Enchantment

CURATORS’ NOTE

Enchantment

What is your north star when the world seems to be collapsing?
In the weight of darkness, how – or where – do you still find light?

It was a desire to see the familiar anew. To witness wonder in the ordinary, and have something to hold on to – in spite of, or despite – the problems that plague this world. That was the initial impulse for the theme of this open call.

And this impulse remains to be a thread weaving loosely through these selected works. In some, there is close looking, softness, and vulnerability in the face of wounds. In others, there is play, an re-imagination of the mundane. A couple can be interpreted as reminders of the very human yearning to connect and belong – even if we may not always succeed in our attempts.

Regardless of the stories that these works tell, I hope they will inspire us to cultivate a sense of magic to the quiet moments that call, the land that we live on, and the people who hold us close. Perhaps, through the practice of seeking wonder, we may find the courage to stay open, engage deeply with what is around us, and take steps to repair.