TEHRAN. (HONARONLINE) - Italian photographer Mauro Vitale has just opened his exhibition of People and Land of Wool in Tehran, which showcases a collection of 60 photographs that trace similarities between the Iranian nomads and the ancient culture in southern Italy.
About his exhibition at the Nami Gallery of Artists Forum, he says: "I came to see the people of Iran and take their photographs. I never had any specific geographical location in mind.”
The exhibition is a collection of photographs he took during his many travels to Iran. Titled People and Land of Wool, the exhibit includes 60 photos of nomads captured in the cities of Fars Province and Talesh in Gilan Province, as well as nomads of southern Italy.
The 60-year-old artist has photographed nomads of many countries, including Romania, India and Morocco, over the past 12 years, and for the same reason made six trips to Iran. The most interesting feature of the exhibit is that the photos depict the similarities and differences between Iranian and Italian nomads. The collection has been awarded the Medal of the Presidency of the Italian Republic.
Vitale was the head of a photo project for D’Abruzzo magazine for five years. He collaborates with magazines and publishers at the national level. He has published books and excursion guides that use photography to investigate nature, architecture, popular traditions and the manifestations of spirituality.
He says: "I first met with the people of Firouzabad. I talked to my colleague Paolo Riccelli about the experience and we came to the conclusion we could create a project that depicts the lives and works of Iranian and Italian shepherds and nomads. We returned to Iran on several occasions to learn more about Iran’s nomadic culture and tradition. I even lived in their tents to have a hand-on experience on how they live and every day.”
Mauro Vitale says: "Iranian People have an open mind about other cultures. People here are kind and caring.”
Regarding whether their exhibition was a success in Italy, Mauro Vitale says: "People liked the way your people respect the nature. Your nomads see themselves as part of the nature and not above it. That was the main theme of the exhibit. Visitors were particularly moved to see so many commonalities between the nomadic cultures in Iran and Italy.”