If in Rome: FotoGrafia. Rome’s International Festival, May 29 through August 2

In addition to the exhibitions, at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni, from May 29th to May 31st, it will be possible to enjoy a rich programme of encounters and screenings for a photographic non-stop event lasting from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The artists present include Japanese photographer Rinko Kawauchi, for the second time in Italy after the exhibition in Milan in 2006. Don McCullin returns presenting a preview of his most recent work entitled "Roman Frontiers", dedicated to testimonies of the Roman empire at its most extreme boundaries. Nan Goldin, winner of the 2007 Hasselblad Award, who in addition to meeting viewers will present "Heartbeat", a video installation in which four synchronised screens show photographs of friends, lovers and borderline scenes from life, accompanied by an original soundtrack by the English composer Sir Jon Tavener, entitled "Prayer of the Heart".
Furthermore, a series of documentaries on the maestros of Italian photography, including Ferdinando Scianna who will be present to attend an encounter with the public. The foreign Academies present slideshows by the best contemporary photographers in their respective countries. A meeting with Euvgen Bavcar, a sightless artist, who will talk to journalist Emanuela Audisio about the subject "Photography, the joy of a hostage of the shadows", preceded by a documentary and a selection of his images. This is the artist's first visit to Italy and this event will include an exhibition within the framework of the ‘Circuit', at the B>Gallery, (a project curated by Obiettivo Granieri).
Finally the programme includes a series of meetings with curators, photo-editors and photographers, among them Davide Monteleone and Alessandra Mauro, Eva Frapiccini, Eric Kessel, Bruno di Marino, Christian Sinibaldi, Juliana Beasley and Melanie McWhorter from Photoeye.

Thanks to Letture Portfolio (May 29th - 30th - Open Colonna, curated by Officine Fotografiche), which this year will also include an award, there is an opportunity for new photographers to present their work to the most important Italian and international operators, among them Alessandra Mauro (curator, Contrasto), Laura Serani (curator, Rencontres de Bamako), Mario Peliti (publisher, Peliti Associati), Francesco Zanot (critic and curator); Erik Kessel (publisher, Kesselskramer); Martino Marangoni and Alessandra Capodacqua (Fondazione Marangoni).

FotoGrafia - Rome's International Festival; May 29th - August 2nd 2009 Palazzo delle Esposizioni: Top Floor - Admission € 10, reduced € 7,50; Sala della Fontana - Admission free of charge; Events at Sala Auditorium - Admission free of charge
Letture Portfolio - Enrolement € 10 euro for each participation with a maximum of 6 readings.
Info line 06.70473525
www.fotografiafestival.it

For more info, visit Palazzo Delle Esposizioni‎.