Two photographers tried to tell Tuscany beyond the usual clichés

The article profiles photographers Gioconda Rafanelli and August Kaciuruba, who are contributing to the "How Italy Feels" project curated by Marina Serena Cacciapuoti and Cesare Cacciapuoti of Italy Segreta. The project involves twenty local photographers capturing Italy beyond stereotypes. In the Tuscany chapter, Rafanelli and Kaciuruba present a lived, off-duty vision of the region, blending fashion, architecture, and cinematic influences. They discuss their collaborative process, their shared gaze, and how their work shifts between the fast pace of Milan and the slower rhythms of Tuscany, drawing inspiration from filmmakers like Wong Kar-wai, Stanley Kubrick, Luchino Visconti, and Michelangelo Antonioni.

This matters because the project challenges reductive clichés about Tuscany and Italy, offering a more intimate, sensory, and authentic representation of place. By foregrounding local photographers and emphasizing atmosphere over spectacle, "How Italy Feels" contributes to a broader cultural conversation about slow travel, regional identity, and the role of photography in shaping how we see and experience a country. It also highlights the growing trend of collaborative, location-based art projects that prioritize emotional resonance over commercial imagery.