Letter from the Editors
words by Sana Friedman and Aliza Susatijo
Dear Beloved Readers,
Our creative staff dives headfirst into Volume IV with an exploration of the Fractal: an infinitely complex pattern, self-similar across different scales, representing ultimate chaos and ultimate control. Does never-endingness lead us to meaning, or into nothingness? Do we get one true start or endless new beginnings? Do all parts reflect the whole? We were inspired by divine geometry– eroded coastlines, snowflakes, the formation of galaxies– and multiverses, the micro and macrocosm, shattered mirrors, and single stories spoken by many voices.
Shruti Shah begins our issue with “Insatiable,” addressing the largest plague of our generation: doomscrolling. Yet Shruti, accompanied by the reflective art of Ashley Xiao, takes this mindless act a step further, reflecting the parts of ourselves we try to bury in an endless stream of reels. In “The Bonds of Grief and Love,” Elle Janchivdorj tells a story of entangled generations and the future being tethered to the past. Sarah Jun’s evocative drawing depicts the feeling of being caught in this present: grief weaving through every vein of breath in the body.
Sarayu Kurra reflects on the complicated relationship one can have with their own incomplete and pierced together memories in her piece “in the shapes in the sand.” In tandem with Sarayu’s work, Hannah Shen’s fragmented poetry “at night, I look up to the scattered sky and I think to myself:” connects the distant stars with the atoms that make up our very body, bridging this great distance to pinpoint the wondrous anomaly that is creation. Similarly, Pauline Tsui’s “Stars of a Nation,” coupled with Ananya Sairaman’s star-splintered digital art, draws on the imagery of stars and constellations as a unifying factor. Yet this image is parlayed into a concise and interpretive critique on the fractured state of democracy today, delivering a resounding message to our readers.
Agnes Cho’s “(Un)Broken” and Liah Chung’s “Breaking Out” hold up a mirror to the parts of us that feel shattered, inviting us to put the pieces back together. These parallel pieces convey the peril of taking the physical too deeply. Anh Tim Phan's “Mandala” and Jason Chen’s graphite drawing begin the issue by guiding us into the liminal space between father & son and beginning & end. Their works are visceral and surreal, but effortlessly delicate. We are invited to think of life, death, and rebirth as something continuous, eternally unraveling and reworking itself.
Elaine Ruan compelling short story “Case #E-1012” invokes a sense of mystery. Embodied by Riese Carlson’s dynamic artwork, the alternating perspectives convey the peace found in destroying the old self and fully recreating who you are. Scarlet Mosuela’s “In Defense Of Music Against AlgoRhythms” is a playful op-ed on the encroaching intrusion of AI in creative works. Working in alignment, Claire Wei’s animated looping video depicts the everlasting cycle of day-to-day life through 32 distinct panels.
We never cease to marvel at the unending creativity, vulnerability, and dedication of our team. Somewhat like a fractal, every next issue blossoms from the last, but in a way that never repeats. We have infinite gratitude for our rockstar team of managing editors, Mariam, Ananya, Sneha, Diana, and Jenny, who bring such presence and thoughtfulness, always.
Lastly, {in}Visible is delighted to welcome fifteen new staff members: Agnes, Liah, Elle, Tim, Elaine, Shruti, Hannah, Pauline, Daisy, Riese, Jason, Yen Nhi, Nicholas, Claire, and Ashley. We are overjoyed to see {in}Visible expand and incorporate the creativity and stories of our fellow students
All Our Love,
Sana & Aliza <3
