Sorellanza – A Sisterhood, 2015-2018
ABSTRACT
In 2015 I started a long-term photographic project about the everyday life of a group of nuns living in a Convent in Rome. As a photographer and anthropologist I have always been interested in stories of people who live “radical” lives, those who decide to exist outside standard modes of living and make choices that influence their entire way of being. I wanted to see which kind of activities marked the daily life of a nun outside the prayer. The community who I documented for years is called Ravasco and takes this name from its founder. Once in the community, these women must learn how to live together, trying to understand and adapt to each other. Sometimes the age and cultural gap can be considerable; some are in their 80s and have spent the majority of their life in the community, others are really young and have just joined the Convent. It took me many years to create a relationship based on trust and to become familiar with the intricate details of their lives.
Valeria Luongo
