Heritage
In this series I project images of landscapes from my homeland Italy and from the United States on my pregnant body. My husband is from the U.S., and I actually used his photographs of landscapes for the projections. Less than a week before birthing my second child, I reflected on the advantages of having a mixed heritage as well as the expectations and luggage bearing on my children, who will be constantly pulled in two different directions by their diverse background. The projected images represent ancient Italian architectural traditions, the connection with the earth and the stone, and the timeless beauty of America’s natural treasures. Whether being part of all this while never being completely whole may be a struggle for the child in the womb, or a great benefit, only time will tell. I think it is a great opportunity for growth and developing an open mind. I am planning to further explore the concept of “projecting” feelings, emotional baggage, and racial heritage onto people’s bodies. Though I started here to investigate issues pertaining to myself I ultimately anticipate expanding my visual research to other people, starting with other immigrants like myself.