Photography is often described as a passive media—a recording of things that happen before the lens. But for many contemporary artists and photojournalists, it is a field of active investigation and exploration. ArtAsiaPacific’s May/June issue spotlights artists who have sought to bring suppressed histories and historically marginalized groups into the light, in order to bridge societal divisions. Our cover Feature, by contributor Cleo Roberts-Komireddi, is anchored in a group exhibition held in Dubai at the Ishara Art Foundation, “Growing Like A Tree,” curated by Indian photographer Sohrab Hura, who gathered the works of South and Southeast Asian photographers, collectives, and organizations, foregrounding their affinities and mutual support. “While relations between states may be weighed down by antagonism, the common experience of heightened surveillance and censorship has bred a sense of solidarity among many ordinary citizens that cuts across borders,” Roberts-Komireddi writes. Examining the practices of the Burmese all-female Thuma Collective, Kaali Collective and Chobi Mela in Bangladesh, and Nepal’s photo.circle and Nepal Picture Library, she sets out to examine how a surge in majoritarian politics is driving photo-activism, archiving initiatives, and collaboration between collectives across the region.