give them space and a chance to take a break when they needed to. Who knows what the long-term effects of remote school are.” In the middle of the chaos, there is the rock, the sound of reason. When everything is going wrong, there is always one person that stands in front of the fan, catching all the debris. This was her husband’s role. For Vin and her family, he was the person they relied on to keep the peace, to mend any fences, and to be the voice of reason in a time that seemed to have none. “My husband’s role was honestly much the same as it always was - a source of support, a foundation. He really does insist that he carried on much the same way as before the pandemic. Interestingly enough, I agree with him. The only major change was that we somehow reconnected. We had begun to rely on our own separate schedules before the pandemic, busy with our own activities - him with his work and, oftentimes, me with the children. The pandemic offered a change to that, as well as presenting us with a challenge. For the first time since our first child was born, we were thrust together in close quarters. It has been a simple connection that we somehow lost along the way.” Life changed for Vin and her family, but these changes brought some unexpected connections. The table has become an important place for the family during the pandemic. Vin and her family now share their table embracing the importance of this simple but intimate gesture, of sharing food, nourishment, and family conversations. Vin talks about the ‘value of silence and reflection’. I asked Vin how this applies to their time together during confinement. What did Vin and her family learn, what was their takeaway as a family? “Before the pandemic, we were always busy. There was always something to do, somewhere to go, someone to talk to. Now, that value of silence and reflection has become meaningful, not to mention essential. Particularly when it’s applied to our sense of wellbeing. What was once taken for granted is now sought after - moments of quiet, time to sit and read a book or pick up a real newspaper, time to enjoy nothing but being present. Taking the time to accept the value of being alone at times. In terms of how this all applies to our time together as a family, it’s allowed us to trust each other. It’s given us time to allow for individual space, to respect personal boundaries and to help each other without having to speak. An embrace, a kiss on the cheek, a squeeze of the hand - I have learned how wonderful and heartfelt these gestures can be and how much more important they are now.” What is the reflection that helps them move forward? “We move forward as we have been the last two years - one day at a time. Doing our best not to rush, not to worry. Which of course, is nearly impossible when you are living through a pandemic. Most of all, I am confident in accepting that we need each other. I need the people I love. My family needs me. We are connected and that connection extends to friends who I miss terribly. I miss the kisses on soft cheeks; I miss the warmth of my friend’s arms and the sound of their laughter in my ears. We move forward with the promise that new kisses, new embraces and newfound laughter will be waiting for us. As the story continues to unfold, I find myself holding on to a tremendous love of life and all that we hold dear. What was once mundane is now a point of interest. What we took for granted is now in the spotlight. This is an unraveling of our collective domestic wasteland.” © Vin Sharma © Vin Sharma © Vin Sharma © Vin Sharma © Vin Sharma © Vin Sharma © Vin Sharma © Vin Sharma © Vin Sharma © Vin Sharma © Vin Sharma © Vin Sharma © Vin Sharma © Vin Sharma © Vin Sharma Life continues, and so will the Sharma-Timon’s stories. The obstacles along the way will be hurdled and they all will cross the finish line one day. For the Sharma-Timon family, it is the journey that will create the landscapes of their future and make the connections that will last a lifetime. view Vin's portfolio Read an interview with Vin >>> Website >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> 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. FIRE AND FORGE Alexandros Zilos delves deep into the harsh reality of sulfur mining, while also capturing the allure of the blue fire phenomenon created by sulfur deposits in the crater. IN-VISIBLE PAIN Through black and white self-portraiture, Isabelle Coordes brings to light the stark reality of living with chronic pain — a reality often dismissed by a world that requires physical evidence to believe in one’s suffering. CELEBRATION OF LIFE Ahsanul Haque Fahim's photography captures Holi in Bangladesh, celebrating life with vibrant colors and reflecting human emotions, diversity, and interconnectedness in Dhaka's streets. KOALA COUNTRY Sean Paris invites viewers on a transformative journey, challenging our perceptions and fostering a new appreciation for rural Australia through mesmerizing infrared photography. MOMMIE 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. BIFRÖST Amidst the breathtaking scenery of Norway, Romain Coudrier discovered the allure of rare light and subtle shades, immortalizing each moment in striking black and white with every click of his camera shutter. MUD Dedipya Basak's documentary project explores the struggle of an 800 year old lake against the impacts of global warming, revealing its continued relevance and urgent story in today’s changing climate.

