Two major photographic exhibitions in Trastevere
The Museum of Rome in Trastevere has long been noted for its photographic exhibitions. In Autumn, it hosts two very interesting exhibitions that evidence, each in its own way, the emotional dimension of reality, starting with a vast and 
representative selection of Mario Giacomelli’s photographs, on display until January 20, 2013.
“Mario Giacomelli”
A skilled photographer, Giacomelli always referred to himself as a typographer even when, in 1963, the curator of New York’s MoMA purchased the ‘Scanno’ series on behalf of the museum and inserted one of the photographs in the prestigious catalogue ‘Looking at Photographs’. Giacomelli developed a new style of photography, different from that of any school and which does not fit into any distinct category. His style is referred to as photographic expressionism and highlights the world’s emotive character. It is marked by strong contrasts and oneiric shades.
There will be 90 photographs (portraits and landscapes), letters and documents, selected by the Centro di Ricerca e Archiviazione della Fotografia from the archive of the artist’s friend Luigi Croscenzi and tracing the artistic life of the photographer from the 1950s to the end of the 1970s.
“L’Aquila prima e dopo”
The other exhibition not to be missed is ‘L’Aquila prima e dopo’, open until November 11. Organised by Officine Fotografiche as part of the FotoLeggendo festival, this exhibition is a touching testimony by the great photographer Gianni Berengo Gardin 3 years after the earthquake of April 6, 2009.
The relationship between Berengo Gardin and L’Aquila dates back 16 years, when he captured the warmth of local people and the city’s extraordinary architecture. After the earthquake, he returned to witness, through his camera, the state to which the city had been reduced. He showed in a vibrant and heartfelt way how the city had been damaged to its very core, the historic centre covered in scaffolding, hidden behind drapes and beams. Streets that were once bustling with life were deserted. A painful spectacle captured in honour of those who live almost in exile, in a city they no longer recognise.
Museo di Roma in Trastevere
Piazza Sant’Egidio 1/b
Information: 06 5816563, 060608;
www.museodiromaintrastevere.it
