Marina Sersale's 'Liminal Space' photography book captures global black-and-white moments

Marina Sersale's photography book 'Liminal Space' presents dramatic black-and-white images from her travels across multiple countries between 2013 and 2021. The former documentary filmmaker returned to photography in late 2012, embarking on what she describes as a deeply personal artistic journey. Published by Gost, the collection features scenes from Italy, France, the United States, Sweden, Iran, Argentina, and Japan. Sersale's work focuses on ephemeral moments where light and atmosphere convey meaning, with her attentive gaze lingering on textures, patterns, and human gestures. Specific images include a couple holding hands on Positano's seashore, three men in Kurashiki, Japan who appeared cinematic, and empty chairs in Palermo which she finds magical to photograph. She captured a man with birds on Coney Island's winter beach when nobody else was around, and documented the texture of wooden scaffolding in central Rome with slanting light bringing it alive. At Naples' Toledo metro station exit on a rainy day, she photographed what she calls 'sweet nothings,' while a ferry ride along the Amalfi coast revealed layered views through windows. In Naoshima at the Tadao Ando Benesse museum, she was inspired by the lines, light, and texture of cement walls in Tadao Ando's architecture. The project began with her wandering Rome, her native city, resulting in what she considers a personal document of the world around her.