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In praise of balance
The Driving Energy Award 2023 – Contemporary Photography invited photographers to interpret one of the key concepts of our culture: balance. This theme is steeped in meaning and connotations and forms the backbone of the mission of Terna, a company that strikes a balance between energy produced and energy consumed every minute of every day.
Photography consultant and curator of Photography, Cinema and New Media at La Triennale di Milano. She was the director of Magnum Photos for Continental Europe for three years, then she founded CAMERA - Centro Italiano per la Fotografia and was Advisor to the Minister of Cultural Heritage and Tourism for the enhancement of the national photographic heritage. Currently curator of Photography, Cinema and New Media at La Triennale di Milano, she is a consultant to Fondazione MAST (Bologna) and Fondazione Querini Stampalia (Venice), as well as an adjunct lecturer at IED in Turin and Vice-President of the Museum of Contemporary Photography (Cinisello Balsamo).
Maria Alicata
Professor and curator.
Art historian and curator, she teaches at the Art History school of specialisation at La Sapienza in Rome. She directed the Art, Architecture and Urban Planning programme for the Adriano Olivetti Foundation. Between 2011 and 2014, she curated the young artists programme and the residencies programme at the MACRO in Rome. She is one of the founders of the Magic Lantern Film Festival, the semi-annual event that investigates the relationship between cinema and the visual arts. She collaborates in the creation of exhibitions with MAXXI and the Baruchello Foundation.
Diane Dufour
Curator and editor.
The former European director of Magnum Photos, in 2010 Diane Dufour created LE BAL, the Parisian art centre for photography, video, cinema and new media. Internationally acclaimed, it is one of main exhibition spaces for photography in Europe. Its excellent worldwide status is reflected in joint productions with museums such as the Art Institute of Chicago. In 2013, Diane Dufour invented Curators’ Day, a project discussion and exchange platform including 30 European museums.
Francesco Zanot
Curator, essayist, and professor.
Curator of Camera, Turin from 2015 to 2017, he is the associate editor at Fantom, the curatorial platform based in Milan. Artistic director of Foto/Industria, the Biennial of Photography on Industry and Work organised by the MAST Foundation in Bologna, he is the director of the Master’s in Photography at NABA, Milan. He has held courses and seminars at many institutions and universities, including Columbia University in New York, ECAL in Lausanne, UPV in Valencia, and IUAV in Venice.
Andrea Purgatori
Journalist and screenwriter.
Professional journalist since 1974, he achieved a Master of Science in Journalism at Columbia University in New York in 1980. Reporter for il Corriere della Sera between 1976 and 2000, he is known for investigative reporting and news reports. Author of many screenplays and TV programmes, he currently collaborates with il Corriere della Sera and Style Magazine.
Massimiliano Paolucci
RExternal Relations, Institutional Affairs and Sustainability Manager at Terna
He is among the most important communication managers in Italy and has been, among other things: Director of External Relations and Communications at Acea, Director of Relations and Institutional Affairs at Condotte, Head of Communications at Aeroporti di Roma, Director of Communications at AISCAT, Director of Communications, Co-Director of External Relations and Head of Communications at all the subsidiaries of Telecom Italia Group, Director of Media Communications at the Pirelli Group.
Curator
Marco Delogu
Photographer, editor, curator, Chairman of Azienda Speciale Palaexpo
He made his début in the world of avant-garde acting by founding the Argot theatre in 1984, which trained many Italian actors who would later obtain leading roles. He came to photography in the 1990s, first producing national and international advertising campaigns, then embarking on an independent path of aesthetic and thematic research. In the following years, he was a founder of initiatives in the field, a culture manager, an art director, and a curator.
Marco Pisciottani
Head of TernaCult
TernaCult is the Terna department tasked with conceiving, creating and managing cultural promotion activities.
I vincitori
Dione Roach
Winner in Senior category - Dione Roach, Bokassa
Dione Roach is a multidisciplinary artist who lives between Italy and Cameroon. Photography is her main medium, which she uses both as a means of documenting the realities around her and as a tool for more intimate and experimental research.
