ABOUT

Making photographs as a way of “feeling at home without being at home.” That’s how Gabriele Rossi describes the process that led to The Lizard, his new monograph with Deadbeat Club. Rossi first visited the United States in 2016 to prepare for a six-month residency that was based in New York City. He initially felt overwhelmed by the metropolis and its rhythm, which was completely unlike that of his home village on the coast of Italy.

“I looked for the edge of the city, went to the shore at Rockaway, the houses, anything that could remind me of where I’m from,” Rossi says. This approach drove him to consider his definition of “home” – the place where he could ultimately feel comfortable – and to return to the U.S. twice more to explore this compulsion across more than ten states in the Midwest and West. At the same time, he was interested in responding as an outsider to the structures of classic American photography, like that of Robert Adams.