The idiom “don’t judge a book by its cover,” whilst timeworn, still holds an important message: you shouldn’t make assumptions on people, places, or things simply by looking at them. The 13th edition of Ragusa Foto Festival, titled Beyond Appearance, is about just that. Taking place in a Sicilian UNESCO World Heritage site, spanning exhibitions, workshops and awards, it asks: what happens when you look past the superficial?
This year’s annual showcase is, in large part, a celebration of vulnerability, healing and strength. One such example is Cristina Vatielli’s aerial self-portraits. The pictures, captured using drones, show the artist in various rugged settings: naked, curled in a fetal position. The series is a reflection on the experience of infertility and its impact on mental health, informed by the artist’s own life. It is a conversation that can be taboo in society. Elsewhere, Finnish photographer Maria Lax revisits her homeland, confronting the past “After travelling all her life, constantly haunted by the feeling of not belonging.”
There’s a strong focus on perceptions of place – how they can, and show, develop over time. Jessica Backhaus documents Nętno, a small rural town in Poland that serves as a symbol for the transformations resulting from the fall of the Berlin Wall – a huge, historical moment of cultural transition. Alessia Rollo, meanwhile, seeks to redefine stereotypes of southern Italy, reimagining the region’s iconographic heritage from a new angle. Whatever the subject matter, Ragusa Foto Festival’s message is clear: it’s about digging beneath the surface, harnessing photography to illuminate the complicated truths of our inner lives.
Ragusa Foto Festival 13 runs 28 – 31 August: ragusafotofestival.com
Words: Emma Jacob
Image Credits:
1. Cristina Vatielli, Terra Mater, Costa della Morte, Galizia 2022.
2. Cristina Vatielli, Terra Mater, Valle.
3. Cristina Vatielli, Terra Mater, Marmitte dei Giganti, Val Antigorio, Piemonte 2022.
