“Sometimes it’s not easy to be seen.” With this phrase, Angela Crosti introduces the heart of her photographic project “YOU are everything to ME,” a reflection on motherhood and, more broadly, on being a woman. Her images explore the invisibility often associated with the female experience, particularly when it comes to traditionally idealized roles like motherhood.

In the eight images that make up the series, the photographer portrays motherhood as a complex and contradictory reality. As an expat mother living in London, she recounts an experience filled with exhaustion, alienation, and shattered dreams, distancing herself from the common narrative that presents motherhood as an instinctive and serene period. The project was inspired by a tragic news event, but it became an opportunity to explore a theme that affects many women: the mental and emotional burden of parenthood, which society often underestimates.

The photos by Angela Crosti, shot on film and using natural light, incorporate reflections and double exposures to make hidden emotions visible. The “burning” heads and erased faces suggest a loss of identity, an internal fracture that manifests in the struggle to balance the role of mother with that of an individual. In other images, such as coins reflected in water or the sea illuminated by the moon, symbols of hope and reflection emerge, but also of a motherhood lived with deep introspection and vulnerability.

The power of these images lies in their ability to speak not only of motherhood but of the female experience as a whole. The emotions depicted are not exclusively tied to being a mother, but reflect a universal sentiment of invisible struggles and the constant need to be recognized. This depth led Angela Crosti’s project to win first prize at the “Idee Photo Contest,” curated by Anna Mola, highlighting the strength of a series that goes beyond representation, inviting reflection.

In a world that often romanticizes or overlooks women’s experiences, Angela Crosti’s photographs open a space for dialogue, reminding us how difficult, yet necessary, it is to keep fighting to be seen.

Starting on October 11, the images from “YOU are everything to ME” are on display at the University of Milan, in the Department of Cultural and Environmental Heritage at Via Noto 8.