Dear Noctules:
As physically distancing ourselves from one another becomes the norm—and interestingly enough, so does virtual hyper-connectivity—it follows that we’ve started to question just what 'normal' means. We’re tasked with grappling with the unknown while (hopefully) re-evaluating ourselves and the world that we live in.
It’s being said that, without human beings milling about, the natural world has begun to thrive again. Peculiar animals are peeking out from bushes, and odd-looking plants are sprouting up from cracks in the ground. Yes, we’ve been ejected from our comfort zones. But there’s also now this gleaming opportunity to consider “normalcy” from new angles—with fresh eyes and an upright look. While in the midst of this pause, we can choose to spend our time evaluating the foundations that uphold our old sense of normalcy, and whether or not these foundations best serve ourselves and our world.
Nathan Good’s “Morsel” grapples with our understanding of family and the fragility of the everyday. Alexandra Grunberg’s “Whipped” spins common assumptions about stereotypical roles and expectations on their heads. And finally, Daniel Solomon’s “Suigenesis” makes us question the very fabric of time, space, and our universe: Are we the people that we believe ourselves to be? How do we choose to show up and be present in our lives? Does our world create us, or do we create it?
The editors of Novel Noctule hope that our May edition frightens you in a way that makes you re-think your place in this life, your connection to the natural world, and your connections with others. We also hope that you continue to seek brighter horizons beyond your comfort zones: For no matter how ingrained the old “normal” may seem, the Noctule family believes that it can always be reimagined.
Cheers,
Sheena Esther
Assistant Editor
PRASAD WEERASINGHE is a visual artist living and working in Sri Lanka. He earned a degree in Multimedia Arts from the University of Visual and Performing Arts in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2011. He primarily works through the Fiverr platform at https://www.fiverr.com/weerasingheindi/.