loredana denicola
a new society
| unfinished photography project |
| digital color photography | from 2016 |
What does it mean to be conscious?
A new society is a digital photography project that explores the evolution of human consciousness and envisions a new, more unified society. The project investigates consciousness on different levels: the state of wakefulness, awareness of the external world, and deep self-awareness as an active participant in life.
The images show a foetus developing in the head instead of the womb, symbolising the dissolution of gender distinctions in reproduction and the democratisation of knowledge. This metaphor represents the emergence of an individual who transcends past limits, embodying love, compassion, and genuine understanding. This new consciousness no longer reacts with fear or division but acts from unity and intuitive awareness. It awakens a dormant potential and inspires the creation of a harmonious society.
The imagined society promotes healthier relationships with oneself, others, nature, and the planet, pursuing peace and balance.
Though it may seem utopian, the project invites reflection on the transformative power of awareness, connection, and inner growth, using digital photography as a means of expression.
A new society is a conceptual photography and art project currently in progress. So far, it has resulted in the creation of several key pieces, including the fetal mask and the figure of the child, central elements rich in symbolism and artistic depth. The design and conceptualisation process has been long but deeply rewarding. Seeing abstract ideas evolve into tangible forms has been an exciting and transformative experience. The project was unexpectedly interrupted, leaving some parts incomplete. However, I am determined to finish it, as it represents far more than an artistic endeavour - it reflects a personal journey of growth, experimentation, and expression.
The concept and design of the fetal mask and the child originated from my vision and were brought to life through the collaboration with Samuele Sulas, an emerging artist whose unique visual language and symbolic approach enriched the project in profound ways.
Working on A new society has challenged me to step outside my comfort zone, pushing the boundaries of my artistic practice. It led me to explore new materials, engage with conceptual themes such as identity, transformation, and societal constructs, and embrace collaborative creation as part of my process. It hasn’t been easy, but it has been profoundly meaningful. This project has helped me evolve not only as an artist but also as a person, teaching me to embrace uncertainty, take creative risks, and find strength in collaboration.
THE INDIVIDUAL
THE MOTHER
The character of the Mother is at once grotesque, beautiful, and deeply feminine. She gives birth to a child she is physically unable to embrace. Her arms - incredibly long and nearly unusable - hinder her ability to move, to act, to reach out. She stands by, watching the birth unfold, incapable of intervening, of holding or even feeling her own child. Hovering above the scene are the words:“Get me out of here.” A desperate cry from the newborn, yearning to be held, to be supported, yet left suspended in a state of unmet need and longing. The project began with a simple question: “How can I visually represent birth?”
The first concept took shape as a pencil sketch, later developed into a detailed ink drawing. The final piece features a dress that incorporates the child directly into its structure, a symbolic womb and barrier in one. The dress was entirely hand-sewn, and the model’s face was intentionally covered - a choice made to protect her identity and to amplify the emotional focus on the body, the gesture, and the tragic tension of the scene.
THE CHILD
The child is symbolically trapped within the fabric of the mother’s dress, unable to escape or find connection.
The boundary between the child and the mother’s body is blurred; the child seems to emerge from or be swallowed by the folds of the dress, struggling to find its place in the world.
The child’s form is delicate yet contorted, as though its position inside the dress is both uncomfortable and unnatural. The gesture of waiting is underscored by its silent cry, “Get me out of here.”
This powerful expression captures its deep longing to be held and cared for, yet it remains in a state of limbo, unable to break free from the maternal confines. Though physically part of the mother, the child is emotionally distant, embodying the profound tension between desire and incapacity - a metaphor for the disconnect between nurturing instinct and physical or emotional limitation.
The tension between the mother’s body and the child, suspended in a moment of unrealised connection, compels the viewer to confront the contradictions of dependence, separation, and the unspoken spaces that define human relationships. In a society that shapes every aspect of existence, these fractures of connection become the very core of our experience.
The fragility of bonds - how proximity does not always translate into understanding or comfort - becomes the central reflection of a world that, despite being increasingly interconnected, fails to meet the most intimate and fundamental emotional needs. In this stillness, we are left to ask: what does it truly mean to connect, to be seen and embraced, when even the closest and seemingly natural bonds fail to bridge the distance between us and the world?