This month’s Art Exposition presents the pictures of the student, Pietro Mora
Pietro (@s.pie.do) is originally from Italy but comes to WUR on exchange from the University of Copenhagen, where he studies Sustainable Food Systems. To discover this story, check out our bookcase corner, in Aurora, before the end of January and read through the hints we learned from Pietro during our monthly lunch.
So, tell us more about how you started taking pictures and your style!
I started when I was 15. I wanted a camera, so I worked on a farm to buy one. Since then, I have always taken digital pictures. My pictures are something like realistic travel postcards. I try to capture the beauty in real situations of the places I visit. I also like combining colour and black and white pictures. I find that together they are visually quite pleasing.
What is the story behind this collection, “Nuova Napoli”?
This collection of pictures I took during a month’s stay in Napoli, where I strolled around exploring and discovering the city and its surroundings. I have never been in one place for so long just walking and taking time to take pictures, so this is my most solid collection for now. Also, Napoli is a very special place, it has a culture of its own.
Why is Napoli so special to you?
I’m the opposite of a good street photographer as I tend to stay away from the scene because I feel like invading someone’s life. In Napoli, this is not a problem because the entire city is a stage. In certain districts, doors and windows are constantly open and life just happens on the streets. It’s incredibly rich.
What is the story behind the picture with the skulls?
It is a place that is used as a cemetery and is full of skulls. In Napoli, in many churches, there are a lot of things like this. Sometimes it feels like a different country from the rest of Italy.
Do you have a favourite photograph?
Yes, the one of the newspapers. It’s an art piece from Mario Merz, an Italian artist of the 20th Several of his works include the Fibonacci series which indicates continuous transformation and evolution. In this piece, the numbers follow a line of local newspapers, which I found an evocative illustration of time.
Is this your first exposition? Where can people find your pictures?
Yes, I spend more energy looking at the work of other photographers rather than trying to organize coherently and exhibit my work. Before this, I had only published from time to time on my Instagram page.
Do you have any future plans for your pictures?
The most ambitious plan is to keep enjoying and playing with images. As pictures are more and more dethatched from my daily student life, I’d like to challenge myself with developing a personal project in the future.