Reason
For having interpreted the theme of the Prize with courage, combining narration of the present, individual history and collective events. This work reminds us that balance can have as many meanings as the positions we occupy in society, and can take on unexpected guises, yet be able to communicate strongly and be understood by all.
Martina Zanin
Winner in Youth category – Martina Zanin, Dear F
Martina Zanin (1994) is a visual artist. Author of the photographic book I Made Them Run Away (2021) published by Skinnerboox. Her work has been shown in solo and group exhibitions internationally, and is part of several public and private collections (FMAV, MoMA Library, Fondazione Orestiadi). In 2021 she is the winner of Camera Work and Cantica21. Italian Contemporary Art Everywhere promoted by MAECI and MiC.
Reason
For having taken the Prize’s reflection to several levels thanks to the installation solution and the choice to rely on the hybridisation of codes and languages. A work that investigates the relationship between the two opposite polarities of animal instinct and human reason, and the way in which they meet on the terrain of affective and interpersonal relations.
Antonio Vacirca
Amateur Award Winner – Linee d’ombra (Shadow lines)
Born in 1972, he lives in Buccheri, in the province of Syracuse. Self-taught by training, he began taking an interest in photography around the age of 17, focusing his attention on portraits and travel reportage, often with a social background, with a preference for analogue black and white. His photos have been published in various Italian and foreign magazines and websites (Around Photography, Vis a Vis, Brennpunkt, etc.). He has participated in several group and solo exhibitions
Reason
For having proposed a work that, in the rigour of black and white and starting from the scenarios of the urban landscape, carries out an analysis of balance as visual harmony and therefore of meaning, as a meeting point between lines of force around which visual perception is built, the very act of seeing.
Beatrice Aiello
Art Academy Special Commendation Winner ( Even if many nights I will not sleep for you)
Born in 2002 in Catanzaro, she started attending the Photography course at the IED in Rome in 2021. Her artistic research is oriented towards the investigation of interpersonal relationships and the emotional dynamics that animate them. In his works, people are intimately interwoven with places, which become scenarios of sensitive lives. Her work aims to investigate the role of desire in the human experience and the imbalances that arise from it.
Reason
For having worked on a completely intimate interpretation of balance, centred on the idea of motherhood and the mother/daughter relationship. Starting from a painful and “metaphysical” wound, the work that won the Academy Mention traces an enthralling, accomplished tale, carried out with great skill also from an exquisitely narrative point of view.
Lorenzo Pipi
Terna’s Highest Voted Work Winner - La pace, nell’equilibrio (Peace, in the balance)
Verbania, 1992. Multi-potential, photographer, content creator and social media mentor. In 2017, photography saved him from severe work-related stress depression. In the same year, he turns photography into a job by quitting his regular job. Awarded by Jill Mathis as the best U30 photographer in Piedmont, today his goal is to spread the philosophy of solitude as a way to connect with oneself and nature through landscape photography of Lake Maggiore.
Reason
For obtaining the highest number of preferences (one fifth of the total) from the people of Terna, who viewed and voted on the TernaCult portal for the finalist works. This work invites us to prioritise the centring of the self, the search for inner balance and the focus on what in our lives is essential and worth pursuing.
Born in Ravenna, after studying the humanities (Ravenna, Venice) she moved to Amsterdam where she studied photography and worked for the ABC press archives. She then moved to Milan where she worked for a decade with major publishing houses as a photographer and photoeditor. Back in Ravenna, she attended the photography course conducted by Guido Guidi at the Academy of Fine Arts. Dragoni's research investigates the language of photography and photography's ability to interrogate the present, creating links between photography and personal experience. His photographs are part of the collection of the V&A Museum in London.
Andrea Camiolo
Born in Leonforte in 1998. He studied photography at IED Turin and ABA Catania. In 2023 he was one of the finalists for the Luigi Ghirri Prize and was selected by CAMERA for the European FUTURES Photography programme. He is co-founder of DORSOPRESS, an independent publishing house specialising in contemporary photography.
