INDIEPRESS NEWS
SONY WORLD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS
My project, "Terra Nullius," has been selected as a finalist in the "Perspective" category at the Sony World Photography Awards. The top three winners will be announced on April 16th, 2025, during the awards gala at the London Hilton on Park Lane. The exhibition featuring the works of the winners and shortlisted photographers will open the following day at Somerset House in London.
Terra Nullius, Latin for ‘nobody's land,’ was a colonial construct used to justify the seizure of territories deemed ‘unclaimed’ or ‘uncivilised.’ It served as a foundation for European expansion across the Americas, displacing Indigenous peoples and erasing their sovereignty. Beneath Canada’s progressive image lies a history of Indigenous exploitation, forced assimilation and uprooting, often obscured by romanticised pioneer myths and the allure of a multicultural society. Over the past decade, Giovanni Capriotti has worked alongside Indigenous communities in Canada, gathering archives, creating images and assembling collages. With guidance from local elders and those living with intergenerational trauma, this project disrupts dominant narratives by piecing together fragments of a silenced history. As an immigrant, the photographer’s aim is to confront colonial erasure, amplify Indigenous voices and advocate for self-determination – challenging the lens that dismisses these injustices as mere footnotes of progress.
DUALOPOLIS
To mark 700 years since Marco Polo’s death and 770 years since his birth, the Italian Cultural Institute in Shanghai, in partnership with the Wu Museum in Suzhou, presented the photographic exhibition Ways of Seeing: Venice and Suzhou, Cities of Water. Supported by the Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai and ISMEO, the exhibition was held at the Wu Museum in Suzhou from September 27 to December 1, 2024. Curated by Francesco D’Arelli, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Shanghai, Chen Zenglu, Director of the Wu Museum in Suzhou, and documentary photographer Giovanni Capriotti, this project offers a unique perspective on the two cities through Capriotti’s images. The exhibition uncovers the hidden layers of Venice and Suzhou, using photographs that transform these cities into living metaphors of our time. Each photograph speaks to the other, intertwining to create a dialogue that reveals the subtle contrasts and connections between them. Rather than merely representing, the images invite a deeper look, exposing what lies beneath the surface of these iconic cities.
GIUSEPPE TUCCI'S LEGACY
Giuseppe Tucci, the pioneering Italian explorer, made history as the first Italian to reach Tibet in the early 1900s. His extensive travels took him across the vast Tibetan plateau and eventually to the historically rich Swat Valley, now in Pakistan.
Swat Valley, once known as Uddiyana, holds a wealth of ancient history and played a crucial role in the development of Buddhism, particularly Tibetan Buddhism.
To honour Tucci’s legacy, I was fortunate to receive two generous grants from ISMEO, the International Association for Mediterranean and Oriental Studies, founded by Tucci himself. These grants gave me the opportunity to retrace Tucci’s steps and reinterpret his explorations with a modern perspective.
The work that followed goes beyond just images—it delves into the socio-political shifts that shaped the lands Tucci explored. His ability to anticipate these changes marked him as a visionary, moving beyond the rigid, essentialist thinking of his time.
Join me on a journey through Tucci’s legacy—an odyssey into a world on the brink of transformation, where history and vision intersect.
UTOPIAS
is a series of intricately crafted collages and visual annotations, carefully curated before each of my immersive journeys with ISMEO. The central aim, both then and now, is to fully grasp Giuseppe Tucci's unique approach to his explorations. As I delved deeper into the vastness of Tucci’s archives and writings, a realization slowly emerged: in contrast to many of his contemporaries, Tucci’s work stood apart from the dominant Western mindset of the early 1900s, which often treated exploration as an act of conquest and ownership.
Dr. Luca Olivieri, the esteemed head of the Italian archaeological mission in Mingora, in Pakistan’s Swat District, offers the following insight:
"Crossing the sea with skill and invention has given the Western man a sense of independence: the land he reaches is one he has conquered, earned, and yet, it will always remain foreign, distinct, and alien to him. The civilization he comes from is not the same as the one he encounters. In contrast, the land he reaches is shaped by its own utopias. We feel separate, believing that we are the ones who have crossed the sea, but both our utopias and theirs are equally imagined."
These collages reflect Olivieri’s conclusion, embracing the idea that all utopias—whether Western or non-Western—are equally valid and imagined. They seek to recognize the complexities inherent in any historical or cultural pursuit, one that is too often distorted to fit a predetermined narrative. Rather than imposing a singular worldview, they highlight the rich, multifaceted nature of exploration and understanding.
THE HAWEATERS BOOK
The inaugural limited edition of my book, "The Haweaters," has been completed, accompanied by a collection of dummy tomes that played a pivotal role in shaping the volume. Simultaneously, a second concept for "The Haweaters" is now taking form, adding to the tapestry of possibilities.
A few details about the limited first edition:
THE HAWEATERS
132 Pages - 96 Photographs/Collages Colour/Black and White
Hard Eco Leather Cover/Perfect Bound
Satin Paper 216gsm/0.19mm
SOLD OUT
THE HAWEATERS ESSAY
After much reflection on my extensive research, and the 10,000+ words written for my Documentary Media MFA at Toronto Metropolitan University, I've decided to release the paper to the public through my website. Although it was already available within TMU, I wanted to share it with a wider audience.
The paper explores Manitoulin Island's role as a micro model in shaping the Canadian archetype, during the transition from colonialism to multiculturalism.
You can find the full essay here:
Join me on this captivating journey into Canada's rich history and discover the profound influence of the "Manitoulin Model" in fostering the colonial identity of a country.
THE UNKNOWN MILITANT
Unveiling the Facets of Violence and its Ethical Implications
This study delves into the intricate realms of violence and its bioethics.
A visual research on Western news databases, and the origin of stereotypes that hold sway, shaping the collective imagination and perception of the general public.
COMING SOON
MUSIC FOR ASSIGNMENTS AND EDITING
During the golden age of mixtapes, I experienced the thrill of creating my own music compilations using a double deck cassette player.
What began as a journey of experimenting with cuts, fades, and proto-mixing soon turned into a dream of becoming a DJ. But life had other plans, and before I knew it, I was swept away by an even stronger passion—photography.
As the playlist era emerged, I eagerly embraced it, discovering that the essence of both analog and digital mixtapes mirrored the art of editing and sequencing images.
Music and photography intertwined, allowing me to curate moments that resonate with emotions and storytelling, transcending time and touching the soul. HERE is a long playlist I created on SPOTIFY, for assignments, editing, and all the travels in between.