Camillo Pasquarelli's Kashmir Photo Book Through Children's Eyes
Camillo Pasquarelli's photobook 'Monsoons never cross the mountains' (Witty Books, Turin, 2020) offers a visual journey through the Kashmir Valley's emotional landscape, seen through children's eyes. The project, born from his 2012 visit and a 2015 six-month stay for his cultural anthropology thesis, documents the region's struggle for Azadi (freedom) amid Indian military presence. Pasquarelli deliberately avoids classic war photography stereotypes—soldiers, barbed wire, riots—opting instead for a disorienting, decontextualized aesthetic that conveys claustrophobia. The black-and-white images are interspersed with postcards of deceased Sufi saints (Pirs), linking contemporary martyr veneration to local culture. The title quotes Kashmiri poet Agha Shahid Ali, metaphorically describing the valley's unique climate as a natural repulsion to Indian nationhood. Pasquarelli, born in Rome in 1988, combines anthropological approach with photography.
Key facts
- Photobook 'Monsoons never cross the mountains' by Camillo Pasquarelli published in 2020 by Witty Books, Turin.
- Project focuses on Kashmir conflict through children's perspective, avoiding stereotypical war imagery.
- Title is a verse from poet Agha Shahid Ali, referencing Kashmir's distinct climate as a metaphor.
- Pasquarelli first visited Kashmir in 2012, then returned for 6 months in 2015 for his anthropology thesis.
- Book includes black-and-white photos interspersed with postcards of deceased Sufi saints (Pirs).
- Kashmir has been disputed between India and Pakistan since 1947; UN called for a plebiscite in 1949.
- Since the 1990s, the region has seen revolts against Indian administration, with protests for Azadi met with repression.
- Pasquarelli aims to create an emotional landscape rather than informative documentation.
Entities
Artists
- Camillo Pasquarelli
- Agha Shahid Ali
Institutions
- Witty Books
- United Nations
- Artribune
Locations
- Kashmir
- India
- Pakistan
- Rome
- Turin
- Kashmir Valley