Paola Bormioli's Photographic Series Explores Provincial Identity in Eastern Brescia

Artist Paola Bormioli presents a photographic project titled 'Il Teorema dell'Anatra' (The Duck Theorem), examining the threshold between appearance and reality in photography. The series documents towns in the eastern province of Brescia, Italy, where Bormioli grew up. These transitional zones along main roads feature sparse commercial establishments—typically one of each type like a trattoria, pharmacy, and butcher shop. Bormioli captures seemingly empty places that actually reveal community presence through inhabitants and subtle traces of life. The work questions photographic objectivity, referencing Joan Fontcuberta's duck analogy about trusting appearances and Edgar Lee Masters' poetry about capturing authentic character. The project is part of a column promoted by LABA Libera Accademia di Belle Arti in Brescia, exploring how photography can both document and construct reality. Bormioli observes strong local pride and community identity in these provincial areas, challenging assumptions about their disappearance. The images focus on passage zones where residents maintain distinct local identities despite their proximity to urban centers.