Yvonne De Rosa's 'A mia madre' explores war through a soldier's diary and photographs
Photographer Yvonne De Rosa (Naples, 1975) presents her project 'A mia madre', a book and exhibition that uses a young soldier's diary and letters to reflect on war and memory. The book, published by Roberto Nicolucci Editore in 2022, transcribes a diary from the early 20th century found in an epistolary correspondence, along with contact prints made from original glass negatives in De Rosa's darkroom. The exhibition is currently at StudioFaganel in Gorizia, curated by Sara Occhipinti and Marco Faganel. De Rosa's work began with a commission to photograph the church of the Scuola Militare Nunziatella in Naples, where she discovered inscriptions on marble and an archive of photographs from the Cimitero degli Invitti at Redipuglia. The project juxtaposes the soldier's naive diary entries with a later letter to his mother stating 'they took away my youth'. De Rosa also founded Magazzini Fotografici in 2015, a non-profit space in Palazzo Caracciolo D'Avellino in Naples dedicated to photography.
Key facts
- Yvonne De Rosa is a photographer born in Naples in 1975.
- Her project 'A mia madre' includes a book published in 2022 by Roberto Nicolucci Editore and an exhibition at StudioFaganel in Gorizia.
- The exhibition is curated by Sara Occhipinti and Marco Faganel.
- The work is based on a young soldier's diary and a letter to his mother, both real documents.
- De Rosa used contact prints from original glass negatives in her darkroom.
- The project originated from a commission to photograph the church of the Scuola Militare Nunziatella in Naples.
- The church features works by Francesco De Mura, Ludovico Mazzanti, and Giuseppe Sanmartino.
- De Rosa founded Magazzini Fotografici in 2015, a non-profit space in Palazzo Caracciolo D'Avellino in Naples.
- The project includes photographs of tombs from the Cimitero degli Invitti at Redipuglia.
- De Rosa's studio is located in a former bag workshop in the Foria district of Naples.
Entities
Artists
- Yvonne De Rosa
- Francesco De Mura
- Ludovico Mazzanti
- Giuseppe Sanmartino
- Tom Waits
Institutions
- Magazzini Fotografici
- StudioFaganel
- Roberto Nicolucci Editore
- Scuola Militare Nunziatella
- Hasht Cheshmeh Art Space
- Artribune
Locations
- Naples
- Italy
- Foria
- Palazzo Caracciolo D'Avellino
- Gorizia
- Kashan
- Iran
- Redipuglia
- Colle Sant'Elia
- Cimitero degli Invitti
- Primo Sacrario Militare di Redipuglia