Marco D'Anna, when and how did you discover your passion for photography, and was there a specific experience that inspired you to embark on this path?
«I was sixteen when I started my apprenticeship at People's Journal from Lugano. They often sent me to photograph seagulls on the lakeside to learn how to focus on moving subjects: autofocus didn't exist yet.
That experience opened my eyes: those light, floating presences made me realize that, thanks to that work, my whole life could be free. After school, I immediately opened my first studio, and since then I've been independent and happy with my choice.
What were the key steps in your training in photography?
«I've always sought collaborations outside of Ticino, initially in Zurich and Milan, and then further and further afield. I wanted to see if my work was worthy; those places don't allow for compromise.
From a very young age, I collaborated with the great art publishers Franco Maria Ricci, Umberto Allemandi, the Fondazione San Paolo in Turin, and many others. Then, for 14 years, I traveled the world following the trail of Hugo Pratt's character, Corto Maltese. It was a liberating and very formative experience, both photographically and personally.
How would you describe your photographic style and are there any particular influences that have shaped your approach to this art form?
«I'm in love with photography: I have an unbridled passion, I put my heart into it and for me it's an internal need that continues to grow despite the passing of time.
I've created books with great photographers like René Burri, Gianni Berengo Gardin, and Mario De Biasi. These encounters have profoundly influenced me.
I work a lot on personal research projects, which then become photographic exhibitions, books, and sometimes end up in the collections of museums, foundations, and private collectors. This is an important and fundamental part of my work, where I can experiment and create everything that's important to me."
What is your vision of photography and how do you think it distinguishes itself from other art forms?
My work and my experience are at the service of others, of those who wish to share a little piece of their journey with me. They often ask me to imagine and propose ideas: I listen to their requests and then try to find what I would also like to create. This way, when I complete a project, I feel it truly is mine.
This approach has always proven successful, because I put in all the time, effort, and love necessary. Clients sense it, and then they see it concretely in the results. I've always had carte blanche."
Are there any future projects or ideas that particularly excite you, and what themes or topics would you like to explore in your next works?
"In a dematerialized world, where everything seems the same, I try to restore a soul to companies that use photography to communicate their identity: through human labor, what they produce and what sets them apart. I create projects for institutional clients, industries, banks, foundations, and sometimes even private individuals."
What are some of your most important achievements, and is there a project, exhibition, or show you feel particularly attached to?
I've photographed for major companies, from Fiat in Turin to one of the world's largest textile manufacturers, Lantal Textile. I curated Switzerland's official image for the 2015 Milan Expo, producing work on our country's major agri-food companies. I've also documented one of Russia's largest steel mills, coal mines in Siberia, and much more. I've organized around seventy exhibitions; I remember the ones in China and Paris as particularly important milestones in my career.
How has Ticino influenced your photographic work, and are there any aspects of the local landscape or culture that have particularly inspired you?
Ticino is my safe haven, the place I return to after my travels around the world. My roots, my loved ones, and my studio are here. It's a beautiful and intimate land, but it forces you to broaden your gaze to find your place, just as generations of Ticino people and artists have done in the past.
One of your recent projects involves a collaborative project with Société Générale. What is it and how will it evolve?
«For the 160th anniversary of the bank's founding, I was asked in Paris to create a photography project. It was the official celebration of that anniversary. I proposed portraying their clients around the world: that's how the project was born. Impossible PossibleIn short, the bank makes the seemingly impossible possible, supporting and accompanying entrepreneurs in realizing their dreams and projects.
The book doesn't just feature major clients like Blackstone in New York, the CEO of Hyundai in Korea, or major entrepreneurs in China, Africa, and Europe. Through the foundations it supports, the bank also enables disadvantaged young people to study, learn music, and build their own future. It was a very important project, which kept me busy traveling the world for several months.
Finally, what advice would you give to young people who want to pursue a career in photography, and what qualities and skills do you think are essential for success in this field?
"Being curious is a sign of intelligence. Always putting your heart and passion into it, and never stop engaging with the world beyond our borders."
