Michael Najjar
"Morphing Equilibrium"

Exhibition: 15 January – 17 May 2026

The world is in metamorphosis. Instability and transformation in all spheres shape our lives. Structures once considered reliable and stable have turned into dynamic and erratic systems. Fixed structures and connections are breaking apart and liquefying; new configurations are emerging. Our familiar field of resonance is collapsing in the face of mutually reinforcing geopolitical, cultural, and ecological omni-crises. Rapidly accelerating technological transformation is catapulting us into a planetary future we cannot yet imagine – the future has become unavailable.

The exhibition "Morphing Equilibrium" engages with the process of transformation and reconfiguration of our world. Volcanic eruptions, tsunami waves, and Arctic ice worlds form the visual and metaphorical framework for the collapse of existing structures and the emergence of new worlds. At stake is a fundamental systemic shift. It begins with a phase of equilibrium, in which a system remains in stable balance. This is followed by a phase of motion, in which the system detaches from equilibrium and enters a state of change. The third and final phase is that of transformation, in which the original system disintegrates and becomes something other – radically new.

At the same time, the exhibition addresses the reshaping of our planet’s Earth systems through the dramatically accelerating climate crisis. Massive volcanic eruptions enter into a visual dialogue with collapsing glacier walls, all-devouring monster waves, and gravity-defying waterfalls. Volcanoes have shaped the face of our planet, they embody the geological cyclicality of destruction, renewal, and re-creation. Glaciers and icebergs symbolize geological time and endurance on the one hand, and – through their collapse – the profound transformation brought about by global warming on the other. Water is the foundation of all life, the Earth is a water planet. The liquefaction of ice worlds and the resulting rise in sea levels are transforming our future habitat. Nature becomes simultaneously something existentially threatened and existentially threatening.

Since Alexander von Humboldt, we have known that the Earth is a complex, finely tuned, and self-regulating system in which everything is connected to everything else. Biophysical processes link the polar regions with equatorial zones; the oceans exchange energy with the atmosphere; biodiversity stabilizes our ecosystems. When the system is thrown out of balance, stability collapses, and the world transforms into something fundamentally new.

The striking visual worlds were captured by Michael Najjar during several Arctic expeditions to Iceland, Svalbard, and Greenland.

The exhibition was created by the artist exclusively for Fotografiska Shanghai.