Sara Lorusso: "Showing different bodies is an act of freedom, love, and resistance"

When I arrive at Corso Sempione 33, specifically at the Galleria Galera San Soda, located on the ground floor of the INA Skyscraper—commissioned in 1953 by the Istituto Nazionale Assicurazioni and designed by Piero Bottoni—I pause to admire its lobby, adorned entirely in pink and blue tiles. It’s hard to think of a better location to host Ciao Amore Ciao, a photography exhibition curated by Laura Rositani and born from the collaboration between Momonì and photographer Sara Lorusso, with the aim of celebrating love and the human body in all its forms. This marks the first phase of a larger project that will expand from Milan to the rest of Italy. The subjects of the photographs were selected through an open call, and the project also provides charitable support to Mama Chat, an organization offering psychological assistance to women who are victims of violence.

Interview with Sara Lorusso, photographer of the Ciao Amore Ciao project

How did the collaboration between you, Momonì, and Mama Chat come about?

When Momonì reached out to me for this project, I was thrilled. It’s always rewarding when your photographic work aligns with a message you truly believe in. They gave me complete creative freedom in capturing the images, fully trusting my vision, which made the collaboration even more authentic. From the very beginning, the goal was clear: we wanted to create a project that wasn’t just visual but also actively supported an organization. That’s how we found Mama Chat, the perfect partner that fully embodied what we wanted to support—an organization that helps women every day, merging our artistic efforts with a cause that makes a real difference.

Tell us about the Ciao Amore Ciao photography project

Ciao Amore Ciao was born from the desire to portray the body and love in their purest and most universal form. Through photography, I aimed to create intimate, genuine images—free from stereotypes—where anyone could see themselves reflected. The idea was to give bodies their voice back, to showcase them in their authenticity and diversity, celebrating them as spaces of experience, memory, and emotion. The collaboration with Momonì was invaluable, as they granted me total creative freedom. We involved women through an open casting, and I also invited friends I had photographed before, choosing to represent real bodies in an intimate setting, enriched by the brand’s lingerie.

Why did you choose to exhibit during Valentine Day's weekend?

We decided to present Ciao Amore Ciao on Valentine’s Day because this day, traditionally dedicated to love, can and should also be an opportunity to celebrate a broader, deeper love—the love for one’s own body and personal journey. This project speaks of respect for our bodies, of recognition, and of human connection through the language of the skin. We want this exhibition to be an invitation to rediscover love as an act of awareness and respect, not only towards others but also towards ourselves.

What message do your photos aim to convey to women and to viewers in general?

I hope that those who observe my photos can see themselves reflected in certain moments—in love, in the bodies portrayed, in pain, and in joy. A mix of emotions that accompany both life and my photography. I don’t want the message to be limited to positivity; rather, I want even those who struggle to accept their own bodies to see real, authentic bodies. We grew up with the idea that the perfect bodies shown on TV and in advertisements represented normality, without realizing that they were a constructed image, often created by men—as if our bodies existed only to please their gaze. My goal is for my photos to serve as a rebellion against this narrative.

What inspires you in life and in your photographic practice?

The people around me are the lifeblood of both my photography and my life. There are relationships I couldn’t do without—connections that bring me genuine emotions every day and make me feel safe. My images tell my story, drawing inspiration from the people I meet and the emotions that flow through my days.

How important is it to represent and showcase all body types?

It is essential. For far too long, we have only seen one type of body in the images that surround us—in advertisements, movies, and media—as if it were the only acceptable, worthy one to be shown. But reality is made up of diverse bodies, each with its own story, marks, vulnerabilities, and strengths. To me, photography is both a political and an intimate act: choosing to represent real bodies means giving everyone the chance to recognize themselves, to feel seen and validated. I want those who look at my images to feel embraced, to see themselves in a body that doesn’t need to be altered or hidden to exist. Showcasing the diversity of bodies means challenging a perspective that has imposed unattainable ideals for too long. It is an act of freedom, of love, and of resistance.