I am a different style photographer, connecting with what I have seen and what I have lived....To live abroad, learning new languages, traditions, discovering other beliefs, religions, lifestyle....Witnessing other's life; Being a watcher, but also feeling. From my personal experiences, I explore feelings and matters, existence basic issues : body, identity, human nature, time passing, death. I show what I see, or play with different process. My pictures are a blend of portrait, nude, documentary or landscape. My projects are more and more brought to life through hand-made unique art books or different plastic art technique; I upcycle, make, create, mixing matter to my visual work. MAGDÉLEINE FERRU I am a different style photographer, connecting with what I have seen and what I have lived....To live abroad, learning new languages, traditions, discovering other beliefs, religions, lifestyle....Witnessing other's life; Being a watcher, but also feeling. From my personal experiences, I explore feelings and matters, existence basic issues : body, identity, human nature, time passing, death. I show what I see, or play with different process. My pictures are a blend of portrait, nude, documentary or landscape. My projects are more and more brought to life through hand-made unique art books or different plastic art technique; I upcycle, make, create, mixing matter to my visual work. LOCATION FRANCE CAMERA/S Nikon D7200 WEBSITE http://www.justmagd.com/ @JUSTMAGD FEATURES // Abysses

I am a London-based documentary, street and travel photographer, and graphic designer. I divide my time between commercial work and personal projects. Most of my photography work is concerned with observations of people in public spaces. JAN ENKELMANN I am a London-based documentary, street and travel photographer, and graphic designer. I divide my time between commercial work and personal projects. Most of my photography work is concerned with observations of people in public spaces. LOCATION London UNITED KINGDOM CAMERA/S Nikon D800 and D850 WEBSITE https://www.enkelmann.co.uk/ @JANENKELMANN FEATURES // Smoking Chefs

PICTORIAL STORY SAHARA Enter a place where nothing is still, and everything speaks — Lorenzo Vitali’s Sahara captures the ever-changing dance of light, shadow, and sand in a landscape shaped by silence and movement. July 14, 2023 PICTORIAL STORY photography LORENZO VITALI story MELANIE MEGGS SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link On the remote border between Libya and Niger, where the silence of the desert hums with unseen forces, Italian artist Lorenzo Vitali found a landscape shaped not by human hands, but by wind and time. His latest photographic series, Sahara: The Shape and The Shadow , captures the elusive dialogue between form and light, revealing the desert not as a void, but as a living canvas of constant transformation. Each photograph documents a fleeting moment: a dune sculpted by air, a ridge etched by shifting light. But beyond the aesthetic lies a deeper exploration. Lorenzo uses the desert’s transience to question the very nature of perception. “The shape of the sand is born from the wind, changes with the wind, changes its skin with the wind. The wind makes it abstract and variable. But the visibility of the shape is given by the shadow that rises and falls at various times of the day, creating a changing game of shapes.” Through this interplay of shadow and structure, Lorenzo constructs a poetic conversation between the visible and the invisible, the permanent and the ephemeral. His work resists narrative and embraces suggestion, inviting viewers to contemplate the intangible — not just of the desert, but of their own emotional landscapes. © Lorenzo Vitali © Lorenzo Vitali © Lorenzo Vitali © Lorenzo Vitali © Lorenzo Vitali © Lorenzo Vitali © Lorenzo Vitali © Lorenzo Vitali © Lorenzo Vitali © Lorenzo Vitali © Lorenzo Vitali © Lorenzo Vitali © Lorenzo Vitali © Lorenzo Vitali With Sahara: The Shape and The Shadow , Lorenzo Vitali continues his career-long pursuit of reimagining the relationship between art and environment. In capturing the desert’s ever-changing contours, he offers not just images, but meditations — on time, nature, and the quiet power of transformation. It’s a body of work that asks us to slow down, look closer, and find shape in shadow. view Lorenzo's portfolio Read an interview with Lorenzo >>> View Lorenzo's project An Arrhythmic Succession of Interrupted Pauses >>> Website >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author/s, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> 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. FIRE AND FORGE Alexandros Zilos delves deep into the harsh reality of sulfur mining, while also capturing the allure of the blue fire phenomenon created by sulfur deposits in the crater. IN-VISIBLE PAIN Through black and white self-portraiture, Isabelle Coordes brings to light the stark reality of living with chronic pain — a reality often dismissed by a world that requires physical evidence to believe in one’s suffering. CELEBRATION OF LIFE Ahsanul Haque Fahim's photography captures Holi in Bangladesh, celebrating life with vibrant colors and reflecting human emotions, diversity, and interconnectedness in Dhaka's streets. KOALA COUNTRY Sean Paris invites viewers on a transformative journey, challenging our perceptions and fostering a new appreciation for rural Australia through mesmerizing infrared photography. MOMMIE 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. BIFRÖST Amidst the breathtaking scenery of Norway, Romain Coudrier discovered the allure of rare light and subtle shades, immortalizing each moment in striking black and white with every click of his camera shutter. MUD Dedipya Basak's documentary project explores the struggle of an 800 year old lake against the impacts of global warming, revealing its continued relevance and urgent story in today’s changing climate.

