Franco Taranto celebrates in these shots one of the most internationally famous and ever-changing cities: Venice, a bridge between the charm of the past and the liveliness of the present, which through the play of light in the sea and the reflection of the palaces in the canals offers unrepeatable images. The photographer of light captures the beauty and mystery in every detail of the city and invites the observer to be guided on this wonderful journey by two young girls, one Italian and one Swiss. 1600 years after its legendary foundation, the lagoon city encompasses the most diverse narratives and characters that have passed through its calli and over its waters since antiquity, leaving traces that still today make it a fundamental crossroads for the arts, culture, society, and worldliness. Born as a fishing town, over the years it has become a centre of commerce, the press, industry, theatre and art. Events such as the Venice Biennale and the Venice Film Festival attract experts and tourists from all over the world every year, and in recent years a number of historic fashion houses have paid homage to ’made in Italy’ by showing their precious clothes in the setting of La Serenissima.
In ’Sogno di un’alba a Venezia’ the artist personifies the city in two models dressed in clothes in the typical colours of Venice: blue and gold. Blue like the sea that embraces every corner of the city through its canals that make it unique in the world. Gold like the colour of the sky at dawn and dusk, like St Mark’s Basilica (also known as the Golden Church) and its Byzantine mosaics that shimmer from afar and draw long lines of people to the main square to see them up close. Fabrics as light as the slightly salty breeze in the calli; fabrics as fluttering as the movement up and down the bridges of people walking through the city. The two protagonists, one of Italian origin and one from Switzerland, run happily and carefree holding hands through the city’s calli at dawn and enjoy posing naturally during a gondola ride, as is traditional in Venice. The complicity of the two models is an analogy of Franco Taranto’s strong connection to the two countries: Italy where he was born and Switzerland where he has lived for over 30 years. Thanks to his use of light and his ability to understand the female soul in depth, through these images the photographer draws attention to the importance of living happy and carefree lives and invites women and all people in general to rediscover this serene feeling within themselves.
’Dream of a Dawn in Venice’ does not feature the classic shots with the gondolier rowing in a striped shirt and a straw hat with a red ribbon. Only the two girls are on the scene, posing playfully and sensually together in front of historic palaces and lying on the soft red velvet of the boat and taking turns driving the gondola while wearing the typical hat. The protagonists lead the viewer on a tour of the city, between cultural sites such as St Mark’s Basilica or the Rialto Bridge and along the canals on board a gondola to discover ancient Byzantine palaces. A journey characterised by a playful and lively atmosphere. Franco Taranto always pays special attention to women, especially those who are more fragile and sometimes find themselves in difficult situations of violence. In 2017, he founded the non-profit association ’Victims of Beauty’ aimed at improving the conditions of women victims of violence. Through his shots, the photographer of light creates an indissoluble bond between the two models and the city of Venice, until they recognise each other during this journey to discover the most hidden beauty. La Serenissima has been in history several times victim of floods that have created serious damage, including the last one in November 2019, but it has always risen again and seems to be going against the predictions of some scholars who see it submerged within 30 years. This strength can be found inside every woman: the desire to assert oneself, to look to the future with hope and joy, to live happily while keeping within the simplicity and carefreeness of youth.
