Belice 1968: Alessandro Greco and Giulia Mancuso Photograph Sicily's Earthquake Landscape

Alessandro Greco and Giulia Mancuso's photographic endeavor, Belice 1968, delves into the relationship between architecture, landscape, and memory in western Sicily's Valle del Belice following the devastating earthquake of January 14-15, 1968. The disaster obliterated towns, prompting innovative reconstruction efforts in Gibellina and Poggioreale, which were moved from their original locations. Although new buildings emerged, they failed to mend the severed community bonds, leaving residents disconnected from their historical centers. The landscape today still reveals this alteration, juxtaposing Gibellina's modern architecture with the quiet streets of Poggioreale. Through their images, Greco and Mancuso scrutinize these environments, illuminating the disparity between architectural aspirations and everyday reality, while reflecting on what endures and what has transformed.