Alessandra Gatto on Photography, Ecology, and the Materiality of Images

In an interview with Sara Benaglia for ATP Diary's New Photography series, artist Alessandra Gatto discusses her practice, which renegotiates the relationship between photography, organic processes, and ecological urgency. Gatto uses techniques like anthotype and chlorotype, which are perishable and unstable, to challenge the industrial genealogy of photography and the idea of permanent archives. Her project 'Radicale' employs chlorophyll as a photosensitive agent, creating images that decay within hours, critiquing human control and the Anthropocene. 'Membrana' (2026, exhibited at Viafarini residence) uses silver halide to create dystopian landscapes, revealing the toxicity inherent in photography. 'I miei occhi sono foglie verdi' (2024) involves confocal microscopy and fluorescence, translating scientific data into visible images through artistic intervention. Gatto's work often involves layering, both digital and perishable archives, and a-temporal coexistence of historical and advanced techniques. She describes her practice as creating 'ambient' spaces where photography becomes an object, and she uses dystopian scenarios as critical tools. The interview continues a conversation with Lucas Leffler on photography's material origins and ecological imperatives.