Altera Italia

Altera Italia by Alessia Rollo is a photographic and anthropological project that explores the ritual imagery of Southern Italy, reinterpreting its visual history and reworking the stereotypes inherited from last century’s neorealism. Altera Italia is the result of five years of research, begun in 2019 and developed as a multidisciplinary project that intertwines photography, archives, video, and animation. The work reconsiders the cultural identity of Southern Italy, critically rereading the visual legacy produced between the 1950s and 1960s by anthropologists, filmmakers, and photographers associated with Ernesto De Martino’s expeditions, which helped crystallise the image of the South as an archaic and superstitious place. It is the first book from our publishing house Miracoli Visivi. Research, photographs, photo editing and texts: Alessia Rollo Book Design: Grupppo studio Booklet texts: Giancarlo Mita, Valentina Amenta, Maristella Martella, Viviana Costagliola Bibliography and sources – Ernesto de Martino “La terra del rimorso” – Ernesto de Martino “Sud e Magia” – Cecilia Pennacini “Filmare le culture” – Byung Chul Han “La scomparsa dei riti” – Maria Brendon Albini “Viaggio nel Salento” – Paolo Pecere “Filmare le culture” – Ciriello D-, Ciriello D-, Fabris P-, Longo R- “Chiara Samugheo un’amazzone della fotografia” – M- Agamennone L- Chiriatti “Le spose di San Paolo” – George Lapassade “Gente dell’ombra” – C- Galli- F- Faeta “I viaggi nel Sud di Ernesto De Martino” – Goffredo Plastino “Alan Lomax- L’anno più felice della mia vita” – Marina Berardi “Il Carnevale di Tricarico: transumanza, rito e pratiche”