Filippo Romano's photographic journey through Milan's hidden layers

Filippo Romano's photographic project explores Milan's contradictions beyond the glossy narrative of a 'model city.' The series captures the city's peripheral neighborhoods like Baggio, Dergano, and Gratosoglio, where community initiatives such as the 'Cesta sospesa' (suspended basket) and ReUp computer repair emerged during the Covid lockdown. Romano's images contrast the city's architectural landmarks with its social divides—homeless sleeping at the foot of bourgeois palaces, baby gangs in luminous piazzas, and riders speeding through streets. The work is tied to Super, a festival of peripheries that has encountered about 200 grassroots organizations. Published in Artribune Magazine #62, the article by Federica Verona argues that Milan reveals its true character only when walked slowly, challenging the dominant narrative of success and real estate speculation.