Der Greif 16 — Common Love — Shirin Neshat

We all grapple with grief and trauma, both on an individual and collective level. But with this common ground, we feel less alone. This is human nature: we see and feel that others experience similar struggles therefore we feel bonded and hopeful.

That is why we create art and culture to reach beyond our differences. The most powerful works in my opinion are those which connect people and evoke shared emotions without explanation.”

Shirin Neshat

Der Greif and Shirin Neshat put out an open call, inspired by the line „I am a common pain, scream me“ from Ahmad Shamlou‘s poem “Common Love”, printed on the inner cover of this issue.

1.500 artists and photographers from all over the world responded to this theme.

The result is a poetic and multifaceted visual narration through 86 images on 100 sensitively laid out pages. Images included by: Alfred Marseille, Ali Lorestani, Ali Mobasser, Alicja Kochanowicz, Amin Yousefi, Ana Misskind, Anastasia Arsentyeva, Andrea Graziosi, Andrew Kung, Angel Hugo, Angelika Kollin, Anna Guseva, Anna Kadykova, Anna Martynenko, Asafe Ghalib, Atoosa Farahmand, Azad Amin, Becky Jaffe, Bubi Canal, Chandradev Surana, Claudio Ahlers, Claudio Eshun, Da Miane, David De Lira, David PD Hyde, Deirdre Brennan, Dmitry Ermakov, Emel Darvish, Emily Neville Fisher, Gabriele Orlini, Gabrielle Hall-Lomax, Ghada Khunji, Giulia Theodoli, Hadas Itzkovitch & Anya van Lit, Harlan Bozeman, Heidi Kirjavainen, Hossein Fardinfard, Ingeborg Everaerd, Juan Páez, Julie Batteux, Kamzy Ekuma, Katerina Tsakiri, Kristina Knipe, Ladan Osman, Lana Bliadze, Lucia Jost, Luvuyo Equiano Nyawose, Maazin Kamal, Maddie Swainhart, Malcolm Hutcheson, Marek Czarnecki, Margara De Haene, Maria Siorba, Maryam Firuzi, Maryam Rajabzadeh, Marylise Vigneau, Md. Zobayer Hossain Joati, Mouneb Taim, Negin Kazemi, Negin Mahzoun, Neil Kramer, Njaheut Gilles Valer, Pamela Hanlan, Paola Martínez Fiterre, Pär Johansson, Reza Zeidi, Richard Boll, Rongguo Gao, Roya Alagheband, Serena Salerno, Sina Taheri, Soore Vahe, Sophie Merlo, Stephen Joyce, Stephen Ross Goldstein, Sydney A Foster, Thao Bui, Themba Mbuyisa, Toni Wilkinson, Travis Flack, Varvara Gorbunova, Vijay S. Jodha, Wendy Marijnissen, Weronika Jędrzejczak, Will Pippin, William Rice, Zexuan Zeng.