Natale in crociera
Vittorio Sancipriano
curated by Federica Barletta
Courtesy of Litostudio
from 22 to 28 MAY
Via Ripamonti 110, Milan
Free admission with membership card
“Television and the left are telling us about stormy seas, cold weather and children on board…. Why not, look at you!!! I see shirtless men, calm sea, headphones and cell phones… I’m not changing my mind: in Italy you arrive by respecting the rules, otherwise STOP.”
M.S.; Twitter, Jan. 27, 2019
Vittorio Sancipriano’s “Christmas on Cruise” is an exhibition that transcends the intent to document the tragedies of migration across the Mediterranean Sea, rejecting the representation of pain as a narrative tool. Through powerful images and an almost mocking approach, Sancipriano invites deep and critical reflection, exploring the complexity of today’s narratives and the need to discern truth in a world saturated with information.
The exhibition begins with a concise narrative section, drawing on the author’s lived experience as a medical coordinator aboard quarantine and migrant rescue ships during five months of embarkation off the coast of Libya and Lampedusa. These images present a visual taste that introduces the visitor to the theme of migration in the Mediterranean.
The portraits, depicting refugees intent on traveling by sea without real need, evoke the image of a pleasure cruise and challenge conventional narratives. Irony becomes a powerful means of addressing the reality of the social and human problem. This stylistic choice not only challenges our perceptions, but also forces us to critically interpret the information by which we are overwhelmed, thus becoming more conscious observers.
The cards (facsimiles) containing reproductions of the identification photos taken of migrant people upon arrival in Lampedusa by the authorities in charge represent a stark and objective reality, which stands in direct contrast to the mocking portraits.
The aesthetically majestic images of the sea embrace the portraits, emphasizing the dichotomy between man and nature in an almost romantic way. The sea stands as both a physical and symbolic barrier, offering a deceptive promise of crossing when calm and becoming an implacable adversary in a storm; it symbolizes the unknown and uncertainty of the migratory journey, transforming itself into a powerful allegory of the human condition, hope, fear and endurance.
Vittorio Sancipriano, Italian, born in 1993
Sancipriano first entered the art scene in 2010 as a documentary photographer; his early work includes stories from Morocco, Russia, Mongolia and Palestine. Since then he has deepened his study of contemporary visual art through courses and workshops throughout Europe, with a focus on the relationship between art and science. In parallel, in 2019 he earned a degree in Medicine and Surgery, which allowed him to work for several nonprofit organizations in the field of international cooperation. He currently works as a cardiac surgeon while simultaneously undertaking several visual art projects focused on the intersection of contemporary art and significant issues such as migration, public health, and ocean pollution. To pursue academic studies combining medicine, activism and art practice, he was offered a full scholarship for an MFA in photography at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. While he awaits the completion of his surgical studies in Italy to continue his academic pursuits in the field of art, he co-founded MICAA, the first institution in Europe dedicated exclusively to art activism.
