«The heart of the Festival are the Cloisters of San Pietro which will host not only exhibitions but also meetings and conferences.” The journey inside the museum begins from those sixteenth-century rooms XIX edition Of European photographya review for the third year curated by Walter Guadagnini in collaboration with Tim Clark And Luce Lebart.
Reggio Emilia returns to observe contemporary changes through the eyes of great photographers and young newcomers with the 19th edition of Fotografia Europea. The historic exhibition of this edition takes place at Palazzo Magnani with the retrospective dedicated to the American Susan Meiselas, known above all for her work in the conflict areas of Central America (1978-1983) and in particular for her powerful shots of Nicaraguan revolution. The Festival takes place from 26 April to 9 June 2024 and Reggio Emilia. Not just photos, also music and talk. Meiselas’ image was taken on September 20, 1978. A woman seeks refuge as bombs devastate Esteli at the center of the clash between National Guard troops and Sandinista rebels. Courtesy: Susan Meiselas/Magnum Photos
) “Nature loves to hide” is the theme chosen by the artistic direction of the Festival for this 2024 edition. European Photography aims to explore new narratives between man, no longer at the center of the planet, and other species to understand the new directions to take . In the photo: Permafrost, Natalya Saprunova
In Reggio Emilia we celebrate the majesty of the clouds and the unique practice of photographing the sky by scientists, amateurs and artists. Over one hundred and fifty works tell this passion starting from the dawn of photography, from the French Gustave Le Gray to the Italian Mario Giacomelli, passing from the works of the American Edward Steichen up to the two contemporary artists called to create two installations, the Finnish Anna Ninskanen and the British Kalev Erickson. In the photo: J. Pons, Fundació Concepció Rabell. Cirrus clouds in the sky over Barcelona at 9.55am on 1 September 1923
A commissioned work by Karim El Maktafi. “Day by day” focuses on the fascinating context of the “Internal areas” of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines: extremely heterogeneous regions, characterized by their distance from large conurbation centres. Hilly-mountainous areas which, despite occupying around three fifths of the national territory, are home to just under a quarter of the total Italian population. El Maktafi brings out cultural heritage through lifestyles deeply rooted in the slow cycles of the natural mountain environment. Day By Day, Karim El Maktafi, 2024
Permafrost tells the story of the life of the populations of the far north of the Asian continent. The Russian-French photographer discovers places like Yakutia and its indigenous populations, including the Evenki reindeer herders and the Yakuts, permanent breeders of cows and horses. The soft colors of her shots reflect the anxiety of these communities, witnesses of the symbiotic relationship with an extreme nature which today is put at risk by the consequences of industrialization. Permafrost, Natalya Saprunova.
Indian photographer Arko Datto brings to the attention of visitors the looming issue of climate catastrophe and refugees in the Bengal Delta territory, considered one of the epicenters of change. In the photo he illustrates how many islands are only accessible by ship and boats approach the beaches once a day, making the distances remote. Arko Datto, 2016
) Ships docked and returning from a pilgrimage wait for high tide to take the Pilgrims back to their villages. Arko Datto, 2029
Matteo de Mayda, Wild Man, a figure from Alpine folklore who, according to legend, acts as a mediator between man and nature. Rivamonte Agordino (Belluno), 2022. Matteo de Mayda – There’s no calm after the storm (2019-2023)
The festival of Reggio Emilia officially opens April 26 to close the June 9thchosen theme «Nature loves to hide». «Suggestive topic», says Guadagnini, «starting from the now increasingly deep-rooted awareness that the human being is not the measure of all things, often messes up by forgetting that reality is interdependence between systems». The Cloisters of San Pietro welcome the collective of the authors proposed by the artistic direction. A trip around the world without forgetting the troubles at home: «There’s no calm after the storm» Of Matteo De Maida focuses the lens on the consequences of Vaia storm (2018)14 million trees fallen to the ground, an important availability of food for the bark beetle printer, a beetle that under normal conditions plays the role of scavenger, reproduced en masse to the detriment of spruce trees and the entire ecosystem. Standing dried fir trees cause enormous damage to Italy’s delicate forestry heritage. On the other side of the world, the Indian photographer Arko Datto brings to attention the looming issue of climate refugeesa work of denunciation that has been going on for nine years and in Reggio Emilia he guides through his shots in Bengal Delta, among the main epicenters of change with landscapes, crops and villages lost to rising seas and erosion. At the end of the planet, Natalya Saprunova exposes the project Permafrosttells the life of the Evenki and Yakuti reindeer herders, permanent breeders of cows and horses in the little-known region of Yakutia. A reality questioned by the industry.
150 years of clouds
In Reggio Emilia, he will be present Susan Meiselasthe American photographer who in 1979 was awarded the Overseas Press Club of New York with the Robert Capa Gold Medal for images taken during the Sandinista uprising in Nicaragua against the dictatorship of the president Anastasio Somoza. «Fotografia Europea welcomes the most complete retrospective of his works from the Seventies to today», says Guadagnini. Mediationsin collaboration with Magnum Photos, is held at Palazzo Magnani. Clouds are the subject of poems and lyrics, of dreams and visions. We frame the sky to observe its changing shapes. «Sky Album. 150 years of capturing clouds” is the work of someone who has made it a job or even an obsession. Also at the Cloisters of San Pietro, Fotografia Europea presents «an unusual gallery of images of clouds curated by Luce Lebart And Michelle Wilson in a co-production with Archive of Modern Conflict – says Guadagnini -. Scientists, amateurs and artists have photographed the sky for the last fifteen decades, a century and a half of the history of clouds and photography, the ways in which they intertwine.”