Annamaria Belloni
A graduate in Languages, she lived in Germany for a few years before returning to Italy, where she works as a photographer, lecturer and curator. Her research focuses on the condition of contemporary man and in particular on the complex relationship with nature and the environment. In 2021, she published the book "Supernatura" with the publishing house Postcart.
Antonio Cama
Freelance photographer, head of the photographic workshops at IED Rome and lecturer in the Photography Direction module. He has realised numerous personal and corporate projects for brands such as Mercedes, Microsoft, Philip Morris, Telethon Foundation.
Antonio Di Cecco
He lives and works in L'Aquila, where he runs the ContrastiUrbani studio. He develops projects on processes of place modification and on the relationship between man, environment and time, as well as dealing with architectural and landscape photography.
Antonio Vacirca
Born in 1972, he lives in Buccheri, in the province of Syracuse. Self-taught by training, he began taking an interest in photography around the age of 17, focusing his attention on portraits and travel reportage, often with a social background, with a preference for analogue black and white. His photos have been published in various Italian and foreign magazines and websites (Around Photography, Vis a Vis, Brennpunkt, etc.). He has participated in several group and solo exhibitions.
Arianna Zampini
A graduate in New Technologies of Art from the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, she is currently specialising in History of Art and Performing Arts in Pisa, after doing a course in photojournalism and storytelling. Her approach to artistic practice is very hybrid, ranging from video, photography, which she approaches in a very pictorial way, to sewing and embroidery.
Beatrice Aiello
Born in 2002 in Catanzaro, she started attending the Photography course at the IED in Rome in 2021. Her artistic research is oriented towards the investigation of interpersonal relationships and the emotional dynamics that animate them. In his works, people are intimately interwoven with places, which become scenarios of sensitive lives. Her work aims to investigate the role of desire in the human experience and the imbalances that arise from it.
Benedetta Ristori
Her work focuses on the tension that exists between form and space. Ordinary objects and landscapes are for the artist symbols of the connection between interiority and materiality. Working in the fields of portraiture and documentary, his vision focuses on subtraction and reduction to the essential.
Claudia Corrent
A graduate in philosophy, she lives and works between Bolzano and Venice. Her research focuses on private and collective archives, family memory, the concept of time and the ontology of photography. Her work has been exhibited in Italy and abroad. In 2022 some of his works will enter the permanent collection of Museion in Bolzano.
Claudio Gobbi
Claudio Gobbi has been working on long-term projects concerning the geopolitical aspects of architecture and landscape for over 20 years. His photographs are part of numerous collections, including the MAXXI in Rome and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Thessaloniki. He lives between Italy and Berlin.
Claudio Orlandi
With a passion for photography since early childhood, he left his business in 2010 to dedicate himself full-time to his art. His works have been exhibited at shows and art fairs for some time, have been published in important industry magazines and editorial projects, and feature in private collections. One of his photographs was installed as a public work of art in December 2022 in Noto, Sicily, taking the form of a Digital Mosaic across a 30 m2 wall.
Diana Cont
Diana Cont, born in Bolzano in 1992, grew up in the Maremma region of Italy and currently lives and works in Rome. After finishing her studies in Biological Sciences, she dedicated herself to exploring chemistry through ceramics, cooking and photography; the means through which she is able to best express her creativity.
Dione Roach
Dione Roach is a multidisciplinary artist who lives between Italy and Cameroon. Photography is her main medium, which she uses both as a means of documenting the realities around her and as a tool for more intimate and experimental research.
Edoardo Hahn
He has an intense research activity with the realisation of numerous exhibitions dedicated to the relationship between photographic representation and the experience of space. His books include Landscape Materials (2015), 52 Pictures (2017) and the Sessamese Notebooks series started in 2021 and now in volume III.
Elisabetta Maluta
Graduated in Graphic Design & Multimedia currently specialising in Art Therapy at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts. She uses photography as a tool for analysing and observing her emotional world with attention to detail.
Francesco Paleari
Si forma al Politecnico di Milano e prosegue gli studi allo Iuav dove attualmente insegna. La sua professione di fotografo verte su progetti di ricerca, autoriali e collaborativi, intorno all’ambito dell’architettura, dell’urbanistica e del paesaggio. Ha pubblicato recentemente con Humboldt e Quodlibet.
