Euphoria Sees The Magic In Every Moment
Alessia Moccia, better known as Euphoria, is making waves with her transcendent approach to photography. The seasoned fashion editor and art director transitioned seamlessly from the glossy pages of print to the dynamic realm of digital art curation. Her keen eye for the energies, auras, and storytelling of celebrities positioned her as a prominent figure in the industry. Boasting an impressive portfolio of working for renowned magazines such as Vanity Fair, and GQ and later operating an influencer company that produced photographers, Alessia was deeply immersed in the storytelling coming from these creative individuals. However, life swept her towards a new direction during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading her to plunge head first into street photography.
"I had the real-time to study it, and I was very successful," Alessia reflects on her pivot to street photography during the pandemic. The newfound freedom from the constraints of studios allowed her to capture candid moments, unburdened by the need for reshaping bodies or erasing imperfections. This shift marked the genesis of Euphoria, Alessia's artistic alter ego. Describing Euphoria as a "state of mind" and a "movement," Alessia explains how she invites viewers to participate in the extraordinary. Her unique style involves blending real-world settings with fantasy elements, creating visual narratives that extend into otherworldly galaxies, seas, and cosmic skies. "I invite people to take the beauty out of the ordinary, out of the banal life" she passionately expresses.
“I'm a morning person, I wake up at five o'clock, grab my camera, get on the street, and take a lot of photos. I prefer to take candid photos, so I don't want people to look at me, because they change immediately. I'm always attracted to fashion related stuff because I come from fashion, but I really love the spontaneity of people and their eyes, and their connections. Sometimes it's magical and I love this sort of dreaminess in the streets. I believe that the street is culture, and all the big movements were born here.”
Alessia's dedication and creativity in this venture have not gone unnoticed. In 2022 and 2023, the International Photography Awards recognized her with six prestigious awards, affirming her standing among the luminaries in the field. The International Photography Awards is a prestigious annual competition that recognizes and celebrates excellence in the field of photography on a global scale. Established to honor photographers across various genres, IPA provides a platform for both emerging talents and established professionals to showcase their exceptional work. With a focus on promoting creativity, innovation, and storytelling through the lens, IPA has become a distinguished award. As the art world undergoes a digital revolution, Alessia has embraced the realm of NFTs, turning her into a crypto artist. For her, NFTs represent more than just a market trend; they signify a democratization of art, breaking free from the traditional gallery model. "I think that they will stay here for decades - I travel a lot and for me it's crucial to have all my art in my pocket, on my iPhone, or a screen where I can show all my photos.” Alessia remarks, emphasizing the transparency and permanence offered by blockchain technology.
“I believe that through NFTs, we as artists can get on a stage and present and introduce our art globally. Nevertheless if we are in Korea, the United States, Africa, or Europe, we can sell our art without the need of art galleries, curators, or traditional mechanisms. Furthermore, I love NFTs because we can perpetually have royalties and a contract on blockchain so everything is transparent.”
Beyond her individual achievements, Alessia also wears the hat of an art curator, weaving emotional connections into her curation process. Alessia's approach to curating art shows is a deeply emotional and liberating experience. She places a strong emphasis on the profound impact of art on individual emotions, emphasizing the importance of connection between the artwork and the viewer. In her curatorial endeavors, Alessia consciously eschews the allure of big names, expressing a preference for collaborating with independent or lesser-known artists. Her belief in the power of these artists to create genuine connections and express themselves freely is at the core of her curatorial philosophy. Alessia sees art as a medium for freedom of expression, urging artists to step outside conventional boundaries and involve others in their creative worlds. Her commitment to avoiding conformity and pushing the boundaries of artistic expression underscores her desire to foster a bold and unrestrained artistic community. Amongst Alessia’s recent exhibits in NYC, Miami and Dubai, DAMN Futurism is a collection inspired by an Italian movement from the 1920s. Collaborating with artists Pamela Lubell and Francesca Ferretti, Alessia fuses elements of dynamism, speed, and modernism.
”DAMN Futurism is attributed to this Italian movement that was born in 1920 by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti and is about the audacity, mechanism, and speed of industrial cities. I founded this new collection in collaboration with artist Pamela Lubell. She's a New Yorker and she's the genial inventor of these helmet sculptures that are against mental health issues. She created these helmets as a metaphorical shield against mental abuse, power abuse and harassment.”
For upcoming artists in the space, Alessia advises "Be bold, take action, and don't be a perfectionist". She reflects on overcoming perfectionism and its destructive impact on projects and personal well-being. Alessia advocates embracing failure as a stepping stone to success, emphasizing that failure signifies taking action, contrasting it with stagnation and inaction, which can be likened to a state of being "dead." The core message underscores the importance of taking bold actions, learning from failures, and viewing setbacks as the beginning of success in entrepreneurship.
“I hate the idea of perfectionism because I think it leads to the suicide of projects. Absolutely be forward, be bold. When you fail, it's the beginning of the success. The more you fail, the more you will be successful. So, I hope that you can fail because it means that you are taking action in this way. The people that are stuck don't take action, so they are dead. Taking action is the most important factor in this field.”
Stressing the importance of action over excessive questioning about technical details, Alessia encourages photographers to hit the streets or studios, take photos without getting bogged down by technical concerns, and focus on personalizing their art through experimentation. The key message is to keep moving forward daily, even without a clear goal, by shaping and honing one's skills. Her words echo the essence of her artistic journey – a journey marked by experimentation, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to the extraordinary. Euphoria is more than a name – it's an invitation to witness the magic in every moment, something we should all consider doing more of.
