Gallery: A Portrait of a 40-Year Marriage, Told Through Household Items

  • Image may contain Game and Chess
    Photos by Elena Capra
    01

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    The objects in Libro di Famiglia are meant to convey an unspecified impression of the lives of the photographer's parents.
  • Image may contain Flooring Wood Floor Hardwood Plywood Door and Furniture
    Photos by Elena Capra
    02

    ecapra-libro-di-famiglia-01

    Capra, now living in Berlin, got the idea to shoot the series while planning to do another based on *La Luna e i Falò*, a novel by Cesare Pavese.
  • Image may contain Plastic Bag Plastic Bag Plant and Food
    Photos by Elena Capra
    03

    ecapra-libro-di-famiglia-10

    The novel was set a short distance from her home town of Asti, in Northwest Italy. "I started with this book, and then shortly I realized that I wanted to search for my own traces," says Capra.
  • Image may contain Shelf and Drying Rack
    Photos by Elena Capra
    04

    ecapra-libro-di-famiglia-03

    The items are given no contextualizing information, leaving the viewer to gather their own impressions.
  • Image may contain Human Person Plastic Wrap Helmet Clothing and Apparel
    Photos by Elena Capra
    05

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    "It was really interesting to try to see something that's really close to you, but to see it from the outside. Just to see these things with other eyes."
  • Even Capra's parents don't necessarily get the project. “They see the pictures and say ‘Thats not beautiful why did you...
    Photos by Elena Capra
    06

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    Even Capra's parents don't necessarily "get" the project. “They see the pictures and say, ‘That’s not beautiful, why did you take a picture of that? You should take a picture of nice things, like a beautiful landscape or beautiful people,’” Capra says.
  • Image may contain Human Person Clothing Apparel and Sleeve
    Photos by Elena Capra
    07

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    "I tried to keep a kind of distance from my parents, and I tried to be as much as i could really general and neutral," says Capra. "It’s telling something about their personality."
  • Image may contain Clothing Apparel Human Person Suit Coat and Overcoat
    Photos by Elena Capra
    08

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    Capra says that although the subjects of the photos in the series aren't things you would likely notice otherwise, they have an ability to create strong impressions on the viewer.
  • Image may contain Clothing Apparel Human Person Plant Coat Tree Overcoat and Grass
    Photos by Elena Capra
    09

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    A picture of Giovanna and Mario was taken in front of a poster of Venice that Capra ordered online and framed.
  • Image may contain Wood Furniture Tabletop Human Person Plywood Table Flooring and Hardwood
    Photos by Elena Capra
    10

    ecapra-libro-di-famiglia-02

    The previous picture of Venice creates an arc with a photograph from the couple's honeymoon.
  • Image may contain Clothing Apparel Shirt Pants Human Person Home Decor and Dress Shirt
    Photos by Elena Capra
    11

    ecapra-libro-di-famiglia-11

    Made up of still lifes, portraits, and landscapes, the book traces the day-to-day lives and trappings of Giovanna and Mario Capra, now married for 40 years.
  • Image may contain Human Person and Garage
    Photos by Elena Capra
    12

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    "I’m most interested in things that are not so special, but that are full of meanings," says Capra.
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