Illustration

Someone much more clever than myself once said, “When life gives you lemons, squeeze the juice into a watergun and shoot everyone in the eyes.” Or, at least something along those lines. The point is, sometimes life deals you a rough hand, you just have to make the best of it. For Rafael Mantesso, that meant turning his empty, white apartment into a creative stomping ground for himself and his dog, Jimmy Choo.

You see, on Mantesso’s thirtieth birthday, his wife decided to leave him. It wasn’t what you would call an even split. She took everything inside the apartment. Cookware, furniture, decor–all of it went with her, leaving only an empty apartment and a bull terrier for Rafael. Seeing the freshly empty space as a blank canvas, Mantesso began noticing his artistic drive and inspiration to return. He used all he had left–a blank apartment, his dog, and a camera–and let his imagination carry him.