STELI GRANTICHE
2023
Strategia Fotografia / SiFest
Steli Granitiche presents stories of ghosts through an exploration of the territory of Savignano sul Rubicone. The starting point of the project is the Castle of Ribano, whose origins remain shrouded in mystery and uncertainty. Several enigmas surround the castle, including the disappearance of a manuscript likely examined by the hand of Leonardo da Vinci. Moreover, legend has it that the ghost of the White Lady roams the castle’s rooms. Supernatural phenomena are also said to occur outside, particularly on nights of the full moon and near the vineyards. Among these stands a stele with an obscure meaning, bearing an inscription faded by time.
The image of a ghost draped in a white sheet has been deeply rooted in Western culture for centuries. Its origin lies in the tradition of wrapping the deceased in burial shrouds, which persisted until the 19th century.
In poorer families, the dead were simply wrapped in the bedsheet they had died on. This somber tradition has been reinterpreted in a contemporary context through the use of colorful sheets donated by the citizens of Savignano. The project also includes reflections on the photographic medium, mediated by AI software that was used to recreate images of the supposed manuscript. The result is a combination of vivid colors and ambiguous imagery that breaks away from the dark and unsettling nature of these legends.



LA CULTURA DEL PROGETTO



La cultura del progetto is the winning initiative of Strategia Fotografia 2022 call, curated by Jessica Andreucci, Giuseppe Pazzaglia and Jana Liskova. The outcomes of the residency were presented during the SiFest edition Testimone Oculare.