Aesthetica Magazine Issue 92

December / January 2019

Innovation keeps me going. I feel so very honoured to see so many wonderful artworks on a daily basis. It gives me inspiration. It takes me to new places, teaches me, makes me laugh and cry. Constantly, I am reminded by the shared experience of what it means to be a human being in 2019.

We all know that the world has transformed, yes, through technology – and with it comes the idea of progress – but I’ve started to think about progress and what really defines it. We can communicate with anyone, anywhere – but the constant desire to check your phone from the minute you wake up until the minute you go to bed doesn’t come without repercussions. Once we move into 5G, this is the future.

We are evolving emotionally. This can’t be understated in terms of how this will affect humanity – and future generations. Politically, the world has been in turmoil since 2016: the year of the Referendum and Trump making his way into the White House. We’ve seen and heard things that shouldn’t be happening. This is the 21st century – a time of progress. We shouldn’t be seeing women’s rights surrounding their own bodies being revoked, and the climate crisis being denied. It’s supposed to be better now, right?

This issue of Aesthetica invites you to engage with the key themes of our times. The artists included are making sense of the world through new visual narratives. Doug Aitken’s latest installations explore the space between physical and virtual worlds, commenting on the ways that communication has changed. Eva Vonk and Pieter Henket consider the role that the Congo Basin plays within the wider geological balance, drawing attention to the importance of oral culture, history and tradition.

In photography, there are seven outstanding practitioners who present bold and exciting series. They question the idea of home and identity, highlight the beauty of everyday objects and play with the notion of anonymity. Finally, the Last Words goes to Sarah Cook, Curator, who discusses Somerset House’s latest exhibition, 24/7. The show looks at our non-stop world and asks us to pause.

Fluidity and Invention

A new publication foregrounds an age of innovation and experimentation, pushing the boundaries of architecture through poetic and geometric forms.

Qualities of Daylight

Reflected mountain ranges. Splashes of water. White clouds drifting past. Morozova’s images complement natural elements with bold, colourful fashion.

Art for Connectivity

Artist and innovator Doug Aitken is at the forefront of 21st century communication, presenting a space between the physical and virtual.

Deserted Locations

How do we define the notion of home? What happens when a house is left behind? Gohar Dashti’s images reveal the true power of nature.

More to the Picture

Portraits reveal truths about the human condition – how we present ourselves to the world. Bey explores the dialogue between sitter and subject.

Panning the Landscape

Guillaume Simoneau’s works are crisp, bright and clean, presenting a diverse and compelling depiction of Canada’s topographies.

Scientific Perspective

Sitting between photography and field research, Eddo Hartmann’s images depict the vulnerability of ecosystems in the age of post-industrialisation.

Playful Silhouettes

Inspired by the busy streets on the island of Corsica, So AsA began to build up a portfolio of silhouettes, having originally shot in black and white.

Powerful Storytelling

A groundbreaking photography series depicts one of the world’s most important ecological locations as well as its diverse cultural narratives.

Distant Suburbia

Thomas Jordan is influenced by the northwest Chicago suburbs. These compositions transform everyday scenes into jewel-tone utopias.

Subtle Framing

Ian Howorth’s cinematic images, captured through analogue film, revel in the authenticity of opportunity, spontaneity and chance.

Animating the Everyday

Photographer Olivia Jeczmyk’s series focuses on simplicity and geometry – drawing attention to household items through minimalist design.