Since 2015, Filippo Venturi has been using photography to explore the complexities of the Korean peninsula. Broken Mirror is a body of work that blends documentary storytelling with a conceptual twist, merging his perception of North Korea with that of artificial intelligence.

“I introduced an alien element into everyday North Korean scenes,” he explains, “in the form of insects that gradually grow larger and more intrusive—until they seem to control the people themselves.”

This surreal presence mirrors the extraordinary nature of North Korean society, shaped by one of the most repressive regimes in the world—an environment where isolation and control are everyday realities. At the same time, the imagery gestures toward a deeper metaphor: a reflection on the encroaching and pervasive influence of technology and artificial intelligence in our own lives.

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Filippo Venturi, born in Italy in 1980, is a documentary photographer and visual artist whose work explores themes of identity and the human experience. Through long-term projects, he investigates personal and collective narratives with a thoughtful, visual sensitivity. His photographs have appeared in publications such as National Geographic, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Financial Times, and Vanity Fair. Over the years, his work has earned numerous accolades, including the Sony World Photography Award. Since 2023, Venturi has also been experimenting with artificial intelligence, expanding his practice into more conceptual realms.