In your place Ludovica Bastianini
Bio Ludovica Bastianini was born in 1986 in Naples. She graduated in History of Art in Naples and then studied photography and visual arts in Barcelona, Spain and Milano, Italy. She has recently been selected for the 2017 edition of Festival Circulations for young European photography. She now lives and works between Zurich, Switzerland, and Naples, Italy. Statement With my work I explore cultural and social issues of the contemporary society and the female universe. I m interested in the world of mass media and in the way they are present in our lives. My process involves both manual and digital work. I started mixing the photographic media with childhood illustration techniques. I am adding, step by step, new pieces to this initial practice, experimenting different materials and working on conceptual and manual interventions. I try to generate empathy between the viewer and the subject of my pictures, by creating a parallel line between distant worlds. I research a delicate language, close to evocation and visual poetry.
Project description: According to estimates by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), 13.5 million girls worldwide each year are forced to get married before turning 18 years old with men that are much older than them: 37,000 girls every day to whom, in fact, childhood is denied. Isolated, cut off from family and friends, and any other form of support, these girls lose their freedom and are subjected to violence and abuse. Many of them become pregnant immediately or shortly after the wedding, when they are still children. (Amnesty International, 2015) In realizing these images, I tried to think of this reality that I live as far away, ancient, barbaric, something that I read in the newspapers and I can hardly believe that it can happen again, while the numbers reported by Amnesty International are dramatically high. How can I interact with such a thing? I thought about what would a mother feel while dressing her daughter to go and get married so young, at 8, 9, 10 or 12 years. A mother who probably had the same hellish life, who fears that her daughter will not make it after the wedding night, as often it happens, because of the lacerations inflicted by sexual intercourse to a body still too young to resist. I took some photos of very young models from some fashion magazines and I dressed them, with a box of old laces that my mother has always guarded. Even though some were a little stained, I preferred to use them as they are. I tried to carry on a process of identification, between models and small brides, between me and their mothers. I wanted to transfer the idea of a denied, forced, violated childhood on the advertising that we see on a daily basis, that references to a completely different world.
Shortlisted at Grand Prix Images Vevey and Life Framer Prize 2017: Ludovica s project weaves grand themes of global social injustice with a personal story taking magazine cuttings of young girls and adorning them with her mother s laces to create rough, DIY, wedding dresses. I think this is a wonderfully creative response, and empowering too Ludovica exploring a subject in a creative, unexpected and importantly accessible way; accessible both to the viewer but also to her not every project requires us to venture half way around the world. This particular image is beautifully realised the simple decorations on this carefully selected cutting resulting in a thoughtful piece with gorgeous colours and textures. There s a restraint at play too. While this sits on the edges of photography per-se, I m glad such an image was included in the selection. Brian Paul Clamp Founder and Director at ClampArt Gallery in New York.
3rd Prize at Premio Tabò: Per aver costruito efficacemente attraverso la fusione di differenti tecniche, un tema delicato di grande attualità, proponendo più livelli di lettura e di analisi dove l occhio percepisce leggerezza e la riflessione si fa struggente e drammatica.
Installation view at Circulation(s), Festival de la jeune photographie européenne January, 21st to March 5th, Centquatre - Paris
Projection at Fotoleggendo, Rome 18th June, La Pelanda - Macro Testaccio See multimedia here: https://youtu.be/y8mi7sltwqa
In your place featured on Grazia France, Le Monde, Srf, Numero, Fenyero blog, Wipplay 5 Artistes Pour Dénoncer Les Violences Faites Aux Femmes on Manifesto XXI Interview on Arte Journal: https://tinyurl.com/lh4g5a6
Ludovica Bastianini Education Master in Photography and Visual Design, NABA Academy, Milan, 2015 Master degree in History of Art, University of Naples, 2012 Bachelor degree in Conservation of Cultural Heritage, Università degli Studi Suor Orsola Benincasa, Naples, 2008 Exhibitions and Awards Le Voyage à Nantes, Festival, 2017 Life Framer Series Award, shortlisted, 2017 3rd Prize at Premio Tabò, Rome 2017 Grand Prix Images Vevey 2017/2018, shortlisted, 2017 Circulations, Festival de la jeune photographie européenne, Paris, 2017 Winner / Honorary Mention, Life Framer - Open Call, 2017 Selected for the digital archives of the Italian Foundation Fondo Malerba per la Fotografia, 2016 3 Honorable Mentions at IPA Award, Themed Competition Family of Man, 2016 SlideluckOnBoard, Group Exhibition, Capodichino Airport, Naples, 2016 Finalist / Winner of Slideluck Naples, 2016 Stillness, Group Exhibition, Photobastei, Zürich, 2016 Honorable Mention at IPA One Shot, Themed Competition Home, 2015 Out of Expo, Group Exhibition, Fondazione Forma / Galleria Meravigli, Milano, 2015 Identità Vs Omologazione, Group Exhibition, WonderWall Art Gallery, Sorrento, 2015 Projections Festival Fotoleggendo, Rome (Italy), 2017 Belfast Photo Festival (Irlanda) with Circulation(s), 2017 Emerging Talents from Festival Internazionale di FotoGrafia Roma (Italy) with Circulation(s), 2017 Encontros da Imagem, Braga (Portugal) with Circulation(s), 2017 Festival Format (UK) with Circulation(s), 2017 Fotografia Europea di Reggio Emilia (Italia) with Circulation(s), 2017 Fotofestiwal Lódz (Polonia) with Circulation(s), 2017 Foiano Fotografia Festival with Slideluck, Foiano, 2016 Fresh Paint Art Fair with Slideluck, Tel Aviv, 2016 www.ludovicabastianini.com bastianiniludovica@gmail.com +39 339 50 40 580 +41 78 80 08 566