Image from Valley Of Angels, 2011
TerraProject is a documentary photography collective based in Italy. Each photographer offers an individual view on cultural, social, political and other world events. Currently on view at the Backlight Festival in Tampere,Finland is Valley Of Angels by TerraProject photographer Simone Donati. This particular body of work spans a period from February 2010 until April 2011 when Simone visited and documented a family who live in South-Eastern Sicily. He spent individual weeks at a time staying with and observing them in their regulated lifestyle/environment, which by choice is very simple. Parents Angelo and Angela and their three daughters Hybla, Lua and Siria only eat organically and use alternative energy sources such as wind turbines and solar panels to avoid dealing with mainstream electric companies. The family has lived in Noto since 2005, where all the children were born and schooled in the home. Currently, Angelo works doing home improvement while Angela is a stay-at-home Mom who also makes homemade soaps to sell at the local market.

Installation View, TR1 Kunsthalle, 2011
The series of 14 photographs was selected by Curator Ulrich Haas-Pursiainen for the themed exhibition “Migration and Nomadic Living in the 21st Century.” Simone joins an international group of photojournalists after submitting projects and/or having been nominated by a panel of prestigious photographers including Martino Marangoni, Rui Prata, Marta Szymanska, Maria Karen Sigurdadottir, Peggy Sue Admison, Jussi Koitela.

Installation View, TR1 Kunsthalle, 2011
After having followed the work of the collective over the last few years, Valley Of Angels caught my attention last week via twitter when TerraProject posted about the exhibition via tweet. The top photograph presents an intriguing dichotomy, juxtaposing a dreadlocked father with his infant child in a composition not unlike a role reversal of the many depictions of the Virgin Mary with Christ that have traversed art historical movements for hundreds of years. This particular picture was also used by the festival to promote the exhibition and was shown in various parts of the city.

Image from Valley Of Angels, 2011
Valley Of Angels will be on view as part of the Backlight Festival until October 30th, 2011 at TR1 Kunsthalle, Väinö Linnan aukio 13, Tampere, FI
Opening Hours:
Tu-Fri 9 am – 5 pm, Sat-Sun 11 am – 6 pm
Mon closed. Free Admission on Fridays.
All images courtesy of Simone Donati, copyright 2011.
More soon!
xo