This work comes from a series of
nocturnal drifts through Venice, a city often reduced to a simple scenario for tourism and commerce. I go beyond its spectacularization to explore its intimate and hidden side. The
inspiration comes from the theory of drift and psychogeography, which pushed me to observe Venice as it appears and feels. At night,
the city ebbs from the daytime clamour and reveals itself in all its emotional essence made of lights, shadows, and a delicate balance between human presence and
absence. Through this exploration, I focus on the "genius loci" that describes the spirits of a place. In the
past, in ancient Rome, this term referred to a deity protecting space. Today, we interpret it as the
set of physical,
historical, cultural and emotional qualities that make a place unique. In "Nocturnus Genius", I tried to capture just a tiny subset of the hundreds of "genius loci" of a city contaminated and permeated by 1603 years of history and the alternation of
cultures and
populations. It is a research combining my passion for urban exploration and sensitivity. With its silent backstages and nocturnal and depopulated streets, Venice becomes a
stage for contemplation and introspection. Each image is an invitation to look beyond the surface
and discover the city's
hidden side. "Nocturnus Genius" represents the first step of a more extensive
journey, a project to explore other cities and urban spaces through the lens of the
night.
The present and the
absent, the human and the divine that hides in every corner of the
city.