Fiction and surrealism stand as a testament to the enduring human need for storytelling. Through them, we can transcend the boundaries of reality, encounter new perspectives, and gain a deeper understanding of the human condition. We engage with them with a willingness to suspend our disbelief, accepting the fictional elements as plausible within the context of the story. They are a response to the rationalism and conformity of the modern world, seeking to delve into the mysterious, absurd, and irrational aspects of the human experience. Fiction, thus surrealism, connects us to the rich tapestry of narratives that have been passed down through generations, from oral traditions to the written word and to the realm of visual storytelling. They embody a fundamental aspect of our culture and our shared humanity, standing as a pillar of creative expression and imaginative exploration.

The 5W is a format based on the famous 5 questions of journalism: Who, What, Where, When, Why. They are a simple way to talk about a topic from the point of view of different people, who are framed through an identikit: who they are, what they do, where they live, when they were born and why. The why usually matches the topic we want to investigate, and becomes the real question that drives the article. Each character is accompanied by a portrait (or self-portrait) and dressed in ad hoc clothes.

Who: Chiara Baima Poma
What: Artist, painter
Where: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
When: 04/04/1990, 33
Why: I think of “fiction” as an invention, a play, so for me, it doesn’t have either a positive or a negative connotation, but rather a neutral one. I believe it’s part of our daily life, an idea we want to give about ourselves. At the end of the day, we are also who we want to appear. The search for our true selves is not convincing, there’s a Neapolitan way of saying: “A’ cervella è ‘na sfoglia e’ cipolla”. Likewise the onion, the brain: the more we try to get to the heart the more we loose parts of ourselves. The fiction of ourselves we project composes what we are so it shouldn’t be neither underestimated nor discredited.

Who: ICTM
What: Photographer 
Where: Milano, Italy
When: 15/7/2020, 3
Why: Fiction is central to our practice. We use it as a tool, when we visualize something we craft it. It is abstraction and escapism. Our images are a mix and match of reality and something else.

Who: Hubert Crabières
What: Image maker, art director
Where: Argenteuil, France
When: 09/09/1989, 34
Why: I believe that fiction can serve as a means of emancipation. It offers a way to comprehend the limitations we encounter, to conceptualize them, and then to transcend them. It also provides a creative framework for organizing reality and establishing connections between ideas, events, and objects that may initially appear unrelated. These connections can sometimes lead to a heightened awareness of certain aspects of life. I appreciate fiction most when it acts as an agent of emancipation, akin to a wave that draws us away from reality and propels us towards it, armed with new tools and perspectives for understanding and advocating for our own circumstances. To me, fiction embodies this transformative journey. It is a concept I occasionally endeavor to convey in my work—a compelling image that evokes an emotional response surprising us and often residing on the boundary of the “magical” while simultaneously revealing its “artifice” and the conditions of its creation. I have little interest in fiction for its own sake, most narratives fail to captivate me.

Who: Koko Moon
What: Musician 
Where: London, United Kingdom 
When: 29/12/1990, 32
Why: In my music I draw from real-life experiences, avoiding fiction whether it’s good or bad. From my perspective it allows us to hide vulnerabilities and explore the idealized versions of ourselves, fulfilling our desires.

Who: Eleonora Sabet
What: Art director and photographer
Where: Milan, Italy
When: 26/12/1995, 27
Why: Fiction doesn’t need to have a negative connotation. I don’t think it’s linked to “pretending” but more so to a search for a common language to convey my thought process. I’m a person who thinks very literally and systematically, I have a hard time choosing the right words. I prefer using other people’s to describe what I feel, they have a more direct connection. Fiction can break down misunderstandings, for example when I commit to using a language different from my own with the sole aim of being understood.

Who: Maddalena Scarzella
What: Curator
Where: Bocca di Magra (SP), Italy
When: 8/03/1984, 39
Why: We all need fictions to run against our fears; are we able then to generate them in multiple and powerful ways as the fairy tales do?