For our January digital cover story, Seal of Judgment deconstructs the labels, assumptions, and instinctual judgments that define how we move through the world today. Set against a backdrop of algorithm-curated realities and the endless performance of self in contemporary digital culture, the editorial brings three characters—seemingly worlds apart—into a single shared space. Whether by fate, chance, or something more surreal, their convergence invites a closer look at the unspoken narratives we carry and the ways in which we categorize the social worlds we inhabit. 
“The desire for an explanation of things we don’t understand is intrinsic to human nature,” explains Kyiv-born, Montreal-based interdisciplinary artist Veronika Yemelyanova, who directed the shoot. “The survival instinct dictates we can mitigate danger and gain control by labelling things around us. Blended with the tendency to define our own existence through the context of those around us, we seal everything with assertions, subconsciously most of the time.”
Yemelyanova’s narrative direction breaks down this process using grotesque symbolism in a puzzle-like way. Harry, one of the trio, wears a necklace made by the Berber tribe in the Sahara, purchased by Yemelyanova in Marrakech’s Medina, styled with a heavy leather skirt and accentuated with blood-red eyes by makeup artist Jess Cohen. “What kind of conclusion can one draw based on the information collected by looking at the character’s allegories?” Yemelyanova asks, prompting an interrogation of perception.
The narrative plays out like a staged performance that flirts with noirish archetypes and cinematic allusions. The inclusion of a gun—a motif as provocative as it is enigmatic—becomes a symbol of grotesque self-expression rather than violence. “A gun can represent the fragility of life, acting as a memento mori or a reminder of life’s impermanence,” Yemelyanova reflects.
Each character interacts with this object differently, creating a series of visual contrasts. Harry and Veronika grapple for control of the gun, their struggle echoing themes of authority and dominance. Meanwhile, Lauri, dressed in a deep blue athletic dance dress, reclines on a tiger-print couch, entirely absorbed in her own world. She neither acknowledges the gun nor seems affected by its presence—it simply exists within her space, unnoticed. Yemelyanova presents another moment with playful ambiguity: Veronika carries the gun hidden inside a violin case. “She’s definitely up to no good,” Yemelyanova quips.
Seal of Judgment refrains from making explicit statements and instead proposes ways of interpreting the narrative. “It turns everything into a game, where the viewer becomes one of the players without explicit consent.” Yemelyanova notes. “I’m way better at communicating visually than with words.” Inspired in part by Luchino Visconti’s Conversation Piece (1974)—a film that explores identity, class, and generational conflict through the collision of traditional values and countercultural recklessness— Yemelyanova’s vision invites us to interrogate how we navigate the interpersonal world, how we invent stories for one another, and moreover, for ourselves. Instead of delivering a predetermined message, she hands back the narrative reins.
For Yemelyanova, Seal of Judgment is an homage to her ongoing exploration of identity, shaped by seven years of living in Canada and frequent relocations to Kyiv, Paris, and North Africa. “My sense of self is not confined by geography,” she explains. “While I collect impressions that influence my vision, it is I who govern them, not the reverse. Perhaps this is why I find equal importance in being in front of the camera as a performer and behind it as a creative director. It’s an endless experiment with identity, a journey through the constantly shifting eras of ‘my self.'”
She reflects on a time when labelling herself felt like an impossible task. “The elements composing my sense of self are elusive, almost amorphous—qualities not easily defined by the standards or structures that society deems valuable. But over time, I’ve come to embrace the simplicity and depth of this truth: I am Veronika, and Veronika is me. Perhaps that is enough.” At its core, Seal of Judgment champions the idea that we are all entitled to shape the narratives in our own stories. “We all have the right to be the main characters in our own theatre, and I want everyone to believe in this fundamental truth,” Yemelyanova says.
Credits
Creative Direction & Casting: Veronika Yemelyanova @vyemelyanova
Photography: Jessy Colucci @jessycolucci
Lead Stylist: Biba Esaad @rightmood
Styling Assistant: David Fontaine-Gingras @d_f__g
Hair & Makeup: Jess Cohen @jesscohen____ (from @humankindmgmt)
On-Set Assistant: Eden Chisholm @mossbed
Talent:
Harry Corrigan: @harryfacemajors
Lauri-Ann Lauzon: @laurihenri
Veronika Yemelyanova: @vyemelyanova
Brands Featured:
Jerome Dreyfuss (Pink Skirt)
Stuart Weitzman (Black Platform Heels)
Danier (Black Leather Skirt)
Bossa (Catsuit)
Dynamite (Black Leather Top)
Dansko (Black Clogs)
“A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved in this project, especially my dear friend Jessy for capturing this, to Biba for her creative drive and desire to explore, and to Addy for letting me use his apartment, even though I know he’s not the biggest fan of chaotic escapades.” – Veronika Yemelyanova
Cody Rooney is the Editor in Chief and senior contributor at liminul.
He is a PhD candidate, digital content specialist, writer, editor, multi-media artist, and photographer.