Aesthetica Magazine Issue 123

February / March 2025

Human connections are defined by shared experiences. They weave an intricate tapestry of empathy, collaboration and inspiration. In these bonds, we find comfort, understanding and fertile ground for new ideas. When we unite by a common goal or listen to each other, the results are truly transformative.

Innovation is at the intersection of diverse perspectives, proving that the most profound breakthroughs are born not in isolation but together. Collective energy propels us forward, whilst resilience is key. Humanity’s strength lies in the ability to grow, learn and reimagine new futures. This issue of Aesthetica is dedicated to the movers and shakers. We introduce Ryoji Ikeda, one of the world’s leading composers and media artists. The High opens the American debut of data-verse, Ikeda’s trilogy of monumental, immersive light and sound installations, which reflects upon the digitalisation of global society. Floorto-ceiling projections feature visual data extracted from mathematical theories and quantum physics.

Next, we chat with curator, Elona Lubytė, about Imagining the Future, the first major exhibition in France and in Europe of the late pioneer Aleksandra Kasuba. The artist is known for her multidisciplinary practice on the threshold of design, architecture and experimental art. She was a visionary of the 20th century space exploration era, and this retrospective is constructed as a bright, inspiring narrative about loss and possibility. Finally, Gleeson Paulino takes centre stage at the PhotoVogue Festival. His photography is characterised by an appreciation for natural lighting and the vibrancy of Brazil’s diverse landscapes.

In photography – we look at lens-based experimentation which probes the concept of the subject within an image. We feature Greg White, Heather Evans Smith, Martin Levêque, Sandra Bartocha and Stephanie O’Connor. Our cover photographer, Tamara Dean, highlights vital connections between humans and the environment. Finally, the Last Words go to Mous Lamrabat about his show in Marrakech.

Cherie Federico

Pictures of Renewal

Brazilian photographer Gleeson Paulino, who is a part of this year’s PhotoVogue Festival, discusses what drives his innovation and creativity forwards.

Study in Geometry

Martin Levêque is deeply influenced by the long history of modernist photography, building crisp, colourful sculptures out of cardboard and metal.

Visual Memory

People and landscapes blend into each another in Stephanie O’Connor’s rich body of work, which examines themes of imagination and belonging.

Science Captured

Greg White cites Berenice Abbott as inspiration for the Base Quantities still life series, visualising everything from electricity to mass and length.

Personal Storytelling

The colour blue has long been associated with melancholy and sadness. Heather Evans Smith explores this feeling in a series of photographs.

Evoking Atmosphere

Nature is the subject of choice for artist Sandra Bartocha, whose images traverse sun-dappled forests and meadows filled with rich plant life.

Future Constructs

The enduring legacy of Aleksandra Kasuba, the late Lithuanian installation art pioneer, is examined by a major retrospective in France.

Sensory Experience

In Atlanta, world-leading Japanese creative Ryoji Ikeda is making large sets of data visible through his multilayered and audiovisual art experiences.

Natural Immersion

Tamara Dean’s flower-drenched images remind us that humans are neither separated from, nor superior to, the environment that surrounds us.