‘It is held by some that this word ‘Venetia’ signifies ‘Veni Etiam’, that is, come again, and again, for however oft you come, you will always see new things, and new beauties.’
- Jacopo Sansovino 1581
A major focus of my attention as a photographer has been Venice, unsurprisingly perhaps given my origins. My love of Venice was kindled in those very first visits made with my artist uncle, who introduced me to a city that contrasted markedly with the one typically visited by tourists. These early experiences laid the foundations to my enduring love of this extraordinary city, built on stilts and paved with trachyte stone slabs mined from the hills close to the town of my birth. So much has been written about this living museum and so many photographs made by amateurs and professional alike, what can I offer that is different or even unique? Through the eyes of a native returning now as an artist, reconnecting with my cultural roots and the place that holds strong emotions and memories, I am calling on those very personal experiences to make photographs that help build an alternative vision of the city to that commonly presented. In combining immediately recognisable subjects with quiet, mysterious places “off the beaten track” that may go unnoticed or overlooked, my aim is to capture the soul of the city that exists within the gradual, but unrelenting erosion that appears to be its sad fate. The minimalist, monochrome style is deliberately chosen to convey a sense of quiet, calm reflection as a counterpoint to the busy, chaotic almost claustrophobic vision of Venice that tends to be the norm.
