Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2025 i Lens Magazine

“An integral theory of art is the multidimensional analysis of the various contexts in which – and by which – art exists and speaks to us: in the artist, the artwork, the viewer, and the world at large. Privileging no single context, it invites us to be unendingly open to ever-new horizons, which broaden our own horizons in the process, liberating us from the narrow straits of our favorite idealogy and prison of our isolated selves.”– Ken Wilber, 'The Eye of Spirit.' MATERIAL SUBLIME IN 'THE TAO OF DESIGN' CARL GARANT CONTEMPLATES: Design is not always immediately perceived, nor is it meant to be fully understood. Design is not entirely definable even though the mind insists that it should be. Rather, design prefers the euphoria of epiphany and the steadfastness…

“If you find yourself in Zanzibar for the first time, you might not immediately understand what’s happening. Usually, a crowd surrounds the young guys, cheering them on, and then you'll see a boy, around 8 to 17 years old, run out of the crowd, push off from a ledge on the waterfront, and after several spins in the air, he plunges into the water.” - Artem Khazov My name is Artem Khazov, and I have been practicing photography for over six years. Traveling around the world, I try to capture real moments of people’s lives, their everyday lives, and customs while making sure not to intrude on their world so that the magic of the moment doesn't disappear. Over the years, I've visited more than 30 countries, and today, I…

The core of my adventure is the journey through the American West and along the legendary Route 66, often referred to as "The Mother Road." Traveling from Los Angeles to San Francisco, with a stop in Las Vegas, I experienced breathtaking landscapes and encountered genuine people along the way. Of course, several stops were necessary to cover the 1,500 kilometers of this scorching stretch of asphalt. My trip was punctuated by visits to small towns, motels, hotels, national parks, and Native American territories. I crossed four states: California, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. So, I invite you to hop aboard my orange Chevrolet and explore this travel diary with me. A VISUAL ODYSSEY INTO THE HEART OF WEST OF THE UNITED STATES In 2022, before the terrible fires of 2025 reshaped…

THE GER HAS BEEN A HOME FOR THE MONGOLS AND OTHER NOMADIC TRIBES IN CENTRAL ASIA, SUCH AS THE KAZAKHS AND KYRGYZ, FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. THE GREEK HISTORIAN HERODOTUS MENTIONED IT AROUND 2500 YEARS AGO. THE DESIGN FEATURES A ROUND WOODEN FRAME COVERED WITH FELT, WHICH HAS PROVEN EFFECTIVE IN THE CENTRAL ASIAN STEPPES AND HAS LARGELY REMAINED UNCHANGED OVER TIME. Three people can set up the ger in one to two hours and take it down even more quickly. It is transported on three camels. Thanks to its multiple layers of felt, it provides insulation and protection against the wind, even during icy winter months. On hot summer days, tying up the side walls can achieve a comfortable indoor climate, eliminating the need for air conditioning. Although the…

“I DIDN'T REALLY CONSIDER THE RISKS OF THE PROFESSION, AND LIKE MANY TEENAGERS, I HAD A VERY NAIVE VIEW OF WHAT WAR WAS LIKE. I DIDN'T EXPERIENCE IT FIRST-HAND UNTIL EARLY IN MY PRO CAREER, IN THE EARLY 90S, WHEN I SPENT A COUPLE OF WEEKS IN CROATIA DURING THE WAR IN THE BALKANS.”- DAVID BUTOW THIS INTERVIEW IS FOCUSED ON THREE UNIQUE PROJECTS: BATTLEGROUND IN HONG KONG HONORING MANDELA THE UYGHURS PROJECT: BATTLEGROUND IN HONG KONG David Butow is a freelance photojournalist whose projects and assignments have taken him to over two dozen countries, including Afghanistan, Burma, Iraq, Peru, Yemen, and Zimbabwe. His work covering politics in Washington, D.C., resulted in the monograph BRINK, published in late 2021 by Punctum Press. Born in New York and raised in Dallas,…

“This collection showcases my profound appreciation for culture, beauty, and resilience. I strive to honor the individuals I photograph and share their stories with the world.”-Giovanna Aryafara Giovanna Aryafara started her lifelong passion for photography 40 years ago in Sydney, Australia, and continued in New Zealand as a school Photographer for several years. Over the years, she has exhibited her works in Australia, Germany, Brazil, Thailand, Croatia, and Bali. She also exhibited at the Africa Photo Festival 2018 in New York, the Atlas of Humanity in Paris and Italy in 2019, and the Atlas of Humanity in Paris and Milan in 2022. In 2020, Giovanna won the 2021-2022 Africa in Focus Photo Competition for the "People/Cultures & Communities of Africa" category. Giovanna’s photography is also featured as the main exhibition…

“I HAVE TRAVELED TO COUNTRIES SUCH AS ITALY, FRANCE, AND GREECE, BUT NEW YORK REMAINS THE PLACE THAT TRULY RESONATES WITH ME. I NEVER TIRE OF PHOTOGRAPHING MY CITY. AFTER FOCUSING PREDOMINANTLY ON PEOPLE THROUGHOUT MY CAREER, I'VE DEVELOPED A PARTICULAR FASCINATION WITH CITYSCAPES, ESPECIALLY THE ICONIC WOODEN WATER TOWERS.”- BEN ASEN People often ask me why I photograph. The answer is simple: I'm not a great painter. Visually, photography is how I express myself. Watching old black-and-white movies as a kid greatly influenced what subjects I photograph and how I shoot them. I've always enjoyed film noir movies, where the lighting and the use of shadow were so important in making urban scenes beautiful and indelible. Ultimately, my work is about seeing—truly seeing—the beauty in the ordinary and the…

