PAN Amsterdam is one of those places that can move us, surprise us, challenge our perceptions and take us to places we may never visit. It is a sophisticated art fair, bringing together an extraordinary range of genres and disciplines: from Japanese weapons to silverware, to sculpture, to contemporary art, from 17th-century masters to, of course, photography. A fascinating journey through time, cultures and artistic visions, where every corner offers something unexpected and every encounter has the potential to inspire. Focusing on photography, I discovered the work of Maarten and Billie Slagboom, who return in their series Only Time Lives Here to abandoned buildings they had previously visited around the world. This time, their focus is on nature slowly reclaiming these forgotten spaces. Although time seems to have stood still inside, life quietly returns through ferns, fungi, algae and mosses, gradually breathing new life into the decaying buildings. These images evoke in me a blend of nostalgia and hope, a sense of endings intertwined with the promise of new beginnings. In a very different style, Bieke Depoorter turns her gaze towards stargazers, capturing the moon reflected in the eye of a young man. She has also been following Michael through Oregon, inviting us into a more personal and intimate visual journey. Jan C. Schlegel travels the world in search of what he calls Silent Giants: monumental examples of Brutalist architecture. Through his carefully composed photographs, he explores their geometry, shapes and imposing presence, giving these buildings the dignity and individuality of portraits. Kim de Molenaer and Pentti Sammallahti explore geometry in their own distinctive ways, creating images that left me a lasting impression. Neeltje de Vries invited me to escape and Marie Cecile Thijs to cheer to the success of this fair, worth a panegyric.
