My name is Manuela Porceddu (1977, Moncalieri, IT), I work mainly with photography and video and am based in Dordrecht. After earning my BA from the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam, I ran a design studio where I initially developed socially engaged projects in collaboration with artists.

 With my current work, I explore the ways in which people (and non-people) connect with their environment. My preference for lens-based media stems from the possibility of using the lens as a medium that filters reality and thus can be used to highlight and explore specific perspectives or interpretations of reality.

 Growing up as a migrant child, I soon realized that people live in different realities. Homesickness, home culture, and the search for one’s own place and identity played significant roles in my family life. This sparked my interest in the (up)rooting and anchoring of bodies and landscapes.

 My artistic research revolves around questions such as: When does someone or something truly belong? What is needed to take root and feel anchored? How do bodies and objects internalize memories? How do they preserve a sense of belonging? These questions are the foundation for creating new work, which always begins with a walk.

 As I walk through the landscape, I observe how my body experiences the environment. At the same time, I reflect on my own (up)rooting in relation to my birthplace and the origins of my ancestors. I process these observations and notes in encounters with other women, in the form of conversations and interviews. These are intimate exchanges that offer me new insights and a broader perspective on my research into (up)rooting and anchoring of bodies and landscapes.

 My work is informed by conceptions of both philosopher Gilles Deleuze and anthropologist Tim Ingold, both of whom address the notions of network and entanglement and advocate for alternative knowledge gathering. In particular, Deleuze's rhizome and Ingold's concept of “Lines Of Correspondence,” by which he refers to the connections and relationships people establish through their interactions with materials and their environment, play an important role in my work. Especially since this conception emphasizes the interconnectedness of human activities and the world.

With my work, I aim to bring nuances within the themes of migration and appropriation of nature and earth. I want to unravel its complexity by exposing pieces of it from a personal and embodied perspective.