“Freedom” is a pretty vague concept. Across the board, this can take different implications, often political or societal. Today this seems like something we take for granted; freedom isn’t necessarily easy to come by in certain parts of the world after all. Even in the US, we’re occupied by a constricting government that seems to be moving backward more quickly than ever before. “The land of the free” is at a point of compromise, where our everyday life could be put into question at any minute. And this doesn’t even touch on the lack of freedom granted to American citizens incarcerated, whether literally or under tight social constraints.
In the fashion world, creative freedom seems almost just at risk; the struggling state of the industry pushes us to sacrifice true expression in favor of what’s more financially sustainable or publicly favorable.
In general, it feels like we’re being forced to live by an imaginary rulebook. We could go on for days about what “freedom” really means, how this looks across the world, and how it’s achieved. There’s so much to consider that it could make someone want to scream with frustration.
And that’s how we got here.
For our fifth go at Phosphenes, we decided to sort of say, “fuck it,” going with what feels right, what’s most exciting. We’re grateful to be at a point where we’re allowed to do what we want, and we decided to take full advantage of that.
Whether it’s examining the various ways freedom manifests itself across the world, acknowledging those who might not be able to fully express themselves or live their lives freely, or simply highlighting the many colorful ways one can be him or herself, we decided to open up to a beautiful kaleidoscope of ideas. This time around, anything goes, and we’re sharing the many mediums and methods in which one can make their own notion of freedom.
The world can a frustrating place, and sometimes all you can do is let loose.
Find out more on Phosphenes # 5 – “Freedom,” and get your copy here.