Due anni fa le studentesse e gli studenti del biennio di fotografia dell’ISIA di Urbino sono stati coinvolti in una serie di attività didattiche — residenze, corsi, workshop — sul tema del colonialismo italiano. L’obiettivo era di fare ricerca e riflettere sulla narrativa storica del nostro colonialismo e su come questa abbia lasciato tracce profonde nel contesto contemporaneo. In linea con l’identità dell’Istituto, che è storicamente un luogo in cui si mescolano didattica, progettazione culturale e impegno sociale per costruire professionisti capaci di dare forma alla complessità del reale, il gruppo ha lavorato su un progetto di lungo corso a partire da un articolato sistema di fonti e “stimoli” costituito da archivi (MUCIV, ICCD, Biblioteca Nazionale, tra i principali), monumenti e comunità nella città di Roma. Dopo due anni, lungo i quali lavori e ricerche hanno attraversato continui momenti di revisione e approfondimento, i progetti sono stati definitivamente formalizzati e hanno trovato struttura — talvolta differente — in questo libro e in una mostra che verrà presentata a luglio 2024 a Villa Romana, a Firenze. [Dal testo introduttivo “Per una statica della memoria, di Alessandro Carrer]

Progetto di Alida Lardini e Sofia Noce

OMISSIS
In Rome on a (very important) connecting street between Termini Station and the Center there is a monument that has always been trampled on but invisible to all. The Dogali Monument. Deliberately ignored. The Dogali Monument inspires a possible association starting from its history, an interweaving of several events that meet in the oblivion of memory. Necessary a re-disclosure starting from the observation of the current state of this space-time. Key words those of showing and hiding, of celebration and removal among myths, crimes and heroes with ghostly features. Rebuilding all around: there are stories in the plots of this monument, between past present and future that manage to rediscover the veil of what has been omitted, make it visible. “Omissis” is a project that documents this symbolic place by investigating the history behind it. Several paths open up, two meeting points: Italian Colonialism, the concept of Memory.  The research moves on several fronts: a series of photographic verifications intended to document and thus make “visible” the current state of the Monument is juxtaposed with a collection of data and documents concerning more or less “underground” events and subjects that serve as traces in its history; these include the Lion of Judah (symbol of the Ethiopian emperors and which arrived in Rome as a “trophy” in 1936 at the end of the war) and a name, that of Zerai Deres, who in Rome in 1938 made a gesture of protest in the very vicinity of this monument, so dense with meaning, becoming a national hero in Ethiopia for this. However, in the documents, in the official acts of the trial, thus in the “official” Italian memory, he remains engraved (if not forgotten) as a criminal. Fundamental, then, also arises the attempt to trace these same acts in which the Latin formula “ceteris omissis” is an indication of how in the reproduction of a text, of a document, words or phrases deemed unnecessary have been omitted.

Two years ago, the students of the two-year photography program at ISIA Urbino were involved in a series of educational activities - residencies, courses, workshops - on the theme of Italian colonialism. The goal was to research and reflect on the historical narrative of our colonialism and how it has left deep traces in the contemporary context. In line with the identity of the Institute, which is historically a place where didactics, cultural planning and social engagement are mixed to build professionals capable of shaping the complexity of reality, the group worked on a long-term project starting from an articulated system of sources and “stimuli” consisting of archives (MUCIV, ICCD, National Library, among the main ones), monuments and communities in the city of Rome. After two years, along which work and research went through continuous moments of revision and deepening, the projects were finally formalized and found structure-sometimes different-in this book and in an exhibition to be presented in July 2024 at Villa Romana, in Florence. [From the introductory text “For a Static of Memory, by Alessandro Carrer].

Project by Alida Lardini and Sofia Noce