But where does this story truly begin? Does it start with me (Alex) boarding a plane in Lisbon and flying to Copenhagen? Is it the moment I first entered Juliet’s studio at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts? Or does it originate somewhere else entirely? Perhaps my trip to Denmark wasn’t just driven by curiosity about the work of a fellow artist but by a deeper, almost instinctive connection—something rooted in what Carl Gustav Jung called the collective unconscious. Were the images of Juliet’s work triggering a silent pathway in my own mind, resonating so strongly that I felt compelled to embark on this journey—not just to document her art but to learn more about myself? Whatever the exact reason for my trip, one thing was certain: a deep dive into the secret wisdom of alchemy would be an essential part of my visit to Copenhagen.

Unlike in previous films, I stayed with the artist at her home for four full days. This allowed us to have long conversations, both on and off camera, and to explore the city together. We visited famous landmarks in the city center, took a train to the renowned Louisiana Museum, and paid our respects to one of her inspirations, Danish sculptor Sonja Ferlov Mancoba, at the Assistens Kirkegård cemetery. Inside her studio, we created an artifact from scratch—or rather, from clay—patinated one of her bronze pieces with copper sulfate, and polished another artifact using a noisy tool. But what makes the film you are about to see particularly remarkable is Juliet’s selfless willingness to voice ideas and share, the challenges female sculptors have faced over the past decades. Too often overlooked as mere muses of their male contemporaries, many women and their work never reached a broader audience in the art world.

The book A Concise History of Art by Germain Bazin, which showcases more than three hundred plates and artworks from the past century, references only a handful of female artists. While this film carries a strong feminist undercurrent, it is about much more than challenging patriarchal notions. It is about recognizing yourself in the work you create, about accepting flaws, doubts, and fears, and about integrating what you learn in the process—reflections that inevitably manifest in the pieces you make. And by doing so, you create an experience for an audience, which, potentially, could be almost anyone.

I did not capture Juliet turning lead into gold, nor did I witness her mixing secret potions, but I saw her pour her whole heart into her work. And that, to me, is alchemical.