Forecasts / Previsioni

Do you like the photos you take?
artistic direction by Fiorenza Menni
with the guidance of Stefano Questorio
curated by Marica Marenna
with Matilda Nowakowski, Marco Ippolito, Ksenia Vasylik, Elia Marangon, Maddalena Costa, Sophia Fabris, Santo Mari, Anna Maria Ceccariello

Starting from the observation that the younger generations make extensive use of images via smartphones, which are now equipped with excellent cameras, and knowing the amount of time they spend, either alone or in groups, looking at the thousands of images they have produced themselves or with their peer group in order to introduce themselves, capture moments and share them, or engage in dialogue (because exchanging snapshots is also a form of dialogue), the project focused on the moments of reflection that this important use of cameras, always at hand, generates.

Before being posted, a photo is viewed and evaluated, sometimes only for a few moments, sometimes longer to adjust, apply filters or fix the colour. Generally, these images conform to a style; there are thousands and thousands of similar images, rarely deviating from a stylistic theme, but certainly at times the charm of creativity manifests itself at different levels. Almost always, there is no connection with the history of photography or professional photography, no awareness of or connection with great photographers. The commitment to harmonising taste, creativity and effectiveness is certainly limited, but it is there. The subjects and content of these shots are closely related to the intimate events of adolescents or groups, serving to capture moments in their lives. These are images that can be discarded in a short time or are destined to disappear after 24 hours, but a few dozen earn their place in the archives.

Ateliersi imagined a path that, starting from these facts, overturned some of their uses and interpretations. A path where the aim was to bring together the photographic practice of the younger generations with the experience of a professional photographer, an artist photographer. The meaning of this encounter developed through an equal exchange: there was no didactic relationship between the working group and the leader, but rather an exchange. The participants’ comments on their own photos sparked the discussion, and the leader was asked to respond to the stimuli by sharing images, connections with photos and theories, technical data and insights into the history of photography. This type of exchange, which did not seek to tame impromptu grammar but, on the contrary, pursued the idea of preserving and enhancing its characteristics, was the basis for collective practical actions: going out to photograph cultural events in the artistic and cultural hub around Atelier Sì (Angelica, Làbas, Arena Orfeonica), the creation of a wall for sharing and analysing the shots, the selection and sharing of some images on the Ateliersi Instagram profile and, as a final result, the creation of a notice board that was displayed in Via San Vitale and hosted a rotating selection of the participants’ shots.

The survey – and the resulting art installation – were carried out together with a team of students from the Department of Arts at the University of Bologna.

The team, consisting of thirteen young people, met weekly from January to the end of March 2023 to share content, develop a research methodology and carry out part of the survey internally. From the end of March, the survey turned its attention to the outside world, reaching out to young adults both within the participants’ network of contacts and through interviews conducted in urban spaces.

The aim was to elicit, through direct questioning, the desires, fears and references that young people draw on when focusing on their future career image and to explore with them the comparison between these dimensions and their present life situation. The project also aimed to involve young adults in creative processes specific to theatre and the performing arts, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of a world that not everyone has explored and which may become a future centre of attraction, both for participants and spectators.

The survey concluded at the end of July 2023 with the collection of all textual, iconographic, audio, and video materials that emerged during the meetings, which were subsequently reworked to be shared with the public during the opening of Atelier Sì on 30 September 2023.

>> Read Silvia Santachiara’s interview with Andrea Mochi Sismondi and Cecilia Depau, conducted for Fondazione Innovazione Urbana and published on the Scuole di Quartiere website: Immaginati tra 5, 10, 15 anni. Intervista ad Andrea Mochi Sismondi di Ateliersi.