Two Photobooks Explore Emilia-Romagna's Territory and Memory

Michele Buda and Marco Zanella have each published a photobook focused on Emilia-Romagna, specifically the town of Cotignola. Buda's "Sul confine" (Quodlibet, 2021) results from an artist residency and features about eighty black-and-white and color images taken since early 2021. The work maps the territorial and human boundaries of Cotignola, particularly the Senio river, which from November 1944 to April 1945 marked the front line between fascists/Nazis and partisans/Allies. Today that same line separates the industrial and natural parts of the area. The book includes a text by Stefano Munarin. Zanella's "Scalandrê" (Cesura, 2021) takes its title from a Romagnolo word meaning "out of season, out of phase," referring to both people and nature. The three-year project also focuses on Cotignola, where Zanella—an assistant in Cesura & Alex Majoli's studio since 2012—lives part-time. The book features strong black printing and texts by Majoli and Arianna Arcara. It examines the end of rural civilization in a world shaped by the pandemic, reflecting on changing rhythms and traditions, with a nod to philosopher Byung-chul Han. Both volumes were published in 2021.