Goodbye Meadow

“I left Prato nearly 20 years ago without hesitation. Prato—whose name literally translates to “meadow”—is an industrial town neighboring Florence. For many years, I felt completely disconnected from the city of my youth. A difficult relationship with my mother, along with a lingering sense of unease about the provincial mindset of its inhabitants, kept me away.

In 2021, when my mother’s fragile health took a turn for the worse, I was forced to return to Prato to handle practical matters. This period marked the beginning of a profound nostalgia for the place where I grew up. Homesickness set in as my mother’s condition rapidly declined. During this time, I began photographing her, her home, and the city.

In early 2022, my mother passed away suddenly. Throughout her hospitalization and in the months following her death, I continued the project, also incorporating written material alongside the photographs. In 2023, I returned to further document the city—this time focusing on elements that could connect our memories to the place. Through this process, I sought to intertwine my life with her experiences, discovering connection and meaning in a city that holds both of our histories.”

text by Filippo Zambon