I am a Fine Art photographer currently living in Noosa, Queensland. Originally from Central England, I also spent many years in Wellington NZ, before hopping over the Tasman in 2014. I have always been drawn to abstract and minimal aesthetics in photography, previously I have spent many hours trying to perfect long exposure landscape/seascapes but I'm currently fascinated by pinhole photography and how I can explore grow by combining these elements by using the local beaches in and around Noosa as my subjects. STEPHEN ALLSOPP I am a Fine Art photographer currently living in Noosa, Queensland. Originally from Central England, I also spent many years in Wellington NZ, before hopping over the Tasman in 2014. I have always been drawn to abstract and minimal aesthetics in photography, previously I have spent many hours trying to perfect long exposure landscape/seascapes but I'm currently fascinated by pinhole photography and how I can explore grow by combining these elements by using the local beaches in and around Noosa as my subjects. LOCATION Noosa AUSTRALIA CAMERA/S Canon 6D WEBSITE http://www.stephenallsopp.com/ @S.W.ALLSOPP FEATURES // Beach Life

PICTORIAL STORY HISTORY IN THE MAKING What happens when history is not just remembered — but staged, lit, and reimagined to confront the present? Dean Goldberg recreates historical pictorials to reflect on the rise of hate crimes and the ideologies behind them. August 19, 2020 PICTORIAL STORY photography DEAN GOLDBERG story KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Hate Crimes are crimes that are motivated by prejudice and biases against, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or gender. Globally we are all challenged by the rise in these crimes. These crimes are perpetrated by extremist collectives that engage in intimidation and violence to eradicate who they feel are inferior or contradictory to their beliefs. We bring to you a special photographic series created by photographer, filmmaker, writer, director, and educator Dean Goldberg. For the past twenty years Dean Goldberg has been living in Woodstock, New York, an upstate hamlet that has become synonymous with the mud-trenched festival that actually took place fifty miles away. His move to Woodstock meant a career change to Academia, where he developed the film and media program for a small liberal arts college in Newburgh, New York. Teaching gave Dean the freedom to work more creatively and develop his love for photography as a storyteller. This led Dean back into the studio to create what he first termed Mise-en-scenes . Dean directed actors, set to a historically correct well-constructed stage, utilizing props that define the time and create tension and create the language for his visual storytelling. Dean shares his inspiration for his journey back through history. “I am still obsessed with manipulating light and dark – using negative space to help the visual, but I wanted to do more, not just produce an image, so my Framing History series was born, and still inspires and directs my work today.” Dean has created a powerful series that depicts hate crimes of the past that speaks loudly to current affairs in the United States. When I went to see his exhibition at the Newburgh Jewish Community Center, Dean had footage of the insurrection on the Capitol that took place on January 6, 2022. There was an obvious overlapping of history, and the language as well as the images confirm we don’t seem to learn from our tragedies and atrocities of our past but repeat them as we move forward into the future. Dean shares his insights and motivation for creating this work. “The Trump presidency hit me hard, as someone who fought against the War Mongering of our post-cold war presidents, who saw the poverty, anger and fascism across America as I thumbed my way cross country when I was 18 years old. The link between The Night of the Broken Glass , and the January 6th insurrection was for me, a bloody chain of rusted steel. The elements were the same; a charismatic leader that spewed hate and prejudice, a population that’s lost self-respect through unemployment, frustration at those in power, and a need to have a scapegoat in which to point their vitriol. While the photos are frozen in aspic, the violence and hate they represent lives again in America. I had played Lily Marlene and other German music during the shoot. I used that as my metronome while editing to present images of the past and present. The video is an essential part of my installation; it is the beating heart of the images hung on the gallery wall.” KRISTALLNACHT Kristallnacht is the most current of Dean’s series of historical photo-narratives that confront the struggles humankind has faced and continues to face today. These series depict true events that reflect the myriad portrayals of human justice. Dean tells us what drives this powerful inspiration for his works. “In this time of light vs. dark, good vs. evil, right vs. wrong, we have a responsibility to