With your extensive exhibition history in various locations, how do you envision collaborating with fellow artists from diverse backgrounds in the virtual space of the residency? How might this digital environment enhance or challenge your collaborative approach?

I believe that art has always been a means for me to create connections and develop meaningful human relationships. If art is indeed a “connection between subjectivities,” confrontation and dialogue become necessary elements in collaborative design.

In this sense, I find the potential offered by digital environments very interesting and democratizing. It allows emerging artists with different backgrounds to meet and create together despite geographical and economic limitations.

Considering your interdisciplinary approach that blends performance, video art, and fashion design, how does the theme “Artist on Standby” resonate with your artistic practice? How might the program’s emphasis on experimentation align with the methodologies you’ve developed in your projects like “IANUA” and “CYBERIA”?

The concept of standby is something highly problematic in contemporary terms. We witnessed this during the pandemic period, which, in my opinion, underscored the significant difficulty that modern society has developed in relation to stasis. In a binge and overstimulated context, my practice focuses on a return to a conscious connection with a renewed, personal, and non-dogmatic spirituality, where technology and nature converge in a path of ontological reinterpretation. From this rejection, a series of experimental projects emerge that incorporate ancient ritual elements, natural materials, and hyper-technological means. I strongly believe in experimentation and the need to constantly challenge oneself in the use of new media and concepts, in order to generate new experiences.

Your solo exhibitions, such as “Silence Over The Abyss” and “SAMANA,” explore themes of neono-madism and posthumanism. How have these themes evolved over time, and how do they connect to your current exploration of the intersection of technology and nature in “YI’ZIRA”?

SOTA was my first solo exhibition, and even though it involved traditional means of representation, it already showcased an idea of proactive ontological rejection. The Nietzschean concept of destroying to build, rejecting to later reinterpret, has always been a part of my journey, not only artistically but also personally.

Four years later, Samana marked a decidedly more mature and conscious phase of my production. I believe the most significant evolution was the transition from a somewhat pessimistic suggestion to a structured and articulated discourse, capable of proposing, through the idea of neonomadism, a series of ritual and psychomagical “paths to salvation.” In more recent projects like YI’ZIRA, my work always positions itself as a search for sense-making. It never seeks to comfort; in fact, pain and disturbance always play a central role, but with the aim of finding a deeper meaning to that pain which, due to the contemporary lack of spirituality, risks transforming into the totalizing void Michael Ende spoke of in his “The NeverEnding Story.”

Your works touch on the search for an innovative form of spirituality. Can you elaborate on how this theme manifests in your artistic practice, especially considering the dynamic interplay of technology and nature in your recent projects?

My intention is not to present a critical or misoneist viewpoint. On the contrary, I strongly believe in technology as a means of elevation. What I reject is the notion of technology as a ludic

end or, even worse, as a salvific idol. These reflections, which I have incorporated and reworked from the philosophy of Martin Heidegger, have compelled me to question the meaning of spirituality, engaging in a process of deconstruction and reinterpretation of the metaphysical. This is manifested in a series of alien sacred works that do not belong to any dogmatic religion but serve the function of a personal psychomagical spiritual medium.

Graduating in Fashion Design and incorporating it into your artistic practice, how do you navigate the interplay between fashion design and visual arts in your projects? How does this intersection contribute to the overall narrative of your work?

For me, costume and fashion design have become fundamental elements in my performance works. My academic journey in design has provided me with the skills necessary to design and create costumes that are not only aesthetic but always constitute a layering of additional meaning. Moreover, I believe that the study of semiotics and anthropology has enriched the methodology underlying my practice, giving me valuable awareness regarding the use of symbols and archetypes. This enables me to structure coherent and intellectually profound narratives, allowing the costume in my work to often transform into monastic attire, alien shroud, ritualistic armor, and more, depending on the narrated context. This contributes to a deeper immersion of both performers and the audience in the ritualistic dimension.

Your collaboration with Rick Owens for the exhibition “SAMANA” suggests a dynamic exchange of ideas. How have collaborations influenced your creative process, and do you anticipate engaging in collaborative initiatives during the online residency?

The thesis journey undertaken in academic collaboration with Rick Owens has been highly formative for me. Their support in structuring and realizing my ideas has been fundamental in my path, enabling me to better understand my vision and capabilities, ultimately leading to the realization of SAMANA—one of my most ambitious and conceptually profound projects.

I thoroughly enjoy collaboration, as I believe that dialogue and exchange are essential for generating new perspectives. In the realm of performance, I often integrate collaboration with electronic music artists, spanning from soundscape to noise. This is because I consider music to be a fundamental factor in any ritual, and I place great emphasis on curating this aspect, often developing it through active collaboration with experienced individuals. I frequently collaborate on the design and execution of performance costumes with other designers and artists. Additionally, I value engaging in discussions and idea exchanges with curators who can interpret (and challenge) my ideas.

Looking ahead, what themes or mediums are you eager to explore in your future projects? How do you see your artistic practice evolving, and are there specific areas of experimentation that you plan to delve into?

The idea of drawing as a means of representation and primitive contact with the world fascinates me greatly. For some time now, I have been experimenting to give a more traditional, albeit still exploratory, form to my work. I am also working on a series of new projects that range from my classic ritual performance to new performative and curatorial approaches, integrating new technological means. I have upcoming projects that challenge and reinterpret the meaning of video art, as well as sculptural and installative projects that delve into my fascination with relics, legacy, and the illusory dichotomy between life and death.