FOAM #62 - Motherland

Are we able to navigate the complex, and possibly denser than ever, intersection between identity politics and identitarian movements in today’s Europe? Are the images we are creating, producing and disseminating able to actually say something about us, our sense of belonging, and our chances to access the possibility of We?

As a response to these questions, the works and words in m/otherlands – the transnational issue explore the ways in which identity intersects and conflicts with nationalism and the idea of nation state within the European context.

Alongside a plentiful range of portfolio artists our feature section brings together a list of contributors that kindly shared with us some thoughtful pieces. Our bookshelf feature has a renewed form: we asked Mariama Attah to compose a thorough review of Mark Sealy’s latest publication Photography, Race and Representation, introducing a new form feature. For the What’s New section Awa Konaté writes about a new body of work by Silvia Rosi, titled Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense, currently premiering at Fondazione MAXXI in Rome. We feel honoured to host a conversation between acclaimed artist and co-founder of the Beirut based Arab Image Foundation Akram Zaatari and art historian Nina Möntmann. They speak about the motivations and the many layers behind his work, and the idea of artist as archeologist. Amongst the incredible contributions within the long form sections of the magazine, we are proud to present a deep and inspiring conversation between Taous Dahmani and Jonny Pitts, which also includes a premiere selection of images coming from Johny’s forthcoming book Home is Not a Place made in collaboration with Roger Robinson and to be published by HarperCollins late September 2022. 

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS & WRITERS

Mohamad Abdouni, Alaa Ammar, Arkadiusz Antosz, Forensic Architecture, Pia Arke, Eylem Atakav, Mariama Attah, Daniel C. Blight, Igor Chekachkov, Taous R. Dahmani, Karim El Maktafi, Avra Fialas, Borys Filonenko, Gem Fletcher, Loraine Furter, Jakob Ganslmeier, Karolina Gembara, Claus Gunti, Fabian Holle, Alfredo Jaar, Nadine Khalil, Grada Kilomba, Kim Knoppers, Anders Kold, Awa Konaté, Josef Koudelka, Ulrike Kremeier, Zeynep Kubat, Cat Lachowskyj, Mous Lamrabat, Oliver Leu, Stefanos Levidis, Rene Matić, Steve McQueen, Jeff J. Mitchell, Nina Möntmann, Now You See Me Moria, Richard Mosse, Renée Mussai, Tanja Ostojić, Ekin Özbiçer, Marina Paulenka, Nataša Petrešin-Bachelez, Anca Pusca, Vinca Petersen, Johny Pitts, Viacheslav Poliakov, The Archive of Public Protest, Lala Raščić, Kolja Reichert, Julian Röder, Silvia Rosi, David Rych, Fiepke van Niel, Mirelle van Tulder, Karolina  Wojtas, Monica Youn, Akram Zaatari, Zahra