Jacopo Benassi: Bologna Portraits

Bologna Portraits is the portrayal of one of the most charming and least well-known Italian cities, captured through the faces of the people who live there today. The project began during the artist's numerous visits to the town. As Jacopo Benassi discovered Bologna gradually, he took photographs, akin to a notebook, of the most intriguing individuals he met during his stays.

Within a few months, Benassi amassed a large portfolio of people which, like a mosaic, creates a larger portrait of the city as it stands today. Bologna is possibly the best-kept secret among Italian cities with a rich history. While large-scale tourism has largely left it untouched, it has recently been discovered by an increasing number of sophisticated travellers interested in art, culture, cinema, and food.

The portraits feature a wide array of individuals, ranging from young artists and writers to renowned musicians and leading businessmen, as well as famous bartenders, tailors, professors from the local university (the oldest in the Western world), and notable personalities such as international artists Nino Migliori and Luigi Ontani. All portrayed individuals were either born in or reside in Bologna.

The entire book is a study of real faces that convey meaning and tell stories. These portraits evoke a tradition reminiscent of face studies by Pier Paolo Pasolini in some of his films or Andy Warhol's Screen Tests. Simultaneously, they harken to masterpieces like Un Paese, the book produced by Paul Strand and Cesare Zavattini.

The book also includes a text by art critic Antonio Grulli.