Alessandro Iovino, “Behind the Bank”
Alessandro Iovino will present “Behind the Bank” at the Spéos Gallery, 7 rue Jules Vallès 75011 Paris, from June 4th to September 27th, 2019.
Opening of the exhibition: June 4th, from 6pm to 9pm.
In 2016, I started to think about Italy – my home country – trying to figure out a way to get closer to the place I grew up in, without following the major trends and – most importantly – without rushing. I imagined the Italian rivers, which cross the country vertically and horizontally, quietly and slowly, representing the country’s abundance and variety. I walked, following the course of the main rivers, sometimes along their sides, sometimes behind their banks, going through numerous small towns and villages, slowly leading to the coveted cities.
We, the city people – surrounded by cement tongues, slaves of a routine made of never enough hours – we have forgotten how our rivers once had been fundamental for the development of modern society and the economic independence we have gained today. Together with the sea, rivers had been one of the main sources of energy, transportation and alimentation. Our cities wouldn’t be the same without them.
Rivers start their journey crossing the mountains, then travel along endlessly flat or wavy land, to conclude their journey in the sea after having influenced thousands of lives: those people whose hands still get dirty, and who still work in the fields or in craftsmanship, the hands of those people who do the leftover things nobody else wants to do.
This still ongoing longterm documentary project has the aim to show the hidden society that lives along the banks of our Italian rivers, people that have decided to stay rooted to their origins instead of moving with the modern development.
Alessandro Iovino – born and raised in Italy – started his photography career in 2013, after a short diploma course in studio photography at Spéos London and a degree in economics from the University of Parma.
He has been working as a freelance photographer with national and international titles, including New York Times, National Geographic, Elle, Le Monde, Huffington Post, The Guardian, Internazionale, La Stampa, Sport Week, and many others. He also won several awards.
His interest in photography is now moving towards long-term projects in which he tries to capture the most intimate and integrated parts of the storie he covers. He increasingly feels the urge to slow down, reflecting and going deeper into the respective project, while the world keeps spinning faster and faster.
Alessandro Iovino is a Spéos Alumni 2013 from Spéos London.
