Nature nominee

I N S C T S is an ongoing project that documents how insect farming addresses global environmental and social challenges. Some insects can be fed organic waste, bioconverting it into fertilizer and feed for animals - like chickens, or many freshwater fish - that eat insects in their natural diet.

Since the ideal conditions for insect farming occur in the tropics, in many rural areas of Africa, Asia and Latin America insects provide an affordable way to community sovereignty by making small farmers less dependent on expensive - and environmentally costly - imported products.

The entry is focused on “Insectos Por La Paz”, a social initiative that promotes the reintegration of former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army and supports the livelihoods of indigenous people and those affected by the conflict training them to become smallholder insect producers.

Insect farming is a re-distributive and sustainable agricultural practice with the potential of empowering smallholder farmers all over the world. This is the story of an ongoing (re)connection to nature based systems.

Born in Turin, Italy, in 1978, I hold a bachelor's degree in literature and philosophy, with a specialization in poetry. I later moved to Madrid, Spain, where I completed a master's degree in Photography from PHotoESPAÑA. I work as a documentary photographer and videomaker and I have co-created multimedia projects like "P A R I S N E S S" (Paris, 2015),"HAIKU" (Roma, 2011), and "Silencio" (Munich,2021).

I N S C T S is my first project with a global perspective and it has been nominated by PHotoESPAÑA to be part of the FUTURES Photography platform. And then it was selected by FUTURES Photography for the 2023 collective exhibition "Energy: Redistributing Power and Taming Consumption" at Robert Capa Contemporary Photography Center (Budapest, HUN), PhotoIreland (Dublin, IRE) and FOTODOK (Utrecht, NL).

In 2024 I N S C T S has been an exhibition at the Glass Box Gallery, Santa Barbara, California, as part of a multidisciplinary initiative coordinated by the University of Santa Barbara. And I receive d the LE STUDIUM Visiting Artist AWARD. A six months artist residency at the IRBI (Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte) supported by the Centre-Val de Loire Regional Council.