Giuliana Borrelli - Ennui
When I began working on this project, I didn’t realize that photographing my home was, in many ways, to become closer to my family, while also confronting the loneliness I often felt in their presence. Throughout my childhood and teenage years, I frequently felt voiceless, with little space to exist as my own person. Over time, I lost touch with my sense of identity, becoming someone shaped by the expectations and directions of others.
Moving abroad initially deepened these feelings of disconnection. I felt lost, carrying a fractured sense of self with me, until I moved to Norway in 2019. Slowly, things began to change. I realized that the root of my struggles was not being in touch with myself and so, reclaiming that connection became vital. Owning a space of my own became a turning point, changing how I related both to my childhood home and to my family, the people who, despite everything, remain the closest to me.
Through images, I document the people, space, and landscape of my home in Italy, emphasizing the longing and the ties that connect us. At the same time, I photograph my home in Norway, what has now become a nest of refuge. The relationships we build with spaces and our deep need for familiarity are central themes to this work.
