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Decagon Gallery
photo: Giorgio Tagliacarne
The Art of Belonging
Home is a feeling
In curating The Art of Belonging, we sought photographs that explore connection — between people, animals, and the spaces we inhabit — while capturing moments of genuine emotion and artistic depth. Each image reflects the invisible threads that bind us: love, familiarity, shared spaces, and quiet presence.
This exhibition invites viewers to reflect on their own sense of belonging — to places, relationships, and the subtle moments that make us feel at home. Together, the photographs reveal belonging not only as a place, but as a feeling that can exist even in fragile or uncertain conditions.
John Manno
Teona Machavariani
Click on an image for notes from our curatorial team:
John Manno / gallery director
Teona Machavariani / curatorial director
TWO TREES
Zuzana Pálešová
Bratislava, Slovakia
Two trees stand apart yet remain linked by the same ground and air, reminding the artist that belonging does not always mean closeness, but shared existence.
Through photography, the artist focuses on light, reflection, fragments, and color as traces of emotion rather than documentation of place. Their images reveal how memories leave marks, how connection can exist without closeness, and how meaning emerges in moments of stillness and ambiguity.
Zuzana Pálešová
Bratislava, Slovakia
Two trees stand apart yet remain linked by the same ground and air, reminding the artist that belonging does not always mean closeness, but shared existence.
Through photography, the artist focuses on light, reflection, fragments, and color as traces of emotion rather than documentation of place. Their images reveal how memories leave marks, how connection can exist without closeness, and how meaning emerges in moments of stillness and ambiguity.
IN THE COMPANY OF LIGHT
Zohreh Zadbood
Hoboken, NJ
The artist is an Iranian photographer, storyteller, and poet writing in both Persian and English, currently living in the United States. For the artist, longing is not an absence, but a proof of having loved and belonged — a sign of having been fortunate enough to experience something beautiful, something once filled with inner calm that now feels distant.
Photography becomes a way of honoring those tender moments in life: the instant a smile appears, the quiet warmth that ignites in the heart. Through their images, the artist seeks to hold onto fleeting moments and allow them to endure, giving them an eternal fragrance.
Zohreh Zadbood
Hoboken, NJ
The artist is an Iranian photographer, storyteller, and poet writing in both Persian and English, currently living in the United States. For the artist, longing is not an absence, but a proof of having loved and belonged — a sign of having been fortunate enough to experience something beautiful, something once filled with inner calm that now feels distant.
Photography becomes a way of honoring those tender moments in life: the instant a smile appears, the quiet warmth that ignites in the heart. Through their images, the artist seeks to hold onto fleeting moments and allow them to endure, giving them an eternal fragrance.
UNEARTHED HISTORY
Wing Yan Wong
Hong Kong
Winnie Wong (Wong Wing Yan) is an artist whose work emanates from a foundation in journalism. With a degree in journalism and communication from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and experience as a student journalist, Wong has developed a nuanced understanding of the complexities within social narratives. Her artistic practice is deeply influenced by her commitment to exploring the social changes that define our times.
Wing Yan Wong
Hong Kong
Winnie Wong (Wong Wing Yan) is an artist whose work emanates from a foundation in journalism. With a degree in journalism and communication from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and experience as a student journalist, Wong has developed a nuanced understanding of the complexities within social narratives. Her artistic practice is deeply influenced by her commitment to exploring the social changes that define our times.
WINTER, BLÉRIOT PLAGE
Richard Murrin
Dartford, United Kingdom
The artist used to visit France once a month and holds many memories of Pas-de-Calais, seen here in winter. Their aim is to speak volumes without saying a word. Believing that a single image can hold countless meanings, the artist sees it as the task of the contemporary photographer to reveal the magic that nature and humanity can sustain.
Richard Murrin
Dartford, United Kingdom
The artist used to visit France once a month and holds many memories of Pas-de-Calais, seen here in winter. Their aim is to speak volumes without saying a word. Believing that a single image can hold countless meanings, the artist sees it as the task of the contemporary photographer to reveal the magic that nature and humanity can sustain.
MOTHERS AND GRANDMOTHERS
Rania Christou
Volos, Greece
Mothers, daughters, and grandmothers on
a leisurely afternoon in the small village.
Rania Christou
Volos, Greece
Mothers, daughters, and grandmothers on
a leisurely afternoon in the small village.
THE GRANDMOTHER
Rania Christou
Volos, Greece
The artist met this grandmother and her grandchildren in a poor neighborhood of the city. Although they were very poor, they were happy and smiling.
Rania Christou
Volos, Greece
The artist met this grandmother and her grandchildren in a poor neighborhood of the city. Although they were very poor, they were happy and smiling.
