POETRY, PAIN & POWER
WINONA OAK
COVER STORIES
Latest on ZERO.NINE
Iron Curtain
In Iron Curtain, Polish photographer Natalia Kepesz travels from Estonia to Ukraine, tracing the emotional and psychological impact of war and proximity to Russia. Through powerful portraits and quiet observations, she captures a continent on edge—where young people adjust their dreams, elders recall past horrors, and borders quietly reshape everyday lives.
Beauty – Frontwoman
Eyeliner as iconography. In Frontwoman, shot in Barcelona’s El Gótico, beauty becomes attitude. This story explores eyeliner not just as makeup, but as a fashion statement—bold, lived-in and unapologetic. From ancient rituals to runway reinvention, the eyes take centre stage in a tribute to music, movement and aesthetic rebellion.
Faith in Transition
In a remote valley of Northwest Pakistan, Danish photographer Laura Riis documents a quiet transformation. Her project captures the personal and cultural complexities of religious conversion among the Kalash—a small indigenous community navigating the tension between ancestral traditions and Islam. Through tender, intimate portraits, Riis explores faith, identity, and the difficult choices faced by a new generation.
ELEGOS
ZERO.NINE AWARD
Elias Yannas Tsigounis is the winner of the inaugural ZERO.NINE Award
Read more
Interview Holly Wyche
The Mark of a Terrible Sun
Photographer Ioanna Sakellaraki presents a poetic exploration of disaster and resilience in the Pacific Ring of Fire. Through haunting imagery of Melanesia, the project blurs the line between history and myth, destruction and survival. The Mark of a Terrible Sun will be on view at Hillvale Gallery, Melbourne, Australia, from April 10 to May 11.
Ghost Notes: Portrait of Punk in Derby
Ghost Notes: Portrait of Punk in Derby explores Derby’s enduring punk spirit through portraits and sound, capturing how this subculture shapes identity and community. Commissioned by FORMAT Festival, photographer Francis Augusto documents punk’s evolution—from radical roots to modern expressions—revealing a vibrant, intergenerational movement that continues to challenge norms and foster creativity in unexpected spaces.
MOMOTXORRO: The Wild Spirit of the Carnival
Our cover story this month pays homage to the wilderness and the ancient gatherings that celebrated the earth, the sun, and the cycles of nature — a reminder of our roots as an artificial intelligence world rapidly grows. In Alsasua, Navarra, the Momotxorro emerges: a bloodstained echo of ancestral pagan rituals.
ICONS – Margaret Bourke-White: The Indestructible
Margaret Bourke-White was one of the most fearless, intrepid photographers that has ever lived. To call her anything else would be an understatement for a photographer whose work confronted some of the greatest injustices of the 20th century. Some put her capacity to be in these places at the right time down to a matter of chance. Was it?
People Things
Guided by childhood memories, family stories and literature, Henry Schulz embarks on a journey to reconnect with the past. With his camera, he searches for places that mirror his recollections of Germany—forgotten spaces between city and countryside where history lingers. His photographs capture the cycle of memory and change, revealing a world where the past is never truly lost, only waiting to be rediscovered.
In The Shadow We Bloom
‘In The Shadow We Bloom’ explores themes of isolation and anonymity within South Korea's urban landscapes. Capturing people, animals, and objects, the series juxtaposes curated social media personas with the impersonal nature of city life. Through this lens, photographer Aram Tanis examines the tension between self-representation and the reality of contemporary urban existence.
Raw. Rebellious. Real.
We met world-famous photographer and icon of the Berlin club scene, Sven Marquardt, in the German capital for an exclusive shoot and interview. He talked about creative challenges, his work process and why he would never give up film despite the possibilities of digital.
Shetland Pony Grand National
Joe Hart’s photography series immerses us in the world of the Shetland Pony Grand National, where young riders chase dreams with determination and grit. More than a competition, it’s a tradition built on passion, community, and ambition—showcasing the dedication of these athletes and the charitable spirit that drives the event forward.
Augmented Unreality
Augmented Unreality is a photographic project exploring beauty in the age of artificial intelligence. It questions how technology shapes our aesthetic ideals, often distorting beauty into a superficial and homogenous concept. By blending AI-generated images with real models, photographer Norberto Pezzotta challenges the perception of beauty, advocating for inclusivity, authenticity, and the preservation of human diversity in a digital era.
Amtszeichen
Benjamin Sauer’s project Amtszeichen (Official Signs) explores the world of German bureaucracy—its rigid structures, endless corridors and paper-filled offices. Through his images, he captures both the necessity and absurdity of administration, revealing the people behind the system and the clichés that define it: flickering lights, official stamps and labyrinthine rules.
James Nelson-Joyce – Bare Knuckle Talent
With his knack for bringing tough, intense characters to life, James Nelson-Joyce’s talent doesn’t go unnoticed in films like Bird and TV series such as Shameless and Time. In our exclusive interview he opens up about his latest project, A Thousand Blows, the challenges faced by working-class actors, and why being lucky isn’t enough.
Anemia
Photographer Valentina Luraghi explores the overlooked struggles of women battling this condition, often dismissed by medical professionals. Through intimate portraits, the series captures the exhaustion, anxiety, and resilience of those affected. Different women, united by their fragility and strength, reveal the silent weight of anemia and the fight to be heard.
In case you missed it
In Between
What does it mean to be close to someone? In Between by Nora Obergeschwandner is a poignant exploration of intimacy, attachment and the invisible forces that shape our relationships. Through evocative analog portraits and raw personal narratives, this project unravels the delicate balance between longing and fear, inviting viewers to reflect on their own emotional landscapes and the spaces where connection truly unfolds.
River Where The Oak Trees Grow
Flowing through ancient woodlands and temperate rainforests, the River Dart is both a place of beauty and a fragile ecosystem under threat. Photographer Emma Stoner began documenting the river in 2022 as part of a commission. Since then, the project has evolved into a personal exploration of the Dart’s landscapes and communities, highlighting its natural beauty while raising awareness of the environmental challenges it faces.
ICONS – Elliott Landy: Music and Rebellion
Landy’s fundamentally political eye reflected the cultural landscape of the 1960’s better than most others. He understood that musicians like Jimi Hendrix’s anti-war sentiment were a line in the sand against the increasingly oppressive Vietnam war, and that he could proselytize their message to a massive audience with his photography. How did he reach this position of influence?