Since we started see-zeen 4 years ago the one constant is the fast and restless state of flux and disruption the world is going through. As a result, an amplified sense of identity reverberates as it ripples through the work of artists. This is reflected in the work we receive in our submissions. We are witnessing a geopolitical shift to a new, decentralised global order, which, in turn, reshapes the cultural landscape. In recent years a growing sense of identity has emerged around the world expressed by artists, writers, designers, and film makers.
A look at the best movies of 2025 section at Rotten Tomatoes, the American review-aggregation website for film and television, lists On Becoming a Guinea Fowl by Rungano Nyoni, a Zambian film director, in the top place and the top 10 list includes films by directors from China, India and Palestine. This stands out as Rotten Tomatoes represents the voice of the people as well as critics. The power of cinema is its capacity to build empathy by transporting you into the stories of others and finding a sense of shared humanity. As a photography magazine we share a similar perspective through the art of photography. Some of our past features have been focused on talents from Africa, the Nordic countries, Latin America, Iran and most recently on China and Vietnam and we will continue with more features focusing on other specific regions in upcoming issues.
In this issue our feature is Focus on Youth. We routinely receive so many submissions that it is impossible to publish them all, so we file stand-out projects until we can place them. Themes unfold. This issue breaks from our past format by showcasing a selection of photographers from these saved archives. The theme of youth has been a distinct and canonical genre since before youth culture started creating a storm in the 1950’s. In our article we present a short overview of its history together with the work of 9 photographers from countries as far apart as Turkey, China, South Africa and Hungary. See and read here:
For A Visual Dialogue we invited South African Nadia Ettwein and Maria Denise Dessimoz from Greece. The resulting exchange of images feel cathartic as they weave in and out of past memories and build a new shared narrative. See and read here:
As always it is challenging to select the 10 submissions to publish. We hope their stories and singular perspectives will resonate with you Continue reading
