Exaggerating feminine stereotypes and drawing on the subconscious, Grillo’s works evoke ancient myths as much as a strange near-future. Her take on surrealism also makes sense for the particular challenges of times in which we are living: “our existence is full of contradictions, and I use surrealism as a way to bring those contradictions into harmony, revealing the delicate balance that defines the human condition.”

Grillo’s champion for The Wick is Trino Verkade, Sarabande Foundation’s director. She said “Giulia is the epitome of a Sarabande artist, she moves through the world like a living artwork, unapologetically following her vision. Giulia is the embodiment of the inner world she has created, surreal, unexpected, delicate yet confrontational. It is no wonder the V&A discovered her at our Photo London stand and invited her to perform – as her alter ego Crab Girl sitting in the fountain simply reading a newspaper – yet still holding an audience of a hundred utterly captivated. There is something both unsettling and beautiful in the images that Giulia meticulously crafts. Her work pokes at our reactions to the grotesque and wraps it up in beauty, confusing us. The construction of these images are meticulously created by experts and collaborators who come on her journey. To walk into her Sarabande studio is a wonderland filled with images, wigs and fantastical surreal props from taxidermy ants to sugar cubes, she reclaims storytelling in a digital world by celebrating materiality.”

Grillo describes performing The Crab Girl character, an ethereal pink haired beauty with crustacean claws at the V&A, as “a dream for any artist, surrounded by its immense beauty and history.” Her work can also be found in the Sarabande Foundation’s summer group show at their Haggerston site, (closing tomorrow). These exhibitions have seen the artist explore beyond her photo-based practice and experiment with performance further. The live element and nature of the audience when she performs adds “an unpredictability I can’t control, and in a way I have to embrace it. I’m excited to continue exploring this further in my future projects.”

Asked what her greatest accomplishment with her work is to date, reveals more about Grillo’s belief in the power of art and its role in society: “I believe my biggest achievement is constantly discovering myself through my work, and seeing it do the same for others: when people connect with it, see it through their own perspective and share that special moment with you.”