THE LIVESTOCK MARKET IN KASHGAR, XINJIANG, CHINA, IS A VIBRANT SPECTACLE STEEPED IN HISTORY AND TRADITION. KASHGAR HAS BEEN A CRUCIAL TRADING POST ON THE SILK ROAD FOR CENTURIES, CONNECTING EAST AND WEST. THE LIVESTOCK MARKET, HELD EVERY SUNDAY, IS A LIVING TESTAMENT TO THIS HERITAGE. A CROSSROADS OF CULTURES AND COMMERCE Kashgar’s livestock market is one of the largest in Central Asia, attracting farmers, herders, and traders from across the region. It’s a vibrant and captivating spectacle, a living testament to centuries of trade and cultural exchange along the ancient Silk Road. The market is a cacophony of sounds, smells, and sights. Hundreds of animals, if not thousands - sheep, goats, cattle, horses, and even camels – are bought and sold, creating a bustling and energetic atmosphere. WHILE THE…

Try to be a poet with a camera, weaving stories of distant lands through the art of photography. Xavier AYME’s lens is a bridge between worlds, capturing fleeting moments where light, time, and emotion converge. Each image he creates is an invitation to travel—not just across continents but into the soul of a place where cultures breathe, and landscapes sing their quiet songs. It is a symphony of light and shadow, quiet moments, and vibrant life. Through Xavier AYME’s eyes, the world becomes a canvas on which every detail, every glance, speaks to something deeper—an invitation to experience the poetry of the earth itself. Xavier Ayme is a 51-year-old travel photographer with dual Canadian and French nationality. He is an emerging artist whose journey into photography began just five years…

One of the most significant aspects of attending the top photo festivals around the globe is getting up close and personal with the work produced by renowned masters and future stars of our shared medium, as well as meeting the image makers themselves. The 2025 edition of the Xposure Photo Festival in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates had on display the work of many of the great names in photography, including Sir Don McCullin, James Nachtwey, Gerd Ludwig, Sandro Miller, Greg Gorman, Sebastian Copeland, Sascha Fonseca, Karen Ballard, George Steinmetz and Jeff Dunas, as well as future stars including Rony Zakaria whose powerful black and white images are featured here. Based in Indonesia, Zakaria studied photography at Galeri Foto Jurnalistik Antara and Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines.…

Quito, a city suspended between the past and present, is a masterpiece of history, architecture, and culture. Its foundations were laid atop an ancient Inca settlement, only to be transformed by Spanish conquerors into one of the most breathtaking colonial cities in the world. The capital of Ecuador, cradled in the high-altitude embrace of the Andes, has inspired artists for centuries. But beyond the rich palette of its historic facades, Quito’s true poetry is written in light and shadow. Through my monochromatic lens, I seek to capture my city’s soul—where every contrast tells a story, and every frame reveals the timeless heartbeat of this urban sanctuary. A MONOCHROME PERSPECTIVE ON THE OLD TOWN Erected on the ashes of an Inca city, Quito’s Old Town is among the most well-preserved colonial…

“I AIM TO PRESENT ORDINARY INDIVIDUALS THROUGH MY STREET PORTRAITS AND OFFER A GLIMPSE INTO THEIR INNER SELVES. MY TYPICAL METHOD INVOLVES ENGAGING WITH PEOPLE DIRECTLY, HAVING CONVERSATIONS TO ESTABLISH A RAPPORT, ENSURING THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE, AND THEN CAPTURING IMAGES THAT REFLECT THEIR NATURAL DEMEANOR. HOWEVER, THIS APPROACH IS NOT A RIGID RULE; IT HEAVILY RELIES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING AND INTERPERSONAL DYNAMICS, WHICH MAY NOT ALWAYS YIELD THE DESIRED RESULTS. PROFICIENCY IN FIVE LANGUAGES CERTAINLY AIDS MY INTERACTIONS.”- CHRISTIAN KIEFFER 2 PROJECTS ORDINARY INDIVIDUAL’S STREET PORTRAITS GEORGE EDWARD NIXON My photography has consistently centered around capturing people. I find documentary work, photojournalism, street portraits, and various forms of portraiture to be the most compelling and inspiring subjects. Some argue that street portraits should not be classified as street photography but…

PRECISION IS AN INHERENT QUALITY OF DIGITAL CAPTURE, ENABLING THE RECORDING OF A LEVEL OF DETAIL AND A RANGE OF LIGHT UNATTAINABLE WITH FILM. AND DIGITAL PROCESSING AFFORDS A LEVEL OF CONTROL OVER THE PRESENTATION OF THE IMAGE AS NEVER BEFORE. Precisionism was an early twentieth-century art movement in the United States inspired by the industrialization of the American landscape. It depicted the dynamism of the machine age with a balance of abstraction and accuracy. The art style’s fixation with stripping its subject matter down to its geometric essence was influenced by the European fine art forms of Cubism and Futurism, although it approached the dynamism of the industrial scene in the U.S. with a more holistic attitude and greater emphasis on precision. Practitioners of Precisionism included painters George Ault,…