Artober exhibiting artists
Lili Brinkley
Kukeri, 2018
Razlog, Bulgaria
It’s early morning on the 1st of January, and the air is freezing, thick with fog. The first sound you hear is the steady beat of drums, followed by music, laughter, and well-wishes that travel through the mist. Outside, everyone is dancing “horo”, holding hands, and welcoming the new year with joy.
Leading the celebration are the Kukeri.
The Kukeri are at the heart of an ancient Bulgarian tradition, as old as time itself. Young men don intricate costumes made from goat pelts, their heavy belts jingling with each step as they dance. Their movements are purposeful, meant to chase away evil spirits and ensure a blessed year ahead. This ritual, with its blend of music, dance, and communal spirit, is a powerful reminder of the resilience and joy that mark the start of a new year in Bulgaria.
This photo was taken in my hometown of Razlog, Bulgaria, on 1 January, 2018.
Lucia Fahmy
Simpler Lives Down There, 2022
Luxor, Egypt
Waking up shy of the sunrise, strolling in the farmer’s fields to feed the donkey, sitting still and staring at the distance, the sun shines through the coolness of a winter morning fog. I’d assume he doesn’t find it very romantic, especially with all these touristy hot air balloons floating above his head. Some were a little too close, like the one I was in when I captured this shot. It was just as the sun had risen, and he wasn’t very focused on anything when I spotted him. It was just him, his hungry donkey, and the view.
Though I was mostly raised between Cairo and Giza, I was born in Sohag and lived my first few years there. I’ve always found Upper Egypt (the lower half) to be quite attractive with its simpler life. They have cities, they have tourism, but they have this, and Luxor was no different in that regard. He only gave me his attention momentarily — I took the shot before he returned to his still state of tranquility.
Maki LeVine
Submerge, 2022
Melbourne, Australia
Submerge is meant to evoke a feeling of gliding through water — effortless, connected, free — from a weighted world. During the pandemic when Melbourne was in extreme government lockdown, time felt strangely timeless.
With no capacity to roam outdoors, my balcony and rooftop became my studio and offered aerial views of a motionless world below. During this time, I would stand on my rooftop shooting below onto my balcony to capture a created scene using my housemates during isolation. The camera’s lens became my bird’s eye in a treetop. Somehow random images passed below like scenes in a surreal film.
Under such restricted times, I submerged myself in photography with became both a creative and therapeutic tool, allowing me to express how I experienced the world. This submergence led to an image revolution, and I began experimenting intentionally with light, shadows, line and the human form. This image, for me, marked the end of the lockdown in Melbourne.
Alex T Thomas
Harper's BIZARRE, 2023
An experiment with combining inspirations: Tony Viramontes meets Richard Avedon for Vogue in Beetlejuice's purgatory. The moment when the elegance of old Hollywood gets sucked into the void of a black hole, ripping through space and time.
Alex T Thomas is a not-yet-World-Wide-Famous-Person, working in front of and behind the camera, simultaneously.
Nicola Thiele
Fleeting, 2024
Kyoto, Japan
This photograph was taken during Gion’s ‘Beginning of Business’ ceremony, one of the rare days of the year where photographers are welcomed to take photos of this Japan’s geiko (geisha in Kyoto) and maiko (apprentice geiko).
In the heart of Kyoto, the streets were alive with tradition, as maiko and geiko made their rounds to tea houses. I had the privilege of witnessing a geiko, her movement caught between grace and urgency, turning to greet her acquaintances.
Capturing this moment was a reminder that within the chaos of life, there are serene pauses of beauty and tradition, preserved only if we are quick enough to witness them. This image embodies the essence of what photography means to me — capturing moments that anchor me in the present, through fleeting encounters that linger long after they’ve passed.
Mao Suzuki
Days Come and Go, Year
Days come and go even if we aren’t aware of it. Accept the mundane days, and embrace them. I was born and raised in Japan, where earthquakes and other natural disasters are an inescapable aspect of everyday life.
This nationwide anxiety was reaffirmed on 3 March, 2011. A huge earthquake struck when I was just 17 years old attending high school. Until I moved to Europe, I always carried this subtle fear of big disasters which can destroy a usual day in seconds.
I couldn’t let it go. With my camera, I used to say to the world, ‘goodbye, thank you, I hope to see you again’.
Lisa Knight
To Arrive Where I Started, 2022
Casterton, Australia
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