Parallel eyes

In between 1950 and 1960 South Italy, the place I am coming from, it was studied, classified, judged by a group of anthropologists, filmmakers and photographers. The idea of “la questione Meridionale”, “the south Italian issue” born at that precise moment: while Italy was pushing to be an example of modern and technologic country, the way of living of South Italy, the rituals and traditions were considered intolerant for economic and social reasons.

The result of a process started by Ernesto De Martino at that time is the conviction of our culture as a subculture, backward, ignorant and completely dominated by the irrationality and religion.

“Parallel Eyes” is my personal research about the culture I belong: my aim is to build a “parallel gaze” to open to a more complex analyses South Italian culture and to re-consider in visual, historical and sociological terms the construction of identity of a culture.

I started a complex process that include 2 bodies of work: one consists in the manipulation of archive materials produced in the ’50 and ’60 by the photographers and videomakers of the “spedizioni scientifiche” of De Martino with to use different photographic technique like digital and analog manipulation, painting of negatives etc. On the other size I am working on documenting the rituals still existing in South Italy. I introduce back in the images the magical-ritual aspect that in the past has been deleted by the scientific approach of the photographers.

© Alessia Rollo - Image from the Parallel eyes photography project
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Nailed frame exposed on lightbox of “Stendalì” by Cecilia Mangini. In 1960 she produced a documental movie about the "funeral lament" tradition in Martano, Lecce province. I nailed the picture to introduce backthe presence of the death body and the social and psycological importance of the ritual for the community.

© Alessia Rollo - Image from the Parallel eyes photography project
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Preparation of the “focara” a bonfire of 25 metre hight built in Novoli (Apulia) to celebrate Saint Antoni the 16 of January. This ritual was a pagan one a nd the usage of the fire is common in all fertilizations rituals in the winter time.

© Alessia Rollo - Image from the Parallel eyes photography project
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Relationship between menkind and nature was convicted as witchcraft and banned from south italian culture. I took this picture at "I massi della vecchi" (the old lady stones)a place composed by menhir and megalithic rocks used according to the legend for spells of witches or faires.

© Alessia Rollo - Menhir, Salento. They represent collective burials but as well sacreted place of celebration in pagan time.
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Menhir, Salento. They represent collective burials but as well sacreted place of celebration in pagan time.

© Alessia Rollo - Image from the Parallel eyes photography project
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Nailed intervantion of Franco Pinna picture of “la macara di Colobraro”, a witch able to enchant spider, snakes and other poisonous animals.

© Alessia Rollo - Image from the Parallel eyes photography project
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Manipulated negative of a picture of a wood in Basilicata where took place "il matrimonio degli alberi", "the marriage of the trees" , a pagan ritual to celebrate in a simbolic way the union between sky and heart.

© Alessia Rollo - Image from the Parallel eyes photography project
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Painting intervention on Franco Pinna picture of "il gioco della falce", the game of schyte. Pinna worked a lot in Basilicata to document the rituals and cerimonies still present in the area. I painted the picture to introduce the magical-ritual aspect of this event in his photo.

© Alessia Rollo - Image from the Parallel eyes photography project
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Campanacci of San Mauro: an old tradition with pagan origins still celebrated in Basilicata. Time ago the bells where use a methaforic tool to feltilize the land and wish a prosper harvest.

© Alessia Rollo - Image from the Parallel eyes photography project
© Alessia Rollo - Image from the Parallel eyes photography project
© Alessia Rollo - Image from the Parallel eyes photography project
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Chiara Samugheo picture of a Tarantata crisis: analog intervention of paper and painting. Chiara Samugheo was one of the first photographer to document the phenomenon of person beated by tarantula spider in Apulia. The poison of the spider provokated a status of possession comparable to the voodo practise.

© Alessia Rollo - Image from the Parallel eyes photography project
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Small wood sculpure of an unkwon human representation. It was stored at the Museum of peasant civilization in San Mauro Forte, Basilicata

© Alessia Rollo - Image from the Parallel eyes photography project
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Set up picture of a "Tarantata " with nailed intervention. According to the Middle Age tradition people e stung by the bite of the "tarantula" often went to lakes, rivers or the sea side to cure the melancholia provoketed by the bite of the spider.

© Alessia Rollo - Image from the Parallel eyes photography project
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Painting intervation on a picture of Chiara Samugheo of a Tarantata during her cerimony of cure in Sant Paul Church in Galatina

© Alessia Rollo - Image from the Parallel eyes photography project
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Painting intervation on a picture of Chiara Samugheo of a Tarantata during her cerimony of cure in Sant Paul Church in Galatina.

© Alessia Rollo - Image from the Parallel eyes photography project
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According to Ernesto De Martino, who studied thephenomenon of taranta bite and the possession, women were ofter afected by"hysteria" for their work, social and sexual condition. I set up a picture to symbolically represent this medical point of view of women and South Italy society

© Alessia Rollo - Painting on a negative of a wood in Puglia used for pagan rituals
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Painting on a negative of a wood in Puglia used for pagan rituals

© Alessia Rollo - I set up a picture to underline the connection between the spider and women in "taranta" possession ritual
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I set up a picture to underline the connection between the spider and women in "taranta" possession ritual

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