Original work by Luca Ferrara.
The Intentional Life.
A collection of stories, essays, images, and videos on a range of subjects that are close and dear to me, all inspired by my pursuit of living a life with intention.
(Really, it’s a blog. I do keep an actual journal — every day, in fact — and have been for the better part of twenty years now. But that’s just for me. “Blog” feels too much like something crafted to build a following, which isn’t what I’m trying to do here. That’s why I called it “Journal” instead. Still, this is the part of my journal I’m happy to share. So, yeah — really, it’s a blog.)
(#031) Michael Jackson wasn’t there — but I should be
Once more to London. Once more to see a show. The last time was March 15th, when I went to see Mr. Wynton Marsalis at The Barbican. This time, it was Michael Jackson. Well — he wasn’t there, of course. But Jamaal Fields-Green showed up in his stead…
(#030) On aging and renewal
Whenever we talk about self-renewal, it's impossible not to talk — explicitly or implicitly — about aging. If self-renewal is about change — not just in our behaviors, but in our identity — and if it’s true that self-renewal is never fast (because it takes time to truly understand what no longer fits in our life, and just as much time, plus trial and error, to reimagine what should take its place), then the question…
(#029) And then what?
Yesterday marked the official launch of Jam Nation — in Milan, and, in spirit, anywhere else. It was the first event of its kind. I’ve written before about my journey with Jam Nation — when I chose it as my next adventure, upon the one year anniversary of its launch, and upon the recent realization that the launch wasn’t about proving anything — it was about celebrating the work.
(#028) The date that meant the most
My first website — version 1.0 — went live on November 29, 2020. It was little more than a digital photo album: a homepage featuring a single image I’d taken early on, soon after buying a camera — the day I realized photography was going to become something meaningful in my life. Alongside it, a quote.
(#027) The Pat Kay Incident 2.0
Last Monday, I spent an entire day running an airtight background research operation. My target: a YouTuber who has no idea I exist — and likely never will…
(#026) Clarity comes with motion
Yesterday, May 31st, after several days of introspection and research, I found myself at my desk — working, creating, thinking, reading, journaling, and watching inspirational videos — when I had a moment of clarity…
(#025) There are no Plan B’s in celebrations
Last Thursday, Milan was drowning in rain like it hadn’t in ages. At 4:30 p.m., I had to pick up two large-format posters from the printer — the kind that will soon guide guests and catch eyes at the music festival I’m organizing on June 21st…
(#023) Live a story. Tell a story.
Early on, I realized how easy it is to forget our own experiences — what we’ve been through in life…
China’s Dilemma: Between Growth and Reform.
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After 40 years driving a miraculous economic growth which lifted more than 850 million people out of poverty*, during the last few years China took a U-turn from from the policies of opening and reform it so successfully embraced since 1979.
Why?
I lived in China for over 18 years, five of which I spent meticulously researching the topic and collecting over 5,000 photojournalistic images, including throughout the times of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns
“China’s Dilemma” features a rigorously researched essay, with striking evidence of how the larger narrative was mirrored in my personal experience throughout the two decades I lived and did business in the country—and with the country—, and a thoroughly curated selection from my photographic archive.
* ref. 1979-2021