Japanese filmmaker and artist Takashi Sugimoto, who is based in Portugal, is astonished by the fact that everyone dies and consciousness disappears. Consequently, he believes that only practices undertaken with an awareness of finitude can give life meaning. For the time being, his films and artwork constitute one such exploration. 

During his residency, he aimed to create a photobook that would form an exchange of sorts with his feature-length documentary film, Ouro Negro/Black Gold (2024). With the support of the XYZ members, he compiled the photobook Spiritus from images taken in India during the film’s development and production.