Fotografia Europea 2014 in Reggio Emilia, Italy

What started as a weekend long excursion from Paris, France, May 2-4 to see a friend’s solo show at the 9^th annual Fotografia Europea in Reggio Emilia, turned into a week long love affair with Italy’s Emilia Romagna region. Years ago, a boyfriend who introduced me to Italy suggested that I might need to someday choose between Italy and France. Lucky in love for me I found a loop hole. As it turns out, being torn between two lovers in Europe is not an issue. In fact, Europeans embrace the notion of the cinq à sept – a double meaning for “happy hour” as well as another life prolonging habit. Whether visiting as a photo geek or not, you’ll be seduced to stay by the infamous happy hours and by seeing, eating and touring your way through this fabulous and under rated region. All the while, its’ warm and friendly residents will appreciate your enthusiastic hand waiving efforts in limited Italian and encourage you to “ritorna presto”.

Headliners of the Fotografia Europea

Fotografia Europea, the international photography festival held in the tiny walk-able ancient city of Reggio Emilia since 2006, opens its gates the first week of every May. This year exhibitions, talks and installations were guided by a reflection on the theme of the infinite gaze, or Vedere. Uno sguardo infinito. Sixteen exhibition sites sprinkled throughout the village included some festival big timers including French photography sensation Sarah Moon, eight Magnum Photographers, archives of Italian photo legend Luigi Ghirri as well as other emerging international and Italian talents. An “off festival” which tends to accompany most regularly programmed photo festivals these days, also offered independent selections displayed at various municipalities and art galleries throughout the city.

Key participant Magnum photo who seems to be in every single photo festival worldwide today, organized and presented a retrospective of member Herbert List. Shown for the first time in Reggio Emilia at Fotografia Europea, the exhibit featured approximately a hundred works from the List Estate. In a separate gallery, under the theme of No Place like Home, photographers Christopher Anderson, Jonas Bendiksen, Bruce Gilden, Trent Parke, Martin Parr, Jacob Aue Sobol, Mikhael Subotsky and Patrick Zachmann exhibited works curated from their own archives.

A large exhibit of work from Broomberg and Chanarin’s photo book Holy Bible was also on view. In the last year, the book and work has gotten a lot of attention and acclaim. While a very clever concept indeed, I have a hard time engaging and entering into the work, perhaps due to my lack of intimate knowledge with the King James. Your insights and thoughts about this work in the comments section are welcome.

Traveling to Europe for these festivals always leaves me comparing the work of emerging European photographers to those I see in the United States. As cultural and historical references inform an artist’s work – sometimes I walk away from a series in Europe thinking “that was really weird”. Not bad weird but simply “I don’t understand the meaning or I don’t quite get it because I”m not from here weird”. Which is to say that all in all, it’s a beautiful and very healthy experience causing one to dig deeper and learn more. Overall, Europe provides artists more opportunity to “put it out there” and as such to take risks. As expected, the result is at once freeing, fascinating and unique and at times banal and derivative. One benefit of seeing work at a Fotofestival is that it is carefully selected and curated by industry professionals. This however can also be an issue – posing questions of equal opportunity as illustrated on the french blog Atlantes Cariatides. For this reason and others, “off festivals” which aspire to function as a type of “salon de refuse” have the potential to be evocative and interesting. For a comprehensive list of worldwide photography festivals visit Fotografia Magazine and be sure to leave your comments below.

FESTIVAL
Fotografia Europea 2014 reggio Emilia
Seeing an infinite gaze
Until 15th June/28th July 2014
42121 Reggio Emilia, Italy
http://www.fotografiaeuropea.it

Welcome to Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: Children perform in the Piazza Prampolini near the Duomo.

Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: The courtyard near the ticket office begs for visitors who for now, are choosing to stay out of the rain.

Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: Two exhibits by well known French photographer Sarah Moon were a highlight of the festival.

Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: Two exhibits by well known French photographer Sarah Moon were a highlight of the festival. For me, seeing her color images enlarged to several feet was lovely and new – they held up very well.

Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: Two exhibits by well known French photographer Sarah Moon were a highlight of the festival. Here, Moon gives visitors a tour of her exhibit.

Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: Two exhibits by well known French photographer Sarah Moon were a highlight of the festival. This is a composite that seems a new direction for Moon as I’d never seen it before.

Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: Self Portrait, Luigi Ghirri. Ghirri’s early (1970s-80s) vintage prints on view were a highly celebrated part of the festival in a retrospective exhibit at the Cloisters of San Pietro. The artist, from the Emilia region died in 1992 and is one of Italy’s most well known color documentary photographers.

Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: the old Synagog housed the work of emerging Italian talents Massimiliano Tomasso Rezza and Silivia Compresi.

Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: Massimiliano Tomasso Rezza work comprised of silver gelatin prints, video and alternative works on glass and wood capture banal moments and events that reveal themselves during our everyday life.

Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: the old Synagog housed the work of emerging Italian talents Massimiliano Tomasso Rezza and Silivia Compresi.

Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: Silivia Compresi’s work explores empty and forgotten spaces. Her alternative presentations in the form of 3d photo sculpture and books were the strongest element.

Basilica of San Prospero (before 997AD, reconstructions 1500+) , Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: Gorgeous light makes for more intense red, yellow and oranges, poplular colors in marble and paint in the region.

Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: Gorgeous light makes for more intense red, yellow and oranges, poplular colors in marble and paint in the region.

Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: A gargoyle acting as a rain spout dangles off of a building.

Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: Families play in the fountain in front of the gorgeous old theatre in the Parco del Popolo.

Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: My guide, Carlo Baldi,life time resident of th e region and President of the Famiglia Artistica Reggiana was my most excellent host. Here, he shows the government approved linear measurements of the city from the early 16th century and beyond.

Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: Inside the Famigilia Artista is a hidden church and performance hall – as well as a photo show as part of the festival.

The Civic Museum of Reggio Emilia houses an enormous collection of 18th and19th century specimens and contemporary art. The origins of the musem stem a “small collection of natural products” opened by priest, biologist and physiologist Lazzaro Spallanzani in his home in 1770; today, the collection–some still in their original cases is a stunning look into the past.

The Civic Museum of Reggio Emilia houses an enormous collection of 18th and19th centuray specimens and contemporary art. The origins of the musem stem a “small collection of natural products” opened by priest, biologist and physiologist Lazzaro Spallanzani in his home in 1770; today, the collection–some still in their original cases is a stunning look into the past.

Civic Museum, Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: My favorite museum visit was the amazing Musei Civici where artists Sarah Moon and Claudio Parmiggiani used the 19th century taxidermy collections as subject matter for their photographs also on view there.

Civic Museum, Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: Upstairs the musuem shows contemporary works. In the past, Reggio Emilia was a known site for airplane manufacturing and design. Here, a living engineer shares information about historic drawings and models. Living history – what a novel idea!

Civic Museum, Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: Upstairs the musuem shows contemporary works. Here is an installation of colorful spices and in the background blue tinted crackled windows looking out on the city.

Civic Museum, Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: Upstairs the musuem shows contemporary works. Blue tinted crackled windows look out on the city.

Civic Museum, Reggio Emilia, Italy, May 2014: Upstairs the musuem shows contemporary works. Upstairs their in house 3d modeling and printing studio is open to the public.