A documentary photographer, Tahmineh Monzavi follows and captures the lives and realities of Iran: male taylors sewing bridal dresses; drug addicts, some of whom successfully go through rehabs, while most don't, continuing lives tinted by violence, addiction and poverty; a transgender woman in a threateningly, even deadly intolerant society.

The scary stories, the dark stories, the sad stories, some with a glimpse of light, all very real and intense.

Her eyes are green with the slightest shade of brown. And warm. 

Warm is her soft voice and the soft, cozy, tactile wall art that she creates. 

She is Vanessa Barragao, a textile artist from sunny Albufeira. 

In the spacious, white studio, full of air and light, I am welcomed by a friendly Catarina, who introduces me to Vanessa. 

It was not that long ago, Catarina tells me, that they moved to this new, big studio. The previous one was too small for Vanessa's art: her wall pieces need enough space and proper lighting to blossom with their full tactile, warm and gently-colored potential. 

There is something special about Max Weiler's works. He did not simply paint nature; rather, he would “re-create nature without imitating its outward form" and "evoke the atmosphere, the moods, the essence of trees, grasses, and natural elements, using forms entirely [his] own” (Max Weiler, *Tag- und Nachthefte*, 1972).

Through his process, he discovered that the real power of transformation comes from the colors he chooses and the shapes he creates. Their soft, shifting, almost liquid nature is what makes the change possible.

Expressive, unique jewelry has a life and a history of its own. 

It is not unusual for earrings to become a literal part of us, like totemic tattoos: we wear them every day, we wear them when we sleep, we wear them when we shower (albeit that is not the best idea for the durability and looks of precious metals and stones). 

Jewels become parts of us.

Our ornaments.

Our quiet companions.

Our shadows. 

And a silent means to communicate our moods, tastes, stories and ideas about beauty to the outside world.

Funda Baysal, a ceramic and model maker based in Rotterdam, brings to ceramics a distinct approach with her exploration of the intricate dynamics between individuals and their surroundings. 

Funda’s creative practice is deeply influenced by her observations of daily life and internal sensations. In her process, Funda employs various materials, tools, and methods of heat application, creating pieces that reflect moments of learning and discovery, as well as the time and dedication invested in the craft.

Diango Hernández's interpretation of the underwater world is mesmerizing. I am transported to the bottom of the clearest water spring. All I can see are the contours of a female figure, but it is enough to ignite my imagination. I find myself drawn into a whirlpool of speculation: Is she in love, I wonder, or is she grappling with some hidden pain? Is she lost in dreamy reverie, or is there a quiet intensity simmering beneath the surface?

In and through his paintings, Gbemileke Adekunle explores themes of solitude, heritage, physical and mental states of mind, struggle, resilience, meaning of life, and the human condition.

Born in 1991 in Ajilete, a village in southwestern Nigeria, Gbemileke's artistic journey was nurtured from a young age by his parents, who were passionate about art.

His art, characterized by its expressionist roots, with a tendency towards abstract expressionism in his more recent works, goes deep into the complexities of human emotions and experiences.

Browsing the Brussels Art Fair, I found this work by Pinchas Burstein aka Maryan S. Maryan. The pink color hooked me. A very particular pink: familiar, recognizable and, at the same time, rather scary.

Scary, but not aggressive.

Two pseudonyms: Philip Guston (born Phillip Goldstein) and Maryan S. Maryan (born Pinchas Burstein), two lives with lots of pain in them. Guston and Burstein both picked this peculiar pink to transform the pain within and outside them, as an eerie and deceitfully sedating outlet for emotional release.

Through her art, Mia Chaplin, a painter and sculptor from Cape Town, South Africa, speaks about the female experience: a profound commentary on the life of women, articulated through her painting and sculpture techniques, reflecting the complexities, struggles, and beauty of womanhood.

Her works, their sensitive and provocative nature, explore the themes of sexuality, sensuality, intimacy, even violence.

In sunny Albufeira, on the Algarve coast of Portugal, Vanessa Barragão's studio stands as a welcoming, artistic stronghold of beauty, warmth, heritage and sustainability. Using ancestral techniques, Vanessa creates soft, cozy and colorful art using textile waste, which speaks about the importance of preserving traditional crafts and advocating for environmental consciousness through upcycling.

During her master's degree, Barragão created her first wool yarn collection entirely from discarded sheep's wool.  This was when her love for wool, nature and upcycling centuries-old textile techniques was born.