Olivolo

Olivolo

documentary/recipes book 2010

The intent of this ongoing project is to analyse and deepen the awareness on Venetian territory, trying to controvert the stereotype of Venice as a ghost city, exclusively occupied by tourists. San Pietro di Castello, a small island situated in the Eastern part of Venice’s historical centre, is a particular territory within the Venetian setting; it has no shops, and has been inhabited by a long tradition of local generations. I begun to meet inhabitants from “a different Venice” using the territory and its traditions as my starting point, not only engaging in my usual role of external observer, but also warily gaining insight into the daily life of the people I met. For this purpose I decided to use food as a dialogue and an exchange tool with the community. This is how I got the idea to create a documentary book, containing a small recipe collection. Food was the process’ liaison and oral source; the portraits and images presented in the book overlap the tales and the moments spent with the people I met. Elusive and indefinable experiences come back throughout the book’s pages as documents of acquaintance.