My Italian Summer
Personal Work
During the summer of 2020, I had the opportunity to embark on a deeply emotional and meditative photo project on the enchanting Italian island of Pantelleria. This trip was one of my last holidays with my parents, making it all the more poignant.
I was captivated by the vast empty spaces and the serene, unhurried rhythm of life on the island. Each moment felt like a pause, allowing me to reflect on the beauty of simplicity, the connections with my family, and the timeless allure of this unique place.
Pantelleria is not a land of immediate grandeur; its beauty whispers rather than shouts. The landscape is rugged, a tapestry of black lava stone and windswept grasses, punctuated by the stark green of caper bushes and the orderly rows of ancient vineyards.
Here, the wind is a constant companion, sculpting the land and the lives of those who dwell upon it. It is not a soft breeze but a forceful, salty presence that sweeps over the island, demanding attention and respect.
The sea surrounding Pantelleria is a shade of blue I can only describe as endless. A depth that invites contemplation but resists full understanding. I have spent countless hours perched on jagged cliffs, staring into that expanse.
On one side, there is the ancient rhythm of life: fishermen hauling in their catch, and farmers tending to zibibbo grapes. The stone houses dot the landscape like ancient sentinels, their architecture in perfect harmony with the earth. This is the Pantelleria that feels eternal, grounded, unyielding.
But in recent years, Pantelleria has become a retreat for Italy's affluent elite. It is here, amidst the island's wild beauty, that the country’s one percent come to disconnect from their gilded lives. The private villas, often hidden behind high stone walls, stand in quiet opulence.
Luxury yachts moor in the turquoise coves. Helicopters buzz overhead, ferrying their passengers to an oasis of curated isolation. Fine dining restaurants now compete with humble trattorias, and high-end boutiques seem almost surreal in this rugged setting.
The roads, once little more than paths etched by necessity, have been widened and paved to accommodate the growing demand for access. And yet, even in this, Pantelleria resists. The island does not bend easily to modernity; it absorbs it cautiously, as though testing its limits.
I cannot decide whether this juxtaposition of untouched nature and encroaching luxury saddens or fascinates me. What I do know is that it heightens the island's allure. Pantelleria is a place where opposites coexist, where silence and indulgence collide.
Coming back to civilization after my time on Pantelleria felt like an abrupt awakening. Amidst this jarring return, I carried with me a sense of perspective gifted by the island. I hope to return there some day.