Nuova Generazione. Sguardi contemporanei sugli Archivi Alinari is an exhibition showcasing works by Matteo De Mayda (Treviso, 1984), Leonardo Magrelli (Rome, 1989), Giovanna Petrocchi (Rome, 1988), and Silvia Rosi (Scandiano, 1992). These works are the result of a research project examining the role of photographic archives in contemporary society.
Starting from the study of the vast photographic heritage preserved by the Fondazione Alinari per la Fotografia in Florence, the artists developed projects that explore various ways of engaging with photographic archives and collections today. They delve into the shifting meanings of archives, as highlighted by Hal Foster in his essay An Archival Impulse (2004): archives are increasingly seen as elements of infinite creative potential, capable of fostering a dialogue between the past and the present. At the same time, through their narrative power, these new artistic practices challenge the principles of scientific rigor and factual representation traditionally associated with the organization of archival content. The constant evolution of new technologies and the dematerialization of information also pose new challenges to the physicality of archival spaces.
Each artist developed a unique project that bridges past and present, employing a multidisciplinary approach that reflects the richness of historical collections and the ways contemporary practices interrogate photography as a document. The four projects in the exhibition explore a wide range of reflections on the archive: the relationship between truth and fiction, the nature of the document, the decolonization and deconstruction of imagery, and the reimagining of knowledge.
This commissioned project has been made possible through the support of Strategia Fotografia 2022, a call promoted by the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture to encourage and support research, talent, and Italian excellence in photography.
