With my roots packed in a suitcase, I collect pieces of my origin in my art practice. My earlier work focused on grief—and the lingering aftermath of death. I began exploring the idea of home as I moved countries again, facing the realization that I’ve never truly felt grounded anywhere. This sense of placelessness—of being a nomad—led me to reflect on identity, cultural belonging, and the strange expectation of representing a homeland that only fully embraced me when I left.
Currently my focus has shifted inward, toward the subtleties of human behavior—intimate, often hidden actions that define our existence: addiction, hygiene, individuality, secrets. These elements build up the character of a generation, a society, a city. Through this, I examine the construction of culture, the ethics of class, and the fragile notions of peace and safety in an increasingly automated, disconnected world.
A continuous thread runs through all my work: loss and transformation, the search for home, and the interrogation of the structures that shape how we live. My art invites viewers to pause, reflect, and question what we’ve been prescribed.
SARA BARENGO 