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Avoid Naples! - Project Description
“Naples, Italy must be avoided at all costs by any tourist for any reason. Do not go. Do not even think of going. You will be robbed, mugged, beaten, and perhaps even killed. If you manage to make it out in one piece, you will suffer long term health ailments from exposure to the most polluted environment in Europe. Sodom and Gomorrah was Disneyland as compared to Naples. If you absolutely have to see Capri, Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius ... rent a video!” – Hal Licino
My ironically titled series Avoid Naples! blatantly disregards the above admonition. Rather than watching a video while sitting in a comfy chair, I threw myself headlong into the markets, streets, piazzas and subways of this often maligned metropolis. Here, among the boisterous crowds, snarled traffic, rampant graffiti, decaying rubble and endless piles of garbage, I found a vibrant and resilient population. Naples is the most urbanized city in Europe, and its residents spend much of their time in public spaces. As individuals interact with one another and their surroundings, the poetry of the street emerges whenever situations that are unexpected, mysterious, humorous or poignant unfold. A spontaneous gesture, an unusual juxtaposition, a concealed mood or a hidden emotion may suddenly materialize and then vanish in a split-second. Such ephemeral events are often overlooked or quickly forgotten. My intent is to capture these fleeting moments as evocative, richly-layered images that allow each viewer to generate a unique personal narrative. My hope is that these candid photographs will prompt us to pause and reflect on our modern lives.
The photos in this series were taken during my wonderful, week-long visit to Naples in April 2011, where I was not robbed, mugged, beaten or killed.