Moving to the UK to study, Lara Zimmern felt a strong need to hold onto ‘fleeting moments of connection and presence’. That instinct shaped her moving image practice into a ‘visual memory book’ – a way to preserve the present through storytelling.

This resurfaced during her recent trip to Naples for VVV-Residency, a six-week international collaboration and audiovisual exploration that took place from February to March this year, with a final screening at the SuperOtium art hotel and exhibition in April.

"Immersed in a new cultural context, I was reminded of the power of video to document not just events, but raw moments and emotion. Much of my recent work explores themes of post-pandemic connection and lost narratives. The residency, which began with Zoom calls with the curators and tutors Simona (Simona De Pozzo) and Ale (Allesandra Arnó) before visiting Naples for the screening, highlighted how even digital interactions can carry deep meaning. It reminded me of the value of time, presence and creative exchange, even across distances.”

As part of VVV-Residency, Lara’s only brief was to use archival footage – a medium that has since become an essential technique in her creative practice: “I find creating something that looks past temporal and geographical landscapes very exciting, allowing the footage to speak through new visual narratives and allowing for moments of reflection.”

But for Lara, the use of archival footage is more than a medium. It mirrors a growing cultural shift that reflects how the current generation capture their own memories.

“In my generation, I find there is an obsession with the ‘vintage’ and ‘retro’ when scrolling on social media. Everyone’s buying digital cameras released in years they weren’t alive and editing photos with ‘retro film’ filters, even when we have access to high-quality cameras through our phones. I am personally guilty of this trend, yet I acknowledge there’s a sense of irony to it. We are attempting to capture a time we never lived, using tools that don’t truly connect us to the reality of that period.”

Gen Z’s current longing to capture aesthetics in this way, Lara believes, creates a naïveté and even superficiality around the medium. Archival footage, however, is a permanent form that stands the test of time and remains a genuine source of history.

“Yes, it is edited and fragmented, yet it holds a kind of authenticity that digital filters cannot replicate. These images were once real, offering us a rawness that makes the past tangible in a way that modern recreations can’t. Whether driven by a desire to understand history or simply a fascination with the aesthetics of a time we didn’t witness, there’s a deep urge to experience the past and archival footage allows a true platform to do so.”

Still shot from RECOMMENDED DOSAGE in a dark room, screen shows VHS footage with 'DANCE' in blue, pink and orange text with people raving behind.

Still shot from RECOMMENDED DOSAGE showing overlayed silhouettes of people.

Still shot from RECOMMENDED DOSAGE on a screen with a dark background, crowd of people, the right side has a red filter applied to it. Small screen below displaying more people.

Growing up in Hong Kong, which she describes as a city 'full of culture and creativity’, Lara felt naturally drawn to visual storytelling. Over time, she came to understand how personal expressions and stories, through recognition and empathy, are key to shared experiences. This realisation continues to guide her work by ‘exploring the universal within the personal’ – and has guided her decisions as an artist too.

“Interestingly, I began my BA (Hons) Fine Art studies at AUB expecting to pursue painting, yet a first-year moving image workshop shifted my path. In a world increasingly shaped by digital platforms like TikTok, the idea of weaving this language into fine art felt relevant and exciting.

"My creative process is largely intuitive; I often follow an idea with an almost tunnel vision. Yet my recent collaborative experiences have taught me to be more open, to let ideas evolve, to embrace uncertainty, and to recognise when to rework or even discard something.”

It was through the VVV-Residency and working with artists from different cultural backgrounds that allowed Lara to widen her perspective and understand how context could shape her interpretations, still leading by instinct but with a greater appreciation for the dialogue, experimentation and growth around the audiovisual medium. Plus, she learnt the importance of valuing her own creative process as much as the outcome.

“At the residency, critique became a tool for refinement, not discouragement. I began to understand that letting go of ideas can be as important as pursuing them. Engaging with artists from different backgrounds further deepened my understanding of how video art is seen and felt across cultures.”

Not only were the final video works shown at VVV-Residency’s SuperOtium screening, including Lara’s film RECOMMENDED DOSAGE, but also as part of an online exhibition platform: “It was powerful to see how art could connect across time zones and geographies, including friends and family who couldn’t be there in person.”

Outside academic work, Lara continues to be inspired by everyday life, with travel, conversations and quiet observation feeding into her creative process in subtle but meaningful ways. It’s the small moments of awareness that keep her connected to lived experience, and through understanding the importance of authenticity and the medium of archival footage, Lara’s found a process and purpose to her work that she’ll continue to explore after graduating.

“Looking ahead, I hope to keep collaborating internationally and contributing to dialogues that build bridges between people and cultures – art that speaks across boundaries and invites connection.”

Watch part of Lara's film, RECOMMENDED DOSAGE, below.