Photographer Justin Emanuel Ewers is the Edge of Humanity Magazine contributor of this photo essay. From the project ‘Black Sun’. To see Justin’s body of work, click on any photograph.

“Black Sun” is an ongoing digital photographic series by Justin Emanuel that captures the essence of tension and uncertainty in a dystopian landscape. Begun in 2024 and shot on digital camera, this collection evokes feelings of unease and mystery, drawing inspiration from the haunting themes of George Orwell’s 1984 and Franz Kafka’s The Trial.

Set against a dark, oppressive cityscape, the series unfolds the narrative of an unseen subject pursued relentlessly by enigmatic agents lurking in every corner. This persistent presence raises questions about the nature of reality: is this a tangible existence, or merely a simulation orchestrated by the pervasive force of surveillance?

Through powerful visual storytelling, “Black Sun” explores the dynamics of control and conformity within an urban environment, leaving viewers to ponder the fate of the subject: will they manage to escape the oppressive grasp of the city, or will they ultimately be consumed by it? This exhibit invites the audience to confront their own perceptions of freedom, surveillance, and the precarious balance between reality and illusion.

Artist statement:

“I always wanted to be a writer, but I don’t always have the right words to describe how I feel. Photography is my way to tell my story. In my photographs, I try to capture the dreamlike state of sleepwalking. I create atmospheric images that I invite viewers to walk into and feel a haunting sense of mystery.”

Justin Ewers was born and raised in Evansville, Indiana. A hairdresser by trade, he rediscovered his teenage love of photography by shooting hair shows. While living in Atlanta, he developed a love for street photography and black-and-white images. After discovering the photographer, Peter Lindbergh, who shot exclusively on black-and-white film, he began using film again. Moving back to Indiana in 2020, he was able to focus on printing and view the Midwest landscape in a new light. He now uses both digital and analog processes to produce haunting black-and-white prints. He’s inspired by philosophers, musicians, and painters and gets ideas from old photo books, museums, or traveling—especially mountains, the sea, and cities.

Justin has been featured in shows in the Evansville area as well as internationally. His work has been shown in galleries in the Midwest and abroad and in art magazines and books, including several issues of The Hand Magazine and a collective photography book by ephemere in Tokyo, Japan. In 2024 he self-published his first printed collection of work in a zine called Behind the Rain.

Justin lives and works in Evansville, Indiana.

All images and text © Justin Emanuel Ewers