In her recent series, Luciana De Donato creates photomontages based on family history; her grandfather as the subject. When De Donato found a letter written by him to his father, in a book on WWII soldiers, “The surprise was so overwhelming, memories came to light.”

Her work is imbued with longing and affection as she recalls war stories of the Italian-born soldier, the return home, and the harsh farewell again. Remembering his effect, she layers time, unifying past and present. De Donato lives and works in Sao Paulo and has exhibited her work there, in New York, and Los Angeles.