Open Theme nominee

Are we two strangers now" is a visual exploration of the pain and disorientation caused by “ghosting” — the sudden, one-sided ending of all contact by a loved one, without explanation. This contemporary phenomenon, amplified by social media, particularly affects young people and exposes the fragility of digital relationships. The images capture the stillness and confusion that remain when intimacy abruptly turns into distance. What begins as the pain of a broken friendship evolves into a quiet reflection on how we lose one another in an age of distance and pride.

The series stems from a personal experience with ghosting, yet touches on a broader cultural condition. We live in a time where connection gives way to individualism and mental struggles. Amid the noise of renewed imperialism and polarisation, nuance, vulnerability, and sincere curiosity seem to fade — and loneliness quietly takes their place. Through my own story, I explore what it feels like to be suddenly erased, while searching for metaphors of forgiveness and resilience.

Rik Roos is a Dutch photographer based in Amsterdam. His conceptual photography explores intimate, emotional themes such as desire, doubt, loneliness, and regret – rooted in personal experience yet carrying a universal social resonance.
His recent series Two Strangers Now is a visual exploration of the pain and inability to cope following ghosting – the sudden and unexplained act of breaking off contact by a loved one. This contemporary phenomenon, amplified by social media, particularly affects younger generations and exposes the fragility of digital relationships.
Rik draws inspiration from arthouse cinema and works with a strong sense of social engagement, nourished by his international experiences across Asia, the Middle East, the United States, and Europe. His work was recently exhibited in New York, London and Amsterdam.
In 2025, Rik self-published his first artist book, Echoes of Desire, in which the use of paper and folding techniques allows the reader to physically experience the struggle of a midlife crisis – a subject on which men, in particular, rarely express themselves emotionally. That same year, his work was featured in PF Magazine and the Visual Poetry Journal.