building a future

Building a Future, Newspaperprint, 2025

“Building a Future” evolves from my series «Pink Landscapes» and responds to a world shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, the global rearmament of armies, and the enduring material legacies of conflict. The work reflects on how futures are constructed—politically, physically, and imaginatively—amid systems of violence and extraction. Through the transformation of war-related materials into photographic tools and images, it questions what it means to build hope from the remnants of destruction At first glance, the photographs show idyllic landscapes bathed in colourful light, appearing almost utopian—promising happiness and harmony. The images depict wounded terrains and historic sites in Laos—remnants of the U.S. secret war. Shot on expired film, they produce a distinctive palette of faded, unpredictable colours that deepen memory and loss. On their reverse, advertising slogans from global arms corporations and institutional users—such as intelligence agencies and military forces—are revealed. Phrases like “building a future we can all trust,” or “be all you can be” come from weapons manufacturers’ marketing rhetoric. Stripped of context, they resemble self-help or motivational quotes—harmless, even uplifting. This ambivalence is intentional: the softened language of war collides with an ostensibly happy surface. These companies often use images and slogans evoking a safe, optimistic future. Landscapes and calm colours reinforce messages of protection and peace—concealing the violent reality behind the products. Building a Future contrasts this sanitized aesthetic with underlying power and militarization. All slogans appear in original wording but unified typography. Like newspaper headlines, they are set in bold, compact sans-serif fonts. I chose Franklin Gothic, a typeface common in U.S. newspapers, to reinforce the link to public messaging and mass communication. These slogans are printed on the reverse of the images on thin, translucent newsprint. The mirrored typography shimmers subtly through the fragile paper like ghostly traces, becoming partially legible yet fragmented, and inviting viewers to decipher the hidden layer beneath the polished surface of beauty and bliss. This is not cynical, but a critical reflection on the interplay of image, language, and ideology. Researching this piece, I was struck by how often future appears in slogans and brochures of global defense firms. It’s loaded with positive connotations and used to sell a violent reality as visionary hope. «Building a Future» exposes this rhetorical strategy—confronting it with a multi-layered, ambiguous visual language.

The image is printed on the front, and the headlines are printed on the back of the page.

Slogans from global arms corporations and institutional users

“Building a Future” Medium and Materiality The works are printed on thin, translucent newspaper print, a deliberate choice to evoke fragility, impermanence, and mass communication. The material supports the project’s exploration of propaganda, ideology, and visual seduction. Presentation Format Suspended, double-sided prints: Hang the prints from the ceiling using transparent threads or subtle clips so they float in space, allowing both front (landscape image) and reverse (slogan) to be viewed. Visitors can walk around them, revealing the mirrored text as it subtly glows through the paper. Controlled lighting: Soft, directional lighting from above or behind each piece will enhance the translucency and create ghostly silhouettes. A dimmed, quiet exhibition space will allow the shimmer of the ink through the paper to emerge gradually, inviting slow looking. Spatial arrangement: A loosely grid-based but not overly rigid arrangement allows room for visitors to circulate and discover — mimicking reading a fragmented archive or navigating a field of traces. Typographic wall detail: Consider adding a wall text or secondary print that lists all the slogans used, including the biblical quote, in the same Franklin Gothic typeface. This brings the rhetorical strategy into sharper focus without overwhelming the quiet of the installation. Why this makes sense This format emphasizes the duality and tension between surface and content, beauty and violence — core to your work. The fragility of newsprint echoes both the ephemerality of media messaging and the trauma buried in landscapes. Floating prints and soft light create a contemplative, immersive experience that resonates with the utopian yet deceptive aesthetic in your images.

Drawing exhibition proposal