Giovanna Silva's Photobook Captures Milan's Pandemic Emptiness

Giovanna Silva's photobook 'City, I listen to your heart' documents Milan and its outskirts during a year of Covid-induced emptiness. Published by Mousse Publishing with a text by Giovanni Piovene, the volume contains about a thousand images. Silva rose daily at 6 a.m. to traverse circular routes covering center and periphery, sometimes revisiting locations under different light. The book focuses on modern and contemporary architecture, including anonymous buildings and notable projects like City Life and Cascina Merlata, but avoids celebration. Subtle captions identify architects and buildings, revealing quality public housing and ecclesiastical structures. The title references Alberto Savinio's book on Milan. The graphic design features continuous image sequences not necessarily related, with maps at the end referencing zones rather than specific sites. Silva's Milan differs from Gabriele Basilico's industrial portraits or luxury-focused magazine depictions, capturing a city transformed by the pandemic and ongoing urban change.