An abandoned laboratory in Valencia becomes the stage for State of Dust, an exploration of identity, place, and liminality. Crumbling walls, fractured glass, and the detritus of another time form the backdrop for a narrative of stoic resilience. Here, decay and the human condition blur, each reflecting the other in uneasy harmony.
Directed by Florin Ciornnei and captured by Sofia Casals, the editorial is a study in contrasts: the human figure inhabiting spaces that both erode and absorb. Movement becomes symbolic—small shifts, the decision to rise, the crossing of a threshold. The door, weathered and hanging loose, transition: the push against entropy, the yearning for escape.
The styling is equally intentional. Looks from Guess, G-Star, and Jaded London are worn as though found and reclaimed, their edges softened by time. Nails, detailed by Laura, and makeup by Maria Blay complement the rawness of the setting, balancing fragility and strength.
“The connection of body and space is accentuated more when they have something in common,” the creative team reflects. In State of Dust, that connection is palpable. The images hold a quiet tension—fragile yet enduring, stark yet deeply resonant. A visual essay on how we inhabit and are shaped by spaces that reflect our inner states.
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.