Searching for My Roots by Lia Mageira

From Lia: “Searching for My Roots” is about a village in Bulgaria. During the Great World War, my grandparents were forced to leave their village, Akalan. They settled in Northern Greece. One hundred years later, my family and I decided to reverse the route of our ancestors. The village was almost abandoned.

The last residents

 

There is no bus stopping here

 

Black bow on a white door

 

Wood and wire

 

The old bench

 
 

About the artist: Lia Mageira is a Greek photographer who graduated from The University of West Attica. Her art has appeared in Spectaculum Magazine, Private Review Magazine, Press Pause Press Magazine, The Sunlight Press, Zoetic Press, Mud Season Review, Edge of Humanity Magazine, Orion Magazine, and others. She was the cover artist in Typehouse Magazine, Rivanna Review Josephine Quarterly Art and Poetry Journal, and Absynthe Magazine. She was also nominated for the Best of the Net 2020-2021 awards.

Find Lia on her website, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Sculptures by Zoephia Laughlin

Of the Earth

From Zoephia: To some degree, I think all of my work is inspired by the devastating forces of capitalism.

 

Number One

In close relationships people are recognizable by their hands alone, but in an unsettling way we are more commonly known for what we are capable of accomplishing. Certain labor is apparent simply by glancing at a worker's hand.

 

Sold

When I was making the first two hands named Sold, I was thinking a lot about ableism. People are shunned and neglected, because in this cruel world we are not seen as worthy of love by simply existing.

 

Yeah

This dehumanization insidiously spreads to us all as we are known to acquaintances by our job titles and our potential handyness to others.  

 

Vulnerable

 
 

About the artist: Zoephia Laughlin is an artist and astrologer. You can see more of her work on her website and Instagram.

Three Works by Vincenzo Cohen

The man and the skull

From Vincenzo, about his art: These artworks on the male body relate to my personal experience and to the theme of social resilience. Over the years, I have had to fight against countless prejudices about homosexual status and I have often had to face obstacles and difficult moments in the affirmation of myself, as artist and individual. Even today I continue to fight to reach and achieve my goals, especially linked to overcoming the sense of inadequacy generated by contemporary trends, and that I have always felt as a neurodivergent and extremely sensitive individual.

 

Resilience

On the other side, this aspect of my life forced me to react in the face of difficulties, making me stronger and resilient. I have therefore tried to convey my experience in my artistic practice.

 

Crouched figure

 
 

About the artist: Vincenzo Cohen (birth name, Vincenzo Curcio) is an Italian multidisciplinary artist and writer. He was born in Zurich, Switzerland, and after spending his childhood in South Italy, he moved to Rome to undertake academic studies. In 2002, he graduated in painting from Fine Arts Academy, and in 2005 he held his first Solo Exhibition. In 2007, he achieved a degree in archaeological sciences from La Sapienza University in Rome. His production ranges from figurative arts to writing and consists in reworking of life and travel experiences by exploring different social themes. As a polyhedric artist, his production is the result of a continuous process of historical-scientific research addressed to the representation of cultural and naturalistic content.

Find Vincenzo online.

Three Works by Stephen Mead

Considering the Dystopian (VIII)

 

Angels for the Dystopian (XXII)

 

Angels for the Dystopian (II)

From Stephen: These pieces are excerpted from Considering the Dystopian, a mixed-media montage series-in-progress which deals with overcoming a sense of overwhelming futility while bearing witness to where we are as a species in the world today—knowing that there are spirits in healthcare trying to heal this. But are they outnumbered, and will greed and indifference win the day?

 
 

About the artist: Stephen Mead is an Outsider multi-media artist and writer. Since the 1990s, he’s been grateful to many editors for publishing his work in print zines and eventually online. He is also grateful to have managed to keep various day jobs for the health insurance. Currently he is resident artist/curator for The Chroma Museum, artistic renderings of LGBTQI historical figures and organizations and allies predominantly before Stonewall. Find his work here: The Chroma Museum.   

Video Poetry by Désirée Jung

The Analysis

 

The Border

 

From the artist: My name is Désirée Jung, and I am poet and visual artist from Vancouver, Canada. My portfolio includes published poetry, translation, and fiction. My most recent work, a series of video poems, in both English and Portuguese, speak on the relationship between language, landscape and displacement. There are three series of video poems addressing issues matters of identity, lack, desire, excess and capitalism. My visual art is also an attempt to translate light, despite hopelessly failing it. For more on my digital art, writing, as well as my video poems, please see my website: www.desireejung.com.

