I`M THE OCTOPUS
Double video projection, 22min,

This installation is the result of profound exchanges and dialogues with friends, strangers, scientists, activists, artists, thinkers and dancers. I use the octopus as a central metaphor for diversity and openness. With three hearts and numerous neural centres, each tentacle with its own perception and agency, the octopus models a society that draws strength from its inner diversity. Its arms gather a multitude of voices, moods and perspectives, symbolising internal plurality and openness to the unknown. I anchor this installation in my personal encounters and intellectual explorations – from Queen Mary University in London and the Being Human Festival to the Interdisciplinary Bodies conference at Brunel University, the World Congress of Philosophy in Rome and the vibrant dream of the Italian dolce vita. In these contexts I discovered the octopus as a powerful symbol of transformation and fluidity, embodying the potential to find one‘s own fulfilling place in a fragmented world and to forge new pathways of connection.

Art as a mirror of society
For me, the octopus symbolises the courage to explore the unknown in others – those parts that may remain unknown but ultimately enrich us. In times of rising xenophobia and isolationism, the octopus calls for openness: this double video installation creates a space where identity can be felt as a dynamic, multifaceted process. I challenge the audience to perceive the self as plural and evolving, encouraging curiosity over defensiveness in approaching others. This courage to embrace diversity and the unknown is reflected in the fluid, ever-changing movements of the octopus – a creature that loses itself in the water yet remains connected to everything through its tentacles.

At a time when words are often used as weapons, this work offers a new language of connection – a plea to discover the unknown in ourselves and others. Here, the octopus stands as a symbol of hope for a society that draws its strength from openness and curiosity about diversity.