The Resonance of Presence
"Presences" unfolds in two series, each visually narrating the human subject differently.
When the human presence emerges with clarity and definition,
anchoring each image in the "hic et nunc", the distinct and recognizable figures
bring with them a sense of connection to the tangible world.
"Every photograph is a certificate of presence." (Roland Barthes)
Unlike the blurred, fleeting and ephemeral figures of the subsequent series,
the human subject becomes a grounding force within the composition.
Roland Barthes wrote: "What photography reproduces ad infinitum has taken place only once.".
Through photography, the unique moment captured in a static figure
becomes eternal, and with it, the subject.
The clear alternation of light and shadow highlights their solidity of existence, but this clarity does not diminish their enigmatic quality.
Each image captures a pause, a gesture, or a position that narrates the individual
and his or her relationship with the surrounding urban fabric. These figures seem to absorb the silence of the Venetian night, becoming part of its narrative.
They are not simply characters within a scene but co-creators of its essence.
Their presence invites us to reflect on their stories:
who they are, what brought them to this nocturnal space, and how they interact
with the echoes of history that permeate Venice.
Here, that fleeting reality becomes a deliberate pause in the flow of time.
These static figures show us the city's immediate and raw human dimension.
They ground us in the present, allowing us to feel the weight of time
and the resonance of the lives lived in these ancient streets.
In this way, they serve as a counterpoint to the ghostly movements of “Moving Figures,”
setting the stage for the conceptual transition to the latent human traces in “Absences.”