How the Story Ends by Susan R. Morritt

 
 

About the artist: Susan R. Morritt is a writer, visual artist and musician from Waterford, Ontario, Canada. Her visual art has appeared in various juried art exhibitions in Ontario, Canada including Haldimand Artworks Exhibition and Edinburgh Square Juried Art Exhibition. Her prose and poetry appear in numerous magazines including A Coup of Owls, Better Than Starbucks, Cowboy Jamboree and her work is upcoming in 34 Orchard Journal, The Rabbit Hole Writers Co-op Anthology, and The Journal of Undiscovered Poets. Susan is a former racehorse trainer who has worked extensively with livestock, and currently works part-time teaching English as a Second Language to turkeys.

Three Works by Marysabella Llamas

Cry Me an Ocean

From Marysabella: Cry Me an Ocean represents rising water levels caused by global warming and humanity's lack of action.

 

A Vivid Demise

A Vivid Demise provides commentary on the possible effects of nuclear warfare.

 

Odd One Out

Odd One Out represents feelings of isolation and provides commentary on substance abuse in schools and low income areas. 

 
 

About the artist: Marysabella Llamas is a high school-aged artist from the Chicago area. The artwork she makes provides commentary on social issues using surrealism and symbolism. 

Three Illustrations by Jada Russell (WCIFS)

Pinterest Girly

From Jada: My illustrations play a significant role as they portray women of color in a manner that is frequently overlooked in traditional art spaces. By depicting these women in simple, endearing ways, I aim to celebrate their beauty and humanity, which is often underrepresented in society.

 

Café Girly

Moreover, my artwork delves into the exploration of feminine identity and the women's experience, shining a light on the unique perspectives and encounters of women of color.

 

Tulips

 
 

About the artist: Jada Russell (WCIFS) is a 23-year-old illustrator based in the vibrant city of Chicago, IL. Her passion for art stems from her childhood. Because of this, she discovered a program called Young Artist At Work. Through this program, Jada had the privilege to collaborate with fellow creatives and create a series of awe-inspiring murals that continue to grace her community to this day. The experience proved to be a pivotal moment for Jada, as it helped her to uncover her true calling in life, art. Jada's artwork is an exciting mix of playful experimentation and a testament to her love for all things cute and adorable. Be it stuffed animals, clothes, or even food, Jada can capture the essence of cuteness in her designs, all the while infusing them with a youthful, playful energy that is uniquely her own. Through her art, Jada aspires to spread joy and happiness and to make the world a brighter, more vibrant place.

See more of Jada’s work on her website, and connect with her on Instagram and TikTok.

Three Works by Marie Magnetic

death by any other name

From Marie: After dealing with relentless red tape in the healthcare industry, I was inspired to make this piece. I have ADHD and have been clashing with my health insurance company every month for prescription refills, as they have decided to require prior authorization for this much-needed prescription. My anxiety only worsens as I try to navigate a world where neurodivergence is punished and seen as an affliction.

 

electronic ersatz

I feel trapped in a sea of anonymity where society expects me to play the role of wife, breeder, and mother; there is no room left for my dreams under the watchful eye of the Christian church and the American government.

 

incremental invasion

This collage focuses on the violation of privacy and reproductive rights, steeped in a dream and holding one's hand out for a better tomorrow.

 
 

About the artist: Marie Magnetic is inspired by her identity as a queer, Jewish, Blackfoot, and neurodivergent woman as she examines dystopia, delight, and delusion in society. Growing up in a small town in southwestern Michigan helped to shape Marie's values as she witnessed friends and family suffer from addiction, mental health issues, poverty, and other forms of systemic disadvantage. Marie’s artwork reflects the experiences of being othered, whether as a woman in a patriarchal society, an ethnic minority, or someone with a disability. She received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Central Michigan University and is pursuing a BFA in Drawing and Painting at DePaul University in Chicago.

Fine more of her work on Instagram.

Three Works by R.Drada

American Shooting Abstract

From R.Drada: These works all focus on my views and fears about the state of America today. “American Shooting Abstract” is focused on the number of shootings there are in America. I create these works in order to process my own shattering fear of gun violence, and those that support the furthered influx of guns in America.

 

Broken Blue Sky

These works deal with a sense of disillusionment in the idea that America is “the best.” They ask, how can a country believe it is strong when their children are shot in schools? 

 

Blue Sky, Red Altar

 
 

About the artist: R.Drada is an American artist based in Berlin, Germany, who centers her oil paintings on the themes of women, destruction, existential anxiety, and dehumanization.

See more of R.Drada’s work on her website and Instagram.

Two Portraits of Anarchists by Dani Knight

Lucy Parsons, pictured here with a quote from the Chicago Police that called her “more dangerous than a thousand rioters.”

8x10”, painted in gouache with lettering done digitally

 

Emma Goldman, accompanied by a press quote that labeled her “the high priestess of anarchy.”

8x10”, painted in gouache with lettering done digitally

 
 

About the artist: Find Dani Knight on Instagram.