Green Meadows of the Imaginary Island
What does it mean to be Venetian outside the lagoon? A reportage by Carola Cappellari.
While the few born and raised on the island fiercely claim the exclusive right of calling themselves Venetians, the many living only a few miles from Venice in the flat, misty mainland, or in the little industrial townships in the famously productive Veneto countryside, also consider themselves Venetians. In this intimate reportage that mixes family photos with surreal views of the flatland, Carola Cappellari suggests that Venice's true identity is more complex than it seems, and might as well be found in the city’s outskirts.
Here, Venice appears as a polarizing force whose iconic status subjugates and absorbs that of its surroundings. In turn, the countryside reclaims and reflects Venice in its own peculiar way. Cappellari’s work leaves us with a question: Where does Venice end, exactly?