Irene Facoetti
Irene Facoetti (Bergamo, 1995) graduated in photography and visual communication languages at CFP Bauer in Milan. Her work focuses on introspective practice, mainly using photography combined with analysis and statistical data.
Janneke Leenders
Born in 2003 in the Netherlands, she studied at the Royal Academy of Dance from 2007 to 2021. At the same time, she began training in stage design, pursuing various projects. She moved to Italy to study at the RUFA in Rome. She is also assistant to performance artist Marta Jovanović.
Karin Schmuck
Karin Schmuck studied painting in Urbino and photography in Bologna, before taking part in many exhibitions in Italy and abroad. She has been involved in long-term projects for several years which see her walking to remote locations in order to create photographs, drawings and multi-media installations on the theme of borders. She lives and works in Bolzano.
Katjuscia Fantini
Passionate about colour and image since childhood, her path led her to experiment in different artistic disciplines, from illustration to painting to cinema. A graduate of the Centro Sperimentale in Rome, she writes and directs short films, medium-length films and documentaries that receive prizes and special mentions at national and international festivals. She experiments with the use of photography and the graphic sign on apparently improper supports such as wood, tissue paper, fabrics and other poor materials. She enrolled in a master's course in art therapy techniques to carry out educational and rehabilitation activities through art and the use of creative materials in therapeutic contexts. She is part of the CAIB "Collettivo Artisti Irregolari Bologna" with which she has exhibited in group shows in Italy and abroad.
Leonardo Brancaleoni
Photographer and architect born in 1993. Co-founder of the webzine FA - Fotografia dell'Architettura, for years his photographic research has focused on the relationship between the urban landscape and the human being.
Lorenzo Pipi
Verbania, 1992. Multi-potential, photographer, content creator and social media mentor. In 2017, photography saved him from severe work-related stress depression. In the same year, he turns photography into a job by quitting his regular job. Awarded by Jill Mathis as the best U30 photographer in Piedmont, today his goal is to spread the philosophy of solitude as a way to connect with oneself and nature through landscape photography of Lake Maggiore.
Luca Massaro
His works with Images and Words have been published internationally (Aperture, APE, i-D, FOAM..), exhibited in group and solo shows (IIC, Viasaterna, MBAL, Triennale), won awards (Gibellina x Triennale, Prix Du Livre Arles), and are present in private and institutional collections.
Margherita Ferrario
Graduated from the European Institute of Design in Rome in Photography. Photography is what allows her to explore, interpret and connect with the world around her, capturing the soul of the places and people she encounters.
Martina Zanin
Martina Zanin (1994) is a visual artist. Author of the photographic book I Made Them Run Away (2021) published by Skinnerboox. Her work has been shown in solo and group exhibitions internationally, and is part of several public and private collections (FMAV, MoMA Library, Fondazione Orestiadi). In 2021 she is the winner of Camera Work and Cantica21. Italian Contemporary Art Everywhere promoted by MAECI and MiC.
Massimo Dimo
Born in 1969 - Architect The passion for photography born within the Florentine university results in a path of investigation that reveals a strong attraction for the Essence of the subject. The human body and the space that surrounds it represent a constant source of inspiration.
Massimo Mastrorillo
Born in Turin, he studied at the University of Perugia and graduated in photography at the European Institute of Design in Rome, where he currently lives. After a career as a commercial photographer and for numerous Italian and foreign travel magazines, he devoted himself to photojournalism, analysing the profound consequences of conflicts and natural disasters in society.
Massimo Sordi
Photographer and curator, he teaches Photography at the University of Bologna. Director of SI Fest (2009-2014), in 2016 he founded OMNE and, in the same year, was among the curators of the Venice Pavilion at the 15th Biennale. He understands photography as a tool for understanding the contemporary landscape.
Michele Tajariol
Trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara, his initial research led him to tackle the language of sculpture as a tool and pretext to explore possible collaborations in different contexts and with other artists.