I DON'T DO WELL WITHOUT YOU 2
Pamela Hanlan
Pine Grove, WV
In an abandoned home in the Highlands of Scotland, the artist and their partner, Steve, explored loss and the emptiness of life lived alone. Through imagination, they created a series of images that speak to this theme — evoking loneliness where life once abounded, and stillness where voices once spoke.
Pamela Hanlan
Pine Grove, WV
In an abandoned home in the Highlands of Scotland, the artist and their partner, Steve, explored loss and the emptiness of life lived alone. Through imagination, they created a series of images that speak to this theme — evoking loneliness where life once abounded, and stillness where voices once spoke.
BRINGING LIFE TO OLD PLACES 4
Pamela Hanlan
Pine Grove, WV
This image is part of a series created in the Highlands of Scotland during the past summer. The artist and collaborators discovered a long-abandoned cottage that had once been deeply loved. With the artist’s friend Helen Joy as the model, and with members of the local community providing memories, they studied the former occupant, Megan Boyd, and sought to bring her presence back to the cottage she once lived in and cherished. As Helen wandered outside, the artist imagined Megan waiting for visitors.
Pamela Hanlan
Pine Grove, WV
This image is part of a series created in the Highlands of Scotland during the past summer. The artist and collaborators discovered a long-abandoned cottage that had once been deeply loved. With the artist’s friend Helen Joy as the model, and with members of the local community providing memories, they studied the former occupant, Megan Boyd, and sought to bring her presence back to the cottage she once lived in and cherished. As Helen wandered outside, the artist imagined Megan waiting for visitors.
BRINGING LIFE TO OLD PLACES 1
Pamela Hanlan
Pine Grove, WV
This image is part of a series created in the Highlands of Scotland during the past summer. The artist and collaborators discovered a long-abandoned cottage that had once been deeply loved. With the artist’s friend Helen Joy as the model, and with members of the local community sharing their memories, the project focused on the former occupant, Megan Boyd, seeking to evoke her presence within the cottage she once lived in and cherished. This was Helen’s first visit to the cottage, and the artist captured this moment as she wandered through the space.
Pamela Hanlan
Pine Grove, WV
This image is part of a series created in the Highlands of Scotland during the past summer. The artist and collaborators discovered a long-abandoned cottage that had once been deeply loved. With the artist’s friend Helen Joy as the model, and with members of the local community sharing their memories, the project focused on the former occupant, Megan Boyd, seeking to evoke her presence within the cottage she once lived in and cherished. This was Helen’s first visit to the cottage, and the artist captured this moment as she wandered through the space.
MEMORIES PASSING BY
Monika Krontira
Athens, Greece
For the artist, photography is not merely a medium, but an extension of vision and soul. Their work seeks to translate what they observe and feel into an experience that can be shared, even if it reaches only one other person. In that moment of connection, the act of photographing is considered complete. Ultimately, it is the emotional exchange between people that gives images their true meaning.
Monika Krontira
Athens, Greece
For the artist, photography is not merely a medium, but an extension of vision and soul. Their work seeks to translate what they observe and feel into an experience that can be shared, even if it reaches only one other person. In that moment of connection, the act of photographing is considered complete. Ultimately, it is the emotional exchange between people that gives images their true meaning.
RANCH HANDS GETTING DIRTY
Maureen Ravnik
Littleton, CO
A ranch hand helps herd semi-wild horses to summer pastures. Thae art of accomplishing this is highly dependent on teamwork, experience and skill. The horses know exactly where they belong.
Maureen Ravnik
Littleton, CO
A ranch hand helps herd semi-wild horses to summer pastures. Thae art of accomplishing this is highly dependent on teamwork, experience and skill. The horses know exactly where they belong.
TAO ARTIST
Maureen Ravnik
Littleton, CO
When this Taos artist isn't working, he returns to his pueblo where the inspiration for his artwork surrounds him.
Maureen Ravnik
Littleton, CO
When this Taos artist isn't working, he returns to his pueblo where the inspiration for his artwork surrounds him.
TRANSPLANT
Maryam Ghasempour Siahgaldeh
Manhattan, KS
The artist’s work explores memory, identity, and the intimate connections that shape a sense of belonging. Growing up in northern Iran and now living in the United States, the artist navigates the complexities of displacement and dual identity. Through photography — often using double exposure, portraiture, and still life — the artist documents the resilience and quiet strength of women, children, and marginalized communities.
