Issue 4
Table of Contents
Unconquerable Soul: Issue 4 - Introduction
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
-William Ernest Henley
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When the clock finally struck midnight on New Year’s Eve a week ago, I’m sure I was not the only one heaving a sigh of relief when 2020 finally came to a close. A new year promises a great deal, and this year, in particular, carries a great weight on its metaphorical shoulders. However, I do not wish to take up space on this page lingering on the “unprecedented times” that we have heard so many commercials discuss in the past few months. Instead, I would like to focus on the art that we have collected here, each pieceshowcasing its version of the “unconquerable soul”--this issue’s theme and something which many of us come to exhibit over the past year.
This theme was taken from William Ernest Henley’s “Invictus,” one of my personal favorites. A professor of mine once said that “Invictus” is not so much a poem as it is a sermon, and I honestly have to agree. It is a sermon, a work written to usher us through darker times, and one that I think served as a worthy template for the writers and artists who have taken the time to contribute to Next Page Ink for our fourth issue. We hope you enjoy it all, and happy, unconquerable new year!
-Will
Read “Invictus” here:
The New Day Sessions
We have preconceived opinions of ourselves: our talents, our abilities, our obligations, our limitations, and of course our ‘failures’.
What if you saw yourself in a new way… in a new light? Would you seize the opportunities and possibilities awaiting you in the new light of the day?
What if you wrote down your dreams… who you are working to become… what are your best qualities?
What if these written words were put onto a one-of-a-kind portrait of yourself in a light that you’ve never seen yourself in?
Now you can…
See Yourself in a Different Light
This is the opposite of a “normal” portrait. Some of these portraits are colorful, some are dark and moody.
The lighting is ever-changing. The backgrounds are dynamic. The randomness creates unique, one of a kind images.
And most importantly, the subjects are a part of the creative process to augment their personal growth. During the photo session, subjects digitally write down affirmations of what they want their future to look like.