From October 14 to 26, the PAC Pavilion of Contemporary Art in Milan curated by curator Diego Sileo is hosting RI-SCATTI. The sky is always bluer, the 11th edition of the social photography project conceived by Ri-scatti ODVepromoted by the City of Milan with the support of Tod’s. The exhibition is the result of the collaboration between the voluntary association, active since 2014 in the implementation of social redemption projects through photography, and Dynamo Camp, a reality that for 19 years has been offering free Recreational Therapy programs to children and young people suffering from serious or chronic diseases, neurodevelopmental disorders and conditions of disability. The exhibition is proposed as a bridge between two worlds united by the goal of giving centrality and voice to those who are often perceived only through frailty. Photography, in this experience, becomes a tool for personal expression and storytelling, focusing on elements such as fun, discovery and self-confidence. The methodology of Re-shoots, established over the years, allowed participants to follow a workshop path guided by professional photographers. It was an educational activity and an opportunity to develop a fresh look at the world and face difficulties with creativity, courage and acceptance.
The project deeply aligns with Dynamo Camp’s mission: both realities use different tools to generate the same result, that is, to transform fragility into vital energy and possibilities for the future. The journey involved nine teenagers, aged between 15 and 21, who were able to translate their personal challenges into meaningful images. Benedetta V. took black-and-white shots, capturing the contrasts of her neighborhood with a language reminiscent of great photographers. Benedetta L., a visually impaired girl, explored light and color, demonstrating how even what seems impossible can become surprising. Arianna narrated a universe suspended between air and water, while Cristian expressed with intensity his passion for sports and canoeing. Sofia represented the sense of loneliness that can emerge even in the midst of a crowd, transforming it into original visual reflection. Chiara Luna observed the surrounding world with irony, returning images capable of eliciting a smile. Francis narrated his connection with nature, oscillating between poetry and drama. Luca, at first uncertain, followed his curiosity by creating unprecedented scenes with Legos, so much so that he obtained the exhibition poster. Isabella intertwined in her photographs the past of her hometown, Matera, with her enthusiasm for her new life in Milan, transforming a personal journey into a universal experience.
“The city of Milan believes in the value of culture as a tool for growth, inclusion and participation,” says Tommaso Sacchi - Assessore alla Cultura Comune di Milano. “In this sense, projects like RI-SCATTI show how art can offer possibilities of expression to those who, too often, have no voice. The collaboration between the PAC, Ri-scatti and Dynamo Camp thus stands as a virtuous example of how cultural institutions can dialogue with social issues. This exhibition in particular is a strong testimony to the ability of photography to become a universal language: a medium through which girls and boys are able to tell their world with courage, creativity and awareness. An exhibition path that contains a powerful message: every fragility carries with it an extraordinary creative potential.”
“This exhibition,” says Stefano Corso - President Ri-scatti ODV, “is the fruit of a journey that began the moment we put a semi-professional camera in the hands of those who, until that moment, had only known the instinctive snap of the cell phone. The goal was not simply to document, but to accompany these boys and girls in the discovery of photography as a creative and evocative language capable of transforming reality into vision. In eleven years of Re-shoots projects, the biggest challenge has each time been to adapt the teaching to the fragilities and specificities of the participants, trying to stimulate each one to tell his or her story with authenticity. This year, nine extraordinary teenagers from Dynamo Camp showed us how fragility can be observed from new perspectives, not as a limitation, but as an opportunity for growth. For some, the path was more complex because of motor or visual difficulties, but their determination turned every obstacle into an opportunity. To us volunteers, they have returned valuable lessons: they have allowed us to grow, to get excited and to understand that a glance, even if it cannot change the whole world, can make a corner of it better. And this, once again, is the most authentic meaning of Re-shoots.”
The works, while differing in style and language, compose a coherent mosaic that invites us to discover the sensitivity and creativity of young people capable of transforming everyday difficulties and challenges into artistic languages. The exhibition at PAC represents the culmination of a three-month journey during which participants had the opportunity to explore new perspectives of strength, sensitivity and hope. Visiting the exhibition is free until Oct. 26. The photographs and catalog will be available for sale, and all proceeds will be donated to Dynamo Camp in support of its performing arts programs, particularly Dynamo Studios, where children and youth can experiment with creative languages, including photography and video, guided by professionals in the field. In parallel, on Saturday, Oct. 25, the PAC will host a special event in collaboration with Le Cannibale, which will weave together music, visual arts and cultural activism. The centerpiece of the evening will be One Eat One, the world’s first electronic band composed of people with and without disabilities, along with a djset by Bunny Dakota, co-founder of the Independent Industry collective, which integrates performing arts, queer research and sound experimentation.
On the same days, the second floor of the PAC will host the Project Room Reverselab. A space for contemporary art between the prison and the city, curated by Laboratorio Carcere and Caterina Grimaldi. The project returns the work carried out by Milan Polytechnic’s Laboratorio Carcere research group, Forme Tentative, Philo - Pratiche filosofiche, together with artist Maurice Pefura, with 40 inmates of the San Vittore Prison House between March and November 2024. The initiative, funded by the Fondazione di Comunità Milano and promoted as part of the activities of Off Campus San Vittore and CRAFT Competence Center Anti-Fragile Territories of the Politecnico, aims to establish a dialogue between art, inmates and the city, redefining the relationship between law and the urban context.
“Written and performed by Rino Gaetano in 1975,” says Diego Sileo - PAC curator and curator of the exhibition, “But the sky is always bluer is one of the most famous songs in the Italian repertoire, and this year it turns fifty. In that chaotic and frenzied list of humanity, Rino Gaetano shows us that, after all, there is an element that unites us all: a sky that gets bluer and bluer. I started from this suggestion for the concept of the project, but without that initial adversative that in the song emphasizes contraposition. Here there is no contraposition: there is acceptance. During photography classes with Dynamo Camp kids, I understood how one can face illness and frailty with a different attitude, focusing on the present and the possibilities of the future, without being overwhelmed by resentment. Acceptance does not mean resignation, but transforming one’s experience into awareness, opening oneself to the possibility of living moments of serenity even in difficulties. This is the point of contact between Ri-shots and Dynamo Camp: to offer tools to face challenges with courage, discovering that the sky, despite everything, can always - and in any case - be bluer for everyone.”
“Dynamo Camp’s programs,” says Maria Serena Porcari - CEO Fondazione Dynamo Camp ETS, “are designed for children and young people with serious or chronic illnesses, neurodevelopmental disorders or disabling conditions. At the base is Dynamo® Recreational Therapy, a method that involves children in fun and exciting activities, proposed in a structured and professional way, with the aim of generating recreation, joy and self-confidence. The project proposed by Ri-scatti fits perfectly with this mission: through photography, girls and boys were able to have fun, acquire a new look at the world around them and try their hand at a language that was new to them, guided by professionals in the field. This is pure Dynamo spirit. Dynamo® Recreational Therapy stimulates children’s and teens’ abilities, boosts self-esteem and offers hope, with long-term benefits on quality of life. This is why we enthusiastically welcomed this collaboration: it represents a different but complementary form of our method, capable of leaving a deep and lasting mark. Thanks to the City of Milan, RI-SCATTI and TOD’s who have chosen to involve Dynamo Camp in this project.”
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| "RE-CATS. The sky is always bluer": social photography of young people at Milan's PAC |
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