Wu Wei is the Daoist principle of effortless action—acting in harmony with the natural flow of things without force or resistance.
In this state, an artist becomes fully aligned with the moment, allowing natural intuition to guide their work rather than deliberate control. This energy surrounds the individual in flow like a quiet current.
Most of the photographs were taken between 2021 and 2022, in the aftermath of the lockdowns, amidst on-going restrictions and uncertainty. During this period, I regularly visited a collective of artists sharing a work space in Milan. They overcame the tumultuous situation outside by leaving it at the door and letting the flow state take over: the space within those four walls became a kind of sanctuary.
Whether it be sculpting, painting, dancing, sewing, singing the artist pours his or her soul into the external world. The on-camera double exposures in the series blend the artist’s work with their face in an act of alchemy.
“The reason why the universe is eternal is that it does not live for itself; it gives life to others as it transforms”
- Lao Tzu
