Matera Through the Lens of Photography Masters at American Academy in Rome

A refined exhibition at the American Academy in Rome, curated by Lindsay Harris, presents Matera through the work of renowned photographers, from David Seymour's 1948 reportage to contemporary images by Carrie Mae Weems. The show, part of the lead-up to Matera 2019 European Capital of Culture, avoids esoteric or cinematic portrayals, focusing instead on inhabited spaces and social change. It features Henri Cartier-Bresson, Luigi Ghirri, Fosco Maraini, and lesser-known photographers like Marjory Collins and Esther Bubley, who documented the impact of American aid and oil interests in southern Italy. Augusto Viggiano and Mario Cresci capture a modern Matera grappling with the Years of Lead. The exhibition closes with a large recent photograph by Carrie Mae Weems, depicting her from behind on a cave threshold, evoking the stories of those who lived in what Carlo Levi called 'that immobile time, that black civilization I had abandoned.' The show highlights photography as both witness and agent of social transformation, tracing Matera's journey from a symbol of national shame to a cultural capital.