Tomaso Clavarino & Patrizio Anastasi: Ballad of Woods and Wounds

Tomaso Clavarino & Patrizio Anastasi: Ballad of Woods and Wounds

CREDITS

GUP Author

Linda Zhengová

Title

Ballad of Woods and Wounds

Publisher

studiofaganel

Format

Softcover, 160 x 210 mm, 72 pages

Price

€30

‘Ballad of the Woods and Wounds’ (published by studiofaganel) brings us to the Monferrato and Roero Woods that besiege the commune of Cocconato d’Asti in northern Italy. The Monferrato region is located just a few miles away from one of the most COVID-19 affected areas in the country. In the search for headspace and tranquillity during the global crisis, Tomaso Clavarino returns to his hometown and explores his relationship with the place.

Clavarino’s photographs operate within the constraints of imposed confinement and show a re-discovered bond between himself and the local nature. The images, captured between 9 March to 18 May 2020, are defined by warm tones and show traces of human presence. Interestingly, all the images appear to be shot at a similar time of the day – the golden hour, shortly before the sunset. In the book, this feeling is additionally heightened by the choice of yellowish paper further enhancing the warmth vibrating from the photographs.

The images are accompanied by Patrizio Anastasi’s illustrations: monochromatic line drawings printed on a transparent paper. Anastasi’s illustrations explore the connection between humans and nature while questioning how much more can we take as living beings? Despite the apparent difference between the two visual languages, there is an underlying dialogue between the images and the illustrations which provide a sense of rhythm and resemblance when flipping the pages.

Concerned with human limits and existence, the title turns into a visual conversation between the artists characterised by their shared experiences. By re-evaluating their gaze and working outside of their comfort zone, Clavarino and Anastasi are demonstrating an organic interplay of their artistic practices. ‘Ballad of Woods and Wounds’ provides an insight into their states of mind and the book serves as an object of remembrance, delineating the rather extraordinary situation we are currently experiencing and the comfort that can still be found when moving into more remote places – both physically and mentally.

 

Tomaso Clavarino (b. 1986, Italy) is a photographer and director based in Italy. Alongside working for media outlets such as The New York Times, Vanity Fair and The Washington Post, he also works on personal projects that have been exhibited during the occasions of Athens Photo Festival, Format19, Les Recontres d’ Arles and many more. Currently, he is the co-curator of JEST, an independent space for photography in Turin and Professor at IED (European Institute of Design).

Patrizio Anastasi (b. 1987, Italy) is a visual artist, illustrator, and a co-founder of Studio tuta – a graphic design studio specialized in design research and consultancy located in Turin, Italy.

‘Ballad of Woods and Wounds’ is available for purchase via ARTIBOOKS and studiofaganel.