Faceless in Florence

After moving abroad, I quickly became aware of how long it takes to understand a place that is not your own. I know I can only come so close to knowing a country’s character without a full comprehension of the native language, and that filling in the blank spaces is a slow and daunting process. The images created over my first few months in Italy embody the curiosity and the frustration of being an outsider. By documenting my experience of life without a common language, I am giving shape to both the closeness I feel to my new home and the barriers I have yet to overcome.

All photos by Cocoa Laney