speak out against all forms hate and violence and use the magic and majesty of the human spirit to push back against those that spread the malignancy of hate, for the sins of the past have now come back to haunt us.” For those of you who are not familiar with the story known as The Night of the Broken Glass , let me share with you this tragic event in history. On the night of November 9th, 1938, the Nazis decimated the Jewish quarters in Germany, Austria and the Sudetenland. So much damage was done that broken glass littered the streets, and that night was then known forever as The Night of the Broken Glass . Dean found his inspiration to recreate a fictional interpretation of events that took place that infamous night of terror. Dean explains his directives to create the chilling photographs. “ Kristallnacht tells of a fictional meeting of two young lovers who grew up together outside of Berlin, one Christian and one Jew. They meet for the last time in a small out of the way Cabaret for a last dance and champagne. Proud in his uniform he will go on to kill, while she will go to the camps to be killed. The story is fiction. The reality is not. One of the most challenging aspects of creating Dean’s stories was that he became his own art director, prop person, casting director, and set dresser. Dean became a regular Ebay customer, searching for various period pieces, clothing, etc. For example, the doll carriage in Kristallnacht was period true – late thirties and took him a month until he finally found exactly what he needed. Makeup and makeup effects were extremely important, and Dean tried to work with the same people when he could. He shares his process with us. “I don’t use actors for my stories, I pick artists, they seem to be more chameleon-like and without too much artifice. I also like to include real art–in Kristallnacht , the woman who plays the young German girl, New York Artist Erica Hauser painted the Aryan Poster.” Erica adds what it was like to work with Dean and create the painting for this work. “His excitement for the project made me want to contribute. For the Kristallnacht shoot, he commissioned me to make another painting, this one based on a Nazi propaganda poster, Like this . I want to put it on the wall of the cafe. Can you, do it? That's how I ended up making a painting of a young Nazi soldier, my first and hopefully my last; but he was right, it glowed on the dark wall, a piece of background telling more of the story.” Equally important to Dean is the environment he works in and the small crew he devotes his artistic direction to aid in the collaboration that together create the image and body of work. Dean shares why this way of working inspires him. “I like the collaboration; it mimics a film set. I always have music playing that’s relevant to the story and I work to create excitement on the other end of the lens. Ironically the shoot becomes more like a theater piece than a film because of the abstractness of the set. Lots of negative space, theatrical spots, no attempt at verisimilitude. While the Kristallnacht is the first of the series to be installed, all my installations include the props and paintings used in the studio as well as video and audio.” Dean began this series in 2019 and had finished the first three, when he was stopped short by the pandemic. At the time Dean was shooting with a Nikon 6z mirrorless camera but has stepped up to a Fuji Medium Format digital camera to ensure that his prints, when installed are at least 53 inches high at least not lose resolution. Dean uses film lighting, studio grid as well as free standing lights, ensuring the correct exposure, color for his photographs. In Kristallnacht Dean rigged a chimera on the grid to light the dance as well as freestanding Arri lights to illuminate specific areas. Dean has created a series of historical photo-narratives, The Pictorial-List gives you a glimpse into Dean’s world and his direction for his series The Joan Vollmer Murder . Dean tells us what motivated him to create this intriguing photographic series. THE JOAN VOLLMER MURDER “William Seward Burroughs was born 1914 in St. Louis, Missouri. Although related to the Burroughs empire, after graduating from Harvard, Burroughs was given a modest trust that basically paid his rent. He set out to write, drug and screw (boys and men only please) his way through life. But his marriage to Joan Vollmer was at least a true friendship; but drugs were the glue that bound them. Burroughs quickly became a major force in the Beat movement that included Allen Ginsburgh and Jack Kerouac. The beats were the original outcasts; they produced bold new literature while hanging out with thugs and petty thieves in Times Square. In this installation, I wanted to create visuals that did not reveal any of Burroughs’s wit or charm, instead unveiled the bitter truth of the Junkie’s life and the inevitable ghost of death that shadows each fix.” As with all of Deans installations, The Joan Vollmer Murder starred