SCAD SCAN Magazine

“I drew this piece to celebrate the different cultures that exist in my closest friend group and women in the arts—in this case, dance and performance art. This illustration is heavily influenced by my city’s fervent love of diversity, as well as by the Buddhist artwork I grew up admiring.

A Bud: The seed opens wide, Summertime sun peers within, Born again is the earth. A Flower: Wick greenery blooms, Soft rains permeate the ground, From chasms, life grows. Back to the Roots: Petals fall down, slow, Verdant vines decompose now, Again, home below. Santiago, Region Metropolitana, Chile. Media: Photoshop. mjbenavides21@gmail.com

Florence Kahuhu Florence “Flo” Kahuhu is a Nairobi-born writer, actor, and dancer in the final year of her graduate Writing program. A natural storyteller fluent in three languages, Flo explores narratives through fiction, non-fiction, food, and music. Her creative passions extend beyond the page—she’s equally at home on stage and in the studio. When she’s not writing or performing, you’ll find her buried in a book, binge-watching anime, hitting the gym, or chasing spontaneous adventures.

In the wake of Time magazine naming the architects of AI as the person of the year in 2025, the Spring 2026 edition of SCAN will focus on the innate connection between humans and the rest of our living world. From flora to fauna and from the depths of the sea to the far reaches of our universe, we all have our own unique way of connecting to what we know of as life. Biophilia, which essentially translates to “love of life,” is the human tendency to strive for this connection to the living.

It is strange to say that stars can be born out of nothing but dust scattered throughout the universe. Turbulence gives rise to knots of dust and gas which heat up and become stars. Telescopes land on this muse of light, and suddenly everyone throws out names and signatures, trying to claim the imminent beauty. In a small town, beings emerge from amity stemmed from trust. A small boy stands, far too thin with dreams too big to catch fire and attention.

The gift of the fairies’ fortune is the flowers that grow upon their heads, which never wilt and, if worn, will grant the wearer understanding of what is said. But to know the truth behind the intention, for a mortal, is a risky game. For the knowledge of how we lie will bring dread and wretched shame. The flower, instead, if eaten, will grant you the voice of a bewitching song. When you sing, you can heal any tender wrong. But know that, once devoured, you will never speak without a tune.

No matter the scale, there’s an unspoken rule that we must follow where the waves lead. So I sit here with my feet dangling over the many fish in the lake. Waterbugs and not so fortunately trapped winged insects float atop the greenish, murky water. The sun’s heat gives me goosebumps as my dark, thick, wavy hair begins to warm. I am looking to find my proximity to all things, exploring what Americana means to me.

The first real tree Anita had seen was a picture. When she was old enough to understand the concept of a secret, her mom ushered her into her office. Anita’s first time stepping into the room. The office door was always closed, but Anita would catch glimpses of the space each time her mom walked in and out. She’d pretend to be focused on something else. Her dolls, a stain on her shirt, and a crooked photo frame.

SCAN Magazine is the award-winning, editorially independent feature magazine for the Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta. All editorial content is decided by student editors. Opinions expressed in SCAN Magazine are not necessarily those of the college. All content © 2007-2024 SCAN Magazine. No part of SCAN Magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.

SCAN Magazine is the award-winning, editorially independent feature magazine for the Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta. All editorial content is decided by student editors. Opinions expressed in SCAN Magazine are not necessarily those of the college. All content © 2007-2024 SCAN Magazine. No part of SCAN Magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.