Time Is A Thief

Overview

Umberto Votta (aka Lazaro) is a Milan-based digital artist who creates cinematic cyberpunk worlds that explore memory, nostalgia, and the emotional relationship between people and the places they inhabit. Using Blender, he builds immersive cityscapes from the ground up, combining architectural precision with atmospheric storytelling to evoke the feeling of remembering places that never existed. His work asks why we feel nostalgic for imagined worlds, suggesting that nostalgia is often rooted not in the past, but in the places we wish we belonged. Hidden within nearly every piece is a small wooden sailing ship, symbolizing memory, exploration, and the enduring connection between identity and place. Exhibited internationally in cities including New York, Milan, Paris, and Tokyo, and shared by figures such as Elon Musk, Lazaro’s work invites viewers to slow down, wander, and reconnect with the quiet beauty between reality, memory, and imagination.