In the silence of a Venetian calle, behind Ruzzini Palace Hotel and visible from Ponte de Borgoloco, a female figure appears suspended in time.
She is alone.
And yet, she is not.
In her hands she holds a smartphone. Around her flow thousands of invisible connections, notifications, images, videos, messages and fragments of other people’s lives. A constant, relentless and seemingly reassuring presence. A presence that often replaces dialogue, human contact, listening, and even our ability to be fully present with ourselves.
“Solitudine di ragazza, in falsa compagnia” was conceived as a reflection on the contemporary relationship between individuals and technology, observing how the constant stream of digital content has become an integral part of everyday life. A flow that no longer requires conscious choice, but appears with the frequency of a blink: images, reels, news, opinions and stimuli crossing our minds before we have time to process them.
The artwork does not seek to judge technology.
Instead, it asks a question.
How much space do these contents truly occupy within our consciousness?
How many of our emotions, fears and desires arise from authentic experience, and how many are influenced by what we observe every day through a screen?
The figure appears protected by an iron grille which, at the same time, evokes the image of a prison. A physical barrier that becomes a metaphor for an increasingly common psychological condition: being constantly connected while gradually becoming more isolated.
The most enigmatic element of the artwork is the face.
Absent.
Replaced by an iridescent reflective surface.
There is no defined identity.
Instead, the observer takes its place.
Each visitor may recognize themselves within the figure, projecting their own experiences, vulnerabilities and relationship with the digital world.
In this sense, the artwork is completed only through the gaze of those who encounter it.
During a simple walk through Venice, the sudden appearance of this silent presence can create a moment of emotional suspension. An instant of disorientation, curiosity or unease. A reaction that becomes a tool for self-reflection.
How uncomfortable does this image make us feel?
How much of ourselves do we recognize in it?
The answer may reveal something about our emotional state, the level of anxiety that accompanies our daily lives, or the unconscious fears that often remain hidden behind the apparent normality of our digital habits.
Perhaps the real question is not whether the girl is alone.
Perhaps the question is:
How alone are we, while believing ourselves to be in company?
