Birds, boats, broken chains … freedom brings to mind many visual metaphors. But freedom has its perils as well as its beauty, and we wanted to represent that complexity in this issue’s cover art.

When we narrowed down our design ideas, we were left with four options: A lone albatross winging across the ocean – a picture of the freedom of flight, set within the natural laws of migration, weather patterns, and the search for food. A small group of people (and a dog) in a rowboat in the air, alluding to the ideas of boundless choices: of community, of destinations, and of work to be done. A flock of birds flying over a cityscape – freedom to rise above the daily grind, even if only in our minds; freedom to dream lofty dreams while staying grounded in reality; finding a flock to share in this freedom. And finally, a bird stenciled graffiti-style onto a gritty background – freedom to transform our surroundings; freedom to find or create beauty wherever we are.

Julio Larraz, Exodo, oil on canvas, 2022. Used by permission of The Julio Larraz Foundation.

Once again, our readers came through with some insightful comments. Here are a few:

“The albatross has an element of freedom TO act, not just freedom FROM constraints – the inherent responsibility and necessity to move forward with self-control – but not without delight.”

“FLOCK OF BIRDS – Purely compositionally, it’s the most impressive photograph, which all but lifts the viewer out of their perspective and up into the sky. Glorious.”

“Rowboat: loving the Magritte vibe, even if it’s slightly off brand for Plough’s aesthetic.”

“The #1 is beautiful, but I voted #4. The reason is seeing that bird painted over the graffiti. It immediately evokes the dilemma of freedom. Is it used to create beauty or to destroy?”

“It’s got to be the rowboat, the only image of the bunch that evokes an important dimension of freedom: imagination.”

Despite the Albatross taking the vote, we opted for the Rowboat in the end, because as this reader commented: “I liked the rowboat because the people and the dog emphasize that freedom comes through community not isolation from others – we’re altogether in the same boat, floating beyond a dual colored background oars at the ready, implying choice, free will, as well as good and evil.” The characters in Cuban artist Julio Larraz’s imaginative painting Exodo experience both sides of freedom; the open sky offers countless sights and opportunities, but without setting boundaries or committing to one destination it’s possible to drift forever and never arrive.

Look out for more artwork from Julio Larraz in Peter Mommsen’s editorial.