The “Bronzi di Napoli” project is born from the collaboration between the art director Andrea Spavone, the photographer Antonino Cafiero and the video-maker Luisa Pagani.
The goal of the artists was to show the Neapolitan aesthetic that is very often hidden. Naples is full of diversity, and that’s exactly her beauty. The art director says: “ We wanted to represent Naples without obvious or usual arguments; so we decided to talk about it in the simplest and most direct way, referring to the Greek art on which Naples is based, from the most common-uncommon Neapolitan faces”.
The photographer states: “My relationship with Naples has always been of love and hatred” but, in recent years, he has rediscovered the magic that characterizes it and this project has allowed him to immerse himself again in his hometown.
An essential element in creating an authentic project is, according to the video-maker, to use her point of view as a filter for reality and try to transform it into a creative moving image. The intention was to create a suspended moment in which reality would stop for a while.
How would you describe your work ?
A.C. : I like to know the subjects, their lives, what are their hobbies, what future projects they have. It is essential for them to become part of their lives and to somehow hunt their personality. I think it’s more important than fashion, than the dress, the attitude you give to the subject. It’s perceived in photography when something is forced and when something is natural. When I photograph a person I enter in his deepest intimacy and it is impossible to do so without knowing one’s own.
You have decided to immortalize Neapolitan youth in your shots. What aspects do you want to highlight?
A.C. : We young people are the future of our cities. And what better way to represent them than that? Like Riace’s Bronzes. Almost like they’re untouchable gods. The choice of the boys was the most beautiful thing in this project. We did a street casting and our first rule was to have kids who knew nothing about this world and who had never been part of it. It was tiring but beautiful. Many of the boys never thought in their lives of taking part in a photographic service and it was very nice to involve them and give them a chance.
What was it like to make a professional video/shooting with guys selected in a street casting? Was it more inspiring?
L.P. : Of course, trying to show a precise aesthetic, since the project was strictly connected to the land itself, was a key point in having real talents, in order to have authentic expressions.
The video shows the boys in the middle of a physical fight, what feelings do you intend to convey? Their strength and spontaneity?
L.P. : I wanted to create a contrast between a calm atmosphere and a real fight. I believe that showing contrasts together is a way to show something more powerful. I wanted to make their energy coming out tangible through the video.
Photographer Antonino Cafiero
Videomaker Luisa Pagani
Art direction Andrea Spavone
Fashion Nadia Lametta
Location Scouting Teresa Salvatrice
Casting Director Teresa Salvatrice – Andrea Spavone
Hair and makeup Federica Di Dato
Assistent Styling Claudia Chiarolanza
Assistent Photographer Simone De Sena
Models Luca, Gesualdo, Danilo, Carlo, Pasquale, Alessandro, Antonio, Claudio, Daniele, Emanuele, Francesco, Francesco, Ivan, Mario, Matteo, Mattia