Artist Statement: “Even though I prefer photography as a medium to capture happier emotions, I turn to my camera when writing my heart out isn’t enough. This self-portrait serves as testimony to my undying love for Sylvia Plath, and to a semester that almost brought me to ruins, and to survival.”

Sylvia by Aayushi Deshpande

Photography Ι 3740 X 2494 Ι 2016

AAYUSHI writes poetry for the lack of prose-ac. She loves quizzing and Tumblr, and her choice of weapon is her Canon 400D. She believes that art as an agent and expression of empathy has the capacity to transform individuals and make a difference in this world. She has a recessive musical gene, and her spirit song is ‘Vienna’ by Billy Joel.

Artist Statement: “While strolling on the shore, I breathed the sea that brought breaking waves.  The sea was full of life with hundreds of boats, thousands of birds and millions of fishes. With sand between my toes, I touched the sea gently. That restless shore and the wild air made me realize that great things can happen at the sea. I am now a young soul full of ‘Vitamin Sea.'”

The Wild Air by Nikita Kothari

Photography Ι 6000 X 4000 Ι 2016

NIKITA KOTHARI is a young and aspiring artist from Bhopal. Living the life of an explorer, Nikita loves to travel, click photographs and find stories in everything she observes. She practices freelance photography and videography in Bhopal and conducts basic photography workshops for local enthusiasts. She has published her photographic work with Society for Tiger and Conservation, and Jagran Lakecity University. She is also a travel blogger with MP Travelogue.com. She curates photography exhibitions, most recently, the VIFA Climate Change Photography Exhibition with Vihaan Drama Works and Dainik Bhaskar held at Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal in December 2015. She is currently working as a Media Officer at Bhopal Hub of Global Shapers Community.

Leonidas Plays the Guitar: Athens, Greece by Chaun Ballard

Photography Ι 3672 X 4896 Ι 2014

CHAUN BALLARD  is a poet and photographer who was raised in both Missouri and California. For six years now, he and his wife have been teaching in the Middle East and West Africa. He is a graduate student in the University of Alaska, Anchorage’s MFA Program. His poems have been published or are forthcoming in The Caribbean Writer, Grist: The Journal for Writers, Sukoon, Orbis: Quarterly International Literary Journal, Apogee, Off the Coast, and other literary magazines. His photographs can be seen in the latest issues of Gravel and The Silk Road Review.

Artist Statement: “This series of 3 self-portraits represents the effects and consequences of LSD on one’s perception of the world. The photographs are inspired by an experiment done by reddit user, whatafinethrowaway, where she asked her artist friend to draw self-portraits while given LSD. The series demonstrates both the vivid imagery and colors seen during one’s high, as well as the negative and nightmarish after shocks that take over during drug use.”

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds by Stacey Lin

Photography Ι 16″X8″, 14″X10″, 14″X10″ Ι 2013

STACEY LIN is an industrial design student from Ottawa, Canada currently attending Carleton University. She’s an aspiring designer, winning the Lillian Rapport Arts Memorial Scholarship in 2014 as well as the Carleton University, School of Industrial Design Award of Excellence in 2015.

Artist Statement: “This photograph was taken at the Ginkakuji Temple in Japan. It was named Big Aspirations with the hope of representing how the pursuit of greatness can be rendered obsolete when a new perspective is adopted.”

Big Aspirations by Santiago Villar

Photography Ι 5312 X 2988 Ι 2015

Artist Statement: “Presenting the ordinary things in extraordinary ways of non-verbal communication is what I live for. Being honest and crude helps me illustrate in a very intense manner, and being able to convey a message in a virtuous way gives me immense satisfaction. This bolstering skill and satisfaction of being able to capture the right moment, cheerful or doleful, stark or fuzzy, helps me create an attachment and sense of connection between the subject, artist and viewer. My work generally focuses on people, culture and community, primarily based in India.”

Agony by Vibhav Kapoor

Photography Ι 2592 × 3872 Ι 2014

VIBHAV KAPOOR is an amateur photographer whose interests lie in street and candid photography. He is a resident of Gurgaon, India. His full portfolio is available here.

Artist Statement: “One day at an art and crafts festival, I stepped into spaces that echoed the tales of unsung creators of art. As I moved closer, my eyes witnessed a creative assortment of hand-crafted objects that spoke of artistic knack and caprice. Every little piece outshone the other and drew my attention. When I touched those masterpieces, I sensed a spark of life in them and their urge to express. Like the human race has managed its existence by the grace of God, there are a thousand little art pieces that come to life by the grace of a sculptor.”

By The Grace of A Sculptor by Nikita Kothari

Photography Ι 5472 X 3648 Ι 2015

NIKITA KOTHARI is a young and aspiring artist from Bhopal. Living the life of an explorer, Nikita loves to travel, click photographs and find stories in everything she observes. She practices freelance photography and videography in Bhopal and conducts basic photography workshops for local enthusiasts. She has published her photographic work with Society for Tigerland Conservation and Jagran Lakecity University. She is also a travel blogger with MP Travelogue.com. She curates photography exhibitions, most recently the VIFA Climate Change Photography Exhibition with Vihaan Drama Works and Dainik Bhaskar held at Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal in December 2015. She is currently working as a Project Lead for ‘Make a Wish Come True’ campaign under the Bhopal Hub of Global Shapers Community.