Questioning the world around us is a continuous necessity and the desire to challenge everyday systems reinvigorates daily life. This special 60th edition of Aesthetica celebrates innovation and we take a look at a number of practitioners that are breaking new ground within their given fields. Inside this issue we start with a retrospective of French artist Annette Messager at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. For over five decades she has given ordinary objects new meaning in her large-scale installations.

Constructing Worlds opens at the Barbican Centre, London, and explores the relationship between architecture and photography, while Vertigo of Reality at Akademie der Künste in Berlin surveys how art conveys the constant evolution of reality. Christopher Williams: The Production Line of Happiness at MoMA spans 35 years of the artist’s career and critiques the systems of late capitalism through opulent spectacle. In photography, we bring you an extended special feature that highlights some of the most exciting emerging talent from London College of Communication, alongside a series that depicts light in seemingly banal locations in Reykjavík by photographer Henning Kreitel, as well as the surreal world of duo Maxime Delvaux and Kevin Laloux. Formento & Formento return to Aesthetica, but this time they are in Cuba, while over the ICP, New York, the dynamic beauty of Robert Capa’s works in colour portrays a time long gone. We are also pleased to present dramatic narratives from our cover photographer Jacques Olivar.

In film, we speak with the directors of 20,000 Days on Earth, which redefines the rockumentary and follows the legendary musician Nick Cave. Then we chat with Kelly Reichardt about her latest film, Night Moves, which charts the plight of three extreme environmentalists. In music, we look at how bands are continuously redefining genres including mixing opera and hip-hop. Drama and live action combine to create Helen Lawrence, by renowned artist Stan Douglas, which premieres at Edinburgh International Festival. Finally, in Last Words we have a conversation with Susan Hiller about her latest show at Timothy Taylor Gallery.