The Bearer of the Soul’s Fire

How does one choose a winner among so many extraordinary works? Many would say that chance—that faceless, aimless force—plays its part in this dance. But I do not believe so. In this case, it was not chance that intervened, but destiny. It was destiny that, among infinite possibilities, chose to attend the ball. It would not miss the opportunity. With its usual stealth, it halted time and placed us face-to-face with the work of NANDA MOIRA HAGENAARS.

There, before her photographic series, I understood that Nanda is not merely an artist. She is a daughter of the moon, a keeper of ancient secrets, a visual alchemist with the rare gift of halting time. But I speak not of measurable time—the time of clocks and calendars—but of that other time, the irrational one, where art and eternity dwell, where a second may stretch into infinity and an image may contain a universe.

This is the time Nanda captures: a time in which the soul reveals itself, where silence speaks, where the body becomes language and metaphor. Her work is not merely seen—it is heard without sound, felt without touch. It was in this space that I found myself: in irrational dialogue with the image. It was there I knew with certainty that hers was the work that must prevail.

Some might say that this decision is subjective, even irrational. And so it is, at least in part. For art, by its very nature, is intangible, sensory, intuitive. Yet there are reasons that support it. Nanda’s work enters into dialogue with Point and Line to Plane by Kandinsky: a manifesto on the geometric soul of art. In her series, the line is not merely a trace—it is a whisper, a subtle guide that leads us through body, space, and emotion. Light and shadow, arranged with near-theatrical precision, reveal and conceal at will. The composition pulses with harmony, like a Venus de Milo—stripped of ornament, perfect in its silence. In her portraits, the human form becomes a portal to the timeless—to that which is ever-changing, yet never vanishes.

The most sublime moments arise in the void. There, where many fear to gaze, Nanda finds her strength. In silence—that space so harrowing for the sentimental, so unsettling for those who walk without ever looking to the sky—her magic takes place. For it is there that the raw truth of her art resides: her soul. And not everyone possesses the courage to bare it. In those delicate lines, in those deep gazes steeped in eternity, in that suspended reverie, the true power of her work is revealed.

Nanda steals the flame of the soul—not to hide it, but to offer it to the god of ART, who reveals all, who transforms all. And only a few, the awakened, can hear its call.

Nanda is not simply a photographer. She is a creator of worlds. She does not merely observe: she connects, transforms, unveils. With each image, she deconstructs reality and reassembles it in a new language. Her camera is not a tool—it is an extension of her intuition. And her gaze—that intense, ethereal gaze—compels us to pause and look as if for the first time.

Her work is cerebral, yes. Guided by process, discipline, and reflection. But it is also visceral, emotional, and brave. She is indeed drawn to the body—but she is obsessed with the soul. And in that intersection between the tangible and the unseen, she weaves poetic narratives in black and white, where every shadow tells a story, every form holds a secret.

The beauty Nanda proposes is neither superficial nor static. It is a presence that quietly unfolds from within. Her work explores that space between stillness and change, between what appears frozen and what is, in truth, transforming. It is, ultimately, a visual meditation on impermanence and identity.

Each image is a threshold, an invitation to look more deeply, to linger in silence, to feel the tremor of the unspoken. She does not seek perfection—she seeks presence. And from that subtle presence, she reminds us that beauty is not what endures, but what, even if fleeting, leaves an indelible mark. NANDA MOIRA HAGENAARS, with her powerful and delicate work, is the winner of the 3rd Numéro+ Contest, in its edition: Timeless Beauty.

Because her art does not merely do well in time—it halts it, transforms wit, and renders it eternal.

SPECIAL THANKS

We wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to NANLITE, official sponsor of this contest, for illuminating—both literally and symbolically—the path of artists like Nanda. Their commitment to excellence, innovation, and creativity shines through every tool they place in the hands of creators. More than a lighting brand, NANLITE is an ally in visual expression—a constant spark that drives new ideas and expands the frontiers of contemporary art.

Thank you for believing in the transformative power of light and for joining us on this journey toward the eternal.