Memorandum

Balvano, Potenza. View of the town

To celebrate our 10th anniversary we had an idea: what if, instead of searching for other stories and people, we return to those we have already got to know in the past?

Memorandum is a journey in our archive and in our country, a journal of images and texts, trying to measure the passing of time, through the lives of those who we have met. Nine people, nine stories linked to some of the events that have characterized the recent past of our country. Their lives and their impact is recounted with a text with our views on photography, on time, of our relationship with those who we meet during our travels. A collective dedication and passion for a slow way to do photography.

Rome. Lt. Col. Filippo Montaperto in his office. In 1998, after a mission in Bosnia, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, probably linked to the exposure to depleted uranium weapons. After 13 years of legal battles he won at first instance a cause for moral and biological damage, but the Ministry of Defence appealed it.

San Giuliano di Puglia, Campobasso. Elena di Fiore with her son Mario (11) in the “Parco della Memoria”, built on the ruins of the elementary school in San Giuliano di Puglia that collapsed on October 31st, 2002 following an earthquake. Her daughter Giovanna, at the time 10 years old, was one of 27 children who died in the accident.

San Giuliano di Puglia, Campobasso. Temporary village built after the earthquake of 2002.

Ortona, Chieti. Felice Vitale (center) at the port of Ortona in his new vessel together with fishermen Vincenzo Dagostino (left) and Sergio Pappagallo (right), who worked with him at the time of Vega di Lira ship.

Isola di Capo Rizzuto, Crotone. Carolina Girasole, former mayor of Isola di Capo Rizzuto. After a term as the city mayor, during which she distinguished herself for actions against the Mafia, she was not re-elected; in December 2013 she was arrested (and later put under house arrest) with her husband on charges of vote trading, bid rigging and abuse of office. After two years she was acquitted at first instance, and she is now waiting for the second degree after the appeal.

Trecate, Novara. The ENI refinery

Taranto. Cosimo Semeraro, former ILVA worker and now an activist for workers' rights, in the Paolo VI neighbourhood.

Acerra, Naples. Alessandro Cannavacciuolo in one of the many dirt roads of Acerra where illegal waste is dumped daily.

Taranto. The ILVA factory by Tamburi neighbourhood

"Trecate, Novara. Giovanni Colla in his farmland near Trecate where he produces rice and corn. After the explosion of the well 24 in 1994 the soil has been completely decontaminated and is now constantly monitored. "

Novellara, Reggio Emilia. Parmanjeet and her daughter Gurpreet, aged 15, in the Sikh temple of Novellara. After arriving in Italy in 1987, he worked as a circus artist, farmer and factory worker. In 2006 he opened “Chahal Sweets”, a traditional Indian pastry shop.

Colfiorito, Perugia. The children of Roberto and Barbara Mannoni: Susanna (16, center), Federica (14, left), Emma (9, right) and Rocco that was born in 2014. In the background, the house they bought in the temporary village.