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GIULIANO DEL GATTO

GIULIANO DEL GATTO

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Caput Mundi

Rome 2024 - 2025

ENG - Rome is preparing for the Jubilee of 2025 with a major urban redevelopment plan to modernize the city while preserving its extraordinary historical legacy. The photographic project aims to tell the story of this transformation through images that highlight the fervor of the preparations: roads being closed and resurfaced, monuments restored to their former glory, and infrastructure upgraded to accommodate millions of pilgrims.
The goal of this work is to document the dynamism of the construction sites and celebrate the adaptability of a city that has been a crossroads of culture and spirituality for millennia. Through the photographic lens, the dialogue between modernity and tradition, between the urgency of the present and respect for the past, is explored. This visual journey chronicles the progress of a city rich in history, ready to welcome the world on one of its most significant anniversaries.

ITA - Roma si prepara al Giubileo del 2025 con un grande piano di riqualificazione urbana, per modernizzare la città pur preservandone la straordinaria eredità storica. Il progetto fotografico si propone di raccontare questa trasformazione attraverso immagini che mettono in evidenza il fervore dei preparativi: strade che vengono chiuse e riasfaltate, monumenti restaurati per ritrovare il loro antico splendore, infrastrutture potenziate per accogliere milioni di pellegrini.
L’obiettivo di questo lavoro è di documentare il dinamismo dei cantieri e celebrare la capacità di adattamento di una città che da millenni è crocevia di cultura e spiritualità. Attraverso l’obiettivo fotografico, si esplora il dialogo tra modernità e tradizione, tra l’urgenza del presente e il rispetto per il passato. Questo viaggio visivo racconta il progresso di una città ricca di  storia, pronta ad accogliere il mondo in una delle sue ricorrenze più significative.
Tar, originally from Carthage and a security guard at the port of Fiumara Grande (Fiumicino, Rome, Italy) watches TV after a day at work. Fiumara Grande (Fiumicino, Rome, Italy). Don Salvatore, aged 86, a former fisherman. Fiumara Grande (Fiumicino, Rome, Italy). The statue, form the sculptor Assan Peikov, is dedicated to Sophia Loren who posed for him. Assan Peikov was a sculptor of Bulgarian origin, born in Sevlievo in 1908, who came to Italy in 1938. He died in Rome in 1973. Rome (Italy). Pons Aemilius, or Ponte Rotto (the broken bridge), was the first bridge in Rome to be built of stone. Rome (Italy). Gurjeet, a shepherd originally from india, takes a break while his sheep are grazing Rome (Italy). Sheep and goats on the floodplain of the Tiber, an area that is particulary littered also because of its frequent flooding. Rome (Italy). Marco Fois, one of the "Mister Oks" who every New Year's Day dive into the Tiber, stretches and warms up before the traditional dive. Rome (Italy). Some vessel that are no longer wanted or that are terminally damaged by bad weather are abandoned in hidden spots along the river instead of being dismantled. Rome (Italy). One of the few areas that have been drained and recovered near the Magliana Bridge. Rome (Italy). A house situated at the Tiber estuary for sale for 25.000€ Fiumara Grande (Fiumicino, Rome, Italy). Sculptor Daniele Nasta at work in front of a former cement works that is now abandoned. Rome (Italy). According to the tradition, also during the pandemic and with the Tiber particulary high, Simone Carabella, one of the "Mister Oks" who every New Year's Day dive into the river, dives off Cavour Bridge on the first day of the year. Rome (Italy). Rita stands inside the tepee where Antonio had invited her to live. Antonio aged 65 and no mix address, disapeared in August 2020. He was known for his poems and murals. Rome (italy). Skater Fabio and Johnny on the Tiber Island. Rome (Italy). Some vessel that are no longer wanted or that are terminally damaged by bad weather are abandoned in hidden spots along the river instead of being dismantled. Fiumara Grande (Fiumicino, Rome, Italy). The courtyard of a house. Rome (Italy). The Tiber seen from Flaminio Bridge. The home of a fisherman in Fiumara Grande (Fiumicino, Rome, Italy) Fiumara Grande and the Tiber estuary as seen from the old, now abandoned, lighthouse in Fiumicino (Rome, Italy) Marco helps a friend prepares fishing liines on the rocks of Fiumara Grande (Fiumicino, Rome, Italy). A house facing onto the Tiber near Fiumara Grande (Fiumicino, Rome, Italy) Emiliano with Mia and Trilly on one of the dirt roads in Fiumara Grande (Fiumicino, Rome, Italy). Emiliano loves dogs but ever since he was bitter on the streets of Fiumara Grande, he always carries a big stick. Rome (Italy). The beginning of the procession of the Santissima Vergine Del Carmine (Holy Virgin of Carmine) on the River tiber on the occasion of the "Festa De Noantri" traditional festival. Rome (Italy). A memorial dedicated to the three "river man", Girolamo Malloni, Attilio Bruni and Attilio Cicinelli, who died on 19 May in 1898 at Capo Due Rami. The Monument marks the stretch of the river where the three perished while travelling upstream towards Rome on a vessel loaded with wood towed by a steamboat. Malloni was a Garibaldi supporter aged 50 who was particulary well-loved in the Trastevere area where he lived. He had fought in the third war of independence and he and his boat were involved in the Cairoli brother's expedition in 1867. Rome (Italy). Gino(the person in the tent), originally from Romania, has lived in Italy for 20 years. Every morning he wakes up at 4am to look for work, not knowing what the day will bring. He lives beneath the Giuseppe Mazzini bridge and shares that stretch of river with drugs addicts and alcoholics who give him little peace. Rome (Italy). The entrance to a wrecking yard near the river. Rome (Italy). Some vessel that are no longer wanted or that are terminally damaged by bad weather are abandoned in hidden spots along the river instead of being dismantled. Rome (Italy).Gregor, of Romanian origin, collects reeds near the river bank, in the suburb of Casal Bernocchi. He will use them to plant tomatoes. On the rocky seafront of Fiumara Grande (Fiumicino, Rome, Italy), Niko and Michele collect wood to burn in their homes situated at the Tiber estuary. Both work in construction. Fiumara Grande (Fiumicino, Rome, Italy). A street that has been flooded after bad weather. Flooding is a regular occorrenze due to the vicinity of the river estuary and the lack of an adequate sole to ensure the rue-off of rainwater. Giuseppe, aged 72, a former business owner, close to the riverte estuary, built the shack with a group of friends so he could fish in the river. Rome (Italy) Rome (Italy). Henryk Pawel Chrobok, aged 78 and originally from Poland, is a sailor and a boat builder. He is currently living on the boat he is building, using sails as a roof. In a few years, when he has finished building the boat and the sun is in the right position, Henryk aims to travel to the Antarctic. Rome (Italy). Marianna and the musician Santiago Javier Romero on the Tiber Island. Rome (Italy). Some vessel that are no longer wanted or that are terminally damaged by bad weather are abandoned in hidden spots along the river instead of being dismantled. Rome (Italy). The home of Livio, the guard at a private property on the river. Rome (Italy). Four young people - Giulia, Marcos, Katya and Alex - from italy, Spain and Ukraine, enjoy a beer on the banks of the river. Rome (Italy). The vessel Tiber II, which was swept into Sant'Angelo Briidge during a flood. In 2010 it was recovered and lifted onto Lungotevere della Vittoria. Since then it has become a shelter for homeless man who says that he is its custodian.

