Ivan Maria Friedman, Portrait of Nalee, 2023, Photograph

‘Portrait of Nalee’ by Ivan Maria Friedman (limited series of 15) We travel through a significant part of LAOS, once again in search of the enduring spirit of tradition and authenticity. from the shores of the Mekong in Luang Prabang to the tranquil waters of the Nam Ou River, our route takes us through Muang Khua, Muang Ngoy and Nong Khiaw, reaching the enchanting mountain landscapes of Vang Vieng. At each stop, we rediscover the simplicity of life, the innocence in people's expressions and gestures. Once again, time eludes us. We allow ourselves to be absorbed by encounters and events. Life is a constant dance on the edge of the unpredictable. The beauty we encounter is simple and obvious, yet spontaneous, and becomes even more profound because it seems largely unaware of itself. In the midst of absolute poverty, it emerges like a flower through the cracks in the sunburnt asphalt. Sometimes, ten people share a small house made of woven bamboo. They work hard in the rice fields from dawn to dusk under the relentless sun. Here, too, life and death depend on the smallest things. Yet always, there are smiles, generosity and a joy in simple pleasures that deeply touch the traveller who ventures here. We find ourselves questioning the true nature of happiness and whether we, in our relentless pursuit through modern conveniences, might have accidentally left it behind somewhere along the way. Ivan Maria Friedman è un fotografo, regista e musicista classico di Losanna, Svizzera, attivo principalmente tra Europa e Asia. Si è laureato in musica classica presso la Lausanne University of Music. All'inizio della sua carriera, ha ampliato il suo approccio creativo alla produzione fotografica e cinematografica. È noto per aver creato diversi cortometraggi sperimentali, tra cui "Guardians of Paradise" sul Myanmar, che hanno vinto numerosi premi internazionali in cinque continenti. Ivan Maria Friedman is a photographer, filmmaker and classical musician from Lausanne, Switzerland, active mainly between Europe and Asia. He graduated in classical music from the Lausanne University of Music. Early in his career, he expanded his creative approach to photography and film production. He is known for creating several experimental short films, including ‘Guardians of Paradise’ about Myanmar, which have won numerous international awards on five continents. Ivan Friedman is primarily interested in existential questions related to the profound nature of the human experience, which he explores instinctively and sensitively through symbolic works, constantly searching for universality.