Category Archives: Photography

Women in the Driving Seat

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Photographic exhibitions have always played an important in the ‘Homage to Women’s week’ commemorating International Woman’s day at Bagni di Lucca Ponte’s Casinò. This year is no exception and I would like to concentrate on Sergio Garbari’s contribution to the event.

I can do nothing better than to translate the reasons Sergio has given for his photographic exhibition:

“WOMEN IN THE DRIVING SEAT”

Photographic exhibition by Sergio Garbari

Tribute to women 2019

Municipal Casinò, Bagni di Lucca 9-16 March 2019

I am returning to the theme of women in their work environment which I began last year with the “Kitchen” exhibition, dedicated to women at work in a restaurant kitchen. The girl I saw driving an ambulance in Bagni di Lucca is the starting point for this exhibition’s theme. I thought that finally, even in a “men’s” world, like that of rescue vehicle drivers, some sort of equality had finally opened, a step forward in appreciating women’s talent and ability. Many other women have made inroads in numerous other sectors of the world of work; by looking around I have found some splendid examples of commitment rewarded by esteem, consideration and trust. I have selected women that are not only thick-skinned behind the wheel of a vehicle, but who also have confidence in their life-style choices. Bars, shops, social services, journalism, pharmacies, live by these women’s energy and know-how. It was a pleasure to photograph them and I hope to have transmitted their intensity and brilliant spirit. Thanks to Tina, Emanuela, Rossana, Simona, Mara, Annalisa, Elisa, Veronica and Gaia.

Carry on trucking!

 Sergio Garbari

 sergarbari@tiscali.it

Here is a slide show of Sergio’s beautiful photos:

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Not so long ago I shared a post in Bagni di Lucca’s community page stating that Sergio has another theme in mind relating to women who have come to the Bagni di Lucca area from outside. They could have come from any part of the world, from the UK to Australia, from Holland to Morocco.

I can think of many instances regarding women from outside locations employed in Bagni di Lucca. Just going through friends and acquaintances I can think of women working in holiday homes, women as artists (there were plenty of non-Italian artists at the Casinò exhibition, for example), women working as English teachers, women playing the piano for local choirs, women working in laundries women dog and cat-sitting, women running sports courses in rafting or pony-trekking, women involved in alternative therapies, women managing enterprises etc.

There are few photographers of the calibre of Sergio. I am quite sure that in time for next year many of you will, indeed come forwards and be part of an exhibition entitled ‘New women in Bagni di Lucca’.

Again please let me know if you’re interested in this project by sending me an email to fpettitt@gmail.com.

A Brilliant Photographer’s Request

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Recently I received the following idea  from Sergio Garbari.

In case you didn’t know who he is, Sergio is a professional photographer who has worked for the Uffizi gallery in Florence and is well-known through his remarkable pictures. One of Sergio’s exhibitions was a highlight in the season of shows that were held in our much lamented Shelley House at Bagni di Lucca, Villa.

You can read about Sergio’s experiments with infra-red photography in that exhibition at:

https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2016/08/10/infra-red-at-bagnis-shelley-house/

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More recently, and in honour of the fallen on the hundredth anniversary of the Great War, Sergio went around our villages in the Lima valley photographing, both lyrically and tragically, their war memorials. You can see some of his results in my post at:

https://longoio3.com/2018/11/06/for-our-valleys-fallen/

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Sergio has proposed the following project:

Despite the untimely end of the ‘Borgo degli Artisti’ the members of the former cultural association have stated that they will present an exhibition at the Casino on the occasion of ‘Women’s week’ which opens on the 8th of March. Sergio has in mind to put together a small series of black-and-white photographs, similar to what was done last year, and presenting portraits of English women who reside, either part or full-time, in the comune of Bagni di Lucca.

Sergio is looking for twelve ladies (it is, after all, going to be women’s week!) who have come to stay in our area. I can think of several ladies who fit the bill perfectly . I will not mention their names here but I know them through their contribution to the arts and in entrepreneurship.

Realising Sergio’s brilliant photography I am quite sure that there will be many ‘signore’ who will be interested. All they have to do is to contact me via my email address at fpettitt@gmail.com.

I will then relay the information to Sergio who will arrange a photography session. Incidentally, this is similar to Kevan Halson’s photographic and interview project. The main difference is that Sergio’s project specifically concentrates on women and will be presented as part of Bagni di Lucca’s women’s week celebration at the casino of Ponte a Serraglio.

I am sure, ladies, you will agree that this is a very worth-while project and that you will be happy to take part in it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Picture Post

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Kevan Halson is a well-known and highly regarded fine arts photographer who resides in the purlieus of Bagni di Lucca. He first came to my attention with a ‘dilapidations’ project some years back. This is where Kevan concentrated on decay and decrepitude in buildings and their fitments. A kind of memento mori, the exhibition aroused great interest and demonstrated just how good Kevan is is in his field – the use of silver nitrate paper technique so little used today, for example, was quite virtuosistic.

Kevan’s current project involves photographing migrants to our area and who have resided here for several years.

The term ‘migrant’ covers all people from other countries who have gravitated to Bagni di Lucca and made it their principal home. Their reasons could be several: improved quality of life, work, life-style change, love affair….

Personally, I came here for a life-style change and have never regretted it. I also abhor people who call themselves ‘ex-pats’. Whether one comes here from the Old Kent Road or from the deserts of Sudan one still remains a migrant.

Kevan has set up a studio in what used to be Ponte a Serraglio’s parish hall, theatre and cinema.

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It is a beautiful neo-classical building with an airy interior including a columned gallery.

I remember this hall last being used for the Ponte a Serraglio arts festival, an event which ran from 2013 to 2015 and has now achieved quasi-mythical status.

I shall always remember the amazing concert, which included the didgeridoo and gongs, given here with the participation of Pistoia’s Tronci foundation.

I became a subject in Kevan’s illuminating project a couple of days ago. I’d never been a photographic subject before and Kevan made me feel fully at ease while he shot away in a scenario filled with lighting effects, mirrors, reflectors and such-like.

At the same time, the photographer’s assistant asked me some simple questions, putting together a basic biography of myself and the reasons why I had decided to come and live at BDL.
The project ‘I am not from here’ is on-going and well-worth participation. Some of Kevan’s stunning photographs may already be viewed on Facebook.
Do get in touch with Kevan at http://www.kevanhalson.net
Or just meet up with him at the Old cinema at Ponte a Serraglio. There can be no-one described as un-photogenic in our part of the world!