Maryam Ghasempour Siahgaldeh
Manhattan, KS
The artist’s work explores memory, identity, and the intimate connections that shape a sense of belonging. Growing up in northern Iran and now living in the United States, the artist navigates the complexities of displacement and dual identity. Through photography — often using double exposure, portraiture, and still life — the artist documents the resilience and quiet strength of women, children, and marginalized communities.
BECOMING HER
Maryam Ghasempour Siahgaldeh
Manhattan, KS
The artist’s images merge personal experience and social research, capturing moments of solitude, connection, and survival. Their aim is to create visual spaces where viewers can reflect on memory, loss, and resilience, and sense the emotional layers underlying everyday life. Each photograph functions both as a personal homage and a form of social commentary, bridging cultural and geographic divides.
Maryam Ghasempour Siahgaldeh
Manhattan, KS
The artist’s images merge personal experience and social research, capturing moments of solitude, connection, and survival. Their aim is to create visual spaces where viewers can reflect on memory, loss, and resilience, and sense the emotional layers underlying everyday life. Each photograph functions both as a personal homage and a form of social commentary, bridging cultural and geographic divides.
BETWEEN HOME AND THE STREET
Kyrylo Pecherik
San Francisco, CA
The artist is currently living in emigration — between places, languages, and rooms that do not belong to them. Home is no longer a point on a map. It is a fragile state, living in the body and remembered through touch, light, and silence.
Their photography is not about home as a physical space, but about presence — about how the body remembers warmth, and how a sense of belonging continues to exist even when the place itself is lost. Home becomes the moment when one lies down and the space receives them without resistance: the window one instinctively turns toward, a familiar shadow on the wall, the weight of a cat nearby, a breath recognized as one’s own.space. It is about presence. About how the body remembers warmth. About how a sense of belonging continues to exist, even when the place itself is lost. Home is the moment when you lie down and the space receives you without resistance. It is the window you instinctively turn toward. It is a familiar shadow on the wall, the weight of a cat nearby, a breath you recognize as your own.
Kyrylo Pecherik
San Francisco, CA
The artist is currently living in emigration — between places, languages, and rooms that do not belong to them. Home is no longer a point on a map. It is a fragile state, living in the body and remembered through touch, light, and silence.
Their photography is not about home as a physical space, but about presence — about how the body remembers warmth, and how a sense of belonging continues to exist even when the place itself is lost. Home becomes the moment when one lies down and the space receives them without resistance: the window one instinctively turns toward, a familiar shadow on the wall, the weight of a cat nearby, a breath recognized as one’s own.space. It is about presence. About how the body remembers warmth. About how a sense of belonging continues to exist, even when the place itself is lost. Home is the moment when you lie down and the space receives you without resistance. It is the window you instinctively turn toward. It is a familiar shadow on the wall, the weight of a cat nearby, a breath you recognize as your own.
STILL HERE
Kylo-Patrick Hart
Aledo, TX
Photography has been the artist’s passion since early childhood. Their motivation is to discover and capture beauty — even when it is not immediately self-evident — in the everyday spaces that continuously surround us. The artist believes the finest images are both serious and playful, aesthetically appealing yet slightly quirky. As both an artist and an admirer, they are most drawn to photographs that speak clearly for themselves.
Kylo-Patrick Hart
Aledo, TX
Photography has been the artist’s passion since early childhood. Their motivation is to discover and capture beauty — even when it is not immediately self-evident — in the everyday spaces that continuously surround us. The artist believes the finest images are both serious and playful, aesthetically appealing yet slightly quirky. As both an artist and an admirer, they are most drawn to photographs that speak clearly for themselves.
SEEKER
Kendall Isotalo
San Francisco, CA
An image about stepping out of the artist’s home into the night, embracing quiet and solitude. Choosing solitude enhances creativity, personal growth, and intuition. The artist is often in a meditative state of mind, and their work is primarily created at home or in the surrounding space where they reside. Through solitude, one can feel at home and experience a sense of belonging.
Kendall Isotalo
San Francisco, CA
An image about stepping out of the artist’s home into the night, embracing quiet and solitude. Choosing solitude enhances creativity, personal growth, and intuition. The artist is often in a meditative state of mind, and their work is primarily created at home or in the surrounding space where they reside. Through solitude, one can feel at home and experience a sense of belonging.
DON'T WORRY PAPA
Kellie Carter
Newcastle, OK
And finally, ones soulmate, this is the one that lifts you up and carries you though the days where you didn't think you could make it, the days that you can't talk because it feels like if one word escapes your mouth, you will shatter into a million pieces and the one that is your soulmate understands this like nobody else and loves you unconditionally. So, the art of belonging means many things, to many people.