Hudson Valley artist Jackie Skrzynski, turning her from female to male seemed for Dean to be perfect for this work. The installation includes the props and posters in the photographs as well as video clips of Burroughs and other hipsters. Dean found inspiration in the American culture of the 1960’s and the hate crimes that existed in that iconic time in the USA. Dean created a colorful series and shares with us his vision. “The Kennedy era brought with it an air of breezy freedom, new music and new, cool, colors — the Rat Pack, the Cold War, a strong KKK and laws to keep segregation strong. Artist Sienna Martz was delightfully fun as the beautiful reflection of the decade that revolted against the stoicism of the 50s. These interesting events in a critical time in American history, led me to create the series I titled 1961 .” These images do not just hang on the wall, but Dean recreates history once again through his diligent research, acquiring all the special props needed to create the important instantly recognizable characteristics that define that time period and aid in This visual storytelling. Dean explains, “This series will be supported by a video that will show the other side of Camelot , the killing of civil rights volunteers as well as the demolition of poor neighborhoods to make way for Urban Renewal.” I asked Dean what was the match that ignited the fire, to develop these poignant works of art. What was the defining moment, the image that sparked the idea? “Like so many other artists during the covid lockdown, I had to find another way of expression in photography. We have lovely gardens, so I found myself peering down to earth on the most elemental level–from seedling to bud to flowering. But like the beauty of this country, we have been scarred by the poisonous diatribes of those who need power, and have the power destroy souls. So, in the end, I made these flowers drenched in blood. The beauty is still apparent, but the flesh is still wounded.” Dean’s work does not stop here with his historical pictorials. Dean has begun research and has written a narrative for a piece he hopes to produce in the future, The Assassination of Leon Trotsky . The Assassination of Leon Trotsky is in pre-production, featuring artist Norm Magnusson, and a guest appearance by artist Sienna Martz as Frida Kahlo. Dean wants to bring these theatrical pictorials to stage. I look forward to buying a ticket and holding the playbill in my hand! Kristallnacht © Dean Goldberg Kristallnacht © Dean Goldberg Kristallnacht © Dean Goldberg Kristallnacht © Dean Goldberg Kristallnacht © Dean Goldberg The Joan Vollmer Murder © Dean Goldberg The Joan Vollmer Murder © Dean Goldberg The Joan Vollmer Murder © Dean Goldberg The Joan Vollmer Murder © Dean Goldberg 1961 © Dean Goldberg 1961 © Dean Goldberg Flesh & Blood © Dean Goldberg Flesh & Blood © Dean Goldberg Flesh & Blood © Dean Goldberg Flesh & Blood © Dean Goldberg The Assassination of Leon Trotsky (new project) © Dean Goldberg It is an important time in our history to reflect and remember our past. To create work that creates awareness and engages one to think about how we walk into our future. The Pictorial List is grateful to Dean for sharing with our community the important reminders of what we have done in the past, to redirect our energies to create a better future. We look forward to his next series of insightful creations. I personally thank Dean for sharing his time and history with me, reminding me to make a change. view Dean's portfolio Website >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author/s, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> 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. FIRE AND FORGE Alexandros Zilos delves deep into the harsh reality of sulfur mining, while also capturing the allure of the blue fire phenomenon created by sulfur deposits in the crater. IN-VISIBLE PAIN Through black and white self-portraiture, Isabelle Coordes brings to light the stark reality of living with chronic pain — a reality often dismissed by a world that requires physical evidence to believe in one’s suffering. CELEBRATION OF LIFE Ahsanul Haque Fahim's photography captures Holi in Bangladesh, celebrating life with vibrant colors and reflecting human emotions, diversity, and interconnectedness in Dhaka's streets. KOALA COUNTRY Sean Paris invites viewers on a transformative journey, challenging our perceptions and fostering a new appreciation for rural Australia through mesmerizing infrared photography. MOMMIE 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. BIFRÖST Amidst the breathtaking scenery of Norway, Romain Coudrier discovered the allure of rare light and subtle shades, immortalizing each moment in striking black and white with every click of his camera shutter. MUD Dedipya Basak's documentary project explores the struggle of an 800 year old lake against the impacts of global warming, revealing its continued relevance and urgent story in today’s changing climate.