Loredana Mantello – CHIAROSCURO
From 21 June to 25 August 2024
Chiaroscuro is a painting technique developed in the Renaissance and the most famous exponent of it was of the Italian painter Caravaggio. Chiaroscuro is an Italian word that literally means “light and dark”. The works exhibited pay tribute to Caravaggio’s mastery in creating intense atmospheres through the use of light. Each photograph captures the drama of the shadows, emphasizing the emotional strength found in the darkest details. In this collection of images lie the feelings and emotions born from a photographic exploration that occupied the nights in my studio in Bahrain, where I have been living for years. Using the technique of light painting, I capture the image in complete darkness, with long exposures, using a small led light to illuminate parts of the composition, creating light and shadow effect. This is not a somber reproduction of something lifeless, rather it’s an attempt to freeze a moment in the passage of life, a celebration of my love of life, nature and colors.
LOREDANA MANTELLO
Born in Casale Monf.to (AL) she has been living between Italy and the Middle East for 20 years. Her passion for photography began when she was twenty, working in Boston (USA) as a darkroom assistant for an American photographer. Photography, for her, is both time and memory. Each project is a genuine creative journey. She enjoys building the image starting from a project . Her collection of images is the result of experiences in countries she has visited, books she has read, music she has listened to, people she has met, and those she has loved. Photography allows her to share passions and joys with an intimacy that would hardly be possible without the camera. For years, she has collected numerous awards both nationally and internationally. Among them, the most prominent is the honor of being named a Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy in 2018 for her artistic promotion of Italian art abroad. Fine art photography has become one of her primary occupations. Her works have been exhibited in Italy and abroad in both solo and group shows. Her photos have been published in many magazines and books.
