If I Had to Pull a Thread Through the Sea

Bonura was chosen by our Community Manager and Program Curator to participate in one of our Face-to-Face portfolio feedback sessions with our Guest Room Curator Jo. Trujillo Argüelles.

One of the emotional conflicts shared by those who live on an island is the struggle of living with the idea that you can’t take the island out of the islander, meaning the feeling of being in a world apart, and at the same time the awareness that no one exists alone, so we are not islands.

My ongoing research retraces and attempts to understand my experience as a native person from an island in Southern Italy, and weaves a personal narrative that reflects broader themes of identity, isolation, and belonging. In the images taken on various islands, especially Sicily, where I am originally from, I explore the depths of this feeling in order to reclaim my origins and my intimate connection to the land.

At the same time, my desire is to uncover something hidden, mysterious, and revelatory about the past that also influences my present. Therefore, my journey, more than documentation with an objective intent, is an exploration of inner liminal spaces. Inhabiting the middle becomes an opportunity to make a transition, to change shape, and to discover that one can coexist with the complexity of something that is conflictual or not fully revealed.

"The Portfolio Review with Jo Trujillo Argüelles was insightful and encouraging. I got the opportunity to tell her about my ongoing research on insularity and belonging, later showing her the pictures of a project that's in the very first stages. She went through my images with care and attentiveness, asking questions about my methodology and visual choices to understand my intentions. Her feedback helped me reflect on the narrative power of my images and how to move forward with clarity."

- Viviana's testimonial on her “Face-to-Face” Session