Silvia Camporesi's 'Mirabilia' Unveils Italy's Hidden Wonders

Photographer Silvia Camporesi (Forlì, 1973) has released 'Mirabilia', a book and exhibition documenting Italy's lesser-known, extraordinary sites. Published by Corraini (Mantua, 2023, 139 pages, €49, ISBN 9791254930571), the project features photographs of locations such as Il Mappamondo della Pace in Apecchio, Bialbero in Casorzo, Edicola Bernocchi in Milan, Giardino della Galassia in Calice al Cornoviglio, and Santuario della Pazienza in San Cesario di Lecce. The accompanying exhibition is on view at Podbielski Contemporary in Milan until November 19. Camporesi's work is a region-by-region mapping that blends natural and human-made elements, evoking both beauty and disorientation. She cites photographer Robert Adams's concept of three truths in landscape photography—geographical, autobiographical, and metaphorical—as inspiration. The book includes texts by poet Franco Arminio, who suggests it should update the map of Italian beauty. Camporesi notes that most of these sites are off typical tourist routes, making them appealing for their unknown quality. The project aims to provoke physical exploration and reimagine Italian beauty as encompassing the bizarre, enhancing the joy of discovery.