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| reports by Livio Mancini |
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mumbai breath
mumbai - 2010 |
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| Mumbai was my home for two months in early 2010. It was my first time in India. I was told that Mumbai has changed dramatically in the last 15 years. In some cases, it is unrecognizable. Nevertheless Mumbai is considered to be the city of hope for the thousands who go there every day from all over India. Wandering into the city, I wanted to discover Mumbai by meeting its people. I found their everyday rituals coexisting with the city’s chaotic development. I felt Mumbai breathing, consuming and growing at every moment, like a huge organism. |
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mumbai schizophrenic - trapped out
mumbai - 2010 |
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Scene 1: I find myself in a mental hospital. I’m surrounded by dozens of patients. I’m living through something I would have never imagined to experience.
Scene 2: There's this man. His name is Dr. V., he is visiting one of the patients. The diagnosis is schizophrenia.
Scene 3: I just met new friends. No dialogue is possible, but I feel a deep connection with them. Their eyes speak to me in a language I’m able to understand.
Scene 4: I am in the country, in the village of K. At least a two hour drive from M. It’s so quiet here compared to the big chaotic city.
Scene 5: I feel at home now. My mates are playing soccer. I’m going to join them.
Scene 6: I’m leaving. On my way back home. I know I’ll miss K. and my friends.
Epilogue: The Shraddha Rehabilitation Foundation is a non-profit organization, based in Karjat near Mumbai. Its mission is to take care of the mentally-ill roadside destitute, living off the streets of India. The activities are being conducted on an absolutely free basis. www.shraddharehabilitationfoundation.org |
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scylla
reggio calabria - 2009 |
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| I was in Reggio Calabria, in the toe of Italy, for the first time in the summer of 2009, when I was invited by a friend of mine. Reggio Calabria is considerd to be the stronghold of the Calabrian mafia ‘Ndrangheta. I found the region exciting because of it's beautiful landscape and historical culture. At the same time, I discoverd that this unique environment has been defiled. This made me think of the mythological monster Scylla, a grotesque sea monster. It lived on the Calabrian side of the Straits of Messina, facing its nemesis, Charybdis. The phrase "between Scylla and Charybdis" is a metaphor for a state of being caught between two inescapable dangers. Today, Scylla could be imagined as the ‘Ndrangheta, which is involved among many other illegal activities, in the waste management and construction industries. In Reggio Calabria, corrupt practices have led to illegal, hazardous, and hasty shortcuts in waste and trash disposal and issuance of building construction licenses. The city has been transformed by pollution and countless illegal, unfinished buildings. The ‘Ndrangheta blends into communities and conducts operations in stealth. Yet, its effect is real. The power of this modern-day Scylla is strong, casting grey shadows onto the daily lives of the local people. |
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