And spring again

Sonia Navelli

What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
Lately, I’m working on a project about the “infra-thin,” an investigation into the most delicate perceptions and imperceptible dimensions that connect humans and nature. By “infra-thin” I mean those layers of reality that escape immediate observation: vibrations, traces, micro-relations between beings and the environment, subtle energies that define our relationship with the world. At the same time, I’m pursuing collaborations with Splendore Mauro, with whom I created “Atopia” and “Maia”. I’ve also completed “Eve’s Diary”, a work exploring identity and the interconnection between all elements of reality.

What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on it?
I’ve learned to trust intuition, allowing images to suggest without explaining everything. I’ve unlearned the idea that every photograph must tell a linear story: today, I welcome silences, voids, and suspension as an integral part of the narrative. This approach is essential when working on the subtle, where what is perceived is not always immediately visible or understandable.

What words, ideas or emotions were running through your head?
The work is immersed in a sense of suspended calm, curiosity, and wonder. There’s attention to the invisible, to the wild, and to the connections between humans and nature. It’s a balance between contemplation and participation, observation and immersion.

Were there any conversations, movies, music, or books that made their way into that work?
The films that inspired me are those exploring interiority, silence, and the spiritual states of the mind. In literature, readings in anthropology, philosophy, and poetry have helped me develop a visual language capable of capturing what escapes immediate perception.

What’s been the most difficult thing you’ve faced recently in your creative process?
The greatest challenge is maintaining delicacy and coherence, especially in the infra-thin project.

What is your favorite restaurant and why do you like going there?
I don’t go to restaurants. I prefer picnics in nature: sitting on a meadow, listening to the wind through the trees, observing the changing light. These moments, away from the noise, nourish my attention to detail and my ability to truly observe.

If your life were a movie this month, what would it be called and who would write the soundtrack?
It would be called “Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring Again” by Kim Ki-Duk.

Which studios, laboratories, or workshops have you collaborated with recently or would you like to collaborate with in the future?
I would like to collaborate with studios and labs exploring photography, visual anthropology, and immersive practices: interacting with other perspectives generates new creative possibilities.

Recommend one or more artists you follow who inspire you, and tell us what you like most about their work or their way of working.
I recommend Alec Soth, for his ability to construct open narratives, made of subtle connections between places, people, and time; he invites viewers to complete what is not immediately visible.

Francesca Woodman, for the emotional power of her images and her deep relationship with body, space, and memory.

Sophie Calle, for her bold exploration of intimacy and the traces of daily life, transforming the ordinary into a poetic experience.

Rinko Kawauchi, for her poetic and meditative sensitivity, transforming everyday life into suspended, luminous moments.

Contemporary Japanese photographers capable of capturing the most delicate traces of memory and existence.