In this post I will talk you about a Festival organized in Reggio Emilia, that I always appreciate a lot. It’s called “Fotografia Europea”  and every year opens in May with many initiatives and lasts until July with its scheduled exhibitions.
It is a festival dedicated to photography that every time speaks about a different theme.

You’re probably wondering now why I decided to talk about this festival right here, on my Modena’s diary! Simple, because the theme of this year is strictly related to my city!

The concept for 2016 edition is: “The via Emilia. Roads, journeys, borders“: a journey that starts on Via Emilia, the main street of Emilia Romagna region, and goes far away.
And, speaking about this street, it was impossible not to have a stop in Modena!

This is why I say there is so much of Modena in the exhibitions, that will be open until 10th of July. The first that I visited were the ones located inside the “Chiostri di San Pietro“, a lovely setting to host exhibitions and the perfect point to begin the visit. This beautiful building now houses several exhibitions:

1986. Esplorations along Via Emilia

It is the re-call of a historical photo exhibition, dated back 30 years ago, through historical materials and with a selection of the works exhibited on that occasion. A true blast from the past! 😉

Sebastian Stumpf

“SS9 Strada Stellare 9” by Davide Tranchina

Antonio Rovaldi, Mo’ dinna, Mo’ dinna (Iwanna go back home)

This show was the one that made ​​me think more and that gave me new insights.
How many “Modena” are there in the world? I asked this question to my self and I confess that I would find out. The “Modena” represented in this exhibition is located in Utah (USA) and it is now a ghost town in which only 5 families live. It seems that the origin of the name comes from an Emilian worker who, in the late nineteenth century, because of a strong nostalgia, would call the rail yard where he worked with the name of his hometown, Modena.

The festival takes place in different locations some permanent for 2 months and other that last only the time of the two weekends of inauguration. But there are many exhibitions that it’s possible to visit until 10th of July and that I’ll certainly come back to see.

I have visited this Festival during the inauguration and I had the opportunity to enjoy also the many initiatives of the “Circuito Off”, that circuit of exhibitions organized during the 2 weekends of inauguration by individual photographers.
A visit that I always suggest is the one in “Via Due Gobbi 3” where, this year, I let myself be seduced by the exhibition of the group of photographers named “Il Torrione”, that between clothes and hangers have exposed some beautiful pics of my city.

“Fotografia Europea” is an event that I always like. This year it has fascinated me in a particular way: the choice of the theme have made me feel “at home” and gave me the opportunity to see familiar places with other eyes, in a different perspective 🙂