The Tiberians 

Rome 2020 - 2021
To see more images about this project please visit “The Tiberians” on Parallelozero agency website

ENG - The Tiber, known in ancient times as Albula, then Thybris and finally Tiberis, is Central Italy’s main river. Its stories “unfold at a level beneath that of the Eternal City of Rome, scrutinizing it from below.” (Maria Margarita Segarra Lagunes, Il Tevere e Roma, Storia di una simbiosi).
Its banks still remain places that are wild and hard to access: with the exception of the better known stretch running through the city, the river belongs to a community of marginalized souls who have transformed it into a sort of fascinating, hidden city where infinite personal stories unfold.
Once such location is the small area of the estuary, known as Fiumara Grande or Passo della Sentinella, a “neighbourhood” that is home to around 700 families who over the years have drained the area and requested on a number of occasions the regularization of their living situations and their rights.
In 1933 the land was requisitioned by the state that took it from an aristocratic family to create a radio telegraph centre, but the project never came to fruition and since then its situation has never been fully resolved. Its inhabitants frequently risk having to leave their homes, which in any case are not connected to the sewage system, public lighting and connections to public transport networks.
The area of Isola Sacra is home to Henryk Pawel Chrobok, a Polish sailor and boat builder who has experienced many adventures during his 78 years. He lives on a boat that he is currently building with the aim of sailing to Antarctica. And then there is Gurjeet, an Indian shepherd who doesn’t speak a word of Italian and Rita, a retired architect who lives under a bridge beneath the river. 
These are just some of the stories taking place in the urban and rural settings of this green-coloured lined that bisects the millennia-old territory of the Eternal City.

