Giovanni

  • Dates
    2013 - 2016
  • Author
  • Topics Portrait, Documentary, Archive
  • Location Argentina, Argentina

The images presented here correspond to a larger series about my grandfather. Giuva, Giovanni, Juan, February 25, 1925, Corigliano Calabro, Italy- August 19, 2015, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Tano del 25. Hombre duro y de pocas palabras. En mi niñez supo darme amor llevándome al colegio de la mano, arrancando moras de los árboles del camino y llenando los bolsillos de mi guardapolvo con caramelos. En los últimos años de su vejez supe darle amor tomándole fotografías.

Giuva , Giovanni, Juan, Mi abuelo.

​25 de Febrero de 1925, Corigliano Calabro,Italia- 19 de Agosto de 2015, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Italian from 1925. Tough man of few words. In my childhood he knew how to give me love by taking me to school by the hand, picking blackberries from the trees on the road and filling the pockets of my coat with candies. In the last years of his old age I knew how to give him love by taking pictures of him.

Giuva, Giovanni, Juan, My grandfather.

February 25, 1925, Corigliano Calabro, Italy- August 19, 2015, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

© Valeria Sigal - Image from the Giovanni photography project
i

Giovanni, my grandfather, was born on February 25, 1925 in Corigliano Calabro, Italy. He was one of millions of Italians who came to Argentina when Italy was immersed in a great economic depression. His own father had already emigrated from there when my grandfather was less than 6 years old and they only met again 20 years later. Once settled in Argentina, his girlfriend, my grandmother, Carmelina, emigrated. In the neighborhood of Mercado del Abasto, in the City of Buenos Aires, Giovanni began to work hard. He worked as a construction worker on the subway, then owned and managed a bus and a fruit and vegetable stand at the fair. He was only with his family very late at night, then he would get up again at dawn to go to the Central Market to stock up on what he would sell at the fair. A whole life of much sacrifice and austerity. Giovanni, mi abuelo, nació el 25 de Febrero de 1925 en Corigliano Calabro, Italia. Fue uno entre millones de Italianos que llegaron a la Argentina cuando Italia estaba inmersa en una gran depresión económica. Su propio padre ya había emigrado de allí cuando mi abuelo tenia menos de 6 años Y recién se reencontraron 20 años después. Una vez instalado en Argentina emigró su novia , mi abuela , Carmelina. En el barrio del Mercado del Abasto, en la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Giovanni comenzó a trabajar arduamente. Trabajó de obrero de construcción , en el subte, luego tuvo y manejó un colectivo y un puesto de frutas y verduras en la feria. Solo estaba con su familia muy tarde por la noche, luego volvía a levantarse en la madrugada para ir al Mercado Central a abastecerse de lo que vendería en la feria. Toda una vida de mucho sacrificio y austeridad.

© Valeria Sigal - Giovanni at 89 years old. Giovanni a sus 89 años.
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Giovanni at 89 years old. Giovanni a sus 89 años.

© Valeria Sigal - austerity above all la austeridad ante todo
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austerity above all la austeridad ante todo

© Valeria Sigal - Image from the Giovanni photography project
i

This day he knew that I would go to photograph him, he waited for him to arrive to start shaving himself, he wanted me to portray him that way. Este día él sabía que iría a retratarlo, esperó a que yo llegara para afeitarse, el quiso que lo retratara de este modo.

© Valeria Sigal - Image from the Giovanni photography project
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Already retired, for decades, the siesta is obligatory for him. In this image he is sleeping very warm and even with a wool hat on his head. Buenos Aires is not characterized by having a very cold climate in winter, but my grandfather does not light the stoves so as not to spend money ... hobbies left by post-war hunger. Ya jubilado hace décadas , la siesta es para el religiosa. En esta imagen está durmiendo muy abrigado y hasta con un gorro de lana en la cabeza. Buenos Aires no se caracteriza por tener un clima demasiado frío en invierno, pero mi abuelo no enciende las estufas para no gastar plata... manías que dejó el hambre de posguerra.

© Valeria Sigal - Image from the Giovanni photography project
i

He spends most of his days in the company of radio, television and a host of medications that have been added to his routine over the years. Pasa la mayoría de sus días en compañía de la radio, la televisión y un cúmulo de medicaciones que se fueron sumando a su rutina con el correr de los años.

© Valeria Sigal - 9 days have passed since my grandfather died. Pasaron 9 días desde que mi abuelo murió.
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9 days have passed since my grandfather died. Pasaron 9 días desde que mi abuelo murió.

© Valeria Sigal - Image from the Giovanni photography project
© Valeria Sigal - Image from the Giovanni photography project
© Valeria Sigal - Image from the Giovanni photography project
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He was widowed 5 years ago after almost 60 years of marriage and 3 female daughters, now adults. Before those daughters they had 2 boys who they never knew because they were "stillborn", although they never saw their bodies. At that time my grandparents did not speak any Spanish, they never fully understood what happened to those children. Enviudó hace 5 años, luego de casi 60 años de Matrimonio y 3 hijas mujeres, hoy adultas. Antes de esas hijas tuvieron 2 varones que nunca conocieron porque "nacieron muertos", aunque nunca vieron sus cuerpos. En aquella época mis abuelos no hablaban nada de español, nunca comprendieron del todo qué pasó con esos niños.

© Valeria Sigal - Image from the Giovanni photography project
i

2016, a year after his death, the spaces he inhabited begin to empty, the traces that the objects left in them are perceived. 2016 , a un año de su muerte comienzan a vaciarse los espacios que habitaba, se perciben las huellas que los objetos dejaron en ellos.

© Valeria Sigal - Image from the Giovanni photography project
i

My grandfather was a very tough man with his wife and daughters. A man that I remember loving in my childhood, but also hard on me when I stopped being a girl. Mi abuelo fue un hombre muy duro con su esposa e hijas. Un hombre que recuerdo amoroso en mi infancia , pero duro también conmigo cuando dejé de ser una niña.

© Valeria Sigal - Almost a year passed since his death. Pasó casi un año de su muerte.
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Almost a year passed since his death. Pasó casi un año de su muerte.

© Valeria Sigal - Image from the Giovanni photography project
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My grandfather poses for the photograph and I am reflected in the glass, I think it is the closest I have ever been to hugging him. Mi abuelo posa para la fotografía y yo quedo reflejada en el vidrio, creo que es lo más cerca de abrazarlo que alguna vez estuve.

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