We rely on our senses to tell us what is happening in the world around us. But what if you could no longer trust your senses? What if they started playing tricks on you? Would you know what to believe? This mind-bending photo series from Giuseppe Mastromatteo plays with our perception of the human form and strives to show us that we can overcome our unreliable senses.

Called Independsense, the series features digitally manipulated photos of models. Facial features and other body parts jump to unexpected locations on their bodies, making them seem strange, yet familiar at the same time.

One part of the series features body parts – often entire heads – that have been transferred to pieces of paper or cardboard rather than resting on the models’ bodies. The odd images give the impression of disconnection, as if the people behind the papers are unsure of their place in the world.

According to the artist, the series is all about the “masks” that we all wear – those public personae we project to either create a certain image or protect ourselves in some way. Mastromatteo explores these masks by presenting the familiar human form in unexpected, and sometimes slightly disturbing, ways.