The depopulated Apennines
Internal visions unknown to most, «Day By Day» Of Karim El Maktafi is hosted at Palazzo Da Mosto. «El Maktafi explored the innermost areas of theEmilian Apennines subject to depopulation. A black and white work with the value of a social-environmental reportage”, says Guadagnini. Eyes on young people and (if anything) on new communication languages. On Sunday 28 April (at 12.30pm) the Young Italian Photography Award #11 | Luigi Ghirri Award 2024. A project of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia. Collective dedicated with the works of Claudia Amatruda, Benedetta Casagrande, Noemi Comi, Massimiliano Corteselli, Camilla Marrese, Cinzia Romanin, Alessandro Truffa. The theme revolves around the concept of Contaminations as a new possible interaction between man and the rest of living beings. The winner will have the opportunity to present a solo exhibition at the Milan Triennale. Also up for grabs is an artist residency in Stockholm, which will culminate in an exhibition curated by the Italian Cultural Institute; a scholarship to participate in the portfolio review program Photo Match in the context of Fotofestiwal Łódź it’s a «Artist Residency Dalby Forest»thanks to the partnership with Photoworks.
Not just photography
European Photography is an opportunity for Reggio Emilia for a visit to the city that in 1797during the Cispadane Republic, gave birth to the Tricolor Italian (a dedicated museum inside the Town Hall). Shops, restaurants, studios, courtyards and private homes, historic locations, art galleries welcome the festival through the project Circuit Off which will culminate on May 4th when the winner will be announced Max Spreafico prize, a solo show up for grabs during the 2025 edition of Fotografia Europea. Author’s images and entertainment, among the guests of the Festival, Mariangela Gualtieripoet and writer, Marco Paolini, playwright and writer, both in dialogue with Loredana Lipperiniwriter and journalist, while Mariasole White, marine biologist, science communicator and TV face (Kilimangiaro) will talk about the mysteries and astonishing curiosities of the great ocean (Sunday 28 April at 6pm at the Cavallerizza Theatre). A festival with musical spaces and concerts with the third edition of Photophony edited by Max Casacci. The very young Neapolitans open Thru Collected (April 26), the Casino Royale and the multi-instrumentalist Venusalso the protagonist of a DJ set (Saturday 27 April).
EUROPEAN PHOTOGRAPHY 2024 – NATURE LOVES TO HIDE
Reggio Emilia, 26 April – 09 June 2024
Artistic direction: Tim Clark, Walter Guadagnini, Luce Lebart
MAGNANI PALACE | Corso Garibaldi, 29
Susan Meiselas, Mediations
in collaboration with Magnum Photos
CLOISTERS OF ST. PETER | via Emilia San Pietro, 44/c
Sky Album. 150 years of capturing clouds edited by Luce Lebart and Michelle Wilson Helen Sear. Within Sight
Yvonne Venegas. Sea of Cortez
Arko Datto. The Shunyo Raja Monographies
Matteo de Mayda. There’s no calm after the storm
Jo Ractliffe. Landscaping
Natalya Saprunova. Permafrost
Lisa Barnard. An Act of Faith: Bitcoin and the Speculative Bubble
Terri Weifenbach. Cloud Physics
Bruno Serralongue. Community Gardens of Vertus, Aubervilliers
PALAZZO DA MOSTO | via Mari, 7
Karim El Maktafi. day by day
Commissioning 2024
Index Naturae edited by Stefania Rössl and Massimo Sordi (OMNE)
Marta Bogdańska. SHIFTERS
Open Call 2024
Michele Sibiloni. Nsenene
Open Call 2024
edited by Marco Scotti
VILLA ZIRONI | via della Racchetta, 20
Silvia Infranco. Roots
edited by Marina Dacci
MUSEUM PALACE | via Spallanzani, 1
Transit areas
edited by Ilaria Campioli
Young Italian Photography #11 | Luigi Ghirri Award 2024 Contaminations
GERRA SPACE | Piazza XXV Aprile, 2
NEW THEATERS OF THE REAL. Collaborating with AI Works by Xavi Bou, Antti Karppinen, Markos Kay, Katie Morris, Pierre Zandrowicz
PANIZZI LIBRARY | via Farini, 3
The Linea di Confine collection in Reggio Emilia Paola De Pietri, Walter Niedermayr, Secchia river expansion basin park. 1994-1997 edited by William Guerrieri, Monica Leoni, Elisabeth Sciarretta in collaboration with Linea di Confine per la Fotografia Contemporanea, Rubiera, RE
MARAMOTTI COLLECTION | via Fratelli Cervi, 66 Silvia Rosi. Disintegrated
Tags: Reggio Emilia European Photography clouds climate migrants Corriere .it
