Independent Publishing House — Palermo
Independent Publishing House — Palermo
35,00 €
E lucevan le stelle, tells the story of men, whose lives have been disrupted by mental pain, living in social housing. The image composition was driven by the artist’s desire to make the human mental suffering condition more widely known to the public, who is often afraid of it, and it does so by showing its real nature, its silences, its empty spaces, its voids, the humanity inside the pain. The title is a pledge to music, it takes inspiration from Puccini’s aria, it refers to all that is lost in life. Photos were taken in three different social houses for psychiatric patients at the NCO co-op near Caserta, which invests mental health funds in social reintegration projects & methods. In 2014 Irene Angelino was subject to a 35 day involuntary psychiatric treatment, during that time she became victim of two sexual assaults by a hospital nurse. Her photography research is tied to the theme of mental health and abuse victims.
1. EDITION 04/2024
Text by Teresa Capacchione
Book Design by Irene Angelino
64 pages
20 × 30 cm
43 color photographs
Softcover
Digital print
Founded by a photographer, 89books emerged from the desire to elevate the book as an artistic medium and to create opportunities for photographers at the beginning of their careers, as well as for those with little or no previous experience in photobook publishing. Book proposals may be submitted at any time, either as a completed dummy or as an invitation to collaborate on the development of a project from a larger body of photographic material. In the latter case, 89books works closely with the artist on image selection, editing, sequencing, and graphic design in order to shape the work into a carefully conceived publication.
Folio is a special series of 89books dedicated to the production of fast-paced publications distinguished by a cohesive design and a standard format (21 × 28 cm). Each edition is housed in a printed envelope, reinforcing the tactile and collectible nature of the object. With Folio, 89books aims to respond to photographers’ desire to produce limited-edition publications quickly, while maintaining a strong commitment to quality and craftsmanship. Folio is continuously open to submissions from artists and photographers with fully developed projects seeking to transform their work into a carefully conceived publication.
The 89Books AIR Program (Artists in Residence) supports professionals working in contemporary art, with a particular focus on photography and bookmaking. During the residency, residents may either refine an existing project with the aim of transforming it into a book, or develop new work in the city of Palermo intended to become part of Quaderno Palermo – a collection of impressions of the city and its inhabitants conceived in dialogue with the 89books team. The residency also seeks to question and expand the very notion of the “book,” exploring new possibilities for how photobooks can be made, structured, viewed, and experienced. Residencies typically last two weeks. Shorter or longer stays may be arranged individually. Selected candidates receive a letter of support to assist with applications for external funding covering travel expenses and per diems.
Quaderno Palermo is a special publication series dedicated to photographers’ interpretations of Palermo, a city endlessly photographed and immortalized in cinema. At once visually captivating and deeply neglected, Palermo offers a rich and layered terrain for artistic exploration. Projects may be developed independently or within the framework of the 89books Artist-in-Residence program. The intended outcome is a publication in the Quaderno Palermo series.
