Intimacy Under the Wires

The Hanging Stories of Naples

September 16, 2012

Intimacy under the wires, laundry, Italy, Naples, Napoli

‘You have to go to Naples’ 

This is what every body who saw or heard about my on-going photography project ‘Intimacy Under the Wires‘ kept telling me.

So I did.

I did go to Naples. And it didn’t disappoint. On the contrary. It was a heavenly place for my shoot and a tremendous landmark for my project.

Walking in the narrow streets under the crumbling balconies of old colorful buildings, keeping my head up and my camera always ‘on’, was an amazing visual experience. I couldn’t keep my head down, not for a minute, not to miss any shooting opportunity but to keep following the cloth- lines as they ran from one balcony to another.

I booked a private tour guide in advance, to make sure I visit the tiniest streets and the more dangerous areas so I could be free to shoot Laundry. Marina, who was born and raised in Naples and is very proud to be called a native Neapolitan, took me to Via Forcella in the Forcella district, where the Camorra (Naples’ Mafia) clans rule. And so, a sense of urgency and danger accompanied my shooting experience. (I loved it!)

When we got to the entrance of Via Forcella, Marina stopped and said; ‘This is where GOD is’. She looked at me to make sure I understood what she meant and continued: ‘I find GOD in human beings. and this is where we hang our clothes…This is where the hanging clothes and the hanging stories of the Neapolitans exist’ 

She urged me to be quick with my shoot (‘because it is not a safe place’, she said) and I took a deep breath to overcome of my sense of apprehension and got my camera ready.

This is just a hint of what I have found.

Intimacy under the wires, laundry, Italy, Naples, Napoli

Intimacy under the wires, laundry, Italy, Naples, Napoli

Intimacy under the wires, laundry, Italy, Naples, Napoli

Intimacy under the wires, laundry, Italy, Naples, Napoli

Intimacy under the wires, laundry, Italy, Naples, Napoli

Intimacy under the wires, laundry, Italy, Naples, Napoli

Intimacy under the wires, laundry, Italy, Naples, Napoli

Intimacy under the wires, laundry, Italy, Naples, Napoli

Intimacy under the wires, laundry, Italy, Naples, Napoli

Intimacy under the wires, laundry, Italy, Naples, Napoli

Intimacy under the wires, laundry, Italy, Naples, Napoli

Intimacy under the wires, laundry, Italy, Naples, Napoli

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6 Comments

  • Reply Tracy Zhang September 16, 2012 at 6:37 pm

    Wow Sivan, you have managed to capture the essence of the city so perfectly, with just their drying laundry – a reflection of their daily life. It also sounds like you had a thrilling time in the Forcella district. Amazing!

    • Reply Sivan September 16, 2012 at 6:42 pm

      Thanks Tracy. Being in Naples to shoot laundry is a dream come true for my project. Stay tuned for my next posts about Naples.
      You should mark it as a destination to see.
      xox

  • Reply Lilia September 16, 2012 at 6:44 pm

    Dear Sivan, I always love your photography, but this Naples laundry project is truly breathtaking. Coming from an Italian, it should mean even more – take my word: this is exceptional.
    You must meet writer Roberto Saviano. I’ll tell you about him when we get together next in NY. A hug.

    • Reply Sivan September 16, 2012 at 6:46 pm

      Thanks Lilia! I really appreciate it. Would love to meet Roberto Saviano. We should catch up when I’m back.xox

  • Reply stefy23 September 21, 2012 at 10:48 pm

    It’s like smelling the air and touching the clothes of Naples. Your words as well as your images are alive. I’m Italian and I know very well how much Naples is a “dangerous” place, but, yet, beautiful and full of wonderful human beings. Thank you!

    • Reply Sivan September 22, 2012 at 4:34 am

      Thank You Stefy! Naples was amazing. Stay tuned for the next post

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