Photography as a testimony to the passing of time, literature as a tool for interpreting its traces. It is around this encounter between images and words that Disappearances, the new volume published on the occasion of the exhibition dedicated to Alberto Flammer set up in Cavalier Pellanda House from Biasca.
The initiative represents a key moment in the cultural program accompanying the exhibition dedicated to the Ticino photographer and offers an original comparison between his visual heritage and the narrative sensibilities of some of the most renowned authors of the contemporary cantonal literary scene.
The official presentation of the volume is scheduled for Tuesday, June 9th at 7:30 pm in the Casa Pellanda auditorium, offering the public the opportunity to discover an editorial project that brings together different yet complementary artistic languages.
A photographer who chronicled the transformations of Ticino
For many readers and enthusiasts of Ticino culture, the name of Alberto Flammer immediately brings to mind two works that have marked the collective memory of the Canton: Eyes on Ticino e Bread and knife.
Both volumes, edited by Piero Bianconi and published by Armando Dadò Publisher, documented the profound economic and social transformations experienced by Ticino in the 1970s. Through Flammer's lens, a region emerged suspended between tradition and modernity, while the rapid development of consumer society irreversibly altered landscapes, habits, and collective identities.
In particular, Bread and knife he accompanied the images with the reflections and narrations of important voices in Ticino literature, including Piero Bianconi himself, John Bonalumi, Giorgio Orelli, John Orelli e Pliny Martini.
A project that looks to the present
Taking inspiration from that editorial experience, the Biasca exhibition gave rise to a new publication created by the Sottoscala Editions from Bellinzona.
The volume collects the contributions of five contemporary authors: Vanni Bianconi, Doris Femminis, Anna Ruchat, Oliver Scharpf e Thomas Soldini.
The writers were invited to engage with five groups of images selected by the curator of the exhibition and the publication, Elio ScheniniThe photographs, most of which have never been published before, have been grouped according to thematic and stylistic affinities, becoming the starting point for an equally original series of stories.
The result is a volume that doesn't simply comment on the images, but builds a genuine dialogue between photography and writing. The texts accompany Flammer's works without directly illustrating them, instead developing new interpretative perspectives and opening unexpected narrative paths.
The theme of disappearance as a common thread
As the title suggests, Disappearances revolves around the idea of loss, absence, and transformation.
Indeed, every photograph contains an inevitable temporal dimension: it documents a moment that no longer exists and preserves the traces of people, places, atmospheres, and situations now belonging to the past. This reflection informs the work of the authors involved, who explore the concept of disappearance with different registers and sensibilities.
The narratives unfold between similarities and contrasts, creating a web of references that highlights the relevance of Flammer's perspective. Though born in diverse historical contexts, his images continue to interrogate the present, offering food for thought on societal changes and the relationship between individual and collective memory.
The exhibition can be visited until August
The book's release is part of an exhibition dedicated to Alberto Flammer, which will remain open until August 16, 2026.
The exhibition is open from Wednesday to Friday from 14 pm to 18 pm, while on Saturday and Sunday it is open from 10 am to 12 pm and from 14 pm to 18 pm. The facility is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Admission costs 8 francs, while the reduced ticket for AVS, students and young people under 16 is set at 5 francs.
The publication Disappearances It can be purchased at the Casa Cavalier Pellanda ticket office for 30 francs.
An initiative supported by public and private entities
The editorial project and the exhibition activity were carried out with the support of the Dr. Flavio Rossetti Foundation and Republic and Canton of Ticino through the Swisslos Fund and Bellinzona and Valleys Tourism.
For information, please consult the Biasca Municipality website or that of Cavalier Pellanda House.
