Italian artist Massimo Vitali has been photographing holidaymakers reviling on the shorelines of Mediterranean beaches for 15 years. He has become a pivotal force in contemporary photography, with his arresting large-scale photographs of hedonistic
Italian artist Massimo Vitali has been photographing holidaymakers revelling on the shorelines of Mediterranean beaches for 15 years. He has become a pivotal force in contemporary photography, with his arresting large-scale photographs of hedonistic and convivial gatherings on Tuscany’s beaches functioning as a social seaside documentary on the increased fragility of nature, the impact of urbanisation and the growing issues in Italian politics. For his current exhibition at Brancolini Grimaldi, however, Vitali replaces the celebratory crowds with imposing and sparsely populated landscapes, replacing any beach-goers with nature.
Shot during his trips to Italy, Greece and Spain earlier this year, this subtle shift in Vitali’s work is profound. Instead of studying the colourful cabanas and white sand beaches our eyes are now drawn to a dramatically sparse landscape. The shift marks Vitali’s attempt to comprehend how we can avoid colonising the last few remaining unspoilt landscapes, where nature is still the dominant force. The images beautiful and sublime qualities have 17th and 18th century Romantic allusions when nature's vast and substantial force were championed. Instead of factories and warehouses looming in the background, nature takes focus.
Monumental natural landmarks are now in the forefront of the photographs, with any human presence appearing accidental, out of place amongst the sheer expansiveness of the rocks, cliffs and craggy caves where they congregate. In one photograph the force of the tide appears to carry the human specs away, attesting our current state of flux, with old certainties being carried away. Vitali adds “that despite all of man's advances, nature is still overwhelming and all powerful. The power of nature makes our frailty even more pronounced.”
According to the artist, the beach is more than just a place of celebration – it’s a reflection of our tumultuous society. To Vitali, life really is just a beach.
The Massimo Vitali exhibition is showing at Brancolini Grimaldi until January 28 2012.
Text by Zoe Alexander
