Description

Riccardo Bandiera, born in 1973, is an Italian photographer living along the picturesque Italian coast between Genoa and Nice. With a background in technical studies, he is now a recognized member of TAU Visual. Bandiera has presented his works in art exhibitions in major cities such as Barcelona, Brussels, Rotterdam, Arles, Turin, Genoa, New York, Munich, and Milan, both in group and solo exhibitions. As the author of the photo book "Essenze Invisibili," published by Danilo Montanari, he gives visibility to children with neurological syndromes from Ravenna. His photographic works have graced the covers of "Il Fotografo" and "ClickMagazine" and have been featured in renowned publications such as the Australian magazine "Stolen," "Fluffer," Elegant Magazine, "Chaffey Review," "It's Different Magazine," "Pretty Vacant," and "FotoCult." The series "Hiraeth" takes its name from a Gaelic term that eludes direct translation. It represents a feeling of bittersweet melancholy, a place to which one returns and serves as an important point of reference for progress. This series of underwater photographs is a captivating collection that captures the flowing, ethereal beauty of human forms in water. The images depict figures seemingly floating in a serene aquatic ballet. The interplay of light through water, the distortion of bodies and bubbles, and the merging of fabric and human form contribute to a sense of dreamlike tranquility. These artworks can evoke feelings of peace, solitude, and a connection to the natural world, exploring themes such as flow, transformation, and the delicate balance between light and shadow. The use of water as both lens and canvas adds an additional layer of depth and complexity, inviting viewers to contemplate the interplay between human form and the enveloping element of water. The series "Nantes lubricis pelagi" was conceived in 2021. The title means "Swimming in turbulent waters" in Latin. With this series, Bandiera captures absence and loss. He envisions these swimmers in an environment reminiscent of water, with references to the sea and swimming movements, delicate and melancholic, yet the water, their natural element, is never truly present. The boundaries between dream and reality blur, softening sharp details with impressionistic techniques. The recurring use of blurriness creates an intimate and meditative atmosphere, encouraging the viewer to look beyond the depicted scenes and dive into the emotional and symbolic meanings that lie beneath the surface. A subtle color palette and the play of light and shadow build a coherent aesthetic that emphasizes the uniqueness of each image while highlighting the collective vision of the series. Bandiera engages with themes of self-reflection, transformation, and the fluid nature of human consciousness, with each photograph acting as a quiet poem, gently prompting self-discovery.