In your place Ludovica Bastianini - Roberta Fuorvia

In your place
 Ludovica Bastianini

Bio

Ludovica Bastianini was born in 1986 in Naples. She grad-
uated in History of Art in Naples and then studied pho-
tography and visual arts in Barcelona, Spain and Milano,
Italy. She has recently been selected for the 2017 edition
of Festival Circulations for young European photography.
She now lives and works between Zurich, Switzerland, and
Naples, Italy.

Statement

With my work I explore cultural and social issues of the
contemporary society and the female universe. I’m inter-
ested in the world of mass media and in the way they are
present in our lives. My process involves both manual and
digital work. I started mixing the photographic media with
childhood illustration techniques. I am adding, step by
step, new pieces to this initial practice, experimenting dif-
ferent materials and working on conceptual and manual
interventions. I try to generate empathy between the view-
er and the subject of my pictures, by creating a parallel line
between distant worlds. I research a delicate language,
close to evocation and visual poetry.

Project description:

According to estimates by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),
13.5 million girls worldwide each year are forced to get married before
turning 18 years old with men that are much older than them: 37,000
girls every day to whom, in fact, childhood is denied. Isolated, cut off from
family and friends, and any other form of support, these girls lose their
freedom and are subjected to violence and abuse. Many of them become
pregnant immediately or shortly after the wedding, when they are still chil-
dren.” (Amnesty International, 2015)

In realizing these images, I tried to think of this reality that I live as far away,
ancient, barbaric, something that I read in the newspapers and I can hardly
believe that it can happen again, while the numbers reported by Amnesty
International are dramatically high.
How can I interact with such a thing?
I thought about what would a mother feel while dressing her daughter to
go and get married so young, at 8, 9, 10 or 12 years.
A mother who probably had the same hellish life, who fears that her daugh-
ter will not make it after the wedding night, as often it happens, because
of the lacerations inflicted by sexual intercourse to a body still too young
to resist.

I took some photos of very young models from some fashion magazines
and I dressed them, with a box of old laces that my mother has always
guarded. Even though some were a little stained, I preferred to use them
as they are.
I tried to carry on a process of identification, between models and small
brides, between me and their mothers. I wanted to transfer the idea of a
denied, forced, violated childhood on the advertising that we see on a dai-
ly basis, that references to a completely different world.

Shortlisted at Grand Prix Images Vevey and
Life Framer Prize 2017:

“Ludovica’s project weaves grand themes of
global social injustice with a personal story –
taking magazine cuttings of young girls and
adorning them with her mother’s laces to cre-
ate rough, DIY, wedding dresses. I think this is a
wonderfully creative response, and empower-
ing too – Ludovica exploring a subject in a cre-
ative, unexpected and importantly accessible
way; ‘accessible’ both to the viewer but also to
her – not every project requires us to venture
half way around the world. This particular im-
age is beautifully realised – the simple decora-
tions on this carefully selected cutting resulting
in a thoughtful piece with gorgeous colours
and textures. There’s a restraint at play too.
While this sits on the edges of ‘photography’
per-se, I’m glad such an image was included in
the selection”.

Brian Paul Clamp – Founder and Director at
ClampArt Gallery in New York.

3rd Prize at Premio Tabò:

“Per aver costruito efficacemente attraverso la fu-
sione di differenti tecniche, un tema delicato di
grande attualità, proponendo più livelli di lettura e
di analisi dove l’occhio percepisce leggerezza e la
riflessione si fa struggente e drammatica”.

Installation view at Circulation(s), Festival de la jeune photographie européenne
                   January, 21st to March 5th, Centquatre - Paris

Projection at Fotoleggendo, Rome
     18th June, La Pelanda - Macro Testaccio
See multimedia here: https://youtu.be/y8MI7SltwQA

“In your place featured” on Grazia France, Le Monde, Srf, Numero, Fenyero blog, Wipplay   5 Artistes Pour Dénoncer Les Violences Faites Aux Femmes on Manifesto XXI

Interview on Arte Journal: https://tinyurl.com/lh4g5a6

Ludovica Bastianini

Education
Master in Photography and Visual Design, NABA Academy, Milan, 2015
Master degree in History of Art, University of Naples, 2012
Bachelor degree in Conservation of Cultural Heritage, Università degli Studi Suor Orsola Benin-
casa, Naples, 2008

Exhibitions and Awards
Le Voyage à Nantes, Festival, 2017
Life Framer Series Award, shortlisted, 2017
3rd Prize at Premio Tabò, Rome 2017
Grand Prix Images Vevey 2017/2018, shortlisted, 2017
Circulations, Festival de la jeune photographie européenne, Paris, 2017
Winner / Honorary Mention, Life Framer - Open Call, 2017
Selected for the digital archives of the Italian Foundation “Fondo Malerba per la Fotografia”, 2016
3 Honorable Mentions at IPA Award, Themed Competition “Family of Man”, 2016
“SlideluckOnBoard”, Group Exhibition, Capodichino Airport, Naples, 2016
Finalist / Winner of Slideluck Naples, 2016
Stillness, Group Exhibition, Photobastei, Zürich, 2016
Honorable Mention at IPA One Shot, Themed Competition “Home”, 2015
“Out of Expo”, Group Exhibition, Fondazione Forma / Galleria Meravigli, Milano, 2015
“Identità Vs Omologazione”, Group Exhibition, WonderWall Art Gallery, Sorrento, 2015

Projections
Festival Fotoleggendo, Rome (Italy), 2017
Belfast Photo Festival (Irlanda) with Circulation(s), 2017
Emerging Talents from Festival Internazionale di FotoGrafia Roma (Italy) with Circulation(s), 2017
Encontros da Imagem, Braga (Portugal) with Circulation(s), 2017
Festival Format (UK) with Circulation(s), 2017
Fotografia Europea di Reggio Emilia (Italia) with Circulation(s), 2017
Fotofestiwal Lódz (Polonia) with Circulation(s), 2017
Foiano Fotografia Festival with Slideluck, Foiano, 2016
Fresh Paint Art Fair with Slideluck, Tel Aviv, 2016

www.ludovicabastianini.com
bastianiniludovica@gmail.com
+39 339 50 40 580
+41 78 80 08 566