Like a sculpture, an artist’s life is a layered creation, each texture shaped by a unique mix of experiences and passions. For me, these layers are as diverse as they are intertwined, blending the raw energy of the sea with the dynamic pulse of urban life. I was raised on a sailboat, navigating the open water from port to port, and this fluidity became the core of who I am—an artist constantly in motion, seeking to connect with the world around me.
At 17, I landed in Los Angeles after graduating from the Fine Art High School in Bari, Italy, and found myself drawn to performance art, where I could merge the physical with the conceptual. Performance art spoke to me in a way that mirrored my experience as a professional sailor—both demanding a deep commitment of mind and body. Sailing, for me, isn’t just a mode of transport; it’s a way to sculpt and dance with nature, a training ground for independence and resilience.
This duality—between the sea and the city, the physical and the conceptual—defines my work. Whether it’s building immersive installations or exploring the interplay between technology and the environment, my practice is rooted in the lived experience. My artistic journey has taken me from designing sets and costumes in Los Angeles to performance art in Florence, and even to the far reaches of the Arctic. Along the way, I’ve explored everything from photojournalism to site-specific interventions, each project an opportunity to dive deeper into the chaos and beauty of the world.
I believe that the artist’s role is not confined to the studio or the gallery. We are cultural entrepreneurs, catalysts for change who continuously redefine, explore, and expand ourselves and our surroundings. Applied creativity is the motor of life and human evolution, a survival tool that can be applied in any field and aspect of life. This belief guides my work and my approach to art, where I see my role as both a creator and a connector, weaving together disparate elements to form a “conceptual hinge” to use as a pivot point for a dialogue.
This philosophy was the driving force behind the creation of the H.E.A.R.T. Foundation at Palazzo Fizzarotti in Bari, Italy, in 2019. Here, I draw on my artistic and professional experiences to develop a research-based program that promotes cultural development, innovation, professional training, and community practices. The Foundation is a platform where art intersects with social impact, pushing boundaries and redefining the discourse around art’s role in shaping a more sustainable and harmonious world.
My work continues today, exploring themes such as the ties between local community displacement, postcolonial practices, corporate greed, and cultural PTSD. In addition, collaborating with my partner, Miles Valle, we have undertaken a natural conservation project in Hawaii, where we are regrowing a small native ecosystem using agroforestry and exploring wild regenerative spaces. This project has deepened my understanding of the intricate relationship between biodiversity and socio-cultural diversity, emphasizing the intersectionality of environmental and cultural loss.
Living between Hawaii and Southern Italy, I am profoundly inspired by Indigenous practices and their struggles, which have provided me with clarity and insights into the complex social and historical fabric of my home region as well as Western and European culture at large.
Ultimately, I see myself as an explorer—of both the external world and the internal landscapes we all navigate. My art and often my body is the vessel that carries me through these journeys, charting new courses in the ever-changing seas of human experience.