ITA - Il Tevere, conosciuto nell'antichità come Albula, poi Thybris e infine Tiberis, è il principale fiume dell'Italia centrale. Le sue storie "si svolgono a un livello inferiore a quello della città eterna di Roma, scrutando dal suo livello fisico più basso” (Maria Margarita Segarra Lagunes, Il Tevere e Roma, Storia di una simbiosi).
Le sue sponde rimangono ancora luoghi selvaggi e difficilmente accessibili: ad eccezione del tratto più noto che attraversa la città, il fiume appartiene ad una comunità di anime emarginate che lo hanno trasformato in una sorta di città affascinante e nascosta dove scorrono infinite storie personali.
Uno di questi luoghi è la piccola area della foce, nota come Fiumara Grande o Passo della Sentinella, un "quartiere" che ospita circa 700 famiglie che nel corso degli anni hanno prosciugato l'area e richiesto più volte la regolamentazione della loro situazione abitativa e dei loro diritti.
Nel 1933 il terreno fu requisito dallo Stato che lo sottrasse a una famiglia aristocratica per creare un centro di radiotelegrafia, ma il progetto non si realizzò mai e da allora la sua situazione non è mai stata completamente risolta. I suoi abitanti rischiano spesso di dover lasciare le loro case, che in ogni caso non sono collegate alla rete fognaria, all'illuminazione pubblica e ai collegamenti con le reti di trasporto pubblico.
Nella zona di Isola Sacra vive Henryk Pawel Chrobok, un marinaio e costruttore di barche polacco che ha vissuto molte avventure durante i suoi 78 anni. E poi c'è Gurjeet, un pastore indiano che non parla una parola di italiano e Rita, un architetto in pensione che vive sotto un ponte sotto il fiume.
Queste alcune delle vicende che scorrono lungo lo scenario urbano e extra urbano di questa linea color verde che divide a metà il territorio millenario della città eterna.
1/12 - Villa Leopardi, Rome, May 2020 2/12 - Parco di Via Giuseppe Vanni,Rome, May 2020 3/12 - Villa Borghese, Rome, May 2020 4/12 - Giardini di Via Carlo Felice, Rome, May 2020 5/12 - Giardini di Via Carlo Felice, Rome, May 2020 6/12 - Lungotevere Dei Mellini, Rome, May 2020 7/12 - Parco Di Tor Di Quinto, Rome, May 2020 8/12 - Villa Borghese, Rome, May 2020 9/12 - Villa Leopardi, Rome, May 2020 10/12 - Parco Di Tor Di Quinto, Rome, May 2020 11/12 - Villa Lazzaroni, Rome, May 2020 12/12 - Villa Borghese, Rome, May 2020

Unplayed

Rome May 2020

ENG - On May 4th in Rome, as well as in the rest of Italy, the public parks reopened, previously closed at the beginning of the lockdown to stem the spread of the corona virus.
Citizens are finally free to access the green areas by complying with the ban on gatherings and the inter-personal distance of at least one metre.
However, some areas inside the parks are still forbidden, such as areas equipped for children's play, benches, sports equipment and areas where it is not possible to maintain social distance or to avoid the gathering.
These urban spaces normally associated with social and carefree outdoor life are now portrayed as desolate and suspended places through which traces of virus threaten a new series of contagions. 
ITA - Il 4 maggio a Roma, così come nel resto d'Italia, hanno riaperto i parchi pubblici, precedentemente chiusi all'inizio del blocco per arginare la diffusione del virus corona. I cittadini sono finalmente liberi di accedere alle aree verdi rispettando il divieto di assembramento e la distanza interpersonale di almeno un metro. Tuttavia, alcune zone all'interno dei parchi sono ancora vietate, come le aree attrezzate per il gioco dei bambini, le panchine, le attrezzature sportive e le aree in cui non è possibile mantenere la distanza sociale o evitare l'assembramento.Questi spazi urbani normalmente associati alla vita sociale e spensierata all'aperto sono ora ritratti come luoghi desolati e sospesi attraverso i quali tracce di virus minacciano una nuova serie di contagi. 
During the period of quarantine from COVID-19 on many balconies and windows were displayed solidarity posters and Italian flags. Via Della Giuliana, Rome, March 2020. A scene at the entrance of a supermarket, via Cassia, Rome, March 18th, 2020 The interior of a bus during the corona virus pandemic. Rome, 3rd April 2020 The entrance of a pharmacy during lockdown for the COVID-19. Via Baldo Degli Ubaldi, Rome March 27th, 2020 Mrs. Antonella walks Danger during the Corona Virus pandemic. Esquiline Square. Rome, 2nd April 2020 Piazza Cavour during Lockdown, Rome, April 2020 Mr. Paolo walks around his house. Via Dello Scalo San Lorenzo, Rome, April 4th 2020 Jerry waiting for the green light between deliveries. During the quarantine period home delivery couriers were one of the few human presence on the streets. Rome, April 2020 Piazza Del Popolo during lockdown. Rome, May 2020 Piazza Sant'Egidio during the Lockdown. Rome, April 25th 2020 Mr. Augustin walks along Via Mamiani. Rome, April 2nd, 2020 During the Lockdown some areas of the city were closed to the public. Lungotevere dei Mellini, Rome April 24th 2020 Colosseum Square during the quarantine period. Rome, April 2nd, 2020 Mr. Vincenzo is in line to enter the supermarket. Rome April 10th 2020 Many activities were forced to close during the quarantine period. Rome, Via Farini, April 2nd 2020 Mr. Fabrizio has just finished sanitizing a store in Via Domenico Tardini, Rome 29 April 2020 The entrance of a pharmacy during lockdown for the COVID-19. Via Baldo Degli Ubaldi, Rome March 27th, 2020 Spanish Steps during lockdown. Rome April 26th 2020