Kellie Carter
Newcastle, OK
And finally, ones soulmate, this is the one that lifts you up and carries you though the days where you didn't think you could make it, the days that you can't talk because it feels like if one word escapes your mouth, you will shatter into a million pieces and the one that is your soulmate understands this like nobody else and loves you unconditionally. So, the art of belonging means many things, to many people.
GRANNY'S WELCOMING GIFT OF LOVE
Kellie Carter
Newcastle, OK
Home means seeing many generations work the same land, knowing that the next generation will take over when the time comes. Home can also mean a relaxing day with nobody but your favorite book.
Kellie Carter
Newcastle, OK
Home means seeing many generations work the same land, knowing that the next generation will take over when the time comes. Home can also mean a relaxing day with nobody but your favorite book.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
Kellie Carter
Newcastle, OK
The Art of Belonging can mean many things to many people. For the artist, it represents the comfort of family, home, and a soulmate. Family is a space where one can be fully oneself — the people who carry you through everyday life, who have witnessed everything, and who continue to stand behind you completely.
Kellie Carter
Newcastle, OK
The Art of Belonging can mean many things to many people. For the artist, it represents the comfort of family, home, and a soulmate. Family is a space where one can be fully oneself — the people who carry you through everyday life, who have witnessed everything, and who continue to stand behind you completely.
HOUSE TOUR
Joyce Andersen
Wilton, CT
Captured inside a rural mission in Tanzania, this moment reveals how protection becomes a temporary home. Within this quiet gesture, belonging forms not from place but from the offering of care. The embrace itself becomes a shelter.
Joyce Andersen
Wilton, CT
Captured inside a rural mission in Tanzania, this moment reveals how protection becomes a temporary home. Within this quiet gesture, belonging forms not from place but from the offering of care. The embrace itself becomes a shelter.
CHECK AGAIN
Isabelle Mitchell
Hoover, AL
This photograph holds the mix of dread and familiarity that comes with missing childhood. A shared experience for the artist and their brother is the routine of checking the fridge, even while already knowing what is inside. The color work is part of the artist’s style, intended to bring a touch of surreal energy back into the theme.
Isabelle Mitchell
Hoover, AL
This photograph holds the mix of dread and familiarity that comes with missing childhood. A shared experience for the artist and their brother is the routine of checking the fridge, even while already knowing what is inside. The color work is part of the artist’s style, intended to bring a touch of surreal energy back into the theme.
HOPE
Isabelle Mitchell
Hoover, AL
With another nod to the artist’s love of lighting and surreal eeriness, the photograph speaks to the loneliness that often accompanies growing up. The artist experienced this feeling as the oldest in the family, while the subject feels it now in his own way as the youngest — isolated in a different, yet familiar, kind of quiet.
Despite their opposite experiences, they recognize this sense of loneliness in each other. That shared understanding is what strengthens their bond and gives the photograph its meaning.
Isabelle Mitchell
Hoover, AL
With another nod to the artist’s love of lighting and surreal eeriness, the photograph speaks to the loneliness that often accompanies growing up. The artist experienced this feeling as the oldest in the family, while the subject feels it now in his own way as the youngest — isolated in a different, yet familiar, kind of quiet.
Despite their opposite experiences, they recognize this sense of loneliness in each other. That shared understanding is what strengthens their bond and gives the photograph its meaning.
DEPENDENCY
Graeme Guy
Tanjung Bungah, Malaysia
The artist has always admired cheetahs for their profile, their speed, and the precarious existence of their cubs. The dominant males mate and move on, leaving the female to raise the cubs alone. Their survival depends entirely on her speed, hunting ability, and guile.
For the cubs, home and security exist through their mother — where she is and how she endures. This sense of dependence is embodied in the image, where the look of the cub on the left silently communicates to its mother: “it is all up to you.”
Graeme Guy
Tanjung Bungah, Malaysia
The artist has always admired cheetahs for their profile, their speed, and the precarious existence of their cubs. The dominant males mate and move on, leaving the female to raise the cubs alone. Their survival depends entirely on her speed, hunting ability, and guile.
For the cubs, home and security exist through their mother — where she is and how she endures. This sense of dependence is embodied in the image, where the look of the cub on the left silently communicates to its mother: “it is all up to you.”
THE SHELTER OF CARE
Giorgio Tagliacarne
Rome, Italy
Captured inside a rural mission in Tanzania, this moment reveals how protection becomes a temporary home. Within this quiet gesture, belonging forms not from place but from the offering of care. The embrace itself becomes a shelter.
Giorgio Tagliacarne
Rome, Italy
Captured inside a rural mission in Tanzania, this moment reveals how protection becomes a temporary home. Within this quiet gesture, belonging forms not from place but from the offering of care. The embrace itself becomes a shelter.
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