FIAP GOLD MEDAL in section Open Color with photography Mare nostrum7
VINKO ŠEBREK – AFIAP, ESFIAP wrote about photography:
Italian photographer Donatella Tandelli won the first prize – the “FIAP Gold Medal” – in the 7th Pannonia Reflections international exhibition for her photograph “Mare nostrum 7” in the section “Open Color”. This image is an integral part of a series of well-thought-out photographs sharing the same title. Along with “Mare nostrum 7”, three additional images (“Mare nostrum 2”, “Mare nostrum 3”, and “Mare nostrum 4”) were accepted by the jury of this important exhibition. However, each photograph has its own space, each acts individually, has its own story and a distinct, yet identical title.
The title, form, and content of the photographs address the issues of man’s relationship with nature, the sea, and various social, existential issues and environmental problems specifically related to (her and our sea) “Mare nostrum”, as indicated by the title of her awarded and accepted photographs. Her creative field, visible in the above-mentioned images, implies a solid artistic and technical knowledge, as well as knowledge of photographic aesthetics and poetics, which Tandelli certainly possesses.
“Mare nostrum” translates from Latin as “Our Sea”. It consists of the waters of the Adriatic Sea along its eastern coast, where in its northernmost part, in the Gulf of Trieste, this formally interesting and enigmatic visual story most likely originates.
Donatella Tandelli’s photographs are artistic expressions, however, as art is a matter of feeling, perception, and interpretation, they are emotional expressions as well. The author prioritizes form over content, so we can relate the conceptual design of her photographs to similar thoughts and writings of Rudolf Arnheim (German-American philosopher, art and film critic) and his thesis claiming that good form is the essence of content and function. Tandelli’s photographs do not speak with their appearance, but rather with their design, which we must recognize and know to read and interpret correctly.
The central motif in her series of images is fish. They do not represent reality but fiction. They are a metaphor, through which the author is not telling a story, but conveying a message, stimulating emotions and answers.
To conclude, Donatella Tandelli is moving away from a realistic, authentic interpretation of nature in her approach. She is carefully imprinting her lyrical experience of the motifs onto her photographs achieving a surrealistic, mystical and metaphorical atmosphere through abstract expression.
Also, Donatella told us a few words about herself:
My name is Donatella Tandelli and I was born in Trieste, Italy, in 1977.
In my youth I collaborated with a photographer of my city, making sports, weddings, and other genres.
Now I dedicate myself to photography mainly as passion and expression of what I feel.
Photography is a language and there are many types of arguments.
I like to speak clearly and directly, but I also love the poetry of the simple things that surround us and that we often take for granted.
In recent periods I loved to create still life images, also made with the light painting technique, portraits with studio lights, and street / urban photography.
I hope you’ll like my style…oops, sorry, my way of express myself!
In the gallery below you can see more of Donatella’s photos:
