CLOSING CEREMONY - Issue 3: Smile

This issue explores the theme of "smiles" through the perspectives of global artists and photographers, each with unique life experiences. Smiles are often staged in photography, symbolizing happiness, but in times of difficulty, we're told to "smile" to mask our struggles. However, smiles can carry conflicting emotions, even feeling eerie or forced.

As the economy declines, glossy commercial visuals can no longer hide the underlying melancholy. Artists face the challenge of balancing creativity with financial constraints, and we aim to explore how they find innovative ways to cope and express deeper, more primal emotions in their work.