Diffuse is a photographic exploration of human presence in moments of unawareness. Across different cultures, settings, and contexts, Monika Wanat captures people when they are not engaging with the camera—when they exist purely in their own reality. Whether in the charged atmosphere of protests, the joy and tension of Pride events, or the quiet intimacy of everyday life, her subjects remain unposed, untouched by the expectation of performance.

The series brings together images from political demonstrations and LGBTQ+ marches, as well as quiet, fleeting moments observed in private and communal spaces. In the Warsaw protests of 2020, raw expressions of anger and defiance emerged in response to laws restricting women’s rights. At Pride events in Warsaw and Oxford, the contrast between celebration and resistance revealed the complexities of public identity and freedom. Meanwhile, Wanat has explored human presence across different landscapes and cultures, from the streets of Thailand and India to the vast canyons of Oman and the remote villages of Namibia. While spending time with the Ovahimba people, she  captured everyday moments that are simply extraordinary in their ordinariness. Whether documenting spontaneous interactions in urban spaces or quiet, unposed instances in more secluded environments, her work reflects an ongoing search for authenticity beyond performance.

By removing the presence of the camera as an influencing force, Diffuse unveils a more candid, unfiltered experience of human existence. It is a study of authenticity, vulnerability, and the way emotions surface when we are not performing for the world—even when the subject is a performer, like a photomodel caught in a quiet moment of rest between poses.

As noted in Muse World about Wanat’s work, “perhaps the most meaningful moments are the ones one doesn’t try to preserve – but simply live.”