Nizar Nasry
29 April 2004 represents the beginning of this swinging world of introspection and extroversion: at the time, photography was just a game, a way to explore a point of view different from one's own. An intelligent boy who seemed to have a promising future, but at the age of 18 was faced with a crucial decision: to give up everything and devote himself to expressing what had accumulated in his consciousness through photography. Now, does his photography tell about him or does it tell about you?29 April 2004 represents the beginning of this swinging world of introspection and extroversion: at the time, photography was just a game, a way to explore a point of view different from one's own. An intelligent boy who seemed to have a promising future, but at the age of 18 was faced with a crucial decision: to give up everything and devote himself to expressing what had accumulated in his consciousness through photography. Now, does his photography tell about him or does it tell about you?
Ottavio Celestino
Photographer, artist, lecturer, lives and works in Rome, Milan, Turin. His works have been exhibited in Italian and foreign Galleries, Museums, Foundations. He collaborates and has collaborated with important Italian companies on Brand Identity publishing projects. Among his most important books: La Differenza Invisibile (Ed. Giuntina), 11 Storie (Ed. Carlo Cambi), Men Art Work (Ed. Nutrimenti), Nature Meccaniche (Ed. Carlo Cambi), Ottavio Celestino 2011/2022 (Tiburtini Edition).
Pino Musi
Pino Musi is a visual artist and lecturer. His research is part of a complex project of form renewal, which finds its highest expression in book making, particularly in the production of artist's books. Twenty-six volumes with his images have been published to date. Original works by Pino Musi can be found in private and public collections, including the Fondazione Rolla and the Art Vontobel Collection in Switzerland, the FRAC (Fonds Régional d'Art Contemporain) in Brittany, the Fondazione MAST in Bologna, the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo in Turin, the Fondazione Arti Visive in Modena, and the Fondazione di Sardegna.
Silvia Mariotti
He exhibits in various galleries and public spaces, including the Palazzo Ducale in Urbino, the Centre for Graphic Arts in Ljubljana, MACTE in Termoli and the ICA Foundation in Milan. His research develops from nature, investigating its relationship with history and culture.
Simona Filippini
Simona Filippini is interested in the evolution of Italian society and uses photography and video to tell stories about women, new citizens and young people. A scholar and teacher of the History of Photography, she runs image education workshops in schools throughout Italy with Camera21.
Simona Ghizzoni
Simona Ghizzoni (1977) is a photographer and visual activist for women's rights. Her production revolves around two major strands, which often intersect: the social dimension of women and the fantastic dimension of the self-portrait whose recurring theme is the relationship between human being, animal and habitat.
Simone Mizzotti
Crema 1983. A photographer and teacher, after his studies at the L.A.B.A, Libera Accademia di Belle Arti di Brescia and Fondazione Fotografia Modena, today FMAV Scuola di alta formazione, he increasingly deepened his study of Italian photographers of the last decades, dedicating himself to a personal investigation of the Italian landscape.
The Cool Couple
The Cool Couple is a duo founded at the end of 2012 by Niccolò Benetton (1986) and Simone Santilli (1987) following their meeting at the Master in Photography at NABA. Their research is based on a multidisciplinary approach to the processes of producing, sharing and interacting with images.
Tommaso Mola Meregalli
Tommaso Mola Meregalli (1995) lives and works in the province of Como. After graduating in architecture in Switzerland, he obtained a master's degree in photography in Venice in 2023.
Uli Weber
An internationally renowned photographer, he studied photography in Rome and lives between London and Italy. He published his first book "Portraits" (Skira) in 2010 followed by "Goodwood Revival" (Skira) 2014, "The Allure of Horses (Assouline) 2018 and "Seductions" (Il Cigno CC Edizioni) 2021. He has exhibited in various galleries and museums around the world.
Valeria Limongi
Born in Lucania in 1995, she graduated from the Free Academy of Fine Arts in Rimini and is currently enrolled in the two-year Photography course at the Brera Academy. She began exhibiting in group exhibitions in 2023. She investigates the ambiguity that can be expressed through the medium of photography.