Lockdown

Rome March - April 2020

ENG - On March 11th 2020, the World Health Organization declared that the diffusion of virus COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic.
For the first time since the end of the Second World War, the Italian government was forced to restrict certain fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, in particular freedom of movement and residence (Article 16), freedom of assembly (Article 17) in its various forms. Moreover, with the spread of the virus, social distancing measures have become even more important, gradually increased by successive measures, leading to a gradual emptying of the streets of Rome.
Road and distance were the two recurrent elements in this photographic investigation; spatial coordinates within which I chose to move to observe how the hectic life of the city was adapting to the decrees imposed by the government.What could have been a dystopia told only in science fiction films, seems to have been a new reality today, which could permanently change our lives.
ITA - L'11 marzo 2020, l'Organizzazione Mondiale della Sanità ha dichiarato che la diffusione del virus COVID-19 può essere caratterizzata come una pandemia. Per la prima volta dalla fine della seconda guerra mondiale, il governo italiano è stato costretto a limitare alcune libertà fondamentali garantite dalla Costituzione, in particolare la libertà di circolazione e di soggiorno (articolo 16), la libertà di riunione (articolo 17) nelle sue varie forme. Inoltre, con la diffusione del virus, sono diventate ancora più importanti le misure di allontanamento sociale, gradualmente aumentate da provvedimenti successivi, che hanno portato ad un progressivo svuotamento delle strade di Roma. Strada e distanza sono stati i due elementi ricorrenti in questa indagine fotografica; coordinate spaziali all'interno delle quali ho scelto di muovermi per osservare come la vita frenetica della città si stesse adattando ai decreti imposti dal governo. Quella che poteva essere una distopia raccontata solo nei film di fantascienza, sembra essere oggi una nuova realtà, che potrebbe cambiare definitivamente le nostre vite. 

Tourists On Cruise

June 2015 - January 2019

ENG - Following my curiosity and interests for the world of tourism I documented life on different cruise ships, during my work for Tripadvisor. The sensation of being on a huge cruise ship in the middle of the sea I immagine it could be like a space travel on a space ship aimed to the exploration. In a certain way it's like exploring human activities and behaviors on such a unique environment. Cruise ship vacation have being widely missunderstood in the years. I think everyone could find its own dimension on board. Imagine being in the middle of nowhere with a 360 degree sea view all the time! Yes a lot of people around you, but there is also enough space for everyone
ITA - Seguendo la mia curiosità per il mondo del turismo ho documentato la vita su diverse navi da crociera, durante il mio lavoro per Tripadvisor. La sensazione di trovarsi su un'enorme nave da crociera in mezzo al mare la immagino come un viaggio spaziale su un'astronave volta all'esplorazione. In un certo senso è come esplorare le attività e i comportamenti umani in un ambiente così unico. Le vacanze in nave da crociera sono state fraintese negli anni. Credo che a bordo ognuno possa trovare la propria dimensione. Immaginate di essere in mezzo al nulla con una vista sul mare a 360 gradi per tutto il tempo! Sì, c'è molta gente intorno a voi, ma c'è anche spazio a sufficienza per tutti.
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